Tag Archives: #inspiration

#inspiration, #spirituality

Better Than

When I was nineteen years old, I had the privilege to live in Norway for the summer. It’s the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen. There’s a picture of the town I lived in at the end of this entry.

I worked as a tour guide for the American, British and German tourists who came through. One thing always pissed me off about the Americans: many of them made comparisons to the United States, saying “this is nice, but we have it so much better at home.” They might be talking about a flush toilet. Seriously. And the Norwegian toilets functioned just fine.

Insecure people compare and complain. No one is better than anyone else. God loves us equally, even the people I don’t care for. Insulting others is, technically, insulting the one who created them. I don’t believe that’s a wise thing to do.

If you feel the desire to compare, remember how important you are to God. He created you, and he didn’t forget about you…

Andalsnes, Norway
Standard
#inspiration, #spirituality

Tension

My childhood home was filled with chaos and violence. As a result, tension became my close friend. I was used to it subliminally.

When I became free of living in that hellhole I thought I could leave it all behind and create a new, better life for myself, free of tension. Boy was I wrong! I had this innate ability to be attracted to people who created chaos. It was like a tractor beam. When I was married, one day I came to the realization that I had recreated what I was desperately trying to escape from. In that moment I realized the common denominator was me and I had to do something about it. So, I began working on myself.

Looking inside myself exposed why I made the choices I made. Then I went to work to modify my thinking which led to better outcomes. It wasn’t easy working through this stuff, and it took time, but it was worth it.

Today I’m peaceful, content, and still ambitious as hell. Do I miss the chaos? In a word, no…

Standard
#inspiration, #spirituality

Joyful

Romans 12:12 tells us to:

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” How do we accomplish this when the cost of living has skyrocketed, crime is rampant, and people are at each other’s throats over something as silly as politics. There is a way.

Put all your faith and trust in something greater than yourself: God. He is still in control of everything. Keep your focus on Him. Refuse to be distracted.

Your future is in God’s hands, not the politicians. Their futures are in His hands, too…
‭‭

Standard
#inspiration

Hints

What we criticize in others is something that exists in us. If you talk about someone’s looks, you possibly aren’t happy with your own appearance. By putting others down you feel better about yourself. But only for a moment.

There are many people who need to heal from something, whether it’s from their past or something that happened to them more recently. Perhaps you had a violent childhood, or your spouse cheated on you. If you don’t work on yourself to heal from it, you might be doomed to repeat it. You can break the cycle if you want to.

Do the work…

Standard
#inspiration

Empowered

When we empower others, we set their creative minds to work. People who are given responsibility will rarely let you down. Your belief in them goes a long way, and their confidence soars.

Micromanaging others or being micromanaged is exhausting. It’s wasted time and energy. If you hire someone to do a job, get out of their way and let them do it! I have hired many women who have grown into confident people. It is rewarding to me to watch them grow.

Hiring the right people will solve 90% of your problems in business. Pay attention…

Standard
#inspiration

Making Things Better

It’s election season, so we get to hear from our favorite candidates about how they will make our lives better. They want us to believe that when they wake up every morning, they will be thinking about us. I know a good handful of politicians, from judges to members of Congress. They are telling you what you want to hear, and that’s usually not the truth.

The only one who can make your life better is you! Each of us is empowered to live active, fulfilling lives. Want more money? Work smarter and harder than your colleagues and you get promoted. The only limitations we have in life are the ones we place on ourselves. No one else can stop you from accomplishing your goals unless you allow them to.

The people in Washington will continue doing what they do. Live your life the way you want to. Don’t attach your dreams to the politicians. Make your life better through your own actions…

Standard
#inspiration

Interview with Jennifer Styers

For over 20 years, Jennifer Styers has been a beacon of light in the mysterious world of relationships. She is the CEO and Founder of LoveJenn.com. Jennifer created her own unique App, Lovey AI, which combines science and technology to create matches ideally suited for you, versus endless, pointless swiping. During our conversation, we discuss setting boundaries, getting rid of unhealthy habits that lead to unfulfilling relationships, and much much more! Take a moment to watch…

Standard
#inspiration

Inspiring Stories

Ever since I was a little boy I have loved inspiring stories. I’m not sure why. I suppose it’s in my DNA, and I’m glad it is.

The first story I read was the story of Harriet Tubman. She was not even 5 feet tall, a woman, yet she faced great danger and escaped from slavery. Even more remarkable, Harriet returned to her home 19 times and brought over 300 others to freedom. There was a bounty on her head in the amount of $40,000, equal to over $1.5 million today. It’s remarkable that no one who helped her on the “underground railroad” turned her in.

Find role models, people who inspire you. Tubman was my first, but there have been many others since then.

Get inspired and start making a difference in the lives of others…

Standard
#inspiration

Overboard

In 2023, actor Ben Stein (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) said he “missed Aunt Jemima. “Activists” jumped all over Stein, a Jew, for fomenting racism and hatred. I wonder if the so-called activists see the irony. For the record, I miss Aunt Jemima, too!

We have a tendency to go overboard in the United States when we are trying to correct a wrong, whether perceived or real. After the 9/11 hijackings, airport security got amped up (rightfully so) and we haven’t had any religious zealots fly airplanes into buildings since. Airport security has somewhat normalized and moved back to the center. It’s horrible that thousands of people had to die for us to get it accomplished.

Hundreds of statues were taken down, destroyed or vandalized because they were deemed racist. In Austin, Texas some idiots threw paint on the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue. Why? I met Stevie years ago, and he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. But he was a talented guitar player, not a devotee of Andrew Jackson!

Let’s approach life with calm. When something presents itself that needs to be addressed, let’s use a common sense approach to addressing it. We don’t need to go overboard…

Standard
#inspiration, #spirituality

Alterations

When we meet new people we always want to make a good first impression. After all, you only get one opportunity to do so.

People have a habit of putting up a solid front. They want to appear more important than they are. This is why people name-drop. But the truth is that everyone is important. We are equal in the eyes of God. He created us, and he doesn’t create junk.

We should treat others with dignity and respect. This applies even to the people who don’t deserve it. Calling people names and putting them down is both rude and wrong.

Stay true to your real self. Don’t alter yourself for the crowd. Just be the best version of yourself. Others will notice…

Standard