Category Archives: 21

21

Spirit

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How often do you look after your spirit? Most of us focus on our mental capacity and physical prowess, but the third leg of the powerful human triangle of life is the spirit, which people mostly ignore. The soul is the intangible part of your existence, determining a lot about who you are and how you deal with other people and, more importantly, yourself and your world.

This is the part of you that believes or denies a higher power in the universe and determines how you approach each day. Is there a grand plan? Are we just individual organisms, randomly existing and experiencing life? All of this and more is determined by your spirit and sits in that very personal possession called a soul. It is my challenge today to be aware of the choices you make in life and how they affect your soul and, of course, your spirit. Use your thoughts, words, and actions to become more aware of nourishing your confidence and enhancing your energy. Or, conversely, how you can do things to harm it.

Religion vs. Spirituality

Some folks choose to rely on the organization of faith to develop their spirit. This practice requires you to listen to the ideas of others and accept them as your own. Following another’s an interpretation of the world. It also describes what God is and how you should worship. There are all types of religions, and each has its dogma, rules, and history. But in the end, no matter what religion resonates with you, it is still someone else’s interpretation of God you are following, and thus you are not in control of how you view your spirituality. In my view, if an organization preaches separateness, it does not have the best interest of your spirit in mind. They want to control you for some reason. Usually for money.

Spirituality is how you choose to relate to a higher power based on your personal experience and thoughts. It is my view that I don’t need a religion to control my thoughts or my spiritual growth. A relationship with the universe (God) is a personal choice. I choose to be responsible for my own decisions and look for guidance from a higher power. When you look at the world, either you see a whole lot of wonder or a whole lot of mess. The health of your spirit results from this view. One of the things that I am sure of is that we are all connected through a higher power. It is in each of us, and our experiences, intelligence, and openness determine how aware we are of this phenomenon. The health of our spirit is determined by our connection to others and the world around us that we are conscious of the day today.

Enhancing Spirit

There is within us all a version of our being, which is our best self. The part of us does the right thing, helps others, and leaves the world a better place after our time here has passed. Our best self reveals itself when we put the well-being of others in front of our interests—giving of our time and effort more than our money to someone or something. This type of spirit makes the world a better place. Making choices that benefit everyone and everything is seeking your best self. This path is not as easy as it sounds.

Since this is so difficult to do, we get help to find our best selves. Our spirit is either enhanced or limited by the people we choose to associate with in our adventures. Each of us is continually given guides in our lives. They provide thoughts and attitudes, and our choice to listen, follow, or disregard what they say and do will help determine our spiritual health. If they are positive and enhance your existence, you will grow and feel good. If they are on the negative side and limit you, you will have negative emotional feedback. Look for the positive influences of other people to feed your spirit.

The third influence on your healthy spirit is how you choose to view a divine presence. Is there a God? Do they influence your life? How do you see this divine presence in life? Understanding how a divine presence works in your life if at all, will help your spirit. Each of us is naturally going to look at this differently, and that is ok. There is more than one way to see things.

Don’t Limit Your Spirit.

The factors that will limit the development of your spirit are limiting beliefs and the people who try to build them. Each of us has a lifetime of interactions with others. The messages they give us that we accept determine what we believe about the world and ourselves. It is vital to choose beliefs that honor you because these will lead to thoughts that honor you, which will lead to words that keep you and, of course, actions that observe you.

All of us have let beliefs push us in directions that are less than honorable. We have to accept responsibility for this. To develop our spirit and have a healthy emotional journey, we need to evaluate our beliefs and how they honor us continually. If you have limited confidence in your abilities and life, then your experience will be limited. I would never tell you what to believe, but I would urge you to seek the spirit that honors you and all of those you meet. Only you can decide for yourself what that is and how to honor yourself and your life. Remember, Our spirit connects our physical and mental selves; a healthy heart will bring a healthy and happy life.

Creativity lets your spirit run free. Create whenever you can from the soul.

“It is in the balancing of your spirituality with your humanity that you will find immeasurable happiness, success, good health, and love.” ― Steve Maraboli.
Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body.― Cicero
“A further sign of health is that we don’t become undone by fear and trembling, but we take it as a message that it’s time to stop struggling and look directly at what’s threatening us.” ― Pema Chödrön.
“If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.” ― Deepak Chopra.

“So be good with what you’re given
For it’s all you have to give
We are only passing shadows
In the mighty wind.”

 

21

A List

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Each of us has things that purpose is driving us to do. It may be a new job, end a relationship, start a relationship, lose weight, finish a project, or change the world. One of the most challenging things to do to accomplish anything is actually to start the project. Once you start, there is no telling what may happen, but at least at the end of it, you will know. To start is a simple process we develop that makes sense. You may be able to use it for yourself. It sounds so simple to accomplish anything create steps to guide you on the way. Write down what you think the process should look like, step by step. Even if you are not sure, write it down.

