We humans are an amazing species! When we refuse to quit; when we don’t return the RSVP to the pity party; when we dig down deep grabbing hold of handful of determination, courage, and desire. nothing will stop us. Are you stuck? Running in place? Feeling sorry for yourself because things are not going your way? A young woman, Jessica, without any arms, learned to fly a plane and lives a full, meaning-filled life. Go Jessica, you are a wonderful example for us.
Years ago, I began reading a book by M. Scott Peck and the first sentence was, “Life is difficult.” I called to Babe (my wife) and hollered, “This guy knows what he’s talking about.” Yes, life is tough. We each have moments. The tough times can knock us down. They can knock the wind out of us. They can leave us for dead. But, you and I are strong. We get up again and again. We don’t quit. The following Vimeo video provides a great pep talk on getting up and not quitting for any reason.
We can’t all be Olympian Michael Phelps. We can use Michael Phelps’ commitment to preparing for the Olympics to make a difference in life. Life gives us a chance. What we do with the chance is up to us. Perhaps fame and fortune will knock at our door. Perhaps we will toil in obscurity. It makes no difference. Bring a firm commitment to making the most of your precious gift of life. Use your wonderful gift to give joy to our world.
Giving up is easy. It throws away hope. It doesn’t give the heart a chance to rise to the occasion. Be stouthearted. Be courageous. Be strong. Perhaps only you will know what you had to endure. Perhaps only you will know how many times you wanted to quit, but a voice deep inside screamed, “Don’t quit. Don’t you dare to quit.” The following YouTube video is a short trailer for Ernest Shackleton’s Antartica Odessey. Get inspired. Don’t Quit.
Challenges surround us, problems overwhelm us. At times we may wonder if they’ll ever end; if we’ll ever have the strength, wisdom, and courage to overcome them. The answer is YES. A resounding YES. Things may not turn out the way we want, but if we give it our best and let our Creator do the rest, something good will come from our actions. Never quit. Never give up. Give it your best.
M. Scott Peck wrote, “Life is difficult.” At times, one might wish life were only difficult with the burdens it places upon us. It often feels much worse. No one is immune from life’s challenges. When life’s challenges shake us to the core, our DNA waits for the green light to push the resilience button. The bounce back button. The shake it off, get up, and get going button. The following YouTube video will inspire you to push your resilience button.
“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~John Wooden
“A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” – Harry Truman
Are you ready for today?
Give me my cup of coffee, a hot shower, a time to give thanks to a loving God I have a new day and a new chance. I am ready. I am so ready for a great day. I ask myself:
Am I ready to go all in and give it my best every moment?
Am I ready to believe good things will come my way today?
Am I tougher than my challenges?
Am I ready to love everyone who comes my way today?
Am I ready to leave a positive imprint on every place I travel and on everyone I meet?
Am I ready to see, perhaps for the first time, all the blessings that surround me and to give thanks for them?
Am I ready? I am. Are you ready? Together we will leave it all on the table. We will give it our best each moment. We will make today better than yesterday. We will positively touch the lives of all whom we meet today.
Words to think about
Lately I’ve been runnin on faith. What else can a poor boy do?
– Jerry Lynn Williams
When everything you’ve learned doesn’t work. When everything you’ve tried ends up failing. When life knocks you flat on your back, you have no choice but to look up when you open your eyes.
Faith is trusting a loving God, no matter the odds, no matter the challenge, you and I will find the strength to rise to one knee, take a deep breath, stand up, and move on.
Faith is facing the challenge head on that knocked us down.
Faith is you and me saying, “I won’t quit. I won’t give in. I won’t give up.”
Faith discovers strength from deep within.
Faith stirs our will to shout, “You Will Get Through.”
Faith is available to all of us. It’s a wonderful, awesome gift.
Maybe I don’t understand faith as well as others. I know I find courage, strength, and confidence when give my YES to fight on, do my best and trust God to do the rest.
In times when life knocks me down, I will give a resounding YES to fight on. I hope you do as well. We can do it.
Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.
– Author Unknown
There are days when I wake up and wonder, ‘How am I going to make it through the day?’ Have you had a similar experience? I think it is a common experience we all share.
Standing and staring, sitting and thinking, or lying and wondering doesn’t help me get through the day. If I do any of those things, my anxiety rises, I go into a funk, it’s not a good place to be.
I don’t want to be in that space. It’s not a healthy place. So, I made a deal with myself (sounds absurd, right?). Here’s the deal, “I’ll get up, get going, and plunge headlong into the day. In return, I expect things to work out. I’ll have the courage and strength to meet any challenge. And, at day’s end, I’ll be able to say “Thank You. It was a great day.”
It works for me.
I encourage comments and questions.
What you are thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all. ~ Willie Mays
You and I experience tough times. You and I have the stuff to make it through tough times. We were created with an inner toughness to get up after being knocked down.
Tough times don’t keep tough people down for long. They get up, shake the dust, and get going again. It’s what they do. They reach down and find they still have a bit more they give. They don’t save it. They summon it up and give it their all. That’s what they do.
This week. Let’s give it our all.
This week. Let’s stick our face in the wind and bring our best.
This week. Let’s shake the dust, get up, and get going again.
