SOAPBOX of the week: The spine of your own truth

“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

SOAPBOX of the week: Patience trumps perception

“Some people lose sight of the fact that of two evils, it isn’t necessary to choose either.”                  – Anonymous

Ahhh…the lesser of two evils.  Liver and onions or Brussels sprouts. Heartache or loneliness?  How about: a punch in the gut or a bloody nose?  Geez, what a fabulous selection.  Funny though, when confronted with lousy options, we still force ourselves to pick one, thinking: make it quick and move on!  Ugh!  Well, how about choosing neither?  And yes, folks…that is an option!  Because fifty bucks says exercising a little patience will open up space for a better option to show up.  Better still, it creates the opportunity for you to create that which you do want.  Why settle for the liver or the sprouts when chocolate cake is what you really crave.  And folks, Betty Crocker is just around the corner.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Time to speak up

 “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Are you upset with your sweetheart? Unsatisfied with your raise? Bearing physical pain? Worried about something? Suffering from depression or feeling ignored?  Yet you say “I’m fine” and sweep your emotions under the rug.  We’re not dealing with burnt toast, folks!  The experiences and issues that weave the threads of your life together warrant both attention and discussion.  What’s worse…many of you keep silent the good stuff as well.  If you’ve got a brilliant idea; can help out a situation, or love someone with all of your heart…well, SPEAK ON, DEAR FRIEND!  We spend half of our lives biting our tongues when we should speak up and share ourselves!  Chat up your truth –the connection you make will bring solution, satisfaction and peace of mind.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Gandhi’s timeless vision

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”   – Gandhi

Pride, wrath, greed, envy, lust, sloth and gluttony.  The infamous Seven Deadly Sins.  Or for some of us, the vices we find guilt or pleasure in daily.  Confess this with your 6.5 billion worldwide neighbors, and there’s your answer to “why we just can’t all get along”!  Thankfully, it’s not your job to change or fix the world.  But, if you think globally and act locally, IT SHOULD BE your priority to work on YOU to replace those not-so-fabulous habits with more promising, positive virtues.  Choose humility over vanity.  Forgiveness over anger.  Charity over avarice.  Admiration over jealousy.  Chastity over lechery.  Diligence over idleness. Self-restraint over excessiveness.  Folks, start with yourself -to experience the domino effect of promising change that knows no borders.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Feel like a kid

“Fun has a sacred dimension.” – Adriana Diaz, life coach

As kids we set up camp in that realm, only coming out when paged or prompted by someone in charge. We experienced “fun” in just about everything -down to a Cracker Jack prize!- and saturated our present tense with laughter and a contagious carefree attitude. So, how now do you define “fun”? Where do you go to find it?

Stumped? Well, perhaps you’re light on amusement TODAY because you’re caught up in creating TOMORROW. The “land of fun” is found in an entirely different sphere of your perception …but it’s always there, twinkling in the background. So choose to dip into its unending supply of amusement, uninhibited laughter, and memories of wonderfully pointless activities -and that special sparkle you bring back to the “real world” will confetti your perspective with the delightful new energy of a kid.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX Officially Goes Live!

I’ve been known as “The Soapbox Queen” for years now.  Seizing any opportunity to create a stage-for-one, I’ve crafted a signature way to motivate, entertain and educate folks with but a single weapon: quotes.  My unique, compelling formula of commentary and dialogue taps the power of profundity and insight often overlooked in quotes.  But I needed a word to encapsulate this concept, so I coined the term SOAPBOX™ and got to work to bringing it to life by bringing it to people however they’ll best dig it…in a book, in a blog, in an online talk show, you name it!

In a nutshell… a SOAPBOX™ is motivation with a swift kick in the pants that dares you to step away from conventional band-aid therapy and hopeful horoscopes, and embrace the forward-thinking wisdom of the most influential people of our time. The SOAPBOX™ blog is the first step to the release of a special collection I’ve created for my upcoming book, Pure Soapbox  …a cleansing jolt of perspective, motivation and humor. It’s my way to connect with folks from all walks of life, from all over the world -even before the book launches! So…without further ado, I give you the premiere SOAPBOX™ of the Week:

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“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing.”     – Thomas Jefferson

Even the most easy-going of folks get riled up over things that simply don’t make sense or make life more complicated.  When “That’s just the way it goes” doesn’t cut it anymore, perhaps it’s time to show some muscle.  Start your own revolution.  Let ‘em know you’re not asleep at the wheel nor a spoke in it.   Voice your opinion.  Blaze your own path.  Bend the rules.  Don’t do what Dad says.  Order off the menu.  Park in that reserved spot.  Play hooky.  Heck, quit altogether!  It’s ok to buck the system that’s got you jumping through hoops.  Confronting the powers that be will reinstate your own guiding principles and might bring freedom to a fellow inflamed citizen.

Copyright 2008, Kimberlie Dykeman.