Big, beautiful world

There is a whole big, beautiful world out there. From where you are, you can gain access to the very best of it.

It's easy to become dismayed when you focus too long on your own immediate surroundings. It can feel like you are stuck, and like all the best opportunities have already played out.

Yet that's not the case at all. Every day, countless numbers of people are living lives of true fulfillment, and that fulfillment is really not so far away from you.

Although your choices may seem limited, that's just because of your limited perspective. Look around, look outward, open your mind and your senses to more of what's going on in this big, beautiful world.

If the news seems to all be negative, that's because the good things are so common and so pervasive that they are not considered news. Despite the urgings of those who profit from your fear, the world is filled with goodness and value.

Step away from your comfortable habits, assumptions and routines. There's a whole big, beautiful world out there, and it's yours to explore, to enjoy, and to make even better.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Remember well

Remember your mistakes, and what you learned from them, and apply those lessons as you move forward. Remember your successes, and how great they felt, and inspire yourself to create more.

Live in the present, well informed by the past. Work toward a bright future, carrying all the best treasures you've collected along the way.

Though you cannot change what has already happened, you can choose precisely what to take from it. Let go of the pain, while holding on to the wisdom and joy.

Remember where you started, and realize how far you've come. Remember how much effort you've invested, and honor that investment by building on it in each new moment.

Remember all those who have given you love, support, and encouragement along the way. Remember how good that felt, and remember that there are those who would benefit from your help right now.

Remember how rich and meaningful life can be. Then step forward and make this day better than anything you can remember.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Live true

Today, in the everyday details of life, feel your purpose. Today, as you choose how to spend your time, live your purpose.

Your life has unique meaning and the potential for much more meaning. Stay true to the real, living, authentic person you are, and fulfill that potential.

You know what feels right for you and what feels wrong. Pay attention to that feeling, and remind yourself to stick with what's right.

Enjoy and explore, learn and love, create, support and empower all that is important to you. You have meaningful work to do, and a beautiful vision to express, and today is your opportunity to do it.

Don't let yourself get too conceited or too dismayed by what others think or say about you. Do what you know is good and right, and in line with your purpose, and all will work out for the best.

Live true to your deeply felt purpose. And you will truly live well.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Let yourself enjoy

Let yourself enjoy the moment you're in, the place you are, and the things you're doing. Let yourself enjoy the life you have right now.

It's great when you work to make life better, richer and more fulfilling. But don't ever give up the chance to enjoy all the goodness you already have.

The more fully you enjoy this day, the better tomorrow will be. Instead of indefinitely putting off your enjoyment until some idealized time in the future, experience enjoyment at every opportunity.

You don't need for everything to line up in a certain way in order to enjoy yourself. All you really have to do, is make the choice.

Instead of judging each situation, each person and each activity, make the choice to give of yourself. Give your joy, and make the moment truly enjoyable.

Joy instantly makes life richer and more satisfying. Go ahead, right now, and let yourself enjoy.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Connected

You don't have to know everything that happens the moment it happens. Just because you can be connected, informed and up to the minute, doesn't mean you always have to be.

You don't have to be constantly entertained by flashing images, pulsating sounds, words, opinions and comments. Take some time to process it all, to find real meaning in it all, and to remember who you truly are.

Don't spend all your time and energy just documenting your life and comparing it to others. Enjoy the opportunity to actually live your life, apart from the updates, the fleeting images and superficial comments.

It's great to be able to connect with so many others in so many ways. Make sure those connections are meaningful and substantive, and not just a waste of time and bandwidth.

Resist the temptation to connect just because you can. When you connect, connect because you care.

Let go of the need for a constant stream of stimulation. Give real life, love, feeling and wisdom the chance to grow.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Best Christmas ever

What will make this the best Christmas Day ever is love. Give it, live it, share it, allow it and treasure the fact that you can.

You don't need anything elaborate or complicated to make this special day the best one yet. It's a simple matter of allowing life's inherent goodness to shine through you in every moment.

Let go of your need for things to be a certain way. Give your love, your joy and authentic gratitude to whatever way this day unfolds.

Don't impose any conditions on your enjoyment of the time today. Enjoy the people you're with and the things you do just because you have the opportunity to do so.

Take the unnecessary pressure off yourself and off everyone else. Accept this special day for what it is, however it may be, and enjoy giving your unconditional love to all.

You deserve a beautiful experience on this beautiful, meaningful day. Choose now to accept it, to allow it and to graciously share the joy of living with everyone around you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Peace within

Let peace be within you. When there is true peace on the inside, that peace energizes and uplifts all you do.

Imagine how it would be to think, feel, speak and act from an abiding sense of inner peace. Imagine it, and then live what you imagine.

Think of how you would live your life if you had an unshakable sense of peace deep within. Know that you do have that peace, connect with it, and let it influence your every moment.

Peace is yours to choose regardless of what else may be going on. Yes, it takes intention, commitment and strength and yes, it is well worth whatever you put into it.

The world often tells you to live from the shallow perspective of your ego. You can greatly benefit yourself, and everyone else, by going much deeper.

Give peace a safe, secure and treasured place within, and let it grow. Be the strongest you can be today, by being peaceful.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Let life unfold

You put a great deal of energy and effort into moving your life in a particular direction. Show your confidence in all you've done, and in all you continue to do, by allowing life in this moment to unfold as it will.

Let go of your attachment to a specific result and let the good work you've done come to fruition. Though the results may not be exactly as you imagined them, they will surely bring the richness and fulfillment you seek.

You've done much to get yourself to this day. Now, accept the unique flavor of the day as it arrives in each moment.

There is much more you can do, with many new opportunities and possibilities coming your way. Accept this day, this moment, this time for all it is, and know that you can move positively forward from it.

Peacefully and thankfully let life unfold. As you do, continue to enthusiastically give your best to each moment.

This is your time to live, and to enjoy the positive difference your life makes. Let life unfold as it will, and delight in the new richness it continues to bring.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Productive momentum

A great way to get things done is to already be getting things done. To be highly productive, establish and maintain some productive momentum.

Momentum is a powerful thing. A body at rest has a strong tendency to stay at rest, and a body in motion has the same strong tendency to continue in motion.

Get yourself in motion, and you're much more likely to stay in motion. Get started on something, and you're well on your way to doing everything that must be done.

If you're having trouble getting motivated to do a particular task, then start working on something else. The important thing is to get yourself going, to get the productive and creative juices flowing.

When you feel the satisfaction of making a difference in one area, you're much more eager to make a positive difference in another area. Just get started on something, establish a strong momentum, and let that momentum pull you forward.

Life gets better the more you put some good, solid effort into it. Go ahead, make that initial effort, build some productive momentum, and soon you'll have a whole lot of valuable work done.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

No need to criticize

Let go of the need to criticize yourself and others. Enjoy doing good things without doubting what you do.

