Poet: Julie Hebert, © 2011
Our mind is a gateway to what's good and bad,
It just takes us to show it, its way.
If we choose to be happy and see things not crappy,
We're sure that our lives will obey.
If we always worry or expect the worst,
You'll soon see that life will follow.
So in order to make sure that life will be grand,
We must make sure our attitude is easy to swallow.
Think big, not small, rise, don't fall,
And everything will go your way.
But if you find yourself negatively thinking,
You may just need a replay.
So kick off your boots and remember your roots,
And decide how you want to be.
If you want to be happy and think positively,
then remind yourself of what you will see!
Poet: Ralph Waldo Emerson
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in;
Forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day;
You shall begin it well and serenely
And with too high a spirit
To be cumbered with your old nonsense.
Poet: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
I may not reach the heights I seek,
My untried strength may fail me;
Or, half-way up the mountain peak
Fierce tempests may assail me.
But though that place I never gain,
Herein lies comfort for my pain —
I will be worthy of it.
I may not triumph in success,
Despite my earnest labour;
I may not grasp results that bless
The efforts of my neighbour.
But though my goal I never see,
This thought shall always dwell with me—
I will be worthy of it.
The golden glory of Love's light
May never fall on my way;
My path may always lead through night,
Like some deserted byway.
But though life's dearest joy I miss
There lies a nameless strength in this —
I will be worthy of it.
Poems Of Encouragement
Poet: Julie Hebert © 2011
To sit back and nap is nothing but slack,
Especially when someone is in need.
So get on your toes and pick up your lows,
And help to accomplish the deed.
People are hurting all over the world,
And you may feel your something the same.
But really your moping about nothing, not something,
And something should light your flame.
So pick yourself up, and get on your strut,
And stop feeling sorry for yourself.
You're all that you have, you can change who you are,
Remove your positive attitude from the shelf.
It's time to think big and not be scared of the world,
As challenges make life interesting and fun.
Take the next step and dive into something new,
And you're sure to one day hit a home run.
Poet: Charles R Skinner
If you have hard work to do,
Do it now.
Today the skies are clear and blue,
Tomorrow clouds may come in view,
Yesterday is not for you;
Do it now.
If you have a song to sing,
Sing it now.
Let the notes of gladness ring
Clear as song of bird in Spring.
Let every day bring some music;
Sing it now.
If you have kind words to say,
Say them now.
Tomorrow may not come your way,
Do a kindness while you may,
Loved ones will not always stay;
Say them now.
If you have a smile to show,
Show it now.
Make hearts happy, roses grow,
Let the friends around you know
the love you have before they go;
Show it now.
Poet: Ripley D. Sauders
When things go contrary, as often they do,
And fortune seems burdened with spite,
Don't give way to grieving all dismal and blue;
That never set anything right.
But cheerfully face what the day may reveal,
Make the best of whatever befall,
Since the more that you worry the worse you must feel,
Why waste time in worry at all?
We all have our troubles, some more and some less,
And this is the knowledge we gain
It's work and a brave heart that lighten the stress
Of a life's share of sorrow and pain,
Then face with this knowledge Fate's cruelest deal,
Too plucky to faint or to fall;
Since the more that you worry the worse you must feel,
Is it wisdom to worry at all?
Poet Unknown
On my finger I tied a string
To help me remember things
Every day I set a goal
Today my goal is self-control
"We're faced with choices," says my dad
Choices to do good or bad"
In the end what will you choose?
To win with good or will you lose?
There are some things that seem like fun
That end up wrong when all is done
Like sometimes I want to touch wet paint
Or stick my fingers in the cake
But then I look down at my string
And I choose not to do these things
My string helped me achieve my goal
I'm glad that I learned self-control
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
There is a haunting phantom called Regret,
A shadowy creature robed somewhat like Woe,
But fairer in the face, whom all men know
By her sad mien, and eyes for ever wet.
No heart would seek her; but once having met
All take her by the hand, and to and fro
They wander through those paths of long ago —
Those hallowed ways 'twere wiser to forget.
One day she led me to that lost land's gate
And bade me enter; but I answered "No!
I will pass on with my bold comrade Fate;
I have no tears to waste on thee — no time —
My strength I hoard for heights I hope to climb;
No friend art thou, for souls that would be great."
