A Late Harvest

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, November 06, 2016 

A Late Harvest 

By Glennel Hardy

 

“When you plant the seed, move out of the way and let it grow.”

 – Glennel Hardy

 

If anyone were to ask what has been the most dynamic times of my life, I would say it’s being in my forties.   I started late with most of the dreams, I ever wanted to accomplish.  I did not earn my first college degree until my early forties, and I am about ready to wrap up my second degree in my mid-forties.  The desires of growth was always there, but it taken quite a well for the harvest to appear.

When the harvest does appear it not only produces the results in which you envisioned, but it also produces more than you ever did expect.  A healthy harvest in life is finding something that can continue to reproduce for you every year.  We plant the seed which is our dream, and we nourish the crops until it becomes a harvest.  If at this moment you have not fulfilled what you have always dreamed of,  it’s possible that you may have a late harvest.

Once the harvest comes about, let nature takes it course and watch it blossom.

 

 

I’m Just Getting Started

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, October 09, 2016 

I’m Just Getting Started 

By Glennel Hardy

 

A question I must ask myself at times when I am most challenged is “Am I done or am I just getting started?” I am now at another intersection of life, where I am at the beginning stages of wrapping up my second degree.  If you were to ask me just three years ago, I would have told you, that I was done.  I was at my most challenging point, I was frustrated and my optimism about life was being put to the test.

I had to ask myself was this it, or was I just beginning to lay the foundation of what was to become my next quest to rise to the occasion.  That point of my life was not the end, it was a decision point on if I was going to continue to build, or begin the process of self-destruct. At the most challenging time in my life, I was just getting started, when I thought I was done.

The challenging point in my life was a gift that frustrated me so much, that it empowered me to build on something that I never knew existed.  Now looking back at the things that I thought would destroy me, they propelled me to things I never knew were just steps ahead of me.

Time

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Saturday, October 08, 2016

Time

By Glennel Hardy

 

Been thinking quite a bit of a great friend of mine that passed away just a few years back.  Girard had great dreams, and up until a month before he passed away, he shared some of them with me over a birthday dinner.  The celebration of my birthday dinner was slightly late for the month of August, but the conversation that we had, would remain with me for my lifetime.

If I would had known that it would be the last conversation I shared with him, I wondered what would I had done differently, what additional questions would I have asked.  The truth is I didn’t know of the unknown, but when he did pass away, the last conversation we had, continued to play repeatedly in my mind. What Girard taught me was the importance of time, neither of us knew, of how important that conversation would be.

We are not aware of how much time we have left, nor aware of when we will have that final conversation, or what we will leave undone. We can make the most of what we have, and we can share our wisdom with others, knowing that the most meaningful of all lessons is imminent.

We must respect time, as it’s a precious resource and when it’s gone, we will never get it back.

Small Steps Big Gains

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, September 25, 2016

Small Steps Big Gains

By Glennel Hardy

 

I’m a dreamer and at times I dream so much whether I am sleeping or if I am awake my mind constantly wonders of things that I can explore.  In my heart I do believe that any dream that takes place in my mind, is worth an effort on my part to entertain it. In order to make a dream become a reality it’s taking the first step in making it happen.

Taking that first step in making a dream become a reality is definitely not an easy step, or else it is true everyone would be acting upon it.  What makes that first small step intriguing to us, is the desired outcome in which we would like to have, once that dream becomes a reality.  It is vital for each small step that we take, to make note where we once were, which will give us encouragement to continue the journey on where we want to be.

If we look at our dream as wonderful but too overwhelming to pursue, small steps of celebration is needed.  Get excited over the milestones, and do not get discouraged of the distance you must travel to get there.  What gives the marathon runner the power to give it all they got, is when they notice the finish line ahead of them.

You may be closer than you think.

Embrace the Unknown

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, September 18, 2016

Embrace the Unknown

By Glennel Hardy

This past week I had to do some soul searching and find ways to adapt to what was in front of me.  Being able to change does take practice for me and this week proved to be no different. While in the moment of frustration I could not get a grasp on what steps I wanted to take next. Once I went home and being in my own element my brain begin to download. I begin to think about the journey that brought me to where I am at today, and if I ever would consider going back to where things once were.

We are all placed at certain times in the most uncomfortable position, where we can feel betrayed, unrecognized and under-appreciated.  I have definitely been to that place, and it’s a tough road to walk, but at the end of the journey, like you will, I persevered. The unknown is a mystery but it does not have to be something we fear, it can be something that we can embrace.

Today we’re bracing the unknown, not knowing what is in front of us, but believing that the chapter is not closing, but a new book begins.

