Tag Archives: Motivation

Be Determined

As God works through us, He encourages us to be steadfast, stable and determined to never give up. We need to make up our minds that we will never give up when facing opposition. We may not hit it right every time or the first time, but we shouldn’t quit.

Have you ever been around people who have so much going for them, yet don’t do anything with their life? Then there are others who don’t have much at all going for them, and they end up doing great things. It’s really not about natural gifting and talent. It’s really about being determined to do something with what we do have.

Remember, it’s not about what we don’t have; it’s about being determined to never, ever, ever give up.

By Joyce Meyer

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Reasons Why We Resist The Things We Want The Most

Am not a psychologist or a professional at solving people’s problems. But these points sure know how to get to people, especially me.

The writer who can’t write. The hopeless romantic who can never find the right relationship. If you haven’t experienced it yourself, surely you’ve known others who’ve struggled with it to a pretty incredible degree: actively resisting what it is they want most (almost always through unconscious self-sabotage.) It’s something so many people do, but so few know to change, usually because they don’t know why it happens in the first place. So here, 8 reasons why we resist the things we want – because understanding the problem is the same as knowing the solution- Brianna Weist

We want to avoid being present, because if we’re present for the good things, we have to be present for the bad ones, too.

This is usually the reason people have such a hard time with simply “being in the moment.” There is something “in the moment” that they’re running from… which is why they’re having a problem in the first place. Because the only thing that can be a problem at any given “moment” is something within you.

We’re afraid to reach the “end of the road.”

We are beings that are, literally, made to evolve. Emotionally, mentally, physically, universally. We were designed to change, and the ultimate resistance to that is only seeking out “end goals.” Because you won’t actually let yourself get there. Getting there feels like the equivalent of death. If we don’t realize that letting ourselves have what we want is the beginning of a journey, we don’t let ourselves have it. But we can’t regard something as the “beginning of a journey” unless it’s something we genuinely want to do each day (rather than just feel better with the idea of.) But more on that later.

We’re afraid of losing our identities.

We identify with pain. We become our struggle. We bond over what we hate. It’s the trifecta for unhappiness, and the more we sustain it, the harder it becomes to work our way out of. This is because we grow to identify with our problems. Who are we if we don’t have a battle to fight? It makes “being happy” seem boring, and undesirable. So we keep ourselves in a state of “wanting” and never “having.”

We’re afraid of people not loving us because we’re not broken and relatable anymore.

The main reason we keep ourselves small is because we think that it will make other people love us. If we’re helpless, someone will help us, if we have problems, we’re relatable, and accepted. Being a “happy person” who has what they want is not always being “the most liked person in the room,” but ultimately it’s a choice you have to make: to feed your own heart or other people’s insecurities.

We’ve trained ourselves to feel happy with the “wanting” not the “getting.”

We get stuck in these patterns in which we find our happiness in dreaming up the next big thing, in working toward it, in lusting after it, in feeling like “getting it” is this huge accomplishment. Then after the high has passed, it’s not interesting to us anymore. We’ve learned to be happy just wanting, never having.

Having what we want makes us more vulnerable than anything else in the world.

This is the simplest one in the book, yet usually the last thing people think of: when we have what we want, we’re vulnerable. We can lose it. If it’s not ours, then it’s always safe, because we never had it in the first place. (Goes without saying, but I think most people would ultimately prefer having something and losing it as opposed to never having it at all.)

We want certainty before we act – because we think this means emotional security.

A lot of the time, getting what we really want isn’t so far out of reach as it is just behind all of our self-imposed blocks, doubts and insecurities. We want certainty because when we’re certain that something is “right” or “meant to be,” it eliminates the risk of being devastated. If we know it’s already “right,” we can’t lose it. (We can, it’s delusion.)

We don’t want what we think we want.

