motivation

On Perfectionism

January 13, 2023 by Marcus 2 Comments

The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection. – Goethe

I am, for better or for worse, the poster boy for perfectionism. I’m the type who aspires to cross my t’s and dot my i’s. It means I’m setting incredibly high expectations for myself. And Unbelievably so. In everything that I do. So, when I fail … Lord, have mercy, you don’t want to be in my sights. Because I’m angry at myself for missing the mark, and that doesn’t make me nice to be around. [Read more…] about On Perfectionism

Find Joy

January 11, 2023 by Marcus Leave a Comment

Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Where do you find joy?

All you have to do is turn on the news to see all the chaos in the world. From the recent calamity of electing the new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to the fallout from a certain prince’s memoir to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It can be easy to lose hope, to lose sight of the joy that is still in the world and fills our hearts.

Find Joy

find joy It’s not always easy because I want to stay informed, but I try to limit my news consumption. Because there’s already enough going on in my head that I don’t need to add to it. So, with all the chaos around us, which can potentially throw us off kilter, I find ways to bring joy to my life each day.

Sometimes that means I get out and go for a run, the one sure way that clears my mind and lets me reconnect with myself. Or I go into the kitchen and bake, attempting new recipes or preparing family favourites. It can be an act of kindness, either given or received. Last week, the server at A&W brought joy to my day simply by saying, “Long time no see.” (Because sometimes you feel like you go unnoticed in this go, go, go world.)

It’s Not Always Easy

Every day I work in an environment where there is the risk of dealing with angry, abusive and entitled clients, and it’s not always easy to bring or find joy. But if I can find or bring the joy, even briefly, it brings a sense of calmness to the moment. And that can carry me a long way.

Find your joy. When you can. Wherever you can.

The Hardest Part of Focus

January 9, 2023 by Marcus 3 Comments

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. – Alexander Graham Bell

Most mornings my day begins somewhere around 3:00am (later on Saturday when my body finally tries to catch up from my lack of sleep). What I love about that time of the day is the quietness. It’s still dark outside. There is stillness. I feel like I am the only who exists on the planet. And since I have always been a morning person, getting up early isn’t the hardest part. [Read more…] about The Hardest Part of Focus

10 Quotes that Inspire

November 6, 2019 by Marcus Leave a Comment

quote I’ll be honest…

There are days when I don’t feel like writing. It’s not that I’m blocked, but that I’m procrastinating. I want to catch up on the latest season of Jack Ryan, or episodes of Prodigal Son. That’s a sign of two things: 1) I’m getting close to finishing something and not knowing what I’m supposed to do next; and 2) Doubt is trying to have dominion. And if I let doubt in, I’ll question my talent and my worth, and then start asking, “What’s the point?”

Inspired

Part of my morning ritual is to read a quote that inspires and keeps me motivated. I write the quote in my planner, and seeing it throughout the day gets me to the page. Today, I’m sharing ten of my favourite quotes that inspire me. Hopefully, they’ll inspire you, too.

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” – Rosa Parks
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” – Pablo Picasso
“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” – Earl Nightingale
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Steve Jobs
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” – Joseph Campbell
“Greatness belongs to those who have mastered the ability to focus relentlessly on their ambitions and act decisively towards them.” – Brendon Burchard
“If you dream it, you can achieve it.” – Zig Ziglar
“We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” – Marie Curie
“Risk more that others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical.” – Howard Shultz

Do you have a quote that inspires you? Click Reply to share. I love hearing from you!

Count Your Blessings

March 20, 2019 by Marcus Leave a Comment

When I moved to Toronto in March 2013, life overwhelmed. New job. New love. Figuring out how to make this new city feel like home. In an unexpected way, I found comfort reading Rhonda Bynre’s The Magic. Writing a daily gratitude list is a lesson and practice from that book that has stuck with me. When you count your blessings at the start of your day, it’s hard to be grumpy, cynical or pessimistic. Like writing, it’s an act that anchors me to the present moment.

Life is busy. I know. Building a career as a writer around a day job and other life responsibilities isn’t easy, especially with so much pressure for us to be ‘connected’ 24/7. But sometimes the greatest gift we can give ourselves — one that offers perspective and the possibility of unforeseen insights to move us and our dreams forward — is to step back and give thanks for the blessings in our lives.

This Life

Turn on the TV, pick up a newspaper, log in to your social media accounts … you’ll witness a startling truth. We live in an age where it’s not just easier, but more the accepted norm, to criticize, insult and belittle each other. Instead of working together to build each other up, we’d rather tear each other apart. We focus more on what divides us than what should unite us. We’re constantly separating ourselves into camps — liberal/conservative, republican/democrat, vegan/carnivore, introvert/extravert — convinced that one is better than the other. And worse, still, we show little or no willingness to understand the other point of view. It’s become an unattractive state of being.

Yet there is so much more to life, and we should relish the very gift of waking up each morning to see a new day. Cutting through the noise, my daily gratitude list reminds me of that. In this life, I’m grateful for my partner, family, friends, and job. For the people working to improve the lives of others. For the positivity I welcome into each day, doing my best to bring joy wherever I go. Grateful, yes, to see the beauty that is this world.

Doing What You Love

Everywhere you turn, someone is offering advice: Ten Ways to Maximize Your Instagram Engagement, Five Simple Ways to Advance Your Career, Eight Tips for Effective Time Management, et. al. We scramble to take it all in and sign up for multiple newsletters, online training/webinars, or search for the next great app promising to improve productivity (I’ve done it all). And the next thing you know — badda bing badda boom — you’re living someone else’s dream.

And that’s why I’m grateful for having had the courage to listen to that ‘still small voice’ that encouraged me to follow my heart’s true desire. Writing. It’s the one thing in this life that makes my heart sing. So, every day — no matter where I am in the world, no matter the challenges life throws at me — I write. It’s how I know, as my friend Adrienne reminded me, that I’m doing my best to “stay grounded in your conviction that you’re doing what you want to do and feel called to do.” And best of all … I’m doing it my way!

Personal Cheerleaders

When you dare to declare your dream to the world, there’s bound to be people who’ll tell you you’ll fail. They’ll laugh or ask if you’ve been drinking. They’ll be a family member, friend, or colleague. Some will even stop talking to you. Why? You have something they do not: the courage to act, to imagine what is possible and go after it.

That’s why I’m grateful for my friends who’ve been with me from the beginning of my writing journey. Not sure how to proceed after receiving the umpteenth rejection letter, they encouraged me to keep writing. Sharing the news my first book was accepted for publication, they cheered, “Yay, you!” When a reader posted a harsh review, they told me to keep writing. And on the days I doubted myself and my talent, they told me to keep writing.

These are my personal cheerleaders who believe in me when others don’t, and that makes all the difference.

As Melody Beattie reminds us, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

That’s why today, and every day, it’s important to take a moment to count your blessings.

What’s one thing that you’re grateful for today? Click Reply or leave a comment in the section below. I’d love to hear from you.