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Unbelievable

6 Sep

We make millions of decisions as we go through our lives and the choices we make reflect who we are.  We can say anything and the real testimony of our character is evident in the decisions we make as we move along.  If we continually make commitments we don’t meet or promises we don’t keep it will be hard for others to trust us.  If we continually break our word, over time our word will become meaningless.  It’s easy to go along and say we’ll do something we have no intention of doing just to get through a sticky situation.  And we can make all the promises we want to others to make them happy even when we know we’ll never follow through.  Words are cheap and we can say anything.  The true test of who we are comes after we speak and commit.  If we follow through and keep our word we will gain the respect and trust of those around us.  If we renege or back out of our promises, our word will mean nothing.  We will become unbelievable and others will understand they cannot trust us.  Personal character is defined by the choices we make every day.  When we step up and do what we’ve agreed to we become trustworthy and valiant.  Our personal relationships are built on trust and once destroyed, is difficult to restore.  Every choice we make is important.  Every time we give our word we put our trust on the line.  We can choose to follow through and if we do, our connections to those around us will be strengthened.  We can make any decisions we like and have any kind of life we choose.  Learning to be truthful and trustworthy will help us avoid confusion and disharmony and bring us happiness.

Some people struggle with honesty.  They may manipulate situations to make them appear different than they really are and say things they don’t mean to get through a hard issue.  If we skate through a problem pushing off our responsibility and saying whatever is needed to move forward we may damage our credibility with those around us.  There is no problem too difficult for us to face honestly and find a way through.  We can be truthful and only make commitments we intend to keep to resolve any issue before us.

We may face very complicated and difficult situations are we navigate through our lives.  We don’t always have all the information we need to make the best choices but we can use what we have and determine the best way ahead.  If things change we can modify our course.  If we are honest in our decisions we will find our way.  Making an honest mistake will not reflect negatively on our character.  If we do the best we can we will find the way forward and succeed.

Today if you’re facing a difficult issue and are tempted to say anything just to get through, reach higher and navigate the situation honestly and openly.  You have everything you need to conquer any problem and others will trust you when you choose well.  You are wise and competent and know the way forward.  Make the best choices you can today and they will bring you blessings tomorrow.

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Stepping Up

1 Aug

As we go through our lives we decide every day what we will do and who we will be. When we’re children our perception of things is innocent and simple. Our behaviors are mostly reactions to what we go through and we have little control over our temperament. As we get older we see things more deeply and understand the complexities of life, and if we’re wise learn to respond thoughtfully to situations instead of merely react. If we want to be successful, the grudges and tantrums of childhood must be replaced by reasoning and self-control. The behaviors and traits we have as children are charming when we’re children but may be destructive if we hang onto them into adulthood. There are few things more disturbing than adults who behave like children. Every day we live we learn more about ourselves and those around us and have the opportunity to grow into greater understanding about our lives. If we persist in holding onto childish behavior, tantrums, or other emotional immaturity, we may cripple our ability to be trusted and move forward. Learning to step up into adulthood opens doors and allows us to continue successfully toward any goal we desire. We can change any immature trait that is holding us back and find a better way to continue ahead. We can let go of behaviors that suspend our progress and find our way more easily toward every destination we desire.

We may find security in hanging onto old behaviors that are outgrown. We may keep the patterns of childhood in our living arrangements and daily schedules, however, if we hold onto childish emotional behaviors we may find it difficult to relate to other adults. It’s very hard to have a discussion with someone who is unhappy and throwing a tantrum instead of working the problem and finding a solution. We can be brave enough to step into adulthood and embrace our ability to grow and move forward. We don’t need to hold onto old behaviors we’ve outgrown and can find a new road going forward that will bring us success.

Becoming a true adult and learning to stand strong on our own doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice to find what works and discover our own personal path going forward. We can be patient and learn from every opportunity and when we feel old patterns creeping in we can look at them and choose the best way forward. We know what we want and we know how to get it. We are strong enough and wise enough to find our way to live successfully and reach any destination we choose.

Today if you’ve been holding onto old patterns that no longer work, take the time you need to find another way forward. You can change anything and choose options that take you where you want to go. You deserve every happiness. Take the time you need to make sure you reach for it in ways that will bring you success. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Today make the best decisions and they will bring you the best results.

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What Matters

20 Jul

Our lives are often busy as we go from one thing to another, racing forward to accomplish something on time or get to our next appointment. We may have lists we check off as we finish one task and then quickly move onto the next. If we aren’t careful our days, months, perhaps years will fly by with little notice except for the lists we carry around to check off as we continue forward. We can become overloaded with tasks and forget about taking time for ourselves but we are the most important person in our lives. How we manage our needs, our time, our preferences and our desires is critically important if we want to be happy. There will always be many things that need our attention. We can address them one after the other but taking the time to notice what is most important for us personally at every moment will bring us peace and joy as we continue on. Taking five minutes to watch the sun rise before getting ready in the morning, enjoying a laugh with friends before we rush to the next appointment, or taking a short walk outside in the breeze in the middle of the day will refresh us and remind us how special and sacred our time is and how important we are. Life flashes by in an instant and every moment we’re here is a gift. We can savor the grace and pleasure of our lives and still accomplish all the things we want to do. We are precious and priceless. Honoring ourselves and taking time to hold onto what really matters will deepen our spirits and make our lives richer and more enjoyable.

