Daily Motivator - January

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January 1

Begin

Gather together all the wisdom you have gained, and resolve to put it to good use. Wrap your thoughts around all that matters in life, and begin.

For the first time, for the tenth time, for the two thousand and sixteenth time, begin to do what you know you must do. Climb over the obstacles, sit astride the challenges, harness the power of passion, and go forward into the future.

Things are not perfect, but that has never stopped you. Life can be confusing, yet as you step confidently ahead you know you can figure out what to do next.

Your dreams call to you, and your goals for this day, this month, this year urge you on. Begin, quickly, decisively, and give yourself the advantage of putting time in your favor.

By now you've officially outgrown the flimsy excuses and shiny distractions. Be strong, and begin.

You've seen time pass and you know what you can do with it. Begin, and make the time ahead the best time ever.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 2

Offer your best

Demanding what you want generates friction and resistance. Offering what you have creates value.

It is nearly impossible to get anyone to care about what you want. What gets noticed, valued, appreciated, spread far and wide, is what you have to offer.

Making life all about yourself is the worst thing you can do to yourself. If you think only of what's in it for you, there will never be very much in it for you.

Offer your best to the world, and you'll find the world to be a place filled with great opportunity. Focus on how you can be of service, and your own pains and disappointments will wither away out of neglect.

It is generosity that gives birth to prosperity, not the other way around. It is the willingness to make a difference, not what you get out of it, that makes life good.

Let go of all the remnants of your demands, and work to offer great and compelling value to life. You have so very much to offer, so do yourself and everyone else a great favor, and offer your best all the time.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 3

Not too seriously

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be responsible, reliable, dependable and level-headed, but don’t get all bent out of shape when you stumble, or when the world knocks you around.

It’s foolish to ignore the problems and hope they’ll go away. Yet it can also be powerful to laugh at your troubles and to know that you’ll eventually get yourself far beyond them.

Be ambitious, focused and diligent, but don’t beat yourself up when you occasionally wander off track. When it happens, just see what’s there to see, have some new experiences, gain some new wisdom, and calmly move yourself back in your intended direction.

Do less complaining and judging. Do more laughing and sharing.

Plan well, and work your plan, but don’t act like it’s the end of the world if things occasionally don’t go according to the plan. Make some adjustments, remember to smile, and you’ll be just fine.

Much of life is indeed serious business, but being uptight about it doesn’t add any value. Loosen up, enjoy the moment you’re in, and you’ll be better able to deal with whatever comes your way.

— Ralph Marston

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January 4

Say yes to life

Life is begging you to achieve, to succeed, to live at your highest level. Every problem, every joy, every disappointment, every situation is ripe with opportunity for massive fulfillment.

Imagine what can happen when you open yourself up to more of those opportunities. Think of how life can be when you say yes to all it offers.

You don't have to hide from the challenges or let them shut you down. Say yes to the challenges, and engage your ability to transform them into strength and achievement.

Positive possibilities are embedded in everything that happens. Say yes to whatever comes your way, and be the person to forge those possibilities into great value.

Don't get bogged down analyzing how difficult or easy the task might be. Grab the opportunities life is begging you to take, and do what you know you must do.

Shout out a great big, enthusiastic yes to whatever life hands you. And transform it into something great.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 5

Brightness of the moment

In the mist of the morning you feel hope. You know this day will be more than merely an extension of the past.

As you look around in the brightness of the moment, you feel encouraged. That encouragement comes from knowing you can make a difference.

Making your way through the day and its challenges, you feel empowered. Your power is fueled by your strong sense of purpose, and your willingness to act on that purpose.

Feel hope, feel encouragement, feel power, enthusiasm, caring, love and joy. They are all yours to feel and to use in making life a more beautiful and fulfilling experience.

You cannot see around the next bend. Yet you know when you get there you'll have what it takes to make your way forward no matter what you find.

Feel the power, the purpose, the goodness and beauty of your own life, and all of life. Feel how life feels at its very best, and that is how you will live.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 6

Genuinely positive

Many other people, factors and forces determine what happens to you. Remember, though, that you can always determine what you do with it.

