Daily Positive Thought

Do Not Dwell

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate your mind in the present moment. - Buddha I have been dwelling - a lot lately, and it's not good.  I shared with you all a few months ago that I was dealing with some health issues.  I still am, and lately they have gotten a little worse.  It's not like I'm dealing with anything terminal, so I am very fortunate, but I'm still dwelling on it a lot.  Translation, I'm feeling sorry for myself.  Dwelling on anything isn't good, and that includes the past.  You can get so caught up on what was, that your forget about what is, and that's right now. I think that sometimes, it's okay to have a good wallow every now and again, it can be healthy and even healing.  But to dwell just means you are focusing on what is negative or bad, or gone, and what good does that do?  When you dwell on the past, you're focusing on what was, be it good or bad.  You can't go back to it, and you can't change it.  So if it's good, appreciate it, if it's bad, let it go…

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October 14, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

It’s Contagious

Attitudes are contagious. Make yours worth catching. - Unknown I had never really thought about attitudes as being contagious.  Even when I was presented with proof time and again, I never got the hint.  When my children were very young, and I woke up in a bad mood, chances are, they'd be in a bad mood too.  I just figured it was a thing.  I never thought they were taking their cues from me.  But the were. I finally figured it out when I started teaching.  I'm human, I have moods, good ones, bad ones and indifferent ones.  I work very hard to keep my bad moods away from my students, and I'm usually pretty successful.  I've actually become quite good at figuring out what has put me in a mood, and flipping it to be more positive.  A couple of years ago, I had a student in my first period class that was always in a bad mood.  No matter what was going on and what was happening, their mood was horrible, and it started to impact me.  My moods would get worse, and it would color my whole day.  I didn't realize it at the time, but his…

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July 16, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

A Little Extra

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. - Unknown I filled you in a couple of weeks ago about what was going on in my life.  In the past 3 months, I have had a chest x-ray, two ultrasounds, 2 cat scans, a biopsy, a pet scan and so much blood work that I'm surprised I have any blood left.  During all this time, when I should have been extraordinary, I have been so ordinary that it isn't even funny.  There are so many things I could be doing to improve my health, but I haven't been doing them. What I have been doing is wallowing, and that 's not good. I think a lot of us give our all to whatever it is we're doing, be it working or playing, but we have to go beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary, and that means giving more than what we normally give.  I have not been doing that, but I'm going to.  The thing is, you're not going to change anything unless you give that little extra.  You do have to change things, but you don't have to change everything.  Start small.  Start with one change. That's…

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July 15, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

It’s a Good Thing

Remember that being alone doesn't always mean being lonely; it can be a beautiful experience of finding your creativity, your heartfelt feelings, and the calm and quiet peace deep inside you. - Anonymous There are some people that dread being alone, but I think it's a good thing.  I'm not talking about loneliness, nobody wants to feel like that. I'm talking about being alone, by yourself and becoming aware of who you are.  In this crazy busy day and age, that's a good thing.  Think about it, we are constantly being bombarded by news and information. We can be reached 24/7 via cell phone and email, and most of us check social media several times a day.  We are never alone. There is a big push now about mindfulness.  Very simply put, it's being aware of yourself, your thoughts and your feelings in the present moment.  That's not a bad thing, in fact, it's a good thing.  But you can't be very mindful of yourself if you're constantly surrounded by people and activity.  Sometimes, you just need to be alone to get in touch with who you are and what you're feeling. Take time to get in touch with who…

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April 4, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

It Takes Time

Patience is a form of wisdom. It demonstrates that we understand and accept the fact that sometimes things must unfold in their own time. - Jon Kabat-Zinn I am not a patient person.  I want what I want, and I usually want it right away.  But sometimes, it takes time for things to fall into place.  An acorn that is planted in the ground isn't going to grow into a mighty oak, just because we try and will it.  There is a rhythm to things, and sometimes we just have to let that rhythm play out. It's logical, and on a certain level, it's something that people understand, but understanding, and accepting are two different things.  In today's society, we get immediate gratification.  Post a status on Facebook and get likes right away.  Want to talk to someone, shoot them a text, and chances are they'll answer right away.  We get used to getting it all right now.  But sometimes it takes time, and when it does, it's hard. Cultivate a patient attitude.  Learn to wait.  Learn to sit back and enjoy the down time without a phone in your hand and or a computer giving you instant answers.  Develop…

