Day 38

Once in a while we have to “clean out” our friendship box and put a bit of distance between ourselves and another person who has betrayed our trust. If you have someone in your life that you no longer trust or that has shared your secrets when you believed they would hold on to them for you, it’s likely time to cut that tie. Once someone betrays you, you don’t have to let them back into your inner circle. Even if they simply spolied your surpise or shared your news before you had the chance or desire to share it, the trust is broken and not always easy to repair. Surround yourself with a group of trustworthy confidants or just one great person who will keep your secrets.

Day 37

When you first set your dreams, you reach for the stars and the moon. You set your goals so high because you just know that with hard work and perseverence you will achieve everything you set out to achieve. After a little time goes by and you are still working toward that goal but you haven’t yet reached that shining star, It can become easy to alter your goals and make “settle” dreams. When you haven’t yet achieved the symbol that you set for yourself as a measurement of your success, you may start telling yourself that it’s too hard to reach the sparkly star so perhaps you will just set a lower goal. I don’t mean mini goals, those are great, I mean you have to be careful not to chop your goal in half simply because you feel defeated or like it will be too hard to keep working toward your mission. Take a break if you need to and the get right back on your road to success. Don’t lower your standards or reduce your goals simply so you can reach them sooner. Put your chin up and finish that race. You will be amazed with yourself when you do get to cross the finish line!

Day 36

Each day find the gems even when you have to dig to find them. Express gratitude to yourself, for all the things you have accomplished and for the life that you are living. Be gratitudinal and positive and don’t waste time being attitudinal and negative. Time spent focused on the things you don’t have and that you have not accomplished is wasted time. Bask in every morsel you have and forget about what you don’t have YET. Dream big but stop to bask in today!

Day 35

It sounds so simple to just get a new hobby but it can be a big challenge for many of us. Search yourself and come up with something new that inspires you or that helps you pass the time in a way that makes you happy and keeps you fulfilled. In the chaos of everday life, we often forget to keep ourselves sharp and motivated with activites other than work or chores. Find a new hobby and bask in the little things for a while.

Day 34

Choose a group for a monthly motivation club. If you are new in your town, check with neighbors and see if anyone else is a little new or a little lonely. Make a “pick up” dinner with old friends or new, where each of you offers an ingredient to make a specific meal or meal theme. Next month when you do it you may want to plan to try fun new recipes ahead of time and everyone can bring an ingredient and cook together. You can share your meal, your stories and your life with new people or not so new people and each of you can help be the others motivators. Everyone needs support and there is nothing better than giving support and getting it from the same group. Give good, get good!

Day 33

Once you recognize your own worth, anything in the whole world is possible. It’s so common to discount each wonderful thing that makes you special and in the end you have forgotten all that you are or minimized the amazing things you have accomplished. It’s time for a daily reminder from you to you. Each night before you go to bed, close your eyes and get out your imaginary megaphone. Picture yourself shouting out all of the unique and fabulous qualities that you alone possess. “I’m wonderful, I have an impact on others around me, I am a great cook.” Nothing is too big or too small and you should fall asleep each night reminding yourself of just how unbelievable you are!

Get out your megaphone and shout it out. Do this each night so that each morning you can wake up remembering all that you are worth.

Don’t cling to tight to your plans. Dream big and dream hard but be sure to be open to all possibilities when it comes to letting those dreams unfold and become reality. If you cling too tight to the path you have set in your mind then you may miss out on other possibilities that come your way. Follow your mission but be sure to keep your mind and you heart free of rigid and specific details. Set the big picture in your mind exactly how you wish for it to be, but leave the stepping stones to reaching the goal a little bit flexible. If you stick too firmly to the plan that you think you should follow then you just may miss the plan that you are meant to follow. Dream on but stay open minded and don’t you cling too tight.

Take some time to reconnect with old family and friends that you haven’t spoken to in a while. It’s easy to lose contact with loved ones even if there wasn’t a fight or wedge that caused you to become distant. When it’s all said and done, all of the things that seemed important all along really don’t mean that much and we all realize how much we should have nurtured certain relationships a little more. Take a few moments and contact an old friend, let go of a grudge or get in touch with a family member that has grown distant. Life is short. We generally remember this during times of illness or at funerals but it’s important to remember it even in the good times. Put yourself out there and reconnect. You will feel great and you will likely get to enjoy having the presence of a special person back in your life.

Day 30

Selfless acts such as volunteering or a random act of kindness are truly the best thing that you can do for others and for yourself. It feels wonderful to give and even better when you know that you are really helping someone else in their time of need. People are in need of assistance at all times of the year and things that seem small to you are actually big to others. I recently read a story about a group of people who were going into chain stores during the holiday season and paying off the layaway account of strangers who were struggling to pay. This is the most unbelievable gift and the impact it had on the recipeints changed their lives. Some of the people stated that they would not have been able to give their family gifts in time for Christmas had someone not stepped in and done this amazing thing for them. Even paying toll for the car behind you can make that persons day. Giving doesn’t always have to be monetary of course. Carrying groceries, holding the door for others (nope, not everyone does this) or paying a compliment to a stranger, are all things that can lift others around you and yourself. Look out for others and the rewards for everyone will be endless.