It's the little things that matter

Every day, every hour, every moment of your life, you face a choice. 
You can take a simple, positive action that can bring success to your life or you can take a simple, negative action that will produce different results.

Simple actions, repeated over time, will determine the life you lead both personally and professionally.   Your coaching session today is all about the "Little Things That Matter."

So sit back, turn up your speakers and enjoy the session.

The Seven Wonders of the World

It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle today that we naturally begin to take some of life's most beautiful gifts for granted.

I love watching this story unfold through the eyes of a child. It's a reminder that our most priceless possessions were given to us free at birth. 

Don't quit

If I had to guess, I would bet you are facing your fair share
of challenges and obstacles in your life... I know I am.

When things go wrong, and they sometimes will...
how will you choose to respond?

That is what this short movie is all about.
Be inspired by these words of wisdom if you are thinking of quitting. 

What's more important...

"What's more important: The journey, or the destination?"

Seems like an obvious question. We've been told by teachers of all time that obviously the journey is the "right" answer to this question.

Many people answered that the journey was more important. A few people were candid and said although they *felt* the journey was the right answer, their personal experience and place in life they still -deep down- believed in the destination.

But what about me?

When I first posted the question, I felt an unease with my answer. Part of me really enjoys the journey. Another part of me felt like that wasn't an authentically true answer for me.

I had an inner nudge, almost like a nagging, that my answer was incomplete. I didn't know why.

So for the next day, I just didn't answer. I allowed my own question to bounce around inside.

Then the awareness and insight landed with me, and it felt so real that I knew I had found the "real" answer for me. It may or may not resonate with you, so as with everything I share... take it with a grain of salt. Inquire within. See what feels true for you.

See, on one hand, I very much enjoy the journey. The discovery. The mystery. The unknown.

Yet part of me pulls back and also acknowledges I like the destination. I like the completion. The sense of fullness. The manifestation of potential.

It wasn't until just as I was reading everybody's answers and landing with the question again, in a completely new and fresh way that I realized how irrelevant the question is...

Because the journey is the destination, and the destination is the journey. It's only our perception that changes.

It reminds me of an analogy that David Hoffmeister (an ACIM teacher) uses to describe our perception of linear time. He took a long uncooked string of spaghetti and shows it lengthwise as a line to represent time: past, present, future. Where we are through to where we're headed.

Then he rotates the string of spaghetti so that from your perspective, you only see the end of it... the dot. No line. Just a dot.

New perspective. Same spaghetti.
Chris Cade

The power of words

This 2-minute short film illustrates the power of words to radically change your message and your effect upon the world. Watch it, love it, and SHARE it... Your friends and family will thank you for it! 

Living a 5 Star life by Mac Anderson

I've watched the movie Chicken Run at least a half-dozen times. Just beneath the surface of its simplistic look and story line lie a number of wonderful messages told through the eyes of a bunch of Claymation chickens trying to break out of their chicken-wire world to escape their fate at the chopping block. Their freedom leader, a feisty little hen named Ginger, comments profoundly in one scene: "the fences are all in your mind." She reminds her fellow chickens (and us), that a bigger obstacle than the physical fences they're surrounded by are the mental fences that hold them captive.

It's been a good reminder for me on those occasions when I've been dealing with my own mental fences...those created by self-doubt, uncertainty, fear. Can you relate? Where have you fenced yourself in mentally in recent days or weeks? Perhaps your mental fence is procrastination, a deadening habit that keeps you stuck. Maybe yours, like mine, is related to self-doubt, and the on-going internal noise it produces that keeps you immobilized. Perhaps yours is the belief that you don't deserve success, so you sabotage yourself to avoid having to find out how successful you could be. There are a million variations of the theme, but the result is still the same: we stay stuck like the chickens in the movie. One of the key questions in the Best Year Yet® program is: "How do I limit myself and how can I stop?" Those limitations are never external. They always live inside us. The antidote to being trapped by our mental fences is to create a compelling enough vision that, like Ginger and her flock of chicken friends, we're willing to resort to amazing measures to break out. The formula:
VISION + CONSISTENT ACTION = FREEDOM!
I challenge you to take some bold, even outrageous steps to break free of your mental fences. If it's procrastination, declare a "freedom day" and take action on everything you've been putting off: from cleaning your office to making phone calls or responding to emails you've avoided. If it's self-doubt, sit down and write out everything you value and why it's important. Then challenge yourself to eliminate anything that doesn't absolutely reflect your values, or add something that is a profound statement of who you are. FREEDOM IS JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF ACTION. Recognize that your mental fences can only keep you stuck as long as you're looking at them. They can only contain you as long as you're not taking actions consistent with your vision. Go ahead, take the action you've avoided and leap into a future filled with possibilities. And remember, the fences are all in your mind!

