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Below are the last 85 issues of the Motivating Moment

You know the importance of maintaining a positive, joyful attitude. It makes your life so much more enjoyable and more productive.

We have retired, and we’ve decided to also retire publishing the free Monday Motivating Moment attitude booster. However, you can read the 85 most recent Motivators below.

Thanks to the over 8,000 people who have subscribed to the weekly Monday Motivating Moment since publication started in 2008. We wish you well in all your endeavors!

Decide, Then Get Moving!

By

As you have probably noticed, there have been no Motivating Moments in your email inbox recently. I have decided to retire from creating and sending new Motivating Moments. However, 85 of the most recent Motivators will remain online at www.workplaceissues.com for you and others to read. Thanks to the over 8,000 people who have subscribed to the weekly Motivating Moment since publication … [Read More...]

Some Funny Quotes, Smile

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I decided that for this week's motivator, we needed a little humor. I, for one, am a master at mixing up my words, which sometimes has disastrous (as in embarrassing) but humorous consequences. I am sharing some of my favorite misquotes. The names have been eliminated to prevent further embarrassment [g]. "I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree with … [Read More...]

Confidence and Courage to Face Life’s Challenges

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Are you afflicted with the "impatience" disease? Do you get impatient with people, things, and events in your life? I certainly do. I sometimes think that I majored in impatience in the school of life. I read the following story and found it to be very poignant and thought provoking. What do you think? Peter was a very impatient boy, bored and always daydreaming about tomorrow and beyond. One … [Read More...]

Frustration Can Drive Your Creativity

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It is not unusual for us to encounter situations in our personal and professional lives that are frustrating or even result in feelings of anger. The cause of these frustrated feelings may be myriad, but what we do with those feelings of frustration can have a positive impact. Take the example of what happened when George Crum became frustrated with a customer. An outcome of his frustration has … [Read More...]

A New Year, A New Page, A New Opportunity

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There is something energizing and renewing about opening a brand new calendar with our hands and opening of our minds with the knowledge that we can start anew. I have lived long enough to know that each day we have the opportunity to recreate our lives and ourselves. We have the ability to say, "That was yesterday and this is today." What is done is done we cannot undo, but we can change what we … [Read More...]

Failure to Communicate

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"What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate" This quotation is from an old Paul Newman movie entitled, "Cool Hand Luke." I don't remember much about the movie, but I do remember that one line. This quote can also apply to the following scenarios. Mark and Emily agreed to meet for dinner at a restaurant at a particular time on a particular day. Both arrived at the right time, on the right … [Read More...]

Are You Imprisoned?

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Author Emmett Fox tells a story of a man who became a prisoner for some misdeed that angered the King of his particular country. He was arrested and shut up in a dungeon beneath the castle. A ferocious-looking jailer carrying a long key escorted the man down a dark stairway. The door of the cell was opened, and the man was thrust into a dark hole. The door shut with a bang, and there he … [Read More...]

When You Want Something Badly Enough

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... you will figure out a way to get it. There may be times in our lives when we really want or need something. It is during those times that we are challenged to be our most creative. The keys to creativity are desire and persistence. The Crow and the Pitcher A crow had not had a sip of water for days and was close to death. Suddenly, she spotted a pitcher containing some water. Thrilled by … [Read More...]

Plan Your Life, Then Adjust

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A man landed a job painting the yellow line down the center of the highway, by hand. After three days his foreman complained about the job he was doing. "Your first day out, you did great," he said. "You painted that line for three miles. Your second day wasn't bad. You painted two miles. But today you painted only one mile, so it looks like I will have to fire you." On his way out of the … [Read More...]

Impact of Your Smile

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In times of confusion, sorrow, frustration, and fear, it is difficult to be aware of how one small deed can brush away the aforementioned feelings. The inhumane chain effect of our interactions can be harmful communication and can cause others to experience the same negative emotions that we are feeling. By the same token, the humane chain of our interactions can rescue others from their … [Read More...]

Don’t Empower Gossip Mongers

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Today's motivator is about an activity that occurs both at home and at work. Every family and every office has a person who seems to make "passing along" information his or her life passion and duty. We give the gossip monger power and encouragement when we listen to him or her. We should also remember that the person who brings us gossip usually also receives some "new" gossip from us before … [Read More...]

