Seeking Greatness

29 Dec

We can be any kind of people we choose to be. It doesn’t matter what circumstance we are born into, whether wealthy or poor, we can decide what kind of person we want to be. We can be lazy and do the least amount necessary to get through our days, we can be industrious and try hard to excel, or we may land somewhere in the middle. When it comes to our personal choices we are in charge. In most situations, the old adage that someone else made us do something isn’t real. Influences are all around us and if we choose to fall prey to them instead of choosing what we know is best for us, we are responsible for that decision. If we want to be great, noble people, we can be. We can change lives by setting a good example, and we can change our world by choosing what is right.

The question of right or wrong always comes into play when we think about our choices. How we define those two parameters will determine how we go forward. For some of us, lying and cheating are an acceptable means to an end. But if we want to be great, honesty must be adhered to no matter what. There is no such thing as being too honest. Honesty is an all or nothing deal. We either are or we aren’t honest. If we think it’s a part-time situation, and we are only honest when it benefits us, we are actually dishonest in every way. The values we determine to live by and the standards we set for our lives determine the type of people we become. And who we are is reflected in what we do. It doesn’t matter what we say we’ll do or who we say we are. The truth is who we are is what we actually do. Living our lives means just that – living them. How we choose to do that determines what kind of character we become.

It’s never too late to change our course if we feel we’re on the wrong road, or headed down a path that will not take us where we most want to go. We can stop at any time and reset our direction. If we’ve become affiliated with others who are making choices we don’t want to make, we can distance ourselves from them. If we’ve done things we now regret, we can begin to do what is needed to repair the situation. There is nothing permanent in this life. Everything is fluid and ever changing. We will rarely be in a situation that is cast in stone and unchangeable. But changing it requires that we change first. If we take a good look at our lives and our decisions, we can decide how to go forward. Sometimes we need only make small adjustments, and sometimes we have to change many things, but we are capable of doing whatever is needed. We can be more than just good people. We can be great people by making strong, noble decisions and choosing the right in every instance every day. It takes practice but if we are diligent, we can become the very best versions of ourselves as possible. And that is what will change the world for the better. We have a lot of power to lead the way, and we can share it with those around us.

Today if you don’t feel you’ve been doing your best and you want to be great, start by making better decisions. Think clearly about where you want to be and then choose the paths that will take you there. There is greatness in you. Re-chart your course and show everyone the very best you have. You have the power to be an amazing influence for good. Use that power today and change the world for the better.

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What We Have

28 Dec

Today, getting more, being more, doing more, and buying more seem to be a constant focus. The message we hear over and over is that no matter where we are, or what we have, it isn’t enough. We should be striving for more in one way or another. If we believe it, we may spend more money than we have for things we don’t need but think we deserve, and do things we don’t really want but feel we should achieve. It can be confusing to figure out where we are and where we want to be with all the influences around us telling us where we should be. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our lives are our own to design and it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of them. We don’t have to dress a certain way, we don’t have possess material things that show status, and we don’t have to become people we don’t want to be. We are enough as we are, and often what we already have is enough to make us happy.

There are limitless things we can do with our lives, countless things we can acquire, and an infinite number of expressions we may adopt. They all have their benefits and draw backs, and we can choose whatever we like. We can get hung up trying to impress others and mimic a lifestyle they embrace instead of one that is genuinely our own. If we don’t want to work out in a gym but prefer to walk in the park, we should walk in the park. If we can’t afford a new car even if everyone around us says we need one or deserve one, we don’t have to buy it. We don’t have to put on airs or pretend to be something we aren’t. We can recognize and accept that who we are and what we have is sufficient. If it doesn’t match what someone else thinks we should have, it’s their problem to deal with. Not ours.

Being grateful for where we are and what we have is a blessing and will bring us contentment and satisfaction. Constantly chasing after something new, something better, or something we feel we deserve can be exhausting. If we’re always chasing something we don’t have, it’s impossible to be grateful for what we’ve already got. We end up living in the future, waiting until we get this or that, or until we achieve one goal or another, and our lives go by day after day without our notice. Each day we have is a gift and the most important thing we can do is live in the moment and appreciate our days as they go by. We are enough just as we are today. We can strive for greatness but while we work on getting there, we can appreciate where we are now. There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve our lives, but we have a lot already, and it’s good to recognize that. Everything we want will come to us if we want it badly enough. While we’re moving toward it, we can embrace our lives as they are right now and be happy. Happiness is a gift we give ourselves. Setting our own personal standards helps us achieve it.