The Start: Making the List

Starting to make a list can be the most challenging part of the process for several reasons. First, we all have fear inside us. A voice that tells us things will never work; we are stupid; it will never work out. This voice is your ego, trying to protect you from suffering. Of course, to start anything, these thoughts need to be put to the side, and the fear has to be released. Let each of your situations speak for themselves, allow the lessons they have for you to sink in, and the process begins simply by making a plan of the steps you logically think you will have to take to find success.

Start with the most straightforward part of the process. If you are looking for a new job, then step one is to create a list of possibilities for what you want to do. Not just one or two but ten different things that you might want to do for money. That is step one, putting them down on paper. If losing weight is your goal, create a list of things you can do that involve eating healthier and exercising more. List the steps that you believe you will have to take and then start at the beginning and accept them.

Evaluating the list and readjusting

Of course, you will not know everything right off the bat, and that is OK. That is a part of the learning process and of having a growth mindset. You are not going to know everything, and part of the fun is learning along the way. You can readjust, make changes, find out what works for you, and bring the results you want. Continual evaluation and adjustment will be necessary, and doing this should not be seen as a detriment.

The other type of mindset is a fixed mindset, and that is one where a person needs to know everything or at least pretends to. The person with a fixed mindset would instead continue on the wrong path rather than admit that they didn’t know what they were doing. A fixed mindset believes either you have the talent to do something or don’t, and effort should not be part of the equation. The aim is always a part of the equation. Fear of failure and others’ thoughts stems from possessing a fixed mindset and staying away from the growth mindset.

Start the Process

To begin with, we should always start with the most straightforward steps. Decide what you need and organize it most efficiently. Take action, evaluate, take another action, and then another. Get quiet and write down the logical steps you think you will have to take to do something. Then start taking action. The alternative is someplace I have been. In limbo, afraid to start and afraid to stay where you are. In that situation, you are just going to be scared. An action is a cure for fear always. Start the process and allow what is going to happen to exist.

Enjoy each step along the way and the adventure and learning that they bring you. Grow with them, and don’t be limited by a fixed outlook on yourself or the expectations you have about life. Your ultimate destination is not the value; it is the journey that provides the right stuff for you. The most challenging thing in the whole process is knowing what you want. Once you know that, you can begin to add that to your life through lists. And there is only one way to go, one step at a time, following your list.

“The list is the origin of culture. It’s part of the history of art and literature. What does culture want? To make infinity comprehensible. It also wants to create order.”— Umberto Eco, renowned Italian author.

 

21

A Struggle

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Struggle- make aggressive or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction.

Life will never be comfortable all the time. If it were, people would never develop the skills they need to give their talents to the world. The struggle exists in all facets of our lives, both personally and professionally. It is human nature to want to avoid these obstacles because it would be more comfortable without them. But easy is not always right, and it is important to be thankful for the struggles we face because all of them bring an opportunity to become a better version of ourselves. There is a choice for us to let the battle we face dictate the action of our lives or to let our lives dictate how we defeat the struggle. It begins with being conscious of your efforts and the opportunity they are providing to you. Our growth starts with the thoughts, words, and actions to overcome these barriers, grow, and develop.

Struggles of Our Minds

Some of the biggest struggles we face in life are the ones we create in our minds. These are thoughts that we choose to believe, which limit our confidence in creating or achieving something. When you look at something that you would like to accomplish or experience, your mind will immediately produce a list of why you can’t do it. Most of these causes exist due to our negative programming from life. Family members, teachers, peers, and society, in general, have been telling us what they would like us to do since we were born. When we listen to these messages, they create a severe obstacle, how to be ourselves and fit into what others believe we should be.

Don’t let your mind limit you and stop you from trying. You may fail at something, but that will not be the end of the world. It is easy to think that an obstacle is too much to handle. It may not be easy and a stretch, but that can be a positive thing. New talents and skills will arise in you as you work to overcome the difficulties you face. These skills are the opportunity, like a blade sharpened against a stone. You become a sharper and more efficient weapon in life. Where going through life unchallenged and comfortable will lead to atrophy and waste. Don’t let your mind tell you that you can’t or you surely won’t.

The Struggle is Real

One of the first things to do is to learn to trust yourself and understand that no matter how big the problem you face, you will find a way to overcome it. These challenges can be complex because we are all so afraid of failing or what others will think of us when we are not perfect. We need to put all of those limiting thoughts aside and start solving the problem at hand. Whatever you are facing, it has entered your life, providing a great opportunity. Please focus on the issue, make a list of proper action steps that you can take, and then start taking them.

There will always be naysayers who don’t believe in you, but when given your free reign, you will find out that you are well on your way to a better version of yourself. These are just obstacles to your personal growth and ultimate success. Many try for a bit but give up and never know what they might have accomplished or what vital lessons they might have learned if they had only persevered through the difficulties.