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
Who can give you motivation?
You can read lots of quotes
You can read lots of poems
Or try reading books.
But at the end of the day
Only you can motivate yourself!
You have to stay focused on your end goal
Taking one step at a time.
You need perseverance and determination
And sometimes you need to step back,
But always stepping ahead again
Motivate yourself and keep moving forward!
Poet: Richard Burton
If I had the time to find a place
And sit me down full face to face
With my better self that stands no show
In my daily life that rushes so.
It might be then I would see my soul
Was stumbling still toward the shining goal -
I might be nerved by the thought sublime.
If I had the time!
If I had the time to let my heart
Speak out and take in my life a part.
To look about and stretch a hand
To a comrade quartered on no-luck land.
Ah, God! If I might but just sit still
And hear the note of the whip-poor-will,
I think that my wish with God would rhyme -
If I had the time!
If I had the time to learn from you
How much for comfort my word would do;
And I told you then of my sudden will
To kiss your feet when I did you ill -
If the tears aback of the bravado
Could force their way and let you know -
Brothers, the souls of us all would chime.
If we had the time!
by Author Unknown
There are two kinds of persons in the world:
Those who think first of difficulties,
And
Those who think first of the importance of accomplishment in spite of difficulties.
If a thing ought to be done the presence of severe obstacles to its doing
Is only a further reason for bringing it to pass.
The trait of instantly showing why a thing cannot be done is
Keeping down more young men, and older men too,
Than any other factor in their lives.
Anybody can point out difficulties; it calls for brains and courage
To look beyond difficulties to the end.
If you want to stay just where you are in the procession,
Or fall steadily behind, give obstacles a first place in your life.
If you want to count for something more than the "average,"
Let every obstacle be a fresh incentive to action.
Positive Poems
Poet: George Loarts
You may strike a day or two
When the world looks very blue;
Keep hustling.
Good hard work kills mighty few,
Probably 'twill not hurt you;
Keep hustling.
If you have a willing hand.
Orders you are sure to land;
Keep hustling.
If the merchant turns you down
Do not leave him with a frown;
Keep hustling.
If "that draft" does not arrive,
Don't you fret; you will survive;
Keep hustling.
Poet: Thomas A Kempis
A good conscience knows no fear.
A clear conscience is a good pillow.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
Keep conscience alive in your breast.
A clear conscience fears no accusation.
Value a good conscience more than praise.
An evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet.
Keep a good conscience and you will be happy.
Poet: Unknown
An amazing thing happens when
You get honest with yourself and
Start doing what you love,
What makes you happy.
You stop wishing for the weekend.
You stop merely looking forward to special events.
You begin to live
In each moment
And you start feeling
Like a human being.
You just ride the wave that is life,
With this feeling of contentment and joy.
You move fluidly, steadily, calm
And grateful.
A veil is lifted,
And a whole new perspective is born.
Poet: Unknown
Has your heart a bitter sorrow?
Live it down.
Think about a glad tomorrow
And live it down.
You will find it never pays,
Just to sit, wet-eyed, and gaze
On the grave of vanished days -
Live it down.
Have you made some awful error?
Live it down.
Do not hide your face in terror,
But live it down.
Look the world square in the eyes;
Go ahead as one who tries
To be honored ere he dies.
Live it down.
Poet: Goethe
Wouldst shape a noble life? Then cast
No backward glance toward the past,
And though somewhat be lost and gone,
Yet do thou act as one new born;
What each day needs, that shalt thou ask.
Each day will set its proper task.
by George F. Butler
Learn to look at the bright side,
The good things in life.
Do not let the shadow of discouragement
And despondency fall on your path.
Never doubt for a moment that everything
Will turn out for the best in the end.
If you believe firmly in yourself you will be given
The strength to do some day what may now
Seem to be impossible.
Your effort and success will accord with
The amount of faith and hope you put into your work.
Do not anticipate trouble.
Cut out all anxiety and advance fearlessly and bravely.
Take the road and it will lead you to the goal,
though strewn with difficulties.
Don't fret and give up in despair if you don't "arrive"
As soon as you would like to;
All progress, of the best kind, is slow;
But to him who works faithfully and in a right
Spirit will be given the reward in good time.
