The Election That Really Matters

"...the choice we all have. To be positive and free or to be imprisoned by our own negativity. To love int he past or to be hopeful about the future. It's a a choice. And only you can make it." - Jon Gordon

In less than two weeks we'll pick our nation's new leader. The state of political campaigning (as it's been for over a century) lends to relentless personal attacks. We can hope that it's just part of the game - that deep down, these men will sit at the table with foreign leaders and show them the utmost respect. Here at home, they'll point out the blessings of our abundant natural and human resources, our ability to feed the entire nation and then some. And we'll choose as Americans to look toward the future with excitement. And even should our leaders fail, we can make the choice to lead our own lives.

Why not vote on November 4 for a positive life. It is our choice!

Fertilize For A Thicker, Fuller Life

He was the only man who didn't use chemical treatments on his lawn, and it looked excellent.

"Well, you see, I have a different approach. What I do is treat the lawn with an organic mixture that crates an environment where the good grass can grow healthy and strong. Then it grows and spreads to the point where it crowds out the weeds, and the weeds have nowhere to grow. It's all about the environment. Takes a little longer and a little more work up front, but once you have the good grass growing good and strong, it spreads like kudzu and then you have an amazing, vibrant lawn."

What's the life equivalent of trying to create improvements with toxins? When someone does wrong, do we dwell on it and spew judgment about it to anyone who will listen? Or do we pick out the best from the experience, and push the rest from our mind for good and into the compost bin? I'm no gardener, but I've tried each of those approaches and found a tremendous sense of personal power and success from the latter over the last year.

Motive Fate

The president of Argentina was asked why South America, for all its natural wonders and resources, still lagged far behind North America in terms of prosperity and progress. The president thought for a moment and said, "I have come to this conclusion. South America was discovered by the Spaniards in search of gold but North American was settled by the Pilgrims in search of God."

Whether talking about our choice of job or use of free time, our motive says a lot about how well we'll do a thing. For money or passion? Because we have to or because we want to? There may even be degrees within the larger motive. When we volunteer for an activity, is it because we feel passionate about it, or because other people say that we should do it? Everyone's definition of a truly meaningful causes is different - feeding the hungry, serving God, teaching children. If you could do only one activity for the rest of your life, what would it be? Likely something that you become so engrossed in that you lose track of time. Something that you would do no matter how horribly wrong something went, so strong is your belief in the worth of what you're doing. Find it, and do it! And if you have a choice, stop doing some of those other things.

Get To, Or Have To?

"Shift your perspective and realize it's not about having to do anything. You get to do things. You get to live this life. You get to go to work while so many are unemployed. You get to drive in traffic while so many don't even have a car or are too sick to travel. Focus on what you get to do. Focus on feeling blessed instead of stressed. Focus on gratitude." - Jon Gordon

(Com)Plain Stats

"Don't complain. Eighty percent of the people you complain to don't care and 20 percent are glad you have problems." - Lou Holtz

Birthright or Birth Wrong?

"We were born to complain. As babies, we cried our hearts out to get what we wanted. When we were hungry, we cried and our Momma fed us. When we were tired, we cried and we were rocked to sleep. We cried to get our way all the time, and it worked like a charm. Unfortunately, far too many are still using an adult form of crying - called complaining - to get what they want or to express their feelings of helplessness. but just as we learned not to such our thumb and sleep without a night-light we must also outgrow the habit of complaining." - Jon Gordon

I complain as much as the next adult, but I'm hoping that I'm more aware of it than the average person and that I can outgrow it. One simple rule, perhaps, is to keep "I" statements to a minimum. Bragging, self-centeredness and complaining are all special cases of I statements. I wonder what it would be like to cut them out for a week?