2015 is Yours to Live...

Prepare to wave goodbye to 2014.  Another year has passed. Another full circle around the sun. The days, the weeks, the months and the seasons have come and gone. A new year is ready to be lived.

Another year from now, how will you remember today? What decisions and commitments will you make, what course of actions will you follow, that will distinguish the year ahead from all the rest?  

2015 is going to be a golden opportunity for you. It can be your best year yet. It can be filled with success, achievement, joy and meaning. It can be all these things and more through your active and enthusiastic participation.

As you reflect back on 2014, think of how far you’ve come. Think of all your positive possibilities. Look ahead and see yourself becoming the person you truly want to become, accomplishing the things you really want to accomplish. You can surely do it, and today is a great place to start planning.

A new year is upon you. No golden treasure ever imagined could hold even a fraction of the value of what you have right now, today, as you prepare for the beginning of another new year. 2015 is yours to live. Make it great.

Preparing for 2015...

As you go into 2015, stop wishing or waiting for conditions to be perfect. You should accept and embrace each situation for what it is, and get busy making positive use of each one.

There will be times when you can’t be certain of what it is, but you can be sure that there’s a way forward. Even when there are no guarantees, there are plenty of reasons to be confident. 

When the situation is far from perfect, that’s the perfect time to make progress. For when you left much to be desired in 2014, there is much that can be accomplished in 2015. 

Remember, adversity does not prevent or preclude achievement. Instead, it is when things are not right that there is the greatest motivation to make improvements. 

As you go into 2015, remember when things go wrong, and they will, that it is not the time to complain. It’s the time to innovate and commit to making valuable improvements. 

When there’s much that must be done, that’s the very definition of opportunity. So make the effort to make things better, and you can make things great in 2015.

Season of Giving...

What brings more meaning and fulfillment to life than making a difference in the lives of others? What a blessing it is this time of the year, and every day, to be able to give. For it is through giving that life’s greatest joys are created.

Strive to sincerely give of yourself today, with no agenda other than to celebrate the pure spirit of giving.  It is in that moment that you truly experience life in all its richness.

When you give, you open your heart to life and allow great measures of abundance to come pouring into it. Nothing brings more meaning and fulfillment to life than making a difference in the lives of others.

You are in the season of giving.  However, giving is more than merely offering objects.  You can give your time, your attention, your love, compassion, consideration, patience and respect.

When you give a part of yourself, you will not ever lose it. When you give it away, that part of you takes on greater influence and value as it touches other lives beyond your own.

So today and every day, simply give because you can. You will get to know the unmatched joy that giving brings to life.

Willing to Help...

What makes you willing to help?  You are more willing to help only if you see people are putting forth their own best effort. No one willingly wants to help anyone that doesn't want to help themselves.

You want to feel needed. That is such a great feeling.  You want to help out and be a part of what is being done. When you satisfy the desire in people to help by trying to help yourself first, you receive their admiration, loyalty, respect and cooperation.

People can be a powerful source of ideas, of motivation, of business contacts -- if you encourage their participation. You will find that most people are only too willing to help. Most people are genuinely flattered when you ask for their opinion or their expertise.

On the other hand, you must not take advantage of people. Asking someone for their help out of laziness on your part will not win you any points. Remember, no one will want to help you if you don’t help yourself. However, if you’re striving toward excellence every day, people will jump all over themselves to be a part of what you are doing.

When someone helps you, always show sincere appreciation. This encourages people to want to help you even more, especially if you are truly grateful.

You have to be willing to “give” as much as you “take.” If you’re always willing to help and advise others, then there will be plenty of people whom you, in turn, can call on for advice and assistance.

It’s very, very difficult to accomplish anything alone.  It is also quite unnecessary as well. Look around you.  There are plenty of people willing to help you, if you will only ask.

Season of Giving

As you look around, what do you see?  What do you hear?  Bright lights, music playing, children laughing are all indications of this time of the year.  It is the season of joy.  A sure way to be joyful is to be generous. Don't waste your time away worrying about what you can get, instead enjoy giving all you can give. Generosity is not merely a matter of material offerings. Real and meaningful generosity is giving of yourself.

Life can be an incredibly beautiful and wonderful experience. Your generosity magnifies that beauty and wonder many times over. Living generously is living well and living richly. It makes you an active participant not only in your own good fortune, but also in the good fortune of others. 

Remember, generosity is not just a matter of material offerings. When you are participating in real and meaningful generosity, you are giving of yourself.

