Just start.
It does not have to be good.
In fact, it probably will not be good.
At least not at first, anyway.
But if you do not start, it will be nothing.
You will have done nothing.
Do something.
Make something.
It is going to be ugly.
The creative process is not pretty.
Make something ugly until it is not ugly anymore.
Just start.
It is okay not to fit in.
Not everyone does.
You have to find a way to be okay with who you are, separate from how others perceive you.
You have to find a way to live with yourself.
This means finding, or even making, your own path.
It means doing your own thing.
Embrace the things that make you different.
Get comfortable in your uniqueness.
And then, accentuate it.
It is not going to go away.
So you may as well make the most of it.
You may be tempted to compare your progress to the progress of others.
This is a distraction, however.
It does not serve you or the work that you need to do in your own life.
While it is sometimes helpful to know where you stand amongst your peers or even your competitors, you have to understand that your path is uniquely your own.
You have your own unique attributes, values, and purpose, and you will grow and evolve at your own pace.
Life is not a race to be won.
It is an experience to be savored.
Do the best you can with the time and resources that you have without being bothered or influenced by the talent, skill, or good fortune of others.
If someone else’s progress inspires you to do better, that is one thing.
But if it causes you to wallow in remorse or self pity, you are wasting your time and your potential.
Do the best you can and do not look back.
Once you given your all, the outcome of your efforts is out of your control.
Success or failure are the result of so much more than just your actions.
There are many other factors at play besides simply the work that you put in.
If you know that you have done your best, there is no use in feeling bad when things do not work out.
If there is nothing more you could have done, regret and remorse are a waste of time and energy.
Focus instead on the task at hand.
This moment needs your undivided attention.
The work and the relationships in front of you need your undivided effort.
What is done is done.
Leave the past in the past and move forward.
Yesterday is a burden you can choose not to carry into the future.
You get to decide what to make of your day.
Unexpected and undesirable things are going to arise in spite of your best laid plans.
While you cannot control everything that happens or does not happen, you can make the most of whatever comes your way.
It starts with a decision.
You can either decide that life is out to get you and that you are a victim of your circumstances or you can decide that life is happening for you and that your circumstances are an opportunity for growth and learning.
Neither of these attitudes changes what life throws at you, but one certainty will make life a lot more enjoyable.
The truth is that everyone struggles.
Everyone experiences hardship, tragedy, disappointment, and loss.
The people who thrive in spite of life’s challenges are those who decide to do so.
Meditations on God 