Light and Darkness

24 Feb

There is a lot of contention in the world these days and we may feel a lot of concern about what’s happening. There are wars, and rumors of wars, trouble with governments, problems with schools, and high prices that may be making us jittery and unhappy. These are treacherous times and we may worry about what will happen next. It’s hard to feel comfortable when we feel like there’s a lot going wrong. The world is a big place filled with all kinds of different people, different ideas, and choices. When there are differences, as there always are, things can get complicated in a hurry. It’s difficult to navigate complex and unpredictable times, and we can’t control what our neighbors do, what our leaders do or anyone else, and if their choices affect us negatively we may feel angry and upset. It’s hard to be happy when we feel beset by trouble. There is no way to know what will happen next, and we may worry about our safety and our future. It hard to look ahead when we feel overwhelmed and unsettled, but we have complete control over our own lives. No matter what’s going on, peace is always possible. When there’s a lot going wrong and we feel stressed, we can find respite by choosing to be kind and considerate to those around us. Simply saying “Hello” or offering a smile to those we pass, we will not only lift them, but we will lift ourselves. Worry will change nothing. By looking up and choosing to be happy, despite our circumstance, we can step forward with confidence. We are wise and more powerful than we imagine. By choosing to find joy in whatever situation presents itself, we will discover great happiness and peace.

Roses are beautiful flowers. They smell as good as they look and bring pleasure and beauty to the world. But just below the lovely blossoms, there are very sharp and strong thorns, and if we aren’t careful, we may get cut when we handle them. Life is a lot like that. There are great experiences possible and we will all have precious days filled with happiness. We will also have days filled with sorrow and grief. Nothing is perfect and there is good and bad in every situation. We can focus on everything that has and may still go wrong, and fill our minds with worry and anxiety. Or we can focus on what works, and is beautiful and open happiness and joy. By choosing to see the light in the darkness, we will feel great peace as we move forward.

Sometimes the road turns and we get tangled up in trouble and distress, and we may feel overcome and upset.  Hard times will come to us all but nothing is permanent and in time whatever we’re experiencing will change. The clouds will clear, the darkness will lift and there will be light ahead. By trusting ourselves when we’re facing very difficult and challenging times, we can be sure of success and find our way forward. We are intelligent and capable, and nothing is powerful enough to hold us down forever.

Today if you’re worried and concerned about what’s happening around you, stand still and look at everything openly and objectively. There will always be a way forward, and all the answers you need to find it are there for you. Be confident and trust yourself. There is greatness inside you and nothing can keep you from success. Look up and step forward. Nothing is out of reach and you will prevail.

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Stronger Than the Storm

14 Feb

Everyone wants an easy life where everything goes as planned and we’re never unhappy.  It would be great if we could order our days ahead of time to ensure we get exactly what we want. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and even when we try hard to plan carefully and watch our step moving forward, sometimes things just go wrong. None of us lives on a deserted island and there will always be people coming in and out of our lives. They may inadvertently make decisions that affect us negatively, or they may purposely stand in our way. We might have no idea why our plans went up in smoke and everything fell apart, and while we’re in the midst of trying to figure out what to do next, we may feel lost and uncertain. We can’t control the weather. What comes comes, and even the most proficient and wise meteorologist has no control of what will happen. Storms will appear – sometimes intensely and unexpectedly. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, we’ll have to navigate through. Weather is one thing, but we may experience difficult storms in our personal life. Something may change without notice, we may lose something we treasure, or someone we love may leave us. We may lose our jobs or a million other possibilities that upset our lives and turn everything upside down. At the beginning we may feel frozen in place as we try to understand what’s happened, and we may have no idea how to proceed. But we are stronger and wiser than we imagine, and no matter what comes, we have everything we need to find our way forward. Trouble will come. There is no one perfect way to handle it. The answers we need will be there and when we’re ready, we can step forward, confident, and sure of success.

Sometimes it seems that everything we touch falls apart. It’s as though the planets have aligned against us and nothing will ever work out. When we’re struggling and there’s a lot going wrong, we may believe we will never be successful. We may as well just sit down and give up. Of course, we can do anything we like and if we want to surrender, we certainly can. But giving in and giving up will never take us where we most want to go.  All our dreams are there for us and nothing is strong enough to hold us in place forever. We can take the time we need to decide how we want to proceed, and then begin again.

There is no such thing as bad luck.  Luck is simply when preparedness and opportunity meet. We may get prepared to do something, but the opportunity to start isn’t available at this time. That’s not bad luck and it doesn’t mean we can’t succeed.  It only means the goal is unavailable right now. Nothing is permanent and when our situation changes we can start again. We know who we and what we want, and we already possess everything we need to reach any goal we desire. By trusting ourselves, and standing firm, there isn’t anything we can’t accomplish.

Today if a storm is raging and everything is upside down, take the time you need to look at the situation objectively. You are smarter than you think you are, and you will find your way. The whole world is there for you and nothing can keep you from success. Stand strong and look ahead. Every goal is possible, and you can make them yours.

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Ten Lies

9 Feb

We make endless decisions as we go through our lives. When we have to answer for something or explain a situation, we always have the choice of either being honest or making up a story. If the situation is difficult or we’ve done something that has caused problems, we may be tempted to lie about what actually happened.  Of course, we can do anything we like, and if we want to fabricate a tale that takes us out of the equation, we can certainly come up with something. Telling a lie may seem like it’ll clear the way ahead, but there’s always a catch. Nothing ever stands alone and remains untouched for long. Before we know it, we may have to tell another lie to explain circumstances that arise from the tale we told originally. In the end, we may have to tell ten lies to cover up for the first one. We’re all creative but it may become difficult to keep tangling the web without everything falling apart. It’s hard to remember made up stories over time, and we may find ourselves completely twisted up trying to keep our cover. No matter what’s happened or what we’ve done, the best and easiest way forward is to tell the complete truth. We might be embarrassed, but we can get over that. We might get in trouble, but we’re accountable for everything we do, and that’s fair. When we’re honest in all our dealings, even when it’s hard, we will gain the respect of those around us. They will understand they can trust us, and that may pave the road ahead to the goals we seek. We are intelligent and can make excellent decisions. By being wise and thoughtful before we act, and choosing the best path forward, we will achieve great success and satisfaction.

White lies are stories we tell because the truth may be difficult to navigate. Someone may ask us a question about their appearance, and if we’re concerned that being completely honest may hurt their feelings, we may choose to embellish the truth a little. Getting into the habit of telling little white lies that don’t seem to hurt anyone might be okay, but once we take one step away from the truth, it’s easy to take another step further. Instead of saying things that aren’t really true, we can find a way to be truthful without causing an issue.  

Some people are very ambitious and will do anything to get what they want. They may have no problem telling lies to get ahead. They are willing to cheat if necessary to go around anyone in their way. If we must deal with them, we will never know if anything they say is true or not. Instead of taking their word for anything, we can do our own research and figure out what’s real. Once we understand the true story and what is actually happening, we can decide how we want to proceed to get to our goal. We have all the wisdom we need to choose the best roads ahead. By being honest and careful, there isn’t anything we can’t accomplish.

Today if you’re in a difficult situation and it would be easy to lie to get out of it, think about the person you most want to be. Every decision brings a result, and by choosing well we will achieve what we want the most. Trust yourself and be confident. There isn’t anything you can’t manage, and every goal is possible. You are smarter and braver than you think you are. Step forward with clarity and you will succeed.

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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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