Tecumseh: Shawnee Chief Warrior

Tecumseh:  Shawnee Chief Warrior

"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.  Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.  Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.  Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.  Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place.  Show respect to all people and bow to none.

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.  If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.  Abuse no one and nothing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.  Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."

Are We The Victim or the Heroine?

Are We The Hero/Heroine or the Victim?

A blog this morning reminded me that our stories are yet unwritten.  That WE determine how the story of our life, the narrative, will go.  WE determine the storyline, the characters, all of it.

So let me ask, are we writing the story of our lives in such a way that it is a great adventure and we are the hero/heroine?  Or are we writing the story of our lives in such a way that it is a greek tragedy and we are the victims?

I used to be a victim in my own greek tragedy.  272 pounds, walking with a cane, not able to fit through the turnstiles at Disneyworld.  Unable to go on carousels, helicopters, or anything else with a 250 pound weigh limit.  I wouldn't have even been able to get an MRI locally if I had needed one.  I was the classic victim.  Life had taken it's toll on me.  And I was listless, and being acted UPON instead of ACTING UPON LIFE.

One day, I decided to write a different ending to my story.  I decided it was my choice to do that, so I took myself up on that offer and I DECIDED to believe in myself, and in the power of my decisions.  I charted a course, and I have implemented the action steps necessary to get me there. 

Fast forward:  I am happy.  I am my own heroine.  I showed up for myself in ways that I could only hope and dream of in the old days.  But you see, hopes and dreams are NOT strategies.  Hopes and dreams are good places to begin, but if we never put action steps to those hopes and dreams then we will NEVER accomplish any of those things.

So what are your action steps today?  You know what mine are? 

Have a daily plan and carry it out.  Don't let the day act on YOU, YOU act on your day.  Make things happen.  Write your own ending.  Stay on your plan, because one of these days your outsides will match your insides.  And YOU will be at your goal, and YOU will be the hero/heroine of your OWN story.

What will you choose?