Daily Meditations for Tough Times

Don't Be Afraid of Criticism

There is one sure guarantee in life (other than taxes and death) - you will always have to deal with some form of criticism.

Funnily enough, no matter who you are or whether your net effect is negative or positive, someone will always have something critical to say about you.  You can point out to some soul that you have successfully run a business for 10 or 15 years and all they'll say is that you neglected your children.  You can be the best homemaker in the world, but some good friend will remind you that you never finished college.  Or you can graduate summa cum laude and all your mom can say is that you've never had a successful relationship.

Your absolute best will still never be enough to satisfy some people.  So what do you do?  Don't be afraid to face criticism - expect it and then deflect it.  It truly doesn't matter what someone else thinks about you unless you allow it to be important.  It is of course a good idea to listen when someone has constructive criticism (i.e., advice that points out something you do wrong and what you can do to correct it), but most criticism isn't like that at all.  Most of the time, it is invasive, unwelcome and has serious negative overtones.

Don't be afraid of criticism, but also don't allow someone else's opinion to overly influence how you choose to live your life.  Be you - no matter what!

Don't be afraid of criticism.

Take Responsibility for Your Actions

Take responsibility for your life.  Acknowledge that you are the captain of your destiny and you made the choices that have brought you to where you are today.

Yes, good and bad things happen to all of us.  And they shape us in ways we could only have previously imagined.  But what we decide to do after experiencing those circumstances is entirely up to us.

Acknowledge that you haven't always made the right decisions, but acknowledge that those decisions were yours to make.  Don't blame mama, daddy, brother, friend or sister.  Put the blame - and responsibility - right where it belongs - ON YOU.  By taking responsibility for your own actions, you are also taking back your own power.  By making your own decisions from now on (and not blaming others), you have regained the ability to control your own life, line up with your own destiny and affect those around you in positive ways.

Take responsibility for your own actions today and TAKE BACK YOUR POWER!

Don't Be Afraid to Shine

You were not created to hide behind corners. 

You were not born to melt into the shadows. 

You were not put here on this earth so that you could live and die and make no impact at all on the world around you.

We are all born with a purpose. 

Whether it is to teach, to speak, to raise a family, create art, run a business or conquer the world, we are all born to succeed. 

Whether we take up the challenges that life hands us and make the most of our opportunities is entirely up to us.

Yes, life has been unfair and you've caught some tough breaks,  but you're still alive, aren't you? 

And that's at least half the battle.

You were created for a reason. 

To live, to breathe - to SHINE. 

Be who you were meant to be and do your part to shine a light in the world today.

Take Care of You

Times are hard and money is short, but there is always opportunity to take care of you.  You have so many responsibilities in your life - so many people depend on you and you do so much for others.  What are you doing for yourself?

In order to give well to others you need to give well to yourself.  You are doing no one any good by being run down, tired, disheveled, disoriented or disorganized. In fact, you are doing the world a huge disservice by not being your best self.  Maybe you COULD have helped someone yesterday had your mind not been beset with worries or if your stress level had been lower. Maybe you COULD have served as a better role model to that young man or woman watching you, but you were too busy moaning about how unfair life was.  Not because you are a bad person or careless, but because you were worried, stressed and tired.  You don't want (or need) to be that person.

Take care of you.  You are important.  You deserve some time to yourself, a walk in the park, a calming cup of tea, a hot bubble bath, five good minutes to breathe or just some room to be by yourself.

Take care of you.  You're the only you you've got :)

Don't Wait for the Perfect Opportunity

The perfect time to do whatever it is you need to do is right now.

There is no such thing as a perfect day, perfect weight or perfect timing.

You have all the tools you need to in order to START TODAY. 

Don't let fear hold you back. 

Don't allow thoughts of previous failures hold you back. 

And CERTAINLY don't worry about what anybody else thinks.

Start your change, do your research, eat fewer calories or hit the gym TODAY.

Don't wait for a perfect opportunity because it will never arrive. 

As long as you are alive and breathing, you have a chance...

So start TODAY.

Create the Life You Want

Don't complain about the life you have.

Create the life you want.

Don't envy what others have.

Create the life you want.

Don't re-live the past over and over again and wish for the 'good ol' days.'

Create the life you want.

Think about what you'd like to be.

Think about what you'd like to have.

Think of what you need to accomplish.

And focus on those things.

Don't complain about the life you have.

Do something about it and...

Create the life you want!

Don't Live With Regrets

Don’t live with regrets.

Yesterday is gone and can never, ever return.

The only time you can change is right now.

Don’t regret, don’t feel sad, let that guilt go and continue and live and thrive in the today.

Do Not Live With Regrets!

Be Grateful Today

Remember to be grateful today.

Be grateful that you are still alive.

Be grateful that you experienced great love in your life.

Be grateful for the bad experiences, because they have made you strong.

Be grateful to be uniquely, wonderful you today.

Give Yourself the Tools You Need to Succeed

Give yourself the tools you need to succeed.

If you need to work out, get a gym membership, a treadmill for your home or simply a new pair of gym shoes to take a walk around your block.

If you need a professional wardrobe and don't have a lot of cash, don't be afraid to go to the consignment shops or goodwill stores. You need to be able to put your best foot forward and make sure you have what you need to do that.

If you need a vacation to get away from all the demands of your life, take a day, a weekend or a couple of weeks to find yourself. You can go anywhere from a day spa, to hiking in the hills or a luxurious European vacation. Make sure you do what you need to renew yourself.

You don't always have to make do. If you can afford to do something - and it is feasible - do what you need to help yourself succeed.

Don't skimp on those things that add to the quality of your life, which, by extension, make you more productive, improve your mood and recharge you to be able to face the challenges of your life.

Give yourself the tools you need to succeed.