The gift of 24 hours

It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth — and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up — that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, so savor every moment, says an American proverb. 

Every single day you and I are alive and well is a gift. Every single day provides the opportunity to explore our possibilities and start afresh. Use each day to build the dream on the lot you were given; engage with people aligned with your destiny; love the people in your life; support the organizations you believe in and the people who need your help, inspire others to live another day and millions around the globe not to give up; stick to your dream no matter the challenges; finish that assignment you are on; write that song you have been postponing. A day can make a difference in your life when you do your best. Each day well used can change your life big time!

Max Lucado said, “Every day deserves a chance: Wake Up to the Gift of 24 Hours. Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.” What are you using your day for? Don’t waste your day, don’t squander it by living in your yesterday, and don’t even attempt to be worried about tomorrow because it is not here yet. What you have is today. So make the most of today. Do not waste a single day, even with the challenges the day brings. Some days can be challenging, but focus on your dream and goals for the day. 

It is very easy to come up with legitimate excuses not to do something. However, a life of discipline will keep you on track irrespective of the challenges of the times. Use each day with purpose and give each day the very best.  Each morning we have been given the gift for a fresh start, so use it as such. What we do today is what matters most says Buddha. Don’t spend your day listening to negative news and listening to negative people. What you focus on grows! 

Ralph Waldo Emerson, considered one of the wisest men who ever lived, said: “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt, crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and calmly….” It’s important you finish what you have planned for the day and move to the next thing and the next thing. Procrastination is a thief of time and we have a short time to live in this part of life. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe captures it so beautifully: “Always hold fast to the present. Every situation, indeed every moment, is of infinite value, for it is the representative of a whole eternity.” 
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Make today count and make today work for you. Use the gift of twenty-four hours to reflect on your results. Visit with your beliefs to see whether they are serving you well. When tough times show up during the day, remember that this too shall pass. Savor the moment; make the best of the day. During times of grief, pain, sorrow, and disappointment, grieve if you must; however, don’t stay there for too long. Always remember it is just a matter of time and this too shall pass. You have one day, so live one day at a time. Make today the best day of your life.