PATIENCE

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it open.
– Arnold Glasgow, American humorist

As anyone that knows me, patience is not a word that is usually used to describe me.   An ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.  Quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.  Nope just not something that I am known to fully possess.

Although it may be one of my weaker attributes, it is usually because I care so deeply about a topic or person that I want it to succeed or for something to occur timely.  I have recently been reminded that I have no control over a great deal in my life especially when it comes to helping friends in need.  Dealing with the medical profession can be trying to say the least; this coming from a medical professional of nearly 30 years.  I know how wrong things can go with lack of communication and it becomes even more an issue when it involves someone in your personal life.

Learning to be patient is a decision you consciously make. You decide to wait instead of becoming tense, angry and overreact to a situation. You make the decision to restrain yourself. You choose to use self-control to wait. It takes practice. To be patient, you need to change your mindset and the way you react when things don't go your way.  That being said, I must practice hourly to ensure I am able to provide that solid front of patience to ensure those I love and care for are dealt with timely and efficiently.

I want my co-workers, friends and family to view me as a solid patient person that they can always depend upon for strength and support. When in reality at times, I am just bouncing around inside my body with energy because things are not moving fast enough or good enough for those in my life.

I wanted to put in writing for myself mainly on how would be best way to learn to be patient and then do my best to practice what I preach so to speak. After reading and researching I think I have come up with six basic strategies that I am able to put in place to help me with my impatience.

1.   Develop realistic expectations. Learn to expect and plan for things not always going smoothly so you will be prepared if you encounter complications and be pleased if you don't.(Not an easy one I expect things to go smoothly)

 

2.   Realize that setbacks are only temporary. Resilient people choose to view difficult times as temporary setbacks, believing that the difficulty will pass.(Okay, but I hate setbacks)

 

3.   Employ a problem solving attitude instead of choosing to be a victim. People who see themselves as victims seem to believe the world is out to get them, while problem solvers can clearly see what they can and cannot change without taking things so personally.(Never consider myself a victim) 

4.   Avoid bitterness because it is dangerous to your physical, mental and emotional health. Bitter people tend to overreact, hold grudges and live miserable lives. (This one I have surpassed, yeah!)

5.   Have faith that you can overcome a difficult situation. Be patient knowing that if you have overcome a difficulty before that you can use that as encouragement to get through life's ups and downs.(still one that I have trouble with at times)

6.   Be aware of triggers that cause you to become impatient. If it's something you can change, take steps to change it. If not, then adjust your attitude and mindset accordingly.

You have to remember that others often see impatient people as arrogant, insensitive, and impulsive.  Some people will even avoid impatient people, because of their poor people skills and bad tempers. Impatience can even affect relationships at home.

The more patient you are with others, the likelier you are to be viewed positively by your peers, not to mention your family and friends.

So okay I know I am not the most patient individual. I recognize the issue and will strive to be better at being patient. After all I do want to be best person I can be for my family, friends, and coworkers.

Keep Dancin’ Larry B.

FRIENDSHIP

Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say. (Unknown)

Friendship is a distinctively personal relationship that is grounded in a concern on the part of each friend for the welfare of the other, for the other's sake, and that involves some degree of intimacy. As such, friendship is undoubtedly central to our lives, in part because the special concern we have for our friends must have a place within a broader set of concerns, including moral concerns, and in part because our friends can help shape who we are as persons.

Developing friendships can be difficult in today’s society. Who can you trust with the intimate details of your life?  Who is not just out there to use you and then discard you once they achieve their goal? We face this every day and moving to a new location only emphasizes the difficulty of meeting and making new friends.

Yet there are times in your life that you happen to talk to a person for short time, then by chance meet them again. You talk and in only a few moments of conversation you know in your heart that this is a good person and worthy of exploring a friendship. I have had this awesome experience a few times in my life that only after a brief conversation knew that person and I would become long lasting friends.

