Tag Archives: the power of words

Real Women, Real Stories | Patti Rogers: Living a Life that Matters

8 Replies

 Patti Rogers | Catherine Sanderson Photography~ The Basics ~

Roots:  I was born in Chicago, but my family moved to Austin when I was four. Coming from MidWest Irish Catholic roots, I remember feeling totally unsure about what living in Texas would be like… I was ready to give up Irish dancing for tumble weeds and cowboys. But we didn’t actually move to Texas… we moved to Austin, so that stereotype was not a reality.  Instead, we lived in a city that was more about creative expression, fitness, and eating healthy. The original Whole Foods was a tiny little place at 10th and Lamar and it was a daily destination for me and my friends. Those were the days when there was not a fight for a parking space, just a smile knowing you were going to saddle up to the best salad in town. I especially loved the organic peanut butter bins. So original and authentic for the time. And while I expected that living in Texas would mean I would become some kind of rodeo star, luckily, I fell into athletics. I graduated from summer league swimming to year-round swimming at the age of seven. And by chance fell into one of the most elite programs in the country, Longhorn Aquatics which was the club program associated with UT. It was a serious and rigorous program and a 2x/day commitment that transformed my life. It taught me many things:

  • Hard work is the secret to success. There is no substitute for it. Yes, people have good genes, but the people who have good work ethic are the ones who really win. Inside and out.
  • The power and the importance of self-talk. Our thoughts become our words, our words become our reality. So be intentional about what you think and say.
  • You can always go farther than you think. So do.
  • It’s not really a race about you and the person next to you. It’s a race with yourself to be the best of yourself, and achieving what is important to you.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to compete as a Division 1 athlete at the University of Hawaii. Which was a whole other culture-shock discussion we will save for another interview. 🙂 I stayed at Hawaii for one year and graduated from UT at Austin. After graduation I lived in D.C. and LA and worked as a graphic designer and marketing executive. I moved back to Austin in 1994 to start my own business and believe it or not reunited with my high school sweetheart. And we married a year later. Crazy!!

We have lived in Austin ever since. Lots of amazing growth over the last 20 years for us personally, as a family, and as a city too (wow, that makes me sound so old…).


Family life:  Growing up, my parents were incredibly hard working — both from super humble midwest backgrounds. My dad’s dad drove a cable car in Chicago and his mom taught dance in their basement. And my mom’s dad ran a hardware store in Iowa, and her mom managed the house of four kids during hard times of the depression and world wars. Both my parents knew the power of showing up. They did not put words to the idea of service, they simply served. They always made time for their friends and organizations that needed them. Whether it was their church’s capital campaign, or the YMCA’s board, or their neighbors who were in transition, they always raised their hand. They, above all others, have inspired who I am today.

Both of my parents were entrepreneurs. They started things. In work. Outside of work. At church. At the pool. At home. And by the way, they probably never thought of themselves as entrepreneurs. They just were.

That was definitely passed down to me and my three sisters. All of them creative, hard working entrepreneurs who know the power of showing up. My parents amplified our potential, and I can only hope and pray that I can model the same inspiration for my kids.

I’m also married to an entrepreneur who I absolutely adore and admire. Watching my husband Michael grow his business from a blank piece of paper to being the number one Mac Game publisher in the world for almost a decade now, has been so inspiring. I feel so blessed to be married to a believer. Not just a believer in God but, but a believer in the power of faith. And a believer in the power of activating that faith with your voice and your heart everyday (which takes discipline by the way). It can and does move mountains. We all can be more and do more than we think we can when we practice declaring our vision, our gratitude and our dreams.

Work:  I’m currently founder and CEO of Rallyhood, a community collaboration platform that transforms how people come together with purpose. I founded the company after my personal journey through breast cancer. I witnessed the power of community in action and was changed forever by the extraordinary kindness and love in my life — but also witnessed the frustration of trying to organize a group when the tools are fragmented and hard to use. When I got well, I got inspired to build a new kind of platform to make it easy to come together with purpose—around a person, event or any common cause—in all segments of our lives.

