What will you paint today?

It's your life. You are holding the paint brush. You can design your life to be whatever you would like it to be. It's your choice.

"You select the colors of your thoughts; drab or bright, weak or strong, good or bad.
You select the colors of your actions; cold or warm, fearful or daring, small or big.

Through your creative imagination you create a vision- your dream.
Each moment of your life is a brush stroke in the painting of your own career.
The little touches are the ones that add the stamp of character." ~Wilfred Peterson

What will you paint today? Don't just paint it, make it a Masterpiece.

"The choices that you make today will determine your future of tomorrow."

Quote of the month: "A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though the know that you are slightly cracked." ~Bernard Meltzer

Are you living in the SHADOWLAND OF HOPE?

What are you waiting for? Get back in the game. Most people stay on the side lines. Why? Because they have been effected by the fear of failure.

"I wasn't going to be one of those people who died wondering "what if"? I would keep putting my dreams to the test-even if it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadowland of Hope and anyone with a dream must learn to live there." ~Alex Haley

"Success is 99% failure." ~Soichiro Honda

Quote of the month: "A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though they know that you are slightly cracked." ~Bernard Meltzer

Are you a Hypocrite?

Hypocrites are those who make up the rules as they go. What are your rules of life? Yes they can be altered, but we all have certain values that we follow.

Dalai Lama continued values of life:
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone everyday.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

"Set your priorities high enough to inspire others and low enough to encourage them."

Thank you for reading. What is one rule that you follow in life? E-mail me back or click on comments.

Quote of the month: "A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though they know that you are slightly cracked." ~Bernard Meltzer

On the day you are called by God

The first question God may ask you is:

God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

Quote of the month: "A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."~Bernard Meltzer

Who is most important in your life?

Are you excited to see your friends and family who surround you? You ever notice that when we don't see someone for a long time, we have that excitement built up upon seeing them again? If you're not guaranteed tomorrow, then why take someone for granted today?

She graduated college. Just to keep in shape, she joined a local recreational sports team. Her boyfriend was so excited and wanted to see her play. She explained to him that no one at the games gets too excited. They just kind of sit there and watch. But, what she was trying to tell him was that, she knew how excited he would be to watch her play and didn't want him to embarrass her by rooting to loudly for her.

After understanding this, he said to her, "What if a famous ball player like Derek Jeter walked onto the field before your game?" She answered, "Then everyone would get so excited just because of his presence." Her boyfriend said, "Well that's how I feel when I see you."

"People may not remember what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel."

Quote of the month: "A winner is a dreamer who just won't quit."

Worth the struggle!

Did you struggle today?

Did you know that Geese fly in a "V" formation? This is so they can fly higher and faster. It allows all the geese to face adversity and build strength. They all work together. The lead goose has the hardest job because it takes the brunt of the headwinds. The last goose has the easiest position. However, the geese rotate around and take turns at all the different positions, so they can all face adversity by being the lead goose.

Small challenges create small muscles, while big challenges create big muscles.
We all need challenges in order to grow.

"Adversity challenges and pushes us to accelerate the development of our greatest potential."
~Art Mortell

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

The Mountain of Adversity

How do you expect to get anywhere in life without going through the struggle to get there?

3 Levels of Adversity (Mountain)
Quitters- Abandon the climb. "It's too hard. Look how high it is."

Campers- Start a difficult task and don't finish. They start climbing up the mountain and as it gets difficult they just camp out. This becomes their home. Living in mediocrity.

Climbers- Keep moving in spite of obstacles. Are willing to face adversity and keep climbing. Climbers grow from their challenges and realize that adversity builds Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

Campers see change as a problem and Climbers see change as an opportunity.

"Success is not a destination; it is a journey." ~Willie Jolley

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

How to Kick FFUD Out?

FFUD
Fear
Frustration
Uncertainty
Doubt
Gotta have Faith!

Faith means to have Confidence and Trust in something.

Faith sees the invisible,
Believes the incredible and
Receives the impossible.
(Given to me by The Sweet Shannon Ashe)

"Faith will mold and make you. FFUD will bust and break you"

FFUD~ Ed Agresta

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Is IQ overrated as a contributor toward success?

Are you a genius?
Well Ted Kacynski is. His IQ is off the charts. However he lacked social skills and couldn't handle the pressures of life and eventually became the "Unabomber".

See, our IQ will take us places, but how long we last there will depend on how high our EQ and AQ are.

The key ingredients to success!
What is your EQ? That's right, your Emotional Intelligence- ability to work and empathize with others, control impulses and have high self esteem. People with a high Emotional Intelligence tend to excel in life, relationships, jobs, school and life's everyday challenges. IQ will help you get the job, but your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) will help you excel in it.

Now your determination of success is AQ- Which is how you handle Adversity. Building up your Emotional Intelligence, will depend on how you handle your Adversities = how successful you are.

"When Adversity jumps in the way of success, how well you handle it will determine if you're standing on top of the mountain or looking up from the bottom."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Discover your "why."

Accomplish your Goals!
Stop thinking about it and start doing it. If we spent more time doing and less time thinking about it, imagine all the goals we would've achieved.

Randy was in desperate need of losing weight. No matter what the doctors told him, he still did not lose weight, until a tragedy struck his family. Randy's young daughter was going to die unless she received a kidney. Randy gave up his kidney, but the doctors refused it because he was too overweight. Randy then did the unthinkable. He lost 100 lbs. in 8 months and saved his daughter's life. Randy said, "It was easy because I had a tremendous incentive to save my daughter's life."
~Oprah Winfrey Show

"If you have a big enough "why," you'll always discover the "how."
~ Dr. Gilbert

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

What do you want?

