Monday, November 27, 2006

The Holidays and Relationships

What Would You Attempt - Unknown
Our family often presents us with the most challenges when it comes to relationships. If you have unresolved issues with your family-of-origin, friends or co-workers now is the time to resolve them. You may choose to not have any contact with certain people any more which is OK. What's not OK is if you lose your peace of mind over the thought of them.


Even when you think you have finished the relational work you need to do there will be times you get hooked in again. That's because on some level you may have forgiven someone but your subconcious mind will be holding on to something you may not even be aware of.


It's like an iceburg, what you have forgiven is what you can see above the water. Your subconciouss mind represents what is below the water. When you're feeling resentful issues (below the water)reappear as a reminder to keep forgiving.


One exercise I find helpful is before falling asleep at night I picture each friend or family member I need to forgive. I silently wish them peace and blessings.


If you have a family or company event to attend over the holidays and you know you will be in contact with someone you would rather not be with try this exercise for 10 days. I guarantee that when you get there the grievance will be gone and you will feel at peace.


Remember no one can take your peace from you unless you allow it. Don't give anyone this power over you. You have better things to do with your time and energy.


"Be the peace you want to see in the world." -Ghandi

Friday, November 03, 2006

Fly SouthWest & Meet Kara Martin

My daughter Kristy's friend James called me yesterday from Atlanta and told me I was behind on my blogging! Imagine someone reading my blog! Because nobody ever leaves comments I never know who if anyone is reading it!

So I thought I'd show off the pictures of Kara's graduation at SouthWest headquarters in Dallas, Texas at Love Field. Kara is the second from the left in this picture. Doesn't she look happy? Do you see her wings on her blue vest?

The guys in this picture and Kara are all based out of Baltimore. Kara is hoping for that to change soon to Pheonix where she lives with her husband Sean. Until then she will travel back and forth on her days off.

Kara's being so far from home is a temporary inconvenience. She wasn't willing to allow that possibility to stop her. That's where courage, commitment and risk taking come in to play. If you want to change your life you have to prepare for the bumps in the road. The benefit is you are no longer stuck and miserable.

I wrote last time about Kara reinventing herself from a teacher to a flight attendant. Often when we are stuck or bored in our work we lack courage to move on.

Those who do move on make it look so easy. Like they have some magic power or something. They don't. They face their fears and move on anyway.

Moving on takes a strong person. A person who moves on is one who wants to "suck the marrow out of life." Moving on means you risk failing and holding your head up high anyway.

A person who moves on asks others to pray. A person who moves on asks family to "hold their vision."

The family holding the vision keeps doubt to themselves. They keep unasked for opinions and advice to themselves as well. The family holding the vision believes in the other persons dreams even when the dreamer has doubts.

There is a sign in Alaska that the highway department put up on a state road. This road is unpaved and just before winter this area gets a lot of rain. So the muddy road freezes over. The sign says,"Choose your rut carefully, you will be in it for the next 50 miles!

So my challenge for you today is to reflect on any rut you may be in. Then tell yourself you don't have to stay in it for 50 miles and move on!

A quote from Kara, "NASA is the only company that is harder to get hired at than Southwest. Last year for flight attendants, Southwest Airlines received 45,112 resumes, conducted 10,795 interviews and hired only 426 new employees! I am very excited to work for such a great company!
See you in the skies!"

When Kara sent in her resume she had no idea if she would be hired. If she knew over 45,000 people were sending in as well my guess is she would have had doubts she would make it. In fact she may have even stopped herself.

Most of the time we can't see the bigger picture in life. This time that was a blessing! Keep believing in yourself and your dreams. Life is too short to be stuck and in a rut! Fly happy and fly high Kara, we love you!

Fly SouthWest & Meet Kara Martin