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First Rays

4 Oct

During cold months, early in the morning when it’s still dark outside the air can be frigid. We feel the chill as our breath freezes and the cold creeps into us the longer we remain outside. But with the very first ray of sunshine everything begins to warm. The first bit of sun brings with it incredible warmth and before long everything is different. It takes only moments for the sun’s rays to begin to change the entire landscape. What was only visible in black and white before their arrival bursts forth in glorious color and the frost we experienced only moments ago disappears. The first rays of sunshine change everything. What was cold and bleak, and dark and dim, becomes warm and inviting and easy to see. It’s magical when you experience it and it seems impossible the whole world could change so quickly. The sun’s reach is amazing and constant, and we count on it every single morning.

In our lives there will be times that are dark and cold. We may face situations that feel impossible to navigate, where the answers are hard to find and everything seems cloudy and grey. We may feel frozen and anchored, unable to move. There is a chill deep inside and it’s hard to see the road ahead. When we feel isolated and alone, and there is no light, it may seem we will never find our way again. But time passes and as we cope with each step we eventually find an answer – something that opens a tiny crack in the door blocking our way. A small ray of light beams through giving us inspiration. We push forward a little more and as we do answers become available and we uncover the way ahead. Before we know it there is sunshine all around us and we have found our way through. Many problems we face don’t have sudden and quick answers. Often we need to work moment by moment until we find our way back into the light.

No problem is unsolvable. There is no situation we’ll face that will endure forever. Everything changes and nothing is constant. If we remember that when we’re in the dark and everything feels gray and cold, we’ll feel more hope that we’ll find our way. The first rays of sunshine are there for us just on the other side of the door blocking our path. We will get to it and the comfort it will bring. No night, no matter how dark, lasts forever. The sun will rise no matter how tempestuous the night has been. We can endure the darkness knowing the first rays of morning will warm us and light our way forward. We can work toward them, and wait for them patiently until they arrive. The light will surely come. Keeping our eyes focused on it will make the path easier and we’ll have more confidence as we navigate the way forward.

Today if you feel dark and troubled, if you’re in a difficult place that seems impossible to overcome, remember the light is just ahead. Keep moving forward. What is gray and cold now will soon be bright and warm. Everything will change and you’ll thrive going forward. Nothing can stop the sun from shining or from you prevailing. Soon everything will change. Keep your sights set on the road forward. Happiness is just ahead.

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3:00 a.m.

30 Sep

When things go wrong in our lives, people hurt us, we are disappointed or worried, or have pressing complications on our minds, it can be hard to relax. When we’re processing a lot and have much to ponder it may be hard to let it go long enough to rest. We may fall asleep only to wake in the wee hours with our minds reviewing everything we’re trying to resolve. As we lie in the dark and all our worries and concerns roll around inside, despite our fatigue we may search for answers. What will we do? How will we get through? What’s our next step? What will happen? These thoughts may consume us and instead of drifting back to restful repose we may find the hours ticking by wide awake. Sometimes the answers come but other times our sleepless night doesn’t resolve anything. While we’re lying there and everything is knocking around in our heads, it is helpful to remember times in our past when we’ve resolved difficult problems and faced hard challenges. We’ve survived hard times before, we found our way through and we’ll succeed in doing the same this time. We can find comfort in what we’ve already overcome, and know we’ll conquer this situation as well. This life is filled with all kinds of complications and unexpected problems. We are certainly capable of handling anything that comes to us, and if we’re awake at 3:00 a.m. facing an issue we must resolve, we can remember that. We can relax and be strong knowing we’ll find all the answers we need.

When we’re young we have ideas about how life works and how our lives will go. We imagine what we’ll do and who we’ll become, and dream of all the things we want to accomplish. We never think about all the problems we’ll face or consider all the trials we’ll endure. But the problems and trials will come and with each challenge we’ll learn something new about ourselves and about our world. As we grow and face our days we may realize that some of our ideas about what is real are a little different than what we’re experiencing. Our plans don’t always work out and our lives don’t always reflect the image we thought they would. But we learn to adapt as we go and if we’re wise, day by day we begin to create the lives we most want. Sometimes the life we want now isn’t anything like the plans we made before. Each experience and each problem helps us fine tune what we want and teaches us how to navigate the road ahead.

