Month: September 2016

Choose To See The Good

“A pessimist sees the difficult in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

– Winston Churchill

       Each day you must make the conscious choice and effort to see the good in every situation. No matter what challenge you face, there is always something positive to take away from it. Sometimes it’s as simple as learning that you are strong enough to weather the storm. Other times it may be that one door has to shut to make room for the right door to open. Life is all about the lens you choose to view it from.

Stepping Stones

“If you are busy focusing on the falling bricks, you will never realize that they are truly stepping stones you need to cross over to the next phase of your life.”

― Kemi Sogunle

         Throughout life you will face challenge after challenge. But, the key is not to allow yourself to become so singularly focused on each obstacle that you become stuck. You must continually remind yourself that obstacles are placed before you so that you can learn, grow and move forward in your life.

Overcome Discouragement

“No matter what it is that you are going through at this very moment, I encourage you to choose perseverance over discouragement. If you hang in strong long enough, sooner or later, this experience would become a thing of the past like the obstacles you defeated in the past.”

― Edmond Mbiaka

          Life can be oh so very hard…and what often makes it even harder is the feeling of defeat and discouragement when you try your hardest only to come up short. But it is at these times when you’re ready to throw in the towel that you must find the strength to hold on for just a little longer, for that is the moment the tide will change.

Create Your Masterpiece

“If you can see yourself as an artist, and you can see that your life is your own creation, then why not create the most beautiful story for yourself?”
― Miguel Ruiz

          Your life is truly a blank canvas. Each day you create new aspects of yourself. So, if you are unhappy with any aspect of yourself or your life, grab the paint brush and start anew. Pick new colors and try different brushstrokes. Choose to settle for nothing less than a masterpiece.

Learn, Grow and Improve

“That which causes us trials shall yield us triumph: and that which make our hearts ache shall fill us with gladness. The only true happiness is to learn, to advance, and to improve: which could not happen unless we had commenced with error, ignorance, and imperfection. We must pass through the darkness, to reach the light.”

― Albert Pike

         Life isn’t about never facing trying times.  Rather, it’s about having the courage and inner strength to face the raging storm head on with the knowledge that you may be bruised and battered but you will emerge on the other side a stronger and wiser person.  It is the knowledge and acceptance that although life may break you – it will never defeat you.  Look to each trial you encounter in life as an opportunity to learn, grow and improve yourself and your life.

Follow Your Own Compass

“Never surrender your hopes and dreams to the fateful limitations others have placed on their own lives. The vision of your true destiny does not reside within the blinkered outlook of the naysayers and the doom prophets. Judge not by their words, but accept advice based on the evidence of actual results. Do not be surprised should you find a complete absence of anything mystical or miraculous in the manifested reality of those who are so eager to advise you. Friends and family who suffer the lack of abundance, joy, love, fulfillment and prosperity in their own lives really have no business imposing their self-limiting beliefs on your reality experience.”

― Anthon St. Maarten

          You are the master of your fate. No one else has the power to take your dreams and hopes from you unless you give them the power. So, stop worrying about others opinions and follow your own compass. Those who are true will be there to encourage and support you and those who are the naysayers-let go of them for they are nothing more than deadweight slowing you down from fulfilling your destiny.

Peace Comes From Within

“If you don’t have peace, it isn’t because someone took it from you; you gave it away. You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you.”

― John C. Maxwell

       The only person you can control is yourself and how you react to your environment.  This is a mantra I have on repeat in my head.  We so often allow ourselves to get frustrated and disappointed in others for their behavior and often their unwillingness to change and grow.  We allow our external environment and situation to rob us of our inner peace and calm.  And this should never happen because you are in control of your inner peace and you only ever lose it if you give it away and allow someone else to have that kind of control.  So, at any point in your life – no matter how dark the night – you have the power to restore peace to your mind, body and soul.

Take a Chance

If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don’t run you’ve already lost.
– Barack Obama

        This is a reminder every person needs when dealing with the daily frustrations of life. Yes, it is hard to take chances in life. Yes, you may come up short even when you try your hardest. But guess what? If you never even try or start the race, you will never achieve your dreams and goals. You will lose every race by sitting on the sidelines. Life isn’t about always getting first place; rather, it’s about learning what it means to fight for what you believe in.

Gratitude for Your Life

“No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.”

― Shreyasi Phukon

         I’ve said it time and time again, life is truly a privilege that so many of us take for granted.  Yes, we all go through difficult times.  Yes, life can really suck at times.  But guess what?  You still have your life.  There are others out there fighting for their right to exist.  People who would give anything to go through your struggles because it would mean they at least have life.  So, each day take a moment to simply say thank you for being alive, even though life isn’t perfect.  Never forget that you are truly blessed to even get an opportunity to go through the ups and downs of life. . .the chance to try again each day.  So, instead of focusing on what you don’t have, try focusing on all the good that surrounds you.  Make an effort to express gratitude for your life.

Change Your Luck

“You can start to change your luck today. Begin believing that you can have what you desire and superior things will arrive.”
― Steve Backley

         I believe firmly in the law of attraction. If you put out positive energy, you will receive positive energy in return. Likewise, if you radiate negative energy, you will draw negative energy to yourself. So to, if you desire something in life, you must first believe it’s possible. Don’t have low expectations. Because when you truly believe something can happen, you open yourself to a life full of limitless possibilities.