This recently occurred and I know my life has been enriched by meeting this person.  This new found friend is someone that I instantly felt comfortable to open my life too and have developed a close connection within just a short time.  They say the Good Lord places people in our lives at certain times for a reason and I believe this to be the case.

For there is no other reason I can think of that we would meet; start developing such a great friendship and then he is diagnosed with Cancer.  I felt cheated, upset, and simply royally pissed off. I mean why him and why now.  God knows I don’t make friends easily; this hillbilly can be a difficult person to deal with to say the least.  So yes, I was a little ticked off.

Since my Mom’s passing, I call upon her for guidance; after all she is one of my guardian angels. As I was talking to her the other night, this beautiful white tail Doe walks out of the woods and comes within 20 feet of me. She did not run off but simply stood there and stare directly at me. For me that was the sign I needed, I knew I was on the right path at this juncture in my life.

I knew in my heart what I had to do, first I had to come to terms with the fact that my friend was in a crisis.  The next thing was simple; to have friends you have to be one and I am determined to be the best friend this individual has ever had in his life. 

Of course, I have teased him because you know laughter is the best medicine; He now has to deal with the stubborn Hillbilly who will badger him to stay motivated, positive and to take every day by the horns.  

The following are two quotes that really hit home for me when it comes to friendship. The first is just one I think is cute yet true, the last one is one that is close to my heart and the way I feel about my friends.

“If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them; I'd be at the bottom to catch them.”

A friend is someone who, upon seeing another friend in immense pain, would rather be the one experiencing the pain, than to have to watch their friend suffer.
-- Amanda Gier

So yes, as always WE will Keep Dancin’ Larry B

Happy as You Want to Be

Almost everyone has heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone.  Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

One of the better things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change', and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for whom or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along.

Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make life more wonderful and also healthier. To be happy is relatively easy; just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.

There are several ways by which you can do this.

Being grateful is a great attitude.  We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also thank the mailman for bringing you your mail, thank the policeman for making your place safe and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do. Yet I am guilty of having to have my news via television and newspaper every morning.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine-tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily every day.  Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -'Laughter is the best medicine'. Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us; they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new every day.  Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons.  It could also give you more opportunities in the future.  Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places. These are the few simple things you can do every day to be happy.

Remember this quote from Abraham Lincoln, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Till Next Time LB

 

2013 Year of Dance

2013 is going to be my Year of Dance and I am so excited.  I have signed the contract with the City of Clarksville which is through August of this year then we will look at extending contract to a yearly basis. Of course, that will all depend on the success I have at establishing a great ongoing class program.

Am I worried, a little but I have faith that I am a great Instructor and that the students will spread the word that LB’s classes are fun, energetic and a great form of exercise.  I have already prepared a great variety of beginner/intermediate dances that encompass music from country to pop.  I will continue to watch the web for new dances that I feel will fit into this area. The one thing I have learned with teaching at the Clarksville Athletic Club is that Pop and Country are the two favorite genres.  I will see once the classes get going if I need to expand on that area.

I will be doing continued research to provide a great variety of great dances for the students. I will most likely pull what is popular in local clubs. I will continue to check out the most popular dances from the websites and dance classes around the country.  I want my students to be able to jump in at any club or class they happen upon.

I am now in negotiations with the City of Oak Grove, Kentucky to provide an International Line Dance program at their community center.  This would be a great location for a program due to the close proximity to Ft. Campbell Army Post. I feel we could offer a great program for the Military families in the area.  These negotiations are still ongoing at this time. I have proposed a free Introduction to Line Dance class to see what type of response we may be able to get on that side of the county.  I think we can pull students from neighboring towns like Hopkinsville, Guthrie and Pembroke by starting this program.

Yes, 2013 has been dubbed Larry B’s Year of Dance.  I encourage anyone visiting the area to drop in on a class and if you have any friends/family in the area to pass the word along that we are going to have a great year of dance in Clarksville, Tennessee.  See you on the Dance Floor

Keep Dancin’

LB