Do Your Best Anyway

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Occasionally we may feel that it is a waste of time and energy to act with integrity, compassion, and concern for all. Especially when our efforts don't seem appreciated. When rejected, we may be reluctant to try again even though everything in our souls cries out for us to move forward. Mother Teresa, who certainly lived a life that is an example for all of us, wrote the following. Perhaps she … [Read More...]

Squeezed by Too Many Demands

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In the southern United States, many trees, buildings, and fences are covered with a vine called kudzu. This aggressive vine grows at the rate of one foot per day during the summertime and it is extremely hardy. Kudzu is killing many of our trees as it quickly wraps itself around the trunk and branches and suffocates the trees. What was once thought to be a wonderful plant is now considered a … [Read More...]

We Need Each Other

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Have you had the desire to isolate yourself recently? As conflicts arise in the workplace and remain unresolved, we may become convinced that we could work better alone. At times, we may also become convinced that we do not need others in our lives. The following story demonstrates why the exact opposite is true. A boy was extended an invitation to visit his uncle who was a lumberjack up in … [Read More...]

Looking for the Goodness

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Some days it is hard to look for, or see, the good in our lives. When this is a habit or life long practice, it can negatively influence our thinking. The answer to this problem lies in looking to outside sources to help us with our "stinkin' thinkin'". A talented employee with a cynical attitude was sent by his company to a positive thinking seminar. The focus of the seminar was on learning to … [Read More...]

Caring is Sharing

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Our story for this week comes from Aesop's Fables. The Ass and the Mule A Muleteer set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule, both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a … [Read More...]

How Many Apples in an Apple Seed?

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Clark and Mason were sitting in the break room talking about business strategies for their small company. Mason, ever the worrier, was expressing his frustrations over how "quick success" seemed to be eluding them. Mason said to Clark, "I can't see any evidence of our hard work. It seems like everything that we have done has been to no avail." Clark, a more seasoned businessperson, sat … [Read More...]

Success Requires Internal Discipline

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When men and women join the military, they must go through an intensive training process known as boot camp. The purpose of boot camp is to transform an individual in a physical, emotional, and mental way. This transformation process begins as soon as the recruits step from the bus onto the grounds of the boot camp. The training seems almost cruel at times as people are pushed to their limits and … [Read More...]

Learn From the Thorns in Your Life

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We have a wonderful climbing rose near our front door that produces some really beautiful apricot colored roses. As I cut and prepared the roses for display as an arrangement this summer, I suffered many pricks from the thorns on their stems. Needless to say, I wondered if I would not have been better off leaving the roses on the bush and enjoying their beauty from a safe distance. My thoughts … [Read More...]

Bite Size Pieces

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"So much to do, so little time." My husband and I often think that way. In fact, we find ourselves either doing, or thinking about doing, some task or goal most of our waking hours. We have chosen a lifestyle that demands much of our time and energy. We are often controlled by that lifestyle, rather than controlling it. Most days we thrive in that atmosphere; however, some days we are … [Read More...]

Celebrate the Good

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Are you tired of the conflict in your life and in your workplace? While conflict may be a "normal" part of our lives, it can be tiring. Conflict can happen anywhere and occurs among even the most "spiritual" of people with challenging results. What is a person to do???? The answer may lie in the following story. The head of a cloistered monastery became very frustrated with the bickering and … [Read More...]

Warning Signs in Your Life

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An elderly woman made a phone call to the local police station requesting a police officer come to her house to remove a sign that had recently been placed in her front yard. When asked the nature of the problem, she complained about the traffic sign, which warned, "Caution: Deer Crossing." "I want that sign removed right away," she demanded. When the police officer asked her why she wanted it … [Read More...]

Control Worry

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Do you ever find yourself with worrisome thoughts making repeated trips in your mind, much like a racecar running laps around the racetracks? Does it seem impossible to stop the worry thoughts, which are nothing more than an unneeded "duress" rehearsal? There is something that you can do that will transform worry into positive action. This transformation requires only that you have the desire … [Read More...]