Choose to give your love, your attention, your compassion, your interest, curiosity and genuine caring this season. Chose to give your time, your understanding, your peaceful, positive presence and your commitment.

I challenge you to give each day with a generous heart. You will find that you make life’s abundance even more abundant by giving the best that you have.

Stretch Yourself

Do you know that everything you want is within your reach?  You just have to stretch and get it.  Your grasp never exceeds your reach. You have to decide that whatever you want to have, or be, or accomplish, requires you to set your sights a little higher. It is better to attempt too much and fall short, than to attempt too little and have to live with the regret.  Refuse to live a life of regret.

I challenge you to go for it, and then some. I challenge you to stretch yourself. You’re capable of more than you think you are, so don’t hold yourself back. Once you know what you want, and why you want it, you’ll find a way to get there.

Challenge yourself. You’ll discover skills and resources you never knew you had. You’ll grow to be the person you want to be.  You grow to be the person who can indeed attain the goals you’ve set for yourself. Remember the the higher you reach, the more capable and effective you become.  So start your day stretching, so you can reach even higher than you want to go. Today may be the day that you get there.

Burdened or Blessed....

Are you burdened or are you blessed?  Are your consequences a burden on your life, or is your life blessed by the consequences you create?  The answer lies in the choices you make.

It may seem at times that life is so bad that the consequences are there to punish you. Actually, they’re there as a manifestation of your thoughts, your actions and your attitude.

You cannot change the consequences that flow from specific actions. However, you can change the actions you choose to take.  Making good choices enables you to decide which consequences you create.

Look at it this way, consequences are gifts you give to yourself.  Consequences are created by the choices you make. If you don’t like the consequences you’ve been getting, that’s a clear and valuable message to yourself to make better choices.  

When you have positive, authentic, meaningful thoughts and actions, you will get desirable consequences. Just as day follows night, the way you live creates the life you experience.

Decide today to take control of your consequences by putting positive intention into your choices. You have the power so make good use of it.  Choose wisely.  Are you burdened or are you blessed?   The right choice allows you to go wherever and do whatever you choose.  

Never Satisfied...

Are you ever satisfied?  It is said that humans are never satisfied, that if you give them one thing they will want something more.  Think of all the great accomplishments which have come about because people were not satisfied with the way things were. They pursued satisfaction.  The same is true for you and I.  We are in constant pursuit of satisfaction. In the process we achieve some measure of greatness. We invent, we create, we express, we cooperate, we build, we challenge and we think, all because we can never be completely satisfied.

Our fulfillment comes not from ever reaching a state of absolute satisfaction, but rather from continually moving toward it. If, and I do mean if, we ever achieved absolute satisfaction, we certainly would not be satisfied with it. There would no challenge against which it could be applied.

Think of it this way, money would be worthless if there was nothing to buy, just as the sense of satisfaction we get from our accomplishments would be useless if there was nothing more to accomplish.

It's okay and acceptable to never be satisfied.  That means there’s always something more to be done. Strive today to find your joy in doing what you do everyday, pursue satisfaction.  

Angelic Thoughts...

Cheerfully Live Your Life...

Do you know you create the life you live?  Every morning is a new opportunity for you to create the day you want, which leads to the week you want, which leads to the month you want, which leads to the year you want, which leads to the life you live.  

Life can often be serious, complicated and demanding. It’s not all fun and games. However, it is up to you how you respond to what life presents you each day.  Each day, no matter what it holds, is a chance for real fulfillment. Every situation is a situation to which you can bring positive meaning and purpose.

Don’t be resentful of your responsibilities. Instead, choose to be thankful for your abilities.

Don’t feel burdened by your obligations. Instead, choose to feel the freedom and possibilities in the opportunities you have to make a difference.

If you get hung up on fighting against what you have to do, you can miss out on some of the most valuable and enriching things you’re able to do. If you waste a lot of energy on resentment, you will find you have much less energy available to create achievement.

Choose today to cheerfully do what there is for you to do, then step up and do even more. Life is yours to be lived, so give your life the richness you deserve.  Cheerfully live the life you love.  

Let Your Light Shine...

Would you like to have less stress in your life? There is a simple solution.  Quit creating so much stress.  The choice is yours. 

Instead of jumping at the chance to be offended, choose to be amused. Rather than filling your thoughts with resentment, fill your heart with forgiveness. If someone is rude to you, let it be that person’s problem and not yours. Choose to quickly move beyond each disappointment, while savoring, extending and sharing each joy. 

The world around you is what it is. But your life in particular, and your experience of it, is the way you choose to make it. 

The next time you encounter difficult, frustrating situations, remember it is your choice to respond with patience and understanding. When things don’t go your way, see it not as a disappointment but rather as an opportunity to make positive improvements. 

Choose to take each occurrence in stride, confidently knowing that you can make the best of it. Life is good when you see it as good, so decide to let your light shine and always see life in the best light you can imagine.

Speak Kindness...

Would it hurt you to speak kindness into the lives of others?  What if, just once each day, you were to stop yourself before making a cruel remark and replace it with a sincere word of encouragement?  You know that a snide remark gains you nothing, yet it costs you much. You know that a selfish act brings no lasting value, yet it attracts the enduring resentment of others. A kind word, on the other hand, costs you nothing yet it can bring about a lifetime of value.  Such a thing would cost you absolutely nothing, and yet it would bring real, positive value to your life and your world.

Cruelty is a waste of precious time and energy. Kindness is an investment which pays endless dividends.  Choose to speak kindness into those around you and those you encounter each day.

If you desire a life of value, then it is up to you to do the things which bring true value, as often as you can. Strive to fill your moments with kindness, and fill your world with value.

Angelic Thoughts

Your Kindness...

We’ve all heard about the tough, no-nonsense business person who is highly successful in spite of their blatant disregard for everyone. Yes, that happens, but it is a rare exception. And though that person may have a degree of success in business, there’s much more to life than that. No one can be successful by himself or herself. 

Trying to succeed in life without kindness is like running a race with your feet tied together. It can be done, but it puts you at a major disadvantage right from the start, and who would want to do it anyway?  

When you give your kindness to someone, it’s not gone -- it’s invested. We all need each other. Remember, no one can be successful by himself or herself. Sincere kindness builds relationships that enrich your life. That's why I say that kindness and success go hand in hand.

Kindness doesn’t mean that you should let people take advantage of you. Kindness doesn’t mean that you should be indulgent or permissive. In fact, many times the kindest thing you can do is to be firm with someone.  They may not realize it, but it is out of concern for their well being. As in “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” 

The kindness and respect you give will come back to you, greatly multiplied. The best thing you can do for yourself, is to show true, sincere kindness toward others.

Your Golden Moment

This is your golden moment.  You have been blessed with the power to change your future. Everything you do today is building your life. Everything you do today is making a difference in the course your life will take. The question is not what are you doing, but are you making the most of it? 

Every thought you think, builds your character. Just as bricks are laid, one on top of another, to build a house, so do your thoughts build on each other, moment by moment. The person you become, the things you accomplish, the joy and fulfillment you find, all depend on the thoughts you use to build your life.

So if every thought or every moment is used to build a stronger you, that means that no achievement of any value can just suddenly appear. It must be built. You have the power to build the exact life you want. Yes, you have the power.  That power comes in the moments you live, the choices you make, and the actions you take.

Remember, right now you are building your life. Right now, you are making a difference in the course your life will take. This is your golden moment filled with power.  Make the most of it.

Happy New Month

Let's celebrate the start of a new month.  It doesn’t matter what has happened before. Today starts a new day, a new month, and new opportunities.  Your past has brought you to where you are in this moment.  Every shortcoming, disappointment or bad decision is all in the past now. They have nothing to do with what you can accomplish from this point forward. Every morning, you are granted the chance for you to start with a clean slate. Strive to take every moment as an opportunity to begin the process of turning your dreams into reality.

No matter what has happened before, today is a new day. Remember the past has brought you to where you are. The path before you splits off in an infinite number of directions. The choice is yours as to which one you take.  

I challenge you to learn from the past and then let it go. Wishing that it had been different, is a waste of time and energy. Continuing to live with your past limitations, is a waste of your life’s enormous potential.  Celebrate your new day, your new month, your new opportunity.  

Remember, your past does not define who you are or what you can accomplish. YOU DO!!!

You are Blessed...

You are blessed. You are filled with possibilities. What good are your blessings if you’re not making the most of them? What value are your possibilities if you do not make the effort to fulfill them?  I challenge you to stop for a moment and consider all the good things which you too often take for granted -- your health, your family, the air you breathe, the water you drink, your home, your community, the magnificent universe around you, your faith, your friends, the knowledge you possess, your skills, the list goes on and on.

Think of the good things you have going for you. There may be many or there may be few. What matters most, is that YOU ARE BLESSED.  You can take all the things that are of you, and from them you will grow. Gratitude and appreciation is vital in the growth of who you are and what you have.  

When you truly appreciate your blessings, they become powerfully compelling. They will grow, filling your life with quality and excellence, and compelling you to reach even higher.

