I recently wrote a post entitled, “Be Better than You Can Be” and in it I challenge the old saying “Be the Best You Can Be“.

I said that sometimes your best is not enough and that it is a negative way of thinking, which put limits on you.  While I thought I was very smart and profound at the time, my readers educated me otherwise.

Lets go to the comments, shall we?

First to reply, d65blade said:

Do your best and leave the results to God. Have a great and godly day!

I was greatly inspired by this simple statement, as it was a great reminder of who is really in charge.

In response I said:

Thank you man!

Every time I try to solve things on my own God convicts me in someway. Looks like you were the convict-or of the day! I have been avoiding just stating the truth of God’s great solution, but that is useless because I should be being bold for my faith! While some self-examination and ownership of actions can be beneficial in your walk with Christ, a relationship with Him is the only real way to live.

The other readers of my blog replied in like fashion; each with another take on the article.

This, my friends, is the true power of blogging.

I had one idea and these fine people refined it and educated me.  I would never have had anyway to contact or work with them in such a way if it were not for my desire to start You Are Living.

Each of them had great things to say; read on and take a second to visit their sites!

Muscle Post said:

I like your take on this saying. If someone doesn’t value themselves as being good to begin with, then being the best they can be might not be all that great. But being “better” than you can be offers some hope! Thanks for this tid bit.

Mcneris: For Bloggers said:

It is not about the best you can be, my dear. It is about getting all that you can imagine. Human capability is limitless, so do not fool yourself about capability. every human is capable. the question is do we have the drive?

Do we have what it takes?

IF YOU CAN SEE THE INVISIBLE, YOU CAN GET THE IMPOSSIBLE.

Just imagine it, desire it, achieve it!

Linzie said:

I believe it is our God given responsibility to be the best God has given us to be, and we always underestimate that. My friend Sheila, is a true inspiration of always being her best. Despite suffering from a life threatening disease, she lives life to the full.

Alexys Fairfield said:

Chris,
How about, Be Better Than Your Best? Knowing that you are always giving it your all is doing your best. If the sky were the limit, then man would not have gone to the moon. If you only reach for the stars, then you cheat yourself of the rest of the stratosphere. Keep reaching.

Katja said:
I think the whole idea of never settling for the second best also reflects to never giving up your dreams. Your best might not today bring the thing you are looking for but if you today settle for the second best, you will never reach the best.

You will reach your dreams and your best when you keep reaching and trying for it. Your best will be enough someday.

Sometimes things just happen when you believe in them.

So my refined closing message to you is to Be Better than Your Best, while living the life in the purpose God has for you.

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• Secret #6 - Leave it to God

My challenge to never settle can be a little… (pardon the pun) unsettling to some. When people tell me to reach for the stars and to never settle for second best, they always work in the saying, “Be The Best You Can Be“.

This disturbs me because, what if I’m not that good?

Now that sounds like negative self-talk, but what I mean is, what if I currently am not getting the results I want and thats the best I can be? Maybe I’m not doing the best I am capable of, but the best I can currently accomplish in my environment, with my thoughts, power, and control.

The saying Be Better Than You Can Be feels so much stronger to me because it includes the ideas of improvement and growth.

When I am giving more than my best, I know that I have a new best and more power to use for the rest of my life and that is what keeps me going!

Penny for your thoughts?

is other members of Mankind!

Check out the other great minds who have designed programs, articles, and entire websites to help you succeed!

I am in awe of the great authors online and, in humble admiration, present their work to you!

Ramoney writes about how Regret can be such an effective motivational tool.

Hugo @ Streamlined mind gives us great motivation on how to follow our dreams.

Martin @ Erupting Mind writes about how important persistence is.

Rigdha @ Get Your Success Now writes about challenges and gives you some great motivation to accompany my challenges!

Stormwhistle @ Chicken Soup For Your Soul posted a little anecdotal story that can teach us more than volumes of books!

KJ @ Life Learning Today gives us great advice on how to attain and sustain energy.

Jessica @ Living On Purpose writes a good post about the purpose of her blog and our purpose.

If you are on the above list or just really find it to be a great resource, please stumble, digg, reddit, etc. and spread these resources.

