Open the Garage Door!

Open the Garage Door!!

I know, you're seeing a picture of a garage door, 

and I am telling you to open it!

I imagine you are pretty confused at the moment.

Let me explain!

Last weekend, I attended a women's conference. 

It was the first year for this particular one - 

the usual ladies had retired from a 20 year run 

and they passed the gauntlet 

to the next generation 

to move forward.

It was both a lonely and fulfilling time. 

One story really stood out to me and 

I've been working through it ever since.

One speaker told a story that puts the garage door analogy 

more fully into the light.

Her friend's husband had lost his mother - and although they'd cleared out the house fairly easily, 

he avoided the garage at all costs 

and made excuses not to tackle that project.

Let me pause a moment and see if you saw what I did.  

How many people have a neat, everything in it's place garage?  

When you open the door, do you just groan 

and want to close it and walk away 

until you really have to deal with it?  

That's kind of what was described about this situation.

So, his wife thought of a great idea.  

She told her husband that why don't they go over to the house, 

open the garage door 

and close it right back up 

- you know, baby steps.

He agreed and they did that.  

Well, when the garage door was opened, 

and the light shined in on the boxes inside - 

it really wasn't as big a deal 

as he'd made it to be in his head. 

The boxes of his mother's things 

and probably some of his own 

weren't quite so bad to deal with.

So, after that, they got everything cleaned out 

in less than a day and the project was finished.  

Since then, anytime they as a couple or family 

had to face anything 

they said 'Open the Garage' - 

let's get it over with and deal with it!

Since last weekend - 

I've realized that many times 

I've avoided something because in my head - 

I'd made it much bigger than it needed to be.  

When I instead approached it head on - 

shed some light into the situation - 

it really wasn't all that bad after all.

I saw this diagram meme 

and it pretty much explains 

how we should should solve problems:

I noticed that 'avoidance' 

is not in there! 

Imagine that!

So, the next time you have to face a difficult situation, 

decision or person - 

Open the Garage Door!

Shed light into the situation 

and you'll get it taken care of 

in no time at all!!

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Reason, Season or a Lifetime?

Relationship lessons are sometimes hard to learn.

Especially the ones regarding friendships.

You are always going to find a lesson in each. Their friendship will either be one of three:  

A Reason ~~ A Season ~~or A Lifetime.

Which lesson are you needing to learn?

Finding those who are like 'roots' - they are the ones you need to hold onto!

I have several really great friends. 

We don't all live in the same town and a few not even in the same country.

I recently had a friendship dissolve after many years together.

We no longer communicated the same - and there was a great hurt there that had to be healed.  

I finally had to accept the apology that I would never have 

and moved on.

I call her my 'Reason' friend.

There are also those you meet - 

that no matter what you do - 

you are just never meant to be long term.

Maybe this person comes along during a time of need and fills that 'gap' you needed filled.  After a time though, 

you drift apart.

Memories may still linger, 

but you are no longer 

in one another's lives.

That is your 'Season' friendship.

I do have one friend however, 

that I met with today for only a 

short period.

She was 'passing through' town - 

and we only had time to have 

about an hour together. 

Our times have always so precious 

for the both of us.

We met years ago when we both were educating our kids - and we wanted someone to attend an out of town conference with.

We met beforehand and immediately 

we knew we'd 

be 

'lifetime friends'.

Many times we've called one another during dark periods in our lives -

 and we never looked at the clock - 

we were just there for one another.

Many times she's called on me and I listened, advised or comforted.

She has done the very same for me!

Our hearts are connected always!

I call her my 'Lifetime' friend <3

This poem describes exactly what I mean:

Reason, Season, Lifetime (Poem)

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you figure out which one it is,

you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,

it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty;

to provide you with guidance and support;

to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,

and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Another great 'teacher' is the famed Madea

 Let Them Go!

I love this picture of the 4 trees

 - showing the four seasons.

Our lives and the interactions we have with others many times will be just seasons.

However, like Madea said - when you find the ones with deep roots - 

hang on to those people!

Be blessed and enjoy all the

Reasons, Seasons and Lifetime 

friendships and relationships!

~~DarleneBl~~

Belong.Poem

Belong

Craving, seeking, reaching forward always
Reaching out to be embraced in all ways.

Open hearts, no dark places - open the garage!
Bringing your darkness into the light,
Letting go of fear and all of your inner fight.

Sharing your most vulnerable self -
Taking down the walls, getting off the shelf.

Sisters who sit beside you and share,
Coming together, not as strangers is very rare.

When you truly allow yourself to BELONG -
You open your own 'lane' -where God had placed you in all along!