Don't give up on you

Do you have ideas or attitudes about yourself and your abilities that may be holding you back from great success and happiness?

In her book You Can Heal Your Life, author Louise Hay says that each one of us has the feelings of inferiority that are manifested in the conclusion that we are not good enough.

We think that we are not as good as other people, and we feel that we are not good enough to acquire and enjoy the things that we want in life.

These are self-limiting beliefs most of which are NOT true; but hold us all back nonetheless.

So sit back, turn up your speakers, enjoy the session and share it with someone you care about.

The garden of thoughts

This inspiring video will lift your spirit, soothe your soul, and help you feel calm amidst the chaos. 

 

Always tell the truth

That way you don't have to remember what you said." ~ Mark Twain

"How do I handle it when it seems someone else is not telling the truth, especially when I address it and it is denied?"

The best any of us can do is to be authentic, live with integrity, and focus on ourselves.

If there are people in our lives who are inauthentic, it's a great opportunity to explore what role or purpose that person has in our lives. In some cases, it's also helpful to look at how they may be reflecting back certain aspects of ourselves or our lives where we might not yet be living 100% authentically.

And to be clear, this isn't a criticism or necessarily a "bad" thing. It's true for ALL of us, including myself.

The path of personal growth, the pursuit of Truth, means that we are consistently noticing areas where our inner worlds and outer worlds are not matching.

It's in reconciling those differences, without judgment, where our greatest and most profound opportunities for growth will be found.

Learning to Dance in the Rain

The title of this video was inspired by a great quote from Vivian Green..."Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

How true it is! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

Because our CHILDREN are watching

I believe that it is up to me to be the best person that I can be. To help me live up to my full potential, I continually search for material that focuses on values such as ethics, integrity, leadership, responsibility, and teamwork.

 

These resources encourage me to always do the right thing. And I enjoy sharing the things that are the most inspiring with you so that you can be encouraged as well.

 

To help you bring out your best, I’d like to share a three-minute video with you.

Happiness is...

What would your life be like if you said and believed, "Today is a good day" independent of what actually happened to you? The answer to that question is what it means to be truly happy. However, if you want to discover the answer then you have to ask another question that goes deeper:

"What does my heart truly want?"

It is in the wanting that you discover how to feel truly lasting happiness. Society, and your life's conditioning, have falsely led you to believe that the wantings of your heart must be fulfilled in order for you to be filled with happiness. But nothing could be further from the truth.

How often have you heard about millionaires who are unhappy, even though they have "everything" anybody could ever want? The reason: Money can never buy what it represents. You hope that by having the money you will be happier, when in reality, most people would gladly give up all the money in the world just to be happy.

In that example about millionaires, you can see that it has nothing to do with acquiring the money, and everything to do with the feeling of being happy. And this is actually true of anything that you want.

When your heart has 'holes' in it, when it has those places that are unfulfilled, then no matter what you seek in the outside world, you will never acquire enough to feel whole again. Your acquisitions, at best, will temporarily distract you from the hole you feel inside from feeling un-whole, unworthy, or unloved. In other words, the tangible can never purchase the intangible.

Instead, you must follow your heart's desires. Your heart knows what truly fills you with happiness, yet so often, many of us ignore those deeper desires because of past conditionings. In your youth, parents, peers, and authority figures, probably told you - in some way or another - that your dreams were childish, that you didn't deserve them, or they justified why you couldn't have them.

And somewhere along the way, you probably started to believe them. :(

Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Your dreams do matter, and in fact, rekindling those dreams is the key to experiencing happiness more fully in your life.

Remember that you don't have to justify to anybody why you want something. Your wants are valid of their own right, regardless of what they are.

Simply experiencing the fullness of your wanting is enough to bring you happiness, and the way to do that is to accept yourself. In fact, nothing is more liberating than giving yourself permission to be exactly as you are right now. Nothing. Justifying your heart's desires is like trying to stop water from going over a waterfall. There is nothing heavier in your heart than telling yourself to "be happy."

That's because when you tell yourself how you "should" be, you restrain yourself from being as you truly are. Your mind then minimizes your experience, puts expectations on what happiness is and should be, and tells you lies like, "If only I were liked more... if only I had more money... if only my husband/wife/best friend would... then I could be happy again."

