TheLeaderInside.com

Have you ever said to yourself, “I wish I knew what tomorrow would bring!” What are the challenges that you’re going to face over the next months and years? What are the life-gifts that you’re going to receive in the days to come?

Sometimes, we may find ourselves wishing we knew what our lives are going to look like or what gifts and challenges are going to be presented to us in the coming months or years. We may consult psychics, tarot cards, our dreams, and many other sources in the hopes of finding out what the future holds. Usually, at most, we may catch glimpses. And even though we think we would like to know the whole story in all its details, the truth is that we would probably be overwhelmed and exhausted if we knew everything that is going to happen to us.

Think back on your life for a moment. I’m betting that you have experienced more and done more than you would have ever imagined. What would it have been like if, as a child, you knew all of the events that would happen in your life to come? I’m certain you would have been overwhelmed and confused. With your head full of information about the future, you would have had a very hard time experiencing your life in the present moment, which is where everything actually happens.

As much as we think we’d like to know what the future holds for us, it is good we don’t know. Not knowing causes us to develop the qualities we need in order to grow. For example, it would have been difficult to commit yourself to certain people or projects if you knew they wouldn’t ultimately work out. Yet, it was through your commitment to see them through that you experienced the lessons you needed to grow.

Not knowing the future keeps us just where we need to be — fully committed and in the present moment.

~~~ DBL-R

My partner and friend in the creation and writing of this blog is in the process of celebration as I write this. He hasn’t given me permission to talk about what he’s celebrating — and that isn’t necessary for this article. Suffice it to say that he is experiencing a momentous occasion.

It is interesting — as I thought about him this morning, I also came to the realization that much of real life tends to happen between these celebratory times. While moving from one moment in time to the next is seldom considered a significant occurrence, it is during those in-between times that we are most in tune with life’s most profound, albeit simple joys. Between birth and death, triumph and sorrow, beginnings and endings, we enjoy innumerable experiences that often happen unnoticed.

These times are just as worthy of celebration. Whether you celebrate them or not is up to you, of course. If you just think about the fact that you’re alive and well on this planet today. Is that something that’s worthy of celebration? For many of us, I’m sure that’s the case. Being able to spend good time with your friends and family — is that worth some extra attention? It can be as simple as good cup of tea, or a gorgeous sunset, or finding a great book — these “little” things could also be a cause for celebration.

So, how do we go about giving these “in-between” times a bit of special attention. I think it’s just a matter of not taking our lives for granted.

I read a newsletter by a wonderful woman, Theresa Romain, who advocates taking a moment each morning to write down 10 things that we’re grateful for. That sort of activity can help us not to let these important “in-between” events slip by unnoticed. Oftentimes, I have to remind myself to just slow down and smell the roses, or notice the people who are affecting my life, or feel the air change as the humidity we’re experiencing these past few days slips away to the east. There are so many of these wonderful moments that deserve their own celebration.

The in-between times are when life happens to us between the pauses that we take to honor our milestone occasions. Without the in-between times, there would be no “big moments” to celebrate.

At any rate, congratulations on your “big moment”, Bentley!

~~~ DBL-R

It happens that I am a true believer of the fact that we do get “signals” from some source outside of us. We sometimes refer to this as “intuition” — or we might call it the “universe” — or perhaps, “God” — or maybe “sixth sense”. The point of this article is about those “red flags” we often get in our daily lives. These sources of ours, whatever they’re called, not only try to provide for our needs, they also seek to protect us from dangerous situations, destructive relationships, and even minor inconveniences.

As we go about our business — making leadership decisions — and decisions in our personal lives — we will sense these psychic red flags trying to warn us of a potential problem. Sometimes we’re aware of them — sometimes we ignore them — sometimes they are no more than a feeling that “something isn’t right”.

These warnings are trying to get us to stop and think — to wait a moment and perhaps to reconsider an action we’re about to take. We’re not paranoid or just imagining things. If you doubt the validity of these red flags, I recommend that you look back in your life to times when you did have these warning signs. Remember whether you listened to them or not, and what the results were. You’ll usually find that the warning was valid. It is rare that these red flags are false intuition.

It is always the wisest path to pay attention to the warnings. If you find yourself with these feelings of “something being off”, recognize that as a signal that the universe is trying to tell you something. Red flags are intended with our best interests at heart. No harm can ever come from stopping long enough to heed a red flag. Take a second to look at the decision you’re about to make, keeping in mind that the universe is always looking out for you.

~~~ DBL-R