SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

Wouldn’t you agree that we are all selfish to some degree? Many equate selfishness with self-preservation. But those who are seeking a higher spiritual existence or improved emotional health should analyze selfishness and its root causes carefully. When we are concerned primarily with our own interests and benefits regardless of others, we are being selfish. Selfishness means that we serve our own pleasure regardless of how our actions affect others. The opposite of selfishness is altruism, which is the self-less concern for the welfare of others. A selfish person doesn’t have room in their thoughts or considerations for others. They are completely self-absorbed. To be self-absorbed is to have tunnel vision on yourself and your own personal needs. In short, a selfish person’s entire world is completely about themselves. They don’t have the ability to imagine the thoughts and feelings of others. They have little or no ability to empathize. A selfish person feels overly entitled to have ...

What limits you is not the way things are. What limits you is the perspective from which you see the way things are. Change your perspective, and you change your options. Change your perspective, and you can change the world. If you think the world is filled with unfairness and injustice, and that everyone is out to take advantage of you, that perspective will seriously hinder you. If you truly see life as filled with opportunities and positive possibilities, that viewpoint can remarkably empower you. The amazing and powerful thing is this. You can choose your perspective regardless of past or present events or circumstances. Yes, the world is as it is, and objective reality is what it is, no matter what you think about it. However, what you make of that objective reality depends entirely on what you think about it. Your perspective is yours to choose, whatever the situation. And your perspective will make all the difference going forward, so in each moment, choose the best, most posit...

You are not what they say you are, and you are not even what they think you are. You are who you choose to be.  You are the way you choose to live, to speak, to think, to wonder and to wander. You are what you are most profoundly thankful for, and what you love.  You have no obligation to meet anyone else’s expectations. Yet you have a serious obligation to yourself and to life, to set your own expectations beyond even the reaches of imagination. There is no need and no reason to be intimidated. Live so that what might have previously intimidated you will instead begin to inspire you. This life you have is nothing short of a miracle. What you do with it today, tomorrow, every little moment, is up to you.  So choose wisely, and remember that in all things you do have a choice. Choose as if your life depends on it, for it does.

This is a spectacular world. Make the commitment, right here and now, to be a more active participant in it. Enjoy the wonder and beauty, but do more than just enjoy. Utilize your life, your time, your skills to make a whole lot more wondrous things and experiences in this world. You have a crazy unique song to sing and an absolutely enthralling story to tell. Tell that story and sing that song in ways that will enrich the lives around you. Sincere thankfulness will get you everywhere. Passionately demonstrate your gratitude for this spectacular world by making it even more so. Dive into the experience of each day with the goal of making it more fulfilling than any previous day you’ve known. As each new moment arrives, find something new and purposeful and valuable to do with it. Remind yourself often that you’re gloriously alive in a spectacular world. Find real joy and richness in living up to that promise, again and again.

Challenge is inconvenient and yet it is so absolutely necessary. Effort is not always fun and yet it gives you access to the good, fun and fulfilling parts of life. Though in the moment it may seem unfair or tedious or boring or frustrating to make the effort, get past all that. Go ahead and do what must be done, especially including the hard stuff. Looking back on the effort, it will not look so bad. In fact, looking back you’ll be quite thankful you did it. So now, when the opportunity is here, do it. Now, when your destiny is begging you to respect it, to follow it and give value to it, get going. Muscle your way through, or finesse your way through, or do what it takes to get it done. Though at the beginning you may not feel you’ll like it, you will come to like it in a deeply satisfying way. It is amazing what you can do when you put mind, body and spirit into it. Go ahead, do the hard stuff, and delight yourself with amazement at how great it is.

Forget what you think you know, and remember who you know you are. Let go of the need for sensation, and experience the miracle of existence.  Breathe deeply the sweet, cool presence of possibility. Life means markedly more, yet a glorious place to start is with the meaning you give it. Dart quickly from the thought that anything is mundane. Every great and tiny thing is anything but. Your longings are not strange or irresponsible. They are you, and indeed your responsibility is to indulge them in creative and beneficial ways. Joy is not some fleeting, fashionable amusement park ride. It is the gift you can inject into even the smallest, most ordinary moments, again and again. Lovingly immerse your world in the unique joy you keep longing to create. All is now possible, and from that limitless realm your choices make life magnificent.

Trust yourself to love what you truly love. Have plenty of confidence to say what you really want to say. Life is too precious to always be asking permission. Go ahead and live your authentic purpose in every thing, in every moment. Have faith in what impassions you. Go with what you know is good and right, energizing and empowering. Anyone else’s mere opinion about you is that person’s concern, not yours. Trust in your unique worth and beauty, for they are absolutely there. Be endlessly curious and joyously delighted about whatever you care about. Let yourself be fascinated by the special, sparkling gems of life that catch your eye. You already know how to live richly. Trust yourself, and do it.