We launched the platform in Fall of 2012 and today Rallyhood is the only platform that enables the social and mobile experience across an organization’s user groups, creating authentic engagement and meaningful daily value. Rallyhood, whose manifesto is “Do Good Today” now empowers more than 12,000 communities and provides solutions for organizations like The LIVESTRONG Foundation, Seton Healthcare, Susan G. Komen, Girl Scouts, Leukemia Lymphoma Society – Team in Training, and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Rallyhood believes in the positive ripple effect of community. By empowering purpose-driven groups to be more effective, everyone wins. When things are well organized, we can do more together, and have more free time to enjoy the people and the moments that matter most.

Patti Rogers | Catherine Sanderson Photography~ My Story ~

On March 17th, while many of our friends were away on ski vacations and sunny outings for spring break, my heroic husband Michael and I headed into round 4 of chemo for breast cancer at ‘chemo palace.’ This is my term of endearment for the chemo room, which on a good day is as bizarre as Vegas—seriously bad lighting and insane people watching. While it was not exactly a dream vacation, I was thrilled to score a good chair next to the window so I could take in the blue sky and pretend I was in Hawaii. I normally scope out the room and try to choose a chair without a lot of people around, so when my reliable and loving posse shows up with their proverbial boom box and picnic basket, we don’t derail anyone’s luck at black-jack or sour their cocktail.

Even though there was a lady directly across from this particular chair, I seized the opportunity to settle in at the window position. Trying to mind my own business, I avoided eye contact, but I couldn’t help but notice her sassy grey haircut and her bright spring-colored outfit that was as uplifting as my window view. As I went through a series of comfort rituals—leaning the chair back to just the right position, tucking my cozy blanket around my legs, setting out my touchstones of faith on the table next to me—I closed my eyes to pray for courage to remember the value of the day. This day, every day, is a gift.

When I opened my eyes, I caught the beautiful, angelic gaze of the woman across from me. Suddenly, all of the Vegas surroundings dimmed to grey and all I could see was her face. It was my third grade teacher, Mrs. Clark. We both flew to our feet and into a hug that seemed to last a delicious forever. I held on so tight to her tiny frame while giant tears ran effortlessly down my face. At 82, she was just as bright and loving as I remember her 30 something years before. After the tears, we shared stories and jokes about how chemo had upset her golf game and how we should get together to sample bald-head balm. My cocktail waitress in scrubs hovered with an IV and a bag of saline, so Mrs. Clark and I said our goodbyes. She put her petite hands on my face and looked me in the eyes, “Do good today,” she said.

I did my best to keep from weeping until she left the room. The simultaneous weight and levity of these words washed over me like a second baptism. I remember hearing her say this very same thing when I was nine, when I thought doing “good” meant sitting still or listening well in class and my “today” was something all together different. But here I was, in the middle of chemo palace, I realized that what she meant then was what she meant today: “Open your heart and be the very best of yourself – today. Do something that matters – today. Make it count – today. It is the only today you will ever have.”

I was suddenly reminded of the words from a Native American song I had stumbled across a few days before: “You, whose today it is, get out your rainbow colors and make it beautiful.”

I made a promise to Mrs. Clark in my heart, I would make this journey count… I would find a way to pay forward the kindness that carried me through and I would live to that beat… to that promise…. to do good today!

~ For Fun ~

Patti Rogers | Catherine Sanderson PhotographyFavorite quote:  “It’s not about where you have been, it’s about where you are going.”


Who inspires me most:  My husband. He is an incredibly successful business person who loves his family and prioritizes his time to never miss a game, an event, a moment to be with his children and me. He doesn’t choose the extra night in San Francisco over his son’s football game, ever. Even when it was flag, even when it was peewee. He never wanted to miss the moments that built the memories of life. He never would choose a dinner with clients over watching my daughter sing in her choir. He knows what matters to him and what doesn’t. He lives with intention… every day. He never lets false obligations keep him from prioritizing the people and the moments that he cares about most. He is also constantly reading and trying to grow and get better in all facets of his life. And he is so sincere and generous with his words. He dishes them out like party cake to all of us, while singing or dancing some embarrassing jig. Which inspires me even more.

Best advice I’ve been given:  It sounds strange, but the best advice I have been given came from cancer. It taught me that there are no days to waste, so we have to choose carefully about how we invest our time. Busy isn’t the same as full. If we believe in ROI in business, then we must believe the same theory applies in life.

While he never said it to me personally, I love the Steve Jobs quote, “Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things. And ‘yes’ to only one.”   He once told the CEO at Nike, “Nike makes some of the best products in the world. Products that you lust after. But you also make a lot of crap. Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff.”  It’s the same thing for our lives. Our calendars. We need to get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff.

