Use It or Lose It!

Today I heard again about the parable of the Talents. If you have never heard this story- it is story about how each of us are given “gifts” or “talents”. These talents are very valuable. A “talent” in biblical times is equivalent to 15 years of wages. This story is not really about money though.

In the story the servant who was given 5 talents took those and invested them and made them 10. The 2nd servant was given 2 talents. He took those and invested them and made 4. The 3rd servant was only given 1 talent. He was so filled with fear that he would lose that 1 talent that he buried it to keep it safe.

The story goes on to tell us something shocking. The message is basically if you don’t use the talents you were given- whatever you were given will be taken away. We have to use our gifts to the best of our abilities- we must invest in ourselves to continue to grow- or that which we have will be taken away- we will decay and die.

Looking upon my life I feel that I have been given so much. My beautiful children are so special to me. As I continue to grow and develop myself I hope to inspire them to do the same.

It is easy to get complacent and lazy and not grow. I just don’t like the feeling of being the same. It is much more exciting to push myself into new areas of growth.

Don't Give Too Much

We saw the movie “The Decendants” the other day and there was the best line.

 “Give your kids enough to help them do something, but not so much they do nothing.”

As a baby boomer mother, I don’t think I am alone at wanting to give my kids everything that I was not given.  My parents were raised in the depression, and even though the economy prospered during my upbringing- we were not given too much.

This really was a gift to me.  My parents provided me a great education and opportunities to grow.  The desire to succeed on my own was planted inside of me.  That yearning for more in life has been a great motivation to do things outside of my comfort zone.

As I raise my kids, there is a temptation to give them some of the things I wasn’t given.  Our kids were told they could go to any college they could get into.  We assured them we would figure out how to pay for it.  Making sure they have the experiences of college has been important to me.  I am so proud of the accomplishments they have all had in college. 

Because I have not given Ashley too much, I see a strong desire inside of her to succeed.  This is something I cannot give to her, so I am grateful that she has it.  That desire to succeed will be the main cause of her success.  Her strong desire + a clear vision + effective action = success.   The accomplishments she experiences will provide some of the greatest joy in life.

 In looking at a new year coming up, we will both be setting new goals.  I see the role as a mentor is to continue to develop myself and lead by example.  This next year will surely be one where we will both grow.  I feel another growth spurt coming on!

Give Blood = Give Life

It may sound  strange to say that I enjoy donating blood.  I am just like most of you when it comes to needles, but I have gotten over it. Several years ago when I first donated blood, I felt this incredible sensation throughout my body.  It was as though I can feel my blood being regenerated inside my body.  Physically I don’t get tired- it is just the opposite- I feel amazing right after I donate. Now our whole family gives blood regularly.  This was the 1st year I went to the “Chargers” Blood drive.  The line was long and it took forever.  It was fun though because we did it as a family. I highly recommend doing this on a regular basis.  Every time you give blood you save 3 lives.  That is a great feeling.  Ashley loves it too now.  This feels good to mentor my daughter with this habit.

Creating a Legacy.....

Sometime’s you have to get back to the root of “Why” you are doing what you are doing. It is important to always stay true to the fundamental truth of your “why”. I know that I can get caught up in the daily activity and making things happen and begin to lose sight of the huge vision of what I want to create in my life.  The day I graduated from college I made a decision to be mentored by my mom, to learn her international business. It was the greatest decision.  Everyday I get to wake up in complete joy knowing that what I am doing is making a difference in world.  I always need to remind myself of the vision we have as a team. Our vision is to help and show people how to create financial and time freedom. And most importantly, How to create a legacy.  I believe that what we do in this lifetime makes a difference. I believe we all want to be a part of something big.  I know I do. I am thankful to my mom everyday that she found a great company to be partnered with. We are making a difference.  We are making history. My vision is to be a top leader with our company and create the life I always dreamed of while showing others how to do the same. I want to be financially free and then have the time to start a family.  I know that sometimes it can be hard to hold on to your vision, your goals. My only advice is to keep your vision alive. It is possible. Dreams do come true. Thanks to my mom for showing me this huge life lesson.