This Will Make You Think…#25

“At bottom, every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time.”

–Friedrich Nietzsche

When was the last time you thought of yourself as a “marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity”?

We have all been divinely assembled with a unique combination of talents, gifts and abilities. No one before you nor anyone to come will be configured exactly as you are. With such uniqueness comes great value and worth. But with such value and worth comes the responsibility to fulfill the promises contained within the gifts you possess.

Nietzsche is right. We are “only once on this earth”. We only have one opportunity to live up to the great purpose we have within us. This is it.

Celebrate your uniqueness and share what you are with the world. We all really need you to do this.

The world needs you to be great!

It’s a great day to be you.

This Will Make You Think…#24

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

— Lucille Ball

Up until recently most of my own regrets were related to the things I have yet to do. Things I’ve thought about and backburnered or simply dismissed for various “justifiable” reasons. Dreams and ambitions never allowed to be anything more. In the context of our own capacity to maximize the talents, gifts, and abilities we all have been given, things yet undone is greatness unrealized. It is capacity unfilled.

What is it that remains undone for you? How much of your own greatness remains unrealized?

Today is not a time for regret. Rather, it is a time for recognizing and recommitting to fulfilling the divine promise that resides in all of us. A time to rediscover and to nurture the greatness that lies within.

Waste no energy looking back lamenting what has yet to have been attempted. Instead, use that energy to propel you to maximize all that you are capable of accomplishing. Begin getting done what remains undone. It’s the first step towards fulfilling your purpose.

It’s a great day to be you!

This Will Make You Think…#21

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

— Mother Teresa

The words that we speak can have a profound impact on the people we are speaking to. Your words of kindness, love, and compassion will uplift and inspire those who hear your voice for many years to come. Perhaps even for a life time.

It’s a great way to change the world.

Something To Think About…#20

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

— Abraham Lincoln

Your level of happiness is predetermined. The good news is that you are the one who gets to predetermine it. Happiness can mean many different things to many different people, but the one thing about happiness is that it is a choice.

Your choice.

It’s the decision to see opportunity in times of change. It’s the decision to be grateful for what you already have. It’s the decision to see the beauty that already exists within you. It’s the decision to celebrate the wonderfully unique collection of talents, gifts, and abilities that only you possess.

Material things can sometimes make you feel good for a short while, but they will seldom ever make you truly happy. True happiness comes by simply making the choice to be happy and living accordingly.

It’s your choice.

Something to Think About…#19

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”    

— Lao Tzu 

In the material world, it is often difficult to see simplicity, patience, and compassion as “greatest treasures”. So much of our collective energy is focused on the attainment of possessions, position, and approval, all external by their very nature. All polar opposites of simplicity, patience, and compassion. 

A life where these three internal attributes flourish is an enlightened life. It is a life where the material becomes immaterial, where stressful frustration is displaced by trusting and knowing, and love guides all that you do.

Embrace the transformative power of these three “greatest treasures”.

Something To Think About…#18

“The real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics grows.”

— Milton Glaser

Without action, what good are all the talents, gifts, and abilities that you uniquely possess?  What good are all the dreams that captivate your heart?  Your true greatness, your gift to the world, can only be manifested by taking action. 

Do you have the “will, desire, and persistence” to become all that you are capable of becoming? 

Be inspired by your own greatness and in awe of your own magnificence.  Bask in the world of abundance and possibility. 

Your greatness is calling you to take action.

Today.

Something To Think About…#17

“You don’t need to make headlines to make a difference.”

— Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A

You’ll never make headlines because you volunteered to coach your daughter’s soccer team. You’ll never make headlines because you checked in on a neighbor who hasn’t been feeling well. You’ll never make headlines because you decided to spend a couple hours a week mentoring a troubled high school student.

But you will make a difference.

We all have the ability to make a difference each day in the lives of all those we come in contact with. It could be as simple as sharing a warm smile or offering words of encouragement. Don’t underestimate the positive and uplifting impact you can make in the life of another human being.

What will you do today to make a difference?



Something To Think About…#16

“Every human being’s essential nature is perfect and faultless, but after years of immersion in the world we easily forget our roots and take on a counterfeit nature.”

–Lao-Tzu

Crashing waves, over time, can reshape even the hardest stone. The crashing waves of life can also reshape our perceptions of who we think we are. But unlike a stone, we can restore ourselves to our original “essential nature” of our own perfection…of our own greatness.

It’s one simple decision away.

And you get to decide.

Someone Once Said…#15

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”

— Henry David Thoreau

How do you see the world? How do you see you? Do you see the beauty or do you only see the scars?

The choice is up to you.

Choose to see the beauty, the abundance, the magnificence, the greatness.

Especially when you’re looking at yourself!