Daily Motivator - April
 

April 1

Purpose to right now

Every minute of every life has within it the possibility of purpose. Every thought, every action, every word, feeling, experience, can add richness to it all.

Don’t judge this moment, this day, this life before you’ve lived it. Resolve instead to put the best of yourself into every bit of it all.

Joy doesn’t care where you are or what you’re doing. Joy is happy for the chance to shine anytime you let it.

Life doesn’t need this particular thing or that specific circumstance in order to be good. You can discover more of how great life can be in every kind of situation.

If you delay the expression of your highest vision for even a single moment, you’re cheating yourself. And you’re depriving a whole world of the beauty only you can give it.

Here you are today with life, and a whole universe in which to live it. Touch the wonder, feel the possible, and give new purpose to right now.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 2

Invest yourself in hope

The reason to be hopeful is because you are hopeful. It is by living day after day with hope that your hopes are realized.

If you convince yourself there is no reason to be hopeful, you're right. However, when you choose to be that reason, hope returns, and improves your whole outlook.

You always have the choice to live with hope. And you have the power to fulfill that hope.

It is perfectly normal to become discouraged when you encounter negativity. And it is completely realistic to melt that discouragement away with your own deep reservoir of hope.

By its very nature, your hope is well founded. Allow it to fill your awareness now, and again and again, as often as you feel the need for it.

The more you live with hope, the more power and reality you give to it. Invest yourself in hope, and bring your best possibilities to life.

Ralph Marston

April 3

What makes life good

Get good, valuable rewards for your time and effort. Invest your life in what makes life good.

Resentment doesn’t create value, nor do anger, envy, spite. Prompt yourself, when the negative urge comes up, to turn to more positive pursuits.

Love, effort, commitment, kindness, perseverance and integrity, are things that make a life worth living. You already know this throughout your whole being, and it never hurts to be reminded.

The world sometimes can make you feel like a fool for caring so much. But the world at those times is sending a false signal, for caring is always at the heart of who you are.

So let yourself care, and act in the service of all you care about. Keep your life aimed at what is good, what is true, what is right, what you know is best.

Every day you add new substance to your life, to all of life. Make it the kind of substance that truly makes life good.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 4

Rise above all that

The burden is heavy. You can carry it.

Life is unfair. You can deal with it.

The pain is great. You can bear it.

The best way forward is not blame, self-pity, despair. The best way forward is decisive, positive, committed, sustained action.

You complain that you can’t, but you can. And it’s really not as hard as you imagine it to be.

Life can be difficult, yet you can be stronger. Rise above all that, and give life the effort and love it deserves.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 5

Let love be your choice

Love those who hate you, ignore you, demean you, marginalize you. For they are the ones who need your love the most.

Seek to understand those who make no attempt to understand. Forgive those who hurt you, and even those who want to continue hurting you.

Forgive, understand, love, for if you don’t your life will soon be filled with anger, retribution, hostility. That’s not the kind of life you want to live.

You cannot control the choices of others. Yet you never have to let those choices overwhelm your life with negativity.

Let love be your choice, no matter what others do. Choose truth, integrity, compassion, caring, to fill your moments and your days.

Breathe in the pure, fresh, wondrous energy of existence. And let your light brightly shine for all.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 6

Not the problem

The solution will not be found by continuing to rehash the problem. Step back, let go, and point your focus toward the desired outcome.

The problem is just something that blocks your path at the moment. What matters more is where the path leads, and why.

You are an outstanding problem solver. To tap in to that power, your problem solving must have a meaningful purpose and a clear context.

If you confine your thinking, your energy to the problem itself, that limits your options. Instead, bring the full richness of your life to bear on making positive progress.

Though problems impede you they do not have to overwhelm you. For you are more powerful, more versatile and dynamic, more purposeful than any problem.

Give awareness, gratitude, effort, energy and time to the ninety-nine percent of your life that is not the problem. There you will find the wherewithal to move forward.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 7

Let it flow

Don’t try too hard, in fact don’t try at all. Allow yourself to do.

When you see yourself as trying, you’ve already assumed you will fail. Trying too hard doubles down on that negative perspective.

Life never has to be a trying experience. See yourself as doing, as achieving, as making a difference, then follow through on what you see.

Effective effort is a joy, and is never something to be avoided. Remind yourself of that, then claim some of the joy for yourself.

After all, you have a chance to change the world for the better. And you will, when you enjoy the opportunity rather than getting all uptight about it.

You have unique greatness to give. Stop trying so hard and let it flow.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 8

True capability

When you doubt yourself, smile and realize this. You’re wrong.

When you think you’re invincible, stop and remember this. You’re mistaken.

Doubt and ego push against each other, and neither of them does you any good. Your best move is to toss them both out of your awareness.

Replace doubt with humility and replace ego with intention. Now, instead of a squabbling quagmire you have a winning combination.

No, you can’t achieve everything and yes, you’ll need assistance with what you do achieve. Look clearly at reality, free of delusion, eager to get to work.

Embrace your true capability, powered by intention, tempered with humility. You have many wonderful things to do.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 9

Inspired by anything

You don't have to depend on sugary platitudes or once-in-a-lifetime spectacular experiences for inspiration. You can be inspired by anything.

You can be inspired by pleasure and by pain. You can be inspired by the routine and the unexpected.

Instead of assuming you must continue to feel sadness, you can transform that sadness into inspiration. When you feel excitement or boredom, love, gratitude, frustration or disillusionment, you can be inspired by any of those feelings.

Life is a grand miracle that constantly unfolds on countless levels. Look, with caring and curiosity, at any of those levels, and you'll find inspiration.

There's no need to wait for the moment to be right for inspiration to come your way. Inspiration is a choice you can make in any situation.

Open yourself to all the inspiration that's possible right now, and always. Any time you wish to lift your spirits, you have plenty of ways.

Ralph Marston

April 10

Live what you’re worth

Don’t waste time and energy proving what you’re worth. Put all of yourself into living what you’re worth.

It’s not the opinion of others that makes you worthy. It’s not the number of followers or likes you get, or the balance in your bank account that makes you worthy.

Life expresses, advances, improves itself through you in a unique, magnificent way. As such, your worthiness exists independent of any outside factor.

Let go of the need to demonstrate that worth. Embrace the opportunity to create new, living substance out of it.

Respect, appreciate, learn from the opinions of others, from how they see you. At the same time, free yourself from being a slave to those opinions.

Feel the power of worthiness that is always in you no matter what. Live that worthiness in all you do.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 11

Get it over with

On a practical, logical level, you know resentment is a waste of your time and energy. But on an emotional level, it often seems like you cannot help but feel resentment when you’ve been wronged.

One thing you can do is go ahead and feel it. Feel your resentment, and while you’re feeling it notice how useless it is.

Notice how every moment you’re filled with resentment is a moment you’re not getting any good things done. Notice how the resentment drains your energy and your motivation.

See for yourself that resentment doesn’t make anything better. Realize it’s in your best interest to get beyond resentment.

If you need to feel resentment, feel it fully so you can quickly get it over with. Feel it so intensely you understand how much it’s hurting you and holding you back.

Then, with forgiveness, forever free yourself from the need to feel that resentment. Free yourself, fill your mind with positive thoughts, and fill your days with effective action.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 12

Energize you

Energy pulses through everything that comes your way. Seize that energy, make it your own, and point it in a positive direction.

You’ll find energy in joy as well as in frustration. There is energy in anger, peace, disappointment, beauty, in excitement and even in boredom.

Whatever the source of energy may be, the thing that matters is what you do with it. And what you can do with it is whatever you choose.

Realize that you are an energy transformer. You can transform the energy of disappointment into the achievement of a lifetime, as many people have indeed done.

Feel your love, feel your purpose, feel your desires and dreams. Harness the energy coming your way and put it to work reaching those dreams, fulfilling that purpose, supporting all you love.

Let every moment, every experience, every person, problem, situation, every idea energize you. Take all that energy and make it into something wonderful.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 13

Exceed your needs

Let go of need and let abundance flow from you, through you, to you. Let go of need and let your natural creativity take hold.