This is also why happiness has nothing to do with what you're getting, and everything to do with what you're getting rid of.

This idea is completely opposite of everything our society, peers, teachers, and authority figures have been saying for most of our lives.

Give it some thought. Some serious inquiry.

by Chris Cade

Forgiveness

Nine Reasons to Forgive

1. It's good for your health
2. It increases your longevity
3. It increases your awareness and intuition
4. It eases the frown lines between your eyes and costs less than Botox
5. It improves your energy and attracts people to you
6. It lifts your heart and creates positive vibes around you
7. It makes life easier for you and everyone around you
8. It increases your ability to be present, which translates into business dollars in the long run
9. It sharpens your creativity

Twelve Simple Steps to Forgiveness

1. Don't take anything personally
2. Don't attack yourself for mistakes
3. Claim the gifts hidden in perceived injuries
4. Take responsibility for the part you play in upset and injury
5. See all events as opportunities to grow and mature your soul
6. Forgive yourself first
7. Pray for help in forgiving
8. Develop a strong sense of humor
9. Re-commit to your goals and get back on track
10. Count your blessings
11. Stop rehashing past injuries and don't talk about them any more
12. Talk about today's positive events

So when with the need to forgive and let go, consider the benefits to help motivate you. Start by looking for the gifts buried underneath all perceived injuries. With the gift in hand, forgiveness comes far more easily. Forgiveness is the best gift you can give yourself and everyone you know.

Shadow love

There won't be a dry eye in your house after watching shadow theatre company Attraction perform -- Stunning magical dramatics that put our hand shadow of a bird to shame!

Habits run your life

The Encyclopedia Britannica teaches us that psychology reveals that a habit is any regularly repeated behavior that requires little or no thought and is learned rather than innate.

A habit - Which can be part of any activity, ranging from eating and sleeping to thinking and reacting - is developed through reinforcement and repetition.

Now how long does it take to develop a habit?

Riding a wave of hope with Ricochet

Turning disappointment into a joyful new direction.

Enjoy this inspiring video

 

 

An enemy called average

An excerpt from
An Enemy Called Average
by John Mason

All successful people are faithful in the small things. There is power in taking small steps.

Many people are not moving forward today simply because they were not willing to take the small step placed before them. If you have a dream to go into any particular area, you should leap at the opportunity—no matter how small—to move in the direction of your dream. For example: if you dream of being a college basketball coach and are sitting at home waiting for an invitation from Roy Williams at North Carolina University, you should know that call will never come. You need to find an opportunity to coach somewhere, anywhere. Find a young person, a young team. Jump in and coach with all of your heart, like you would if you were coaching at the highest level.

Don't be afraid to take small steps. There's something powerful about momentum...no matter how small. Many times the impossible is simply the untried.

I can remember a time in my life when I was immobilized with fear, consumed with what I was supposed to do. It seemed so huge a task; I was unable to bring myself to face it. A friend came to me and spoke two words that broke that paralysis in my life. He said, "Do something!" I'll never forget that day...taking some small, seemingly insignificant steps. Momentum began to come into my life.

If you are at a point of paralysis in your life because of what you feel you're supposed to do, the words today are, "Do something!" Don't worry about the long-term goal right now; just take the steps that take you past the starting point. Soon you'll get to a point of no return. As you climb higher, you'll be able to see much farther.

As you begin, don't be afraid. Eric Hoffer said, "Fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything." Every great idea is impossible from where you are starting today. But little goals add up, and they add up rapidly. Most people don't succeed because they are too afraid to even try. As incredible as it sounds, they decide in advance they're going to fail.

Many times the final goal seems so unreachable we don't even make an effort. But once you've made your decision and have started, it's like you're halfway there. Start—no matter what your circumstances. Take that first step!

It's simple. Grow wherever you're planted.

Finish Strong Motivational Quotes

It's amazing how a few simple words can inspire, motivate and generate personal energy in the snap of a finger. And the only thing more powerful than a great quote is a great quote paired with a great photo.

In Dan Green's third Finish Strong book, he has done a masterful job of finding great quotes to reinforce the "Finish Strong" attitude and paired them with breathtaking photos that perfectly reinforce the message in a visual way. Finish Strong Motivational Quotes presents to you motivating messages, amazing photography and a cool soundtrack.

So, take just a few minutes now to sit back and enjoy Finish Strong Motivational Quotes. Perhaps you may even find a nugget of inspiration that could change your life.