Beat the Struggle

Having a plan makes accomplishing anything more realistic, and this general plan is an excellent place to start for you. First, you have to set a goal about what you want to accomplish by overcoming the struggle of life. Second, set up a clear and concise step by a step action plan for you to follow. Third, make sure you take consistent action every day. The move is the key to understanding how theories work and using them to overcome our challenges. Without taking action, nothing can happen. Once a person decides to take action, there is no limit to creating and accomplishing it.

It is time for you to stop being ashamed of the struggles and challenges you face or have faced in your life. The battle to overcome outside influences is real and challenging. However, defeating the fight inside our private world of thought provides the valuable life experience people need to become successful. Embrace all of the struggles and see it for what it is, relevant learning experiences applied realistically to your life.

Take a moment every day to be conscious of the struggles you face through your thoughts, words, and actions. What we see in our problems, either limits or opportunities, will determine our mindset and potential for success.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”- Frederick Douglass

“Education comes from within; you get it by struggle and effort and thought.”- Napoleon Hill

 

 

21

Allowing

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Positive Thought Project-

They are allowing– Permitting for things to move without resistance and evolving and growing naturally.

Life is a journey, and that is not just a cliche. It is a fact we live with every day of our experience in life. One of the human problems is that people always feel they have the best answers to issues and feel we must do something to achieve all of our goals in the most efficient manner possible. People obsess over the minute details of life and often don’t allow the natural path of growth to occur. Having a good work ethic can be a detriment because we learn that doing nothing is lazy and wrong. But sometimes, nothing is the exact right thing to do. Allow things to grow and develop into what they should be. Allowing is difficult because you have to trust that things will move as they should. It all starts with a conscious awareness of your thoughts surrounding a situation, the words you use to express the case, and the actions resulting from the problem.

You Can’t Force Things.

To see how allowing works, look at nature all around you. Trees, animals, plants, flowers, or anything that lives and grows all manage quite nicely without outside influence. No matter how intelligent you are or how much money you have, there is no way you can make a plant thrive. Each entity goes through its life cycle of development naturally, and all we can do is help where we can and allow it all to take its course. It makes you wonder where we should adopt this attitude in our own lives and allow for things to develop naturally in the best way possible.

People are very good at creating situations where there is a perception of control. But that control is only on the surface, and chaos is always only a second away. A loved one dies, an accident happens, you lose a job, a relationship ends, a relationship begins, or any other of the million things you can’t control or plan for happens. You realize you were never in control of anything in the first place. This experience is a scary realization, but also it is empowering when you realize all things are working, even without your input. Events are moving toward their inevitable conclusion and will grow or stop in how they were meant to occur. You are just a part of the plan, not the creator of that plan. That is a harsh realization for many people.

Lose the Grip of Control

As you look to take control of every situation in your life, realize that you have never been able to or will never be about to control the outcomes of life’s circumstances and manipulate them in the way you think benefits you. Things will all take place without the control and guidance of stuff they have no chance of working out as we wish them to, helping us. But do we have the vision to know what is in our best interest?

Often it seems that the tighter your grip on trying to control things stops them from progressing and growing as they naturally would for the benefit of all. We have a vision based on our beliefs and ideas of how things should go. But, if we let things play out as they should, we could receive benefits and great experiences we never thought of or imagined. It is hard for people to let things be and develop independently, but that is the only way to get a harvest. Please do what you can to help but allow the seeds to grow and produce as they are best capable.

Do You Know The Best Possible Outcome

It doesn’t matter if it is in business or personal relationships; you do not know the best possible outcome for any situation. You may think you know, but one thing I know for sure is that you don’t. Things may turn out exactly as you planned, but you will never know how much better they would have been had you allowed them to develop in their manner. A minor success could have been a home run, a life-changing event. The ultimate answer to a challenge you face could have materialized—all by allowing the solution to come rather than forcing it by having to be correct.

There are many different paths for a trip to reach its destination that no matter how much we plan, we will not be able to see them all. You have to develop trust with the Universe, God, the force, or whatever you choose to call the power behind life. Please make a choice you think is best, take action and let it grow in the best way it naturally can. We don’t have enough information to understand the best possible outcome of the battles we are fighting.

Acceptance is The Answer

Learn to develop patience with yourself that you don’t always have the best answer, and you are improving continually in life. Lessons will be available to you, and learning them is the growth that makes being an experience of value. Control is only an illusion that we can never attain, we can fool ourselves into thinking we can, but it is not real. Be open to what may be coming your way because it is what you need to experience at this moment.

Let go of the need to control and allow life and its things to develop around you. This is patience that wise people I have met seem to work with if not master. Things fall into place without much effort at all because that is their natural state. Don’t let fear and the worry it provides stop you from allowing things to happen. This journey is the flow of life, and letting go of the fear of not being in control is often the only thing you need to allow the best-case scenario to happen to you.