Put your energy into effective effort, not into second guessing your own work or the work of anyone else. Let what has happened be, and move positively forward from it.

Honor the thoughts and feelings you have by turning them into positive action. There's a good reason you are the way you are, so let yourself be the authentic you.

Use your time and your brilliant, creative mind to move yourself forward. Don't waste that valuable creativity on excuses or doubts or unnecessary judgments.

Be okay with what has been, with where you are, with what you've done and with what you have to work with. Then grab the next positive possibility and run with it.

There's no need to criticize, to doubt or hold yourself back. Today, let the greatness within you flow freely into your world.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Invest yourself

To make something special in your life, invest yourself in it. To give richness and meaning to a particular place, or a relationship, or a job or other experience, give some meaningful part of yourself to it.

If you have no stake in it, you won't get any real joy or fulfillment from it. Just because something is expensive or impressive or popular doesn't mean that it will enrich your life.

You don't have to have the biggest, brightest or fanciest. You just have to really care, really give, and make a living investment.

Life is overflowing with great opportunity because it is constantly giving you ways to make a difference. By giving your time, your care, your interest and your love, you transform generic abundance into personal treasure.

The more you invest of yourself, the more valuable that treasure grows. Whatever is already meaningful to you can be made even more meaningful with your care, attention and effort.

Every moment you encounter is a chance to invest yourself in life. Take every opportunity to invest yourself, and enjoy a lifetime of beautiful rewards.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Passage of time

There's absolutely nothing you can do to stop or to slow the passage of time. Yet there are countless things you can do to gain great value from each hour that does pass through your life.

If you're facing a deadline, the last thing you want to do is worry about it or obsess over it. You cannot change the deadline, so let it be, and let yourself go about doing the work that's due.

Do all you can with the time you have. Do all you can, being positive and productive, not concerning yourself with whether the time you have is too little or is passing too quickly.

Time will pass as it will, no matter what you think or how much you complain. So use your energy not to lament but to think, say, do, experience, explore, to move forward and to make real, meaningful progress.

You rarely get to choose how much time you have. However, you always get to choose how much good solid effort you put into each moment.

Time will go by, so watch it as it goes with the satisfaction of knowing you're making great use of it. And as time moves relentlessly forward, so will you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Deal with it

If there's something you must deal with sooner or later, sooner is better. If it's going to be difficult, it's going to be even more difficult when you keep putting it off and putting it off.

Go ahead and act. Go ahead, deal with it, and get it out of the way.

Instead of putting your energy into worry, anxiety and procrastination, put your energy into handling the situation. Do yourself a favor, and quickly do what must be done, so you won't waste your life dreading it and avoiding it.

Don't obsess over how difficult or inconvenient it is. Instead, remind yourself how great you'll feel to get beyond it.

Get out ahead of what you must do by going ahead and getting it done. That puts you in the enjoyable position of being able to do whatever you choose to do.

Life has its burdens and necessities, and you have what it takes to deal with them. Deal with them quickly, decisively and successfully, and free yourself to live on your own highest terms.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Aim higher

Aim higher and you will end up higher. Expect more of yourself and you will end up getting more from yourself.

Yes, it makes sense to base your expectations for the future on what has happened in the past. But although it makes sense, it doesn't make for a very effective strategy.

Choose instead to base your expectations not on what you've already experienced, but on what you wish to see happen. Raise your level of ambition to match the highly worthy and capable person you surely are.

Challenge yourself to grow, to improve, to become stronger, more capable and more highly accomplished. All these things add value not only to your life, but also to all of life.

You owe it to yourself, to others and to the world to aim higher, to reach higher, and to work your way higher. After all, you're part of life, and the miraculous fact of your existence obligates you to make all of existence the best it can be.

You've already done much, and you can do much more. Aim higher, get there, and add richness to the journey for everyone involved.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

New and beautiful world

A new and beautiful world has come into being on this day. Explore it, enjoy it, appreciate it and make the most of it.

You have the priceless privilege of being here to experience this one-of-a-kind day. Use the opportunity to add meaningful richness to each of its moments.

See the positive possibilities, and act on them. Embrace the challenges, and find great satisfaction in moving successfully through them.

All the work you have done and all the moments you have lived have brought you to this day. Honor its rich legacy with the way you choose to live it.

There are new possibilities to fulfill, new wonders to behold, new relationships to be forged and new experiences to live. Get going with enthusiasm and with the commitment to make new goodness from it all.

You have the good fortune of being right here, right now in this new and beautiful world. Grab hold of the opportunity and live it to the fullest.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Plain old hard work

What transforms a great idea into a great achievement? Mostly, it is plain old hard work.

It doesn't hurt to be clever or well connected, or to be in the right place at the right time. Yet what matters most to any success is simply showing up and doing the work.

Great big wonderful things of value are built by adding together small bits of value created in the ordinary moments. The most reliable way to success is to be reliable about putting forth the effort.

Though you may have many great and powerful tools at your disposal, don't expect those tools to do the all work for you. The more you invest yourself in the achievement, the more you'll get out of it.

Plain old hard work is not something to be avoided, but rather something to be sought after and celebrated. In addition to building worthwhile achievements, it builds you, your skills, your confidence and self esteem.

Seek the work, embrace the work and do the work. In that plain old hard work you'll find your very own path to fulfillment of the most satisfying kind.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Think about it differently

There are many more ways than just one way to think of any situation. If you're stuck, or perplexed, angry, frustrated, conflicted or confused about anything, give yourself the option of thinking about it differently.

Instead of going over the same puzzle again and again, scramble up all the pieces and come at it from a completely different angle. Throw out your assumptions, take several steps back, and give yourself the benefit of a new perspective.

You are wonderfully creative, so put that creativity to good use. You can think whatever you choose to think, so choose to think in new and original ways.

Perhaps what you think you need to get rid of, is actually something you could use more of. It could be that what you once considered impossible is not only possible, but is also the most effective way forward.

Challenge what you've assumed, and what you think you know. Just beyond your supposed certainties, are many great possibilities.

There's something good, valuable and workable in any situation. Think about it differently, and find an amazingly wonderful way forward.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

You have it in you

When you feel like quitting, that's an opportunity to keep going. When you feel like giving up, you have it in you to step forward with renewed energy and to give more.

Giving up doesn't accomplish anything, and it doesn't make you feel any better. It just leaves you with disappointment and regret.

There's a way to keep going, and you know it. There's a way to keep going, and just imagine how great you will feel for choosing persistence.

If you're weary, stop for a short while to rest, but don't give up. Remind yourself of all the good reasons why you've chosen to move forward, and then get yourself going again.

If you wish to be free of the effort, then do what it takes to finish the effort. Make all your work count for something by bringing it to a successful conclusion.

The next step is right in front of you, and you have it in you to take that step. Keep going, fulfill your best possibilities, and you'll always be thankful for your choice to do so.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Positive about the future

You have a future, and what you do right now makes a difference in how that future will be. You have a future and it is as bright as you choose in the present to make it.

It's all too easy and all too common to get discouraged about the future. Yet it is just as realistic, and it feels a whole lot better, to be positive about the future.

The way you see your future has a lot to do with the way it unfolds. What you expect plays a key role in what you get.

No, things are never going to work out exactly the way you anticipated. However, you're much more likely to get to a positive place when you're moving yourself in a positive direction.

The fact is, right now you can envision any future you choose. So you might as well envision the most joyous, enriching and fulfilling future you can imagine.

Go ahead, let yourself be positive about the future, and act accordingly. It will lift your life higher, both in the present and in the future days to come.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Let your joy flow

Find joy where you are, and you will find plenty. Give joy authentically, from what you know and what you have, and you will give it in great and wonderful measure.

Don't bother judging whether some particular expression of joy is big or little, impressive or ordinary. Just let the joy flow freely as you feel it.

There's no need to hold too tightly to the moments of joy, for you can always make more. There's no cause for worry or anxiety, because joy is always yours to create.

Live the unique joy that is this day. Experience the special flavor of joy that is possible in the place where you are.

Let go of the need to possess so much, of the need for certainty, of the need for control. Let go, and let your joy flow.

Breathe in the fresh energy of possibility. And where you are, with all you have, let your joy freely flow.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Not all about you

Let the best of life come from you. But don't try to make life be all about you.

You are knowledgeable, skilled, resourceful, experienced, creative and worthy of the best in your own unique way. Yet you don't know it all, and can't do it all, and wouldn't even want to.

Much of life's beauty comes from being a part of something larger than yourself. If you confine yourself inside a tight, impenetrable shell, you miss the best opportunities for fulfillment and enrichment.

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to acknowledge and embrace the value of others. Raise up your own life by enthusiastically giving your genuine respect, compassion, cooperation, friendship and love.

Multiply your joy, multiply your opportunities for learning, multiply your effectiveness and your best possibilities. Live beyond yourself, where it's not all about you.

Living your life can be a miraculous experience. And when you live beyond yourself, life gets even better.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Easy to be thankful

It's easy and natural to complain when life is not meeting your expectations. What if it were just as easy, just as natural to be thankful and to see the good in whatever is going on?

In fact, it can be just as easy, and completely natural, to be thankful. All you have to do is make the choice.

Being thankful is really very easy. It's even easier when you understand and experience how powerful it can be.

Gratitude gives you a distinct advantage. And it is just as reasonable and just as accessible as any alternative.

Remind yourself how easy it can be to simply be thankful. Then take that easy route to real richness in life.

There is no good reason to deny yourself the power of gratitude. Make the easy choice to be thankful, and you'll easily be thankful you did.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Your attitude

Is the world filled with positive possibilities and exciting opportunities, or is it filled with despair and disappointment? Actually, that depends on your attitude.

You can choose what kind of light you shine on life. A positive attitude is what shines the more empowering kind of light.

Give yourself the ability to see the good in every person and the opportunities in every situation. Get yourself in a mindset that will encourage, inspire, motivate and heal.

If you wish to change life for the better, it just makes sense that you must see it from a better perspective. By maintaining a great attitude, you direct yourself to create a great world.

What makes your attitude so powerful is you. Every moment of every day you're having an impact, and your attitude determines whether it is a valuable, creative impact or a worthless, destructive one.

Your attitude makes all the difference. You deserve a great one and the great life it brings, so give it to yourself.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Get on with it

Life doesn't always unfold the way you want. It can in fact be very messy, inconvenient and uncomfortable.

Get over it and get on with it. Go ahead, deal with the bad stuff, and you'll soon be enjoying the good stuff.

Stop wondering what you can do and how you will get through. Grab hold of this moment and use it to take positive action.

You may have to get up early and you may have to stay late. You may have to get your hands dirty, and you may have to endure a little inconvenience and discomfort.

But is any of that so bad? Not when you compare it to the glorious opportunity to live your life.

Seize that opportunity every day, no matter what ups and downs you may encounter. Whatever may come, get on with it, and make life spectacular in your own unique way.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Give kindness

Somewhere in just about every person is the longing to give kindness, to be diligent, to do great work and to make a difference in life. Sadly, those longings are often deeply buried by fears, insecurities, doubts, mistrust, disillusionment and so much more.

When people feel that their goodness is not appreciated, they can give up on that goodness. Even so, the potential for it is still very much there.

Imagine what would happen if you simply allowed other people to be kind and helpful to you by being kind and helpful yourself. Imagine what would happen if you could encourage the goodness in others by giving new life and energy to your own goodness.

Though such an approach sounds seriously naive when you consider all the disillusioned people in the world, where it truly has power is on a personal level. The fact is, you can very effectively share your goodness with one other person at a time, and can awaken the latent goodness in that person.

Though it may not immediately be returned to you, give kindness. Even if you do not see the positive influence of your goodness in others, it is there.

Give kindness, and allow that kindness to resonate. Give kindness, and let it spread far beyond you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Ideal conditions

The ideal conditions for living your life are the conditions that exist right here and now. So go ahead, go for it, live and give and enjoy.

If you wait for things to be perfect, you'll waste the precious opportunities of this moment. By all means aim for perfection, and remember that the only way to reach it is by being in motion.

Live fully by living now, and with every now that you get. Let the desire for perfection inspire you, but don't let it stop you.

A great part of life's richness comes from dealing with less than perfect conditions. By accepting and embracing life as it is, you gain the ability to make it into the best it can be.

Get on with the business of fulfilling your beautiful possibilities. It won't all be easy, it will be a little messy, and you'll always be thankful for going ahead with it.

If there's someone or something you really care about, do something about it. Now is the time, this is the place, and you are the person to fulfill your dreams.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Intend and allow

There is no need to worry or strive. For you are able to intend and allow.

You are so highly capable that you'd be stunned to see the full extent of what you can do. Unfortunately, most of that capability is smothered under your own doubts, fears and worries.

Fortunately, you can crowd all those negative things out of your awareness. The way to do that is with a solid, specific, deeply meaningful intention.

When each day begins, choose to focus on a clearly defined way in which you intend to make life better. Then, as the day goes along, allow yourself to make use of opportunities that arise for fulfilling that intention.

Those opportunities will most certainly be there. You don't have to strive or wish or struggle or connive.

