If life feels hard, it should be. 

If there is suffering, that is the way it should be. 

Suffering, or learning to suffer, is a vital skill. 

Suffering is a skill that can be learned and developed. 

Of course there are ways to end the suffering. 

Those methods should always be applied as well, once the lesson is learned. 

A smart mind without a kind heart is like spice without the meat. You can get by on just the meat alone, but you can never make it with just the spice. 

Fighting back selfishness is how we start to pull back the extra layers of who we currently are, 

and begin to discover, to see, 

who we really could be. 

Each right choice is a step in into the light. 

Each right choice gives one the courage to take another. 

Each right choice proves where we eventually want to be. 

The affliction of regret will come, 

the affliction of others and their choices will come, 

who we choose to share that affliction with determines,

how much, 

how long, 

and deep we feel that pain. 

When we try our best and still lose, that is the best time for reflection. As we ponder what went wrong, we can come understand ourselves better. Sometimes we learn by getting beaten. As we learn to lose, we eventually will learn to win. 

If you want what you have, you are already successful.

If you are thankful for who you are, you are already successful. 

Being ready doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. Being ready just means you are prepared to keep going. 

Counting your blessings can be done one-by-one. 

Counting your blessings can be done bushel-by-bushel. 

Counting your blessings can be done day-by-day. 

Counting your blessing can be done year-by-year. 

It doesn’t matter, as long as you count them. 

Everybody wants to give advice, 

yet – nobody wants to change, 

no body wants the work. 

Without the willingness to also do the work yourself, advice is worthless.