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Skipping Over

16 Jul

Everything we want to accomplish will require something. Few things we desire will come without effort , and if we want to get to a goal, generally we’ll have to plan and work diligently to make it ours. Some things will come easily and require little to achieve, but others may be very difficult and demand lots of time, work, and focus to accomplish. When we want something that’s hard to reach, and it will require a lot of sacrifice to get it, we might look around for some kind of shortcut. Maybe we can skip over some things, fudge on some others, and try to wiggle our way through without having to work so hard. We might find a way to get around some of it, and reach the goal earlier and easier than if we’d done all the work. That may seem like a great idea, but the catch is that everything we do to get to the goal teaches of something of value we’ll need once we achieve it. We may arrive with only half the tools necessary to proceed forward with success. If we’re in college and don’t want to do an assignment, write a paper, or accomplish a task, we could get someone else to do it for us. Of course, that’s cheating, but if our personal standards are low and all we want is the grade, we may choose that option. Once done, we may complete the course and get the desired grade, but the knowledge we could have learned by doing the work ourselves will be absent. We may face a situation going forward where our future success depends on the experience and knowledge we would have gained by doing the previous work ourselves. Success is always possible, but the road to it is paved with work and focus. Skipping over the lessons we need to succeed will never help us. We are capable of accomplishing anything. By choosing to pave the road ahead by staying in and working hard, every dream will be possible. We can trust ourselves to accomplish whatever we desire, and create the lives we want the most.

We all have the same amount of time every day. We’re responsible for our own lives, and if we take on more than we can reasonably accomplish in the time allotted, our situation will become stressful and difficult. Doing half the work needed or skipping over necessary steps to get everything done will not help us succeed. We may look like we’re accomplishing tasks, but the items overlooked may come back to bite us. By taking the time to plan our work effectively, and declining more than we can manage, we will gain greater confidence and find increased success.

Many things must be done in order. Skipping steps and trying to succeed is like trying to drive a car without putting gas in it. No matter how much we think positively, the car isn’t going anywhere without fuel. We are intelligent and capable, and have everything we need to accomplish anything we want. We have all the wisdom and courage to tackle difficult accomplishments and succeed. By trusting ourselves, and stepping forward with confidence, nothing is out of reach and we will prevail.

Today if you’ve been sidestepping and looking for shortcuts to get through a difficult task, trust yourself. You’ve already accomplished many challenging things and nothing is too hard for you to manage. Stand firm and look at everything objectively. All the answers you need are there for you, and nothing can keep you from success.

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Disguised

2 Jul

Life is full of challenges and trials. Some things come easily but many times we have to work through problems and complications to get what we want. People and situations may get in our way, and we may be frustrated just trying to take another step forward. Obstacles are a normal part of life and we all face them from time to time. They interrupt our plans, and give us grief. When we’re facing a big obstacle, it may be a huge impasse and inconvenience. But we can look closer and discover opportunities. Every challenge has value and some sort of blessing attached to it. Many opportunities are disguised at first as obstacles. When we come upon them, instead of pulling our hair out and screaming because there is yet something else blocking us, we can step back and look at everything objectively. Yes there’s something in the way, but if we look under the surface, we may see there is also an opportunity hidden beneath. Hard trials are difficult, but as we navigate through them we gain additional strength. Complicated issues may confound us, but as we untangle them we gain increased knowledge. No matter what we’re facing, no matter how dire things seem, there are benefits to be gained as we confront them. Everything may look jumbled up and confused at first, but as we peel back each layer and solve each problem, the road ahead will clear and we will find our way forward. We are intelligent and capable, and there isn’t anything too difficult for us to manage. By taking things one step at a time, and looking carefully at each development, opportunities will arise and we will prevail. We are amazingly strong and can do anything. The whole world is there for us, and nothing can keep us from success.