Today if you’ve been pushing forward and only looking ahead to what is coming next, stop for a moment and see where you are. You have a lot already and while you’re seeking for something more, don’t forget to appreciate today. You’re great right where you are now. Be happy with what you’ve already achieved and continue to press forward with your eyes on the goal but your feet firmly planted in the present. You have a great life. Live every day wide awake and aware of all you have. You’ll be happier and more content going forward.

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Lost and Found

24 Dec

We have all kinds of experiences in our lives, good and bad, usual and odd, and sometimes even crazy things happen to us. We form all kinds of relationships with friends, co-workers, acquaintances, lovers, would-be lovers, and family. Sometimes if we are captivated we can be pulled from our normal choices into situations where we might begin to believe things that aren’t true. If we’re really drawn to someone and want them to be special in our lives, and they lie to us or manipulate us, we may not see it, and if we do, we might even overlook it. It’s possible to get so caught up we lose our way, and we may make allowances for things we wouldn’t have tolerated before. Getting lost and caught up can make us forget who we are, what we really want, and where we want to be. It can be a confusing time if the other person continues to tell us everything we want to hear, but their actions belie everything they say.

It’s not hard to get lost when we want something very much. We can be manipulated because we want things to go a certain way. We play along when we aren’t sure, and if we feel uncertainty, we may ignore it. Even when nothing makes sense we can be willing participants in the lie because we want so badly for it to be true. But lies are not truth and never will be. Even when convincing ourselves that things are okay, there may a niggling suspicion they are not. If we’re ready we’ll pay attention to the small whisper in the back of our minds, and try to see things more clearly and objectively. However, if we’re so entrenched and deeply involved, it’s hard to see or hear anything but what we’re living.

Making personal connections is important to us. We want to feel loved and cared for, and we want others in our lives. It’s healthy to want to share our lives with those around us, but it can be destructive to believe in false situations. We may lose who we are in the process. Getting lost happens, but we can find our way back when we’re ready. If we pay attention we will find the truth. We are very perceptive and even when we don’t want to see it, we can perceive when things aren’t right, when truth isn’t being told, and when we’re headed in the wrong direction. But seeing it and changing it are two different things. If we want real happiness in our lives, we must live truthfully. If we want a real connection with someone, it needs to be honest. If we’re in relationships that don’t offer complete truth and honesty, we will get hurt. Those types of relationships never succeed over time. How long we keep them in our lives is our choice. We are in control of our decisions and no matter where we are now, if we want to change our course, we can. We deserve happiness and we deserve the very best. And we have everything we need to make sure we get it.

Today if you realize you’ve been caught up in a situation that has taken you away from who you really are, and things aren’t making sense, begin to correct your course. You know who you are, and you know what you want. You deserve complete honesty and happiness in your life. Today remember what a gift you are to the world. You are worth more than you can imagine.

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When We’re Ready

23 Dec

When we’re hoping for a change in our lives and working to make it happen, it’s frustrating when it eludes us.  When we want something badly it’s hard to wait.  We can try and try to make something happen, but sometimes no matter what we do we remain stuck and nothing changes.  And so we continue to do the other things in our lives that take our attention.  We learn new things and have more experiences moving forward, and after some time passes what we are trying so hard to achieve arrives.  The thing about life is that so often things don’t come to us exactly when we want them, but when we’re ready for them, which isn’t always the same time.  If we’re impatient, waiting is difficult, especially if what we we’re hoping for is something we want very badly and feel we deserve.  But impatience can’t rush anything.  It only makes the wait harder to endure.  Therefore, trying to practice more patience can only help us as we go forward.  It seems counter intuitive that we must exercise patience to become more patient, but that’s how it is.  We can do everything we can to initiate a change, but until we’re ready for it, it probably won’t come.  The trick is to be ready.

