Daily Gratitude: Boy could we use more people with first rate intelligence right now if they would do what Fitzgerald advocates.

But let’s look in the mirror first. We can’t point fingers until we examine ourselves. I don’t think i can hold two opposed opinions at the same time right now. Well let me amend that. It’s possible I could do that because after all I’m a Libra and if you’ve ever tried to get a Libra to make a decision you know what I mean.

So maybe I could hold them. Then the question is “so i want to try to hold them at the same time?” And if my honest answer is “no”, then I have to ask “why not?”

Those questions are much more revealing in my opinion. And they make me go deeper into my feelings. That’s a good exploration to make.

Look at yourself in the mirror tonight or tomorrow morning and ask yourself these questions. Then it might be an interesting topic of discussion with some very close friends. Just ask them about the concept, not the specific things
Then maybe you and your friend can practice holding opposing ideas – but don’t start with the heavy duty ones. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Daily Gratitude: If you listen to my hotline, you’ll know that I end every call with “have a diamond day”! It comes from John Denver’s song “some days are diamond; some days are stone”.

Diamonds are created from massive amounts of pressure. Napoleon Hill shows us with this quote that pressure (uncertainty and adversity too) is what leads to the greatest breakthroughs. Every day should be a diamond day because we can choose what we we and how we interpret what we see. Remember that happiness is a choice.

Some day when you’re feeling as if things aren’t going the best, take some time to look over your past and see if this hasn’t been borne out.

You can do it when things are ok too so that you have reference for the future. It gives you something to look at and tell yourself you’ll get through it AND be better off for it.

When you realize you’ve “been there before” and have plenty of t-shirts, it will help you lower the degree of suffering (you can use the two arrow theory for that). Notice I didn’t say it would be gone but it should be less if your brain can believe it’s safe and this situation is temporary.

Daily Gratitude: When you wake up in the morning, after giving thanks for waking up, you should take a few minutes to determine how you can make the day a reflection of your strength- make it your masterpiece.

Take a few moments ahead of time to decide what that means for you. What is your masterpiece. It doesn’t have to be of a global nature but it should be special to you. It may not be the same every day but hopefully all you have to do is focused toward the same type of purpose, such as serving others.

If you’re creating a masterpiece, you should take time figuring it out – what qualities, characteristics, and values make up that masterpiece. Your masterpiece is a puzzle and you are the one creating all the pieces. Use each day to add those pieces to the total makeup of the big picture.

On some of my days, my masterpiece consists of walking long miles.

On other days it’s writing.

The point is to begin your day with the enthusiasm and energy your masterpiece generates within you.

Try it.