Why They Do What They Do

Before you criticize a man,
walk a mile in his shoes.
- Anonymous

You never really understand a person
until you consider things from his point of view.
- Harper Lee

Understanding is a two-way street.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Everything that irritates us about others
can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
- Carl Jung

Stop! Breathe deeply.
Begin bringing peace to the outer world
by regaining your own inner peace.
Choose love, choose gratitude,
choose forgiveness, choose peace.
Begin with your own inner peace.
Then use that inner peace
as a platform from which
to approach the outer world
with perspective, understanding, and patience.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Consider the other person's true motivations. Try to visualize yourself in their shoes. If you can see that they are motivated by love, forgive any lack of skill or lack of tangible accomplishment.

Further reading: You Can't Make Them Change

Feeling Used and Left Out

Positive Attitude: How to be Positive Around Negative People

Jimmy Yen - My Personal Greatest Hero

Quotes about Understanding

Quotes about Diversity

Quotes about Acceptance

Quotes about Compassion

Everything Happens for a Reason Quotes

Forgiveness

The key to forgiveness is to forgive from the heart -- not from the mind.
- Sheri Rosenthal

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
- The Buddha

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Jesus (Matthew 5:43-44)

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
- Henry Ward Beecher

Let today be a day to forgive an ancient trespass. Forgive from your heart, and without reservation.

Further reading: Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

How to Forgive and Move On

Forgiveness is Essential to a Great Relationship

Practical Forgiveness by Sheri Rosenthal

Forgiveness Quotes

Inspirational Quotes about Love

Quotes about Life Lessons

Thank You Quotes

Acceptance Quotes

Release Your Resentments

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
- Henry Ward Beecher (19th century Congregationalist clergyman and social reformer)

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
- The Buddha

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.
- Joan Borysenko

To err is human, to forgive divine.
- Alexander Pope

Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Resentments are bad for your health and your disposition. Light a candle and say a prayer to affirm your love for all human beings and to release all your resentments.

Further reading: Stop Anger Before It Stops You

Why I Choose to Believe that Others are Never the Cause of My Unhappiness

Forgiveness is Essential to a Great Relationship

"Mother Teresa Prayer"

Never Let Anyone Get Your Goat

Quotes about Resentment

Quotes about Forgiveness

Quotes about Mistakes

Quotes about Moving On

Forgive and Forget

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
... Forgive them anyway.
- Kent Keith (often attributed to Mother Teresa)

Forgiveness is not always easy.
At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered,
to forgive the one that inflicted it.
And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business
that allows us to experience the present,
free of contamination from the past.
- Joan Borysenko

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Further reading: Plentiful Harvest

How to Forgive and Move On

Forgiveness Quotes

Quotes about Letting Go

Quotes about Moving On

Forgiveness

We are most like God when we forgive.
- Anonymous

Forgiveness does not change the past,
but it does enlarge the future.
- Paul Boese

The key to forgiveness is to forgive from the heart -- not from the mind.
- Sheri Rosenthal

Unconditional forgiveness is the path to your own inner peace.
- jlh

Further reading: How to Forgive and Move On

Practical Forgiveness by Sheri Rosenthal

Why I Choose to Believe that Others are Never the Cause of My Unhappiness

Forgiveness Quotes

Quotes about Letting Go

Quotes about Moving On

Relationship Quotes

Forgiveness

We are most like God when we forgive.
- Anonymous

Forgiveness is not always easy.
At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered,
to forgive the one that inflicted it.
And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

Forgiveness is an act of self-love.
- don Miguel Ruiz

Further reading: How to Forgive and Move On

Quotes on Forgiveness

How to Move On and Let Go

Practical Forgiveness by Sheri Rosenthal

Moving On Quotes

Regret Quotes

Be Strong Quotes

Stop holding on to the past

What's done is done.
- William Shakespeare

My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on.
- the movie Forrest Gump

Before moving on, you have to clear away your cherished beliefs.
- Dick Raymond

Stop holding on to the past.

Release your regrets about whatever you may have done or failed to do that turned out poorly.

