Hard work equates to increased chances of success. And if you really wish to achieve great things in your life, then you ought to work hard. But you see, being a hard worker is not only enough.
You need to be highly productive and being productive means that you make proper use of your time, by doing and working at things that will bring you closer to your goal. This article aims to show you five great ways to be more productive.
Set goals for yourself. It is always important to have goals. If you want to get somewhere and be somebody, it important to set goals that you will work for. It is also nice to write a schedule that will help you achieve the bigger picture. Writing a time table is good because it will guide you through your day-to-day activities efficiently. So that you can make sure that you have all your tasks covered and that you do no miss anything in your agenda, having a written schedule is good. You can refer to it and never lose track of what it is you are supposed to do for the day.
Prioritize. It is very important for you to know your priorities. In a day, you can probably think of dozens of things to do, but you should know which ones are most important and which ones are worth putting off until the next day. You can make a list that will arrange things according to highest and lowest priority so you do not end up doing the things that are down the list, just because they are the easier to do. Do what is most important first, so you can accomplish more at the end of the day.
Stop doing unnecessary things on the Internet. The internet is a great creation but a lot of hours get wasted online. With social networking sites eating up hours of precious time, it is important for you to be able to determine how much time is enough for your daily Internet use. It is best to set rules for yourself, especially if you are just starting out. Eventually these rules and protocols will be in your system, and you will no longer be online longer than necessary.
Be flexible. Even if you try your hardest, there will be problems that will come up, all of a sudden, and when this happens, you have to always be prepared for these. A lot of people get disoriented when something comes up, and will need to recollect themselves before they can move on, which is not really a good way to deal with it. You need to be prepared for change, to be able to cope effectively with anything that comes your way, good or bad. Every moment you waste worrying is time lost, so know how to easily cope.
Be proactive. Take responsibility and do not be afraid to accept challenges. When you begin a task, strive to tackle it positively so that you will always be in your best form. Some people detest new challenges because they are not prepared. Instead, embrace it and think of it as new opportunities to shine and show off what you can do.
~ Living Life Abundantly
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“When it has to do with my life, I want to be the one in control.” —Janet Jackson
What does it mean to be in full control of your life? Well, it is very much like driving a car. It does not matter what car you drive. It could be luxury car or a small beat-up second hand automobile; it could be manual or automatic transmission, it does not matter. When you are in a car, who is on the driver’s seat?
Do you have a driver who takes you to places? Do you take your seat at the back of the car, tell the driver where to go and just close your eyes trusting that he will bring you to where you are supposed to be?
Maybe you are a passenger in someone else’s car, and you do not even know where you are heading to. You take your seat and watch the outside world change as you speed past it.
Are you in the driver’s seat but someone else is giving you directions? A mere operator, you hang on to your companion for the turns to make. You know where you want to go, but you do not know how to get there, so you let this person take the lead.
Do you have full grip of the wheel, the gas, the breaks, the cloth and the gears? You are the one who decides on whether to taker right or left, and you decide on whether to take the shortcut or not.
Which one are you, when you are in a car?
Are you reliant on a driver to take you to your destination? Sometimes you get there, sometimes you don’t. Probably because you have fallen asleep at the backseat and failed to warn the driver making that wrong turn so you missed your destination. What is sad about it is that these people rely on other people not realizing that they have this amazing opportunity to take a good hold of their journeys. They decide to let go of their power and let other people do the work for them.
Are you the passenger? Since you do not know where to go you are content with just sitting at the passenger’s seat and riding someone else’s dream. All your individual aspirations are forgotten, because you are too afraid to take the wheel on your own. You let go of all your hopes and dreams hoping that maybe this journey you are on will lead you there. You are afraid to take risks, so you take the safest route to somewhere. Unfortunately, you really do not know where this road will lead you.
Are you dealing with a backseat passenger who seems to know the road more than you do? You are overpowered by this person’s presence and you just let yourself be controlled because life is easier when you are not in charge. The blame is not on you, so you take your seat and decide to be a follower.
Are you the driver of your own life? Do you make all the decisions? You know you could get lost along the way, but you also know you can turn back and try again. You know there are risks to take, problems to encounter. There is no guarantee that this journey will be smooth but you know that what is most important is the chance to take charge of your life. You want to get to the top on your own accord and you want to lead yourself to success.
