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Doing and Saying

27 Aug

There are all kinds of people around us every day. We see them at work, at the store, on the road and just about everywhere we go. We’re all busy living our lives and accomplishing whatever we want or need to get done. What we do defines us, and lets people know who we are, and where we’re headed. As we interact with others, we can say anything. We can tell the truth about ourselves, or make up any story we like. If we wish our life was different, or that we were further down the road than we are, we may embellish and fabricate our situation to present the image we want to portray. Talk is cheap and easy to manipulate. But what we say doesn’t identify us. We are defined by what we do. Our actions tell the world who we are and what we stand for. If they don’t match what we’re selling, it will be hard for others to trust us. They might fall for lies at the beginning, but the truth will always rise, and when it does, we might lose more than we can imagine. Nobody wants to be fooled, and if we discover we’ve been manipulated, we might walk away from the relationship, and never return. Good, strong relationships are a great blessing in our lives. They enrich our experiences and bring us comfort and satisfaction. If we’re deceptive and purposely misleading about who we are or what we’re doing, we may end up burning every bridge behind us. Nobody has a perfect life, and we’re on the road to somewhere. Choosing wisely and being honest about ourselves will open doors, and move us closer to our goals.

Sometimes what people say doesn’t exactly match what they do. Someone may say they love us but can never find time to spend with us. Or they might say they’re honest, but their ethics at work are slippery at best. We can say anything at any time, but what we say will never determine who we really are. That can only be defined by what we actually do. We are capable of making excellent decisions, even when they’re inconvenient or difficult. We can choose the road ahead with clarity and integrity, and reach success.

There may be times when due to external pressures or expectations, we say we’ll do something we aren’t sure we can achieve. Once we agree to whatever we’ve been asked to do, we are committed and must follow through. If there is no way to do what we’ve agreed to, we can go back and discuss other possible options. We are wise and intelligent, and can be clear about our capabilities and desires. By being honest in our agreements, and openly communicating our plans, we will move ahead with great confidence and success.

Today if you’re tempted to pretend to be something you’re not, or embellish what you’ve done to impress someone, remember what you do defines who you are. Be clear and honest in everything you do, and those around you will honor and trust you. There is greatness inside you. Trust yourself, and step forward with confidence. Every goal is possible, and you will achieve great success.

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Freedom

21 Aug

We’re all in control of our lives and can do anything we like. There are always endless options available and we can choose any road or destination we desire. We have all the intelligence and power we need to make excellent decisions, but we don’t live in a vacuum, and there are influences all around us. We can follow the rules that have proven to lead to success, or we can make up our own. We can obey laws or break them, choose wisely or make decisions based on greed, revenge or anything else. If we’re angry and spiteful, we may let our emotions determine how we’ll proceed. That may give us what we want right now, but lasting happiness may elude us. One thing is certain, no matter what we choose, there will be a consequence. What those consequences are isn’t always obvious, and if we step away from what we know is right in order to cheat or in some way pad the way forward, we may end up somewhere we never wanted to go. When we think of freedom, we might think it means we can do anything we want – and we can. But we are accountable for everything we do. Choices that hurt others and take us away from our personal values and ethical standards may give us immediate gratification, but may also tie us up and hold us in place. We can cheat and manipulate, and it might move us ahead quickly, but when the truth comes out, we may end up back at square one. Real freedom can only be achieved by doing what’s right, and choosing options that honor who we are. When we’re true to our personal standards, we’ll have a great sense of worth and satisfaction. We know what we want, and have everything we need to get it. By standing firm and honoring the person we most want to be, we’ll find lasting happiness and great success.

We’re all far more connected than we may realize. Everything we do leaves an impression or a mark. We impact the world simply because we’re here. If we’re kind and thoughtful, the road behind us will different than if we are mean and rude. Building connections instead of burning bridges will enable us to more freely move toward the goals we most desire. We have the power to create positive and fulfilling situations that pave the road ahead, and help us reach every destination we desire.