Forgive others for whatever they may have done or failed to do that cause you harm.

Declare today to be a new beginning. Let go of the past and move on with creating a joyful new future for yourself.

Further reading: How to Deal with Rejection

How to Move On and Let Go

A ceremony for releasing your troubles

Renewal and Rebirth - The Great Cycle

Beyond the Grief of Divorce - 7 Steps Toward New Beginnings

Moving On Quotes

Quotes about Life Lessons

*** Book of the day

Attitude Is Everything

Forgiveness is an act of self-love. - don Miguel Ruiz

Forgiveness is an act of self-love.
- don Miguel Ruiz

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
- Paul Boese

To err is human, to forgive divine.
- Alexander Pope

Forgiveness of everybody, especially yourself, for every action, is your path to happiness. Resentments and regrets cause suffering. Forgiveness and gratitude make life joyful. It is that basic.

It is not always easy to forgive, but make the effort again and again. Nothing else you can ever do in life will repay you as richly as forgiving and loving those you have called enemy.

Affirmation: I forgive everyone, especially myself, for all actions and all inactions throughout my entire life.

Further reading: Renewal and Rebirth - The Great Cycle

The Jump is So Frightening - Mary Anne Radmacher

The Power of Cooperation

Upgrade Your Life with Positive Thinking

Need For Approval

Forgiveness Quotes
Move On Quotes
Quotes about Not Giving Up
Quotes about Missing Someone
Life Lesson Quotes
Quotes about Moving On and Letting Go

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

You don't have the power to make life "fair,"
but you do have the power to make life joyful.
- jlh

Quiz:
Someone steps on your toe. Do you...
1. Yell, curse, and complain that your day is ruined?
2. Figure "that's life," and make the conscious choice to enjoy your day?


You can find all my books, training, posters, and "quote items" in one place, plus many great affiliate products and services. Check it all out at...
www.dreamthisday.com/store -- and get a free gift just for stopping by.




Further reading: The Cab Ride

How to Move On and Let Go

Stop Anger & Live Happy With Conscious Awareness

Amazing Quotes to Live By

Quotes on Attitude

Balance in Life Quotes

Beautiful Quotes on Life

Beautiful Sayings

The key to forgiveness is to forgive from the heart -- not from the mind. - Sheri Rosenthal

The key to forgiveness is to forgive from the heart -- not from the mind.
- Sheri Rosenthal (www.journeysofthespirit.com)

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
- The Buddha

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Matthew 5:43-44

Don't take anything personally.
- don Miguel Ruiz (this is the second of his Four Agreements)

Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- jlh

Today's affirmation: I forgive everyone, especially myself, for all actions and all inactions throughout my entire life.

Read Sheri Rosenthal's article Practical Forgiveness

*** Fighting weight, a smoking habit, or stress? Check out Neuro-VISION.

Further reading: Forgiveness and Acceptance, Another Look at the Challenges

Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

We are most like God when we forgive

Forgiveness is Essential to a Great Relationship

Inspirational Quotes about Life

Sad Love Quotes

Forgiveness is the finishing of old business - Joan Borysenko

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.
- Joan Borysenko

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
... Forgive them anyway.
- Kent Keith (often attributed to Mother Teresa)

Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- jlh

Forgive those who have injured you - not because they deserve your forgiveness, but because you can never be happy until you release your anger and grant forgiveness.

*** Book of the day

Finding Joy with FREE DVD
Further reading: FORGIVENESS - the second Point of Simply An Inspired Life

Forgiveness and Acceptance, Another Look at the Challenges

Practical Forgiveness by Sheri Rosenthal

Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

Stop Anger Before it Stops You

Quotes about Life Lessons

Quotes about Moving On

New Beginning Quotes

Self-care is critical to having a strong inner foundation. Lorraine Cohen

Self-care is critical to having a strong inner foundation. Taking good care of YOU means the people in your life will receive the best of you rather than what is left of you.
- Lorraine Cohen

To the people who love you, you are beautiful already. This is not because they’re blind to your shortcomings but because they so clearly see your soul.
- Victoria Moran

