“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” Napoleon Hill
Motivation Mondays: SACRIFICE – Parenting, Exercise Goals, Life
To be a good father and mother requires that the parents defer many of their own needs and desires in favor of the needs of their children. As a consequence of this sacrifice, conscientious parents develop a nobility of character and learn to put into practice the selfless truths taught by the (Creator). James E. Faust
What does SACRIFICE mean to you? With Father’s Day and International Yoga Day around the corner, I can’t help but think of the enormous effort parents make to provide a livelihood for their children. I can’t help but also think about the tremendous discipline it takes to build and stick to an exercise or yoga practice. Even Olympic athletes make great sacrifices to prepare and strengthen their bodies for competition. Without a certain amount of sacrifice, we won’t be able to accomplish our goals and dreams for ourselves and for our loved ones. When I think of Sacrifice, I think of my paternal grandmother who worked day and night to provide for her young children after her husband died. She knew that she wanted more for her kids; she didn’t stop until she saw my dad through school and watched him grow up to become the success story she imagined for him.
Every day, Moms, Dads, Grandparents and other caregivers make a great effort to ensure that their loved ones are cared for; in some countries, parents give up their lives so their children can live. Parenting doesn’t come with special instructions and so, instead of fixating on what went wrong in our households, we must focus on how to be better parents to our own children and better members of the human race. As Father’s Day approaches, I think back to my Dad and how hard he worked to provide for his family. He kept very long office hours, was always planning ahead to make sure we got an education, and he provided all the basics we needed to function in the world. I think back to my Mother who, under the most challenging circumstances, worked at doing the best she could for her children. I remember step-moms, aunts, uncles, and all the folks out there who face a lot of stress just so they can put a smile on their child’s face, and I ask: What sacrifices are you making to make a difference in someone’s life?
“To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” Steve Prefontaine
Motivation Mondays: SACRIFICE – Yoga, Exercise, Life
So, yoga being a natural healing system, without any external drugging, takes its own time to purify the blood. It’s not an easy or quick job, it can take years. That’s why regular daily practice is essential. One day of negligence can make your cells react. DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR PRACTICE. B.K.S Iyengar
While working on this piece, I kept thinking about the many, many years that I’ve spent studying Yoga and Meditation, and how my teachers always advised us to develop a Beginner’s Mind. The practice of Yoga is at least 5,000 years old and it incorporates physical, mental and spiritual aspects to it. The goal behind this ancient practice, with origins in India, is to transform both body and mind. When I first started my Yoga practice, I was fascinated by the Sun Salutation/Surya Namaskar sequence which seemed quite impossible to do at the time. I wondered if I’d be able to remember the sequence and do it in a fluid and liberating way. I was aware of its benefits, and also recognized that it was not like your typical gym, power lifting class because, with yoga, it’s about letting go of the ego and letting the postures unfold. With time, it became easier to do and Sun Salutation remains one of my most favorite, complete forms of exercise for mind, body and soul. It took some sacrifice, years of classes, and studying with highly skilled teachers before I could even claim some mastery of the form.
Throughout my years as a Yoga student, I’ve often wondered how such a complete form of movement came into being. My research found that the origins of the Sun Salutation Sequence – Surya Namaskar – remains somewhat of a mystery. According to YogaJournal.com, T. Krishnamacharya, who was considered the Father of Modern Hatha Yoga, wrote the oldest-known yoga text – The Yoga Makaranda – in 1934 in which he described the Sun Salutation sequence. Over the years, other teachers came along and added the sequence to their method with adaptations here and there. Nevertheless, the basic sequences remain popular and I would encourage anyone who is interested in starting a Hatha yoga practice to aim to learn it. Any thing worth learning takes time, effort and some sacrifice. By the same token, when we make a commitment to move our lives forward in a new and exciting direction, we must be willing to let go and sacrifice old habits from the past. Without effort and sacrifice, we might progress, but we won’t fully experience the peak performance that professional athletes speak about. What sacrifices are you making to improve yourself?
The details forMotivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for May and June are: 05/04 ā APPRECIATION 05/11 ā HAPPINESS 05/18 ā FITNESS 05/25 ā SERVICE
“People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” Thich Nhat Hanh
Motivation Mondays: SACRIFICE – Parenting, Life
Mine is a story about a teenage single mother who struggled to keep her young family afloat. It’s a story about a young woman who was given a precious opportunity to work her way up in the world. It’s a story about resiliency, and sacrifice, and perseverance. And you’re damn right it’s a true story. Wendy Davis
When we talk about SACRIFICE, some confuse it with Martyrdom. While there are some who have given their all to their family, their beliefs, and their country, the Sacrifice I write about here is somewhat different. This is about the daily effort we make to improve our lot and the lot of others around us. Sometimes, it might result in the ultimate sacrifice but that is not the goal. The goal is making the most of what we have and giving our all to improving our lives and the lives of others. So, for Father’s Day, take a moment to think back to those who came before you and think about how you can add to their body of work. Push yourself to achieve success with maximum effort instead of languishing in the world of minimums…. How do you plan to sacrifice your old habits for a new you? Think about it.