We think we want a partner, but what we really want is to feel love for ourselves, and not need someone else to keep injecting good feelings into our lives for us. We think we want to lose weight, but what we really want is to feel secure, and to love our bodies for how they are. (Then maybe have the partner, and lose the weight.) We think we want a particular job, but what we really want is to feel affirmed by a title, or to feel supported or admired. For the most part, people do (and get) what it is they really want. The problem is only ever a matter of identifying what that honestly is – and why

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When You Think Life Sucks: Do These Things

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” Harriet Beecher Stowe

Life is not always great.

At times it may not even feel OK.
When you’ve had several setbacks in a row, bad luck or things aren’t going your way – even though you do your best – then it may feel like: my life simply and honestly sucks.
I think most of us have had days and likely longer periods like weeks or months when we’ve thought about life like this and felt pretty glum and like there’s a personal little rain cloud over your head.

What can u do when that happens?
In this article I’d like to share 10 things that have helped me when I’ve asked myself: why does my life suck?
I hope you find something here that’ll help you out. THE POSITIVITY BLOG

1. It’s OK to feel frustrated (but know how to handle it so you don’t get stuck).

When things aren’t going your way then you sometimes get frustrated. That’s natural and OK. So instead of trying to push these emotions away accept and process them.

But also know how to not get stuck in them because then they’ll just suck a lot of energy and time from your week.
One thing that helps me to reduce that frustration so I can move forward once again is to stop my thoughts from bouncing around in the past or a possible future by reconnecting with this moment.

Two of my favorite ways for doing that are to:
Focus on my breathing. I sit down with closed eyes and then just focus on the air going in and out of my nose. I do that for 1-2 minutes while making sure that I take calm and slightly deep breathes than I usually do and I breathe with my belly (and not my chest).
Focus on what is around me for 1-2 minutes. The people going by out on the street. The slight draft from one of the windows. The warmth from the radiator. The snow slowly falling outside my window and the soft clothes on my skin. This brings my attention fully back to what is here right now.
By doing one of these things for just that tiny amount of time I calm down and it becomes easier to focus and to think clearly again. I then follow that up with the next habit in this article.

2. Tap into gratitude for the simplest of things.

This is usually my next step when I want to reduce frustration. But it works well on its own too when you feel like life sucks. Because during those times it’s easy to go from feeling sorry for yourself for a while into full on victim thinking that lasts for too long and drags you down. I find that zooming out a bit during these times helps.

So I ask myself: what are 3 simple things that I can still be grateful for having in my life?

A handful of answers that I tend tocome back to often are at least partly things that are basic for me but many out there in the world still don’t have access to. Like for example:
A roof over my head and a warm home.
Plenty of drinkable water. I don’t have to go hungry. The simple pleasures of life like a sunset or a relaxing walk in the woods. My family and friends.

3. Focus more on the small how-tos and less on the whys.

Processing what happened and what you feel is certainly important. But instead of taking the common route of dwelling on the whys of the negative situation 80% of the time and looking for solutions 20% of the time switch those numbers around. Spend more of your time on finding the small and practical steps you can take to make things better (even if it’s just a little better at this time). By doing so you’ll start to feel more confident and less suffocated and paralyzed as you are moving forward once again.

4. Reminder: This is temporary. And there is a brand new day tomorrow.

Just because this day or the last week didn’t go well doesn’t mean that there is not a brand new day tomorrow. A day when you can start fresh. With taking action to move towards what you want, likely having a bit more luck and when it will be easier to see that this difficult time is only temporary and not permanent (even if it might feel that way right now).

5. Ask yourself: What is going well in my life though?

It is very easy to get stuck in focusing on the negative things when you start thinking that life or your week or month isn’t going well. But don’t forget that there are still things that are going well in your life. It may be small things.
When I had several setbacks last year I asked myself this question and it helped me to open up my mind and to not get too focused on only the things that weren’t going so well. By opening my mind I could see that many vital things like my small business, my exercise habit and flossing habit were indeed going well and that several fun things had happened recently too.

