Daily Gratitude: This is a great quote and it made me think of my walks in the park near my house. It’s actually a greenway and San Antonio has done an excellent job expanding it for over 25 miles.

But, of course, the only part I care about is that section I’m walking on at the time. I often say that one benefit of being so slow is that it’s easier to see things as I go along. Especially the flowers along the way. Just as this quote is talking about.

Do we want to go through life staying on the paved road, perhaps missing out on the flowers that are right next to us. All we have to do is stop and look.

Be intentional about what you’re doing. Are you staying on the path because you’re in a hurry to get to the next stop? Maybe that’s ok if that’s your purpose. But maybe you’re staying on the path because you’re afraid – afraid of getting lost; afraid there will be someone there to attack you; afraid of bugs; afraid of snakes: afraid of failing?

Can you identify your reasons (fears?) you choose to stay on the paved road? Do you enjoy being there or would you like some excitement in your life?

Can you put one foot off the path and see how it feels? Now the next…and so on. How do you feel? Baby steps is what it’s all about. Try something new but don’t pull your foot back at the first indication it’s uncomfortable. That’s natural. Discomfort is the definition of being out of your comfort zone so expect it. Welcome it. See how it feels and then celebrate that feeling because it’s new. There will be lots of new wonderful feelings like that as you continue to forge your own path. All great people have forged their own paths.

Why not you?

Daily Gratitude: This is another way to handle the fears and worries of our current times.

Almost hour by hour the news bombards us, one thing after another. If we just let the waves smack us again and again and again, that doesn’t do any good. It knocks us down and can paralyze us so that our lives go on around us without us participating in it at all.

Is that what you want? I don’t. I want to live as much as possible.

The way to do that is to figure out how to surf. What can you do to surf and not be smacked?

Continue to do the things that matter to you, things you enjoy. You can go about living your life while still paying attention to actions you can take so you don’t feel like an ostrich. But you don’t need to react to everything that the news reports. Be choosy.

Tell us how you’ve learned to surf.

Daily Gratitude: Wouldn’t this be a great way to start each day?

When I tell people to have a diamond day, one thing I hope for is that if they meet any adversity or obstacle, they remember that it takes pressure to make a diamond. You can turn whatever “bad” things you meet into your own personal diamond.

That is what’s meant by you can be changed by whatever happens to you. It means you don’t become subdued and overcome by anything that’s going on.

Sure it’s ok to feel “down” for a short period of time while you process things. Set a time limit for that – 5 minutes, 1 day etc. Make sure you honor that time limit and immediately switch gears to figuring out the positive ways this “stuff” can change you for the better.

It’s not easy but if you practice, it will be come a habit and soon the transition will occur automatically.

Be changed not overcome.