Once we’ve identified something we want to change in our lives, if it’s far reaching and requires us to alter our lifestyle or routine, we first need to make that happen to facilitate the change we’re seeking.  If we want to become a doctor, we need to plan and prepare to go to medical school.  If we want to become more social, we need to plan to attend more functions where we can meet others.  We’ll never be ready for any change without the proper preparation.  It seems easy when we first start thinking about it – we’ll just do what’s required.  But when it comes time to implement the alterations, to attend school, to study, to actually go out to the events we need to, sometimes uncertainty creeps in.  An established routine, even one we aren’t happy with, has a degree of security and predictability that makes it comfortable.  We’re familiar with it, we know how it works, and we know what to expect.  When we shake that up, we might find that taking the first step is the hardest.  We don’t really know where it will take us or how we’ll react.  But if we are brave enough to start we often find we are certainly capable of continuing, and because the first step takes us closer to where we want to be, it will bring satisfaction.

The road to change isn’t always easy or quick.  Sometimes what we’re trying to do turns out to be more difficult than we first thought.  And sometimes after we start the new path and look ahead, we see it will take longer than we realized.  But if the goal is something we want, there isn’t anything that can stop us unless we quit.  If we decide it’s too hard or will take too long, we can certainly stop and return to our old patterns.  But if we do that, it means we aren’t ready for the change after all.  And the goal will not be realized until we are.  If we really want to do something, no matter what it is, we can do it.  We just need to keep taking one step forward.  We don’t have to do it in a hurry, and we can take it one day at a time.  There isn’t anything we can’t do.  We can prepare ourselves, and we can be ready.  And when we are, we’ll succeed.

Today if you’ve been wanting a change in your life but aren’t sure you can manage it, remember there is nothing you can’t do.  Every single step will take you closer to your goal, and you can succeed.  Think about where you want to be, and plan to move closer to it no matter what.  If you’re ready, nothing will stop you.  And you can be ready now.  Take the first step today.  Tomorrow take another.  Keep going forward and the goal will come to you.

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Shining

22 Dec

Life is full of ups and downs. We have successes and disappointments, good days and bad days, and sometimes if things have been going wrong for a while, we may feel heavy and dark. We have low periods where we feel out of sorts, and disconnected. We know that given time they will pass and we’ll be back in the sunshine again, but as the time lingers we can feel lost, and apart from those around us. During those times we gain strength from those who are bright and positive. When they smile at us we feel lifted, and when they listen we feel cared for. It’s a great blessing to receive when things aren’t going well and we are beset with concern. It’s said that recent studies show the human eye can see a small candle flame from over a mile away. The tiniest light can be seen from a great distance. When we’re overwhelmed and discouraged, we can feel far away. When we see light from someone else and feel it shine on us, we feel comforted. Everyone struggles from time to time and if we choose to, we can be that light and shine compassion and support on those around us. We’re all more connected than we realize. Being a light is the best we can offer.

In the winter if there is snow and ice, slush and mud, the headlamps on our cars can get coated over and over as we drive along. After a while we notice they aren’t working as well as they did, and take a look. When we see the dirt covering them it’s an easy task to wipe it away and let the bright light come through again. Our lives are like that in some ways. We face trials and challenges, and we struggle sometimes to find our way. Everything we face leaves an impact on us and if things have been hard for a while, we may feel dull and muted from the experience. If someone comes along and shares with us, listens to our concerns, and shows care for our well being, it’s like they wipe some of that away and we are able to feel a little brighter. The care of others in our lives can be the salve that heals our wounds, and the bandage that soothes our discomfort.

When things are going well for us, we can be the ones to shine. There is always someone who needs a friend and if we reach out we can make a difference for them. When we’re discouraged and feel bad, we often feel alone in our pain. We sometimes think nobody could understand how we feel so we keep it to ourselves. But we all go through difficult times and know what it’s like to suffer. If we can extend ourselves when we see someone who seems sad or unhappy, if we say hello and ask how they are and really listen, if we stop walking by and stay for just a moment, we may make a heartache more bearable, and brighten a day. We have the power to show we care. We have the power to let our light shine and help heal those around us. It’s a great gift and the more we share it the stronger it gets.

Today if things are going well, share with those around you. See those who are troubled and offer a listening ear and a kind word. You have a lot of light inside you and power to help heal those in need. Reach out, extend yourself, and let it shine. You have so much to give and you can make your world a brighter place. Today be the beacon. You have the power to change a life and make someone feel happy. Use that power today and be the light we all need.

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