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Scott-Milford-Brilliance-ImageEach week we select our favorite submission for Today’s Brilliance from anyone who cares to contribute to our blog. (Details are available here.) This week’s Brilliance comes to us from Scott Milford. Scott writes as @scottquitter on Twitter and Scott Quitter on acoupleofquitters.com.

I grew up often confused by the behaviors and actions of other people. Too often, people would say one thing then do another. Naturally, I assumed this was how things were done. After many years using this method, I started to question this way of doing things, but only after I suffered much heartache and pain from my decisions and actions. But wisdom grows out of our mistakes.

Maybe you wish you would have made better choices in life, thus far. Perhaps you wish you would have been kinder, more generous or a better friend. If you could do it over again, maybe you would do things differently. But none of that matters because each moment gives you another chance to make a different choice—right now. In each moment, you can start again.

No one knows how you are feeling or anything about you except what they observe. What you show other people through your demonstration will tell them everything they need to know about who you are today. Your actions and words are your most powerful tools for self-expression; they reflect neither your past nor your future, but represent only this very moment. And who you are in this very moment is exactly who you choose to be. Your present behavior has a way of erasing unfavorable past actions or behavior and shapes more positive future conditions.

Be kinder to yourself. Stop giving undue thought to what you haven’t done in the past; stop feeling guilty for what you don’t think can do in the future. Think only of what you are doing now and do it with all your strength, with all your conviction, and with all your heart.

Your words and actions grow out of your beliefs and thoughts. In order to live an exceptional life, you must live your life from your highest truths and exemplify your greatest ideals.

Be patient with people who appear to be wrong. Be grateful for people who appear to be right. Always listen carefully, take a deep breath, and think before you speak. Let your humble heart and your sincerest truth shape your words, not your ego! Don’t be so arrogant as to cherish your own opinion to the exclusion of other possibilities. Always be willing to accept new truth and greater awareness when it’s time to do so.

What are you demonstrating to other people? In every exchange with another person, are you expressing your highest ideals and beliefs? Live your life from your highest truth and give others the freedom to live from theirs.

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Gail Lynne Goodwin is the founder of InspireMeToday.com, bringing the best inspiration to the world. InspireMeToday.com provides free inspiration, each day from a new Inspirational Luminary, to a global community of folks from over 150 countries. Gail has interviewed many well-known names including Sir Richard Branson, Guy Laliberte, Seth Godin, Tony Hseih, Gary Vaynerchuk, Michael Gerber, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and hundreds more. According to Mashable, Gail was one of 2009's Top 25 Most Inspirational People on Twitter.

Prior to InspireMeToday.com, Gail spent several years as manager for her recording artist daughter, Carly. As a result of the success of their co-penned song, "Baby Come Back Home", Gail accompanied her daughter to bases in the US and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where Carly performed for our troops. Gail and Carly created the 'World's Longest Letter' of love and support and delivered the 18-mile long scroll on a month-long tour of Iraq and the Persian Gulf in 2006.

Gail is excited to present her latest course, Love in 21 Days, a step-by-step guide to finding love online. Love in 21 Days is founded on a logical process that has been tested - and proven! - by not only Gail, but also by students around the world who too have found love.

Gail is a published author and a regular writer for the Huffington Post. She offers mentoring and mastermind services to clients worldwide from her home in Whitefish, Montana. Follow Gail on Twitter or Google+.

This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. This bit of brilliance couldn’t have come at a better time for me when my life is in the eddies of so many worldwinds. Yes…world…winds. Each person creates their own world, and from it comes their own unique weather system with all of it’s storms, sunshiny days, breezes, nourishing rains, and destructive tornadoes, and the consequences of such natural weather phenomena.

    Scott’s words lifted a heaviness from me that comes as a result of being covered with other people’s mud! His insights reminded me of who I am, and that I can be who I want in any given moment, and more importanlty that I can choose to love the “me that I am” in any given moment. His best line was, “Your present behavior has a way of erasing unfavorable past actions or behavior and shapes more positive future conditions.” During a time when I am feeling very accused, this is liberating information!

    Scott’s life is one of testimony to Light, truth, and love, and I feel deeply blessed to know him as my twin soul.

    A most powerful truth: “In every exchange with another person, are you expressing your highest ideals and beliefs?”

    Lovelife,
    Rev Kathryn

  2. Ah, if only EVERYONE thought (and lived) this way, what a wonderful world it would be. 🙂

    Anyway, great, inspiring piece, Scott! Words to live by, indeed.

    Keith

  3. Hi, Karen,

    You called me some time ago and I think it was at Dr. Mani’s request. Your call was just at a moment when I was involved in a delicate task with Jenny, my autistic granddaughter. I would love to chat with you again, because I think I left you with a rather negative note as I was unable to concentrate on the call. I believe I have MUCH that could be of deep inspiration for many. Can I have a second chance?

    I really enjoyed your interview with Dr. Mani. Isn’t he incredible? And your blog just made my day. What wonderful, helpful things you are doing. If I can ever be of help to you in ANY way, please let me know. You are so impressive and believe me, you are an inspiration – not only to me, but to so many.

    Mary Kathryn

  4. Yo Scotty,

    Wonderful truth there, simply and beautifully stated.
    It made me smile, because there is never a lost opportunity- the opportunity to make a more healthy, positive choice is now…and now, and now! 🙂

    It’s so very lovely to see this written down by someone whom I’ve never met and yet your words speak to me as though they were written by a dear friend. That’s encouraging to see.

    We can get so lost in our past guilts and shames, and be discouraged about our future endeavors- living in the now does not mean we are ignoring the past and future, it means we are choosing how we will feel and act in the present.
    So thanks for those words, have a glorious day! 🙂

    ~ Kayla

  5. Kayla,

    I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner. My words are everyone’s words. We humans share many common experiences, doubts, fears, and feeling of inadequacy. But the counter-balance to that is knowing that we also share the potential for love, commitment, devotion, dedication, forgiveness, inspiration…

    Life is like two ends of a stick…one end is exuberance, joy, contentment, and potential; the other end, doubt, guilt, depression, unrest. With my words above, I am passing the stick on to you and others. It sounds like you’ve grasped the better end. …and my hope is that we all can do the same.

    Love to you,
    Scott

  6. Scott, we went to school together (LHS). We hung out a little bit, but went our seperate ways. I remember you and your brother Kieth were into astronomy. Who knew you had so much to say. Now you say it and say it eloquenty. Hope all is going well for you and your family. I wish you continued success. Darryl

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