GIVING THANKS, EVERY DAY

A week ago, around this time, you were probably relaxing in front of the TV, watching a football game or some holiday program while talking to members of your family. Hours before that, you were probably feasting on turkey, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, and whatever else you prepared. Before you started to dine on that fabulous meal, you probably said a prayer. Your prayer probably included all the many things you were thankful for. If you did say a prayer before your Thanksgiving meal, I have no doubt that it was one of sincere gratitude. I do have a question, though. Have you prayed a similar prayer, giving thanks to God for all that you have, all that you are, and all that you aspire to become. Are you any more blessed on that special Thursday in late November than you are any other day of the calendar year? I know I’m not. And since I’m not, I make it point to pray with the deepest gratitude for everything I’m so very blessed to have. Even if I’m experiencing problems or setbacks, I’m incredibly blessed to be able to have the opportunity to resolve them. So in a sense, every single day, except for all the food, is like Thanksgiving to me. How about for you?

DON’T WAIT AT THE GATE … FOREVER

If you really want something, how long are you willing to wait to get it? I’m sure your answer is, that depends. By that I mean that I mean how long you would wait for something probably depends on what that something is, right? Different people desire different things at different levels. The point of this blog post is to tell you to always think about what you miss while you wait. No matter how short your wait, you will miss doing something else, but when you wait a long time, you can miss out on some great experiences and opportunities. Life never stops moving for us to catch up. Because of this fact, you need to examine what you are waiting for, why you are still waiting for it, and how long it will be before you stop waiting for it. This last action can be hard to decide on, especially if you are told you’re going to get what you want. Patience is fine quality to have; I consider myself a patient person. Being patient does not mean standing still and doing nothing forever, though. If you have to follow steps and procedures to obtain something you really want, then make sure the proper steps and procedures are being taken so that you can get it. If they aren’t, go elsewhere … to a place where things do get done so you can get what you want.

COMFORT VS. CHANGE

We all have something that we really enjoy. It could be a favorite chair, a favorite shirt, pair of pants, or favorite pair of shoes. In the kitchen, you probably have a favorite plate, a favorite mug, and a favorite glass. Nothing is wrong with having a favorite anything. What I want you to think about is the feeling you get when you use your favorite thing or you are in your favorite place. More than likely, you like it so much because you feel in control and totally comfortable with the favorite thing. This feeling of comfort can turn out to be a bad thing if it is preventing you from experiencing the change you need to make to get something you never had or do something you’ve never done. Until I am very uncomfortable with the weight I want to lose, it won’t get lost. If someone is comfortable living paycheck to paycheck, they have no incentive to change their financial conditions. If someone is unhappy in a relationship but they are comfortable enough that they aren’t miserable, they will probably stay in that relationship. Making a change can be very hard, and change can be impossible for some. But for those who want something different than what they presently have, change, and sometimes great change, is mandatory.

"DEAR AMERICA"

