Daily Motivation 8-11-11

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Today's Gift

I'd like to get away from earth awhile and then come back to it and begin again. —Robert Frost

Do we think it's weak to need a break? Do we ignore the need to recharge our batteries? Responsibility for our own lives requires us to recognize the need to restore our energy. Maybe our former escape from the world was by using food, or drugs, or spending money, or sexual release, or preoccupation with another person.

Now, since we are developing the ability to be with ourselves, we can take a break from the world and come back restored. This meditation time generates more energy for our lives. Recreation with friends, a walk, a movie, or a concert does the same. Taking responsibility to get away is a good cure for self-pity and exhaustion.

Today, I will be aware of my need to restore my energy.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

 

Walk In Dry Places

New Ideas

 

What is real Open-mindedness?
When we're urged to be open-minded, what's really involved? Open-mindedness certainly can't mean accepting every idea that comes down the road, because some of them are worthless or harmful.

 

Open-mindedness really means a readiness to put our deeply held opinions aside long enough to consider new ideas. If we simply refuse to listen to anything new, we'll avoid the bad ideas, but we'll also miss out on the ideas that can help us.

If we're really honest, we can look back to see many ideas that helped us after we reluctantly agreed to consider them. It's important to screen ideas as they come to us, but we can't block them out completely. All a good idea needs to help us is a fair chance.

 

Action for the Day: I'll work at being more open-minded today. It's possible I've been blocking out ideas that could help me.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Today
Today is the day. Doing our best, living each day to the fullest is the art of living.
Yesterday is gone, and we don't know whether we will be here tomorrow.
If we do a good job of living today, and if tomorrow comes for us,
then the chances are we will do a good job when it arrives
-- so why worry about it?
- Alcoholics Anonymous [3rd Edition], p. 382

Thought to Ponder . . .
Every day is a gift. That is why we call it the present.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
O D A A T = One Day At A Time.

 

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Daily Motivation

The effort of fulfillment

The rich abundance of life surrounds you. It is a magnificent blessing and a profound responsibility.

You have access to a continuing stream of value that is life and its countless possibilities. It is up to you to make meaningful use of that value.

No person, no possession, no position can give you fulfillment. That will come only from the way you choose to live.

Life owes you nothing because life already gives you everything. You, through your focus, your priorities and your efforts, are the only one who can transform that abundance into fulfillment.

To hope that someone will do it all for you is to deny yourself the true magnificence of being you. You are absolutely worth the effort of fulfillment, so find joy in making that effort.

The challenges are many, and yet the positive possibilities are endless. Make the commitment, make the effort, and live life at its highest, most fulfilling level.

— Ralph Marston