6. Setbacks can be very valuable if I let them.

I know this may sound like a cliche. And when I’m having a tough time then it’s not what I usually like to hear. But at the same time I must admit that it’s often true. And it’s an important thing for me to reminder myself of because it reduces the pain I feel from a setback since I know that this shall pass and that I will usually get something good out of it in the end. Now, a common way of looking at failures, mistakes and obstacles on yourjourney is of course as something negative and as things that should be avoided. But trying to actively avoid them at any price usually leads to analysis paralysis and a lack of taking any significant action at all.
And the setbacks and mistakes in life can indeed be very helpful. If you let them. So before you start moving on from one of them ask yourself:
What is one thing I can learn from this situation?

How can I adjust my course to avoid this trap/making the same mistake and to likely do better the next time?
These questions have helped me to improve a lot about how I do things in life and to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.

7. Reminder: It’s OK to have a bad day.

Sometimes a bad day will just be a bad day. Even if you use a couple of the previous tips and strategies.
Because no matter what you do, life will never be perfect, awesome or peaceful all the time. It will still have natural valleys even if you adopt many new and positive habits .

And that’s OK.

But here’s the upside…

If you actually accept that this is howlife is from time to time – and you stop clinging to a dream of perfection – then your life will become lighter and simpler and you’ll be less stressed out and able to more constructively handle that bad day when it does show up on your doorstep.

8. Let it out.

Keeping things bottled up and not letting them out makes it – in my experience – easier to start making mountains out of molehills. And unbeatable nightmares out of things that do genuinely suck. So let what is weighing on you out. You can do it by:
Talking it over with someone close to you. Maybe you just need to vent and to figure things out for yourself as he or she listens. Or maybe the two of you can talk it through to ground the situation in reality. And to come up with the start of a plan for what you can do. Writing about it in a journal. Just letting your thoughts, worries and emotions out on paper or a computer screen can be a relief. And it can help you to start structuring things, to think things through and to start seeing possible solutions or small steps you can take.

9. Work it out.

When things are bad and you cannot think yourself out of the state of mind that it leads you to then take another route. Stop using your head and start usingyour body. Go for a walk in the wintery landscape.Play badminton or soccer with friends. Head to the gym and work out in someway. Will the situation perhaps still suck when you get back? Yes. But maybe less so than you first thought. Because now you have less inner tensions and renewed mental clarity and energy. I have found in my own life that this makes a huge difference to change my perspective and to start working myself out of a negative situation.

10. It’s always darkest before the dawn.

This thought helped me to hold onwhen things looked bleak for many months and to keep going when my social skills and dating life was just plain bad. It helped me to keep going when things looked like they would never pick up for my own small online business.
Why? Because I have found it to be true. When things seemed to be at the lowest point something always happened. Often because being at that low point forced me to change something in how I did things. But maybe also because life seems to have some kind of balance if I just keep going. If I keep taking action instead of giving up and doing nothing then something good always happens. Seeing this repeat itself year after year strengthened my belief in taking action and to keep going even on rough days or weeks. And it brings some comfort even when things look pretty dark.

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Which Would You Choose?

You can be right or you can be peaceful, but you can’t be both.

Which would you choose?

The ego wants to be right.

In a situation where someone else seems to have it wrong, and you feel (or know!) that you’re right, it’s oh so very tempting to point out their wrongness.

The ego loves that.

However, have you ever noticed that trying to show others you’re right, often comes at a cost?

By it’s very nature the act of PROVING SOMEONE WRONG or PROVING SELF RIGHT doesn’t involve much peace. It involves an energy, even if very subtle, of separation and judgment.

Now – that said, it’s quite valid to be right! There will be plenty of times in life when you are right, and someone else is technically “wrong”, but the questions to ask ourselves in those times are…

Does it really matter who is right or wrong?

Does it really make any difference if I point out how right I am?