The only control we have in this life is over ourselves. We can’t control what other people do, or what comes to us. We can only control how we manage our experiences and what we take away from them. Deciding to learn as much as possible and take those lessons forward will help us forge a path that is strong and defined. Overcoming problems builds confidence. This life is a blessing. Everything we experience can bless us in some way. Understanding and accepting that will make the journey easier.

Today if you’re worried or upset, concerned about a situation in your life, be confident. You’ve been through difficult challenges before and you have prevailed. You will find your way through this as well. You have everything you need. Be strong. Keep your eyes focused on the road ahead and you will find your way.

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Moonlight

27 Sep

There is something magical about being outside under the moonlight at night. The darkness is softened by the subtle and soothing light emanating down and everything looks velvety and smooth. The edges aren’t as sharp, the landscape is luminous and the world looks gentler. It’s nice to experience and wonderful to see. But moonlight is only magical at night. During the day the moon is still there, shining down on us but the bright intensity of the sun takes first priority. We need the sun during the day when we’re busier and there is much to accomplish. We need to see all the fine lines and every detail, and the brightness and clarity the sun provides is exactly perfect. Each has its place and time, and provides what we need at precisely the right moment. If we had darkness and moonlight all the time it would be hard to accomplish everything easily. And if the sun were beaming throughout the night it would be difficult to rest. The perfect symmetry of each completes our days and brings order and structure to our existence. They are dependable, reliable, and helpful. We need them both but only at their designated times.

They say timing is everything. When we are able to plan well and organize our activities things often go more easily than when we let things happen on their own. We’ve all been in situations when something we’re trying to accomplish won’t work and we have to wait until things change and try again. Learning to wait for the timing to be right takes patience. If we’re trying to do something we want badly it’s hard to wait. We can try to push the ball forward and hope it will stick and sometimes that works but often no matter what we do we can’t make things move until the time is right. We can wait and as we do we can prepare for the moment when we’re ready to proceed so when it arrives we have everything set to go. Patience isn’t just waiting but taking the time to prepare as we wait. All things come in their appointed time. We can wait and be ready.

Sometimes because of uncertainty or fear we may wait beyond the point of return. The moment we need to act may come and go and because we did nothing we lose our opportunity. Some situations only come around once in a while or even only once in a lifetime, and if we are unsure and hesitant and let them pass us by our chance to grab them may be lost. If we have clearly identified our goals and know where we want to go, when the opportunity to step up arrives we’ll be ready to take it. But if we put off the preparation, are afraid of the challenges or aren’t sure where we want to end up those chances may be lost. If we want to be truly happy we must be ready to take the leap when it arrives. Our lives belong to us and we can do anything we want. We can plan and watch and be ready, and we can succeed.

Today if you’re waiting for a change so you can move forward, use the time to prepare. If you feel unsure, decide the best way forward and plan your future. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Your time is now and everything is waiting for you. Grab your dreams and make them come true.

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Hand Over Hand

15 Sep

Climbing a rope is hard. No matter how much we weigh, pulling our entire bodies up inch by inch is strenuous and difficult. If we are very strong it’s easier but the first time we try we may be surprised at how much effort it takes to pull up even the smallest bit. Hand over hand we pull and each tug takes us up a little further. If the rope is long and we want to reach the top it requires constant strain and determination. It’s hard work but once we’ve completed the task, the reward will be great. When we’re trying to accomplish something difficult it can be like climbing a rope. We pull and reach and make a little progress but if it’s complicated every step forward may take serious effort. Big challenges take time but each step forward takes us a little closer to the goal. If we get tired we can rest, and the goal will wait for us. We are capable of focusing on where we want to go and there isn’t anything we can’t accomplish if we want to badly enough. We can pull and tug taking each step with determination and we can overcome any obstacle in our way.

