Hello...Can You Hear Me?

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." ~George Bernard Shaw

Hello out there, can anybody hear me? For that matter, am I listening to know if I can hear anybody out there?

Communication is such a key element of our life's journey. As I was researching for this article, I wanted to understand why often times communication between two people can seem to go so badly. In Merriam-Webster's dictionary, communication is defined as; a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

So this would mean we relate to each other through the spoken word, the written word, hand gestures, body movement and also non-verbally. Each of these methods are varied in their application and delivery. They vary from culture to culture, city to city, and even family to family. We all have a learned concept of what communication is and means.

Ignoring those differences in what each of believe is "communication" leads to misunderstandings, arguments, divorce, lawsuits and even war. I certainly wouldn't leave out all of the other things that cause disagreements such as money, possessions, sex, or many other causes. But today we focus on communication.

Not being able to learn how to communicate with other people only increases your chances of having problems with those other people. Like a good or bad attitude, it really starts with you.

Are you willing to slow down and listen? This is probably one of the things I work on the most and most of us need to work on as well.

Think about the old toy you may have created as a child. Two tin cans connected by a long piece of string to create a Tin Can Phone. While it may seem like a silly example, it took cooperation on both ends to get it to work.

For one, both people had to ensure the string remained tight between the cans. If one person leaned in, the string would slacken and nothing could be heard.

Second, if both people started talking at the same time, nothing could be heard. Like a walkie-talkie, the communication is half-duplex, which means only one person can talk and the other has to listen.

Lastly, the person speaking has to speak clearly while the person listening really has to listen carefully. Remember that this is a tin can phone so the quality isn't very good.

But then again, most of our daily conversations with other people is like a tin can phone conversation. Too many times we are talking at the same time and not listening. Too many times we are not speaking clearly enough or in a way to make ourself understood. Too many times we are not cooperating with each other in this two-way conversation. And too many times we simply are not listening closely or with enough attention.

This is when communication breaks down.

So how do we improve our communication with each other then? I think you will find your answers in most everything I said above. There are no easy fixes because a list of "things to do" is not the only answer.

Practicing good communication skills is a start. More important though is learning to slow down and listen more carefully. This doesn't leave out the person talking because speaking clearly, writing, and gesturing are important as well.

Good communication starts with you. You can begin the steps to improve communication between yourself and others. Good communication is a skill that will help as you live the journey of your life....your best life.

Music the Smelly Way

"The discovery of song and the creation of musical instruments both owed their origin to a human impulse which lies much deeper than conscious intention:  the need for rhythm in life… the need is a deep one, transcending thought, and disregarded at our peril." ~Richard Baker

Today I'd like to direct your attention to my son's blog called Smelly Dog Music. It is a blog that takes you from one artist to the next like a potluck dinner filled with so many different tastes.

I must admit that I always thought I knew my music but he has done me one better for which I'm proud. Music has always meant a lot to me in my life and it appears that craze has blossomed in him.

The point I have about music is that it can add so much to your life. Don't be put off by the name of the website, Smelly Dog Music. Its safe, nothing to cringe or be afraid to look at. See it as an adventure for your mind, your soul, and your well being. It is another door to step through on your journey of life.

There is so much out there to learn and experience. Things that will guide you to a great life. Music is one of those guide posts along the way, luring you to your destination, motivating you to continue the journey.

Take a step through the door to Smelly Dog Music and see what new things you find. Pass along the music, the website, your thoughts to other people. Pretty soon, you may find others humming the same tune as you are.

Delta Airlines Hurrah

"Well done is better than well said." ~Benjamin Franklin

The humor and complaints abound out there regarding airlines and failed customer service. The airline industry takes a pretty good beating on this front each and every day. Some of it is certainly brought on by the airlines themselves. I myself have had complaints of bad customer service and very silly airline policies.

Each day there are roughly 87,000 flights in the skies in the United States. One-third of these are commercial carriers, like American, United, Southwest, or Delta. So over 28,500 commercial flights, major and regional airlines, are in the skys each day here in the United States. It amounts to a lot of people, a lot of careful routing of planes in the air as well as coordinated takeoffs/landings occurring.

The possibility of delays and other problems is very likely on a decent day. Throw in a major storm in the Atlanta area, which is a huge connection point, congestion in Chicago, or computer problems; it escalates into controlled pandemonium pretty quickly.

People will get frustrated pretty quickly at this point. Their frustration is compounded by their anxiety over flying to begin with. Many are flying for only the first or second time and trying to deal with the whole check-in process. The added baggage fees which shouldn't catch them by surprise but still does irritate. And yes, baggage fees being charged seperate from the ticket price just seems dumb from a customer service perspective.

Now that the first steps inside the airport have heightened their blood pressure, security becomes the next step. Standing in line, do I have the right or wrong things in my carry-on? Are my papers in order? My God these lines are so long, will I make my flight? How far should I strip down to go through the security machines? What if the alarms go off?

The anxiety simply builds and builds and builds.

Relax is all I can say.

There are plenty of people working for the airlines that really do try to make your experience a good one. It may not seem so and I will agree there are some airline and airport employees that really need a different day job.

For me, I have to give a 'thumbs up' to an online Delta Agent. I wish I knew her name but she came through and is an example of great customer service. A needed flight change for myself and a brother that will be travelling overseas in January had me worried. But she handled it professionally, quickly, efficiently and was just very nice about it.

These types of people do exist in the airline industry. They do exist in everyday business. We might have a lot of anxiety and not notice it, but these people do exist. And when you notice it, let them know of your appreciation.

When you are at the airport and start getting frustrated, calm down, smile and see if you can get that good nature mirrored back to you. Just understand that adding to the mayhem isn't going to make the experience any more enjoyable. By injecting a smile or kind word could turn things around tremendously for you. It can make the journey a lot better to travel.

Negative Flu Bug

"Just because you're miserable doesn't mean you can't enjoy your life." ~Annette Goodheart

For the second time in a month I have come down with a flu bug. The first one occurred while visiting our new grand daughter in Los Angeles. That one was tough as it kept me from holding the little one until the final day or so. This current bug reappeared this week just before a scheduled business trip to the northwest.

