Late Last Night...

I was up and for some reason could not make myself sleep, no matter how I begged and pleaded.  From 3-4am, I sat staring mindlessly at my computer screen... hoping I'd remember some interesting blog I hadn't checked yet (nope, checked them all) or maybe someone would say something really amazing on Facebook (I definitely need to take a step back... ugh!).
Then suddenly, I was guided, maybe by God, maybe the universe, maybe angels... who knows, but I had been contemplating many things in my head when I was guided to "The Strangest Secret" by Earl Nightingale.  I somehow came across it on youtube.  This is from like the 50's or 60's, but boy is it ever some age old wisdom that I needed some serious reminding of.  How much do I really give of myself?  Am I giving my all everyday or  just going along with mediocre because mediocre seems to be the norm?  Many of us tend to follow the crowd without really thinking about it... "well, if they're doing it that way it must be ok, right?"  Mr. Nightingale said we usually give about 5% of our capacity.  What if we gave it our all?  I can't imagine how our lives would change.
It kind of reminded me of the song "I Hope You Dance".  How many times have I hung back, bowed out, given up when I should've just said what the heck and just dove in head first?!  LOTS!!!  I'm lazy by nature you know.  I could really live a life of doing a whole lot of nothing, but in the end would I really be ok with that?  I saw this  the other day-  something along the lines of "when standing face to face with our maker I want to be able to look at him and say... I used everything you gave me"... ahhhhh, I LOVE that!  That pretty much sums it right up.
We are put on this earth to be amazing, to DO amazing works.  We have gifts inside of us that we aren't even aware of yet, but I bet if we start taking life by the horns these things will become much more apparent.  Do you ever make yourself, your accomplishments seem less just to fit in or to not seem like you're all that and a bag-a-chips?  I don't mean that we should come across as self-righteous at all... that's just annoying.  But, maybe just a little less critical of ourselves and others and more grateful, kind, generous, loving, etc.?  TRUST ME-  I am working on this big time.  It's a constant battle between who I want to be and know I should be and that ol' ego;)
If you haven't already, check out "The Strangest Secret" on youtube.  I can't do it justice writing about it on the blog and I think different people will get different messages out of it.
Alright ladies!  Now let's go and live the life of our dreams!!!!

I will leave you with one last very favorite from my very favorite quotable lady:

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." ~Eleanor Roosevelt