Change.

Even the word, many times, strikes fear … nervousness into people.

Something about security and being comfortable that relaxes people. But … when did change become a negative thing?

Babies have a dirty pamper and get it changed … that’s not negative (definitely negative).

Underwear gets changed every day (or at least they should) … that’s not negative.

But so many people are afraid of change.

Change.

It can be a good thing … a new start … a new morning. Change can bring life, hope, and happiness.

Change is not something to fear … but it should be something to embrace because with it could come the best thing that has ever happened to you.

But the only way to know … is if you change.

The rain usually comes right before absolutely amazing weather. The temperature gets warmer…the flowers come into full bloom…and Spring is upon us.

Short-sleeve shirts. Cargo shorts. Running outside.

Beauty embracing us like a long awaited hug.

And the rain brings life.

I’m loving the weather, lately because just through the clouds is life.

Is there a line … or should a person always be honest no matter what?

I’ve always thought that honesty is the best policy (at least, that’s what I’ve been told), but it seems that people don’t always want honesty.

I’ve experienced instances when people just want you to tell them what they want to hear … rather than absolute honesty.

Maybe that is why it is such a breath of fresh air when someone is honest and desires honesty. (The people closest to me have that quality; and that makes for a blessed life.)

Honesty is an amazing thing because truth keeps things in the open where they can grow and become strong. And it is that strength and growth that makes life so full.

I truly hope honesty will bring you closer to life to the fullest.

Anyway, I didn’t like it’s effect on my thoughts and my sleep. I didn’t like how it affected my life.

So … I quit stress.

People have asked me what I did to quit (well … after they stopped laughing at the idea that a person can really quit stress). Frankly, my answer is simple.

I just decided that I would tolerate stress in my life.

I think stress is like so many other things in life: it’s not that it, in and of itself, is bad … the effect it can have on a person is bad.

And that effect can be controlling and manipulating if you don’t get stress under control.

So here are some things that I did to quit stress:

I started being proactive in how I dealt with situations. Procrastination is bad. Proactivity is good. You can deal with things with plenty of time to spare or when they are a symptom rather than a big problem; and by doing this it allows you to be ready when the “spur of the moment stress” tries to attack.

When I started feeling busy and potentially stressed, I embraced the things that made me feel the best.

Many times, when people get busy or start feeling stress, they begin pulling away from people that make them feel good and activities or hobbies that make them feel good; but I attempted to embrace those things and people more. (I understand at times this isn’t possible; but those times are not the norm.) Embracing the good things helps a person refocuse and rejuvenate so they can re-enter the busyness of life and be successful.

Those were a couple of the things that I did when I quit stress.

I hope you can find a way to quit stress, too.

I don’t know if that has ever happened to you.

Memories. Thoughts. Ideas. Images flashing like a photographer clicking the button on the camera.

Images.

What do you write? How do you say it?what determines which image is more important than the next? What if they’re all important.

I enjoy stories and every person has them.

Hearing the stories of so many different people is one of my favorite things to do.

Knowing my story is one of the most important things I can do … yet so many people don’t feel the same about theirs.

I want you to know that no matter how you view your story … it is important.

Make it your plan today to think about your story. You have one and because of that story, you are you.