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Choosing for Ourselves

2 May

Everyone has their own ideas about life. Some people are free spirits, taking things as they come and just going with the flow. Others are more disciplined and like to make plans each day, modifying as needed while keeping the destination in mind. However we think about things, we must be confident enough to choose the way forward for ourselves. There will always be plenty of people around willing to give us advice, whether we ask for it or not, and they may think they have the answers we need to find happiness and success. Well, they will have answers but there is no way they could possibly know what we need and want better than we know ourselves. Even if they’re highly educated, very successful, and strongly opinionated, they still won’t know us better than we know ourselves. Every decision is ours to make, but if we’re unsettled, or timid, or unsure, we can rely on others for guidance. We can listen to lots of ideas and plans, but in the end if we want to find real happiness and satisfaction, we need to make the decision ourselves. We can’t possibly know everything, and there is no way to see the end of any road at the beginning so we might falter from time to time. We might get stuck or even get lost for a time, but we are intelligent, and no matter where we are, can find the way forward. Even if we’re headed into foreign territory and the road ahead is complex, we can trust ourselves and be confident that we will prevail.  There isn’t anything we can’t do if we are determined and willing to accomplish whatever is needed to make it ours. The world is full of possibilities and every success awaits. We can step forward and make them ours.

There will rarely be a time when what we want to accomplish has only one way to get there. There are generally many roads to every destination. We can objectively review all the options possible, and then choose what works best for us. There is no time limit for success and there is no need to rush. If we need to take our time to see everything clearly, we can. If we get tangled up in complications and need to step back for a time, we can. Lots of things may go right, or they may go wrong but whatever happens, if we stay focused on the goal, we will reach it.

Our lives belong solely to us and we can design them any way we like. Others may not agree with our choices, and may try to discourage us. They may think the goal is too hard for us to reach, or it’ll take too much time, or it’ll take time away from them. Whatever their reasons, their opinions belong to them. We don’t need agreement of permission to do anything we like. We are free agents unto ourselves and can make any decisions we like. There is greatness inside us, and we already have all the wisdom and courage we need to reach any destination. Nothing is beyond our reach, and with focus and clarity, we will succeed.

Today if there’s something you want to do, but you’re unsure about how to proceed, stop and review all the possibilities. If you need guidance, you can get it. If you need more information, it will be there for you. Every answer necessary to pave the road ahead is already waiting. Choose the way forward and confidently take the first step. You are amazing and highly capable, and can do anything. Success is just ahead. Keep moving forward and it will be yours.

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Ice Storm

3 Feb

Weather is unpredictable. The weatherman/woman may try to give us updates on what’s coming, but there are endless changes that happen in nature all the time, and even when rain is expected, we might get a sunny day. If we live in a place where things stay the same – it’s hot or cold year round – there may be little variation to what we experience. But if we are in a place with four seasons, there will be endless variety to what will come. Once in a while, big storms happen that sweep across the country. If we’re in an ice storm, there may be freezing rain that covers everything with a slick of ice that’s impossible to navigate. We can’t safely walk or drive on it, so we must remain in place until it melts. When we go through very devastating, painful experiences, we may be so hurt that we decide to stand still and try hard not to get any attention. It’s fine to take time to heal when we need it, but if we get frozen in place because we’re afraid of what could happen next, it will be impossible to accomplish anything. We can’t move forward if we remain in place. Life is complex, and we never know what will happen next. We may face a terrible time of tragedy and disaster, our lives may be upended and we may be left bereft and lost. It may feel hard to breathe as we try to understand everything that’s happened. Like being in an ice storm, we may feel completely covered with despair that prevents us from moving ahead. We are always in control of our lives, and although we can’t control anything that comes, we can decide to stand firm, no matter what happens. We are stronger and more resilient than we imagine, and there isn’t anything that can hold us in place forever, unless we let it. Hard times can cloud our vision, and make it difficult to see ahead. But we can trust ourselves to handle anything that happens, and find our way forward. Nothing can keep us from the lives we desire, and every success will be there for us.

