Step Taken

“To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” -Denis Waitley

Each of us have small amounts of self-doubt or even large problems with believing in ourselves at various times in our lives. It can be a very debilitating way to live. Your successes or failures in life are mostly dependent upon you as opposed to those things being handed to you.

Even if you are handed success, you can either succeed or fail once given it. Others can have all of the belief and faith in your abilities, but you need to have belief in yourself for success to actually happen.

If you find yourself at a point of just sitting on the edge of your bed, wondering what to do next, may you need to have a talk with yourself. Ask yourself if you are being negative or positive about your life. If negative, a starting point for change has just been found. It isn't easy, it takes time and work to turn your inner ship of negative thinking. But with practice and continued inner talking, you will change those habits.

You will also need to become what is termed a 'chooser and decider'.

You make the choice to have a great day. Don't let someone else be the determination of your attitude. The person that cuts you off in traffic, only you can decide if that circumstance is going to make your day a good one or a bad one. There are many examples just like this. What you have to do is decide to be in charge of your own attitude.

It all begins with these steps we take in life. A small step forward here and a small step forward there; pretty soon you will be on the path to a great life.

NOTE: The picture is of one of my grandchildren. It reminds me that there will always be one first step taken, and that each of us can take this step at any point in our life. Whether 100 minutes or a 100 years old, change happens when we put one foot out to take a step.

Stay inspired my friends in each step you take.

The Open Door

“You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. It should make of you an incurable optimist. It is the open door.” Robert Collier

A new week begins filled with work, challenges and recurring things to do. It is also a chance, an opening to new possibilities. Every day opens a new door for you that you can step through.

Take the moment and step through to what is possible.

Stay inspired this week my friends!

A Better Day

"There's nothing wrong or evil about having a bad day. There's everything wrong with making others have to have it... with you." -Neil Cavuto

Some days just seem like the worst anyone could have. You sit around thinking that your problems are worse then anyone else. Then you hear a story that shows you that others may be having it worse.

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A little guy is sitting at the bar just staring at his drink for half an hour, when this big trouble-making biker steps next to him, grabs his drink, gulps it down in one swig and then turns to the guy with a menacing stare as if to say, 'What'cha gonna do about it?'

The poor little guy starts crying.

'Come on man I was just giving you a hard time,' the biker says. 'I didn't think you'd cry. I can't stand to see a man crying.'

'This is the worst day of my life,' says the little guy between sobs. 'I can't do anything right. I overslept and was late to an important meeting, so my boss fired me.'

'When I went to the parking lot, I found my car was stolen and I don't have any insurance. I left my wallet in the cab I took home. I found my wife in bed with the gardener and my dog bit me.'

'So I came to this bar trying to work up the courage to put an end to my life and then you show up and drink the dang poison.'

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It is a bit of dark humor that illustrates that maybe your day isn't going nearly as bad as someone else. Try to find the good things, little or big, that are actually right in your life. And stay inspired my friends!

Just One Reason

"There are a million reasons you can find to tear someone down. Work to find that 'one' reason to build them up." -Dean Sweetman

When you consider your own life, you have probably found that you do much better in a 'positive' environment. Whether the environment is home, church, school or work; if everyone is always negative, there will likely be little success.

If those areas of our life are going to be great, then we have to have great people around us. You do this by building up others. Think of the people around you that provide encouragement. Remember how good you feel when you are around them. The same can be said when you are near those that would tear you down, and you know how that makes you feel.

You can be someone that encourages others; it not only builds up the other person, but it strengthens your relationship with them. This article is not about shallow flattery or "sucking-up." It means to look for and recognize positive traits and actions in others. The "sucking-up" is as bad as lying to people, they will see through it very quickly.

So what are the benefits of encouraging others?

- Your relationship develops.
People sense your interest in them and are willing to give more of themselves to you.

- Your influence grows.
Who is going to have more influence in the lives of others, the one who tears down or the one who builds up?

- You build stronger loyalty.
When the individual knows they are appreciated, they become loyal, because they know that you care about them.

- You create happy, fulfilled people.
This is not an exercise in “return on investment.” It is right to build up others, without expecting anything in return. Someone out there is looking to tear them down; you be the person committed to building them up.

So work at improving your life and attitude about others. Then take your effort and build up those around you. It will have a great impact on your life.

Stay inspired my friends!