You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it. Charles Bruxton

So many times we spend our day running around and declaring we simply don't have time for all the things we want to do that we forget each of us is allotted 24 hours in a day - no more and no less. How we choose to use those hours is up to us.

I ran across some interesting information last night while doing some research. The author suggested that any time we spend during our work day that is not moving us toward our goals - either personally or professionally - is wasted time.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you give up leisure activities that promote a healthy life style, or that you neglect the relationships in your life. What I am suggesting is that you take a few days to "track" how you use your time.  I think you, like most of us, will find that you waste much more time that you ever would have guessed.

Take this post, for instance. I looked at the clock and thought, "I only have 15 minutes. What can I possibly accomplish in 15 minutes. I might as well visit Face Book and catch up on my friends." The it hit me, if keeping my blog updated is one of my goals - which it is - why not put that 15 minutes to good use.

For today, keep track of your time to identify areas where you can be more productive - saving time for other activities that you either enjoy or that will move you toward your goals.

I am grateful for the brilliant sun that sends reflections skittering on snow and ice, for the strength of trees that withstand the storm, and the joy of children as they slide on crusted snow.

I am grateful for mornings that greet the day with hope, for birds that flutter to and fro, and for the red squirrel that prances by my window.  

I am grateful for family and friends without whom I would be lost, for new friends I will meet along the path of life, and for strangers who may share but a moment in time.

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you use your time wisely as you go forward in the direction of your dreams. 

 

Life is full of obstacle illusions. ~Grant Frazier

As human beings we become so accustomed to seeing the things that stand in our way, that we forget there is always a way around them. Instead of looking for another way, we often give up and assume that our goals and dreams cannot be met. But, as Grant Frazier cleverly points out: that is often an illusion.

Consider the obstacles in your path today and get in the habit of seeing them as a mere illusion. There are many paths to your future, and many trails to your dreams. It is up to you to find them.

Today, I am grateful for the insight and wisdom to defeat seeming obstacles in my way, for the courage to press forward, even when it seems like there is no way to reach my goals. I am grateful for marvelous power of the human mind, for the ability to use that mind to see beyond the obvious, and for the drive to succeed.


I am grateful for summer rain that quenches my garden's thirst, for flowers that awake covered in dew, and for sunshine that scatters in an array of color as it touches raindrops on the grass.


I am grateful for music of the wind as it tickles the trees, for the call of the owl in the wee hours of dawn, and for stars that shine brightly under the cover of darkness.


I am grateful for family that I hold dear, for friends that share my life, and for children not yet born--who will surely change our world.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cultivate the habit of recognizing obstacles as mere illusions today as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. John Updike

Too often, we let the world around us convince us that our dreams are unrealistic or that we cannot attain them and give up before we have even tried. Guard against the influence of those who lack your vision. Cultivate belief in the beauty of your dreams, today, as you work to meet your goals. Always remember that it is your belief and faith in your dreams that brings them to pass.

Today, I am grateful for the promise of a returning sun, for the red-breasted grossbeak that adorns my feeder and for raindrops that slow to a light mist.


I am grateful for ears that hear, a heart that beats and lungs that breathe. I am grateful for fingers to type, for a clear sound mind and a sense of humor.

I am grateful for the ability to dream and for the knowledge that I hold the power to make my dreams come true. I am grateful for clarity of thought that I may direct my energies in the direction I wish to go. I am grateful for opportunities to share my skills with others, for hands that are eager to offer help when it is needed, and for a heart that see the good in the world.


I am grateful for laughter as it rings out, sending positive waves into the world, for smiles that brighten a damp, dreary day, and for moments of silence that brings peace to the soul.


I am grateful for family and friends who I hold dear, for pets who share my life and for wild animals that find shelter from the storm. I am grateful for teachers who honor the value of children, for parents who strive to improve their lives and for the unborn who will one day inherit the world.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you always believe in your ability to reach your goals as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

Dream Quotes to Live By
Find out what great minds like Thoreau, Harriet Tubman
and Eleanor Roosevelt have to say about the value of your
dreams.