SOAPBOX of the week: rejecting rejection

  “Never take “no” from someone who can’t say yes.”     – Anonymous

So…you wonder, “What’s his deal?!”  The guy who stamps an echoing NO on everything.  Who agrees to disagree.  Nothing can break this guy down.  Not even a good bottle of scotch.  That said, no brilliant gameplan or persuasive speech you deliver will make him flinch.  NO is his way of life.  But it’s not about him.  It’s about you.  And it’s up to you to decipher whether he revels in it, or is simply petrified to look beyond it.   But have faith that YES is buried in there somewhere.  So, whether you choose to stand firm and crusade for your cause …or plot a path over, under, around or straight through this barricade of No’s …you’ve got to adapt to get what you need.  Dig in …or dig around…but definitely dig up a YES!

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to
LIVESTRONG.

SOAPBOX of the week: LIFE takes LOVE

“If you just blow a little love into it, it’ll fly right up into the stratosphere.”     – Steven Tyler, musical artist and performer

So, you’ve mixed up a recipe …but it tastes like something’s missing.  So you fuss ‘til you ruin it, lure someone else to fix, pitch it and try something else entirely, or just give up.  Overkill it or abandon it, right?  Now, what if I told you that recipe ain’t just for Mom’s meatloaf…but for all of your life’s nourishing concoctions and confections, like your friendships, family, business, health, home…heck even your wardrobe!  And what if I told you that the special ingredient missing in your flailing formula might just be, simply, LOVE.  Your enthusiasm to create, cultivate, and confetti is truly irreplaceable.  And adding a tablespoon or truckload might just breathe life into an unfulfilling relationship, boring event, unappealing exercise routine or unstimulating job.    Point is, folks, whether it’s marriage or Mom’s prized meatloaf, remember why you put on the chef’s hat in the first place and pour your heart into the mix.   

 Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to
LIVESTRONG.

SOAPBOX of the week: seek the naked truth

     “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”     – The Bible

Funny thing about the truth.  It can never lose its original properties, never be dismantled or destroyed.  IT simply is.  Transparent in nature, it hides nothing but can be hidden with but a word, and is oftentimes manipulated for one’s own benefit.  Therein lies the problem, for fear and temptation are powerful motivators.  Whether you’re the unassuming recipient or the panicked deliverer, fibs, facades, fallacies and infidelities alike will all weave the same tangled web.  And freedom can only be obtained by releasing the energy of honesty.  Create a positive future by seeking authenticity in all who surround you…More importantly, choose respect for yourself by unabashedly standing in truth.  Reveal its power and revel in the liberation it returns.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to
LIVESTRONG.

SOAPBOX of the week: stand tall and cheer

“Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-in-law.”     – Hubert H. Humphrey, political leader

Now, I’m rather certain the brightest achievers of our times didn’t willingly surrounded themselves with critics, cynics, and judgmental busybodies. Heck – neither did your own little hometown hero.  No invitations were handed out to engage audiences to readily toss rotten remark and rotten tomato alike …for added mockery and witless banter.  Nope, the doubters and diggers simply showed up as a rule, for they’re the wishers and wasters who hate to love to watch the dreamers and doers…like moths to a flame.  And even as you yourself may strive for the lead role, the key lesson in irony is that you may have your own time in the sideline seat.  Either way, folks, your surge of opinions can prove supportive or sabotaging.  So be watchful of your own judging tongue, ‘cause there’s always an audience.  And no matter if it’s full of family, friend or foe…you want to be on their good side, just as you’ll want them on yours. 

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to
LIVESTRONG.

SOAPBOX of the week: back-handed band-aid therapy

“If you give a man a fish, he will have a single meal.  If you teach him how to fish, he will eat all his life.”     – Kwan-Tzu, philosopher

Almost seems like a catch 22 …choose to swiftly take care of a situation for immediate relief or take the time to invest more energy, effort and resources to stave off the same darn predicament from resurfacing again and again.  Quick fixes always appear more attractive –because they’re easier and deliver the instant gratification we all presumably seek.  Ah, but that which you “nip in the bud” with band-aid therapy usually comes back to bite you in the end, with a bigger challenge.  The project of creating a teacher out of a student is wisdom in the making.  And whether you’re the giver or the receiver, the benefits of the experience will linger to sustain you indefinitely.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to
LIVESTRONG.

SOAPBOX of the week: honoring the bountiful big picture

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned,     so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”     – Joseph Campbell, educator and writer
   
The Big Picture. What does yours include:  Early retirement?  World travel?  Think you’re destined to wear the title of CEO, proud parent, famous author, or couple of the year?  Is everything going as planned?  Fifty bucks says…no.  Be honest: you’ve had a few changes of plans.  A few screw-ups.  Folks, WE ALL HAVE!  But, some of you label these twists as ultimate justification for not becoming the man or woman you were supposed to.  And without knowing it you set a path for “hell or high water”, blind to the countless other glorious options right at your feet!  Finding opportunity in adversity isn’t an opportunity –it’s a necessity.  Plan A or BUST is certain to be the latter…especially when life has so much more to offer that any of your plans ever could.

Copyright 2000-2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.

A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.