Ramblings

Life, family, business

Tag Archives: advice


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Goals for 2017

What are goals?  What’s the difference between a goal and a resolution?

A goal is something you’re working toward, something you want.  But a resolution can be any kind of change you plan on implementing in your life.  I’m going to be honest here and tell you that I’m not very good at resolutions.  I did make one last year, and I think I did pretty well.  My resolution was to stop procrastinating my book work, and have it caught up all the time.  I slipped a bit at the end of the year, but for the most part, I feel I did well.  I have made it a habit to get it done, and that makes all the difference.  Changing your habits is how you change your life.

But this year, I felt I needed goals.  I want something to work towards, something to give me the motivation to work hard, to be all I can be.  I sat with my journal, and really couldn’t come up with much.  In fact, it made me more frustrated the longer I pondered.  Here’s what I ended up writing:

What are goals anyway?  Is it just a wishlist of things to get done? A master plan for life? What if I don’t know what my goals are yet? What if I enjoy living life by the seat of my pants?

I don’t know what this life will bring-what this year will bring. How do I set goals in a place with no certainty? How does one set goals in a game with no rules?

If my goals are simply the ways I hope to change myself for the better, then aren’t they actually aspirations?

Can I choose the goal of having such a great life that I don’t need any goals? Can I trust the God of the Universe enough to stay motivated without having any said goals other than to just be myself?

I think that’s my true goal, to just be myself.  No more worrying about the opinions of other people, because truly, they don’t matter.  No more worrying about if what I said was taken the wrong way, or not understood correctly.  No more worrying about hurting other people’s feelings, especially when they aren’t worried about hurting mine.  Perhaps worrying is the thing I need to get rid of.  All right, so I’ll be my true self, and stop worrying.  There.  Its set.  Happy 2017!


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On Being Helpful…

As a small business owner, one of things I do to enhance myself, is read books others people have written about business and life.  I have learned some great things, and read some weird ideas.  But the thing that is prevalent in most successful businesses is one thing: treating your customers the way you like to be treated.

This practice is easy for me, I’m generally a people person, and I like it when people leave the store with a smile on their face, or at least their heart.  But its not only important in business, its important in all aspects of life.

When you treat people the way you want to be treated, you make yourself a more humble person.  You can’t treat people well if you think you’re better than everyone.  You can’t treat people well if you’re selfish and only think of yourself.

The Bible even tells us this: treat others the way you would like to be treated.

If I was hungry, I would like to be fed.

If I was naked, I would really like some clothes!

If I was thirsty, I would like a drink.

But honestly, when I’m sick, I want want to be by myself until I feel better.

(And I sure don’t plan on going to prison, but if I did, I’d really like a good lawyer.)

If there are ways that we can help others, I believe we should.

Sometimes, all it takes is an ear to listen, and a nonjudgmental ear at that.  I’ve learned in life that people like to tell you their problems, but most of them don’t want your opinion.  So if they don’t ask, try not to give it out.  Even though you may have a really great solution to the problem, ask if they want advice, but don’t try to give freely what is not asked for.

I don’t want to imply that I’m the answer genius here, God knows I have problems of my own.  But if I can help one person, my day is not wasted.  It can be a very simple thing too, like someone needs a phone number, or help with their smart phone, or to look up something on the internet and they don’t have a computer, or they are short a quarter for their purchase and I have one in the “kitty”.  Little things can really make someone’s day better and brighter.  What are ways you’ve helped someone in a small way and it made you feel good inside?  I’d love to hear about them in the comment section.