I chanced upon this poem many years ago. Before uploading this poem to share with my readers, I decided to check who is the original writer of this motivation poem “Just For Today”.
If you like the poem, download the poster I’ve created and put it where you can see it daily.
I found my answer at Quote Investigator, a wonderful website by Dr O’Toole, who has a passion for exploring quotations. Dr O’Toole’s research about the most likely originator of the “Just for Today” poem shows that it’s likely to be Frank Crane who published the poem in 1921. Do note there are many variations of this poem and this is just one of them which I have found several years ago (I couldn’t recall where I got this quote from).
Just For Today
Just for today I will be happy.
Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires.
Just for today I will take care of my body.
Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful.
Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways: do somebody a good turn and not get found out, do at least 2 things I don’t want to do.
Just for today I will be agreeable.
Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once.
Just for today I will have a program. I will write down what I expect to do every hour.
Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself and relax.
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.
Feel it’s too daunting to do all 10 points of the “Just For Today” poem in a single day? Then just choose a few points. Even just 1 point a day is sufficient to make some differences in your life, as long as you continuously implement those points.
Find other versions of the poem online or get creative and write your own “Just For Today” poem. Drop me a comment about how this poem has impacted you or share your creative version of the poem.