Written 9/24/2016
DarleneBl ✒

What Inspires You?

What Ispires You?

When I write, I am usually inspired by something I read, 

that I watched, heard, or someone I met.  

These 'impressions' in my mind end up being words on a page.

I might write a poem, 

or add to my blog, 

or start a new adventure - 

but it always seems to lead to a type of creative outlet 

based on what 'inspired' me!

I have also met many wonderful people

who have inspired me. 

I have this beautiful friend whom I adore. 

We first met some odd 18 years ago in Texas.  

This lady has the sweetest heart - 

Her tenacity to see life as a blessing just amazes me.

She has suffered so much in her health through the years I've known her.

However, she continues to inspire me - every day.

Why?  

Because no matter what trials she experiences, 

she has the strongest faith of anyone I've ever met.  

She also sincerely cares about you.

She could be having the worst day of the week, month or year

and she will still want to know if you're okay, 

to listen to our petty stuff....

because anything that her friends

and family have going on are that important to her!

That is just so precious to me!

Some people in the public eye also inspire me!

This video is older, but still has a great message:

Ashton Kutcher Speech - Teen Choice Awards

"Opportunities look a lot like work"

"The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart, being thoughtful and being generous - the rest is just crap, I promise you"

"Build a life, don't live one"

This inspires me as well.  I love learning.

I love learning new things, new ways to grow, new ways to be a better person.

I love learning how to build my life - to write - to experience.

What inspires you? 

What motivates you to strive for more?

What teaches you to teach others?

Share in the comments - I'd love to interact with you!

Blessings~DarleneBl

Selling Yourself

Puzzle pieces... 

we all know that

if you don't have the right ones -

they won't fit right, 

they won't complete the picture.

Think about it (only for a second)

Life - business - work is all like that.

If you are not loving what you do

If you are not sold on the product or program

it will show.

My daddy was a Fuller Brush Salesman in the early '70's.

Yes, he had a brown case and 

he went door to door. 

I remember as a kid how fun it was to help my dad gather the completed orders together. 

Then, we'd pack a lunch, load the orders in the car - and head off to deliver them to his customers. 

I was about 10 at the time, so I rarely was allowed to join him in the homes.  

I definitely knew to take a book to read - daddy wouldn't be quick about his business.

When I was older, I was able to join him 

and 

watch him in action. 

I was able to see why daddy was good at what he did.

He sold himself before he ever sold a product.

The customers might have needed what he was selling - but they bought more of what my daddy was about - 

who he was to the customer.

My daddy remembered his customers.

He asked about their families 

Petted the family dog

Told a joke or two

All before he even opened his case.

Guess what?

Rarely did he leave those homes without a large order. 

How did he do that?

They loved how friendly he was. 

He was someone who didn't try to sell to them.

He usually would leave with the name and number of a friend he could call on as well. 

Today, we would call that a referral,

Daddy just called it an 'opportunity' to meet a new

Friend!

I miss my daddy. 

His way of life and teaching by leading

will stay with me forever.

I want to carry on the legacy he left in my heart.

Start and build a

RELATIONSHIP first.

Sound advice if you ask me!

Removing Weeds

Weeds - we all have them -

 in our gardens and in our business.

Weeds?  Seriously? Yes!  

Last weekend, I was taking weeds out of my gravel driveway and yard.  Now, many would just pull the tops and be done with it - but then you leave the root so they can come back.

I found that when I worked on some of these weeds - their roots were deep in the dirt under the gravel and I had to work much harder to get them out.

While I was working - the thought came to me - 

People can be that way.

Their negative processes are either just on the surface - 

or sometimes the weeds that others planted in them went deeper - into their soul and they started believing that they couldn't ever succeed.

When this happens, roots are planted deep and harder to get out of the negative thought process.

People can be weeds in your life. 

Toxic to you 

and telling you 

'You can't' or 'Why do you try?' 

That root they start planting goes deeper and deeper 

into your soul 

and pretty soon - 

you believe what they tell you.

When you decide you won't listen anymore - 

sometimes you only remove the surface issue - 

but sometimes you also fail to fully remove the root they planted inside of you.

That is when you get a better tool - 

You study more - you research ways to succeed

and before long - all of this good will

choke out negative weeds!!

Have you ever seen Nick Vujicic's 

Motivational Minute Series?  

Click and watch - he is great!

So, remember - when you start to hear 'You can't' or

'You'll never succeed' 

Do NOT let the weeds 

start to grow.  

Push in positive thoughts 

Call your Business partner
 or a positive friend!!

 Feed good stuff in and you'll 

see how much happier and prosperous you'll be!