There will be few times when everything we plan goes exactly as predicted. Some roads will be paved and clear, and we’ll advance easily and comfortably, but those experiences are rare. Most of the time there will be snags and complications. If we’ve been pushing through trouble for a while, we may begin to believe the goal isn’t possible, and it might not be possible right now. We can set it aside and wait for our situation to change, and then go back and start again. Every destination is there for us and with patience and determination, we can do anything.

Dreaming and planning for what we want is important, but until we begin to do what is necessary to gain the goal, nothing will change. There is no magic genie to grant us three wishes, or a fairy godmother to magically change our situation. We are in control of our lives, and if we want something different, we can make it happen. We are more powerful than we imagine, and nothing is out of reach. By trusting ourselves, standing strong, and moving forward with confidence, we can make our dreams come true.

Today if there’s a big obstacle in your way and you’re stuck and frustrated, look at everything clearly and objectively. There is an opening there for you and an opportunity to advance, and you will find it. Every single dream is possible, and nothing can keep you from success. Be confident and step forward. You will reach the destination.

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Digging In

3 Jun

Everyday we face new challenges and make choices about how we’ll proceed. Life is filled with all kinds of experiences, and since we don’t live on a deserted island, there will be others around who may influence us one way or another. We may get all kinds of advice and suggestions, which may be helpful or might be misleading. If someone near us is very powerful and strong willed, they may demand that we follow their suggestions for moving forward. Some people are very smart and confident and may be sure they are steering us in the best direction, and maybe they’re right. Of course, we can listen to any advice we’re given, but nobody knows us better than we know ourselves. Nobody will have our personal insight regarding what we want and how we want to proceed. Taking someone else’s suggestion might be great, or it might not. There will be no way to find out unless we implement whatever they have suggested and try it out. If we follow someone else’s lead, and things go well, terrific. If everything goes bust and we end up in a terrible situation, we may be tempted to blame them for our demise, but we own every decision we make. We choose the roads we’ll travel. We own them whether they bring us happiness or misery. Everyone has their own ideas about life, and each is unique and individual. We know what we want and have everything we need to go anywhere and do anything. We can trust ourselves to choose the best road ahead and find our way to success. If we need more information, we can find it and then step forward on our own path. Others may disagree and criticize our choice, but the choice is ours to make. We can dig in and stand firm on what we want to do and how we will proceed. There is enough courage and wisdom inside us to guide us anywhere we want to go. Success is always there, and we will reach it.

Nobody knows everything. We can only get information that’s available at any moment in time and sometimes we may take a wrong turn because there were facts we were unaware of. We can only see what’s just ahead and there may be twists and turns in the future that hold us back or stop us in our tracks. If the road gets tangled, and we can’t push forward, we can choose another route. There are endless roads to every destination, and with persistence and patience, we will prevail.

Someone may think they know us better than we know ourselves, and if they aren’t in agreement with our plans, may try to dissuade us or obstruct the way forward. They may know us well, but nobody can possibly know what we want better than we do. The road ahead may be difficult, but we are strong. It may be complex, but we are intelligent. Nothing can keep us from any goal we desire, and we will succeed.

Today if you’re getting lots of advice regarding a specific goal, trust yourself. Decide how you want to proceed, and step forward. You are wiser and more powerful than you imagine, and every destination is there for you. Success is waiting, and with focus and clarity, nothing will keep you from it. Every dream is possible, and you will prevail.

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Fitting In or Standing Out

4 May

Life is full of differences, and sometimes it seems just when we’ve figured everything out where we are, something happens and suddenly everything changes. Variety may be the spice of life, but when we’re different from everyone else, we may wish for commonality. There’s a lot to be said for sameness when we feel out of our element, and like the odd man out. We’re all individuals, and nobody is exactly like anyone else, but cultural and other influences may cause people to adopt similar behaviors and traditions. If we’re new to the scene, and aren’t like everyone else, we may feel uncomfortable. It’s easier to fit in when everyone is on the same page and doing the same things. We may feel pressure to conform to a behavior or pattern we don’t understand or don’t want. Fitting in usually makes social situations easier, and if we look like everyone else, use the same language and act the same way, we will be able to blend in. Nobody stands out when they are just like everyone else. There may be times when we’ll want to blend in and basically be invisible because we are unsure or lack the confidence necessary to do things our own way. We can certainly fade into the background all we like, but we are the only ones on the entire earth who can offer the gifts we have to give. The blessings we have to share are ours alone and will bring great light and benefit to those around us. But nobody will ever know what we have if we stay quiet and hide in the shadows. We don’t have to be loud and boisterous to make ourselves known, but we can step forward and share our lives and ideas with those around us. We have so much to offer and we can be confident enough to speak up. We can be ourselves and still find our place, no matter where we are. The whole world is blessed because we are here.