Below are excerpts from Wikipedia on the origins of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in the USA. If the folks mentioned below didn’t push for change and make some effort and even sacrifices, we might not be celebrating any of these holidays here or elsewhere. Read and make a commitment to move your feet.
ORIGINS OF MOTHER’S DAY: In 1868, Ann Jarvis, mother of Anna Jarvis, created a committee to establish a “Mother’s Friendship Day“, the purpose of which was “to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War.” On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Wikipedia. In 1870, the activist Julia Ward Howe issued a āMotherās Day Proclamationā calling on a āgeneral congress of womenā to āpromote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, [and] the great and general interests of peace.ā History.com
ORIGINS OF FATHER’S DAY: The first observance of a “Father’s Day” was held on July 5, 1908. Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father when, on December 1907, the Monongah Mining Disaster in nearby Monongah killed 361 men, 250 of them fathers. In 1910, a Father’s Day celebration was held in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas.[6] Its first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910.[6][7] Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers,President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. Wikipedia There are more than 70 million fathers in the United States. History.com
Positive Motivation Tip: Every day, people perform acts of Sacrifice as an act of love. Act for the greater good and don’t just stop to consider the outcome.
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note. Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for end of November and all of December below) Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com Category tag: ā Share your post using Motivation Mondays Twitter hashtag: ā Use this on Twitter #MotvnM Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up Facebook Page:MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others. Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
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If you’re not willing to make the necessary sacrifices to attain your goals and objectives, then you will fail to create the momentum you need to get your desired outcomes. But Little sacrifice will do, not all the time you need to sacrifice for it will just hinder your happiness.
āGreat achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.ā Napoleon Hill This is so important to remember… to just give and give and give and someday it will come back to you.
I didn’t know Yoga was that old. I agree we as parents sacrafice a lot. Some don’t sacrafice enough though and I think children see that. I hope I am giving enough of myself in my kids eyes.
Somehow, I never saw it as a sacrifice. It’s just that we are responsible and accountable for people around us so we have to make some sacrifices for them.
One of the greatest trait of a person is sacrifice. Every endeavor needs sacrifice to put forward the elements of success. Truly, the feeling of happiness comes after you sacrifice yourself. Fernando Lachica
What a great post, very thought provoking. Sacrifice is definitely the key to achieving however big all small. It is becoming more and more prominent for me as I get older, it always adds fulfilment thought afterwards.
This was a very deep and meaningful post. As someone who is not yet a parent, the quote by Faust was pretty eye-opening. Love all of the beautiful photos too.
As a parent, I do make sacrifices, but I don’t see it as a negative because I want to sacrifice certain things for my kids. It’s really not such a trial when you want to freely give up something for someone.
You certainly stirred up motivation this morning. So much to think about in terms of giving and being the absolute best that I can for myself and those around me.
This is an awesome post indeed and it truly helps people understand why we make sacrifices. There is always something good that comes from sacrificing or that is my believe. Thanks for sharing.
I recently started a yoga class to better myself. I’m feeling guilty though because I’m a stay at home mom so my mom is coming over to babysit while I go do it. I know it’ll make me a better and more calm mom though!
Loving your story of your grandmother – and the tremendous discipline it takes to build and stick to an exercise or yoga practice is what I really have wanted to do for years – but, for some reason it intimidates me compared to jogging, hiking and biking! Hoping really soon tho!
Just to answer your question: “What sacrifices are you making to make a difference in someone’s life?” At the moment, I’m sacrificing my sleep and time looking after my auntie who is in the ICU for how many days now. Not that I’m complaining, I’m just saying that these are the things I’m sacrificing just to make sure that my auntie would feel better.
It is these small sacrifices that shows how much someone means a lot to us.
Fantastic piece on Sacrifice. Parenting is hard and when people do it for others and they are NOT their children…it really shows others where there heart really is. Thank you for sharing. Nic-
Sacrifices I have made many in my life and regret none of them. No matter what goal you are aiming for–it will take sacrifice of something else to get you there.
Another very thought-provoking post from that very first quote to that montage of dramatic photographs. We all know how much sacrifice went into our biggest achievements.