The need is there, whether you think about it or not. Choose not to focus on it.

You cannot satisfy your needs by obsessing over them. In fact, the obsession diminishes your ability to meet those needs.

Shift focus to your intentions. Direct energy into your actions.

Don’t amplify your needs by letting them take center stage in your thinking. Instead, fulfill your best possibilities by training your awareness on the good things you can do.

Move your thoughts and efforts into a place of power. Exceed your needs by keeping your mind’s eye focused far beyond them.

-Ralph S. Marston,

April 14

Big enough

Be bigger than the pettiness. Be bigger than those who may hurt or disrespect you.

Be big enough not to return negativity. Be big enough to set your own course, based on your values, not on what this person said or that person did.

Be big enough to care, to show it, to act on your caring. Be big enough to not let the disappointments stop you.

Be big enough to be generous. Be big enough to forgive.

Be big enough to respond with love. Be big enough to choose the most positive way forward from a difficult situation.

Be big enough to be humble, patient, kind. Be big enough to make life great for yourself and for everyone else.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 15

Fill life with great meaning

There is no such thing as something for nothing. Operating on the assumption that there is, can cause great pain, regret, heartache and despair in life.

When you invest yourself in anything, it has value to you. If you don’t, it doesn’t.

You can make your life great, fulfilling, joyful, satisfying. No person, organization, system or stroke of luck can do that for you.

If you ever seek something for nothing, you are seeking to steal from your own best possibilities. Instead, do the work to fulfill those possibilities.

The substance of your life has meaning because you work to endow it with meaning. You have the opportunity to do that in every moment, and as you do, life’s magnificence grows.

Don’t settle for a worthless imitation of life by trying to get it for free. Create the value you wish to experience, and fill life with great meaning.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 16

Start now and keep going

Whatever must be done, you can do. Just start, and keep going.

Difficult problems are not pleasant, so don't make them worse by prolonging them. Confront each problem, take action, and get it behind you.

Looking ahead to the work you must do, it can seem overwhelming. Yet as soon as you take action, you begin to realize that yes, you can get it done.

Take the first step, and suddenly you're looking at the situation from a perspective of power. You can instantly switch from the self-pity of a victim to the effectiveness of a problem solver.

Take the second step, and you begin to put momentum on your side. With each successive action, your doubts melt away, your confidence and commitment grow stronger.

Whatever goal you wish to reach, whatever problem you wish to solve, you are a specific number of steps away from doing so. Start now, keep going, and get it done.

-Ralph Marston

April 17

From this day on

From this day on, you have the opportunity to live better. From this day on, you can make every choice a positive one.

By now you have learned what matters and what doesn’t. Over and over again, you’ve experienced what brings valuable results and what doesn’t.

Today, and every day after, you can put that experience to good use. Informed and inspired by the living of life, you can act to benefit yourself and your whole world.

From this day on, you can make good use of the possibilities in each moment. From this day on, you can be driven by your highest purpose.

Living at your best is never easy, and often is an extreme challenge. Yet today, and each day going forward, you realize it’s your only choice, because what you have to give is so important.

Feel yourself turning decisively away from distractions, excuses and indifference. Feel your commitment, from this day on, to make all of life the best it can be.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 18

Think, act, feel and know

Think you can, and keep thinking it. Think you can, and let that thought blossom into action.

Act as though you can, and continue the action. Allow your action to build confidence, and then you’ll know you can.

Know you can, and feel the responsibility of your own effectiveness. Know you can, and honor that knowing, that capability, with a worthy purpose.

In the confluence of your thoughts, actions, feelings, there lives great power. Keep reminding yourself to invest that power wisely, every day, every moment.

Think you can, act on that thought, feel your power, and know you’re making a difference. With thankfulness for all there is, make that difference positive, uplifting, life-enriching.

Today you have good and transformative things to do. Bring those good possibilities to life with the way you think, act, feel and know.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 19

Right direction

Don’t get discouraged because you see the world heading in a negative direction. Get motivated to improve that direction.

Stop feeling hopeless because of what everyone else is doing. Realize the opportunity you have to be a positive example.