 

The Lesson Plan

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Lesson Plan

By Glennel Hardy

 

It’s coming up on four years in just a few days that a great friend of mine passed away.  The last conversation that took place was one month before his passing. He realized that I enjoyed being too much in my comfort zone and not willing to leave my sandbox.  He dared me to not only strengthen what I had already been working on, but dared me to so something that I feared I would fail in tremendously.

After a few years had passed I never cried, the only thing I could do was think of him and smile. He taught me a powerful lesson before leaving, they weren’t just words that one friend says to another friend, but they were his final words to me, the final lesson plan.  No matter where we are in life there is a lesson plan.  It will be up to us to adhere to it and hold it dearly.

 

 

 

The Joy of Being an Underdog

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, September 04, 2016

The Joy of Being an Underdog

By Glennel Hardy

 

There is a joy of being an underdog.  Being an underdog allows you the opportunity to continue to thrive, making your dreams become a reality, and constantly allows you to look forward to the next milestone.  It’s sometime hard to accept not being able to win an important victory, or make the move that we envisioned.

Over time I came to the realization that winning and being on top of everything that I do, was not a reality. I did come to realize that because I did not always win, and I was not successful at everything I did, allowed me to become the person that I am today.  The person that I have become today embraces life of what I can’t see tomorrow.  I never fear tomorrow, because I have learned over time to embrace today.

The joy of being the underdog never gets boring, it never appears as what we expected, and it brings us eagerness on what tomorrow may bring.

It’s Your Picture

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, August 28, 2016

It’s Your Picture

By Glennel Hardy

 

This past week I had the opportunity to participate in my first canvas painting.  The art instructor displayed how the overall picture would look like, and guided us step by step on how we could mirror the image.  In the beginning we had a set of colors to choose from, and with each color she directed us on how much paint to apply. Within the first ten minutes of my painting, my art had taken on a totally different look.  It did not in any way look like the painting she displayed for us.  I begin to get frustrated not understanding why I could not mirror the image.

I kept chugging along and kept painting even though I could not figure out what direction I was going.  It was beginning to get way off course, and that’s when I stopped and pause. I had to step back to see where my creativity was taking me.  The art instructor seen that I was struggling, and she begin to pick out different things in my painting, that I never noticed. She complimented me on the colors, the way that I designed the shapes, and she added value to the painting.  The one thing that really stood out of what she said was “it’s your picture, it does not have to be exactly like the one on display.”

She provided extra pointers to increase the beauty of a painting that I thought was on its way to becoming a disaster.  I accepted her feedback and kept at it, and I was so joyous at the end that I did not give up on the picture that was now in front of me. It was not how I originally pictured it to be, but it was my picture.

Do not give up on your picture.

In Between Seasons

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Monday, August 22, 2016

In Between Seasons

By Glennel Hardy

 

Not too long ago I had to make a decision to leave what I thought was an important chapter in my life, in order to begin a new chapter.  The only thing that concerned me about the new chapter, was that I never knew what the next step would be like.  While the old chapter was coming to an end,  and the new chapter beginning I had down time, or what I like to call “in between seasons.”

When I think of seasons I think of a change of scenery, I think of something in which my heart anticipates, in other words I live for new seasons throughout life.  But “in between seasons,” in my mind I had to visualize on what I was going to focus on next.  My mind constantly populates thoughts throughout the day, but I get to choose which thoughts I would like to implement.

When you’re in between seasons that is the perfect time to get your mind visualizing about what happens next.

What Our Elders Can Teach Us

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, August 14, 2016

What Our Elders Can Teach Us

By Glennel Hardy

 

On the weekends I have one of my favorite restaurants that I love to frequent called First Watch. Lately I have changed up what I order and always looking forward to trying something new.  One of the joys that I have of going to breakfast on the weekend is seeing my favorite senior couple at the restaurant.  While his wife has Alzheimer’s, without fail the husband is there patiently listening to every story, that she repeats.

I greet the husband with a handshake, and I always greet his wife with a hug, and a gentle kiss on the cheek.  At times when I approach her, and I am not wearing my Arizona State University  t-shirt she may not recall who I am, and he would yell out to her “ASU.”  She would then nod and give me the biggest hug, and would say that she received her doctorate from ASU.  She would then look into my eyes, and this excitement would overcome her, and she would then kiss me again, before her husband then says “knock it off you two,” playfully.

She resides in a world that both I and her husband may not fully understand, but in her world at that very moment everything is beautiful.  We should therefore challenge ourselves to find the beauty in every circumstance that we may come across.

 At this moment there is beauty that surrounds us, but at times we must look diligently in order to find it.