All Good Things Are Yours

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A frustrated and desolate young woman was most unhappy with her life. She was at that point where she did not have a sense of where her life was going or where her professional journey would take her. One day, she spent her lunch hour sitting in the park, staring into the distance, unaware of what was going on around her. She was lost in her thoughts about all that was wrong with her life. She … [Read More...]

Your Check Up From the Neck Up

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Periodically I take a moral inventory of my life up until that time in my journey. I call it "my check up from the neck up." I do this as a way of course correction when I feel as though I have made some poor or ineffective choices or if my attitude is not what it should be. This check up usually entails being very blunt and honest with myself and taking stock of what I have done right and … [Read More...]

It Is Not What We Say, It Is How We Say It

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Have you ever been surprised by someone's response to a remark that you have made? Have you ever been hurt or offended by a comment uttered by a co-worker, friend, or family member? If so, was it the words of the offender or the tone of voice that stung you? The following poem reminds us that often the manner in which our words are delivered can entirely change our meaning. The Tone of … [Read More...]

Learn and Move On

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What do you do when you make a mistake? Are you like many people who beat themselves up when they commit an error or make an unwise decision? Does your inner critic chastise you, pointing out other foibles that you may have committed? The key to good mental health and well-being is to be able to learn from our mistakes and then let it go. As humans, we are error prone and we will continue … [Read More...]

Seeing Rightly

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Some time ago I received an email containing pictures which were categorized as double vision. These are striking paintings that appear initially as faces, but upon closer scrutiny are other things, like flowers, people and things of that nature that together create the larger picture. I was first mesmerized by their beauty and then by the creativity that went into creating these … [Read More...]

Do Not Quit, No Matter What

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Are you experiencing doubts in some aspect of your life? Are you confused about whether to give up, continue on, or just remain idle? The following poem is one of my favorites and one that I have posted on my computer monitor. I am sure that many of you are familiar with it also, but it can still be a wonderful reminder and worth reading again and again. Don't Quit by Edgar A. Guest When … [Read More...]

Your Thoughts Are Powerful

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It has been suggested that we have around 60,000 thoughts per day. That is an astonishing number. What is more astonishing is how many of those thoughts are self-defeating ones. How easy it is allow our train of thoughts jump from one track of thinking or subject to another. How difficult it can be to stop an old mental tape from playing over and over again about a frustrating conversation that … [Read More...]

How to Get Along With Others

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What is one of the most frustrating situations in our personal and professional lives? What experience can lead us into days of anger and despair at home and at work? What is one area that seems most difficult to address and resolve? It is our relationship with others. The behaviors and attitudes of others can confound us. We may spend many hours thinking about and discussing with others the … [Read More...]

Do You Have Intentions or Wishes?

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Have you ever wished for something that didn't happen, even if it felt like the right thing to wish for? For example, let's say that you wished to go to a particular spot for vacation; or you wished that you had a college degree; or you wished that you had a better job. Why is it that these wishes do not come true? Is it because they are wishes, rather than intentions? An intention carries with … [Read More...]

A Chattering Mind

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Several years ago, I was playing golf in Phoenix, Arizona. As I stood, ready to tee off at the first hole, a little prairie dog stuck his head up from a nearby hole, looked at me, and began to chatter madly. I was amused by this little creature and how seemingly unafraid he was of me. As I stood taking a couple of warm up swings with my golf club, he continued his chattering. At that point I … [Read More...]

Weathering the Storms of Your Life

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Many years ago, I heard a story that was both amusing and amazing regarding a tornado. The person sharing the story was also the person involved in the event. She resided in an area where tornados are a fairly common occurrence. One day, while standing on her porch, she saw a tornado coming directly at her property. She stood on the porch and yelled at the tornado to go away and not come onto … [Read More...]

Reinventing Ourselves

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One of my favorite television programs is "Biography." As I watched a recent program, I noticed that there seemed to be a common theme running through these uncommon lives. After reaching a pinnacle of success, they encountered the down slope in their lives and careers. As I recalled the numerous biographical or autobiographical books that I have read, I realized that the reason that the books … [Read More...]

