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Cherry Picking

10 Jun

A big cherry tree covered with fat, red, glossy cherries is a lovely sight to behold. When it’s time to pick them, the tree may be heavy laden and its branches sagging under the weight of the delectable fruit. As we pick them, we might marvel at the natural beauty of each cherry and like a treasure hunt we look for the very best fruit to pick. When we look at all the talents and gifts we possess it’s like the cherry tree burgeoning with fruit. Each gift we possess is a beautiful piece that will bring pleasure and gratitude when we share it. We all have a lot to offer and the variety of our gifts is endless. But if we hold them close, never letting them shine, they may wither and die. Giving of ourselves to those around us, sharing our talents with them and offering our time to serve and help makes the most of our fruit and allows us to grow. The more we give, the more we get in return. Our lives are blessed and bountiful when we are open and share the gifts we have with those around us.

This life brings countless opportunities to learn and grow. We can shut ourselves off and live small, enclosed lives that keep us isolated and apart. We can live our lives alone and make all our decisions based solely on our personal wants and needs. If we do we may find contentment in control over our experiences but we will be restricted from those around us and their influence. Everyone has something of value to share and we learn from every person we allow into our lives. If we keep ourselves separate and alone, we cannot benefit from the growth available to us by sharing our lives with others. And if we don’t share our gifts the world cannot be embellished by our presence. Our gifts are unique to us and we are the only ones who can offer them. If we refuse, the light they could bring will never be seen.

Sharing our gifts with others takes confidence. We must believe they are worthwhile and have value. Everyone has something wonderful and unique that nobody else possesses. We can allow others to see our special gifts and be magnified by them. We have our own perspective and an exclusive viewpoint that nobody else possesses. If we offer that and expose the world to our personal characteristics, we add new flavor and dimension to those around us. The world will be greater and more beautiful than if we keep it to ourselves. Just like those beautiful cherries on the tree, we can offer something wonderful and unique that will bring pleasure and joy to those around us.

Today if you’ve been holding back your unique thoughts and perspectives, let them shine through and share them with others. You have so much to offer. Don’t just be a tree in a forest of other trees. Be a cherry tree filled with bright red fruit ready to give. We all want to know you. Tell us who you are and show us your personal gifts. We will all benefit when you do.

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Not Possible

26 May

When we want to do something new, especially something that hasn’t been done before, we may hear others tell us it can’t be done. If nobody has yet accomplished what we’ve set our sights on, some may say it isn’t possible. But that isn’t always true. Every day someone does something nobody has ever achieved in the past and although we know that, if we’re trying to do something new, the opinions of those around us may influence us. It would be wonderful if we could get unlimited support for all our ideas, but that doesn’t often happen. There will be some who will agree with our plans and even try to help with them, and others who will tell us we’ll never succeed. Perhaps there is fear for our safety, or fear of the changes the accomplishment could bring. Sometimes people aren’t supportive because they lack the courage to try new things and don’t want others to succeed. But if we want to do something, no matter what that something is, we are certainly capable of doing it. Even if all the winds blow against us, if we are determined to succeed, we can move forward. There really isn’t anything we can’t do if we want to badly enough. It doesn’t matter if it’s never been done before, it doesn’t matter if nobody thinks we can succeed, and it doesn’t matter if we’re the only ones who want to do it. We can do anything we like. We have enough initiative and courage to accomplish anything. All we need is to believe in ourselves.

Sometimes we start something new and unforeseen complications arise that make it hard to move forward. We don’t always know all the details at the beginning and when they appear they can stop us for a time. We may begin to doubt our ability to move forward. We might start to listen when we hear others say it can’t be done, and we might begin to believe it was a bad idea. But we can remember why we wanted to do this, and why it was important to us. If it’s still something we want, we can manage whatever complications arise. It might take longer than we thought it would to get to the goal, and it might be harder than we knew when we started. None of that matters if we really want to succeed. If it takes longer, we can stay on course. If it’s harder, we can get help. There is nothing that can stop us if we want the goal badly enough.