What The Olympics Can Teach Us

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, August 07, 2016

What the Olympics Can Teach Us

By Glennel Hardy

 

When looking back over the past couple of years, I did not find the Olympics as intriguing as I find it today.  Quite a bit has changed over the years, our world has become unstable, and we are running out of solutions on how to solve today’s problems.  This past Friday I was excited for the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

During the opening ceremony you have different athletes representing the many different countries around the world.  For that one moment we have unity of many nations coming to one place to compete.  There is no boasting of who is best out of all players, there is just this one moment where the athletes are teaching us a powerful lesson.

The reason why I was so intrigued with watching the Olympics was not because of the different sports and activities, but it was because for that one moment we cheered each other on. Throughout the many sports you see, athletes from a wide diversity of countries are greeting one another, and supporting their colleagues, and even congratulating their competition.   When one athlete falls, another athlete brings them to their feet.

This is what the Olympics teach us, it teaches us unity, and it brings a new meaning to the word globalization, and the strength of mankind.

 

Take the Next Exit

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Monday, August 01, 2016 

Take the Next Exit 

By Glennel Hardy

 

Do you ever find yourself driving down the freeway, and you happen to drive by your exit, and it’s too late to take action?  Driving down a freeway is quite similar to opportunities in life in which we do not act upon.  There are multiple opportunities but how do we know for sure which ones to act on, and which opportunities to bypass?

This past week I deeply reflected on what I have accomplished, and what more is left to do.  What we may consider as missed opportunities, could be building up to something that was meant for us to do.  I placed myself in the missed opportunity, and wondered if I had in fact acted upon it, would I have what’s in front of me today.  Would the people that I have now met, would that have been possible?  The joy that I have in life today, if I had acted on any of the missed opportunities, would I enjoy life as much as I do today?

The answer to all of the above is that we would never have the true answer to that question.  The greatest mystery about life is the choices that we make, and based on those choices where does it place us later in life. As we travel further along in life, we do make wiser decisions, and there will be less missed opportunities, based on the knowledge we now possess.

What happens when we do take the next exit, do we dwell on the missed exit, or do we find a new road to where we want to be?

The Big Dream Effect

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, July 24, 2016

The Big Dream Effect

By Glennel Hardy

 

We have been granted the opportunity to dream, and not just the average dream, but to dream big. If our dreams are too small, it’s boring and it does not bring us to the new levels that we have the potential to become.  Dreams are not made to be realized within a day, month or not even a year.  An effective dream is one that takes years to come about, and extraordinary energy is placed in it to make it become a reality.

Several years ago I did have a dream of going to graduate school, finding a career that I loved, and working on a project that would take me out of my comfort zone.  The truth is even though I have accomplished most of these things, the construction of building upon my dream continues.  Our dreams should become a road-map of the person we wish to become.  When we stop dreaming we become satisfied, and when we become satisfied, the joy of life diminishes.

There is so much more to be done, we should challenge ourselves to live in the midst of our dreams, and continue to build upon it. Our dreams are unique, and the cool part is, our dreams is made just for us, and no one else.

How big is your dream?

A Glimmer of Hope

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, July 17, 2016

A Glimmer of Hope

By Glennel Hardy

 

There have been several times as an adult, which I was not impressed on the outcome that came afterwards.  It’s extremely hard to fight to make something work, and then later see your investment in time and resources fall apart right in front of you.  I never understood why it was important to fail, until later on in life in which I learned how to come in agreement with failure.

Failure truly has brought me to the place where I am today, which is success. There has been several initiatives that I pursued, and each one never worked out.  The very first paper that I wrote in my first year of college in English class, I received a C minus.  I never wanted to write again because I was so sure, that the paper I wrote was excellent, but it failed. I took that grade of a C minus, and forced myself to read the feedback, and with that I ended the class with a B plus.

It is hard to see success when it seems that everything around is falling apart.  It’s very important to take note of what is failing, and identifying a new approach to make it even better.  This is not the end, it’s a work in progress and we must decide, how we will approach it.

Point of Negative Return

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, July 10, 2016 

Point of Negative Return 

By Glennel Hardy

 

“If we never go beyond what’s familiar to us, we miss the opportunity to seize what lies ahead of us.” – Glennel Hardy

One of my favorite past time events were the launch of the space shuttle vehicles from the Kennedy Space Center.  When it is a less than a minute before launch the main systems of the shuttle is transferred to the on-board computer system.  Within two minutes into the launch the two solid rocket boosters separate, as the shuttle continues to soar.

After four minutes into the launch, the shuttle reaches the point of “negative return”, meaning in the event of an engine failure it cannot return back to the Kennedy Space Center.  At the point of “negative return” the shuttle is flying too high, and too fast in the event of engine failure. As the shuttle continues to soar, it eventually breaks free from its main engine, as all three engines remaining pushes forward into orbit.

