Inspiration Archives

7 Keys for Achieving Success

I believe that every person on the face of the earth has been gifted with a unique set of skills, talents, abilities and personality that make each person unlike anyone else that has ever lived before. When we discover what we are passionate about and make the pursuit of that passion our primary goal, we discover what we were made to do. You are the only person who can fulfill your destiny! While the road may be difficult and obstacles spring up in our way, we must keep our eye on the goal of living out our life's purpose. Rather…

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En-courage Courage!

If there is one piece of advice I would offer you, it's this: never - and I despise using absolute words like "never" - never stop encouraging yourself and others in the pursuit of worthy goals. This advice is inspired by the definition of the word encouragement, which is "to give hope and confidence to." Can you imagine what this world would look like if we were constantly infusing others with hope and confidence? What would this world look like if EVERYONE was walking around with hope and confidence - despite the challenges they face in life? With successful strategies, always…

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Radical Generosity

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” – The Dalai Lama I’ve always thought of myself as a kind person. But in my fourth decade of life, I learned what true kindness is. A brain surgeon had just asked me if I would give my daughter’s vital organs to strangers. Maya, 19, had been declared brain dead and doctors had signed her death certificate. They were preparing to remove the machines keeping her heart pumping and her lungs breathing. I was frozen with grief, paralyzed by anguish I thought I would never outlive. But I heard myself say…

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The #1 Way to Succeed: Choose to Create!

Create! When given a choice - and we always are - opt for creating. I love that we have free choice in this world AND choosing out of the realm of creating, to me, is the only place to choose from. Imagine a world where everyone is saying, in essence, "I can't wait to see what I will create next." That is the world I want to create and inspire others to live in with me. In a collective sense, that is the world I know is possible to be in and I deeply feel that we are moving full…

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5 Ideas To Change How You See The World

1. All that really exists is the word YES. The universe is set up on a YES system, so whatever you choose to surround yourself with, you will continue to get more of. The universe just tracks all of your personal expressions and choices in life. There are no throw-away moments. Choose your words, actions and thoughts consciously. Choose your friends, partners and media influences wisely, because everything coming from us, and everything coming at us, profoundly affects our ability to be as intelligent and balanced as we want to be. 2. Change doesn't happen with the snap of your…

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Struggling Financially? Start with Love

In my first Inspire Me Today post, I talked about love. When I was deciding what to write this time, I thought: What follows love as a top concern? The answer is money. Interestingly, the two are entwined. The key to financial abundance, just like everything else in life, is love. We must love ourselves in order to 1) feel worthy, 2) receive abundance, 3) maintain wealth, and 4) grow our financial resources. If there are parts of ourselves we don't love, our subconscious mind will find all sorts of ways to create the financial difficulties we think we deserve. Thankfully, there are…

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stacey dorenfeld

Say Yes To Know!

As an adult I am learning to assume and model a healthy way to be there for someone in need. It is not to say that psychologists and counselors have all the answers, but most do have the skills of identifying behaviors and issues that are inherent in a rough patch in my or a close one’s life. Yes, there are consequences to being in a relationship with one who does not want to hear what you have to say or demean your feelings; however, we have to push as hard as we can to diminish the claim of being…

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The Beauty of Waking Up

I have already spent half of my years in life. Through this journey, I have been happy and sad. I am sad because I learnt the truths about life a little too late. I wish I had known what I know now a little earlier but on the other hand I also know that humans are full of regrets, what we don’t have always seem to be our greatest desire. Marie Corelli succinctly puts it this way, that “No one is contented in this world, I believe. There is always something left to desire, and the last thing longed for…

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You are a Child of the Universe

The Nei Jing, a classical Chinese medicine text written several thousands of years ago, states: “Men are born on the Earth, but Life itself is held in the hands of Heaven. When the Qi of Heaven and Earth harmonize, this is called a human being.” In other words, the beautiful material forms of human beings enter this reality filled with life force and Heaven’s unconditional love. Just as sure as you are the child of your mother and father, you are also a child of the Universe, created from this source and connected to it every day and forever. You’re…

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How to Find Your Sweet Spot

I have always felt very fortunate to have work that gives my life purpose and meaning. Over the years, I’ve met many people who long to make a positive difference in the world, but they’re not sure where to start. Encoded in our souls is our true life purpose. When we make contact with our souls, our service, our unique contribution to the world, becomes clear. The soul is our purest and most reliable source of direction and guidance. It is our divine partner, an internal GPS system that guides our lives, first as subtle promptings and later, as we…

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Finding Serenity

If you've read any of my books, you've read about the "Serenity Prayer." This is a simple prayer, first used by Reinhold Niebuhr around 1934 and later given, by him, to Bill Wilson for use in Alcoholics Anonymous. This simple prayer became one of the "tools" that saved my life more than once when I was in the early days of my recovery and trying to piece my life back to together. I would recite it every day as a way to keep things in perspective and it has been a great help to me since. There are many times in our life when…

