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Inspiration

Appreciate the journey

s wintry weather makes ordinary travel more Whatever the case may be, don't give up on changing long-
difficult for many people north of the equator, standing habits and difficulties. No matter how old you
it can feel like there will be no end to wind, are or how defeated you may feel when it comes to a spe-
A snow or rain. And I'm reminded how certain cific area of your life, there is always hope, and help avail-
ongoing challenges can seem endless, too. Some are per- able to you.
sonal; others are work-related. The most difficult ones
often have roots that reach back to our formative years. I believe the first step is to appreciate yourself in this mo-
ment for the unique person you are now, and think of
Ongoing challenges vary from person to person. Some pos- all the things you've done right in your life so far. Then
sibilities that come to mind are attaining and maintaining acknowledge what the difficulty or deferred goal is, and
a healthy weight, sticking to a sensible budget, reaching a envision what life will be like when you overcome the dif-
long-sought sales goal, diversifying your merchant portfo- ficulty or attain the goal that's been in limbo.
lio, having a long-lasting intimate relationship, achieving
work-life balance, getting control of your temper or con- Vision boards have become a popular way of depicting
versely being assertive and sticking up for yourself, keep- life as you want it to be. Journaling is another tool many
ing presence of mind when a prospect hurls objections at people have found helpful. And support groups for people
you, mending broken relationships with parents, siblings with common interests can also be effective. Coaches and
or co-parent, taking time to relax and pamper yourself, therapists can also help people tackle specific issues that
enjoying time with family and friends without becoming hold them back.
distracted by thoughts of work, learning a new language,
pursuing a new hobby, finding a faith community where Adopting a can-do, positive attitude and appreciating the
you're comfortable, furthering your education, and letting journey life is taking you on no matter where it leads is
go of toxic people and making friends with people who one of the best remedies when you find yourself languish-
truly support you. ing in defeat. None of us gets everything we desire in life.
Even after you conquer one challenge that may have been
Don't give up bothering you for years, another one will surface. Appre-
Some of the challenges I listed may resonate with you, or ciate all that you have and everything you accomplish
you might have thought of other things you face year after along the way, and the things that dog you will seem less
year with minimal success. You may be lucky in that your like winds that chill you to the bone and more like a gentle
life is mostly just the way you want it to be, and things snowfall perfect for making angels.
that aren't quite right are niggling matters you can easily
shrug off or work around. Or you might be facing some-
thing that is creating a huge barrier to your success.

Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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