COURAGE, HEART, now a BRAIN

It’s been almost a year since I moved to Las Vegas and I’ve learned so much since then. More than I ever could have expected.

I realize that we are all constantly learning in life; about ourselves, about others, about our work, our dreams and goals, so although some of the lessons that I’ve been taught haven’t been the easiest, they’ve been life-changing, eye-opening and are so exciting.

Here are the Top 10 things I’ve learned on this road, so far (in no particular order):

1. Don't forget your badge of courage.  You cannot wait around for life to happen to you, you have to go after what you want. This may seem obvious, but sometimes you think that things will eventually fall into place, which is true to an extent, but it also takes your hard work and persistence to get those things together.

  

2. The road has many twists and turns and chance encounters.  Things don’t always turn out how we’ve planned, but that's okay. I thought I had things figured-out and knew how my life would end up. It turned out that my plan can no longer be my plan, but it will all work out even better than I could have imagined.

3. Embrace the journey.  Only you hold yourself back. I’ve got so much support and love, but this is one I am continually challenged by. Holding myself back out of fear is definitely a trait I will be letting go of.

4. Take friends with you.  When you open yourself up to others, you become happier. When got out of my comfort zone, I started opening up to new friends and different experiences, I became exponentially happier.

5. The answer may be with you all along.  Trust yourself more. Listen to your intuition and learn how to decipher what you really want. Then take action.

6.  The Wizard does exist.  When you feel lost, remember that God is always by your side. Don't stray from Him, stay the course and He will help you find your way.

  

7.  There really is no place like home. Your family is extremely important and it's possible that you’ll see the impact they've had ON your life and IN your life even more when they’re not around.

8. The Wicked Witch doesn’t have control! If you don’t like the way something’s going in your life, change it. Take charge.  Don't make excuses.  It's as simple as that.

9. Flying monkeys don't scare me. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Although it seems like a minor thing, when Bernard asked me to consider dying my hair, even that little change was big for me.  I had never entertained "changing me."  My first thought was “HECK NO!!” But then when I thought about it more, I decided that it was only hair and I should just try it. Go Ginger!  Guess what? Now I’m really happy that I did. It’s been fun and has given me a new sense of being bold and confident.

10. Ride the twister.  Staying in your comfort zone will never get you anywhere that is truly fulfilling! If you want to grow and progress, you have to constantly push yourself beyond what is convenient or familiar. Be brave enough to feel awkward and uncomfortable for awhile. That feeling doesn't last long. The positive results that come from it do.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be constantly learning and challenging myself. I am extremely thankful for all of the teachers I have in my life. Most of all, I look forward to more lessons, new experiences and kicking up these ruby red shoes in the "City of Neon and Bright Lights."