Do you spend most of the day thinking about all the things you want in life?

"Money won't make you happy. But everyone wants to find out for themselves."
~Zig Ziglar

"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

"Why should God give us anymore if we don't appreciate what we already have."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

What are you doing with your shots in life?

Dedicated to a basketball athlete, who is one of the most Composed players and person that I know, Bobbi Aker.

The Greatest Hockey Player of all time once said, "The only shot you miss is the one you don't take" ~ Wayne Gretzky

Being afraid to make a mistake is the worst mistake, you can make.

Life is full of shot opportunities. Sometimes you make 'em and sometimes you miss 'em. If you miss,
SO WHAT! Take Another Shot.

"While those hesitate because they feel inferior, others are busy making mistakes and becoming superior."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Whose life will you touch today?

Dedicated to a person who brings energy and enlightenment when she walks into a room, Lorraine Ferro.

"You are fulfilling a life exactly as you are and exactly as you are needed because you're willing and open to follow your heart! That is so rare, and with your help, those qualities will be much more visible in many more people, because your path includes lighting up the whole world!"
~ written to someone in a birthday card

The world needs us and it is our job to find out HOW?

"Your gift is wrapped in the box of desire."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Has someone told you NO?

When someone tells you NO, it's only temporary, until you find a way to get them to say yes. Find your way around your circumstances. NO should push you where you need to go.

This woman divorced her husband, after spending years of being physically abused. This singer tried to get a record contract, but was told NO by numerous companies because she was washed up. But if you want something bad enough, then the word NO is only a small bump in the road. So she went to Europe and recorded a song called "Let's Stay Together". She then came back to America and recorded an album called "What's Love got to do with it". She is now one of the all time highest grossing concert artists of all time.
-Tina Turner

"Your Greatest Rejection is your Greatest Direction."
~Joel Osteen

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up"

Do you get frozen by the fear of failure?

Dedicated to a Professor whose motivational style, has touched many students at Montclair State University, Lisa Sargese.

understand that the brain resists change; takes time to get your system to effectively change for the better

Positive Failing
1) Results may not come as fast as you would like= SO WHAT
2) Keep putting in the effort until "Breakdowns become Breakthroughs"
3) How do you know you're pushing yourself hard enough? When you are making mistakes
4) Don't stop until successes outnumbers mistakes

"Some people throw a chlorine tablet in a swamp and expect a swimming pool to appear."
~Lisa Sargese

"When you find the energy for total nonstop effort, by giving your best no matter what the circumstances are, then you are acting as if it were impossible to fail."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures, are those people who didn't realize, how close they were to success when they gave up"

Get in the wheel barrow!

A tight rope walker walked across the Niagara Falls while thousands of fans looked on. After jumping and jogging across the rope, he did something even more amazing that would stun the crowd. He put a wheel barrow on the rope and put his dog in it. Then his son and eventually his wife. He took all of them across to the other side and back. While signing autographs, he was approached by an ecstatic fan. The fan asked "can you go across there one more time so I can get a picture (as the wind started to pick up)." The tight rope walker asked him, "Do you believe that I can walk across with the wind blowing?" The fan replied, "There is no doubt in mind that you can." The tight rope walker then said, "O.k. then get in the wheel barrow," as the fan then walked away.

Are we walking with a belief system that has not been tested.

"Once you conceive it in your mind, you must believe it in your heart."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures, are those people who didn't realize, how close they were to success when they gave up."

Do others dictate your mood?

Isn't it nice to receive great compliments? Doesn't it make you feel great about who you are? But are we constantly relying on others to lift our spirits? If so then are we allowing others to pull us down? We might be giving power over our emotions to others, putting us on this wild roller coaster ride of emotions. - Compliments bring us up and insults brings us down -

It is time that we start taking charge of our lives.
How?

Don't allow others' poor character to infect your own.
"I am already happy with who I am and there is nothing anyone can do to change that."

Quote of the month: "Most of life's failures are those people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Are you a gazelle or a lion?

Dedicated to the most inspiring teenager Andy Hernandez. Every morning Andy wakes up he is always ready to face what God has in store for him today.

Did you know, if you listen or watch something positive in the first twenty minutes of your day, you're productivity has a chance of doubling.

Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up,
And knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion, Or it will be eaten.
Also every morning in Africa a lion wakes up,
And knows that 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.

"What will you be thankful for tomorrow that you will do today."

Last Quote of the month: "Don't allow the pains of the past to poison your future. Where you're going is more important than where you've been."

What does your future hold?

Your future is happening right now. So stop trying to figure everything out.

I have only just a minute, Only sixty seconds in it
Forced upon me, can't refuse it,
Didn't seek it, Didn't choose it
But it's up to me to use it
I must suffer if I lose it
Give account if I abuse it
Just a tiny little minute
But an eternity is in it!
-Dr. Benjamin Mays

Quote of the month: "Don't allow the pains of the past to poison your future. Where you're going is more important than where you've been."

Lets Procrastinate!

Dedicated to a person who always finishes what he starts.
A Hard Worker- Jimmy Deakyne

There is only one thing, you are allowed to procrastinate.

"Procrastinate Procrastination" ~Dr. Gilbert

Quote of the month: "Don't allow the pains of the past to poison your future. Where you're going is more important than where you've been."