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April 3, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

Don’t Compare

Never mind what others do; do better than yourself, beat your own record from day to day, and you are a success. - William J. H. Boetcker When you walk into a room full of people, what is the first thing you do? I compare what I'm wearing to everybody else.  I judge my outfit against theirs and usually come up lacking in my own mind.  I compare my hair, and my weight and usually come up with all my points in the negative column.  I constantly tell myself don't compare myself to others and I constantly find myself doing it. Not just clothing, and any other outward appearances, but everything.  I think most of us compare ourselves to others and find ourselves lacking, even thought it's not true.  It's not true because there is no comparison, so don't do it. Don't compare yourself to others.  If yo must compare, compare yourself to you.  Look at where you were, and how far you've come.  Look at the growth you've had, look at how far you've come from where you were. John Donne said that comparisons are odious, and it's true.  You shouldn't compare yourselves against anybody else because you are…

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April 2, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

Put the Past Away

My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on. - Forrest Gump The movie Forrest Gump is filled with things that Forrest's mama told him, and while everybody knows that 'Life is like a box of chocolate," I think this quote is the best piece of advice Mrs. Gump gave us.  You have to put the past away.  You have to just let go before you can move on to bigger and better. There are countless quotes about leaving the past where it belongs, and in fact, the title comes from the Third Eye Blind song, Jumper.  If so many people are saying to put the past away, I'm guessing it has to be super good advice.  Think about it, the past is like an anchor, holding on to you and dragging you down, when where you want to go is forward.  You need to let go of that anchor and start moving toward your future. Figure out what is holding you back, or who is holding you back, and why. Or maybe it's you.  Maybe you're the one that's holding on to the past, but it's time to let go.  You…

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April 1, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

Fear is a Bully

Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart. ? Roy T. Bennett I never really thought much about it until I read this quote, but it's true, fear is a bully. When fear gets inside of you, it halts you in your tracks, it pushes you around and it causes you to give up on what is important to you. Not only is fear a bully, it is insidious.  It creeps inside your mind, filling you with doubt. It tries to convince you that it's on your side or it's acting in your best interest, but it's not.  Fear wants you to give up on your dreams.  Fear leads you away from achieving your dreams and goals and lulls you into complacency. Fear is a bully, and we are taught from an early age to stand up to bullies.  So stand up to your fear. Drown it out, stomp on it, do whatever it is you have to do to not only keep it at bay, but to destroy it.  Be led by your dreams. It's scary, it is, but you can do it. Your dreams are worth going for,…

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March 28, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

Choose Wisely

Who you spend your time with will have a great impact on what kind of life you live. Spend time with the right people. – Joel Osteen Every time I hear the phrase choose wisely, I think of a specific scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Indy is with a 2000 year old Templar Knight who tells him to choose wisely.  Fortunately, Indy choose wisely, but do you?  It's important to choose wisely because the choices we make, and that includes the people we surround ourselves with, says something about us as people. It's something your parents probably told you when you were a kid, "People will judge you based on the company you keep."  Don't you just hate it when they are right?  Since we all know mom and dad are right and it's true, we all need to choose wisely. Surround yourself with people who can have a positive impact on your life.  Stay away from those who bring you down. You know the ones that I mean.  There are some people who are full of negativity.  When you're around them, they just suck the light right out of you. There are also people who are…

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March 27, 2019
Daily Positive Thought

Just Imagine

Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. —Jamie Paolinetti Just imagine living the life of your dreams! What is stopping you?  It's all the doubts that you let fill your mind.  The get louder and louder and grow bigger and bigger until they are all you can hear and all you can see. You can block out that doubt and cancel out all the negativity that fills your mind. Just imagine.  Yes, that's right with your imagination.  The doubts we let fill our minds are just that, doubts in our mind.  They aren't reality.  But you let them become real.  You create that reality with the power of your mind. So why not create the life you want. Just imagine your perfect life. Your goals coming to fruition, your dreams coming to life.  Just imagine.  Let those good images grow and grow and let them drown out the doubts and fears.  Your best life is limited only by your imagination and what you chose to focus on.

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March 26, 2019