You do not have to be frustrated, offended, angry or discouraged, not by anything. You can be motivated, inspired, determined and enthusiastic.

There's no hard and fast rule that says you have to feel any particular way about anything. You can decide to feel what it's in your best interest to feel, and it's always in your best interest to feel positive and powerful.

Yes, it is completely realistic to feel encouraged when discouraging things happen. Somebody has to pull everyone out of the quagmire, and it might as well be you.

Even when you can't see the way forward, take a step in a positive direction, and then another. Suddenly you have established some forward momentum.

The best time to be positive and enthusiastic is when it seems there's no reason to be. Choose to feel great, act on your expectations, and you'll create plenty of reasons to be genuinely positive about life.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 7

Positive questions

Why is this the best day yet? Ask yourself that question, and before you even answer it, you're beginning to actually create the best day yet.

Specific questions point your awareness in specific directions. Powerful questions lead to powerful actions.

Just to make logical sense of a question, you have to accept that its premise is true. As such, you naturally believe a question more profoundly than an affirmation.

What is the hidden value in this moment? What opportunities does this challenge present?

Questions can work for you or against you, depending on what they presume. Instead of asking yourself why nothing is working out, ask yourself how you're able to find the value in every situation.

Get in the habit of asking questions with positive presumptions. And you're sure to point your thoughts and actions in a positive direction.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 8

Let now be now

Just let now be now. Just let the world amaze you and delight you.

Worry and regret have nothing to do with this moment. Whatever has been, whatever may come, this is where your life is, now, so put it to good use.

Share your smile, share your joy, share your laughter and your love. Discard the pretenses and excuses, and enjoy the miracle of being you.

Find satisfaction in making a difference, now, when you can. Appreciate the goodness, the beauty, and all the great things you have in life, now, when they are here.

There's very little you need, for you already have now, with abundance that stretches far past anything you can imagine. And the less you need, the richer you are.

You've invested your life to get to now. So live it, now, with all the love, attention and excellence your life in this moment deserves.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 9

Be good

It feels good to be good. It feels good to do good.

It feels good to be kind, generous, understanding, and to spread joy. It feels good to be useful, productive and focused.

You deserve to feel good today. Give yourself the experience of making a positive difference.

Yes, you can get by with being less than your best, cutting corners and compromising your values. But you won't end up feeling very good about it.

Life is here today for you to enjoy. Getting full, deep, meaningful enjoyment means giving fully of yourself.

Mere empty pleasures are nothing compared to the profound joy of living with goodness. Be good, do good and feel good about all you've done and all the great opportunities to do even more.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 10

Changing the story

It’s not really so hard to get up and get going. It’s mainly a matter of changing the story you tell yourself.

Every day you’re strengthening your habits and assumptions with the things you do and the things you tell yourself. Every moment you have the opportunity to become more energetic, more focused, more purposeful and successful.

If you sit around telling yourself that you’re too tired and that life is unfair, guess what? You’re creating a reality with your inaction and with those negative, self-defeating thoughts.

Instead, get up, move around, do something useful and caring, being thankful all the while. Remind yourself of life’s best possibilities and jump at every opportunity to have a positive impact.

Is the story you’re telling yourself holding you back, keeping you inactive and unmotivated? If so, it’s time for a new, improved story, and you can start telling yourself that story right now.

You deserve the best, so remind yourself to get busy and create it in every moment. Fill your days with positive thoughts and actions, and live the very best story you can imagine.

— Ralph Marston

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January 11

Act on the possibilities

Today you can make a difference. You've done it many times before and you can do it again.

Today is too full of positive possibilities for you to weigh it down with excuses, or hesitation, or doubt. You know what will push your life forward today, so go ahead and get on with it.

Taking action can be difficult, uncomfortable, risky and complicated. But none of those things are as painful as the regret you'll have to live with if you fail to make the most of this day.

In all of time, in all the universe, there is not, never has been and never will be another person just like you. You are right here, right now to add something unique to life, something only you can do, so do it.

