40 Powerful Mantras to Help You Think Positive

1.If the grass looks greener on the other side… Stop staring. Stop comparing. Stop complaining and start watering the grass you’re standing on.
2.Satisfaction is not always the fulfillment of what you want; it is the realization of how blessed you are for what you have.
3.Sometimes you just have to look back at your past and smile about how far you’ve come.
4.Just because it didn’t last forever, doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your while.
5.For everything you’ve lost, you’ve gained something else. Appreciate what you have today. Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
6.Just because you are struggling does NOT mean you are failing. Every great success requires some kind of struggle to get there.
7.You cannot expect victory while planning for defeat.
8.Even though you cannot control everything that happens, you can control your attitude toward what happens. And in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.
9.Use your struggles and frustrations today to motivate you rather than annoy you. You are in control of the way you look at life.
10.Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.
11.Sometimes things must change so you can change. Sometimes you must break a little so you can get a peek inside to see what an awesome powerhouse you are. Sometimes mistakes must be made so wisdom can be earned. Sometimes you must overcome heartache so you can begin to follow your heart again.
12.The true measure of your success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.
13.Sometimes the wrong choices bring us to the right places. To be creative and productive in life, you must first lose your resistance to being wrong.
14.When you are no longer able to change a situation, you are challenged to change yourself.
15.If you feel like your ship is sinking, it might be a good time to throw out the unnecessary stuff that’s been weighing it down.
16.Stepping onto a brand new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation that no longer fits, or no longer exists.
17.The story of your life has many chapters. One bad chapter doesn’t mean it’s the end. So stop re-reading the bad one already and turn the page.
18.The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you accept that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.
19.Yes, it takes hard work to let go and refocus your life, but it’s worth every bit of effort you can muster.
20.Head up, heart open. To better days approaching!
21.You’re never as good as everyone says when you win, and you’re never as terrible as they tell you when you lose. The important thing is what you’ve learned, and what you’re doing with it.
22.Be careful about who you give the microphone and stage to in your life. Don’t just listen to the loudest voice. Listen to the truest one.
23.You’re not a failure because you can’t be all things to all people. You’re a human.
24.Never allow someone or something that adds very little to your life, to control so much of it.
25.Never surrender your hopes and dreams to the tragic limitations others have placed on their own lives. The vision of your true destiny does not reside within the narrow-minded outlook of naysayers. Focus on facts, not judgments.
26.Don’t sit around. Start moving! In the beginning you may not go in the direction you dream, but as long as you’re moving, you’re creating possibilities.
27.You may be the only person left who believes in you, but that’s enough. It takes the glimmer of just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up on yourself.
28.Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself today. Never doubt who you are.
29.You are not a victim. No matter what you have been through, you are still here now. You may have been challenged, hurt, betrayed, beaten, and discouraged, but nothing has defeated you. You have been delayed but not denied.
30.You have to accept whatever comes your way, and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give. Nothing more, nothing less.
31.99% of the time, the only thing standing between you and your goal is the fateful story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.
32.You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.
33.Whether you say, “I can” or “I can’t,” you’re right either way.
34.All great achievements require time. And all great achievements are worth your time.
35.The person who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
36.When things are tough, you must be tougher. Don’t pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a tough one that leads to success.
37.If you want to be happy and bright, let go of your need to always be right.
38.Worry is a massive waste of time and energy. It doesn’t change anything. All it does is steal your joy and hinder your ability to make positive changes.
39.Sometimes you simply have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not how you planned, but just how it’s meant to be.
40.In life, you usually get what you ask for, eventually, and it rarely comes in the package you think it’s supposed to come in.

(MARCANDANGEL).

…As Jonathan Leaves Aso Rock

Alas, May 29th beckons and time is fast running out for the first family to depart the inordinate luxury of the Villa. With fortune has come thorns, and even the most ardent of Jonathan detractors will agree that it has been a turbulent six years for the president.

The jury is still not out on the lasting legacy of the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Contrary to what is in public domain, his tenure have not all been doom and woes. However, where it is not turmoil, one struggle to find a name for it. As a man, Goodluck Jonathan’s tale could have only been conjured by the gods, or how do you explain the chronicle of his lucky ride in Nigerian politics. Even GEJ acknowledged that Nigeria has been kind to him. If anyone ever needed inspiration that he can raise to the pinnacle in his chosen vocation, the tales of Goodluck Jonathan should be your pastime. However, to ascribe all that Goodluck Jonathan has achieved in his political sojourn solely on luck is to be economical with the truth. You need some level of political dexterity, dedication and tact to rise from such teething beginnings to become the number one citizen of the world most populous black nation.

