Live Life

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives." -William Wallace

During your life there will come those times when you think of your longevity. All of us wonder about mortality, that final breath of a life. It is the one 'sure' thing in our life. So why would I bring up death when the point of all I write is supposed to be positive.

One reason is that I am a realist about the shortness of life. It doesn't sadden me for I have belief in a higher power, a God that will endure. Some have disagreed with me, but it is my belief and it helps to sustain me.

Yet a more powerful reason I bring up the subject is due to the fact that I can. I am alive and have the physical and mental ability to think and consider things. It also reminds me that I must enjoy as much of the good and to provide as much good while I can.

Your own life is one that you must fill the best way you can. There will be the frustrations and drudgery of things on many of your days. But why dwell on the insignificant, fret about the inconveniences or allow yourself too much sadness? By trying to hold onto the pain shortens the time that can be filled with better things.

We both know that pain does exist, but we need to try and live as much of our lives in the goodness it has. Take time to see the great things that exist around you. Experience the wonders that life has to offer us. The bad will be there, but find something positive that can be taken from it.

Then turn it around and leave those moments better for you having been there.

Life is tough enough as we go on about our daily lives. Make those moments you create, those places you touch, your life, better then when you first came along.

Stay inspired my friends.

Give Light

“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.” - Desiderius Erasmus

You've been assigned to lead a group of people with a task to accomplish. It could be related to your work place, church or maybe a volunteer group of some sort. Those assigned either by choice or not are as varied in background as there are stars in the sky. With this wide ranging group of people, one important thing needs to get done. You're in charge and faced with the question of getting everyone working towards a common goal or task.

It may be that you are wondering how you ever got into this position. This could be your first real venture in leading people. Maybe you are asking yourself how you got into this predicament. But it is most likely that others recognized your qualities. Otherwise, you would not have been asked to lead.

Think about that for the moment.

Someone else saw potential and other qualities in me.

Enough so to put you in charge of completing the task.

Knowing others see it in you, take that and believe in yourself. Do not be afraid to fail because we all fail from time to time. It is in attempting to move that we are able to cause change in our lives and in other lives. When others affirm their belief in you, belief in yourself becomes easier. This in turn creates confidence. Confidence that equips you for the challenge ahead.

How do we turn this into completing the task?

The same way you gained confidence, by entrusting those you have been assigned to lead. You state what the end goal must be and allow all to be heard. When people know that their ideas are going to be taken seriously, that their insights matter, they will become more comfortable and confident.

In turn, your group of people become better equipped to deliver their best. Being stressed and uncomfortable results in detrement to not only the task, but also to the personal lives of those around you. As a leader, you have to inspire and provide an atmosphere in which others can perform at their best.

There will be those that complain and in their actions attempt to drag the group down. That type of behavior creates adversity not only for the task at hand, but also in the lives of those surrounding it. If you focus on the adversity, that is where you will surely stay.

Focus on the good and that is where you will travel to.

Now that you have taken this first step in completing the task, know that the task I speak of is life itself. Each of you have the ability to be great and with it the ability to inspire others to greatness. Believe in yourself and live life inspiring others to believe as well.

Stay inspired my friends.

Fear in a Clown Nose

"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recently, I was involved in a conversation regarding clowns. One of the people in that group had been expressing their fear of clowns. They truly had coulrophobia, which is the scientific name for their fear. It did tend to send a bit of a chuckle through out the conversation.

While I know and understand that fears can have a traumatic effect upon people. It can be serious and very debilitating for people. Fear is also something that can be overcome. And sometimes we need the ability to laugh about our fears.



Life is certainly full of obstacles that are different and distinct for each one of us. Those hurdles, those fears, get in the way of success and of having a great life. We need to find a way to overcome them. We need to pull the nose off that clown and chase away the fear.

When you reach that moment, it will be a great achievement on a path placing you closer to your goals. It will create a greater life for you. So find a way to pull the nose off that clown and get past the fear. And maybe we can also laugh a little along the way when we do that.

Stay inspired my friends.

Engaged In Life

“The notion of looking on at life has always been hateful to me. What am I if I am not a participant? In order to be, I must participate.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Do you sit on the side lines and watch life simply pass you by?

Too afraid or too stubborn to become an active participant in all that happens?

Maybe the idea of becoming involved overwhelms you?

There are many reasons one may have for engaging (or not) in the lives of others and in the peculiar things that go on around us. It is sad to me if you don't take part. There is so much you have to give to others that know you and to others you don't even know yet. There will be times when you speak out on a subject or perform some random act that makes a difference in their lives.

What I'm talking about is 100% participation in life.

This doesn't have to be large impactful things. It could be in many small ways, in the little things you can do everyday. Opening the door for someone that is struggling, voicing an opinion to help someone decide, a big monetary tip to the waitress trying to raise two kids on her own, or maybe just listening.

Each of us can make a difference. So be a part of life. Be an impact on life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Motivate In Which Direction

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." -Wayne Dyer

John Deering is the genius behind the comic panel Strange Brew. I have always enjoyed his humor and the occasional message that one get. You can read this particular comic and simply be amused at the face value of it. But you can also read this comic and find what many of us fail to understand about ourselves.

Your attitude can motivate in a good way, or in a bad way.

Many times it is not quite this obvious but you can certainly see the signs. If you listen to the tone of a person's speech, to the words a person says, you will recognize the negativity. The opposite is true when that person is uplifting and their actions are positive. You certainly don't have to be a sign maker to figure it out.

Motivation can indeed work both ways.

So how do you react to such a person. Should you sit that person down and tell them to straighten up and fly right? Probably not. That type of confrontation is not always the best method. The subtle and easier way method is to confront it with a positive response.

Turn the conversation into an uplifting one.

It won't happen immediately. You need to be positive every time you speak to this person. It could be be that this person is unhappy with their current condition. It could mean that they need a change or simply someone to make their day a bit brighter.

You might be surprised to see how this can have a big impact on someones life. It is the type of impact that will also effect you. Your life will grow bigger when you see what having a great attitude has on someone else. You will see what having a great attitude has on yourself.

