inspiration – Determined Soul

Wisdom of the Day: Go with the Flow

Posted on August 14, 2012 by RobLeonard

When something goes wrong throughout the day or does not go as planned, think of it as an adventure, go with the flow.

Life is much more pleasant when you accept the unplanned events which occur and make the best of it.

Life is too short to sweat the small stuff and stress over something that you have no control over.

If you’re stuck in traffic turn on the music and enjoy it.

If you get lost driving in a new area, take that opportunity to explore, see and experience new things.

If you’re late to the movies, go to a later showing, while waiting grab a cold beer and enjoy some conversation.

Nothing in life is worth stressing over; you’re not going to die happy by stressing too much. Stressing out is only a mindset; it’s not worth the energy and negative thoughts.

Worrying about what time it is shouldn’t take precedence over having a good time, enjoying every moment.

Planning is many times no fun and sometimes necessary but when you are trying to relax and enjoy a day off from work or the weekend out on the town planning is unnecessary because when you plan something, stress is ready to rear its ugly head.

It is fun and exciting to do things spur of the moment; the opportunities become endless.

Time is always on your side, if you let it. Priceless moments love to present themselves during times of spontaneity, uncertainty; unplanned events are there to be embraced, not taken for granted.

Next time you’re feeling stressed and disappointed with certain circumstances that you have no control over, embrace the change of events as a new experience to enjoy with the people around you.

Get out there, relax, go with the flow and have the time of your life!

Words I Live By Series: Change

Posted on July 30, 2012 by RobLeonard

Embracing change is good but it needs to be an intelligent change. We need to learn from the past so we don’t make the same mistakes.

For example, trying to change the Constitution of the United States to be more Socialist outside the original intent of our Founding Fathers is the wrong type of change.

Socialism has proven to be a failure numerous times throughout history and our current President doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of learning from the past. Does the former Soviet Union ring any bells?

Having a routine is a great way to maintain concentration and produce positive habits but the only way to improve your Self is to embrace positive change. Routine can be a blessing and a curse.

Routine is not fun or exciting, sometimes necessary to complete a task; it’s a balancing act. We allow routine to help us focus, at the same time; we must free ourselves from the comfort of routine each day.

We must change our mindset to think positively towards our lives to enjoy the time we have on this earth, to transition our train of thought and actions towards getting the most meaning out of life.

I’ve lived in a house for three years with four housemates where we all share a nurse and a CNA. Living here has shown me how routine is highly overrated because the company that runs the house/facility called Care Meridian has a fairly strict routine and rules you must follow.

Here, we must wake up at 8am, sometimes 5am to get washed, put in our chairs, fed breakfast around 10:30am, lunch at 1:00pm, dinner at 5pm, and put back into bed at 7:30pm.

We all pay rent each month and are provided food that the housekeeper prepares, but the food menu is chosen by Care Meridian. It gets old pretty quick. I’m ready for a change in my life. I’m looking to move on my own because I need more freedom.

Lets do this! Lets all take a pledge to step out of our comfort of routine and enjoy our freedom in front of God and Country!

Words I Live By Series: Faith

Posted on July 18, 2012 by RobLeonard

Without faith we are lost souls without a compass to point us in the direction of our final destination. Faith in yourself will put you on top of the world, combined with faith in God strengthens your heart and soul beyond your wildest dreams.

Faith in God is the most magnificent high there is in life; crack and alcohol will get you high on the fast track to the grave but beyond the grave is another story. Accepting Christ into my heart and into my life, blessed my soul with inner strength to run marathons with my mind. I was brought into this world flawed physically so that I can teach the world to appreciate the world around them, to come together in search of greater meaning and peace.

It is through my faith in Him that allows me to live my life with a higher sense of peace and understanding a step beyond minimalism; I can overcome any hardship that comes my way because God has my back. My faith in Christ tested me many times throughout my life but deep down in my heart and soul, my faith in Our Lord and Savior has never waivered.

The strength of my faith in Our Lord is unmatched beyond words, even though it has been about ten to fifteen years since I went to church, being more worthwhile to strengthen your inner faith with God. I do not consider myself religious because religion can be used as an institution for financial gain and control.

Going to church does not make you right with the Lord, it comes from within your heart. A pastor or preacher praying for you and reciting scripture does not do the same justice as taking the time to pray to God directly, exploring His love on your own journey. In the end, it is your personal relationship with Christ that matters.

I have never read the Bible, scripture has been read to me, but I never got around to reading the Bible. Does that make me a bad Christian? Maybe. Or, it could simply mean that I’m easily distracted. I would like to read more about stories from the Bible because they are fascinating and you can learn a lot from the stories.

I’m by no means the perfect Christian nor do I aspire to be but I try to do right by others to the best of my ability. Perfection cannot be attained as a human being; we can only accept each other’s harmless flaws and work together to make the world a better place. I’m a perfectly flawed human being with a heart and God on my side.