Are you in control of your life? Whose hands control the wheels? Whose command was it when you turned right? Hopefully, it was yours.
“Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.” —Sophia Loren
While some people are blessed with perfect journeys to the top, this is not really what happens to everyone. In fact, even the most strong-willed person will find great obstacles along the way. There is really no guarantee that mistakes will not be met along the way.
There is still a great likelihood that you can get off track and lose your way. The road to success does not follow a straight line. The train you are on can easily be derailed and if you do not act on it fast, you may never find your way back anymore. If you are not careful, you may totally lose your way and find yourself elsewhere, where your dreams are obscured.
People make mistakes. Even if you make exacting moves, you can easily commit an error and cause some destruction to your own journey. Your only protection will be to get yourself ready for anything. You need to assume that mistakes will happen so that you can prepare accordingly. You need to be ready to fight back because there is a need to. Failures happen to everyone and what is most important is what you were able to do after encountering one. What are you going to do when you get off track? How are you going to find your way back?
#1: Take responsibility for what happened
Most of the time, when you have encountered a failure, you try to look around and pass the blame on other people. Meeting a disaster is not exactly easy to take, and meeting a disaster that you have caused on your own, is even harder. The first thing you need to do is to admit what you have done wrong. Take full responsibility for your actions and begin to look back at what happened. It is important for you to find out where things have gone wrong so that you can move forward and find your way back.
#2: Forgive yourself
Another reason why people find it hard to bounce back is because they blame themselves for what has happened. Especially if your actions affected other people, you find more comfort hiding behind the shadows rather than facing the music. Admitting responsibility for a bad move is a noble thing to do, but you should not dwell on what you have done longer than necessary. Do not beat yourself up because it will truly hinder you from doing anything else. Every time that you are reminded about what has happened, you will be hindered to make a positive move. Forgive yourself, and forget about what you have done. Instead, think about your next step.
#3: Do not be afraid
What you have done may or may not happen again but this does not really matter. Perhaps, you are afraid about making a mistake again, so you avoid taking risks and choose to stay on safe side. Well here’s something you should know: life is a risk. There is no telling what will happen in the future, so everything you do from today until the end of your life is going to be a risk. If you are always going to be haunted by that one mistake you made in the past for the rest of your life, you will be hindering yourself from achieving so much more. Do not be afraid. Mistakes happen to everyone and yes, it will happen to you. It’s inevitable so why be afraid?
“Love is more than a noun — it is a verb; it is more than a feeling — it is caring, sharing, helping, sacrificing.” —Mohandas K. Gandhi
There are countless characteristics that a person should equip himself or herself with, in order to attain success. A number of these things are pretty much obvious. Hard work is one of them and it need not be explained; if you are hardworking then you go beyond natural talent and ability. Hard working people exceed most expectations and this is a good trait to have.
One trait, however, that may not make sense to a lot of people is sacrifice. You need to realize that sacrifice is a lot of things. It is about enduring all, it is about letting go of personal wants and needs. it is about swallowing your pride. It takes a lot for people to understand the true meaning of sacrifice, but if you are able to totally grasp what it means, you will see what it can do to your life and to your goals.
The Many Faces of Sacrifice
There are so many levels of sacrifice that needs to be made when you are working your way to the top. Some of these may not mean much to you but you have to understand how important it is if you seriously want to make something out of yourself.
Sacrifice your social life. A lot of people think that they are able to accomplish great things while they go about partying like a college freshman every night. They think that they can juggle things efficiently, but they do not know that there are some things that need to be let go sometimes. It does not mean that you have to say goodbye to your friends and forget a little relaxation and night out. What is important here is that you are able to prioritize. If you have an important meeting the next day, then you should not be getting yourself intoxicated and hung over for the next morning.
Sacrifice relationships. Yes, relationships are important and no one can live alone, that is true. But when you are setting yourself for a journey, you have to be a little wiser and not be limited by the strings of relationships. Again, it does not mean that you have to dismiss relationships from your life, but you need to learn how to separate work from relationships — to be able to identify between boundaries. Do not compromise your journey by making the mistake of not knowing where to draw the line between your career and your personal relationships.
Sacrifice luxury. Many of the rich and famous have gotten to where they are now, first by knowing how to handle their money. If you want to be rich, do not live a lavish life especially when you are still building your path to success. Learn how to save your money and prioritize your expenses. You do not have to embrace all the luxury in the world, instead make profitable investments that you can benefit from. You need to learn to live within your means, especially if you are still on your way. Do not throw your money by making impulsive purchases.