Everyone experiences things differently. What is devastating for one person may merely be a complication to another. If we’re really struggling with something that happens, others may tell us we’re over reacting and to just get over it. That kind of advice is rarely helpful. Nobody knows what we’re experiencing better than we do. If we need time out, we can take it. If we need help, we can get it. Nothing lasts forever, and change is constant. The situation we’re in now may be desperate and painful, but it will not be permanent. We are strong enough and wise enough to hold on until things change, and find the road ahead.

Something may happen that completely changes our course moving forward. Someone may die, our jobs may suddenly end, a lover may unexpectedly leave – and a hundred other surprising and difficult challenges. We may stand breathless for a moment unsure of how to proceed. Big, abrupt, stunning developments take time to understand. There is no rush to move ahead, and we can take the time we need to find our footing again, and begin to heal. We are more powerful than we think we are, and absolutely nothing can overcome us.

Today if you’re facing a very difficult situation and you have no idea what to do, take the time you need to look at everything objectively and openly. The answers are already there for you. Be patient and decide on how you want to proceed. The road ahead is still there. You are amazing and powerful.  Trust yourself, and step ahead with confidence. Nothing can keep you from success.

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Swimming Laps in the Pool

25 Jan

A lot of people learn how to swim as kids. Maybe we went to the local YMCA for lessons, or our uncle just threw us in the water and told us to figure it out. However, we did it, we gained a valuable skill. Learning to swim is like riding a bike. Once you know how to do it, you don’t forget. If we know how to swim, we may be confident we could easily swim laps in a pool with no problem. The first day we go and jump in we may think it’ll be a snap – we’ll just start and be able to do several laps before we quit. But knowing how to do something and becoming proficient in it are two different things. Our first time in the water we may be surprised that although we know how to swim, actually getting to the other side of the pool is harder than it looks. It takes a lot of effort, and we may be gasping for air after going just a few feet. We may be stunned by what we can’t do. If we are determined and continue to spend time working on it, we will improve and be able to accomplish the goals we’ve set, but that won’t happen over night or in one week. It may take a lot of time before we feel comfortable and confident. The same is true with most goals we set. We may already possess many of the requirements to reach success, but they will still take time and effort to achieve. We can do anything we want and nothing is out of reach, but we must be willing to do what is necessary to make them ours. We are strong and powerful, and we know what we want. By planning carefully, and then doing the work, we can reach any destination.

It isn’t hard to climb a mountain. You just have to put one foot in front of the other until you reach the top. Sounds simple right? But there lots of factors that make it harder than it seems. Although we’re essentially just walking, it’s all uphill which is far harder than walking on a flat surface. Then there are weather factors. If it’s a very high mountain, it will likely be cold and involve snow and ice. There may even be breathing issues due to high altitude. Although it seems simple in theory, actually climbing a mountain is not easy. When we begin toward any goal, there is no way to know what complications will get in our way. By keeping our eyes focused ahead and unraveling each problem that arises, if we’re determined, we will succeed.

Everyone admires successful people. They seem to have everything figured out and know what to do. What we don’t see is all the time and trouble they went through to get to success. Nobody pays attention when we’re just starting out, or when the bank turns down our loan, and we are just making ends meet. Nobody sees all the problems, and complications, and headaches that come because we refuse to give up. Success isn’t always easy, but if we keep our eyes on the prize, no matter what gets in the way, we will reach the top and find great satisfaction.

Today if there is a goal you want that’s more difficult than you imagined, decide how you want to proceed. You are smarter and stronger than you think you are, and if you want success, you can have it. Look at the road ahead and plan your next steps. There isn’t anything too difficult for you to overcome or too hard for you to understand. Be confident and trust yourself. The whole world is there for you and every success awaits.