Click on link to see video:
http://play.simpletruths.com/movie/finish-strong-motivational-quotes/?cm_mmc=ExactTarget-_-FR-_-09.06.13-_-FSTQmovie&j=234758&e=frpfranco@yahoo.com&l=3516_HTML&u=11413191&mid=7001668&jb=270

Man forgives murderer for killing his little brother... and cites a course in miracles

When I first stumbled upon this video, I figured it was some search engine optimization trick - putting murder and "A Course In Miracles" in the same sentence.

As I watched the video, it became apparent that there was something powerful going on in that courtroom. As the man read word after word, then shared his experience, I felt something inside me shift a little bit.

Then he hammered the nail in the metaphorical coffin and brought tears to my eyes.

This is a POWERFUL video you will want to watch all the way through.

Pep Talk

It's not always easy navigating your way through life...

Taking the "road less traveled" can certainly make it all the more challenging!

Whatever path you have chosen, or find yourself on right now...

This short, funny movie will inspire you to walk tall and proud, and create something that will make the world awesome.

If nothing else, we hope it'll make you and your loved ones smile!

After all, if life is a game, aren't we on the same team?

 

The Road to happiness

An excerpt from
The Road to Happiness
by Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher
When I travel on business, I like to talk to the taxi drivers who take me from the airport to my hotel, or to a convention center, or to a restaurant. Taxi drivers are often immigrants with interesting personal histories and unusual cultural backgrounds. I ask them how long they've been in America, how they chose which city to live in, and what they like best about where they live. Of course, I also ask them for advice on good local restaurants and any special attractions they'd recommend to a visitor. I've had some great experiences on my travels, thanks to the advice of taxi drivers!

On one trip about ten years ago, I was making conversation with the taxi driver, asking him my usual questions about how he came to live where he lived. Then I asked him a hypothetical question: "If you could live anywhere in the world—and if money was no object—where would you live?"

Without hesitating even for a second, he replied, "I live in my heart. So it really doesn't matter where my body lives. If I am happy inside, then I live in Paradise, no matter where my residence is."

I felt humbled and a little foolish for my question. Of course he was right—happiness is an inside job. He had reminded me of something I already knew, but had forgotten. If you can't find happiness inside yourself, you'll never find it in the outside world, no matter where you move. Wherever you go, there you are. You take yourself with you.

I am grateful for the wisdom of that taxi driver. And I'm grateful for all the wisdom others have shared with me about how to be happy.

No Excuses

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure... it is our light NOT our darkness that most frightens us.

For as we let our own light shine we unconsciously let others do the same.

Don't allow fear to stand in the way of your dreams.

Watch this great short video today and please share it with others. 

Failing on your way to success

In these challenging times of crisis, complexity and competition, we need to remember that most great people have suffered through failure, often many times before they have reached their potential. Yet most people do not achieve a fraction of what they are capable of achieving because they are afraid they will fail. Successful people look at mistakes as outcomes or results, not as failures. On the other hand unsuccessful people look at mistakes as permanent and personal. Some people who seem to have been born to lose turn out to be the most inspiring examples of the triumph of the human spirit. So sit back, turn up your speakers enjoy the session and pass it along to those you love and care about!

you NEVER forget

We all know what it's like to be tired...

We know what it's like to be pushed just one step too far...

We know what it's like to reach that breaking point where something has to give...

Or else we will.

This commercial is based on the true story of a boy who is pushed to his maximum limit and then drops out of school.

The thing is, no matter where his life took him, there were two things he never forgot. One was a promise he made. The other was the person he made it to.

Watch this heartwarming video about making a difference that may just inspire you both to be the light in somebody's life...

As well as remember some of the beautiful and inspiring lights in yours.

We all know what it’s like to be tired. To be pushed just one step too far.
This commercial is based on the true story of a boy who has that experience and drops out of school.
The thing is, no matter where his life took him there’s two things he didn’t forget. One was a promise he made. The other was the person he made it to.
Watch this heartwarming video about making a difference that may just inspire you both to be the light in somebody’s life, as well as remember some of the lights in yours.
- See more at: http://www.videosmotivational.com/best-clips/making-a-difference-videos/you-never-forget/?fsid=ad947a6f77741276a14bad3e1e218486#video

We all know what it’s like to be tired. To be pushed just one step too far.
This commercial is based on the true story of a boy who has that experience and drops out of school.
The thing is, no matter where his life took him there’s two things he didn’t forget. One was a promise he made. The other was the person he made it to.
Watch this heartwarming video about making a difference that may just inspire you both to be the light in somebody’s life, as well as remember some of the lights in yours.
- See more at: http://www.videosmotivational.com/best-clips/making-a-difference-videos/you-never-forget/?fsid=ad947a6f77741276a14bad3e1e218486#video

