Guest Bloggers

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." –Margaret Drabble

Oh, my goodness. It's almost summer… and to top it off, perhaps you're "in transition" looking for work, or in a job situation that needs to change. Maybe it's time to pay school tuition, or pick a college. You might be dealing with a health or family issue that is draining your "reserves" of energy, time, and resources. Given one, two, or ALL of the above, it's perfectly normal to feel stressed, possibly depressed, or absolutely overwhelmed. And, honestly? Platitudes are probably the LAST thing you want to hear.

I understand. But, one thing life has taught me with absolute certainty is that every day holds the potential to create the life you wish to have. Again and again, timeless wisdom tells us that the potential of an uncertain day, an uncertain future, an uncertain circumstance, is unlocked by an attitude of expectation. Every day offers new moments, new hours, and new opportunities that can be full of expectation for a new you – and it starts with attitude.

But don't take my word for it. History is full of wisdom from those who have gone before us, giving us quotations like the one above. When you need a "shot in the arm" to keep looking for work, or inspiration to "keep your eyes on the ball," or the mental fortitude to "get up and get going" another day, try to consider the proposition that there is often truth in the platitudes that swirl around us. I'll take that a step further, and tell you that there is also fruit to bear that goes beyond the direct advice they give…. The platitudes about attitudes are just the beginning. You know, The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And there is always more than one road to your future, or as Lt. General Hal Moore says, "There is always one more thing you can do to influence the situation in your favor."

As an entrepreneur for most of my adult life, I am a firm believer in the power of expectation. I meet each day with the anticipation that it will bear fruit – whether my time is booked with clients – or not. I expect to make a living each day, and I take it a day at a time. Funny how a "freelance writing and media production" business that started out by taking it one day at a time, hitting the pavement, shaking hands, introducing myself wherever I was, and whenever I could, blazed a trail to … now, over 20 years later. Did I travel in a straight line from "zero to making a living?" Did I create everything I dreamed I would have in the form of stuff? Hardly. So far, my life has dealt me a very trying hand, losing two brothers and both parents at a very young age, having a tumor removed, watching my husband lose his job in this recession, investing in a business that failed, and dealing with a malicious identity theft, just to give you a few examples of some of my own challenges along the way.

I'm acutely aware of how immobilized the events of a lifetime can make you feel, no matter what your age or circumstances. I've experienced it myself, and I've seen it hundreds of times in others. So, for just a few moments, I'm asking you to suspend your doubts and disbeliefs about the possibilities for good that await you today. I'd like you to withhold your skepticism as you read this, and muster your courage to imagine that your future can hold even a fragment of the dreams you have. Just for now, hear me out. Read on to see some of the ways that I "reset my attitude" on a regular basis. For me, it's about delivering quality service and products in my business, creating daily happiness, and plain old survival. For you, it could be about something else. Just for now, in this moment, consider a few tips and actions that can make a difference in your life:

