Daily Motivation 1-18-2012

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Today's Gift

Communication leads to community - that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing. —Rollo May

We have all thought, "If I tell the innermost things about myself, I will be rejected or put down." Most real communication actually creates the opposite of what we fear...

...Are we concerned today about an intimate relationship? The way to deepen intimacy is to let ourselves be known. When talking about feelings, we need to emphasize those that make us feel most vulnerable.

The other side of communication is listening. In listening, our task is to hear without judgment and without trying to provide an answer or a cure for every pain. To express ourselves to others, to be fully understood, and to know we are understood will lift our hope and self esteem.

Today, I can make contact with people in my life by revealing my feelings to them and listening to what they are saying.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

********************************

Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Keep It Simple

The reality is that changes are coming....they must come. You must share in bring them. --John Hersey

Change. It's scary. It's hard. It's needed. Sometimes it feels bad. But one thing is for sure: it keeps on happening. Just when our life seems settled, it changes. We can't stop life. We can't stay this age forever. The world changes. Life moves on. There are always new things to do and learn.

 

Changes means we're always beginners in some ways. We need to ask for wisdom and courage. We get it by listening, by praying, by meditating. When we ask, our Higher Power will teach us to be part of good changes.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me believe that Your plans call for good changes.

 

Action for the Day: Today I'll think about the changes in my life. I've lived through a lot. I'll be okay when more changes come, with my Higher Power's help. I can keep on growing.

 

**********************

One Day At A Time

 

Weeds

When we find envy, jealousy, resentments, creeping into our thinking,
let's weed them out.
The simple way, it seems to me, is to review our actions each day.
Check where we could have been a little more understanding,
or tolerant to someone else -- whether the time we blew up
was really as important as we tried to make it...
...We'll usually find, as always, that the fault is within us.
So let's talk the misunderstandings out.
Let's give another fellow the word of encouragement that he needs.
It is good to get away by ourselves and think things through,
honestly, humbly...
- The AA Grapevine, September, 1948, Vol. 5, No. 4

Thought to Ponder . . .
The Seven T's -- Take Time To Think The Thing Through.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
P U T = Patience, Understanding, Tolerance.

 

*********************
Daily Motivation

 

In each challenge

In each challenge is great opportunity. So step forward, meet the challenge, work persistently through it, and make the opportunity yours.

It’s difficult, complicated, inconvenient, and demanding. And you are wonderfully able to deal with all that, to create a valuable outcome.

There are plenty of excuses you could make, and yet you know the excuses have no real value. There will be times when you feel like quitting, and yet in every case you know you can overcome the desire to quit with your positive enthusiasm for seeing it through.

You’ve successfully endured every challenge in your life so far, and you certainly have what it takes to successfully take on even bigger challenges. You are able to make a difference, and the more you make use of that ability, the stronger it grows.

Though many things will go wrong, you know from experience that even in adversity there is much value to be gained. Each obstacle makes the eventual achievement all the more rewarding.

You’re good at dealing with challenges, so put that ability to meaningful and rewarding use. Step forward, meet the challenges that lead to your dreams, and bring those dreams to life.

— Ralph Marston