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Not the End

7 Sep

When we’re facing a difficult challenge and aren’t sure we can manage, when things go wrong and we can’t see the way forward, or when we’ve been caught in a situation that changes the trajectory of our lives in ways we never expected, we may feel lost and confused.  It can be hard to see our next step when we’ve been stunned by something that takes our breath away or must face something so difficult we don’t know how to get through.  We may stand stunned, unable to move or think, and have no idea what to do next.  Big trials come to all of us at some time in our lives.  Our worst fears may be realized and situations we never dreamed we could endure may press on us.  When our lives are suddenly dangling on what we believe is the precipice of disaster, it may seem impossible that we’ll be able to get through much less survive.  We may face terrible trials but they are not the end of our journey.  We may need time to process what’s happening, but when we’re ready, we have all the courage and wisdom to continue forward.  It can be hard to trust that things will improve when we’re in the depths of despair, but change is constant.  Darkness cannot last forever.  The sun always rises again and we will find our way.  Whatever we’re going through today will be different tomorrow.  We have everything we need to face whatever comes, find the answers we need to prevail, and continue forward.  If we are overwhelmed, we can find support.  If we have fallen down, we can stand up again.  There isn’t anything we can’t do.  We can be brave even when we’re unsure, and confident even we don’t know what will happen.  Life is filled with challenge and we have everything we need to face it.

When we’re young we imagine many wonderful things will happen to us as we grow and never think the bottom will fall out of our plans.  As we age, many wonderful things do come but we may also have many trials and disappointments we didn’t plan on.  We have no control over most of what happens and even if we plan carefully, sometimes everything goes up in smoke.  Nobody wants to go through hard times, but they will come to us all and when they do we can find our way through.

It seems life would be wonderful if all our dreams came true and we never had a bad day.  If we were always healthy and strong, had plenty of money, and never had to endure any challenges.  That might be wonderful but that isn’t reality.  We live in the real world and some days are going to be hard, some things are going to stink, and we are going to lose from time to time.  The lessons we learn when things go wrong are valuable and make us stronger and wiser as we move forward.  We can value the strength we gain as we struggle and be grateful for the understanding we gain as we learn from trials.  Life is an incredible blessing.  We can live wisely and find courage and strength when we need them.

Today if you’re facing a terrible challenge and have no idea what to do next, remember how wise and powerful you are.  You will find all the answers you need.  Nothing is too strong or difficult for you to manage.  Be confident and move forward.  You have everything you need already and there is happiness just around the corner.

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The Pace

5 Sep

Everything we do has a beginning and an end.  Both are important but what goes on between them is generally where all the learning, and struggle take place.  There are often many things pressing on us and sometimes our “to do” list may be long and daunting.  As we navigate through it, we prioritize what is most important and try to do that first, and then hope to get as much of the rest done as possible.  If there are a lot of difficult items to address we may get weary.  If we’re exhausted it won’t really matter what is next to do, we may decide it isn’t worth the effort and simply stop.  We may reach a point when fatigue takes over and we’re done – whether the list has been completed or not.  Running out of steam and feeling the pull of exhaustion is a clue that perhaps we’ve planned to do more than is reasonable.  It’s good to set goals that stretch us and help us learn new things but if those goals are beyond what we can physically manage, it may be time to regroup and make a new plan.  We don’t have to move constantly and do everything at once.  We’re in control of how we spend our time and can plan our days to accomplish what is most important and allow ourselves time recharge.  We set the pace of how we’ll go forward.  By being realistic about what we can do and honoring our personal needs, we will accomplish much and feel energized.  We can take care of business and take care of ourselves at the same time.  We are strong and can manage many things well.  There isn’t anything we can’t do with careful planning and effective time management.  Everything is within reach and we can accomplish anything we set out to do.

