Inspiration | Words For Hire

Climbing the Rough Side of the Mountain

September 29, 2008 by Karen Swim

Written by Karen D. Swim

There is an old gospel song called “Rough Side of the Mountain.” The song is older than I am and has been sung by many artists. At odd times, the song comes to me (the Mahalia Jackson version) and I sing the chorus (I’m coming up on the rough side of the mountain) like a funeral dirge. It was not until this Saturday, however that I saw the song and the rough side of the mountain in a completely new light.

I was 4 miles into a treadmill walk. My shoulders slumped and my spirit was dampened. An injury had forced me to walk rather than run which in my mind completed my humiliation. All week my body had betrayed me. Weird, scary things had happened that made me begin to think of big, scary things like mortality. Up until last week I had felt like I was only 44 and suddenly I felt like the oldest 44 year old on the planet.

As I walked, I could feel my thoughts growing darker and I was sliding fast into a deep dark pit. I could feel the hole growing larger, swallowing me bit my bit when something snapped in my head. I realized I could choose whether I was on the descent or the ascent. (Don’t ask me what caused the snap, not sure but the mental image of a cane was perhaps the thing that freaked me out). I could see myself as getting older and deteriorating or I could use this as my base and get better.

So, I mentally slid to the base of the mountain. If I took myself down to level ground, I reasoned, I would no longer be sliding down but climbing back up. (Take that dark and twisty thoughts!). I stood up straighter and began to feel the fire slowly returning to my belly. Now it was time to climb the mountain. Mahalia Jackson’s song began to play in my head (no singing out loud this time) and that’s when I got the epiphany.

If you have to climb a mountain, the rough side is actually much better than the smooth side. Now, I’m no mountain climbing expert but the times I have found myself trying to climb up or down one, the task has been far easier on the rough side. The smooth side is slippery with no way to control your movement. You have to create spaces for your feet and it’s hard to control your movements. The rough side, however, has nubby little patches and craggy spots that allow you to grab hold as you climb up or down. The big craggy spots even allow a resting place should you need to catch your breath.

All those years, the song that seemed so sad and depressing became bright and shiny. Oh yea, I was choosing the rough side. After all, it was the smooth side that had allowed me to fall so quickly into the pit. I need those rough patches of grass and rocks to help me climb to the top. I need a little grit under my boots to help propel me to the summit. Yes, on the rough side, your hands may get a little scratched and your body will need to work hard but when you get to the top you will be stronger for the journey.

I left the big scary things at the base of that mountain, and began to climb slowly but steadily up the rough side humming a happy little tune along the way.

Now it’s your turn. Have you ever reevaluated a long held belief or assumption? What impact did it have on you?

I’m Still Standing! I’m Still Strong!

September 19, 2008 by Karen Swim

Written by Karen D. Swim

“It don’t matter what you tried to do, you couldn’t destroy me! I’m still standing! I’m still strong! And I always will be. “– Antwone Fisher, 2002

I saw Antwone Fisher in 2002, when it was first released. I was drawn to the story line about a young man who enlists in the Navy, and is helped by a Naval psychiatrist to finally confront the demons of his past. It was a powerful movie that dealt with family, friendship and finding inner peace. In one particularly moving scene the main character, Antwone Fisher (played by Derek Luke) spoke the lines above. When I heard them something awakened in my own heart, as these words seemed to echo in my spirit. At the time I was facing no particular challenge but I tucked the words away knowing that somehow they belonged to me.

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Over the years, these lines have become my personal mantra when facing adversity. I sometimes modify it to “I’m still standing. I”m still here,” but every iteration strengthens me and renews my determination to fight through the obstacles. As I speak them out loud, they seem to plant my feet on solid ground and enclose me in an impenetrable fortress. Though life may swirl around me I am reminded that I am indeed still standing.

I thought of this line this week as I received word from friends in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Friends like Robert Hruzek and Mrs. MZM who thankfully made it through the storm. As reports and pictures came in, I was glad that they too were still standing, all the more poignant as in so many instances the Hurricane had leveled so many homes.

Life may have dealt you a few setbacks but you are still standing. Your legs may shake from the effort but as long as you can proclaim that you are standing there is hope. I have been painfully aware in my own life that often it is not the movement that matters but the ability to simply stand. To stand in the face of adversity, to stand when everything seems to conspire to knock you down, to stand when the ground shakes and the skies rumble, to stand when then the torrential rains beat at your door, to stand when others are pushing you to move.