On the day before a new president will be elected in this country, I read a message on the Early to Rise Ezine about this country, politics, faith, prosperity, and self-empowerment that was so stirring and inspiring to me I wanted to share it with my blog readers. Please read both “American or Not” and “Dear America” because each article has a powerful message we need to understand. American or Not No matter where you live or what you think about the American election or its candidates, the conclusion of today's message has meaning for us all. It's a choice that anyone, anywhere, can and must make for themselves. Craig Ballantyne "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." - Matthew 12:25 Dear America By Craig Ballantyne Dear America, You were everything a foreign kid dreamt of and more. There I was, 10 years old and unleashed in Orlando, Florida, the heart of American consumerism. The Ballantyne family had finally made the pilgrimage to Disney World. Between trips to the theme park my cousin and I would play arcade games in the hotel lobby. For dinner we had McDonalds and large cans of American soda (the cans back in Canada were still just a fraction of the size). At night in our hotel room we'd watch all the American television shows that we couldn't get back on the farm where our rabbit-eared TV only received three Canadian channels. And then there was Disney World itself. You've been there. You know what it means to a child. I won't even attempt to put the Magic Kingdom into words. That trip strengthened my relationship with America that had long ago started with my love for the Dallas Cowboys and America's mesmerizing Saturday morning cartoons. And while it might not be a popular motif in the present day, I have no problem admitting that I love America. Always have and probably always will. I love you, America, for your grand traditions, your voracious appetite for consumption, your big trucks, your big hearts, and your even bigger personalities. I love you for your sports dynasties and legends, your bizarre obsession with college sports (they're teenagers!), and your iconic academic and financial institutions. And who doesn't love New York City at Christmas, weekends in Las Vegas, the coasts of California, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the great plains of the mid-west, and the small town pride all over the country. But most of all I love America for Americans; which is why your infighting bothers me so much. As an outsider that watches you every day, I fear that your greatness is at risk due to petty disagreements and massive misunderstandings. In fact, it is your dogged loyalty, one of your strongest attributes that might also be your undoing. Darn it America, you mean a lot to me. And I don't want to see you go out like this. America, you are not a collection of people defined by percentage points. You're not a 1 percent, 99 percent, 46 percent, or even 110 percent (no matter how often your sports superstars claim to give that much effort). You're not "red states" or "blue states". You're not defined by being a donkey or an elephant. Quit labeling yourself, it means nothing. Here's what you really are, even if so many people around the world will only begrudgingly admit it. You are a great country full of even greater individuals that simply all want a better life. In fact, we all do, every person in every country of the world. But here's the problem. Everyday we teach our children that bullying is wrong. Don't be mean, don't pick on other kids, don't tell lies or spread gossip, don't belittle or ostracize others. But then what do the so-called leaders of America do? They bully each other and anyone that disagrees with them, which sets a terrible example. But it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, if left to the people of America, and not to the political parties, it wouldn't be that way. What real Americans do is add value, solve problems, and help one another. Just look at the response to Hurricane Sandy. The people along the Eastern Seaboard united, and were on the streets helping one another. No one cared who the other person was voting for. Instead, it was all about lending a helping hand and working together. That's the America (and Americans) that I know. If only the so-called "guys in charge" could see this, understand this, and learn from this. If only they would realize that it's time to put aside political differences and to help one another. The game of political division has gone too far. Sometimes, as I watch as an outsider, I wonder if it can ever be fixed. But in the end, I believe it can. And it starts with adding value. If you add value to the world and help solve one another's problems, you can build a great business and even rebuild a great country. There's virtually no limit to the positive results you can achieve when you make service to others your overriding priority. To the people of America, realize that you are an individual and family member first, an American second, and somewhere way down the line you can feel free to call yourself a Democrat or Republican (or other). Never forget that order of importance. Whatever happens on Tuesday, Nov 6th, 2012, I can guarantee you one thing. On Wednesday, Nov 7th, the sun will rise in the East, you will wake up and your dream of a better future for you and your family will not have changed. There will be a newly elected or re-elected President of the United States, but there will be only one ruler of your American Dream - and that is you. What you do with your dream is up to you and YOU alone. No President controls whether you get out of bed early to get a head start on the work day or whether you sleep in and fall behind your competitors. No political party dictates whether you work four hours a week or sixty-four. Those choices are yours, and yours alone. You cannot allow external factors to change your internal vision. You can still make your life into anything you want it to be. You can transcend the political division and still have your shot at the American Dream (and this goes for anyone, anywhere in the world that is free to read Early to Rise). Choose to come together and add value, rather than tearing your country apart. No one sets limits on how much value you can add to the world. No one but you. For you are the Commander-in-Chief of your American Dream. And that is what I love about America. Sincerely, A Canadian Boy and His Dog

GO WHERE YOU ARE CELEBRATED

I heard a TV minister say something today that really moved me, so much so that I wrote the quote down. This minister stressed to his congregation, “Go where you are celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.” How very true and powerful these words are. Do you know of anyone who you think is a person that always tries to please everybody? How much success does this person have attempting to do this? I’m sure not very much. Have you ever been the person who was trying to please all? If so, don’t feel bad because I readily admit that I used to be that way, though it was many years ago. I learned though living life that whether you are at work, at home, with friends, family, or loved ones, your actions will never make all of the people you are closely associated with happy. So what does that mean? It means that you should put your most valuable time, feelings, energy, and work where it is most appreciated. Make it a point to be around people who not only want you with them, they also appreciate you being with them. If you work for a company, choose a company that values you as a worker and shows you that they appreciate the talents and skills you bring to the organization. Most importantly, if you think well of yourself, then why would you want to put yourself in any situation where you are just “tolerated” by another?

