Could it be possible that we become our environment?

If your will and your passion doesn’t exceed those around you, it’s only a matter of time before the desires and choices of your peers become yours - and chances are good that it has already happened.

Here’s a little exercise you can do to really let this idea sink in. Add up the annual salaries of your five closest friends, divide by five, and see how your salary compares. Do this with health, relationships, happiness, etc.

You’ll find that nine times out of ten you fall right in the middle. This is the power of your environment.

Having higher standards than your peers is an uphill battle. You need to be inspired every day to create and stick with your goals, and make a conscious decision to not allow the negative comments naysayers telling you that your wishes will never materialize.

You know that you want more from life. Surround yourself with people who also want more in life.

Join organizations whose members share your goals and dreams. Make contact with people around your town who will inspire you to never settle.

It all comes down to this: If you become your environment, make sure yours is one worth mirroring.

If you have the courage to control your environment and ensure that it inspires you instead of hold you back, you’re not finished yet. With that courage comes the amazing opportunity of designing your life by choice and not by chance or circumstance.

Take in mind your ideal life. Think about what you would be doing, how you would carry yourself, how you would feel about yourself. Run the images in your mind and imagine that you have already achieved your goals.

If this picture is to become a reality, you have to do more than think your way to change. That’s almost always an impossible task. You are fighting against years of habits and patterns which will not simply go away.

You need to overcome the obstacles of your internal negative self talk and set yourself up for success.

How long will you wait to make it all happen? Make today the day you take the first step.

Always remember, nine times out of ten you become who you spend time with most. Therefore you must examine your relationships, considering whether they are adding to your life or holding you back.

Daisy Says: Be the master of your environment, give yourself the greatest chances of success.

What I love most about the Olympics is that we can physically watch the results of someones passionate pursuit of possiblities. The power of perserverance, dedication and endurance that many of us would love to emulate comes together in a physical challenge of pursuit.

It is harder to see the ‘Will” or “Power of Perserverance” in our daily lives, to see the transformation of the soul as we are tested with various challenges.

The Law of Cause and Effect can be seen in performance of Michael Phelps throughout this Olympic series. In an article about Phelps his coach, Bob Bowman, NBC Sports reported, “Bowman, who is something of a student of success literature, said a recurring theme of his coaching and direction is that successful people…make a habit of doing things other people aren’t willing to do. And that’s our game here.”

The Law of Cause and Effect says that for every effect in your life, there is a cause, or series of specific, measurable, definable, identifiable causes. This law says that if there is anything you want in life, an effect that you desire, you can find someone else that has achieved the same result or effect, and that by doing the same things that they have done over and over you can eventually enjoy the same results and rewards.

Every choice and decision you have made has brought you to where you are at this very minute. You are where you are, and what you are because of yourself. The yes, no’s and maybe’s of your life.

It has been your choices and your decisions over the months and years that have ‘like it or not’ determined the condition of your life at this moment. And, it is only you that make different choices and different decisions at any time to change the course of your life.

So, come with me! LET’S GO FOR GOLD!

Daisy Says: Every day is an Olympic Challenge to pursue the GOLD nuggets of Life.

I sit here quietly before the rising of the sun, the house a few minutes ago was alive with the sounds so typically associated with the morning rituals: sound of china being moved around, coffee percolating, water being run for showers, closing and opening of doors and the low talk of gentle conversation (as if not wanting to wake up the day, but the day’s already busy summoning the sun).

I watched Geordan, now 15 as he sat with us to have a cup of coffee. Through the myriad of thoughts in my head, one kept drawing my attention: “how much that little boy (not so little anymore) admires his dad”. I looked at his choice of clothes on his first day back to school: he was wearing a cotton v-neck shirt with jeans pants. In Florida it is not unusual for kids to wear shorts to school . Last week he brought up the conversation about dressing with sports shorts to school and he asked me what I thought about it. I’m not into fashion, but I am old fashion in stressing certain ethics regarding dress code for school; sport shorts and flip flop sandals is not something I want to see my son wearing to school. I believe that the disciplines and respect we pass on to our children will cross over to their attitude about work.

I’ve seen how many teenagers dress to school, and many times wonder if the parents ever got up to say goodbye to their kids: hair uncombed, clothing all wrinkled, flip flops and to my amazement no school books in hand. Geordan normally wears Dickies shorts it has that formal wear look, but I realize his question came from a deeper desire to conform. He stood there in his sports shorts asking me the question with his big brown eyes. I know it his decision and it was sweet of him to ask me, all I said in a ‘very motherly way’: There is always dress down Friday. …and in what appeared to be a truce, he smiled at me in his magical way and he said, “Yes, there is dress down Friday” and walked away.

Early rise, back pack and school lunches - he’s a sophomore now, and these times will never come back. One day he’ll fly ’solo’ and I only hope I’ve given him enough emotional tools to handle whatever challenges life throws at him.

Daisy Says: Spend a few minutes with your kids in the morning, it’s priceless.