As Jonathan leaves Aso Rock, there is the strong feeling that his presidency is a case of a missed opportunity. The apologists will argue that the terror of Boko Haram has distracted the administration from delivering the dividends of democracy. However, the premise of that argument is in itself flawed when one considers that protection of life and properties is the fundamental of those dividends. The goodwill president Goodluck Jonathan enjoyed during the last days of late president Umaru Yar’Adua and the cabal, was staggering. Defying ethnic and religious lines, Nigerians gave their all for him. In hindsight, one can only conclude that things have fallen apart.

Make no mistakes about it, the Goodluck Jonathan administration did achieve some feats in sectors such as agriculture and the entertainment industry, but these achievements are sparse and far in between that they are easily negligible in the bigger picture. The point should be made that Goodluck Jonathan is a good man, who genuinely had good intentions for Nigeria. The problem however is that good intentions cannot be measured in concrete times and will mean nothing without corresponding actions. The most potent criticism of Goodluck Jonathan has never been that he was a bad president, rather, it has been that under his watch, impunity, avarice, uncommon corruption and mayhem thrived. Sadly for him, these are the vices that so easily played into the hands of the opposition in the electioneering days. It is true that the magnitude of these vices will be further unraveled when the administration of Muhammadu Buhari finally assumes office. Goodluck Jonathan may had etched his name in the revere places of history by his call to General Buhari in conceding defeat after the March 28th elections, which many have termed ‘The phone call that saved Nigeria.’ Nonetheless, the legacy should have been more. Having emerged out of Niger-Delta against all odds, the world was his oyster. For six years, he had a glorious chance to at least begin the fixing process of the Nigerian project. Rather, he leaves office in the worst possible condition. Insecurity still thrives, stealing seized to be corruption, unemployment is as it all time high, the power sector is still in comatose and the list of woes is too long to rehash here. The result is far too obvious and only one conclusion will suffice: An opportunity missed. Interestingly, I had written on the first opportunity missed by Goodluck Jonathan during the subsidy debate era in early 2012 . What is staggering is that the issues raised in that article of almost four years ago, remains extant even today.

As Jonathan leaves Aso Rock, the question now will be what next for him? The feelers are that he might want to take a detour from mainstream politics for a while. After all, who doesn’t deserve a vacation after leading a nation like ours for the better part of a decade? Another school of thought believes that he might be in the fore-front of helping the People’s Democratic Party reemerge from the rude beating it got at the last election. Yet, there is still some who think that he might just return to his fast love: lecturing. Whatever Goodluck Jonathan decides to do next will be ultimately his prerogative. However, while he drives out of Aso Rock after the razzmatazz of May 29th, on his way out and in a final moment of introspection in the Villa, with Patience Jonathan at his side, he must accept the home truth that his administration was a disappointment in more ways than one and a massive opportunity lost.