Motivate others and you'll motivate yourself. And stay inspired my friends.

Life of Choice

"I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only a choice of attitude." -Judith M. Knowlton

All of us come to this realization at some point in life. Anyone that has chosen to see life for what it truly is, a series of moments and opportunities to better our lives and those around us.

In the workplace, in our families, in public, in worship and undeniably in private. Attitude will be the thing that can hold you back when all of opportunity is laid at your feet. With out a good attitude, you will never pick up or sustain the opportunities provided. Those that work to see their attitude reflected in the mirror, will soon learn that it does start within.

From that point forward when opportunity does present itself, you will be better prepared to take hold of it. You will be prepared to hold onto this opportunity, making it great for yourself and those around you.

Choose to have this type of attitude, one that will send you to greater things. You do have a choice in life. You can live it in the most miserable way, never understanding that life is so much more. Or you can choose to have a life that is wonderful, whether it be for 50 years or 100 years or more...choose a life that will bring enjoyment.

Stay inspired my friends.

Release Your Potential

"There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate." ~Robert Brault

In his book, Attitude 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know, John Maxwell tells of a belief that H.G. Wells held. It was that wealth, notoriety, place and power are no measure of success whatsoever. The only one measure of success is the ratio between what we might have been and what we have become.

This means that our level of success is the result of how far you have come in achieving your own potential. Everyone has this potential but many of us fail to believe in that potential. Many of us allow others to dictate what that potential is. And many times their perception of your potential is far below what it truly can be.

So if you want to make the changes to try and achieve a greater potential. To achieve a greater attitude in life that can bring about greater opportunity. Then here are four principles that Mr. Maxwell provides to help you do just that.

1. Concentrate on one main goal - nobody ever reached their potential by scattering themselves in twenty directions. Reaching your potential requires focus.

2. Concentrate on continual improvement - commitment to continual improvement is the key to reaching your potential and to being successful.

3. Forget the past - many people have overcome great odds to achieve great things. No matter what you've faced in the past, you have the potential to overcome it.

4. Focus on the future - your potential lies ahead of you, whether you're eight, eighteen, forty-eight or eighty. You still have room to improve yourself. You can become better tomorrow than you are today.

He ends with a Spanish proverb which says, "He who does not look ahead remains behind." As I try to tell folks, move forward, strive to better your own condition in life and hey, enjoy your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

A Daily Tree

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now." ~Chinese Proverb

Spread your life out to reach others. Spring is always upon us and new relationships can begin. Watch and see how your life moves out in so many directions. Touching others and giving joy to their lives. Coming back to life once again, each and every day.

“You are the tree; Your branches have blossomed forth. From the very small and subtle, You have become huge and manifest.” -Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Stay inspired my friends.

Why Not Las Vegas?

"When all think alike, then no one is thinking." -Walter Lippman

I was asked recently about our C3 Americas Conference for North and South America being held in Las Vegas.

"Why Las Vegas?"

"Why not Las Vegas?"

It may seem like an odd question to be asked. Every year, every month, and every week there is a conference of some sort going on in Las Vegas. The gambling and entertainment mecca of the world. Some might disagree about that, but it is certainly one of the most identified with it.

The question stems though from the fact that the C3 Americas Conference is a church affiliated conference. That is right, a church conference in Las Vegas. Were we crazy or worse yet heavily imbibed in something when the decision was made?

My answer to the question and raised eyebrow is really meant to make the person asking think. Think of why other venues would be any better suited. A person would say "Well, you know, it is Las Vegas, Sin City. That isn't a proper place for a church conference!"

The conference could have been most anywhere, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, or right here in Atlanta. One could make an argument for or against any one of those locations. But a church conference?

Sorry to disappoint you folks, but we are ordinary people just like you and others. We get up in the morning, get the kids off to school, get irritated by the rush hour traffic and work hard each and every day. We watch many of the same television and news programs you do. We are just like you, trying to do what is right in life, and trying to achieve a best life for our family and ourself.

So again, "Why not Las Vegas?"

When we do the same thing over and over, we reap the same thing over and over. But when we step out and challenge our thoughts and perceptions, that is where change begins to occur. The possibilities of what life has for us abound in great quantity within our mind. Yet that is where they remain if we do nothing.

Turning your dreams into actions is when the excitement starts. There are all those questions asked such as "why mess with what works", or better yet "why Las Vegas?" My point here is that there will be the naysayers trying to put out the flame of passion you have lit. Your change is happening and movement has begun to take hold of your life.

Of course, you are like everyone else out there. You get up in the morning, get the kids off to school, get irritated by the rush hour traffic and work hard each and every day. You watch many of the same television and news programs everyone else does. You are just like them, trying to do what is right in life, and trying to achieve a best life for your family and yourself.

The difference is that you are shaking things up from the ordinary. The ordinary has gotten you to the point of doing the same things over and over. But it is in the stepping out and doing something different that will move you forward in life. Yes, that is the difference and is the real answer behind "Why not Las Vegas?"

Stay inspired my friends.

Rain Falling

"Love is never lost. It will flow back and soften and purify the heart." -Unknown

Many years ago, while still attending high school in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, I worked summers for a local farmer. Herb and Mae Ritthaler were their names and along with their sons, had a pretty sizable farming operation. Along with the ground that they owned, I believe he also rented ground, all of which was spread across a two county area. These two people were could be stern and tough, but were also quite wonderful in their kindness.

There were many things I learned during those summers. In addition to the standard farming operation, I was fortunate enough to help in their other operations. They provided custom field spraying with a large three-wheeled sprayer. I got to assist in ways that are hard to explain, but to see one roaring down the field towards you can be a bit unsettling.

The drilling of wells for both farm water and irrigation was a miserable job. My part was to keep the slurry pit open and unclogged. A wet, dirty, back-breaking and miserable job. Yet when we hit water, it was a sight to behold.

Once a well was completed, many would use them for irrigation systems. Those irrigation systems were sold by the Ritthaler family as well. Back in those days, you had to move from tower to tower to adjust the speed. My job of course was to "run" from tower to tower to adjust the speed after the system was installed and final preparation was being made.