My belief is that the second occurrence is just a re-emergence of the same bug. I guess in the medical sense I never fully got rid of the flu bug to begin with. It waited and festered inside until a new opportunity to emerge appeared.

So fighting the flu bug while sitting at home, it gave me reason to think about how similar it is to a bad attitude. Negative thoughts and feelings are very much like a flu bug. They weaken and destroy you little by little until you reach a point of desperation.

Then someone gives you a book, provides an encouraging word and you watch an inspiring movie. The negativity lifts and you feel better. But you know in some fashion that you have not rid your life of those feelings completely.

Those negative thoughts hide just beneath the surface, waiting, waiting. It could be a few days or a few weeks, but then you let your guard down. Maybe a small complaint, maybe a negative thought, and the negativity makes its way back to the surface. Before you realize it, the bad attitude and bad thoughts are consuming your life again.

Again you battle the thoughts and attitudes, looking for something to change their course. Its a difficult cycle to be in swinging from sickness to feeling good. It gets old in time and harder to combat as the negative attitude takes its toll on you.

So like a flu bug, we need to fight it off and destroy them to the best of our ability. We then need to see the symptoms and learn to fight them off sooner before they encompass our life.

A bad attitude can have a debilitating effect upon your life. Take a flu shot of positive affirmation just like you get the flu shot. You'll have a better journey and a greater life along the way.

Happy "insert holiday here"

"Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart." ~Washington Irving

When do you mark the start of the holiday season? Is it at Thanksgiving? Is it as early as Halloween? Or do you mark it when you see the first Christmas display in a store?

I for one tend to mark it privately as the time when we actually put the Christmas tree up in our home. That normally coincides with the weekend or two after Thanksgiving. For Christians, Christmas Eve marks the birth of Jesus. But the holiday season isn't just the Christian holiday of Christmas.

Traditionally, there is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and Epiphany. There are also the celebrations of Yule, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. There are probably others that I am missing as well.

The holiday season encompasses a lot of different ways in which peoples, religions and cultures celebrate this time of year. It is also a time of the year to 'ease off a bit' on the political correctness of it all. By declaring "Happy Holidays", "Merry Christmas", or "Happy Hannukah" is not meant as an affront to others. The spirit of the season, religious or not is wishing kindness and happiness upon others.

It is a time of the year when we can possibly let down some of our disagreements and treat each other just a little more kindly. During the holiday season we can re-learn the idea of loving each other and hating a little bit less. The rest of the year tends to lack enough of that as it is.

During this holiday season, instead of complaining about the Christmas tree or Menorah on display at a school, why not turn your energy towards just being nicer to someone. If a kinara or a Yule Goat shows up in front of a courthouse, maybe tolerance should rule your thoughts. Maybe kindness and goodwill towards your fellow person should be the course of action.

I celebrate Christmas as Christian and am proud and happy to say Merry Christmas. I have Jewish friends that celebrate Hanukkah and are happy to say Happy Hanukkah. I have Australian friends that are happy to say Happy Boxing Day (I would suppose). Be proud of who you are and your celebration but remember that the point is being kinder and loving your fellow man a bit more.

January 2nd will come soon enough and many will have forgotten the spirit of the season. Try to hold onto that "...genial flame of charity in the heart" well beyond the holiday season.

What Did He Say?

"It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either." ~Wayne Dyer

A husband looking through the paper came upon a study that said women use more words than men.

Excited to prove to his wife that he had been right all along when he accused her of talking too much. He showed her the study results.

It read: "Men use about 15,000 words per day, but women use 30,000."

The wife thought for a while, then finally she said to her husband "It's because we have to repeat everything we say."

The husband said "What?"

Hopefully you laughed just a little bit along with the slight groaning that probably happened. It is that laughter that we should each try to engage in each day. Laughter has been described as "a tranquilizer with no side effects."

We each know that there is enough bad news, frustration and down right depressing things that occur each day. But there should also be moments of laughter and enjoyment. Those are the moments we should concentrate on and enjoy.

There is a good article in Psychology Today called The Science of Laughter that explores why we may or may not laugh and what the science holds as an explanation. While it may still be inconclusive, for the most part (my own unscientific opinion) is that laughter makes you feel better. It draws us together and throws down some of the barriers we put up at times.

If laughing a few times a day can ease the tension of a bad day or situation, then I'm all for it. I would rather feel good with laughter, than pain with sadness.

As Donald O'Conner sang in the movie "Singin In The Rain"; make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh.

Life of You

When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life.

~Monty Python's Life of Brian~

Each of us have had one of those days. Things just did not go the way you had planned. Heck, some of us have had one of those weeks, months or years.

Some of those unplanned tough times might even make you question if its all worth it. I wondered myself a couple of times although the thought of ending it all was never a serious thought. But I do know a few people whom have thought seriously of it. I have also known people whom actually carried it out; a sister in fact.

I would not be bold enough to know what truly enters a person's mind that makes them feel death is a better solution. But I do know that much of it comes down to feelings of self worth, of value to anyone else and of ending the pain of whatever they are going through.

Only a couple of times have I been placed in a situation to try and talk someone back from the edge. And not being a professional counselor, it was nerve wracking to say the least. Yet in my mind all I knew when speaking was that "YOU" are important. "YOU" do make a difference in the lives of others. "YOU" will get through this and achieve great things.

Is it as simple as Monty Python sang in "The Life of Brian", to always look on the bright side of life? In some ways it is that simple. I've been accused of oversimplifying things in my writing. My response is that many of us overcomplicate life.

Can looking "on the bright side" fix all of our problems? No, but it is a start. What is important is that the life of you is important. Whatever 'thing' you are going through, the existence of you has meaning. Be strong and push through. Search out the help of others. Put yourself amongst people that care for you. Remain enthralled by the beauty and wonder of life.

Wake Up

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up." ~J.M. Power

A friend of mine, David Spell recently wrote a great article titled A Season of Change that talks about setting goals.

Its a pretty darn good reflection as this year starts coming to an end and a new year is preparing to begin. What goals did we set this year and what goals are we preparing along with the new year?

I would confess that I'm better at setting work goals then I am for my own personal life. That probably sounds odd coming from someone that writes motivational articles. But I am no different then each of you. I need to remind, encourage and inspire myself to a great life.