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Not Never

8 Nov

The world is a big place and there are endless opportunities to do things and unlimited places to go. We are in control of our lives and can design them any way we like and set any goals moving forward. We can make any decisions we desire but not everything will be easy to achieve. As we move along we may encounter serious problems, complications and delays as we try to push ahead. If we don’t have all the information we need to succeed, we may end up going in the wrong direction and fail to reach the goal. Failure is difficult to accept and can make us feel like we can’t do anything right. But failure is a great teacher if we take the time to see everything clearly and learn all we can from what went wrong. We may not reach the destination today, but that doesn’t mean we’ll never get there. Success is always possible and failure is just an indication that it hasn’t happened yet. Just because we didn’t make it to the goal this time, doesn’t mean the journey is over. There are countless roads to take, and if the one we’ve been on doesn’t take us where we want to go, we can step onto another. The only time failure is terminal is if we quit. It may be hard to start again, but quitting will certainly never take us anywhere. Of course, if we want to, we can give in and surrender to defeat, stay in our own lane and keep doing what we’re doing. But we have great potential and if we want to move forward, we will find the way to do it. We are smarter and more capable than we think we are, and when we’re ready there isn’t anything we can’t do. By trusting ourselves, and keeping our eyes focused ahead, we will reach every goal. The whole world is there for us and every dream is possible. We can be sure and confident that no matter what happens, we’ll reach success.

Routines are comfortable and powerful. When we do the same things over and over, we pretty much know what to expect. If we try something new and it doesn’t work out, we aren’t doomed to stay in place. There is great value and benefit to experiencing new things and opening new doors, and there will always be endless chances to try again. We can explore whatever we want, and each new experience will enrich us and enhance our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Change is constant and if we want something more than where we are, just turning a little to the left or right may open broad new horizons. We don’t have to completely upend our lives to bring more interest and value. Success isn’t defined by doing the extreme like climbing Mt. Everest or traveling the world. Success is ours when we open new doors around us and try new things. We don’t know what we’re capable of until we try. We have so much to offer, and every success is possible. Nothing is out of reach and we really can have the lives we dream of.

Today if your plans didn’t work out and you didn’t reach the goal, it’s not the end of your journey. If you still want to reach the destination, look at everything objectively and decide on a new plan. Learn all you can from where you’ve been and take that knowledge forward to help you succeed. You are the most amazing person in your life. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Be confident, trust yourself, and start again. Everything is there for you and you will win.

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Our Journey

6 Sep

There are billions of people on the earth and each is individual and unique. We all have ideas about how things should go and what we want to do. Our personal journeys are ours to determine and design. There are endless possibilities and we can do anything we like and go anywhere we want. The future awaits and once we decide how we want to proceed, we can step on any road we choose and move forward. It would be great if others agreed with our choices, and that will likely happen at some point. But our lives belong to us and we don’t need agreement or approval to move in any direction we desire. Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves, and nobody else needs to understand our journey. All families and groups have traditions, and it’s easier when everyone goes along with what’s always been done, but we aren’t responsible for making life easy for those around us. There may be pressure to conform, but we are responsible for our own lives, and no matter what others think or prefer, can go our own way. The world is a big place filled with opportunities. Each choice we make will take us somewhere, and if we choose what we want the most, we will find great happiness and satisfaction. By trusting ourselves, and stepping forward toward the goals we most desire, every dream is possible. We know who we are and what we want, and with clarity and determination, will reach every success.

Sometimes when there are a lot of choices possible, it’s difficult to decide on one. Everything has its benefits and drawbacks, and before we can make a decision, we must first decide what we want to accomplish. Just going from one thing to another, trying this and that, is fine if we just want to superficially experience a lot of different things. But if we want to be successful at actually achieving a goal, we must choose the destination and then do what is necessary to make it ours. There will always be unforeseen complications and snags along the way, but they don’t mean we cannot succeed. We are intelligent and capable, and with determination can achieve anything we desire.

Nobody can see the future or know what will happen next. Once we begin toward a goal we may discover that the road to reaching it is far harder and will take far longer than we thought. If it’s too complex for us to manage right now, we can set it aside until we get more information or our situation changes. There is no rush to reach success, and once we’re ready to start again, we can move forward one step at a time, untangling complications as we go, and with faith and determination, reach the goal.

Today decide what you want and how you want to proceed. The journey ahead is yours to determine, and nothing is out of reach. You don’t need to explain your choice or get approval before you begin. Every destination is possible and nothing can keep you from success. Choose the road forward, and take the first step. Nothing can keep you from success. You are wiser and stronger than you imagine, and you will win.

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