No time to wait till her mouth can enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
~W.H. Davies
Your homework today is to stand and stare. No matter how busy you are, you can fit in a few moments here and there of noticing and being in awe of the wonders around you. Remember that oftentimes these wonders can be small and ordinary, but they are what makes living your life worthwhile.
Extra credit: schedule regular moments each day to stand and stare!
Fear kills your potential it be who you are and who you can become. The trick is to acknowledge it—and then let it go. Blocking out fear never works. You’re just closing the door. You know it’s still behind the door, lurking. But if you open the door and greet it, you’ve made an appropriate acquaintance with that emotion: Hi, I know you’re there, but, no, you can’t come in right now.
~Apolo Ohno
This quote reminds us that everyone feels fear. Everyone is unsure and has to figure out what to do in spite of their uncertainty.
There’s nothing wrong with you if you feel fear. You aren’t “less than” if you are nervous and anxious. Successful and unsuccessful people are alike in that they both become frightened from time-to-time, complete with teeth chattering and knees knocking. The difference is that successful people manage to move forward, even just a teensy tiny bit. Unsuccessful people shiver and shake and that’s it.
Your homework today is to join the ranks of those who are successful by finding a small step that you can take today. Break it into a teeny tiny piece and then take that step!
Your homework is to extend Thanksgiving into this holiday season and beyond. Not only does the recipient of your small kindnesses benefit, but research has shown that the giver benefits as well through increased confidence, among other things. This confidence then helps you take the next step. Go for it!
Your homework today is to write down the things about yourself that you are grateful for. Make sure you keep this list handy so you can refer to it on days when you need a boost.
Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
~W.T. Purkiser
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.
~Sarah Ban Breathnach
There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.
~Ralph H. Blum
Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted–a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.
~Rabbi Harold Kushner
Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy — because we will always want to have something else or something more.
No matter where you find yourself and no matter how limiting your circumstances are, you can always think your own thoughts. It’s the mark of a courageous person, a person of high character and integrity, who chooses to search for the gift in a difficult situation and who begins and ends each day with hopefulness.
Your homework today is to hold good thoughts. Of course, from time-to-time you may become discouraged but, as quickly as you can, turn your thoughts toward the hopeful.
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
~Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
This quote reminds us that no matter what, trust yourself. Follow the Still Small Voice and the whisperings of your heart and soul. Believing in yourself and what you know to be true and good for your life is the direct route to a satisfying life full of contentment and peace.
People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.
~Dale Carnegie
Today’s quote reminds us that if we’re going for our dreams because we think we should or that we ought to then perhaps those dreams aren’t our real ones. We know we’re going for the dreams of our hearts and souls when we’re having fun. Even though we still have setbacks and stumbling blocks and obstacles, we can’t imagine doing anything else because we love what we’re doing!
Your homework today is to review your dreams and make sure they are firmly rooted in your heart and soul. When this is so, in spite of disappointments, you’ll feel a thread of joy as you work toward your dreams.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.
~Helen Keller
Today’s quote reminds us to look to the positive and hopeful. It’s too easy to let shadows and gloom turn your thoughts negative. Just like on the first day of warm sunshine, turn to the light and let it seep into your bones.
Sometimes we drag our feet and procrastinate because the task we have before us seems too hard and we think we can’t do it.
This is exactly the time to break that task down into small pieces, tiny parts, and teeny bits. Keep breaking things down into the littlest bits possible—the smaller the better.
Eventually, you will get to an itsy bit that you are confident is a snap to do. When you do that itsy bit, momentum builds helping you do the next itsy bit, which continues building momentum. Soon you’re motoring along at a steady pace!
Your homework today is to review the steps and the tasks you’re avoiding. Break them down into the smallest pieces possible. Find one that you know is easy to do then do it!
Also, as you do your review, remember to note the steps you have taken and the tasks you have completed. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Plan a little celebration for yourself and invite friends and family to join you.
