motivation | Big Owl's Tree

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The world is awash in negativity right now. Our newsfeeds are clogged with political diatribes from both sides, and with all the turmoil surrounding the American political circus, the future feels bleak for many people. However, one fact I’ve learned is that regardless of your political beliefs, regardless of what direction you think the country is moving, regardless of whether you support the current administration or are protesting in the streets, if you want your voice to be heard, you will have to persevere and keep working hard at your efforts.

The future belongs to those with stronger will, not necessarily those with righteousness or ability on their side. Your resolve to stick to your principles and work towards your goals are what will be the difference between long-term success and failure. I know this from firsthand, hard-won experience. Life has knocked me down more times than I can count, and each time, I’ve picked myself up and worked a little harder (and smarter) at my endeavors. If you keep your efforts the same, your results will never improve. You absolutely must strive to work harder every day.

No matter what temporary darkness shrouds us, I still believe our brightest days are in the future. I still believe that at its core, humanity is honest, sincere, and peace loving. I still believe that one day we will achieve a society that rewards hard work, embraces diversity, blends competition and cooperation, and provides a safety net so that productive citizens can survive life’s catastrophes. Those of us who dream of that society will have to strengthen our resolve and work that much harder to overcome the turmoils of today.

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I’ve been through quite a bit in my life. There have been many times when I’ve felt like giving up and quitting. In those dark moments, when despair seems too great to overcome and life feels as if all the joy is gone, it takes a tremendous act of will to remind myself that the darkness never lasts forever. Eventually the sun will rise, the clouds will part, and better days will come again.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned about facing any kind of adversity is this: regardless of the situation, your best approach is to roll up your sleeves and put your energy into doing something productive. Hard work cures so many ills. Productivity makes you feel better about yourself and lessens the pain of whatever you’re facing. Despite already knowing these truths, I have to remind myself of them regularly.

Whatever you may be dealing with in your life, please remember that you can find the strength to face it. You have it in you to overcome even the most desperate of situations if you are willing to maintain a positive attitude and put in the work to accomplish your goals. And if you give it your best effort and fall short, you will still feel better about yourself for having had to courage to try than if you throw up your hands and quit. I’ve learned this from firsthand experience.

I want this blog to return to being a forum for like-minded people to share thoughts about our lives, so please, feel free to comment below with your experiences concerning adversity. Let’s start a conversation and motivate each other to overcome whatever challenges we face. This can be our Motivational Mondays.