"Time is too slow for those who wait, too
swift for those who fear, too long for those
who grieve, too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love, time is eternity."~Henry Van Dyke

Friday Story...

In todays story it reminds us of the impact and power of the words we use can have on others.
We can learn a lot about how a simple act of smiling, even when we do not feel like it, can totally change our life. I leading a Healthy life to the Max, it is a key point to lead with a smile since ... it can't be all that bad when you really think about it.
Have a Happy Friday. Enjoy.

JOY JUICE
by Linda Davenport

Six Words That Changed a Life Six words - "Smile...it can't be that bad." - changed Judy's life. Judy is a young woman I worked with some years ago. She was in her late twenties, maybe early thirties, more than a little overweight, and not the most stylish dresser. What was most striking about her appearance was her smile; it was always there. Anyone passing Judy in the hallway was greeted with that smile and a soft, "Hello," or, "Good morning," in her gentle, Minnesota accent.


I happened to be with Judy one day when she had her driver's license out of her purse. The photograph on her license showed a face that looked like it had never smiled! The corners of her mouth were turned down, her face looked slack, and the eyes were dark and troubled. The overall impression was anger and deep grief. "Whoa! Judy...is that really you? What in the world was going on? You look like you're mad at the world!" Judy giggled. "Yes, it's me. I used to look like that all the time."


She then shared with me her story and the six words that changed her life. Judy had moved to Tennessee to care for an invalid uncle. Her life revolved around caring for this much older and very ill man who, though grateful, offered little in the way of good company for a shy young woman.


When he died, Judy realized for the first time that she had nothing - no job skills no education, no experience with which to support herself, and no friends. Lonely, grieving, and terrified, she took a big step and enrolled in a community college CAD/CAM program. The Judy that walked the halls between classes was the Judy captured in her driver's license photo. She didn't talk, didn't smile, didn't make eye contact.


One day, however, she met an instructor in the hallway who, in passing, said, "Smile...it can't be that bad." As Judy told me the story, she giggled again. "I was so embarrassed! And I didn't say anything at all. I couldn't. But I started thinking...maybe he was right." Nothing in Judy's life had changed, but she made a decision to smile anyway, to put a smile on her face without waiting for it to spontaneously show up. And so she did.


She would arrive at school and, very self-consciously at first, put a smile on her face as she walked across the parking lot. She forced herself to look up at the people she met, even if only for an instant. Over and over she repeated to herself the six words that started her down the path: "Smile...it can't be that bad." Without realizing it, she said, she had begun to practice "fake it 'till you make it," acting happy even when she wasn't. "And when I did," she said, "things changed.


People stopped avoiding me. Before, people sometimes crossed the halls to walk on the other side, and if they didn't, I did. When I started smiling, even though I didn't really feel it, people reacted differently. It took a little while, but one morning, someone actually said hello to me. And I smiled for real!"


Judy later went to the instructor who had made the comment and thanked him. As you might expect, he was surprised that his almost throwaway comment had that kind of impact. Judy met his family, visited his church, and slowly developed a social network. After living in Tennessee for more than ten years, she made her first friends.


When she told me the story, she finished with, "See? You never know how you might influence someone with what you say. Those six words changed my life. When I started acting happy, I became happy. I didn't even know it was happening, but it was, and I'm so glad he told me to, 'Smile...it can't be that bad.' He was right...it wasn't that bad...and it won't ever be that bad again."


Today's Joy Juice by Judy - happiness is a choice; fake it 'till you make it if you have to; and pay attention to the words you say...you may change someone's life.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Davenport is a freelance writer and full-time communications professional. She publishes "Joy Juice" every week on her website, Happy By Nature, and blogs her personal journey at http://ping.fm/TNf1H If you'd like to contact Linda, join the conversation on either website or email her at mntngal@comcast.net

"We will receive not what we idly wish for but what we justly earn. Our rewards will always be in exact proportion to our service."~Earl Nightingale

"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down."~Mary Pickford

"Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to start where he was."~Lao-Tzu. Have a blessed Wednesday!

"Relentless, repetitive self talk is what changes our self-image."~Denis Waitley

"If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities."~Barbara Bush

"If you make the unconditional commitment to reach your most important goals, if the strength of your decision is sufficient, you will find the way and the power to achieve your goals."~Robert Conklin

"The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the more clearly we should see through it."~Jean Paul. Have a great Friday!

"If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out."~Arthur Koestler. Have a blessed Thursday!

"We are not the creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance."~Benjamin Disraeli. Have a Happy Wednesday!

Ten ways to be a leader

Happy Tuesday!
Everyone is a leader within although most do not realize it. Each one of us has the qualities to lead in the life that we are living and just need the encouragement and understanding of what leadership is. In living a Healthy and Wealthy life to the MAX, leadership is at the core of it. Below are some characteristics of leadership qualities that can be found in each of us. What qualities of leadership to you see in yourself? Enjoy!

