G is for go!  That's right. Don't ever stop when it comes to following your dreams. Continually move forward. Even if at the moment you seem to be moving slowly. Just remember, "Don't quit!"  Too many people continuously sit at the stoplight as if it is still on red. But at some point, we must heed the green light that tells us it's okay to start moving again. There are so many things that place a stop sign in front of your dreams. It's okay if you must periodically stop and assess if that is the direction that you need to be headed in. It is okay to stop and see if you are following the right instructions to get to your destination. It's okay to slow down and enjoy the journey and socialize with those who you meet along your path. It's okay to stop long enough to refuel for the journey ahead. But once you do these things, pick yourself up and move forward again. You heard me. Go, go, go!

F is for fun!  They say you have only one life to live, so live it!  Many times we are busy handling emergencies and worries in our daily schedule. Or we're out there trying to accomplish the next goal. I often have to remind myself that the journey towards goals is part of the goal. Therefore we should put as much excitement towards working toward our desires as we do in accomplishing them. Don't wait until you lose those pounds to celebrate. Reward yourself for eating that salad instead of a greasy alternative entree or for taking those stairs instead of the elevator.  Tony Robbins was one of the motivational speakers that hooked me to the fact that almost anything can be made fun if you turn it into a game or challenge.  So there you have it. No one else can do it for you. So go out and brighten the world up with some happy activity.

E is for Easter!  In the upcoming holiday season, many wishes go out to all who join in the celebration of the Risen Savior. Many will celebrate this time with Easter egg hunts and other festivities. Still others have celebrated since last Sunday and will continue on until Easter Sunday with church services.  As I look at the spiritual meaning behind Easter, I am reminded of the hope we are to share with others who know that resurrection represents life again! So many are suffering spiritual deaths in their own personal ways as they face daily trials. Although these things will be, we must fight to keep our spirits alive and moving forward!

D is for Dare. Dare to believe. Dare to be the best you can be. So many whose potential could be unlimited are held back by old beliefs that there are limitations to what they can achieve because of past failures and negative comments. I am now refusing to believe that I can be anything less than an achiever who can leave the world a better place because of my existence. This has meant challenging myself to do what I normally would not do in order to bring out the most potential within myself. Hopefully my daring personality will cause others to do the same and dare to put their best foot forward while reaching for their most inner desires. Dare to believe. You never know. You may grow to like it!

C is for caring.  When I was in nursing school "a few years ago", (smile), I remember the nursing students receiving t-shirts with the phrase, "Ask me if I care."  Even though today I may tease my friends or coworkers about not being a caring person when it comes to them, they know differently. I would not be who I am if I did not posses a caring personality. Often this "giving" characteristic has almost been my downfall for I have cared so much for others, I have often found myself putting the need of others above my own. Many of you can probably relate. How do you then explain when you see so many things happening around you that show just how little some people care about others.  Caring is not something that you can instill in others. Unfortunately it is not something valued by everyone. However, I challenge anyone to add a little caring in their daily routine and see how your inner perception about yourself and life in general takes a complete turn.  One place that I often work at and visit is the particular nursing home that my mom lives in. I often see people who are often left alone to survive on their own until their demise.  Some patients cry out for a visit or for someone to step in and ease their pain. It is sometimes very difficult to walk away knowing you can get away from it all but they can't. O.K, it is true that caring can be very time-consuming and often offers very little to no pay. It is not glamorous. But I would not give up CARING about others for ANYTHING!

B is for Believe.  It is so easy to quit believing in yourself and your abilities to make the most of your potential. When there is so many things out there competing for our attention and the attention of others, we are often side tracked into thinking that our pursuit is useless and that success is miles away.  I remember a famous story line in the TV show, "Touched by An Angel".  In it, Ms. Della Reese had asked some people to join her in praying for rain during a a terrible drought. When they all met to go into making their requests, Ms. Reese noticed that no one else who had come to pray for the rain had brought an umbrella.  When asked about it, Ms. Reese simply stated that she apparently was the only one who really believe that the drought would end after their requests were made!  So my challenge to others and myself is to make more of an effort to act in accordance to actin!

Action

As I enter my first year of the A to Z challenge, I am compelled to write the first thing that comes to mind. As the letter for today is "A", my first thought was "April", recognizing the many things that happen in this month. But then I thought of something more motivating to me. The word I came up with is "action". As I think of life and how easy it is to give up and quit reaching for your dreams, I thought to myself, the secret is movement toward your goals. I see many talk about their dreams but few work toward it. . So many good ideas going astray. So much talent going unused. All I can do is shout out to others as well as to my self. ACT! Act on your goals. Act on what needs to be done from day to day. And if life becomes so difficult that you feel you can't make the next few steps, then TAKE ONE STEP for one step is better than none.Visualizing and planning are important but all the knowledge building and planning in the world mean nothing if it is not backed by movement toward the goal.  Act not just for yourself but rather act so that others who see you will be motivated to act toward their own goals. You will be surprised at how far a little movement can go a long way in making a big change for the better!