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Surf’s Up
By Doug Nielsen

Have you lived through a 6.7 magnitude earthquake? A good friend of mine told me of experiencing a 6.7 magnitude earthquake while living in Hawaii . The house started shaking violently. Pictures, vases and dishes crashed to the ground.

At first he could not figure out what was happening. Then responding with absolute adrenalin, he frantically looked for his wife and kids, got them into the car, and drove to higher ground.

In the back of his mind played news flashes from the recent tragic tsunami in Indonesia that killed thousands of people. The panic on the streets was palpable. People tried to find loved ones, animals, and what valuables they could gather.

He then witnessed the most amazing phenomenon. The visitors panicked, however, the locals grabbed their surf boards. Why did the “Hawaiian Natives” grab their surf boards? Because-- “surfs up”!

Call it stupidity or searching for the ride of a lifetime--here was a great example of how differently we can perceive the same exact event! One person panics and runs for higher ground while another sees an opportunity.

What does this statement say:

Opportunityisnowhere?

Is it Opportunity is no where ? Or is it Opportunity is now here ? It’s your choice and whatever your choice it is right. Yoda from Star Wars had it right when he said “Your perception is your reality and your reality is your perception.”

In life you can allow the waves of crisis to destroy your spirit and kill you inside, or you can harness them and ride them for all they're worth.

Think of a current challenge you are facing. It is designed to bring out the very best within you. I read a recent study that found that stress is most damaging when you perceive that you have no control whatsoever (including your ability to choose your attitude). It also found that when you perceive that you are in control (at the helm) it can be motivating and can contribute to keeping your immune system strong and vibrant. It has a great deal to do with our thinking, our perception. Opportunityisnowhere!

Opportunityisnowhere!

CALL TO ACTION:

Surf’s up! Ultimately you can choose to be as happy or as miserable as you like, choose wisely! Take a challenge you are facing and identify at least 3 opportunities that could rise out of that challenge. Decide to take action to move toward those opportunities today.

Until next time, God bless, take the helm and smooth sailing even in the storms of life.