There are countless opportunities in life. There is no end to what we can learn and experience if we choose to. We can change our lives any way we want to – learn a new language, travel the world, teach a class, go skydiving, become a chef, run a marathon, or anything else we can imagine. There is more to do and see and learn than we could ever accomplish. Every new activity will take us out of our norm. We may be uncomfortable at the beginning as we learn the new skills and the change in environment may be foreign to us. But we are extremely flexible and there isn’t anything we can’t adapt to if our motivation is sufficient. If we want to do something new all it takes is the decision to do it and the determination to master it.

If we like we can have predictable and comfortable lives and never think about changing or attempting to climb any ropes. We know where we are, we know what to expect, and there is comfort in routine. But routine will only give us the growth we can find in doing the same things. Of course, we can become experts where we are and that is a noble goal, but new experiences will open the doors to growth and understanding. If we are timid, we can try new things that are similar to what is familiar. If we are more adventurous we can go far out of our reach and do something entirely different. Our personal experiences are up to us but the further we reach the more we’ll learn and the more confident we will become. We are capable of conquering new goals and stretching our abilities. We are often stronger and more flexible than we think and we may find we are far more courageous than we may have imagined.

Today if you’ve been pulling and tugging to get further down the road and you’re feeling the strain, keep moving forward. If you’ve been comfortable and want to stretch, reach out and grab hold of something new. You have everything you need to succeed and are stronger and more capable than you imagine. Press forward. There isn’t anything you can’t do and you’ll reach any goal you set your sights on.

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Getting the Cheese

8 Sep

There is a saying that the second mouse always gets the cheese. The idea being the first mouse goes to the trap and is destroyed allowing the second mouse to swoop in and grab the spoils once the danger has passed. Although we fortunately don’t have to deal with mousetraps in our lives there may be times when we let someone else go in front of us if there is a complicated or unsettling matter that needs attention. Sometimes it’s because we aren’t sure about the situation and letting someone else go first gives us more information. And sometimes we may be concerned there is trouble ahead and we’d rather let the first guy face it. Letting someone else pave the way can seem like a good idea when we’re unsure or intimidated by a situation. But that doesn’t always work out for us in the end. Yes, we might get the “cheese” if there are problems ahead, but we may lose important opportunities by stepping aside and letting someone else get there ahead of us. There really isn’t any situation or complication we can’t manage. We are brave enough to step up and go first even when things are difficult. We have leadership skills we can call on and all the courage we need. We can choose to be the one to mark the path and forge the way ahead.

Personal confidence is something we can always work on. Being confident in our abilities gives us an edge and helps us achieve and find answers even under difficult circumstances. There will be times of uncertainty and sometimes fear of what lies ahead. We can’t read the future and there is no way to know for certain if we will prevail. But if we study the situation out carefully before we move forward, and confidently proceed, no matter what happens we will find our way. Sometimes things will go well and other times there may be problems. But if we face the situation calmly and confidently we will find whatever answers are needed to move forward.

Getting the cheese isn’t always the most important part of the scenario. We can learn a lot about problems and how to solve them as we face complicated situations. The growth we gain from facing adversity and hardship teaches us how to understand the world and live successfully. Nobody wants to lose at anything but we never lose in any situation if we gain knowledge and understanding – even if we don’t prevail. If we do win and get the cheese it’s an added bonus. If we miss out this time we can take all the information we’ve gained going forward and use it to make our mark the next time around. There really isn’t any problem so complex or difficult we can’t figure out. We have all the tools we need to succeed. Taking advantage of everything we learn in the process helps us every time.

Today if you’re worried about a situation and aren’t sure about it take the time you need to see it objectively. Think about what you want to gain and move forward with confidence. You have all the tools you need to succeed. Everything you want is within reach. You are brave enough and smart enough to do anything. Step up and take charge.

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