31 Days of Encouragement
Meditations to Help You Persevere and Thrive in Difficult Times
Candy Paull
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Smashwords edition
Copyright ©2010 by Candy Paull
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*****
Candy Paull’s writing is the readable equivalent of Earl Grey tea, steeped in a pot, and served in your grandmother's china. That is: it warms you through and through.
Victoria Moran, bestselling author of Creating a Charmed Life
There is a great gift when we realize that the journey of life is guided by our willingness to believe in ourselves and know that with God, all things are possible. This kind of abundance cannot be measured, only celebrated. Candy Paull’s wonderful words of wisdom will remind you of a simple yet profound truth: The journey to claim your abundance begins within.
Rev. Donna Michael, recording artist, forgiveness coach, speaker
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Introduction
The obstacle is the path.
Zen saying
Every obstacle you overcome is a stepping stone on the path to fulfilling your potential.
Who is crazy enough to think that overcoming obstacles is fun? Well, the athlete for one. An athlete actually loves the obstacles and trains herself to reach the goal she has set, whether it is breaking a record, leaping a hurdle, or winning a competition. A weight lifter wants to lift heavier weights, for the heavier weights build muscle and strength. You can take a tip from these athletes and see obstacles as stepping stones that bring out your inner greatness.
A devastating loss, illness, and difficult times may seem no reason to rejoice. Doing right may sound simple, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes it will be the hardest thing you ever do. There may be no glamour or excitement in being honest, doing good work, and staying true to your ideals. But there will be the glow of accomplishment and an inner peace.
You may face some hard times as you try to build a career, nurture a family, or create a community. Sometimes there will be setbacks. But with Divine grace, you can reach your goals, one step at a time. And when you finally achieve that success you worked so hard and long for, the triumph will be even sweeter because of all you have survived and overcome.
You are only a failure if you call yourself one. Failure comes when you quit, when you say “I can’t.” Saying “I can’t” is just another way of saying “I won’t.” There is always something to be gained from the experience of reaching for the stars. No matter what happens, God sees you as a success because you did your best.
May these meditations encourage you to keep on keeping on, persevering through tough times to fashion a life that is a blessing to the world.
You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles.
Helen Keller
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome trying to succeed.
Booker T. Washington
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Sir Winston Churchill
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#1
Choose Peace and Happiness
The attitudes you cultivate can have a powerful effect on others. How do you feel when you sit next to someone who is restless? You pick up some of their restlessness by osmosis. Anger, fear, impatience—strong negative feelings can be contagious. But positive emotions can also be contagious.
Make a conscious choice to cultivate peace and happiness in your heart. Resolve that, with God’s help, you will find reasons to rejoice rather than reasons to complain. Respond to difficult situations with calm faith, trusting in God’s loving provision. As you develop qualities of calmness and contentment, others will be helped by your attitude.
Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invisible host against difficulty.
Helen Keller
• The next time you find yourself getting frazzled or frustrated, stop for a minute ask God to help you find peace in this situation.
#2
Break Through Your Fear
Fear can paralyze or become a catalyst for change. Fear is a form of energy. When you are afraid, your body moves into the fight or flight response. Yet the physical symptoms of fear are exactly the same as the physical symptoms of excitement. It’s the way you view fear and how you decide to use that energy that transforms a frightening situation into an exciting challenge.
We were created to take risks, explore, and be problem solvers. The next time feelings of fear threaten, turn them into a challenge. Break through your fear and use it as a catalyst to face life with courage.
There are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
John F. Kennedy
• Imagine that you are facing a situation that makes you afraid. What would your response be if you saw that situation as an exciting challenge?
#3
Live in the Present Moment
Have you ever noticed how often your mind dwells on the past or in the future? You’re in the midst of a conversation with a friend, but your mind is leaping ahead to the errands you still have to complete. You’re eating a delicious meal, yet you replay a past argument in your mind.
