Good word Words

Adaptable – Def: able or willing to change in order to suit different conditions

I love this word. Two months after I first moved to south Texas an acquaintance asked, “You seem to be doing really well. How long did it take you to adjust to the culture?” I replied without much thought, “About ten seconds. I love the people, food, and culture.” The acquaintance walked away without another word. My acquaintance live for three in the area, he was not adaptable, nor could he appreciate the beauty of the culture. Adapting to our circumstances makes a big difference in our happiness and success. Adapt, adjust, and set sails for a great adventure.

Confidently – Def: in a way that shows you are certain of your abilities or have trust in people, plans, or the future

Confidence is a great separator between successful and unsuccessful people. It is the separator between great athletes and athletes with the same ability who never achieve greatness. Confidence isn’t found in bragging and boasting. Confidence is discovered through the hard work one one does in developing one’s skills. When confident people put their skills to the test, they may fail. They don’t accept their failure as fatal. They see their failures as learning experiences for future success. The more we test ourselves and learn from our setbacks, the greater our confidence to be successful becomes. 

Opportunity – Def: a chance to do something good.

A friend whose advice I valued, offered me this advice. She said, “Ray, when a good opportunity comes your way, grab hold of it and don’t let go. It won’t come by again.” I listened to her and it made all the difference. The best opportunities make us stretch, they force us to learn, and they make us uncomfortable during our learning process. You’ll never know what you can do until you take the chance to do it. C’mon, what are you waiting for, there’s an opportunity waiting just for you.

Mindful ~ Def: (1) aware (of); paying attention (to). (2) deliberately aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, in order to create a feeling of calm.

When we are not mindful we drift through the day without grasping what is occurring around us. For example, a parent comes home from work not mindful of what is happening. The parent doesn’t connect with the sullen expression on his/her child’s face. The parent is not aware of the desperate look on his/her partner’s face. If the parent is mindful, conversations begin where listening without judging is often more therapeutic than a prescription. When we are mindful, we are aware of what is happening around us. We know when other people need us, and when other’s want their distance. I think being mindful is more about love and connection, love for the other and connection to all aspects of our environment.

Believe – Def: to think that something is true, or that what someone says is true

What we believe about ourselves often is a predictor of how our life turns out. Researchers have reported that if a patient believes in the doctor’s ability to facilitate his/her healing and the doctor believes the patient will get well the patient has a better outcome than those who don’t hold similar beliefs. Beliefs are not permanent. We can change negative beliefs about ourselves and adopt positive, optimistic beliefs about all aspects of our life. The more we live these beliefs, the more they affect our actions. For example, if I adopt a belief that I am healthy and incorporate the belief into my life, I will adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Appreciate: Def (1) to understand how good something or someone i; (2) to feel grateful for something

When we regularly appreciate others, events, other things in our life, our worldview changes. We become open to a world filled with possibilities. We seek the good in others and in ourselves. We take a moment to appreciate the beauty of a flower, the flight of a bird, the laughter of children at play. Today, tell someone how much you appreciate them and tell them why. You’ll make their day.