Would I rather have peace as quickly as possible?

So in those moments when you want to stand up for yourself, or have the last word, or feel the need to counter someone else’s viewpoint (and there are plenty of opportunities for that in a world of contrasting beliefs and opinions), ask instead…

Would I rather be right or would I rather be peaceful?

Personally, most often these days I choose peace. There are very few times where it adds value to my life, to others or to this world if I were to battle to be right. So I don’t. Not because I can’t, not because the topic isn’t important. Simply because… I VALUE PEACE MORE.

What do you value?

What will you choose?

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Staying Strong During Life Challenges: A Reminder

If life challenges are knocking on your door, or they’ve already moved on in and seem to be making themselves at home, these are 6 empowering reminders I researched for you.

Tune in, because it’s time for you to rise up strong…

#1

You have A 100% track record for getting through everything in your life.

You’re doing pretty awesome!

You’re still breathing, heart beating, and you have what it takes to walk ahead powerfully.

Remind yourself every day – “I will be okay. Everything will be okay. I always get through somehow. I trust this.”

#2

This too shall pass.

Challenges are like storms that arrive in your life, like a weather pattern. Storms have a life span. And your life span is longer than its!

The storm will come and it will go, and you will outlive it.

Remember, this is a season. Like everything in life, it will eventually pass. Thoughts pass. Feelings pass. Challenges pass.

Be patient and trust.

#3

Diamonds are made under pressure, and so are you. Your challenges will be the making of you.

Life challenges pressuring you are softening your rough edges, calling you to evolve, buffering you to expose the power and beauty you have.

On the other side of this challenge, you will shine again, brighter than before.

#4

All challenges morph into wisdom.

This is the gift that challenges bring. They come to offer you something.

Whatever you get out of a challenge in the form of greater understanding, skills and life wisdom, you will not only use in future (as a handy side benefit) but you will NEED in future.

There is Divine Order in your life. Maybe you don’t know yet what this life challenge is gifting you, or maybe you do. Maybe you don’t know yet what this wisdom is for, but you will find out soon enough!

Perhaps the wisdom is to support something you will DO in the future. Perhaps it is to help you SHARE that wisdom with someone else in your life, to uplift them on their journey. You needn’t be concerned about why you’re being given this wisdom, only that it is has purpose.

The Universe/Divinity (whatever word you use to describe a higher power at play in your life)… it moves us across each others life paths, in right time and right order. We end up learning through challenges and then being called forth into work, career, vocations, relationships, situations and places in order that we can contribute through the wisdom we have gained.

There is purpose to what you are going through. Trust this.

#5

‘Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together‘

That’s actually a Marilyn Monroe quote!

Remember that when it feels like life is falling apart, sometimes it’s actually life’s way of spring cleaning you (and your circumstances) to prepare you for the coming summer season of your life.

So even though it’s tempting to think that life is beating down on you, pause to consider if maybe the slate is being wiped clean in order that something better can form.

#6

What we resist persists. So, it’s vital TO let go and flow.

Use this mantra on a daily basis… “This is happening, and I choose peace.”

Your attitude is EVERYTHING when it comes to staying strong. You will either become a victim to what is happening or you will rise up and be a victor.

The choice is yours, and it all starts in your mindset.

I hope these reminders are helpful for whatever life challenges you might be going through now, or that you may face on your forward journey.

Source: The Daily Positive

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The Skill Of Not Reacting to Negative People – in 3 Simple Steps

Every day we wake up ready to go into the world, looking to experience our optimal type of day.

We want peace and happiness. We want productivity and success. We want rewards and fulfillment.

And we plan as best we can to create that type of day we want.

We can create the right mindset and energy before stepping into the world.

We can take focused action toward the results we want.

We can choose where to go, who to be with and what to do.

These are all things we can control.

But, there’s something we can’t control, and it can have a major impact on ALL the things we want to achieve and experience.

