SUSTENANCE

Many individuals are happy with their lot in life.  I guess that is great, if they truly are happy.  I don't believe we are predisposed to a certain lot in life.  Supplying or being supplied with the necessities of life I believe is just an excuse to just live without a purpose or a reason.  I was listening to Annie Lennox songs and in one of her lyrics she states, "dying is easy, it's living that is hard".  That is so true.  If you really think about it, most of us don't have to do anything but just wait to die.  We are not judged by how we die; we are judged by how we lived our lives.  The straight line, that can sometimes get bumpy from the womb to the tomb, is how we get judged.   I read where Jim Rohn, was once asked what his definition of success is and he stated, "success is keeping death at a respectable distance."  Just to clear the record, I am not a theologian or a psychologist or a professional in any other of the counseling professions.  However, I am an attorney and I believe a very successful one.  I'm not saying this to impress anyone.  I am bringing it to your attention to make a point.  How is it that this first generation Cuban Immigrant born and raised in New York City, raised in poverty, in government subsidized housing, with not much more to eat than stale bologna sandwiches for dinner, if that, with one pair of jeans, that I washed over our kitchen sink every evening, because we did not have a washer or dryer, whose father worked several restaurant jobs to provide a total of 6 siblings with at least the minimum to survive, with a mother that stayed home to care for us, become an attorney while the rest of my siblings chose a different path.  A path of just not doing anything worthwhile.  I used to feel guilty about succeeding while my siblings struggled.  However, as I got older and learned that we all make choices, my guilt dissipated.  
 We all have the tools to succeed.  The real issue is how we use the tools.  You see, a hammer can be used to build a beautiful house, or it can be used as a weapon to murder someone.  Fire can be used to warm you up or make a lovely dinner or it can be used to burn you or kill you.  I looked at my life early of limited means as a motivating factor to accomplish whatever I wanted to.  We all have that ability to find our hero inside or we can find the victim inside.  If you look at everything going on around the world today, it seems that things are truly falling apart.  That is what the media and simple-minded politicians want us to believe because that's what sells.  For politicians it's all about power and control.  I do not have special powers.  I have what all of you have.  That is the ability to live a life of my choosing.  We all have this.  However, you will never do anything of significance unless you get started.  I remember reading somewhere where it stated that 90% is just getting started.  So, what if things don't work out the way you planned?  It will make you better for next time.  It is all a learning experience.  To evolve you have to fail.  That's just the way life works.  If you fear failing, you will never get started.  Therefore, just get started.  You will never get to the finish line if you don't start the race. 
 To me life is a lifestyle.  It is a whole package.  If you are sloppy in your appearance, you're probably the type who keeps a messy house.  If you keep a messy house, you probably keep a messy car.  If you keep a messy car, you probably leave dirty dishes in your sink at night.  If you leave dirty dishes in your sink, you probably have bad hygiene habits.  If you're late for work, you probably are not going to be disciplined enough to keep a fitness routine.  I can go on and on.  My point is that everything you do matters.  It is all connected.  The little things that you fail to do inevitably will lead to bigger things.   Therefore, start tomorrow morning by making your bed in the morning and see how you feel.  I'll bet you your day will go better than expected.  You have control over your life.  You are where you are today because you created it.  You must own your life as it currently is in order to create a life you want.  In the end, you will regret not getting started.  I leave you with a quote on point, "I cannot say whether things will get better if we change, what I can say is they must change if they are to get better."  Georg C. Lichtenburg
  Just a thought.
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