Disappoint - they will survive

 Making time for yourself in this bustling, noisy world we live in can be challenging. How do we find and commit to "me" time?  Let's face it, we are on/in demand to every family member and 4-legged beast that lives under our roof. We are connected by blood, love, and wireless-ly, there is scarcely a moment of solitude. 

I know of people who set their alarm clocks earlier  in order to get some quiet time, to read, run, swim, write or meditate. Many folks are then catching a shut-eye in their cars over the lunch hour or on the train home at the end of the day. 

We have been raised to be polite and respectful of others and feel horribly guilty to put ourselves first. Why is it easier to disappoint Me rather than You? Honouring yourself takes time and dedication. If we can't find the time and reason to celebrate who we are, why should anyone else? (Click to Tweet)

See Cheryl Richardson's video and article on Let Me Disappoint You.

Spanning the Divide

Bridge in Portland, Ore.

Sometimes you can work alongside and know nothing more than a person’s title. Or by perchance, in a brief few minutes, you can be invited into a window of someone’s CORE.

In conversation with someone new who works in my building, I heard and learned a fascinating story. A refugee from Ethiopia, in 7 years he has brought to Canada, his (now) wife and a handful of family members. He and his wife now have 2 (he said joyously) Canadian children.

He has a degree in the environmental sciences and his wife worked as an engineer. Neither were able to secure similar employment in this land of freedom, they both do work with their hands. He said that he has done 1, 2, or 3 jobs simultaneously to get ahead. “It will not last forever and I am doing this for my children. I am the Bridge.”

"I am the Bridge." (Click to Tweet)

Are you a Bridge? Have you or are you in this very moment, putting aside your own dreams/needs and desires to make it better in the future for someone else?

Ralph Marston’s words are posted at my desk. When I am feeling weary, I read these words to hold me up. Because if we each built a Bridge, how far could we go?