1. Set out to give a slice of joy to someone today. Notice I said a "slice." You don't have to bite off more than you can chew. Perhaps for you it means a "whisper," a compliment, a "thank you," a phone call, an E-mail, or a wildflower. Acknowledge and accept the perspectives of others. We're all doing the best we can right now, in the "shoes" of our circumstances. If need be, set your ego aside for just one moment and reach out to others; "put yourself in their shoes." There is something you can offer someone you know or love that won't cost you a thing. And you know what? It can give you and them the possibility of a new outlook, or infuse your lives with a little optimism. This simple act alone can take your attitudes beyond platitudes.
2. Get out on foot. Take a walk, and say "hello" to everyone you meet along the way. Notice everything, and marvel in the characteristics of your neck of the woods. Is there something you can do to help your neighborhood? Do you know the neighbors around you? Do you know their habits and routines? Admire their canine companions and their efforts to exercise. We Americans have become way too sedentary, and that lack of motion in our lives affects us in more ways than one, physically and mentally. There is a whole world out there, right in your own neighborhood, your own town, and your own city. You won't see it or experience it any other way but on foot. Taking a walk will clear your head, make you healthy, and introduce you to new friends and new ideas for charting a course to a more healthy and vibrant life.
3. Do your routine tasks in a different way. We are the habits we do every day. Deliberately changing one thing daily can change everything. You've heard the platitude "You are what you eat." Take this to heart literally AND figuratively. Your daily routine keeps you in the place you are NOW. Take a look around you and catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror. Your daily routine has created the images you see. When you learn something new, your brain physiologically changes. When you alter your diet and exercise habits, you reshape your waistline. When you make an effort to listen to someone else's story, you expand your beliefs and your tolerances. When you take a new route to the market, or venture into a new one altogether, you see things you've never seen before. When you visit a coffee shop that's off your beaten path, you meet new people. When you make new choices, you create a new future.
4. YOU are the architect of your life. There is a famous quotation that is often mistakenly said, "Circumstances make the man." The actual quotation by James Allen is "Circumstances don't make the man, they reveal him." Who you are is attributable in large part to how you have responded to your circumstances. I grew up in a home where my parents loudly opined about all of the politics of our country. As a young adult, I mimicked their words and attitudes boisterously as well. Then one day, with the emergence of a new issue that I felt strongly about, I realized that I could change my opinions if I wanted to. A light bulb literally went off in my head. "Wow. I don't agree with my parents on this issue. In fact, I don't agree with their politics at all anymore." I gave myself permission to change my beliefs in mid-stream, and I've never looked back. At my core, I ceased to be the person I was at a young age, and I have taken responsibility for that ever since. My actions reflect who I am.
5. Let yourself EVOLVE with the transformation of a new decision. Make the decision to trust that your life will bring forth a new bounty. You CAN be different than you are now. As human beings it is hard-wired within us to fear the unknown, and to be terrified of change. But, as much as our fears give us comfort because they are what we know, they also bind us tightly, and can imprison us with self-doubt and inaction.

Simple changes in your attitude and routine can affect literally everything about you and bring on a new job, a new relationship, a new outlook, new horizons, new friends, and a new body, just to name a few of the potential benefits. If you take it one day at a time, you can move beyond the platitude "Today is the first day of the rest of your life," and create today, tomorrow, and ultimately your future, what it stands for, and your legacy. I don't know about you, but to me, that's something worth thinking about.

Di Chapman is founder of Words To Your Advantage, a speaking and writing service; and the Chief Communications Officer for Power Connections Inc., an executive career management and outplacement company. You can read more of her thoughts at www.thedailyjobhunt.wordpress.com.

Today, to celebrate Mother's Day, BJ Gallagher has shared her story that will appear in the Stars and Stripes Newspaper this weekend! Please enjoy BJ's story, and Happy Mother's Day!

My mother Gloria was married to a military man. She moved her family 22 times in 31 years, over three continents, through three wars. Dad was the one who wore the uniform – Mom was the one who wore the brave smile. She served her country every bit as much as her husband Ken did, and she did so with no hesitation, no complaint, no regret. Mom was the wife of a warrior – she kept the home fires burning while Dad put his life on the line to protect his family and country.

I realize now that Mom put her life on the line, too. She was just 22 years old when she boarded ship in San Francisco and spent the next 21 days – horribly seasick – sailing to the Philippines to join my father. She stayed up on deck much of the time, carrying her nine-month-old baby (me) in her arms, trying desperately to calm her queasy stomach. Over the years, she always said how grateful she was for the kindness of sailors and strangers who helped care for me during her miserable voyage across the Pacific.

Just a few months after we arrived in the Philippines, the Korean War broke out and Dad was sent to Japan, leaving his young family behind. Mom would sometimes stand on the front porch of our house on base, with her toddler on her hip and a gun in her other hand. She could hear the Hukbalahap insurgents fighting just a mile up the road and at night she could see the flashes of gunfire in the nearby mountains. It would be six long months before she was allowed to join my father in Japan.

It couldn't have been easy for a young mother to alone with her baby in a foreign country, with communist insurgents fighting nearby. But when my mother tells the story now, she always makes it sound like a great adventure rather than a terrifying war zone. That's Mom – always putting a positive spin on things.

