It seems like I receive a scam attempt every day. They come from everywhere: text messages, email and phone calls. I sometimes wonder how many people fall for this stuff.
There are some very bright people behind the trickery. They put a lot of thought and energy into cheating others. What a waste. If these people would use their creativity for good rather than evil, there’s no telling how far they could go.
Be aware, and be careful. It only takes one slip up to get scammed…
I have read multiple studies that say over 85% of adults in the United States don’t like themselves. They look in the mirror and want to turn away from their own image. This goes beyond just physical appearance.
Self-acceptance is something you must work on if this is a struggle for you. I’m not suggesting an inflated ego or false confidence. Merely accepting yourself and who you were created to be is a good first step.
The challenges life has thrown your way can become obstacles to a healthy self image. When you were a child, you couldn’t wait to make your mark on the world. Then life threw you some curves and perhaps you allowed them to shake your confidence.
No more. This is the dividing line of your life. There is nothing random about your life. You aren’t here as the result of a whimsical, careless Creator. There is a great purpose attached to your existence. Don’t quit until you find it. Then act on it.
You might have been knocked around in life. Most of us have been. But you are still in the game unless you decide you don’t want to be.
Keep going…
We clean our homes when we want the dust and dirt to be gone. Make it vanish, so to speak.
Magicians and illusionists cause things to disappear before our eyes. We do our best to figure out how they do it, but we aren’t successful in our efforts.
Why can’t we make bad things go away?? Sometimes things happen and we just can’t get our heads around why. Upon occasion, things occur because we made a regretful decision. There are no do overs in life.
Bad things and awful people won’t go away on their own. But we can get the process started…
When we hear about red flags, we know some kind of warning is coming. Red flags are placed on beaches where it’s unsafe for swimming. And they are placed on construction sites when there’s a reason to pause building.
Some people demonstrate behavior that should come with a red flag. Constant lying, being rude to restaurant servers, saying hurtful things and putting others down while declaring their own superiority are clearly warning signs you should stay away. These types of people operate in a world of their own self-interest. You cannot fix them. They can only help themselves.
Find the people who bring out the best in you. Those who honor and respect you are a true treasure. They are a rare breed in today’s society, but they are out there.
Look for the green flags. Green is good!
Patience is something I work on. It seems like I’m not alone because much of the world appears to be impatient.
There are passions in your life that you might be waiting to fulfill. You have a purpose and you know there’s more to life than what you are experiencing. What is stopping you? Your thoughts are preventing you from taking action.
There is always a reason to wait until tomorrow. Yet, we don’t know how many tomorrows we have left. They aren’t unlimited.
Change your thinking. Visualize. Just begin. God will direct your steps. You don’t have to have everything figured out ahead of time. This is the nexus where faith replaces fear.
Get started! What are you waiting for?
As we all have, I have known a couple of people during my life who wanted to blame me for their lack of a successful outcome. They needed a scapegoat and didn’t place value on our relationship. Needless to say, these people are no longer in my life.
Our actions have consequences. We are responsible for the decisions we make, and we must be willing to accept the outcomes of our decisions. Holding ourselves accountable doesn’t make us heroes. It does keep us steady and reliable.
Do not allow yourself to be anyone’s scapegoat. And don’t blame anyone but yourself for poor decision making. Give yourself a break if your decision was well thought out, but things went awry. You can’t control everything.
Do your best. Always. And if someone wants to blame you for their actions, you will see how they define your importance to them.
Find the healthy people. Keep looking until they show themselves…
Have you ever known someone who begins most sentences with, “the problem with that is…?” I have met a couple people like that. Focusing on problems instead of solutions never accomplished anything.
Being a problem-conscious person rather than a solution-conscious person affects the brain, too. Scientific research has shown that constant complaining shrinks the hippocampus over time. The hippocampus is responsible for memory and problem-solving. You cannot miss the irony.
Our world has plenty of challenges, no doubt. Keeping our focus on solving them, collaboratively, will progress us towards new ways to approach them.
Instead of complaining, find a way to work through it. Your hippocampus will thank you…
Madison Avenue is the epicenter of advertising in America. There are some very creative people working there. Yet, sometimes even the best twist the truth.
A few years ago, Cosmopolitan Magazine featured an array of obese women on the cover with the caption, “This is Healthy.” I’m certain the magazine sold a lot of copies. I’m also certain the potato chip companies, the sugary soda companies and the fast food chains benefited.
Obesity is not healthy. It will shorten your life, and it causes your organs to work overtime. To believe otherwise because Cosmo said so is rationalizing behavior at best.
Not everyone is going to look like a model. Most of us will not grace the cover of a magazine. That’s okay. We have other talents to put on display.
Don’t be fooled. Take care of your health…
Have you ever felt remorse? Of course you have, and so have I. By definition, remorse is a deep regret coming from a sense of guilt for past wrongs.
You can stop feeling remorse. If you have wronged someone, apologize immediately. Commit to not speaking rudely or judgmental towards someone else again. Then keep your commitment. Treat others well going forward. Accept them as they are, where they are in life.
Let go of guilt if you are truly sorry for your actions. You cannot change the past, but you can resolve to do better going forward. If you find yourself constantly beating yourself up for sins of the past, you can stop that now.
If you are working on improving yourself, keep working! And remember to be kind to yourself along the way. Growth takes time…
The new week is here. Chaos has started. There are kids to get to school, work deadlines, traffic commutes, plus whatever else hits the fan that you didn’t see coming. Life can feel like a storm with you caught in the middle of it.
Be at peace. Be calm. God is in control and we are not. Focus your attention on that, not the noise coming from the backseat or the negativity the news brings. Not everything is a crisis although your children might see it differently! Stay in the moment and don’t think too far ahead.
Staying calm during the craziness of life is possible. Start your day with a short prayer, asking God to see you through whatever the day brings. Then believe He will fulfill what you asked. Talk to God during the day. He listens.
He will deliver every time. Guaranteed…
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