Colloquial Thursday - Adaptability - 7.4

Most people play up how awful things are today as an excuse to why they don't achieve. This current economic downturn (one of the worst in history) is a time when being adaptable can really come in handy. Waitley teaches that stumbling blocks are actually stepping stones to the stars. Not sure who said this, but I found it in my notes: 

"I am adaptable, flexible, versatile, and ambitious. I am confident that I can do it all. Just give me a chance and you will see."

Crisis = opportunity,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 
5. Purpose
6. Communication
7. Faith

8. Adaptability

Women Power Wednesday - Faith - 7.3

Sally,

It is Women Power Wednesday in Houston, TX and I hope the same in Athens, GA. Moving on in our study of Denis Waitley's Seeds of Greatness, we have our sixth seed, faith. Waitley describes faith as the realization of the things hoped for and unseen. He says that the mind can not distinguish between what is real and what is imagined.

Here are some action steps to more optimism and faith: (1) fly with the eagles; (2) hang out with kids; (3) listen to upbeat music; and (4) change your vocabulary. What the mind harbors, the body manifest. In scientific terms, I believe positive thoughts and actions produce endorphins - much like a good workout can give you that feeling referred to as a "runners high".

Women power,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 
5. Purpose
6. Communication
7. Faith

Stay Whole Tuesday - Communication - 7.2

Sally,

Continuing with Denis Waitley's Seeds of Greatness, the sixth seed is communication. There is much to be said on this topic, but today I want to focus on the word kindness, as in the famous Bible verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4 -- Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. Please take a minute to read what Mark Roberts has to say about kindness in his morning Blog from Laity Lodge.

Waitley gives these five simple tips on being kind when communicating with others: (1) get in touch with strangers, (2) extend your hand first, (3) eye contact, (4) smile, and (5) volunteer your name first.

Stay whole and be kind,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 
5. Purpose
6. Communication

Make it a great Monday - Purpose - 7.1

Sally,

Most people fail to achieve goals in life because they never really set them in the first place. Waitley's 5th Seed for Greatness is purpose. There is a proven power within all of us, a driving force that moves us towards our dominant thoughts. If your self image receives a goal message with enough detail, clarity, and frequency, the goal becomes a habit that we accept as part of us. (This is also true of negative self talk.) So know where you are going and live life with a purpose.

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom 
5. Purpose

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - Wisdom - 6.5

Sally,

The fourth seed of greatness that Denis Waitley teaches is wisdom. He describes wisdom as honest knowledge in action. It is one thing to know something well or to be good at a specific talent. But when we use our knowledge and our talents to do good in the world, we are practicing wisdom. I like this quote from Thomas Wolff:

"If we have a talent and do not use it - we have failed. If we have a talent and use only half of it - we have partially failed. If we have a talent and somehow learn to use all of it - we have gloriously succeeded and won a satisfaction and triumph that only few individuals ever know."

Travel safe,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility
4. Wisdom

Colloquial Thursday - Responsibility - 6.4

Sally,

The third Seed of Greatness, as taught by Denis Waitley is responsibility. Every action has a consequence and every cause brings an effect. In the end, we are the sum total of our actions.

Take responsibility,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity
3. Responsibility

Women Power Wednesday - Creativity - 6.3

Hey Daughter,

Denis Waitley's second Seed of Greatness is creativity. He teaches the importance of healthy role models and positive value education, by choosing to spend our time with people who inspire and watching or reading things that are positive. He says, "If a sixty second commercial can sell us on a product, can't a sixty minute soap opera sell us on a lifestyle?" Our value systems are formed in our subconscious through repeated viewing. The body does not know the difference in what is real and what is imagined. When it comes to self image, who you see in your imagination will rule your life. Concentrate on reinforcing positive healthy experiences from the past and also simulate successful projects or lifestyles as if they were actually happening in the present.

Be creative,

Dad

1. Self Esteem
2. Creativity

Stay Whole Tuesday - Self Esteem - 6.2

Sally,

The first seed (i.e. attribute), from Denis Waitley's Seeds of Greatness is Self Esteem. Did you know that one's self esteem can often be traced back to early childhood and how much positive or negative 'affirming' one received as a child? Of course, regardless of our childhood experiences, at some point we must take responsibility for ourselves and we always choose our own feeling of internal value. Waitley says, "Successful people always believe in their own worth, even when they have nothing but a dream to hang on to!" It is easy to feel good about yourself when everything is going well. But in times of trouble, that is when it is so important to see yourself as a worthwhile, changing, imperfect, growing individual. When you realize that you are always growing and learning, times of trouble take on a completely different meaning.

