Tag Archives: #inspiration

#inspiration, #spirituality

Peaceful Days

Weekends are good for running errands and having some free time. After all, fitting in a little down time can be a good thing.

Peace is underrated. We all know people who thrive on creating chaos. It’s almost like they can’t be at ease unless they are stirring the shit pot. Eliminate those people from your life. At least keep them as far away as possible. And don’t feel guilty for protecting your peace of mind. You will operate better with a clear mind.

You can create as much peace as you want in your life. The crazies will always be around. Let them disrupt the peace of others…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Advantage

Have you ever been taken advantage of? Of course you have. People have agendas to fulfill and some of them are happy to use any means necessary to make them happen.

Politicians take advantage of the population. “Vote for me” and all your problems will go away, they say. In our rational minds we know this isn’t true. But the politicians aren’t appealing to our sense of reason. They are hitting our emotional hot buttons. We get disappointed and disillusioned when they don’t come through. There’s a reason Congress has an approval rating of only 13%.

I encourage you to be pure in your motives. If you need help, ask. Don’t take advantage of others. Living life with integrity will bring you everything you need in life…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Impulses

I have an impulsive habit. I admit it. Remember the infomercials that would be aired in the middle of the night? They were targeting people like me. You might recall the Ronco “set it and forget it” oven. I bought it and forgot it. Twice! Thank God I have a full head of hair or I may have bought the spray on hair.

In today’s politically charged world, there are many who want to goad us into visceral outrage. I have one “friend” on social media who tells outright lies with no consequences. He wants us to impulsively reply to his nonsense and, admittedly, sometimes I want to let him have it. After all, lying to people without being called out on the lies just encourages more lies. I just take a deep breath and pass him by, reminding myself that I wouldn’t want to live inside his head or heart.

Controlling our emotions is a sign of maturity. Perhaps I’m growing up!

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#inspiration

Shortcuts

Shortcuts are good sometimes. For example, if I’m driving from Austin to San Antonio there might be a better route than I-35. That road is constantly under construction and traffic is unpredictable. Rerouting to the west and coming in on 281 might be the preferred option.

When we are trying to accomplish something great, it’s best to avoid shortcuts. To write a book or prepare for a podcast interview, you need to do research. You will do a much better job when you fully engage yourself. You owe your audience your best work. Nothing less is acceptable.

To do things the right way means you take the road less traveled. That road is a lot less congested than I-35, and you will meet some interesting people along the way…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Worth Fighting For

The American dream remains alive and well. Yes, we have our share of problems and challenges, but we remain the freest country on earth.

Freedom gets taken for granted. We treat it cavalierly, as if there wasn’t a price paid to have it. The truth is, a great price was paid, from the Revolutionary War to the courts today. Many have died for a cause greater than themselves. Their sacrifice was not in vain.

The United States remains the greatest experiment ever conceived, and that is worth fighting for…

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#inspiration

Say It Ain’t So!

Why are we hesitant to call things what they actually are? For example, in a little less than two months we will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of September 11th. People refer to it as “the events of September 11th” rather than calling it what it was: a terrorist attack.

Not to be overlooked but the news media are calling an assassination attempt on President Trump “the events of last Saturday night.”

Sugar coating things doesn’t make them more palatable. The two incidents I cited were horrible. Dumbing them down is irritating and insulting. We need to be bold about speaking the truth.

Yes, the truth hurts sometimes. But we can handle the truth…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Check The Box

A lot of life feels like we are just checking the box. We get to work on time. Check the box. Pick up kids and get them to their after school events. Check another box. It’s like we have a daily to-do list and then we do the same list the next day. As I have said before, much of daily life is routine and boring. It’s that way for everyone, no matter what People Magazine wants us to believe.

Let’s take a moment to consider our goals, dreams and desires. Are we checking any boxes in this important part of our lives? If we are just going through the motions or giving it lip service, we are cheating others as well as ourselves. We are built for purpose, God’s purpose. Let’s live like it matters because it does. Ignoring our purpose will not make it go away.

I encourage you to do something, even if it’s just one thing, every day to get you where you want to be. Start today. In fact, start now…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Plus One

I’m invited to a wedding in October. The young man getting married is someone I’ve known for about 25 years. I refer to him as “my other son I didn’t have to send to college!” The invitation is to me plus one.

I have no plus one, and I don’t feel pressured to go find one in the interim. There is no dishonor in being single. Over the course of my life, I have traveled to resorts, seen movies, and I have gone to dinner by myself. Making conversation comes naturally for me, but solitude has a different kind of peace attached to it.

If you have insecurities about being single, I encourage you to work on yourself to learn why. Facing your inner challenges can be scary, but there is freedom on the other side. The obstacle will remain until you decide to remove it.

The times you are single, in a committed relationship, or you are married have a season in your life. Make the most of them. Most importantly, never try to force outcomes in life. Just keep working on what you want from life. Then, you will be putting yourself in a position to succeed…

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#inspiration

Minimum Wage

Modern minimum wage laws can trace their roots all the way back to the year 1349. King Edward III issued a decree which established a minimum wage for workers. In 1933, FDR introduced the first minimum wage in the United States. It was set at a whopping 25 cents per hour along with a 44 hour work week.

In 1914, Henry Ford set the bar high when he started paying Ford workers $5 per day. This was revolutionary. Ford was a visionary , and he attracted the best workers to choose from, and the rest is history.

Congress yells constantly about a “living wage” while trying to increase the minimum wage set for workers. Wages are the largest contributor to inflation. But the minimum is just that, a minimum. I worked a lot of jobs as a teenager and I was happy to have work. Minimum wage was never a goal, and Congress should stop trying to change the mindset that minimum wage should be enough to support a family. It’s expensive enough to live in 2024. We don’t need the “help” of the politicians. They tend to royally screw things up without consequences. Just check their track record.

No matter your pay, always give more than what you are paid for. Your efforts will be noticed, and they will be rewarded…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Timid

Wherever I am I notice everyone. I make eye contact and speak to others. It is remarkable to me how many people are timid about saying hello. Perhaps they have a lot on their minds and can’t take on anything else. The truth is, I don’t need to know.

We weren’t timid as children. We were outgoing and friendly. Then life happened. Life can knock you on your ass sometimes. Life can make people reticent to try one more time. But I say don’t quit, no matter what you’ve been through or what happens in your future. You are here for a purpose.

In 2 Timothy 1:7, it says “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Recapture your inner power. It’s there, it’s just muted.

Start today. Rekindle the fire that burns within you. Go make your mark on the world…

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