We’ve all heard phrases like, “Always give your best” or “Be all that you can be.” This begs the question: “Is it really all that important for us to give our best efforts on a regular basis?” I did some checking, and the answer is “yes.” Giving your best efforts forms the foundation for being…
Recently, my wife and I were remarking about how much better we feel the day after we’ve spent the evening with friends. This notion piqued my curiosity, and I spent several evenings on the internet looking for a possible cause—was it the company, the conversation, or the laughter. It didn’t take long for me to…
I came across a heart-warming story posted on The Bronson Bar’s Facebook page that I felt needed to be shared. The Bronson Bar is located in Bronson, Iowa which is a small town located just outside Sioux City. Recently, an auction was held to benefit the Lawton-Bronson high school football team. One of the items…
I enjoy cooking and baking and when I come across a recipe that is simple, quick, easy, and delicious, I love to share it. Several years ago, my friend Nancy shared her recipe for a “crustless blueberry pie” which I have renamed “blueberry cake/pie” because it’s a cake that’s baked in a glass pie pan.…
My good friend Nancy, who I went to high school with, posted this wonderful example of kindness on Facebook that I would like to share with you. “I went to the concert at Weko Beach tonight and I had the greatest experience of kindness from people I didn’t even know. I was sitting on the…
Often when we greet people that we encounter during our daily activities, we say something like, “Hi, how are things going?” They may respond with something like, “Fine.” “Great!” or, “Not bad.” And that’s the end of it. Now, if you want to get the most out of your greetings, when the other person tells…
The benefits from laughter are amazing: laughter strengthens our immune system, helps us heal more quickly, reduces food cravings, stress, anxiety, and anger while providing us with a better night’s sleep. And the more we laugh, the more of these benefits we accrue. The problem is that most adults don’t laugh nearly enough. Research has…
Many people have bought into the myth that failure is fatal and is something that should be avoided. In reality, failure is nothing more than a very effective learning experience. Most of our greatest accomplishments were made possible through failure—learning to walk, ride a bike and drive. Why should the rest of our life be…
This is the mantra of Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams. What this means is that success requires a lot of hard work along with commitment and discipline. A lot of people don’t like to hear this; they’re looking for short-cuts. The problem is there are no short-cuts. This is the bad news! The good…
My wife found this story on a Facebook page called, “I Grew Up in Iowa.” It’s a wonderful story about a kind act performed by the employees of a Hy-Vee bakery. “I just wanted to give a shout out to Wilson Avenue Hy-Vee. I ordered a cake from them earlier this week for my stepdad’s…