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.
- Joan Borysenko

Each and every human being on Earth has both the responsibility and the privilege of viewing themselves as Divine beings with the power to bring about peace.
- James Twyman

Every decision you make - every decision - is not a decision about what to do. It’s a decision about Who You Are. When you see this, when you understand it, everything changes. You begin to see life in a new way. All events, occurrences, and situations turn into opportunities to do what you came here to do.
- Neale Donald Walsch

A wise man will make haste to forgive - Samuel Johnson

A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain.
- Samuel Johnson

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
...
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
- attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

Yes, it is hard to forgive, but unconditional forgiveness is the path to your own inner peace.

*** My book 100 Secrets for Living a Live You Love would make a great gift for someone you love.

Further reading: Regrets, Resentments and the Path to Forgiveness

Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

FORGIVENESS - the second Point of Simply An Inspired Life

Forgiveness is the key to happiness. - A Course In Miracles

Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
- A Course In Miracles

There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.
- Bryant H. McGill

Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- jlh

Further Reading: Forgiveness is Essential to a Great Relationship

Six Ways to End Bickering About Money

How to Stay Positive Around Negative People

Is Your Relationship In Danger? Take This 10 Question Quiz To Find Out

Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

Napoleon: Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.

A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever. Jessamyn West

A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever.
- Jessamyn West

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
- The Buddha

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

Forgiveness is the salve that heals the wounds of unkind words and acts. Forgive everyone for every hurt you have ever received - for your own sake, that you may live in peace.

*** Magazines for Mom

Further reading: FORGIVENESS - the second Point of Simply An Inspired Life

Forgiveness and Aceptance, Another Look at the Challenges

We are most like God when we forgive

To err is human, to forgive divine. - Alexander Pope

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
- although attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, this prayer first appeared (written in French) in 1912

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Further reading: Universal Kindness and Compassion

We are most like God when we forgive

Know that Spirit transcends all cultural differences and embraces all creation.

Spiritual Quotes

Mother Teresa prayer

Mother Teresa's prayer

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
... Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
... Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
... Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
... Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
... Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
... Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
... Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
... Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

We can do no great things - only small things with great love.

- Mother Teresa

[There appears to be doubt that Mother Teresa is the original author. See http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa and scroll down to "misattributed." It asserts that the quote is from a Kent Keith, whose website is http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/ ]

*** This is not an ad - think of it as a public-service message... If you ever consider switching your email provider - either because you are having problems receiving our Daily Inspirations email, or for any other reason - I personally recommend Google's gmail.com as being more reliable and easier to use than any other free email and more reliable than most for-pay email providers. If you want to change the email address at which you receive Daily Inspiration email, click on "change your contact details" at the very bottom of any Daily Inspiration email.

Further reading: Mother Teresa quotes: Love begins at home

Gandhi: The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Five Questions to Ask Yourself When You Feel Sad for No Apparent Reason

Self Confidence quotes

Mark Twain: The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.

The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
- Mark Twain

Life's burdens are lighter when I laugh at myself.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Laugh when you can,
apologize when you should,
and let go of what you can't change.
Life's too short to be anything... but happy.
- Anonymous

These are the keys to a great life... taking oneself lightly, forgiveness, and acceptance.

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You can read about 100 Secrets and download a sample.

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Further reading: The Serenity Prayer - God grant me the serenity...

CELEBRATION - the seventh Point of Simply An Inspired Life

Today is your day to dance lightly with life. It really is. - jlh

Forgiveness and Acceptance, Another Look at the Challenges

Forgiveness is the cleansing fire that burns away old regrets and resentments.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Today, I say yes to forgiving. I commit to being for-giving love and for-giving compassion in all areas of my life.
– Sheri Rosenthal

Regrets, resentments, forgiveness, and acceptance again? Yes, again. Of all the topics we address in Daily Inspiration - Daily Quote, forgiveness is the one that generates the most response and controversy.

Again and again, in blog comments and by email, I get the response, "Something REALLY terrible was done to me, I can't forgive that." Often the really terrible thing is a childhood sexual molestation. The irony is that the more terrible the event, the more peace you can gain by forgiving it.

