Saturday, November 28, 2009

Settle for More

This week remember to settle for more/don't settle for less. Here is a fantastic video to get you started-I apologize for the subtitles!



I think about when I work out and set my treadmill for 3 miles. I rarley go past those 3 miles. What if I just went until I couldn't go anymore, how far would I be able to go? We often limit ourselves when it comes to our abilities. We set an easy goal and attain it. Then the bad part is that instead of setting another bigger goal we just quit. We don't stretch ourselves to see what we are really capable of.

This week set a goal and go beyond it. Don't settle for just okay, settle for more!

Make a decision...

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now." ~Joan Baez

Make a good choice:) Happy weekend!

Friday, November 27, 2009

No Day But Today

"I can't control
My destiny
I trust my soul
My only goal is just
To be
There's only now
There's only here
Give in to love
Or live in fear
No other path
No other way
No day but today..."

-Jonathon Larson, RENT

In the spirit of Thanksgiving; be thankful for each moment and live it with love, not fear.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Ferris Bueller had it right...

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while you could miss it." ~From the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Looking a little deeper at this movie, that is exactly the point. Instead of sitting in school all day like every day before, Ferris and two of his friends skip classes. They 'borrow' Cameron's dad's sports car, finagle their way into a fancy downtown Chicago restaurant, catch a foul ball at the Cubs' game, and Ferris even makes it onto a parade float. At the end of the day, Cameron admitts it was the best day of his life. I am certainly not condoning auto theft nor truancy, but Ferris took the initiative to really enjoy a day to its fullest.


Monday, November 23, 2009

Make Every Moment Count

We often forget how quickly life can be taken away. We waste time worrying about the future when we really should be enjoying the present. I am certainly guilty of this, especially when I travel for work. I have been in some really great locations across the U.S., and have often found myself skipping dinner on the beach or not stopping to take a great photograph because I'm afraid I won't get my work done. It reminds me of a quote I found in high school:

"The work will wait while you show a child a rainbow. But the rainbow won't wait while you do the work."

Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what is worthy of our time. This week I want you to think about how you spend your time. Do at least one thing every day that makes you happy. Do something to help someone in need. Spend time with or contact someone you love. Look at each day as if it could be your last and make moments you will look back on and be proud of!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Believing in Destin

This week I traveled to beautiful Destin Florida. White sand beaches, bright blue water, and Crystal Bay Senior Living-the site of my project and reason for my trip. Crystal Bay was one of the first projects I worked on when I started my job as an in house Interior Designer for a senior living company. After several revisions and budget cuts, it was finally approved this year.

The project consisted of a small wing of the building reserved for residents with dementia. When I first visited the community I was amazed with the beautiful property and surrounding area. Most of the building was tired looking, but not awful. The Memory Care wing was another story entirely. The furniture was old and tired, the carpet worn and stained, and the entire area was very dark in general. Not somewhere I would want my family members to live. Because of the market level of this project, (it is in a very nice area of Destin), this renovation was on the radars of members of company senior management. I could not screw this one up.

As I sat in the airport on Thursday I started getting a sick stomach. What if I didn't order enough furniture? What if the dining tables didn't fit? What if I forgot some huge component that was going to put a huge black mark on my record? This could be an awful trip.

Then I thought back to my theme this week. I was certainly not believing in myself! I had looked this project over a million times. I double and triple checked my specifications. If anything did go wrong, I was prepared enough to fix it. It was going to be fine!

And I was right. Once everything was moved into its correct spots it looked wonderful! I was still missing a few pieces that would be buttoned up in the coming weeks, so the project wasn't 100% complete when I left. But all my efforts (and the tireless efforts of the contractors and project managers) had created a space that was a complete 180 from what I had seen two years earlier. I had helped make it into a place I was proud of.

Believing that everything was going to be fine helped make the hours in the airport much less stressful(did I mention I traveled during the FFA's computer meltdown?). I wasn't running potential problems through my head, I was relaxing and enjoying my book. Even though I was about three and a half hours late to the site, I wasn't concerned. I knew it would all work out, and it did.

I read somewhere that 90% of the things we worry about never happen. Believing in our capabilities can help take that unecessary stress out of our lives and leave in its place a feeling of comfort.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Live Good

This weekend I did a little shopping with my friend, Mel. After perusing through all of the beautiful patterned papers and clever greeting cards we came upon the shelves full of books for gifting. These were books full of inspirational quotes or journals that encouraged reflection. We flipped through several, but the one that I decided to buy was called "Live Good". Why did this book stand out amongst the shelves and shelves of others? Every page had a title that reminded me of my quest to inspire people to overcome their fears.

I decided to work my way through this book. For every title I will take a related action, as well as post some related material. I challenge you to work your way through with me. Hopefully by the end we will all be living good!

This week's title is Belive In Yourself. A little quote to get you started:

'If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.' ~Vincent Van Gogh

Whatever your 'paint', silence the negative voice and be confident!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Fear for Thought

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we often might win, by fearing to attempt."

-Jane Addams

Try something new today, and don't worry about the outcome. You might be surprised!