Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. Joy Page

Many of us fall short of what we want in life, not because we are not capable, but because we lack the courage to give ourselves permission to succeed. Cultivate the courage to dream big and give yourself permission to reach those dreams, today.

Know that what lies in you is greater than the ways of the world. It is bigger than the petty thoughts of those who want to prevent your success. It is not limited by what someone else says or does or believes. They are not your enemy -- although it may seem like they are at times. Your enemy -- like your success -- lies within. Your enemy is your inability to believe in yourself enough to grant yourself permission to succeed.

Today, I am grateful for rain and the heavy musky scent of fall. I am grateful for fallen leaves and pine needles that blanket my yard in carpet of gold. I am grateful for pine cones that bring visions of Christmas in its glorious blanket of snow.  

I am grateful for the miraculous cycle of the seasons that brings beauty at every turn, for the grace of summer folding silently into fall and for the promise of winter that envelops my world in soft blankets of white. 

I am grateful for the blue jay that cries out to announce the coming rain, for the chick-a-dee that flits from tree to tree never tiring of his cheerful song, and for the purple finch who wears his red coat despite his name. 

I am grateful for family and friends and the house I call my home. I am grateful for those who lend a helping hand when they see a need, for the fruit of earth that fuels our bodies and for coffee to start my day. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cultivate the courage to dream big and give yourself permission to succeed as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.