Something people may not know about me:  My happiest moments are not…definitely not…about reading Facebook posts. They are drawing with my daughter. I love to draw. I draw, and she colors. She is extraordinary with color and sees things I don’t see, which I love. Such a simple activity but my most favorite and I think it is the time we are most connected.

If I wasn’t CEO of Rallyhood, I would… Hmm. I would be trying to complete a book; commit to doing art once a day until I had a worthy collection of art, words, or photography. Or…I would start a different tech company. I think the future of software hinges on everyday insights of everyday problems and will be solved by everyday people as oppose to people who have a theory about what people need.

I’m looking forward to…  my son’s football game this week and his musical in March. My daughter’s reading at church on Sunday. Her volleyball game this saturday. And her learning to speak loud and proud!! Thanksgiving at my house with my mom and sisters and their families and kids. And if there is a skit that night I would not be disappointed. Our next summer vacay which we adore. Beach house in Florida where we make sand castles and ridiculous human pyramids at sunset. More times to love and celebrate my family.

When I’m not working I’m… Celebrating every second with my kids and my husband and the friends who truly lift me up.

I collect… Stories and insights about how life is good and how divinity works in our life.

My guilty pleasure:  Wine, chocolate and spa treatments.

My perfect day would be …  Early workout at the gym from 6-7. Green juice. My son singing over his breakfast. My daughter laughing at our sweet dog Sadie. Driving them both to school. Working to build a company that is focused on helping people’s everyday life be easier, with less communication clutter so they can have more time to engage in the people, groups, and moments that matter most. Recounting the day with my husband as we stare up at a huge texas sky full of stars, tearing up about our blessings. And oh…maybe a little wine and chocolate. 🙂

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

 In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we encourage you to visit the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer resource page to learn more, donate, and get involved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

iGnite Real Women, Real Stories is a series highlighting the inspiring lives and experiences of women in our community. We hope their stories motivate and inspire you to live your life to the fullest.

Know someone who would be a great candidate for a Real Women, Real Stories feature? Email nominations to hello@igniteyourlifenow.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

You Might Also Like:

Speak Life

2 Replies

Raise Your Words

Point to Ponder:
Imagine a world where the words you speak appear on your skin.
Would you be more careful of what you say?

by Neissa Brown Springmann

by Neissa Brown Springmann

I’ve heard the song “Speak Life” hundreds of times on the radio, but last week its words pierced my heart more than ever before. I suppose I was feeling exceptionally vulnerable and likely powerless, which must have been why my eyes welled up with tears and I was given hope at the same time. More than anything, the song reminded me of the power of my words and forced me to look inward and analyze the words I speak to and about any and everyone, including myself and people I don’t even personally know but have an opinion about. What’s that all about?! Ultimately I determined that my words and tone are power, and they are either speaking life into someone or taking heartbeats away.

Also, you know how sometimes we’ll say more hurtful things to the people we love most or participate in gossip as long as it’s with trusted friends? While “quote shopping” I ran across the following question that brought me to my knees in shame and for forgiveness: “Imagine a world where the words you speak appear on your skin. Would you be more careful of what you say?”

Moving forward, this is absolutely going to be one of the ways I choose to consider my words. If they aren’t kind and life-giving enough to be tattooed all over my body for the world to see and read, then I don’t need to be speaking them.

And so, not only do I invite you to read the song lyrics and watch the video below, but if like me you believe that words are power and you want to be a positive and life-giving force, I also encourage you to join me this week in our self-improvement series by only speaking uplifting words. And, like we’ve always been taught, if we don’t have anything nice to say then we don’t need to say it at all- even if they’re spoken “in confidence” or in the privacy of our own home. They all have power. Just imagine if we all only spoke life?! The outcome would repair damaged relationships, heal hearts and I think, change the world.

“Speak Life”

Some days, life feels perfect.
Other days it just ain’t workin.
The good, the bad, the right, the wrong
And everything in between.

Though it’s crazy, amazing
We can turn a heart with the words we say.
Mountains crumble with every syllable.
Hope can live or die

So speak Life, speak Life.
To the deadest darkest night.
Speak life, speak Life.
When the sun won’t shine and you don’t know why.
Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted;
Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope,
You speak love, you speak…
You speak Life.