Making sacrifices can be painful and hard, but you have to think of it this way: at the end of it all, you will have accomplished something for yourself, and the sacrifice will all be worth it.
Every day we cross paths with different people… sometimes we don’t know or even think about how we might have an impact on those we encounter day to day. A big part of Living Life Abundantly is making a positive impact.
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” —Jackie Robinson
“Sometimes the people whom we’ve know for only a short amount of time have a bigger impact on us than those we’ve known forever.” —Unknown
“Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness” —Harold Krusher
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself… Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” —Nelson Mandela
“If you wish to make an impact for one year, plant corn; if you wish to make an impact for a generation, plant a tree; if you wish to make an impact for an eternity, educate a child” —Unknown
“When you love people and have the desire to make a profound, positive impact upon the world, then will you have accomplished the meaning to live.” —Sasha Azevedo
My grandmother always says that “everybody needs somebody sometimes.” Her point is that in life there will be times when we will need help.
If you are anything like me, asking for help is very difficult.
There have been times when I have missed out on opportunities and even suffered tremendous(unnecessary) losses because I refused to ask for help. My pride would not allow me to ask for help. In those proud moments I did not consider the old proverb “Pride comes before a fall”. From experience I can tell you it is true. I’ve fallen more times than I care to count and even today I’m still recovering from some major falls.
Everything in our lives is a choice and our circumstances are often a result of the choices we’ve made. This is why it is of the utmost importance that we learn when to put our pride to the side to make better choices. Emotions and pride should not be the basis of our decisions. We have to look at the bigger picture and make choices that are in our best interests for the long term…even if it means asking for help.
Another thing my grandmother always says is “a closed mouth does not get fed.” By this she means you have to open your mouth and speak up. You cannot get help if you don’t ask for it. Most of us are blessed with wonderful people in our lives that are willing to help us in our times of need, but many times they don’t even know we need help because we never ask.. Usually the reason we don’t ask is because we want to be self sufficient, independent, or we don’t want to burden other people with our problems. A lot of times we are ashamed and embarrassed to ask for help. At least, that has been the case with me. The truth of the matter is there is no shame in needing to call for back up.
“In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” ~John Ruskin
We all like to think that we can do it all by ourselves. However, in many ways life is like a team sport. We might all have our solo missions but it is through the support, assistance, and cooperation of others that we are able to navigate through the maze of life to learn important lessons and accomplish whatever our individuals missions may be… which ultimately leads to living life abundantly.
So, I say all of this to simply say, if you need help ask for it. In most cases we have not because we ask not! Don’t be to proud to ask for help when you need it because “Pride Comes Before A Fall.”
I believe in myself.
I believe in those who work with me.
I believe in my employer.
I believe in my friends.
I believe in my family.
I believe that God will lend me everything I need with which to succeed if I do my best to earn it through faithful and honest service.
I believe in prayer and I will never close my eyes in sleep without praying for divine guidance to the end that I will be patient with other people and tolerant with those who do not believe as I do.
I believe that success is the result of intelligent effort and does not depend upon luck or sharp practices or double-crossing friends, fellow men or my employer.
I believe I will get out of life exactly what I put into it, therefore I will be careful to conduct myself toward others as I would want them to act toward me.
I will not slander those whom I do not like.
I will not slight my work no matter what I may see others doing.
I will render the best service of which I am capable because I have pledged myself to succeed in life and I know that success is always the result of conscientious and efficient effort.
Finally, I will forgive those who offend me because I realize that I shall sometimes offend others and I will need their forgiveness.
Living Life Abundantly is a lot easier with good credit. That’s not to say that you can’t Live Life Abundantly with bad credit…but again, decent credit makes it much more comfortable!
My niece graduated from 5th grade last week and the guest speaker at her graduation told the graduating 5th graders to respect their parents and to protect their credit. While I’m certain the later went right over their heads, I hope they remember and appreciate the wisdom of those words later in life.
Most of the time people don’t learn about credit until they’ve managed to destroy it. Hopefully this helps you with your credit.
What is credit? Credit = “time allowed for payment for goods or services obtained on trust”
Credit allows you to finance a purchase without having to pay the full cost up front.
