I love that guy!  
Recently, I have been engaging in a number of discussions with people about how life seems to have changed over the past couple of years.  The overwhelming sentiment is that life has been more challenging from a professional standpoint which has had some unfortunate personal consequences.  I have always said that a person’s personal and professional lives are interconnected.  They are co-dependents of each other.  No matter how one tries to mask the issues in his or her professional or personal life, eventually one will affect the other.  I discuss this reality in great detail in my book, “What’s Your Sales Story?”  

I can see why you may be depressed
As I reflect on the sobering discussions I have had with people, it is no wonder why the majority of people seem to be a little or a lot depressed…especially when they honestly open up to you.  Here are a few of the comments I have captured:   My Responsibilities have increased but I have less time to take care of them, jobs and careers are more demanding, friends and loved ones have less time for each other, you feel like you are just surviving vs. thriving and enjoying this life that we only get one chance to live, the world seems less and less safe every day.  Yes, these are all really good reasons to feel down, but regardless of your current state of affairs as long as you wake up with the ground below you vs. above you…you can do something about it.  

One picture can change everything.
Earlier this evening, as I was digging through pictures looking for the perfect one for my daughter’s school project, there was one picture that stopped me dead in my tracks.  A smile immediately came across my face and all thoughts of stress, worry and fatigue left my mind.  Filling in the gaps made by their absence were feelings of happiness, peace, joy and optimism.  My Heart felt light and my Soul was uplifted.  My normal state of, “Anything is possible” and “The world is a beautiful and wondrous place” returned.  That transformation and this blog entry is the offspring of that photo and four words I said to myself as I looked at it, “I Love that guy!”  
I Love That Guy!    
Yes, “I Love that guy,” is what I said to myself when I looked at that photo.  As I began to write this, I understood more and more why I said those words.  It is because it is so easy in life to get so wrapped up in the day to day trials and tribulations in life that you forget who you really are and become the person that you said you would never be.  It is like the revelation that so many of us parents make when we realize that we are just like our parents.  The image of me in that photo reminded me of the person I have been striving to be in this life:  professionally successful yet fun loving and not taking myself too seriously, living life to the fullest with no regrets, young at heart and spirit, waking up feeling blessed and thanking God for all that I have, not worrying about or questioning what I don’t have, ensuring (like my parents told me as  a child) that my child’s life is better than my own, being a living example for my child that life is beautiful and all things are possible regardless of the current state or situation you are in, becoming your purpose in life and sharing your God given gifts and talents with the world, blessing others as I have been blessed.    

Now it is time to tell Your Story.
I find it fascinating that one single picture could inspire so much in me.  I guess it’s really true that, A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.  If you can relate to any part of this blog entry and you are going through a challenging time in your life right now, I encourage you to look through your old photos and find the one that makes your say, “I love that guy or that girl.”  I want you to really think about who the person in that photo is; think about their energy, their smile, attitude, their spirit, mind and soul.  Remember who that person is and what they are all about…but most importantly, remember that that person is you.  Be that person!

To Your Story,
Ja Marr