Pruning Your Success

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I love grapes. I recently had the opportunity to sample some grapes still growing on the vine. They were sweet and delicious. I wondered what made a grape vine successful and productive. Now I understand that it is the same process that makes our lives successful, happy, and productive. The success of the grape vine and the production of juicy grapes are dependent upon the proper pruning of the … [Read More...]

Experience the Power of Commitment

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There is a common thread that runs through successful activities, a common trait among successful people, and the key to the achievement of goals. That thread and trait is commitment. Merely wishing that something will occur or hoping that an act will lead to success is not sufficient; there must also be a commitment. W.H. Murray, a man who climbed Mount Everest, offered the following insights … [Read More...]

How Would You Perform Your Job If No One Ever Knew?

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What happens when others do less than is expected? What is our reaction? What is our reaction? Our expectations for the performance of others may be very high. In many cases, we would not settle for less than the best. We expect airplane mechanics to do their jobs because passenger's lives depend on it. We expect a nurse or doctor to do their best because our health and well-being depends … [Read More...]

Be The Conductor of Your Train of Life

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Recently a friend shared with me frustrations she felt about some life challenges. As she aptly described how she coped with the struggles in her life's journey, it reminded me of the following poem. Some folks ride the train of life Looking out the rear, Watching miles of life roll by, And marking every year. They sit in sad remembrance, Of wasted days gone by, And curse their life for … [Read More...]

Handle Others With Care

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On occasion, we will see a container marked "Handle with Care" cautioning the handlers that the contents inside are fragile. Presumably, the handlers will be diligent and respectful of the contents and will cautiously carry the container. Each handler may honor the instruction, drawing upon his or her own personal value system, work ethic, and respect for the trust that the sender has placed in … [Read More...]

Solving Your Life’s Puzzles

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I often work the crossword puzzle in the daily newspaper. Some days, I find that the puzzle seems to solve itself. Other days, I struggle with each and every answer. More often than not, I will get a few of the clues correct and when I return later, the answers to the very clues that eluded me before seem to present themselves. Once I get one answer completed, often it provides me with the … [Read More...]

Your New Year’s Changes

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The beginning of each year brings the opportunity for planned personal or professional change. The challenge to those who want to improve aspects of your life is to have clarity, stay the course, celebrate each day that actions are taken in furtherance of your goals, and have the courage to make course corrections when our change methods are not working. If we are clear in what we want, there … [Read More...]

Your Powerful Affirmations

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At the end of each Monday Motivating Moment, we include an affirmation for the week. Some of our readers have reported using them with great success. Other readers indicate that they read them only once. So what is the deal with affirmations, and how can they be successfully used? Affirmations are positive statements that, when read and spoken repeatedly, can be very powerful mind and life … [Read More...]

Enjoy Your Slow Dance

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I recently needed to be reminded of the point made in the poem below. Maybe this reminder will also be helpful for you. Slow Dance Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round or listened to the rain slapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight, or gazed at the sun into the fading night? You better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't … [Read More...]

Cooking with Enthusiasm!

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It's Monday morning. Does this describe you? Instead of looking forward to the week, you are looking forward to Friday. You may actually dread the work week so much that the negativity spills over into your personal life. The interesting thing is that you may like your job, or most aspects. It may seem as if there is a perpetual cloud hanging over you as you start your day or some aspect … [Read More...]

Dents in Your Life

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It is not unusual for us to get so caught up in meeting our needs, desires, and goals that we lose sight of what is happening around us. From time to time, we may be stopped in our tracks by some unusual event that will cause us to pay attention to what is important. Those lessons can cause "dents" as happened in the following story. A young and successful executive was traveling down a … [Read More...]

Magic of Please and Thank You!

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Much is written about the lack of civility that is so prevalent in the workplace. Missing from many workplaces are the basics that we were taught as children, such as the words: "Please and Thank You." We see the evidence when people become frustrated, disillusioned, and fed up with the lack of common courtesies that make us a civilized group of beings. We see the lack of civility when others … [Read More...]

Make a Decision and Move On!

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Have you had one of those days, weeks, or months when it seems that someone in your life has wronged you? Are you feeling angry and resentful as a result of a conversation or a slight by another (family, friend, co-worker, or stranger)? Do you find that you spend more time than you would like mentally reviewing the conversations, the situation, or the history with this person? Or do you talk … [Read More...]

