DIRECTING DESTINY | ATTITUDE APTITUDE | LIVE YOUR DREAMS
Seven Secrets To Direct Your Destiny ~ Part One ~ Chapter 3
The psychology behind attitude, anger, and the pursuit of happiness.
Attitude Isn’t Anything — It’s Everything!
Have you ever thought about how much your attitude, fears, and opinions influence your life––not to mention the lives of those close to you? Positive or negative, attitude is infectious. Like a pandemic virus, your attitude seeps into the psyche of everyone around you––especially children.
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming an author. I visualized writing books that would take people on mystical journeys to distant shores. Even before I learned to write, I dictated stories to my mother, stories she read to us at bedime.
By the time I actually put pen to paper, my skills were cultivated and thriving.
But as I grew, self -doubt and fear gripped my life and my vision faded into the dark corners of my mind.
By high school, latent dreams dwindled to poetry and scribbled secrets of heartbreak, hopes, and dreams, which I kept locked away in my diary hidden from the world.
If passion dwindles, the spirit withers and fades, along with attitude, drive, and happiness. Over time, only embers linger inside sleeping quietly beneath the surface.
When my friend, Jack’s dreams died, the emptyness spawned anger and resentment that exploded toward the people he loved…anger never has positive results. It’s contagious… and when the virus spreads it ultimately explodes…and the results can be devastating.
My ex-husband, Zack found solace an artificial high that ultimately ended our marriage. As for me, I simply became submissive, and let others determine my destiny.
I often wonder what I could’ve accomplished had I believed in myself from that tender age when dreams blossom and flourish. That question was answered when I discovered a timeworn box simply marked “Casi” snuggled between piles of old books in a dusty, neglected corner of my mom’s attic.
I pulled down the box and peeked inside to find long forgotten childhood treasures. Among them, slept some tattered papers yellowed with age, tucked away beneath my Shirley Temple doll and a love-flattened teddy bear, whose familiar single, button eye still winked at me.
Drawing the papers from their hiding place I recognized my fifth-grade story, The Apron String Captain. This manuscript, mistakes and all, touched my heart and reminded me of how much I use to love writing.
I read the story and wa amazed at the depth of the storyline. Tucking the story back into the dusty, old box, my mind flew to the land of the midnight sun, and the distant shores of childhood imagination.
That story stirred my soul and played a big part in rekindling my childhood dream. Sometimes it’s as easy as looking to youthful fantasies to find your hearts desire.
I know you can live your dreams. But first, maybe you have to figure out what those dreams are.
What were the dreams you had as a child?
You may not be able to be a baseball star or a prima ballerina. Time does move on, finances change, and life situations can hurl boulders in your path. But you CAN live your dreams by pursuing something that ignites the same passion in your heart.
Too old to play ball or dance — Try coaching children. Love construction, but can’t afford to start over — You could build projects with Habitat for Humanity; construct playgrounds, or even design birdhouses.
Love to paint, take pictures, or act — look at your community and see what they offer, or try meet up groups. Just be creative…and never give up.
Whether you discover a new hobby or a life altering career change, find the spark that rekindles your inner flame. Dreams fuel passion and ignite an energy from within that radiates outward to touch family, friends, coworkers and even strangers. When you live your dreams, your passion and attitude is contagious.
One of my favorite qutoes cam from Henry Ford —
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.”
Recently the economy took a tragic blow and I know it’s hard to see the light when you loose so much. Years ago, when the bottom fell out of the market, I lost my design business. I couldn’t understand why God would let that happen to me, just when I finally started to thrive.
I felt like the very wind beneath me suddenly stilled, and the fear within crept back into my life. In those moments when so much goes wrong, I remember my mother telling me…
“God never gives you more than you can handle. When a door closes, a window opens.”
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
I have found the weakest moments of my life were the times God’s hand created the greatest changes.
Don’t let go of your dreams, you might be closer than you think.
If you have children, your attitude directly affects them as well. YOU hold their future in your hand.
I’m sure you’ve heard these words before, but I wanted to print them here as a reminder. Dorothy Lew Nolte wrote this poem and it never grows old.
CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE
If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, He learns to find love in the world — Dorothy Lew Nolte
If you want to live your dreams––Attitude is Everything! It’s where you begin your journey.
You’ll never reach new York using a map to Miami. And so it is with your life. A positive attitude will open doors…be sure to choose your path wisely.
Side Note: If you like this story, be sure to check out the rest of the series staring with this: Medium — like this one:
Connect with me on social media, my website, and here on Medium. Maybe you’ll discover something about yourself that might help guide you to live your own dreams.
My Website, Bookbub, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, YouTube, Linkedin, Goodreads
**My special thanks goes out to Randall Walters for inspiring and providing me with amazing quotes pulled from the pages of a miraculous book — THE BIBLE!