“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” ~ Brian Tracy
“The power is not in wanting but in allowing things to happen.”

 

 

21

Rebel

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I’m a Rule Breaker

As a human being living on the Earth, you are constantly bombarded with warnings from the time you are born until the time your life here ends. People tell you the rules and the tiny gray area, acceptable behavior and what is not. Some were designed to keep you physically safe, but many were designed to keep you from being original or standing out in any way.

Looking at all of those rules I have had stated, explained, written, and spelled out for me, I am here to urge you to do something dangerous. Please ignore all of the stuff you have been warned away from and break the rules because, in the end, that may be the only way you can find your true identity and create something great.

The Beginning of the Problem

When you are a child, the adults in your life are most often going to warn you about all of the “bad” things that could happen to you if you are not careful. Warnings about touching the stove, playing with fire, jumping out the window, or any other common-sense activity are more than likely going to fall on deaf ears anyway.

How many children have taken the warnings of imminent danger as a call for adventure? I know that many of my most lasting learning experiences resulted from just this type of situation. My parents always warned me about burning myself on the cigarette lighter in the car. That only led me to touch the cigarette lighter in the car when it was orange; you know what I learned? Please don’t do that. It hurts, and I never did it again. Experience is the most excellent teacher.

As I grew up, though, it seemed that other people wanted the adventurous spirit to leave me, and I started to take people’s word for things and started doing exactly what society expected of me because I wanted to fit in.

To hell with what you feel, go to school, get a job, buy a house, retire, then die. That is the appropriate life path we are taught. I was the right person, but I never had adventures and never did anything outside of my expectations. Things were safe, but they were not very interesting. I was more concerned with what other people thought of me than what I felt about myself. That is an equation that can’t exist forever.

Wake up before it’s too late

Much like being trapped in a dream, where you are falling, and you know you will wake up before you hit the ground, and even though your heart is beating fast, you know it wasn’t real. That is how life happens sometimes; a traumatic experience occurs, a death in the family, a loss of a job, divorce, or poverty. It causes you to experience a shift in your paradigm that changes you in profound and often beautiful ways. You, in effect, wake up and look at yourself and see that not only are you not living your dreams, but you have also forgotten what they were! This will lead you to realize that there must be changes.

Looking at the path, you have been following; you suddenly see that you are not yourself; you are not what you were born to be. You wake up and need answers. I think some look for help in unhealthy relationships, and some look for a chemical solution, but no matter your reaction, you know that just like when you left childhood things behind, you can’t go back to the way things were before. It would be like going back to the dream and completing the fall to your death. Not acceptable.

Why Are You Here?

You are not just here to fill up the space you are in. That would be a meaningless existence, and you are not just here to sleepwalk through your life. You are here to inspire, to teach, to change, to be an example. Life shouldn’t be taken as an opportunity to tell others the rules, what they should do, what they should not do. Life is an opportunity to be an example of what is true to you. Some will accept your life and get your message, while others will likely think you are crazy. There is someone out there that needs your unique personality and talents. Be that person!

You weren’t born to make a difference to everybody, but you are here to make a difference to somebody. Whoever that is, right now, is looking for your example of change, and it is up to you to provide it. You may never know just how many lives you touch, but that doesn’t make your impact any less critical. The rules of life will tell you where to work, how you should look, and what it is appropriate to say.

Most of the most significant accomplishments in the history of man were achieved by people who didn’t follow these types of constrained expectations. You are here for a purpose, find it, and then pursue it. If you are not sure, be yourself and see what happens.

Dare To Dream

I was once asked if I were to pursue anything that I wanted, what would that be? I realized that I was in deep trouble at that point because I didn’t have a dream. In my past, I was an empty vessel, like a marionette with someone else pulling my strings, a facade of a person. There was no burning desire, no call to greatness, and there was a loud and ominous……………nothing.

That was the beginning of my awakening because I believed life had to have more of a point than exist, spend money, and acquire things. I began to dream.

At first, just little dreams that I almost felt guilty about. Then as I continued to see the power that dreams possess and the strength that you can take from them, I started to have bigger plans. These dreams have become fuel. To search, share my thoughts, to search for a purpose to be a better person.

Many people are lucky enough to realize this power early in life, but some do not become aware until much later. Dare to dream. Whether you achieve your dreams or not should be a part of the adventure of life. The pursuit of a goal is often the real thrill anyway.

I was once told that if you never try, you will never know, and that is the case in following your dreams. The rules will tell you where you should go and what you should do. Your dreams will tell you where you want to go and what you want to do.

The One Person You Can Believe In

When it is all said and done, there is going to be one person that either always came through for you or ultimately let you down. That person is you. Believe in yourself, that you can do whatever it is you set out to do. There will be struggles and times of doubt that are part of being human. That doesn’t mean that you should stop trying to achieve or stop trying to reach for the greatness you dream about.