As you notice, much of farming requires water. The use of water is not only needed to nourish the thriving crops. Water will also soften the ground, allowing break through for the plant. I remember we would cultivate the soybean fields which would tear out the weeds. This was done to keep those weeds from choking out the crop.

In certain fields during dry conditions, the ground would harden to near cement like consistency. In those fields you had to keep the tractor at a slow speed. If you did not, the tines on the cultivator would break off. The tines are what dig into and break up the ground where the weeds could grow.

When it rained though, the ground would soften and cultivating became much easier. You could move through the fields and clean out the weeds, allowing the crops to flourish. So not only does the rain provide nourishment, it also softens things for break through. It is this softening action that causes me to rejoice in the rain.

So many people associate rain with disappointment and find it depressing. They look to the outdoor picnic ruined by the wet ground. They frown at the lack of sunshine to warm their beach experience. But what they fail to see is that the rain is like love. It should be enjoyed, embraced and rained upon those you love with regularity.

Love Is something that allows you to dance and stomp through mud puddles. Love Is the closeness of walking arm-in-arm under an umbrella with the one you love. Love Is the washing away of hurt and pain of a dry landscape. It softens our hearts and allows us to grow a better life.

Allow the rain to fall upon your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Friday Guide

It is Thursday and the week is nearly over. The weekend is within reach and all that is between you and a great weekend is Friday.

That one day when everything could smoothly guide you into a relaxing two-day rest. Or it could evolve into a mind numbing and stressful day.

But what is Friday? In some cultures it is the sixth day of the week while in many it is considered the fifth day of the week. In those locations where it is considered the fifth day it is also considered the last day of the work week.

The word Friday comes from "the Old English frigedæg, meaning the day of Frige the Anglo-Saxon form of Frigga, the Germanic goddess of beauty."

So it should be that Friday is a day of beauty and wonder. Yet those days do occur when everyone else decides that your day will not be quite so enjoyable. So you groan and let the tension grow in anger about your 'situation'. Not a great start to a weekend they may include friends or relatives...your mood is already destined to be bad.

Jimmy Dean said that, “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Your destination could be as simple as a wonderful weekend. Don't let the storms caused by others to keep you from it. Adjust your attitude to make your way to where it is you want to be.

You can determine that Friday will be a great day just like every other day. Enjoy the day and more fully enjoy your weekend.

Stay inspired my friends!

Step Up Parenting

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around- and why his parents will always wave back.” ~William D. Tammeuson

Think about it, the global population has increased from 2 billion in 1927 to 7 billion people in 2011. this means that about 80 million people are added to the earth each year. Given this ever increasing world population, in an ever increasingly crowded world, do we as parents have the necessary skills to raise and prepare these children?

It is well known that people decide to have children for many reasons: emotional, cultural, religious, and instinctual. This strong instinctual drive to have children is an ingrained biological need to procreate in order to preserve our human species. But to simply procreate is only part of the equation. The other part, dare I say the biggest part, is knowing how to raise these children.

Knowing there is such a huge need for parents to learn and better understand their own parenting skills, I am pleased to announce that my wife Laura Primm and Jeanne Lynch have founded a new company called STEP UP PARENTING. Step Up Parenting provides an environment where facilitators walk parents through the popular parenting program called Systematic Training For Effective Parenting. The goal is to empower parents to become better parents and help them create a great family environment.

Laura and Jeanne are very passionate about helping parents. I encourage you to contact them today for classes starting in September.

STEP UP PARENTING - http://stepupparenting.com/

If you are a parent, know someone that is a parent or even a grandparent, check out their website today and join thousands of other parents that have taken this step up in parenting.

And who knows, maybe I will show up to offer some motivation and inspiration.

Stay inspired my friends.

Leadership Qualities - The Jobs Way

"The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there." — John Buchan

Like many of you out there, I too have read the "just short of War and Peace" biography of the late Steve Jobs. For those that simply are unaware of this man, Steve Jobs was the co-founder and visionary force behind the company called Apple.

There are many things I did not agree with Steve regarding his style and personality. Yet that is what makes all of us unique in this life. What I do admire is the greatness he was able to pull from those that worked for him. If you read both his book Jobs and a book about co-founder Steve Wozniak called iWoz; you will get a sense of the visionary and the inventor.

Both men are incredible examples of what has made technology so great in the past fifty years. And still I go back to the leadership greatness that defined who Steve Jobs was. It defines what the Apple company is today. It also makes me wonder how long the company he built can survive off the memory of his leadership.

What we can do is take pieces of Steve Jobs leadership qualities and try to emulate them. I would like to pick and choose, which I will, the good from the bad. But given Steve's personality, it is very possible that his good qualities only existed because of the bad ones. So I will ignore the psychology behind his personality and focus on three qualities of his leadership.

1. VISION

"You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards." ~Steve Jobs

Quite a bit of Steve's early life was full of Zen Buddhist experiences. It contained belief in the "power of sublime minimalism." This early part of his life shaped Steve into what you could consider an artist. This passion for the arts and humanity when combined with technology is what helped create the products you see today.

Steve Jobs understood that to make something truly great and inspiring meant you had to create the dots, not simply connect them. He firmly believed in his vision and lived it as well by his own actions. His firm belief in his vision impacted those that worked with him, inspiring them to greatness as well.

As a leader, you have to develop a clear vision, believe in it firmly and live that belief through your own actions; others will follow, others will become great in their own right.

2. FOCUS & DETERMINATION

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done.” ~Steve Jobs

When Steve developed a vision for a product, an idea or a new business plan, he could rid his mind of distractions. This allowed him to create a nearly crystal clear path to success for that vision. One could easily point to his return in 1997 to lead Apple, which was in near financial ruin.

By establishing a vision, he then eliminated nearly all of the existing products except for a few key products and projects. These were the ones that matched his vision. Doing so freed up resources that could be focused on the goal and return Apple to greatness.

As a leader, you have to be steadfast and not tolerate "leaders" in your organization that are afraid to offend others and say no. Everyone in your organization must be able and willing to catch your vision, remain focused on the goal and determined to drive towards it with you. When you do these things, people will be able to achieve what many others thought was impossible.

3. PASSION FOR GREATNESS

"Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, “If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!” People don’t know what they want until you show it to them." ~Steve Jobs

One of the neat things that Steve Jobs did was anticipate what people would need in their lives. It was not so much market research, which he never relied upon, but listening and observing people and trends. He used his knowledge, his vision and his passion to create the "dots" that later would be connected.

With Steve's direction, Apple designed products with the user experince in mind first. How you built it became secondary. I hear it today in my business where people say that is "too hard" and "people would not buy that." Human innovation in the world of technology far better than what we give ourselves credit for.

What we lack is the ability to see it from a user perspective first. And the reason this happens is because we defeat ourselves with a belief that the technology could not accomodate it. No one thought they needed a "smart phone" device. Why would we need such a thing when we had MP3 players, laptops, digital cameras, and a cell phone that we could store a phone list in.

If you lead with a focused and determined intent to make the user experience great, the technology will follow. People will be drawn to your vision and success for the user, the business and you will inevitably happen.

SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP

With a clear vision, determination to pursue that vision and lastly, design with an appreciation for the user in mind, you can emulate one of the greatest business people of our generation. You can use these leadership qualities in your work, in your business and in your life -- your best life.

Stay inspired my friends!

Pareesa is having a Birthday

There are only so many birthdays we get and here is a happy, happy birthday greeting to our daughter Pareesa. Of course, I still have Rio on my mind from a recent trip to Brazil.



Enjoy the day, the year and your wonderful life. Love you lots and on this day, I'll repeat it, "Don't get ##### or #######."

Building a Sand Castle

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure." -Bill Cosby

There are so many stories I can tell of my recent visit to Brazil. There are stories of people pushing through in spite of the odds. There are stories of businesses succeeding in times of ever increasing poor economic times. This is not to say that Brazil is suffering economic woe. Far from it, they still have a strong economy and things are going well.

Yet business people and others do acknowledge that the global economy will eventually have its way with Brazil. The economic bubble will burst at some point, shattering some lives and placing heavy burdens upon others. Each of us have seen and possibly gone through tough economic times. Some are still going through those tough times.

What is interesting though are the sand sculpture builders along Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. As you walk along the beach, you see these fine works of art built of sand. They are very intricate and amazing in many respects.

Each of these artists build their creation in hopes of earning a few coins to help them live a life. And each of these artists are aware that a sudden burst of rain, an economic bubble bursting, could wipe out their creation at any time. Yet they remain confident and believe in what they have built.

Should a storm sneak in upon them, the only option in their mind is to rebuild and keep pushing forward. They know fully well that every creation, every adventure, life itself, is filled with risk. All that we have could potentially be washed away by the rain of some humid afternoon. And still they, you, myself, we each keep moving forward with a belief that success is ours.

When the forecasters are calling upon poor economic times or even a rain shower, keep building your life. Keep believing in what you do and success will be your destiny.

Stay inspired my friends.

Brazil or Brasil - You Choose

Sorry for the delay folks but I am still on my four city "Tour de CSE" here in Brazil. We'll get back to our normal writing next week.

Until then, check out my other articles, my videos on YouTube (search for jprimm) or better yet order one of my books to read.

Take care everyone and stay inspired!

Peaceful Impact

"Being relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral, loose, and free-floating - these are the keys to successful performance in almost everything." - Wayne W. Dyer

There are many ways that the words are spoken or written. There are poems of eloquent oration that speak from the heart of its meaning. The written word from scripture bears centuries of old beliefs in its powerful truth. Many a performer has sung of its praise while people of note have been quoted with their wise voices.

The simple phrase that I speak of is "the peace you give, will be given unto you." It is a very old belief that when you give of yourself to others, when you make things better for them, you will receive much more in return.

Some would call it a very simplistic statement and not very deep in its meaning. I say that the simplest of thoughts and beliefs can run the deepest in how they impact our lives. As we go through life, the big things are perfectly clear to us most times. They are well defined with a lot of well documented results. It is the small things in life that when added together outweigh all of the big things.

Your ability to impact others in little increments will ultimately add up to a large impact. Your peaceful moments in the midst of all these little moments result in big results to those around you.

Think of any number of small bad things that happen to us in life. These are the littel annoying things that we fail to act upon. These "little things" slowly eat away at our wellbeing until the cumulative effect is a huge collapse. You have seen it happen to others and you have probably seen it in your own life.

Now look at this from the other side, those positive moments you create when remaining relaxed and peaceful about your circumstances. This way of living touches the lives of others. These small moments add up over time, creating a large impact on everything you do and how it effects people around you.

By being a positive force in the lives of others is gradual, but watch its impact as it grows. In time you will see your own life change. Others will act in a positive way upon your own life. So the peace you bring to others will be brought upon you. Be the one to start a small change that turns into a great change in your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Butterflies Are People Too

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." ~Rabindranath Tagore

A couple of years ago, I was helping my wife Laura with an event at our church. It was a women's event and she along with a friend were helping with childcare. As you know very well, when taking care of children, it is best to fill that time with activities. So my job was to help create one of the planned activities to "paint butterflies."

As you can guess, my days leading up to the event were filled by making large foot and a half wide paper mache butterflies. It was an undertaking that did not seem quite so involved when I first agreed to help. Quite a job it turned into but it was also an enjoyable distraction from work. I even took a small amount of 'ribbing' from a few friends. As one friend mockingly said, "butterflies are people too!"

All of this activity and the ribbing made me think about how we ponder our lives. No, this is not a discussion regarding the metaphor of "turning ourselves from the plain caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly." This discussion speaks to what Dr. Carl Sagan had written which said "we are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think its forever." We can debate Sagan's life and beliefs but that is not my intent.

What I would like to discuss are those small moments in time by which we feel or experience the feeling that life goes on forever. In some small way, maybe this is how we encourage ourselves to go forward with new things.

