Empowering Way to Start a New Day!

Words to Live By
The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins. ~Bob Moawad


The Greatest Handicap - Fear
The Best Day - Today
Easiest Thing to Do - Find Fault
Most Useless Asset - Pride
The Greatest Mistake - Giving Up
The Greatest Stumbling Block - Egotism
The Greatest Comfort - Work Well Done
Most Disagreeable Person - The Complainer
Worst Bankruptcy - Loss of Enthusiasm
Best Teacher - One Who Makes You Want to Learn
Greatest Need - Common Sense
Meanest Feeling - Regret at Another's Success
Best Gift - Forgiveness
Greatest Knowledge - God
Greatest Thing in the World - Love
(from Jim Pierce's Big Golden Trumpet Encyclopedia)

I love words of wisdom and inspirational quotes because they are truly motivating and empowering. They can encourage, strengthen and direct us. I had the following words of wisdom in my music binder. On occasion I will stop and read through them. Today was one of those days. And as always, they really inspired me. I started my morning by saying that today is a good day, and I decided I was going to do my part to make it good. And in these words to live by, I was reminded that today is not just another day, it is the best day! Yes, it is the best day because we can choose to believe it is. We can choose to make it good by the way we think, behave, and relate to others and our world. We can choose to give thanks for what we have, what we can learn, and what we can give. We can choose to recognize and appreciate each new day as a gift and give thanks for all that is good. This attitude is truly the very best way to start our day. It empowers us to do our part to live life to the fullest.

I was also reminded that fear is the greatest handicap. It keeps us from maximizing our potential and being our best. It leads us to the greatest mistake of giving up. It can also cause us to become a complainer (the most disagreeable person) if we are not careful. Once we get into complaining, we are out of gratitude. Complaining and gratitude cannot coexist! And if we are not thankful, we will not experience true joy and peace. A lack of joy hampers our enthusiasm for life, for our relationships, work, etc. And a loss of enthusiasm is certainly the worst bankruptcy. The unfortunate thing is that we do it to ourselves.

Another value I thought was especially empowering is the best gift--forgiveness. I was reminded that this is a gift we give to ourselves. Forgiveness is more about us than it is about who or what hurt us or offended us. Not only do we forgive and find freedom, we also receive forgiveness and experience grace and love which are truly life-changing. Yes, forgiveness is the best gift! There is so much more I can say about this and maybe I will in a future article.

The greatest knowledge--I agree 100% is God. I believe there is no greater knowledge, experience, or relationship we can ever have. I couldn't even imagine life without God and for this I am most grateful! His love is the greatest thing in the world, for He is love. To know Him is to know love, an ongoing life experience. His love is like no other--it is so deep, so wonderful, so beautiful, so empowering.

May you be blessed by these words to live by and let them empower you to be your best and give thanks for today and always!


Copyright © 2011 Krystal Kuehn. All Rights Reserved.
New Day Family Counseling Marriage Counseling Center & BeHappy4Life.com




Krystal Kuehn, MA, LPC, LLP, NCC is a psychotherapist, author, teacher & musician. She is the cofounder of New Day Counseling, a family couples counseling, children counseling and teen counseling center, BeHappy4Life.com, an award-winning, self-help and inspirational site where you can find hundreds of free resources, insights & words of inspiration to change your life, and Baby-Poems.com where you can find beautiful baby poems, baby quotes, cute sayings & baby videos that will touch your heart & increase your joy & gratitude for the children you love & enjoy! Check out Krystal's other blogs: Give Thanks Journal, Baby Poems blog and Be Your Best blog!





<< Back to Words of Inspiration home

How Much Are You Worth Today?

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ~Bill Bradley

Opportunities to give and help are everywhere. If we just look around us, someone somewhere could use a kind word today. Someone needs to know that they are loved.

Someone is struggling financially and there is something we can do to help if even a little. Someone simply needs a hug. Someone wants to be heard and given some time and attention.

It might cost us time, money, stepping out of our comfort zone, or sacrificing our own needs, but the rewards of giving are priceless. When we give, we reap the joy of of seeing a bright smile, laughter, tears, joy, and gratitude. Giving is one of the best way to share our joy, love, and goodness for life!

I’d like to share a story with you that I believe is a great illustration of the value of giving, loving, sharing, and doing today!

A rich man once asked a friend, "Why am I criticized for being miserly? Everyone knows I will leave everything to charity when I die." "Well," said the friend, "let me tell you about the pig and the cow. The pig was lamenting to the cow one day about how unpopular he was."

"People are always talking about your gentleness and kindness," said the pig. "Sure you give milk and cream, but I give more. I give bacon, ham, bristles. They even pickle my feet! Still, nobody likes me. Whis is this?" The cow thought a minute, then replied, "Well, maybe it is because I give while I am still living."

I love that story! Is it any wonder why everyone loves the cow? It's not how much the cow gave, but the very fact that the cow gave what it could here and now. The pig boasted about how much he would give when he died and that was his excuse for being miserly in the present. The pig was missing out on so much joy that comes from giving that he envied the cow's popularity. What a great lesson to learn and apply about giving and making a difference today, while we still can!

Following are several questions to help you reflect on your giving:

* Would others describe you as a giver, taker, generous, miserly? Why?

* When was the last time that you gave someone a gift, compliment, your time, or anything? How did it make you feel?

* What was your attitude in giving? Did you hope for or expect a particular response or reaction?

* Do you feel people owe you something when you give to them?

* Can you be more giving? How? What are you waiting for?

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~ Kahlil Gibran

Giving is the lifeblood of happy living. ~ Todd Parrish

I encourage you to bless someone today.
And may you be blessed with the true joy of giving!


Copyright © 2008, 2010 Krystal Kuehn, New Day Counseling Center. All Rights Reserved.

The manner in which it is given is worth more than the gift. ~Pierre Corneille

It is more blessed to give than to receive. ~Acts 20:35

 
Krystal Kuehn, MA, LPC, LLP, NCC is a psychotherapist, author, teacher & musician. She is the cofounder of New Day Counseling, a family marriage counseling and children counseling center, BeHappy4Life.com, an award-winning, self-help and inspirational site where you can find hundreds of free resources, insights & words of inspiration to change your life, and Baby-Poems.com where you can find beautiful baby poems, baby quotes, cute sayings & baby videos that will touch your heart & increase your joy & gratitude for the children you love & enjoy! Check out Krystal's other blogs: Give Thanks Journal,  Baby Poems & Be Your Best blog.


<< Go Back to Words of Inspiration Home