Daily Motivation 4-20-11

Tuesday, April 20, 2011

Today's Gift

Hurried and worried until we're buried
And there's no curtain call,
Life's a very funny proposition,
after all.
—George M. Cohan

Often, when we involve ourselves in a whirlwind of activities, plans, and expectations, we push ourselves so hard that we don't derive any satisfaction from success. We need to face our limitations. We can't do everything we want. Even when we can do a great deal, if we overextend ourselves, take on too much, we will not enjoy ourselves, and there is no reason not to enjoy our work.

Our activities are part of what we are. If we choose to live in a frantic hurry, worrying about the next moment instead of this one, we'll miss life entirely. Part of self-knowledge is learning to pace ourselves to our own speed, learning to set goals we can attain for each day. When we do this, we can say, "Now that I've completed this, I don't have to do one more thing to feel worthwhile."

Am I trying to do too much too fast?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Walk in Dry Places

Serenity

 

Avoiding emotional whirlpools
If we were rattling down a rough river, we would try to steer away from whirlpools and rocky rapids. Living each day requires the same alertness. We're asking for trouble if we drift into malicious discussions about other people… even those who seem to deserve it. We're also sliding into rocky rapids if we get into supercharged arguments about political and religious issues.

How do we avoid touchy situations that can lead to violent arguments or terrible breakdowns in personal relationships? We can begin by recognizing that we're not on this earth to judge, manipulate, or control other people. We'll do well today to keep our own performance up to a good standard. We can also respond correctly to people who seem hopelessly wrong. Borrowing an idea from one Twelve Step program, we can detach from such people with love, even if circumstances require continuing contact with them. At whatever cost, we must avoid emotional whirlpools and rocky rapids in life.

 

Action For the Day: Looking ahead at the things might happen today. I'll adjust my thinking for situations that could be troublesome or destructive. I will try especially hard to avoid trouble with my fellow workers.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Enjoying Sobriety

But we aren't a glum lot.
If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence,
they wouldn't want it.
We absolutely insist on enjoying life.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132

Thought to Ponder . . .
The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free.

 

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Daily Motivation

Winners and winners

There are those who win now, and those who will win later. If everyone were to win first place all at once, the victory would have no real meaning.

If you resent those who win the race, you give up a valuable opportunity. You give up the opportunity to learn from their examples.

There are those who win in one area of life, and others who win in other areas of life. If everyone was the best at the very same thing, think of how terribly tedious and predictable things would be.

Just because one person wins, or excels, or achieves, does not mean everyone else loses. Life’s victories do not happen in a vacuum, and their valuable consequences reach far beyond those who achieve them.

Choose to be inspired, to learn from, and to catch the positive energy of those who win. Then make use of that energy, and build on it to win in your very own way.

Sincerely celebrate the victories of those who win. For that makes you a winner, too.

— Ralph Marston