As we push forward, eventually the end will be in sight. Sometimes when we get close to success we feel trepidation. When the goal is near, we may feel unsure we can manage the changes that are coming. After all, we’ve spent all our time pressing forward and really have no idea what things will look like when we get to the end. We may hesitate to take the last few steps. If that happens we can remember why we set the goal to begin with and what we want to gain. We can be confident in our decision to seek it and bravely move forward to success. Change always takes some adjustment, even when the change is positive. We are perfectly capable of managing success and adjusting to whatever changes it brings. We know what we want and we are courageous enough to get it.

Today if there is something you really want to do but others are saying it can’t be done, or that it isn’t possible, trust yourself. You know what you want and you know how to succeed. Set your course and move forward. You are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. You deserve all the success you are seeking. Keep your eyes focused forward and you’ll get there.

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Filters

24 May

Life brings us a lot of different experiences. Some are happy, some sad, things go well and then not so well, disappointments and victories come, and with each experience we learn something more about ourselves, our lives, and those around us. As we change we carry information forward from what we’ve learned. Those lessons help us understand more about who we are and what we want, but they may also color the way we perceive things. For instance, if we have a very bad experience with a dog, we may fear or hate all dogs going forward. Or if something painful happens to us in a specific situation, we may avoid all similar situations in the future. It’s good to learn from our experiences but if they create filters that restrict our lives we may miss out on opportunities available to us. If we learn as we go without fear or avoidance, we will be more successful in living fully and embracing our lives completely. We can’t predict the future but the odds of repeating an exact experience going forward is unlikely. Allowing one bad or uncomfortable situation to color our lives indefinitely may keep us locked down and unable to see everything available to us. We can navigate difficult experiences, learn from them, and then move on. This life is all about change. We don’t have to hold onto anything that holds us back.

Sometimes we have pre-conceived ideas about things based on what we’ve seen in the past or what we’ve been taught. The problem with assuming is that we’re often wrong in the assumption. If we decide something is round because it was round before, and we’ve heard it’s round but never seen it, we may proceed accepting that as truth even if what we’re looking at is a square. Our minds can play tricks on us if we let them and we can be convinced of something that isn’t real because of where we’ve been or what we’ve seen in the past. If we can set our personal experiences aside and look at our situations objectively and openly, we may find that things are completely different than what we first imagined they would be. Learning to see things as they really are will open our lives up to new possibilities for growth and understanding, but we must be willing to see clearly and accept what is real.

It’s wise to protect ourselves from situations we believe will hurt us or make our lives difficult. And there is nothing wrong with pro-actively trying to be in the best place we can. But if we lock the doors around us because we are afraid from a previous experience, or we aren’t sure we can manage whatever is locked behind them, we may be protected from possible pain but we may also prevent possible happiness. If we filter our possibilities because we are unsure or afraid, we also filter any benefits that may come to us. It takes courage to step out of our comfort zones and take a chance, but we have sufficient courage to do anything we want. We are able to make excellent decisions and brave enough to move forward. Life teaches us a lot and we can do everything we need to be successful and happy. There isn’t anything we can’t manage and we can open all the doors in front of us.

Today if you’ve been holding back because of experiences in the past and you aren’t sure about going forward, remember you can do anything. Open all the doors. There is nothing you can’t handle. Be confident. You have everything you need to be successful and happy.

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No Return

17 May

Sometimes things happen to us that are unfixable. Sometimes relationships end suddenly, sometimes we face a detour so extreme our lives are altered going forward, and sometimes everything we thought was real goes up in smoke. Some problems may alter our destination forever and break our momentum for a time. We can’t prevent all the bad things that may happen to us but we can get through whatever comes. But getting through a difficult development and trying to fix what’s been broken are two different things. There will be times in everyone’s life when something changes everything and there is no going back. We can never return to where we were. It can be hard to navigate times like those, and we have to take it step by step. Accepting what we thought we had or what we hoped we’d find will never come is very difficult. However, no matter how hard the situation is we can face it. No matter how complicated it becomes we can manage it. And no matter how devastated we feel, we will move through it. There isn’t anything strong enough to stop us forever. We may get stalled for a time but we will find our way again and figure out how to go forward.