Everyone tells us to be a leader, but they never tell us how. Dale Carnegie tells us exactly how. If you haven't read his book, you are missing a treat.

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

5. Let the other person save face.

6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement.

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Use encouragement.

9. Make the fault easy to correct.

10. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

- - Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you;be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them."~W Clement Stone

"Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver."~Barbara De Angelis

"Whatever you do or dream you can do— begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it."~Johann Goethe. Have a blessed Saturday!

"The kinder and more thoughtful a person is, the more kindness they can find in other people."~Leo Tolstoy

“You can have anything you want in life, if you simply help enough others get what THEY want.”~Zig Ziglar. Happy Friday!

Are You for Real?

Everyone is a leader in some way. Some of us do not know this but we all are in one way or another. Leadership is about the influence that we have on others that impact their life. In order to live a Healthy Life to the Max we must all recognize our leadership qualities and roles in what we do. What leadership qualities do you see in yourself? The number one quality of a true leader is authenticity.
In the article below the author talks about its importance and how to be authentic in all that you do. Enjoy and have a great day!


What is authenticity and why is it important to leadership?

Leadership isn't something we do in response to our circumstances. It's a way of being. You don't DO leadership. You ARE a leader. Leadership comes from within. It is an ongoing and consistent expression of who we are that inspires others to action. Authentic leaders know themselves and their purpose; they use that knowledge as their internal compass. When we align our actions with our sense of purpose, we act authentically; we take a stand, living centered, calm, powerful lives. We are in control of our feelings and emotions, rather than letting them control us.

Authenticity is about having personal integrity, being genuine, and acting in a way that is true to yourself and your beliefs, no matter what. It's about NOT putting up a facade, NOT being aloof or inaccessible.

Our sense of another's authenticity has an enormous impact on whether or not we trust them, how comfortable we are with them, and how willing we are to follow them. Authenticity, then, is critical to effective leadership.

Doing vs. being:
Some corporate executives are motivated primarily by money, earning six- and seven-figure incomes. Others are motivated by "the game," by winning, and besting others who may be competing for limited corporate resources needed to implement their plans. Typically, these executives reach a place where they burn out, or become increasingly dissatisfied by their day-to-day routines. As a result, their teams suffer and are not as productive, or effective, as they could be.

The best leaders are guided by a deeper purpose -- to create a product or service, for example, that delights their customers, or leaves a mark on the world in some way that is meaningful to them. When authentic leaders do this well, they can sustain success and the seven-figure income, along with a genuine feeling of accomplishment, of having made a significant contribution.

When we clarify our true purpose, we come to understand what gives meaning to the things we do. Our purpose gives us guidance on how to do things. For example, my purpose is to live powerfully, contribute to the creation of powerful lives, and connect communities of people. I've chosen to do this through my career as a Leadership Development Specialist and Executive Coach. My purpose doesn't dictate my profession or what I do. I could live purposefully in many others roles: I could have chosen to teach or to be a leader in a corporate setting. My purpose guides how I do what I've chosen to do. And it shows up outside of work, also, in how I contribute in my community, behave in my family, and so on. It is my internal compass.

When I start playing small (holding back and not being powerful), or when I'm being stingy with my time and talents, I can feel it in my body. I feel uncentered, uncomfortable, and unfulfilled. I'm at my best when I am being myself, connecting members of my various networks, and inspiring and supporting others to be their best. It's from this place of purpose that I do my best work.

Of course, living on purpose means that you may not 'fit' or be successful or happy in every setting. But that's OK. You will be most successful and make the greatest contribution in the place where you can be your fully genuine, purposeful, authentic, wonderful self.

So, how do you become an authentic leader?

1. Know the leader you want to be. Clarify your purpose. Create a vision for yourself as an authentic leader. Identify your deepest values. Think about leaders you admire. What is it about them you want to emulate? What is the legacy you want to leave? Picture how it looks and feels to be being the best, most authentic leader you can be.

2. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Especially in this fast paced, global, technological world, we can't be experts in everything. Nor do we necessarily want or have time to be. Be honest about what you can do well and enjoy doing and what is best left to others.

3. Identify the gaps between your vision and current reality. Determine which gaps you want to close by learning and growing your own expertise and which ones you want to fill with the talents of others.

4. Identify sources and opportunities for development. Pursue them with a beginner's mind. Enjoy the learning process.

5. When making decisions or engaged in discussions, ask yourself, "What does my authentic self tell me to do?" Even if it is a difficult decision, check in with yourself and ask, "How can I make and communicate it in a way that is an expression of my purpose and in integrity with my values?"

6. As you begin to use newly learned behaviors, be generous and forgiving with yourself. The leader who can forgive him/herself can forgive others.

