When Your Life Seems Gray, Look for the Color Around You

I walked out of a meeting the other day and there in the parking lot coming up through a crack in the pavement was a tiny yellow snap dragon plant.  The flower blooms were beautiful and so colorful that I stopped just to admire the vibrant colors.  It was obvious that no one planted this flower in this location and yet it found a way to take root and grow.    As other people came out of the building they too stopped to admire and marvel at the strength and determination this flower to survive in the most unlikely place.

As we all stood around looking down the conversation was of hope, beauty and taking the time to admire the beauty that is all around us if we just take the time to look.   To me this flower demonstrated that anything is possible, look for opportunities where you least expect them, and never give up hope.  Perhaps you need to look for a yellow snapdragon too.

How To Find The Next Opportunity!

Are you looking for the next opportunity?  Are you actively looking at websites, magazines and networking to find what the next opportunity for you will be?  Are you ready to take on the next opportunity when it does present itself?  If you answered yes to these questions then I have one more question to ask you… what are you doing with the opportunity that is on  your desk right now?

At one time those opportunities on your desk were exciting to you.  You were energy filled and couldn’t wait to tackle the challenge of the new opportunity.  But what happened? Why are you now letting those opportunities turn dusty while you look for a new opportunity?  Is this a possible habit of yours and you are in a cycle of looking, finding and then looking for more before you complete the last great opportunity.

Opportunities are exciting to us because they are fresh and new.  We don’t put barriers up when presented with an opportunity, we think outside the box and become highly creative.  We lose interest when things are not as easy as we thought they would be when the opportunity first presented itself.  Perhaps you have to do more research then you wanted, or you don’t have all the resources you need.

Before looking for a new opportunity take stock of what you have now and determine if you have given it your best before moving on and making piles of opportunities that never go anywhere. Just like the saying “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” your old opportunities are someone else’s new opportunities.  Wouldn’t you hate to see someone take one of your left over opportunities and make it into a great success!

Before you go looking for the next great opportunity, do inventory of what you currently have. Then make the decision if you keep them and work them to their potential or if you move on.  You don’t want to become an opportunity collector that never cashes in on their wares.

New Year’s Resolutions or Just Positive Thoughts?

I woke on New Year’s day and decided to go on a hike.  It had nothing to do with any New Year’s resolution to lose weight or get in better shape.  It was more about being outdoors on a beautiful Southern California day.  Close by our home is a natural reserve park where people can ride their horses, mountain bike, jog, bird watch or hike the trails.

I wasn’t the only one with the same idea.  My husband came along and took off on his run (training for the LA marathon!) our dog and I took to the trails to walk.  One of the reasons I love to go to this park is the beauty of the wild countryside so close to our home.  You feel that you have gotten away from the city and are truly in the wilderness.   For me it is a wonderful place to think, ponder and lose myself in my thoughts.

Along the trails you come across others who are enjoying the surroundings.  As each person passes you whether they be on foot, bike or horse, they all nod their head and have a greeting for you.  Much different from the times you walk on the street and people will lower their heads or look away.   There is a bond with the people who utilize this park, one of mutual respect.

On my walk this particular day people were greeting each other with “Happy New Year” or “Happy New Year, 2010 is going to be great”.   With so many people having a shaky 2009 due to job loss, job cutbacks and other financial woes,  it appears that people this day were optimistic for the new year and hopeful for the promises that lie ahead.

We are now 4 days into  2010 and I hope that people are still keeping the spirit of adventure and hope in their hearts and minds.  As people return to their jobs or return to their job search it is important to remember that their attitudes and thoughts have so much to do with the outcomes of their actions.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; and optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” Winston Churchill.

Great words to live by, I hope you have many opportunities today!