Life is not a race although at times it may feel like one. We may be in situations where time is critical and we must hurry in order to accomplish something. But if we live all our days rushing and trying to go faster to get things done we may finish many things but lose ourselves in the end. There is no way to recapture time that has passed. We can plan to accomplish many things while still taking time to enjoy our lives through each moment.

It’s impossible to live in the moment when we’re thinking about what’s happening next. If our minds have already moved onto what’s coming we can’t possibly think about where we are. And if we aren’t aware of the moment we’re in we’ll miss everything happening right now. We can’t live in the past or the future. All we have is right now. This moment we’re in is exactly where we should be and deserves our complete attention. There is a lot to learn as we move along and much to see and enjoy. Keeping our eyes trained on where we are instead of where we’re headed will help us find greater joy and happiness as we move forward.

Today if you’ve been pressing ahead and concentrating on all the places you have to go, take a moment to enjoy where you are right now. You are standing in the perfect place for your life at this moment. See it, listen to it, enjoy it and embrace it. Live where you are and focus on what matters now. This is exactly where you need to be. You are precious and priceless and have so much to offer. The world is blessed because you’re here.

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Learning to Wait

23 May

When we want something, or seek an answer to a problem we often want it right away. It’s hard to wait for something we really want and if we need the answer to go forward it’s even harder. Learning to wait doesn’t always come easily. If we’re waiting for something to happen the resolution we seek will never be far from our minds. We’ll be on the lookout for the answers and have our eyes always focused on the goal. It’s hard to wait when we want something badly and it’s hard to be patient when we want a change to occur. We live in a world of immediate gratification and we may expect immediate action when there is something we desire. But life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes we must wait. Learning to wait takes patience and the irony is we learn to be patient by having to wait. The two go hand in hand. In time as we learn to be patient we will find the wait easier to manage. Most things we want don’t come instantaneously. We can trust the answers to come and patiently wait for our situation to resolve. Learning to wait helps us navigate our lives more comfortably and effectively. It’s not always easy but we have everything we need to accomplish it.

If we’re in a group with others and we’re sure of an answer and confident we know the way forward but some aren’t convinced, we may have to wait until they come on board. If we are positive the answers are there and still we must wait it may be difficult to remain calm. Everyone reaches their personal conclusions in their own timeframes. We can explain our point of view, show the benefits of any options and express why we feel the way forward is the direction we’ve chosen. That may be enough to bring others on board, but sometimes the vision may not be convincing and we may have to continue to wait. There is often no urgency in our decisions and if we must wait we can take a step back. We can be patient until others join us.

Life is filled with distractions and sometimes they get in the way of what we want to do. Things get more complicated the more other people get involved. Everyone has their own opinions and reaching a consensus that allows us to move forward may take time. We can patiently express our views but we must also allow others the same benefit. Even if we’re sure we have the answers, everyone’s opinion is important. We can be respectful and offer whatever time is needed. Sometimes the best answers come after everyone expresses their viewpoints and we see a bigger picture to make the best decision going forward.

Today if you feel you know what needs to be done and you must wait, be patient. Allow others to join you and share the load going forward. You will accomplish your goal and get to the destination. There is no rush. When the time is right you will begin, and find success. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. Be patient. Everything will come.

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Tangled

17 May

When there are many wires and cords in the same location they sometimes get tangled.  They may get moved or bumped and fall under one another, pulled against each other, twist and turn around and create a big knot we eventually have to patiently pull apart strand by strand.  It’s frustrating and can be time consuming to get everything separated again and lined up the way we want it.  The decisions we make in our lives move us in different directions and if we ignore boundaries, include others in private matters, share information we’ve been asked to keep to ourselves or made other decisions without thinking, we may find our lives as tangled and convoluted as a mess of cords.  It takes effort to live a clean self-directed life filled with careful decisions and thoughtful choices.  If we make continual decisions based on what’s easy at the moment without considering where they will take us in the end we may complicate our lives in ways that bring us discomfort and frustration.  Like untangling a knot of wires it will take time to unravel the problems and correct our course.  We can take the time we need to make wise choices and choose the path forward that is clear and open.  We are wise enough to see problems in our path and navigate around them so we can continue to move forward with confidence and clarity.  We can move forward without the tangle of bad decisions and find success.

Trust is something we earn by the choices we make.  When others trust us they feel confident working and sharing personal information with us.  If someone tells us something in confidence and we share it with others we may lose the trust they have in us.  When that happens we create a small twist in our lives.  If we do it again the small twist may become a knot and we may find ourselves in a tangle.  Everything we do takes us somewhere.  If we break confidences and ignore the trust placed in us we may lose connections to those around us. We may tangle our lives up and it may be hard to get things back on track.

It’s difficult to make decisions freely when we are constricted by prior choices that bind us up and prevent us from moving forward.  If we’ve chosen the wrong path and have made poor choices in the past our freedom to progress may be stalled.  Nothing is unchangeable and we can correct our course and begin to unravel any situation that is holding us in place.  We can choose wisely to repair any problem we’ve created and re-align our way forward.  Nobody is perfect and we all stumble from time to time.  With patience we can do what is needed to fix any problem before us and continue forward with renewed confidence and wisdom.

Today if you’ve tangled your life up with decisions that have complicated the way forward you can take the time you need to correct your course.  Nothing is forever and you can change anything you need to be successful.  Today choose wisely and determine to go forward with confidence.  Make choices that will bring you the success you are seeking.  You have everything you need to accomplish anything and nothing will hold you back.

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