That something is OTHER PEOPLE!

Dealing with the Negativity of Others

We quickly learn in life that no matter how zen we choose to be, other people might cross our path and bring their negative energy into our zone.

We also very quickly learn that if we get upset about their negativity, if we buy into it, if we judge them, if we resist and say it “shouldn’t be this way” … then we end up suffering and in negativity with them!

So one of the best things we can learn on our personal growth journey is the ART OF NOT REACTING TO NEGATIVITY.

It’s an art form because it takes practice, and grace.

Our human nature tends to be that we drop down into negativity unless we consciously choose to keep ourselves up above it.

When someone brings their negative energy your way, here are the 2 important things to remember:

  1. It’s like fishing. They throw out the fishing line with negativity bait on a hook. Will you be the fish who isn’t aware and bites, taking the bait and ending up in a tug of war? Or will you be the wise fish who sees the bait and keeps on swimming past it?
  2. If you give your energy to negativity and negative people, you’re flushing it down the toilet. Your energy is so precious, and each day you only have a certain amount of that energy to give to the world. So you have to be super smart about what and who you give your precious energy to. If you give it to negativity, you can’t give it to your goals and dreams!

So, in order for us to experience the type of peaceful, happy, productive and successful day we want, we have to learn the art of not reacting to negativity if it crosses our path.

We get prepared in advanced, so we can masterfully deflect it.

The Art of Not Reacting to Negative People – 3 Simple Steps

Here’s a 3 step process to help you practice non-reaction…

1. See it Coming

You know what negativity looks and sounds like. So be present and aware for when it crosses your path. If you see it coming (like a baited hook dangling in the water!), you have a chance to stand back and breathe before biting! You can instead make a conscious choice not to engage with that negativity.

2. It’s Not About You

Always remind yourself that other people’s negativity is not about you. It’s a reflection of something that is going on inside their mind and emotional system, and it’s being projected around you or toward you.

Too often we get tangled up in other people’s negativity because our egos take it personally and react to their behavior or words. Rather – keep accurate perspective that someone who is being negative is just a fellow human being going through pain. It’s not about you.

3. Wish them Peace & Happiness

The quickest way to non-reaction and inner peace when you’re witnessing someone being negative around you or toward you, is to wish them peace and happiness.

This doesn’t mean saying out loud to their face, “I wish you peace and happiness”.

It’s a mantra you say inside yourself.

This is a practice of conscious and spirited living to say within your own mind and heart, “I wish them peace and happiness. I wish them peace and happiness. I wish them peace and happiness…”

I know you don’t want anyone on this planet to suffer, not you or any other person who crosses your path. And using this mantra helps you to sit in the energy of forgiveness, compassion and detachment.

Inspired by: Bernadette Logue

Life Coach

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Dead Fish Or Smart Fish

This post was originally posted on The Daily Positive.

When you genuinely don’t know what to do or where to go, you are in a blessed position. It’s time to stop “trying hard” to figure it out, and instead start tuning into life around you. You are being guided. If your mind is still, your heart is open, and you are patient… the way will become clear.

There’s an old saying, “Only dead fish go with the flow”.

🌊🌊🐠🌊🌊

The meaning of this saying is pretty clear…

Fish swim with the current or against it, but they are always intentional and active, going somewhere.

If not, and they were simply going with the flow, they would be dead. I’m not sure if that is true, but we get the point.

Applying that to life as a human being, you might accidentally think that “going with the flow” means you are inactive, unintentional, directionless and not fully living.

Today let’s reflect on an alternative viewpoint to this – because mindfulness, conscious living, faith and spirituality all teaches us differently about the VALUE and PLACE of going with the flow at certain times of our life.

Let’s say there are 3 ways you could be living right now:

🐟 You’re a fish on a mission achieving your goals – you know what you want, you’re working on it, your life has a clear vision and you’re feeling good about that.