You have a light inside of you that is unique to you, and nobody else can touch it or take it away from you. Life often makes people forget their strength, as they allow bad experiences and bad luck to dictate their behavior. All of the should haves, would haves, could haves of life force people to doubt themselves and forget how great they are.

You can rediscover who you are, and your passion by not living up to a stereotype thrust upon you by others and creating a life that makes you happy. Ignore the so-called conventional, and follow your inner voice that knows exactly where you should be and what you should be doing. The rules will tell you to make as much money as possible, and you will be happy. The truth tells you to be as comfortable as possible, and it won’t matter how much money you have. Many wealthy people are depressed because it doesn’t fill your heart or nourish your soul no matter how much money you collect.

No matter what you decide to do in the end, if you at least consider breaking the rules of convention and following the path you should be on all along, the world will be a better place for it.

“Once you have your basics down, you can start breaking the rules. “- Author: Tom Colicchio

“I like breaking the rules.” – Author: Lexa Doig

“Breaking rules is indeed an important part of creativity. Innovation needs a level of guidance.” – Author: Pearl Zhu

“You don’t become a success by breaking the rules. You don’t become a success by obeying the rules. You become a success by inventing the rules.” – Author: Chloe Thurlow

21

Carry The Weight

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When the mind refuses to accept a situation, we create and carry negative feelings toward other people, or we project to have hurt us. We take this pain, hurt, and anger for a long time, and it will harm you. The negative emotions we carry toward others still reside inside of ourselves and contribute poison to your life. Those we hold in anger without forgiveness will cause us harm to ourselves. Like all things in the world, we have three choices, change it, accept it, or leave it. That is all there is. The weight that you carry around because of the poor behavior of others is either going to weigh you down or push you to new heights of growth. You are going to take that weight as far and as long as you choose to.

Our Grief is Weight

Suffering is a part of life. We feel sad, unfortunate, unhappy, disappointed, and dismayed by many things throughout our existence. Grief over a loss is natural, and all change brings a bit of damage to you. Even if the difference is good, a new job, a new relationship, or you win the lottery. You are still going to have to say goodbye to the experiences you have been living. The people at the old job. The routine you followed, the places you got your coffee. All have to be let go, and there is a bit of grief there. The bigger disappointments bring pain too. Those are the grievances we have a hard time letting go of in my experience. The unjust firing, the bad break, the wrong someone did to us. The death of a loved one. The traumatic experience we have endured.

The other person was insensitive to you and said something you can’t shake. The time you were blindsided by someone you trust. The traumatic accident that permanently changed your life. The job you were laid off from without any warning, causing a career change. All of these things contribute to the weight you are carrying around on your back. All of these lead to anger, frustration, and fear that can become a hefty and cumbersome weight to carry around. Yet, we would instead carry these burdens rather than release them with a simple act of forgiveness.

Being Present Leaves the Weight

This moment is all we have, and when you are focused on that, it becomes easier to leave the weight of past hurts and perceived transgressions behind us. Too often, we live our lives in imaginary lands of revenge. Looking for the moment, we can even make somebody pay for what they did or how they treated us. These are all fantasies of the future, which are a waste of time. They only make the weight you are carrying more substantial and more noticeable. Or perhaps you are reliving the experience with regret and thinking things like if only that didn’t happen. Or if I had just been more intelligent, more vital, luckier, or whatever.

The past is over like any other thing you have ever experienced. Some of it was great, some of it was not. That is the path we all walk. Forgive those who have harmed you and forgive yourself; the weight will be put down. Don’t waste time looking for ways

Let it all go; see how high you can fly!

for payback or for getting even.

Accept where you are and look for the way to be the best person you can be, and it comes from living in the only time you are guaranteed. This very moment. You have to carry the weight, but you choose how heavy the burden is going to be.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

“When a deep injury is done to us, we never heal until we forgive.” –Nelson Mandela.

“Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.” –Hannah Arendt

“Blame keeps wounds open. Only forgiveness heals.” –Thomas S. Manson

“There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness.” –John Connolly

 

21

Greatest

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Most excellent- notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What you should see is the most incredible human being that has ever walked on this planet. Why? Because that is precisely who you are. People shy away from thinking of themselves in this way. Either because of the fear of what others think and being considered arrogant or a significant lack of confidence. Either way, if you do not believe you are the greatest YOU there is, who will?

Take a moment and acknowledge all of the great things that exist in you. It doesn’t mean you don’t have flaws but focus on the great because that will help you along the way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with thinking you are the greatest; it isn’t arrogant or conceited; it is the goal all of us should be striving for in your life. It all starts with our thoughts about ourselves and our abilities, the words we use to project that to the world, and the actions we take because of our feelings of greatness.