A credit report basically shows how and if you have paid any credit extended to you.
The information on your credit report is used to calculate your credit score. Fair Isaac Corporation also known as FICO, is the company that normally calculates your actual credit score. Credit scores range from 300 to 850. Most lenders consider anything above a 725 credit worthy.
According to Experian, the national average credit score is 692. It is believed that anything below 619 is considered low. So you if you’re between a 300 and 619 there’s plenty of room for improvement!
Why Is Your Credit Score Important?
Credit scores are used to determine if you are eligible to receive additional credit.
A bad credit score suggests that there is a high probability that you will not pay what you owe (or at least not in a timely manner). A good credit score shows creditors that you are more likely to pay your debts.
Credit checks have almost become a way of life. Some jobs require a credit check. Cellphone companies even run credit checks. While many creditors will not extend credit to people with bad credit scores, there are some that will… usually at a much higher interest rate.
If you want to buy a house or your dream car, unless you are paying in cash in full, your credit will come into play. If you apply for a loan to start a business or to fund your child’s education, your credit score will probably be the deciding factor for approval. So clearly you are much better off having good credit!
Understanding The Basics Of Credit Repair & Do It Yourself Methods
Credit repair is the term used for when a person with not so good credit takes steps to reestablish their credit worthiness.
There is no quick fix (at least not legally). Credit repair takes time, patience, discipline, and a change in how you manage and think about money.
Sometimes life happens…
Extenuating circumstances beyond control is usually the cause of bad credit.
However, there are instances when people make bad decisions, live beyond their means, and are just irresponsible with credit.
Before attempting to reestablish your credit it’s a good idea to establish new habits when it comes to spending, borrowing, and paying.
If you don’t make these fundamental changes your credit repair efforts will be in vain.
Now that we’ve established and understand the basics of credit repair we can move on…
The next step in the credit repair process is contacting the three major credit bureaus which will provide one free copy of your credit report each year.
TransUnion www.transunion.com
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
1-800-888-4213
Equifax www.equifax.com
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
1-800-685-1111
Upon receiving all three credit reports do a thorough examination.
Credit reports usually include your name (aliases), addresses, social security number(s), employers, credit account details, inquiries, and sometimes public records data. Go through each report with a fine tooth comb look for any omissions, misreporting, out dated accounts, and inaccuracies. *Note the credit bureaus are far from perfect. It is your responsibility to make sure the information they have about you is correct.
Make a photo copy of all 3 reports.
Make a list of any discrepancies or errors on each report that you’d like to dispute with a detailed explanation as to why you are disputing the item.
On the photocopies circle the items you are disputing.
Gather any supporting documents that support your dispute(s) and make photocopies.
Send a certified return receipt letter to each credit bureau explaining that the information on your credit report is inaccurate. Itemize the errors. Provide the facts and the reason for your dispute. In your letter ask the credit bureau to remove and or correct your credit report accordingly. Include a copy of your supporting documents and the copy of the credit report they sent you with the errors circled. *Note keep copies of everything you send.
It may take up to thirty days to get a response from the credit bureaus. But there is plenty to do while you wait… to be continued in the next post…
Paying Down Debt
If you have credit cards, pay them down at least to the point that your balances are not 50% or more of your credit card limit(s). If you have more than five credit cards consolidate them down to 2 or 3 at most. If your current income will not allow you to pay down your credit cards, find a legal ethical way to bring in an additional income. I know a woman that worked full time, with a baby, and went to school. Where there is a will, there is a way. If you want to repair your credit, don’t make it excuses, make it happen!
Lastly, the most important thing you can do in order to raise your credit score is to pay all your bills on time. By doing this, the creditors will not report any negative things about your credit activities. By paying your bills on time, you will be able to raise your credit score. This is the quickest way to improve your credit score.
And, quite honestly, I’m feeling very excited for you to see this too.
Because it’s all about something powerful that could change
everything about how you live your life.
I’ve been implementing the suggestions here for a while now,
and even taking just the smallest steps makes very BIG results.
As a matter of fact, when I think how my whole
frame of reference has changed, I feel so thankful.
Honestly, it is like night and day.
And what’s more, I can say without any
hesitation that I love my life now.
No more sitting around with my fingers crossed, just hoping for the best.
I live abundantly every single day. And you can too.
But not so long ago, things were very different for me.
My life was ruled by whatever happened around me. Maybe
you fall into that trap too.