Refuse to curse the darkness. Shine your light and push away the darkness everywhere you can.

There are many good things you can do, so get busy. Being worried and being discouraged are not among those good things, so let them go.

Life is certainly not perfect and will never be, but that need not stop you from creating excellence. Today is full of great possibilities, and your best option is to bring the positive possibilities to life.

No matter who or what is going in the wrong direction, choose to push forward in the right direction. Go where you want life to go, for the best way to lead is by positive example.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 20

Fill this day with substance

Fill this day with substance. Fill this day with life at its highest level.

Inoculate yourself against trivialities, temptations and distractions by making a firm commitment. Commit yourself to follow specific, meaningful intentions of your choosing.

Be able to remember a week from now what you achieved on this day. Be able to be thankful a year from now for the way you invested your time today.

This day is not a practice run. Life is happening right now and you are here to do something good with it.

Though it is serious business, it never has to be a chore. You can fill this day with substance while also finding great satisfaction and enjoyment.

Achievement is what you are meant to do, so joyfully let yourself do your thing. Fill this day with substance, and make all of life thankful for what you do.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 21

Value in the problem

Let each problem remind you to be thankful. For problems are possible only because your life has value, meaning, potential and effectiveness.

You won’t solve your problems by fighting them, resenting them, or allowing them to overwhelm you. You’ll solve the problems by engaging and utilizing the good and valuable aspects of your life.

No problem is a reason to feel sorry for yourself. On the contrary, every problem can prompt you to find the best within yourself.

Step up to the opportunity. The more difficult the problem, the more value you’ll be able to create.

Problems often force you to address issues that have needed your attention for a long time. By working through the problem, you end up in a better position than before the problem arose.

Problems demand much of you, and therein lies great value. See the positive possibilities in each problem, and let them motivate you to give your best.

-Ralph S. Marston,

April 22

Love is always willing

There’s something in you important enough to get you moving. Something in your life matters so much it will persistently push you into action.

Find that something. Connect yourself to it and stay connected.

It could be another person, a dream you have, something you want to achieve, some particular value you hold dear. It could be a feeling you like to have.

Whatever it is, bring it to the front of your awareness. Keep it there, and tap into its inexhaustible motivating energy.

You have a reason to bear any burden, to work through any challenge, to find your way forward no matter what. Think of what you’re more thankful for than anything else, of what you care about more than life itself.

Whatever you love without condition will push you ahead through any condition. Love is always willing.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 23

Energy to keep going

How do you keep going when everything seems to keep going against you? How do you push forward when it feels like the whole world is pushing back at you?

The way to keep going is to remind yourself why. There is a reason you've chosen this path, and connecting with that reason will keep you on the path.

When you started, that reason was clear, visible and present, fresh in your awareness. It gave you the energy, enthusiasm, drive and determination to get started.

Go back now and revisit that reason. Claim that enthusiasm and energy again, recharging yourself with it all in the present moment.

Your love and your purpose are stronger by far than any challenge you face. Do what you must do to remind yourself of that, as often as possible.

You have what it takes to keep going, and it's been there right from the start. Remember, reconnect, feel the love, feel the purpose, and engage the positive energy to push through whatever may come.

Ralph Marston

April 24

Force for good

Don’t waste a single moment of your life being outraged. Put that energy into being determined to be a force for good.

Outrage does nothing but amplify, spread, perpetuate the bad. Invest yourself in better, more useful, more creative and affirming pursuits.

Certainly outrageous things occur all the time. The best response is to overwhelm them with positive, purposeful living.

Time spent being outraged is time spent under the control of someone else’s negative actions. You owe it to yourself, to all of life, to choose a more beneficial response.

Whatever might get you outraged can also inspire you to make a positive difference. Pause, and consider all the good you can do.

You never have to let outrage eat away at your spirit. Decide instead to always show life how good it can be with kindness, caring and effective action.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 25

Power through

You must do what you must do, even if you don’t want to, even if you don’t feel like it. Power through and get it done.

Splash your face with the cold water of reality, of responsibility, of effort and effectiveness. Let it wake you to new possibilities, and let it push you to fulfill them.

