Motivation of the Day

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

~ Winston Churchill

Motivation of the Day

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

~ Thomas Edison

Motivation of the Day

"That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well."

~ Abraham Lincoln

True Happiness

You're familiar with them... Those people who put others down to try to make themselves feel better. Ultimately, are they happy? Now think about a time that you have done something good for someone else, thereby making them happy. Did it make you happy? True happiness does not come from being the best at everything, having the most of everything, and winning at every game you play. True happiness is much deeper than that. The wife who sacrifices going to get a pedicure so she can go to that ballgame her husband wants her to attend with him ends up with a better feeling than what a pedicure can give simply by knowing she was able to make her husband happy. Likewise, the husband who stops to buy his wife some flowers on the way home from work when he really just wants to get home and get out of that suit receives a happier feeling when he sees how much it means to his wife.

Zig Ziglar often said, "You can have everything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." Try doing an intentional act today to make someone else happy. You'll be amazed at the benefits you receive as well.

Motivation of the Day

"Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so."

~ Robert G. Ingersoll

Motivation of the Day

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Motivation of the Day

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."

~ Napoleon Hill

Enthusiastically Optimistic

"My Bible assures me that my past is forgiven AND forgotten. That takes care of my past. Jesus Christ said, 'I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.' That takes care of the present. John 3:16 assures me I will have everlasting life. That takes care of my future. With my past forgiven, my present secure, and my future irrevocably guaranteed, why shouldn't I be enthusiastically optimistic?"  ~ Zig Ziglar in See You at the Top: 25th Anniversary Edition

Zig Ziglar is top-notch when it comes to motivational, inspirational and Christian living. How can you argue this statement? God put you on this earth. He is so loving and forgiving that, regardless of what your past holds, He will forgive you. You can truly let the past be in the past and move on with your life. He holds your life in His precious hands, so there is no reason to stress about your present. He wants you to be happy and live abundantly. If you believe in Him and put your whole faith in Him, he promises you everlasting life. As Ziglar says, why should you not be enthusiastically optimistic? Live your life, love your life, and conquer your life.

Never Give Up

In 1998, a beautiful wife and mother of three was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was originally told that she had six months to live. The positive, Godly thoughts of this woman said otherwise. Her youngest child and only daughter was a senior in high school at the time. By that doctor's calculations, the lady would not live to see her baby graduate from high school. This Godly woman, though, assured her daughter that not only would she be there for her high school graduation, but she would also be there for her college graduation, she would be there to watch her walk down the aisle, and she would be there to see her children be born. Today, that incredible, beautiful lady is a happy, energetic, cancer-free grandma.

You will encounter times in your life that people put you down, discourage you, beat you up, take away your hope or give you negative responses. How you handle these responses, though, will determine their outcome and the effect they have on the rest of your life. Staying strong, thinking positively and keeping your head held high are the keys to reaching the destination you desire. And no matter what, Never Give Up!!

Motivation of the Day

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

~Dale Carnegie

The First Step to Conquering Life

You hear people quote Bible verses, telling you how well they know the Bible, bragging on their kids learning the books of the Bible in order and encouraging you to get your life right with God. Yet, you listen to them talk and watch their lives, and you see them living negatively. They give the "Oh Poor Me" speeches, or they have a common saying of "Just my luck!"

Satan knows the Bible. He knows the Bible better than any of us. Quoting scripture and knowing the Bible are good, but they do not make you Godly. If you truly know God; if you truly hand the reigns over to Him and let Him guide your life, then how can you not be sincerely happy, satisfied and optimistic? If God is truly in control of your life, yet you are unhappy with the way your life is going, are you not saying that you believe God is doing a poor job?

I believe the first step to conquering life is letting God truly be in control of your life. Let Him lead, and you follow. That way you know that the path your life is taking is the one it is intended to take. After all, who knows what's best for you more than God?

Motivation of the Day

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."

~ Bernice Johnson Reagon

Cheer Up! An Anti~Depressant with Positive Side Effects

With the pressures created by today’s economy, even typically happy people are fighting depression.  For those who already struggle with clinical depression, some of these added stressors may be more than they can handle.  So how do you alleviate the symptoms without the many side effects caused by antidepressant medications?  Psychotherapy has shown to be a successful method of decreasing depression, and when combined with antidepressants it can be even more successful.  But emerging research is turning to exercise as a treatment for many forms of depression. 

How does moving your body correct your mind?  Both psychological and physiological effects are being studied.  Psychologically induced improvements can be explained by changes in the body creating increases in self-esteem which, in turn, cause the individual to feel happier and more confident.  Another confidence booster is the sense of mastery that is created by accomplishing goals. 

Now for the physiologically scientific explanations…  Depression is a disorder in the brain that is caused by levels of chemicals, namely neurotransmitters such as beta-endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine, being out of whack.  These neurotransmitters are linked to mood and pain interpretation.  When you exercise, these chemicals are transmitted and secreted at a much faster rate.  This reaction may normalize the levels of the chemicals in the brain causing mood to increase and, thus, depression to decrease.  Although exercise may not take effect as quickly as antidepressants, after 16 weeks of continuous exercise it may reduce major depression equally as effectively as antidepressant medications.    Plus, exercise has many added benefits!  If you’re worried about side effects of medication, the chief side effect you may experience from exercise is fitting into those skinny jeans again.  It’s a win-win situation! 

Are you ready to get started but don’t really know where to begin?  Lace up those walking shoes and hit the pavement.    Cardio exercise and strength training have equal effects.  So whether you hit the weights in the gym, take up a kickboxing class, or walk the dog around a few blocks, the key idea is that you get moving!

 The only rule:  Don’t overdo it!  Overtraining can cause an adverse effect, so be sure to start slow.  Find an activity you will enjoy, and consider teaming up with a friend or hiring a personal trainer.  Whatever method you choose, get moving!


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