Month: August 2017

Life’s Balancing Act

“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant.”

—Doctor Who

         Life is a balance. We all know it has its ups and downs, but you must remember that all the good doesn’t outweigh all the bad things and the bad things shouldn’t overshadow the good aspects of life. For life is all about perspective and how you choose to react to what is before you. So, appreciate the good times when they come and don’t give up or lose faith during a stormy night.

Do What Feels Right

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt

        At the end of the day, you should do what you feel is right. Don’t concern yourself with the opinions of others. For no matter what decisions you make, there will always be someone there to judge and criticize. So, focus on making choices that are good for you and your family and the rest will work itself out.

 

Plant Your Garden

“Plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”

—Jose Luis Borges

      If you have a dream, you must do the hard work to make it a reality. You can’t just sit back and wait for life to happen or for things to be handed to you. No, you must plant the seeds for your own garden and tend to it until the flowers bloom.

Get Up

“It’s not about how hard you can hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

—Rocky Balboa, Rocky

         Life will constantly knock you on your ass. The key is finding the inner strength to keep standing up each time no matter how hard the blow. For character is born from withstanding life’s toughest moments and persevering no matter the odds.

Focus On Yourself

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday”

― Matty Mullins

          Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t try to live up to other people’s standards. For the only person you should hold yourself up to is yourself, meaning each day you should strive to be your best self. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing and instead focus on your own personal growth, self-worth, and self-love.

Be You

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

—Dr. Seuss

          At the end of the day, don’t shy away from who you are. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and stand up for what you believe. Ignore the naysayers and haters. They aren’t for you and aren’t worth your time. Those who are true will support you no matter what. So, proudly stand up and show the world who you are.

Peaks and Valleys

“All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”

– John Wooden

        Life is hard, but it shouldn’t be impossible. You have to be careful to not let your expectations and circumstances create mountains too high to climb or rivers to wide to cross. You determine the quality of your life…circumstances only account for a small percentage of your happiness and the rest stems from how you deal with those circumstances.

Don’t Rush

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

– Walter Hagen

          Stop rushing through life trying to reach your destination. Rather, slow down to enjoy the scenery…take detours and get lost. For life is too precious and short to waste one minute being unhappy, angry, or resentful.

Walk Away

“The greatest win is walking away and choosing not to engage in drama and toxic energy at all.”

― Lalah Delia

           Throughout life you will continually come across toxic people, whether it be your family or coworkers. There will never be a short supply of people waiting to try to take your happiness away by spewing their negativity around you. But, you must always remember that although you can’t control other people’s actions, you can control how you react to them. Choose to take the high road of integrity and don’t stoop down to their level. Be the bigger person, be the mature adult in the situation. Do not compromise your values and standards. For you stand to gain nothing by engaging in their petty behavior.

Take Risks

“Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.”

– Denis Waitley

        Life is about taking chances. It’s about getting up and taking action. It isn’t about sitting still and doing nothing. So, dare yourself to take a leap of faith without knowing what awaits you at the bottom. For you stand to gain only what you are willing to risk.