They make really good money, but are they really happy?

Life & Living
"Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." - Oprah Winfrey I’m sure you’ve all heard a friend, a coworker or a family member say the following when referring to another person: “they make really good money”. Let’s think about that statement for a moment. Yes, money helps provide for the necessities we as human beings all require: food, clothing, shelter. But those necessities don’t require a great deal of money in order to be carried out successfully. So, what do people mean then when they feel the need to make such a statement about another person? Are we saying they’re more secure than those accruing less? Are they wiser, more creative,…
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Comfort zones prevent us from truly living

Life & Living
“Living in your comfort zone can even be more stressful than pursuing your dream. So why are you accustomed to your stagnant life?” ― Oscar Bimpong Far too many of us live in a bubble, otherwise known as our comfort zone. We like what’s familiar, what makes us feel at ease - in a word, secure. But change is difficult if you never step outside the familiarity of your environment and try something new. I know people who will only dine at the same restaurant, vacation to the same destinations (even the same hotels), and choose to spend their lives living in the same place they were born and raised. While they probably don’t realize it, they’re an incredibly difficult group of people to engage with in a conversation. Their…
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Confidence – the person you think you’re not in life

Life & Living
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”  ― Norman Vincent Peale The other day someone told me how they wished they had the same confidence that I had. I was dumbfounded to say the least. While there are many words one might use to describe me, to say I’m a man of confidence seems inaccurate. That is to me. But then I came across this quote, which truly made me stop and think for a moment. “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.”  - Unknown People who possess great humility rarely perceive themselves as the rest of the world does. In fact, they’re often plagued by…
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My story, their story – our story

Love & Relationships
“There are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.” ― Leo Buscaglia My story? Everyone has a story. Many are filled with an abundance of inspiration and hope, while others seem plagued by sorrow and despair. But no matter the circumstances or our fundamental place in society, we all have a story to tell. Stories overflowing with challenges and discoveries that eventually form the pages of our personal history books. I’ve lived on planet Earth now for over four decades. I’ve learned a great deal, lost even more, all while creating a…
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Driving Miss Daisy teaches us a lesson about aging

Love & Relationships
The other night, I revisited a film I’d only seen in bits and pieces over the years – Driving Miss Daisy. You know how it happens – on a sleepless night flicking through television, you catch the middle, maybe the end, but hardly enough to piece together the entire storyline. But on this particular night, completely by chance, I’d turned on the television just as the opening credits appeared on screen. What luck! For those of you unfamiliar with the 1989 Academy Award Winner, Driving Miss Daisy follows Mrs. Daisy Werthan through the span of 25 years – beginning at age 72. While the story certainly focuses on many social and political issues occurring in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the overwhelming theme of Driving Miss Daisy is how growing old…
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