The No Junk Food Challenge Many things come to our computers that are amusing, informative, or useless. Most of mine are deleted without reading, some are read before deleting, and a few are useful and saved. Such is the case with ‘The No Junk Food Challenge’ that arrived after Christmas. It looked like this: THE RULES NO CHOCOLATE NO CANDY NO BISCUITS OR … [Read more...]
Celebrate the birth day-not the number
Celebrate the birth day-not the number Like most things in life, family birthdays come in waves. My family had seven during the past two weeks. They ranged from a first birthday to “I ain’t tellin.” None of them were mine, thank goodness, so I enjoyed sitting back and observing the similarities and differences between the birthdays that spanned a full life-cycle. The … [Read more...]
Don’t let failure stop your success
Don't let failure stop your success Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the chairman and CEO of IBM from 1914 until 1956, is attributed with saying, “If you want to succeed, double your failure rate.” When Thomas Edison was asked about how he failed 700 times in making the light bulb, he said,. "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those … [Read more...]
New Year is an occasion for change
New Year is an occasion for change New Year’s Resolutions are commitments to make changes we feel will improve our lives. We might try to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise, show more patience, live with a budget, clean the garage, start a hobby, open that college account, etc. No matter the resolution, Wikipedia claims only 12% actually achieve their goals. Why do we make … [Read more...]
Depressed? Suicidal? Call 911
Depressed? Suicidal? Call 911 For many people Christmas is a time filled with loneliness, anxiety, sadness, and self-doubt. Any number of factors could be the culprit for holiday blues: relationships, financial pressure, too many commitments, memories of past holidays, unrealistic expectations, fatigue, stress, over-commercialization, and/or inability to be with one’s … [Read more...]
True giving – sincerity of the heart
True giving - sincerity of the heart Oh the holidays; the happy holidays; memories of childhood wonder; love in the air; Christmas carols humming in our heads; and festivities abounding. Our blessings are immeasurable…… That is one side of the story. That is the ideal. The other side of the story is the family living down the street that has no money for turkey or ham; … [Read more...]
Mimic Christmas tree for food choices
Mimic Christmas tree for food choices Christmas and food – decadent, mouthwatering, beautiful food – usually share the same stage; seldom do we envision one without the other. We usually allow our healthy choices for living to disintegrate the last six weeks of the year. Visions of dressing, gravy, fudge, apple pies, assorted cookies, and fresh bread are just a few mental … [Read more...]
Expect nothing enjoy everything
Expect nothing enjoy everything We are a little over three weeks away from the biggest day of the year, December 25th. We want to taste the warm apple cider with that perfect dash of cinnamon; feel the strong, slow hugs from family and friends; see the soft, white snow as it falls gently on the glowing holiday lights; smell the burning fire as we remember wonderful times past; … [Read more...]
Humility takes time to perfect
Humility takes time to perfect Humility is defined differently by many: lack of pride; modest; meek; shy; primary virtue; unpretentious; down to earth; self-abasement; sense of one’s own unworthiness; etc. Benjamin Franklin said, “Humility makes great men twice honorable.” I am learning the art of being humble: I am playing duplicate bridge twice a week. I play with … [Read more...]
Twenty-four hours of American praise
Twenty-four hours of American praise It is no secret; I love our great USA. I come by it naturally because my dad, Lee Goble, was a WWII veteran. He taught us to honor our flag, the Star Spangled Banner, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Fourth of July was always a celebration with no question as to why it was a national holiday. He purchased the flag pole that is placed on … [Read more...]
We all want an uplifting journey
We all want an uplifting journey I spoke with a friend who used “uplifting journey” when referencing a current relationship. It made me wonder how often we all miss the mark of choosing friends and activities that lift us up instead of letting us down. Life happens and we have responsibilities, jobs, families, projects, obligations, full calendars, and tired … [Read more...]
Live a good story
Live a good story Everyone’s life is a story. History is passed to new generations through spoken and written stories. The decisions we make, the friends we choose, and our family/community environment all contribute to our personal stories. Would you be pleased to watch the true story of your life on the theater screen? Would you invite your neighbors to join you at the … [Read more...]
TRYING is not good enough
TRYING is not good enough I challenge all of us to take the word TRY out of our vocabulary. The word equates to failure and victimization; “I’ll TRY to do my best!” “I’ll TRY to exercise and get in better shape.” “I’ll TRY to be on time.” Trying is not good enough, and the words we use matter. Look at the difference in the above examples: “I’ll do my best!” “I’ll exercise … [Read more...]
Behavior can be more powerful than words
Behavior - more powerful than words Every Sunday, around 9:30 a.m., I see a man with no left arm riding his bicycle to church. The bike is old, has a basket on the front, and the man is thin and sits very straight. He has white curly hair, and he peddles slowly and carefully. Sometimes he wears a brown suit with the left sleeve tucked into his pocket and carries a backpack. … [Read more...]
Failure – a prerequisite to success
Failure - a prerequisite to success Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the chairman and CEO of IBM from 1914 until 1956, is attributed with saying, “If you want to succeed, double your failure rate.” When Thomas Edison was asked about how he failed 700 times in making the light bulb, he said,. "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 … [Read more...]