Simply have a clear, meaningful intention, and allow yourself to fulfill it. Intend, allow, and put your amazing capabilities to their highest use.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

You can do more

You can do more, and in fact you know you'll enjoy doing more. You can give more, authentically, enthusiastically, and you know how great that feels.

This world is filled with problems and pains, but that never has to get you down. For there's always more you can do to make a positive difference, to transform those problems into opportunities and then into value.

When you've done all you can, the amazing thing is this. You can rest for a little while, and then you can do more.

As painful as the setbacks may be, they never have to be permanent. Because you can do more.

As wonderful as any achievement may be, the satisfaction of achieving does not have to end. Because the great thing is, you can do more.

Whether life gets you down or lifts you up, as long as you have life there is a readily accessible way forward if you'll just remember it. You can do more.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Enjoy the moment

There's no need to add anxiety to your experience. Decide instead to enjoy the experience, to enjoy the moment, and let any hint of anxiety melt away.

The positive way through whatever you're going through is to treasure the opportunity to experience it. Enjoy your amazing ability to live life in an endless variety of situations.

Don't place unnecessary judgments on what you're doing now. Just move ahead with it and put the best of yourself into it.

Let go of any impulse to be resentful about what you might think you're missing out on. You are not missing out on anything, for you're immersed in the miraculous experience of life.

Live life where you are because, after all, that is where you are. Enjoy the moment you're in because, after all, it is the moment that's always available for you to enjoy.

Put the love, joy and passion of your life into your life at this very moment. You deserve to experience the best, and you deserve it right here and now.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Live thanks

The real power of gratitude comes not from merely saying you're thankful, but from living your thankfulness. Now, and always, is when you do that.

Being thankful for your life means doing something beautiful and meaningful with it. It's never too early or too late to start.

A life that taps into the awesome power of gratitude is a life that's fully lived. Today is your opportunity to express your thanks by adding new substance, joy and meaning to life.

The way to truly give thanks is to live thanks. Remind yourself constantly how precious your life is, and live each day to give it the fulfillment it deserves.

Living your thankfulness opens your awareness to new possibilities. And in those new possibilities you'll find even more ways to bring your thankfulness to life.

In ways large and small, with all kinds of people, in every conceivable situation, live your thanks. Make the positive, affirming magic of gratitude an everyday part of your world.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Fresh set of eyes

How would you advise yourself if you were someone else? If you could stand back and look objectively at your own life for a few hours or a few days, would that change the way you live it?

It's easy to get so caught up in the challenges, dramas and emotions of your own immediate situation that you lose your sense of the bigger picture. So in your mind, step out of the box you're in and look at your life from a new perspective.

You're likely to see valuable resources and opportunities that have been there all along, but that you had never noticed before. You may also notice habits, priorities, worries or compulsions that are just plain foolish.

Put some distance between your demanding ego and your thinking mind. Give some truly objective consideration to all the assumptions you make and to all those things you do without even thinking twice.

You are the world's leading expert on you. Yet most of that expertise goes to waste because of all the knowledge of yourself that you've taken for granted for so long.

Step back a little way, and you'll actually be able to take a closer and more meaningful look. Look at yourself with a fresh, objective set of eyes, and you'll see plenty of great ways to make your life even better.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Do a little something

If you don't feel like doing anything, that's okay. Make the choice to do something anyway, and you'll be feeling much better real soon.

Do a little something, then do a little something more. Give your efforts the benefit of momentum.

The more you do, the more you feel like doing. Just a little effort will begin to get momentum on your side.

Instead of wondering if your efforts will make a difference, or worrying that they won't, go ahead and find out. Replace the emptiness of speculation with the substance of action.

Just get started, and suddenly you're able to convert fleeting time into lasting value. Just get started, and you'll actually find yourself enjoying the effort.

It feels good to make a difference, so give yourself that good feeling. Seize the opportunity to act, and enjoy the many rewards that flow from your actions.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Live the possibilities

Life is full of possibilities, so full that it's insanely ridiculous. Yet those possibilities are meaningless unless you do something with them.

Don't be content to merely gather, collect and store possibilities. Take the best ones and bring them to life.

If you attempt to consider all the possibilities, you'll be completely overwhelmed. Instead, focus in each moment on just one good possibility, and make it happen.

Every person, every place, every situation, every good idea has potential. The important thing, though, is not potential, but getting results.

Take a few of those great possibilities and turn them into great results. It's fun, it's rewarding, and it can be habit forming, in a good way.

As great and numerous as the possibilities may be, ultimately they're not what really matter. Live those possibilities, and you'll turn them into pure gold.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Don't sell life short

Don't sell life short. Don't sell yourself short.

Everywhere you go there are opportunities for new richness. In everything you do there's a way to make a difference.

Nothing in life is really plain or ordinary because life itself is so extraordinary. You have life, and the chance to do beautiful, amazing things with it, right here, right now.

The particular path you've traveled has never been duplicated in the history of the universe. Feel the value of that special perspective, and make use of it to give the world new meaning.

Whatever may have happened in your past, you have a uniquely promising future. Today is your opportunity to start living that future, to experience the fulfillment of that promise.

Dream big, expect the best, and then put forth your highest efforts in the service of those dreams and expectations. Act as if life's greatest magnificence is yours to live, for it is, the moment you choose it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Think that you can

What you think of life plays an essential role in what you do with your life. Your thoughts can lock you in a prison of mediocrity or they can push you in each moment to be your spectacular best.

If you think the task will be difficult, tedious, frustrating or painful, it will be. If you think there's something valuable and enriching to be found in each day, in each situation, in each action, there will be.

Your thoughts decide the course of this day. Even with a whole world of other influences, your thoughts take precedent over how you live.

If you think every bad thing that happens to you is somebody else's fault, you strip yourself of the ability to do anything positive. If you think of yourself as ultimately responsible no matter who does what, you will consistently take yourself to beautiful, fulfilling places.

Objective reality is the way it is. What you think about that reality determines what you accomplish with it and how you live.

There is a way to live true to your highest vision of life. Think that you can, do what you think, and you will.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Start again

If the day starts off with disappointment or frustration, start again. Take a few seconds to re-boot your attitude to a more positive and effective one.

What happened before does not have to drag down what is happening now. Look in the direction you wish to proceed and let go of everything else.

Plenty of people can be annoying but you don't have to be annoyed. All sorts of situations can be frustrating but you don't have to be frustrated.

Rise above all that. There is great, unique value in your life and that value deserves to be expressed and experience by you, here, today.

You have love to give, joy to live, achievements to bring to the world, and a whole lot of other important things to do. Put your energy into what lifts you up and pushes you forward.

The world is as it is, and you can decide to be better for it, more motivated, more determined and more effective. As often as necessary, take the opportunity to start again, and bring your special goodness to all of life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Give it meaning

When there's no point to your actions, there's no energy within you to take those actions. Give meaning to what you're doing, and enable the energy to flow.

