Creative Inspiration for Passionate Living

My older daughter was once involved in a sport where bickering, gossiping and negativity were the norm for her team.  Don't get me wrong, they were one of the best in the state - they could join forces against rivals and come home with first place bragging rights.  Aside from the competition induced moments of unity though, my daughter rarely had more than her disheartening experiences to share when I asked "so how was your practice."  She was argumentative at home and had turned into somewhat of a negative ninny. On her own volition, she traded the bickering bunch for a different group of young ladies in an altogether different sport.  These young ladies are pleasant toward each other, encourage each other and keep personal opinions off the record.  Not surprisingly, she comes home full of compliments about her teammates and coach.  She shares stories about the encouragement she gives/receives during comp...

The kids and I gathered in the family room with blankets for this week's movie night selection "Nightmare On Elm Street". When it was released in 1984, the movie had everyone scared to go to sleep - people were dying in their nightmares! I was fully prepared to have at least one kid in my bed before the night was out. We started the movie and eventually, Freddy Kreuger started slicing teenagers with his creepy steel fingernails.  My kids chuckled a bit instead of jumping  - they weren't even slightly scared.  They started frowing before long and complained that the blood and gore looked so phoney.  We cut the movie short (after the 2nd killing scene) and turned back to cable. Today's Inspiration Never Become Complacent With Today's Victories The world changes constantly. With so much change, its no wonder that beauty of today seems dull against the colors of tomorrow. In everything we do, we naturally want to do our best. ...

I took up a hobby in the early part of winter.  It was fun and exciting, I met new people and learned a dance that I really enjoy. While I was gliding and twirling though, laundry piled up, chores weren't done as thoroughly and I focused less than the right amount of attention on a major personal project (in my own opinion). For the first time in over 30 days, I missed a goal and that was my wake up call. There's another cycle of lessons starting but for several personal and professional reasons, I decided to take a pass.  I felt torn because dancing has always been a passion of mine and so is my project. I realized that I had to forego a simple pleasure so as to properly focus on my master plan.  Of course I enjoy dancing but I enjoy achieving life success even more. Today's Inspiration That Which is Necessary is Never Unwise Success comes with some tough decisions and serious sacrifice.  The rewards at the end of the road definitely make up for that which we mu...

In his last year of high school, my oldest son insisted that he'd have a job - he needed to find his own way as any young man does.  He found work easily enough but did not have transportation.  Rather than give up or complain, he stood tall, swallowed pride and rode my bright purple ten-speed bike 20 minutes to work - in the winter no less! Today's Inspiration  Desire is shown by pursuit, fueled by ambition and born out of confidence.  ~Steven Shelley Desire is a natural part of the human spirit.  It makes us tenacious  and drives us to excel.  It is our ambition though that sets us apart from the rest of the pack. The more we thirst, the more we must be willing to sweat for the opportunity to drink the nectar of accomplishment.  Obstacles will inevitably spring up along the way but we must stand confident against tides of resistance.  Because our very livelihood is at stake, we must not let our ambition be drowned out by the challenges t...