We make lots of connections as we go through our lives and build many kinds of relationships. Those around us may wish to include us in their activities, and we can certainly participate in anything we like. But we never have to do anything we don’t want to do. Just because everyone else in the group wants to be involved, if it doesn’t feel right for us, we may politely decline and step away. Our journey is ours to design and we can manage it any way we like.

There may be times when because someone has authority over us, we may be compelled to do certain things we don’t want. Our bosses, our family members, someone we love and honor very much, may ask us for something we would prefer not to do. In those moments, it will be up to us to weigh agreement against any ramifications a denial may bring. Every situation is different, and we are smart enough and wise enough to make the best decision at every turn.

Today if you’re having trouble fitting in where you are, remember you are unique and valuable. You don’t have to go along to get along. Be yourself and share your ideas. Your gifts are valuable and worthwhile. Stand tall and be confident. The whole world is better, and we’re all blessed because you are here.

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Nothing To See Here

19 Apr

We all make dozens of choices every day. Life is busy and can be complicated, and the decisions we make now can have a serious impact on what happens next. We all want to make good choices that bring us the results we most desire, but we aren’t perfect, and we will make mistakes. Sometimes we make a bad choice because we didn’t get all the facts beforehand, or someone else manipulated the situation, or we just took a wrong turn. It happens, and when it happens to us, we may be very uncomfortable. Although we know what we’ve done, we may try to escape the blame by hiding, or pretending we have no idea how everything went awry. We might say, “It wasn’t me. Nothing to see here.” We can deny our part in any situation, but truth has a way of revealing itself, and if we’ve lied, our dishonesty will come back to bite us. Everyone falters from time to time, and it’s best to simply admit our mistake and then do what’s necessary to fix it. We are accountable for everything we do – good or bad. Falling down doesn’t mean we’re useless and complete failures. It just shows us what didn’t work and gives us the chance to try again. We are strong enough and wise enough to recognize where we went wrong and find the answers we need to correct our course and continue forward. A wrong turn doesn’t end our journey. The road is still there for us and after we repair what’s been broken and amend what’s gone wrong, we have every opportunity to try again. Life is full of chances. If we make a mistake the first time, we can start over. If we get it wrong again, we can try another time. Nothing can keep us from success if we’re willing to do what is needed to reach it. Every single dream is possible, and if we stay the course, and remain focused on the goal, we will achieve greatness.

When we say something, people believe us. If we don’t tell the truth, once we’re exposed and our lies are laid bare, we will lose the trust of those around us. Our relationships will suffer and may never be completely restored. We can trust ourselves and those around us enough to always be honest, even when the news is bad. Our integrity and honesty are worth more than we can imagine, and by being truthful, we will build connections and open doors ahead.

There is no way to change the past. Once something happens, it will stand forever. Trying to paint a bad choice with pretty colors will not change the facts. Truth is truth. If we’ve made a big mistake, we can look at where we went wrong, and think about all the options possible for us to repair the situation and move forward. Nothing is permanent and everything can be changed. We can trust ourselves to find the way ahead and begin again.

Today if you’ve made a big mistake and you’re worried and embarrassed, step forward and stand tall. Nobody expects perfection. Look at everything openly and clearly, and decide how you want to proceed. Every success is still there for you and nothing can keep you from it. Be confident, and sure. You have so much to offer, and you will succeed.

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