Danger...Quicksand!!!

You may never have to come face to face with actual quicksand in your life. That moment, when you realize that the ground you are standing on is giving way. The terror that suddenly engulfs your emotions as you frantically look for a way out. How fast are you sinking? Is there a nearby limb that you can grab a hold of and pull yourself out? Is there someone with you on this expedition that can come to your rescue if you scream for help? How will you survive?

The quicksand that most of us will faces, is that of mediocrity and stagnation. What happens is, we get stuck in one place for to long. I'm not specifically talking about a geographic location, but a mental state. We get stuck in our past, our current circumstance, or maybe a relationship. We get comfortable with the way it feels and before we know it, it starts to drag us down. At first, many times, we don't even realize it. We are so focused on the problem that we miss that it is actually having a deeper effect on us. It is preventing us from moving in a positive direction. And like I have said before, if we aren't moving in a positive direction, then we are moving in a negative direction. Don't allow circumstances, the past, or a relationship to hold you back. You have an opportunity to move forward in a positive way every day. You can either move forward or you can get stuck and begin to sink.

I have had many times in my life where I allowed quicksand to bring me down. Yes, I said allowed. Since I know that I am in control of my life, it was my choice to stay there and get sucked down. The problem was, by allowing myself to do that, I had to fight to get out. Once I was out, I realized that I had actually went back and I had to get back to where I was mentally before I got sucked in. Still to this day, I have moments, and days, and sometimes even a week of quicksand. But with time, wisdom, and being aware of my surrounding, I have been able to limit my time there as I have gotten older.

We can also get stuck in the quicksand of success. Yes, we spend to much time basking in the glory of a winning moment in our lives, that that too becomes a kind of quicksand. I'm not saying that you shouldn't rejoice in a victory, but just don't stay there too long. Be ready to move on before you become stagnant.

My analytical mind sometimes annoys my family. But I try to always be aware of my current situation in life and aware if I am sinking. I was a Boy Scout when I was a boy and learned about, "Be Prepared." Make sure, while on your journey in life, that you always have a plan B(a branch to reach out and grab for when you get stuck in the quicksand). I also learned in my teen years to surround myself with the right people. I know that if I surround myself with the right people, we will be there for each other in times of need. Asking for help isn't a matter of weakness, it's a matter of staying strong.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big