Fear Of Greatness

We are our own worst critics because nobody knows our flaws more than we do. You have to spend all of your time with you, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There is no escape, and you know the truth about yourself. We have weak moments, and we are not always perfect. Our focus tends to go in the direction of focusing on our shortcomings and ignore the fact that all people, if they

can get out of their way, have the potential for greatness in some areas. Even you! We don’t focus on that, but we should.

One of the greatest athletes and humanitarians of all time was Muhammad Ali. He spent a lot of time telling the world how great he was. At first, nobody listened. They laughed at him, calling him arrogant. But eventually, throughout his career, Ali proved he was, in fact, the greatest. This process is a mentality that we all can take. Not to diminish the efforts or accomplishments of others but to direct our best energy toward our best self. It is not arrogant to be confident. Ever. Confidence allows you to perform at your highest and be the best version of yourself that you can. You are the greatest.

Sticks and Stones

There are always going to be people who don’t like you. Either you threaten them, or your greatness points out their shortcomings. No matter the reason, to be confident in life, you have to learn to deal with those who will try to tear you down. Pay no attention to the things that come from outside of you. They are of no consequence and have all the power and meaning that you give them. Pay full attention to what is inside of you. The messages you are sending yourself. Those are the ones that dictate what you accomplish.

When you pay attention to the noise on the outside, you are trying to compromise yourself to become what others think you should be — leaving your greatness behind to become someone else’s version of mediocrity. That will not allow you to be the best you can be. Inside we have the power to use a voice of confidence for what we can do and appreciation for who we are. Don’t be afraid to be the greatest and show the world what you can do.

Mistakes and Mishaps

Will you ever make a mistake? Of course, you will, but that is OK because you are the greatest, and you will not let an error control your self-esteem. The most exceptional people learn from situations, taking valuable lessons, and moving forward not to make the same mistake again. That is why you are the greatest in the world because you can do this. Those who let the fear of making a mistake seep into their consciousness are doomed to a life of worry about what might happen and never enjoy just being the greatness in the person they are.

Remember that no matter how great you are, there are things that happen out of your control. Robust growth and learning often come directly from the challenges we face in life. Most often, these challenges bring along with them an equally powerful opportunity. Life puts these things in our experience for a reason. Just like most people enter our lives for a reason, most often to teach us something. Be great and learn the lesson, gain the knowledge, and move forward confidently into greatness.

You Are the Greatest

You are the greatest, and nobody can take that away from you. There is nobody else who can be you and do the things you do. People may lie to you, disappoint you, outright harm you, give you no explanations, change you from best friend to worst enemy. It is possible to overcome it all if you can maintain your focus. Don’t be afraid of your greatness, and live comfortably inside yourself with the knowledge that you are the greatest. It all starts with your thoughts, words, and actions today. YOU ARE THE GREATEST!

“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.” ~Muhammad Ali

“I’m not the greatest. I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round. I’m the boldest, the prettiest, the most superior, most scientific, most skillfullest fighter in the ring today.” ~Muhammad Ali

“Imitation is suicide.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If things go wrong, don’t go with them.” -Roger Babson.

 

21

To Begin Again

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begin againToday forget your past, forgive yourself and begin again.

Each day brings with it a choice for you to decide how to live your life. Do you stay tied to a past that is gone? Is it holding you in place and not allowing you to move forward? Do you blame yourself for mistakes that are long done and over with and can’t be changed no matter what you do? Do you stay stuck in a place of pain and misery? Or do you make the conscious choice to move in a more positive direction? Understanding the past is gone, things were done and said which can never be taken back. We can only control the choices we make today.

All of these choices belong to each of us in our own lives, and it is entirely up to us which ones we make, to move forward, or lag. Today arrives with a complete package of possibilities. To see anything else is a choice you are preparing to limit your existence. You decide what today will bring for you; nobody else has control over that unless you let them.

Forget Your Past

begin againSo much of the story we tell others is about our past, but is it the actual past? Or what we choose to remember about events in our lives. By letting go of the past, you will not forget who you are. This fact is valid for a couple of reasons. First of all, we remember the past exactly how we want to. Good, bad, or indifferent, when we think of past events, we color them with anger, love, nostalgia, or some other emotion that skews the view. This action isn’t done consciously; it is done behind the scenes in our subconscious mind. If you and I experienced the same thing ten years ago, each of us would remember our experience differently. Who is right? Both because we remember it the way we need to. How much should you let an unreliable memory influence your life? Some people spend the bulk of their time living in the past. There is no growth there. Let it go and live today.

The past is gone, and you can’t get it back no matter what you do. It is gone into the history books, and no matter how good or bad it was, it will not return. Many people spend a lot of time trying to recreate the feelings they had in the past. Some even stay stuck there, but the fact is, you are not going to grow as you should looking in the past. All things grow and change over time, and it is unstoppable. Forget living in your past, embrace your growth, and move forward. The quality of your future depends on it.