If you can't see the purpose, you can't get enthusiastic. Connect with a sincere purpose, and you're suddenly bursting with the desire to follow that purpose.

What you're weary of is not what you're doing. What makes you so weary is that you don't feel fully invested in what you're doing.

Avoiding, procrastinating and quitting altogether will just make things worse. So instead of giving up, give it meaning.

There is a very important point to your life and to what you do in each moment. Even the most tedious and difficult tasks become engaging and gratifying when you see them in the context of a meaningful purpose.

Whatever you're doing is making a difference. Make sure it's a positive difference, connect it to your purpose, and you'll find yourself doing it with great joy, energy, effectiveness and fulfillment.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Excuses or achievement

Do you live each day focused on excuses? Or are you instead focused on achievement?

If you're focused on excuses, you won't even make an attempt unless you're sure you'll get it perfect. When you're focused on achievement, though you may not get it completely perfect, you will get it done.

If you're focused on excuses, the slightest obstacle will stop you cold. When you're focused on achievement, you'll work your way through any challenge.

If you're focused on excuses, you'll avoid unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. When you're focused on achievement, you'll seek out new, invigorating circumstances and will find great value in them.

Excuses sound reasonable, and enable you to be temporarily satisfied with yourself for doing nothing more than thinking them up. In the long run, though, excuses can bury you under a mountain of missed opportunities.

Let go of the easy excuses, and grab on to a burning desire for meaningful achievement. Focus not on excuses, but on real achievement, and you'll bring a profusion of that great, satisfying achievement into your world.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Put more life

Today is your opportunity to put more life into your life. Instead of just watching, waiting, wondering and wishing, choose to live as joyfully as you can imagine, right now.

Let go of the comfortable yet limiting assumptions about what you can and cannot do. Decide what will fulfill your unique purpose today, and get busy making it happen.

You've put a lot of effort into getting to this point, to this day, to this moment and place. So take this opportunity to make the most of it.

You have dreams and visions about how life can be even better than it has already been. Give life and action to those dreams, and fulfill those visions starting right here where you are.

When was the last time you enjoyed some genuine fun? Make the choice right now to have a whole lot of fun by finding new ways to put some fresh, authentic living into your world.

This is your chance to put more life into your life. Take the chance, jump into the possibilities, and feel the richness as the living of your life creates it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Happiness is a choice

Happiness is a choice. And it is a choice you can make regardless of circumstance or condition.

It may seem like there are certain things, or people, or circumstances that make you happy. Yet what really makes you happy is nothing more than your choice to be happy in the presence of those certain conditions.

Happiness is a choice, and you can choose it much more often. When you do, you empower yourself with a positive perspective that remarkably improves your world.

If you assume that you must first have this thing or that situation to be happy, you have it precisely backwards. Happiness is a cause of the good things in life, not a result.

The more often you choose happiness, the better you become at doing so. The more you choose happiness, the more you understand and appreciate the value it adds to your life.

Instead of getting dejected, frustrated, angry, envious or spiteful, choose happiness. You'll quickly discover it's always appropriate, and enables you to bring great new positive value wherever you go.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Energy level

Again and again, you've seen that some things raise your energy level and other things deplete your energy. So here's a reminder to get yourself as often as possible into those energy boosting situations and stay away from whatever drains you.

Sure, that is easier said than done. Even so, it bears repeating and is important to always keep in mind.

When you have a choice, as you very often do, put yourself in places, with people, doing activities that increase your positive energy. Even a small and temporary jump in your energy level can have far reaching effects.

If there's something that gets you down, stop complaining about it. Stop complaining, and get yourself cleanly away from it.

If there's something that makes you enthusiastic, creative and energetic, stop merely wishing for it. Go beyond the wishing and figure out how to make it a part of your life more often.

You can live an energetic and fulfilled life every day. Just make the choices, based on what you already know and feel, to put much more good, positive energy into your experience.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Creative and resourceful

Don't get mad; get creative. Don't get frustrated; get resourceful.

There is a workable way past whatever is threatening to make you angry. There is opportunity in those situations that pull you toward frustration.

Life is a creative experience, and the universe is an abundant place. Combine those realities together and what you get is value.

Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, feel the energy of your own capability. When the breaks don't go your way, remind yourself that there's much you can do to set things straight.

Whatever challenges you, can also motivate you. Whatever pushes against you, can make you stronger and more determined.

Be the creative, resourceful, positive and effective person you know you can be. And know the confidence of seeing yourself move forward no matter what.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Growing ever richer

Nature's colors turn warm when the weather begins to cool. Red leaves, orange, yellow and brown settle to the ground as shadows grow longer and days become shorter.

One season draws to a close as another one begins to appear. The world itself gives a reminder to treasure what has been while working to create new goodness, new experiences and new value.

It can be difficult to let go of what has become so familiar. Yet in that choice to move on, is the promise of new beauty and a life that's more meaningful.

In the softly glowing ember of autumn is the sure and eventual birth of a vibrant explosion of springtime. By letting go and moving confidently forward, we enable life to grow ever richer.

Seasons change, again and again, and with each change life renews itself, becoming stronger and more robust. From the old, a new world is born, giving fresh life and energy to treasured hopes and dreams.

Look around and witness the magnificent spectacle. Join in, and let your spirit be energized by new life coming to life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

You have a choice

You can choose, so choose to live in harmony with what you value and appreciate. You can choose, so choose to be purposeful, persistent and effective.

You can choose, so choose a life of goodness and fulfillment. You can choose, so choose happiness.

Others will attempt to convince you that you're unable to choose what's best for you. Yet you know better.

You know that you have a choice in every moment. Life proceeds according to the way you choose to live it, so choose to live it with purpose, integrity and joy.

You can choose your attitude, your perspective, your response, your actions and your outlook. Feel your purpose and in every matter, in every situation, make the choices that express that purpose.

Whatever happens, you have a choice. Use that power of choice now, and again and again, to make life rich and truly fulfilling.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Positive focus

What you continually focus on affects the way you feel. They way you feel has a major influence on the direction and effectiveness of your actions.

Keep your focus on the positive possibilities and opportunities, and you will feel great. Feel great, and you will achieve great things.

In your mind, make the disappointments so small that they eventually fade away. In your mind, enlarge the positive possibilities to the point where you cannot help but bring them into being.

The way you see life sets the stage for the way you interact with life. So choose, in each moment, to see life in the best possible light.

That doesn't mean you must be oblivious to reality. Be fully in tune with reality while directing your focus toward its most promising aspects.

Use your positive focus to produce positive action. And use your positive action to create the life you truly wish to live.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Imagine that

Imagine that life is what you think of it. What would you think?