A few years later, after short stints in Montana, Texas, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, we got transferred to Virginia for six months, where Dad attended Armed Forces War College in Norfolk. At the time, the South was experiencing mounting racial tension, and I recall my mother cautioning me to be careful at school. She was especially distressed when I came home one day and told her that a couple girls had come to school with razor blades hidden in their hair.

The military culture in which we lived was remarkably free of racism and bigotry, so I was ill-prepared to deal with racial issues on the playground. Looking back, I think Mom was more worried about the covert racial conflict in the American South than she had been about the overt military conflict in the Far East.

In 1959 we shipped out to Germany, where we had our longest tour of duty – four and a half years – during which we moved three times. Dad often joked that just when Mom got a place fixed up the way she liked it, we had to move again. Mom always laughed, but I'm not sure she really thought it was funny.

We were stationed in West Germany when the Cold War began. The Berlin Wall went up and so did the tension in the air – even us kids could feel it. We never knew if war was going to break out and our dads would be called to fight. Everyone lived in a constant state of alert, wondering and waiting to see if families would have to be evacuated to stateside. My parents never talked about their fear of a potential World War III, but kids are intuitive and smart – we could sense that something ominous was looming.

My high school years were spent in Illinois, followed by our second tour of duty in Germany. Then Dad was off to War College again, this time in Montgomery, Alabama. From there it was north to Dover, Delaware for a couple years, then south to Puerto Rico. Next was Thailand for Dad, while Mom remained stateside in San Diego so my brother Roger could finish high school.

And so it went over the years – from base to base, state to state, country to country – my mom hauling her kids and boxes of belongings (and sometimes a cat or dog) from one assignment to the next. She was a military mom and that's just what they do – get their marching orders and report for duty.

Every day, month after month, year in and year out, in wartime and in peacetime, millions of American women serve their country with honor. They provide support to their military husbands, while raising their children in the shadow of the fortress. These women often do long stints as single moms, while their husbands are deployed overseas for extended periods – months, even years.

There are no medals for bravery awarded to the wives of warriors – but there should be. These remarkable women deserve their own "Mother of Freedom" medal.

On this Mother's Day, remember the military moms. Seek them out in your neighborhood, your workplace, your church, your local school. They are the unsung heroes – they are patriot moms who serve our country with selfless love and loyalty. Salute them. Thank them. Hug them. Honor them. They are the Mothers of Freedom.

BJ Gallagher has authored Learning to Dance in the Rain, The Best Way Out is Always Through, and Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! for Simple Truths. She also blogs for the Huffington Post.

Today, Simple Truths author Michael McMillan would like to share a blog post with you:

Years ago I met a guy named Noel. Noel was his first name—and he hated it. "Since I was born on Christmas, my parents thought it was an appropriate name," Noel told me. What he hated more than his name was his birth date. "We can never celebrate 'my day,' it's always overshadowed by Christmas," he explained. Noel wasn't a very happy person. It was rare to see him smile. I don't know if it was his name, his birth date or something else… but his attitude did seem to worsen during December.

My birthday falls on April 22—Earth Day. Because I was in 6th grade when the first Earth Day was celebrated, my parents weren't tempted to name me Eartha, Fern, Gaia, Ocean, Zoe… or some other Earth-related name. But if they had, I don't think I would have minded. What's in a name—right? Unlike Noel, I'm glad my birthday falls on an important date—especially this one. I love the concept of Earth Day and feel honored to share "my day" celebrating it. I consider it my bEARTHday, so to speak.

We have no control over where and when we are born, or what we're named, for that matter. While we don't control the circumstances we are born into, we do choose our responses, attitudes and actions. In other words, our choices create our lives. Our choices also affect the Earth. Hopefully as we're creating our lives, we are also creating a better world. Think about it—without Earth, we have no place to live. We couldn't exist. Recognizing this fact, can you think of anything more important than caring for our planet? I can't. That's why I'm committed to being a responsible Earth citizen.

