Daily Motivation 11-8-11

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Today's Gift

 

This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou 'canst not then be false to any man. —William Shakespeare

To thine own self be true. A grounding statement for those of us who get caught up in the storm of needs and feelings of others.

Listen to the self. What do we need? Are those needs getting met? What do we feel? What do we need to do to take care of our feelings? What are our feelings telling us about ourselves and the direction we need to go?

What do we want to do or say? What are our instincts telling us? Trust them - even if they don't make sense or meet other people's rules and expectations.

Sometimes, the demands of other people and our confused expectations of ourselves - the messages about our responsibilities toward others - can create a tremendous, complicated mess.

We can even convince ourselves that people pleasing, going against our nature and not being honest, is the kind, honest thing to do!

Not true. Simplify. Back to basics. Let go of the confusion. By honoring and respecting ourselves, we will be true to those around us, even if we displease them momentarily.

To thine own self be true. Simple words describing a powerful task that can put us back on track.

Today, I will honor, cherish, and love myself. When confused about what to do, I will be true to myself. I will break free of the hold others, and their expectations, have on me.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Keep It Simple

Any man may make a mistake; none but a fool will persist in it.---Cicero.

The way we face life's challenges is what gives meaning to our lives. If we run from our mistakes, they follow us. If we stand up and work with them, we learn. Facing our mistakes teaches us wisdom and courage. Our self-respect grows. Spiritual growth means asking, “How would my Higher Power want me to deal with this mistake?” Then we listen for the answer and do what is needed. The better we get at facing our mistakes, the better we become at learning from them. Native American culture teaches us that all mistakes in life are gifts. The gift is that we are given a chance to learn.

 

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me face the mistakes of life and find the lessons that lie within them.

Action for the Day: When I make a mistake, I'll stop and ask, "What does my Higher Power want me to learn from this?”

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Faith
Happiness happens when results exceed expectations.
Maybe this is working after all. Deep down, there is also a warm, small ball of faith,
always there, never dimmed, unexplainable, asking nothing, but giving much.
To define it or try to bounce it would distort or destroy it. It just is, that's all.
As St. Augustine said, "God is closer to me than I am to Him."
I don't know exactly what that means, but it sure is true.
The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], pp. 187-188

Thought to Ponder . . .
Hope leads to faith if you let it.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart.

 

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Daily Motivation

Your own best possibilities

You are worthy of the best, so act like it. You can do great, positive, and valuable things, so do them.

Live up to your outstanding potential. Think and act and live like the successful person you know you truly are.

Don’t cheat yourself or your world out of the best of yourself. Give everything you have to this moment, and the next, and the next.

It may be difficult and inconvenient and even painful to do what you know is best. Yet the regret of turning your back on your outstanding possibilities would be even more painful.

You know you can bring great richness to life, so do it. You have unique and meaningful value to give, so give it.

Feel the awesome power of your own best possibilities, and step forward to take responsibility for them. Do what you must to live at your best, because in your best is the truth of who you are.

— Ralph Marston