Why Stop Now?

A woman in South Korea who tried to pass the written exam for a driver's license with near-daily attempts since April of 2005 has finally succeeded on her 950th time!

The aspiring driver spent more than 5 million won ($4,200) in application fees, but until now failed to score the minimum 60 out of a possible 100 points needed to get behind the wheel for a driving test.

Cha-Sa-soon, 68, finally passed the written exam with a score of 60 on Wednesday, said Choi Young-chul, a police official at the driver's license agency in Jeonju 130 miles south of Seoul.

Police said Cha took the test hundreds of times, but had no specific total. Local news media said she took the test 950 times.

"NOW she must pass a driving test before getting her license," Choi said.

Cha said that she needed her driving license for her vegetable-selling business.

So the next time you start out on an endeavor just think of Ms. Cha and don't give up. People who find ways to say 'yes' rather than give up, in the end succeed.

P.S. Let's hope the actual driving test went quicker!

Thoughts Are Powerful!

It has been suggested that we have around 60,000 thoughts per day...whew. That to me is astounding number. What is even more astonishing is how many of these thoughts are self-defeating ones. How easy it is to allow our train of thoughts to jump from one track of thinking or subject to another.

How difficult it can be to stop an old mental tape from playing over and over again about a frustrating conversation that we had with someone at work or at home. We replay the mental tape until we are exhausted and yet where have we found ourselves? The answer is in the same place we were before but now with wasted mental, physical and emotional energy. We have solved and resolved nothing.

Do your thoughts shape your life? Albert Einstein believed so. He said, "The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking." James Lane Allen, author of the book, "As a Man Thinketh" states, "You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

So how do you take control of your thoughts? How do you direct them from self-destructing thinking and behaviors to self-constructing and positive behaviors? By making a decision to do so and then committing to a thought controlling program, then you can begin to change your life. After the decision and commitments have been made, you must implement a mindful state of being...that is living a life that is mindful of what you think and are doing.

Now What? What If? It's Not Too Late!

I was talking to a friend recently about the state of events of being in "mid-life". We discovered that there are alot of 'mid-lifers' who agree that as they were "painting their lives" they ended up in the corner of their world. Not deliberately mind you. Maybe the fumes of life's moments got to them because one day they looked up from painting the floor and there they were pushing their backsides up against the wall and wondering how in the devil they got there. Stop and think about the frustration of it all. Can't step forward...WET PAINT!...can't go backwards...WALL! In a word, many mid-lifers feel TRAPPED! This was not suppose to happened right?

Sometimes people...mainly that baby boomer generation, 1946 - 1964, experience that great torture of watching a repeating movie of their lives when they could have believed in and pursued the dreams and goals that were available and attainable to them.
Sure its true you can't always dictate what issues come at you in life. Work, family, relationships, children, older parents, economy, health, etc. we all get to experience them. Raise your hand if none of these are a challenge for you...(that's what I thought...) each of us has one or maybe all of these.
So what can a 'mid-lifer' do to get out of the painted corner of their lives before its too late?

Don't be a Spectator!
While we all say we don't have enough time to do justice to our goals and dreams, each of us has all the time there is. None of us really has a time management problem. We really have a dream and goal-focus problem. We spend too much time worrying about the things we want to do but can't, instead of concentrating on doing the things we can do but don't. It is the regret for something we did or didn't do yesterday and the apprehension of what we can't do tomorrow that is the biggest energy drain on our lives. So many 'mid-lifers' become spectators, resigned to live their lives vicariously through others. They can see success for others but can't imagine it for themselves.

Stayed Focused on You
Avoid the tendency to measure your own progress by looking over the fence at greener pastures. There are many others who may have started a little earlier than you, and you may become discouraged if you see them harvesting success when some of your seeds are barely in the ground. Comparisons rarely benefits anyone. You'll always be able to find someone smarter, younger, older, wiser, richer, more clever, better looking, or working harder than you. So avoid comparing yourself to others. You will only lower your goals and settle for average when you could have had excellence.

Work on Your Attitude
Having a good attitude is the single most important key to success in anything and getting out of that corner. One of my favorite quotes is "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." Hey I never said it was easy but it is the truth. You have to think like a winner to be a winner and that can be a challenge. Our attitude has a profound effect on our environment and there are those people who given the opportunity will squash it like a bug. Its what they do in life. They poison every conversation with their negativity and will draw you deeper into the corner you find yourself painted into if they can. Why should you have a great attitude when they don't is how they think. Do these people really ever go far in life? I mean really? Go flush your toilet right now and you'll get a visual of where these people are headed! They want you to join them.

Life is completely what YOU make of it. You create your own reality. So focus on the good things. Focus on adding value to your life. Focus own creating success for yourself and that's exactly what will happen.