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Dare To Be You

Be who you are. Don’t try to mimic anyone else. Be uniquely you, because (and this is quite amazing) there is no one else in this world exactly like you and never will be! If you continue to strive to be someone you’re not, you’ll not only remain unhappy and unfulfilled, you’ll also deprive others of the gift of yourself—the very special “someone” only you can give. That would be a tragedy. Okay, so now you may wonder. . . “How can I be myself if I don’t really know who I am yet?” Good question. The first thing I’d…

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As You Move Through Your Days, Be Gentle

When you open your eyes in the morning, be grateful.  Be still.  Set an intention for the day, repeat a mantra or commit to working on something you struggle with.  Each day, maintain your baby steps towards a better you, to feeling better and reaching for those good feelings and thoughts. Try a little harder, but be loving towards yourself each step of the way. Stop beating yourself up over everything.  Be gentle.  You are a beautiful soul, and your expansion, transformation and self-development are a process. Everything takes time. This physical life is very temporary. It's time to see…

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When the World Tests Your Love, Let Your Love Be a Testament to the World

These words came to me, as many have over the years, in the wee hours of the morning, unbidden, but certainly welcome. I have learned that when I am a receptive channel, all manner of messages pours through. Many years ago, in meditation, I heard echoes of ‘by divine design’. I asked, “What does that mean?” God replied, “You’ll know.” Turns out that it became the name of my multi-faceted business which includes writing, speaking, interfaith ministry, counseling, coaching and editing. It is based on the idea that we are co-creators with Spirit and in that partnership, we can design…

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The Audacity Map

I was a very shy girl. Didn't speak unless spoken to, head down, hair falling in front of my eyes to hide behind, slumped shoulders. Teased and tickled by my father and brothers to the point of tears, bullied by schoolmates - you get the picture. It wasn't until I went to live in NYC to attend Parsons School of Design that I woke up to someone new inside of myself. She had been brewing for a long, long time. All of a sudden, no father, no brothers, no bullies! It was like a miracle. Now I felt audacious. Bold…

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Healing Emotional Pain

Do not ignore the emotional wounds you sustain in daily life. Do not believe that ignoring emotional pain is a sign of strength. Do not believe that feeling emotional pain is a sign of weakness or psychological frailty. Do not believe that being in touch with your feelings, knowing you hurt, and wishing you didn't diminishes you in any way. Do not think of yourself as weak when you experience the pain of rejection. Do not consider yourself undesirable when you know the ache of loneliness. Do not punish yourself when you carry the burden of guilt. Do not lose…

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The Skill You Need To Stop Making Bad Decisions

Have you ever made a bad decision? Looking back, was it avoidable, if only you had sought out advice? If not, then congratulations: you are uniquely blessed. If so, then welcome to our club, a large one indeed. Avoidable bad decisions happen to everyone, and they keep happening to some. Why? Parents and teachers train us to apologize when causing harm and to give thanks when accepting help. But nobody trains young people, when they have an important decision to make, to ask themselves if they have the knowledge and experience to handle it, and if not, who does and…

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4 Ways to Get the Best Out of Life

Who has the power to change your destiny? Who is the one who will make tomorrow happen today? Who will help you discover life's true colors? You! You deserve empowerment. You deserve motivation. You deserve happiness. You deserve to love and be loved. You do deserve the best. Even though nothing in this world is handed to you, if you really want to reach your destination, push through all challenges and your success will be waiting on the other side. Meet every challenge with a smile and a heart full of motivation. Slow down, give yourself enough time and get acquainted…

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Success on Your Own Authentic Terms

If I could encourage humanity to do anything, it would be for each individual to always stay true to him or herself. Throughout my creative journey, I have learned that everyone may not understand or encourage your visions, but it is not up to them to do so. I believe that each of us has been given a divine purpose. Once you realize what your talent or gift is, as well as what you feel you were created to achieve, hold on to that. It is your truth, a realization that no person can take away from you unless you…

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6 Empowering Ideas for Making the Most out of Life

If I can do it, you can do it. It's true! So many of the cliches I have learned are true. Don't waste time beating yourself up all the time and focusing on your flaws or weaknesses, and/or being around people who do it for you (unfortunately, sometimes even better than you). Know you are loved. Know you are magnificent. Know you are so very unique and special with unique talents and gifts to share with this world. Everyone has an interesting story to tell and wisdom to offer and special things to do in their lifetime. Focus on your…

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Be Inspired By Your Life

We often look for inspiration outside of ourselves – from gurus, celebrities, Oprah, the Royal Family, the Pope, those who are unreachable. Inspiration has always been right in front of you and inside of you. The sun rises and sets every day without interruption and rarely do we take time to notice. What is the point? Inspiration is all around us. Today, you are where you are because you have absorbed inspiration along the way. Your third-grade teacher, your mother, a beautiful flower, the tree that you planted in your backyard, a pet, or the kids playing in the street…

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