Forgive Yourself

My harshest critic lives solidly in my mind. He has been sitting there for the entire show of my life, seeing the mistakes, the poor choices, the selfishness, and the embarrassing moments. He is all too begin againeager to criticize these moments and make me feel wrong about myself. The thing is that the critic in your head is not a good voice. He does not speak as loudly or firmly about your positive attributes or contributions. Forgive yourself because to do otherwise is to carry a self-imposed punishment of pain for the rest of your life. You do not deserve that, you are a unique, one-of-a-kind person, and you are the only one who can contribute your talents to the world.

Forgiveness brings an understanding to your experience, thought to your mind, and knowing yourself that will help guide you in the future. By forgiving yourself, you clear away the mist from the windshield of your life and allow a much clearer view of where you have been, where you are, and where you want to go. You have to forgive yourself because no one else can give you this gift. It can only come from you, and once passed, it allows you to evolve into a better version of yourself. Whatever that may be.

Time to Start Over

Once you have a clear vision of where you would like to go, you are on your way. There is nothing as exciting and at the same time frightening as the opportunity to start again. Will it work? Will you be successful? Will you thrive? Will you fail? The only way to answer these questions is to try. Put your effort begin againout there and see what crops up in the field of your possibility.

Begin your new challenge with a renewed hope for your future. There is no limit to what might happen; all you can do is take action and experience the results. Whether it is “good” or “bad” is a matter of perspective and depends on how you keep score. One experience may not work out the way you planned but may lead to the thing that makes your life a dream come true. So would you suffer a so-called failure in life if it led to your ultimate success?

Begin again with the attitude of unlimited possibility, and unlimited potential will be yours. Take action, don’t sit in idle planning that accomplishes nothing but to soothe your mind with fantasies of what might be if you dare to take action. Begin again with a brave heart and rise into your destiny. This journey is the choice you can make today.

Today forget your past, forgive yourself and begin again.

“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”- Lao Tzu.

“Those who improve with age embrace the power of personal growth and personal achievement and begin to replace youth with wisdom, innocence with understanding, and lack of purpose with self-actualization.”- Bo Bennett.

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Henry Ford

 

21

Improve Daily

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My goal is to establish a positive focus every morning by focusing on a positive word or phrase. There are enough negative influences in the world, and I believe that we can improve our emotions, words, and actions and make the world a better place through a conscious direction of thought. Each of us has the opportunity to be more positive.

Improving It

We are all born into this world with some abilities. Some excel at academics, others find their niche in physical things, and others excel at artistic dreams. As we get older and move through our lives in all things, we are getting better or getting worse. There is no middle ground; we only stay the same for a brief moment. The great thing is that to seek to make ourselves better at anything is entirely in our control. The effort that we decide to dedicate to something will allow us to grow and improve at whatever skill, talent, or aspect of our lives we choose to develop. It begins with creating a positive thought in your head about improvement and then taking actions based on those thoughts.

Don’t Rely On Talent.

We are all born with some talents, and it can become human nature to rely on that talent as we develop through life. If you do this, you will most likely experience initial success because of your natural ability, but it will not last if you don’t develop what you have. Others with less initial talent take it upon themselves to do the work to become better, and if you don’t follow suit, soon you will be looking up, wondering what happened. Don’t rely on your talent. If you love whatever you are doing, look for ways to improve yourself at it.

I am finding a never-ending well of improvement available in all areas that I am interested in pursuing. Relationships, exercise, writing, speaking, and helping others, there are many miles of development out there for me to follow. It is easy to relax and think that you know all you need to know, and then you realize one day you did not, and it is at that moment we push ourselves to grow and become better. Be proactive with your efforts, and continually look for ways to improve all things that matter to you.

Developing a Growth Mindset

The barrier we often face has a mindset that tells us that we should know it all. It comes from the programming of life and a fear of failure. We have all failed at something in our lives, and it doesn’t feel right. But if you look at it honestly, most of the great successes in the history of the world have been created out of initial failure. Don’t look at a loss as a personal indictment of your talent or worthiness. When you succeed, it is more than likely going to be the lessons you learned in your initial failure that will help to guide you.

When you look at your life as a continual opportunity to grow, you take the defeats a little lighter and see the option for better things in the future. There will be many opportunities to grow as a person in all areas of your life. As you develop the skill of improvement, your confidence will grow, and you will be on your way to becoming your best self. Development is just another word for cultivating, and if you are not growing, you are dying.

Where Are YOU?

The challenge for all of us is to evaluate just where we are in any situation. What are the things we are doing well? Where can improvement come from? What actions can you take today to get you there? It can exist in any aspect of your life, financial, physical, relationships, career, family, spiritually, or any other part of your life. You can think of that holds within it a desire for you to improve and become better than you are right now.