For example if the news is full of gloom and doom, you
absorb that as your reality, and it negatively impacts how you
think about almost everything.
Even worse, it can happen when you share your goals
and dreams with those near and dear to you–and their
“well meaning” comments leave you feeling like you
must have been crazy to think you could do it.
Do you ever feel like that?
If you do, I have some really good news for you.
You see, today you can start implementing three powerful
but simple steps that will positively impact your life.
In fact, if you listen closely to this guy, you’ll soon be blazing
past every stubborn obstacle in your path. It’s surprisingly easy
once you finally “get it”.
I can say this with absolute certainty because I’ve experienced an
exciting shift in my thinking, and so have others I’ve shared this with.
It totally impacts your life in the most positive way.
And once you find that “sweet spot” in HOW you think,
it’s with you all the time.
When you watch this, you might even want to take a
few notes so you don’t miss a thing.
I promise you’ll feel the difference as soon as you start doing this.
This is powerful in it’s simplicity, as you will soon see.
Is it really possible to make $8-$30 an hour from home? The answer is yes. College students, stay at home parents, and moonlighters know something that many don’t… they’ve sifted through the work from home scams and found the genuine gems that offer freedom from the conventional job.
I’m sure if you’ve called American Automobile Association, 1-800-Flowers, J. Crew, Walgreens, or Virgin America recently, you probably thought you were speaking to a Customer Service Representative sitting in call center or commercial office nestled in a cubicle… Chances are…you were speaking to someone chilling in their home office sipping tea watching their kids play in the backyard.
Real people really work from home and really get paid.Some roll out of bed and start working in their pajamas.
Some get up get the kids ready and off to school before starting their shift from their kitchen table.
I’m not making this up its true and you can do it too.
The work from home workforce in the United States is small but growing fast. While many companies are downsizing, cutting jobs, or declaring hiring freezes, there are some progressive companies that are cutting costs by adopting telecommuting business models.
What is telecommuting?
Telecommuting is when an employee or independent contractor works from home on a computer and/or telephone system that is connected to the main network of the company/employer.
Studies show that people that work from home are more productive, less stressed, unlikely to call out sick, and have an overall higher quality of life. Consequently, organizations that employ work from home agents enjoy low turn over rates, increased efficiency, increased productivity, increased profits, and increased customer satisfaction. Moreover, telecommuting is an environment friendly business model that helps to reduce highway congestion, fuel use, and air pollution.
What do telecommuters do?
Telecommuters, also known as work from home agents, perform various tasks including:
»Customer Service
»Technical Support
»Order Processing
»Data Entry
»Third Party Verification
»Reservations
»Sales
»Market Research
How does one get a job as a work from home agent/telecommuter?
Most work from home jobs have professional requirements as well as equipment requirements. Note: Customer service experience is a plus!
You must be a disciplined self starter with superior communication skills and that can work with little to no supervision to work from. Is that really you?
Can you fight the temptation to watch tv or hop back in bed? Do you have a computer (not more than 5 years old), a fast internet connection, and a land line phone? Do you have a quiet place in your home to work with no background noise or distractions?
If you meet these basic requirements than you might be able to land a real job working from!
Here’s a list of companies that hire telecomuters and/or work from home agents:
Liveops»
Allows work from home agents to work as few or as many hours as possible.
Working Solutions»
Pays every two weeks via direct deposit (or checks by mail) with home based workers making as much as $30/hour.
VoiceLog»
Hires home based independent Contractors as live operator verification agents.
Arise»
As seen on Good Morning America….Arise contracts home based workers.
VIP Desk»
Employs home based virtual personal assistants and corporate concierges.
West Corporation»
Provides paid online training and flexible schedules.
Cloud 10 Corp»
Hires work from home customer service representatives available to work 20 hours or more per week.
Alpine Access»
Employs home based customer service professionals for virtual call center services.
VirtuServe»
Hires work from independent contractors with specific skill-sets and matches them to meet the needs of client.
National Telecommuting Institute (NTI)»
Non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established to assist individuals with disabilities who strongly prefer or require home-based work.
SpeakWrite»
Typists must be comfortable operating and maintaining their own computer and software, and have a minimum typing speed of 65 wpm.
Good luck with your work from home job search! Remember Living Life Abundantly is about maintaining a high quality of life. Working from home is great way to restore balance and spend time with those that matter most in your life….
I believe in miracles. Miracles happen around us every day. The living life abundantly lifestyle is about acknowledging, believing in, and even expecting miracles.
What is a miracle?
According to the dictionary, a miracle is:An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God.
I know a woman that was diagnosed with cancer. She was on the phone with someone while they were praying for her. While on the phone she began coughing and she coughed up some blood during the prayer. When she went back to the doctor no trace of cancer could be found. True story! Doctors couldn’t explain it. This was many years ago, this woman is healthy and strong and has never had any other problems. That is a miracle!
Years ago, my dad was getting on the freeway, my grandfather was in the back seat sound asleep. While driving up the on ramp, my dad went into an epileptic seizure causing him to floor the gas pedal. My grandfather woke up, hopped over the seat and miraculously was able to gain control of the car and get him and my dad to safety. Nobody was hurt. That is a miracle!
Miracles are real. We can all look back on our lives and the lives of others and point out instances of miracles. In acknowledging that miracles are possible and that they indeed occur, why shouldn’t we expect or hope for miracles even in the most dismal of circumstances?
I have heard people say, “there’s no hope.” I have seen people give up hope. It saddens me. Why? Because what you believe is what you will receive. What you say is what you will have. These are universal Spiritual principles that work whether you believe in them or not.
Do you believe in miracles?
Tess Buys a Miracle
Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money for the doctor’s bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it! “And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages”, he said without waiting for a reply to his question. “Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a miracle.” “I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist. “His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. “I’m sorry but I can’t help you”, the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”
The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does you brother need?” “I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money”.
“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago.
“One dollar and eleven cents”, Tess answered barely audibly. “And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.
“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents–the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.” That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. “That surgery”, her Mom whispered. “was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?” Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar and eleven cents …… plus the faith of a little child.
A miracle is not ALWAYS the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law……
~Author Unknown But It’s Said That This Is A True Story~
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it. In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.
“Today is a gift, that’s why it is called the present.”
The history of pageants in the United States date as far back as the 1920′s. The first Miss America was crowned in 1921. Pageants have been around ever since. Some of the most famous and successful women in the world competed in pageants. While some scoff and dismiss pageants as mere “beauty contests” the truth of the matter is women participating in pageants are usually at the top of their game. They are undeniably beautiful, poised, articulate, and extremely smart… I know some may disagree, considering the Miss Teen South Carolina 2007 debacle (I think it was her nerves, that’s exactly what scares me about entering a pageant).
Women that participate in pageants seem to have certain traits in common. They are goal oriented, self motivated, and determined. It takes confidence, self awareness, and a great attitude to compete in a pageant. The preparation and personal development that women go through for a pageant, often helps them in other areas of their lives.Check out this list of noteworthy pageant winners:
Oprah Winfrey Miss Black Tennessee
Diane Sawyer America’s Junior Miss
Halle Berry Miss Ohio, Miss USA first runner up, and Miss World sixth runner up
Mary Hart Miss South Dakota, reached top ten in Miss America
Phyllis George Miss Texas, Miss America
I notice that women that compete in pageants seem to have no problems with public speaking (I don’t think Oprah gets nervous when someone hands her mic). I consider myself an effective communicator but the thought of public speaking frightens me. The fact that I am afraid of anything bothers me even more because I know “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.” I am also aware that fear = False Expectation Appearing Real. With all of this knowledge why is public speaking such an issue? Perhaps it’s time I face and get over my fears
I’m thinking about participating in the Mrs. California Pageant. Do you think a no make-up, sweats, and t-shirt wearing, non public speaking, plain jane blogger like me can win a pageant? I only have days to decide and only 3 months to prepare to answer those tough questions like “how would you resolve the middle east crisis?” in front of a live audience. Scary! Can you say I need a sponsor(s) and a pageant coach?
If I decide to participate I’ll document the journey via a separate blog (I’m already thinking about things I can do to make it financially worthwhile to my sponsors lol). Living Life Abundantly means facing your fears and being committed to life long personal growth and development. I’m dedicated to living life abundantly.
I look forward to your feedback. I don’t have the sponsorship details available yet but email me if its of interest and I’ll get it to you asap
You need to be highly productive and being productive means that you make proper use of your time, by doing and working at things that will bring you closer to your goal. This article aims to show you five great ways to be more productive.