That journey includes needing to set goals. As we age though, we tend to lose the ability to dream like a child. I don't mean dreaming childish dreams, but dreaming of the impossible like a child does.

If you dream the impossible, you also have to plan and prepare by setting goals to achieve those dreams. Whether the dream is large or small, dream like children, never grow out of that ability. Dream big things all of your life.

Then set goals to achieve those dreams. Prepare yourself because simply dreaming won't get you there. And then the only thing left to do is to WAKE UP and get moving.

Solid Foundation

“Character is like the foundation of a house - it is below the surface.”

There are stories many of us have read regarding failed character of others. There are stories of ponzi schemes run by people whom on the surface were charitable and seemingly very good hearted people. There are the stories of people leading a double life of cheating on a spouse. Or one of many other stories in which a person's underlying character is finally revealed.

You could think of it as a very nice looking home. A new paint job, new roof and a well maintained lawn. You enter the home and enjoy dinner parties with your host. The fireplace always seems to have the right glow to it and everything seems so perfect.

Yet laying just beneath the surface is a poorly laid foundation. Loose rock, cracked blocks and bricks along with poorly prepared soil. It is a foundation that with heavy rain, strong wind or a small earth rumbling will fail.

A house built upon a poor foundation will crumble when trouble occurs.

A life built upon a poor character will crumble when trouble occurs.

The foundation of our life is built upon our character. Others may not at first see what lay beneath but eventually the stones fall away. The facade crumbles and your true character is revealed. The true essence of whom you are will be exposed for all to see.

If you build a strong character, your foundation will last a lifetime and beyond. Your character is what determines who you really are. Paint fades, a book cover weathers away but your character can last forever if the foundation is solid.

Build a strong character as your foundation for a great life. An article describes five things to think about.

1. Understand what character and Integrity are.

The definitions of these words are often stretched or misrepresented. Learn what they truly mean:

Character is the sum of qualities show up in a person or group, moral or ethical strength, and the description of a person's attributes, traits and abilities.

Character is who you are. It defines you and guides your actions, hopefully in a positive way.

Integrity is steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code, being unimpaired, sound, whole and undivided; completeness.

Integrity can be summed up simply as doing the right thing for the right reason even when no one is watching.

2. Choose a set of rules, morals, or principles that you believe will lead to a happy, satisfying, and righteous life, as well as a better world.

3. Look at the choices you've made in your past, and observe how much you have or haven't lived by those principles. Don't waste time feeling regretful or guilty.

4. Decide what you must change in your behavior to align your life more closely to what you believe.

5. Be conscious every day of the decisions you make, however big or small, and how close they bring you to being the person you really want to be.

Your character is a huge part of your life's foundation. Build it strong and your life will be strong and lasting. A rock solid foundation that will withstand even the hardest of times. And should your foundation crumble from a weakness, then rebuild your life repairing those areas of your life that need strengthening. Repair and maintain a balanced wheel of life that will roll on and on and on.

Live the Journey

Over the course of our lives, there are the naysayers that enter into our world. Those are the people that seem to always be negative and have a negative effect upon your life.

Why not try getting around some positive people that will lift you up? Why not try some encouragement? Why not read some stories that will inspire you along your journey to a great life?

My newest book, LIVE THE JOURNEY is a roadmap of stories to help guide you. Every day it will inspire you to take one more step.

If you believe in achieving a great life, then act upon that belief. You can and will realize your best life. LIVE THE JOURNEY can change the way you think about yourself, your life and those around you. Live the journey of a great life and find out just how much you really can achieve.

Counting Steps

"Take the first step, and your mind will mobilize all its forces to your aid. But the first essential is that you begin." ~Robert Collier

For those that know me, I have a little quirk that some think is problematic. Others find it amusing and find ways to cajole me. I have never found it to be a problem and the humor cast upon me is neither bothersome or hurtful, so on I go.

The quirk is that I count things. I count stairs, steps, ceiling tiles, and other things. To me it fits in perfectly with my compulsion to have have things in order. You could call it my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that is defined as a Counter and Arranger. People such as I are supposedly obsessed with order and symmetry.

I don't have any superstitions about colors and such, but mostly in making sure that I get the counts correct. I have even been described in the same vein as a television character called Monk. That urge to straighten and line up everything does get a few comments from time to time.

But what I really look at is the counting of things. The number of steps from where I park at work to the entry door, (26). The number of steps up from my living room to the upper floor, (10). And many other ones that I do repeat and have to ensure that I count correctly each time.

Of course I do this in my mind and it isn't problematic...honestly.

The interesting part isn't the total count. It isn't that there are ten steps here or twenty-six there. It is the first step that counts. That you move forward and begin at the number one. One step leads to a second step, a third, fourth, and so on.

Without that first step, we will never make progress on our journey of life. And isn't that how one should 'Live the Journey' after all? The cliches' and quotes abound about how a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

But it really is that first step followed by many more that will lead to a great life. So keep moving forward and I will keep counting.

One, two, three, ...

Live the Journey

I'm pleased to announce that my third book titled "LIVE THE JOURNEY" has entered into publication. More information and availability along with a promotional video will be coming soon. Thanks to everyone that have supported me. "LIVE THE JOURNEY" can help change your life as you seek your best life.

Making Waves

"That last day does not bring extinction to us, but change of place." ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

We are spending a final day with our new grand daughter, daughter and son-in-law. Its a last day filled with memories being made and enjoyment of those moments. Tomorrow we will travel back across the country to Atlanta and return to our home there. Tomorrow our precious little grand baby will be miles and miles away from us.

But calling this the last day is not really accurate. Today is really a day of lasting memories. It is a day of new memories being made and new waves being created across those miles of separation.

Each of us have the ability to continue making loving memories whether next door or by several states. Our last day together is only a last day for one memory. It is also the start of so many more.

Make waves of memories regardless of the distance. Make waves that will reach out to others around you. Make waves that will last a lifetime.

Today

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. ~Albert Einstein

Today, leave all of your troubles behind, is a favorite line from a song that some of you might be familiar with.

Today, you can leave it all behind and move on to something greater.

Today, this is when you start a new life.

Today, you can begin with a new attitude, a new way, and a new you.