Thank you Fred! Our parents took on a great job and made the best of it. Even so called “bad parents” had to figure out how to do it and failed woefully. It’s a big job with sacrifices and takes great wisdom to do well.
Sacrifice comes part and parcel with family. As we try to build a better life for our family, there will always be sacrifices that need to be made. Some are bearable while there are other sacrifices that might be too much of a burden. That’s when we focus on the reason for the sacrifice for us to see it through.
Sacrifice is something that too many of us don’t really do anymore. We dabble in it, but to truly sacrifice is so much more. it’s giving of your whole self without expectation form others. What lovely thoughts you have shared!!
Father’s Day, Sacrifice and Yoga didn’t really linked for me initially… but after reading, I get what you are trying to say. Anyway, sometimes, sacrifice is not exactly sacrifice when we deem some thing more important than the thing we are letting go.
Yes, I agree that martyrdom does not necessarily mean the right kind of sacrifice and I do agree to the idea of not compromising our present to gain a better future.
I really love this post very much. Looks like a great post on sacrifice. I love the Steve Prefontaine quote and the yoga videos as well. Really a important and motivational thing for every family. Thanks a lot for inspiring!
As a parent I think we make choices and I wouldn’t necessarily think of them as a sacrifice but more as a gift to our family. It feels good when my children get to experience things because I have chosen to stay at home or made a change that has benefited our family.
Sacrifice is a universal word and yet it so personal to everyone. The very first thing that I valued the most are the sacrifices by my parents. They gave us the best that they can even having less for themselves. The unconditional love. If we love someone we will naturally sacrifice our time, effort and money to make them a better person and happier in life.
This serves as a good reminder for Father’s day.. I prefer to think of it as compromises instead of sacrifices sometimes, cos it’s a 2-way thing for me.
I am not sure I like the word sacrifice. Sure we make choices for our loved ones, and gain some, lose some. However thatās to me just a choice, making a decision, not exactly a sacrifice. Butās thatās just word play I suppose⦠A sacrifice to me is when lives are lost ā in wars and conflicts or during a disaster.
Great post. Sacrifice is something we all have to learn how to do at some point and even though it may not always be easy it is usually necessary to move forward.
I always remind myself of the sacrifices my mom made for me. She truly went over and above to ensure my success. I am actively doing the same for my children.
When I was young, I thought I already understood the word sacrifice. But I think, now that we have a child of our own, we understand it more clearly now.
This is why I really want to try Yoga. Thank you for another inspiring post. Over the years, I have learned to live each day as it is. I plan less and enjoy this present š
I feel like in every relationship, you need to make sacrifices for it to be a positive relationship. Parenting and marriage are prime examples.
This is a great post on sacrifice. I especially love the histories on Mother’s and Father’s days!
That Prefontaine quote is gold. I use it in life… but always when running.
I love the yoga videos in this post. I need to start yoga again so I can help decompress! Always love your posts!
Great post!! What a motivator!! š Helping others is so important and the best thing to teach your family!
I always need extra motivation on Monday! Thanks for this!
If you’re not willing to make the necessary sacrifices to attain your goals and objectives, then you will fail to create the momentum you need to get your desired outcomes. But Little sacrifice will do, not all the time you need to sacrifice for it will just hinder your happiness.
Some sacrifice is necessary… too much becomes martyrdom. True. š
You have motivated me to find a yoga class in my local town – thank you!
Wonderful! Enjoy it. š
āGreat achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.ā Napoleon Hill This is so important to remember… to just give and give and give and someday it will come back to you.
Beautifully written! Sacrifice is everywhere and we do it sometimes even without knowing!
I didn’t know Yoga was that old. I agree we as parents sacrafice a lot. Some don’t sacrafice enough though and I think children see that. I hope I am giving enough of myself in my kids eyes.
Sacrifice is everywhere, Michelle is right. For a relationship to work and to raise good children, you have to make some sacrifices.
Somehow, I never saw it as a sacrifice. It’s just that we are responsible and accountable for people around us so we have to make some sacrifices for them.
One of the greatest trait of a person is sacrifice. Every endeavor needs sacrifice to put forward the elements of success. Truly, the feeling of happiness comes after you sacrifice yourself. Fernando Lachica
What a great post, very thought provoking. Sacrifice is definitely the key to achieving however big all small. It is becoming more and more prominent for me as I get older, it always adds fulfilment thought afterwards.
This was a very deep and meaningful post. As someone who is not yet a parent, the quote by Faust was pretty eye-opening. Love all of the beautiful photos too.
As a parent, I do make sacrifices, but I don’t see it as a negative because I want to sacrifice certain things for my kids. It’s really not such a trial when you want to freely give up something for someone.