What Are Your Special Contributions?

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"I feel that what I do is not very significant." "It seems like I get very little recognition or respect for my work." "Sometimes I wonder why I am working in this particular job. Who cares?" "What difference does it make? What difference do I make?" Have you felt like this or heard others express similar statements? I know that I have had those same thoughts… especially during one of … [Read More...]

How Much is Your Time Worth?

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We seem to vacillate between complaining that there is not enough time (as we rush to complete our projects) and that there is too much time (as we anxiously wait for the plane to arrive). Most of us mourn the lack of hours in a day as we try to do all that we require of ourselves. We are given the gift of time (86,400 seconds per day) that must be used each day, or it is lost forever. We are … [Read More...]

How Patient are You?

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Patience has never been one of my virtues, although I have become more so as I grow older. I recently experienced a surge of impatience as I waited for an event to occur. I kept repeating my usual affirmative statement, but I found myself in a battle to let things go and allow them to unfold as they should. Another opportunity to practice patience. Stimulated by my irritation stemming from … [Read More...]

Right-Thinking for Cooperation With Others

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  At times, it is difficult to get along with some people in your life. Over the years, I have returned to this piece, written by Ann Landers, as a tool to eliminate the negative thinking and to find goodwill in my disappointed heart. I hope that it helps you also. Ten Commandments of How To Get Along With People Keep skid chains on your tongue; always say less than you think. … [Read More...]

Ready to Make Changes in Your Life?

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At any time in our life, we have the opportunity to correct or improve those aspects of our lives that pinch us.  We make resolutions to improve ourselves and, therefore, our opinion of ourselves. We often break those resolutions because we are not fully committed to them. They are merely wishes, not heartfelt desires. We must resolve to make those changes in our lives that will allow us to … [Read More...]

Kindness at Work?

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What do you do when someone at work rejects your kindness? Often our response is to become angry and withdraw physically and emotionally from that person. However, what happens if we continue to be kind to that person? Will there be a change? The following story demonstrates what may happen. A very wise farmer was passing by a neighbor's farm when he saw a group of farm hands standing … [Read More...]

Choose Your Actions Carefully

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There is an oft-ignored phenomenon at work in our lives. Those who live a consciously-aware life are familiar with this phenomenon. They use their knowledge of this principle to govern their actions so that their lives are more peaceful and more meaningful. What is this phenomenon? The principle of "what goes around, comes around." Have you ever experienced or participated in an action or … [Read More...]

Understand First, Then Act

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Sometimes in the chaos, challenges, and inconveniences in our lives, it is possible to miss the smallest message with the biggest impact! The following poem can remind us to look for the messages, not the mess, on the wall. The Handwriting On The Wall A weary mother returned from the store, Lugging groceries through the kitchen door. Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old Son, Anxious … [Read More...]

Goodness from Negative Situations

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It is easy to become negative when surrounded by the challenges in our personal or professional lives. Negativity can become habit forming. If un-noticed and un-addressed, negativity can lead to an unsatisfying life. Deliberately looking for the good in situations can neutralize negativity and its effects. Looking for, acknowledging, and focusing on the good in life requires making … [Read More...]

Your Choices = Your Life

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Why is it that when you are running on a treadmill that 20 minutes seems like an eternity, while 20 minutes doing something that you love, goes by in a blink of the eye? Why is it that we are so time-conscious even to the point of reading books or taking time management seminars? Why is it that the older you get, the faster that time seems to fly? Why is it that the magazine articles that … [Read More...]

Your Synergistic Connections

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I recently read about an Egyptian bird known as the Egyptian Plover. This feathered crocodile cleaner hops right into the open mouth of the Nile crocodile to remove parasites, which collect in the crocodile's mouth. The big animal sits quietly as the little bird goes about its business. After the job is done, whether the crocodile is hungry or not, the bird always leaves unscathed. Remember, it … [Read More...]

Secret of Success

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Have you ever put off making a decision about even the smallest matter? Why is it so hard for us to make decisions at times? Is it because we are afraid of making the wrong decision? A reporter once asked a bank president... "Sir, what is the secret of your success?"   The banker replied... "Two words." "And, sir, what are they?" the reporter asked.   "Right decisions," the … [Read More...]

