There are two key ingredients in life’s recipe you need to survive and thrive during times of adversity. Internal strength of character and a band of brothers and sisters standing with you. The story is told of the first paratroopers in the US Army called Easy Company. One of their regular training drills was to […]
When is the last time you have heard the words “You have 0% chance of [insert the descriptive words for what you won’t be able to do]!”? Someone used those words on me just the other day. When someone uses the words “0% chance”, what are they saying? They could be imposing their low expectations […]
This top 10 list is gleaned from 21 months of suffering, tears, reflection, setbacks, surgeries, solitude, discoveries and lots of ups and downs. The order is random but the lessons are life changing. #10: Learn to like yourself and if you don’t, change. If you don’t like yourself and are forced to be alone much […]
The process of life goes something like this: You’re born dependent – you’re taught as a child to become independent – you’re reminded as a teenager to grow up and become interdependent – you live your adult years living both independent and interdependent then in old age you once again become dependent (and may fight […]
Most people will tell you the phrase “carpe diem” is Latin for “seize the day.” When you dig a little deeper, there’s more to it that sheds some light on how we should live! Carpe Diem [kahr-pey dee-uh m] Carpe – from a Latin verb meaning “I pick, pluck, cull, gather, to eat food.” Also came […]
It may surprise you but pain is not always the enemy we make it out to be. When put in the proper perspective, pain can be our friend and ally. There is no doubt I am much more acquainted with pain than ever before. Some of the pain I’ve experienced this past year and a half […]
You may think it’s true but it isn’t. The last two lines of the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley puts it this way: I am the master of my fate/ I am the captain of my soul. These words couldn’t be further from the truth. On one level, we do have control. We do […]
When you stand on the shore of the ocean, you learn quickly of its abundance. There is always another wave. An attitude of abundance is like the ocean. It’s a belief that says, “There will always be enough for everyone!” In life we see circumstances and events in two different ways. As a glass half […]
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. [Frank Outlaw] Your character is who you are and what you do when no one is looking. It defines you. It’s what people see. […]
Your intelligence alone will not determine how well you handle the problems of life. Those who soar with hope compared to those who sink into despair when problems come have another trait. The answer is found in the words of Einstein. I am not more gifted than the average human being. If you know anything […]