Sunday, October 5, 2014

Courage





Saturday, October 4, 2014

Book Review: The Wealthy Barber



This book was given to me by a friend to help me understand personal finances. Written with a good dose of humor, the book presents some fairly complicated concepts in an easy-to-understand format. 

Although I did not grasp some of the concepts on my first read-through, I did still take away a good understanding of some of the financial concepts and I look forward to implementing some of its strategies.

The edition I read was from 1997/1998, although there is a newer edition available from 2011 if you are interested in reading it yourself.

Note: I am not being compensated for this review.

Friday, October 3, 2014

How far you go in life...



A bit of wisdom from George Washington Carver today...

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Book Review: the first phone call from heaven






POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT


What's not to like about a book written by Mitch Albom? I 
have enjoyed his books for years, and his newest novel does 
not disappoint. 


When various people in the small town of Coldwater, MI begin
to receive phone calls from heaven, the other residents begin
to learn more about themselves and their belief in heaven, or
lack thereof. Soon pilgrims from the world over are arriving
in tiny Coldwater for a chance to be a part of the miracles.

Sully, a man recently released from prison for his
inadvertent role in a heart-breaking tragedy that killed his wife
is particularly affected as his son begins to believe in the
miracles and waits for a call from his late mother. To protect
his son, Sully does his best to debunk the so-called miracles,
and learns lessons in forgiveness, grace, and faith along the
way.


Note: I am not being compensated for this review.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Smile



Sharing a bit of wisdom from the late, great Marilyn Monroe today. Smile!

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Monday, September 29, 2014

Book Review: Unchain the Elephant



Unchain the Elephant is a new release from Simple Truths, a website and company well known for its inspirational books and other products. It is definitely one of my favorite haunts, and no, I am not being paid to say that. 

The Unchain the Elephant analogy comes in the form of a story of how elephants in captivity are trained from a very young age that they cannot break free of the chains that bind them. A thick chain is tied to a tree or post, and the young elephant will test it and tug on it and eventually learns that it cannot break free, so it gives up trying. As an adult, it can be "secured" with a mere rope and it will not try to escape. 

I found the story heartbreaking, and I can see where it applies to so many people, including myself, who may have long since given up or nearly given up on their dreams because they think they are stuck where they are, chained, if you will, to a job that does not serve them beyond paying the bills and putting food on the table. A part of their soul longs to be free and to be heard on its terms.

The author talks about three key moments where we must respond appropriately if we wish to free ourselves from our shackles and provides examples from his own, personal experience.

  1. Facing our predators (fear, etc.)
  2. Embracing our passions
  3. Rediscovering our packs (tribe)

The author, Erik Wahl, for years had been a corporate cog who followed the dictates of society that mandated getting a degree, getting a good job, following the rules, climbing the corporate ladder, etc., but he eventually realized that something was missing.

After his "secure" dot-com job bubble burst, he rediscovered his passion for art and has since parlayed his love of creating art and his business know-how into a career that he loves and has made him a much sought-after speaker.

The book is a quick 100-page or so read that was easy to digest, thought-provoking and filled with brilliant quotes and stunning photography and art. I do recommend it and hope that you will check it out for yourself.