40 Quotes that Will Quiet Your Mind

1. Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. So pay close attention to the thoughts you choose. They have a way of becoming real.
2. There is absolutely nothing about your present circumstances that prevents you from making progress, one step at a time.
3. Worry, and you get what you worry about. Work, and you get what you work for. It’s often just that simple.
4. You can’t let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones. Don’t let the silly little dramas of each day get you down.
5. Happiness is allowing yourself to be perfectly OK with ‘what is,’ rather than wishing for and worrying about ‘what is not.’ ‘What is’ is what’s supposed to be, or it would not be. The rest is just you, arguing with life.
6. Frustration and stress come from the way you react, not the way things are. Adjust your attitude today, and the frustration and stress is gone.
7. Be positive and smile right now, not because everything is good, but because you can see the good side of everything.
8. Lies only exist if you believe in them. The truth shall indeed set you free in the end. Whenever negativity creeps into your mind, ask yourself: Is it true? Can I be 100% certain that it’s true?
9. No book is just one chapter. No chapter tells the whole story. No mistake defines who we are. Keep turning the pages that need to be turned.
10. Remember, letting go isn’t about having the courage to release the past; it’s about having the wisdom and strength to embrace the present.
11. The past has absolutely no power over the present moment.
12. No amount of regret changes the past. No amount of anxiety changes the future. But any amount of gratitude changes the present.
13. Replace the phrase “I have to” with “I get to” whenever you catch yourself starting to complain. So many activities we complain about are things others wish they had the chance to do.
14. The more beauty you find in someone else’s journey, the less you’ll want to compare it to your own.
15. Feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact. So never assume that you’re stuck with the way things are. Life changes every second, and so can you.
16. In almost every situation, a little more willingness to acknowledge that there may be something you do not know could change everything. Go somewhere new, and countless opportunities suddenly appear. Do something differently, and all sorts of great new possibilities spring up. Keep your mind quiet and peaceful, by keeping it open.
17. Be careful about who you give the microphone and stage to in your life. Don’t just listen to the loudest voice. Listen to the truest one.
18. The unhappiest people in this world are the people who care the most about what everyone else thinks.
19. Saying yes to happiness and peace of mind means learning to say no to the people and things that hurt you. Be wise enough to ignore the needless negativity around you.
20. When people undermine your dreams, predict your doom, or criticize you, remember, they’re telling you their story, not yours.
21. The person you liked, loved or respected in the past, who treated you like dirt again and again, has nothing intellectually or spiritually to offer you in the present moment, but headaches and heartache.
22. One of the most freeing things we learn in life is that we don’t have to agree with everyone, everyone doesn’t have to agree with us, and it’s perfectly OK.
23. Be OK with walking away… Rejection teaches you how to reject what’s not right for you.
24. You have to accept that some chapters in our lives have to close without closure. There’s no point in losing yourself by trying to fix what’s meant to stay broken.
25. Everyone you meet can teach you something important. In fact, the people who are the most difficult to deal with can also be your most valuable teachers.
26. Some life changes look negative and painful on the surface, but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new and beautiful to emerge.
27. Without letting go of thinking there’s somewhere better to be, or someone better to be, you’ll never relax with where you are and who you are.
28. The curious paradox of life is that when you accept yourself just as you are, right where you are, only then can you change and grow.
29. Take constructive criticism seriously, but not personally. Listen, and then operate with your own intuition and wisdom as your guide.
30. Sometimes your mind needs more time to accept what your heart already knows. Breathe. Be a witness, not a judge.
31. Don’t run away from things; run toward them – the best way to move away from something negative is to move toward something positive.
32. If you’re being pulled in every direction by forces beyond your control, take time to realign yourself with what you value most in life. What is important in your life is what you decide is important. Nothing can overwhelm you unless you let it.
33. True purpose has no time limit. True purpose has no deadline. Don’t worry and stress yourself out. Just do the one thing you can right now.
34. Patience is not about waiting; it’s the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard for what you believe in.
35. Remember, “I don’t have time,” is really just another, perhaps politer, or perhaps naive, way of saying, “It’s not that important to me.”
36. You cannot always wait for the perfect time, because there may be no such thing. Sometimes you must dare to jump.
37. Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not here to scare you. They’re here to let you know that something is worth your while.
38. Don’t let not knowing how it’ll end keep you from beginning. Uncertainty chases us out into the open where life’s true magic is waiting.
39. Look at how far you’ve come. You have made progress. And now, imagine how far you can go.
40. And finally… Stop worrying so much about what’s in it for you every single second. If you’re making a positive contribution to others, there’s always something in it for you in the long run.

MARCANDANGEL

Poem: His Presence, Our Sweet Obsession!

They say true happiness comes from wealth
They say fulfillment can be found in life’s fleeting riches
They say you can find love in nature’s material possessions
They say joy resides in the strangest of places
But men have gone and seen, yet they keep toiling
Like a troubadour traversing for a treasure he can’t fully explain
The souls of men scampers around, toiling in futility, groping in the dark

But, cheer up! We have the panacea. A cure that no one can contest
It is His presence!
His presence we know.
In his presence, we find a love that words cannot aptly describe
In his presence, we defy medical knowledge
In his presence, science is ridiculed
In his presence, gravity is made a mockery
In his presence, logic is destroyed
In his presence, anything, with an exception of nothing, is possible!

When life’s storm rages, when the pressures of life weighs in on our shoulders, we are buoyed and strengthened by your lingering presence, your soothing hand, your comforting voice caressing our soul and unleashing our faith.
When anguish threatens our heart and fears dares our guts, your presence hovers upon us like a cloud, orchestrating our path and giving us a brood shoulder to lean on.
When it appears like our life has reached a standstill, when the world and it’s system makes a mockery of our faith, when our bank statement is reading a different thing from our statement of faith, we are unperturbed, undeterred, unfettered and undazzled. For we know the Excellency of the presence which we carry.
When the world walks out on us, when friends and loved loves give up on us, when the night is soaked with our tears, we remember your presence. Your reassuring words that you are always with us, even unto the end of time.

And we have one word for the devil!
You seized to be a factor 2015 years ago. You are still not a factor today.
Throw your best shot, fling your sheer dexterity, rage as fierce as you can, bark as loud as you can muster.
We know you, you are just bullish. A defeated noisemaker. An eternal non-factor. A caricature of the finest breed.
Just watch us, as we continue to soar in his presence!

One thing is for sure
We know that our future is bright
So bright that the world might literally need sun glasses to see it.
Your presence is our obsession
A sweet obsession we relish
Your presence is our captivity
A happy captivity we will always crave
Your presence is our heart-beat

This thing we know beyond any iota of doubt
In your presence
Anything is possible….. Your presence is our obsession, our sweet obsession!

*Dedicated to the most important person in my life, God!