Proactive vs Reactive

Optimism Thought of the Week

Being Proactive Versus Reactive


Proactive is creating or controlling a situation by causing an outcome, rather than responding to it afterwards. On the other hand reactive is acting in response to a situation after it has occurred.

Have you ever found yourself constantly fighting fires, from the same person constantly reporting the fire. The art of preventing the fire is finding the root cause of it, and taking action to prevent it.

Being proactive is the key. By constantly putting out fires, it’s wasted energy, which if used effectively can be productive.

Determine who starts the fire, if by teaching them to be proactive doesn’t work, don’t respond to the fire. – Glennel Hardy

Change Course

Optimism Thought of the Week

Change Course


Imagine flying to a destination that would generally take two hours, however on this particular trip it took four hours. Without the pilot realizing it, he had been flying without using the instruments on board.
If we have a desire within our minds, then we are equipped with what we need, if we allow our instruments, which is our talents, to guide us. – Glennel Hardy

The Plan

Optimism Thought of the Week

The Plan


How often do you daydream? How often do you have the desire in wanting to do more? I love the weekends because I generally spend the time, daydreaming, and it gives me the opportunity to think on what’s next.

I believe life should always be what’s next, instead of saying I’m stuck. Life gives us the opportunity to interact, to meet new people, to learn different things. We have a “right now”, what are you going to do about it? – Glennel Hardy

Constant

Optimism Thought of the Week

Constant


It’s heard by many the importance of setting goals for ourselves. The purpose of setting goals enables us to form a path or a roadmap to our desired outcome.  Our desired outcome does not always work along with our timetable. Our patience is tested when our goals are coming into play.

It takes courage and confidence to remain constant when it appears that nothing is happening.  The important thing to consider is, things are always happening, even when it appears there is no movement, you’re moving. If you set out a plan, stick with it, we never know how close we are to the finish line. – Glennel Hardy

Remain Steady

Optimism Thought of the Week

Remain Steady


Have you experienced a bumpy flight when a plane was withstanding turbulence when coming across an air pocket? Like planes there are certain times in which we will experience some bumps along the way. Our journey to getting where we need to be, is not the most comfortable of all rides.
We must remain steady and keep in mind that the turbulence we experience is temporarily, and necessary, in order to get us where we need to be. – Glennel Hardy

Build

Optimism Thought of the Week

Build


How big are your aspirations? Is it a one-story house, or is it a structure that extends to the unlimited boundaries of the sky above.

We determine what we do with the bricks that are presented to us.  Do we dodge the bricks, or do we lay each brick down on the foundation and build upon it?  – Glennel Hardy

Design

Optimism Thought of the Week

Design


If you had the opportunity to draw out the design of what you would like your future to be, how large would your blueprint be? Will it be small enough to put on an 8 x 11, or large enough to fill a drafting table?

We have the power to determine and orchestrate the design process. Place your design in writing and don’t count on your memory. – Glennel Hardy

Being Last

Optimism Thought of the Week

Being Last


Is it better to be first, or is it okay to be last at times?  This question depends very much on the situation at hand.  I believe at times we are in too much of a hurry, and we set time limits upon ourselves, but what would our world look like, if we just opted out of being first, and become last.

Being last allows us the opportunity to observe those that went first, to discover what went well with those before us, and what can we change before we get up to the plate.  Being last allows us to reap the lessons of those that went before us. – Glennel Hardy

The Last Day

Optimism Thought of the Week

The Last Day


If today was your last day on Earth what would you do differently?  Would you make an attempt to pursue a dream you always had, would you reach out to that individual that you lost contact with, would you rebuild a bridge that was burned?

The reality is we are not aware when our last day on Earth will be.  Since we are not aware of it, what is stopping us from doing those things that we need to do? This is it, don’t miss out on the opportunity. – Glennel Hardy

The Big Picture

Optimism Thought of the Week

The Big Picture


If I were to ask you, if you can look beyond today, what would your answer be?  Looking beyond today is not foretelling the future, but moving past of what’s happening in your life today.  Are you able to see beyond the storm, or has the storm blinded you from what’s up ahead?

