Inspirational Living: Life Lessons For Success & Happiness

Listen to episode 526 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: How to Make Your Life Marvelous | Motivation. Edited and adapted from Personal Power by Keith J. Thomas.Visit today's sponsor Swanson Health at Swanson.com. And use coupon code LIVING20 for 20% off.Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Put the joy of creation into everything you do. Let it be worthy of your mind, and let it be done as perfectly as you can do it. If your employers cannot use you to better advantage, fit yourself for more congenial work elsewhere. It is your own fault if you complain: the remedy is always in your own hands. Complaints are signs of weakness, and if you are in a chronic state of dissatisfaction, words will avail nothing. Only by your own actions can you alter your own condition of life. If you are busy complaining when you ought to be busily acting, you are likely to complain until the end of the chapter.How can you enjoy your leisure, if your mind is brooding over your grievances? Instead of railing against circumstances, yo

Listen to episode 525 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: Answering the Riddle of Life. Edited and adapted from Personal Power by Keith J. Thomas.Visit today's sponsor at ReelPaper.com, and use the coupon code LIVING for 25% off your purchase.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Be sure that whatever troubles come to you, if you face them with courage, they will pass by as the idle wind, and leave behind the prosperity of which they are only the harbingers. Everyone who has faced sorrow and disaster, who has come through the fires of adversity, knows well from their own experience that for every trouble life can bring, there is some greater compensating advantage.It is true that “All things work together for good.” The snows of winter serve to warm the earth and protect the seeds that bring forth the glorious blooms of summer. All through Nature and all through life we see that the things which are gloomy and unpleasant inevitably develop into brightness and happiness.Support this podcast at — https://redcircl

Listen to episode 524 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: The Heroism of Every Day Life. Edited and adapted from A Man’s Reach or Some Character Ideals by Charles Edward Locke.Visit today's sponsor Swanson Health at Swanson.com. And use coupon code LIVING20 for 20% off.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: In every age, we hear much talk of heroes. We are fascinated by stories and tales that spur the imagination to the loftiest heroism. But I would call your attention to the greatest of all heroism: that heroism which does not receive the plaudits of the crowd, nor attract the eyes of the multitude. It is not richly rewarded with treasure, and does not have medals struck for its accomplishments.I am thinking of the rescues and battles, the sacrifices and generosities, and the invincible courage which are unheralded, unrecorded, and unrewarded, but upon which the security and prosperity of our times depend.Many a person in a moment of emergency would rush at the risk of their life to the rescue of an imperiled f

Listen to episode 523 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: Overcoming Hurry, Worry, and Irritability. Edited and adapted from The Freedom of Life by Annie Payson Call.Visit today's sponsor at ReelPaper.com, and use the coupon code LIVING for 25% off your purchase.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Remember that worrying is resistance, and resistance is unwillingness. Unwillingness interferes with whatever we may want to accomplish. To be willing that this, that, or the other thing should happen seems quite difficult, when to our minds, this, that, or the other thing may bring disaster. And yet if we can once see clearly that worrying resistance tends toward disaster rather than away from it, or, at the very least, takes away our strength and endurance, it is only a matter of time before we become able to drop our resistance altogether.However, it IS a matter of time, and not instantaneous. So, once we are faced toward freedom from worry, we must be patient and steady, and not expect to gain very rapidly. We m

Listen to episode 522 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Inspiring Thoughts on Self-Development & Self-Growth. Edited and adapted from The Call of Life by William L. White.Visit today's sponsor Swanson Health at Swanson.com. And use coupon code INSPO20 for 20% off.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: The ushering in of a New Year brings with it to so many people New Year’s Resolutions. This is a splendid practice and I would not discount New Year Resolutions one iota, but instead give unto them strength. Indeed, I wish to encourage not only resolutions for the New Year, but to urge everyone to be on the alert, taking stock, visualizing, and planning to better not only ourselves, but our neighbors and that sphere of the world which we touch. And whenever a new thought for a better practice in the upbuilding of our lives crosses our minds, do not wait for the New Year to roll around to record it and start practicing it, but begin at once.If the word resolution sounds "too tame," the words maxim or m

Listen to episode 521 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Becoming Rich in Knowledge & Wisdom | Education. Edited and adapted from Right Living by Susan H. Wixon.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: That which we know is all our own. The more we know (the more we absorb of useful knowledge) the richer we become. Science which can be shown, demonstrated, and realized, is the desirable thing. Think about it. Does not actual knowledge put to flight all extremes of error and misunderstanding? Take a fact in Nature. Prove it, and it becomes yours. And not all the hyenas and bloodhounds of ignorance can take it from you.As someone has said before, "There are two valuable possessions which no search warrant can get at, and which no reverse of fortune can destroy: they are what a person puts into their head (i.e. knowledge), and what they put into their hands (i.e. skill)."Is there any limit to the acquisition of knowledge? No. Nobody has gained the whole of knowledge, and no one knows so much that they may no

Listen to episode 520 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Grand Secrets of Success | Self-Reliance. Edited and adapted from The Grand Secrets of Success, compiled by The Toronto News Company.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: There are different ways of getting on in the world. It does not always mean making money, or being a great individual for people to look up to. Leaving off a bad habit for a good one is getting on in the world; to be clean and tidy instead of dirty and disorderly is getting on; to be careful and saving instead of thoughtless and wasteful is getting on; to be active and industrious, instead of idle and lazy is getting on; to be kind and forbearing, instead of ill-natured and quarrelsome, is getting on; to work as diligently in the boss's absence as in their presence is getting on.In short, when we see anyone properly attentive to their duties, persevering through difficulties, to gain such knowledge as shall be of use to themselves and others, offering a good example to their acquai

Listen to episode 519 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Success Habits & The Character That Triumphs. Edited and adapted from The Ideal Man by John Priest Greene.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Let us talk about character. IS it grown, or engraved, or forged? All of these. We are born without character, but it soon sprouts, and then grows rapidly. The soil is the home, the school, the social life, the business world — different kinds of soil, each contributing its element to the growth of character.Parents, teachers, companions, and business associates are the character-cultivators, and largely determine the quality of the product — but each one grows their own character. The word "character" is Greek, and means "engraved" — an ancient and beautiful conception. We (sometimes with the help of others) engrave our own characters when we begin to act on our own judgment, when we choose and do, and thus form habits.A habit is a groove or a line cut in the soul, fixed, along which future actio

Listen to episode 518 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Inspirational Life Lessons on Happiness. Edited and adapted from The True Source of a Happy Life by Hugh Wayt.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: It will help much in learning the lesson of happiness if we persistently train ourselves to be cheerful and to see the bright things in our every-day life. There are some people who seem to have eyes only for the disagreeable things. They find every bit of roughness and hardness in life's pathway. They see at once (and see it magnified) every unpleasant thing that comes into their lives. They remember every unhappy experience they ever had. They keep on the walls of their memory pictures of all their vanished joys and faded hopes. They indelibly record all the trials, adversities and misfortunes they have ever suffered.But, on the other hand, they are forgetful of all their blessings. They hang up no pictures of the joys they did not lose, which have filled their lives on so many bright days. They have poor m

Listen to episode 500 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Sun Dial’s Motto | Motivational Podcasts. Edited and adapted from Peace, Power & Plenty by Orison Swett Marden.Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you enjoy today’s podcast, please help us spread the word by sharing it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from Peace, Power, and Plenty by Orison Swett Marden, published in 1909.On a famous sun-dial it is written: "I record none but hours of sunshine." Every human life would be beautified by making this a life motto. What a great thing it would be if we could only learn to wipe out of our memories forever everything unpleasant, everything which brings up bitter memories, unfortunate associations, and depressing, discouraging suggestions! If we could only keep our minds filled with beautiful thoughts which uplift and encourage, the efficiency of our lives would be multiplied.Support

