The story is told of the biblical King Solomon. He once called his wise men together and presented them with a challenge. “Find me a cure for depression.” They meditated for a long time, then gave him the following advice. “Your Majesty, make yourself a ring and have engraved thereon the words: This too shall pass.” He had the ring made and wore it constantly. Every time he felt sad or depressed, he looked at the inscription, which tended to lift his spirits.
“This too shall pass.” Indeed, it shall. Whether positive or negative, nothing in life lasts forever, even if it sometimes feels as if it will. We are certain of this because we know even life itself doesn’t last forever. -Phillip Yaffe
this happens to be one of my favorite sayings and i find it interesting that King Solomon used it as a cure for depression…
Category Archives: women
running with time
is your year going by as quickly as mine?
it’s already the middle of February and i am amazed at how quickly time seems to be passing.
i’m checking several things off of my goal list for this year but there is much to do in the near future.
each step of the way, i’m picking up a little more momentum….it feels like i’m running through most of my days.
how about you? is your schedule requiring that you pick up your pace a little? or a lot?
February is a short month and i think if i blink twice it’s going to be March…which means that a quarter of this year is nearly over.
my life seems to move quicker the older i get.
why is that?
“yes, why is that?”, i asked myself.
do you do that? get a question that niggles at your brain?
i do all the time and i can’t seem to let it go until i get an answer.
so, i turned to my good ole faithful…google.
as it turns out, I am not the only person in the world who has asked this question.
what i was able to narrow it down to is anticipation.
we all seem to anticipate things that are important to us; vacations, family or friends who are planning to visit, the beginning of summer, a new project, the arrival of a new child or goals.
each new event seems to be so far in the distance. before we blink, it arrives and is over.
looking back, we ask ourselves, “has it really been that long ago since that event occurred?”
the adding and passing of milestones in our lives, seems to cause time to appear to be accelerating.
is there a cure for this phenomena?
not really. it’s one of those things in life that must be accept and lived with.
managing it, however, is easier if we live each day to the fullest, prioritise our goals and take life one step at a time.
so, my year appears to be running away on me…
however, i can see that many things are on track and i will pick up the pace a little so that i don’t get left behind.
happy running!
D
how my day ended with me feeling like a star
they (whoever they are) say that change is as good as a holiday.
today, i think “they” might be right.
i’ve had a great start to my year. i feel very focused and although i am away from my blog a lot lately, i am getting some very important tasks completed.
i hope to be able to share some of my accomplishments with you, but at the moment my time is stringently ordered for me.
in fact, i haven’t even had the opportunity to take my yearly vacation (it is summer in NZ and many of my friends are getting away from the daily grind to rest and relax on their annual holiday. BTW, here, it is mandatory that everyone who works gets 4 weeks paid holiday from their job after 12 months!!! i think that is fabulous!)
it’s quite busy for us at work…which is a great problem to have when you own your own business.
however, i have had one nagging little “something” going on in my little woman world that was leaving my heart feeling like there’s something more to do.
now, in the scope of things important, it wouldn’t rank extremely high. yet, in the scope of a “heart” matter, it needed attention.
what was it?
bad hair days!
…too many to count over the recent past.
and girls, if we don’t feel good about our hair, no diet, new outfit or perfect make up application can set that right.
true?
well, it is true for me.
so, it was nagging at me.
last night, i sat down to watch the SAGA Awards that i had recorded on my new cable technology (yes, i do realize it’s not new technology…i just recently caught up). during the red carpet portion of the program, i saw it. “it” being the hairstyle i wanted to try.
Jennifer Lawrence appeared with her new pixie hairstyle…
she looked stunning…
and i loved it.
so, i woke up today to one day-too- many bad hair days…
i jumped in my car, headed to the salon and presto-chango…
i had, something termed -“as good as a holiday”…change.
while, i’m no Jennifer Lawrence,
my husband looked at me as if i were the star in his love story. how great is that?
from time to time, we all need that little something that brings brightness to our life.
i can’t emphasize the importance enough of taking time out of your busy schedule to do that one thing that will lift your spirit, cheer your heart and put a little spark in your day.
it shows your heart that you understand just how important “you” are and that “you” are valuable.
D
2 keys to dealing with confronting communications
a gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles tempers. -Proverbs
good communication is an important foundation for strong relationships.
communication breakdowns occur when strong, negative emotions overshadow the message. as women, we can be very passionate when we feel strongly about an issue.
there is a temptation to release the tension caused by angry emotions by yelling, slamming doors or other outbursts. however, an angry approach adds fuel to the fire. the emotion then becomes the focus. the message you are trying to communicate can become diminished or misunderstood. as a result nothing positive is achieved.
expressing emotion is an important part of communication as well. the key is to communicate them so that you can move past them, not fuel them.
when we find ourselves in a confrontation, it’s important to remember these 2 things:
- an answer should be given – the injured person should not wrap himself in sullen silence
- and that answer should be gentle
gentleness can be firm without being harsh.
i was visiting my daughter the other day and my grandchildren wanted to tell me about a conflict they had with each other.
each was passionate about their position. the end result of the conflict was not very good, even from their young perspectives.
it caused me to realise how important it is to teach children to communicate what they are feeling, communicate their feelings, value each person’s feelings, respect another person’s boundaries, forgive and move on.
so, we practiced.
at first, neither wanted to participate. i had to respect that.
within a few minutes, my granddaughter agreed and decided she did want to practice what she should do.
as she and i began to practice how to communicate, my grandson decided that he would practice as well…because it meant that he would be heard.
by the end of the exercise, they had practiced communicating to the their sibling what they wanted to say, asking for forgiveness, and giving forgiveness.
life skills are not caught…they are taught.
when we are given the appropriate tools, we have a better chance at being successful.
and we all want to be successful at whatever we attempt to do.
conflicts are difficult. they can be painful but they are not impossible to resolve.
good communication skills can help us to focus on the issue and not become side tracked.
you don’t have to remain silent if the issue is important to your heart.
your response can either help or prevent a successful outcome.
the choice is fully yours to make.
anger will ignite an unsuccessful outcome and gentleness will defuse the situation.
D
10 facts about your primary gift
the holidays are finished and we are already full steam ahead into the new year. mine has already been busy and productive.
all of my Christmas decorations are down and packed away until next Christmas -which i am sure will arrive before i blink twice.
i have de-cluttered every room in my house so that everything has a place and everything is in it’s place or at least can easily be returned there.
at work, we are busy little bees as our juvenile stock grow like little weeds. i truly enjoy watching living things develop and grow.
on a personal note, i am attending to the few extra pounds by doing a refresher course on the Dukan Diet.
little by little, i am making progress and keeping up my momentum on my journey.
the next step for me is to get back to sharing my heart with my readers.
since we have not long ago had a season of giving and receiving gifts and many people are looking at what they would like to accomplish in the new year, i decided today that we should look at recognising your primary gift.
Mike Murdock shares how we can discover the gifts, opportunities and relationships that are already in our life in his Laws of Life series.
i would like to share these 10 facts to help you better recognise what your primary gift is.
- everyone has gifts and there will be one that is dominant in your life.
- not everyone recognises their primary gift; therefore, the opportunity to feel unrewarded or dissatisfied with life can present itself.
- although you may see similarities to another person’s gift, your primary gift will be unique to you. there is no one like you in all the world and your gift is significant and important.
- your gift will help solve problems for those closest to you. The proverbs tell us, “Don’t withhold good when it is needed, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”
- obsessing about your weakness will prevent you from seeing and appreciating your gift. China has the greatest ping-pong players in the world. once when the master mentors were asked how they handled the weaknesses of their proteges, they explained that they ignored them. they explained that if the dominate strength of the player received total focus, it would compensate for any weakness elsewhere in their form. it is not wise to rehearse and focus on the qualities in life that discourage us most.
- your gift will operate greater in challenging circumstances. fighters and boxers will often find more energy arise in them the greater the challenge they face.
- you must guard against letting what other people focus on concerning you deter you. sadly, relatives can sometimes focus on your weakness and we can adapt to it. we can begin to put too much focus on what others despise.
- admiring other people can create a desire to emulate their primary gift. you are unique…no one can be you and you are not meant to be someone else.
- what you would love to do everyday of your life is a good clue to recognising your primary gift. try this: if everyone in the world was only allowed to earn $10 per hour, what would you choose to do?
