June 27

What you allow

If you allow anything to hold you back it will hold you back. Whatever you allow to push you forward will push you forward.

There are many factors, circumstances and influences flowing through your life. Whether each one is a liability or an asset is to a large degree up to you.

Great disappointments and tragedies can arise out of seemingly perfect situations. And magnificent achievements can come from desperate, seemingly hopeless conditions, based on what you allow to get to you.

What matters most is not usually the nature of your situation. What makes a crucial difference is what you take from it and what you do with it.

Even in places and pursuits where others may have failed, you have the opportunity to succeed. Even those factors that may have held others back can be your motivation to move forward.

Many things may seem inevitable, and yet most things are really not. No matter what life may send your way, look for how you can use it in a positive, productive and valuable manner.

— Ralph Marston

June 28

Your potential

You have plenty of unrealized potential. Whenever you choose, you can transform good things that could be into good things that are.

There is great abundance in this universe. Each day is a fresh new opportunity to harvest and express that abundance in specific, meaningful ways that will enrich all of life.

Yes, it can be done and you can be the person who does it. Yes, it will take significant effort and you are able to make that effort.

You’ve already proven how capable you are by navigating your way through life’s many and varied challenges up to this point. Now, use that same power to take on new challenges and to create new value.

Whatever you have already achieved, you owe yourself the splendid, satisfying experience of working to achieve even more. Your unrealized potential has been waiting long enough, so jump forward and bring it to life.

Throw away all the excuses, step beyond your doubts and hesitations, and go for it. Feel the great treasure that’s already so very close, and make it real.

— Ralph Marston

June 29

Genuine understanding

You have your own perspective, and it is well-informed and valuable. Yet you do not know it all, and it’s a good idea to avoid the assumption that you do.

Other people may often frustrate and annoy you, and you may wonder how they could be so ignorant, immature, misinformed or whatever. But you only see a very small part of their perspective, and cannot possibly know everything that goes into their decisions.

Being overly judgmental rarely does anyone any good. Look for opportunities to replace judgment with empathy and understanding.

Do all you can to live and act with excellence, and expect excellence from others. When people fail to live up to your expectations, find ways to offer help rather than to cause hurt.

Seek to understand, and to encourage genuine understanding in others. Let go of the need to lecture and to rant, so you can spend more of your precious life in a positive state.

Make connections instead of judgments. And make the best of every situation and of every person you encounter.

— Ralph Marston

June 30

Liberated by responsibilities

It’s certainly reasonable to consider yourself burdened by your various responsibilities. Yet it is equally true that you can be liberated by the responsibilities you take on.

Acting with responsibility sets you free from dependency. It offers you the chance to avoid a meaningless existence.

Responsibility pushes you to become increasingly competent. It challenges you into a life of purpose and fulfillment.

You’ll often need to make significant accommodations and even sacrifices to fulfill your responsibilities. However, the prices you pay are more than balanced out by the benefits you gain from living responsibly.

Responsibilities often feel oppressive. Yet life by its very nature is difficult, and taking on responsibility is one of the best strategies for successfully dealing with life’s difficulties.

Responsibility makes your moments, your actions, your thoughts matter. Embrace responsibility, and with each passing day you create an even better version of yourself.

— Ralph Marston