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Looking Back

7 Jul

“True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.”  Ernest Hemingway

Life is a process of continual learning and every new situation brings with it parameters we must figure out and find our way through.  Sometimes we get the answers right the first time, and other times we may take a wrong turn that takes us somewhere we don’t want to go but teaches us something new.  There is no life manual with an answer key to help us through.  We find our way as we go step by step.  Sometimes our choices are complicated and take us through situations we’d rather avoid but each turn, right or wrong, gives us tools to go forward more effectively.  Constant change occurs not only in the world around us but within us and moves us a little further down the road to our destination.  As time passes we may look back at our former selves and the decisions we made.  Because we have additional wisdom and understanding we might wonder what we were thinking when we chose the wrong road.  But we are where we are at every moment.  If we do the best we can with each step, even if we falter, we will find the way ahead.  True nobility comes as we gain the attributes we desire most and continue to move forward.

There are moments in our lives that are nearly perfect.  Things go well and we are happy.  Those moments cannot last forever but while we’re in them we can’t imagine how things could go wrong.  But life is ever changing and nothing stays the same forever.  When our situations change and we face difficulty or challenges that feel beyond what we can manage we may lose our confidence in the future.  Even in our darkest hour when it seems nothing will go right we can have faith that things will change.  We are stronger than we think we are and there really isn’t anything so powerful that it will overcome us.  We can endure difficulty, even disaster, by taking it one step at a time.  Nothing can keep us from prevailing and as we struggle we gain strength and wisdom to take forward on the road ahead.

Looking back we may see decisions we made that cause shame and heartache.  We may struggle to forgive ourselves for choices that brought hardship to us or those around us.  Nothing can change the past and it’s better to see the situation as it is, accept the choice we made, and learn as much as possible from the experience.  Then we can let it go and move forward with renewed confidence carrying with us all the knowledge we’ve gained and increased insight for the road ahead.  Life is complex and nobody is perfect.  We will all falter at some point.  We may forgive ourselves and move forward with renewed confidence learning all we can from the past.

Today if you’re looking back and are disappointed in a decision you’ve made, learn all you can from the experience and let it go.  You are wiser now than you’ve ever been and you can make excellent decisions.  Leave the past behind and look ahead to the destination you seek.  There isn’t anything you can’t do and do well.  You have everything you need to succeed and find joy.

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The Neutral Zone

6 Jul

There will be few times in our lives when we’ll get where we want to go serendipitously or by accident. Generally, if we want something to happen we’ll have to work for it. Pushing forward toward any goal is the best way to ensure we get there but there may be times when we have to wait. There may be others standing in our way we cannot move. There may be situations that take our attention away from the road forward or unforeseen complications that must be resolved before we can proceed. Waiting is like idling in neutral. The engine is still running but until the gears change we can’t proceed. If we must wait a long time we may give up on the goal and decide to take another path. We can always change our direction at any time but if the goal is something we truly want we can be patient and remain in place until things change. We don’t have to give up on any goal we value. It may feel we have no control as we wait but even when standing still we are in command of our lives. Life changes constantly and in time our situation will modify and we’ll be able to proceed forward again. While we wait we can be prepared and ready for that eventuality and spring into action as soon as we are able. The opportunity to move forward will always come again.

Life is all about choices. We can do anything we want and go anywhere we want to go. We don’t need the agreement of others and we may define our lives in our own personal ways. If we lack confidence or are unsure we may stand still and let others decide what we will do. If we don’t control our lives, others will control them for us and the destinations they choose may not be the ones we want. We are the only ones with personal inspiration regarding what is best for us. Even those who know us very well will never know us completely. We have everything we need to go where we really want to go. Shifting out of neutral and determining to define things according to our personal desires will help us achieve the lives we want the most.

The neutral zone is an easy place to live. We don’t have to make decisions, we don’t have think about the future and we don’t have to work hard to continue forward. When a car is in neutral very little fuel is needed to keep it running. It doesn’t take much energy to stand still. When we let life determine our path forward we give up the opportunity to design our lives and achieve what we truly desire. We deserve every happiness. Every dream can come true if we purposely move forward toward it and do what is needed to find success. We can go anywhere and do anything but first we have to gear up and begin.

Today if you’ve been waiting for something to happen to change your life, take control and start to move. Begin the journey you’ve been dreaming about. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You are more powerful than you imagine and you can accomplish anything you desire. Step forward. Your destination is just ahead and nothing will keep you from success.

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Directions

30 Jun

There are endless roads we can travel as we go through our lives.  We can make any decisions we like and choose any way forward.  Sometimes it doesn’t matter which road we choose and other times the choice is critical to where we want to end up.  When we’re facing a lot of options it may be difficult to clarify exactly which way is best and we may seek directions from others.  We may certainly ask for advice at any time and listen to any suggestions we receive.  It’s great to get directions when we need them but we must always remember that in the end, the choice is ours and ours alone.  If we choose a path that was recommended and it takes us somewhere we did not want to go we may be disappointed and have to start again.  If we take someone else’s advice and it turns out badly we may feel they are responsible and blame them for our results.  However, if our choices don’t work out we are the only ones responsible.  Advice is just a suggestion.  If we take it and things go wrong we own not only the decision we made but the results from that decision.  If we end up in the wrong place we can start again and choose another way forward.  We don’t have to stay anywhere we don’t want to be.  We can begin again and turn our course until we reach the destination we desire.  We have unlimited chances to choose and we can find the right road forward.  We have enough confidence and wisdom to make excellent decisions and reach any destination we desire.

