Facing The Hurricanes Of Life - By Drago

There has been a lot of talk about hurricanes and storms lately and we thought the following message from Jon Gordon was very tinely. One thing is absolutely certain in this life and that is at some point we will all face adversity. The big question is will that adversity make you better or bitter? We hope today's message encourages you to Be Better!

What do you do when you look at the television and see a category 4 hurricane headed your way?

Unfortunately, we are utterly and completely powerless in the face of a 120 mph hurricane that is headed straight for our house, our family, and our life. As human beings who strive for control we come face to face with the ultimate reality - there is so much in life that is beyond our control.

You see, hurricanes don't just come in the form of weather patterns, wind and rain. Every day we face hurricanes at work and in life.

A sudden illness. A sick child. A car accident. Divorce. Job loss. Company reorganization. Financial crisis. The death of a loved one. Loss of business, etc.

The winds of life blow. The conditions get worse. Hurricanes come at us from all directions.

So what do we do? Do we give up? Do we live in fear? Do we hide under the covers or do we face the reality of the storm, adapt and deal with the damages it brings?

The answer comes from a boy named Joshua. As a hurricane was approaching our town years ago Joshua’s mom was in his room telling him that that she and his dad were getting a divorce. With tears streaming down his face he said, "You know Mom, this is really hard but I’m going to try to be strong and positive and trust it will all work out."

As she told me this story my heart just melted. This boy, whose pain was unbearable, was choosing to stay positive as his world was being torn apart. While his levies of strength were breaking and the pain was flooding in, he was mustering up the courage and faith to reinforce his walls and stay strong in the face of adversity. He didn't act in denial. He accepted the situation. And he knew he had to deal with it; with courage, positivity, hope and faith.

I've come to realize that, like Joshua, every one of us will come face to face with hurricanes in our life. We will come to the realization that our situation is beyond our control. During these moments we are meant to realize that we can’t do it alone. In our powerlessness we are meant to discover the ultimate power. In our fear we are meant to find our faith. And in our need for control we are meant to find a peace that comes when we surrender. We are meant to stay positive and overcome whatever challenges come our way.

I don't know why we have to face hurricanes but people like Joshua and my own heart show me the way to overcome them.

The day after hurricane Matthew hit my town I saw a picture of a beautiful sunrise that was taken at the beach where Matthew had just wreaked havoc. I realized storms are going to happen. But the sun always rises and shines again.

Have a great week unless you choose otherwise.

Drago

 

A Leap Of Faith - Drago

This week we share another timely message from Author & Speaker, Jon Gordon. Jon's message really resonates with us because after working with so many businesses and coaching many athletes we have seen first-hand how big an enemy FEAR is in our lives.

Our hope is that Jon's message will help you look at FEAR in a different way and make this the year that you get mastery over the enemy from within!

Sixteen years ago I looked out into the Atlantic Ocean on New Year’s Day with fear in my heart and uncertainty in my life. I had been fired from a dot com company two weeks earlier with only two weeks of severance, no insurance for my two young children and only two months of savings in the bank. My wife and I had just invested every dollar we had and even took out a second mortgage on our home and $20,000 on a credit card to open what would be the first Moe’s Southwest Grill in Florida.

The restaurant was set to open January 13th and we had no earthly idea how we would pay our home mortgage and other bills since I planned on keeping my salary and job while my managers built the restaurant business. Now, it was New Year's Day and I had no job, no salary and a restaurant opening that at worst would fail miserably or at best take a year to be profitable.

I thought of all this as I prepared to jump into the icy cold water-to take a symbolic plunge that this would be the year of NO FEAR. Regardless of the circumstances I was facing, this would be the year where I would trust and go for it. This would be the year I would be bold in actions and faith. No longer could I do it alone. Now I needed a miracle and I decided to act as if my future depended on me and pray like it depended on God.

By jumping into the ocean I was declaring that no longer will I allow fear to cut off the flow of abundant and positive energy in my life. No longer will I allow fear to paralyze me. Instead of fear I would trust.

Now, sixteen years later, I jumped into the ocean once again on New Year’s Day. It has become my yearly ritual – to remind myself to follow my passion, live life to the fullest, surrender and to stay one step ahead of the fear that hovers around me. And as I take my leap into the ocean I want to invite you to jump in with me. Perhaps not in the ocean but in the depths of your mind. This jump doesn't necessarily require water but rather a leap of faith in your belief system and a shift in your mindset. The antidote to fear is trust and it is only a thought away.

No one is going to push you over the chasm of struggle to the life that you want. God will nudge you but you must take the leap. You must make this jump in your mind and then with your actions. You must make this jump with trust, determination and faith. After all, they don’t call it a leap of fear. They call it a “leap of faith” for a reason.

You will always feel fear. Everyone will. But your trust must be bigger than your fear. The bigger your trust the smaller your fear becomes. And the more you trust the more you become a conduit for miracles. I know. A consulting project presented itself out the blue and we were able to pay our mortgage. A check came in the mail, the right opportunities came our way and somehow, some way my family and I were carried. A year after the restaurant opened I started writing which eventually lead to me writing books, speaking and doing the work I do now.

Maybe 2016 wasn't a great year for you but I believe the New Year represents a fresh start and presents a new opportunity to create the life and career you want. All you have to do is jump in with all that you are and all that you wish to become. We wish you an amazing 2017 and we're sending positive energy your way.

Have a great week unless you choose otherwise.

Drago