Good Morning: Share Your Smile...

“Smile today … one smile can make miles and miles of smiles.” ~Lisa’s Mother   Good morning!   A while ago I received a wonderful email that is perfect to share with you as a Good Morning message.   Lisa wrote, “I was just sending an email out to some friends and remembered a saying my mom has always said to me since I was really young and thought I would share it with you. ‘Smile today … one smile can make miles and miles of smiles.’”   “I remember thinking about this when I was about 6 – 7 and...

Good Morning: Life is a Mirror...

“Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.” ~Wally Famous’ Amos   Good morning!   Want a quick way to measure how you feel about yourself and what type of attitude you have? Answer this question: how do you see the world around you today? If you see the world as scary, worrisome, negative or stressful–odds are you are holding these feelings within. Likewise, if you see the world as hopeful, optimistic and joy-filled, you likely embrace those feelings within. We can’t capture the invisible. If...

Good Morning: Make Sure Your Actions are...

“Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet.” ~Unknown   Good morning!   I smiled when I read this quote. I wish I could print it in neon and post it in every square acre of the planet! Some people pray to God for change or guidance. Others just want change or guidance. Either way, there is always one very important question that needs to be asked: “What are you prepared to do?” While we might desire, yearn or wish for change, if we aren’t prepared to be an active participant then we should not expect...

Good Morning: Stop “Wasting”...

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” ~Harvey MacKay   Good morning!   Our time is more valuable than money. Our time is the one thing money can’t buy. If only we would protect and cherish our time like we would a winning lottery ticket. One of my mentors is a very successful CEO who has gone through vigorous, top-notch, elite training programs. When I asked him for advice, he shared that the single most...

Good Morning: To Get the Best, You Must ...

“You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.” ~Anonymous   Good morning!   What a simple and true wisdom today’s quote holds.  Often when we get frustrated with someone in our life, whether it be a colleague, a friend or a family member, we begin focusing on “what’s wrong,” or use it as an excuse not to go the extra mile.   However, like attracts like, and when we behave like this we then attract “half-hearted efforts” from those around us. The cycle continues until we find ourselves with a...

Good Morning: Live in a Garden of Happi...

“One of the most tragic things about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” ~Dale Carnegie   Good morning!   If you were to gather 100 people in a room and ask them to write down their happiest times, you would likely find the lists had one thing in common. Our happiest times come when we connect with others and give the best of ourselves. Yet, these happy times can be hard to come by since human nature is...

Good Morning: Learn to re-Start Your Day...

“I can start my day over anytime I choose.” ~Brook Noel   Good morning!   While my mother and I were chatting recently, she reminded me of something I had done as a little girl. Every once in a while, she would see me stop for a moment and close my eyes as if intently concentrating on something. One day, when I was doing this after lunch, she asked me what I was doing. I informed her that, “My day isn’t going that good, so I am starting it over.” I don’t know where I learned the skill, but it has served me well.   A while ago, I...

Good Morning: Turn it All Off...

“To poke a wood fire is more solid enjoyment than almost anything else in the world.” ~Charles Dudley Warner   Good morning!   How many times have you found yourself getting angry at a disobedient computer? What about getting tired of a ringing phone? Have you ever head a child get frustrated with a video game? Do you have a spouse or child (or does your) cell phone seem to ring incessantly? Just as we choose to have these technologies that “make our life easier” (said tongue in cheek), we can also choose to turn them all off once in a...

Good Morning: Have an Attitude of Gratit...

How beautiful a day is when kindness touches it.” ~Unknown   Good morning!   When I was 10, I was a math whiz. My mother was always helping kids in our neighborhood and we often took in a child who might have been having problems in their home. One year, we took in a young man who was around 18 and wanted to get into the military. Unfortunately, his education had been lacking and he was unable to pass the math test. I went to my school principal and asked if he could loan me elementary math books. I started tutoring him 2 hours a night, beginning with first...

Good Morning: How You Feel Colors the Wo...

“Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.” ~Wally Famous’ Amos   Good morning!   Want a quick way to measure how you feel about yourself and what type of attitude you have? Answer this question: how do you see the world around you today? If you see the world as scary, worrisome, negative or stressful–odds are you are holding these feelings within. Likewise, if you see the world as hopeful, optimistic and joy-filled, you likely embrace those feelings within. We can’t capture the invisible. If we...