A recent article in my local newspaper told the story of three remarkable brothers. The youngest of the three had just graduated from high school, and the article reported that this young man – like his two older brothers – had completed twelve years of school without a single absence. Think about it! These three boys showed up every single day of their entire elementary, middle school and high school careers. No sick days, no “mental health days”, no cutting class. They were present. They were present not only in the sense that they were in attendance but also in the sense that they were involved. All three excelled in both academics and sports, and their teachers described them as… [Read More]
A Year from Now
I recently came across a statement from author Karen Lamb that got my attention. In fact, I wrote it on a sticky note and put it on my computer monitor where I see it every day. Karen Lamb said, “A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” Thought-provoking, isn’t it? How many ideas have you thought about but never executed? How many goals have you set but didn’t stick with? How many good intentions of eating healthier, exercising, saving money, building relationships, volunteering, connecting with family or friends, starting a business, writing a book, learning a language, working harder in your career have fallen by the wayside? Don’t you wish you had started a few of those… [Read More]
April, Bluebonnets, and the View from the Top of the Tree
It’s April. And in Texas, that means it’s bluebonnet season. Every year these hardy blossoms – the state flower of Texas — cover fields like blue blankets, and it’s a rite of passage for every Texas child to be photographed in a patch of bluebonnets. Several years ago, some folks in my neighborhood came up with what I’m sure they thought was a brilliant idea. They created a flower bed around the base of a large tree in their front yard. That’s not so unusual, right? The uniqueness of this project lay in the fact that the bed was shaped like the great state of Texas. And what better flower to plant in the bed than bluebonnets? Perfect. Great idea,… [Read More]
Just Decide
We all know people who have made major changes in their lives or their careers. Do you know someone who has quit smoking or lost a lot of weight? Do you know someone who has established a successful exercise program, improved their grades, built a profitable business, increased their sales, paid off their debts, or started a savings program? If you were to question these people about their accomplishments, nine times out of ten, they would begin telling their story by saying, “I just decided…” “I just decided…that I would quit smoking.” “I just decided…that I was tired of being overweight.” “I just decided…to exercise every day.” “I just decided…that I could make better grades.” “I just decided…to do whatever… [Read More]
Can We Talk?
The late comedienne Joan Rivers was famous for her line “Can we talk?” Songwriters have composed songs with that title, and in a recent front-page article in the Dallas Morning News, it was reported that a cross-country trekker named Chris Andrews has made it his goal to break America’s phone fixation by encouraging people to talk. He’s walking across the country to inspire folks to have real, face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball conversations. What a concept! It’s not that Andrews is anti-technology. On the contrary, he carries a smartphone and a camera and even has a website (www.LetsTalkUSA.com). His mission is simply to get people to balance technology with human contact. As a recovering smartphone addict, Andrews believes that our devices have caused… [Read More]
