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Most recently published stories in Motivation.
Thankful thoughts
As the year begins to wind down and the time rolls around where it is time for everyone to recall what they're thankful for, I thought I'd share with you everything that I am thankful for as well. Though there are many things that I have to be thankful for at this point in my life I'll only tell you the top three. Welcome to my thankful thoughts.
By Eliza Crawford6 years ago in Motivation
The Practice of Thankfulness
There’s something about home. There’s something about family. There’s something about reclining at a table, unbuttoning your jeans (or wearing a dress for that matter), slouching in your chair, and belly laughing with loved ones, all the while doubling over in pain, because your stomach and your heart are so full.
By Rachelle Hall6 years ago in Motivation
Happiness
I don’t think happiness should be a word that can be universally defined. Confined to the limits of a concept that a group of minds decided some time was their idea of joy. I don’t particularly enjoy writing about something I don’t fully understand but I can try. Happiness to me is understanding and acceptance. It is not dependent on circumstance or the presence of anything or a particular person. It is knowing that no matter how bad things seem they could always worsen, and not permitting this thought to burden or add to one’s disconcertion, but rather allowing the assertion of this knowledge to not make one nervous, but hopeful instead. I may not have a 5 course meal but I’m happy with bread. In my past happiness meant looking ahead. The dread that diurnally filled me eternally killed me from the inside out. When I was told I would amount to the head count of an empty room. That my poems were paramount to a bristleless broom. Useless. Happiness to me is avoiding the excuses that might enter my thinking. Fending off the urge that compels me to stop and not diverge into the never ending labyrinth and stroll amidst the hyacinths without the slightest inkling or clue of what to say or what to do. It is the ability to make into reality not the one I have meticulously planned but the one that is currently unfolding, that is present, that is now. Knowing it will not always be pleasant, but, rest assured, some way, somehow, without a doubt we will emerge the victors in this bout that we call life. Regardless of our pains, anguishes, sorrows, or our worries, griefs, and strife, we will rise from the black of the ashes of tragic mishappens in glorious fashion and shine brighter than ever before. Because when life crashes around us we do not seek to restore what we already had, we do not attempt to make good from the bad, we leave good in the past, and in peace may it rest, and from it’s broken pieces we form better and best. Happiness to me is the free spirit within that longs for the warmth of the sun and the chill of the breeze. For the bliss of the song that the rain sings as it falls through the leaves of the trees. For the gentle undulations you feel as our Earth Mother breathes beneath our feet. Happiness to me is driving hours on end and suspending all of life's trivial tasks and not looking back as you search for the perfect river to leap into allowing the energy of life to seep into your soul. Happiness to me is knowing that the lonely coyote never grows old, just more wise and more slow. Happiness to me is the ability to exude the energy of a rose. Head high and receptive to both sunlight and rain with thorns to guard their heart from unneeded pain. Kind and care free with the unique ability to bond with others through unusual ties. It is the uncommon capacity to always find a way to make others smile. Happiness to me is not giving up on your dreams. Allowing your talent and influence to better this world. Leaving your mark and making sure that you’re heard. Happiness to me is staying focused and driven, living intentionally so that potentially all of your goals come to fruition. Happiness to me is trust in intuition. The head and the heart may lie but the spirit sees through a different eye and can discern which paths on this adventure are worth the venture and time. Happiness to me is creativity and art. In this crazy world of ours it is our escape and our deliverance. No wonder then the word art is an antonym for ignorance. My happiness is in large part influenced by the people around me. So to those who surround me thank you for bringing me joy. Happiness is the essence of a heart that is pure. It is life. It is joy. It is love. It is light. Happiness to me is a choice, not a right. And I choose to write. When I seek to be happy that’s what I do. So the question, I guess, is: what is happiness to you?
By Youri Joseph6 years ago in Motivation
Positive Perspectives
From the moment of our birth, until our last breath, our progress is measured on a scale of perfection. At school, home, and work, our errors are quickly corrected, and we become accustomed to the reward system. When we make a mistake, we are shamed; when we do something right, we are praised. The message is clear: mistakes are bad.
By Celine6 years ago in Motivation
The Walk of the Wretched Paved Correctly
For the longest I was reading, I would stop and think to myself. How amazing it would be to speak with some of the authors face to face to pick there brain and how they would perceive other facts in life. One day as I was hearing some quotes from great philosophers and i feel Socrates said it the best " employ your time by improving yourself by other mans writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for". As i was reading " The Tao of Wu" by: RZA it hit me. I was talking to the authors because throughout the book i find myself stopping and asking myself questions about the book and what i just read, looking for references and putting 2 and 2 together. i then thought they are speaking to me through this book on a whole different type of communication level which only a few can tap into.
By Alex Rivas6 years ago in Motivation
In Life
So! An introduction for this piece before I get into it. It may seem a bit weird and not of a typical piece of work that would belong here, but bear with me. I wrote the following post on Facebook about 4 years ago. I'm not entirely sure why I'm sharing this here other than the fact that I find it to be a good bit of my own writing. I saw it in my memories and it provoked many thoughts in me. Thoughts about gender norms and how men are supposed to be seen. They're supposed to be tough, less emotional, and if they want something done they have to do it themselves without any help. They have to be invulnerable. If they ask for help then they are instantly seen as weak and basically not a man at all. We've seen all the typical beliefs and tropes in movies, so I thought that perhaps this work might shed some light and open our eyes to what we do to ourselves as human beings. Of course, in reality, it won't change anything but I hope this is an enjoyable read for you. 👌 Once again, just keep in mind that the following IS just a Facebook post lol 😅
By Richard Skeem6 years ago in Motivation
A Culture of Acceptance
In everything we do we must become more. We must become better at our jobs. Better to our partners. To our children. In everything we do we must seek to grow. The issue we as people struggle with most is acceptance. Indeed as a culture we are trained to NOT accept others. We live in a culture where to be in one must act a certain way, wear certain clothes, think in a certain pattern. If they don't we refuse as a people to acknowledge them or, worse yet, we rebuke punish and shame them. We teach this to our children and reinforce it within ourselves, even if we learn otherwise. We think "I know I am correct. This is right." even if it isn't. This is the struggle our culture faces. This struggle is only changed by self conscious and self aware behavior. It isn't easy. In fact you can successfully accept others for a long time just to find you didn't accept someone for some reason. But if we can all stop and learn to accept each other a bit more. We grow not just as people, a nation or as the world. We grow as a species.
By Alexander Smith6 years ago in Motivation
Thankful for It All
To be thankful is to be grateful for something. You do this to acknowledge value in a person, place, or thing that could very well not be there the next day for whatever reason. Everything deserves some appreciation sometimes. In a time where depression, disconnection, illness, death, isolation, unemployment, confrontation, and silence are dominant. You may struggle to find things to be thankful for. Maybe your routine was something that you clung to for purpose in your days, or a reason to smile. You are possibly craving connection, touch, and attention or just a simple daily conversation to bring variety into your new schedule.
By Jessica Mullen6 years ago in Motivation
