No 38 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, September 22, 1956
How to make pressure work in your favor!
Some ideas on making stress work in the positive for you!
Inside Influences
Have a positive optimistic outlook
Have an anchor of faith or spirituality
Always be motivated
Take action – be the proactive person
Always enjoy learning
Go with the flow – be flexible
Adapt with life’s changes
Be a leader socially – be the Go-To person
Show self-confidence and self-esteem
Outside influences
Take every opportunity that comes your way
Use the support of family, friends, and co-workers
Manage the stress and difficulties that you face
Surround yourself with a nurturing, happy environment
Live in an autonomous area
Earn the trust of others and be trusted by others
Do I do all these things? I attempt them all daily. The fact that I have them listed, and I study them, and I try to achieve all of them makes me a winner. Have these goals in front of you and strive to achieve them. Personally, I hate negative stress and what it does to my blood pressure and my heart. Yet, I must, I do, and I will manage the challenges that come to me daily. Owing a dance studio may put you on the mountain top one minute, then into the depths of hell the next when a water pipe breaks over you dance floor! You just learn to adapt and try to not have a stroke or turn into a mean person. The truth is, it will all get better.
I love receiving a bag of lemons. Tea, sauces, fish, steaming, cleaning, salads. So many uses for lemons. When I take a lemon, I let it settle to room temperature. Then I roll the lemon to release the juices. Before cutting it, I zest the whole outside.
Then I cut it open, squeeze all the juice out. I take a grapefruit knife and then cut out all the inside and chop it up and use it in my dish. When I’m finished, all that is left is the white skin and I have completely used up the lemon. I use this analogy, because this is what I want to do with my life. I want to use up every part of me to the service of others and use every drop of ability that I have to influence and guide others.
So, go be a good lemon in your life. Remember, surround yourself with people you want to become like. Surround yourself with great leaders, mentors, guides, helpers, and with friends who will tell you “NO” when you are wrong. Truly, we become exactly like those around us all the time.
Remember pressure can make you blow up, or cook a great pot roast. Use life’s challenges to empower you and make you stronger!
Thanks for reading!
David Earl Woodbury
Keep on Dancing!
davidearlwoodbury@gmail.com