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Too Much

7 Jun

There are times in everyone’s life when we want something new. Maybe we want to learn a new skill, get more education, move up in our careers, or try something completely different. When we’re thinking about a change and all that it will entail to make it happen we can sometimes think we can’t do it. Or we might think we aren’t worthy of the growth, or we may even think we don’t deserve it. There is a lot to experience in this life but we can only have the experiences we’re willing to try. If we don’t believe we can do something, odds are we won’t do it. If we don’t think we can manage the challenge, we may not even try. But we can do anything we want to do. There isn’t anything out of reach if we want it badly enough. And we all deserve everything we want in our lives. We don’t have to be perfect, we don’t have to get approval, and we don’t have to wait. We can have anything we want as soon as we’re ready to do what it takes to get it. There is nothing that is too much for us. We can climb mountains, learn to fly, get an advanced degree, open a new business, or just take one day a week off. It’s all up to us. We don’t need the support of everyone around us. All we need to do is decide. And then go for it.

Some people like routines and keeping things the same. There is security in knowing what to expect each day, and that security is important to some. But the problem with keeping everything the same is that nothing changes. And when nothing changes we can’t grow. If we want a life that’s fulfilling and challenging, we have to be willing to try new things. Getting out of our comfort zones isn’t always easy. They’re called comfort zones because we’re comfortable in them. If we step away from them and do something new it may open up a whole new arena in our lives. We can’t know what’s outside if we stay indoors all the time. There are limitless experiences waiting for us but we have to be willing to let them in.

We may not always get support from those around us when we decide to change our lives. They may say we’re too young or too old, it’s too hard, they don’t want us to change because they like things the way they are, or a thousand others reasons. If they try to keep us the same it just means they don’t want to change. They may certainly keep their lives any way they want them and that has no bearing on our decisions. Everyone can choose the type of life they want. If we want to, we can embrace all our dreams and forge ahead to make them come true. We are the only ones who can make our dreams a reality. There are no fairy godmothers coming to grant our wishes and there is no magic spell that will make them come true. We can do it ourselves. There is no dream that’s too big, no change that’s too much, and no future we can’t create. We have everything we need to have the kind of life we want.

Today if you’ve been dreaming of a life different than the one you’ve been living, change your course. Set out on a path that will make your dreams come true. You can do anything. There is nothing strong enough to keep you from moving forward. You deserve everything you want and you can get it. Open all the doors and push through. The destination is waiting for you.

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The Delete Key

3 Jun

In this day of computers, anything we write or create may be erased with the push of a button.  It’s very convenient if we change our plans or make a mistake.  All we have to do is press the delete key and all evidence of the activity disappears.  It’s like magic. Sometimes we might wish we had a delete key for our lives.  Maybe we do something we regret, or say something we didn’t mean, or get involved in a situation that brings us sorrow.  It would be great when those things happen if we could just delete the experience and move on.  It would be such a blessing to be able to remove all reminders of the event and completely erase it from our lives.  Sadly that is never an option.  In this life, once a card is played it’s there forever.  Our actions, good or bad, become part of our irrevocable history.  We all make mistakes.  They can’t be avoided and they teach us the lessons we need to learn to be happy and successful.  But it doesn’t feel good when we’re in the midst of them and have to push through whatever complications they bring us.  Although we may wish for the delete key in our lives, if we can remember that each experience teaches us something of value we can move forward with confidence despite what has happened in the past.

As we go through our lives we enjoy happy experiences and hope they’ll stay with us.  We endure the hard ones as well, and pray they’ll end quickly.  But we learn the most from the hard times as they mold us and teach us about who we are and what we want.  Often as we look back at the things we’ve been through we see the times that were the hardest taught us the most valuable lessons.  It’s hard to be grateful for difficulty and nobody prays for trouble in their lives.  But the trouble is what teaches us.  We learn good things from the easy times and enjoy them when we have them.  The hard times aren’t usually enjoyable and even if we wish we could magically make them disappear, give us endurance and help us find pleasure and joy even when things are going wrong.  Those gifts brings a richness to our lives that easy living could never give us.  Everyone wants to live a strong, rich life and struggling helps us achieve that.

We all have some regrets.  Perhaps we have deep regrets for decisions we’ve made, but we all have the opportunity to learn from those experiences so we don’t have to repeat them.  The sorrow of heartbreak helps us appreciate those who love us.  The remorse for dishonesty reminds us how important it is to be true.  The sting of betrayal teaches us how to be loyal.  Every problem brings a blessing.  If we can remember what we’re learning when we’re struggling we won’t yearn for the delete key.  We can embrace whatever comes to us – good or bad – learn from it and go forward with more understanding and greater confidence.  People often use the phrase, “It’s all good,” when describing an experience.  In our lives that’s true – it’s all good in one way or another.