Some days the tongue gets twisted;
Other days my thoughts just fall apart.
I do, I don’t, I will, I won’t,
It’s like I’m drowning in the deep.

Well it’s crazy to imagine,
Words from our lips as the arms of compassion,
Mountains crumble with every syllable.
Hope can live or die.

Lift your head a little higher,
Spread the love like fire,
Hope will fall like rain,
When you speak life with the words you say.

Raise your thoughts a little higher,
Use your words to inspire,
Joy will fall like rain,
When you speak life with the things you say.

Lift your head a little higher,
Spread the love like fire,
Hope will fall like rain,
When you speak life with the words you say.

You speak Life….Some days life feels perfect.

Action Item:
Join me this week in our self-improvement series by only speaking uplifting words.

– – – –

You Might Also Like:

The Most Powerful Tools We Have (The ‘Antidote for Exhaustion’ Challenge III)

1 Reply

“Your word is the power that you have to create. Your word is the gift that comes directly from God. Your word is a force, it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think and thereby to create the events in your life. Your word is the most powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic. Depending upon how it is used, your word can set free,
or it can enslave you more than you know.  All of the magic you possess is based on your words.”
– Don Miguel Ruiz

Points to Ponder:
Are you careless with your words?
What things in your life do you do half-heartedly?

Action Item:
Focus this week on being impeccable with your words and always doing your best.
And, if you haven’t already, order your copy of The Four Agreements to read over spring break.

 

by Neissa Brown Springmann

by Neissa Brown Springmann

Throughout last week I found myself relying on the advice of Don Miguel Ruiz’s two ‘agreements:’ don’t make assumptions and don’t take things personally. It really is amazing how often I need to apply these rules to my life and how much energy they conserve. I was doing a good job until Friday morning, when my father accused me of something that created an exorcist-like reaction in my body. The scenario was this: Tuesday night after putting the kids to sleep, I got a second wind and stayed up too late.  As I was about to go to bed, my three-year-old son Durant woke up and didn’t go back to sleep for another three-ish hours. Needless to say, I got about two hours of sleep. Then the next night, while I did go to bed at a decent hour, Durant and Malaine (my ten-month-old daughter) woke up again in the middle of the night…when it rains it pours, right?! Thankfully, after a diaper change and bottle, Malaine was back to sleep, but not Durant. As you might expect, I was in a sleep deficit and my body was beginning to shut down. By Thursday I had a scratchy throat with mild body aches and by the evening I was feeling pretty rough, but nothing I felt a good night’s rest couldn’t cure.

It just so happened that Thursday night my dad and step-mom spent the night with us. Typically my energy is pretty high, but that night it was low and they were aware of the past two days’ events. So, Friday morning, after a healing night’s rest, my father, whom I adore, put his arm around me and said,  “You know, for someone who has a health and fitness business, you sure don’t do a good job of taking care of yourself.”  He also suggested that my Achilles heels are lack of sleep and stress. It was at that exact moment my head spun around and my eyes bugged out of their sockets. For a minute I was speechless, but not too long afterwards I respectfully disagreed and told him all of the reasons why he was absolutely wrong. I also told him I knew he was coming from a loving place, but that he needed to retract his words. I also suggested that if he were to survey 100 moms with a three-year old and ten month old, who also have a busy traveling husband, they would be stressed too! And, ON TOP OF THAT I AM RUNNING MY OWN BUSINESS!!! Whew. I think you get the picture. Inside I was offended and fuming, which led me to call both my mom and my husband, Russell.

Clearly I took everything my dad said very personally, which led me down a rabbit hole of assumptions… Do I come across like a crazy stressed person and even worse, am I not being impeccable with my words? Do I not walk my talk, as Don Miguel Ruiz suggests is so important? Are my words meaningless? Am I a horrible leader? I’m a horrible mom!, etc. etc. etc.

While replaying by dad’s words and trying to remember that he was only trying to help, it dawned on me that while it might not always look pretty or even appear the healthiest, I can say with confidence that I always do my best, which is one of the four agreements. And, as long as I am doing my best then I can appreciate his concern, but it doesn’t go beyond that. I must also have personal confidence and discernment so I can honestly critique my best, without needing the approval of others, which is what I was shopping for from my mom and Russell.

