Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it…If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford
I like the thought for today. Maybe it’s because I just got back from speaking in Pennsylvania where I heard, once again, how failing in the past is messing up the future. Friends, I completely disagree with this idea.
We’ve all made mistakes in our past but remember that was the past. Since we’re not living in the past, friend, you’ve got to look to the future. Remember my quote: You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. Mary Pickford has it right, if you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes; there is always another chance for you.
I’ve heard the most amazing stories of human frailties that have wrecked lives and yet (as I remind them) they are still here. You can push through Mistakes, even serious mistakes, if you’re willing to do the work. I encourage you to buckle down and push hard because there is always another chance for you if you’re willing to let go of pride, hurt, and anger and move forward.
And what is interesting to me is the pride is usually self-pride – the denial that you’d do something so stupid to mess up your life – something you can’t believe you did it. But you did and you survived – so now what are you going do? Sit around and wallow in your self-pity? I hope not, that’s awful to watch and worse to listen to.
You’ve also got to let go of hurt. Hurt is a hard one, especially when you occasionally see the person or people you hurt. No amount of sorry can move past some of the mistakes we’ve made, but remember the hardest person to forgive is yourself. Once you’ve done that and then moved forward to ask forgiveness of others – you’re done – even if they don’t forgive you. If you’ve acknowledged your mistake and truly said you’re sorry, you’re done. Stop replaying, stop rehashing, and stop reliving the error of your ways – it will drive you to depression or worse, anger that will not be quelled.
They may want to you continue to hurt because it’s a badge of honor for their sorry life and frankly they like to hurt. In my book, this is weird but it gives them something to talk about at prayer meetings. Once an honest forgiveness is asked you’re done. They can deal with their anger their way. You walk away and send blessings and kind thoughts back to them.
And let me touch on anger. Wow, that’s a tough one! For the life of me I don’t understand why everyone is so angry-and what’s interesting is that most people don’t know why their angry, they just are. For many (who don’t want to admit it) they are angry because they think someone else got a better deal, a bigger break, and an opportunity that they should have gotten. Well, I hate to break to them but life doesn’t work that way. I have a great quote on my board that says, jealously is all the fun you think they had…interesting. You’ve created in your head a scenario that is probably far from the truth but you can’t admit that you’re off base. Cool down friend, no one likes to hang around angry people and it’s not good for your heart, your soul or your mind.
I like Mary Pickford’s next line:”…supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose.”
Imagine that you may have a fresh start any moment you choose. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been; it only matters where you’re going. I know the briars of your past want to cling to your present but pluck them off and toss them away.
I remember as a kid there were blackberry bushes all along the mountain path where we use to play. The lure and desire of the big, deep purple berries was greater than the pain of the prickly stem. After working to reach that luscious fruit, there was nothing harder than trying to figure out how I ended up in the middle of the briar patch. Except maybe having to crawl out to avoid a thorny scarring. The scratches and stains lasted a while, but once I was home and showered I had a fresh start with only a few reminders of my time in briars and the same is for you.
You can have a fresh start because you are ultimately in control of your thoughts. Really, when you think about it the one thing you can control in this life are your thoughts. That is why it is so important that you (and I) focus on the positive, the good and the right – not the dark, the deep or the angry.
You can have a fresh start any moment you choose. You choose. You make the decision for your life. Don’t look to others to make you whole, you make a decision today to be different because even though you have tried and failed again and again, failing doesn’t make you a failure – staying down does.
Failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.
And staying down is a choice. It’s a choice you make everyday when you dwell on something you cannot change.
Do we wish we had done better? Would we have preferred not to make that mistake? Should we have taken a different path? Sure! But wishing and hoping and dwelling isn’t going to change a thing—except your state of mind. That’s what I am talking to you today, to encourage you to let it go and get going.
My message today is get up and get going because time is precious and every minute, every hour, every day, every month, every year you waste is gone and you cannot get it back.
And let me remind you that in those years of wasted time your world will change. Your kids will grow up, your loved ones will pass away, your job will change, your finances will be different and your body will break down. Your days will be different, so think long and hard about what you’re doing today. Is it what you want to be remembered for tomorrow?
Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it. You know I speak a lot about your amazing life and how I truly believe you were put here for a purpose. Your job is to figure out why and how to move yourself and others along the path for success.
Here in the South we’re finally seeing the signs of spring, a new beginning. The winter is past; the cold dark nights are just a memory, the sun shines brighter and earlier in the morning and the birds awaken us with the call as the day beckons us to get started.
Friend, today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it. If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.
Today is a new day. So wherever you are today take a minute to think about this New Day, this opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to those you love or to yourself. Today is a new day. Forget and forgive your mistakes, even the serious ones and believe that there is always another chance for you.
