Remaining Connected

Don’t think in terms of transactions. Don’t keep track of who called last or who invited whom; those things aren’t important. 

What’s important is remaining connected to people who are and have been important to you. Do whatever it takes. Life is short and tragically unpredictable.

Big Hungry Tiger

Please tell me, Dear Father, 

What should I do 

If a big, hungry tiger 

Leaps into my room? 

Son, please don’t worry 

Let go of your fear 

There’s nothing to do 

When no tiger is here 

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Rise From The Flames

We can give up and burn to ashes or rise up stronger from the flames.

Class

Dear Lady, Dear Lady 

When choosing your clothing 

Don’t show us your ass 

Show us some class 

We don’t need fine details 

About private features 

One assumes it’s quite splendid 

To those who befriend it 

But we might enjoy knowing 

That in addition to looking 

So fetching and lovely 

And chatting so cheerfully 

Smiling so sweetly 

And laughing so freely 

That there’s more than meets the eye 

How will you show 

That you’ve a head on your shoulders 

A mind of your own 

With thoughts on what matters 

A strong sense of self-worth 

That defies idle chatter 

And rises above 

Dull social encounters?

Show us 

Dear Lady 

That you bring to the table 

Than a splash 

Or a dash 

Of giggles and cleavage 

And couture panache 

Show us your manners

Show us some class 

If that is not too much to ask

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Be Who You Are

Be who you are. Speak your mind. Express what you feel. Follow your heart. Do what you need to do.

Get Started

Is there something that you would like to do, but you avoid trying it because you’re concerned that you might not be good enough? What keeps you from getting started? Are you afraid that someone might ridicule you?

Consider this. No one is good at anything before they have actually done it. It’s impossible. Competence comes from effort and experience. You can’t expect to be “good enough” before you’ve even tried something. Don’t hold yourself to an impossible standard. 

You have to get started, and the sooner, the better. Make peace with the fact that you won’t be very good in the beginning, and jump in. Take those first wobbly steps and see what you can learn from the experience. If it doesn’t go well, you’ll do better the next time, because you’ll have more information. Every time you try, you’ll do a little better.

This is how we learn, progressively and steadily. The more attempts we make, the more skill and insight we develop. It is a natural process that cannot be rushed or skipped. 

Get started. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you make progress when you’re willing to be courageous and push yourself forward. 

Will people criticize you? Perhaps. Not everyone will understand what you are trying to do and why it’s important to you. Don’t worry about it. Understand that they are dealing with their own challenges. If what they are telling you is not constructive, smile politely and forget about it. You don’t have time for distractions when you’re pursuing a dream.

Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Make Time For What You Do Best

Make time each day for what you do best.

Christian Holy Week

I have mentioned this before, but since the dates are coming up, I thought that I would post a reminder. :-) Masses held during the Christian Holy Week, particularly on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before Easter, are unlike those held throughout the rest of the year and, in my opinion, are uniquely fascinating. I think that anyone, Christian, non-Christian, or agnostic, would enjoy the experience of attending one of these masses. I would encourage you to check with churches in your area to see what they have planned for Holy Week. 

Happy Easter!

Strengths And Weaknesses

Develop a clear assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Avoid the temptation to exaggerate your capabilities or downplay your shortcomings. There’s nothing to be gained by fooling yourself. Face the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

To maximize productivity, spend as much time as you can doing what you do best. Leverage your strengths. When you have down time, enhance your skills with training and by taking on optional projects.

Delegate to others the tasks that you can’t do well or that you don’t enjoy doing. Develop partnerships with people who have complimentary skills, or hire the services of professionals. 

When delegation isn’t feasible, invest the time that you’ll need to improve your skills in those areas. Learn to do those tasks as efficiently as possible. Turn your weaknesses into strengths, and your satisfaction will increase along with your productivity.

Motivation Mantra

“I will not eat until I finish this!” It’s amazing what you can accomplish. For extra motivation, refuse to go to the bathroom until the job is done.