We all know what it’s like to be tired. To be pushed just one step too far.
This commercial is based on the true story of a boy who has that experience and drops out of school.
The thing is, no matter where his life took him there’s two things he didn’t forget. One was a promise he made. The other was the person he made it to.
Watch this heartwarming video about making a difference that may just inspire you both to be the light in somebody’s life, as well as remember some of the lights in yours.
- See more at: http://www.videosmotivational.com/best-clips/making-a-difference-videos/you-never-forget/?fsid=ad947a6f77741276a14bad3e1e218486#video

Think Different

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Fallen Race

This race is not about training. This race is not about a fall. This race is about rising to the challenge. That is what all races are about.

So sit back, turn up your speakers and enjoy this inspiring short movie:)

Love is a verb

An excerpt from
Love is a Verb
by Glenn Van Ekeren

 I cherish so much about our children. Through my many years of parenting, this is what I realized that I treasured the most: each relationship.

Oh, I admit it's nice when they scored points in a basketball game or gracefully performed a dance routine. I'm pleased when their report cards revealed above-average scores, or when I observed the effort put into a school project. And of course it's flattering when people comment how nice they looked or how respectful they were.

But what really tripped my trigger and renewed my parental energy—after returning from a speaking trip, or working on a free-throw shot, playing taxi driver, or setting curfew—was a loving smile, a hug, a high five, and the four cherished words: "I love you, Dad."

I became keenly aware how my actions, words, tone of voice, or nonverbals affected the loving, caring, and mutually respectful relationship we enjoyed as a family. As a father, I failed at times to uphold my end of the responsibility. There were situations when I crushed my children's spirits.

When my son was in the sixth grade, another dad and I agreed to coach a traveling basketball team. Along with our two sons, we invited ten other boys to enjoy the experience with us.

It didn't take long for me to realize that the definition of a father-coach is someone who expects his son to be everything he wasn't. I upheld high and sometimes unrealistic expectations. I even found it easy to justify my demands by attempting to motivate my son to be the best he could be. However, during one game I overstepped my parental privileges.

The game was already won. The boys fought courageously to overcome a major point deficit to hold a comfortable lead with thirty-seven seconds left in the game. Out of nowhere Matt (my son) stole the ball, dribbled the length of the court, and missed an uncontested lay-up.

I chose to release my accumulated tension from the game on my son for missing that lay-up. The shot meant nothing. We had won the game and advanced to the finals. Matt played with heart and gave his all, yet he blew that simple lay-up. I let him know in no uncertain terms how disappointed I was and how ridiculous it was for him to miss such a simple shot.

The joy of winning drained from his face. He stood motionless and speechless as Dad continued to drain the power from his self-esteem battery. I knew I'd blown it, but I continued to justify my outburst and dig myself into a deeper hole.

The next hours waiting for the championship game were long and quiet. Matt was hurting inside, and I was full of guilt. There was little question that I needed my son's forgiveness.

Sitting in our van outside the gymnasium, I slowly turned to look into Matt's fearful and discouraged face. "Matt, I was wrong," I began. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you. You worked hard in that game and I failed to recognize you for all the good things you did. Please forgive me."

It was then that Matt touched my heart, and my eyes filled with tears. "It's okay, Dad. I know you love me."

Thanks to my son, I could walk into the championship game with a clear conscience, a repaired heart, and a softer spirit.

We lost the championship game by one point, but I came out of that tournament a winner. My son had forgiven me.

The only way to heal a damaged spirit is to swallow the parental pride and say, "I'm sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me." Failure to bring healing when you've been unfair or hurtful can breed anger for years to come.

When was the last time you told your child, "I'm sorry for anything I have ever said or done that has hurt you"?

You can make a difference

Everyone needs an enemy.  Once you know who your enemy is you are stronger because you will know what to do.

• Luke had Darth Vader.
• Batman had the Joker.
• David had Goliath.
• Rush Limbaugh has the liberals.
• Lance Armstrong has cancer.
• Apple has Microsoft.
• Rocky had Apollo Creed, then Mr. T, then the Russian
• 
  
• 
  

Photos of life's best moments

Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch asked his Twitter followers if they had a photo of the single best moment of their lives. Within minutes, Deitsch was flooded with photos in what Deitsch describes as a fountain of humanity. Wyatt Andrews reports.