And by the way...if you currently find yourself painted in the corner...think about it. Whoever said you couldn't walk on wet paint or knock a hole in the wall if it meant getting out and moving on. Sometimes you do what you have to do to keep moving. As my grandfather told me once, "alittle wet paint never hurt anyone."

Look Who's Having a Birthday!

You may notice that this blog is in pink...and you may ask why? Well because its in honor of a very special woman. Its her favorite color. I learned this about her shortly after meeting her at a little dessert cafe called Delice on a Saturday morning. And since we first met, I've learned that she has an amazing number of qualities that makes her special.

Karen...in a word is a terrific woman! She's a mother who loves her four children with an allegiance second to none. I only hope they stop every once in awhile to thank her. (I wonder if they have ever seen their Mom when she's in her Mama Bear mode...you just don't mess with her cubs.)

Did someone say "let's go"? That's all it takes to head out of town on any kind of a trip for Karen. Seeing new places and meeting people works every time. And if there is even a remote chance of sharing a bottle of wine...well she's there!

Karen will surprise you at times. How many women do you know when asked what their favorite holiday is will tell you 'Halloween'? Christmas is a really close second.

From the word go Karen knew she wanted to be a nurse and that is just what she has done with her life...spending the majority of her nursing career with newborns and working in the Intensive Care Unit for babies. She's one smart woman who values education and applying it to help others.

She's a loyal friend to those who have had the opportunity to know her and develop a relationship...some that have lasted for years...(even people from Clear Lake, Iowa!)

She loves nature and making things grow...flowers, gardens, plants...Here's alittle trivia fact about Karen...she loves to cross-stitch and actually went to a "camp" in Arkansas for cross-stitchers! You can't make that up!)

Karen is quite the cook if you ever get the chance to watch her in action...and then sit down to a meal that has you wondering what to eat first and then telling her you've had plenty! From sushi to small town cafes...sometimes its about the food but more times than not its about just the time spent to enjoy life.

So I could go on and on about this lady...but really I wanted you to get to know her alittle bit.

There's much more to her. But on this Thursday, October 28th, find a way to say to this special woman:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN!

You can find Karen on her blog: Karen's Kapers or on Facebook.

Harvest of Hope Conference

This past Saturday, October 23rd I had the opportunity to speak at the Harvest of Hope Conference here in Omaha.  Last year I was the keynote speaker and was blessed to be asked to return this year as a workshop presenter.  I presented "Dads Matter" a workshop designed for fathers dealing with the issues of divorce and their relationships with their children.  Despite perceptions that have persisted for years, many dads understand their role and are more than willing to fulfill it.
It was a great time and the workshop went well.  It was interesting to hear men reveal issues that are important to them when their marriage has ended but their relationship with their children goes on.  My many thanks to the folks at the Harvest of Hope conference.

Seeds of Greatness...Take Your Time

When we were five years old, one year represented twenty percent of our total lives. At fifty, a year represents two percent, or one fiftieth, of our life experience. No wonder it took so long for holidays to arrive when we were elementary school - and little wonder also that after age fifty, when a year represents such a small portion of time we've already spent, it goes by in a seeming blink of an eye. It's alittle like a videotape speeding up as it rewinds and accelerating almost near the end of the reel. So goes your remaining time as it dwindles down.

Take time to hear a robin's song each morning
Take time to smell the roses as you go,
Before you leave, please say 'I love you'
To the ones you know
Take time out for a sunset
And its afterglow.

Take time to climb a tree with the kids this summer
Explore each country back-road you can find
And take a moment now and then
To build a castle in the sand
Take time to hike that mountain
When you can.

Take time to play, your work can live without you
Give up the urgent for the afternoon
And take a loved one by the hand
And slowly gaze at that full moon
Don't let this minute pass you
For the years go by too soon.

And make each day "safari" day
Before this moment slips away.

Take time to live.

3 Secrets to Reinventing Your Life

Michelle Gamble-Risley is not only the owner of a business she successfully reinvented, she's also the author of "Second Bloom: 10 Steps to Reinvent, Rejuvenate and Realize a New Life."
This book provides a 10-step strategic process for reinventing yourself and your life.
Here are Gamble-Risley's top three tips for reinventing yourself:

1. Define Your Values. "Get real about your values." You can say, "My family is really important to me" but if your traveling two weeks a month and working 60-70 hours a week...well, actions speak louder than words. Get real. What truly are your priorities, and what would you like for your life?

2. Know what works. "Figure out what works and what doesn't. If something's not working, don't hold on to it. Find a way to do what you want to do by figuring out what strategy you need to employ to make it work."

3. Get out of your own way. "I watch lots of people chase their own tails. they're fearful, they make excuses, there's a lot of 'I can't because...' You have to go for it and believe in yourself. If you can't do that, then stay where you're at."