Realize that gratitude and thankfulness are more than just words or thoughts. To truly appreciate the good things in your life, you must take the actions necessary to nurture and defend them.

Remember, you’re blessed.  You've got a great starting point. Choose today to let your many blessings compel you to reach ever higher.

Your Success...

How do you know if you are successful? How do you know if what you are doing is working? You have to take stock on a regular basis. How often? I would say at the end of each day. If you’re going through the day and not making any progress, then you’ll need to change your approach. 

Success is a very personal thing. The only way you can measure your success is to look at the progress you’ve made toward your own goals. Your success is not defined by someone else’s goals, or by what other people think. It is measured by your own progress toward your own goals. Success is a numbers game. So you need to know your numbers. How much money are you making? How many people are you influencing? What’s your weight? Your cholesterol count? How much time do you have to spend with your family? How is your investment portfolio? You need to keep up with the numbers that define your goals. It’s the only way you’ll know if you’re on the right track.

If you don't agree with the numbers, if you are not happy with the numbers, what then? If you are truly committed to your goals, then the realization that you’re not making progress toward them will further strengthen your resolve. You’ll be disgusted and determined but that will inspire you to do whatever it takes. You can make adversity motivate you. Strive to turn your disgust into inspiration, not depression, and you’ll have a powerful force on your side.

Remember that the world doesn’t care what happens to you. The world doesn't track your success nor reward you for it.  Success is personal.  Your success is up to you.  It is your responsibility to know where you are, and where you want to go. 

The Words You Choose...

When talking to yourself or to others, the words you choose to use can make an enormous difference. Look for ways to make your language more consistently positive, and watch your attitude follow suit.  Sometimes a simple change in wording can make a world of difference. Consider the word “but.” Sticking a “but” on the end of your stated intentions effectively cancels them out. Think of the times you’ve heard yourself saying things such as “I need to get in better shape, but I can’t find the time to exercise."

Rather than “but” consider what would happen if you substituted “because.” “I need to get in better shape because it will give me much more energy.” Add even more power with the word “so.” “I need to get in better shape because it will give me much more energy, so I will re-arrange my schedule to provide time for a regular work-out.” See the power.  Notice how the use of those two simple words, because and so, can compel you to change your whole outlook on the situation.  You will see that you can go from making excuses to making positive progress.

Remember, when talking to yourself or to others, the words you choose to use can make an enormous difference. Strive to look for ways to make your language more consistently positive.  I guarantee you that it will have a positive effect on your actions and ultimately on the quality of results you achieve.

Convince Yourself...

You know yourself better than anyone else. You know what it will take to get you going. If you can convince yourself to do something it will be done. All of the abilities and resources you need can become available to you in one way or another, given enough focused desire. You accomplishment is largely a matter of directing your will.

You must truly convince yourself, without the slightest doubt or hesitancy. Then, and only then, will it happen. The challenge of truly convincing yourself is the primary obstacle which stands between you and whatever you desire. Yet you have everything you need to traverse it.

After all, you’re skilled at convincing others. You’ve done it all your life from your first cries which convinced your parents to feed you. And if you can convince someone else to act in your best interest, surely you can convince yourself.

So make the effort and really do it. Direct the formidable force that is your will. You know yourself better than anyone else. You know what it will take to get you going. Use that knowledge to your advantage. Convince yourself and it will most certainly happen.

Be Nice to Yourself

When was the last time you did something nice for yourself? I challenge you to make it a point to do something today for someone special, someone whom you often take for granted, someone who deserves your full and complete support -- yourself!

When you are good to yourself it is not being selfish. It doesn’t mean you must ignore others. What it does mean is that it makes you able to offer more value to the other people in your world when you take good care of yourself. When you put yourself down it is of no benefit to anyone. When you help yourself to grow and build you will find that you have provided yourself with more to give.

So, today choose to be positive with yourself. Be kind and generous with yourself. Ask yourself again, when was the last time you did something nice for yourself? Let me encourage you.  You deserve some special attention. Be good to yourself and that goodness will overflow into the world and the people around you.

No Time for Stressing...

Does it seem that stress has taken permanent residence in your life?  I think it is time you served stress an eviction notice. The stress you experience is not caused by the things that happen around you. Your stress comes from the way you react to those things that happen. The thoughts you choose to hold in your mind will determine the amount of stress you have. 

To experience less stress, you do not need to undertake some grand project that will change the world around you. It is very simple.  Begin to simply observe and adjust the way you respond to life.

