Happy ThanksGiving!

 Below is a poem that I wrote and wanted to share. 

I hope it can inspire us all  this holiday season to be thankful. 

Luck

               Luck means different things to different people.  Webster’s defines luck as chance or fortune, good or ill. I’ve heard it said that luck is only a product of hard work and determination. I work hard and if nothing else can be called determined so does this make me lucky? I have days when I feel luckier than others and yet I can’t say that on those days I worked harder or felt more determined. Luck can be good or bad and can happen to anyone without reason or rhyme. Some even believe that luck is driven by the idea of karma that your good luck will be found by being good to yourself and others. Luck, it seems to me, is a combination of all of these ideas, this I believe.

           In life, sometimes it’s hard to remember how lucky we are. Generally, I feel pretty lucky, in the good way.  I feel especially lucky when I pass a tragic accident or a blind person being led slowly along by a faithful guide dog and only their remaining senses to help them feel their way safely. Is it their bad luck that caused the accident or led to the loss of their sight?  Is it my good luck that it wasn’t me? I see many people who don’t ever have these “interventions” as I like to refer to them, those humbling experiences that make the lucky person stop and take notice of the good fortune in their lives and say a silent prayer for those whose bad luck is changing their world without warning or sympathy. One thing is certain, I am thankful for the good and bad luck that is my life because without the bad luck there can’t be good luck, this I believe.

            Life passes by like a shooting star, fast and sometimes blinding but in all beautiful, bright and brilliant. The lucky stop to appreciate life in all its colors and accept its quickness. The unlucky are those who are too busy looking at everyone else’s world, comparing possessions which rarely include how much more love they have than another or how much healthier and happier they are compared to their neighbor. The unlucky will, however, talk about how much faster their car is or how much bigger their television is. The unlucky can’t see the true luck inside of them simply because they aren’t looking. This is the blindness of life, it afflicts us all at one time or another and sometimes it takes some bad luck to help us see again and realize that fortune is really  measured by happiness not our material possessions, this I believe.  

     

               My good luck lies in the fact that I can see the brilliance of my life, I do work hard to be a better person and am determined to fight through the blindness in order to experience the true luck of internal peace and happiness. Everyone is lucky in the good way; it’s just their bad luck if they don’t stop to see it, and this I believe. 

 

  

     

Communication

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    Communication is a vital part of our world. Familiar to us are people communicating opinions and feelings verbally but what most people are not aware of is the power of their non-verbal communication.Communication can make or break any situation and it is more important than ever for people everywhere to learn how to communicate within their person relationships as well as in less intimate settings. 

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    Through communication, we are able to express happiness and frustration, sadness and excitement. Communication is not only a a form of expression necessary for a healthy mind and spirit but also a means in which we learn about the world and the people in it. 

     Many of us are not very good communicators, despite how important communication is or how often we have to practice this art form.Poor communication leads countries to war couples to divorce,employees to quit or be fired and can overall ruin relationships and happiness. 
     Learning the hard way about effective communication through life experiences has inspired me to learn all that I can about communicating and the more I learn the more passionate I feel about the importance of effective communication share information about the importance of effective communication.
   There are many ways to communicate from eye contact that is meant to express interest, to how closely we stand to another person all convey communication. Not only are some people bad at communicating verbally but they can also be poor listeners as well. When I think about poor communication and the trouble it can cause I am reminded of the skit by Abbot and Costello called
"Who's on First" for those of you who have not had the pleasure of watching this skit please follow this link and think about how simple but confusing that we as humans can be, enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/v/kTcRRaXV-fg?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&showinfo=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=cu_8KDrOQJV52QewDc6_Lg&autoplay=1
    

Following Passion to Greatness

        
     Our passions can lead us to greatness. Our only duty is to follow and yet we find ways of getting lost. 
          Everyone is capable of greatness.  This greatness is achieved with passion, through an open, honest heart by those brave enough to go beyond ordinary. The best news about passion and greatness is that it is never     (Flickr.com)                                                         too late to find                                                                                    yours.

        You may be one of those souls who has lost their passion or  maybe you have encountered someone, somewhere who has, they seem simply empty, an obvious missing spark to their presence. The loss of passion in ones personal life can lead to depression and spread to their professional lives. 
          
       In business the loss of passion leads to poor moral and lower profits. From a customer service vantage point the loss of passion looks like that employee who slowly serves you without a smile or a manager who has lost any passion for leading. In both of these situations passion is missing along with it the opportunity for greatness.   

        Remembering our passion is essential to our own individual happiness and the happiness that we bring with us where ever we go. When we are young, it seems that we are nothing but passionate. Passionate about everything with an incredible energy to chase our dreams to greatness at any cost. 

     For some of us, that great passion was felt through first love, when the rush of surprise and the overwhelming sense of happiness was all that was needed to sustain our young souls and bodies. 

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     Another great quality of passion is that it is an individual experience. Your passion may be found in nature, you may feel a since of pride from watching your garden grow. 

    It may be that your passion lies in grilling your own masterpiece on a cool, crisp Saturday evening. 

      

         Passion is everywhere from the smallest meal cooked with pride and a smile, to the beautiful skyscrapers designed from passion by people just like you. So what then is stopping you from finding your greatness? 

       You will find those with greatness have intense passion,  are dreamers that allow themselves to be led by their passion and are believers who know that greatness comes from a lifetime of following passion.  

       Whatever your passion, I encourage you to recognize it for the first time or remember it from times past and pursue it to greatness. 

My History and Inspiration

  Growing up the oldest of three siblings I learned honesty, responsibility and hard work at a young age. These values have guided me, helping to create the proud, strong person that I am today. The challenges in my life are truly what made me who I am now, a courageous, honest, hardworking individual who never stops pushing forward to the next challenge.

One of my proudest moments came after a crushing layoff that, at the time, seemed like the worst thing that could have happened to me. After the shock wore off and the fog of self-pity lifted, I clearly saw that I was at a turning point in my life and since giving up was not an option; I decided to go back to school, in hopes of making myself more marketable. My goal was to return to the workforce stronger and wiser.  As a single mother with two dogs and a mortgage, among the obvious other bills, the idea was scary and maybe a little crazy but I would make it work, I had to. For me, college was not just a means to an end; it was a challenge, an opportunity.

In June of 2011, beaming with a pride untarnished by struggle, I accepted my first degree, an Associates of Science in Business Administration. I was not only able to accomplish this goal but I did so with greatness and graduated with honors.    

I choose Interdisciplinary Studies to add depth to my education. I have life experience and a short education that left me wanting more. Business, as I see it, is an example of Interdisciplinarity, as it encompasses many different disciplines: accounting, communication, management, human relations and behavior, not just as neighbors but as a family unit that works together, depending on the knowledge of its members to work toward a common goal of being successful.

I have a broad view of business and in completing my interdisciplinary studies, I will have a collage of knowledge that I can apply in any professional setting. My aim is to acquire a career position within a company that will recognize; not only my educational qualifications, but one that will also see the benefit that my education and experiences combined will provide.

I am an interdisciplinary and with that comes a lifetime of learning meant to expand my personal and professional boundaries.   My life experiences have taught me patience and pride, felt only through hard work and determination. My education has helped me to expand my narrow view of these life experiences. I will continue to pursue a higher state of being throughout my life and in that I will find happiness and peace.