Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast.

Today's reading was edited and adapted from Every Manna King by Orson Swett Martin, published in 1906.

When things get hard for you, when everything seems to go against you, when you are thwarted

on every side, when the sky is dark and you can see no light, that is just the time to exhibit

your metal, to show of what stuff you are made.

If there is anything in you, adversity will bring it out.

What you do in spite of circumstances, rather than because of them, is the measure of your success ability.

When you get up in the morning feeling blue and discouraged because disagreeable things confront

you, make up your mind firmly that, come what may, you will make that particular day

a red-letter day in your life.

Then instead of a probable failure and the loss of a day, you will at least

accomplish infinitely more than you would have done if you had given way to your depressing mood.

The human being is naturally a lazy animal, and when things get hard for us, the temptation to slide over or

slip around the difficult place is very strong. But this is not the way to kill the dragon

that dogs your footsteps and robs you of your happiness. Do not shake off or avoid your work.

Do not go around obstacles.

Go through them.

Seize the dragon by the head and strangle him.

Above all, use a resolute masterful will to banish all anger, irritation, jealousy, depression,

sour feelings, morose thoughts, and worry from your mind.

All these are physiological devils.

They not only disturb the mind, but also injure the body by developing poisonous and

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