Month: August 2013

Inspiration

You should have passion!

Reba Nietert

I wonder, at what point in someone’s life when they were either successful or not what it took to push them over the edge? When does a musician know he’s not going to be a national rock star? When does a chef know that he’s not going to be on TV? When do people with life-long dreams realize when they were going to push forward and not stop? What makes one person stop and give up their dream and another keep going and if they keep going what if they never get there? What if they never become a success? What if they fail and then there’s a new dream? What if….

As a writer this question is the fundamental question we all ask ourselves. What if my work isn’t good enough. Will I have to self publish and what if that work isn’t worth publishing? What if it’s not even good enough to be self published? ACK!?

Whether or not it is there is the basic concept that I wholeheartedly believe and that is that everyone has a story in them. They may not be able to tell it the way that it needs to be grammatically introduced, but they have their story. Every story is worth listening to. Everyones.

With that said, find whatever passion that lies within you and feed that. If you don’t believe that passion is worth fighting for? That’s not your passion. The thing you have to remember is that as we age, many of us grow in ways we couldn’t imagine. What may be your passion today may not be your passion tomorrow. The key is to know when to pursue and when to give up and try another passion.

Here’s the skinny. If you still get that adrenaline rush when you think about, the passion burns in you and it’s not time to quit. If you could care less anymore….you’re burnt. Take a moment, think, pause and reflect on whether or not that was ever your passion, if it can ever be again and if not what can replace it.

Good luck to you because everyone should have passion in their lives!

Inspiration

Lift Someone Else on Your Journey

Reba Nietert

Everyone has a moment when they ask themselves, “Am I being played?” That’s usually followed with “Are my needs being met? Am I happy? Why do I seem upset? What caused this? Can I fix it? Is it my fault?” Our self worth is undeniably attached to everything around us whether we want it to be or not. Acceptance is a general feeling that we try to achieve since early childhood. It’s the fundamental denominator of a series of accomplishments in work or relationships or child rearing that gives us our sense of belonging in this world. Few who don’t succeed generally have lower esteem than those who might exhibit a little narcissism and therefore reject criticisms and force themselves to think more positively. Of course, even a narcissist has depressive moments. Enough on the behavioral science of it, but suffice it to say that our wins in life is what gives us that ultimate sense of “I can do it.” Someone who believes in us is the icing on the cake. Even further someone who shouts our name from the rooftops because we touched them in a profound way is still even better. For some, however, those accolades never really come. They make bad choices, fail miserably and then cannot see the hope through the despair. Unfortunately these people don’t approach everyone and say, “I’m broken.” You have to be careful who you come into contact with because these people are fragile, on the verge of self destruction. How you reject what they wear, how they speak, the content of their words, matters. More than you probably know. So today, when you’re out feeling all confident in your abilities and you realize the limited patience you have with those who are not as capable as you are; remember, they have the same needs that you do and maybe a little more. Their emotions are exposed, and they might just need one small affirmation to get them started on a path that was intended for them. Don’t stop being who you are, but lift someone up along the journey.

Inspiration

Capture Time While you Can

Reba Nietert

One of the things that I have done since my children were little is capture the innocence as they grew. For me, I learned at a VERY early age that people come and go from your life. There is no guarantee. For that reason I have never told my children, “I will always be there to protect you.” We all die and I knew that was not something I could promise. It’s important to me that when I do promise something I at least think I am telling the truth. When my daughter was 5 she told me about what her wedding would be like. It was then when I wrote my first letter to her. I wrote everything she said and what she wanted it to be. From the pink pretty brides maid dresses to the green ribbons she wanted around the waist. It was extraordinary detail. She put her tiny hands together and prayed that it would be just so. I wrote her wished and stuck it in an envelope and then I addressed it, “Open on your wedding day.” Since then I have written many of the letters from the mouth of babes and titled them “Open on your 16th Birthday. Open on this date etc.” They are old enough they’ve begun to open several of them. My goal was that if they lost me before they became an adult they would know how much I loved them, I listened to them and I cherished their words. Sure enough when they open them they cry tears of joy. I am just glad that I am still alive so i can see it. Last year I gave my daughter a homemade year book with all the cliche advice attached I’d given her all these years. Words of wisdom like “be careful where your head goes because your heart will follow and always without your permission.” The photo-book had tons of photos from the 9th to the 12th grade. Photos never submitted to the schools that I took along the way. Hugging friends, wearing costumes, classes, seminars, groups and sports along the way. She held it tight and she cried. Touching someone doesn’t cost anything. It’s just a willingness to give a little bit of your time to do something profound enough that impacts them in a positive way even if it takes time or effort to do it. The reward for both of you will be greater than you ever expected! Now I am working on her college years. Yeah….! Thank you Facebook for IOS Photos!

