Reflections on Life

There is no one formula for a successful life. Each person approaches the daily challenges encountered in a different way and there are often no easy solutions in today’s tough economic situation. Still, some people seem to rise above their troubles and find a way to deal with what life has planned for them. These are the people who know how to set positive goals and stay focused on achieving them. Everyone has days when they feel “down” a bit; However, if you focus on everything that went wrong in a given day, this feeling of desolation can overwhelm you and soon become your paradigm (how you see the world). Soon, your doom and gloom approach becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you will defeat yourself.

As a slogan that I once read in the locker room in high school read, “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.” With that in mind, I offer the following tidbits that may help ease the pain of life when things are not going the way you planned:

1.Love can fill the heart and make you whole. Seek and spread it everywhere you go.
2.Life isn't always fair, but it is your only chance to get it right – stay focused on the positive.
3.Let go of the past, you cannot change it. Instead, focus on making the future the
best it can be.
4.As Lao Tzu (Confucius) once noted, “The journey of a thousand miles begins
with a single step.” If you really want to recover from adversity and to succeed,
make a plan and start working toward it today.
5.When you are unsure about a direction in which you are headed in life, proceed slowly by getting started and taking small steps. That allows you to recover more quickly when things go wrong.
6.Life is too short to not to have fun or to waste it. Find things that you like to do with family, friends and at work and focus on getting them done.
7.Persistence and a steady focus will usually get you where you want to go.
8.Life was not created to give you everything you want. Remain flexible and be willing to make some concessions.
9.Everybody will not like you and vice versa. Do not spend unnecessary time trying to fix other people.
10.Friends are more valuable than enemies, gather as many of them as you can through life and spend time enjoying them.
11.You cannot win every argument. Do not make yourself miserable trying. Agree to disagree.
12.It IS okay to let others see you cry. Better to let it out than to internalize and explode.
13.Find a shoulder to cry on. It is better than crying alone.
14.Treat others as they would like to be treated, rather than as you would prefer. Each person is unique and has individual needs. Do not try to force them into your personal mold.
15.Do not try to mimic the lives of others that you see. You have no idea what they have hidden beneath the surface.
16.Remember the old adage, beauty is only skin deep.
17.When things seem out of control, close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus on more positive happy times.
18.When it comes to chasing after your dreams or goals, only you can control the course.
19.You cannot control what others think. Do not dwell on their perspectives.
20.Time passes quickly and with it comes healing and the promise of happiness. Embrace the time you have.
21.Believe in miracles and they will happen.
22.Do not lock yourself away pouting or feeling sorry for yourself. Life’s miracles and opportunities are just outside your door.
23.Life may not come in a beautiful box with a bow, but it is certainly a wonderful gift.
24.You control your happiness.
25.Do not save everything for a special occasion. Life is special; celebrate it daily.
26.Remember that the best is yet to come.