Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year (11 page)

June 27

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.

—LEWIS CARROLL

It’s more important to have the will to grow and stay open to all the infinite possibilities than to know exactly where you’re going. That will change as you change.

Goal:
Stay open to any and all possibilities that present themselves to you. You never know where success and joy will turn up.

June 28

If you don’t love yourself for your flaws and imperfections, you can’t expect anyone else to either.

Sometimes the very thing we are most insecure about is the feature that people like the most about us. You’re not supposed to look like everyone else. We are each made differently, so find whatever flaw or imperfection you have and start embracing it because it’s part of you.

Goal:
Be proud of your originality. There’s no one else in the world that’s like you.

June 29

Only surround yourself with people who you can communicate with.

Communication is vital to every relationship. There are people out there whose personalities just don’t mix with yours. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out why. Just go where you are wanted and understood, and everything else will fall into place.

Goal:
If there’s someone in your life you are having trouble communicating with, try to work it out. Be sure the tone in your voice comes from a place of love and respect to connect with them.

June 30

We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.

—JOSEPH CAMPBELL

It’s good to have ideas, plans, and dreams, but they won’t always turn out as you imagine. Building up elaborate scenarios in your head can end in disappointment, so it’s always best to keep an open mind and anticipate change.

Goal:
It can be trying, but accept what life hands you.

July 1

Life is short, so you have to do what you love. There’s no time to waste.

I vividly remember being five years old and wanting to be a superstar—to be the next Shirley Temple. I fell in love with singing, dancing, and acting and I was determined to make it. I’m thankful that I started dreaming big at such a young age because it allowed me to focus on exactly what I wanted. However old you are, you have to chase that dream down until it’s yours. Dreams don’t come when you’re just sitting around waiting for them to happen. It’s never perfect and it may never be just how you imagined. But you have to do what makes you happy.

Goal:
Stop putting off an important dream. Do what you can to achieve it.

July 2

When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves.

—CONFUCIUS

Often when the actions or behaviors of others bother us, it’s a reflection of something we are wrestling with about ourselves. We tend to see a mirror image of our struggles in someone else. If we acknowledge and address this, especially to ourselves, we won’t project our battles onto others. It’s interesting when we dig deep and ask ourselves what’s bothering us. Sometimes, what we find is quite interesting.

Goal:
What quality or characteristic of a friend or family member has been driving you crazy? Think about how it might be more related to you than you realized and just start working on it.

July 3

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.

—PABLO PICASSO

Keeping your sense of innocence, youth, and freedom is vital to staying happy. We’re all artists who have been given the inherent power to create and shape our own lives. With this in mind it’s vital to never lose your sense of carefree wonder and curiosity about yourself and the world around you.

Goal:Growing up doesn’t mean you have to forfeit hobbies to become mature. Always leave time for the things you’ve always enjoyed.

July 4

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

—NELSON MANDELA

Part of living truthfully and honestly is ensuring that others around you are also able to live with the same physical and emotional freedoms. Fortunately we live in a free country, but there are social injustices that take place every day, not only in America but all over the world. It’s part of our responsibility as compassionate human beings to do all we can to ensure and enhance the freedom of those around us.

Goal:
Don’t take your freedom for granted; embrace yours and help others around you to do the same.

July 5

The best medicine for embarrassment is the confidence to laugh at yourself.

There have been so many times when I’ve fallen onstage. The truth is that I’m just a clumsy person and it’s something I’ve learned to embrace and even love. Every time I fall onstage, I can choose to be embarrassed and run away or I can land, pose, and smile. If I can make people laugh before they laugh at me, then the fall doesn’t hurt.

Goal:
Laugh at yourself. Don’t take everything so seriously.

July 6

Prayer is not an old woman’s idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.

—MAHATMA GANDHI

A lot of people think that when you pray it needs to be a formal ritual in a church, synagogue, or mosque. When I pray, I talk to God like he’s my best friend. I don’t hold back what I’m feeling and I don’t wait to be in a holy location. I know that wherever I am, it’s good enough to be heard. Even if you don’t believe in God and you’re praying to the universe, you’re being honest with yourself. Putting your energy into the world shows that you are open to change, to learn, and to receive help.

Goal:
Say a prayer to whatever you believe in and ask for help or wisdom about something that’s been weighing on you.

July 7

When we count our blessings instead of our problems everything changes for the better.

After treatment, I realized that I had to change my way of thinking about so many things. One of the biggest changes was to focus on all that I had instead of all that I didn’t have. The more I focused on my blessings and the things and people I was grateful for, the more those blessings and people began to show up in my daily life. When you begin to visualize and hold powerful positive imagery in your mind, it appears almost like magic. This is the power of gratitude.