OWN YOUR HAPPINESS

Would you describe yourself as a happy person or an unhappy person? If you think of yourself as a happy person, what do you think contributes the most your happiness? If you think of yourself as an unhappy person, what do you think contributes the most to your unhappiness? If you answered the question about the biggest contributor to your happiness with anything other than YOURSELF, I must disagree with you. Your state of mind, your self-esteem, and especially your self-image, have far more to do with your emotional state than possessions, people or places. Think about it, if you get the guy or girl of your dreams, or you get that amazing home or car you saved up for, do those things make you happy in a direct way? They don’t. What happens is your emotional state is enhanced or lowered by people you are with or things you are given or acquire. The strongest feelings you have are the feelings about yourself. You must feel good about you to truly feel good about life. Until you genuinely like, love, and accept yourself, no person, place, thing, situation, or condition will permanently change you so that you can enjoy life to the fullest. Only you can own your happiness.

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

If someone asked where you worked, you would most likely give them the name of a company, organization, or agency. You could also answer the question by saying you’re self employed. If the same person were to describe what you do on your job, you would probably have no trouble at all describing what your work duties and/or responsibilities are. The same type of response applies to questions like, Where do you live? and What is your neighborhood like? There is nothing wrong with those questions or those responses. But how do you answer the question, Who are you? If you answer by giving your name, then how would you responds to this follow up statement and question: You told me your name, but I want to know who you are as a person? Who are you to yourself compared to who you are to the public? These very important questions are not the easiest to answer, yet they are questions that you should know the answers to. Almost everybody has an image we want to present at the job and outside of our homes and another image that is made up of what we feel in our hearts and minds. This is normal because different environment may call for different conduct. What isn’t normal or healthy is when your self-image doesn’t match public the image. You will not live in harmony with yourself and others if you are not being the true you. So take the time to answer the question, Who are you … really? And when you answer it honestly, see if it lines up with who you really want to be.

ARE YOU READY FOR A SERIOUS STORM?

I am in Virginia Beach, Virginia as I write this and the Hampton Roads/Tidewater Area and other locations along the U.S. East Coast are bracing themselves for Hurricane Sandy. Some weather experts are calling Sandy the making of a “perfect storm.” What’s meant by a perfect storm is that it can bring torrential rains, winds, flooding, and power outages. So when something as threatening as a serious hurricane may be headed your way, what is the best way to prepare for it? Do you stock up on living essentials like, water, canned and other non-perishable food items, toilet paper, candles, flashlights, and batteries? Or do you make quick plans to leave the area long before the storm is predicted to hit? I can’t tell you one way is better than the other because you have to make the decision that is best for you. You will face decisions in your life that are just as important, if not more so, as the ones you would make to protect yourself from a deadly storm. The big question is, are you ready to make those decisions? As the great line from a Nationwide Insurance commercial states, “Life comes at you fast.” And we all know it surely can. Stay alert and stay ready for almost anything and not much will catch you off guard. Keep your house in order. Protect yourself and your family. Mind your money and value your time. And you will also be very wise to follow an approach I coined many years ago, Don’t expect the worse … but always try to be prepared for it.