Personal inspiration is available to all of us all the time.  We can listen to it, trust ourselves and rely on our ability to choose wisely.  Nobody knows what we want better than we do and even if we get a lot of suggestions about how to achieve it, we can listen to our own inspiration and base our decisions on what we feel is best.  There are unlimited roads we can take, endless turns we can make and countless destinations to reach.  We can define what we want and how we want to achieve it.  We know who we are and have everything we need to design a journey that fits perfectly.

Some people are very strong and determined and may feel they know what we need.  They may tell us which way to go, what to do and how to move forward and we may listen to any suggestion they make.  If they are wise and knowledgeable, their directions may be valuable but we must choose for ourselves.  If we allow others to decide where we’ll go and how we’ll get there we may lose the confidence we need to make good decisions.  We may also end up going places we don’t want to go.  Good advice is a valuable tool we can use when we need it.  There will always be plenty of opinions about how we should live our lives but if we want to find true happiness we must make sure the decisions we make reflect what we want most.  Everything is available to us and we can reach any destination we choose.

Today if you know where you want to go but are confused by directions from others, trust yourself and choose what’s best for you.  You have all the wisdom and inspiration you need to find your way forward.  Be confident and move ahead.  Every destination you desire is there for you.

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Staying True

28 Jun

There are billions of people on earth and every single one of us has opinions and impressions of life and what is right.  There are a lot of differences everywhere and we will hear many viewpoints and objectives as we travel along.  Despite all the differences, we must all define our own personal values and direction.  If we fail to determine what’s best for us and exactly how we want to live we may end up stumbling around for years going here and there with no clear direction in mind.  Like any journey if we take every turn that presents itself we may end up traveling in circles and going nowhere.  Defining what is most important to us is just the first step.  After we decide who we want to be and what we truly believe, if we want to be successful we must stay true to our values and refuse to waver.  There will always be options from which to choose and the temptation to compromise our position will be constant.  We can define what is best for us and what road we are willing to travel and if we hold fast to our personal convictions we will have the lives we want most.  Our lives are ours to design and we may choose any path we desire.  We don’t need others to follow us or give their approval and we may determine what is best for us.  Staying true to who we really are and what we really want will bring us satisfaction and success.  We know ourselves better than anyone else ever could.  We know what we want and what we need to be happy.  Listening to inspiration and following the roads that take us where we want to go will lead us through our lives confidently.  We deserve every happiness.  Defining who we are and what is best for us will bring happiness into our lives.

There are many opinions in the world about what we should do.  Some voices are very loud and commanding, and if we fall under their influence we may begin to believe they know what we need better than we know ourselves.  We may certainly listen to all the advice and direction offered to us and we may take from it what fits into our personal plan.  If others point us in a new direction and it doesn’t fit with where we want to go we may be confident in remaining on the road we choose.  There will always be options available and we may alter our course at any time.  As long as we choose what is best for us we will find the destinations we seek.

When we make decisions and there are a lot of competing opinions around us it may be hard to be confident in choosing well.  If we stay true to our personal values and what we want most to accomplish we will be able to sort through the static and find the direction we need.  As we remember our primary focus the fog will clear and we will be able to see the right road ahead.  We can have the lives we dream of and find complete happiness by being true to who we really are and what we truly want.

Today if you’ve taken a turn because of the influence of others and don’t feel you’re on the right road, stop and re-direct your course.  You know what you want and where you want to go.  See the way ahead clearly and be confident choosing the path that is best for you.  You are wiser than you realize and you will choose well.  Be true to yourself and all your dreams will become reality.

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Refusing to Go

22 Jun

We all face times when questions of ethics and honesty come into play. Some situations are so obvious we easily decide which way is right and continue forward without much notice. However, there may be times when it’s a bit harder to choose. Our conscience will guide us if we’ve been cultivating honest and honorable decisions and have chosen to do what’s right in the past. But if we’re easily swayed by the promises of others or what we may gain in the short term, we may choose paths that are less noble. When we purposely make a bad decision the first time we may feel pangs of guilt and regret. But if we return and make another bad decision, and then another, over time we may become inured to the situation. After a while guilt and remorse may not even appear and our conscience may become numb. Our lives reflect every choice we make and bad choices rarely bring lasting happiness. We may find immediate gratification from them but they cannot bring us peace in the long run. We deserve to be happy and if we find we’re going the wrong way – no matter how long we’ve been on the road – we can stop and refuse to go any further. It is never too late to correct our direction and make better choices. The road ahead is ours to choose. We can choose what is best instead of what is easy, what is right instead of what is convenient, and what will bring us happiness. We can trust ourselves going forward and cultivate a strong and valiant conscience.

The world is filled with compromises. We can’t always have things exactly the way we want them and we learn to give as we move forward. Compromise is an important skill but it rarely works to compromise our ethics or values. There really is nothing worth the price of our honesty. We may be convinced that if we bend a little in the wrong direction just this once it will move us forward and we won’t have to do it again. We may tell ourselves we must be dishonest in order to get something we need but there is no way to justify dishonesty no matter what is at stake. Our integrity is our most valuable possession. If we abuse it we will lose the trust and respect of those around us, and in time, will lose it for ourselves.

A strong and noble conscience is a priceless asset that will guide us through many complicated and difficult choices. If we always choose the right in every situation we will gain the strength we need to make difficult decisions wisely. When we choose integrity and wisdom over ease and complacency we find happiness. Refusing to take the wrong road will bring us continued happiness and peace. It’s not always easy to choose wisely and we may be sorely tested but we have everything we need to prevail.

Today if you’re facing a hard choice and there are immediate benefits to choosing poorly, stop and look at the long road ahead. Your choices define who you are. Choose nobility and refuse to go down the path of dishonesty. You have everything you need to be happy. Make your decisions carefully. Be wise. There is so much joy and peace waiting for you. Good decisions will bring them to you.

 

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