Choose to focus on the Divine presence in your life instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past. Enjoy the moment while it is here. Savor the meal you are eating. Be fully present to your friend. Be aware that every moment is a gift and a miracle.
In the present, every day is a miracle.
James Gould Cozzens
• Take a five minute “life appreciation” break. Breathe deeply. Look at what is around you and really see it as if for the first time. Be aware of the simple wonder of here and now.
#4
Take Time for Rest and Renewal
Sometimes the best thing you can do to in seasons of difficulty is to take care of yourself. A nap, a day away, a time out to rest and renew your spirit are just as essential as any good work you might do. If you constantly pour yourself out for others without taking time to replenish the inner springs, you’ll eventually come up dry.
Take time to enjoy creative leisure. Feed the creative side of your heart with experiences that offer fresh perspective on life. Fill your spiritual well with quiet times alone in God’s presence. It’s essential for you to make time for rest and renewal.
Life lived amidst tension and busyness needs leisure. Leisure that re-creates and renews. Leisure should be a time to think new thoughts, not ponder old ills.
Neil C. Strait
• Take a few hours off to renew yourself. Read, walk, just be present to your life as it is right now. It’s okay to take a nap, too!
#5
Surrender
There are times when even your best efforts fail. Sometimes the most powerful way to deal with a challenge is to stop trying to control events, other people—and even God. Quit fighting what’s happening. Let go of your tight grip and open your hand. Once you admit that you are at the end of your own resources, you make room for God to step in and work a miracle.
When you can’t control a situation or figure out the answer, surrender to the Divine and trust a strength and wisdom that is greater than your limited thinking. Allow God to lead you step-by-step through this challenge.
The very vastness of the work raises one’s thoughts to God, as the only one by whom it can be done.
Florence Nightingale
• Describe a problem that persists despite your best efforts to resolve it. How might surrender help you deal with this problem?
#6
Watch Your Language
What you say mirrors what you believe. And your language can affect the way you perceive your life. It’s easy to be unaware of the chatter that runs through your mind unless you take time to meditate and observe how your mind works. By becoming aware of your thoughts and the words you speak, you can consciously choose words that bring you back into the presence and provision of God
Exchange words of disbelief for faith-filled statements. Instead of saying “I can’t afford” say “God is my source.” Instead of saying “I can’t” say “I will.” When thoughts of worry fill your mind, use the power of praise and gratitude to remind you of God’s love and care for you.
We are accustomed to thinking that the Word of God is the Law of God. We are not so used to thinking of our own word as the activity of this universal Presence and Law.
Ernest Holmes
• Notice what kinds of statements you make in your mind. Transform your limiting statements (I can’t, I’m not) to freeing statements (I can, I choose).
#7
Sing in the Rain
The day may be gloomy, with dark clouds and showers. Your mood might match the day. Light the fires of your heart with a chant of praise, a hymn of wonder, or even a funny doo-wop song that makes you laugh. You don’t have to be a great singer to enjoy the benefits of making music.
When you sing, your whole body resonates with the sound. You take deeper breaths and get more oxygen into your system. Singing can heal your body and give your spirit a lift. Express yourself and make melody in your heart. The music will bring sunshine into your soul.
There is nothing so much like prayer as music is.
William P. Merrill
• Sing a song or chant a psalm out loud. Sing in the shower and know that God listens with pleasure when you sing. (God doesn’t care if you’re off key as long as your heart is in tune.)
#8
Breathe Deeply
Babies breathe naturally and easily, filling their lungs with air and releasing the breath fully. As adults, we often lose that sense of ease and openness, breathing more shallowly, restricting the inflow and outflow of breath.
Do you take quick shallow breaths? This kind of breathing creates tension. Take a gentle deep breath, feeling it reach down toward your belly. Exhale it with an audible sigh. Did you feel your body relax as you exhaled?
In the Bible, the words for spirit and breath are often interchangeable. As you notice your body’s breath, remember to breathe in the love and energy of God’s spirit.
When we hold the breath and try to control life or stop changes from happening, we are saying that we do not want to be moved. Breathing freely is a courageous act.
Donna Farhi
• Sit comfortably and follow your breath. Spend ten minutes breathing gently and deeply, allowing the movement of breath to relax and refresh you.
#9
Respect Yourself
You are made in the image of God. As the saying goes: God don’t make no junk. You are here on earth at this time and in this place because God has a job for you to do. Knowing that you are here for a purpose, called by grace, frees you to respect yourself.
Respect your personal integrity. When you have choices to make, ask Spirit to help you discern right from wrong. Then make the best choice you can. Respect your uniqueness. You have God-given talents that need to be developed. You are a reflection and expression of Divine love, so respect yourself.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
• Invest in yourself by nurturing your unique talents. Take a class, buy supplies for a favorite project, take time to do something you love.
#10
Help Others Help Themselves
“Give a man a fish and he’ll eat today. Teach a man to fish and he’ll feed himself for the rest of his life.” This old proverb offers wisdom for anyone who desires to help others. One of the most powerful ways you can help someone is to empower them to help themselves. Instead of creating dependence on you, you help them discover their own strengths and become independent.
Paul wrote, “Help to carry one another’s burdens.” (Galatians 6:2 GNB) Help others by encouraging them to believe in their own potential for greatness. Encourage and empower others to become all they were meant to be, and you will be encouraged, too.
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.
Benjamin Disraeli
• Donate “seed money” or equipment or expertise to help someone start a business, ministry, or worthy project.
#11
Practice Mindfulness
It is easy to become distracted in today’s world. The hectic pace, constant interruptions, and overwhelming demands of daily living can leave you exhausted. Habits of fragmented thinking—planning the future, regretting the past—rob you of the precious gift of the present.
Practicing mindfulness is simple way to bring your attention back to what God is doing in your life right now. For example, when you wash dishes, concentrate your attention on the act of washing dishes. Feel the silkiness of the warm water. Take pleasure in the clean dishes. Allow the Spirit whisper to you through the simple metaphors of daily living.
Mindfulness is like a light, enabling concentration to really be there, and that also makes it possible for us to look deeply into the heart of things. From this looking deeply is born deep vision, understanding.
Thich Nhat Hahn
• Practice focusing your mind on experiencing the moment. Set aside worries, plans, regrets—and pay attention to what you are doing right now.
#12
Take Your Vitamins
Getting the right nutrition into your body is important for dealing with stress. Not only eating well, but finding the right combination of vitamins and minerals helps your body recover from the effects of stress more quickly.
Just as you fuel your body with vitamins, so you need to fuel your faith with spiritual nutrients. These can include prayer, quiet time alone in the Divine Presence, meditation, and reading books about the spiritual life. Long walks and meditative movement exercises also nourish the soul and help you remain strong and calm in the midst of a busy life.
Half the spiritual difficulties that men and women suffer arise from a morbid state of health.
Henry Ward Beecher
• Check out the vitamin section at a local health food store. And check out the spiritual “vitamin” section in your local bookstore, too.
#13
Create Joy and Anticipation
God gave you the gift of imagination. You use it every day, even if you don’t consider yourself “imaginative.” You can use your imagination negatively to conjure up worst case scenarios. Scenes of disaster and sirens screaming in the night and thieves breaking in may play over and over in your head.
Or you can use your imagination to focus on the good and to create new possibilities. You can create joy and anticipation instead of dread and anxiety. Let the Creator guide your imagination so that you can focus your energy on imagining a best case scenario for your life.
Your dream is waiting for you to come true.
Dr. Jay Scott Neale
• Watch your imagination today. Every time you imagine a negative scenario, replace that thought with a faith-filled positive scenario.
#14
Take One Positive Action
Sometimes a desired goal may feel like an overwhelming process, far beyond your strength and ability. But a wall is built brick by brick, and a goal is reached step by step. You may think you have to make spectacular leaps, but baby steps are the surest way to reach your goal.
Just as a bricklayer patiently adds one brick at a time to the wall he is building, so one positive action after another will help you create your dream. It takes faith and courage. Yet each simple step leads to the next step. If you keep walking, you’ll eventually reach your goal.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20-21
• Write out the steps you think you need to take to reach a cherished goal. Pick one and do it.
#15
Make Room for Mistakes
Celebrate your mistakes! At first, this might sound a little crazy. Who wants to make mistakes? But mistakes can be the most powerful teachers you will ever have. Success can be more gratifying, but it is often the failures that show you the need for new values and behaviors that will make the greatest difference in your life.
Mistakes help you learn what works and what doesn’t work. A child will keep falling and getting up until she finally learns to walk. She is not afraid of falling, because her mistakes are part of the process. Make room in your life for mistakes.
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.
Edward John Phelps
• Recall a mistake you’ve made, the bigger the better. What did you learn from your mistake? Did it change your life?
#16
Take Responsibility for Your Actions
When you are in a tough situation, you may ask why you got into that situation in the first place. The excuses can sound quite reasonable: “They made me do it.” “It’s what I learned when I was a child.”
The search for reasons “why” can limit you. No matter what others do or don’t do, you still have a choice in how you will respond. Instead of allowing yourself to be a victim of circumstances, take responsibility for your own actions. Even if you are not in this situation by choice, you still have choice within the situation. Pray for guidance, then choose what action you will take.
Seek to make your work a prayer, your believing an act, your living an art.
Ernest Holmes
• If you don’t like a current situation in your life, ask yourself, “What can I start doing differently right now?”
#17
Think Clearly
You have the gift of a thinking mind, and your clear thinking can save a great deal of heartache and trouble for you and for others. Muddled thinking draws wrong conclusions and creates unworkable plans. Clear thinking can help you make wiser choices that serve the highest good of all.
Instead of leaping to the first conclusion, weigh all the options and be open to new information. Look for errors in logic, but also balance logic with emotional wisdom. The wisest decisions are made when heart and mind are in concert with each other. Time spent in meditation helps clear your thoughts, bringing a calming perspective to every situation.
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
Sir William Jones
• When you are weighing a decision, write down the pros and cons of your options. Seeing things in writing can clarify your thinking.
#18
Avoid Cynicism
We live in cynical times. Cynics tend to think the worst of people, looking for hidden mercenary motives and guilty secrets. With a “what’s in it for me?” mentality, they expect the shadows and find the dark side of life.
Don’t let the cynics tarnish your ideals with their low view of humanity. It is true that you have your dark side, but the light is also within you. Jesus said, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) Observe the play of dark and light in your life, but trust that light overcomes the darkness. Decide to give others the benefit of the doubt and believe that Divine love can transform the human heart.
The most important decision we make is whether we believe in a friendly or a hostile universe.
Albert Einstein
• A quick antidote for cynicism: read biographies of heroic people who gave their lives in service of others.
#19
Deal with Your Anger
Anger is a powerful emotion that can color your whole life red. There is a righteous anger that stands up for the good and hates the bad. But many times the anger that you nurse is a destructive self-righteous anger.
Righteous anger usually contains a call to action. But destructive anger goes round and round in circles, pointing the finger of blame and condemning others. Destructive anger is more concerned with being right and making others wrong.
Don’t let anger rule in your heart. Deal with it through prayer and positive action. Ask God to cleanse your thoughts and make your heart tender again.
We are what we practice. If we become angry a lot, then essentially we are practicing anger. And we become quite good at it. Conversely, if we practice being joyful, then a joyful person is what we become.
Auram Davis
• Don’t feed your anger. Either do something productive with it or pray about it and release it to God.
#20
Have a Good Cry
“Big boys don’t cry.” “Get over it.” “If you don’t stop crying, I’ll give you something to cry about.” The grade school chorus in the back of our minds mocks us for our tears and tells us we’re wimps. We’ve been told over and over that crying is immature and a sign of unwanted weakness. We’ve been told wrong.
Tears are a wonderful emotional release. Tears of sorrow cleanse physical as well as emotional toxins from our systems. Tears of joy allow emotion to flow through us to heal body and soul. Let the tears flow. Allow yourself to feel and release your emotions instead of stuffing or denying them. Tears are a natural, God-given gift, created to help us process our emotions.
This then, is the human problem: there is a price to be paid for every increase in consciousness. We cannot be more sensitive to pleasure without being more sensitive to pain.
Alan Watts
• Don’t be ashamed of your tears. If someone has hurt you or it’s been a difficult day, have a good cry. If you are moved, let the tears flow.
#21
Stop Playing It Safe
If you want to make a difference in the world, you’ll have to leave your comfort zone. If you just stick with the status quo, how will you change anything or make your corner of the world a better place to live?
There are times to be prudent. But taking a healthy risk and trying something you’ve never dared to do before can be the beginning of a whole new adventure. Step out in faith to pursue a dream. Take a stand for what you believe in. Ask God for wisdom and guidance—then take a leap of faith into the unknown.
Does not the history of the world show that there would have been no romance in life if there had been no risks?
Mahatma Gandhi
• Start with an inner inventory: have you been avoiding a taking a risk? What baby step can you take to try something new or difficult? Or are you ready to take a giant leap of faith?
#22
Decide to Be Your Best Self
You are all too familiar with the grumpy defeatist side of you. That’s the one who gets up on the wrong side of bed in the morning and grumbles through the day, feeling sorry for “poor me.” Your higher self knows better. That’s the side of you that believes that good can happen, gifts and talents should be cultivated, and that prayer and faith really do make a difference.
Decide to be your best self every day. Put your best effort into everything you do, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem. Become the kind of person you want to be by expressing an attribute, like courage or mastery, in your life today.
Just by being ourselves, we are borne toward a destiny far beyond anything we could imagine.
Deepak Chopra
• Look for the best in yourself and others. Find creative ways to develop your gifts and encourage others to be the best they can be.
#23
Practice Forgiveness
Rehearsing old wrongs in your mind, holding onto grudges, and looking for the worst in someone who has hurt you is counterproductive. Your unwillingness to forgive contributes to the problem, making the situation much more difficult than it has to be. Not forgiving compounds the negative energy.
You have a choice. You can continue to withhold forgiveness, or you can choose to forgive the other person, let go, and move on. No matter what the other person chooses to do, your choice to forgive frees you from the chains of the past. Ask God to help you forgive fully and freely. As you have been freely forgiven, freely forgive others.
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
Paul Boese
• When a situation or relationship goes sour, ask yourself what you can do to make it better. Remember that each person was doing the best they knew to do at the time.
#24
Don’t Let Wet Blankets Put Out Your Fire
You are fired up with enthusiasm. You’ve just started a pet project and you’re really excited about the possibilities. That’s when someone will say, “Oh, that will never work.” They will point out a weakness or say that it can’t be done because it’s never been done before. Like a wet blanket, these comments smother your creative fire.
Though wet blankets mean well, you mustn’t let their comments keep you from doing the thing you know you’re called to do. Ask for Divine guidance to help you move beyond fears and doubts. Find encouraging friends who believe in your dreams.
Belief is a truth in the mind. Faith is a fire in the heart.
Joseph Fort Newton
• Create a mutual encouragement society by getting together on a regular basis with friends who promise to build each other up and pray for each person’s success.
#25
Play to Your Strengths Instead of Your Weaknesses
Everybody has strong and weak points. One person is a quiet introvert who thrives in a regulated and structured environment. Another person is a free-spirited extrovert who loves to do things on the spur of the moment. Every person has their own special style, their own God-given gifts and abilities.
No two people are alike. Your temperament and talents are unique. Enjoy your uniqueness and stop comparing yourself unfavorably to others. Instead of concentrating on what you can’t do, focus on what you’re naturally good at. Great athletes know their strong points and try to figure out how to further develop them. You can, too.