Stay whole,

Dad

Make it a great Monday - Denis Waitley - 6.1

Good Monday Morning Sally,

This week I will start to reflect on some books that I have enjoyed that teach positive life lessons. I have been going back through notes that I made in the early 80s, when I was just out of college. Let's start with Denis Waitley and his famous book, Seeds of Greatness (Simon & Schuster, 1983). In this book, Waitley outlines what he believes to be 10 attributes, or seeds, that can lead to a fulfilling life.

Before we start, take a minute to read this short article about Denis and how his grandmother and his eighth grade teacher changed his life. Tomorrow, I will focus on the first seed, self esteem, and how we must feel love inside ourselves before we can give love to others.

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - You can - 5.5

Sally,

I hope your week has been a good one. I made it to four morning yoga classes this week. I did my first head stand inversion (Shirshasana)! A nice man on the mat beside me helped show me how and held my legs, but I think I will soon get it on my own.

I saw this quote this morning and it made me think about the importance of surrounding ourselves with positive people. People who say, "yes, you can" not "no, you can't."

“ Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ” - Mark Twain

You can,

Dad

Colloquial Thursday - Apple a day - 5.4

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." From The Phrase Finder Website:

Apples have a good claim to promote health. They contain Vitamin C, which aid the immune system and phenols, which reduce cholesterol. They also reduce tooth decay by cleaning one's teeth and killing off bacteria. It has been suggested that the quercetin found in apples protects brain cells against neuro-degenerative disorders like Alzheimer's Disease.

Eat well,

Dad

Woman Power Wednesday - Best Mom

Today I celebrate your Mom. I married her 22 years ago this week. Best thing that ever happened to me. She is a remarkable woman, a wonderful wife, and an amazing mother of our three girls. I am so proud of you Sally and the smooth transition you have made to college. We are excited to see you next weekend! Have a great Women Power Wednesday and take time to tell your mom you love her. I sure do.

Stay Whole Tuesday - Yoga breathing - 5.2

Good morning Sally,

I am headed to my morning yoga class, something that has really helped me stay balanced and feeling good of late. I like the combination of the physical challenge, as well as the mental and spiritual aspects of yoga. The deep breathing (known as Pranayama breathing) is a particularly important part of each class. Sometimes I recite a mantra while breathing, taught by one of the instructors: "I love the Lord" (on the inhale) - "I am thy child" (on the exhale.) Namaste.

Make it a great Monday - Hang out with winners

Sally,

Proverbs 27:17 says: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man (or woman) sharpens another." The footnote in my Bible (NIV Life Application Bible) sums this up this way:

"There is a mental sharpness that comes from being around good people. And a meeting of the minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights. This requires discussion partners who can challenge each other and stimulate thought -- people who focus on the idea without involving their ego in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker. Two friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper."

Hang out with winners . . . and

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - You better be running - 4.5

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.” - Unknown

Colloquial Thursday - Fit as a Fiddle - 4.4

I was watching the US Open with your mom last night and John McEnroe used the term "Fit as a Fiddle."  I believe he was referring to Roger Federer. Thought you would want to know that the term did not originally refer to fitness, but rather to the strings on a violin (i.e. fiddle) being ready to play. Tomorrow is Fit as a Fiddle Friday,  and it definitely refers to fitness. I hope you can use this valuable information when making conversation this week.

Cheers,

Dad

Women Power Wednesday - Christine Brennan & Kim Clijsters - 4.3

Christine Brennan is a Chi O (Northwestern University) and is an award-winning USA Today sports columnist, best-selling author and commentator for ABC News, ESPN, NPR and Fox Sports Radio. She is a leading expert on the Olympics and women's sports issues. She has a book out that we need to read. It is called, Best Seat in the House: A Father, A Daughter, A Journey Through Sports.

Kim Clijsters, Belgium professional tennis star and two time US Open Champion, is through to the semis of the US Open. She says, "It's how you cope with the imperfect matches, that makes you great." She won her second US Open title in 2009, as an unranked wildcard, and became the second mother to win a major, since she had retired from tennis two years earlier to start a family. Remember, when everything in life is going great, it is easy to feel good and on top of your game. But when the inevitable life challenges come your way, it is how you cope with those challenges that make all of the difference.

Women power,

Dad

Stay Whole Tuesday - My favorite sentence - 4.2

It's Stay Whole Tuesday and my thoughts are on Stephen Covey and one of my favorite sentences ever written. Covey says: 

"I will engage in work (professional, community, family) that taps my talents and fuels my passions, in a way that rises out of a great need in the world that I feel drawn to by conscience to meet, for therein lies my voice, my true calling, my souls code."

Stay whole,

Dad

Make it a great Monday - Labor Day

Hey Sally. "Make it a great Monday." I like that expression. Some people might say, "kick Monday's ass." Same thing. The point is, it is always up to you to start your day, and your week, with a great attitude. It is up to you to take what God is giving you today, and turn it into something good.

We are proud of you!

Pressing onward,

Dad