The world is a big place and we are often bombarded with messages about what we should do, and how we should live. Like a “get rich quick” scheme, we may be told if we just loosen our standards a little, and step away from what we know is right, we’ll be rewarded quickly and never have to look back. We can listen to any suggestions we like, but our lives are our responsibility. If we choose dishonesty, we may get tangled up in ways we never imagined. We have the power to live our lives well and effectively, and achieve all our goals in ways that embellish and enrich us.

Today if you’re tempted to do something you know isn’t right in an effort to jump ahead, remember who you are and what you really want. You are worth more than you can imagine, and your influence is valuable. Choose the best options possible, and step forward with clarity and confidence. Every destination you desire is already there for you. Be wise, and you’ll achieve great success and happiness.

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Complete Stop

19 Aug

Life is uncertain and no matter how hard we try to plan, there will be unexpected developments from time to time that gum up the works and complicate our way forward. They may be minor, just inconveniences we have to work around, or full on disasters that stop us completely and block the road ahead. Or they might be a million variations in between. When we’re trying to get to a goal and things get in the way, it’s frustrating. If there are continual issues that keep us from advancing it can be maddening. It’s hard to endure problem after problem, and keep a positive outlook. Being held in place against our will isn’t comfortable, and we may lose our temper while we have to wait. We can rage against the situation, scream and yell, and try to force our way through, and that might work, but may make everything worse. The energy it takes to have a full-blown tantrum will take away from the energy we need to find our way forward. Hard times will come to us all. They aren’t easy to face and we might end up completely confused for a time, standing still trying to figure out what to do. We can raise our voice, and tell everyone around us how bad we feel, or we can step back and quietly look at what’s happened and review all the options before us. There is never only one way to get to any destination. There will always be another road possible, and with patience and focus, we will find the best way forward. Nothing is strong enough to hold us in place indefinitely. Every single goal is possible, and there isn’t any problem or complication powerful enough to keep us from whatever we desire. We can trust ourselves to find every answer, and be confident of success.

We share the world with lots of other people making their own choices and decisions. Sometimes those decisions may impact our lives in ways that make it harder for us to move ahead. We only have control over ourselves, and if someone does something that gets in the way of our plans, we can modify them and find another way around. We know what we want, and have everything we need to do anything we desire. We can change direction when we need to, and reach the goal.

When we make an excellent plan, we may be sure it’s the only way for us to succeed. If something goes wrong, someone drops the ball, or an unforeseen development turns everything upside down, we might panic, thinking we’ll never win. Although our original idea may have been effective, if it’s no longer viable, we don’t have to give up. We have all the wisdom and patience we need to evaluate all the possibilities, and come up with a new way forward. We are smarter and more powerful than we imagine, and nothing is out of reach.

Today if the road you were on has turned and the way to your goal is blocked, remember how creative and intelligent you are. You have overcome many complications and problems already, and have everything you need to find your way again. All the answers you need are already there for you. Trust yourself, and step forward. Every destination is waiting, an you can reach them all.

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History

17 Aug

Our lives are a reflection of all the experiences we’ve had. Each step we take and every decision we make brings us to where we are, both physically and mentally. Nobody is perfect and even when we try to make good decisions, there will be times when they won’t work out. Our plans may not go the way we thought they would, or the road we were on that looked so good, turned suddenly and took us somewhere we didn’t want. When we look back at our personal history, we’ll likely see some things we wish we hadn’t done, and some things that went better than expected. If we’ve made serious mistakes in judgement, we got the chance to learn more to help us moving forward. But if an error is egregious and causes a lot of turmoil, we might try to escape blame. If we push a bad decision off on someone else, or the situation, and refuse to acknowledge our part in it, we will learn nothing. When we don’t learn from our mistakes, there’s a good chance we’ll make them again. It’s not easy to admit we were wrong, especially if there are others involved we want to impress, but truth is truth, and will always surface. We can try to keep a low profile, and pretend we weren’t involved, but that will not work indefinitely. The facts will eventually show themselves and the truth will rise. Dodging accountability only delays the inevitable. They say if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Bad decisions and poor choices will never take us where we want to go, and nobody wants a life filled with them. Standing up to what we’ve done, even if it’s been disastrous, will enable us to learn as much as possible from what’s happened, and take all that knowledge forward with us. We are capable of making excellent choices and choosing the best way forward in every situation. We can be honest and clear in our decisions, and find our way to any destination we desire.