Problem Solve in a Slow Cooker

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There are times when we are at a loss to know how to resolve issues in our lives. We may tend to procrastinate, or we may rush to make a hasty decision -- both of which can be counterproductive.  As I was making beef stew today, it occurred to me that it is possible to resolve problems in the same manner that we tenderize tough meat. There is an art and science to making a delicious stew. The … [Read More...]

Your Actions Are Far Reaching

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Very often, we are unaware of the effects of our decisions and actions.  Regardless of whether our deeds and actions are kind or unkind, there are rippling effects. This poem makes the point in a most poetic way. Drop A Pebble Into The Water Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone; But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on, Spreading, spreading from … [Read More...]

Stimulating Opportunities for Your Road to Happiness

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Is the brain hardwired to earn satisfaction and happiness? I read an article that asked and answered the question about whether people who won the lottery were happier or less happy after their win. The author of the article concluded that lottery winners and others who get their money without working for it did not get as much satisfaction from their cash as those who earn it. A study … [Read More...]

Your Professionalism

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Professionalism is a state of mind and action. Professionalism encompasses the use of maturity, wisdom, and knowledge. Professionalism requires that an individual act in a responsible, ethical manner and in keeping with the principles, standards, and laws of one's profession. Professionalism implies the ability of the individual to maintain composure, keep a cool head, and respond in an … [Read More...]

Create Your Inner Peace

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From time to time, we need reminders about right thinking and the way to a peace-filled and successful life. The following poem is one of my favorites. It has been in my personal book of inspirational sayings that I have accumulated over the years. I hope you find it helpful as well.         Comes the Dawn After awhile you learn the subtle difference between holding   a hand and chaining a … [Read More...]

Memorial Day Reflection

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Today is a holiday in the United States when we take time to remember all the men and women who were engaged either directly in battle or indirectly through the war efforts. It is a time that we are to stop and reflect upon the freedoms that we do have and remember what others have sacrificed to make it possible. However, this should also be a day that we stop to remind ourselves of just … [Read More...]

Need to Quiet Your Inner “Noise”?

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As my plane was pulling onto the runway for takeoff, I noticed a sign that instructed the pilots to implement a procedure that would reduce the amount of noise that the plane makes when taking off. This program is designed to lessen the deafening effects that airport noise has upon the residents of neighborhoods near the airport. As I thought about the meaning and impact that this instruction … [Read More...]

Decide, Plan, Focus, Succeed

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"Self-discipline is when you tell yourself to do something and you don't talk back." - W. K. Hope I admire people who have organized lives; their homes and workplaces are neat and organized and they actually can find their checkbooks, car keys and eyeglasses. What does it take for a person to possess those characteristics? The answer is self-discipline. Having self-discipline means … [Read More...]

Facing Challenges with My Wisdom and Strength

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Recently I had the opportunity to listen to three people who are going through many challenges in their lives right now. As I listened to each, I marveled at the resiliency that each had in dealing in their own ways with their challenges. Following the conversations, I recalled a story that I once heard that reminded me that while everyone has challenges, some challenge are greater than … [Read More...]

A Few Thought Provoking Quotes

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This week's motivator includes some quotes that are worth considering. Some may apply to your life today, some may not, but they all have poignant meanings for you to reflect upon. The best way to get even is to forget. Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death. Some folks wear their halos much too tight! Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be … [Read More...]

Find Good in Challenging Situations

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Have you found yourself facing one challenging situation after another, posing a threat to your happiness, hopefulness, and peace of mind? Would you like to find another way to deal with those challenging situations? If so, let Johanna in the following story be your guide. I Can't Wait To See What Good Comes Out of This Situation Johanna woke up one morning feeling very sad because she and her … [Read More...]

Are You Part of the Solution?

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Have you noticed how much easier and more fulfilling it is when we work together to accomplish a task? Do you recall working with a group on a dreaded project, only to conclude with a positive experience and outcome? Was there a time of crisis when you and others put aside any differences and worked together to help others in need? There is strength in unity. When we gather together to … [Read More...]

