Going through what we think are insurmountable hurdles

 When I think of a hurdle, I envision a runner sprinting around a track and jumping hurdle after hurdle with ease. A non-athletic person would probably look at each of those hurdles on the field as insurmountable hurdles, I know I would.  Hurdling is the act of running and jumping over an obstacle and landing on both feet and balancing your forward motion after you land. The key for each runner is to be able to land and get back into spring motion ready for the next hurdle.  

We all have had what we thought were insurmountable hurdles in life. However, when we look back, we see that we did make it over. However, how was the landing?  Did you land in a spring motion? Hurdling techniques comes with a lot of practice.  I am almost certain nobody gets it right immediately. 

 

The message here is really not the hurdle itself.  The goal is for the athletic to land and keep the forward motion in check for the next hurdle.  Hurdles in life are inevitable, but doable. 

When you come upon what you think is an insurmountable hurdle, Just remember it’s not about the hurdle itself, it’s about how you land and your forward motion.  

Check out the spring motion

The Underground Railroad, are you still using it?

Ok so you encounter a problem or a situation that stops you in your tracks.  What do you do? Our natural human instincts immediately tell us to either stand and fight or take flight.  We either stand and take it on or we get the “Ham sandwich” out of dodge. If we choose to take flight some may say that its fear. Which could be true, but its not always the case.  Sometimes you truly have to take that Underground Railroad to resolve that problem or situation. 

When you hear Underground Railroad you immediately think about slavery.  In your head You probably have a vision  of a rugged Harriet Tubman with a rifle pointing north and people looking like they were dragged through the mud standing behind her.  The Underground Railroad was so much more than that.  It was a network of sources that was in place to help with the journey.  The moral of the story is “you can’t do it alone” sometimes you have to ask for help.  Because, as I stated earlier you just got to get the ham sandwich out of dodge, or in other words you have to make a change and you will need help with the journey.

Asking for help does not mean you have failed, asking for help is the bravest move you can make. Asking for help not because you are weak but because you want to remain strong.  Those slaves that took the underground railroad to freedom are truly heroes.   What would America look like today If those brave souls had not decided to get out of dodge and make a change and accepting the help to do it.

Don’t be afraid to take the Underground Railroad when problems and situation arise. Ask for help and accept the help, be it from a friend, relative, or a stranger. 

Check out this video it will totally change your perspective!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.......

Did you know that the song “RESPECT” has two versions? This song was actually written by Otis Redding in 1965, but the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin brought it to life in 1967.  Otis’s version of this song is a plea from a desperate man who will give his woman anything she wants as long as he gets his respect when he comes home.  Franklin’s version is a declaration from a strong confident woman, who demand respect because she know who she is and  that she has everything her man could want. So, whose version tells the true story of respect? Respect can come in many shapes and forms. I believe respect manifest itself from authenticity and intention.

My mom was a poised, confident woman.  She was very classy in everything that she did.  She was not a loud person. Very seldom did she yell at us.  She just said what she had to say and that was that. Her yay was yay and her nay was nay. She spoke softly and carried a big stick. The big stick was respect. With mom, free will was always a given.  She never made statements such as “if you don’t pick up your toys, I’m going to spank you”.  Her statement would be simply “pick up your toys or get a spanking” and because of previous experience of knowing that her yay meant yay and her nay meant nay we simply had a choice from that point on. My mom’s demeanor demanded respect from us. Her intentions were motivated by love and she knew who she was and the position she held.

In today’s society, it’s easy to find yourself trying to earn respect by doing or by giving a part of yourself away.  Respect is something that you should not have to try and make happen.  Knowing yourself and just being who you are should be enough.

Learn to relax, be yourself, in the words of Dr. Seuss “those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. 

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say." – Ralph Waldo Emerson