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The courage and commitment it took for those Men and Women to serve our country and pay the ultimate price. I can only imagine this, but I don’t think any one person who decides to serve their country in the Armed Services makes a conscious decision to become a hero. Yet too often that happens and either they or someone else shares their story of courage to each of us today.

The vast majority of people in their lives never set out to be a hero either, yet the circumstances and situation in their life create an opportunity for them to be a hero to themselves and those that love them. Pursuing your passion, striving to obtain your goals and putting yourself out there when everyone else is playing it safe, creates those opportunities for each of us to be a hero to ourselves in our own life.

I am not a big fan of war, however I am so glad that these brave Men and Women decided to serve to give us our freedoms we enjoy today.

LEST WE FORGET.

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Everyone talks about change being difficult and in actual fact it is just different. Here is what I mean, right now cross or fold your arms … which arm is on top? Your right or left?

Now fold your arms again, but this time put the opposite arm on top. How does it feel? It was not difficult, just different. It is the same when you want to achieve a new goal, you will need to change some things in your life. Those changes will seem difficult but in actual fact  they are just different.

The more different things you do different, the quicker you will get to your goals. What are you going to do differently today?

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We all need to have more meaningful conversations about our goals with people we trust, mentors who inspire us and friends that we connect with in life. You see, the more we talk about our goals the more we become connected to them and gain a confirmation that the goal is possible.

When was the last time you spoke to your friends, and those people that you trust and love about your goals and passions? The more you talk about what is important to you the more meaningful it becomes to you and your life.

Make a commitment to yourself that you will share what is important to you with someone who is important to you, as you never know where it will lead you!

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So often we are trying to be different, break out of the norm and forge a pathway that the mundane have not walked. You and I cannot expect to achieve different results and rewards if we do not take different approaches. Robert Frost wrote a wonderful poem “The Road Not Taken” and the last paragraph makes my point about taking a path less travelled …

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

What road is less travelled in your life? What do you really need to do that reap a different result for you?

Whichever it is … Be Brave, Be Bold and Be Passionate!

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We need to stop trying to be perfect. Stop comparing ourselves with others. Remember, never compare your insides with someone else’s outside, because you never really know what is going on with that person on the inside. Everyone has challenges, circumstances they would like to change and situations that could be better.

It is not that they are better off than you, they are just different … challenges and situations. Channel your energy into making progress towards what you want, rather than wishing you had their life or perceived better set of circumstances.

There is great uniqueness in your uniqueness! Celebrate it, embrace it and enjoy it!

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There is an ancient Ethiopian proverb that states … “He who conceals his disease cannot expect to be cured.” What do we hide from others or even ourselves? What are you hiding from now in your life?

It is difficult to find a solution when all our energy is consumed with trying to hide our vulnerability or our pain or loss of confidence. In the same light, isn’t it interesting that when we actually show our vulnerability or our lack of understanding in a situation and all of sudden the anxiety goes from it.

Be absolutely honest with yourself and you will make progress fast.

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I am reading a great book at the moment from Chip Conley called Emotional Equations and found this wonderful quote …

“A world without meaning is a world in which despair equals suffering, and we end up anesthetizing ourselves with distractions – TV, the Internet, alcohol – to kill the pain.”

Don’t worry about the distractions, focus on what is meaningful for you, right now. Distractions will disappear when you are clear on what is important, meaningful and aligned with what you are passionate about doing.

What are you filling your world up with at the moment?

I saw this sign in Auckland Airport last week and it just reminded me that life is a series of small consistent steps taken towards a goal. It is about taking those steps when nothing seems to be happening.

Every long journey to anywhere worthwhile just takes one step to start, followed by another step to create momentum and then a series of steps when nothing is happening before you get to a tipping point before you can see your final destination.

As one of the great brands of our time aspires us to do … John Walker Scotch Whiskey … Just Keep Walking.

What steps can you take today to move you closer to your passion, goal or noble purpose?

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Over this Easter Break, take time to celebrate what is great about your life. Celebrate the triumphs over circumstances, the challenges that have made you better, the successes that have given you confidence and the gifts that you have been given to you strengthen your resolve for the journey ahead.

Look at what is great in your life, seek out the bright moments, the wonderful memories that have you have created and beauty in your characteristics that have been given to you. I believe we don’t celebrate enough sometimes, we just plough through life, going from the next task to the next appointment to the next meeting to the next email to the next project to the next deadline … I think you get the point!

Celebrate the things that are great and not so great, as they all make up your life! Happy Easter.

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I have just got back from Singapore where I got a chance to work with great group of Financial Planners and Advisers. One of the group reflected on the key message they got from the whole conference … You need to practice happiness and positivity.

I know it is such a simple but a profound message. To distill it down further … to be happy or positive, you have to work at it. It needs to be a deliberate act, a conscious decision that is accompanied with a determined effort to be happy and positive.

What is your practice routine to be happy and positive?