Clay Nelson, Life Balance: Are You Voting for a Better Future?

We have the power to change our lives. We just need to elect to make it happen.

By Clay Nelson, Life Balance | Posted on 11.10.2008

  • E-mail
  • Print this page Print
  • Comments (1)
    • Share

[Editor’s note: Beginning today, Noozhawk will publish Clay Nelson’s weekly column, Clay Nelson Life Balance. Click here for a related story.]

I was leaving to vote last week and my 17-year-old son said, “Thank you for taking on my future, Dad.” His comment really set me to thinking about how historic and important the vote I was getting ready to make was. It was a vote for our future, and our participation in building that future didn’t stop when our ballots were cast. To the contrary, our participation was truly just beginning.

Clay Nelson
Clay Nelson
Now whether “your guy” won or not, the success of our collective future does not rest in who will be sworn into office in January. Your success and the success of our nation rest on us — the citizens of this nation — to be active participants in creating and building an outrageous future!

Here’s a great analogy:

You decide to take a family ski trip in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. There are umpteen different places you could go and things you can choose to do, but rather than being an active participant in planning what you want to do while you are there, you choose to allow someone else to make plans for you. But wait! You failed to communicate what you wanted and at the end of the trip you are disappointed because you didn’t see, or accomplish, the things you wanted to, and the Travel Planner gets all of the blame!

Do you get the point?

None of us can expect to get to where we want to go, if we fail to get into action in our own behalf; if we fail to tell those who are in leadership positions what we want!!

Just think about it. What if we chose to be active participants in building our future, instead of being along for the ride and blaming the Travel Planner when we don’t end up where we thought we were going?

Our government is: “Of the People, By the People, For the People.” The hope for our country cannot be placed on any one person or institution. The hope for our country is in all of us, our willingness to step out and do our part in making our country, and our world, as great as it can be.

How do we get involved and actively participate in creating a better tomorrow?

1. We’ve got to acknowledge that we are the only people who have a say in how our lives turn out! No matter who was elected president, no matter what happens with the economy in the coming months or even years, we are not merely passengers on this journey without a say in which way the train goes. The journey we are on belongs to all of us and it is our responsibility ... our civic duty ... our God-given, constitutionally protected right to have a say in how our lives turn out!

2. We have to take acceptable actions in our own behalf, and support and hold accountable our elected officials for what they have given their word to do!

3. We have to be in action around our own promises.

4. We’ve got to make a difference where a difference needs to be made anywhere and everywhere.

The cool thing is that all of us, young and old, can participate in creating an outrageous future and we don’t have to write a blog, sign a petition, or even leave our homes.

What we do have to do to be a participant in our future is know who our representatives are and hold them accountable for doing what they say they are going to do! The state of California makes it easy. Click here, then click the “Your Legislature” button, type in your ZIP code where indicated and press enter! The names of your representatives, their addresses, bio information and phone numbers are all available!

You can also find out who your congressional leaders in Washington are and how to contact them! Click here to access Congress.org. Once you have all of this information, use it!

Call your representatives, make sure they know what is important to you and that you are paying attention! Know what Specific Measurable Results your legislative leaders are committed to attaining and by when!

Be involved. Be aware. Make a difference everywhere!

And remember: If we are going to hold our leaders responsible for the messes we as a country get into, we’ve got to hold our own feet to the fire, too! No more double standards! No more finger pointing! We’ve all got to stand up and be responsible!

We’ve all got to participate in creating an outrageous future, and if we choose not to participate in building an outrageous future, we have to take responsibility for the future we do create, no matter how unpleasant that future may be!

So I ask you, where do you want to spend the rest of your life? What do you want your future to look like? And what are you willing to do to make it happen? Choose.

Santa Barbara resident Clay Nelson founded Clay Nelson Life Balance™ to provide businesses and individuals with what may be missing in their lives: purpose, personal and business planning, fun, effective delegation through team management, and accountability. Click here to download Clay’s complimentary e-book, The Balanced Life — How to Put Fun, Family and Financial Freedom into Your Business and Personal Life. Click here to subscribe to the free podcast of The Clay Nelson Life Balance™ Hour radio show at 2 p.m. Wednesdays Pacific time.

Comments

Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules.

  1. No abusive, defamatory or libelous attacks. In plain English: No personal attacks.
  2. No vulgar or discriminatory language.
  3. If you do not follow these rules, don't be surprised if your comment is removed.
  4. Please use the Report Abuse button on offensive comments.
  5. Share what you know, ask about what you don't. Give us your eyewitness accounts, observations, background and history. Tell us what else you want to know about the story.
  6. Stay on the topic, PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK, and forgive people their spelling errors.

Noozhawk's intent is not to limit the discussion of our stories but to elevate it. Thank you for your respectful participation. Click here for our complete Terms of Use.

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until they've been approved.

You must be a registered user to comment. Create a user account

Log in




Auto-login on future visits

Forgot your password?

» Art on 11.10.08 @ 06:47 AM

“His comment really set me to thinking about how historic and important the vote I was getting ready to make was.”
Your lead-in paragraph makes it sound like this election was somehow more historic and important than others previously were. But EVERY election is historic and important and we should never forget that.

[Editor’s note: I read that to mean he WAS talking about voting in general, not just this election.]


More Local News »

Road to Recovery Continues for Channel Islands National Park

Park superintendent says commitment to resource restoration remains focus for archipelago

Free-Flying Brown Pelicans a Recovery Success Story

After 40 years on the Endangered Species List, the seabirds were recently delisted as their numbers reached historic levels

Ride, Wine and Dine with Vino Vaqueros

Experience the richness of the Santa Ynez Valley on horseback, followed by wine tasting and a meal

Nite Moves Still On the Go After 21 Years of Waterfront Fun

Santa Barbara's original run- and ocean-swim event lures a 'mini-community' of loyal participants

Santa Barbara Surf Club Rides a Storied History

Hollister Ranch roots run true and deep, even as club's territory and reputation expand

Weather: Fog/Mist 51.0º


© Malamute Ventures LLC 2007-2010 | ISSN No. 1947-6086

Web Design & Development by PixelFive