There are all kinds of people in the world with all kinds of ideas. If we’re associating with someone who is constantly dishonest, and continually makes bad decisions, we may get caught up in their behaviors and find ourselves in an uncomfortable situation. Repeating someone else’s mistakes will never correct them. We are wise enough to find the answers we need no matter what situation we’re in, and with patience and clarity can choose the best road forward.

Everything we do teaches us something new to carry forward. Paying attention to what we’re learning along the way will help us make modifications and alter our direction if we reach an impasse. We are intelligent and there is nothing that can hold us in place indefinitely. We can draw on all the knowledge we’ve gained, and find our way to any destination we desire. We create our own history with every decision we make, and have everything we need to find great satisfaction and success.

Today if you have repeated a bad decision and are suffering the consequences, think clearly about the road ahead. Learn all you can, and use that knowledge to turn your course toward success. You are highly capable and can do anything, and do it well. Be confident and step forward. Every success is possible and you will reach it.

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The Easy Stuff

14 Aug

We are always in control of our lives and can live them any way we like. We can make any decision we choose and each one will further define who we are. There are always lots of options, some are harder than others, and we can decide how we want to proceed. It’s very easy to live a mediocre life. If we want, we can just go with the flow, follow other people’s leads, keep our heads down, and coast. It takes very little energy to simply follow our noses around, and do nothing extraordinary. Time will go by no matter what we’re doing, and if we don’t want anything more than what’s easy, it doesn’t take much to achieve. It’s like being in lukewarm water – it’s neither hot nor cold. We don’t have to be passionate, or committed to any idea, and can merely stay on the periphery and watch others engage. But being half-way in and half-way out can only bring half-way satisfaction and partial happiness. If we really want to feel fulfilled, we have to do more. There is always risk when we truly get committed and involve ourselves completely. Things may go south and we might get hurt, but every mistake and miss-step bring more information to help us moving forward. By stretching further than what’s comfortable, and stepping into the unknown toward a desired goal, we will enrich our experiences and learn more about ourselves and the world around us. Great happiness is there for us, but we must reach beyond what’s easy to get it. Some of our greatest successes will be found on unpaved roads that are difficult to travel. We are strong and capable, and can trust ourselves to do anything we desire. All dreams are possible, and with clarity and focus, we can make them ours.

When driving in a car, if we come upon a steep hill, we can take our foot off the gas and coast downhill with no problem. We will continue to move ahead despite doing nothing. However, once we get to the bottom, if we don’t re-engage, the car will only coast for a while and then will stop altogether. If we’re coasting along in our lives just letting things happen, we may move forward if someone else is paving the way for us. But that won’t always be the case, and unless we take control, we may get stuck. Standing in place can never take us where we want to go. We can take control, be confident, and set our own course for the destinations we desire.

Life is uncertain and nobody can read the future. If we have goals we want to achieve but are unsure we can succeed, we might set them aside until we feel more confident. There is no rush to reach any destination, but if we set everything aside indefinitely, we’ll never get there. There will be few times when we’re sure we know everything before we begin. We can trust ourselves to find the way forward, even if the road gets complicated, and with perseverance and determination, we will succeed.

Today if you’ve been taking the easy road and letting others choose the way ahead, decide what you want the most. You are wiser and more capable than you imagine. There isn’t anything too difficult or challenging for you to overcome. Be confident and step forward toward your goals. There is great success possible, and you already possess everything you need to reach it. Nothing can keep you from your dreams.

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