Find the Uphill Trail and Carry On.

 Sometimes we fall down and forget that there is a way to get back up. Sometimes we forget the desire we once had to rise above whatever we have fallen into. In these moments of despair and pain we search for somewhere to turn. Some search out God and plead for Heavenly help, others turn to the very things that brought them to their burdened state, while others turn to trusted friends and family members to rise above. Now whether you face depression, addiction, discouragement, or any of the other ailments in this life I think it is important to remember a few things.

Somebody, somewhere, Loves You.

When we are down, we often isolate ourselves from those around us and seek solitude. While time alone can be very beneficial, this is not always the best course to take. We need to remember that we have support. There is always somebody who loves us. For one, God loves us and wishes always for our betterment. He loves us and guides us but will never force us to do His will. He wants us to be obedient because we love Him. Second, for those fortunate enough to be surrounded by a loving family it is often easy to find sources of strength in personal battles. Third, you never know which of your friends is relying on your strength to carry on. You have friends who love you whether you have noticed yet or not.

Giving up isn't worth the Trouble.

When I fight for something, it is something that I deem worth fighting for. I have found that the things in life which come easy are often not the qualities or habits that I would like to have in my life. Pride, selfishness, anger, impatience, lust, and other worldly vices are easy to come by and easily expressed toward others. Like a river flowing down a mountain, without constant course corrections, our character will sink lower and lower until we hit the lowest we can go. The attributes and virtues of humility, selflessness, kindness, patience, and love are not to be found at the bottom of the mountain, or even at the top. These more delicate attributes are not suddenly gained at the end of a great journey but instead are found on the upward path that leads to the pinnacle of what mankind has to offer. Fighting our way along the path of personal betterment we will find that there many risks to take, vices to remove, many times we must ask for forgiveness, and many times we can offer new friendships to those along our way.

Progress is Worth it.

The cost of improving ourselves will always be worth it in the end. I know of nobody who has reached a higher plane of existence who wishes they could be right at the worst part of their life again or that they could be the worst version of themselves again. I know that as I strive to improve it hurts to fall back to where I used to be. Every step we take in our journey of improvement is worth all the effort we can put into it.  Like climbing a mountain, we don't always see the peak of what we can be, our vision may be impaired by low hanging clouds of doubt, or the downpour of negative thinking, but as we persevere, the air will clear and allow us to see the progress we have made. Moving onward and upward is a journey we all need to take if we wish to be the people that we were meant to be.

Keep Moving.

Whatever the challenge, whatever the price, we can be sure that if we keep moving we will one day succeed. It is often found that the gifted are lazy and never do much with their gifts while those of us who have to rely on hard work and determination can succeed beyond what anyone expected because we were willing to work for it. No matter the darkness that surrounds you, or things that hedge up the way, keep putting one foot in front of the other until you've passed them by. I know that as we work to achieve our best self, doors will be opened, our lives will be changed, and we will be a power for good in this world where it is seldom to be found. I wish to be the best I can be and hope you will join me in this journey.

What will you change first?


Thanks for reading.