Valentines In Your Eyes

"I hope some day to meet God, because I want to thank Him for the flowers." -Robert Brault

Today is the day of pretty flowers, of chocolates and loving cards. Today is the day you get to renew your love for all that is in your life.

Shakespeare's 18th Sonnet

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

So to my loving wife Laura, for me Love Is in your eyes.



Stay inspired and loving my friends.

15 Tips For Greater Loving

"To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever." -Henry Drummond

It is the eve of Valentine's Day and today I provide you with some practical tips to go along with my book called LOVE IS. I encourage you to buy the book and read it together with the one you love. It will change your love for each other into one more powerful, one more lasting and one that is greater.

15 Tips For Greater Loving

1. Say "I love you."
2. Don't compare them to anyone, accept their weaknesses and flaws.
3. Be courteous at all times, consider their feelings.
4. Leave notes or send letters, make them laugh.
5. Give them your full attention when talking and be interested in their interests.
6. Say you're sorry and let go any bad experience and anger.
7. Encourage health in all its forms.
8. Be lavish in praise, become their biggest fan!
9. Forget about past mistakes, practice forgiveness and let go of jealousy.
10. Show your gratitude for them, take pride in them, show your pride.
11. Spend time with them, listen to them.
12. Give hugs and kisses, buy a "for no reason" gift.
13. Tell the truth, keep your promises and say what you mean.
14. Pray or meditate together.
15. Say "I love you."

Keep loving one another and stay inspired my friends.

Lessons in Love

“Enjoy the process. In the middle of this is where everything happens.” -Dean Sweetman

In my new book called LOVE IS describes my journey to discover what real love is. I also take a look at other couple in history and their story of love. There are also chapters that examine the greatest love story ever told. So in my efforts to help you learn what real love is, I am including bits and pieces of my book in various blog articles.

In the chapter titled "If I Speak", my days in college turned out to be a mixed bag of discovery. I see failure in the form of not completing my degree and hard lessons learned regarding how to handle different situations. But I also see success in what turned out to be a path to having four wonderful boys and a great career.

So here is an excerpt from my book, LOVE IS.

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The year’s in-between high school and my sister’s death slowly began to have love take hold of me. There were moments of learning and false starts. Even as I graduated from high school, there were still those selfish feelings of “why didn’t I receive more from the high school experience.” No scholarships, no girl friend, no shouts of encouragement or job well done. This caused me to harden my resolve that I would have to do it all on my own. That is not exactly what love is all about and it would continue to take time for the learning process to develop. So off to college I went with a self-centered ambition in mind to succeed on my own terms and that is how I left those early years behind.

Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska would prove to be the application, right or wrong, of those lessons that were building up inside of me. I would enter college with the initial purpose of separating myself from my high school days. I was determined to build a new life on my own terms. College brings new possibility to everything. There are new people, new surroundings and new challenges to conquer. I set out to achieve everything I could by myself since it seemed no one else wanted to be part of my life. It all turned out good and I learned new lessons in life and love even though I was a slow learner.

I jumped into college full steam ahead, becoming involved in many different adventures. There was of course the standard class schedule, much of which I quickly lost control of. This was due to the fact I was becoming heavily involved in many of the other college activities. There was student government, plays to act in, art classes to take and of course parties to attend. It was a collision course with failure to earn a degree that I didn’t see coming.

There were many other successes that came out of my college attendance. I became the Student Body President and also an appointed Student Representative to the State College Board of Trustees. I learned the dos and the don’ts of representative government. I failed miserably at some of my work but succeeded in others. There were people I met along the way that were good and some not so good. All of time I was trying to it all by myself in what I later viewed as righteous indignation.

My love life was on a very slow track as well. It seemed I was falling back into old habits from high school. There were advances and there were a couple of girls that I dated, both of which taught me different lessons about love. There was heartache on my part in never being able to develop a relationship with one. And the other there was heartache on her part when I broke off our relationship. I cannot remember enough to tell you why either relationship failed, but I would say my lack of understanding what love really meant contributed to it. As my relationship with these two women failed, so did my classroom studies. As I transitioned into my second year of college, there was still hope of success in continuing my education.

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I firmly believe that we are constantly on a journey to find the full potential of love. Love is and can be a very powerful force in our life. I would suggest that once you learn the basic tenets of what LOVE IS, it will focus your own journey and make it more enjoyable.

Enjoy my new book folks and as always, stay inspired.

Keep Your Fork

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile." -Unknown

There is a story I heard not long ago regarding a young woman diagnosed with a terminal illness. She had not been given much time left to live and felt it very important to get things in order. So she contacted her Pastor to come discuss various aspects of her final wishes.

There were all of the usual things regarding song she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. When everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman remembered something very important to her.

She said excitedly "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. In response to his puzzled look, she explained. "My grand mother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!"

She went on to say, "So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork....the best is yet to come."

By telling this story, you do not need to be on death's door to understand the meaning. Whatever circumstance you are in, things will get better, the best is yet to come.

So stay inspired my friends and keep a fork in your hand.

Baby Its Cold

Johnny Carson: Man, is it cold out there today.
Ed McMahon: How cold is it?
Johnny Carson: It's so cold I saw a chicken with a capon.

Okay, so maybe it isn't that cold out side but my first day in Germany and the temperature is 14 degrees Farenheit. An artic blast reminding me that yes, it does get cold in various places.

I was warned though and I planned ahead. But having a carry-on suitcase and not wanting to carry bundles of coats, I felt prepared enough. The jacket, scarf, hat and gloves were and will have to be enough. Even with my planning though, the sharpness of the cold cut through me.

That is sort of how life is sometimes. We plan and prepare for what is to come but sometimes it just isn't enough. The sharpness of circumstance will cut through you and change the course of your day. What matters is how you carry forth from the situation.