SHOW YOUR TRUE FRIENDS YOU LOVE THEM

Almost everybody is blessed enough to have at least three to four people in their lives that they consider true friends. I’m talking about the kind of friends that you know want to see you safe and well, want to see you succeed in all that you do, and most of all, they sincerely want to see you happy. For the friends you have who are in this category, show them how much they mean to you while you have the opportunity. Don’t put it off. Tell them just how special they are. You don’t need to wait for a special occasion. Let them know, now, how much better your life is because they are a part of it. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because you call, email, or text your true friends on their birthdays or you send them a Christmas card that they realize the full scope of how much they mean to you. And don’t think that you have to be a writer or a singer to create a message that will touch their hearts. Many times, the most meaningful and memorable gestures are the simplest ones. What makes them so significant is that they come from your heart.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD

If you are a good driver, you must keep your focus on the traffic that’s in front of you. A good driver will also check the rear view mirror and the side mirrors frequently to see what’s going on in those areas. A good driver will take a quick look to the side when changing lanes to ensure that no car is in the blind spot that a side mirror won’t pick up. All of these checks are critically important for good drivers, yet the most important thing to do is to keep your eyes on what is in front of you. Keeping your eyes on what’s in front of you is vital to your personal and professional success. We should all learn from our past experiences, including the mistakes we made. But it does you no good to dwell on what you feel you didn’t do well. It doesn’t help you today to kick yourself for a bad decision you made last week, last month, or last year. It is especially harmful to continue to stay depressed over a bad choice or a foolish action you made years ago. Yes, there are plenty of people that do that. I strongly advise you to focus on what you want and what you need to do to achieve it. Don’t ignore mistakes, learn from them and move on. Don’t put yourself down, pull yourself up. Above all else, keep your mind on what you can control. Put your efforts into what you can do. It’s okay to have some low points and bad days, but you don’t want to stay in those states. Move on and move forward.

THE LAST DEBATE

The third and final debate between the two candidates running for the office of the President of the United States took place, last night, and I thought the debate fairly good and letting the viewing public know where the candidates stand on how the U.S. is seen by foreign countries and what role the U.S. should strive to take in the future. I also feel that the toughest questions on foreign policy were not asked or were not answered directly, and that’s politics. Just remember that when it comes to foreign policy, it comes down to decisions. The president of this country makes a decision on how he or she will interact with foreign leaders. The president of this country makes a decision on whether or not to go to the Congress to declare war on another country. The president makes a decision on whether or not to take military action against another country (normally with the support of Congress). The president makes a decision on whether or not sanctions should be imposed on another country and how severe those sanctions should be. The president makes a decision on whether we see another country as a friend or foe to the United States of America. When you go to vote on November 6, keep what you heard about foreign policy in mind, and just as importantly, if not more so, keep in mind what you heard and know about the candidates’ stand on the economy. Most importantly, cast your vote for the presidential candidate you feel will do the best job of making this country a strong, safe, and prosperous nation, now and for future generations.

FORWARD THINKING IS BACK!

I was gone for too long but I will be posting entries in this blog on a regular basis. I do apologize to those of you who were following my posts and saw them just stop. I make no excuses. I just let other things take priority over my blog and that was wrong. You won’t be disappointed with the activity on Forward Thinking because I am on a mission. It’s time to put my writing to use to inform, educate, and encourage as many people as I can. What you will read in Forward Think is short pieces about people, things, and other topics that should help you think in a way that will help you expand your mind and improve your life. Please note that I am announcing the resurgence of my blog before the final U.S. presidential debate, before Thanksgiving, before Christmas, before New Year’s, before my birthday, and before the Super Bowl. I know many other important things are, and will be, going on between now and the end of February, but I’m just pointing out that there will be a lot to cover and I’m not just waiting for a particular outcome to voice my opinion. Stay blessed, stay well, and stay tuned.

LEBRON'S DECISION

Even if you don't follow sports, it would have been nearly impossible to avoid hearing about LeBron James, last week, and which NBA team he decided to go to. Was he going to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that represented the state he grew up in, a team that he's played for for the entire 7 years he's been in the NBA, or would he take advantage of free agency and go to another pro team where he would likely have a much better chance of winning a world championship title.

Well, LeBron decided to go to the Miami Heat, a team that already has a superstar and in the same week of James' decision, managed to recruit another amazing player.

The decision LeBron James made has created quite an uproar. A number of cities, especially Cleveland, are very upset with James. The owner of the Cavaliers went so far as to publicly call LeBron a cowardly traitor. Some other cities like New York made sacrifices, over the last few years, with the hopes that LeBron James would be a part of their roster for the upcoming season. And while this angst takes place in some cities and among many people, most of the city of Miami and their fans rejoice in what looks to be the makings for a dynasty.

