06Apr 2015 by CJ

Listening is an art few have mastered

Life & Living
Growing up I was always a little chattier than most, which was duly noted on my grammar school report cards. Even today I just talk, talk, talk – an asset I suppose when you have a blog to support. But as I’ve recently discovered, not everyone is interested in being an active listener – especially when the conversation pushes the limits of one’s comfort zone. Some are simply unwilling to discuss matters that are challenging or confrontational to say the least. And as often is the case during such conversations, the active listener suddenly tunes out. Ask yourself, what type of listener are you? Are you the kind of person who only likes to hear themselves talk – paying little attention to what others have to say? Does your attention…
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27Mar 2015 by CJ

Voting for hate – Pence shows Indiana’s discrimination

Information & Education, Life & Living
On March 26th, Indiana’s Governor, Mike Pence, signed into law a very controversial bill called “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act”. From The Huffington Post: “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act would allow any individual or corporation to cite its religious beliefs as a defense when sued by a private party.” In short, it protects and allows businesses to pick and choose who they want to do business with based on the teachings and beliefs of their religion. I don’t know about you, but I’m growing tired of cowardly religious fanatics hiding behind their faith in order to support, and in many cases, propagate discrimination against other, undeserving human beings. The fact of the matter is just because your religion “says” something, doesn’t mean it’s true. We are all free thinking adults,…
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23Mar 2015 by CJ

Old photographs are a treasure chest of memories

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
I’m sure we all have them – photographs of ourselves taken by semi-professional photographers chronicling our outward progression in life. For most of us they were taken in school, or at the local Sears store - posed perfectly for grandparents everywhere to proudly display in ornate frames around their house. In my basement lives an old shoebox my mother bestowed upon me. Inside are years of such photographs - haphazardly arranged with no real order. Looking at them now is laughable from the fashions I wore, my bowl haircut or those awkward pubescent years I wish I could forget. But beyond all the poses lives something I consider infinitely more important. Real-life, casual pictures capturing moments we oftentimes forget. They’re snapshots of reality – holidays and birthdays, fun times swimming…
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20Mar 2015 by CJ

Trusting employees leads to positive contributions

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
When it comes to the personal relationships we form in life, one of the most important factors we crave is honesty and trust. Without either of those two invaluable criteria, relationships falter and eventually crumble under the weight of continual uncertainty and doubt. Honesty and trust are two qualities that often encourage people to want to do more – to go that extra mile for someone. They circumvent the presence of hidden agendas and controlling personalities and typically make people feel connected – positively contributing to the relationship rather than burdening it. Anthony Robbins states, “Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life’s deepest joy: true fulfillment.” And it’s that contribution that motivates us to want to be a better person in all the…
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09Mar 2015 by CJ

Let go of the past – it’s merely something that happened

Life & Living, Youth
Some nights it can be difficult to quiet the mind. To silence a host of random thoughts, which prevent us from enjoying a night of uninterrupted sleep. Such was the case last night. After doing a little reading, my eyes grew heavy and I hoped I’d soon be drifting off to sleep and staying that way until the alarm went off the next morning. But after about an hour or so I found myself restless – lost in a never-ending stream of subconscious thoughts about the past. Some were memorable - others were not. The majority seemed to hover in a grey area of neutrality. All in all I was unable to clear my mind of the constant distractions swirling around inside my head. When I did finally fall asleep…
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