It's YOUR life - Choose your excuses wisely.

As we reach the end of our the week, it's time for another Friday Night Thought Tale Hour with the Henderson's. I've been doing some thinking about excuses. There are some valid ones that can be useful in a positive way. For instance, a beautiful rainbow or a friend in need are examples of good excuses to divert your path anytime and any day. Likewise, there are those excuses that keep us from the right path and the right choices. They are not forced upon us. 
We find them and then we can cling to them. We allow them to hold us back.

They prevent us from leading the life we want to live.

It's funny to me at times how some lessons come into a clearer perspective for me. As I was considering how to share with you all about the biggest excuse we can become trapped within, one of my favorite tunes came on the radio. As I belted out the words cruising down I-74, it all came together for me. 

"It's my life

It's now or never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive..."

~Jon Bon Jovi

Yes, it IS my life. My life to do as much or as little as I wish with it. You know what the biggest and nastiest excuse is why we don't live by this anthem at all times? These words: 

Because I’m not good enough.

We’ve all thought this at one time or another. Especially in our

socially connected world where we have constant reminders of everyone else’s achievements, it’s easy to feel we don’t stack up.

But maybe we don’t have to. Maybe we don’t need to be better than

anyone else, or even better than we are now to make a difference.

Maybe the world needs us exactly as we are, with our unique blend of skills, talent, and potential. 

Maybe the difference we make isn’t just about where we end up, but also how we learn, grow, and share on the way there. How we share that we realize our worth doesn't come from others, but in what we demonstrate to ourselves. Through actions that support the words:

"I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd

You're gonna hear my voice

When I shout it out loud..."

Sure, our gifts and accomplishments can make the world a better place, but what the world wants and needs is to be inspired. And think about it: What’s more inspiring than starting right where you are, believing in yourself, warts and all, and taking a leap of faith? Just by 'doing it'. Like Bon Jovi says, 

"My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way..."

When you are at your weakest, beware of this excuse...

When we’re feeling overwhelmed, tired, and trapped, it can seem like dreams are luxuries out of our reach. But they’re not reserved for the chosen few. They’re reserved for people who opt to believe in them and act on it. I'm not trying to sugarcoat how difficult it can be to move past this excuse. But every day you give up on not taking action is just another day of telling ourselves the story of why we can’t take action.

"Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake

Luck ain't even lucky

Got to make your own breaks..."

Jon is right.  We have to start creating the story of how we can make our own breaks.

So, what’s your dream, and what can you do today to start living it?

Tonight, we are going to lift our glasses and toast to our dreams. All those we are living, and those that we believe we will live in the future. I created a cocktail called, "Now or Never" in honor of tonight's theme. So sing it with me friends, loud and proud - "It's my life, now or never...!" Go live it. CHEERS, friends.

Joy's Now or Never Cocktail **
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz apple vodka
1/2 oz watermelon schnapps
1/2 oz Sour Apple Pucker schnapps
One splash sweet and sour mix
1/2 oz grenadine syrup
apple tini  rimmed martini glass


Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake and strain into a chilled apple tini rimmed martini cocktail glass and serve.

**Always drink responsibly.