The following is a daily program written by the late Sibyl F. Partridge designed to inspire happiness, promote well-being, and to develop a positive mental attitude. I discovered it when I was reading Dale Carnegie’s, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, an incredible book that I recommend highly to anyone who finds themselves constantly worrying and even to those who don’t consider themselves worriers, as the book contains a treasure trove of gems that can help anyone in any walk of life.

JUST FOR TODAY

1. Just for today I will be happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that ” most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.
2. Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come and fit myself to them.
3. Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse or neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.
4. Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
5. Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways; I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don’t want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise.
6. Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becoming as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticize not at all, nor find fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.
7. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problems at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
8. Just for today I will have a program. I will write down what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. It will eliminate two pests, hurrying and indecision.
9. Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself and relax. In this half-hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life.
10. Just for today I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe that those I love, love me.

This program is so powerful. I recommend the reader to print it out and post it somewhere you can read it every morning before you start your day. It can be easy to forget that all we are really guaranteed is today. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come. The only day you actually have to get through is today.

“Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And that is all life really means.” – Robert Louis Stevenson