Daily Motivation

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Fri, Apr 5 2019 8:58 AM

  Friday, April 5, 2019

  What do you want?

  What do you want? Really, specifically, sincerely, what do you want to be, to have, to experience in your life?

  How often do you ask yourself that question, and how clear are you with the answer? Because the degree to which you are clear and detailed about what you seek, determines precisely how successful you will be.

  You can create what you truly desire, yet you must have a highly developed, detailed picture of what that is. You are absolutely able to have what you want if you’re willing to know and understand exactly what it is.

  It is not some magical, mysterious process. It is simply a matter of directing your life, disciplining yourself to take certain specific actions and to avoid others.

  The motivation to do so is not found in some clever technique that’s known only to a select few. That motivation is found in knowing what you genuinely want, and keeping that knowledge, that aim, at the front of your awareness.

  Achievement is highly difficult and requires massive commitment. Amazingly, you can do it, and you will, as long as you’re clear about exactly what you seek to achieve.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Sat, Apr 6 2019 1:18 PM

  Saturday, April 6, 2019

  Improve the moment

  Here’s what you can always do. Improve the moment.

  You don’t have to ask anyone’s permission. You don’t have to lay out some grand scheme or gain access to a lot of resources.

  Simply look around, see what will help, and do it. With love, with humility, with gratitude, improve the moment.

  Surely you can spot one or two improvements that will make life a little better. Take the opportunity you have right now, and improve the moment.

  It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to make a big deal about it. Quietly, steadfastly take it upon yourself to improve the moment.

  Show life, in a practical and friendly way, how it can be better. With good cheer and enthusiasm, every chance you get, improve the moment.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Mon, Apr 8 2019 8:28 AM

  Monday, April 8, 2019

  Work to do

  You’re not as good as you could be. You have much potential that is yet to be realized.

  Though you’ve come a long way, you still have work to do. You still have much value to bring to life.

  The most valuable thing you’ve achieved so far is the opportunity to achieve more. Take up that opportunity, with the highest expectations, and go forward with it.

  The sense of meaning you feel in your life comes from the time, energy, thoughts, and actions you’ve invested to date. Now you have the chance to deepen and enrich that meaning.

  As your best possibilities are fulfilled through your effort, even better possibilities arise to take their place. Ponder that glorious truth, and revel in the opportunity it represents.

  Have the vision, live the courage, do the work that enables your potential to unfold into achievement. There’s always meaningful work to be done, and that’s what makes life so great to live.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Tue, Apr 9 2019 9:26 AM

  Tuesday, April 9, 2019

  Something you can give

  What you give to life, is what gives your life meaning. The challenges you face, the work you do, the commitments you honor, create substance in your life.

  On the surface, in the moment, the most comfortable choice seems like the best choice. Yet in the long run, in the overall picture of your life and its meaning, the most challenging choice is likely the best.

  As you go through this day, keep in mind that you’ll soon be looking back on the choices you are making. Will you look back with gratitude for the meaning and substance you added to your life, or with regret for opportunities missed?

  Making a positive difference in life is not about looking good or garnering praise. It is about living well, giving of yourself, with a strong sense of meaning and purpose.

  In each moment, there’s some little something you can do that will make life a bit better. There’s something you can give that will deepen your sense of positive purpose.

  Give often in the direction of your highest vision of what is good and right. It adds up to a meaningful life, well lived.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Wed, Apr 10 2019 7:54 AM

  Wednesday, April 10, 2019

  What’s inside

  You can’t always control what arrives at your life’s doorstep. Yet you can choose how far to let it in, and what to do with it once it’s inside.

  You certainly will not avoid every problem, and you wouldn’t want to anyway. Because problems push you to grow stronger, and give you access to new opportunities.

  Yet no matter how many problems you encounter, or how big they are, they never have to get to the heart of who you are. You never have to allow any of the problems to define your life.

  You can respond to every difficulty with fresh, new determination. You can build new strength and hold on to it, while letting go of any impulse to become cynical or discouraged.

  What’s outside is what you often must deal with. What’s inside is up to you to choose.

  Your attitude, your perspective, your inner hopes, dreams, and faith are yours to decide. As life unfolds, let each experience add positive value to the deepest, most enduring part of you that truly matters.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Thu, Apr 11 2019 1:15 PM

  Thursday, April 11, 2019

  Old treasures

  What treasures do you have in your life that you’ve forgotten you have? What good things did you set aside for a while, and neglected to come back to?

  Whatever held your love, curiosity, or fascination years ago could still have much to offer you. There was a good reason why it once was part of your life, and that reason might be even more powerful now.

  A book you first read years ago may now hold much more meaning. An old friend from whom you’ve grown apart could now have much more in common with you.

  Subjects that interested you when you were much younger still have a message for you today. Perhaps it would pay to think back, and to take another look.

  Just because some things are old and familiar does not mean they are irrelevant. Now, with the advantage of time and experience, perhaps you can find deeper meaning and value in a few of those things.

  Life’s ongoing urgencies and compromises have likely covered up some treasures that still are somewhere within you. Give yourself a chance to rediscover and reconnect with them.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Fri, Apr 12 2019 9:06 AM

  Friday, April 12, 2019

  Circumstances don’t care

  Your circumstances are not able to know or to care what you think about them. Your circumstances do not respond at all to the way you feel about them.

  As such, your complaints, your anger, your anxiety will not convince your circumstances to change. Those responses will only deplete your energy and diminish your effectiveness.

  Though you can’t convince your circumstances to change, you can inspire yourself to change in the face of difficult circumstances. You can act to improve those circumstances, or improve how you deal with them, or both.

  There’s no point in being angry when your anger is not even going to be noticed. You have much more powerful and effective options.

  Consider, honestly and realistically, what you can actually do, then commit yourself to following through with it. Direct your energy and your actions where they will make a positive difference.

  Your circumstances don’t care what you think or feel, but your situation will respond to what you do about it. Take the smart approach, and invest your energy where it will have the most beneficial impact.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Sat, Apr 13 2019 8:07 AM

  Saturday, April 13, 2019

  Timely action

  It is difficult to discipline your child when he is two years old. But it is much, much easier and more effective to do so than to wait until he is fourteen.

  It is an inconvenience and an expense to get the engine oil changed in your car. Yet it is a far bigger expense and much greater inconvenience when the car stops running due to a lack of maintenance.

  There is some small problem you can address right now that will prevent a much bigger problem in the future. Identify it, admit it, and deal with it.

  Perhaps you’ve already waited too long, but that’s no reason to put it off even longer. Speak up now, take action today, get it behind you before it gets even worse.

  Instead of pretending that everything is okay, take the steps that will actually make everything okay. There is so much good you can do, so many tragedies you can avoid, if you will simply act in a timely manner.

  Face the difficulties, and you render them less difficult. Be eager to put your strength to use, and you’ll thank yourself for all the greater troubles you avoid.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Mon, Apr 15 2019 8:55 AM

  Monday, April 15, 2019

  Whatever is at hand

  What is it about whatever just happened, that you can make good use of? What constitutes this moment, this situation, that can be of benefit to yourself and others?

  Being positive is not a matter of wishing or pretending for life to be good. Rather, it is digging the best outcomes out of even the worst circumstances.

  It’s easy to pick the low-hanging fruit, but that usually gets taken very quickly. Sustainable success means extracting value that’s not immediately obvious.

  There’s something about this day, this place, this environment, that you can transform into richness. Look at the small details, at the big picture, in context, out of context, and find the potential value that’s surely there.

  The treasure with which you fill life is not pre-defined. You can make as much of it as you choose, in any flavors you wish, out of whatever is at hand.

  Surprise and delight yourself with your own resourcefulness. Discover again and again how good it feels to find meaning and beauty where no one ever saw it before.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,068 Posts

  Tue, Apr 16 2019 9:00 AM

  Tuesday, April 16, 2019

  Give yourself a goal

  Get the best from yourself by giving yourself a goal. Base your decisions in each moment on your commitment to that goal.

  Each thought, each action, either moves you toward your desired outcome or away from it. Choose accordingly, guided toward the destination you have decided to reach.

  Expand on those thoughts and continue those actions that lead you where you wish to go. Let other thoughts and actions quickly fall away from you.

  Life is teeming with influences that can distract and disrupt you, wasting your time and sapping your energy. You cannot avoid all those influences, yet you can solidly immunize yourself against them.

  Give yourself a meaningful goal, and give yourself a strategy for staying focused. Decide once, stick with that decision, and at every turn you’ll be clear on what you must do.

  Give yourself a goal, and when you reach it, give yourself another. Spend each day aimed in a specific direction, and discover how much great value you can bring to life.'

   

  — Ralph Marston