Let yourself feel the sense of purpose that rises from your core. Fulfill that purpose by getting up, getting out there, and getting yourself in motion.

This is a beautiful, unique day and you can make it even more so. Act on the possibilities, and enjoy the experience of new richness flowing out from your actions.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 12

True confidence

True confidence does not come from fantasy. True confidence does not come from arrogance.

True confidence flows from a strong sense of purpose. True confidence is based on a genuine love of life and a love for the good possibilities that are always present.

To be confident, you must be honest, with yourself and with others. You must be willing to give of yourself, to do the difficult work that will create excellence.

Today's world suffers on many different levels from a lack of confidence. Too many people are too invested in sparkly, superficial things that really don't matter.

Yet the confidence necessary to move forward is always within reach. To the extent you let go of what doesn't matter, and put energy, enthusiasm and effort into what does, you become more confident, more effective.

It is time to stop hiding from the best possibilities. Invest your time, your actions, your life in what matters, and move confidently forward, transforming your highest visions into reality.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 13

Pushing on through failure

If you always succeed on the first attempt, you're not being ambitious enough. If you never fail, you're cheating yourself out of your best possibilities.

It is painful and embarrassing, frustrating and inconvenient to fail. That's what makes failure so valuable.

Failure teaches lessons you cannot ignore and won't ever forget. Failure forces you to understand who you are and what's most important to you.

That doesn't mean you must seek out failure. What it means is you cannot succeed by avoiding failure.

Success is achieved not by avoiding failure, but by pushing on through failure when it comes. If there's no significant challenge between you and your goal, raise that goal higher until there is.

Be willing to fail and you'll be able to succeed. You can do the hard stuff, and you deserve all the good stuff your persistence brings.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 14

The treasure of now

If you can't enjoy the individual moments, you won't enjoy your life. If you rush through every task and every encounter, hurrying to get to what's next, you won't get much value from any of it.

Don't waste your precious time, but don't cram it so full of activity that you render your efforts useless. Live and work at a pace that allows you to fully focus on what you're doing.

Remember to regularly take time for just being, to think and consider, to dream and to enjoy. Keep in mind that a short exchange of text on a screen can never take the place of a long conversation in person.

Though faster is better for many tasks, there are important things in your life for which slower is better. Wisely invest your time where it matters most.

Every single moment of life is a treasure. Don't abandon the treasure of now by rushing too quickly to whatever is next.

The next day, the next hour, the next experience will come in due time. For now, allow, focus, listen, learn, enjoy, be present and live this moment fully.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 15

Joy in whatever may be

Find life's richness in the grand, impressive vistas as well as in the quiet, subtle details. Let yourself enjoy what's not considered enjoyable along with all that is considered enjoyable.

Live every experience from a perspective of unrestrained gratitude, curiosity, wonder and awe. You don't have to make judgments about others or apologies for yourself.

Whatever you have in this life, make the most of it by being authentic. Though it may cause problems and discomforts in the short run, you'll never end up regretting your honesty about who you are.

Right now you are living your life, and that's a big deal. Look around, and remind yourself of your good fortune.

Drop all the conditions you've imposed on the enjoyment of this moment. Realize the powerful truth that you can find joy in whatever may be.

Embrace that joy, live it now, and pass it along with love and good cheer. As soon as this beautiful, unique moment is gone, another one has already arrived, ready to be enjoyed.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 16

Opportunity to energize life

How good it is to live with responsibility, imagination, joy and meaning. How frustrated you can feel when the world you encounter seems not to share your desire to be joyful, authentic, useful and competent.

Yet out of that very frustration emerges opportunity to energize life with honesty, to encourage enjoyment and innovation. Because even those who seem not to care, hold inside them a yearning to live with fulfillment and meaning.

Remind yourself that just because someone acts rudely doesn't mean that person wants to be rude. Somewhere in that person, goodness and courtesy long to be expressed.

You cannot avoid negativity. However, you can avoid passing it along, and you can choose not to reflect it back.

Instead, you can reflect back a genuine desire to be useful. You can pass along understanding and enthusiasm, wisdom and joy.

