Let nothing hold you back from exploring your wildest fantasies, wishes, and aspirations. Don’t be afraid to dream big and to follow your dreams wherever they may lead you. Open your eyes to their beauty; open your mind to their magic; open your heart to their possibilities.

Dare to dream,
Whether they are in color or in black and white, whether they are big or small, easily attainable or almost impossible, look to your dreams, and make them become reality. Wishes and hopes are nothing until you take the first step towards making them something!

Dare to dream,
Because only by dreaming, will you ever discover who you are, what you want, and what you can do. Don’t be afraid to take risks, to become involved, to make commitment. Do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Always believe in miracles, and always believe in you!

~ Julie Anne Ford ~

Doing the Right Thing starts with Never, Never, Quit! Winston Churchill said, “To every man there comes that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him and fitted to his special talent. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”

Is this a normal holiday season for you? Or is it different like it should be? What I mean by that is the topic of this month’s e-Zine. Does it always take something outside of our control to put us back in control? The proven answer is yes. My question is why? Are all the changes within the market place trying to tell you something that you’ve forgotten?

Are these uncertain times trying to remind you of the power that allows you to see the meaning of your life? Or are these just confusing times and somebody else’s problem. Do we just brush these times off as something that will not really change our lives? I believe that times like these come only once or twice in a lifetime at a level that forces you to pay attention. If you embrace the lessons learned during times like these and make your new choices a part of your daily habits, you could save all the things that matter in life before it’s too late. Now is the time to be good, not average. Good people always appreciate what they have before they lose it; average people can only appreciate what they have after they lose it.

We all have a choice in the way we live our lives. But many times, you don’t discover whether your choices make a good life or an average one until the moment when a situation seems to find a voice and taps you on the shoulder. The problem isn’t that you couldn’t hear and see; it was that you wouldn’t listen and understand. The real question is why is this happening now? Is it the wake up call that you have asked or hoped for because of the direction you’ve gone in your life? I believe it is! Be thankful that it has called on you, because if you are truly thankful during these uncertain times, you will be reminded of the meaning that you truly have in life.

Let’s be honest…Why has this finally happened? Is it because you have lost control or have doubts? No, it is because you realize you are not totally in control and you need help. At that moment, you realize that the things that don’t matter, really don’t matter anymore. What matters most is doing the right thing and never giving up on your dreams in life. Nothing changes until you change, and once you change, your life becomes different which allows your dreams to become alive again for you and those depending on you. If you’ve been working on your dreams/ goals for a while and haven’t produced the results you wanted, keep on trying. You may just be a foot or two from the diamond field. So keep on digging no matter what obstacles you might encounter.

Please remember, you’re much stronger than any obstacles life can throw at you. That is why you have those dreams to begin with. When you face an obstacle, examine your actions. And if they seem to be taking you further away from your goals, change your approach and take new actions. Keep your goals and dreams by your side as you work toward turning them into reality. Follow the wise advice from Winston Churchill:

Lofty dreams/goals always will take time, effort, hard work, and a ton of persistence to attain.

An effective way to get empowered when facing obstacles is to read stories and quotations from the people who had overcome insurmountable setbacks before achieving their aspirations.

From the Dodge Development family, we all wish for you the best that the holiday season has to offer you and all those that depend on you. Thanks for being you.
The Good Life Rules! Bryan Dodge