Sometimes, even the best-laid plans can falter when we overwhelm our team or audience  with too much information. When I started a new position at a company, I confidently told management that I’d present a clear vision and actionable plan for my team within 90 days. I spent that time gathering insights from various sources, validating the information, and drafting a solid path forward. Along the way, I shared snippets of the plan with my team and received encouraging feedback.

     We’ve all encountered individuals who seem to believe they know everything and are unwilling to listen to others. Often, this stems from a lack of self-awareness, leading them to think they have all the answers. While they may indeed possess knowledge on a variety of topics, the critical question remains: are they truly competent in those areas? It’s important to recognize the distinction between being aware of something and being genuinely proficient in it.

     I spent fifteen years with one company before deciding to move on to a new opportunity for various reasons. While my experience in the new role was positive overall, there were a few things I wish I had considered—or someone had shared with me—before making the transition. That knowledge would have significantly eased the process.

     Do you feel like you're so vital in your role that the business would struggle without you? Do you enjoy being the go-to person? For many, being indispensable feels rewarding—they invest time mastering their role and absorbing all they can about the business. Holding onto that knowledge makes others rely on them, which enhances their perceived "value." But here's the catch: sharing that knowledge might feel like it diminishes their importance.

   In my experience, God is here with us.  He is present in others all around us.  I believe I have experienced God working in my life, directing me, in at least three different ways.

     In my experience, God is here with us.  He is present in others all around us.  I believe I have experienced God working in my life, directing me, in at least three different ways.

     In my experience, God is here with us.  He is present in others all around us.  I believe I have experienced God working in my life, directing me, in at least three different ways.

     I am a cradle Catholic, without any scholarly theological training.  I believe in the Holy Trinity, [God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit], three-in-one.

     Sometimes we get so consumed by urgent daily problems that we are not able to determine the underlying cause of the problems.  At some point we need to break the cycle and become proactive in our approach.

     I believe most people carry anger and resentment associated with past events.  The people and/or groups associated with those events are taking up emotional space in our heads, living there free of charge.  If we could charge rent to everyone taking up that space, we might be better off financially, but would we be happier?  People say and do things that hurt us and we just can't seem to forget it, thus it is baggage we continue to carry throughout our life.  So not only does it take up emotional space in our minds, but also is a weight we carry on a daily basis.  

     It is not unusual to get bogged down in analysis paralysis.  We spend excessive time working our way through all the possibilities so that we can eventually implement the "best" solution.  Is there such a thing as too much analysis?  I think yes, there is a point in time where we need to move forward with a solution, even if it is not perfect.

...Chicken>Egg>Chicken>Egg... The two are tied to one another and only God knows how it started.

     Well, I don't have enough digits on my hands and feet to record the number of times I have taken things personally.  Why I do that could be a topic for another day.  Most times when we are involved in a crazy situation it can be difficult to get beyond the strong emotions we experienced.  Our perspective of the situation is from "me", the person experiencing the emotions.  We are too close to the situation and are unable to consider any other point of view.

I have pondered this question many times.  

 At times in my life, the fear of failure has prevented me from starting something.  Fear can be paralyzing.  This fear is like a wall between me and success.  If I don't tear down or get over that wall, I can't experience the joy of success.  Recognizing and acknowledging the fear, presents me the opportunity to move forward and try something new.