“This can’t be happening,” I said as I rifled through my hastily written directions.

I was in a new city, it was 1 a.m., and I was completely lost. I felt that old familiar blend of fear and shame wash over me as I sat there on the shoulder of the road. My economy rental car shook as the cars sped by, and I desperately searched for some kind of landmark in the dark.

I was supposed to be wrapping up an easy drive to the hotel where I would rest peacefully and wake fully recharged for a job interview in the morning. I was not supposed to be here.

This can NOT be happening.

This whole scene was probably only a few minutes long, but it felt like an eternity. I think I was convinced that I was, in fact, going to be there FOREVER.

I felt hot. I felt sick. I just wanted to go home.

Of course it didn’t last forever. I eventually found my way and made it to the hotel. I got some sleep and even got the job.

As I made my way back to the airport the next day, I felt a little sheepish about my moment of panic the night before, but then I got to thinking. If this wasn’t some kind of lesson about life, I don’t know what is.

The truth is that I’d been there before. Lost. Confused. Frustrated. I’d been there a lot lately. And (almost) every time, I’d get so locked on to what was supposed to happen that it was hard to find my way out to the other side.

Sometimes life just feels like that. You have your perfect plan, and you’ve done everything you were supposed to do. You’ve totally got this, you think.

Then there’s a detour and you think how did I get here and where do I go now?

Or maybe you get to your destination exactly as planned only to discover that it isn’t anything like the pictures. Again, you ask how did I even get here and where do I go now?

It isn’t always easy to pull over and regroup when that happens. Charting a new course can be disheartening if not a little scary, and it can feel like you’re all alone in it.

But you know what? We’re all in the same boat. Each of us will encounter roadblocks, delays, and wrong turns.

Whenever the going gets tough in your journey, picture your fellow travelers rooting for you and remember these 6 things:

1. There are many ways to get from A to B.

Whenever you need a reminder of this, just look at a map. There are countless ways to get from where you are now to where you want to be, each with something special to offer.

You may have to go a little out of your way, but you will eventually get there. Be open to change as you plan your route.

2. What you need to know probably isn’t on the shortcut.

Sometimes things take you a little longer than expected. It is tempting to try to speed through life to get to where you think you should be, but consider that maybe you already are exactly where you need to be.

Frantically rifling through your directions doesn’t get you there any faster, anyway (trust me on this one). It doesn’t help you appreciate the journey, either. Things are going to take as long as they need to take, so slow down and take in the scenery. Have trust in yourself as you make your way through life.

3. It’s okay if your destination is unknown.

Does anyone else feel obligated to have a 5- or 10-year plan? Talk about pressure. Having a direction is great, but even the best plans are only penciled in.

No one can predict exactly what lies ahead of them. Instead of worrying about this or trying to wipe it out, try embracing the uncertainty as an integral part of your unique journey.

4. Trying again is not the same as starting over.

View your failures, missteps, and missed turns as opportunities to get it right. You’ve learned what works, what fits, and what doesn’t.

If it doesn’t work out, you are allowed to try again. Even if it feels like you are back to the beginning, remember that you are never starting again from exactly the same place.

5. Remember where you have been.

When life’s journey becomes difficult, it can be powerful to remember where you have been. Look back at where you’ve been with the new perspective of the present.

Learn from your past by appreciating what you have seen and finding the lessons in what has already happened. Draw from your life experience to find strength for the challenges you face today.

6. Very few things are permanent.

When things are good, you wish they would stay forever.  When they’re painful, you wish they would just hurry up and end already.

Appreciate the good while it is here and give it permission to leave when the time is right. Know that it will return.  If your road is rocky, accept that at least for now this is where you are and do what you can to keep on going. Remember that you will not be here forever.

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Have you ever thought about having wings? In fact, you have, and you spread them every time you gather your courage to take a new path in life, or every time you defend somebody in need. They are magical and you should spread them more often. You should let others see them as well. You could be an inspiration.

But, what kind of wings have you pictured for yourself? The image you have created in your mind reveals a lot about how you see yourself, and the qualities you think you have.

Let’s find out how accurate this image is! Take this quick, fun quiz and find out what kind of wings you have!

What Kind of Wings Do You Have?

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Leave a comment below to let us know how accurate this was

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We all know that feeling on a Monday morning when getting out of bed seems like an impossible chore; or any morning for that matter! Some times there isn’t enough coffee in the world to get your eyes open. Maybe it’s lack of sleep; the baby is up all night; work stresses on your mind; seasonal affective disorder has you down; or for any multitude of reasons, getting out of bed is something we never want to do! Here’s a couple tips and reminders to get you out of the sheets and start living your life!

Every day you have two choices: you can either sleep in and chase your dreams, or you can wake up and live them

1. Finish what you started

As little as it could be, we all have little projects going on whether you know it or not. It could be as simple as doing your laundry, cleaning your room or updating some apps. You know you’ve been procrastinating on something! So get up, add more time to your day, and finish some around the house chores

2. Set achievable goals

Humans were not meant to be idle creatures. We thrive on change, progress and growth. As we busy our lives and complete our goals, our brain recognizes achievement and we thereby feel satisfied and relieved; thus having a good day. The more time you spend in bed, the less time you have to focus on productive goals.

3. Getting ahead

This one is for the competitive or athletic, because even they get lazy sometimes. Wake up in the morning and remind yourself that if you’re not up and running, improving your time or health, someone else is doing it instead. Get ahead of the pack by waking up with the early birds and hitting the gym. If you’re not training, someone else is.

4. Motivate yourself

These days it’s easy to say that the first thing most people do when they wake up is roll over and turn on their phone. And there’s nothing wrong with that, if you’re doing it for the right reasons. Fire up some Youtube videos that engage you and inspire you. Listen to music that makes you happy and fills you with energy. Watch videos related to your personal goals and go achieve them.

5. Wake up with the sun

There is truth to science when they say that the early bird gets the worm. It’s also for the health benefits it includes. Waking up and sleeping with the sun and moon’s cycles will bring a natural rhythm to your life and promote positive energy. The fancy word for this is your circadian rhythm. So go to bed early and wake up early and soon after your body adjusts to a natural cycle you will wonder how you ever survived those late night before!

6. Enjoy the morning

Waking up early and getting out of bed not only feels more natural, it also lets you get the most out of your day. If you life around nature, enjoy the dew in the morning. Actually smell the flowers – they’re splendid! We all have a busy life, so wake up early to take the stress of the day off. Allow yourself more time to have a morning coffee, sit around and read a book, do some yoga, or catch up on some gossip. You’ll enter your work day with less stress knowing that you had all the time in the world this morning to relax and enjoy yourself before going into the fray.

7. Get extra work done

I didn’t want to mention this scary word, but why not! If you can get up early to enjoy some coffee, try to be productive as well. If you’re all caught up with life, you’ll now have another hour to catch up with work too. Get ahead on your latest projects and reduce the stress for later, or open up the time to take on more work. If your life is in control, you will be able to seamlessly blend life and work together, have better financial flow, and make it all seem so natural and easy. Later on you can treat yourself by fl owing to your next vacation destination or new car. Use extra daylight to produce long term benefits in your life and wealth will soon follow. There’s a reason that procrastinators have such a bad reputation in high school. Don’t act like them now that we’re all grown up. Take charge of your leisure and work life, and command results. With a determined mindset, you will of course succeed. I guarantee it.

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