Hold up your head and look the world in the face;
Hold your ground and march bravely forward,
Over all obstacles, and the world will make way for you.
"'They can who think they can."
by Oliver Wendell Holmes
I find the great thing in this world is
Not so much where we stand,
As in what direction we are moving.
To reach the port of Heaven,
We must sail sometimes with the wind
And sometimes against it, —
But we must sail, and not drift,
Nor lie at anchor.
Poet: Howard Carleton Tripp
This life means action, - from the early dawn
Till death reminds us that the day is gone,
Till all the sunbeams shimmer from the sky,
This life means action, or we faint and die.
This life means action, - death is holy calm,
A period of rest, the soul's sweet balm,
A respite in the grave that God doth give.
This life means action, or we cannot live.
This life means action, - through a pathless space
The planets move upon an endless race.
Each keepeth on its God-appointed way.
This life means action, or we soon decay.
This life means action, - rivers onward flow.
The ocean billows ever forward go.
The winds are soon beyond the hour's recall,
This life means action, or no life at all.
This life means action, - all the years of time,
The force electric, and the hymn sublime
That Nature sings so sweetly soon are past.
This life means action, or no life at last
This life means action, action evermore.
And at its best its fleeting days are o'er
And gone long, long before we realize
That life means action, or it quickly dies.
Poet: Unknown
Little rills make wider streamlets;
Streamlets swell the river's flow;
Rivers join the ocean-billows,
Onward, onward as they go!
Life is made of smallest fragments-
Shade and sunshine, work and play;
So may we, with greatest profit,
Learn a little every day.
Tiny seeds make boundless harvests;
Drops of rain compose the showers;
Seconds make the flying minutes,
And the minutes make the hours.
Let us hasten, then, and catch them,
As they pass us on our way;
And with honest, true endeavor,
Learn a little every day.
Let us read some striking passage,
Cull a verse from every page,
Here a line and there a sentence,
'Gainst the lonely time of age.
At our work or by the wayside,
While the sunshine's making hay;
Thus we may, by help of Heaven,
Learn a little every day.
Poet: M. H. Thatcher
Explore thyself, and mine the hidden gold
That lieth deep, in wealth beyond thy guess;
Bring it to light, and it shall serve and bless
Thee and thy fellows. Let the world behold
The good in thee, and thy name shall long be told
With praises; and time's own judgment must confess
The nature and extent of thy worthiness,
And register thine actions manifold.
We ne'er know how much of strength is ours
Until, with energy, we till the soil
Of our best selves. We find our latent pow'rs
Brought forth and sweetened, from life's muck and moil,
By our employment of the fleeting hours
In searching thought and undiminished toil.
Poet: Richard Watson Gilder
He fails who climbs to power and place
Up the pathway of disgrace.
He fails not who makes truth his cause.
Nor bends to win the crowd's applause.
He fails not, he who stakes his all
Upon the right and dares to fall.
What though the living bless or blame.
For him the long success of fame!
Motivational Quotes
Poet: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Just whistle a bit, if the day be dark,
And the sky be overcast:
If mute be the voice of the piping lark,
Why, pipe your own small blast.
And it’s wonderful how o’er the gray sky–track
The truant warbler comes stealing back.
But why need he come? for your soul’s at rest,
And the song in the heart,—ah, that is best.
Just whistle a bit, if the night be drear
And the stars refuse to shine:
And a gleam that mocks the starlight clear
Within you glows benign.
Till the dearth of light in the glooming skies
Is lost to the sight of your soul–lit eyes.
What matters the absence of moon or star?
The light within is the best by far.
Just whistle a bit, if there’s work to do,
With the mind or in the soil.
And your note will turn out a talisman true
To exorcise grim Toil.
It will lighten your burden and make you feel
That there’s nothing like work as a sauce for a meal.
And with song in your heart and the meal in—its place,
There‘ll be joy in your bosom and light in your face.
Just whistle a bit, if your heart be sore;
‘Tis a wonderful balm for pain.
Just pipe some old melody o’er and o’er
Till it soothes like summer rain.
And perhaps ‘twould be best in a later day,
When Death comes stalking down the way,
To knock at your bosom and see if you‘re fit,
Then, as you wait calmly, just whistle a bit.
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