Today

Waiting for a Tow Truck

"We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery." ~Charlie Chaplin

The other day I was sitting in a restaurant eating dinner with my wife. We were dining on the patio area with big thick glass walls dividing us from the plaza which stretched some distance to the street. The time was rush hour near a particularly busy area of Los Angeles, which sounds odd because I feel every area in Los Angeles is quite busy with traffic.

As the cars filled the lanes to go straight or to turn left, each was trying to simply get home from a long day at work no doubt. Then as circumstance always seems to happen, a car broke down in the turn lane. A ruin to the driver's day and quickly becoming the same to drivers behind him.

With so much traffic on the street, cars quickly piled up behind him wanting to turn left. He was several car lengths from the light, so as those in front would clear, those behind him would vent frustration by honking their horn. Some would find a clear opportunity and move out into oncoming lanes to get around, others would try to squeeze back to the right to get around. But no matter what happened, no one was getting out to help this man.

You could hear the shouts of some, the horns of others and the driving habits of those getting around that the source of their problems for the day were this one man.  Yet twice we saw people stop to offer help. One young lady going so far as to put herself in a bit of a dangerous position with the amount and speed of oncoming traffic.

Yet from what we could tell at a distance is that the man waved off help as he had apparently called for a tow truck. Waiting and waiting was going to be his penance for having car trouble, at rush hour and inconviencing so many other people.  The horns, the gestures and the wait were his to endure.

The tow truck did arrive within the hour and pulled him to safety, freeing up traffic to go about its busy day. And what became of the man we will never know. But it likely ended as you might expect; a tow bill, a car repair bill, late getting home, tired and exhausted.

What of those other people that mocked and ridiculed him with the gestures and honks of displeasure? Did their day really improve by taking it out on this one lone driver? Was this broken down vehicle a planned event to be the reason for a bad day? Did these people acutally end up feeling better? It is unlikely that they did for the broken down vehicle was only a distraction.

What of the few people that did offer to stop and help? I'm betting that their day actually improved. I'm betting that it eased some of the burden in their day. Even those that didn't stop but were mindful and empathetic to the situation; they likely had an easing of their day.

The idea of helping others, in any shape or form is ingrained in our human nature. Some of us repress it as a horrible thing to have. Yet others embrace it and understand the power of helping others. Another person's misfortune is not our gain, but an opportunity to lift yourself while lifting another person. It makes you a better person, it reflects a better side of who you are and other people notice.

Would I be inclined to one day meet one of the irate people that flashed a demeaning gesture? Or would I rather meet the person that stopped to offer help to another person in need?

Think about how you would react in your busy day. Not only stuck in traffic, but in the grocery line, at the bank or even with your children brushing their teeth before bed. Patience, understanding and kindness will take us much further towards a successful life then the alternative.

Firsts

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I really want to apologize to my regular readers for my lack of updates this past week. My wife and I have had a great pleasure being with one of our daughters and her husband during the birth of their first child. Truly a miraculous event for anyone but always individually special.

Our new grand-daughter is not our first grand-child, but each one feels like the first. It is something I never cease to be amazed by how wonderfully beautiful and inspiring a birth brings to everyone involved. Each birth is of course the gazillionth birth, but each is a first as well.

I was brought to mind by my daughter of her child's first of firsts. We were visiting her husbands parents and as we got on the elevator, she commented that this was her daughter's 'first' elevator ride. There will also be the first foot steps, first words and first skinned knee.

After arriving back at our hotel, I looked out the window at the I-405 freeway near our hotel. It was a stream of red lights and white lights traveling south and north along this ribbon of pavement. I could only think that one day this darling little girl will have her first drive down this busy stretch of road.

The thought of it shook me a little bit. But I also know that faith in life's firsts means some level of unknown must be accepted. I can try to look way down the road of time and worry about it. Or I can take faith in my first step of just allowing her to be a new born. I can have faith that with the wonderful guidance of her parents, grand-parents and good people around her will clear her path in life.

There will be those moments that each of us encounter. There will be those "skinned knees" each of us get. But we will never get a skinned knee, we will never get any where in life unless we step out in faith.

Unknown events will lay in wait for each of us in our life. But you will never experience life without those firsts that each of us have to encounter. My grand-daughter will get to experience many firsts in her life. You will continue to experience firsts in your life. Simply go forth and experience them with faith.

Inspired by Frenchi

"Birth is the sudden opening of a window, through which you look out upon a stupendous prospect. For what has happened? A miracle. You have exchanged nothing for the possibility of everything." ~Willie Dixon

The days slipped by with hopes and fears hanging onto each passing moment as my daughter and son-in-law waited. They knew what was coming and all of their anticipation built up inside until it happened.

A new daughter, a new grand-baby, a new miracle of hope and inspiration was born into this world. New possibility entered our world and life has changed.

Each of us are born as a miracle into this life. That birth is possibility of greatness in many different ways. That birth is also an inspiration to anyone that chooses to draw from it.

My new grand-daughter, Frenchi, has all of the world in front of her. With the love of her parents and those around her, it will also be a great life. It is the same thing I know exists for my other grand-children, for my children, and for anyone else.

A new birth is all the inspiration one needs to know that greatness can be achieved.

Behind the Counter

"Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others." ~Henry Drummond

There is a gentleman that works in one of our corporate campus cafeteria's. Each and every week day he is there, behind the counter for breakfast and lunch. A smile on his face, a pleasant conversation for anyone that approaches his counter.

Its easy to think that his life is confined to a hot grill and condiments for building masterful sandwiches. We can tend to pigeon-hole people into a particular life by merely viewing the cover of the book. But when you read and find out more of this man's life, something greater emerges.

This particular man has a number of children, quite a bit of activity with them and his church. He truly sounds like a man that has it all when you listen to him speak. And all the while, he serves hundreds of people each and every day but feels he has it all.

Each of us have much more in our lives then we ever seem to admit. But if you sit back and examine what you do have, then you will probably find that you also have it all. Then take another look and see what you do in life; you are probably serving others in some form or another.

There will be times when you are served, but most of your life is spent in service to others. You can complain and whine about it, or you can embrace it and know that in service to others you will get tenfold in return.

The man behind the counter serves others at work, he serves his children, his spouse, and his God. But his attitude tells me that he receives so much more in return by serving others.

