Make the Best of Each Moment . . .

Now is the time to fasten our seat belts as we get ready to learn how to make the most of each day.

Take a crash course in what is happening right now. There is magic and mystery in this very moment. In our VCR world, it's very easy to slip into the notion of pause and replay or do over. But the one thing that time will never do is return. So keep your head where your feet are or you run the risk of missing out on the life- changing lessons and opportunities available only today.

Part of becoming an adult is coming face to face with the reality that all of us receive only twenty-four hours in each day. With this realization comes a certain time-is-wasting urgency that, if left unchecked, can propel us straight from inactivity to overdrive. Both ends of the spectrum can prevent us from making the most of the moment before us.

No matter what the complaint, if a person wants to make an effort, he or she can choose to steer in a better direction. It is hard to face the present because so much has to be done. Because of this factor, many choose to stay in the "safe" past to avoid the hard work of dealing with the present.

Learn to Help Yourself

Several people get caught into a trap where they rely, or depend, too much on others. Most of these people have given up. It is best when you are able to help yourself; you will then less likely give up. It is your life, and you have to make the many hard choices that it takes to live it in a satisfying way. Nobody causes people to do or to become anything: People make themselves into what they are.

If you don't like the way your life is going, you might ask yourself, "What can I do to make it better?"

Your thoughts direct what is and what will be, where you are now, and what you will accomplish in your life. You alone determine how far you can go in life, and the possibilities are endless. No one else can determine your progress-—or failure.

Second chances are given to those who are willing to take the chances. Meanwhile, the procrastinator, the anytime-will-do person, never gets anything done. Life does not wait for anyone.

You Must Put Forth Effort to Excel

Too often, talented people put their heart and soul into a project and then give up at the first sign of failure. It is not that they lack talent or opportunity; it is that they lacked persistent effort. That is true for most of us, most of the time. If life is hard, then maybe we need to work harder.

Remember, when you are working toward a positive end, you need to be with people who are on the same page, with the same mindset, and not conflicting with your goals.

Do you love your life today, or do you find yourself daydreaming about the past or wistfully looking ahead to the future? If you notice that your head is anywhere but in the same room with the rest of your body, maybe it is time that you take an inventory of your life, the way it is, right now. Only by facing your life exactly the way it is right now can you take the steps to lead yourself to an even brighter tomorrow.

You determine the quality of this moment. Make it the best one possible.