There may be pressure from those around us to do more, do it faster, and push ourselves harder.  There are lots of different opinions about how we should live our lives and we may certainly listen to all of them.  We know what we want and how we want to accomplish it.  Everyone may choose the roads they want to travel and the speed they want to run.  We know who we are and will find success when we are true to what works for us individually.  Deciding the direction and pace we will travel will take us to the goal.  We can go anywhere and do anything, and we can do it our way.

The world defines success in many different ways.  To some it’s how fast the goal is accomplished.  To others it’s how far we push ourselves to get there.  We can decide what determines our personal success and it need not agree with anyone else’s ideas.  We’re all unique and our interpretations are valuable and important.  We may not see things the way others do, and we may not travel the same roads.  But we can still reach success and accomplish anything we desire.  There are endless roads to every destination.  We can travel our own way and find the treasure.

Today if you’re being pressured to get things done more quickly or to change direction, decide what you want the most and plan the way forward to get there.  You can do anything you desire and nothing will keep you from your goals.  Set the pace that works for you and step forward.  You know what you want and you will get there.

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I Can’t

4 Sep

Life is sometimes easy and everything moves along without much trouble. We sail through our days without much travail or stress, and feel confident about the future. It’s great when things come together easily and we don’t worry about what’s next. But those moments will never be permanent and in time, however much time that takes, things will change and trouble will come. We can’t control the decisions of others or much of what goes on around us and eventually there will be complications and trials. If the situation is intense and we don’t feel confident we may believe we can’t get through. It may feel too hard, too painful, too serious or just too much for us to deal with. The urge to run and hide or simply ignore the entire predicament may be great. We might look the other way and refuse to talk about it, but one thing is certain, ignoring a problem or pretending it doesn’t exist will never solve it. We all have limits to what we feel we can do but those limits are not set in stone and each trial teaches us something new that stretches what we can tolerate and understand. It isn’t fun to suffer or feel the pressure of trouble in our lives but we always have what we need to not only endure but to overcome. When we think we can’t do it, we can stop and think again. There is nothing we can’t manage and no problem is too complex for us to solve. We can dig deep and the resources we need will be there. All things are possible and we are strong enough and wise enough to continue forward and do anything we must to find success.

There are limitless ideas and experiences in the world. We’ll go through things we don’t imagine will happen and face complicated and confusing situations that may confound us and make us wonder how we will ever get through. But with each step we take, more information is revealed and as we move forward we’ll find all the answers we need. We’ve learned many things already and can trust in our ability to understand what is happening and believe we will prevail.

Some problems are very complicated and take considerable time to unravel and resolve. If we’re tired and weary of the struggle, we can stop and take a break. Fatigue will only make the situation more difficult and taking time away will often open up new ideas for moving forward and help us uncover the answers we’ve been seeking. We can do things our own way and in our own time and find success. There isn’t anything we can’t handle and we’ll find our way through no matter what we’re facing.

Today if you have a serious situation to navigate and feel it’s too much for you to handle, remember how strong and capable you are. It doesn’t matter how hard the problem is, you will solve it. It doesn’t matter how difficult the road ahead, you will find the way. You are amazing and strong, and nothing is too hard for you to manage. Be confident. Push ahead and trust yourself. All the answers are there and you will find them. Keep moving forward. Success is only one step away.

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On the Inside

29 Aug

There may be times in our lives when we desire a big change.  Perhaps we’ve been through something difficult that has taken a toll on us, or we’ve been in the same place for a while and feel the need for something new, or we just want to start over.  It may seem when we’re down or things aren’t going well, a new place and a fresh start will do a lot to help us move forward.  We can always change our lives anytime we want to and there isn’t anything strong enough to hold us in place if we really want to move.  Change does help a lot of things but it can’t change what’s really going on inside us.  The fears, uncertainties, and worries we may be struggling with will follow us wherever we go and stay with us until we’re ready to face them and let them go.  A change in scenery can make us feel better for a while but real contentment comes when we’re honest with ourselves about everything we’re doing and are willing to do what is needed to address anything holding us back.  Happiness can only come from within and we have the power to be completely happy no matter where we are.  When we’re ready to face what is keeping us down and open all the doors to the secrets tucked away we’ll be able to begin on the road that will take us to contentment and peace.  Our lives are always in our control and if we aren’t happy we are the only ones who can change them.  We can remove the darkness that is keeping us from complete happiness and step into the light.  We deserve every happiness and when we’re ready to step forward we will have it.

