Please note: This post has been updated with new information and moved to here:
15 Important Reminders for Your Darkest Moments of Self-Doubt
Photo by: Lauryn Victoria
Practical Tips for Productive Living
Written by Marc Chernoff // 50 Comments
Please note: This post has been updated with new information and moved to here:
Photo by: Lauryn Victoria
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J.J. says
Thanks for this.
Jackie says
🙂
Janice says
🙂
Emily says
🙂
Marc Chernoff says
J.J., thank you for the continued support. We’re so grateful that you have found great value in our book and blog.
Janice and Emily, thank you for giving Jackie some perspective. Honestly, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Amandah says
Excellent reminders. They have all been applicable at some point in my life.
My addition to the list is a quote that used to be on a magnet my grandmother had on her refrigerator:
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.'”
Donaven says
All of those spoke to me with great faith and determination but number really 3 gave me chills and a smile because that is what I truly believe every day.
Marc Chernoff says
I LOVE that quote, Amandah! Thank you for sharing.
Gabe says
excellent!
Terry says
Love this! 7 and 8 hit me hardest. Thank you for your blog.
Mark says
Every time i feel like giving up on something i always go back to why i started this in the first place. I fuel my actions with the power of inspiration that i get from my family, friends and from reading blogs like yours. 🙂
Celeste says
Number 3. I actually wrote a post sharing a story where the “why?” question was answered for me in the weirdest way. It’s linked to my name if anyone wants to read it.
It’s true though that painful lessons often bring the greatest gifts. They are always worth the trouble, even if you can’t see why at the time.
Renjith says
#1 found to be so helpful. I always had a feeling that when it gets tough I must be doing it wrong, but after reading this I feel what your saying is true..thanks
Mau Peralta says
Marc, this is so beautiful, I cried. I have been an avid reader of your blog for some time now. I share your articles with others too. I even tell my friends that you are my personal guides on this Earth. You have done so much for me, and countless others, who are still in the process of positive change and life transformation. The thoughts you share are so alive and palpable, they speak to many wounded and hopeful hearts.
Thank you for your shining your light in the dark places
The aching world needs your heartfelt wisdom more than you know.
Thank you.
Marc Chernoff says
You’re welcome, Mau. Thank you for the kindness, and for sharing our work with others. 🙂
thembela says
Wow! These words just lift me up. I thank you for writing this piece.
Joanne says
thank you
Melissa says
🙂
Marc Chernoff says
Joanne and Melissa, thank you for for sharing your thoughts with us. I love your sentiment, and I’m truly grateful that we’ve been able to help you both in some small way.
L. says
Just what I needed during this difficult time. I’ll read this again several times today. Thanks
darla says
🙂
Holden Seguso says
Hello Couple,
There was much spirit behind these words. I could feel the determination and compassion put into them in hopes to lift up others. #3 is my fav like many of the other comments. Don’t have much to say right now except that I hope everybody reading this blog has a peaceful day. The thought of others relaxing and easing themselves in a light, gentle, kind and blissful mindset brings peace to my own soul. Thanks and great post!
Kathie Taylor says
I appreciate your blog. Today’s writing, #7, reminds me of a verse in Bible “…as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:25)
Gulzar says
Life is a challenge and so many years I felt the pain of losing someone who was my life. Thanks for these words.
Siri says
EVERY WORD was exactly what I needed today. I will think about just today… not yesterday or tomorrow. Thanks much!
Siri
Lane | Modern Granola says
These are so good! I love them all. I also like the idea of taking it one step at a time. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to feel and know how long the journey will be to get to where you want to go, but if you break it down into tiny, actionable steps and focus on making the present moment the best it can be, it gets easier. Great post!
Happy Summer!
xx Lane
Abdulhamid sambo says
You have wonderfully replenished and rejuvenated my hopes, aspirations, and I now sincerely remain more courageous than before. Much obliged!
Joan says
Just want to say I am new to your website and look forward to reading more. I have MAJOR issues with mistakes (in my opinion HUGE mistakes because they affected more than just my life but that of my kids) I have made in the past. I can’t seem to get past them and move forward, I don’t know how to “forgive” myself for those things and move forward but I do realize that it’s not healthy nor helping in any way. Most days I just kind of “tuck away” any feelings until the one day the feelings come bursting out because I’ve tucked too many for too long. I have a constant reminder always and I think that’s part of why I can’t “let go.” So I am going to do some reading starting with your link today and hope that helps. God bless….
