Mad World

"In the middle of a world that had always been a bit mad, the cat walks with confidence." - Rose F. Kennedy

I started the day thinking of writing about the goodness we have and comes into our life each and every day. As I thought and worked through those thoughts, I kept coming back to the words, Mad World. I kept thinking of a "feel good" article about how great the sun feels upon my face and how it can be a reflection of your attitude.

There is plenty of need for positive words in our lives.

Yet again I kept thinking about the reality of tough economic times, military personnel in action overseas, people posting articles of cynicism online and the news broadcasting shades of gray about lifes events. All of this can cause people to believe that life is at its worst.

I read the papers and watch the news. A plane disappears, a country becomes divided, people are terrorized, and a building blows up. There is so much happening around us. We lament the horrible state of things in Facebook posts and on television news commentary programs.

We never seem to appreciate what we do have, here, today.

The video in this article depicts another time in history when many felt that the worst of times were upon them. And yes, it was pretty grim and horrible. It was World War II, the feeling of it being a mad world was very evident back then. Yet the human spirit prevailed and we are here today, a little smarter and maybe a little better for it.

Life flows in waves of good and bad. History tells us that better times will come. The sun will shine again and the madness will seem to fade away. Learn that even if you feel alone in this mad world, there are others that are or have experienced the same thing. We will get through this.

Stay inspired my friends.

Bold Changes

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There are three people in my life that come to mind when it comes to boldness and taking a step beyond the normal. Of course many others surround me and show this same character in being bold. I am sure you even know these type of people, ones that can inspire you.

The type of people that move you to be a better person.

The three types of people I'm referring to I will call, the soldier, the young woman and the teacher.

The soldier is the story of a young man whom was searching for some type of identity. Moving about in the same area in which he grew up, he knew change was the only way to move out of his circumstance. So he joined the military, even in a time when it was assured of war time duty.

This young man took the challenge of change and made a difference in his life. He learned new technical trades, new life skills and realized that staying in his previous condition would have never moved him forward. His story has many unwritten pages to go but the story will reveal itself in his boldness to step beyond.

The young woman I speak of moved to come out of her safety net. For many years in her teens, she had a close knit group of friends. She had a church to surround her and a family to support her. But in her early twenties, she took a bold step to move out of this comfort zone. Her movement caused change; movement that took her 2200 miles away to Los Angeles, California.

With no guarantee of a place to stay or even knowing if she could afford it, she took on that adventure. This adventure was a tale full of unknowns but full of excitement and possibility. She found a job, a place to stay and developed new friends while never forgetting the friends she left. She had boldness to follow a vision, to step into the unknown and leave the comfort of her life and found a bigger dream.

And finally the teacher, a young man filled with many dreams but one desire to teach kids to be healthy. Working different jobs, attending school and earned that degree, know a full time teacher changing the lives of young kids. This man stepped out of his norm and out of himself to make a difference for others. It was boldness to move away from the known to pursue a dream.

In each of these cases, boldness allows us to achieve our vision and goals.

It is important to keep your eyes on your goal, for when you lose sight, you will slip away further from achieving it. Know that there are others who have stepped out in boldness. Think of those people in your life who have a story to tell about change.

Your own boldness will allow you to achieve things that could only be imagined. That boldness will be the push to make movement in your life, to make your visions a reality. Step out in boldness today, create greatness in your life.

Stay inspired my friends.

New Born Feet

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” ― Shel Silverstein

Some folks my wife and I know are new grandparents, not unlike millions of folks each day that become grandparents. But it made me think about all of the negative news we inflict upon ourselves. News about one horrible thing or another seem to fill our days.

Politics, disasters, accidents and disagreements are always in high gear. As occurs in other places around the world, desperation and heightened exaggeration abound. The worst will happen if 'such and such' happens, or even worse.

We survive because humans have a great ability to adapt and change. As time passes, there will be disappointment in the type of changes that have occurred. There will be a yearning for what once was. Yet we each know change is inevitable.

- The earth is constantly changing.
- Human intelligence is constantly changing.
- Life as we know it is changing.

There will be bad things that happen, but there will be good things that happen in even greater numbers. New cures for disease will be found. A better understanding of our world and universe will expand. Technology will further amaze and thrill us.

Another baby will be born.

Yes, life will go on in some form or another. So don't buy into all of the great hype of mass destruction and ruin. Our country will not end, the world will not end. It will be different, but you will get through. Hope combined with a positive attitude of greater achievement will overcome despair and negativity.

Stay inspired my friends!

Your Limits

“Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” ― Paul Brandt

This story has circulated for many years and its author remains anonymous as much as I can tell. But it is a story that can teach us a point about us. It is a story that can help us focus on understanding what limits us many times.

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One day the employees of a very unusual company reached their office and saw a big sign on the front door which said,

Yesterday, the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral memorial in the large meeting hall which has been prepared.

In the beginning, they were each sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a short while they started getting curious to know who was this person who had hindered the growth of colleagues and the company itself?

The excitement in the meeting hall was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up.

Everyone thought, "Who is this person who was hindering my progress?" One by one the intrigued employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside they suddenly became speechless.

All got to stand near the coffin.

All ended up shocked and in silence.

It was as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside could see themselves! There was also a sign next to the mirror that said, "There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth and IT IS YOU!'

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your husband or wife changes, when your company changes, when your church changes, when your location changes, when your money changes, or when your status changes.

Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs.

Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses. Be a winner, build yourself and your reality. It's the way you face life itself that makes the difference.

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Stay inspired my friends!