My future is so bright, it burns my eyes

First things first. Happy New Month People! We're in the 9th month already! Only three months and we call it a year! What have you achieved so far?  Have you moved ahead or still staggering behind? Have your resolutions been met yet? If not, fear not. We've got three months left, which definitely gives you an opportunity to correct some, if not all wrongs!

Counting months, one through to nine is one good miracle from God, don't you agree? I'm grateful for his Mercies, Grace, protection and provision so far. He still rules my world and that makes me hopeful for wonderful 3 months ahead. Same case with you I hope?

I came across this wonderful post by Ms. Terina Allen  in LinkedIn yesterday and i thought it'd be awesome if ya'll read it. It ignited a spirit i never thought existed in me..and that, my wonderful readers remains a secret. You guys should join this site, it's not all corporate world-ish as i initially thought and I'm really loving it. So here's the content (topic ni hiyo apo juu). It's a long one..but worth you time...trust me on that boo!

How bright is your future, and what are you doing to create it?
My future is so bright it burns my eyes - this is what I wake up thinking day in and day out. This is what I tell myself when I am experiencing great success and great failure. And, this is what I tell me myself when I am up against a wall and after I have broken them all down!
Am I perfect? NO. And yes, if we are being technical about it, I have flaws. And yes, I am self-reflective enough to know what they all are.

But what do my flaws and failures have to do with anything? I mean it's not like I am going to let them shut down my bright future, and who really cares about them anyway? Sitting around thinking about mistakes and weaknesses every day and being reminded of them isn't going to get me anywhere. I reflect, evaluate and move on and suggest you do the same. Don't overdue the wallowing.

I leave the job of dwelling on my shortcomings to my haters and to the miserable people in the world who only dream of going where I have been and where I intend to go.

This is what I know. There are a lot of unfulfilled, unhappy and miserable people in the world who just won't be focused or disciplined enough to realize their potential. And sometimes they work hard to stop those of us who are from progressing on our own journey. I am not that person. And hopefully you are not either.

I have all kinds of problems and challenges just like the next person. But I am not miserable. I rise above circumstances, events and struggles. I focus on my strengths, I persevere, and I help others when and where I can.

 "Time is not replaceable; when it is gone, it is gone forever. 

The way I see it, I have serious goals to accomplish 

and no time to waste."

Financial wealth isn't one of my goals, but it is certainly okay if it’s one of yours. Money is fine and all, and we all need to eat. But when you get beyond covering the basics of life, it just really isn't a driver for me. I am turned on by living my purpose, maintaining my peace and taking control of my life choices. And because I am so focused and disciplined with that I, more often than not, realize success in all its forms.

I came to terms with this in a dentist's office.
One day many, many years back a very successful executive in one of my conference workshops just stopped me during the session and said to me, "Terina your future is so bright." During the break, he went on to tell me more specifics about why he thought that (I had never met this man, and this was his first time hearing me speak).

I was flattered and began contemplating what he said over the next days and weeks, and then it kind of just left my mind. Well that was until a year later when I saw and read this quote by Oprah Winfrey while waiting in a dentist's office that said "My Future is So Bright, It Burns My Eyes." At that very moment, waiting on a teeth cleaning, it hit me. My five-minute conversation with that workshop participant came flooding back to my mind. 

It was during a down time in my life (when I wasn't so focused on my goals), but after it all hit me in the face again, I was no longer down. I stopped focusing on my flaws. I stopped focusing on my immediate pressures, challenges, struggles, shortcomings and mistakes. Oh, at that moment, and still today, I tell myself that I am destined for great things. I am responsible for how I feel or let other (external) things and people "make me" feel. I am the one in control of my life, and I can take it anywhere I want to.

It just doesn't matter what your past is. It is what you make of today and tomorrow. You know what and who you are, where you have excelled and where you have flopped. You know your strengths, your weaknesses, your courage, your drive and your tenacity. You know what you are willing to do and what you are not. You know what you value. Now go after it.

How can we realize our bright futures? 

• Believe in yourself: It starts with your own internal belief and confidence. What are you passionate about? What do you love spending your time doing? What can you do, what do you have skills and talents to accomplish it, and what are you willing to learn? Now run with that! If you believe you can, don't listen to those who don't believe in you. And when you start to let the negative thoughts creep in, surround yourself with others who believe in you.  
•  Find out what it takes and just do it: Figure out what you want to do now or when you grow up; decide what career path you want to carve out for yourself and then start carving. Be honest with yourself about whether you are prepared and willing to demonstrate the discipline that "becoming that person" or “having that career” will require. If not, make another choice. 
• Stand and take the heat: Be aware that you will be required to make sacrifices to accomplish your career and personal goals. It is true. You will have people who won't approve of your disciplined and focused work ethic; there will be people who work overtime trying to get you to value what they value and accommodate their wishes for your life accordingly. There will be people there trying to convince you that you can't do it or shouldn't even be trying to. And you will always have those around you telling you that it just can't be done. Remember to just get away from these people. People who don't work hard to build things and who don't sacrifice and stay committed cannot fathom the determination of those of us who do and what it takes! 
• Don't be apologetic. Those who fall and get back up and keep it moving will succeed at and realize professional and personal success. Don't quit on your goals. Don't lose your focus, and don't apologize for your success when you achieve it or for the journey and dedication it takes along the way.  Although people will work overtime trying to make you feel guilty for being disciplined, don't be sorry for leaving others behind when they don't accept your help or when your help for and with them is not helping.
  If you find you have reached back to help others and they never take your advice or manage to focus their actions and decisions on their goals, you have to decide whether you are going to trade your goals and life's purpose for theirs. That is a hard choice especially when it involves family, but sometimes you just have to make it.
  

There you have it my people....this just became my No. 1 post of all time. I'm in love with all she's said. Salute you Ms. Terina.
 

Cheers to happy days ya'll! Let our future be bright enough to burn our eyes!