“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.”
Michael Korda
Don’t you love it when somebody tells you exactly what you need to hear at exactly the right time? And isn’t it great when you’re the person providing someone you love with exactly what they need to hear at exactly the right time? In one moment, I experienced both.
I am thoroughly enjoying this Grateful Mama business, but in order to take it to the next level, it’s going to require some additional time and energy. At least at the beginning. It was challenging enough to try to achieve balance in my life without adding ‘start-up a new business’ to my plate, but I’ve been so passionate about it that I haven’t really stopped to think about the short-term implications for my family. I’ve got the long-term plan in mind.
After a day-long discussion with my husband, I have to admit that I was feeling discouraged. I wasn’t doubting my passion for the project, but I was wondering if my goals were realistic. I had also run into some minor hurdles, one of which being the recent discovery that my computer and my printer are incompatible. (Why can’t everybody just get along?)
So I was in a defeated sort of space. I thought I’d try to boot up my old computer to see if it would play nicely with my printer, and while I was rummaging through cupboards in the basement, I came across one of my old journals (circa 1999) full of inspirational quotations and other writings. I opened it to this page:
Brandon (one of my students) brought in an absolutely incredible book called, “The Value of Believing in Yourself,” and it was about Louis Pasteur, a French scientist who invented a vaccine for rabies as well as the process for keeping milk from spoiling: ‘pasteurization.’ Interesting that James (my friend) sent me an email about the very same thing. He had dinner with Alan (a highly successful business man) and he asked him what the most valuable lesson was that he had learned throughout his career. Alan didn’t hesitate before saying,
“To have faith.”
I had written the last three words in large letters in the middle of the page. It was a message. A message sent from ‘Me-Then’ to ‘Me-Now.’ And I got it. Loud and clear.