The analogy of this story is when I moved from Chicago to Phoenix, I had taken a risk to leave from where I was most comfortable, and went into the unknown, where I was the least comfortable.  Those that supported me, my mentors and my mom, eventually had to let me fly on my own, although I was still flying into the unknown.   I had reached a certain point in my life, where if I did feel unsure about what I was doing, there was no way I can go back from where I started (negative return), I had to continue to move forward.

The higher I reached for the stars above me, the fear of the unknown began to subside. Those that helped me reached to that point, eventually allowed me to fly on my own, and there was no turning back.

Best of the Worst

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, July 03, 2016 

Best of the Worst 

By Glennel Hardy

 

I have never had an issue of knocking everything completely down and starting over again from the ground up.  In fact rebuilding myself constantly has been a part of me since I was in high school. It is almost as if I am self-conditioned  to look for deficiencies and discover a way to solve it.  In high school I never went to my prom, I played on the high school basketball team but was terrible at it, and I even had to repeat a grade in grammar school.

It was always said that practice makes perfect, but I found it very hard to apply as I lost complete motivation because of the lack of success.  Since high school I have lived by the motto “best of the worst.” When I think of “best of the worst”, I am acknowledging that I am at ground zero, I am just getting started, and I am starting to find my way.  Before we can become our very best, we have to first become the “best of the worst.”

When we master the art of becoming the “best of the worst”, we never fear shortfalls, we do not have any regrets, and in fact we challenge ourselves to persevere through them. We must live a life in which we must believe that the new chapter starts today, versus the chapter is coming to an end.

The new chapter starts today.

It Served Its Purpose

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Tuesday, June 28, 2016 

It Served Its Purpose

By Glennel Hardy

 

I took the opportunity this past weekend to reflect on how I made it to where I am today. There were moments in time that I could not see myself out of a situation, nor could I comprehend why certain events had taken place in my life. When we are in the midst of chaos, nothing really makes sense, and if were not careful the situation we find ourselves in, can take complete control of the outcome we desire to have.

I have always had a belief that things happen in our life for one particular purpose.  The purpose cannot be immediately determined, but with persistence and patience the purpose would generally reveal itself. Whatever may be happening today, is the build-up of what’s to come for our own tomorrow.

At Times We Must Walk Alone

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, June 19, 2016

At Times We Must Walk Alone

By Glennel Hardy

 

One of my favorite classic movies of all time was “High Noon” starring Gary Cooper.  In the movie Gary Cooper plays a sheriff in a small western town, in which he has to come face to face with someone that he placed in prison.  In the middle of the movie the sheriff attempts to recruit some of his finest citizens to help him fight the gang that is coming to shoot him, but the citizens’ fears overshadow them so much, that they leave the sheriff to fight on his own.  In the end the sheriff takes out the bad guys.

There will come a time in which the decisions that we are forced to make would be an unpopular one. You would be forced to walk alone, and fear would come after you, but with determination you will win.

How many times have you walked alone, to get where you are at today?

 

Run Towards It

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Sunday, June 12, 2016

Run Towards It

By Glennel Hardy

 

“If we never go beyond what’s familiar to us, we miss the opportunity to seize what lies ahead of us.” –  Glennel Hardy

There is something that lies before us, that we have not yet seized the opportunity to obtain. In our current state there are obstacles before us, that makes it extremely difficult to see our way through the other side.  We have been faced with challenges and setbacks, and moving forward will not be easy, but it has to be done.

Our lives are made up of various intersections in life where we we’re forced to decide, do we move forward or do we remain in our current state. Eventually there are things in our life that force us to make the move, although it seems that we are not ready to move forward. It’s much easier to move forward on our own terms, then to be forced to make such a decision under certain circumstances.

In our minds should be a vision of what the other side may look like, or imagining what that next step of success will be. When you do move forward don’t walk, run towards it, and embrace it, and be inspired.

Are you walking towards the next checkpoint, or are you running towards it with your arms wide open?

Every Moment Counts

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Optimism Thought of the Week

For Monday, June 06, 2016

Every Moment Counts

By Glennel Hardy

 

Yesterday I said goodbye to a friend who at the very end was fighting for her life. As I stood for a few moments I could not help but think how much her laughter and smile meant to me. I recalled everything from day one, and at the moment it helped bring peace in my heart.  Even when we believe that some moment in time does not matter, down the line we would begin to realize that every moment counts.

You go back in your mind and attempt to play every moment, and you will search the depths of your memory to retrieve whatever you can, to be able to smile once again.  Today counts and if we are able to see tomorrow, that’s a bonus. Tomorrow is not promised, but if you have the opportunity to see it, seize the moment.