Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - January 14, 2012

 
Daily Mood Quote
Day 240 – January 14, 2012

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
~Gail Devers

Seven months ago, I applied for a job as a columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. I saw the advertisement on-line, and since I have decided to chase my dream of becoming a writer, I applied. After four months had past, I figured they gave it to someone with a name, or a relative. So I let it go. Yesterday, I got an e-mail saying I didn't make the cut. No big surprise, it's hard to break into any business, including the writing business unless your a name, or you have a relative in the business. I'm not being cynical, just being honest. I have seen and heard so many stories about how people got their jobs and let me tell you it isn't through education, experience or good luck. I wish the Pittsburgh Post Gazette luck with whomever they hire, because giving quality advice is a tough slot to fill. Especially when the truth is put on the back burner for ratings.

“Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try.”
~Unknown Author

Master Chief use to tell me, “if you don't try, then how will you know.” Between you and me, I hated that statement because it meant I was going to try. Now I find myself saying that to my children and regularly to myself, when I get the notion to quit, or when I feel defeated by life. What's that old saying, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” Back to the drawing board.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”
~Winston Churchill

I have had successes, I have had failures and I can tell without a doubt, the courage to continue matters. A friend once said to me, “if you quit you die” maybe not literally, but eventually courage, determination, resolve, the strength to move forward and try again fade away. You find yourself asking the questions, “why,” or “what happened” and “is it too late?” Know this, as long as you draw breath, it is never to late to find the courage to continue. Success and failure are a part of everyday living and we have the power to control that. For me and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the failure would have been, me not trying. Success will come in its proper time and with continued effort. Onward, upward and ever forward...

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow – perhaps it all will.”
~Albert Einstein

Ever heard the saying, “too many irons in the fire?” I have heard that most of my life, it must be a common saying, because everywhere I have ever lived, Minnesota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Virginia; I've heard it, I wasn't real sure what it meant, until recently. It goes hand-in-hand with the saying, “never put all your eggs in one basket.” There is a balance to be attained. You have to put yourself out there, let the world know who you are and focus on what your heart says is possible. Don't be shy, apply for all those jobs, talk to all those people, let the world know you are here and you can do it. H.H. Swami Tejomayananda said, “Some are destined to succeed, some are determined to succeed.” Go for it!!!

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

In the movie The Secret of My Succe$$ with Michael J. Fox (Brantley Foster/Carlton Whitfield), a  college graduate who lined up a job in New York, only to be fired the same day he started due to a hostile takeover, suddenly found himself unemployed in a big, hostile, city. Not letting the setback defeat him, he took on New York's business world and ultimately succeeded, his way. It's a movie, but the message stands: Be determined, be resolved and define your destiny. Everyone has one.

How will you define your destiny today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Daily Mood Quote - September 6, 2011

 
Daily Mood Quote
Day 126 – September 6, 2011

However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?
~Buddha

Wow, what a day of errands will reveal. Yes, this blog is late today, because of the Labor Day holiday and errands that needed to be run a day late. More to do less time to do it. As much as I like holiday weekends, I don't like getting behind because of them. But none-the-less you got to do what you got to do. I ran into an acquaintance today, it was interesting, they attempted to do the duck, tuck and run to get away, but traffic patterns crossed up and they're forced to stop and say “hi”. Soooo being polite, we stopped to say hi, making them very uncomfortable (the body language screamed of discomfort and awkwardness standing there talking to us). Honestly, they squirm like a two year old in a high chair. We tried to make it quick and painless, but those situations are never quick and painless. So smile, be polite, walk away and if you pray, pray for them. I chose the quote today, because many of these individuals preach a good “religion” game but clearly that's all it is; talk. For that, I feel sorry for them.

My husband and I don't know exactly why the people here are so uncomfortable around us, maybe their embarrassed to know us because we are self-employed, or maybe that we no longer thrive on the status symbols that they orbit their lives around; who knows and frankly who wants to know. I was done keeping up with the Jones' and working for “status” years ago. Now, I prefer to be happy and at peace with who I am.

When my family and I moved here many years ago, I was hard to find work and be accepted by the natives. Some of the reasons cited were, I didn't have an education, we didn't live in a house (we lived in an apartment for a while). Now years later, I am less than a year from graduating with a Master's Degree and it still seems just about impossible to be accepted. Hmmmm... I wonder if I change my name, would that work? Just joking... Now, I hear I'm too educated, Seriously, I am perplexed, it makes me laugh and a bit sad. It's complicated. I'm reminded of the movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where Kevin (played by Macaulay Culkin) said to the Bird Lady about talking to people (Brenda Fricker), "That's okay. You're good at it. You're not boring. You don't mumble or spit. You should do it more often. Just wear an outfit with no pigeon poop on it.” Well, I just don't get it; I sold my “pigeon poop” clothes at an Avante Garde art gallery years ago. Anyway, the basic lesson remains. Be true to what you believe and act accordingly, or you're just fooling yourself. It doesn’t matter who says or said it, the truth remains and there is a long way between the saying and the doing of a thing. I promise you, nobody else will be fooled for long. The world needs more authentic people and please don't prejudge others for being authentic too. Sorry, this is a bit late, but it was a busy day to start with and I really struggled with this concept today.

Will you be authentic today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading