Creative Inspiration for Passionate Living

My older daughter was once involved in a sport where bickering, gossiping and negativity were the norm for her team.  Don't get me wrong, they were one of the best in the state - they could join forces against rivals and come home with first place bragging rights.  Aside from the competition induced moments of unity though, my daughter rarely had more than her disheartening experiences to share when I asked "so how was your practice."  She was argumentative at home and had turned into somewhat of a negative ninny. On her own volition, she traded the bickering bunch for a different group of young ladies in an altogether different sport.  These young ladies are pleasant toward each other, encourage each other and keep personal opinions off the record.  Not surprisingly, she comes home full of compliments about her teammates and coach.  She shares stories about the encouragement she gives/receives during comp...

A friend and I talk frequently about the things going on in our lives.  When I fuss and complain about my situations, they are able to help me see my life from a different perspective.  I return the favor when given the chance. For both of us -- when on the listening end -- we accept the fact that our friends' feelings are valid because THEY are living through their experience and so, we don't try to explain or encourage the bad things away.  Instead, we listen to hear each other's heart. Today's Inspiration Accept the Bad for what it is: A Strength Builder Life can sometimes be downright tough there's just no way around that reality.  We feel like our feet are in quicksand or we're running in concrete shoes with a mule tied to our backs.  If we're being stuck by blow after blow, those are real feelings and should not be ignored. Bad experiences help us to find a strength to move on to new levels of our lives.  If we accept them for ju...