These great members of Mankind give mehope for a better future for man and a hope for tomorrow!

Today, I challenge you to never settle.

One after another, small decisions we make create horrible situations in our lives that we never really wanted. Take the extra step and never go for the easy way out. Wait for the best job, the perfect spouse, the life you want.

While this is quite a goal, I want you to avoid settling for one whole day.

See how you do and get back to me.

• Live with Confidence - Never back down! Never surrender! So much of our time and energies are wasted on simple worries and insecurities. Walk into every room like you own the place, remembering to be humble as well, and you will find success extremely often!
• Challenge Yourself - Don’t get comfortable! We begin to slide back into our old lives and get comfortable with a lower quality of life if we never challenge ourselves! Push yourself everyday and you will see huge growth in your life.
• Be Yourself - If you live like someone you aren’t, then you will receive the consequences of living that life. Pretending, impressing, and lying can all be rewarding at the moment, but a truly successful and powerful person never compromises who he is.
• Live With Purpose - Always examine your motivations for your actions. Are you exercising to impress the world or to make yourself healthy? Are you striving for success for yourself or for pride or greed? Find the correct motivations and purpose and every action you take will improve you!

You may have heard this a few hundred times before, but I find it very fitting!
If you want to succeed, you can’t let life happen to you, you must happen to life!

The common positive saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, but wouldn’t it be better to say, “When life gives you lemons, change your life so that life squeezes the lemons, puts them in a glass, adds ice cubes, all while giving you a massage“? I think so!

Now, comfort and ease of living should almost never be a primary motivation, but when you live life as a healthy, kind, and confident individual you will get fresh squeezed lemonade at every corner!

Just dealing with your “lemons” gives you a mentality of letting life happen to you.

Taking a bad situation and making it good is all you can do when you get lemons, but, if you continue just dealing with the consequences of the life you lead, it will never EVER get better! If you examine your lemons and see why your life creates below par situations for you, you can begin to change the very condition your life is “handing you”.

Continue on to part 2 to reach true success!

Headaches, pain, you begin to sweat; all signs of needing to reduce stress.
Many people say that you should just not allow situations to affect you and your mood, but, as human beings, we are usually affected in a negative way when we are pressured.

There are many ways to reduce stress

With a few simple techniques, you too can reduce stress and allow for a more pleasant life.

1. Be Honest - Never tell someone you can be somewhere or do something you can not. No matter how much you want to impress someone or the emotional discomfort you may experience from saying no, when you find yourself unable to fulfill your promises, the discomfort you feel will be much greater and you will slowly destroy your reputation.
2. Keep Track of your Schedule - This goes in line with the above note, but differs, because you can just find yourself in painful situations without doing anything. Many people will flippantly commit to an appointment or social gathering and then find themselves unable to attend because they never checked to see what they were actually doing that day. Only commit to something if you know your schedule.
3. Don’t Overextend Yourself - You can work yourself into very stressful emotions. While the motivation to work hard can be good, the time lost with your family and other responsibilities can destroy the best things in your life. It may seem simple or cliche, but by managing your life so that you spend enough time everywhere you will avoid some of the worst parts of life.
4. Trim the Tree - Everyone has something holding them back. If you are in a bad relationship or have a bad job or just need to get away from where you are, grit your teeth and cut off the leeches in your life!

Even though you may still experience discomfort through life, if you follow these guidelines, you will find yourself dodging and reducing emotional stress.

Hey what is better than happy living?

Be happy

A message from your internet friend.

When you are happy you are friendly and who doesn’t need a friend?

Go on Living with a Smile!

SMILE!

Get some Happy!

Yes, its a simple message

but it is also ridiculously powerful

If everyone gave

One smile

We could change the world

So start living and start some change!

Be Happy!

Source:flickr.com

Every morning I breathe in through my nose 4 times with equal breath until my lungs are full. Then I say in 4 breaths out, “I love my life” and I repeat until something amazing happens.

Instantly, I lose the frown on my face, get more energy, and completely change my mood. This is a great positive power statement! Try your own today; whether you say I love my life, I’m improving every day in every way, or just say something nice! It will be your secret lifehack to stop bad moods before they happen!

Try it!