🐟 You’re a fish without clarity on what you want or where you’re going – as a result it’s a little challenging! But, you’re a smart fish, so you’ve decided to go with the flow of life as best you can, and you’re paying attention to your inner voice, to the energy of life around you, to opportunities and synchronicities – ready for guidance and direction to become clear in divine and order timing. You trust.

🐟 You’re a fish who has given up and you’ve stopped participating in life completely. You don’t know what you want or where to go, and you’ve closed your mind and heart. There is no interest in or presence to the incredible force of life and divinity all around you… so you’re highly unlikely to see any guidance when it comes knocking on your door.

Should you ever face a point in your life where your direction is unclear, this does not mean you have no direction.

It means you are in a blessed position for an exciting, new, divinely ordered unfolding to take place for you and through you.

It only requires that you be open and patient, and that you are ready to say YES to whatever intuitive nudges or signs might show up to guide you.

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You Have Nothing To Prove

Everyone struggles with the need to impress people at some level. And much of the pressure, fear and stress we experience in our lives is caused by our need to impress others.

Can you imagine how free we would be if we just lived for God and didn’t worry about what others think about us? How wonderful would it be to know that you don’t have anything to prove and you’re satisfied being who God created you to be!

We need to know who we are in Christ, what we can do and what we can’t. We need to be humble about what we can do, and we need to accept and have peace about the things we can’t do. Too many people are proud of what they can do and bothered by what they can’t do.

I’ve discovered that there’s real freedom in being able to say, “I can’t do that. It’s not my gift or calling from God. I don’t believe God is leading me to do that.”

When we have this attitude, we’re not comparing ourselves or competing with others. And we’re not worried about living by the world’s standard, like having to wear what the fashion magazines say is “in” or having the “right” job or level of income to make us “important.”

Jesus knew who He was, where He came from and where He was going. Because He did, He could take off His garment, put on a servant’s towel, and wash the disciples’ feet. (See John 13:4-5.)

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Enjoy Life At Every Moment

As some great men have said “My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants”.

Let me share a conversation between a businessman and a fisherman.

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.

Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?

Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes?

Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.

Fisherman: Isn’t that what I am doing now?

Moral – You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You don’t even need to be more rich, more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it fully.

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Smart Goals

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as, “I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living,” and that is it.

They are all wishes and none of them are clear goals. I learnt on planning my goals smart by these methods.
Goals must be SMART:
1. S–specific. For example, “I want to lose weight.” This is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when I pin myself down to “I will lose 10 pounds in 90 days.”
2. M–must be measurable. If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring our progress.
3. A–must be achievable. Achievable means that it should be out of reach enough to be challenging but it should not be out of sight, otherwise it becomes disheartening.
4. R–realistic. A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic.
5. T–time-bound. There should be a starting date and a finishing date.

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The Best Is Yet To Come

It’s another Friday and the weekend is here. This piece is for the road. Hope you like it!

I closed my eyes in what seemed like a dream, and opened them in another land. I saw trees that were perfect, the bluest sky, and many things I could not understand.

I heard sounds that appeared as great choirs, all singing with a melody of praise. I saw people arrayed in the brightest apparel that blinded of heavenly rays.

There were creatures I saw that were so different, yet all were so beautiful and kind. I searched my thoughts to see if I had seen such a sight, yet nothing like these came to my mind.

Their appearance was very awesome, and yet somehow you still had no fear. They just stared as though they were beckoning you to follow, with a love that just drew you near.

The grass was so green, with not a blade out of place, and the streets seemed like streams made of gold. Everything looked, as though it had just been created, for nothing was battered or old.

I saw no sun casting shadows about, yet the brilliance was of a shining array. I saw no darkness just magnificent colors, as if waking to a perfect day.

The families I passed all turned, waved, and smiled, with a joy that just seemed so complete. As I turned around I saw a massive throne, with others kneeling down at God’s feet.