Lovely post! I have thought about getting into yoga but thought is as far as it went. I needed this motivation to get thought to action!
Motivation is the start for everything. Sacrifice is necessary.
I can relate a lot to this post, most especially since I am the breadwinner of the family. Sacrifice indeed means a lot of things.
I definitely have to sacrifice as a parent, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
You certainly stirred up motivation this morning. So much to think about in terms of giving and being the absolute best that I can for myself and those around me.
This is an awesome post indeed and it truly helps people understand why we make sacrifices. There is always something good that comes from sacrificing or that is my believe. Thanks for sharing.
I recently started a yoga class to better myself. I’m feeling guilty though because I’m a stay at home mom so my mom is coming over to babysit while I go do it. I know it’ll make me a better and more calm mom though!
Please enjoy your class and know that your mom’s help is a great gift to you. š
Loving your story of your grandmother – and the tremendous discipline it takes to build and stick to an exercise or yoga practice is what I really have wanted to do for years – but, for some reason it intimidates me compared to jogging, hiking and biking! Hoping really soon tho!
Thank you Donna! My Grandma was a great woman. Not to worry about the yoga practice, you’ll do it when you are ready.
Just to answer your question: “What sacrifices are you making to make a difference in someone’s life?” At the moment, I’m sacrificing my sleep and time looking after my auntie who is in the ICU for how many days now. Not that I’m complaining, I’m just saying that these are the things I’m sacrificing just to make sure that my auntie would feel better.
It is these small sacrifices that shows how much someone means a lot to us.
Exactly… the small sacrifices make a huge difference. Wishing her a speedy recovery.
Lovely post—very inspiring to others. š
There are lots of forms of sacrifice. But what I know is that, there’s only one name – He did the most noble of them all.
Yes, I agree: John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” <3
Very great quotes. I like this theme. Very important
What a lovely post. Sacrifice is important, but when you do it for the right reasons, it can be so gratifying.
Yes, and parenting is a solid reason for such sacrifice.
Fantastic piece on Sacrifice. Parenting is hard and when people do it for others and they are NOT their children…it really shows others where there heart really is. Thank you for sharing. Nic-
Thank you Nic. I’ve always admired those who step up to care for other folks children and do it well… what a gift! <3
In this context I think that sacrifice and compromise go hand in hand.
True … and many other terms fit along with it too. They form a chain that carries us through – from inception to completion.
I spend tons of time volunteering with friends, family and church. I’m able to help as many people as I can.
Good Job! Everyone can do their bit if they put their mind to it.
Sacrifices I have made many in my life and regret none of them. No matter what goal you are aiming for–it will take sacrifice of something else to get you there.
I concur, Michele! š
I’m a huge yoga gal!!! I need to get back into it! I’ve been working like crazy lately that yoga kinda got kicked do the curb for a bit :-/
You can do it Courtney, we all have those periods of overwhelm and then we trace our steps back to the place of steadiness. š
In order for any relationship to be successful (whatever it is, whether with a mate, a friend, a parent, the list goes on), sacrifice is essential.
Indeed, it is essential and that is why I brought in the yoga analogy. Anything worth doing well takes effort and some sacrifice.
Another very thought-provoking post from that very first quote to that montage of dramatic photographs. We all know how much sacrifice went into our biggest achievements.
Thank you Fred! Our parents took on a great job and made the best of it. Even so called “bad parents” had to figure out how to do it and failed woefully. It’s a big job with sacrifices and takes great wisdom to do well.
Sacrifice is what it’s all about! I truly believe we were put on this earth to serve and help others. No sacrifice goes unnoticed.
Well said. Service and sacrifice are kindred spirits.
What a great way to look at what we’re doing not just for ourselves… but for those surrounding us in even subtle ways. Yoga and meditation does that.
Sacrifice is not easy but with determination we aim for success.
Love the history bits! So great.
As a mom, there is always inherent sacrifice every day. Even tho our kids don’t realize or appreciate it. Lots of silent tears too.
Great post! Lots of food for thought here. To me sacrifice is about making choices.
Sacrifice for something else or for someone need big courage. It isn’t easy job.
Sacrifice comes part and parcel with family. As we try to build a better life for our family, there will always be sacrifices that need to be made. Some are bearable while there are other sacrifices that might be too much of a burden. That’s when we focus on the reason for the sacrifice for us to see it through.
I like this article, when reading just the word itself, there is no exact words to describe a person who did sacrifice and become unselfish
This is a great post that really makes you reflect! I think the biggest sacrifices we make are for our children. I would lay down my life for mine.
