Monday, 9 July 2018

Moments

Be present and open to the moment 
that is unfolding before you because, 
ultimately your life is made up of moments.
 - Jessica Lange

Friday, 6 July 2018

July 6, 2018 Chautauqua

 
Beth's Ponderings

   “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.” - Author Unknown

   When I read the quote above, the context was that we should keep our nose to the grindstone and stay completely focused on our goals, not allowing ANYTHING to sidetrack or distract us. 

   Now, if your definition of success is only to get from Point A to Point B without stopping, then that advice would be fine, but to be successful in all aspects of life, that interpretation leaves a lot to be desired, in my opinion.

   As anyone who has ever gone on a road trip knows, it is precisely those “tempting parking places,” the unexpected stops, detours, and hidden gems along the way, that make the trip so enjoyable and memorable, not necessarily the main road itself.

   And so it is in our journey through life.  Life goes by fast enough without us racing from birth to death as fast as we can.

   It is those “tempting parking places” that give us a chance to pause and reflect on whether we are even on the path we want to be on.  Maybe we have been heading the wrong way and didn’t realize it till we stopped.  Maybe we followed someone else’s directions and they were taking us to a different destination than we wanted.  Maybe the road conditions aren’t what we expected.

   Those “tempting parking places” also give us a chance to admire the view around us.  What is the point of rushing from one thing to another if we don’t take the time to appreciate where we currently are, and what we have accomplished.  How will we learn new things if we stay in our rut and don’t pause to see what else is out there for opportunities and options.

   And, those “tempting parking places” sometimes have other people parked there.  A chance meeting with someone can sometimes have a more profound affect on our lives than we can even know at the time.


   To be successful in life, we need to visit some of those “tempting parking places” on a regular basis.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://sites.google.com/site/thechautauqua24/home/July%206%2C%202018%20Chautauqua.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Focus

When we start any endeavor, 
we don't really know where we're going to end up. 
We may think we know, but we don't. We can't. 
Our paths will change, and our finish line will change, too...
Our main focus should be on the very next step
 we need to take to keep moving forward...
don't think about going from A to Z...
think about going from A to B. 
- Joy Mangano

Monday, 2 July 2018

No is not the end of anything. 
No doesn't shut down all our options – 
it gives us even more options...
Finding our way around the no will make us 
work harder, be better, think deeper.
 - Joy Mangano

Friday, 29 June 2018

Success

[Success:] getting to do what you love to do. 
- Joy Mangano

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Path

The key to a joyful life is not following
 the path that's been travelled a million times before. 
The key is carving our own path. 
- Joy Mangano

Monday, 25 June 2018

Simple

The smallest change can improve our lives in powerful ways...
A simple solution to a common problem.
 A better way of doing something you do everyday.
 - Joy Mangano

Friday, 22 June 2018

Creativity

The path to self-respect goes through creativity. 
- Allee Willis

Wednesday, 20 June 2018

Will

To connect “I want” to “I have,” 
you have to be willing to insert 
“I will” in the middle.
 - Jessica DiLullo Herrin

Monday, 18 June 2018

Time

Sometimes when things take longer 
than you thought they would,
 it's just a gentle reminder 
that you have more time than you thought—
and that there's a journey to enjoy. 
- Mike Dooley

Friday, 15 June 2018

June 15, 2018 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   Why do you believe whatever it is that you believe in life?

   Is it because you were taught something by your parents as a very young child and you still believe it?

   Is it because you were taught something in school by your teachers, or another authority?

   Is it because you observed or overheard something and decided it was true, even if you didn’t have the whole story?

   Is it because of our language - certain words and phrases that we mindlessly repeat day in and day out?

   Is it because of particular experiences you have had in your life?

   Is it because our society believes it, and so you think you have to too?

   Beliefs are as varied and unique as the individuals that possess them, and, for the most part, our beliefs are completely harmless, to ourselves and to others.

   Yet, not all our beliefs, no matter how tightly we hold them, are true. 

   It doesn’t matter if the belief comes from our parents or family, our schools or our peers, a personal experience, or is a long-standing societal belief, the source does not automatically make it truth.

   Quite often, we are even presented with overwhelming evidence that our beliefs - for example about ourselves and our self-worth - aren’t true, and yet we still cling to them as if our very lives depend on it.

   We grow up, change, and have different experiences that all have an impact on the way we view ourselves and our world. 

   So, why don’t we question our beliefs? 

   Many people fear that questioning a strongly held belief means that their life has been based on a lie if it turns out the belief was wrong for them, but, how can you know what you truly DO believe if you don’t question them occasionally?  Wouldn’t you rather believe what’s true?


   Beliefs aren’t meant to be set in concrete.  They are meant to be examined, and even changed if necessary.  As we are in constant interaction with the world around us, and the people we are in relationship with, our beliefs should be examined and updated on a regular basis.     

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://sites.google.com/site/thechautauqua24/home/June%2015%2C%202018%20Chautauqua.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 13 June 2018

Become

Don't think about what it is possible 
for the person you used to be last year. 
Instead, think about what is possible 
for the person you want to become.
 - Jessica DiLullo Herrin

Monday, 11 June 2018

Path

Don't stress out about the white space
 – the path you can't draw – 
because therein lies
 both the surprises and the opportunities.
 - Sheryl Sandburg

Friday, 8 June 2018

Decide

It's not where you start your path; 
it's what you decide to do along the way.
 - Jessica DiLullo Herrin

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