Think about how you serve through out your day...then see how much you get in return for all that you do.

Change Again

"All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward." ~Ellen Glasgow

Another election cycle and another change, no more a surprise then the sun coming up in the morning. A change that is touted as the one that will mark a difference. This time we'll get it right, this time we'll truly make a difference.

Funny thing is that several times we have made these party changes in control of our federal government.

United States House of Representatives
1920-1933 Republican Majority
1933-1947 Democrat Majority
1947-1949 Republican Majority
1949-1953 Democrat Majority
1953-1955 Republican Majority
1955-1981 Democrat Majority
1981-1987 Republican Majority
1987-1995 Democrat Majority
1995-2001 Republican Majority
2001-     for one month Democrat Majority
2001-     for four months Republican Majority
2001-2003 Democrat Majority
2003-2007 Republican Majority
2007-2010 Democrat Majority
2010-     Republican Majority

U.S. Senate
1923-1933 Republican Majority
1933-1947 Democrat Majority
1947-1949 Republican Majority
1949-1953 Democrat Majority
1953-1955 Republican Majority
1955-1981 Democrat Majority
1981-1987 Republican Majority
1987-1995 Democrat Majority
1995-2001 Republican Majority
2001-     one month Democrat Majority
2001-     four months Republican Majority
2001-2003 Democrat Majority
2003-2007 Republican Majority
2007-     current Democrat Majority
2009-2011 Democrat Majority

So you look at the lists and wonder, what really has changed? What have we truly accomplished? There are those bits and pieces of movement here and there. But from one party affiliation to the other in control, the change merely becomes change for the sake of change.

So many times parties and candidates talk of change that is needed. They talk of the great things that are finally going to happen. They talk of a mandate from the American people. But nothing truly changes other then the title under their name plates.

As an individual, if all you did was change your hairstyle or clothes, does that really constitute change in your life? Probably not as real change comes from the inside and moving forward with it. Real change consists of not going back over old ground again once the lights fade. Real change means just that, real change.

Change can happen but real change means you never have to make the same change over and over again. How we move on from our old way of doing things makes a difference. If you truly seek change in your life, then vow to never repeat the same habits and mistakes.

So watch out, there is change ahead. What you do with it will make all the difference.

An Experiment

"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are those well known experiments that little kids perform. The young lad with a magnifying glass seeing just how much sunlight an ant can endure. Or the little girl trying to figure out just how far she can kick a soccer ball over the fence.

Each of these acts are the mind trying out new things, figuring out what works and what doesn't. Life is pretty much like that regardless of the amount of formal education we achieve. We step out of safety of knowledge onto a ledge of uncertainty.

But without this urge to try new things, a door to opportunity will always be a barrier to us even when it is open. Sometimes we simply have to go on faith and learn through experience. Not always will it work out the way we had planned, but you will have learned what doesn't work for your life.

So experiment with chance by stepping out of your normal and experience something different. You may very well be surprised by the outcome.

I'm Possible

"It always seems impossible until its done." ~Nelson Mandela

What do three thousand bottles of water, three thousand bags of chips, three thousand buns and three thousand hotdogs have to do with the impossible?

Less then two weeks ago, the church my wife and I attend were asked to do do what seemed by many impossible. A decade old event on the city square in Lawrenceville, Georgia provided a safe and fun family event to celebrate Halloween. At the 'last minute' the event was in jeopardy and our church was asked if we could pull it off.

Fearless as we tend to be, the answer was a resounding yes. And then for a few moments you feel like the dog that finally caught the car. What are we going to do now?

But the impossible is only impossible if you let it be. We jumped to it and a lot of great people pulled off an amazing event. In pulling off that amazing event, thousands of families were impacted with a touch of goodness. Why yes, everything was free to these families, the food, the water, the juice drinks, the chips, and yes lots of candy.

Each of us can accomplish so much we overcome the fear of the impossible. We each can step forward and face it head on and achieve something greater. For us it was impacting a community. For you, it can be as simple as impacting just one person.

Don't fear the impossible in your life. Don't let others convince you that things are impossible. Take the word impossible and turn it into "I'm Possible."

Cheers To Your Journey

"Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil." ~Irish saying

Translation: It is better to try than to hope.

We each live our lives the best way we know how. Today there are students at a bible school that are headed out on The Journey. It is a program that will help them discover more of whom they are. Each knows that there will be difficult obstacles to overcome this weekend, but each knows that there will be great mountains achieved as well.

The journey of life itself provides different outcomes for different people. Each of us will find something inside that either we didn't know existed or were too afraid to let out. But isn't that really what all of our lives are about? Isn't our own journey about getting beyond our fears and concerns in order to get on with a greater life?

The potential in each of us exists and yearns to be released. We can sit silently, hoping that the greatness comes to us. All the while the greatness is inside waiting to be let out.

As the Irish say, "it is better to try then to hope." So let go and make movement in your life. Get out on your journey to greatness and "Slainte" (cheers) to you as you live the journey which is your life.

Comfortable Skin

"I'm okay in my skin, you know... I'm okay with who I am." ~Dana Plato

So many years ago, I had quite a bit of shyness in my personality. I'm not quite sure where it came from as I remember in my mind not being that way in the early days of elementary school. Then for some unknown (and not really important) reason I remember third grade being the point of rising shyness.

I think much of it came from becoming self-consciousness. I know I had become aware around that time of many physical differences being pointed out by other kids. And no, I'm not blaming anything in my life on my childhood or others. It is a realization that came to me sometime back that actually helped me put it all to rest.

The bright red hair I had became a source of discomfort and torment. Although the 'old women' always thought it was cute. My thin and gangly body that really was not athletic despite my best efforts added to the discomfort of growing up.

One could probably say that I developed very thin skin over those years. It also was the excuse I used for not enjoying so many of those years in my youth. Wasted time, wasted opportunity as I look back on it. I only have myself to point at for those years gone by. But when the day came that I let it go, that I became "comfortable in my own skin" was the day that life changed.

We each can become comfortable by better understanding ourself. The more you understand why you react, why you feel, why you are who you are, then the comfort begins to take over. I guess a lot of that really causes one to become more self-confident which then brings on the comfort.