No, it will not put warmth in the heart of every person you encounter. But it won't hurt and it might even help, and it will certainly improve your own outlook.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 17

Fulfilling your potential

You have a large amount of unrealized potential. Choose today, right now, to begin fulfilling more of that great potential.

Don’t let the best of your beauty, your unique value, your possibilities stay locked up inside you. Give yourself the enjoyment and satisfaction of living to do all you know you can do, and more.

Give all of life the gift of your very best efforts. Instead of merely having the capability for achievement, create the reality of achievement.

You can do so much more with your days than merely getting through them. With your focused and purposeful effort, you can transform fleeting moments into lasting value.

Let this world know, in the best possible way, that you are here to make a difference. Make this day count, through all you do, for things that are good and right and meaningful.

Leave the excuses, the insecurities and the doubts behind. You know how very much you can do, and how much of a difference you can create, so get busy and make it all happen.

— Ralph Marston

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January 18

All better

If you try to make it all better all at once you'll end up frustrated. But you can make it a little bit better, and then a little bit more, and then a little bit more.

If you are fifty pounds overweight you won't be able to lose all that weight by next week. Yet you can lose a pound or two, and then more the next week, and so on until you've reached the goal.

Just because you can't do it all at once is no reason to be dismayed. In fact it is a good reason to go ahead and do what you do can right now.

Time will dependably pass and you can use every moment of that time to make progress. The incremental progress you make will quickly add up.

An hour from now, you can be one step closer to your goal than you were before. Take that step now, and then be ready to take the next one.

Put time on your side by putting it to use, doing what you can, when you can. Start now, take control of your destiny, and keep going.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 19

The very things

The very things that push against you provide a platform from which you can raise yourself up. The very forces that challenge you give you a clear pathway to grow stronger.

The very experiences that seem so difficult when you're going through them are the ones you'll look back upon with gratitude for how far you've come. You're superbly equipped to work through the difficulties, and your life is absolutely worth every effort.

When you identify what's standing in your way, you can devise a strategy to get beyond it. When you look squarely and honestly at your problems, you gain power over them.

If everything could be obtained with no effort, nothing would have any meaning or offer any satisfaction. If there were no challenges, there would be no opportunities to experience achievement.

The work you do to move forward is what makes your progress feel so good. This day, the one you now have, is filled with moments and situations where you can do that work.

See the possibilities, make the commitment, and do the work. Life is difficult, and from that difficulty you can forge new beauty, meaning and fulfillment.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 20

Know that all is well

Let all the noisy chatter in your mind peacefully fade away, and remind yourself of this. All is well.

You have arrived at this moment, and everything that has happened, has happened. Accept it, be at peace with it, and know that all is well.

Know that all is well, and you're able to access your own power and effectiveness. Put your best, most positive, peaceful and reassured self into moving forward.

You don't have to deny reality to see that all is well. All you have to do is look at reality from a more elevated, enlightened level.

Your energy and your efforts will flow in accordance with your attitude and your expectations. Understand that all is well in this moment, and aim that flow in the most positive direction.

Stop fighting against your own best possibilities. All is well, and you can do great things.

Ralph S. Marston

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January 21

Make it all count

Grab this moment and make it count. Something you can do right here, right now, will push life forward.

Embrace your situation and make it count. Instead of making judgments about whether it's good or bad, fortunate or unfortunate, go ahead and do something valuable with it.

You've invested the whole of your life to get where you are. Now, your best option is to make it all count.

Transform the energy that comes your way into purposeful action. Take whatever you have, the resources, the circumstances, your skills, knowledge and connections, and make it all count.

Rather than complaining about what is or wishing for what isn't, focus on creating progress. With your thoughts, your words, your actions and feelings, make it count.

Always you are surrounded by abundance, and always you're able to do something with it. Take it all in, look in the direction of your highest ideals, and make it all count.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 22

What matters now

It doesn't matter where you went wrong. The thing that matters now is what you do going forward.

Any regret you may feel can be transformed into energy to move you forward. Any lessons you've learned can now be applied to create the life you wish to live.

