SOAPBOX of the week: test the waters, folks

 “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”       -T.S. Eliot, poet

Do the words “high-dive” conjure up a memorable moment or two?  As a kid, it meant “infinity and beyond!”  But not impossible! And as you trekked to the top your brain filled with an unnerving fear of the unknown.  Still, you pressed upward and savored the satisfaction in taking the leap!  Proving again that curiosity and courage make a powerful pairing…but not just for kids.  Sooo… be a little reasonable: reach beyond your comfort zone.  Climb above fear and judgment.  Pursue an adventurous life and the exhilarating splash might just drive you on to your next stunt.

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

Pure Soapbox launches June 25!  Site of TV Personality Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: the cost of conflict

“I cannot believe that war is the best solution. No one won the last war, and no one will win the next war.”     – Eleanor Roosevelt

It doesn’t matter the actual battlefield…be it Vietnam, Iraq or your own backyard…everyone experiences casualties, leaving no one celebrating an unscathed victory.  Lives are lost, time wasted and dignity sacrificed.  Communities are shaken and families are broken apart.  And you think, “What can I do?”  You can start by taking action in your own life.  Stop picking arguments, harboring anger and planning revenge!  Truthfully own up to the damage you’ve caused by instigating and fueling senseless conflicts.  And figure out a resolution that might actually help others while serving yourself.  Harmony might not immediately fill every neighborhood, but a peaceful feeling in your heart will certainly be resuscitated.  And that’s a good start.  Now, just think what might happen if more folks did just the same. 

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: laundry list love

“You can’t sweep people off their feet, if you can’t be swept off your own.”     – Clarence Day, author
   
Are you still searching for that “love of your life”?  Waiting for your soulmate to show up and totally knock your socks off?!  And have you noticed that as your patience runs shorter, your number of must-haves runs longer?  I’ll bet your laundry list of expectations net an impossible Ken or Barbie…that virtually no one can measure up to.  If so, perhaps, as you’ve been looking with blinders on, countless loves looked-over you in turn –only experiencing you as a particular, judging and fearful person with a clipboard.  Yikes!  I’m not saying lower your expectations- I’m saying raise your curiosity and open your mind to things unfamiliar and off the list!  You might just be “wowed” by the fabulous, exciting new YOU that emerges…that could have crowds swooning!

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: woulda-shoulda-coulda

“Waste not fresh tears over old griefs.”     – Euripides, playwright

Do they still perk up to haunt you?  Life’s countless regrets. The fashion trend you fell victim to.  Unexplainable hairstyles.  Person you dated.  Speaking your mind!  Quitting your job.   Spending the extra money.  Smoking this or drinking that.  Saying goodbye.  Saying I love you.  How about -that it’s taken forever to figure out what you really want to be when you grow up!  Pardon me, but aren’t you bored yet with the reruns, folks?  Unless you’ve got the power to turn back time, there’s no changing it.  And maybe some of those choices were really lifesavers!  Plus, the weight of grief…along with that weepy pout, ain’t making you any younger, smarter, or delightful to be around.  So dry your eyes and be glad you survived those not-so-fabulous experiences.  You might even come to laugh about ‘em!

Copyright 2008 by Kimberlie Dykeman

SOAPBOX of the week: Discovering your gifts

“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

“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