Today if you wish you could go back and erase something, and remove it as though it never happened, stop and look at how much you learned from the experience.  You have come so far and each day takes you closer to where you want to be.  Embrace everything you’re going through.  You’re becoming the person you most want to be with each step you take.  And that person is the perfect reflection of you.

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Unrealized

31 May

We all have a lot of potential in our lives. There are limitless things we can do and learn, and every day we can try something new. But potential is not achievement. What is possible doesn’t mean anything if we do nothing. Life is full of choices and every choice we make takes us somewhere. If we choose to, we can live mediocre lives and follow along without ever trying to be the best we could be. We don’t have to test our limits and see how far we can go. We may have great potential, but potential is unrealized expectation. There is the possibility we could achieve something great, but without action it will sit dormant. Nothing happens unless we do it. We will never go as far as we can, or achieve all that’s possible unless we do what is needed ourselves. Nobody will hand us success. It’s always available to us, but the choice to go get it is ours.

Sometimes it takes time to decide what we want to achieve. We have to figure out what we want most and how we want to live. We may perceive limitations that keep us from trying, or be intimidated by change. But if we want to do something, no matter what it is, we can do it. It takes the decision to succeed, determination to stay the course, and focus to get where we want to go. We’re all capable of doing great things and only we can decide what those things are. We may need some time to determine exactly where we want to go, but we can choose any direction we like, and then chart a course to get there. If we stay true to our desires and focused on our goal, we will succeed and our potential will be realized.

It’s frustrating and unfulfilling to live our lives endlessly hoping for things and doing nothing to achieve them. We can hope we’ll lose weight, hope we’ll make more money, hope we’ll become more educated, hope we’ll get better jobs and all the rest. But hope is only desire and anticipation. It doesn’t help us actually achieve the thing we want. If we really want to move forward to the things we desire, we have to work for them and do what is needed to achieve them. We can realize all our potential. We can make all our dreams reality but we have to do what is needed to get there. Potential is great. It helps us plan for our future and what we want most. But until we start moving forward, potential is only what’s possible. We have everything we need to change potential into achievement. We can do anything we want to do. We can move forward and when we do, all our dreams can come true.

Today if you’ve been hoping for something and you know you are capable of more than you’re doing, start planning to move forward. You have unlimited potential for success. You have everything you need to succeed and you deserve every success. Take the first step toward your goals, and then take another. Keep moving forward and you’ll realize all your greatest potential and make all your dreams come true.

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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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Mount Everest

19 May

When someone decides they want to climb Mount Everest, it takes a long time to prepare. They must have a lot of experience climbing other peaks before they attempt such an arduous journey, and they must be in top physical condition. Before they go they have to be sure they can manage the physical requirements that will be placed on them by enduring other similar experiences. The climb to the top will be long and difficult and the weather is always unpredictable. Additionally, they will need to interact with others in a way that will ensure their safety and support. It’s a big challenge and a serious decision. Going unprepared or unwilling to do what is needed could mean extreme danger or even the loss of life. Climbers sometimes prepare for years for this challenge, and even then sometimes don’t succeed on getting to the summit. It pushes them to their limit but the only way to know if they can do it is to try. And so they climb.

We may never choose to climb Mount Everest or any other mountain. But we will face extreme challenges in our lives that will push us to our limits and make us question our abilities. They may be physical challenges but often are other types of situations. We will all face big decisions, major disappointments, and changes in our lives that may make us question our ability to overcome or at times, even survive. Things don’t always go the way we want them to or even the way we think they will. And when there’s an unexpected ringer, something that rocks us to our core, something so disappointing or unexpectedly difficult we may, at first, believe we won’t find our way through. But no problem is so devastating that we can’t manage it. There is no change so pervasive that we can’t navigate it. If we trust ourselves, and lean on our proven capabilities, we will find our way.

There is really no way to prepare for the unexpected. We can try to live our lives to help us become strong, independent people capable of doing many things. And we will be tested time and again with problems and challenges, some big and some small. Every time we sort through an issue and find an answer, every time we push through a problem and get to the resolution, our skills for managing the unexpected are refined. Each day brings something new and as we face each situation, good or bad, we learn. It’s like preparing to climb a mountain. We carry a lot of weight that makes us strong, we make decisions that teach us how to proceed, and we keep moving forward and improve our endurance. This life is a journey. Every turn will bring something new. We have everything we need to face whatever comes and we can reach the summit every time.

Today if you’re facing a big challenge and it feels like you’re climbing Mount Everest, and if you’re struggling to keep going, dig deep. You have resources you’ve refined over time inside you ready to come forward to help you find your way. No matter how far the summit is, you will get there. You already have everything you need. There isn’t anything too big for you to handle. Keep pushing forward and the answers will come.

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