For me, I could let it ruin my entire business trip. I could decide to allow myself to be miserable but won't. I'll enjoy the feeling of the cold, of artic wind upon my face and the numbing of my toes. It will create great memories and also lessons for next time.

Something can always be gained from your experience. And the great thing is that you get to decide. It is your choice on how you'll respond to the situation. I choose to enjoy it, learn from it and next time I will certainly be more prepared. That is how we move ahead in life.

Stay warm and stay inspired my friends.

Patience Moves

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The start to a new week was going well. Everything was in order for my overseas business trip. It was an uneventful ride to the train station where I kissed my lovely wife goodbye. It was an uneventful train rider to the airport. It was even an uneventful stroll to the security checkpoint.

I than had to use most of what I write each day to exude patience upon the TSA security checkpoint. The queue up to have my ticket checked was fine and a very uncrowded line up to fill the bins awaited me. And than the TSA agent...

The line was moving very easily, there were no hold ups, no back ups. But all of a sudden she wanted everyone to shuffle along faster. She pushed our items onto the conveyor belt before we were ready. She hustled us for some unknown reason. I was very close to losing my patience but decided patience was the better course this day. Maybe this just wasn't a good day for her.

Patience paid off because I kept my cool, didn't create a scene and got through security with additional hassle. All I had to do was wait out the situation.

In business and every day life, we each are faced with times where that patience is tested. And having that patience is important because we all eventually come to terms with the fact that many things won't happen as soon as we would like them to.

One could imagine themselves as someone who prefers winter when it is currently July. At this moment in time you are unhappy. But you have to reach the point in understanding that the unhappiness is a choice. Will getting upset change summer into winter? Will getting upset really accomplish anything accept making you more miserable?

Winter will eventually come, so maybe it is much better to relax and just wait. Your stress level will fall quite a bit when you learn to accept the things you can not change.

Also, patience is important because some things are better the longer you wait. Uncooked food, marinated for hours and slow cooked becomes better with time. You could simply microwave it, but the marinating and slow cooking will provide you with much more satisfaction.

Lastly, patience will help keep you from acting irrationally. The result of not slowing down can keep you from acting rashly. If you sit back and think before acting, you may realize that there is an alternative solution that would benefit you more. The longer you wait, the more you will be able to control your emotions so that you can think rationally

These principles of patience can serve you well in business and in your personal life. All you have to do is slow down and watch it happen. It won't occur instantly, for if it did it wouldn't be patience.

So keep working towards being a more patient person in life and see how it can truly create a better world for you.

And stay inspired my friends.

One Little G

"There was definitely some miscommunication." -Alan Trammell

So there I was, communicating via email to several people. The intent was to place a young man in touch with several people in hopes of helping him find a new job. The plan seemed simple enough. I would send the email out to many people asking them to respond with any assistance to myself and this young man.

Fairly quickly I had four responses to myself and the other man. Feeling happy enough with the results that quickly, that night I went to bed. Shortly after getting into bed (U.S. east coast time), I received a phone call from another man out in California. It just so happened that he had the same name as the person I was helping.

Hmmm....

The man was nice and he was calling to inform me that he was receiving emails regarding potential jobs. He was actually very nice about it and the concern he showed to ensure the emails got to the proper person; to say the least, it was refreshing.

I apologized with my best manners and set off the next morning to understand and correct the error. It didn't take me long to figure out that I had left the letter 'g' out of the email address. Both men had the same name, used the same mail service but the man I really needed to see the emails used his middle name initial in the email address.

One little 'g' and I had mis-communicated with many, many people. A common mistake and this time easily corrected. Yet we all understand how miscommunication in business, in relationships and in everyday life can create havoc.

So how can you avoid miscommunication? It isn't easy and the easiest way is to not communicate with anyone. But life is meant to be a big conversation. It is meant to be interactive with other people. So to help you avoid some of the communication missteps, here are some pointers.

- Manage expectations; every discussion, every meeting, every connection is unique. We can certainly learn from our experiences in similar situations, but it is important to understand that this time things can and probably will be different.

- Attention needs to be given to non-verbal signs such as the tone of voice or the body language of the other person. Many times words do not tell the entire story. So watch the posture and facial expressions being communicated by yourself and back to you.

- Learn something, research and learn everything you can about the other person if that is what it takes. This works especially well in business if done prior to meeting with them. the more you know, the better you will understand how to communicate with them.

- Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand, ask. Don't move forward based on wrong assumptions. Ask now, be clear and things will progress in a much better way.

- When communicating, listen carefully. Pay attention to what the other person is saying and take notes if necessary. During long meetings or conversations, the mind has a way of forgetting or "mis-remembering" the details. Repeat what is is you understand back to the other person, sometimes placing what they said into your own words. Many times we interpret words differently from what was actually meant.

- Rid yourself of preconceptions prior to ever starting a conversation. It is very easy to "jump to conclusions" about a person or subject that is going to be discussed. Even if you have a real good idea, try to put any feelings until you can be confirmed. Having preconceived notions can keep you from understanding what is really going on.

- Along with preconceptions, be open to new ideas. You may very well be the expert, but even experts can sometimes learn from others. Simply be willing to learn new things.

- Avoid emotional words, think diplomatically as well and as often as you can. Some words that you might use are just too emotionally charged to have any place certain conversations. Which also means to avoid communicating at all (or very little) when you’re upset. When we are angry or hurt, it simply is not a good time to talk with a client or send an email.

- Be understanding of the other person, the situation and the subject being discussed. In life, sooner or later you’ll probably be called in to fix somebody else’s mistake. We all make mistakes, including you and me, so don't immediately start criticizing.