When people are unhappy, sometimes they pull others down with them.  They say misery loves company but we don’t have to spend time with anyone who makes us miserable.  It’s nice to be helpful and offer solutions but everyone must face their issues on their own.  We will always have enough to manage in our own lives without trying to take on someone else’s troubles.  We can be compassionate and kind, and let them find their own way forward.

Guilt is a powerful tool some people use to get us to do what they want.  It’s effective but guilt is a self-inflicted injury and nobody can make us feel it.  We’re all responsible for our own decisions and there is never a need to feel guilty about anything we haven’t done.  Each day is a gift and a blessing.  Living it fully and choosing to do what we must to be happy will bring us joy and comfort.  Paying attention to how we feel on the inside and valuing our personal happiness will bring us great satisfaction and clarity.  Our lives belong to us and we can change anything we want to have the best life possible.

Today if you feel like changing everything because you’re stressed or things have gone wrong, look inside and think about what’s really happening.  Remember that your happiness comes from within and real change will come when you let yourself find it.  You deserve the very best of everything.  Open all the doors.  You are precious and valuable, and nothing is out of reach.  Trust yourself and step into the light.

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No Go

8 Aug

There are limitless things we can accomplish and endless goals we can work toward.  When we want something we can create a plan to achieve it and move forward toward success.  If we had control over everything around us we could always guarantee we’d be able to reach every goal we desired.  Unfortunately, we live in the real world and the only control we have is over ourselves.  There will always be other people making decisions that impact us and other things we don’t know about and can’t prevent from getting in the way.  If we’re determined to reach a goal we can work diligently and push through obstacles in our way but we may face a situation where no matter what we do we can’t get there.  Sometimes the hurdles are too high or the barrier in front of us is too wide to get around.  If there is nothing we can do to change the situation we may have to abandon the goal and let it go.  It’s hard to face defeat when we’ve worked hard to succeed especially if we’ve worked hard for a long time.  We don’t know what we don’t know and can’t see everything at the beginning.  Sometimes no matter how well we plan or hard we push things won’t work out for us.  If we must let go of a goal, we can set it down and walk away – for now.  Life is constantly in flux and everything changes around us over time.  What is impossible today may come easily in the future so although we have to leave the dream behind now, if we still want to accomplish it we can revisit it later and try again.

It’s great to reach the destinations we desire but the journey along the way is what teaches us about our world.  Every experience teaches us something and we take that knowledge forward with us.  Even if things don’t work out we have more information than when we started and understand more clearly where we are and what we need.  We can use all the lessons we’ve gained to reach new heights moving forward and continue toward the lives we want the most.

When we’ve been stopped and can’t move before we reach a goal we can develop another plan and try again.  We can try as often as we like and may reach success.  Most goals are attainable but there are some things we won’t be able to achieve no matter what we do.  To continually knock ourselves out trying to do something that can’t be done is not in our best interest.  Trying to do the impossible will only hold us back from finding success in other areas.  If we’ve done all we can and still can’t move forward we can turn our course toward something else.  It’s wise to accept defeat when success isn’t possible.  We can be confident in choosing well and living in ways that bring satisfaction and ultimate success.

Today if you’ve been working hard for a long time toward a goal and can’t move forward, look at everything clearly.  If there are possible options that will bring success, try them.  If not, determine where you want to go now and begin again on a new road.  There is no failure as long as you continue forward.  Be confident and trust your judgement.  You are wise and capable and will find success.

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