One minute from now you can be moving in a positive direction. Keep going, and one month from now you will have created some powerful momentum.

Choose right now to be the strong, focused, purposeful person you know you can be. Decide right now to make the days, months and years ahead the best you've ever experienced.

You no longer have to be stopped by the things that once tempted you, or discouraged you, distracted or frustrated you. Now, you have the power and the willingness to rise above all those things, and to be driven by positive purpose.

An amazing life is yours to live, and now is when you can give it your best. Gather your strength, feel your purpose and make great things happen today.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 23

Something good to do today

You have something good to do today. You have something positive to add to life.

You have the opportunity to make a difference today. And though it may not make news headlines, it will make the world a better place.

Even if no one else knows how much you care, you know. Even if no one else realizes how you go about putting your care into action, you know.

Knowing you are a positive force in the world enriches your life in a way nothing else can. Knowing you've made a difference gives you the confidence to make an even bigger difference.

You have something good to do today, so don't neglect the opportunity. There's progress to be made, so jump cheerfully into it.

You have the good fortune to be a vital part of this day, of this world, of this life. Celebrate that good fortune by doing all you can to make it even bigger and better.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 24

Disappointment into determination

It occasionally happens that you become disappointed in yourself. When that occurs, choose to transform that disappointment into determination.

Many times you will become disappointed by the words or actions of others. At such times, you can take the power of that disappointment and transform it into effective, purposeful determination.

Experiencing the shortfalls in life can actually give you increased positive energy to create real improvements. You have the opportunity to take a bad thing and transform it into a good thing.

Disappointment is powerful because it commands your attention, and focuses your thoughts on what you envision for life. When you feel that happening, what you’re feeling is the chance to make a positive change in your approach.

So go ahead, and feel the legitimate disappointment, but don’t let it disappoint you for long. Know right away that you can let it inspire you, motivate you, and create an unstoppable determination.

Grab the opportunity that disappointment brings. Feel, in a new and powerful way, your desire to move forward, and put the energy of that feeling immediately to work.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 25

Live where you are

Stop worrying over things you can do nothing about. Instead, put your awareness and energy into positive efforts to improve those things you can influence.

You have what it takes to successfully get through this minute, and then to get through the next minute, and the next. One moment at a time, one hour at a time, one day, one week, one month at a time, you can move forward.

If you feel overwhelmed, keep in mind that much of that feeling comes from focusing on things outside this moment. Pull your focus back into the moment you're in, and see all the good things you can now do.

It's great to plan for and work toward the future, but it's draining to attempt to always live there. Live where you are, when you are, making good use of what you have when you now have it.

Don't waste the possibilities of today fretting over the uncertainties of tomorrow. You are alive, aware and able right now, so put it all to good use.

Be inspired by the beauty, empowered by the abundance, and urged on by the possibilities of now. Live now, live fully, and put yourself in the best position for all the good things to come.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 26

Fear into confidence

Listen to your fears, but don't let them get the best of you. Learn from your fears, allow them to prepare and inspire you, then move confidently beyond them.

The longer you hold on to fear, the more power you give to whatever you fear. Face your fears quickly by doing the difficult and uncomfortable work to successfully get through what you fear.

Look back on your past experience and you'll recall that almost nothing was ever as bad as you feared it would be. You've pushed yourself beyond fear many times, and you can do it many more.

On this day, you're more skilled, experienced and knowledgeable than you've ever been. You can transform fear into confidence, and then into achievement.

What you fear may indeed be quite real and serious. Yet your power to do something about it, to take the appropriate steps, is just as real and even more persistent.

Take a deep, calm breath, and feel that power. The move confidently forward and do what you know you can do.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 27

Constant influence

On a ship sitting at anchor, turning the rudder, even an extreme amount, has zero effect. Yet when the ship is in motion, just the slightest change in the rudder can change the ultimate destination by hundreds of miles.

Much as the rudder guides the direction of a ship, your thoughts guide the direction of your life. Though thoughts have no external power of their own, they exert a continuing influence on the direction of your life.

By very definition, life is dynamic, always moving, always changing. Your thoughts influence the nature of that change, the direction of that motion.

