13Nov 2015 by CJ

Thanksgiving – unlock the fullness of life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie When my wife and I purchased our New Jersey home back in 2002, we looked forward to hosting many memorable holiday celebrations – one being Thanksgiving. We both love the fall season – the sights, sounds and foods you only seem to dine on one day out of the entire year! We enjoy preparing the menu and the details, cooking together days before and creating a warm and…
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10Nov 2015 by CJ

Why you want to lead – a necessary question

Life & Living
As we age and mature through life’s stages, it’s important to ask ourselves where our lives are going and what truly brings us fulfillment, purpose and joy. Lately I’ve pondered how important holding a leadership position in my career would ultimately be. While I have no doubt of my abilities to successfully perform the role (as I have in the past), there’s more to being a “leader” than simply achieving the title. Yes, we all have functions of our jobs that require us to be a “leader” to some degree, but leadership comes with responsibilities and expectations that few people who hold such a position ever fully realize. I’ve experienced truly amazing leadership, mediocre leadership and down right awful leadership – learning invaluable lessons from each. Perhaps Klaus Balkenhol sums…
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02Nov 2015 by CJ

Don’t let past hurts contaminate your future

Life & Living
"Sometimes what you want is right in front of you. All you have to do is open your eyes and see it." - Meg Cabot I'm a glass half empty kind of guy. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, I often find myself with a rather cynical viewpoint. Some might assume I'm an overly jaded person who likes rainstorms instead of sunshine, but that's far from the truth I assure you. I guess you could say, in my four decades here on Earth, I've learned and experienced a lot about the workings of society and the people running it. Does that make me a card-carrying member of the Naysayers of America Club? Hardly. What it does make me is a guarded realist. Let's face it, when you've been burned before…
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26Oct 2015 by CJ

Friendship requires the gift of your time

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.” ― E.B. White, Charlotte's Web When I lived back in New Jersey several years ago, a dear friend and I always made time during the week to see each other. Sometimes it was nothing more than coffee at a local Starbucks or Barnes & Nobel, a relaxing walk around a picturesque park or dinner at our favorite pizzeria restaurant. The setting was irrelevant to our meetings – what was vital was sharing time together to discuss the highs and the lows of the preceding days. That dedicated time helped build a strong, long-lasting friendship between us…
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28Sep 2015 by CJ

You’re stronger than you think

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
When I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely I just stick up my chin and grin and say, oh The sun will come out tomorrow Sentiments easier expressed through lyrics than in reality. But songwriters Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin capture something utterly profound in their song Tomorrow – featured in the hit musical and movie Annie. Simply put – everything is temporary. Every one of us can look back in our history and remember times when we didn’t know how we were going to make it through. Times when we were riddled with self-doubts and insecurities – grieving with a broken heart or a broken life. And yet here we are survivors – perhaps a little more jaded and guarded, but definitely more courageous. Somehow as everyday…
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