The challenges that we face in life, are all pieces of the big picture ahead.  Without challenges there would not be triumphs, without triumphs there would be nothing to strive for in life.  The more challenges we overcome the clearer the picture becomes. – Glennel Hardy

(Photo Courtesy of Lyle Curtis)

Talk Less and Listen More

Optimism Thought of the Week

Talk Less-Listen More


Can you recall the days of grammar school when your teacher told you to stop talking and pay attention?  This was me, constantly talking and never listening.  As adults we may find ourselves continuing to talk but never listening.

The benefits of listening is to be informed, and with that information becoming educated. Education should never run on short supply.  Being educated should be a demand, and never become a shortage. – Glennel Hardy

Open Minded

Optimism Thought of the Week

Open Minded


Every day are opportunities.  In order to explore these opportunities it requires us to be open minded.  Being open minded requires us to hit the “reset” button from our yesterdays, and reset our future for our todays, and tomorrows.

I had a habit of per-determining what my day would look like, and observed when it didn’t turn out the way I preferred, I was disappointed.  I realized being open minded is key allowing opportunities to present itself before me. – Glennel Hardy

Moments in Time

Optimism Thought of the Week

Moments in Time


When we think of a moment in time, we recall a place or event that stood out from the usual ordinary day. For example those moments may include, when you met someone very special, when you achieved a goal, or an extraordinary accomplishment.

The moments in time defines us, it reminds us where we were, how we got there, and where we have been ever since. – Glennel Hardy

Reflection

Optimism Thought of the Week

Reflections


I started writing for my blog The Optimistic One on February 4, 2013.  I was inspired by those dearest and closest to me, to generate ideas and inspire my readers.  I never had envisioned writing, nor could I have envisioned having the opportunity to do what I love to do every day.

We don’t reflect as often as we should.  We don’t take notice where we were at one point in time, in comparison to where we are today.  We may allow our current circumstance or environment, to blind us from where we once originated from.  This Thanksgiving take time to reflect, be grateful for the good and the bad. When we mix the ingredients of the good and bad, we experience greatness. – Glennel Hardy

Our Drive

Optimism Thought of the Week

Our Drive


If someone were to ask what drives you, what would your response be?  When we think about drive, automatically we may think of moving forward.  Drive allows us to remove ourselves from our current circumstance, and challenges us to take notice on what may lie ahead of us.

For some when it comes to thinking about our future, we may dread thinking about it, due to our current circumstance.   We must ask ourselves, how long will we allow our current circumstance to determine where we travel to next? – Glennel Hardy

Our Core

Optimism Thought of the Week

Our Core


Have you ever had the opportunity to see a computer being built from the ground up? You get to witness it as nothing but a shell, until you begin to place each part inside, and several of these parts form together as the system.

 All of us at some point started empty, and along the way life experiences and values brought us to the individuals we are today. When someone asks how you became the person you are today, it all leads back to our core. – Glennel Hardy

Gratitude

Optimism Thought of the Week

Gratitude


At times it seems that the only time we remember to be grateful is either on a special occasion, or a holiday, or when an event takes place that causes us to reflect.

I believe that reflection should be exercised daily.  I believe that reflection keeps us in check, in which gratitude flows from us abundantly every day. – Glennel Hardy

Patience

Optimism Thought of the Week

Patience


It’s correctly stated that patience is a virtue.  Patience forces us to pause, when we really want to accelerate. Patience comes with costs and sacrifice, but the rewards far exceed our own expectations.

Patience is similar to building blocks, the longer you allow it to build, the greater the outcome. – Glennel Hardy

The Perfect Tune

Optimism Thought of the Week

The Perfect Symphony


On occasion I enjoy attending a symphony. I enjoy the symphony because you hear and observe multiple talented individuals creating the perfect harmony. In order to create that perfect harmony it takes months of practice to achieve that particular musical piece.

At times we are not patient with ourselves. Our personal symphony will not have the perfect sound, until we learn how to master the instrument. We are that instrument. Success is acquired over time, and not in one instance. – Glennel Hardy

Strategic Thinking

Optimism Thought of the Week

Strategic Thinking


Most of the time it is hard to see beyond today. We make decisions based on today’s events, but not thinking of what impact this may have on us tomorrow.
Tomorrow is a result on the way we think today. Could we have a rough day today, absolutely, but can we have an open mind on our tomorrow? – Glennel Hardy