Forgiving and accepting does not mean that what was done was okay. An injustice was done, and someone likely should be punished. But your anger and resentment don't punish the other person. Your anger and resentment only punish you. So stop it. Stop it now. Stop hurting yourself and issue your own proclamation of forgiveness and acceptance so YOU can finally stop suffering.

Further reading: Forgive and Forget? Can You Really Lift Your Burden of Resentments?

Practical Forgiveness by Sheri Rosenthal

My good friend Sheri Rosenthal runs a website (www.withforgiveness.com) devoted to the subject of forgiveness. The picture on this page is of me at Machu Picchu on a Spiritual Journey to Peru with Sheri. Sheri organizes Spiritual Journeys to Peru, Egypt, the American Southwest, Mexico, Israel, and more.

The Eight Points of Simply An Inspired Life

The Eight Points of Simply An Inspired Life are the core values that form the basis of our book Simply An Inspired Life - Consciously Choosing Unbounded Happiness in Good Times and Bad by Jonathan Lockwood Huie and Mary Anne Radmacher.

Eight Points of An Inspired Life - Keys to Happiness

• HONOR for true self.
• FORGIVENESS for self and all.
• GRATITUDE in everything.
• CHOICE with open mind and heart.
• VISION with powerful intention.
• ACTION with bold courage;
• CELEBRATION with joy;
• UNITY with all creation.

The Eight Points of An Inspired Life work together to enable us to take charge of our life and make intentional choices for joyful living.

Consider making these Affirmations of an Inspired Life a part of your daily expression of intent:

• HONOR - I Honor My True Self
• FORGIVENESS - I Forgive Myself and All Others with Compassion
• GRATITUDE - I Receive ALL of Life with Thanksgiving
• CHOICE - I CHOOSE with Open Mind and Open Heart
• VISION - I Dream with Powerful Intention
• ACTION - I Act with Bold Courage
• CELEBRATION - I Dance with a Light Heart
• UNITY - I Am One With Spirit and All Creation

Here are extended versions of these affirmations.

HONOR:
I Honor My True Self - I grant myself the Honor of being ME. I am unique in all time and space. I am beyond perceived scarcity, obligation, and the need for approval. I am Honored that Spirit has chosen to create ME.

FORGIVENESS:
I Forgive Myself and All Others with Compassion - I forgive everyone, especially myself, for all actions and all inactions throughout my entire life. I accept that no one else has ever been to blame for either my joy or my suffering. The entire cause of all my joys and all my sufferings is my own emotional response to the events of my life, and I am committed to consistently distinguishing between my feelings about events and the physical occurrence of those events. I declare that everyone who has ever played any role in any of the events of my life is entirely without fault.

GRATITUDE:
I Receive ALL of Life with Thanksgiving - I have gratitude for EVERYTHING that has ever occurred to bring me to this moment. I give thanks for the joys and the sufferings, the moments of peace and the flashes of anger, the compassion and the indifference, the roar of my courage and the cold sweat of my fear. I accept gratefully the entirety of my past and my present life.

CHOICE:
I CHOOSE with Open Mind and Open Heart - I renounce all assumptions and expectations, and I declare that I will thoughtfully consider all possibilities. I will CHOOSE with courage, awareness, consciousness, and compassion toward all.

VISON:
I Dream with Powerful Intention - Opening my mind to Spirit, I trust my intuition to deliver powerful visions of my inspired future, and I empower my intent to transform those visions into reality.

ACTION:
I Act with Bold Courage - Taking inspiration from the powerful vision of my future, I boldly set sail with courage and intent. I hold my course with focused attention and relentless commitment, as I weather the storms of life.

CELEBRATION:
I Dance with a Light Heart - I play with life, laugh with life, dance lightly with life, and smile at the riddles of life, knowing that life’s only true lessons are writ small in the margin.

UNITY:
I Am One With Spirit and All Creation - I give thanks for the unity of all creation and for EVERYTHING that has brought me to this moment. I release my entire being to the gentle nurture of Spirit.