In Psychology Today there is an article by Barton Goldsmith that provides ten steps to help you build that confidence. And as I say, you can read these articles over and over, but until you start moving or actually doing these things, nothing will change.

Today I still have tendencies to be shy and lacking confidence, but I have also learned to recognize these things. And in knowing that, I can quickly work to overcome them so that I never miss another day to enjoy. Become comfortable with who you are and enjoy each of your days as well.

Opposite Direction

"Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor." ~Brian Tracy

The morning commute to Heathrow Airport was supposed to be uneventful. I was getting up early, a walk to the train station and then settle in at the airport lounge. My goal was to get to the airport for my flight home to Atlanta.

As I entered the Swiss Cottage underground station, I began to realize this wasn't going to be uneventful. Yes, the picture shown at the link is the entrance I used everyday. The platform was filled with people heading towards work and the Jubilee Line was running slow this morning. The first train arrived and was packed to the point of people oozing out at the door seams.

A few got off, a few squeezed on, I didn't even attempt it because I was carrying luggage. A second train arrives and it is full, no where to get on. But I had a goal in mind and made a decision to head northbound to the Finchley station, grab the Metropolitan down to Baker Street and then the Hammersmith Line to the southwest.

The best laid plans went awry when even the Metropolitan was quite busy. No room on board for a lad with luggage. So I decided to take the Metropolitan even further north. I ended up at the Wembley Station; yes, the one next to Wembley Stadium from where I could see the tall arch rising over the stadium.

This particular station was a stop for the Jubilee line as well, so I awaited a train. It had plenty of room so I settled in knowing it would get crowded and knowing I had already lost 45 minutes going the wrong way towards my goal. But sometimes that is what one must do in pursuit of a goal.

The straight and short path is not always going to be available to you. Sometimes you are going to have to go in a different direction to get where you want to be. The path you WANT to take may not be the path you HAVE to take. But if you are patient and persevere, knowing full well what your goal is, then ANY path will finally get you to where you want to be.

For me, my goal was to get to the airport, relax, board my plane and return home to my wonderful wife Laura. After being gone for nearly two weeks, the goal couldn't be any greater then to reunite with her.

Understand what your goal is and find a path that will lead you to it. Even if the path appears headed in a different direction, knowing your goal, the path will lead you to it.

Early Morning Drink

Photographer Jack Delano, January 1943

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." ~Princess Diana

My last full day in London was upon me as well as a train ride out to one of our company offices to the west. It was a chilly but sunlit filled day as I entered the Underground Tube station. The train system is quite good with the occassional slow downs and outages.

This train ride was going to take two changes and the route was all mapped out in my mind. On my first switch, I waited as the train slowed and as the doors opened, two seats were immediately available. One next to a young woman and the other next to a sleeping man. With another young lady getting on behind me, the gentleman in me felt best to take the seat next to our sleeping friend.

Quickly enough I was able to tell that this sleeping man was asleep for a reason. A slight smell of alchohol was evident and sleep was his dearest companion for the moment. As we made our stops at the various stations, most everyone got off the train. Soon he and I were the only two sitting next to each other at one end of a train car.

As the train moved further down the track, the bright morning sun came shining through the window across from us. A high intensity of sunbeams shining onto our faces, which brought our sleeping friend from his quiet slumber. He shifted a bit, reached into his coat pocket and pulled a fifth of something and removed the screw cap. A sly lift and swig from his bottle seemed to light up his eyes.

He looked and offered his morning 'pick me up' to me. It was as if he were trying to be a gentleman amidst his blurry awakening. I turned down his kind gesture and commented to him that it looked like a long day awaited him. He smiled and shook his bottle a bit and said, "this will shorten the day." The train neared the platform and I gave a smile and wished him a good day. In return he wished me the same as he picked up his bag and disappeared into the crowd.

There had been others on the train giving this man a cross eye. I myself could have moved away further from him. But maybe a kind exchange with a stranger is what this man needed. It is hard to say what will become of him, but the last thing I know he encountered was kindness from me. Kindness instead of a cold and angry look of disdain that could harden his resolve that gives him a reason to drink.

Then again, shouldn't all of our exchanges with others be ones of kindness. Doing so without judgement if possible, doing so with the belief that it can make a difference in another persons life. Knowing that the last exchange they had with a person that you know of (you) was a pleasant one.

Take time to add a little kindness to your day by spreading it to others. It might be you on the receiving end one day when you need it most.

Each Battle

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Plato

The crowds each day in large city can seem overwhelming at first. All are trying to get to work, going through the transit stations, or walking down the streets to their individual office. After a while, you get used to it and start to blend in with the flow.

The interesting part is that it can seem like a battle of sorts. One large group headed up the stairs and another headed down. Bunches of people coming to this side of the street while many more head over to the other side. Elevators crammed full of people and the coffee shops a mad crush of controlled chaos all add to the scene.

And while this really is not a battle of people, each person inside probably has some type of battle they are confronting. It could be relationships, money or health issues. There might be problems with their boss or a relative. Legal or tax problems might be dogging their life. A child might be going through a rough period or their marriage is troublesome. So many battles, so many issues that anyone of us could be dealing with.

So maybe as we go about our day, knowing that others have battles as well, smiling or spreading a bit of kindness is in order. For a brief moment in your battle, a smile to lighten the day. A kind gesture can provide a bit of relief that could change the course of that person's inner battle. It can even change you.

Queue

"An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one." ~George Mikes

Am I really all that surprised? Is it one of those things that until you have experienced it, you just can not describe it? Spending an extra amount of time in London can reveal the little things about a society. Those are the things that you may read about in magazines but experience once there.

For me it was all about the London Underground and learning the train system. Its rather easy once you get the hang of it and very convenient in most cases. That is until the delays occur, the outages and closures which seem to pop up when you least expect. It can be a great and sometimes frustrating experience.

What I found interesting to see though is the British knack for queueing up in a line. Whether it be for tickets, to pass through the turnstile, or getting on the train; queueing is almost an art form here. The line crashers and confused may try to come in at an angle, but quickly they are dismissed.