7. Create visual cues to remind yourself to be your newly discovered real self when self-doubt begins to creep in. Post-it notes, special screen savers, mantras, a rubber band around your wrist, or New Leaf Touchstone bracelets or pocket stones can help.


About the Author:

Cindy Loughran is a certified professional coach and the founder and president of New Leaf Touchstone. Her products and services help people break out of their habitual patterns and make desired changes in order to turn over a new leaf and create a fulfilling and satisfying life. http://ping.fm/UEEGR

"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless."Caroline Myss

"To be loved, be lovable."~Ovid. Have a blessed Wednesday!

Necessary Steps to Persistence

From the revolutionary book, "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill it states Four Necessary Steps to Persistence:

1. A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.

2. A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.

3. A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances.

4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

If you started to make it so today how do you think it would increase your overall Health and Wellbeing? Would it help you to Maximize your Health for Life?

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better."~Barbara Pletcher

A New Strength...

There are times in everyone life when we feel hurt or alone...

But I believe that these are times when we feel lost and all around us seems to be falling apart are really bridges of growth....

We struggle and try to recapture the security of what was, but almost in spite of ourselves.....

We can emerge on the other side with a new understanding, a new awareness a new strength.

It is almost as though we must go through the pain and the struggle in order to grow and reach new heights....

"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."~Muhammad Ali. Happy Monday!

Wishing all the Mom's out there a Happy Mother's day! Enjoy every moment of it. You deserve it! Have a blessed day.

"Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee, and do not try to make the universe a blind alley."~Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"An attitude of gratitude creates blessings."~Sir John Templeton. Have a great Saturday!

"We are what we think. All that we are arises from our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world."~Buddha. Have a blessed Friday!

"If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work."~Thomas J. Watson

"The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice."~George Eliot. Have a blessed Wednesday!

"Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back. If you smile at it, it returns the greeting."~Herbert Samuels

"It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls."~Unknown

Maximize Friday Story

Here is a story that shows how we travel through life in such a way that we forget to experience the joy of each moment and the people that are around us.  Everything in this life is about relationships.  Our relationships with others is key to maximizing your health for life.  Enjoy the story below and have a Happy Friday!

The Man With The Mustache

I saw him today! 

I haven't seen him for awhile. But I saw him today. In that same seat on the bus, where I have seen him for the past 17 years. The man with the mustache.

He looked a little older, a little tired perhaps, but the same really. In a world filled with so many changes, I find it comforting when I see him, like an old shoe that is always there some place under the bed, and reappears from time to time.

Over the years, I have wondered about him, who he is,where he gets off the bus, what his name is, and what his life is like. Not once, in all those years, have we spoken or even acknowledged one another, and yet every time I see him, I wonder about his life.

I wonder in the last 17 years, if he has..........fallen in or out of love. I wonder if he wakes up at four o'clock in the morning, thinking about life. I wonder if he has children, if he lives alone, what he likes on his pizza, what he takes in his coffee, what his dreams are. I wonder if the years have been kind to him, or if they have taken their toll.

He has a serious, chiseled kind of face, which makes me think he must do a serious, kind of work, not an artist or a painter, but an engineer or a geologist.

He looks like a person who analyzes a lot, and sits in meaningful contemplation. I wonder how I would feel if he moved away, and I didn't see him on the bus anymore. I'm sure I would, after a time, wonder what happened to him, what turn in the road his life has taken.

It's funny, even though we've never met or spoken in all these years, he makes me feel a little less alone somehow, just by being there. I feel touched by him.  In a way, our souls have met. For a few moments, we've shared time and space, travelled down the same road, however short, on our way to somewhere.

 

Isn't that all we do with people anyway, for a short while, travel down the same road, share time and space, on our way to somewhere?

The world is full of people, who make us feel less alone. I wonder if they know it? The stranger on the bus, the girl who cuts your hair, the fellow who takes your order at your favorite restaurant, the cashier at the grocery store. We all have something in common, we're all in this together.

And yet, so often, we place such little importance on these events, sometimes even walking around in a daze, oblivious to all of it, on our way to somewhere else, waiting for the bigger moments in life, you know, the ones that really matter.

And yet, these bigger moments are so few, and last for such a little while.

Perhaps if we thought of these simple times as flowers, and instead of a huge bouquet every once in a while, we picked a daisy here, a lily there, a rose somewhere else.

At the end of the day or week, we could look at the arrangement we've created, just by being present, and savor the sweetness, smell the fragrance and water the memories.

Then, at the end of our life, if we're really lucky ...we might have an entire garden, to take with us into eternity.

 

Veronica Hay

 

Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer and author of In a Dream, You Can Do Anything, An Extraordinary Collection of Words. Her work inspires others to be more of who they really are. For more insights and inspiration you can visit her website at: www.insightsandinspirations.com or email her at: veronicahay@telus.net

"The more you have, the more you're occupied; the less you have, the more free you are."~Mother Teresa. Have a blessed Friday!