Terry The Bayou Man's blog: "Mind Recreation"

No struggle Make the effort, to be sure. But do not make it into a struggle. Struggle is not a specific condition or action. It is a label that casts a negative spin on your efforts and unnecessarily puts you at a disadvantage. If you see yourself as struggling, your expectations are already lowered and the best you can hope for is to break even. Yet there's never any reason to see yourself as struggling. Yes, the challenges may indeed be great. And you have what it takes to make real and steady progress in the face of those challenges. Instead of seeing yourself as a victim, see yourself as making the most of a valuable experience. Rather than living in fear of being pushed back, seize with enthusiasm every opportunity to move forward. Every situation is what it is, but it never has to be a struggle. For you are capable of doing much, much better than that. -- Ralph Marston

When you feel rejected, start accepting yourself, and then go out and accept someone. --Sondra Ray There was once a mother who felt rejected when her children grew up and needed to separate from her. She felt hurt when they pushed her away and no longer wanted all the love and caring that she wanted to give them. She thought, What's wrong with me? Encouraged by her friends, she began to ask herself another question: What's right with me? The more answers she found to that question, the better she liked herself. The better she liked herself, the more she was able to see her children's need to separate from her as their own natural and healthy urge for independence, and not the result of her shortcomings. Our good points may seem undesirable to others, but that's not our fault. Sometimes, too much of a good thing can be inappropriate, but that doesn't make it bad. What's right with me today?

The power of your passion Though the odds may not be in your favor, you can do it. Though the challenges are great, you can make it happen. People will likely tell you it's impossible. Even so, you can find a way to make it possible and to make it real. When it means enough to you, then you can do it. When you are willing and committed and persistent, you will get yourself there. Look within yourself and find those values that you most earnestly desire to express with your life. The things that are most genuinely important to you are the things that will power your achievements. When you can put the power of your passion behind it, you will create it. Make the effort to find and to know that passion, and there is no limit to what you can accomplish. Be utterly true to who you are. And fulfill your greatest possibilities. -- Ralph Marston

Be different To make a difference, you often must be different. It takes courage and confidence to go against the grain of negativity that surrounds you, and such courage can bring great rewards. Where others see only doom and gloom, look for the bright glimmer of opportunity. For it is most certainly there. When everyone is looking for someone to blame for what has already happened, turn your focus toward the future. Exploring the current possibilities will create infinitely more value than arguing over past failures. When you encounter rudeness and irritation, generously offer your own polite and confident patience. When you bump up against the arrogance of another person, melt it away with your own sincere, self-assured humility. Just because everyone is heading in a negative direction doesn't mean you must go that way too. On the contrary, it's a valuable opportunity for you to set a positive example. In times of great difficulty and stress, choose to be a beacon of encouragement, understanding and positive purpose. Be different, and you can truly make a valuable positive difference. -- Ralph Marston

You Can Only Type One Word. Not as easy as you might think. Now copy and paste into your blog and tag 5 ppl to do the same. Leave a comment to let us know you have done it, AND LEAVE THEM A COMMENT TO LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN TAGGED. It's really hard to only use one-word answers! 1. Where is your cell phone? 2. Your significant other? 3. Your hair? 4. Your mother? 5. Your father? 6. Your favorite thing? 7. Your dream last night? 8. Your favorite drink? 9. Your dream/goal? 10. The room you're in? 11. Music? blues 12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? 14. Where were you last night? home 15. What you're not? 16. Muffins? 17. One of your wish list items? 18. Where you grew up? 19. The last thing you did? 20. What are you wearing? 21. TV? 22. Your pets? 23. Your computer? 24. Your life? 25. Your mood? 26. Missing someone? 27. Favorite Store? 30. Your summer? 31. Like someone? 32. Favourite color? 33. When is the last time you laughed? 34. Last time you cried?