The things that really upset you are able to get to you because you allow them to do so. Yes, you have a choice.  Maybe not a choice in stopping them from happening, yet you can absolutely choose not to obsess over them.  Not to let them stress you out.

Your stress may indeed be telling you that you need to take some action or another. But after you receive the message, there is no need to continue holding on to the stress.  It's all about taking action and deflecting the stress.

Reducing your stress is as easy as re-directing the focus of your thoughts. The more you practice doing it, the more quickly and naturally it comes.

Remember, the thoughts you choose to hold in your mind will determine the amount of stress you have. So choose to leave the stress behind, and put your energy into positive, fulfilling pursuits.

It's Your Dream...

We all have a dream.  Somewhere in you is a dream. Isn’t it time you truly listen to what it has to say? It’s probably buried deep under all the day-to-day concerns, yet somewhere in you it lives.

It’s probably not at all practical, and it’s probably a little outrageous. Even so, it energizes your spirit like nothing else can.  It is your dream.

It rises to the surface every now and then. When it does, it takes you away and you touch that place where everything seems possible. It is your dream.

Then you let your dream sink back down under the surface of your awareness. And there it waits, patiently, never losing its hope or its luster.  Waiting for you to revisit it again.

Your dream, as crazy and impractical as it may seem, is trying to tell you something. Your dream, with its promise that you all too quickly, all too often dismiss, wants to tell you who you are.

Isn’t it time you truly listen to what your dream has to say? It is time to begin following that dream, and live the purpose with which you’re blessed.  After all, it is your dream, so follow it.

Angelic Thoughts...

Don't be Arrogant...

Do you think you know it all?  Do you spend all your time and energy thinking and talking about yourself?  Did you know that arrogance is a sure sign of weakness and ineffectiveness. When you think you know it all, you prevent yourself from learning new and valuable things. 

When you spend all your time and energy boasting about yourself, there’s no time remaining for true achievement. When you think you’re more important than others, you quickly lose the respect of everyone. 

Genuine humility is an undeniable sign of true strength and confidence. Strive to let go of the need to impress others, and you will see that you can begin to be truly impressive.

Begin to live, speak and act with humility, and your efforts will begin to be vastly more effective. There will be no time or energy wasted on propping up your own ego, and you can get many valuable things accomplished when you take the focus off of yourself.

Humility brings you respect and fosters mutual understanding. Imagine what a positive difference that can make in your life and your world if you start to practice humility.

When your life is filled with true strength and genuine richness, you have no need to boast. Begin to live with humility, and your life will be full indeed.

Time is Yours

Where has the time gone? Time is yours in which to live, to grow, to love and to experience. The more of it you know, the richer you become. Time has not gone but has been going, and continues to go into making you who you are. The moments and hours, months and years seem to pass by at an ever-quickening pace. Time is filling you up, not passing you by.

You are busy becoming who you will become, and expressing who you are. As time moves past it is never lost, but woven forever into the fabric of your life, into your moments.

It is never too early and it is never too late to fully live the moment that is here right now. So cherish it.  The more you make of it, the more valuable it will always be to you.

The clock keeps on ticking, and what it measures is not what you are losing but what you are continuing to gain. You always have the opportunity to make moments.  Use this day, this week, this month and this year even better than the last.  Make it better than before.  Remember, time is yours in which to live, to grow, to love and to experience. The more of it you’ve know, the richer you become.

God knew....

Expect the Unexpected...

Why are you where you are right now?  Think about it.  There was an incredible series of coincidences that have led you to where you are today.  There have been many moments that seemed insignificant at the time, that ended up altering the course of your life in a major way. Look at you now!  Perhaps it was someone you met, who introduced you to someone else, through whom you met someone with you right now. Perhaps it was a party you attended, and someone you talked to, who knew someone else, who was responsible for where you are right now.
You never know who or what will come your way, or how they will come. Things happen in the most unexpected ways, but everything happens for a reason. People come into your life, and lead you to other people, who lead you to other people, places and things, and so on. Just think that person standing in line behind you, sitting beside you, or talking to you on the phone might just hold your future in his hands.
That’s why it’s so important to not be closed minded.  You must be open to new ideas, new people, and new experiences. When you sit idle and closed mind all the time, you will find that life-changing opportunities will rarely come your way. So  challenge you to get yourself out, start circulating among people, start doing things, start exchanging ideas and participating in your life. Opportunities come in abundance your way each day...you just have to be open to them.

Angelic Thoughts...

Embrace Your Challenges...