Goal:
Make a list of the top five people in your life you can go to for anything.

July 8

No one deserves anything less than being loved.

We deserve to experience all forms of love. The people who act the most hateful and unworthy of being loved are the ones who were deprived of it growing up. It’s up to each and every one of us to make sure we are giving those around us as much love as we are giving ourselves. The people who seem hateful and toxic are not necessarily people you should spend time with, but at the very least send them your positive thoughts.

Goal:
Be grateful that you are able to feel, experience, give, and receive love. It is such a blessing.

July 9

If someone thinks that peace and love are just a cliché that must have been left behind in the ’60s, that’s his problem. Peace and love are eternal.

—JOHN LENNON

Sometimes I wish I could have lived in the sixties because it was such an incredible time in the world for music, civil rights, fashion, politics, and culture. But one of the most inspiring parts of that time period was the peace movement. To see so many people across generations band together in support of peace and love is so inspiring and beautiful to me. I hope and pray that we can continue to practice tolerance, kindness, compassion, peace, and love every day of our lives. We need it now more than ever and it is up to each and every one of us to practice and spread these values.

Goal:
Spread the message of peace and love wherever you go. Give free hugs today.

July 10

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.

—JOSEPH CAMPBELL

In a world that is full of challenges and unknowns, the simplest rule of thumb for me is to do what makes me happy. The world opens up in unforeseen ways when you dare to think of all the possibilities. Do what makes you happy and good things will follow.

Goal:
Pursue the things that give you the most fulfillment and happiness.

July 11

It is some relief to weep; grief is satisfied and carried off by tears

—OVID

No matter how strong or tough you think you are, each and every one of us needs to release our emotions. Some people cry a lot and others cry infrequently. But I know that when I really need to cry and then I finally do, I feel like a new person. It’s a way for me to let go and release—to express my sadness.

Goal:
It’s not healthy to bottle up strong emotions, so allow yourself to release them.

July 12

The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.

—TUPAC

You have to work hard for what you want or your dreams will never actually happen. You can’t just sit back and wait for something to happen. God helps those who help themselves and those who help themselves will succeed.

Goal:
Each and every one of us has a purpose—make sure you are living out your dreams.

July 13

So go ahead. Fall down. The world looks different from the ground.

—OPRAH WINFREY

Failures, mistakes, learning, and new beginnings are all a part of life. If I had taken my need to go to rehab as a sign of failure, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Instead I made the choice to start over, deal with my problems, and get back up again. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. There were times when it would have been easier to give up and stay where I was. But sometimes we need to hit rock bottom to see the way out. Our failures don’t define us—they shape us and we are all the better for that.

Goal:
Think about what failures have shaped you for the better.

July 14

Gratitude is the key to happiness.

I am so grateful to all of my friends, family, and fans who have helped me stay strong on my road to recovery. I feel such deep gratitude to every single person who has been strong for me because it has given me the strength I needed to come out of this and make my way toward recovery.

Goal:
Today make a point to thank everyone around you for being in your life, especially the ones who’ve stuck by your side through tough times.

July 15

You should never apologize for your existence.

Too many times people will say sorry for things that they really don’t need to apologize for. We all do it. When we startle someone, or when someone bumps into you, we say sorry when it wasn’t our fault. We are just trying to be polite. But what you are actually doing is telling yourself that you’re not worthy of standing right where you are! You deserve your place on earth, wherever that may be.

Goal:
Be proud of where you are today and how far you’ve come on your journey. You are exactly where you are supposed to be.

July 16

Sometimes you have to lie. But to yourself you must always tell the truth.

—LOUISE FITZHUGH

Don’t feel bad when you make a mistake because it’s in the past and you definitely can’t go back in time to fix it. But if you aren’t honest with yourself about your mistake then you’ve done something wrong. We are all just going through this life together, learning as we go, but it’s so important to admit when you’ve done something wrong, even if it was an accident. Just apologize, own it, move on, and free yourself.

Goal:
Apologize to someone for a recent mistake you have made, no matter how big or small.

July 17

Always act like you’re wearing an invisible crown.

—UNKNOWN

When we give so much of ourselves to our work it’s really important to do our best. No matter what other people think of your creation, it’s so important to celebrate your labors and creativity. Part of creativity is that we usually get better with more practice and experience. Each project you do will usually be better than the previous one. It’s not about perfecting anything—it’s about getting better.

Goal:
No matter how you feel, don’t forget to recognize your hard work, perseverance, and creativity.

July 18

Don’t give in to your fears; if you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.

—PAULO COELHO

Love illuminates all things and fear distorts the truth and fills your mind with negativity. Fear gives you an excuse to hide behind your heart. Everyone has fear. It takes a lot more strength to rise above your fear and lead with your heart.