Daily Motivator - February

[bluidkiti]

February 1

Expect a positive outcome

Think of all the blessings that first arise as troubles. Consider how many opportunities initially appear in the form of problems.

If you give up the moment trouble arrives, you’ll miss out on the good fortune that it’s disguising. When you back off at the slightest disappointment, you deny yourself the chance to transform it into value.

What if you simply make the decision not to categorize anything as a problem? What if you choose to focus on the positive power of your response rather than on the negative aspects of your situation?

Whatever you may be experiencing, there’s some way to turn it to your advantage. Expect a positive outcome, then set about to fulfill your expectation.

No matter what happens or fails to happen outside your control, you can point your mind and your spirit in any direction you choose. You can push successfully through the challenges and transform difficult situations into positive energy.

As difficult as reality can often become, it’s never a reason to give up on your intended purpose. You have the will, the flexibility and resourcefulness to forge ahead, so put it all to good and meaningful use.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 2

Complicated mess

It’s a highly complex world out there. However, in that complexity you’ll find plenty of opportunities to live with grace, goodness, and fulfillment.

Various single, simple factors do exert their influences. But no one thing is going to cause or solve all your problems all the time.

Living with positive purpose requires navigating through the complexity with persistence, with fortitude. You must be willing and able to pick yourself up and win after repeated defeats.

Quick and easy answers make for powerful promises. Yet almost always they are a lousy strategy.

Set a clear and meaningful goal. Then be willing to work your way through the complicated mess of reality in order to get there.

Much opportunity exists in the complexity of life. Embrace that complexity, understand and appreciate your ability to deal with it, and live the success that is yours to achieve.

— Ralph Marston

[willbe275]

February Prayer.
May my dear friend Tammy and her family
have a healthy blessed prosperous New Month.
In Jesus Name. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

February 3

Self kindness

Do something good, healthy, challenging, and wholesome for yourself today. Give yourself an enduring positive feeling that flows into your whole world.

Repeat the favor again tomorrow, and every day. Build within your life a momentum of favorable, real-world action.

Plenty of areas in your life can benefit from some time, attention, and wholehearted care. Offer yourself a gift that deepens your ability to give to all of life.

When you’re tired, discouraged, and disappointed, it’s difficult to be of any use to anyone. So consider what could transform you from down to up, in a genuine and sustained way.

Commit to making it happen by taking the first step. Then continue following through until you’ve raised yourself to a higher level of energy and effectiveness.

At any moment, you’re one act of self kindness away from a more productive, creative, generous and compassionate you. Step forward and bring that transformation about.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

Thank you willbe. I pray you do too.

[bluidkiti]

February 4

The courage to answer

Will you say yes or will you say no? You’ll have plenty of opportunities to say both.

When those opportunities arise, give serious consideration to your answer. Then choose that answer and decisively go with it.

If you never say yes, you’ll miss out on many of the best things life has to offer. If you never say no, you’re inviting others to take advantage of you and to indulge their own mistaken expectations.

Your choice of yes or no won’t always turn out to be the best one. But don’t let that stop you from making it.

Say yes, or say no, then set about to bring the best possible outcome from your decision. Decide in advance to live with your choice, and do what’s necessary to follow through.

No standard answer works in every case, yet you can work to offer the best answer and then to make the best of what you choose. Each time, whether it’s yes or no, have the courage to answer and to move positively forward with that answer.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 5

Beyond discouragement

It’s natural and understandable to become discouraged. The feeling of discouragement is normal and healthy in response to adverse, disappointing developments.

But as intensely discouraged as you may be, you never have to let it define who you are. You can choose to be a person experiencing discouragement rather than the walking, breathing embodiment of discouragement.

That’s a key distinction. Because it reinforces to you the truth that you have power over your discouragement.

Discouragement can all too often be a part of your experience. Yet it doesn’t ever have to become a part of who you are.

Who you are is someone with values, dreams, skills, opportunities, and resources. At any time, amidst any degree of discouragement, you can make use of all those things to work your way beyond whatever you’re experiencing.

You can feel the pain of discouragement, then take steps to transform that pain into inspiration, determination, and effective action. Though you may at times go through discouragement, you never have to stay there.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 6

Purposeful intention

Are there things you do every day out of habit that don’t accomplish anything? Let them go.

Are there choices you make again and again that you always come to regret? Allow yourself to choose differently.

Life is difficult enough without you needlessly adding to the difficulty. You’re in control of your own thoughts, decisions, and actions, so make smart use of that control.

In every situation, ask yourself this question. What, right now, would bring the most enduring value to you, to those you care about, to life?

Answer honestly, thoughtfully, and follow up your answer with action. Inject purposeful intention into your experience at every turn.