Inspiration

Security is a gift….

Reba Nietert

What many people don’t know about this girly “I love all things pink” girl is that I am basically a deep down tomboy. I love to fish, I love to camp and I love cars. Fast cars. Few understand that heart pumping, adrenaline rush that you get when you think about the hot throttle of something you know is faster than the wind. One year my boss Peggy Keckler (I sold cars for a living) insisted that I go to a track with other salespeople and learn to drive very fast with the help of professional race drivers like Lyn St. James. This way when the Lincoln Mark 8 came out, we could sell it because we compared it to the Toronado, the LC400 and the Eldorado. The race drivers were so hysterical. The guys that were in my car were so timid and then it was my turn. I got behind the wheel and did just what she said and I was doing it! I wasn’t afraid at all. Around the cones and the car literally lowered to hug the road in the curves. Of course I loved the wood grain on a Cadillac so as a girlie that was the Fav for me….but if I were a dude and wanted cockpit design and pure performance, I would go for that Mark 8 for sure! It was easy to sell after that. Today, I still love being behind the wheel. The traffic might congest a bit but if I am REALLY stressed, a great plug in IPhone one hour trip on the open country road still does the trick. The power and performance of a vehicle you love and trust = Priceless. That’s the security that we want to get with people…and sometimes those things are hard to come by. We see it on TV and we want that so much. We need that. It’s harder to have than it appears because people judge, convict and disparage. Once you find someone to share your time who doesn’t….treasure that. That’s a once in a lifetime friend. Remember people are fallible. If you can get through that and past all the things that aren’t just like you, you can begin to aspire to learning more of who they are…and that will feel just like the adrenaline of driving a fast race car. I promise.

Inspiration

Need Help? Seek Help!

Reba Nietert

I was 21 and I was failing miserably at trying to take care of myself. I had no real education. On my own since 14, I barely managed to squeeze a high school diploma and college wasn’t affordable or obtainable. I was desperately trying to pay the rent but the jobs I got weren’t more than $4 bucks an hour. It was slim picking too. In the 1980’s America suffered the worst depression since the 1930’s. Many don’t remember walking in and finding entire neighborhoods with boarded up homes. Houston’s “addicks” had just that. People were getting rid of Cadillacs and buying Volkswagen Rabbits to conserve the gas. CNN brought the rest of the world to us and it was scary. I just needed food. With one can of “Chicken and Stars” in my cupboard I realized I was a few days from being homeless, and then I was. There’s really nothing like the pain of hunger. If our basic need is security and food then one of mine was missing. The ache is do deep it’s in your bones. Your head gets foggy, your mouth stops watering and a sense of nothing comes over. The only thought, concept, goal, is food and shelter…but food first. I wanted to live, to be alive, to survive, but I wasn’t making it. I was hungry and after cleaning up in public restrooms and using what money I did have to scrounge enough together for meals, I was flat broke, skinny, tired and angry because I couldn’t figure out how to get where I wanted. It was then I met someone who offered to teach me how to be independent. This is the lesson….when you’re hungry, and starving for whatever it is that you need, values, morals, and a real sense of right and wrong no longer become your focus. When you’re at your lowest and the pain is so powerful it’s hard to think of anything other than exactly what you need because human survival is such a powerful drive. Intellect, and it’s rationalization is a non factor. People make choices that determine their whole life because the moment they are in is so bad the piercing reality is to harsh to bear. Pause. If you live to be 80 then the moment you are in right now will soon be a blimp on the radar of your life. Taking time to really let someone know you need help can save you and your whole life. Get help. Get fed, even if it’s just your soul. If you’re hungry there are people out there like me who give a crap. Seek them.

I’m always available for a phone call or an email or comment if you’re really in trouble and need immediate help.