Category Archives: Life Inspiration

Ready for Greatness

Sadly, what I see when I look at the political world lately is smallness. Where is the greatness, the integrity, the true service to others (the people)? We keep waiting and hoping. Perhaps it is too much to expect in a hierarchical system, a model that historically attracts the power hungry and easily corruptible to the top.

What then, is the remedy? Do we need a completely new model of governance, one that has previously never been explored? One that is not based on hierarchy? The prototypes humanity has tried thus far here on Earth do not seem to serve the people well.

Inspirational Leadership Quotes:

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

“Great leaders create more leaders, not followers.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

“Good people see the good and bring out the best in other people.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” ~ Lao Tzu

“A leader… is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Photo courtesy Matthew Thomas, Pixabay

Smile Medicine

A smile is one of those powerful tools in our life toolbox, but sometimes we forget to use it. Distracted with our own thoughts, we easily disconnect into our own headspace. But a smile is a gift, a little piece of light and hope we can send out to others, and it does not cost us anything but a little conscious thought and effort. And before we know it, it becomes an easy habit.

Even if you don’t feel like it, send a smile to at least one stranger on your path today. Each smile is full of possibility, the potential to create something good. There is a reason smiles are curved. Yours and the ones you receive back make a circle, a never-ending ripple effect of infinite joy.

Smile, and spread some joy today.

Aside from giving happiness to others, this is an excellent article on why you should smile more often for your own health and well-being: Top 10 Reasons You Should Smile Every Day

Inspirational Smile Quotes:

“I hope that whoever you are, wherever you are, and no matter how you are feeling, you will always have something to smile about.” ~ Sanober Khan

“Peace begins with a smile.” ~ Mother Teresa

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.” ~ Mark Twain

“Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” ~ Phyllis Diller

“Life is a mirror: if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.” ~ William Makepeace Thackeray

Photo courtesy Rafael Barros, Pexels

State of Grace

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There are several definitions of grace, an obvious one being elegance or refinement in the physical state, particularly in movement. The woman in the picture (for me) personifies a certain physical grace. Her eyes are closed, seemingly in meditation, and I can easily imagine she might also fit another definition of grace. That is, “courteous goodwill.”

Courteous goodwill. This state of grace seems to be sadly falling by the wayside, as various factions in society bicker, squabble, and attack each other. It’s fine to have another point of view, but sometimes the behavior reminds me of children when they don’t get their way. There is also quite a lot of outright bullying going on, shaming and coercing others psychologically. Where is the grace in that?

Those who bully others to get their way are not service to others, even though they may use narrative to paint themselves as such. They are service to self. They simply want the world to be “their way”, because they believe they have all the answers. Well, in a world of 8 billion people, how can that be true? There are many viewpoints on this planet.

A state of grace comes from a place of allowance, that others might have another way of being. It also is rooted in a true caring about other people. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, grace flows from love. Achieving a state of grace in one’s self moves us to a real place of service to others.

Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

The Best Stuff in Us

Times of challenge and strife tend to bring out the best in human beings. When our backs are up against the wall, we dig down deeper and use the best attributes in our tool boxes to help each other pull through it.

We find we have more fortitude, depth, kindness, compassion, courage, spirituality, generosity, industriousness, capability, independence, connectedness, creativity, determination, vision, faith, and good intentions then we ever realized.

That’s quite a list, is it not? I’m sure I’ve missed a few, but..

Oh wait, I forgot the most important one… LOVE.

We find out we have more LOVE than we ever thought possible. Yes, we tap into the potentiality of infinite love, not just for our immediate friends and family, but for our neighbors, for the ones we see are suffering in the greater humanity. We become bigger inside. We grow.

Perhaps that is what this time is all about, yes? This time of challenge is about our soul growth, a reaching out to achieve something that has lain dormant for a long, long time. We will see a burst in humanity that has never been seen before.

It is going to be a very beautiful thing. So, do not be disheartened. With love and determination, together we’ve got this!

Photo courtesy Emma Bauso, Pixabay

Create, not Hate

We cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we react to them. We are witnessing an anger being expressed perhaps unprecedented globally. As the events external to us unfold, we are coming face-to-face with the shadow aspect of ourselves as individuals.

It is natural to have negative reactions to that which affects us and we do not agree with it. But, when we choose to hang on to those negative emotions, fanning the flame as it were, then we are doing harm not only to the external world, but also to ourselves. No one can “make us” feel anything. We are the autonomous ruler of our own thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

In any circumstance, if we choose to hate, then we must own the hate. It is never anyone else’s fault when we express our shadow or dark side. It is solely our own responsibility. This is a theme I see being played out in so many ways right now. Some people seem to be unable to take personal responsibility for themselves and their own actions.

Let’s choose Creation, not destruction. I fervently hope that we do not have to see ongoing, excessive hatred expressed and tearing the world to shreds, before people wake up and realize that humanity is walking a road with a forked tongue. The two forks in the road will become increasingly divergent, if we let it go that way.

Let’s work together so that the serpent does not win.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Hate. It has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

“I have decided to stick to love…Hate is too great a burden to bear.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

“All your life, you will be faced with a choice. You can choose love or hate…I choose love.” ~ Johnny Cash

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!” ~ Bob Marley