Sacrifice is something that too many of us don’t really do anymore. We dabble in it, but to truly sacrifice is so much more. it’s giving of your whole self without expectation form others. What lovely thoughts you have shared!!
Father’s Day, Sacrifice and Yoga didn’t really linked for me initially… but after reading, I get what you are trying to say. Anyway, sometimes, sacrifice is not exactly sacrifice when we deem some thing more important than the thing we are letting go.
Very well said. Made me think ,”What should I do more for my children and wife. I guess being more selfless is it.
Sacrifice is so essential to keep a relationship intact. BTW, I like the yoga videos. Its been decades since I last do a yoga exercise.
Yes, I agree that martyrdom does not necessarily mean the right kind of sacrifice and I do agree to the idea of not compromising our present to gain a better future.
No better example of sacrifice other than that of our parents’. Such an amazing kind of love! š
Yoga is also time tested since its been around for thousands of years. It’s also really effective in improving our breathing and solidifying our core.
I sacrifice every day for my kids and I truly get the difference. Great post once again!
I really love this post very much. Looks like a great post on sacrifice. I love the Steve Prefontaine quote and the yoga videos as well. Really a important and motivational thing for every family. Thanks a lot for inspiring!
Thank you! His pov resonates with mine.
As a parent I think we make choices and I wouldn’t necessarily think of them as a sacrifice but more as a gift to our family. It feels good when my children get to experience things because I have chosen to stay at home or made a change that has benefited our family.
In some parts of the world, parents don’t have the luxury of choice. They sacrifice because they must or their children will die.
I think sacrifice makes us stronger! We also know what’s important when we sacrifice something š
Sacrificing for our loved ones is so important. It shows them how much we care and it shows us how strong we are.
Sacrifice is a universal word and yet it so personal to everyone. The very first thing that I valued the most are the sacrifices by my parents. They gave us the best that they can even having less for themselves. The unconditional love. If we love someone we will naturally sacrifice our time, effort and money to make them a better person and happier in life.
This serves as a good reminder for Father’s day.. I prefer to think of it as compromises instead of sacrifices sometimes, cos it’s a 2-way thing for me.
I am not sure I like the word sacrifice. Sure we make choices for our loved ones, and gain some, lose some. However thatās to me just a choice, making a decision, not exactly a sacrifice. Butās thatās just word play I suppose⦠A sacrifice to me is when lives are lost ā in wars and conflicts or during a disaster.
There are many ways to view Sacrifice, I made that distinction on my post… Ling?
There are a lot of nice, feel-good photos here. I would say that my Mom made a lot of sacrifices for me, and I greatly appreciate it.
Amen to that!
Great post. Sacrifice is something we all have to learn how to do at some point and even though it may not always be easy it is usually necessary to move forward.
I always remind myself of the sacrifices my mom made for me. She truly went over and above to ensure my success. I am actively doing the same for my children.
I appreciate the nugget of yoga history…
Thank you Camesha! Tried to kill two birds with one stone. š
Parenting is sacrifice but we do it out of love for our children that they may turn out to be better citizens.
Yes, it is all about the little sacrifices we make each and every day, not the sensational ones that we have to wait for to happen, that matters most
Our parents sacrifice a lot for our welfare. Whatever we have now is all because of their hardwork.
Success really needs sacrifice and the main ingredient of love. Achievement with determination coupled with sacrifice is a winner.
Parents really sacrifice a lot for their kids.
What a great post… something to really think about in life. I know my mother’s sacraficed a lot for me and I appreciate it a lot
We all make sacrifices. I sacrificed my career to be a full time mom but I have no regrets because I love taking care of my family.
You gave them the best gift … your love and presence!
PARENTS knows what sacrifice is all about. It comes in all forms but bottom line is, it’s for the family and their loved ones.
I love reading your posts, very inspiring and powerful words. š
When I was young, I thought I already understood the word sacrifice. But I think, now that we have a child of our own, we understand it more clearly now.
Speaking of yoga, maybe one of these days I will try it not only to shed belly but to improve inner health.
I always admire people who make sacrifices for others or for the good of themselves. š
I believe that everyone experience to sacrifice we cannot love someone if we dont know how to sacrifice
Your a really a great motivator! Thanks for this š
This is why I really want to try Yoga. Thank you for another inspiring post. Over the years, I have learned to live each day as it is. I plan less and enjoy this present š
Always find inspiration here on you blog. I have to say that sacrifice the most hardest thing to do but still you do it because of LOVE. Thanks Eliz:)
Lovely post again! Yeah, sometimes we learn things based from experience. š
We parents sacrifice a lot for our family and that’s because of our overflowing love for them.