Are you being as effective as you can be?  If you haven’t been you know you can be.  It will only take a difficult challenge to change that. Why?  Because the challenge will leave you with no other choice.  A challenge is a chance to jump up to a higher level of performance. I So strive to take that opportunity and run with it.

Yes, it’s inconvenient.  Yes, it's uncomfortable.  Yes, it's just plain hard work. But think of what will happen when you choose to run out and embrace it.

You’ll make yourself stronger.  You will become more capable.  You will find yourself with greater discipline, focus and effectiveness. Not only will you create something of great value, you’ll find yourself to be perfectly positioned to create even greater value on top of that.

You run faster when you’re chasing after something, or when there’s something chasing you. You’ll discover that you can do it.  You’ll discover how great it feels to give your very best.

So the next time a challenge jolts you awake, jump out of your slumber and hit the ground running. Be pleasantly amazed.   Embrace those challenges.  Use them to push yourself forward towards where you ou can take yourself when there’s a challenge pushing you forward.

Seeds of Life

You have heard it numerous times that you reap what you sow.  It's also true that whatever you feed, grows.  Life is full of seeds, some good and some bad.  This same life is constantly sprouting new possibilities. During each day, many and various influences will fall upon the fertile ground of your consciousness. The quality of your life depends on which of those influences you allow to take hold and grow. I suggest that you strive to select them wisely.

If you nourish the seeds of anger, violence, envy and resentment, then thorny, tangled stalks will soon spring up all around you. Your life will be full of drama, stress and foolishness.  If instead you nurture the seeds of love, hope, kindness, creativity and joy; you will experience a life of peace, happiness, and laughter.  You will see a lush and lovely garden begin to flower in your life.

I challenge you to choose in each moment to nourish those seeds that will in turn grow to nourish and support you. Strive to hold on to and build those influences that will bring value, meaning, richness and fulfillment to your life.

Follow those possibilities that are the most positive and meaningful. You will begin to make the garden of your life a beautiful, peaceful and productive place.

Your Troubles

Trouble is a part of everybody's life at one time or another. When troubles comes your way, make an effort to respond by making a mental list of the good things in your life. Choose to let your troubles remind you of your blessings. Challenge yourself to focus your attention on the positive influences and possibilities in your life and away from the trouble.

No matter how difficult the situation, that difficulty will always be outweighed by the goodness to which you are connected. Each and every good thing in your life that you choose to call to mind will help to melt away the anxiety and strengthen your sense of peaceful purpose. By making a mental list, you’ll quickly realize that they are far too numerous to ever completely count.

Strive to turn your attention to the things of real value with which you are blessed. You will find it will illuminate new possibilities and inject positive energy into your efforts.

When you start to think of one thing for which you can be thankful, you will see that it leads you right to another, and another, and yet another. That kind of thinking will point you out of the darkness and into the light. 

So choose today to focus on the real abundance in your life. You will find your loving attention will make that abundance grow and your trouble will die.

Got Problems?

What is the best way to fix a problem?  Would you believe that it is maybe to not to fix the problem?  The best way to move forward could very well be to render the problem irrelevant. How often have you realized that the best solution to the problem has nothing to do with the problem itself.  Often, our way forward is clouded by our perspective of the problem.  

Refuse to focus intently on the problem at hand so that you end up ignoring the overall picture. Your life is filled with abundant resources, and you can utilize them in an endless number of creative ways.

I challenge you to get out of the problem and into the realm of your most positive possibilities. Start to visualize yourself not as fixing what’s wrong but as creating something new and valuable.  The choice is yours.  You always have the opportunity to move your life forward. Strive to connect with your purpose, and remind yourself of what’s most meaningful to you.

Choose today that instead of being a victim of this or that, instead of getting mired in the problem, you will get inspired by the possibilities. If you choose to take a healthy dose of determination from the problem, you will find that your problems get left far behind.

Alive in the Gift of Today

Today is a gift that you’ve never had before. I challenge you to jump in and explore the exquisite treasure that is right now at your feet.  I challenge you to give for the sake of giving. I challenge you to love for the sake of loving.  I challenge you to live for the sake of living. It is great to be alive today.  Use every moment of it to learn just because you can.

Refuse to fill the future with ambiguous motives or any imagined fears. Choose instead today to fill the moment you’re in with the extraordinary richness of ordinary life.

Remember this day is a gift that you’ve never had before. Cherish each moment because you are alive in this gift.  