Don Miguel Ruiz suggests that “being Impeccable with your words is the most important of all four agreements, because it is the correct use of your energy; it means to use your energy in the direction of truth and love for yourself and others. If you make an agreement with yourself to be impeccable with your words, just with that intention, the truth will manifest through you and clean all of the emotional poison that exists within us. But making this agreement is difficult because we have learned to do precisely the opposite.“ We have learned to lie and gossip for example, as a habit of communication with others. And more importantly, we have learned to lie to to ourselves, as in telling ourselves we aren’t good enough, thin enough, smart enough, pretty enough or qualified enough, which negatively effects our relationship with ourselves and with others: how we communicate with ourselves is a reflection of how we love ourselves, which gives others permission to treat us exactly the same. It’s the law of attraction.

Finally, by always doing our best, Don Miguel says that it allows the other three agreements (‘don’t take things personally,’ ‘don’t make assumptions,’ and ‘be impeccable with your words’) to become deeply ingrained habits. He also suggests to “keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next, as everything is alive and changing all of the time. Therefore, your best will sometimes be high quality, and other times it will not be as good. But, regardless of of the quality, keep doing your best because doing your best will allow you to be productive and to be good to yourself, because you will be giving yourself to your family, to your community and everything. Doing your best is taking action because you love it, not because you are expecting a reward.”

All in all, life is too short and too precious to not living amazingly. And, by applying the common-sense wisdom and powerful tools from The Four Agreements we optimize our ability to live our best blow-out life. If you haven’t ordered or read the book yet, it’s not too late. The iGnite team is reading it over Spring Break, and it can easily be ordered here on Amazon for less than $8.00. It will be at your doorstep within two days of ordering. The Kindle Edition is available too. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am!

 

RELATED ARTICLES: 

The Road Map & Magnets In Your Life

1 Reply

Mantra: Look up & live now

“Your thoughts bear fruit. Think good thoughts and the fruit in your life will be good. Think bad thoughts and the fruit in your life will be bad. For as you think in your heart, so are you. ”
(Ending Your Day Right)

Point to Ponder:
Have you put off determining your mantra?   Don’t over-think it, just jot down a phrase that inspires you!

Action Item:
If you haven’t already, determine your goal/mantra/intention for Spring & repeat it to yourself first thing each morning.

by Neissa Brown Springmann

by Neissa Brown Springmann

There’s no doubt that our thoughts and words act as both a road map and magnet in our lives. If we think and speak words of encouragement and positive affirmation to ourselves and others, not only will our day and lives move in a positive direction, but the people we attract will add meaningful value to our lives.

Thoughts and words are magic. They can tear down or build up. They can quickly make a bad situation worse, like throwing gas on a fire, or they can boost our spirit in times of complete and utter frustration, annoyance and anger. They can quickly put life into perspective. They, our thoughts and words, have the power to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. Lucky us, because every thought and word we choose to think and speak is a choice, so choose yours wisely!

As we focus one more week on creating our mantra, motto or determining a goal for the spring season, iGnite leaders Betty, Meg and Sha have shared their comical and heartfelt mantras below.

“Look Up & Live Now”

Betty Cunningham

by Betty Cunningham

Too often I let the circumstances of my life overwhelm me and I begin to focus on the negative. “Too much to do, not enough time,” “Complicated problem, can’t figure it out,” etc. If I simply take the time to look up and put my problems into perspective, it changes my reaction. In 2014, I will ‘look up’ more and fret less. Even if it means looking up to the heavens and saying, “Really?!  You have got to be kidding me!”  This gesture at least gives me and God a good laugh.

My dad gave each one of us a nick name when we were in babyhood. My nickname was Short Fat and Ugly. My sister Theresa (a type A+++++ personality & complete overachiever) now calls me the, Short Skinny Procrastinator. It’s so true! (well maybe not the skinny part.) I must say that I am fairly accomplished at completing my day to day to do list, however, it’s the BIG to-do’s that I miss. Therefore, LIVE NOW is my mantra for 2014, especially when it comes to the relationships in my life. My kids will soon be off to college and living their own lives. It’s time to LIVE NOW and love all the laundry and dishes!

