Our Inner Conflicts; Part 1

It’s not a coincidence that we are confronted with annoying people and situations day-in and day-out. That’s life, and it follows us everywhere, like someone stepping on your heels. When we allow these outside factors to keep us from enjoying our lives, they quickly manifest themselves as our inner conflicts.

Make no doubt about it, those inner conflicts represent lessons we need to learn. When we learn them we become more confident and at peace in our surroundings. Our lives become easier when we view our challenges not as burdens that bring us down, but as opportunities to evolve. We can only stay down by choosing to respond in a way that doesn’t accept the problem as a task that will make us better. In my view, that’s a key to being successful in all levels of life.

Among my biggest challenges has been learning patience and to control my anger. Since these are things I still need to learn, I often find myself in traffic jams, red lights and waiting at the back of long lines. This last one seems to be especially true. No matter what line I carefully choose for optimal speed, factoring in the number of standees, the number of their items and whether or not they look like they have someplace else to be, something always comes up in the way of a price check, changing the cash drawer, a dysfunctional computer (or person), or a declined credit card.

What really ticks me off are the ones that only have two items (usually something like a roll of toilet paper and tooth paste) and then write out a check for two dollars and thirty seven cents. (I guess we should realize that it’s just not safe to carry all of that cash around with you!) This is a maddening situation for me, and until I can finally accept that I can’t move lines any faster with my mind, it will continue that way.

I can’t tell you how many times I had to be somewhere at an appointed time and broke a shoelace, or noticed a stain on my shirt, or couldn’t find my car keys, and of course, noticed the gas gauge was pointing to empty. Boy, sometimes life seems like it’s out to get me!

If I allow even one these annoying moments to try my patience, it could set me off for the rest of the day. In the end, all it takes is one annoyance to set yourself up for another one, and then another, and so on. This domino effect can be devastating, but if I can recognize it for what it is and say to myself, “This is a test, and I will pass it and learn form this.” I can then shift my perspective, calm down and feel like I’ve learned something. By learning the lesson, I am setting up for a happier, more productive day.

In Part 2 you will learn how humor can be a real difference maker and help you learn the lesson that life is trying to teach you.

Thoughts are Good, but just That!

Thoughts are good, but just that.
You need to take action or they never go anywhere.

Beliefs & Choices of the Past

Like it or not, where you are at this point in your life is based on the beliefs you had & the choices you made in the past.

Humor is a GIFT!

Humor is a Gift! Find time to allow yourself to use Humor on a daily basis.
You will Thank Yourself!

Have A GREAT DAY, Laugh!

Having a GREAT day should ALWAYS be in the plan, Steve Rizzo
http://youtu.be/kuQPCS9r8Lc

LIFE & FUN

Life can be fun, if you make it so.

Learn To Dance in the Rain

Last week I spent four wonderful days at the Four Seasons Hotel in Kona Hawaii, where I had the pleasure of speaking to a wonderful group of Top Sales Performers and spouses of Ameritus Financial.

My job was to give them the tools they need to embrace the changes and intense growth they were currently experiencing and will inevitably continue to experience in the coming years. I knew the tension was high, but I was prepared.

One morning, two hours before my speech, I was having breakfast at a restaurant with a captivating view of the ocean. As the waitress was pouring my coffee, I asked, “Why is it that no matter where they are, or what they are doing, Hawaiian people always seem to be happy and at peace with themselves? Is there some kind of secret that I should know about? And if there is, can you please tell me?”

She laughed and looked around as if to make sure that no one was listening and in a low voice she replied, “Mr. Rizzo today is your lucky day. For today I will tell you the secret that most Hawaiian people live by”. She sat down in the chair next to me, motioned me to get closer and whispered in my ear. “We learn to dance in the rain”.

Before I had a chance to respond, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a laminated card and handed it to me and said “This is for you. It really is a secret that should be shared with everyone.” “Don’t wait for the storms of your life to pass. Learn to dance in the rain”.

Read that again my friend. That statement is a touchstone for living a successful, happier life, especially when you are experiencing intense change and growth of any kind. That in part is the message I shared with the wonderful people of Ameritus Financial.

“Dancing in the rain” is an attitude that truly happy and successful people live by and few dancers come by it naturally. Can you learn to dance in the rain when the storms of change and misfortune are pouring down on you? I believe the answer is yes. It’s a matter of shifting your focus and way of thinking when times are tough that makes the difference.

That is to say, when the storms of life are pouring down on you, you can muster up enough courage to dance and bless the things that life has given you, or you can drown as you curse your challenges and unfortunate circumstances. I don’t know