No matter how you feel about LeBron's move to Miami, the bottom line is he made that choice based on what he feels is best for him and his family. I always talk about how vitally important loyalty is to me. It is a necessary quality in all of my closest friends. That said, James is a grown man. He is not a machine or owned property. If he weren't the phenomenal basketball player he is, all this fuss wouldn't be made over him. If he suffered a catastrophic injury, even if he stayed in Cleveland, they wouldn't want to keep him. LeBron is taking full advantage of a great opportunity.

That is the lesson in all of this. If you haven't already, you will come upon a major crossroads, and those roads will lead to two totally different destinations. When you choose a road, make sure it is the right road for you ... because you are the one that will have to live with that choice.

Nothing good ever comes easy and nothing great ever comes without a significant sacrifice. This applies to life-changing decisions that all of us must make, either now or later in our lives.

Get Rid of the Clutter

No matter how organized you think you are and no matter how much you get done each day, you will be much more organized and you will get things done much more efficiently if you get rid of any clutter that surrounds you.

Clutter is so easy to accumulate, but it can be so hard to get rid of. You can always find a reason to keep things that pile up, like old magazines, bills from previous months, shopping bags, old clothes, boxes, and so much more. Here's a basic rule you can work into a routine to keep things filed, clean, and neat. If you haven't used something in three months, you can probably throw it away without a worry. In the case of clothes, whenever you buy something new, give the same amount of clothing away to a worthy charity. They have receptacles all over the place, including some shopping centers.

Take a look around your work area, in your car, and around your room, house or apartment. Do you see a lot of crap strewn about? As an experiment, completely clear the items away from a specific are, say, your computer desk. Now, work or do something in that area. You should immediately feel the difference. You should feel the freedom of movement, which can also heighten your energy, creativity, and desire to get important tasks done. After at least two to three hours of keeping the experimental area clear, put the piled up items back where they were. Now, try to work or do whatever you were doing in the same way you were when it was clear. You're not able to are you? Of course not. You got used to functioning in the clean and clear area.

The biggest challenge you will face won't be getting rid of junk and clutter in an area. The biggest challenge will be not replacing it with new junk and clutter. However, if you make the decision to be clutter-free and stay clutter-free, your life will never be the same.

What a Summer!

I know I previously said I would do a much better job of keeping my blog updated and posting more frequently. I believe I also wrote a post called "No Excuses." I make no excuses, now, for not posting in almost a month, yet I do feel my readers will understand why no new articles have appeared in the last few weeks.

At the end of May, I reconnected with someone who meant the world to me and the last time I talked to her, heard from her, or saw her -- get ready for this -- was 30 years ago! Yes, three decades passed with no communication, no pictures, no messages or anything between us. I won't go into the details of how we reconnected or the circumstances that caused the communication to end, but I will tell you it has been the most mind blowing experience I have ever had. I'll also let you know that my friend is just as happy that she reconnected with me. God has thoroughly blessed me with this event.

Along with my fabulous and stunning news, I'm hearing about so many great things happening to my closest friends, this summer. Good news is always so much more enjoyable to hear when you have good news of your own to share.

I do hope all of you have some sensational news to share with those that mean the most to you.

ACCEPTING CHANGE

One of my closest friends recently sent an email to some of her closest friends about the difficulty she had dealing with a temporary change of work stations at her job. The change came suddenly and unexpectedly due to some IT issues. My friend was open and honest about how the necessity to uproot was very disruptive to her and nearly caused a panic attack, though everything worked out well.

I replied to the email and later on my dear friend and I talked about how change can impact our lives in a phone conversation. We shared some thoughts and she gave me a very high compliment when she told me how she admired how I handled big changes in my life. She brought up how, during one span of five years or so, I had several different jobs while she still worked at the same place. I appreciated the compliment and let her know that those changes in job or career didn't always come about by choice. I was never asked to leave any of those jobs I had, but something was going on that told me I needed to move on, and I did.