- Of course you should always check for typos and grammatical errors when writing. Simple grammar and typos can cause others to misunderstand you. It can make a huge difference by misplacing a decimal point when $1000 becomes $10.00.

Even missing one little "g" can make a difference. So think about how you communicate with others and stay inspired my friends.

Love Is Friendship

"It is not so much our friends' help that helps us, as the confidence of their help." -Epicurus

Uncle Richard and Aunt Dot, that is how we knew these people. They became friends with my parents when both young couples were living in Empire City. A small neighborhood on the south side of Fremont, Nebraska. For so many years I tried to figure out the connection. Was Uncle Richard my Dad's brother or was Aunt Dot my mother's sister?

Yet they were simply great friends that lasted for over 60 years. Just recently Aunt Dot passed away. Only my father remains of the four people that held friendship so close for so many years.

There are many family stories one could tell of these fine people and their great friendship with my parents. It is suffice to say that the friendship lasted through anything and everything. It is love, unselfish, non-judgemental and self-sacrificing that sustains a friendship for that many years.

So I will simply write the story of each, my Uncle Richard and my Aunt Dot. May their reunited souls be singing and dancing upon the streets of their heaven.

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Uncle Richard (Richard Goeglein), passed away on September 17, 2007. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on February 1, 1923 to Harry A. and Elsie (Koch) Goeglein. In 1954, he married Theidate 'Dot' Coufal. Before that happened though, he had entered the U. S. Army Air Force and spent three years in Galapagos Island as a radar technician during World War II.

Upon his return from the war, he attended the University of Nebraska where he received his master's degree and earned three varsity letters in football. Uncle Richard helped the 1950 Cornhuskers coached by Bill Glassford to a 6-2-1 overall record and a No. 17 final national ranking. It marked Nebraska's first winning season in a decade.

Following his graduation and marriage to Aunt Dot, he taught and coached in the Fremont Public Schools for five years. He then returned to Lincoln to coach wrestling at Southeast High School. One of his proudest accomplishments was to spread the wrestling program throughout the State of Nebraska. He was inducted into the Nebraska Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993. He taught science at Pound Junior High and retired from teaching in 1985.

Uncle Richard was great to have around. I can still see him standing proud guiding his pontoon boat across the lake.

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Aunt Dot, (E. Theidate (Datie, Dot) Goeglein) made it to the grand age of 91. She passed away on January 30, 2012 at The Monarch Hospice in Lincoln. Aunt Dot was born August 30, 1920, the middle daughter of Charles R. (Carl) and Constance (Abbott) Bush's five children.

Her childhood was spent on a farm near Republican City (Nebraska) and graduated from Republican City High School in 1937. After receiving a teaching degree from Kearney State College, Datie taught at several different schools in the rural are around Republican City.

She was married to Uncle Richard on May 29, 1954. She then worked for many years as a receptionist/bookkeeper for Dr. Place in Northeast Lincoln. After retirement, she and Dick enjoyed camping and spending their summers at Michigan lakes with relatives. They also enjoyed Husker football games for many years and were faithful, longtime member of Faith Lutheran Church.

There are many stories of her keeping Uncle Richard in line when we'd visit them on the lake. Or as Uncle Richard cruised down the interstate highway pulling the camper AND the pontoon boat. As sweet of a woman could be to us kids, she could have easily been our own mother.

If you are interested in sending a memorial, suggestions to the Nebraska Stroke Foundation, Lincoln Food Bank, or Faith Lutheran Church are in order.

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The circle of life that begins at our birth and transitions upon death remains unbroken. It simply changes, it remains in the memories and hearts of everyone that carry on with life. Aunt Dot and Uncle Richard will remain a fond and cherished part of my memories until we meet again.

Stay inspired through out your life my friends.

Now

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are two words which tend to prevent us from ever getting ahead in life. They are words that we all too often speak into our own lives and allow a certain power over us.

Those two words are IF and WHEN.

IF only I had more time. IF only I was smarter. IF the stars align perfectly. Then I will move myself to seek a better life, greater achievement and reach those goals I have set for myself.

WHEN the kids are out of school. WHEN the weather gets better. WHEN the time is right. Then I will be able to complete my schooling, find out if I'm capable and reach those goals I have set for myself.

Almost daily we talk ourselves out of doing some greater, something more in our life. We say those words nearly instantaneous and without thought of how destructive they are to our goals.

Be one to get and DO what it is you want to DO in life. Don't say IF. Don't say WHEN. Like the famous advertising slogan goes, "Just Do It" and see your goals fulfilled.

Stay inspired my friends.

Love of Flowers

"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love." -Max Muller

In my book Love Is, you will find a section regarding the biological significance upon love. There are very particular sections of the brain that light up when love is present. The things we do, the external stimuli spark these regions of the brain. They also produce various chemicals and reactions. You can read my book to understand more of what I am talking about.

An interesting thing to note about research of the brain relative to love is that scientists are looking at pills that they say romantic love could theoretically be simulated with chemicals. They also say that how to get relationships back in order, you should engage in those behaviors that stimulate the release of these chemicals and allow them to stimulate your emotions. These behaviors of course would be hugging, kissing, and intimate contact.

In the larger sense of biological reasons and how much further scientists have to go to understand what love is, one said it best. He said, “My wife tells me that flowers work as well. I don’t know for sure.” He then said, “As a scientist it’s hard to see how it stimulates the circuits, but I do know they seem to have an effect. And the absence of them seems to have an effect as well.”

Love is a powerful force that can be given of oneself. This force will enter that person's body, brain, heart and soul, filling them and causing the reactions scientists have found. But you knew it all along.

Fill the lives of others with love and see what happens. You will find love coming back ten-fold, filling your own life, stimulating your own brain and making your life the best life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Unending Opportunity

"The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have all seen them at various times in our life. It might be in the middle of the night when we can't sleep so we turn on the television. They even creep into full page advertisements in your favorite magazine or newspaper. What I am referring to are those "opportunities of a lifetime" announcements.