You’ve worked too hard to ruin it all by letting yourself get soft and idle. Power through and get it done.

The effort itself is not the enemy. Your own reluctance is the enemy, and the good news is you have the power to overcome it.

Start with a small action to remind yourself you can. Immediately follow it with another and create an active, powerful momentum.

On this bright day with all its possibilities and obligations, power through to get the good work done. Make yourself ever thankful for choosing to act.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 26

Today, fulfill the promise

Life is filled with wonder and great promise. Today, live to fulfill that promise.

What you think right now can be turned into action, and those actions will make a real and lasting difference. Here, in this place, think the positive thoughts and be willing to take the actions that set it all in motion.

Whatever dreams, goals, ambitions, desires you have for life are yours for a reason. Do what you must do to bring them into being.

Later is nothing but an excuse, and now is the time you have to work with. This is the moment when you can act to fulfill the promise, so do.

As big as the challenges may be, they are outweighed by the possibilities. Focus on those possibilities, be willing, and you’ll find your way through every challenge.

Today is the culmination of everything in your life so far. Today, fulfill the promise you’ve been working so long and hard to create.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 27

Love what happens

Decide to love what happens, before it ever happens. Choose to love this day, before you know what it will bring.

See the futility of fighting against what is. Embrace the power of acceptance.

Don’t waste your time waging a battle that’s already over. Employ your energy, your resources to make good and meaningful use of what is.

Imagine the power of knowing at the start what a great day this will be for you. Think of how effective you can be when whatever way things go, they’re going your way.

Being grateful is one of the most empowering things you can do. It’s in your best interest to be grateful for as much as you can, indeed, for everything.

Love the way life unfolds, in every way it unfolds. In that spirit of gratitude, love, resourcefulness and cheer, you’ll create greatness no matter what.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 28

Let richness flow

Invite the beauty of this day to fill your awareness. Wrap your thoughts and your attitude around the priceless opportunity of being alive right now.

Remind yourself of the challenging ground you’ve successfully traversed to get here. Feel your capabilities and the desire you have today to put them to good use.

Marvel at the growing abundance that surrounds you. With a thankful heart, rise to the challenge of making new meaningful value out of it all.

See splendor in even the smallest, most common things. Experience life’s richness in every task, every encounter, every situation.

Focus your energy, your actions on the goodness that is possible. Keep in mind how unique and worthy you are, and live up to the responsibility of being so blessed.

Let great richness flow into you now, and always. Then let new richness flow out from you in your own special way.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 29

The thoughts you think

The thoughts you choose to think influence what you see when you look out at the world. The thoughts you think determine the actions you take and, consequently, the results you get.

The thoughts you think impact the way you feel. The thoughts you think guide you in choosing what to learn.

The way you experience almost every part of life is connected to the way you think. The life you create for yourself begins in your thoughts and is built around more thoughts, carefully chosen as you move forward.

Thoughts have no physical mass, yet they do have great power. And there are no restraints or limitations on what you can think.

Already, your thoughts have carried you to beautiful places and give you the ability to create tangible, lasting value in your world. Imagine the limitless possibilities of where your thoughts can now enable you to go.

The thoughts you think are yours to choose, every moment, every day. Choose wisely, purposefully, independently, and let your thoughts push you to fulfill your own unique greatness.

-Ralph S. Marston

April 30

Energy of emotion

Anger, regret, fear, desire and determination are all powerful emotions, and there are plenty more. When they arise within you, let their power push you to take positive action.

Emotions can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to stay overwhelmed. You can quickly choose to let those emotions empower you.

Your emotions connect you directly to what's most important to you. That can be a very good thing.

Powerful emotions remind you of what really matters, in a way you can't ignore. Use those compelling reminders to give positive purpose to your thoughts, words and actions.

In each emotion, you feel the miraculous energy of life. Direct that energy in ways that make a beneficial difference in your world.

You cannot change whatever past event caused the emotion, yet you can control what you do with it. Choose to do good, and use its power in your own way to lovingly lift up life.

Ralph Marston