The key to handle major changes in your life, be they professional, financial, or social, is to accept the fact that the change happened. After that, it is a simple matter of figuring out the best way to move on and move forward. All change isn't good, yet all change brings with it some type of opportunity to make yourself better.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK

I enjoy playing video games. I play them for fun, to relax, as well as to get my strategic and productive juices flowing. My favorite games to play are the sports games, primarily football and basketball because though the rule of the game stay the same, you control the dynamics of the team, including who is on your team and how your team meets challenges they face.

While playing these video games, there are times when I allow my mind to drift and I only pay attention to the plays on the field or on the court. By doing this, I may end up missing out on a great opportunity to score because I run out of time. I'm not talking about time running out for the game, I'm talking about time running out in a quarter or in a half. When this happens, I only find out after the fact and there's no going back.

If I stay focused on the game and also constantly keep myself aware of the time I have left on the clock, I can adjust my strategy properly to make the best use of the time available to me.

Apply this lesson to real-life issues. Whether working from home or in an office, whether playing on a team or playing a video game, we all have clock we have to keep track of because we all have deadlines and due dates for important matters in our lives. Keeping an eye on the clock will help you be a more aware and more responsible person.

DON'T GET MAD, GET GLAD!

As a kid, I can remember commercials for Glad plastic bags. "The Man from Glad" character was super-cool. I also remember a catchy slogan from some other Glad commercials that said, "Don't get mad, get Glad." The story behind the slogan was that instead of getting upset that your cheap plastic bags didn't hold your food properly, you could use Glad plastic bags, and your items would stay securely in place.

This lesson hit me hard, this week, as I canceled two services I subscribed to. With one, I had been a loyal customer for over two years. The reason I canceled the subscriptions is because I didn't think I was getting what I felt was my money's worth from them. I also discovered that I could subscribe to another service, where I wouldn't get the exact same thing, but I would get a much better value for a much smaller monthly charge.

At first, I was really upset with myself, thinking of all the money I wasted on the other services and how I could have used that money for other things, or better yet, how I could have just saved that money. But then it came to me that I got what I perceived to be a great value from those services for the time I had them. I used both services to help me with my personal development and I received great customer service while I had them. Now, I have a new subscription to something that serves my immediate and future needs much better for a much lower price.

The most important lesson learned: Instead of continuously kicking yourself for a mistake you made or lapse in judgment you had, praise yourself for taking control, ridding yourself of what's not working for you, and putting yourself in a more promising situation so that you don't make those same mistakes, again.

THERE'S ALWAYS A PRICE

I'm sure you've heard the expression, "You get what you pay for," many, many times. Well, it is true.

If you reverse that thought, it is also very true. You pay for what you get. Even if you don't do something that would bring about a desired result, say you don't study properly for an exam; you are paying a price for that. The price could be earning a high grade. The price could be just passing the test. But those are the types of "fees" you will by charged by electing to do something else with your time and not doing what you know you needed to do.

I was very proud of myself for getting all of my online students' mid-term grades posted 12 hours before the deadline professors were given. What is most important to remember with that accomplishment is that in order to do that, I had to sacrifice and miss out on doing some other things and while I was grading, commenting and posting, I couldn't allow myself to get distracted.

It's not enough to know what you want. You have to also decide what you're willing to do, as well as give up, to accomplish it.

FOCUS

I just started a new book called "The Power of Focus," by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt. So far, the book is great.

Do you ever stop and really think about where your focus is? From the time you wake up in the morning to the time you lay your head on your pillow, you are focusing on something or someone. It's unrealistic to think that all of your thoughts can be positive or that you can stay totally focused and never get distracted each day. However, you can do your best to focus on what is most important to you. You can train yourself develop productive habits that keep you in line with what you are striving to achieve.

I developed a new personal policy that helps me immensely with my focus. When I am working on activities for my profession, I only allow emergencies to take me away from completing what I am working on at the time. Not only does that put the necessary action into getting my tasks completed, it also sends a message to others that I won't tolerate interruptions during my work time. After all, there are times when they don't want to be disturbed, and their time is no more important to them than my time is important to me.