Life is beautiful.  Yet life’s beauty appears at exactly the place where you choose to see it. So why not choose to see the beauty and value of whatever situation you find yourself experiencing.  Chose today to listen to the part of you that resonates with life’s true and never ending goodness. You will find yourself able to experience again and again, in a new way each time, what it means to be alive.

YOU...

Every day you have a choice to make.  Will things happen to you or will things happen through you? It's all in your perspective. If you see things as happening to you, it is reinforcing the conviction that you have little or no control over your own life.

However, if you see things as happening through you, it means you operate from a far more powerful and effective position. Though it is unfair that you would be expected to assume responsibility for every aspect of your life, it is nonetheless the very best strategy for filling that life with richness and meaning.

You have no control over the many circumstances and events surrounding you. But, when you’re able to consider those things as happening through you, as being under your own responsibility, then they will work in your favor.

There is a world of abundance surrounding you, if only you will step up and claim it. Choose today to make life happen through you rather than letting it happen to you. You will discover that tt will make all the difference in the world.

Pretending is Beneficial....

As a child, we loved to play pretend.  At the time, we didn't understand that there was significance in it.  The exercise of pretending compels the actions which bring about the reality of actually being who you’re pretending to be.

Just think that all time we spent as children loving to play pretend.  We had no idea that in the process we were learning how to play for real. Pretending is a wonderful learning and development tool, no matter your age. So if you’re having trouble getting yourself to act in a particular way, try to pretend it first. Eventually, the pretending will give way to reality.

You have the opportunity to portray yourself how you want to be every day.  In the way you carry yourself, in the way you talk, your confidence level, the time you arrive at work, the intensity and commitment with which you follow up, in the people you associate with, the clothes you wear, what you read, your willingness to do whatever it takes, all these things can be portrayed the way you want to be.

You will find that in the process of truly pretending to be the person you want to become, you will start to take the necessary actions and develop the essential attitude that will in fact propel you toward being that person. So go ahead, pretend, and soon you’ll no longer be pretending.

Your Integrity...

Integrity is defined as a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, and morals.  Integrity can work for you or against you.  Anything that stands in the way of your integrity will eventually bring you down.  Integrity not only speaks for you but to you.  If you feel that something isn’t right, there’s a reason for that feeling -- it’s because it isn’t right.

When you act against what you know to be true, what you know to be right, there is nothing of value to be gained. When you act against your own integrity, you are doing an injustice to yourself.

If you seek to cheat others, you end up cheating yourself. There is nothing that you take away from someone else can ever be of any lasting value to you. True value and richness come from authentically being yourself and giving of yourself. The more you give of your love, effort, time, attention, and creativity, the more real and fulfilling abundance you’ll experience.

Refuse to withhold yourself from life.  You will find it only holds you back from really living. It’s truly great to be who you are, so do it with zest and integrity. Refuse to fight and argue over momentary pleasures.  You can be moving toward lasting fulfillment.  Whatever you choose will build your character, so choose not what is easiest or most expedient. Choose what is true, what is right, and you’ll be making the best choice for your life.  

Don't Judge....Understand

Imagine if you lived in a world in which there was nothing to annoy you. It is possible.  When?  When you let go of the constant need to judge, you will see that the annoyances drop quickly away.  Now don't get me wrong, your ability to make judgments can serve you well. But it can also cause a lot of needless trouble, anxiety, and pain.

Today, in this moment, I challenge you to stop making judgments about the things that don’t matter. Free yourself to focus on the things that do.

It may take some effort, but you can replace judgment with understanding. If you seek to understand others, you will find that you will be far better understood.

Certainly there will be times when a judgment is necessary and appropriate. You will find that in these times, your judgment will be much more powerful and effective because you haven’t wasted it on things that don’t matter.

Choose today to use your judgment wisely, if at all.  Choosing to be understanding will serve you so much better.

Live in the Moment...

Today I challenge you to live in the moment.  Refuse to give in to the temptation to push the fast forward button, to skip ahead to the next page before you’ve read the one you’re on. Don't get caught up in the mentality that jumping ahead will somehow make things better, or easier, or more exciting. 

The true beauty and joy of life comes in living through it. If you try to skip ahead or jump back, you are only cheating yourself out of the magnificent now, the opportunity to live in this moment.

Choose to live life as it comes. Each moment at a time, live it to the fullest. String them together, one after the other. Take the time to listen to the whole symphony from beginning to end, and savor each passage. Take the time to watch the shadows change as the sun rises in the east and works its way across the sky each day. Take the time to feel the wind against your face.

Live in the moment.  Take the time to listen, to know, and to love those around you. Each moment is a beautiful gift.  Take the time to savor all of creation and the awareness that you have of it. Take the time to live in the moment.

Be Positive...

Is there a way to be and remain positive?  A great way to start is to focus.  You need to find something positive toward which you can direct your thoughts at a moment’s notice. That way, when you catch yourself falling into negative thought patterns you can quickly switch your thoughts somewhere else.

Strive to create a habit, at the beginning of each day, to find something new to appreciate about yourself, your life, or your world. That way, any time you felt yourself being drawn into negative, destructive thinking, you can immediately put your focus on that day’s object of appreciation and gratitude.  Something that simple can have such a large impact on your day.

Genuine, heartfelt gratitude can have a powerful positive influence on every aspect of your life. It will be an effective counterbalance to all the negativity the world throws your way.

Think right now of something for which you can be truly grateful. Then, the next time you feel yourself being drawn into anger, frustration, spite, envy or despair, shift your focus instead to your ready-made gratitude.

Keep yourself genuinely and realistically positive with sincere gratitude. And each day will bring even more reasons to be thankful, to be positive.

Look and Find...

What exactly are you looking for today?  Whatever it is, you are most likely to find it. Your attention is naturally drawn toward and flavored by whatever you expect to see.

When you look for reasons to be dismayed, you will find plenty of them. If, instead, you look for reasons to be hopeful and enthusiastic, those are the things that you’ll find. When you’re on the lookout for things that offend you and things to complain about, you’ll see them everywhere. If, however, you look to find things for which you can be truly thankful and appreciative, that is what you’ll find.  

So ask yourself, are you looking for excuses to fail or are you looking for reasons to succeed? Are you looking to just get through the day or are you looking to fill each moment with real value?

Whatever you are looking for today, you will find.  Choose to look for excellence, for truth, for value, for the best, and that is surely what you will find.

Lesson of Consequences

Everything you do has a consequence, and every consequence has a lesson to be learned.  Life's consequences are superb teachers. You will find that the lessons touch you profoundly and will stay with you for life.

Many of the concepts you come across are quickly forgotten. However, the consequences you experience, the things you go through, are nearly impossible to forget.  Why?  Because experience is the best teacher.

It is through your consequences that you learn what works and what doesn’t work, what’s important and why it is important.

Consequences are memorable be they painful or joyful. Not only do you remember the consequences, you also remember how you got to those consequences.  You recall what specific thoughts and actions brought you to them.

The great thing about life is that you have the magnificent ability to make things happen, to create your own consequences. The more you learn from the experience of your consequences, the more reliably you’re able to create the precise outcomes you desire.

Remember that everything you do has a consequence, and every consequence has a lesson. Choose today to learn well, and create all the best you can envision.

The Best Reward...

Each moment you live with kindness, respect and consideration you grow stronger and your world grows more positive. No act of kindness, respect or consideration ever goes unrewarded. People may not ever notice most of the kind and considerate things you do, though your respect may not be returned, still you have your reward.

When you give quietly to life, you will make it better. All of your small and seemingly insignificant acts may not seem like much. But when you put them together they tend to make your world a more positive place.

Your kind words and deeds may seem to not be appreciated when they are offered. But, they will have their impact. Don't be discouraged. Keep them up. The less they are appreciated, the more they are needed. Take heart. You are making a positive difference. You are making the world in which you live a better place.  

It takes real, deep and genuine strength to be kind. It takes confidence to be respectful and considerate. Spite, anger and thoughtlessness are evidence of weakness, and they serve as a constant drain on those who live with them.  Don't let that be you.

Remember, each moment you live with kindness, respect and consideration you grow stronger and your world grows more positive. That in itself is the best reward for you.

The Sum of Your Choices...

Today has arrived.  You know that it is the way it is because of what happened in the days before. Every thought and every action has a consequence, and today is the sum total of all those consequences.

This moment right now is completely as it should be. If there were no consequences, then you would be completely ineffective. Though sometimes those consequences seem difficult and even unbearable, they are infinitely preferable to the alternative.

In your consequences reside all of life’s possibilities. If you choose to take action, it will produce a result. Every accomplishment is based on, and every dream depends on this mechanism.

Sometimes the connection is unclear. But regardless, that connection is there. Sometimes the necessary actions fail to get taken, and undesirable consequences will be the result. Yet even in such failure is the possibility of success, because as soon as the actions are adjusted the consequences improve.

Remember, you are blessed with the inevitability of consequences -- your thoughts and actions cannot fail to produce them. However, you can choose to use every opportunity to ensure that you get the ones you want by the actions you choose today.