Tag Archives: #leadership

Spirituality

Stradivarius

A Stradivarius is a string instrument created by the Stradivari family beginning in the late 1600’s. They are known for their excellent craftsmanship, tone and durability. There are about 650 instruments remaining in the world, and a Stradivarius violin sold for $18 million dollars in recent years.

As rare as a Stradivarius is, you are more rare than they are. Around 1,100 instruments were created by Antonio Stradivari, yet only one of you has lived, breathed and walked on planet Earth. And considering that over 100 billion people have lived since the beginning of time as we know it, this makes you even more rare and valuable.

Be fearless in showing the world who you are. You were created to stand out and to use your unique gifts to make a difference in the world. Don’t hide your identity. Show yourself!

You have a lot to offer to mankind. Don’t waste your talents…

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Spirituality

Don’t Believe the Lies

We lie to ourselves. We convince ourselves that we are better at some things than we are. That’s just bragging. Or maybe some tequila convinces us we can dance really well! We can’t.

The worst lies we believe are the ones that condemn us to an unfulfilled life. We deceive ourselves into thinking we have no talent, no intelligence, no confidence, and we talk ourselves into believing we don’t have the power to change. We have everything we need to change.

Enough. Let this be the dividing line of your life. God created all of us and He doesn’t make junk. God never second-guesses himself, either. We were created for a greater purpose. There is nothing random about your life.

I encourage you to stop believing the lies and start believing in yourself. You are capable of doing whatever God created you to accomplish.

Believe in yourself. When others criticize you or put you down, remember this: they don’t have the final word about your life…

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Spirituality

Passively Aggressive

Are you making things happen in your life, or is your life merely happening while you’re in it? There’s a lot to experience out there.

Some people have made political commentary the focus of their lives. They get so focused criticizing everything that they miss out on life. One guy I know forgot his son’s birthday because he let his hatred of the current administration overwhelm him. Such a loss. Sad, actually.

Get out of your comfort zone. Go to an art museum, a library, a new restaurant, or a traveling exhibit. If you don’t know anything about art, you can learn. And your brain will benefit because you will be opening new, exciting neural pathways.

Remember to take some time to be quiet as well. We need both activity and quiet.

Don’t let life pass you by. One day it will all be over. Make things happen…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Who Do You Love?

I have read multiple studies that say over 85% of adults in the United States don’t like themselves. They look in the mirror and want to turn away from their own image. This goes beyond just physical appearance.

Self-acceptance is something you must work on if this is a struggle for you. I’m not suggesting an inflated ego or false confidence. Merely accepting yourself and who you were created to be is a good first step.

The challenges life has thrown your way can become obstacles to a healthy self image. When you were a child, you couldn’t wait to make your mark on the world. Then life threw you some curves and perhaps you allowed them to shake your confidence.

No more. This is the dividing line of your life. There is nothing random about your life. You aren’t here as the result of a whimsical, careless Creator. There is a great purpose attached to your existence. Don’t quit until you find it. Then act on it.

You might have been knocked around in life. Most of us have been. But you are still in the game unless you decide you don’t want to be.

Keep going…

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Spirituality

Targets

Bullseye! This word is like magic when you’re in a shooting contest. You hit the center of the target.

In today’s world, certain groups have had targets placed on them. Most of them are unwarranted and unwarranted. Tesla owners have seen their cars get keyed or painted with swastikas. What good that could come from this is a mystery, but it’s never okay to intentionally damage someone’s property.

During his time, Jesus had a target on his back. In Jesus’ case, he was targeted by the religious leaders not the criminals. In fact, some of the criminals were followers of Jesus (more on that in a future piece). Jesus didn’t care. He was on a mission given to him by the Father.

People seek attention, thereby becoming targets themselves. That’s fine. If fame is what you’re looking for, make sure that when someone hits the bullseye they are spreading goodness into the world…

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Uncategorized

Red Flags

When we hear about red flags, we know some kind of warning is coming. Red flags are placed on beaches where it’s unsafe for swimming. And they are placed on construction sites when there’s a reason to pause building.

Some people demonstrate behavior that should come with a red flag. Constant lying, being rude to restaurant servers, saying hurtful things and putting others down while declaring their own superiority are clearly warning signs you should stay away. These types of people operate in a world of their own self-interest. You cannot fix them. They can only help themselves.

Find the people who bring out the best in you. Those who honor and respect you are a true treasure. They are a rare breed in today’s society, but they are out there.

Look for the green flags. Green is good!

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Spirituality

The Lens of Compassion

Empathy or compassion. Which is it?

Empathy is shared experience, while compassion is showing you care but can’t relate because you haven’t had the same experience. For example, I know many people who have lost children. That’s a level of pain that I have not experienced. Yet, I feel for them because I know they are hurting. I don’t know how they feel, though.

When I see illegal members of a violent gang being deported, I always wonder what happened to them to cause them to go down the road of evil. I truly wish things had turned out different for them.

Lead your life with care and compassion for others. We are all in this life together…

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Spirituality

Late Admissions

It’s believed that people who are dying speak the truth. Their time has run out so there’s no reason to lie.

The first words recorded that Jesus said from the cross were, “Father. Forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Forgive them? Up until this moment, Jesus had been pretty quiet during his sham trials. Now, exhausted, beaten into a bloody mess, and dying he asks God to forgive the ones who were killing him.

The words of Jesus apply today as well. We usually don’t know what we are doing. We wander through life, trying to make it work out and find some meaning while we’re at it. God gave us a guide, The Bible, but we must read it and apply what it says for it to work. And it helps to talk to God during the day, asking for guidance and help when we screw up!

Don’t wait until it’s too late to find why you’re here. It’s not to make a bunch of money, retire and die. No. There’s more. Much more.

Find it. Start with the guide God gave us. He won’t steer you wrong. Ever…

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Spirituality

Faking It

Fake people are everywhere. People have lost their souls, doing and saying outrageous things so they can achieve a modicum of fame and notoriety. One guy in the United Kingdom went so far as to film himself licking a public toilet and posting it to his Instagram account. Yuck doesn’t begin to describe how disgusting that was.

Being known can be a really good thing. When famous people lend their name to a great cause, it increases the awareness and effectiveness of the organization. Think about Paul Newman and his “Newmans Own” salad dressings and pasta sauces. Every dollar of net profit goes to charities for children and education. The company got its start because Newman loved to cook and he wanted to leave a legacy.

If fame is what you seek, that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t lose yourself in the process…

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Spirituality

Addition or Subtraction?

Our words and our actions are either helpful or hurtful. Anything we say or do is rarely neutral.

The content of our hearts reveals a lot about us. Pure thoughts create pure hearts, while perverse thoughts bring out an ugly side of people. Most of us steer clear of judgmental, negative people. They suck the life out of you. Change your environment and change your life!

We are either adding or subtracting from the lives of others. At the same time, we are adding or subtracting from ourselves.

My encouragement to you is to become really good at addition. Leave the subtraction to someone else…

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