Here are some of my favorite motivational stories, poems and thoughts!

Everything you know is based on what has already happened in your life. And yet, your only influence right now is over things that have not yet happened. The things that have already happened have gotten you to where you are right now. What you need to be concerned with, however, is where to go from here.

Because you're so intimately familiar with your own past, it may seem that you have no choice but to continue moving in the same direction as before. But that is not true. Your future does not equal your past. Right now, there are an infinite number of paths, which you can take. The one you're currently on is only one of them. Any of the rest is available to you.

If you're completely satisfied with where you're going, then by all means keep on going that way. But there is no reason in the world why you have to keep following that same path if it is not bringing you full and lasting fulfillment.

Every moment you have a choice, regardless of what has happened before. Choose right now to move forward, positively and confidently into your incredible future.

Unknown

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A man is what he thinks about all day long." The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius put it this way: "A man's life is what his thoughts make of it." In the Bible we find: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

One Sunday afternoon, a cranky grandfather was visiting his family. As he lay down to take a nap, his grandson decided to have a little fun by putting Limburger cheese on Grandfather's mustache. Soon, Grandpa awoke with a snort and charged out of the bedroom saying, "This room stinks." Through the house he went, finding every room smelling the same. Desperately he made his way outside only to find that "the whole world stinks!"

So it is when we fill our minds with negativism. Everything we experience and everybody we encounter will carry the scent we hold in our mind.

Unknown

Henry Miller

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Unknown

Unknown

Anonymous

All the children were warned not to touch him. The adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, and squirted him when he tried to come into their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet your in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If ever you picked him up, he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, or whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor's huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was lying, it was apparent that Ugly's sad life was almost at an end. Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. "I must be hurting him terribly," I thought.

Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear - Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying, was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battle-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from struggle or me in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk-show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.

Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked and beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.

Unknown

And when I stopped to buy some sweets the lad who served me had such charm. He seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind, and warm.

I said, "It's nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find!"

He turned and said, "Oh, thank you, sir!" Then I saw that he was blind.

When later I was walking, I saw a little boy with eyes of blue. He sat and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do. I stopped a moment, then I said, "Why don't you join the others, Dear?"

He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, Forgive Me When I Whine

Anonymous

Every book that was ever written, no matter how lengthy, was written one word at a time. Every race that was ever won was completed one step at a time. Great accomplishments come from stringing one effort on top of another.

With enough small efforts, anything can be achieved. Though you may not have the time or the resources to make a big impact, use what you do have to make a small difference. Do it often enough, with commitment and focus, and the big results will surely come.

Don't waste the time you have by complaining that there's not enough of it. Use it to do what you can. As quickly as time is used it is replaced, but if you don't use what you have right now, you'll never get the opportunity again.

Do what you can, every opportunity you get. You'll soon find yourself getting exactly where you wish to go.

Unknown

ROBERT FROST