Crowns were now being laid down before Him, the rewards of the faithful and true. One of them called me to come forward, yet I had no crown, so what could I do?

I lowered my face, looking down to the street; I had shame, guilt, and despair. Then I felt a hand take hold of mine, and He promised to walk with me there.

Tears began to fall from my eyes, yet He reached out and wiped them away. He introduced me as faithful and true; I was quiet with nothing to say.

My knees gave way, and I fell down in worship, as a crown was then placed in my hand. The shame and guilt then disappeared, and I began to, now understand.

I turned my face up to the throne; I saw Jesus He was smiling so sweet. I took that crown that He had given to me and I laid it at my Savior’s feet.

Then I stood to my feet as others had done, and then received His very best.

When I heard Jesus, say “well-done good and faithful servant, now enter my Father’s rest.”

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Things That Occur When You Love What You Do But You Don’t Live To Work

It was a long holiday this week celebrating Sallah for my Muslim brethren in my country and the world. When the federal government decides to give everyone a big break.

In the space of the break, I became lazy to write anything, even thinking of what to write became a problem. But I got motivated after learning from a friend’s life experience. How does it feel to love what you do but don’t live to work.

Check this out….

1. You love your job, but you don’t love it more than other parts of your life. You don’t love it more than your partner, or cooking, or getting a full night’s sleep. People tend to think as though you’re either a “career” person or you’re doing something else with your life to supplement doing work, but you know that there does not need to be just One Thing that consumes you. You can care about a lot. You can do a lot. Just not all at the same time.

2. You’ll often find yourself working at a coffee shop on a Saturday morning because you… want to. A lot of people will confuse your desire to work a lot with a demand to work a lot. When you love what you do, it’s like a hobby and a paycheck all in one. You’d keep doing it to some degree, even if you weren’t getting paid for it.

3. People to expect you to be consumed by “passion” when really you’re more motivated by love. There’s this image people have of what it means to love your job, and it’s usually a cold-hearted black-pantsuit wearing half-human who is in a relationship with their email account and work wife. This isn’t your reality, though. You’re not consumed by your job, but you have grown to love it through commitment, presence and practice.

4. It wasn’t your first choice, or it’s not what you thought you’d be doing, but you believe those facts serve you more than they don’t. It’s often said that the people who truly succeed are the ones who aren’t emotionally invested in the outcome. Because they’re not invested, they’re not fearful, and so they act more than they think. People who are “passionate” about what they do are lost in their emotions, people who grow to love what they do are driven by daily actions and gratitude for them.

5. You’ll be okay if you’re never the “best” in the industry. In our extreme, gluttonous culture, we think that if you don’t have big dreams, you don’t have dreams at all. You know that it’s just as noble to aspire to being an excellent employee who works hard and spends time with their friends, if that’s what you really want. If you never live to be the next Biggest and Greatest with a line on Forbes’ 30 Under 30, but you did get to do a lot of other things you wanted, that’s just fine by you.

6. You’re happy to take weekends off and use your vacation days, but are just as excited to get back in the office (or on the laptop) once you’re done. And you honestly consider this the best part of enjoying what you do.

7. You see the meaning in the mundane. You may not be the one changing the world, but you believe in what you do, even if it’s a menial task. You’re happy and proud to assist the boss who does the great work, you’re grateful to make people their coffee in the morning. When you’re able to find purpose in the moment, you cut the line in front of everyone that’s trying to find it in the extraordinary ideas they don’t actually have the desire or drive to see out.

8. You know that the work is never done. I saved this one for last because it is the most important. People who love what they do but don’t live to work are just the ones who know that the work is never done. There are always going to be more emails, more clients, more problems, more assignments. Most people live under the pretense that once their work is “complete” they’ll be free to relax and live, but they’re searching for a finish line that doesn’t exist (well, maybe not until retirement, or, you know, death.)

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Just Like Abraham Lincoln: Never Quit

Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown.