Today as I face the business and personal challenges in my own life, I am so very thankful to report that I’m still standing. I’m still strong. And I always will be.

Do you have a favorite line from a movie or book that gives you strength or uplifts your spirit? Share your favorites in the comment box below. All of your comments are welcome.

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First Photo from Spike Lee’s ‘Miracle at St. Anna’

Your Choices Determine Your Results

September 5, 2008 by Karen Swim

Image via Wikipedia

Written by Karen D. Swim

Yesterday while driving through the city I listened to a talk radio program. The host of the show has a question of the day which listeners call in and answer. Yesterday the question posed was “What would you tell your younger self if they stood before you now?” Many of the callers spoke of time and money wasted, and dreams unfulfilled. Some answers were poignant and others downright hilarious.

As I listened to their answers I thought of my own answer to that question. My answer is one that I speak to myself regularly: “Your choices determine your results.” Yet, even as I silently answered, unlike many of the callers I do not look back on my past choices with regret. I am the sum total of my experience – good and bad. All have combined to gift me with the wisdom and insight that I have today. I am happy to own all of me, good, bad, and ugly.

In my mind the better question is what will you say in 1 day, 1 week, 1 year or 10 years? Your choices today will determine tomorrow’s results.

Today, we have dreams and goals, big and small that we want to attain. Some are short term and others will require a longer term effort. Yet, we often fail to align our actions with the results we want to achieve. How can you get in shape if you never exercise? How will you publish a book if you don’t spend time writing? How will you get married if you never date?

I have been guilty in my life of really believing I wanted something. I may have said it out loud, written it down, prayed on it and claimed it as my reality. Yet when I look back I realize I failed to take the steps that would actually deliver the results! Does it mean I did not really desire it? Or was I just really stupid? Honestly, in some cases it may have been a combination of both and in others I allowed those twin towers of Fear and Doubt to cloud my vision.

There have been times that those famous towers cast a wide shadow preventing me from seeing clearly. I was moving in a direction but it was not the one that would lead me to my destination. I would love to tell you that once you have bulldozed these nasty buildings you will never see them again but that would be a lie. Architects of destruction have sneakily erected them along your entire journey. They do not always look the same but they share the same characteristic, they test your faith and exist to keep you from moving forward.

If you are in that place right now, I am happy to tell you that there is hope. You see those towers lose their power when we identify them. Once we label them we can tackle them to the ground, whether alone or with support. When we call them by name we dare them to continue to stand in the way of our progress. They no longer loom over us but shrink as we laugh at their folied plot.

Today, as I look ahead I am determined to say that I lived, failed, and succeeded without fear and without shame.

So, let’s talk! Have you ever allowed fear and doubt to stand in your way? How did you overcome them? Please freely share your thoughts, opinions and ideas in the comments. The mic is open and it’s your turn. 🙂

The Poop in the Road

August 26, 2008 by Karen Swim

Image via Wikipedia

Written by Karen D. Swim

Animals are quite fond of my neighborhood. Cranes, ducks, geese, squirrels, deer and others happily share space here. The geese however are by far the rudest of our wonderful little animal kingdom. In addition to their incessant barking in the early morning (it’s like living with roosters!) they are quite territorial and not afraid to attack. I have argued with them to get off my car, yelled at them to quit chasing my sister around a tree (even funnier because she is not very good at moving fast!) and pretended I was going to run them over to get them out of the road.

However the worst thing about the geese are the big honking piles of poop they leave everywhere. Sometimes they seem to go away and all is peaceful. Perhaps they’re off visiting their feathered friends in Canada. Yesterday there was no sign of the geese but there was evidence they’d been there. After navigating my way through piles (which means zig zagging and jumping in heels where there was no room to zag) of poop I realized that I could keep jumping over crap or simply move to a different part of the road.

Isn’t life kind of like that some days? The poop in your path can be obnoxious colleagues or clients, nastygrams sent via email, corporate politics or just people with bad attitudes. You could duck, dodge and jump over it or you could just choose a new path that is poop free. Which will you choose to do today?

How Soon Became Yesterday

August 18, 2008 by Karen Swim

Image via Wikipedia

Written by Karen D. Swim

No matter how much I have tried to deny it, August is quickly coming to close. This of course means that we are also coming to the end of the summer. Bummer! In the cold of winter, summer seemed so far away. I had big plans for time away and summer fun. Well, it rained for the first part of the summer and now it’s almost over. I allowed my excuses to get in the way of living and now my “soon” has become “yesterday.”