Act now they scream out loudly. "Money making franchise opportunity of the century." "A 150 billion dollar business." "Big money in your spare time." The pitch is that this opportunity won't last much longer, so dial that number now.

And I guess the numbers can't be wrong. Infomercials, direct-response TV marketing as it's formally known, are expected to rise to a record $174 billion, by 2014, according to Yoram Wurmser of Direct Marketing Assn. So there are a lot of people jumping at the opportunity that isn't supposed to last.

Their marketing pitch is pretty powerful to say the least. Something else that is pretty powerful is love. Love is not an opportunity that is a limited time offer. Love is an opportunity that is never ending.

As I wrote in my book Love Is, "love is eternal." It is never-ending, unchanging and can never run empty. You have no way of using up or consuming all of God’s love. There is no fuel gauge on that love, no gas station in which to fill back up with more love. It is there, always and overflowing in your life.

So take the opportunity to find and know how powerful love can be in your own life. It is a great thing to have and will help you achieve your best life. Stay inspired my friends.

Mile High Love

"Helping someone is what life is all about." -Willie Stargell

The stories are written everyday, in the back pages of the newspapers and the collective memories of those present. The doom and gloom headlines overshadow with words of destruction and mayhem. The killings and crimes, the sensational and hate shout out at us from all angles.

But these other stories are those of good works, of people stepping forward in love. They are the stories you catch in the corner of the page, next to the local jamboree fair. Most of these stories only get read on the third or fourth reading pass of the newspaper.

Many people will never see this story and in this particular case, it took place at 35,000 feet in the air. It was to be a simple business flight from Atlanta to Boston. Early on a Monday morning and all was going well. The State of Virginia was passing beneath us when the call came out over the intercom.

Was there a doctor, paramedic or nurse on board the plane? Was there anyone in the cabin containing 186 people have the ability to help with a medical emergency? In most cases there always seems to be a doctor close by, but not this time.

The elderly lady had fainted and was now having a hard time breathing. Assistance was needed quickly and the Flight Attendants were doing their best. And then the familiar "bong" noise of someone's Call Button being lit up. We had someone that knew something about medical assistance.

This woman was a nurse if I heard correctly. She knew something of medical conditions and how to assist someone in need. So from her middle seat she sprang the five or six rows to where the elderly lady lay on the floor.

For several minutes a flurry of activity took place. Several minutes more went by and you could see the relief beginning to fill the faces of those around. Eventually she recovered from her affliction and was sitting up in a seat, in good enough shape to chat with those around her.

The nurse had done what was right and what came natural to her. But just having the ability, the training, the talent wasn't enough to spring her into action. It was love of a fellow human being, a self-less act that probably saved a life. In fact, it was love that saved a life.

Love is powerful in many ways and love in this case saves lives.

Tim Tebow Is

"Love stretches your heart and makes you big inside." - Margaret Walker

Mark, a good friend of mine, sent me the following article not too long ago. Its an article written by ESPN sports columnist Rick Reilly. It is titled, I believe in Tim Tebow and is a must read to understand what giving of oneself, what inspiration and what perspective on life is.

There are varied opinions on Tim Tebow and the whole effect he is having on the National footbal League and amongst viewers. A term called Tebowing has even created lots of discussion between people. Each of us can have an opinion but I want to get beyond the outward view people have.

What I am looking at is inward, to what is truly going on inside of this person called Tim Tebow. I also want to see how we can use it as an example of living our lives in respect to others.

Forget the kneeling, forget the "thanking God" statements and forget that he may not be the most talented professional quarterback in football. Look to what he does with his abilities in helping others outside of his professional career. Look to what he gives, which is himself.

The real power of love is in being able to give so freely and courageously of oneself. The true nature of love is to let that love pour from you into the lives of others.

Love is in fact the greatest gift you have been given and the greatest gift you can give to others. Love is inspiring.

Get On With It

"To be always intending to make a new and better life but never to find time to set about it is as...to put off eating and drinking and sleeping from one day to the next until you're dead." -Og Mandino

Most every day you get up and place yourself back into the daily routine. You get up, get dressed, get breakfast and get on the road to work. You fall in line with the other cars going to work, pulling into the parking lot and waiting in line for the elevator.

You tell yourself that there is more you want to do in life. You want to volunteer helping the needy. You want to learn a better job skill. You want to meet someone that you can share your life with. You want, you want, and you want.

But than you get back in line for the elevator, wait to pull out of the parking lot, fall in line with the other cars going home. You feed the dog, you make some dinner, watch some television, get dressed for bed and fall asleep. All in an effort to do it all over again the next day.

You intend to turn your wants into reality, but you do the same thing over and over again. You place yourself on a treadmill going slow somedays, running like mad the next, but never getting anywhere. You see the same thing over and over on the treadmill.

Maybe it is time to actually get up and do something. Maybe its time to get on with it. Get up and go after those things you want in life. No more waiting, no more planning, go now!

All I Ask Of You

"All that love asks for is love." -Joseph A. Primm

That's all He asks of you...love that is, (page 55).

Stay inspired my friends.

Believe

""Never look back unless you are planning on going that way."." -Henry David Thoreau

I would imagine you are like most every other human on this planet. You have dreams of being more successful, or earning more money. You have dreams of greatness for your children or renewed health when pain fills every move you make. There are those that hope for love or friendship and those that want for a better life. All of us dream of things during our life time.

The problem can be with the belief we have in that dream. How strongly do you believe in what it is you want for your life? How large is the faith in what is to come versus what has happened? There are many people that want, dream, yearn for all of these things in life. But their belief is more centered on the past as opposed to their future.

