Motivation mixed with inspiration & determination = SUCCESS

I believe you should smile as much as possible.  You never know what someone else is going through and just how much a smile might brighten or make their day.  Laugh multiple times daily.  I laugh at myself often.  I think it’s better to laugh than to cry.  Laughter is, in fact, the best medicine and it cures all ailments.  It’s also changing your mood, and others love to be around positive, happy people.  Tell those friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances how much you care about them.  They can be taken from you in an instant and no one is guaranteed another breath or another tomorrow.  Don’t tell God what’s wrong, but instead thank him for all of your blessings.  The truth is we ALL have so much to be thankful for!  Yes, things can always be better.  However, things can always be worse! Life can be much, MUCH worse.  What if we woke up tomorrow with only the things we thanked God for today?  I read that question once and it really put my perspective into place.  I’m only human, but I do my best to thank God for all my many blessings and humbly ask him to help me to be a better person, a witness, a messenger of his word, and someone who is Christ-like.  It’s hard, but to me I can never stop trying to be a better person.  I always have room to grow, room for improvement.

I’m a runner and my first attempt at running was so pathetic that I won’t share it with you!  I ran three times that cold winter in the month of December.  I ran three consecutive nights expecting to get better, faster, stronger, and further within only THREE DAYS!  I got mad at myself when my legs hurt from pounding the pavement, I couldn’t figure out what to do with the wintry air in my lungs, and I just wasn’t getting it.  Had I been easier on myself, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what transpired of my quitting for three months. 

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

In March 2011, friends were talking about doing a ½ marathon, which is 13.1 miles.  I thought to myself that I would never be able to do it.  More than one doctor had told me that due to my asthma I would never be able to do anything like that of an athlete and they all told me to quit.  What they didn’t know was that my personality is to “show them” when people tell me I can’t do something.  I don’t believe in “I can’t.”  You never know until you try. 

March 2011 I decided to try again.  I got my motivation from three friends.  Two friends who discouraged everyone saying we would never make it.  Again, that fuels my determination and my perfectionism attitude.  The third friend had never run in her life.  We were able to run 13.1 in just eight weeks!  One of my favorite quotes is “Pain is temporary.  Quitting lasts forever,” Lance Armstrong.


"He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for no one succeeds by his own strength."  1 Samuel 2:9

 

None of the discouragers ever told us things like “We knew you could do it,” or “That’s an incredible accomplishment.”  You see, they never believed in us in the first place.  The others didn’t even attempt it.  They said they were going to in the beginning, and I think around ten people signed up to do it.  FOUR actually DID it, one of which did it because we encouraged her even though she was not trained.  Guess what?  We all finished!  My next goal?  A full marathon of course!  Say I can’t do it.  I’ll show you that I can or I’ll die trying.

Don’t give up on your dreams.  As long as you believe in yourself and put your life in God’s hands, you can do anything you want to do.  ANYTHING!  “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”