Making the most of today

Run your race, life is no competition, “Our critics are like slugs; they hurt only when they are kicked.” —Lao Tzu

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I watched my children yesterday as they played together. The shrieks of joy were catching. It was fun watching them run with abandon, laughing and carrying on. I listened to their lively voices, repeating themselves as they pretended to be animals. It’s a blast watching children grow. It’s impossible to determine the skills and talents they’ll possess. So I don’t worry about the future. If I do, I’ll miss what’s happening now. All I know is that we’re headed in the right direction, and I’m going to enjoy this moment while I’m here.

I have learned to focus on my life and not to be distracted by what others are doing. Life is no competition; it’s only us. I choose to be in the moment, so I can experience today and be ready for tomorrow. So I can soak up every precious moment I have with people and experiences that make up my life. So I can keep moving forward and enjoy all the opportunities that life has to offer.

Life is a gift, so I don’t want to waste a moment of it. Life is a gift, so I won’t do anything that will keep me from receiving what I’ve been given. I won’t obsess over things I don’t control. Today, I will forget what happened yesterday and focus on what’s happening today. Today I will focus on what’s in front of me, instead of all the potential that’s behind me. Today I will enjoy my family, and I will rejoice in what I’ve learned this year.

Savor the moment and remember what life used to be like. Then savor what it is now, because this is the life you get to live. Make the most of this precious gift. We get the opportunity to live life to the fullest. We get the opportunity to change it, and to shape it. The challenge is not to waste this precious gift.

He’s there right now, smiling down on you. He’s your friend and he wants you to thrive, and be fulfilled. He’s there right now, with you. He’s there right now, laughing at all your crazy antics. He’s also laughing because he knows that you’ll be okay. You can’t worry or fret about what’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s been decided before you were ever born. The choices you make today are only consequences of those choices, not the outcome. Always remember that God is involved in your life business. But you have to choose to be okay.

Tomorrow will always bring new challenges and opportunities. And those challenges and opportunities are not decisions made for you, not events that are out of your control. The decisions you make are your decisions. You have the power to decide to commit to what you want to achieve, to choose to make a positive difference in your life and the lives of those around you, to choose to fulfill your dreams.

I choose to live life in the moment, so I can be ready for what’s now. So I can enjoy today for what it is, and look forward to tomorrow for what it will be. Let life flow by, enjoying each day, living in the present, and not worrying about what might be. Today, enjoy life as it comes. This is the only life we have. So make the most of it.

You’re here for a reason. Your life is only valuable if it has a purpose. To find your purpose, be faithful. Because when God is in your life, he will direct you to your purpose. Be faithful, so that your life can make a difference. You have the ability to decide right now. It’s time to go forth and make a difference in your life. It’s time to make your dreams come true. It’s time to live life. Because you’re here to enjoy life.

One day you’re having a nice time with family, and the next day you’re gone. And the life you had, you have no more. But the life you are living now is forever. So be here and now.

The years will pass, as will the memories of what once was. Life will slip through your fingers, and you may lose many things — possessions, money, a spouse, your health, maybe even your memory. But all you have to lose is the past. Live in the present, make it rich in every way possible, and the memories that you leave behind will sustain you. You will be holding the memories of this life in your hands, and no one can take them away. No one can take away the hope, joy, love, and peace that you have inside you. You will be a living memorial to the love that you have brought into the lives of your family and friends. So, live in the present and embrace each day.

I encourage you to enjoy your life in the present as you put the past behind you and enter the new year with hope for what the future may bring. I want you to experience the gifts of your life — the opportunities, the laughter, and the blessings. Each one of you has the ability to make your life a tremendous success. You have everything you need to accomplish your dreams and goals. You have the right motivation and self-confidence. You have the blessing of family and friends. You have a right spirit and the knowledge that you are more than a conqueror. You have everything you need to fulfill your destiny. So have the courage to follow your dreams. And don’t let fear hold you back.

Courage is knowing what you want to do, even if you might fail. Courage is having the strength to ask for help. Courage is getting up every day and trying. And it is overcoming your fears and not letting them defeat you.

Bottom line

The bottom line is, you have everything you need to do what you love, to love what you do, and to create what you dream of. You have the right motivation and inspiration. You have the right spirit and the knowledge. You have the strength and courage. So make the most of what you have.

The time is now. And the moments are passing so fast. There are dreams inside of you that you have never even been aware of. You have been holding them in, and you are about to have the courage to break free. So, go forward, have the courage to follow your dreams. Be faithful, and the blessings of God will be all around you.