Do You Have Trouble Finishing What You Started?

Do you struggle with finishing a project?  Do you have a great idea and then run into obstacles and shelve it, rather than finish it?  Do you sometimes get discouraged because you run into hurdles and can't seem to figure out how to complete the task?

I want to encourage you to do whatever it takes to fulfill that dream you had.  I speak from experience as most of my life I have been battered, beaten, broken and had more shattered dreams than any one person should have to endure.  But HOLD ON...You can do it!

Keep your focus.  Don't forget the dream.  Never forget in the darkness what you have seen in the light.  You will be rewarded.  Sometimes it may not be as quickly as you had hoped but perseverance pays off.

After years of struggling in a variety of arenas, I am finally seeing the fruit of all my labor.  Yes, there were many times when I felt it just wasn't worth it, but I assure you, it will be!

It took me ten years to write my memoir and it was not for lack of desire or time.  It was because it was so painful.  But when it finally went to print, doors of opportunity to write and to speak have poured into my life.

As difficult as it is to believe, all the pain and ugliness of the past can be turned into something good. We need to be tenacious with our dreams, our goals and see them through to the end.

WHAT IF??????

What Life Lessons Did Your Father Teach You?

In a small German village on New Year's Eve 1903, my father, William Frederick, was born. He was the oldest of thirteen children. Life was challenging and after my father's brother was born, my grandfather traveled to the New World. Grandpa worked hard to save enough money to bring his family to America.

TRAVELING AS STOW-AWAYS

The day came when my Grandma and her two little boys could travel across the seas to unite with Grandpa and have a better life.   There was not enough money for the three of them to travel as passengers.  My dad and his brother were stowaways in the hull of the ship.  It was a three-week journey with little food for the boys to share.  My father was four years old and would go the kitchen and beg for the table scraps that had been thrown away.   Often, he was reprimanded for being there and not given anything to eat.

That Dirty Little 15 Letter Word

There is a word that almost always brings groans and utterances under one's breath.  People often talk about this word and wish they could remove it from their vocabulary.  That word is 'procrastination.' Many people hate to admit they are procrastinators, yet some are proud they can put things off until the last moment and still get them done.  

Maybe you have monthly, weekly, daily even half-daily lists. When crossing tasks off those lists, it can bring you great pleasure.  The tricky part is to be flexible and spontaneous when something fun or necessary takes priority and totally messes with your lists!  To do this without getting flustered is an art, creativity at its best.  It takes practice and a lot of patience.

Only you can choose

I have lived with the world's greatest procrastinator for the past 40 plus years.  I may have learned a thing or two about coping with HIS problem.  If you happen to be one of those lucky people who live with one -- hang on -- here are some synonyms for procrastinator and they aren't pretty:

• dawdlerstar
• dilly-dallierstar
• idlerstar
• lagstar

• laggerstar
• lingererstar
• loaferstar
• loitererstar

• loungerstar
• pokestar
• slowpokestar
• stragglerstar

• slow starterstar
• tarrier

If I called my hubby any one of those names, I would be in serious jeopardy of dirty looks or worse. Hey, I didn't write the dictionary!

My question to you is this:  Who is the most stressed?  The procrastinator or the other person?  I have learned not to care if he doesn't get done what he would like to do -- that's his problem.

Serious But Easy Help for Procrastinators - Read it Now!

I married the world’s worst procrastinator.  I have learned NEVER to ask him if he wants to do something now...or later.  It does not matter what the task is, his option - later.  Every time.  

It certainly has been a problem for him, especially when he misses something important because he is too late.  Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if you are a procrastinator: