I Have A Decided Heart ~ The Certain Decision

Christopher Columbus epitomizes a person with a decided heart. One of the characteristics of a person with a decided heart is that he owns his Decision. "If you're with me, fine; if you're not with me fine. I am going. I have a decided heart. You can come along for the ride or not. And if you're against me, I don't' care what you think or say." That summed up Christopher Columbus! He didn't care what anybody thought or said.

As you embark upon your journey with a decided heart, I can promise you that the clamor from your friends, family and doubters will roar.  It will amaze you!
The people that you thought would be on your side, but aren't, might be a larger group that you imagined.  If you worry about what other people think, you'll have more confidence in their opinion than you do your own.  Your future does not depend on the opinions or the permission of others.

If you're afraid of criticism, you'll have little impact on the world. Criticism runs rampant, and if you're inhibited by it, you'll drown in its deep waters. Any time you do something that goes against the crowd, you'll get feedback that doesn't support you.

I've been surprised over my life time at the lack of support people show and give to each other when things are going well.  Jealously, envy and insecurity are at the root of this kind of behavior.   You can't allow yourself to stay stuck in the past because the people close to you are afraid to let you grow.  When you have a decided heart, you are not affected by others.

No matter what the people in your circle of influence think or say about your growth and your change, you MUST know what you want and keep your eyes on your goal. I've noticed that the longer you work at your new life style, the more relaxed and supportive the people around you become.  I guess they know when they're dealing with a decided heart!

Own your Decision and keep pressing forward with a decided heart!

Always encouraging you,
Letha

I am a Person of Action ~ The Active Decision

This week we traveled back in time to the year 1863. We met with Colonel Joshua Chamberlain at Gettysburg.  Chamberlain gave the order to "CHARGE" when things looked pretty bleak! Historians have determined that, had Chamberlain not charged that day, the South would have won the war and that would have changed the course of American History. Joshua Chamberlain was a man of action and we learned a lot from him this week.

Too many people, when faced with a choice, lie down on the couch and watch TV. When the going gets tough, the tough don't necessarily get going.  The Active DECISION affirms; "I am a person of action. I seize this moment. I choose now!"

The person who chooses to act, makes a decision to create a new future instead of living in the past and dwelling on squandered time or lost opportunities. You can't do anything about your past, but your future lies before you. Grasp it with both hands and run with it! When you're faced with a choice to do nothing or do something, you should always choose to act. Choose now to seize this moment.

At The Healthy Weigh, be believe that your beliefs dictate your thoughts which dictate your feelings which dictate your actions.  However, sometimes you have to act your way into new beliefs. Acting "as if" can change the way you think which ultimately will change the way you live your life.

Without action, none of the other decisions are useful. You want to know who you are? Don't ask, Act.  When you have a choice to do nothing or to do something..."do something." Become a person of action.

Always encouraging you,
Letha

I Will Seek Wisdom ~ The Guided Decision

We are on our second DECISION of our journey through The Travelers Gift... "I Will Seek Wisdom."  We learned this week that there is a big difference between knowledge and wisdom.  Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of facts  or information. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge to your life.

I thought it would be appropriate to post a poem from someone who has gone before us and seemed to have lots of wisdom.  Erma Bombeck.  So on this day, let's learn from someone who , if had the chance, would do things a little differently.  

IF I HAD LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the "GOOD" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried less while watching television and laughed more while watching life.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away 9 months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment realizing that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love yous"...more "I'm sorrys"...but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...live it...and never give it back.

Erma Bobeck

Now THAT'S WISDOM!

Always encouraging you,

Letha

The Buck Stops Here ~ The Responsibility Decision

This winter at The Healthy Weigh we're traveling through time! We are "visiting" 7 prominent historical characters during the next 9 weeks, each of whom will teach us a valuable life lesson. Our theme comes from the book "The Travelers Gift" by Andy Andrews.  This week we visited Harry Truman, our 33rd President.  President Truman made the phrase "The Buck Stops Here" famous. The buck stops here, meaning responsibility is not passed on beyond this point.

One of the most pervasive myths in the American culture today is that we are entitled to a great life. That somehow, someone (certainly not us) is responsible for filling our lives with continual happiness, exciting career options, nurturing family time, and blissful relationships simply because we exist.

But the real truth, and the lesson we are going to be learning over the next weeks to come, is that there is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live.

That person is you.

If you want to be successful at anything, you have to take 100% responsibility for everything that you experience in your life. This includes the level of your achievements, the results you produce, the quality of your relationships, the state of your health and physical fitness, your income, your debts, your feelings...everything!

That is not easy.

In fact, most of us have been conditioned to blame something outside of ourselves for the parts of our life we don't like. We blame our parents, our bosses, our friends, the media, our co-workers, our clients, our spouse, the weather, the economy, the President, our lack of money...anyone or anything we can pin the blame on. We never want to look at where the real problem is, ourselves.

To really be successful you have to give up all your excuses! If you want to create the life of your dreams, then you are going to have to take 100% responsibility for your life as well. That means giving up all your excuses, all your victim stories, all the reasons why you can't and why you haven't up until now, and all your blaming of outside circumstances. You have to give them up forever!

You have to take the position that you have always had the power to make it different, to get it right, to produce the desired result. For what ever reason, you chose not to exercise that power. Who knows why? It doesn't matter. The past is the past. All that matters now is that from this point forward you choose to act as if you are 100% responsible for everything that does or doesn't happen to you.  

If something doesn't turn out as planned, you will ask yourself, "How did I create that? What was I thinking?  What were my beliefs?  What did I say or not say? What do I need to do differently next time to get the results I want?"

It's simple.

You are the one who is creating your life the way it is. The life you currently live is the result of all of your past thoughts and actions. You are in charge of your current thoughts and your present feelings. You are in charge of what you say and what you do. You are also in charge of what goes into your mind. That's great news!

We must be willing to say...

"I accept responsibility for my past. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. I am responsible for my success. The buck stops here!"

Until next week when we meet with King Solomon,

Always encouraging you,

Letha