It can actually be fun to watch the precision with which they form a queue. It can be very much like watching a synchronized water dance from the old Esther Williams movies. A seemingly random mass of people gliding into a one or two person line, side-by-side, slipping into the arms of an escalator. Or maybe a well timed slither of human snake lines onto and off of a train catches your eye.

I'm not sure what drives it. An article in the Guardian Newspaper back in 2003 suggested that the British might be losing their patience for queues. If they have, I would be amazed to see what it was like before then. The queues still seem to flourish with apparent belief that the line will actually get them somewhere.

Is it a blind faith that the system will work and that they will achieve the point of their queueing? When you have the large amount of people using a transport system such as this one, a certain amount of belief in the system is necessary I guess. For me, it reminds me that all of us need to have a certain amount of faith in our destination.

There might involve a queue that will get us to the next part of our journey. And we need to have a certain amount of belief that this is the right queue to stand in. Once through the line, we still have to struggle with the crowded platform, the delayed trains and breakdowns. But once we get used to how it all works, then the journey becomes an adventure to enjoy.

The destination will arrive eventually and whether it be standing in a queue along the way or riding the train, it might as well be fun.

Nine Centimeters

"Nothing is worth more than this day." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

9 centimeters

The length of antique coffee spoons put up for auction.

9 centimeters

The length of a Hatchetfish found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

9 centimeters

The width of a Moleskine Notebook that fits nicely in ones shirt pocket.

9 centimeters

The size of a cancerous spot found on my friends kidney.

It is merely a number by which one uses to describe something. Like an infinite amount of other numbers, it could be larger or smaller. What it doesn't describe is how how we live life. It does not determine how strong the human spirit can be. It does not dictate how we view our future.

Any time the word cancer strikes the ears, one has an instant view of fatality. The word cancer can strike fear into one's heart and consume our day. But the word cancer can also realign what is important to us in life. It can cause us to let go of yesterday. It can cause us to value today.

I know of many cancer survivors and have had heart wrenching loss of others to cancer. But for all those involved, the cancer patient, the cancer spouse, the cancer children, the cancer relatives and the cancer friends; each of us gain so much from the experience of cancer.

Cancer can turn all of your life into a negative replay of regrets and disappointment. But I choose cancer to be a positive statement which reaffirms my belief in the good things our lives have. I choose to believe that my friend will overcome this cancer as they found it early. I choose to believe he will live to be an old man, rocking his grandchildren and teaching them how to fish.

9 centimeters, just a number on a chart.

Sleep

Man Sleeping by Rabulist

"When I woke up this morning a friend asked me, "Did you sleep good?" I said "No, I made a few mistakes." ~Steven Wright

Amusing as the quote above seems, but sleep is probably one of the more important things you do in life. The Harvard Medical School of Sleep Medicine indicates that there are various theories as to "Why do we sleep", although science has made tremendous strides in discovering what happens during sleep and what mechanisms in the body control the cycles of sleep and wakefulness that help define our lives.

So having flown overnight from Atlanta to London, I asked myself "how well did I sleep?" My answer was, "well enough, but I did make a few mistakes." One was in keeping the headphones on a bit too loud albeit on classical music. You see my sleep patterns on a plane are mostly consciousness interrupted by several moments of unconsciousness.

It is almost as if I'm in a wakening dream state. I can hear what is going on around me, I shuffle in my 12" wide faux leather covered aluminum seat, and I drift in and out. This I call a good night's sleep on a plane. Those moments of unconsciousness added together make up my sleep. The other parts I call dozing and are additive to the whole sleep process for me.

Now why would I write about sleeping at all? Is there really a point to all of this?

For me, sleep is a very under rated activity to the human population. We tend to under estimate its power to keep us healthy and strong during the day. Without sleep, over time we do deteriorate both in how well we function and in how well we feel. Much like eating, it helps to sustain our body over the course of time.

The importance of sleep and why I write about it today is in taking care of yourself. In order to be good at what you do during the waking hours, you need sleep as much as you need exercise, good nutrition, and all of the other balance of the "six spokes" of your life.

Now ask yourself, "did I sleep good last night?"

Picture This

"When I take a picture I take 10 percent of what I see." ~Annie Leibovitz

A famous photograph from the cover of a very famous musical album, The Beatles "Abbey Road" was released in September of 1969. The interesting thing about the photograph by Iain Macmillan is that so much more is behind the picture itself.

A total of six pictures were taken over the course of ten minutes from which only the one was chosen. In an article on Wikipedia, the six photographs are described as such;

• First Photo: John leads the group from left to right followed by Ringo, Paul and George. They kept this order throughout all the photos. There is a Mercedes pulling out of the studio behind them. John is looking away from the camera and Paul and George are in mid step. Paul is wearing sandals
• Second Photo: They walk back in the same order. Good spacing but only John has a full step.
• Third Photo: Left to right again, full steps this time but they are all too far left. There is now a traffic backup. There is a taxi, two vans and a double decker bus waiting to come forward. Paul is now barefoot.
• Fourth Photo: Walking right to left, once again Paul Ringo and George all in mid step. The traffic has gone through but the bus has stopped to watch. This photo is the cover of Abbey Road by Brian Southall.
• Fifth Photo: This photo was used for the cover of the album and is the only photo where we see Paul smoking. The only one with their legs in perfect formation. The three men on the left above Paul's head are Alan Flanagan, Steve Millwood and Derek Seagrove. They were interior decorators returning from a lunch break. On the right side between John and Ringo's head is Paul Cole an American tourist.
• Sixth Photo: Ringo slightly too far behind John.

The interesting thing is that there is always more to the story behind what we see at first.

While we look at the snapshot in time, so much more was happening to lead up to the picture we see. And so much more happens after the moment in time. The second picture is of the "Fab Four" waiting in between pictures. The final product only tells part of the story.

When we take a look at other people's lives and make a judgement, many times we are only seeing part of the story. We are seeing only 10 percent of their life while leaving out a large portion of what brought that person to this point in time. Many times the rest of the story can change dramatically how we perceive someone's life. And if we are judging people on snapshots in time, then maybe others are judging us by only snapshots of our own lives.

Look beyond the picture we see and understand more of the story. You may find something a lot more interesting then the picture itself.

Cartoon Pane

"Trying to break out of the box." -Peter Kiss Gallery

“Great dreams... never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, "How good or how bad am I?" That's where courage comes in.” ~Erma Bombeck

In the old western movies, there always seems to be a line in which one cowboy says to another, "this towns too small for both of us." It usually was followed by some fight scene in which the good guy wins. The atmosphere is one of pending break out to something greater for the the town. It is a bold statement that finally shows the true greatness of the hero.

We can modify the statement apply it to our own life. Apply it in such a manner as to cause the hero in side to break out to something greater. To envision what I'm saying, imagine a single cartoon pane as your life. This pane is your whole world, safe on four sides but limited in reach. Now imagine telling yourself, "this box is too small for me." Shout it out so that those beyond the page can hear you.

As you gain confidence, you grow and the box actually starts to become too small for your life. Take your hand and push through the left side of the box. Punch a hole in the bottom with your right foot. Tear at the remaining pieces until your head emerges to reveal a big life awaiting your arrival.

No, I'm not talking about rebirth or any analogies to that. I'm talking about getting outside of the box we each tend to hide ourselves in. If we bust loose and break away from the artificial binds we have created, then a bigger and greater world is ours. We can rise above to the jet stream and sail to where we want to be in life.

Break out of the cartoon pane, break out in to a great life.

JETSTREAM by DOVES

Rambling Sense

"Days of the week are helpful. Sundays are good, but I like Saturday. Sometimes I’ll write down a day of the week and wonder why it’s spelled that way. “Wednesday” is the hardest day to spell. Sundays are good for pro football, but now football season’s over. People like watching football. It’s so much colder in winter. It would be nice if we could have some warm spring days mixed in the middle of winter to even things out a little. I have a watch that tells me the time, except when the battery dies. Everything dies. That’s why I keep a spare watch battery. Why is a AAA battery smaller than a AA battery?" ~Andy Rooney

Okay, so what could I have to say today about a rambling quote from Andy Rooney on a "60 Minutes" television show? It is a rambling speech about days of the week that really seem to say nothing. Why would any of it seem to make sense?

When I read through it again and again, on the surface none of it made. But when I broke down each of the statements, each one had meaning and value. I'm not sure if that was Andy Rooney's intent or not, but it made sense to me.

Our life and the events that happen around it may not seem to make sense in the broad view. But when we stop to look at each of those individual events, each has some type of meaning or lesson. With so much going on in our daily lives, all of those details seem to blur into a rambling or haphazard series of events.

If we take a bit of time to reflect and examine some of those events, each will become more clear. The rambling will become more sensible. Life will seem to make a bit more sense.

Windows of Opportunity

"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade." ~Tom Peters

We can go through life being told that our window of opportunity is small. When that moment arrives, we need to be ready for it. The window might be tiny, it might be large, but the window will appear for us.

I can't disagree with the fact that we will each encounter a window of opportunity. But what I do believe is that the word window should be plural. The belief is that we are presented with 'windows' of opportunity as opposed to a single one.

The question becomes just how good are we at recognizing those windows and more importantly, taking on the opportunity. If we believe only a single window of opportunity exists for us and we don't recognize it, then we stop looking for more and lose hope of ever trying again.

In my belief, these windows of opportunity happen all of the time. We simply have to learn how to recognize them and then act upon them. But how do we learn to recognize them? You can only learn by trying, by 'trial and error', by being bold and going for them. Over time you will learn which ones work and which ones don't.

Do not mistake this for jumping in willy-nilly. What I'm saying is that you have to understand that opportunity passes us by each and everyday. Most of us fail to look for them, let alone act upon them.

If we are to advance our lives and have an impact, then we must know that there are many windows for us. Look for them and then boldly discover how these opportunities can lead you and others as we live the journey of our life.

Silence

By WickedNox

"Only silence perfects silence." ~A. R. Ammons

Today the silence begins until next Monday. As I have a Men's Conference to attend and help run, Friday will be a bust as far as writing goes.

As with anything, my silence is a chance for you to experience silence within to reflect. Enjoy your weekend, enjoy reflection, and prepare yourself for even greater things.

Advance

"Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood." ~Kahlil Gibran

There are varied definitions of what a hermit is. There are the religious hermits that seclude themselves in pursuit of the "forty years wandering in the desert", change of heart life. A life that seeks God. On the other end are those hermits characterized as "returning to nature" by living a life free from materialism. And as with anything, you can find different forms in between and outside of these descriptions.

One description you may not have thought of is how you live your own life. It may seem a bit radical to describe it this way, but many of us are hermits. As defined in dictionaries, a hermit is a person who has withdrawn from society and lives a solitary existence. Or in other words, a person who avoids the company or assistance of others.

As such, when we live a life that doesn't move forward and becomes mired in the sameness of everyday; what is the point of life? It simply becomes a pursuit of waiting for the 'end' to happen. While the rest of life is passing us by, this type of hermit life might as well be watching the clock tick away the minutes. Yes, living without advance can also be described as living the life of a hermit.

So what do I mean by advance your life?

• To raise; to elevate.
• To accelerate the growth or progress; to further; to forward; to help on; to aid; to heighten; as, to advance the ripening of fruit; to advance one's interests.
• To raise to a higher point; to enhance.
• To move or go forward; to proceed.
• To increase or make progress in any respect; as, to advance in knowledge, in stature, in years.
• The act of advancing or moving forward or upward; progress.
• Improvement or progression, physically, mentally, morally, or socially; as, an advance in health, knowledge, or religion; an advance in rank or office.
• The first step towards the attainment of a result; to form an acquaintance, to adjust a difference, etc.; an overture; a tender; an offer.

What I mean is to advance with your life to its greatest potential. It means to advance your life in order to help others. It means to advance your life and actually engage in life around you.

Will you possibly get hurt or bloodied along the way? Very possibly, but you will be amazed how alive you will feel. You can sit and listen to the tic-toc of the clock as time melts away. Or you can advance your life by engaging in new and different ways. Advance, advance, and keep advancing.

~~~~~~~~~~

For those in the Atlanta area, SIGN UP for a Men's Conference being held September 30 - October 3. Come for one night, two nights or the whole thing, but come along and ADVANCE your life. This isn't a kumbaya event. You'll learn practical lessons to advance your life, your families lives and the lives of those around you.