A woman may want for a relationship that is filled with love and comfort, but she dwells on past relationships. When she gets close to a man, her belief in something good is outweighed by belief in what has happened previously. The negative things that have happened in her life win out every time with belief in the past.

A man looks to advance in his job, a new promotion and responsibility. He becomes a candidate for a new position but it will require interviews and rising above the competition. Yet if he chooses to believe in his past experience, he condemns his future. He will be his own worst competition to moving forward in life.

All of us tend to give way too much credit for our past mistakes or stumblings. We have life's experience behind us, but life moves forward from where you are today. Life forward from the past, not towards it; it is today that counts. Where you stand, the person that you are right now, this very moment is where you begin.

The past is the past and you need to let it go. You need to reverse your thinking to a forward looking direction. Stop believing in what has gone wrong and believe in what will happen moving forward. Believe in the impossible and make it real.

Start living your life with forward momentum, believing in your future and leaving behind what has gone wrong in the past. What the past says is impossible, tomorrow says it is possible. Tomorrow brings fresh hope, fresh opportunity and fresh belief in that possibility.

Stay inspired my friends and we'll talk again soon.

What of Valentines Day

"Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real." -Iris Murdoch

There remain only a few short weeks before that mid-winter celebration called Saint Valentine's Day. A day, February 14, celebrating love and affection. People express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering sweets or candies, and sending greeting cards.


Valentine's Day is a day dedicated to love and all that love is. No surprise to my regular readers, I have a book out called Love Is, which explores the greatest love story ever told. But do you know how we came to celebrate love on this day?


Watch the video below from "The History Channel" to find out some of the mystery behind that question. This short video gives you the background into the day known as Saint Valentine's Day. After you learn about the celebration of love, why not order my book Love Is and find out what "love is".



This important holiday is coming quickly. Plan now to make it a special time to show your love. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Many times the simple things are the grandest of all. And while Valentine's Day may have a varied history, the story of what Love Is will go on forever. Love will remain a powerful force in your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Love Is Here

Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!
Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.
Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 - Johnson, Navin R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity - your name in print - that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.
-From 1979 movie The Jerk

Navin is quite correct, "things are going to start happening to me now." My new book called "Love Is" has arrived on the virtual shelves. And I'm as excited as Navin is regarding its release. I truly believe I'm getting better at this!

"Love Is" is available in both paperback and eBook formats. A story of one man's journey to figure out what love is, stories of what others did in the name of love and an exploration of the greatest love story ever told. This book will change your view on what love is meant to be. It will show you just how powerful love can be in your life.

What a great revolution it would be if more people learned how the true meaning of love could lift them even higher. If millions of people got a fresh way of understanding how love moves in their life, the change would be dramatic.

So get excited about your life. Be part of the millions that will learn what "Love Is" this Valentines Day. Let love move you to greatness. And most important, stay inspired my friends.

WIPF and STOCK - only $11.20 for Paperback version

AMAZON.COM - only $8.99 for Kindle version

Love Is a Googly-Eyed Frog

"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge." -Thomas Carlyle

As I continue to promote my new book "Love Is", I thought I would share some insight into the googly-eyed frog from the book. The picture I use is not of the actual art creation I made back in Kindergarten. I certainly wish it was but alas, you will have to read the book to find out why I do not have the original in my possession.

You see over my many years, I have always had the urge to be an artist. Raphael, de Goya, Monet, and Dali to name a few. There are so many others that I have come to enjoy over the years. Even in my earliest years, I felt a connection to the art one could make. I believe it is because art gave me a window to other possibilities in life.

The physical act of producing art was to me, an extension of one's imagination. A window into one's heart and soul where that imagination is birthed. And my googly-eyed frog was the earliest form of my own imagination being revealed.

Alas, I never developed a decent talent for the arts although I have dabbled in it from time to time. Painting, acting, singing, architecture and design are the purview of others. Even so, I have always relished in being close to it. To watch and be amazed by those with artistic talents.

One might suppose that I didn't try hard enough or work on the craft enough. Yet I seemed to realize early on that the various arts tend to have a natural ability that flows from the individual. It is similar to athletic ability and the great athletes in history. No, I eventually accepted the fact that my talent lay elsewhere.

My mother helped me to understand where my talents were. My father helped to build my talents. And together they gave of themselves so that I could master what it is I do today. Each of them had a loving heart to guide me early on in life. It is a loving heart for others that matters quite a bit in life. That is what "Love Is".

I would appreciate if you pass along the word of my new book. I have it available both in paperback and in eBook formats. I feel it is important to understand what love is in order to have a great life. I believe that this book will change people lives for the better. I believe it will change your life for the better.

Love Is will take you on one man's journey to find out what love really is. It will explore his life, the stories of others, and take a close look at the greatest love story ever told. So open yourself to a different and very real way of understanding what love is. After reading this book, you will have found one of the greatest things in life, which is love.

And stay inspired my friends.

Change Happens

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” -Joel Barker

So here we go again. It is something I have seen so many times in my career. It is inevitable in my life and in your life. What I am referring to is change. It could be a change of scenery or change of plans. Some would call it a change of direction while others would simply say change happens; a nice way of saying 's**t happens' in a raw way of speaking.

Change can be a saddening event, but it does happen. Change happens in business. When the vision is lost or there is a lack of vision, action has to occur which means change. The same is true in your everyday life as you try to move forward and achieve your best life.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction." -Winston Churchill

There was great vision in the beginning. There was great action in the beginning. There was great accomplishment through out the process. It was then picked apart and marginalized by those who didn't understand the vision. In the end, for those that dreamed the potential and built that vision into reality knew it had to end.

