Motivation and discipline…...

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Jim Rohn Good morning! How important it is to recognize that both motivation and habit are needed as we seek to change and improve our lives. Motivation is the spark that often gets us moving. But within that initial motivation, we  must work hard to develop positive and effective habits to keep us moving. Success is made from both motivation and habits, not one or the other. In order to sustain a high-level of motivation while giving us time to create new habits, we must stay positive and...

Two small changes…...

“Try making two small changes every day. Take a different street, try a new restaurant, change your toothpaste, smile at someone you don’t know, eat dessert first. There’s a lot of landscape to explore off the beaten path.” Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. Good morning! Today try having the curiosity of a child as you go about your daily routine. We can so quickly become enmeshed in our habits, we forget to look at all the opportunity and newness that is within our reach. Your turn: Today and for at least one week, try making two small changes every day as...

Shrink your worry list…...

“Shrink your worry list. Examine areas in your life where anxiety rules. Does your worrying really make a positive difference in those situations? If not, dump the worry.”–from Checklists for Life Good morning! Today’s quote is practical in nature, but one that we should no-doubt embrace. Worry has many similar characteristics to guilt. It hurts us much more than it helps. While a little worry or a little guilt keeps our conscious clean and our focus clear, incessant worry and guilt are destructive. How do you know if these emotions are...

You cannot control life…...

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.–Brian Tracy Good morning! Inside Brian Tracy’s statement lies a wealth of wisdom about change. How many times have you set out to reach a goal in your life, only to be interrupted by life’s plans? It seems there never is a “perfect time” where our minds are clear and our schedules unencumbered to implement a new plan. Mastering the art of change is essential...

Going out on a limb…...

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where all the fruit is!” Good morning! Take a moment to think about the times in your life when you felt the most esteemed, proud, excited and fulfilled. What had happened to create those feelings? Were you going through your day on auto-pilot and just doing the same-old, same-old? Or was something different? I am going to take a wild guess that something was different. I am going to guess that when you felt that way, it was because you had reached further, discovered something new, challenged yourself or taken a chance....

Overwhelmed…...

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing. — Eva Young Good morning! When was the last time you felt truly overwhelmed? Maybe it was last week, or last month, or maybe it is right now, this very minute. Have your “to-dos” piled so high that they are robbing the joy from your days and the skip from your step? When we are overwhelmed, we can often trace the feeling to one of four sources: 1. When we fail to allow enough time for the unexpected, tasks pile up and all of a sudden we find ourselves anxious or struggling to stay above...

Who am I?...

Good morning! One of the members of our 2006 Goal Group shared the following anonymous poem. I thought it will worth a read and contemplation. Who am I…? Who am I? I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few lessons I...

Comparing yourself to others…...

“Your life is what you make it.” Nana Messler Good morning! I had an interesting conversation with a girlfriend the other day. She was telling me about this woman who “has it all.” My friend perceives this woman as having the perfect and caring husband; beautiful, talented and respectful children; a well-kept and beautiful home; and the woman herself is beautiful with a great attitude. The description concluded with an exclamation like: “I just hate her!” (said tongue-in-cheek). In my ever-understanding way– started laughing. She...

What people will remember…...

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”–Maya Angelou Good morning! This quote is a wonderful self-check on what we say versus what we do. It is often easy to make promises, but do we back them up with our actions? While we talk about being respectful, caring, optimistic people – do we then treat those around us with respect and caring? Maya has it right. Long after we interact with someone, they may not remember our words, but they will never...

Fill your days with purpose… not p...

“Fill each day with PURPOSE – not problems.” Shared by Good Morning reader, Cathy Rudder Good morning! Today’s quote accompanied an email from Cathy Rudder of Dallas Texas. She wrote: I coined this phrase when I first started selling real estate, and my income was 100% commission. I used this motto to overcome my fears. These words were inspired by a quote from Ben Sweetland referring to how trapeze acrobats keep their “act together” and make the triples happen – all in sync: His quote was, “Put your heart over the bar and...