Then it is up to you to take action. It can be intimidating and challenging to take action because we add too many exterior thoughts to our situations. We are worried about how something looks or what others will think. In the end, the only person you have to impress or get yourself into is you and you alone. So do what you have to do to improve in all aspects of your life that matter to you. We are all ever-evolving beings, and the choices we make in improvement determine what the result will be.

Look at your life and state where you are, and then create a plan of action to improve in that area. Create and write down goals of achievement for yourself in those areas. Then take action and evaluate what happens. If you succeed and become better, great!! If you don’t assess where you are and what will give you the chance to achieve the next time. In this process, you will not be able to help find improvement, which is what life is all about.

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” ~Winston Churchill

We are seeking ways to improve every day to allow you to become the best version of yourself.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you’ve always been.”

“You’re either green and growing, or you’re ripe and rotting.” —John Addison.

 

21

Inside Story

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Inside– the inner part; the interior. 

People are continually looking outside of themselves for acceptance in the world.  They look to friends, family members, society in general, or institutions to evaluate their progress in life.  They are looking in the wrong direction because all of those things are outside of us, and the instructions that matter are inside us.  What do you think of yourself inside?  Are you a good person?  Are you giving? Are you kind? Are you smart? Are you meaningful?

All of these answers come from within your existence, and those answers are the ones that matter.  What you think and feel inside your being, where nobody else can see, define you. To make sure that you are positive on the inside, you need to develop your awareness of the conscious thoughts you have about yourself and your abilities. These thoughts will determine way more about your knowledge and what you can accomplish than anything outside of you. The ideas you entertain, the emotions a person connects to, the words you speak because of these thoughts, and of course, the resulting actions that create your reality daily in life.

All Things Were Created Inside

There is no object in the physical world a person created without being a thought inside someone’s head first.  When you think about this, your appreciation for what is happening inside of you grows.  You can develop the next significant invention because all you need to get started is a working mind and the ability to follow through with your thoughts.  The thought is just a first step, and if no other measures are taken, your creation will stay just an idea.

To bring a thought into reality takes making a plan. Things created in the brain can become a reality, but a person needs to develop steps to bring those things into existence.  That is all from the inside of you as well. It can be demanding as you get the inside stuff into reality. Some might not like it, or they may be jealous or have some other adverse reaction.  The key is to remember, those are outside things and have little to do with your inner thoughts and vision unless you let them.  If the first thing you try doesn’t work, don’t give up. Learn the lesson and move forward and adjust your steps to accommodate new information. Follow the process until the inside idea becomes an outside reality.

Our Resolve Comes From Inside

Challenges are a part of life. We get a push by the experiences we face. All beings are touched with a problem or two. These experiences give us the inspiration we often need to dig inside of ourselves and learn what we are made of on the inside.  Because whatever happens outside, the real struggle comes within each of us. Out provides the test, inside decides how we fair against it.

A river of power flows deep in each of us, untouched for most of our lives. Yet in this current is located an innate ability to perform in big moments. When your focus is on the outside, these abilities lay dormant and never rise to the top where they can help you inside and improve the outside world. The outside world can say anything it wants and offer to help, but it is our strength and the choices that will define who we are going to be in life.

Treat Yourself Well on the Inside

How you talk to yourself will be one of the most significant factors in how much you are going to be able to accomplish in this life. There is a voice that speaks to you in your head all the time.  It forms when we are young, and it speaks to you in the same manner the critical adults in your childhood talked to you.  If your parents were caring, loving, and understanding, then so is your voice. If they were judgmental, fearful, and negative, so is your vote.  Listen to your inner voice and the self-talk that results.

All of this comes from inside of you, and nobody else can hear it or judge it.  So it is totally up to you if you decide to listen to how you speak to yourself. If it is negative, many problems stem from this, from a lack of confidence to a lack of self-esteem. But the fix is easy, change the voice, and that can only happen through conscious effort.  Speak to yourself as you would speak to someone you care about very much. Use kindness, understanding, and love to make yourself feel better.  Changing the self-talk you hear every day from negative to positive will allow you to become a kinder and more giving version of yourself.  That inside change makes the outside world a much better place.

Finally Inside

Nobody can see the inside strength that exists in you. You have to seek it out before you find it. It probably won’t happen if you spend your life being distracted by other things, entertainment, shopping, drugs, or alcohol. It will only come to you when you consciously make an effort to look at how you think and feel inside. The emotions that were resulting lead to the words you speak. All of it is based on your inner feelings, and of course, the resulting actions bring your right ideas to the outside world. Nobody can read your mind.

‘Do you know what you are? You are a manuscript oƒ a divine letter. You are a mirror reflecting a noble face. This universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you are already that.’ -Rumi.

“There is a life force within your soul. Seek that life.
There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine.
O traveler, if you are in search of that.
Don’t look outside, look inside yourself, and seek that.” -Rumi

“Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you.” -Eric Thomas.

https://youtu.be/HXDG_dmuBps