Opportunity From Annoyance

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A couple went on their honeymoon to a cottage in a peaceful and lovely mountain setting. Unfortunately, the peaceful atmosphere was upset by an annoying woodpecker, which kept pecking away on the roof of the cottage. The young groom tried a number of times to chase the woodpecker away, but he kept coming back. The young couple decided to make the most of the situation and they named the bird, … [Read More...]

What is Holding You Back?

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The circus elephant demonstrates what happens to us when we become tied to a habit. When an elephant is a baby, a strong chain is applied to one leg to keep it within a certain range. The baby elephant pulls against the chain, trying to escape, but is unable to do so. After many attempts, the baby elephant finally realizes that she will not be able to break the chain and so does not continue to … [Read More...]

Your Words Are Very Powerful

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There is great power in the words that we utter. It has been said that words are so powerful that when repeated with emotion, they will bring us that which we are affirming. The following story demonstrates what can happen when we use words in a discouraging manner, and what can happen when we "turn a deaf ear" to those words that could dash our dreams or goals. Two Frogs A group of frogs … [Read More...]

Transform Your Weakness Into Your Greatest Strength

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Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your greatest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only … [Read More...]

Find Diamonds in Your Backyard

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How often do we look longingly toward others' backyards to what we believe are greener pastures? In doing so, we often fail to see the riches that are in our own surroundings. The failure to bring our focus to our own backyard can generate frustrating or devastating consequences... as it did for the subject of this story. An old priest told an ancient Persian farmer, Ali Hafed, that if he had a … [Read More...]

Master Your Fears and Find Your Power

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One emotion that we all have in common is that of fear. It is this emotion that can hold us back from our own happiness and can thwart our success. I met fear in numerous situations in my life and chose to turn away rather than face it. At other times, I have faced fear believing it to be giant monster only to find when I shed THE light on it that it was but a tiny harmless bug. Throughout … [Read More...]

Your Choice

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A close friend and I had several conversations recently about some frustrating situations in our lives. Part of our discussion included the necessity to let go of our need to understand the behaviors of others, our desire to control situations, and our wish to put down the heavy frustration load that we both had chosen to carry. During my post-conversation assessment, the following thoughts … [Read More...]

Do You Know Your Special Mission?

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Do you ever wonder if you have a special mission or purpose in life, and what it might be? Is there a hunger deep inside to feel as though you are making a difference, or leaving your mark on the world? Know this... indeed there is a special place for each of us where we may experience the satisfaction of knowing that we have had a positive impact on our world. A PLACE FOR ME There's a … [Read More...]

Habits: My Best Friend

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Did you know that it normally takes about 30 days to break an old habit, or to begin a new one? In fact, most habits take much longer to form if we are not fully committed to implementing one. Habits get a bad rap because often they are deemed to be negative behaviors or characteristics. However, habits can be very helpful, depending upon what they add to our happiness and satisfaction. The … [Read More...]

How is Your Life Like a Puzzle?

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Awhile ago, my family and I spent hours putting together 750-piece puzzles, an activity that had long ago been put aside. I am not sure what sparked the desire to tackle this challenging project, but the insights that came from our attempts to piece together bits of the puzzle were welcomed and timely. We started by looking at the picture on the box lid so that we could see the total image. We … [Read More...]

What Would You Do If You Had One Week to Live?

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Some time ago my husband and I watched a movie in which one of the main characters was told that she had one week to live. The initial part of the movie involved her attempt to disprove the message and the messenger who prophesied that she would meet an untimely demise. She was unsuccessful in her quest to prove that his other predictions were wrong, and therefore that the one for her was also … [Read More...]

Is Your Gossip True?

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There is one habit that we all engage in, to varying degrees, and that is the habit of gossiping. We have even been advised not to say anything about a person if we cannot say something good about him/her. We have also heard the humorous adage, "If you can't say something nice about someone... come over here and sit down by me." We may have even heard another person say, when offering chewy … [Read More...]

Your Greatest Gift of All

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It is very easy to forget the reasons we celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, or other such religious holidays. The lapse of memory is due in part to the need to "get our gift shopping" done. As we focus on giving or receiving the right and perfect gift, our focus may be upon material items. This skewed vision of the purpose of these special holidays has left many people disappointed, … [Read More...]