In reality, all of us know that life here on earth will end at some point in time. We do not know when that time will come and I firmly believe that is for the best. If we could choose a date, would you be apt to say "what is the use in trying, I'm only here until....?"

We each need to think and feel that time as being endless and strive to do more then the day before. Even if we realize it could end at any moment, we should try to expand ourselves and grow more in the knowledge of what life has to offer. We should live in such a way as to bring something better to the world around us.

Like the butterfly which lives only a short amount of time, it still has the ability to brighten a child's eye. The butterfly can also brighten your life. Brighten someone's day, brighten your day and remember, "butterflies are people too!"

Stay inspired my friends.

The Crossroads Building

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart

A group of people are assembled in a building near a crossroads. A non-descript path leads up to the door. Obviously used by those assembled inside and from the looks of things they have been using the path for quite some time.

If you were to pass directly through this structure, you would be standing directly in the middle of the crossroads. Gleaming ribbons of road going off into several directions.

The shelter seems pretty nice from the outside. Some would say it looks quite elegant albeit in need of a new coat of paint. Its appearance gives one the feeling of comfort and safety.

As you enter, you find a vast assortment of chairs that have the look of constant use. Artificial plants dot the room and the windows have a particular film of dirt covering them. So much that the outside landscape is blurred to a point of being unrecognizable.

Old and outdated magazines lay scattered around the tables which themselves are old and outdated. The room is lit by fluorescent fixtures which gives the room a cold feeling. This glow lights the walls which seem to have a floral or other odd pattern design.

You move closer and discover the walls are adorned with various pictures. Pictures of dreams once dreamed, visions once envisioned and of hopes left scattered. All of these placed here by those gathered in the room. Placed on these walls once given up. Left on the walls in order to fade and be lost among others.

As more people enter through the door of the old path, the far side of the room has a single large oak door. Not particularly ornate but enough to catch your eye. Above the door a sign which reads;

"Choose To Live Life - Choose Now"

Once a day the people enter this room, they sit around reading the old magazines, talking in quiet tones of what could have been. Others move about the walls looking for their lost dreams. Some have entered the building for the first time with dreams and visions in hand. All are waiting for the appointed time.

Then it happens, the large oak door opens and a person enters. A very handsome and well dressed person, almost seeming to float in an easy stride, unencumbered draws the attention of all that are present. A brilliant glow shines through. All can see the wondrous landscape which lies beyond the open door.

In an easy and comforting tone, the person asks all assembled, "The door is open for you to step through. Once outside, choose a path and let life unfold before you."

Nothing more, no other enticements, just the promise that their lives will be different. A couple of people run forward with glee and expectation, through the open door. Carrying with them all that they want. Others hesitate and mumble to others around them. Unsure of what to do, they talk of what might happen or not happen by going through the door.

All know that to pass through that door means they can never return back through it. This old building, the old path back to their old lives isn't so bad. So they stand around telling themselves that the 'time' is not right.

For five minutes the door remains open. Not a long time to make a decision one might say. But all of these people have been spending their whole life trying to decide. They came this far, they've entered this building by the crossroads and the door is open.

Alas, the door closes and the cold light of the room returns. Everyone is required to then place their dreams and visions on the wall before leaving. Left there to be reclaimed tomorrow or forgotten by indecision. As they leave down the old trodden path they can hear faint shouts of happiness.

The noise comes from those that have passed through the oak door. Those people are happy to be on an adventure down a new path. Happy with whatever comes their way. Through the door, looked at all the choices life has to offer and picked one.

Life is full of choices for us to pick from. But you have to take that opportunity with your dreams and visions in your pocket. Which choice are you going to take? To leave your hopes upon the wall, walking back down the same old path you've been over so many times.

Or will you decide upon change, to step through that door. Its a simple question, choose to change or choose not to change. Choose change, choose now, you won't regret it. To chase your dreams, you will catch them.

You can read more of the above Changed Lives.

Stay inspired my friends.

Windmills of Impact

With the lack of any measurable breeze today, I thought I would resurrect an older post about wind and the "The Windmill Effect" written way back in September of 2005.

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."” -Arthur C. Clarke

Going beyond expectations becomes a given when you use a positive attitude to effect others. Think of the windmill sitting on its own turning and turning, generating electricity for others. It could be a very efficient windmill or a poorly designed windmill. Day after day it is doing its job, but never really impacting those around it.

But take the wind, spreading its power across several windmills. Causing each of them to move, turning the power of the wind into a collective output. Yes the wind can be great one day and less the other, but it does impact all it touches.

You can be like the wind effecting many. One day you may be in a poor frame of mind and the wind is less. But on the days when you bring your thoughts and positive ideas to the table, you impact many more. Impact others and see the electricity that gets generated. See the greatness in your efforts.

Stay inspired my friends!

Check out Love Is and my other books to help you stay inspired.

Where You Work

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them." -W. Clement Stone

Have you ever walked into a workplace (private or governmental) and told yourself thank goodness you don't work there. The environment is dingy and just not very pleasing for a number of different reasons. Locally in the county where I live, we had one such place. Not too many years ago, the local Department of Motor Vehicles licensing office was one such place.

Miserable conditions does not begin to describe this office. It was a ramshackle place that even the greyish-blue painted walls could mask. Dirty and broken tiles upon the floor, buzzing fluorescent lights and crowded conditions made visitng the location difficult at best.

Can you imagine working in such conditions day in and day out? Any level of customer service provided by the employees was certainly a reflection of their work environment. Many would try but one could see how difficult it was.

Eventually a new DMV location was built and a huge transformation not only in atmosphere but in the spirit of the employees had taken place. Things ran smoother, much quicker and with less tension. People will tend to joke about efficiency when it comes to governmental services. But do not forget these people are just like you and me, they are trying and have to deal with their work environment. Think about how well you might perform in a similarly poor work environment.

A pleasant and well designed work location will be reflected by your employees. This means more efficiency through out the workplace. The efficiency gains translate into a more stable work force. Efficiency gains translate into a more satisfied customer. For the business, these efficiency gains translate into dollars.

Think about where you work and what the environment is like. Are you regulated about having a plant on your desk or such poor lighting that you could not keep a plant alive? If the environment is tiring and displeasing, a change needs to occur. As an employer you need to recognize it. As an employee you need to make sure your employer knows it. Because once again it comes back to the dollars.

The Whole Building Design Guide discusses the costs and potential payback. Additionally, they outline five principles of productive building designs that I'm quoting from this article;

• Promote Health and Well-Being

Indoor environments strongly affect human health. An effective environment should be designed to support and enhance the health and well-being of its occupants. Sustainable design principles help achieve this objective.

• Provide Comfortable Environments

An environment designed and operated to provide the highest achievable levels of visual, acoustic, and thermal comforts for its occupants is the underpinning of worker effectiveness.

• Design for the Changing Workplace

Providing spaces with flexibility, social support, and technology to promote new ways of working, learning and engaging in a number of activities is a cornerstone of change and innovation.

• Integrate Technological Tools

Effectively integrating technological tools and distribution networks required in today's environments to enable occupants to perform activities or their duties starts first and foremost with properly designed pathways and spaces.

• Assure Reliable Systems and Spaces

Reliability is one of the greatest concerns for building occupants—it directly affects their safety, health, and comfort. Occupants must be able to rely on building systems, equipment, and tools that function consistently and are properly maintained

Whether you own a business, manage one or the work space is merely a home office, take some steps. Make some changes to improve the environment around you. Shake up the atmosphere and see what happens. Sitting doing "nothing" will of course achieve "nothing." Make those changes and see how much it can lift your work, your spirit, your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Expect Anything

"Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was." -Richard L. Evans

It is an official proclamation, if you "expect the worst and you won't be disappointed." So many of us fall prey to this saying, but an article in Popular Science revealed information from a psychology study published in the journal "Cognition and Emotion" about this old adage.

The study conducted showed that people who expected to perform poorly on a test actually felt worse when they did fail. This in comparison to those who also failed but approached the test with a positive attitude. What this study does is debunk that saying. Chances are pretty good that you will be very disappointed if you start out with that expectation.

To me, the revealing message has to do with how you deal with that situation. Failure is a part of life and comes with being human. If you go around with a negative attitude about everything in life, you will likely feel worse when failure does occur.

And why is that true? Because when the failure occurs, you have only reenforced the negative belief that you will never succeed. You then dwell on the fact that only bad things happen and you will feel worse.

If this is true, why not simply embrace the idea that failures can and do happen, but also that success can and does occur. Change your mind to believe that success will happen. When failure occurs, treat it as a lesson learned which will only help make you a better person.

You can live in the negative and feel continually bad about "...your lot in life." Or you can choose to live in the positive and enjoy all that you can attain.

Stay inspired my friends.

Plug Back Into Life

"Tenacity is key because it keeps you going during tough times, but it must be tempered because sometimes you need to back down or walk away."
- John Stollenwerk, CEO of Allen-Edmonds

Many of us, including me, become wrapped up very heavily in our jobs. The worry of work drives us to stay connected even outside of our work hours. Simply put, our ability to step away from work has been usurped by technology. Mobile devices, cell phones, satellite and the "smart" globalization of everything makes it difficult to 'not be available.'

All of a sudden you realize that "picture day" has snuck up on you. Guess what, it is time to look at the priorities in your life. I call it "picture day" because your child had pictures taken at school today and you forgot about it. The picture did not look very good. You forgot to help your child prepare and the proof is in the pictures.

I am of course speaking metaphorically about the dangers of losing balance in your life. When you finally realize that you have allowed technology to keep you connected to work all day, every day. You find that you have missed planning a birthday or some other important event. Technology kept you plugged into work, but not into life.

We allow the technology to push our family and personal life to the bottom of the list. Work becomes all consuming and when this happens you need to set some boundaries that will allow you reclaim balance in your life.

Here are a few rules to consider regarding technology and regaining balance.

Turn off technology whenever you can.

Even if you have to start slowly by blocking off Sunday morning as a 'no-cell-phone' or 'no-iPAD' zone. Give your batteries a break and simply shut your phone off.

Send less, get less.

It is said that if you send 20 percent less email, you'll receive 10 percent less. Cut out the quick thank you replies and don't hit "reply all" unless absolutely necessary.

Don't send email on weekends.

This means to work colleagues who are probably trying to find their own balance. Make your boundaries known. You have to be very clear in the workplace that 'no, you are not available on weekends.' When you do this in the beginning and you draw the line, expectations can be managed.

Figure out your own rules

Adapt the boundaries that are right for you. In example, if it is in the service of relaxation (taking electronics on vacation), it can actually help. Your Kindle, your Nook or other device can help you in achieving balance in your life. Just nothing work related.

Over time you will start to realize that "ok, I'm not missing anything critical." The question will become "what is going to make you more relaxed?" Sitting at your child's school program speculating about what might be piling up in your inbox is madness. Regain some sort of balance in your life, regain your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

A Broken Down Car

One late afternoon, I was sitting in a restaurant having an early dinner with my wife. We were dining on the patio area with big thick glass walls dividing us from the plaza which stretched quite a distance to the street. The time of day was busy as people were heading home from work in a particularly busy area of Los Angeles.

But than every day, all day, Los Angeles is quite busy with traffic.

As cars filled the lanes to go straight or turn left, each was trying to simply get home from a long day at work no doubt. A parent here trying to get to the daycare for a child, another with one last stop before home and others just winding down their day. 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 this man.

With so much traffic on the street, cars were quickly piling up behind wanting to turn left. The broken down car was several car lengths from the light, so as those in front would clear, those behind 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.

With all of the frustration, no one was making a decision to help this man.

You could hear the shouts of some and the horns of others. There were erratic driving scenes of those wanting to get around the momentary source of their problems. This one man was the object of everything wrong for these people.

Without all hope being tossed out the window, we did see a few people stop to offer help. One young lady went 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.

We could only surmise that 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 inconveniencing so many other people.

The horns, the gestures and the wait were his to endure.

A 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 actually end up feeling better?

Unlikely, 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 am 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, reflecting the better you are and others notice.

Would you or I ever want 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. Our lives will be better for it.

Stay inspired my friend.

Where is Matt - Again

Check out Elly at Its Elly

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey


It started for me back in 2008 when I first heard of Matt Harding. If you viewed that first article you will understand when I ask, "Where the hell has Matt been?"

Here is the video that I first saw along with you.



When the world seems too big and complicated. When life itself seems to be closing in upon you. Get up and dance.

So in answer to my question, "this is where the hell Matt has been."



Stay inspired my friends and dance once in a while.

The Starfish

"If you care enough, you make a difference." -Loretta Swit

There is a story of a small boy who was walking along the beach at low tide. There were countless thousands of small sea creatures, having been washed up; stranded and doomed to perish. A man watched as the boy picked up individual creatures and took them back into the water.

"I can see you're being very kind," said the watching man, "But there must be a million of them; it can't possibly make any difference."

Returning from the water's edge, the boy said, "It will for that one."

What difference have you made in someone's life today? Each and every connection or encounter with another person gives you that chance.

Stay inspired my friends.

Beyond Your Iceberg

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” ~Helen Keller

On April 10, 1912, the largest ship ever at that time, left Southampton, England on her maiden voyage to New York City. It was a magical and wonderous ship that was last seen by those on shore when it departed its final European stop of Cobh, Ireland. This sleek ship was to achieve a record setting six-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

On the night of April 14, 1912 at 11:40pm, the ship struck a massive iceberg. In only three hours the entire ship had sunk. What was thought to be the safest ship, the RMS Titanic became completely submerged about 2:45 AM on the morning of April 15, 1912.

Of the 2,228 people on board; 1,343 were passengers and 885 were crew members. There were only enough lifeboats on board the ship to hold 1,178 people. A number of the lifeboats were lowered at less than full capacity, resulting in a significantly smaller survivor number.

The exact number of survivors tends to vary, however the most common reported number is 705. Which means 1517 people lost their life on the Titanic. And with this tragedy, lives upon lives were changed forever. All because of a single iceberg floating on the currents of a vast ocean.

Each of us go through life, constantly on the lookout for any icebergs that may cross our paths. Watching for an obstacle or event that could impact our lives is a part of being prepared. Yet somehow, every once in a while, the tip of the iceberg slips by our cautious view.

And then it happens to us; job loss, relationship dissolves, an accident or sickness and worse yet death of a loved one. The level of unexpected circumstances vary like the size of an iceberg that lay beneath the water line. All events that may have been unavoidable even if you did see it coming. Your 'unsinkable' life has just been put into crisis.

So you can't avoid some of the unavoidable, but you can prepare yourself. In the case of the Titantic, there were only enough lifeboats to accomodate half of the ships people on board. But your ship is the safest and unsinkable. Being prepared for what life will send your way is the best thing you can do.

Job loss; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and up-to-date in skills will give you a head start on the next job. The competition for that new job will be intense, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Relationship dissolves; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and maintaining a sense of self worth. The emotional pain will still occur, but you will have the tools to recover as opposed to sinking.

Accident or sickness; keeping yourself connected to a network of people and healthy ahead of time. The recovery will still take place but being healthy to start improves your overall ability to rebound.

Death of a loved one; the hardest one to give advice on because it varies widely on its effect as well as cutting so deep on a personal level. Yet keeping yourself connected to a network of people and having a strong faith will give you greater strength then you might imagine.

Each 'iceberg' we encounter is overcome by having this network of people. The ones who will drop what they are doing and be there for you. Each 'iceberg' event has in some way a corresponding spoke of life that will get us through the moment. With all of these spokes well-balanced, we will sail much easier past the iceberg and onto recovery.

The 'icebergs' are out there floating on the currents of life and when we encounter them we can be prepared to handle them. We can be one of the survivors that are 'unsinkable'. We will sail further in life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Full Service Attitude

"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others." ~Lewis Carol

"Once upon a time" is how the story would start or you might hear "...back in my day." As we grow older, we tend to allow these phrases to enter our story telling. It allows us to relate some memorable event or life that once was.

So my story starts with, "Once upon a time" filling stations (for automobile fuel) provided full service at the gas pump. I can remember back in the 1960s watching the "gas jockey" pumping the fuel, performing a quick check of the engine oil and washing the windshield.

And very much like the type of service in various other jobs today, the level of service varied. Not every service station attendant did a very good job in getting the windshield clean. Some would wipe the squeegie brush across the glass simply because they were required. Others, the good ones, would get each bug speck and streak cleared completely.

You would find a favorite gas station and know when your favorite attendant would be working. It is very much like people do today with restaurants and retail stores. All of this was pretty common until the 1970s where full service was the norm, and self service was rare.

Things changed after that with rising fuel prices, inflation and the need for business owners to cut costs. You can still, in fact are required to, use full service in New Jersey and Oregon. State law requires gas stations to offer only full service and mini service. These two states banned self service citing safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban. All good reasons but of course it comes down to money; self service saves the business owner costly labor, full service saves employee jobs.

But I am not here to discuss those two points. What I am discussing is the level of customer service given either with full service or even in self service. Companies such as RaceTrac and QuikTrip in my area, try to place "service" back into the experience. With friendly counter attendants, clean and well stocked stores, quick service and always a "how are you doing" and a "thank you" given.

This compares to those other many gas stations you have exprienced. The thick plexi-glass surrounding the attendant, shelves stacked awkwardly and with expired products, dirty floors, torn and broken squeegie brushes; so dirty you would not want to clean your windshield with it.

I know that I am picking a little bit, but it is true. Gas stations are no different then any other retail business. You give your business to the business that earns it. If you are a business owner, service matters.

If you take "self-service" to the extreme, which means in many cases "no-service", people will take their business elsewhere.

But I believe the new pardigm for "self-service" is to create ways of incorporating "full-service" back into the experience. It does not have to cost a whole lot but it can mean a big difference in more customers, happier customers and growth in your business.

Now, what could that type of attitude have in your own life by adopting a more "full-service" attitude instead of having a "self-service" one?

Stay inspired my friends.

And then you found twenty dollars?

"Giving opens the way for receiving." -Florence Scovel Shinn

There are so many things I could go on about these two folks, Annie and Dave Spell. They are two people who have made a commitment to help others beyond the simple comfort of retirement. They are two people committed to seeing the lives of other people improved. They simply inspire my wife and I to do better things in our lives.

A few months back, they moved to Curitiba, Brazil to make a change in other people's lives. You can read all sorts of things about their adventure on Dave's blog Random Thoughts. I could write all sorts stories about the great things and impact they are having on people in the southern hemisphere.

But then after everything you would probably reply, "...and then you found twenty dollars?" That phrase is something people will sarcastically say after another person has gone "on and on" about some topic.

So I am not going to go "on and on" and get to the point. They could use mine, your and our support by taking that twenty dollars and gifting it to them. Brazil is most certainly not a cheap place to live and these great folks have been been making it by. But again, the rent payment, utility and more importantly, food costs have to be paid. Your twenty dollars along with my twenty dollars and everyone else's twenty dollars can make a huge difference in their efforts.

So my appeal today is to log in and donate a twenty-dollar bill.

DONATE - your tax deductible twenty dollar bill

I know there are many other things you may want to use that twenty dollars for. But giving is good for your heart and it opens doors for more in your life. This is a giving opportunity that is important to both my wife and I. So we ask for your support of Annie and Dave Spell. Make it a gift that gifts so many others.

Thank you and stay inspired my friends.

Thoughts About Innovation

"An innovation is one of those things that society looks at and says, if we make this part of the way we live and work, it will change the way we live and work." ~Dean Kamen

I actually love the thought of innovation and how it can change our lives. But I also love the way that the good people over at Despair.com make us step back and think about what we are doing or saying.

Years ago, there were many more people employed delivering milk to your doorstep, building cars, typing up stock purchase orders, and cleaning your windshield at the gas pump. But innovation has pretty much done away with these and many other types of jobs.

With most certainty, I am not saying we should go back in time to the horse and carriage days with crank phones on the kitchen wall. There is something to be said for moving ourselves, humans, forward in life.

What we should accept is quite a bit of innovation begins to make much of what we get paid to do, irrelevant. And what that means is that you need to be aware of it and to make changes in your life and careeer to remain relevant. With eBooks, Smartphones, more and more automation along with advances in artificial intelligence, we as humans have to find other purposeful ways to stay engaged.

Of course new innovations will create new types of opportunities for jobs. You simply have to be will to adapt and change in order to take advantage of those opportunities. so one day you might be shaking the hand of an android, and not the smartphone kind...but then again, maybe it will be.

Update on Gracyn Rhodes

“To overcome difficulties is to experience the full delight of existence.”
~Arthur Schopenhauer

Back in August of 2009, I wrote an article about a little girl named Gracyn Rhodes. As described, she was a miracle child right from the beginning. Born in 2005, she was only 2 lbs., 6 oz. and no bigger than her father's hand.

Soon though, Gracyn was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. It was in September of 2009, at the age of four the possibility of corrective surgery to give Gracyn a chance at a more normal life. In an article I wrote that month, it spoke of the money ($40,000) being raised to help pay for that surgery.

Well here we are three years later and I am happy to say that Gracyn is doing pretty darn well. Her mother Brandi sent me an email and in it she reports that Gracyn is now seven years old and full of sass and spunk! She doesn't let anything slow her down or keep her from trying new things.

This past spring, she danced and sang as a Munchkin in the Walnut Grove High School play, Wizard of Oz. She has been swimming this summer and recently learned to dive. Additionally, Gracyn is excited about cheering at her school, West Walton this fall.

Gracyn's surgery three years ago released much of her spasticity, making it possible for her to do all of those things noted above. During a recent doctor's visit with her orthopedic surgeon, he said she looks great and there is no immediate need for any further surgeries. That is great news.

The doctor reported that Gracyn is high functioning, strong, and has good balance, tone, and range. That in itself is a huge milestone for Gracyn and as Brandi indicated, "It was such a blessing to walk out of there with good news instead of a list of things we need to do."

Gracyn still struggles with the habit of toe walking, but she is fully capable of walking with her heels down. Both the doctor and her therapist agree that she will be motivated to break the habit as she matures over the next few years.

I tell you folks, these are the things that inspire me and keep me motivated to keep writing. There are so many things that people overcome each and every day. If a young and vibrant seven-year old girl can overcome her own challenges, so can you.

Stay inspired my friends!

Here is a short video of Gracyn walking provided to me by her mother Brandi.



NOTE: I do recognize that it may seem a bit odd to have such an optimistic quote from such a pessimistic philosopher such as Arthur Schopenhauer.

And one last thing; check out Brandi Cakes by clicking on the link or going to www.cakesbybrandi.blogspot.com - you will be amazed.

July 4th - Celebrate

"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man." -George Washington

Our celebration of Independence Day (not the movie) is described in Wikipedia as;

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain.

After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4.

A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, John Adams was two days off but it is never too early to have a celebration. And it is never too early to live a life of an honest man or woman. History and others will judge each of us in due course.

Celebrate this holiday and remain inspired my friends.

Change Your Thinking

"Feel now how you would feel then."

Generate a vibe today, tomorrow, or the next day; generate some good feelings with people around you. It can be a day that starts a whole new way of life for you. Take a positive approach to dealing with people and believe in the goodness each of us have inside.

So many times we only see the negative, the complaining or the thought that all of life is against us. It is very much like the everyday news, always dwelling on the bad news. The daily grind of political back biting, criminal activity, cheating, accidents, deaths and just about anything that has greater sensation.

Our nature is to be drawn to "the accident" scene as opposed to the nice person handing out flowers on the street corner. Yet a daily grind of the negative tends to place us in a negative mood. We do know that living this way can eventually drag us down.

So do something about it. Make a change in your life and those around you. It can start with a smile, it can be opening a door, but it all begins with you. It begins by simply deciding to live in a more positive way.

Generate a new vibe today or tomorrow, generate a positive one. And stay inspired my friends.