Today Is Your Day

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.” ~~Dr. Seuss~~

The best time to start is today. In fact, the best time to start is right now. It doesn’t matter why you stopped. It doesn’t matter how long of a break you took. Even the number of times you’ve stopped and restarted is irrelevant. If you want to get going again, get going now.

Life is full. You can label that fullness however you’d like. Inconveniences, setbacks, and disappointments; or surprises, opportunities, chances, and blessings… However you label them, the circumstances don’t change. You just need to change the way you think about them, and how you react to them. Whatever they are, whatever you call them, they’re there. And sometimes they’re valid, real reasons to take breaks.

Maybe you took some time off to de-stress a little. Maybe you took a much needed vacation. Maybe you had a family situation that required your full attention. Maybe you simply lost the drive and motivation to keep going. Maybe you just needed to take a break…again. And, maybe, just maybe, now you’re just finding it hard to get back in that saddle. There are still just a “few more things” that need your attention and you’ll start tomorrow… Sound familiar? It’s a little close to home for me! And I choose, right here, right now to get back on that horse.

Life is full of forgiveness. Forgive yourself for the break. But don’t forget that life is for living, and only you can make it happen.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.” ~~Dr. Seuss

Wednesday: Positive Attitude

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” ~Edmund Hillary

First, let me just say that it’s really good to be back. I’ve missed this. I know that I have written in the past about allowing myself the freedom of not feeling guilty when I don’t post… but sometimes I feel guilty when I don’t post.

So, in addition to the “attitude” theme, this post will also be about forgiveness. Forgiving yourself may be the first, and possibly the most important step in maintaining a positive attitude. If you blame yourself for things that have happened in the past, or *blame* period, then you can’t effectively maintain the positive attitude. When you *choose* your attitude, you’re not making a temporary choice. You can’t *choose* to be a non-smoker, and then smoke again. You can’t *choose* to be ethical and practice integrity, and then not. It’s one thing to have set backs. We all do. It’s another thing to wallow in those setbacks. So, today, I challenge you to forgive yourself. It’s ok. It was in the past. Now pick up the pieces and go do what you have to do!

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson