On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

A long-time fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their emails and blog posts. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

As we all look forward to the next step in our lives, I know many of us are yearning for a simpler and more selective range of life experiences — the happy days, the normal times, the settings and experiences that make us feel more comfortable. And yet, the full range of our reality often brings something very different. The days ahead will inevitably offer an extensive array of experiences that evoke feelings ranging from sadness and struggle to growth and pride, and more.

So we have a choice starting today. We can revolt against reality — the reality of having to deal with discomfort, cope with uncertainty, and sometimes feel upset. Or we can embrace every experience life gives us, including all our highs and lows — all the blissful moments, frustrating ones, and everything in between. Life is not just happy and comfortable 24/7. It’s well-rounded, and it’s ever-changing.

Embracing the full range of life’s experiences means embracing every moment with our full presence, being open and vulnerable to reality, being gentle with ourselves when moments are tougher than we expected, and practicing sincere gratitude whenever possible…
It means accepting life as it is and accepting ourselves as we are.

It means not expecting the best to happen at every step, but instead accepting what happens at each step and making the best of it.

And it won’t always be easy, of course, but it’s worth remembering and practicing daily so we are prepared when a day comes that’s much harder than we expected.

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.