Laugh
“A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Greatness
“Human greatness is compelled from within. A magnificent obsession is the way you want to live, the person you want to be, the mind-set that you have, the worldview you claim as your own. It is uniquely yours, like your fingerprint or handwriting. By personalizing your passion, you will experience the unlimited power from within!” – Denis Waitley
When you live your life from this place, it won’t matter if anyone recognizes your greatness, because that isn’t the reason for how you live your life. It is simply brings you the greatest joy by living your passion.
Shelter
“It is in the shelter of each other that the people live” – Irish Proverb
When the storms of life turn on us, it isn’t our physical shelter that keeps us safe. It’s the people we surround ourselves with. We might be flooded with debt, or froze out of a job, or the fire of grief might be burning our soul. Your “house” doesn’t give protection, solace, or a helping hand. You turn to people. So normal times, where is your attention spent; on a lifestyle or on what matters most, your friends?
Soul Mates
“Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect, but are always perfect for you.” – Anonymous
Soul mates are not just your life partner. Soul mates are the kindred spirits that you meet; the family that you create. They see past what you are, to what you can be. They listen to you and ask what you are doing about it besides complaining. They cut through your excuses and expose the fears so that you can break through them. They make you a better person.
First Step
“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” – Vance Havner
A fantasy is when we say “wouldn’t it be nice if”, a dream we create it in our head, then on paper, then a reality. You don’t have to run up 20 flights of stairs at one go, or do it all alone. Just take the first step, build on it, and if you need someone they will be there. Then you’re standing at the top and what a view as you look down and see us applauding your success!
Small Things
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
Stand close to a painting and you see small dabs of paint. Step back and you see a masterpiece like Starry Night. Amazing that small dabs of color next to another color can bring such beauty to the world. Our gifts are created the same way. Small thing created and another and another. Nothing by itself, but we are amazed. You say it is nothing yet you brought beauty and majesty to our world.
Lesson
“I am willing to put myself through anything. Temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level.” – Diana Nyad
I think that I usually see the lesson in life after it has happened, but very seldom before it happens. Think about how much easier it would be if we thought “this is happening for a reason, I can do this and it will take me to the next level” than the drama of “why is this happening, life isn’t fair”, and so on…
Power of Purpose
“The power of purpose is profound only if you have a desire that stirs the heart.” – Price Pritchett.
Linking this to Carl Jung’s quote, it is the power of the heart that makes great things get accomplished. The power of the heart is passion. If you are passionate you look for any way possible to get want you want. Your creativity looks outside of the box and nothing seems to hard to do if it helps you to reach your goals.
Full Steam Ahead
“Life is a creative process, not a journey of discovery, or school of learning. You’re recreating yourself (daily). So…establish who you want to be. You can be, do, and have whatever you can imagine” – Conversations with God
We have talents to create a fantastic life. But what are we creating? At 211° water is hot, at 212° it boils, which makes steam, which can power a train. Are you lukewarm, hot or boiling in how you create your life? Make today a “full steam ahead” day!
Choice
“Sometimes life digs in, hurts, and you end up wearing it like an ugly dress. Fits, but no one wants to see it” – Bob Perks
I loved the description of how we wear how we feel on our bodies. It’s always a choice on how we express what is happening. We use words like coping, dealing, reacting…all words that have a meaning of no choice, when in reality it is all about choice. Use words that express hope for the good things that we have instead, like finding the rainbow instead of the rain.
Clouds
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky” – Rabindranath Tagore
Everything that happened today was filtered through a lense. It wasn’t good or bad except for what I thought it was. Since the choice is up to me, why wouldn’t I want to make it a positive experience and have joy in my life?
Friends
“You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
Or as the proverb says, tell who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.