Some things just run their course and the same thing can happen with your own visions. You dream the impossible and believe it can happen. So you put those dreams into action and build a great and wonderful thing in your life. Others will come along, either through jealousy of your success or in an attempt to take that vision from you. You fight to hold onto your vision but life and circumstance can get in the way.

And if those circumstances fall out of favor with your vision, the vision will either die or be placed upon a treadmill, going nowhere. You run and run each day, keeping the heart pounding strong but always in one place. It is at this point you must make a decision to find new vision for your life.

"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination." -Napoleon Hill

What you do is dream of new possibility, new vision and move on from the old. You organize those visions and begin to move, you take action in the belief that those visions will become reality. The future always holds possibility which means you have new possibility when those old dreams run their course.

Never forget that a change of scenery, a change of plans, or change of direction will occur; change happens. You are going to realize some of those dreams this year. So grab a new vision for your life if you have to and make this a great 2012 year.

Primms Attitude: Love Is

Primms Attitude: Love Is by Joseph A Primm I would like to announce the release of my fourth book called " Love Is " and give you a little taste of the boo...

Love Is

Love Is by Joseph A Primm

I would like to announce the release of my fourth book called "Love Is" and give you a little taste of the book. As you probably noticed, the book came out just in time for Valentines Day. It would make a great gift for a loved one or even yourself. I say that because the book is all about love and how powerful it can be in your life.

Most people will tend to seek the advice of experts such as Dr. Joyce Brothers or maybe even columnist Ann Landers. They will buy a wide variety of books, videos and listen to radio programs to find answers relating to love. Many will turn to the advice of friends. We use the advice of friends for a wide range of topics because we trust them. Even though the advice may not always be the best, we understand that a trusted friend has our best interests in mind.

There is another place, a book, that many people forget to turn to which provides advice on sex, marriage, friends, and a big one called money. This book has been a source of advice to millions of people for well over two thousand years. And the great thing about it? It also talks about love.

My new book will take you on one man's journey to understand what love is. I will tell you stories of other great love through out history. And I will take you to the book I refer to above and explain the greatest story ever told of love. It is a story that is well known and contains a definitive explanation about the power of love.

Love is everything that you have gone through and will go through in life. To understand love and grasp what it can do in your life is quite frankly, "life changing."

So order one today for yourself, your loved ones and anyone else that could use a little help in understanding the true meaning of love. Thank you for your support and stay inspired my friends.

Constructing Your Road

"The road to success is always under construction."

It seems that most of us were not born with a silver spoon in our mouth. That being the case, the vast majority of people you encounter each day have had to work quite hard for what they have accomplished in life. True enough, there certainly seem to be those that only want to hitch a ride on the tailgate of your pickup called life.

In the larger majority though, people are on their journey to some level of success in life. There are those that have huge financial success in life. There are those that achieve great fame in life. There are also those that achieve personal greatness that goes unnoticed. But all people have had to endure the setbacks and circumstances that life has thrown on their path.

As it is said, "the road to success is always under construction" or more aptly put it seems "the road to success is always under repair." Whichever way you wish to look at it, you have the ability to create that path. You get to choose the road and with that choice you have to deal with its condition.

You might be asking yourself how it is you get to choose your own road. We tell ourselves that the road was already there and we were simply dropped into the middle of it. I do believe that we are products of our birth, our upbringing and the circumstances which surround all of that.

CassidyLeh Photos

The exciting thing is that we don't have to remain on that road. We grow up and become independent thinkers. The life as a child and young teenager or even young adult are influenced by those life events. But now we have the ability to shape our own lives and to choose the road we follow. We even get to create that road if we wish.

So how do we get on with shaping our own future?

Recently I read a Psychology Today article by Robert Steven Kaplan called Authoring Your Future. In this article he discusses that even though we are shaped and influenced by our life experiences; we also have the ability to influence our future life. Mr. Kaplan provides three critical questions to ask yourself;

1 - Can you accurately assess your strengths and weaknesses? "...we tend to have blind spots. We may not see ourselves accurately. Worse, we may not want to acknowledge and face our weaknesses."

2 - Do you know your passions? "Experience has shown that you will be far more likely to "shine" if you are doing something you enjoy."

3 - Develop a support group. "Do you have relationships with people who care enough about you to tell you the brutal truth."

You know, I would love to tell you that the road construction finally ends. It does in a way but as long as breath exists in your body, you can keep constructing new things for your life. The road you take will have its moments of detours and construction. But there will also be times when the road is newly paved and free of that construction.

Keep finding your own path, keep building the life you wish for, never be weary of the construction, rejoice in the journey.

Stay inspired my friends.

Feeding The Donkeys

"A positive attitude is not going to save you. What it's going to do is, everyday, between now and the day you die, whether that's a short time from now or a long time from now, that every day, you're going to actually live." -Elizabeth Edwards

Every day the push to success grinds on. The bedside alarm loudly clangs at 5:00 AM to awake your short sleep. The shortness of night is rudely interrupted as you pull the covers back and head off to the bathroom.

You get dressed and head down the stairs only to find time slipping away. You tell yourself that preparing the coffee maker ahead of time is a blessing. Quickly you grab a cold bagel, coffee and belongings as the clock ticks 5:40 AM.

The day will be filled with projects, deadlines and circumstance. With each obstacle encountered, you will successfully overcome each and every one. Your success is true and steady while it is done happily. You know your goals and what you want in life. The express train called "Your Life" is speeding down the tracks to a destination.

But how do you keep yourself from being consumed by the enormity of it all? How do you keep some type of grounding with all that exists alongside the tracks you are speeding down?

You stop and feed the donkeys, that is how.

A film maker friend of mine, David Baker (@davidpbaker) has been on a three year push which has sent him on a speeding bullet train towards great things. He is currently in post production on his latest movie called SCREEN.

SCREEN is a horror film shot on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma with another film maker by the name of Oklahoma Ward, (@OklahomaWard) whose own film called CRAWL is in post production. I'd be remiss in not mentioning the talented actress Nicole Alonso.

While each of these people are streaming forward towards success, they each take time to reflect. They slow down enough to stop the blurring landscape and refocus. And to put it in terms of what David does, they take time to "feed the donkeys." Watch David's video to better understand what I'm talking about.

The important thing to remember is that driving yourself to success requires moments of reflection. The journey requires time to slow down and assess and remain grounded with life. Your high-speed train of life will wait for you because it is your train. You get to dictate where the rest areas are and when it is time to "feed the donkeys."

Stay inspired my friends.

Where Are You

"To get to where you want to go, you have to know where you are." -Gordon Moore

The year is starting out fast and furious for many people. The excitement of a new year, new resolutions and new goals. Many people will run off with those lists of dreams and jump in with both feet. Two or three, maybe even four weeks will go by. Frustration will start to creep in as they begin to feel direction-less in their efforts.

The reason many people fall into this failure is that we don't know where we are to begin with. How do you find your way to a place without first knowing your starting point.

As an example, there was a television show back in 2001 called LOST. This was a reality television competition and not the drama series. There was an American and British version in which teams only knew what their final destination was to be.

The US finish line (goal) was the Statue of Liberty in New York City, and Nelson's Column in London served as the finish line in the UK version.

The teams only given a backpack full of clothes and other essentials. to add to the complication, team members did not know each other prior to being paired up in the show. These contestants were blindfolded and dropped off in some unknown place of some unknown country to find their way to the goal.

Can you imagine standing in the middle of some unknown location and having to find your way home? That is exactly what we do with many of our goals and New Year resolutions.

There are many resolutions or goals that people have. Losing weight, getting in shape, travel, money, relationships and so much more. But if we don't know what our starting point is, then our journey to a destination is complicated and frustrating.

Some may want to quit smoking, so they merely stop smoking. What those folks fail to do is determine how much they smoke and the reasons why they smoke. Without doing so, the odds of failure increase dramatically.

Again, not knowing where you are will stand in the way of getting where you want to be.

As you begin this new year, assess where you are in life here and now. Find out the reasons for your current circumstance. Once you do, plot a course for success. Plot a clearer view of how you will get to your destination.

Stay inspired my friends.

Scream For Liz Again

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." -Ronald Reagan

A small update is in order on a recent article I wrote about Liz Rieckmann called "Scream Out For Liz."

First and foremost is that after over a year of waiting, a pair of lungs became available last week. The sadness for another family has created hope and joy in the hearts of the Rieckmann family. Liz underwent the double-lung transplant at Emory Hospital in Atlanta late last week.

Her condition is still guarded at this time with the normal concerns and cautions that exist. This is major league deal and your prayers are needed for her, the doctors, staff and family. When you do say those prayers, say one for the anonymous donor.

As I have said before many times, you impact people in ways you may never know. A prayer said, a comment passed inspires someone to become an organ donor. That person places a card in their wallet and one day, unknowingly dies and his/her organs are used to save the lives of others. You see, everything that you do, large or small matters.

For Liz Rieckmann, the battle for survival continues as she recovers from the transplant. The hard work of getting past these initial days continues. The long road to full recovery will take time and your generous gifts to help pay for her recovery are also needed. So if you can help out by giving a tax-deductible gift, it will scream out support for Liz until she can herself.

You can learn about Liz Rieckmann here and more importantly, your tax-deductible gift can be DONATED HERE. If you wish to send a check in the mail, please send it to;

NFT Georgia Transplant Fund
5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430
Memphis, TN 38119

And be sure to write "in honor of Liz Rieckmann" on the memo line.

Keep screaming out for Liz and stay inspired my friends.

Big Wheel Birthday

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." -Robert Brault

This past weekend a birthday was celebrated for my son Dan. No longer a young boy but a man in the second half of his twenties. A man that changed around his life and as with all of my boys is making a difference in the lives of other people today.

One thing that always stands out in my mind and his grand father's is an incident way back in 1988. The incident still plays in my mind like it were yesterday. It starts with the thought that serious injury was about to take place. It ends in giggling and laughter.

We were in the process of moving temporarily into a new apartment building until we could find a house to buy. The apartment came with a garage but since it was newly constructed, the interior garage walls were not yet completed. Only the bare wooden studs served as walls, but we unloaded our items from the large rental truck.

My father helped in the move and we placed the long metal ramp such that we could bring items down directly into the new garage. But the truck was at an angle so that others could get around us in the parking lot.

By this time, Dan was old enough to ride those Big Wheel tricycles. It was his favorite thing and somehow we had lost track of Dan as he made his way up into the rental truck. My father and I were down in the garage moving items when we happened to look up. Dan had found his Big Wheel and was zooming through the truck and down onto the ramp.

It happened so fast that neither of us could catch him as he came down the ramp and towards the stud wall. What raced through my mind in those fleeting seconds were the injuries that were sure to occur. He would either come off the side of the ramp and crack open his skull, or slam right into the wooden studs, breaking an arm or even worse.

Down he came though and seeing what was about to happen, he made a sharp left turn and rolled off the Big Wheel right between two wooden studs. He received not a single scratch from the incident. My first instinct was to admonish him, but he came up giggling.

As I look back, that was a sign that he was going to do just fine in life. So it is these many years later, he is doing just fine. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my son and keep on rockin' it with the Big Wheel.

Remembering a Brother

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." -Heraclitas

It was on January 4, 2011 that my brother John passed away. It was a day that came as a sudden and unexpected life event. It was a day that changed so much in the life of his wife Karin, son Taylor and daughters Ali and Liz. It also changed the lives of many people in his adopted hometown of Gillette, Wyoming.

Even though life changed that day for everyone that knew my brother, each of us hold the memories of life with him. We replay those moments in which he entered, impacted and moved through our days.

So while we "nor the river" are the same for having encountered John, each of us can hold tight the memories in our heart. In my life, I will always remember and love him. So it is that I delight in listening to the music my brother John loved so much. It was not the only type, genre or group, but one that he did enjoy.

Stay inspired my friends.

That Old Car

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." -Greg Anderson

Recently one of my boys left Phoenix, Arizona on a car drive back to Atlanta, Georgia. The vehicle he is driving leaves me somewhat suspect but adventure was on his mind. He had choices and decided that driving back in his marginal car would be just fine.

I can remember in my younger years that I would have probably embarked on a similar journey. Adventure and possibility were the driving factors in doing what older people may have considered differently. Now, I am one of those older people.

I'm not certain when I lost a bit of that adventure and invincibility. But I work on it daily and push myself to understand that possibility exists at any age. The road ahead can be as long and far as we want it to be. No matter the distance, what really matters is what happens along the way.

Your own journey will look different from others. You will encounter many different sights, sounds and circumstances. The important thing to know is that a journey can be started at any time, any place or any age. Don't limit yourself just because the timing isn't perfect or you have a sub-standard car. Just get up and start moving down the road.

The scenery you encounter will be the most important part of where you are headed. The destination may be the ending point where your goal exists, but how you get there is the exciting part. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the possibility and crank up that old engine and get moving.

Stay inspired my friends.

Bad Habits Out

"The unfortunate thing about this world is that good habits are so much easier to give up than bad ones." -Somerset Maugham

I am like everyone else out there and have some bad habits. It doesn't matter what or which ones. All it means is that they are bad habits in my view and I need to continue working on ridding myself of them. But how does one go about getting rid of a bad personal habit?

There are many habits that we can easily get rid of. The difficulty though is that many habits have multiple aspects to them. This means that one thing will trigger an event that triggers the bad habit. I'm not trying to make this an overly difficult task (ridding yourself of a bad habit). But you need to considered changing other habits that support the one you are trying to get rid of.

Some good ways to find out if the habit you’re interested in removing has other aspects to it is to ask the following questions:

- What are the benefits of this habit?
- If I got rid of this habit, what would change?

A good example is smoking, which is a very social thing. Many people feel that it helps relax them. Additionally, they feel it is a good and nonthreatening way to meet people (“Got a light?”). If the smoking habit was gone, you would than have to find another way to meet people, relax, etc.

What it comes down to is seeing what the triggers are and understanding how to change those triggers. Change the triggers and you give yourself a fighting chance to rid the bad habit. And when you change those triggers, what else will change in your life? Other habits will probably cease to exist, leaving room for better things in life.

If you don't change, there are still consequences associated with the bad habit. Bad habits will tend to beget other bad habits, so on and so forth. The same is true for good habits in that better habits will be born of good habits.

Change is never easy and can be hard to sustain. I'm working on change, every day, evaluating and trying to understand myself. You can do the same and together we'll make our lives even better.

Stay inspired my friends.

The Unwanted Are Wanted

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." -Mother Teresa

It has been said by my kids that I have a greater social media presence than all of them put together. I'm still not certain if that's a complement or not. But I will admit that I am tweeting, blogging and on Facebook quite a bit.

If you are on Twitter long enough, you will notice there are certain "followers" that are not necessarily the type you want following you. Normally they are spam porn and the normal "junk mail" folks that come with any type of media. Its relatively easy to spot, avoid or block. Just the kind of attention that is quite unwanted.

The problem that arises is that there are many folks out there that truly feel unwanted. They are isolated either by circumstance or choice. Those people are like a sheep separated from the herd. This separation makes the sheep vulnerable to wolves.

You may think I am over reacting in making that statement, but when we are isolated and unwanted, we are prime targets for the wolves. That is what the rogue Twitter followers and the like are looking for. They are trolling for people that are in search of being wanted. Once hooked, the fangs of these people will sink in deep and painfully.

Wow...not really a great way to think about starting out the new year.

The reality is that there are many people that really do feel unwanted, unloved or unneeded. All they are searching for is connection to something good for their life. And this is where you and I can come into the picture of their lives.

We can make connections to these people, even if in a small way. We may not even realize those folks are feeling unwanted. Which means that everyone we come in contact with is potentially one of the separated sheep.

Now I am not saying that you should treat everyone as a project or as someone in need. What I am saying is that you should treat everyone you run into with grace, gratitude and respect. This will start a process in that person's life which will change things dramatically for them. It will be a positive connection as opposed the bad connections that are out there constantly looking to swallow them up.

Use every day, every contact, every interaction as a means to give others the opportunity to remove the separation. You will be the one to light their way, and to help them feel wanted. It starts with connection, it starts with you, it starts by wanting to be a positive influence in the lives of others.

Stay inspired my friends.

Being the best Streetsweeper

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes

We each will have the opportunity to to great things with what we have in life. While we may want to have greater success, greater abilities and greater impact on the world, we have to be good at what we do now.

Being the best at what we do now creates an atmosphere, a learned characteristic, that will allow us to properly handle our accomplishments in life. Without it, we will simply waste anything that we do gain because we will not know how to handle that success.

So take what you are doing today, be the best that you can be with it. As your dreams come true, turn those accomplishments into even greater things in your life. When all is said and done, people will remark "here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."

Have a great 2012 year and stay inspired my friends.

Family

New Years Day - 2012

"For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."
– T.S. Eliot

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true."
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

25 Days

Your Armor

Four Given

Four Given

New Years Eve - 2011

Stay inspired my friends...through out all of 2012.