“Take Time For Me”

by Meg O'Connell

by Meg O’Connell

“What is necessary is to continue to love. How does a lamp burn, if it is not by the continuous feeding of little drops of oil? When there is no oil, there is no light. Dear friends, what are our drops of oil in our lamps? They are the small things from every day life: the joy, the generosity, the little good things, the humility and the patience. A simple thought for someone else. Our way to be silent, to listen, to forgive, to speak and to act. They are the real drops of oil that make our lamps burn vividly our whole life.” -Mother Teresa

February is here, the month of love. I have to admit, I get caught up in it all: the cute Valentines for the kids, aphrodisiac dinner parties with friends, and champagne and chocolates with my hubby. However, January was more a whirlwind this year than ever before, and because of this, there has been less self-care. As I move into this month’s celebration of love, I feel my desire to focus more on “me.”

With all of the emotional events that I experience or witness, I can easily close off part of my emotional capacity to myself and to others, and as someone who loves to take care of my people, when I don’t take the time to let go of these losses, stresses, and insecurities, I am not able to give. Therefore, in February, I will be taking that time for myself. You will see me on the mat more, running the lake and taking lunches with friends. I will inhale acceptance and let go of all stress when I exhale.

“Be Good to Myself from the Inside Out”

by Sha Klatt

by Sha Klatt

I am at a good place in my life to pay attention to my own daily needs, starting with great nutrition. I’m realizing more and more that ‘you really are what you eat.’  I feel so much better when I eat a healthy diet.

I’m also enjoying and focusing on my spiritual growth. I’ve been attending a Bible study for the first time in decades, and it is wonderful.

Another aspect of being good to myself is of course taking time to be physically active each day. My mom always said, “You have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.”   It feels good to focus on these words and put them into action!

RELATED ARTICLES:

Three Mantras to Inspire You

1 Reply

“The power of words can move you to tears, evoke absolute joy or lead you in action. There are words of encouragement, of sympathy, of love and admiration. The right words can give you strength, define your faith, give flight to things that live in your imagination. Words will inspire you, cut you and bring you back to life. They will comfort you in your time of needs.
They will nourish your soul!”
(Unknown)

Point to Ponder:
How about you? Do you have a 2014 seasonal saying or focus that will help you reach your goals, aspirations or simply help you get through the next several months with a smile on your face?

Action Item:
Determine how you would fill out the 2 steps of the card above
to intentionally pursue a healthier you in body, mind and/or spirit this spring!

by Neissa Brown Springmann

by Neissa Brown Springmann

Throughout the next three weeks, we will focus on choosing a mantra, intention, or motto that will inspire and encourage you throughout this spring season. And because we believe that transparency is one of the main ingredients to cultivating a deeply connected and meaningful community, below are three personal mantras, brought to you by three of our wonderful leaders: Amy, Catherine and Molly.

“Stand tall; walk proud.”

By Amy Younkman

by Amy

This mantra is a culmination of the last several years. When I feel stressed, overwhelmed, anxious and ‘the weight of the world on my shoulders,’ I tend to round my shoulders inward — as a sort of protective barrier or suit of armor. Through my yoga and Pilates practice, I have become much more aware of how I carry myself through life. When I “stand tall and walk proud” I have more confidence, I feel more ready to take on my world, and I allow more things to “roll off my shoulders” rather than feel like I have to fix things and make it all right. It is as much a mental practice as it is a physical practice for me.

“Make it happen!”

by Catherine Hearn

by Catherine

I’m saying these words to myself anytime I start thinking that I can’t do something or that something isn’t possible.  It is so true — when you just say ‘I’m going to MAKE it happen, regardless!‘ suddenly the possibilities open up before you. This can cross over in to so many aspects of life — I’m excited to see the difference it makes. It has already  helped me push through a number of situations and take on a much more optimistic, anything-is-possible attitude.

“Let it go”

by Molly McCauley

by Molly

Too often I find myself taking things way too personally — some things that I definitely shouldn’t take personally.  Or, I let silly ideas and comments eat me alive and drive me crazy. I’m wired that way though — I’m a worry wart. For example, if I think someone has read me the wrong way or taken something I’ve said out of context, I can drive myself crazy about how or what I should have done differently. I’ve come to learn that I can’t please everyone, even though I want to make every person I am around happy. I’m focusing on letting these things, these worries, GO! If something happens that does get to me, I’m whispering to myself “let it go.” It has worked the past couple times I’ve tried. Life is too short to worry all the time, so let it go!

RELATED ARTICLES: