I saw a poster the other day that said, “Life is an echo, what you send out comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others exists in you. Do not judge so you will not be judged. Radiate and give love, and love comes back to you.” That is an interesting thought that life is an echo. I guess I never thought about it that way. It seems to me that most of the time when I do something, I assume it dissipates and does not stay around to be recalled […]
A man who wants to lead the orchestra
“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” ~ Max Lucado I have always loved this quote, and I believe it because I see so many people in leadership who spend a lot of time wanting to be “in the crowd” instead of leading the crowd. No doubt it is hard to turn our backs to the cheering crowd–it seems so fun to be in the middle of it all, but a man (or woman) who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. Why? Because leadership is strengthened when […]
If the whole world was blind
If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress? I travel a lot, and I like to people-watch. I have this little ritual–as I walk through airports, I look at everyone running this way and that and at those sitting to make a flight or who are eating in the food court, and I think to myself that everyone in there has a mother. They may not have had a father (past the point of conception), but they all have or have had a mother. Then I usually think, my goodness, wouldn’t their mother be disappointed in […]
Sometimes your only available transportation
I have had a lot of different experiences in my life and have taken chances that, on the outside, might not have seemed so smart. Okay, they probably weren’t so smart on the inside either, but who knew? I jumped in anyway because I have this theory about life—you’ve got to go and do what you want to do in case the world changes and those one-time opportunities disappear. I fundamentally believe that we are not meant to live a boring life. This world is too big, too amazing, too discoverable for me (or you) to sit at home and […]
Discover who you are
Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are. Bernice Johnson Reagon If you ask your friends and family what are some challenges they are facing today and how they plan to overcome them, most of your peers will look at you with a blank expression, and suddenly, you will see a quote cloud form above their head that says, “You need to find someone else to talk to. I don’t want to go that deep today…or tomorrow or ever.” Now, it’s not because they didn’t understand the question, it is because […]
You Have Permission to Rest
Almost every health official or wellness magazine suggests that we all need to slow down and rest, and yet most of us refuse until our bodies force us to stop and take care of ourselves. The million-dollar question is, why don’t we take such good advice? And the ten-cent answer is that, for many, it seems selfish to stop and take care of ourselves when so much needs to be done in the world, our community, and our own homes. Like most of my friends, I was under the weather this week. Not really sick and not really well. I […]
If you can’t change the people around you…
This has been a week of sadness and joy for me. Let me explain. Within ten days, three people I knew died: one from unexplained causes, one from cancer, and one from Alzheimer’s. Due to my travel schedule, I could only attend one of the funerals, but I know what I saw that day would have been the same at each service. Sitting in the packed church for the service, I was struck by the outpouring of love that left a 500-plus seat auditorium only with standing room for those who came to support the family and recall their memory […]
If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way.
I often hear people say to me, “Well, I am not in a position to do (fill in the blank) …,” and I always find it interesting that many people place limits on themselves when, really, no one else on the outside does. It’s all in your mind. You’re choosing not to be your big, bold, beautiful, handsome self, you’re choosing not to live to your full potential, and you’re choosing not to be who you were born to be. Because YOU are choosing to do little to nothing, when in reality, if you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t do […]
Give it a try whispered the heart
It’s impossible, said Pride. It’s risky said experience. It’s pointless, said reason. Give it a try, whispered the heart. Give it a try, whispered the heart. I love the heart – the one muscle that you must use to keep strong when everything seems to be falling apart. At the center of your body is the heart that beats and keeps the whole body in motion. Call me crazy, but I believe your body hears everything you say about it. That’s why it is so important to learn to love yourself and be comfortable with who you are and how […]