He could have quitted many times – but he didn’t and because he didn’t quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the United States history.

Here is a sketch of Lincoln’s road to success;

1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.

1818 His mother died.

1831 Failed in business.

1832 Ran for state legislature – lost.

1832 Also lost his job – wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in.

1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

1834 Ran for state legislature again – won.

1835 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.

1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.

1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature – defeated.

1840 Sought to become elector – defeated.

1843 Ran for Congress – lost.

1846 Ran for Congress again – this time he won – went to Washington and did a good job.

1848 Ran for re-election to Congress – lost.

1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state – rejected.

1854 Ran for Senate of the United States – lost.

1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention – get less than 100 votes.

1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again – again he lost.1860 Elected president of the United States.

Check out the chronological order of this great man. Am sure most of us would have quitted a long time ago, 🤔ain’t easy at all. But this man keeps going. Whenever I read about Abraham Lincoln, his story motivates and inspires me.

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Watch This Before You Give Up

This video made me cry and also gave me the vibe and strength of a lion to move on, keep pressing and never give up.

Don’t go through the easy way, stick to the commitment you have, and you will surely get there.

I encourage you to watch this video till the end, share on your platform, let it be publicly viewed. It will help someone somewhere.

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Tips On How To Find Happiness This Weekend

Knowing how to find happiness is easy, but actually attaining it is a different story. If you have been chasing happiness without positive results, read through the tips below to open yourself up and to let happiness come to you this weekend.

  • Understand That Happiness Can’t Be Defined: Happiness is something that we must define for ourselves. What one person may find happiness in, others may see sadness or contempt. For example, many people consider high-paying jobs and large houses to be the definition of happiness. For other people, happiness is being with their family and spending time with them even in a small house. Happiness can be found in all things, but it is up to you to discover which things should hold a special place in your heart.
  • Realize That Happiness Is in Your Life Already: Happiness is already in your life. Just think about the way you feel when you hug your friend or when you feel that hint of fresh air when you step outside. Think about that moment when your head hits the pillow after a long day of work. We often overlook the small bits of happiness in our lives because we are so focused on obtaining objects and titles that we believe will make us happy. In reality, the key to being happy is in realizing that happiness is already around you and within you. You just have to be receptive to it.
  • Open Yourself Up to the Universe: You will not be able to fill a cup of water if you’re holding your hand over the opening of the glass. Similarly, you will not be able to allow happiness to fill your life if you are closing yourself to the universe. Pain and hardships will come into your life from time to time, and they will make you want to shut yourself down. Fight this instinct. Only fighting through the pain and darkness will you be able to find the joy and the light.
  • Express Gratitude to the World: Have you ever wondered why we teach children to ask politely and say thank you after receiving something? It’s because we all know that we should show gratitude to those who have been good to us. Much like those people, we should also express our gratitude to the world around us. Thank it for anything and everything. The world will be much more willing to provide you with what you need if you express gratitude for what you have.
  • Seek to Better Yourself: People who are happy with themselves and their lives are constantly seeking to become better people. Search for resources and people who can help you achieve these goals. Bettering yourself will help increase your self-awareness giving you the ability to know what areas of your life are lacking happiness so you may improve upon them.
  • Know That You Can’t Always Be Happy: Those who chase happiness are under the impression that once they find it, every moment of their lives will be filled with overpowering happiness. This is absolutely not true. Not every day will be happy, and it shouldn’t be.
    Happiness is special because it is something that you can’t experience all the time. That being said, you can find pieces of happiness every day even in unexpected places, and you shouldn’t allow yourself to give in during times when it seems as though things won’t ever get better.

Happiness is like the air around us. You can’t always see it, and it’s not always obvious that it’s there, but if you sit still and stop seeking it, you will be able to find it. If you use the tips in this article properly, chasing happiness will become a thing of the past.

Have a happy weekend guys!!!

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