Imagine that anything is possible to achieve. What would you achieve?

Imagine that there are no limitations. How would you find fulfillment?

Imagine that you can see the immense value hidden in every challenge. How diligently would you work to bring that value to life?

Imagine that the future is yours to create in whatever way you wish. What way do you wish?

Imagine all the possibilities that are here right now. What will you do with them?

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Here is your time

Time is passing, but you don't have to let it pass you by. Time is passing, and that's an opportunity.

With each minute that comes, there comes the chance to make life more valuable and rewarding. As time goes by, you can cleverly use it to go forward.

An hour from now, you can be more knowledgeable, more highly skilled, better connected with others, more experienced, motivated, and purposeful. A year from now, you can be so far ahead of where you are today that it's truly amazing.

Time is an immensely valuable resource, and it is flowing into your life right now. When you make full and resolute use of it, anything is possible.

Do you realize how fortunate you are to have the time you have right now? Celebrate your good fortune by making it even better, by using this moment to increase the value of all the future moments.

Here is your time. Use it well.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Going with what you feel

Sometimes what you're about to do just feels right, in a way you are sure of but cannot explain. Pay attention to that feeling, for in it is wisdom accumulated through all your experience.

Other times, what you're doing feels wrong, not for any particular reason but just because. That is an almost certain indication it is not right for you.

Reason and logic provide valuable guidance and reliably lead to magnificent achievements. Sometimes, though, it is best to step back from the purely reasonable and go with what you feel.

The best person to know when that is appropriate is you. At some level, you know how authentic, how honest, and how well advised your feelings are.

Though you may not even realize it, you are highly skilled at recognizing patterns. And many times you can feel those patterns much more clearly than you can articulate them.

Go forward based on objective reality, on reason and logic, on the facts available to you, but don't go against your feelings. Go with what feels right, and make use of the wisdom within you that grows more profound with every experience.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Foggy morning

You've walked the route a hundred times before, and yet one early morning it is radically different. There is a thick fog in the air, and suddenly the world is not the same.

Though the trees, the buildings, the lights and the roads are where they have always been, on a foggy morning you experience them in a new way. Simply because there's an excess of moisture in the air, you cannot help but see the world differently.

The fog changes your perspective. And because of that change in perspective, life can feel more frightening, or adventurous, mysterious, or invigorating.

The objective reality of life is important. But what matters more to you is your perspective, because your perspective determines the way you experience reality.

Although there are limits to the ways you can change reality, there are no limits on how you can change your perspective. Your response to any situation can be improved by choosing a motivating, empowering perspective.

Success comes not from what you get, but from what you think about it and do with it. Raise your perspective to the most positive one you can imagine, and your life will reflect that choice.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Good will come of it

Whatever happens, decide that good will come of it. Decide that good will come of it, and you're well on your way to making that goodness a reality.

The past cannot be changed, and yet the future is up to you. March boldly into that future with an empowering perspective.

Make the commitment to make a positive, purposeful difference. Visualize the most favorable outcome, consistently aligning your thoughts and actions in the direction of that goal.

Everything that happens gives you new raw material and energy with which to work. Choose to transform that energy in a way that is beneficial for everyone concerned.

Transform what is negative and undesirable into what is positive and helpful. Transform what is already good and valuable into even greater value.

Live each day with the confidence of knowing that good will come of it. Good will come of it, because you are committed to making it so.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Ability

You can do what must be done. You can articulate what must be said.

You can endure whatever difficulties may come. You can understand and adapt to conditions that constantly change.

It is amazing what you have the ability to do. It is beautiful when you choose to make something meaningful and valuable out of all those abilities.

You can learn from what happens, adapt to what changes, and persevere through whatever may come. You can assemble together new and creative things that the world has never seen.

Remind yourself how great it feels to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others. Then harness your powerful abilities and do it.

Regardless of the situation, you can add real value. That's an outstanding ability, and it's yours to use right now.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Step right up

Step right up to life today and throw yourself into it. Open your eyes, open your heart, open your mind, open your arms and open your life to all that's possible.

You have a deep-seated desire to be passionate, so light up that passion right now. Let it energize every part of you.

There is much to explore, much to create, and much to experience. There are things to be learned, challenges to be transformed into value, and connections to be made with others who share your passion for living.

Take stock of all the goodness, all the opportunities, all the powerful tools and resources available to you. Then take action, and make good and meaningful use of it all.

This is a day to live at your highest level. This is your chance to live in such a positive, purposeful way that you can look back on it with satisfaction and gratitude.

Go ahead, and fully engage the living passion that is unique to you. Step right up, confidently, enthusiastically, and experience how great it feels to give your best to life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Be willing to

If you want to learn, be willing to make some mistakes. If you want to achieve, be willing to experience some disappointment.

The good and valuable things in life are absolutely within your reach. Yet the pathway to them is not straight and easy.

To achieve what you desire, you must be willing to get away from what is comfortable and familiar. To create meaningful value, you must be willing to put forth some meaningful effort.

Life is overflowing with magnificent possibilities. There is no shortage of opportunity for great fulfillment when you are willing to do what must be done.

Be willing, not just for a little while at first, but for as long as it takes. Be willing, not just to take the easiest way out but to take the most effective, the most challenging way forward.

Great things come to those who are willing. Be willing, and bring your own special greatness to life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Unplanned occurrences

Things will not always go the way you planned, but you don't have to let that stop you. Remind yourself that you can adapt, adjust, and continue doing what's important to you.

Often, the interruption itself is not what throws you off track. Your anger and disappointment may end up disrupting you longer than whatever interrupted you in the first place.

Go ahead and accept the fact that interruptions will come along and plans will have to be altered. Then, just make the adjustments and get on with life.

Some of those unplanned occurrences might actually turn out to contain pleasant surprises. Make the choice to live life's value where you find it.

Instead of seeing the interruption as an excuse, see it as an opportunity. Let it strengthen your resolve and provide you with a reason to focus even more intently on making the progress you have chosen to make.

Life is filled with unplanned interruptions, and getting upset about them won't do you a bit of good. Instead, let them come, let them go, and enjoy the richness of a positive, purposeful life no matter what.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Quit trying

To get more done, quit trying so hard. Be at peace with the moment, and you'll be able to make highly effective use of it.

Achievement is your natural state. Stop second guessing your intentions, and start acting on them.

Let go of the obsession that you must grab on to every little distraction that comes along. Great and meaningful value comes from lovingly and intently focusing on the task at hand.

Selfishly hiding away from life won't do anyone any good. The more you give, the more you accomplish.

Have faith in what feels right, and in the actions you take to follow those feelings. Let yourself be the creative and fulfilled person you know you are.

Quit merely trying and start living. Choose now to be peaceful and confident, and to get your good and useful work done.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Great possibility

There is great possibility in you. Even here, even now, even with what you've been through, even with the way things are, there is great possibility.

Some specific, acutely meaningful possibility will have you jumping into an enthusiastic start every morning. You can already feel it within you, so figure out exactly what it is, and begin to live it.

There are things you dearly love about life. Allow yourself to love them even more and to greatly expand them.

Expect value, goodness, creativity and fulfillment to come from your actions. Then take those actions, with commitment, love, and positive presence.

When life is going well, there is the very real possibility to make it better. When life is not going well, that possibility is more clearly present and intensely compelling.

In this day, in this place, in this situation, and in you, is great possibility. Now is when you can do what you've always known you can do, and make it come to life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Rise above the resentment

Much of the pain of undertaking a difficult task is the resentment you attach to it. Let go of the resentment and the pain will greatly subside.

Work does not have to be a punishment or a chore. It is only your attitude that makes it such, and you can change that attitude in an instant.

Imagine how it would feel to genuinely, even enthusiastically enjoy what you must do. Not only would you do a better job, you would feel a whole lot better while doing it.

Even while doing the most arduous work, you can enjoy being you. Even in the most tedious situation, you can fill your mind with positive and fascinating thoughts.

It might seem that whatever you're doing is burdensome and meaningless. Yet that doesn't mean your life ever has to be meaningless.

Rise above the resentment, and remind yourself how fortunate you are to be living your life in this moment. Give real joy to whatever you're going through, and your life will absolutely grow richer and more fulfilling.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

You can do this

You can do this. You can go from where you are right now to wherever you wish to be.

Achievement is not a mere concept, and not just for a lucky few. Achievement has brought you this far, and will carry you to what you choose next.

Whether you think of it this way or not, your life to this point has been a unique achievement. Every day, you have taken what life has thrown at you and you've made the choices that have resulted in your current situation.

If you are thrilled and delighted about that situation, then by all means keep on doing what you've been doing. If there are things you'd like to change, now is the time to adjust your approach and take the actions to get you there.

Whether it has been desirable or undesirable, or somewhere in between, you have achieved. Going forward, by making choices, and acting on those choices, you will achieve again and again.

You can do this, and you will do this. So choose right now to do it in a way that makes your life the best you can imagine.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Adventure ahead

What if whatever happened, just happened? What if you didn't have to fight against it?

Would it be so terrible to lose what you have if you still had the opportunity to build something new, something potentially even better? Is it really so important, so necessary to hang on so tightly to everything?

Sometimes, often in fact, what you have will prevent you from moving on ahead to what you can be. What if you had the confidence to move decisively toward what you can be? How would that look? What would you do right now?

Adventure awaits. There are memories in your past, but adventure does not linger there, not even for a few moments.

Adventure is always ahead. Go get it, and go live it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Everyday inspiration

A breathtaking vista or exotic adventure can be very inspiring. Yet inspiration is not limited to mountaintop experiences, not by a long shot.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, you can choose to be highly inspired. No tear-inducing video or soaring music is required.

The thing is, every little part of life has the potential to inspire. Even the ordinary moments can be the source of refreshingly extraordinary inspiration.

Look around you and consider all the work and passion that has gone into the everyday things within your view. Think about the wondrous path you yourself have taken to get to this very moment.

Then, consider the possibilities. What you have is really quite amazing, and what you can do with it all truly boggles the mind.

In every situation, there is ample raw material for exhilarating inspiration. Be inspired by everyday matters, and from such a constantly inspired state you'll know that all good things are possible for you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Be the cause

Sometimes it doesn't feel like it, but what you do matters. Sometimes it's hard to see how, but what you do makes a difference.

There is always hope, because there is always something you can do. There is always hope, because there is always a way to change things for the better.

Instead of wondering how much of an impact you'll have, just go ahead and take action. Be the cause, and let the results come as they will.

Nurture the very best of intentions. Then give life to those intentions with action.

Often the path is twisted and complex. The only way to find your way through is to go.

Set your sights on the results you desire. And be the cause, for as long as it takes to bring those results to life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

The purpose within

Your life means something and that meaning is now. Make use of this day to honor and fulfill the precious living purpose you have the good fortune to carry.

Feel the joys and the sorrows, but don't let them slow you down. Ultimately, what really matters is to make the difference you are here to make.

Yes, you can make that difference, and carry life forward in your own special way. Let go of the fears, the excuses and rationalizations, and just go ahead and do what you are meant to do.

Your purpose is what you feel when you rid your awareness of all the things that don't matter. Allow yourself to know the joy of giving more and more of your moments to that purpose.

As each new moment arrives, give love and energy and life to the purpose that exists in you. See all that happens, whatever it is, as an opportunity to give life and substance to the purpose within.

Live this day with the intention of transforming inner value into outer achievement. Make a purposeful difference, and experience life at its most satisfying level.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

The best opportunity

Whatever may have happened yesterday, today you have opportunity. After joy, disappointment, good fortune and bad, the opportunity of the present moment is yours.

Even if you've been speeding off on the wrong track, now you have the opportunity to get on the right one. Though you may have made plenty of mistakes, today is your opportunity to learn from them and to step forward in a positive way.

Give yourself a moment and feel a little bit of regret for missed opportunities. Then take the energy of that regret and turn it into positive action that will fulfill the promises of your current opportunities.

Your future has not been written yet. Now is when you write it.

The best opportunity is the one you fully appreciate and engage yourself in following. Opportunity is good to you when you are respectful of its power to change life for the better.

Whatever may have come or gone before, someone will make great strides with the opportunity that is now. Pick yourself up, get yourself going, and make that lucky someone you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Jump in and get moving

Life can be great when you simply jump in and get moving. Instead of excessive worrying or endless analyzing, just make your choice and then go with it.

Your first instinct is often your best one, because it comes from your authentic self. When you start taking a lot of other conflicting opinions and perspectives into account, your options quickly shrink.

Certainly it pays to think things through, and to consider the advice of others. Just don't let it all dilute the passion that can energize your life.

Trying to make the perfect decision can often lead to no decision at all. Trying to avoid every mistake can be the biggest mistake, because you also avoid getting anything done.

Though you can plan for the future, you cannot precisely predict it. So go ahead with the best you have, and you'll be completely able to deal with whatever may happen.

Even though it has no guarantees, this day is an incredible opportunity. So step confidently, enthusiastically forward with a smile on your face and go with it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Reason to hope

You don't have to have a reason to hope. Just go ahead, live with hope, and benefit from the perspective it gives you.

Hope exists beyond reason. Hope is something you hold and nurture within yourself, and does not have to be supported or diminished by what's happening in the world outside you.

Hold on to hope, and let it give you the positive energy to move forward. See the world as it really is, and let your hope show you how you can make a positive difference.

There is always hope, for you can always choose it. Choose hope not to escape from your troubles, but to successfully pull you through those troubles.

Imagine a world, and imagine a life, driven by hope and by love, rather than by fear. Imagine, and then let what you imagine become real in the moment where you are.

There is so much good that you can do, and in your heart you know it. Live with hope for the best, and act to make it so.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Now is when you do it

If you can't find the right words to use, use the words you have. If you're not sure what to do, just get busy and do what you can.

The way to learn how to improve whatever you're doing is to do it. The more experience you give yourself, the more readily you'll see how to make it better.

When you have the desire to make a difference, start doing whatever you can. The most effective way to figure out what to do is to figure it out as you go along.

What might sound good in theory probably won't work in practice. Jump right in to the real world, and you'll learn very quickly what works and what doesn't.

You are at this moment just a few seconds away from beginning to achieve whatever you wish to achieve. Get started, and keep going.

Achievement belongs to those who act. Now is when you do it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Make it outstanding

What do you really, truly want to do with all that you have? This is your chance to make it happen.

Don't waste this moment regretting other moments in your past, or fearing moments to come. Live this moment with joy, gratitude and positive purpose.

Let go of the thoughts that bring you down. Live today in a way that lifts you up, and all of life with you.

Stop repeating the same old tired excuses to yourself and to others. Choose now to be free of the limitations you've invented for yourself.

Everything necessary for joy and fulfillment is with you right here and now. Because all it really takes is you, and your choice to fully live.

Stop waiting, stop wishing, and stop putting off the rich fulfillment you know can be yours. Now is your moment to live like you mean it, with all that you have, so seize this grand opportunity and make it outstanding.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Being impressive

You don't have to act impressive to be impressive. You just have to be you.

And in any case, being impressive is not what matters. What matters is living the life you choose, and finding true fulfillment in doing so.

If you're constantly worried about how you appear to others, you won't appear in a very good light. It's ridiculously easy to let go of that worry when you remind yourself how useless and counterproductive it really is.

Give yourself permission to enjoy the moment you're in. Challenge yourself to share that joy, and wonder, and love, and enthusiasm, with as many people as possible, in your own special way.

What other people think of you, or of anything else, is their business. Your business is to give rich expression to the unique beauty of life that is within you.

Go beyond striving to appear this way or that. Put your thoughts, energy and passion into authentic living, and add real joy and substance to every moment.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Well worth it

Life on any given day can be a lot of trouble. And life is well worth any trouble, any challenge that it imposes.

The process of getting things done is messy and inconvenient. The resulting positive difference you make is well worth the inconvenience.

Every good thing in life has a price. But if the price is the only thing you focus on, you miss seeing life's great value.

For when you are willing to pay the price, what you get is a reward even greater than the price you've paid. What you get, what you experience, what you live and create, is well worth all you put into it.

If you avoid the challenges and hide from the difficult tasks, you lose out on the great value that you yourself can create. Choose instead to embrace the price, to willingly pay it, and you'll find that choice to be well worth it.

Embedded in each challenge, in each difficulty, in every price, is a great reward. Step up, do what you must, and experience for yourself that the richness coming into your world is well worth the price you pay.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Fulfill the promise

You are making progress. Now, make some more.

You are experienced, capable and effective. Now, put your abilities again to good and meaningful use.

You are very knowledgeable. Now, build on what you know and learn some more.

There have been some beautiful and fulfilling moments in your life. Take the opportunity today to create some new ones.

You know how great true joy feels. Let more joy now flow out into the world from your life, your words, your feelings and actions.

You are alive in a universe filled with possibilities. Now, fulfill the awesome promise of all that is with the best that can be.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Ask and discover

Ask a question, and you will begin to create an answer. Assume that there are plenty of positive possibilities, and you will naturally give life to those possibilities.

Why is life so good for you in this moment? What is it about today, and about the way you intend to live it, that will make it the best day ever?

What you create in your life starts with what you imagine, and then is fully manifested by what you do. A constant stream of positive, empowering questions leads toward a rich, fulfilling life.

How are you able to give value to this situation, right here, right now? How can your own unique perspective be expressed so as to enrich the world?

Ask yourself what is beautiful about this day, and clearly see that beauty as the day unfolds. Ask yourself why you care, and see the underlying meaning in all you do, and in all you encounter.

The substance of your life goes far beyond what you already realize. Ask, and discover how truly outstanding life can be.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

A positive strategy

There may not be many reasons to be positive today, but you don't need a reason to be positive. Being positive is a strategy, not a reaction.

The most powerful time to be positive is precisely when things around you are not so positive. In such a case, your approach can dramatically change the situation for the better.

Don't wait for a reason to be positive. Choose to be positive about your circumstances, about the possibilities, and about what you can do.

Deal effectively with the challenges as they arrive while also looking beyond them. Visualize the positive outcome you have chosen, and let that vision push you forward.

Life changes greatly from day to day, and things will not always be the way they are right now. With a positive perspective, you now have the opportunity to make the future better than the present.

Instead of looking for reasons to be positive, look for ways to express your positive vision. Work to make your life resonate with that vision, and enjoy all the valuable outcomes you create.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Power in peacefulness

You can acknowledge and address the problems without being consumed by them. You can be peaceful and still be highly effective.

You can let go of past regrets while still finding strength in the lessons they have taught you. You can be free of worries while also embracing responsibility for your life and your world.

Being peaceful does not mean you must be isolated from life. In fact, with a purposeful, peaceful perspective you can be actively involved in creating great value for yourself and for others.

Being peaceful is powerful because you don't have to fight against yourself, or against anything or anyone else for that matter. When you are peaceful within, you can work to support positive possibilities instead of feeling the need to fight against negative factors.

You can choose to deeply care about everything while at the same time not letting anything control the way you feel. You can give your best to any situation, regardless of what the situation gives to you.

Let peace live deeply and robustly within you, where nothing can diminish its power. Then draw upon that power, every moment, to bring real goodness to everything you do.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Be honest

Be honest about who you are. It's tiring to pretend you're someone you're not.

Be honest about what you desire. It's a waste of time and energy to strive for what you don't even want.

Be honest with yourself and with others about the challenges and the possibilities. You can absolutely achieve great things, and the way to do that is by being realistic about what must be done.

Be honest in what you say and in what you do. Put the irrefutable power of truth on your side.

Deception may seem easy and convenient in the moment, yet it is invariably destructive in the long run. Being honest requires strength, discipline and integrity, and those will all serve you well.

Be honest for your own sake, for the sake of others, and for the sake of truth itself. Be honest, and give a continuing, solid boost to your best possibilities.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2014 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.