Tag Archives: Austin

SOAPBOX of the week: Discovering your gifts

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“Each man has an aptitude born with him.  Do your work.”     – Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher

So you can’t flip an omelet, carry a tune, nor hit a 3-pointer.  Geometry just isn’t your bag, then there’s that speaking in public thing.  There are things in life that challenge our inborn operating systems right off the bat.  Even with upgrades and downloads, we get flustered and frustrate ourselves with half-hearted attempts to fix what we label a flaw in the hardware itself.  Truth is, we’re all perfect.  Each of our rare blends of God-given gifts is as unique as our fingerprints.  But it’s up to us to discover how to launch our software.  So delve in and develop the capabilities that bring you joy and satisfaction.  Capitalize on your built in programs and the egg-flipping becomes a thing of the past.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Time is on your side

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“Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.”     – Douglas McArthur, American general 

Crow’s feet.  Laugh lines.  Crinkles.  Frown marks.  Scars of time.  Call them what you will… they’re still wrinkles. And unless you’re willing to sign up for a little, shall we say, “reupholstering” …you’re stuck with ‘em!  Or, perhaps it’s time you entertain a less defeatist and certainly more self-loving perspective:  Consider this view:  You’ve earned ‘em!  They’re the work of Mother Nature and Father Time, etching upon your face and body life’s storyboard of leaps of faith, risk-taking adventures, and determined soul-searching.  And for each experience you’ve embraced and perhaps survived to personal triumph, those markings might just become fabulous daily reminders that you’re really taking life by the horns!  Indeed you’ll still age on the outside, folks, but your inner spirit will remain young and vibrant with each new journey highlight you create.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Results are not everything

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“Give up cleverness for bewilderment.”     – Dr. Wayne Dyer, motivational speaker and author

Funny, how sometimes the moment you achieve a goal you’d set, you immediately forget all the blood, sweat and tears you shed to get there!  You can’t believe you did it!  Were you really that sharp?  Well, there’s a cause and effect for everything.  Simply put, your investment of hard work paid off.  Conversely, there are reasons for when you don’t hit the mark.  But when you again stand in disbelief, this time at the disappointing results …truth is: you still shed blood, sweat and tears to get that far.  Regardless of the outcome, folks, the same go-getter in you still showed up to hustle for a “win”.  So, don’t dissect the details.  Acknowledge both as true steps on the path of life successes…and lose yourself in the fabulous mystery.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Easy does it, leadfoot

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“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.”     – Lily Tomlin, comedienne and actress

Hey!  Where the fire, folks?!  Now, I’m not scolding you to come to a screeching halt.  But the old “smell the roses” adage does hold merit.  Our cars, computers and cell phones have not only allowed us to adapt to society’s breakneck speed…they’ve got us thinking we’re still not going fast enough.  New technologies once seen as solutions to easing our schedules and settling our nerves, now call for us to be in two places at the same and have the job done… yesterday!  They incite us to fret that every line item is a matter of life and death.  And chances are 90% of them aren’t!  So, take your foot off the accelerator, breathe, and ask what is priority.  The answers will shrink your to-do-list and the knot in your stomach…better than any fizzy little antacid.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: One is the loneliest number

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“We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone, we find it with another.”  – Thomas Merton, author and social activist

We’ve all heard the adage: no man is an island entirely of himself.  You cannot fully experience yourself, find out who you are, until you experience who you are not.  From that the delicious fruits of life unfold.  What is of importance and priority.  What affects your heart.  Moves you to love or fear.  After all, a reflection of self only echoes back your perception.  But interaction with family and strangers alike chapters a whole new dimension to your reality- as it is….and could magically become.  Never abandon your devotion to soul-searching and peaceful solitude;  instead, though, weave your discoveries with those you cultivate through priceless communication.  Purpose, then, finds you through connection and creates a memoir certain to top the Best Sellers List. 

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: The spine of your own truth

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“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the day the night, Thou canst then be false to any man.”   – Polonius of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Standing up for who you are, what you believe in always commands a high price.  Facing the angst of a crossroads that challenges your character, you must decide if the cause is worth the risk, let alone if the time is right to righteously defend it.  You might lose face, possessions, position – even be banished by those you’d thought were in your corner!  In the end, demonstrating loyalty to your core values it is the noblest act of love and respect for yourself!  When your own moral code surpasses society’s unwritten policy manual at a cost, have faith that integrity will replace your initial losses with even greater gains.  Remain steadfast in your adherence to “thine own self” and reap the rewards of a clear conscience and stronger heart.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman