Sometimes I catch myself staring at the people around me – studying their gestures and expressions. I wonder, “What’s their story? What are they searching for? What makes their heart beat with happiness, with sorrow, with fear, and with longing?” And then I ask myself, “What thoughts might I post on this blog to inspire them, and to remind them that, even on the toughest days, our hearts all beat for these same things?”
1. YOU are okay. You are just a little stronger now.
Having a bad day? It’s okay. YOU are okay. But now you’re a little stronger than you were yesterday.
Put your hand on your heart. Feel that? That’s called ‘a purpose. You’re here today for a reason. Don’t give up and don’t give in. And above all, don’t let one or two dark clouds cover the entire sky. The sun is always shining on some part of your life. Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.
Keep in mind that we've all made mistakes. We've all made absolute fools of ourselves. We've let people take advantage of us, and we've accepted way less than we deserve. And sometimes, we too have given others way less than they deserve. Sometimes we let our priorities and our boundaries get ravished by the chaos of the day. But if you think about it, we've learned a lot from our bad choices, and even though there are some things we can never recover, and people who will never be sorry, we now know better for next time. We now have more power to shape our future.
2. You are far more capable than you think.
You have to remember that you are incredibly capable of handling great challenges. But when times are good, and everything is comfortably in order, it can be easy to become complacent and forget how skillful and resourceful you are capable of being. Unanticipated troubles are necessary evils that push you forward; because the troubles will eventually end, but the lessons and growth you gain from them will last a lifetime.
Truth be told, there are two types of pain in life: pain that hurts you, and pain that grows you. But when you learn from a difficult experience, they are one and the same. Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you could not do before. Tough situations build strong, successful people. So no matter how much it hurts now, you have to hold your head up, grit your teeth, and take another step. Don’t waste time complaining. In the end, persistence and determination speak loud enough. Focus diligently through your struggles. Work hard in silence, and let your success be your noise.
3. The struggle is the path, and it leads to better days.
Will the road ahead always be easy? Not at all. But will it be worth your while? Absolutely. Because the struggle is not found on the path, it is the path, and it leads to better days. When the day is really dark, it can be hard to see the light, but you have to try. True strength comes when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead. There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them. You can’t force things to happen. You will only drive yourself crazy trying. At some point you have to let go and let what’s meant to be, BE.
In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting every step of the way. Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy your life as it unfolds – struggles and all. You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be.
4. Taking the next step is always worth it.
And that’s why the best thing you can do is to keep going. Don’t be afraid to get back up – to try again, to love again, to live again, and to dream again. Don’t let a hard lesson harden your heart. Life’s best lessons are often learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. There will be times when it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong. And you might feel like you will be stuck in this rut forever, but you won’t. When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things have to go very wrong before they can be right. Sometimes you have to go through the worst, to arrive at your best.
Yes, life is tough, but you are tougher. Find the strength to laugh every day. Find the courage to feel different, yet beautiful. Find it in your heart to make others smile too. Don’t stress over things you can’t change. Live simply. Love generously. Speak truthfully. Work diligently. And even if you fall short, keep going. Keep growing.
Awake every morning and do your best to follow this simple daily TO-DO list: Think positively. Eat healthy. Exercise today. Worry less. Work hard. Laugh often. Sleep well. And then rewind and repeat…
The floor is yours…
If you’re having a bad day, or if you’re struggling in any way at all, know that you are not alone. We are all in this together. Many of us are right there with you, working hard to feel better, think more clearly, and keep our lives on track.
In fact whenever life gets tough, and things go wrong, Marc and I make it a point to focus on what’s right – the positives. So today we challenge you to do the same.
Comments
Post a Comment