Even the smallest thoughts have great influence as they are magnified by your actions over time. Every thought you choose has an impact on the way your life unfolds.

Negative thoughts may seem harmless, and even comforting because of their familiarity. Yet each negative thought is turning the rudder of your life toward an undesirable destination.

Fortunately, you are in control and can quickly point your thoughts in a positive, empowering direction just by choosing to do so. Remind yourself often of the influence of every thought, and use positive thoughts to lead life where you want it to go.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 28

Living with kindness

In addition to whatever else you offer, you can offer kindness. On top of whatever you're already doing, you can act with understanding and compassion.

Not only is kindness a sure sign of strength. Living with kindness actually makes you even stronger, in ways that truly matter.

Situations in life will constantly tempt you to be rude, angry and unforgiving. Each time that temptation comes, you can transform it into an opportunity to grow stronger with courtesy, caring and compassion.

There may very well be people who by virtue of their actions do not deserve your understanding. But that's no reason to deny yourself the positive value of giving that understanding anyway.

Sure, there are plenty of people who acquire coveted trinkets and tokens by putting others down. Yet no one gains anything of real, lasting value by collecting enemies.

Love and kindness are available for you to express every day, no matter how anyone else behaves. Live with kindness, act out of love, lifting your life higher, and your whole world with it.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 29

Intention plus activity

Intentions with no effort behind them are nothing more than empty wishes. Activity without any purposeful intention to direct it can often end up being wasted.

The way to invite achievement into your life is with rock solid intentions and enthusiastic efforts. Decide where you want to go, who you want to be, how you want to live, what you want to do, and then get yourself deeply involved in life.

The interesting thing is, your activity does not necessarily have to be overtly directed toward your intentions. In fact, your efforts can often be more effective when they're not directly connected to your goals.

Know your intentions, and then give your very best to every situation, every person, every challenge you encounter. You will find your intentions being realized, and probably not in the way you had imagined.

You have many more resources and abilities than you know about. With a strong intention, and a commitment to making a difference, you'll tap into hidden abundance, often without even realizing it.

Choose where you want to go, and give your best to every little moment along the way. One way or another, you'll get there.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 30

Total control
If you were in total control of every aspect of life, you'd never be bothered by any unpleasant surprises. But then you'd never experience the thrill and excitement of pleasant surprises either.

A perfect life in which everything goes your way might seem great in your imagination. Yet in such a life, you'd never have any motivation to grow stronger and more capable.

What makes life so good is not that everything goes perfectly, or that you can control it all. What makes life so good is that you get the experience of dealing with it all.

You get to be challenged, and you get the opportunity to successfully work through those challenges. You get to discover new, unexpected situations, and to develop strategies for handling changing conditions.

If you could have anything you wanted without making any effort, nothing would have any meaning. Just imagine how terribly and inescapably empty that would be.

As it is, every day you have the opportunity to work through the difficulties, challenges and shortcomings, using your resourcefulness to fashion a great life. Today is one of those days, so enjoy your good fortune in all that comes your way.

Ralph S. Marston

[bluidkiti]

January 31

Put yourself into it

Life is great, and it can be much better when you put more of yourself into it. Feel the wonder of all that is, and then let that sense of wonder and awe motivate you to make something new and great from it all.

The more you put yourself into life, the better life gets. The more you invest the whole of your authentic being into living and achieving and making a difference, the better your world becomes.

Don’t hold back, or hide your feelings. Celebrate the fact that you feel vulnerable, or that you feel excited, or that you feel whatever you feel.

It’s a waste of time and effort to pretend that you’re above it all, or apart from it all. You are in fact woven intricately into the fabric of life, so do your part and live it richly.

There’s nothing of value to be gained by hiding behind a well-cultivated, one-dimensional image. Be you, in all your complexity, with all your contradictions, with your real passions, shortcomings and strengths.

The more enthusiastically and authentically you live, the more meaningful progress you’ll make. Put yourself into it, fully and without hesitation, and you’ll get so very much more out of it.

— Ralph Marston