Escape the regrets and the long stretches of habitual ineffectiveness. Live with heightened awareness of all the good you can do, and you’re sure to make much of it happen.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 7

Greater than you

Profound meaning does not come from obsession with yourself and endlessly accommodating your every whim. It comes in the recognition and service of something bigger than you.

You will not experience fulfillment by catering exclusively to your own desires. Fulfillment comes when you’re able to transcend your narrow concerns.

Life and existence are much bigger than you. To experience their most sublime dimensions, focus yourself beyond yourself.

Ego has its place, and is sometimes necessary to exercise in the interest of thriving and surviving. Yet so much more of life’s value and joy exist far outside the constricted domain of your ego.

When anything seems to challenge that ego, remind yourself that it’s probably not such a bad thing. What serves to direct your awareness beyond you, can also enrich you in ways you may have never considered.

Seize upon opportunities to think and live beyond yourself. Stay connected with the massive value and potential of all that’s greater than you.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 8

Complain once

Complain once, with clarity and specificity. Then, armed with all the details about what’s wrong, work to improve the situation.

It’s a mistake to assume complaining is an effective way to distance you from responsibility. What’s actually true is the opposite.

If you’re involved enough to register a complaint, you have some interest in what you’re complaining about. That means you also bear a degree of responsibility for getting the complaint resolved.

You very well may not have caused the unfortunate situation, yet you’re the person calling attention to it. That obligates you to positively follow through to the best of your ability.

To do that, quickly transition from the complaint to specific plans for what to do about it. Instead of investing repeatedly in the complaint, put thought, energy, and action into moving permanently beyond it.

Once a complaint has been expressed, its work is done. After that, is your opportunity for working to make sure the complaint never arises again.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 9

Deeper perspective

The problems and disturbances are all near the surface. Go deep, and you’ll find your way beyond them.

The tumult and confusion can be overwhelming if you keep yourself in the middle of it. Take a step back, and give yourself some perspective.

When you become completely wrapped up in the comings and goings of your outer life, it can quickly wear you down. Connect often to your inner purpose, and let it revitalize you.

There is nothing to be gained by running away or hiding from your troubles. Yet there is everything to be gained by detaching yourself from them.

You are more than whatever is troubling you. Give yourself some distance and give yourself the opportunity to successfully address the causes of your problems, not just the symptoms.

Your difficulties do not define you, yet they do give you an opportunity to move powerfully forward. Go deep, to your most treasured purpose, and the storms on the surface cannot stop you.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 10

Engage yourself

Don’t merely see what’s going on. Be what’s going on.

Look for how you can participate in a meaningful and significant manner. Then immerse yourself in giving unique value to what’s happening.

Keep yourself aware and informed about the world around you, but not just for the sake of amusement. Engage yourself in making positive contributions.

Though you obviously can’t do everything, you always can do something. Generously and thoughtfully determine what that is, and get yourself involved.

You’re at your best when you act, when you interact, when you join in, listen, speak, commit your time and skills. Doing so is beneficial for others and great for you.

Consider how you can be a part of what’s going on in a helpful and productive way. Participate, and expand upon the richness of life.

— Ralph Marston

[willbe275]

Get involved

[bluidkiti]

February 11

Overcorrection

If you’re driving straight toward another car and fail to adjust, you’ll crash. But if you turn the steering wheel too far in the other direction, you’ll run off the road.

An essential part of safe driving is to correct your direction whenever necessary, while taking care not to overcorrect. The same dynamic applies to successful living.

Just because you regret going to one extreme does not mean it’s a good idea to go to the opposite extreme. In your fervor to back off from your mistake, don’t react so impulsively that you make an even worse mistake.

Sometimes a drastic change of direction is entirely called for. Once you make that change, however, seek steadiness and sustainability.

It’s tempting to push hard against and away from what has proven to be painful and disappointing. Remind yourself to channel your enthusiasm in ways that are sober, disciplined, and thoughtful.

There will always be times when you realize a big correction is necessary. Just don’t do it so thoughtlessly that you end up making things worse.

— Ralph Marston

[bluidkiti]

February 12

Inspired by hope

Hope is nice to have, but it can disappoint when it’s based on a flimsy foundation. Hope works best when you work with it.

Be inspired by hope. But don’t make yourself dependent on hope alone.

Hope for good things to come. And combine that hope with purposeful, effective effort.

Begin with hope, continue with skill, discipline, and commitment. Let your hope drive you to do the good work that brings your hope to fruition.

Make your hope a daring kind of hope that pushes you into action. Let your hope for the best challenge you to be your best.

Go forward knowing that your hope is not empty because you are participating in its fulfillment. Feel the energy your hope can inspire, and use that energy to achieve great things.

— Ralph Marston