Daily Motivation 8-15-2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Today's Gift

A person's life is what their thoughts make it. —Marcus Aurelius

How do we think about ourselves? Do we feel unattractive? Do we feel we aren't masculine or feminine enough? Do we doubt our ability to perform our roles as friends, spouses, or parents? Such thoughts are common among both men and women. There is no problem in having them; they are normal to some extent. But what we do with our thoughts - how we think about what we think - makes a big difference in our lives.

When we think we are odd or different from other mpeople for feeling this way, we become more self-centered. When we don't stand up for our rights as men to have our doubts and weaknesses, we become even more weak and doubting. When we don't talk about our thoughts and feelings with others, we become isolated and lonely. We have a right to feel insecure and to know we have weaknesses. We become a stronger person by accepting our doubts. They may still cause some pain but they have lost their power to control us. Just as a repaired seam can be stronger than the original, what was our weakness becomes our strength.

Today, I accept my thoughts of weakness and self-doubt as part of life.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Keep It Simple

Life does not need to mutilate itself in order to be pure. --Simone Weil

 

How terribly complicated we choose to make life's many questions. Should we call a friend and apologize or wait for her call? Are the children getting the kind of care they must, right now? That we "Came to believe in a power greater than ourselves" is often far from our thoughts when we most need it.

Our need to make all things perfect, to know all the answers, to control everything within our range, creates problems where none really exist. And the more we focus on the problem we've created, the bigger it becomes.

 

Inattention relieves the tension; last week's problems can seldom be recalled. The one we are keeping a problem with our undivided attention can be turned loose, at this moment. And just as quickly, the turmoil we've been feeling will be beyond recall too.

 

The program offers us another way to approach life. We need not mutilate it or ourselves. We can learn to accept the things we cannot change, and change the things we can . . . with practice.

Action for the Day:I will pray for wisdom today. I shall expect wisdom, not problems, and the day will smoothly slip by.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Gratitude
An honest regret for harms done,
a genuine gratitude for blessings received,
and a willingness to try for better things tomorrow
will be the permanent assets we shall seek.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 95

Thought to Ponder . . .
I have learned how a heart full of gratitude feels.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
W H O = Willingness, Honesty, Open-mindedness.

 

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Daily Motivation

Get moving forward

Learn from the past, treasure the past, but don’t let it hold you captive. This is a new day, a new moment, and your opportunity to proceed in precisely the direction you choose.

Just because you’ve had a negative experience doesn’t mean you must maintain a negative attitude. Just because things have not been going your way is no reason to stop going.

Right now is when you can turn life around. Right now is when you have the power to choose your attitude, your actions, and the outcomes you create.

The most important part of your life begins right now. Because this is the part you can do something about.

Time moves forward, so get up, get going, get positive and purposeful and get moving forward with it. Now is when you can have a positive and meaningful influence, so make the most of this opportunity.

Whether yesterday was fulfilling or depressing, get over it. Get on with living the way you choose, according to your highest values, with this day you now have.

— Ralph Marston