I am very fortunate to have had a very wise woman as my mother. She was full of wisdom beyond her understanding, more; she was wise beyond my understanding. Although she has not been with me for years, her words continue to teach me lessons even today. I tell this story to honor her and hopefully inspire you.

During a particularly trying time in my late teens, my mother explained to me that we all have seasons of the heart and soul. We have the Spring where the fresh air seems so vibrant and full of life. Love seems to hang in the air and we feel so full of life.

This is a time of growth and youthful thoughts. The trees bud and bloom. Things smell wonderful. In the Spring, the saplings and yearlings are still weak, yet we can appreciate their ability to sway and bend with the Spring breezes. As we move into our Summer, we tend to slow down on the outside a little and feel more grounded. Perhaps we are full of joy and feel fully alive- on purpose and driven. The tree has hardier leaves, stronger branches, perhaps fruit and the tree's sap flows like water from the roots to the tips of the leaves. Children can now climb the stronger branches.

In the Fall, we have gained the wisdom and fulfillment of good times. This is a time of reflection, gratitude and grace. As the fall brings less rain and colder weather, the tree starts to turn inward; the sap no longer flows so freely and the leaves turn beautiful colors, one last show before they fall from the tree. It is the Winter we most often struggle with. We have challenges that blow in like winter storms. Sometime these blizzards can seem relentless. It can feel as cold inside as the 40 degrees below zero that has read on the thermostat for the past two weeks. We may ask, ?Will this never end?? This is the time the there are no beautiful leaves on the tree, no children laughing and playing in the branches or families picnicking in its shade. It may appear as if the world has forgotten this tree. The tree may even appear dead to a passerby.

We all love the warm and thrill of the spring and summer, but it is in the dead of winter, during the hardest of challenges the roots of the tree are growing and becoming stronger. This is the season of real growth- not of the flashy blossoms and beautiful leaves, but the growth deep below- the growth of the foundation, the strength of this tree. It is in our hardest and most trying times that we really develop who we are- our character. This is the growth of our roots and foundation.

Learn to be aware of the lessons of the moment. You may not understand the reasons for the way things are, but I have come to believe in divine design. You are right where you are supposed to be. The question is not ?Why is this happening to me?; rather ?What lesson am I being offered at this moment.? Be comforted by the knowledge that in the most desperate and despairing times, often comes the most beauty.

Be thankful, always, for the challenges- for the ?no's? in your prospecting, the people who are a constant challenge, and for the people who drop out. They are great teachers. Every business that you have tried and quit has brought you to the place you are today. We have a choice to allow these events and people to be dream stealers, or be thankful for their time and role in our development. Know that you are one lesson closer to understanding how to grow your business with ease. And remember, the only way to fail is to quit!