“Opportunities are like sunrises — if you wait too long, you miss them.”– William Arthur War

How often do we postpone living with a litany of excuses? “As soon as my business hits $X, I’ll take a little break.” “When the kids are older, I will ___________,” “In a couple of months when things are quiet, I will…” “I will…..when I lose 10 pounds, get that promotion, blah, blah, blah!” Yet, all too often soon comes and goes and we are left with a bunch of yesterdays and unfulfilled desires. We all know this but why do we continue to do it? Well, I have witnessed (okay experienced) three reasons.

We are unyielding in our quest for the ideal. Often we plan for perfection, and are unwilling to settle for anything less. Will the experience be any less fun if it is not perfect? Will a day at the beach spent with family totally suck because you didn’t lose 2 pounds? Well yes if you focus on the size of your thighs rather than the experience itself. Ideal is incredible but so are the imperfect experiences along the way.
F-E-A-R. Fear! You’re a giant chicken afraid that you will fail. Fear is far more paralyzing than anything that can happen when you try and blow it. If you’re waiting for the fear to magically disappear, you will be waiting till death do you part. The fear does not necessarily go away. You have to embrace it and go for it anyway. This is not to be confused with rational fear. For example you should be very afraid of leaping from a building believing you can fly or standing in front of a moving train. You’ve been warned.
We have lost control of the bus. It is possible to allow our lives to veer out of balance. We concentrate on one area and neglect others. Before you know it the whole thing has gone off course. You look up in a daze and realize your toddler is asking for the car keys, or the vacation happened but you were not part of it. Hit the brakes, pull over to the side of the road and plot a new course. To prevent this from happening, check in on a regular basis to ensure that you make corrections quickly.

The good news is that if you’re reading this post, you’re still breathing (yay!) and there is still hope! So let’s change our wicked ways together. Life is here and now. I may not be able to jump on a plane and fly to Italy today but there are a host of things that are available to me. My pockets are pretty heavy with yesterdays but thankfully I have today.

And now I’ld love to hear from you. Have you ever been guility of putting off something you wanted? How did you get back on course?

Don’t Mess with the Happy!

July 15, 2008 by Karen Swim

Written by Karen D. Swim, Photo ©martinapplegate | Dreamstime.com

Have you ever seen a small child cover his or her ears, close their eyes and loudly sing, “La, la, la, la, I can’t hear you, la, la, la?” Often their head shaking back and forth accompany the chant along with fast movements designed to outrun the enemy. In this case, the enemy is you and the words the child refuses to hear! Well, now that you got that image that is exactly how I feel today.

Bombarded with reports of the failing economy, the failing economy and oh you guessed it, the failing economy, I am covering my ears and singing, “La, la, la, la, go away, la, la, la!” Enough already!

Yes, there are bad things happening and of course, I want to be an informed citizen. However, being informed is one thing being assaulted is just downright depressing! Therefore, I have donned my Ninja happy (this is the impenetrable power suit of supreme happiness, in case you’re wondering) and selected my arsenal to fight back the “doomy” and gloomy.

Listen but do not absorb. Sensitive people have a way of becoming so empathetic that they absorb the problems of others into their being. This can be harmful to your mental and physical health and affect your own objectivity.
Focus on solutions not the problem. A constant replaying of the problem does nothing but torment you. It is far more productive to focus on solutions. For example, rather than focusing on the economy, focus on the things you can leverage to thrive during the down times. How can you maximize your earnings? What skills and talents can you leverage in the market to continue gaining work?
Pray. I have found that God is way smarter than I am at solving problems. Praying helps me quiet my mind and spirit and refocuses me on what is important.

I am not in any way attempting to diminish the struggles that so many are having right now. However, what help are we to those in need if we are simply focused on the problem?

Today, I do not have everything I desire. Heck I am even struggling with a few things I really need! However, I refuse to be sucked into self-pity and despair. Instead, I clothed myself in the armor and looked out the window. I watched the light reflect off the pond and the trees gently swaying in the cool morning breeze. I listened to the birds chirp their happy little tune and the squirrels scamper up the tree. I was reminded that the sun will rise and set, and the stars will shine in a bear market or bull market. I could allow my attitude to remain consistent or I could fall prey to the up and down cycles of life. I chose to don the happy. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

How do you stay the course during bad times? Do you have any secret ninja weapons? Please share so that we can all learn. Remember that everyone is welcome to share his or her thoughts and ideas. No blog? No problem! Comments are open. Don’t want to share in public? That’s okay too. Shoot an email, a tweet or a note anywhere you choose. This conversation can go wherever you like!

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