Listen to episode 499 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Overcoming a Poverty Mindset| Law of Opulence. Edited and adapted from Peace, Power & Plenty by Orison Swett Marden.Inspirational Podcast Transcript: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. Don’t forget to check out our collection of inspirational fashion and gifts at BookofZen.com. Each item features one of my own original thought-provoking sayings inside a zen enso circle. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from Peace, Power, and Plenty by Orison Swett Marden, published in 1909.The worst thing about poverty is the poverty thought. It is the conviction that we are poor and must remain so that is fatal to progress in life. Holding the poverty thought keeps us in poverty-stricken and poverty-producing conditions.Poverty is an abnormal condition. It does not fit any human being's constitution. It contradicts the promise and the prophecy of the divine within us. The Creator never intended that we should be a pauper or a slave.

Listen to episode 494 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Royal Road to Happiness | William George Jordan. Edited and adapted from The Majesty of Calmness.Happiness Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. Right now you can get all 3 of our eBooks (Evergreen, Everest, and Evermore) altogether for the one low price of $9.99. Each book of life lessons contains 50 inspirational essays that were once featured on this podcast. To get your copies now, go to InspirationalLifeLessons.com. Thank you.Today’s reading was edited and adapted from The Majesty of Calmness by William George Jordan, published in 1900."During my whole life I have not had twenty-four hours of happiness." So said Prince Otto von Bismarck, one of the greatest statesmen of the nineteenth century. Imagine that! Eighty-three years of wealth, fame, honors, power, influence, prosperity and triumph – years when he held an empire in his fingers – but not one day of happiness!Happiness is the greatest paradox in Nature.

Listen to episode 490 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Motivation for Developing Your Personal Power. Edited and adapted from Personal Power by Keith J. Thomas.Visit today's sponsor Swanson Health at Swanson.com. And use coupon code LIFE20 for 20% off.Motivational Podcast Transcript: "Be not afraid of greatness," says Shakespeare. "Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Which are you? I will tell you. You were born great; you can achieve greatness if you will; and if you go about it the right way, you will have greatness thrust upon you.The mistake so many people make is to confuse greatness with riches. The great person can have all they want, but they need not necessarily become rich. Carlyle was no more intended to be a millionaire than Andrew Carnegie was made to be a Milton. We cannot all be Shakespeares, or Darwins, or Rockefellers, but we can all be great.If we want money we can get it; if we want power we can get it: the o

Listen to episode 476 of the Inspirational Living podcast: C25K Motivation for Running Couch to 5K | Runners High. Including motivational and uplifting quotes on running.Podcast Transcript: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. The topic of today’s podcast is a little different. While I occasionally mention the importance of exercise and having a fit body, most of the time I talk about life lessons and success habits unrelated to fitness.But not today. Today we are going to talk about running, because around 8 weeks ago I decided that I was going to take up running for the first time. While I played a lot of sports in my youth, I always hated running. But now at the age of 52, not having done any regular, aerobic exercise in many years, I decided to start running, AND that I was going to enjoy it. Not only that, I set a goal for myself of running a 10.5K mini-marathon by the end of the year.I downloaded the free C25K app by Zen Labs, which thousands of other people have used successfully to take up run

Listen to episode 465 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Meaning of Education. Edited and adapted from Character Building by Booker T. Washington.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you would like to help support the continuation of this podcast with a one-time financial donation, please visit LivingHour.org/donate. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from Booker T. Washington’s book Character Building, which is a collection of Sunday evening talks he delivered to the students of the Tuskegee Institute, the first institution of higher education for African Americans. The book was published in 1902.It may seem to some of you that I am continually talking to you about education — the right kind of education, how to get an education, and such kindred subjects — but surely no subject could be more pertinent, since the object for which you all are here is to get an education; and if you are to do this, you wish to get the best kind possible.You will un

Listen to episode 450 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: Building Health, Energy & Personality. Edited and adapted from the work of Charles Atlas. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you’re a fan of our podcast, don’t forget that our official Inspirational Living t-shirt is available at TeePublic. Shop now by visiting LivingHour.org/clothing. The very first essential thing to do in securing radiant health and physical strength is the deep breathing of pure, outside air. We can live without food for many weeks, without water for many days, but we cannot live without air for more than a few minutes. Air is equally a food as fruits and vegetables. When it enters into the composition of the body, its value cannot be over emphasized. Yet because it is so cheap we often ignore its real value. Remember that oxygen is LIFE! The more oxygen you breathe, the more health and strength you will get. This life-giving oxygen furnishes the power to pump the blood through the he

Listen to episode 441 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Seizing Opportunities | Master of Your Fate. Edited and Adapted from Success and How to Win It by B.F. Austin. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: The Spanish have a proverb that half of the misfortunes in life come from holding in your horse while it is leaping. The rider who checks a horse when vaulting over a hedge or brook courts death or disaster. So, when the time comes for supreme effort (the grand vault that is to lift you over the obstacles in your path and introduce you to a higher and nobler arena), you must enter into the spirit and effort of the hour and not hold back your horse when it is leaping. There comes to each life but a few of these moments, and when they do come they must be improved to the utmost. The one who would win in life's heavily contested conflicts must wisely lay aside everything that will hinder the fullest exercise of their powers or lessen their chances of winning success. Every weight carried lessens the chances of v

Listen to episode 425 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Inspirational Life Lessons | Dr. Frank Crane. Adapted from “If I Were Twenty-One” by Dr. Frank Crane. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Learn the art of conversation, of small talk. Equip yourself to be able to entertain the grouchiest, most blasé people. For there is hardly a business in the world in which it is not a great advantage to be able to converse entertainingly. The secret of being a good conversationalist is a genuine, unselfish interest in others. That and practice. It consists more in making the other person talk, than in talking yourself. In addition, do not argue. I never knew one person in my life that was convinced by argument. Discuss, yes; but not argue. The difference is this: in discussion you are searching for the truth, and in argument you want to prove that you are right. In discussion, therefore, you are anxious to know your neighbor’s views, and you listen to them. In argument, you don’t care anything about the other person’s op

Listen to episode 410 of the Inspirational Living podcast: How to Live Right & Get the Most Out of Life. Edited and adapted from Right Living by Susan H. Wixon. Motivational Podcast Transcript: "Living will teach you how to live better than any preacher or book," says Goethe. But what is it to live? Is it simply to eat, drink, and be merry? Is it to learn a little, here and there; to laugh and play; to sleep, weep, toil, and battle from day to day, and from year to year for food and shelter? Is it to bend every energy to the acquirement of wealth, fame, or position? Is it to sacrifice all for the applause of the multitude? Life is more than that. It has larger uses. It contains greater and grander results. It holds loftier and nobler aspirations. Its measure is flaming with the fires of truth, glowing with the gold of understanding. Life, rightly lived is an inspiration, an incentive to high effort, a means of true and sure happiness. The one who is worthy of the praise and gratitude of millions,

Listen to episode 393 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Beauty, Truth & The Upanishads. Edited and adapted from The Realisation of Life by Rabindranath Tagore. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Every day our science is penetrating into the region formerly marked on the map as unexplored or unexplorable. Our sense of beauty is similarly engaged in ever pushing on from its conquests. Truth is everywhere, therefore everything is the object of our knowledge. Beauty is omnipresent, therefore everything is capable of giving us joy. In the early days of human history, we took everything as a phenomenon of life. The science of life then began by creating a sharp distinction between life and non-life. But as science is proceeding further and further, the line of demarcation between the animate and inanimate is growing more and more vague. In the beginning of our understanding, the sharp lines of contrast were helpful to us, but as our comprehension becomes clearer they gradually fade away. The Upanishads have said