- your point of difference is what is significant about you and your gift. it is important to learn from those around us (remember, your gift will help solve problems for those closest to you…well, so will theirs help you). however, it is important to remember that your gift, your significance and difference are for a different purpose than anyone else’s. celebrate your difference!
David recognised that he was more than a psalmist or a shepherd. he was a warrior and he knew it! Israel once sang out that Saul had slain his thousand but David, his ten thousands.
Joseph was more than an interpreter of dreams. he had uncommon compassion. recognising the unhappiness of his cell mates was the catalyst to his ascent to ruling in Eygpt.
Paul was more than a thinker or talker…he was a revelator.
finding your most dominate gift will give greater significance, satisfaction and focus to your journey. focus all of your energy on it, not your weakness. if you give your full focus to developing your gift, it will compensate for your weakness.
i certainly hope that you have had a great start to the new year and i look forward to seeing you back here soon…for more insight from a woman’s heart.
D
how to overcome the fear of failure
we all feel fear when we try something new or difficult.
face your fears and try!
all you can do is give it your best effort.
trust your gifts and talents…
You have them for a very good reason.
D
how i won’t be suffocating my confidence this year
have you got a great pair of sunglasses in hand?
you know, so that you are ready for your bright future in 2014?
the new year’s celebrations and hype are complete.
they inspire us to look forward, renew our hope for the future and say goodbye to all the gut wrenching pain experienced in the previous year.
we set goals, make ourselves promises and aspire to greatness.
after a few days, we wrestle with the continuum that is all too familiar and assume…nothing is going to change expect the date.
i decided that this year i was not going to set myself up for failure by creating a noose that would sit around my neck suffocating my confidence.
i do not like to fail!
do you?
i didn’t think so!
i’m not alone, then.
therefore, i am not going to promise to abstain from chocolate.
nor am i going to promise to get up at 4:30am every morning and run 10 miles.
it’s blowing up a storm outside as i’m getting ready for bed…so an early morning run in the pouring rain and hollowing wind during the darkest part of the morning does not appeal to me much less motivate me.
i have decided that i will continue my journey, a step at a time, following my plan of action(s), using my developed skill sets, and applying gathered Wisdom.
each day will be different.
if i am unequipped in an area…i will train, learn and up skill.
if change is required, i will use my courage (great or small) and work toward change.
i do not know what is on the horizon. sometimes, that makes taking a step frightening.
for those times i will lean on faith.
there will be imperfect days.
i may shed tears. i don’t relish that thought…but i may.
i will laugh.
and celebrate…YAY!
i will waste some time.
or sleep later than my husband who wakes at the crack of dawn.
i will have productive days like today when i reorganized my entire house.
along the way,
i’ll meet you here for a heart to heart about issues important to me and common to women…
i’ll bring encouragement with me…
and leave encouraged that you came.
365 days to work with and grow in.
C’est la Vie = It is the life…the life journey i have been blessed with…
a life designed with plans for peace, …a future filled with hope. (Jer. 29:11)
if you are making resolutions, make them attainable and realistic…expect the unexpected…and always remember…
You ARE more than capable of making this year everything it should be and more!
D
The Journey of Friendship
there are many routes into a person’s heart
which makes you a treasured friend.
each act of kindness.
each moment shared.
each word of praise or comfort.
these are the ways-
the paths, which through time become highways, along which lie
the journey of friendship.
-Stuart and Linda McFarlane
Beginning Anew in 2014
isn’t it amazing how fresh a new start feels?
there can be a feeling of trepidation as well…but closing a chapter and beginning a new one offers new hope, new creativity and new opportunities.
i enjoyed 2013 and the journey i made through it. one thing i truly learned this year is accepting each step of the journey as being exactly what i have needed at the time, has helped me know that my life is right on track…even when it’s not a celebration.
i’m looking forward to this new journey.
we live in an amazing time in history.
we are blessed beyond many if our ancestors wildest dreams.
it’s great to be alive!
it’s great to be well and able to face any challenge!
it’s great to have opportunities sitting before me!
i am planning to live my journey to the full…
and my hope is that you will join me!
Happy New Year, readers!
make the most if every minute!
D
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