My Riffs

We're facing the end of the year. I think it's more important how you finish something than start it. Starting it clearly necessary, but how you end is more important. You don't have to finish strong or finish with a bang. But you need to get there. However you can. Limp, crawl, run or jump. Just get there. If you're here at the end of the year and it's been difficult, just finish. It's not about being swift always. It's about getting there. The journey is what matters. Journey on and be proud you're still journeying.  

You may have received a gift for Christmas this year. What made the gift special? The gift or the giver? Most likely the giver. Sure the gift is special, but mostly because of who gave it to you. That’s really what to be grateful for, the giver. 

Courage takes many different forms. Courage for one person may not be courage for another. Do what is courageous for you. Don’t worry about other peoples courage. Be courageous for you and you’ll grow in more ways that you will even be aware of in the moment. 

You can see a lot. But what will you do with what you’ve taken in? Will you use it to better yourself? Will you challenge yourself? Will you be full of more gratitude? The things around us and available to see can make us better people if we use them. 

Getting hyped up for a big day is somewhat easy. But how is the energy on the day after? How’s the resolve on the day after? It’s what we do with the big days that matters. 

Merry Christmas to everyone! Wishing the best on this day and the coming year for all. 

It’s Christmas Eve and a reminder that great things start small and humble. Humble and small beginnings are a great place to be. Launching into greatness takes a strong and foundational basis. 

Be grateful. You could easily have less. Be grateful for what you have. 

Not all chaos is bad. Sometimes having fun looks like chaos. And even when chaos happens, order eventually comes from it. Or even a reordering can happen, which is a good thing.

If you need to have a hard conversation, it won’t get easier by delaying it. Chances are it’s already past due. It’s better to have difficult conversations sooner than later. The problem usually grows, not shrinks. 

In life there will be many doors or opportunities present themselves. We have to learn wisdom to know which ones to go through. Not every opportunity is something we should take advantage of. Some opportunities are distractions. It's okay to say no. 

People deserve the best you. Get yourself to a place where you’re operating as the best version of yourself. That’s when you can be of maximum help to others. 

Life is way too short to hate what you’re doing. We all have tasks and responsibilities we may not love doing. That’s just part of life. But if we really hate the things we’re doing, it must change. There’s room for lots of enjoyment in life. If you’re doing something you don’t like and it doesn’t result in good results, you need to reevaluate what you’re doing. If you’re doing something you don’t like but it produces good results, it’s likely worth it. 

If you have peace you have one of the most valuable things there is. Find peace and keep it if at all possible. Don’t let insignificant things steal your peace. 

There’s more enjoyment in helping others than doing something for yourself. Yes, we need to take care of ourselves to help others. But true enjoyment comes when we help others and put ourselves last. 

If you have to force something, there's something wrong. Force is something that should rarely be used, and should only be used with extreme wisdom. Because things break with too much force. It's better to inspire when possible.

You can learn a lot from an honest, true friend. But you can learn a lot from a foe too. You learn about yourself. You learn about how patient you are. You may learn how vengeful you tend to be. We learn more from challenges and low times rather than high times. So if you're dealing with a difficult person or people, there may lessons to be learned.

Hope is something we can have when everything else is lost. We can always cling to hope. Without hope we effectively have nothing.

If there’s no maintenance it will eventually fall into disrepair. A lot of life is maintaining what we have. And that’s okay. It’s easier to maintain than repair. 

When you’ve left your best out there, hold your head high. That’s all that can be done and it’s the best possible outcome. Once your best has been given, you can live with the outcome. Give your best and forget about the rest. 

Life is about moments. Be present. Life will slip right past you if you don’t slow down and grasp the moments you’re given.

Show up. Be present. Shrinking back doesn’t help you or anyone else. 

What is impressive is how big of a circle you can draw to include people. Being proud of how many you can keep out of your circle is a sign of a small mind. Draw big wide open circles and include as many people as you can. 

One of the best ways to learn is to read. Read things that stretch your knowledge. As you absorb new information you grow. 

Don’t out off tomorrow what can be done today. Tomorrow may not come. The opportunity may no longer be there tomorrow. Do it today. 

You can’t get all good. You have to take some bad to get good. You have to take some pain to get some joy. Strength comes through weakness. It’s can’t be just one, it’s a mixture. One thing bring another.