Marc Chernoff says
Welcome, Joan. Sounds like you have some positive things to work on. 🙂
PS: This post may give you some helpful perspective about letting go: https://www.marcandangel.com/2013/09/02/5-things-you-should-know-about-letting-go/
Lena says
Thank you for this. Inspirational. Suffering is optional.. yes, it’s true, but guess I find the most hardest subject for me is health.. unfortunately even 20’s and 30’s don’t make you immune to your own body breaking down. This has been the most difficult battle for me, but pain does make you stronger.. it tells you, that you’re still alive. And that alone is incredible.. to be alive… so troubles are all relative and we should look at them as such. Love your site. Just started reading it.
Let There Always Be A Road
Marc Chernoff says
Love your sentiment, Lena. Stay strong. 🙂
Promisr says
Marc and Angel, you two are blessings. This post is perfect for me right now.
E. says
One of my FB friends shared this, and it felt like it was something I needed to see, so I clicked and read. All these reminders are good and helpful, but 15 made me break down and cry.
I guess I needed to read that one most of all.
Thank you.
clement sadjere says
Enjoyed all the tips, but Number 5 touched me the most. We are scared most times with peoples’ opinion about us that we refuse to break protocols and instead choose to maintain status quo. Great read! Thanks for sharing.
tamara says
“On particularly hard days when you feel that you can’t endure, remind yourself that your track record for getting through hard days is 100% so far.”
Love this!
Colm O'Shea says
Brilliant. Completely. Brilliant.
HUGE gratitude to both of you, for sharing your “exceptional” and compassionate insights, observations, suggestions, advice, and ultimately uplifting and inspiring “words of wisdom” with the wider world.
Please don’t ever stop doing so.
Namaste
Colm
Emily says
8, 11, & 6 in that order really hit home with me. All these reminders are important, but because of the challenges that present themselves to me for this period of time in my life, these are absolutely wonderful reminders.
Thanks again, Marc and Angel for writing such an inspiring article and for motivating all of us!
Deb Coman says
This inspirational list of reminders can easily be applied to the trials of growing your own business. In fact, I shared it in a group I’m in because mindset has been a recent topic. Thanks for offering such hope when the going gets tough.
Kamran Sadr says
I have been receiving your articles ofr a few years now and they are helping me think differently, even if i am 62 years (and usually nothing can change the attitude in this age).
Thank you.
Julie Crowley says
Some good points made here that I’ve learned/am learning, and that I’ve shared on Facebook (with reference) to my clients. Thanks again, always some insightful reminders
Lovely Sharice says
#4 Basically sums life up. Thanks for this post.
Abiodun Adetona says
Bad things happen to everyone and that’s what we call nature. We should not let bad things happening to us at some point in life to get us down. Bad things happens at times. They come and they go.
Thanks to Marc and angel for the words here.
Lauren says
A very uplifting post & I enjoyed every word. Nos. 2 & 5 hit home. If I had opened this last night I would have slept much better! Here’s to being fully awake & getting restful sleep.
Chas says
“In the space between “I’ll try again” and “I give up” there’s a lifetime. It’s the difference between the path you walk and the one you leave behind; it’s the gap between who you are capable of being and who you have become; its the legroom for the fairy tales you’ll tell yourself in the future about what could have been.” Boy, do I need to hear that at this time. This is a great post, and helps tremendously. Thank you so much.
Molly @ The Move to America says
So glad I stumbled across this post – all very good to read and serves as a nice reminder. Thanks!
Jane says
This is what I would like to remember during the hard times when I feel discouraged during my journey.
9. Don’t worry about mistakes and failures, worry about what you’re giving up when you don’t even try.
Stuart Young says
Lovely article. #2 resonates immediately with me, so few words bring that realisation that we’ve survived everything so far. It reminds me of the peaks and troughs of life – each leading to the other. Without them we would lead a very flat life indeed. Each trough is there to allow us to keep taking that next step on the path to the neat peak. And so on.
Katy says
I struggle with #3. I actually don’t believe that the universe has a plan for anyone. If that’s the case, then what’s the plan for a child fighting a losing battle against brain cancer or a whole village decimated in a tsunami? What is “the lesson” in starving to death in a Third World country? I believe the “universe has a plan” platitude is what we offer up instead of being fully present in the stark face of ambiguity.
Our best option is to solider on with as much grit and grace as possible and to find/create our own meaning as best we can, while perpetually squaring with, as Freddy Mercury so elegantly put it, “the terror of knowing what this world is all about.”
You guys are usually great. But you missed the mark on this one.
kadare says
#6 and #10…recently I had to make a choice, there were feelings hurt with my decision, but ultimately, I have to move FORWARD, and maybe the way I did it wasn’t perfect, but, I did the best I could, MISTAKES are made when you are living life..
Trashleigh says
All of them hit home for me. I was in a dark place for a really long time. Lost my job because of it. Just started working again after being off medication for a while and I feel myself spiraling back down into my dark place again. I just happened to come across this blog and these words gave me a glimmer of hope. I will be posting them around my office so I won’t forget. Thank you