Some people love surprises. The unexpected is delightful to them and they love the thrill of not knowing. For others, surprises are unpleasant and they prefer to know what’s happening and where they’re headed at all times. No matter what we like, unexpected bad news is never welcome. We all try our best to plan for happiness and peace as we move along, and when those plans work for us we feel content and settled. Things move along as we want them to and nobody is rocking the boat. But when the water gets high and suddenly the boat is leaking, it can fill quickly and leave us panicked trying to figure out what to do. There is no guarantee in anyone’s life that things will go well. We can plan, we can try, and we can do everything in our power to ensure a safe journey. When unexpected complications come we must find a way through them if we want to succeed.

When things go wrong and everything changes we can feel overwhelmed and lost, especially if the problem is serious and threatening. We can lose our footing and feel like we’re going under. We may need time to find our way again, and we may need to change things in our lives in order to move forward. There is nothing wrong with modifying our plans but that can be painful and the pain can paralyze us. If we remember this is just a passage and not a destination, we will find more confidence to move forward. Nothing is permanent in our lives. Everything changes and no matter what problems we’re facing, no matter how invasive and frightening they are, they will not last forever. We will move through them and they will pass. We have all the courage we need to face anything and all the inspiration we need to find our way. We can keep moving forward even if our destination has changed. We can slog through the deep mud and find our way back to solid ground.

Today if you’re facing a serious setback or a complication that has changed where you’re headed, have faith. You will find your way. The road is still there beneath your feet. You can keep walking forward. Turn a little and adjust your course. You have everything you need to conquer whatever you’re facing. There is nothing too big for you to handle. Keep moving forward. The answers are there and you’ll find them.

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Where We’re Headed

12 May

There are all kinds of destinations we can choose as we live our lives. We can decide to accomplish anything we want, go anywhere we like and become the people we most want to be. But sometimes where we think we’re headed isn’t exactly where we’re going. We may think we want something, even plan to get it, but then get on a road that will never take us to it. It might happen because although the goal sounds good to us we aren’t really sure it’s what we want. Or maybe others have suggested it’s what’s best, but we aren’t convinced. We can pretend to be going one way, and really move forward another. If there is pressure for us to be a certain way and achieve certain things we might go along and act as though they are important to us even if they aren’t. But doing that leaves us with no direction at all. It’s impossible to go to two places at the same time. If we’re pretending to go east and really want to go west, we may sit still and go nowhere. We can decide what direction is best for us and no matter what others or situations suggest we can always go our own way. But first we have to decide where our true destination lies. After that we can chart our course and begin the journey.

We live in a world with lots of influences. Our families may have ideas about what’s best for us, our friends may voice their opinions, our lovers may tell us what they think we should do, our bosses may direct us, and society itself may make us feel pressure in one direction or another. We can listen to all the opinions and ideas but in the end we must choose what is right for us. Making that choice can be more difficult if we aren’t sure where we want to go. With so many possibilities, and so many options many of which look good, it can be hard to determine what we want most. But if we take the time to think about where we want to go and how we want to get there our direction will become clear. We have all the courage and determination we need to accomplish anything we like. Once we decide what we really want, there really isn’t anything strong enough to stop us.

Journeys can be complicated. We rarely get from point A to point B by going in an unbreakable straight line. Life enters in, complications arise, we get side tracked, there are detours ahead, and a million things can come up that skew our direction. But if we keep our eyes focused on the goal and are determined to get there, no matter what happens we will press forward and get back on the road. We don’t have to rush, and we don’t have to give up when it gets hard. We can keep moving forward step by step until we reach the destination. How long it takes to get there isn’t important. The important thing is that we’re headed in the right direction.

Today if you’ve been uncertain about which way you want to go, stop and decide what you want most. Things will clarify and you’ll find your direction. Then chart your course and start moving forward. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. The road may be long but you are strong enough to walk it. Keep your eyes focused forward and you’ll reach your destination. You have everything you need to succeed.

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