For me, this commitment is easy. Not only is it logical, it's natural, too. It resonates with my soul. I realized long ago when something resonates with your soul, it's important to embrace it. That's why I speak out against corporations that pollute our planet, deplete our resources and mistreat people, animals… and nature. Yes, I believe in capitalism… but not at the expense of our earth and its inhabitants. That's why I support "green" businesses.

Doing what's right and challenging the status quo takes courage… but when we don't make good choices and don't challenge those who pollute and mistreat our planet, we become part of the problem.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE… but mostly… RESPECT our planet. "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." I agree with Einstein… and the time is NOW. We need to start thinking differently and creating new sustainable Earth-friendly solutions. The status quo has lost its status. Let's make certain future generations can experience this miraculous living planet filled with its endless beauty and wonder. Together, WE can make this world a better place. Happy Earth Day!

The other day, I got a call from a colleague of mine, named Jocelyn, to update each other about what we're working on. I told her about how I wanted to share some tips for our blog readers about keeping a good attitude. Jocelyn introduced me to Marlene Chism and gave me a couple of articles that she wrote. I decided that I had to share my favorite with you!

Marlene's article is called, "Five Ways to Stand Out in 2010." Even though we just finished the first quarter, I know that there's still a lot of 2010 to get through. So, will you barely survive, or make it the best year of your life?

You might think that it's difficult to stand out given all the distractions of the day. However, there are easy ways to be exceptional simply by distinguishing yourself from the norm. What is the norm today? Stress, anxiety, feeling overworked, complaining about how busy you are, putting too much on your plate, letting others down, impatience and overindulgence are the signs of our times. If you want to stand out in 2010, just try one of these five disciplines and make it part of your life. You will be noticed. In fact, you will be viewed as extraordinary.

1. Keep Your Word If you do what you say you are going to do you will definitely stand out. Today we have many excuses to drop the ball including, "I didn't see the e-mail, it went into my junk file, I just got swamped and time got away from me." Keeping your word requires you to quit making too many promises you can't fulfill, doing a better job of scheduling, setting appropriate boundaries, and padding your calendar a bit so you aren't always rushed.

2. Say No Instead of complaining about all you have to do, simply say "no" to the things you don't really want to do. This will require you to give up your need for approval, and to either take action or accept what is, but the payoff is you will be happier, have more energy, and have more time for what really matters.

3. Be Present If you can really be present with someone while they are with you or even while on the phone with them, your energy will be magnetic. This new habit requires you to slow down, take a breath, give some eye contact, and when on the phone no checking e-mail or texting someone else. Believe me you will stand out if you have the discipline to do these things.

4. Smile People will either think you are a bit crazy or they'll be suspicious but you will definitely get some attention if you walk around with a happy smile. This will require you to notice your body language, be a bit more patient and work on all those negative thoughts that manifest as a stressful frown or angry countenance.

5. Acknowledge It's easy to notice bad customer service but do you acknowledge great service? Whether it's the rep on the other end of the phone handling your credit card transaction, your mail carrier, your waitress, your employee, your boss, or the ticket taker at the movie counter, acknowledge friendliness, efficiency, innovation, thoughtfulness and other character qualities and competencies of others.

This will require you to quit thinking about yourself and your problems, and turn your focus to the greatness of others. My challenge to you is to pick one area above, look at what is required to master the new habit. Take note of how your new discipline improves your self-image and helps you stand out as someone committed to excellence. How will you stand out today?

Want to get to know Marlene? Check out her website, or leave a comment for her!

A few weeks ago, I found an unexpected letter and book from a Facebook fan of Simple Truths. Nicholas Dennen wrote to tell my team and me, "Thank you for believing and helping myself and others overcome seemingly 'impossible' situations. Blessings to you, your families, and Simple Truths." That was a touching letter...but what really touched me was Nick's amazing story! It was so amazing, in fact, that I invited him to share his amazing story of perseverance with you. Nick experienced trauma that he would not have overcome without the right attitude. Be encouraged by his life today:

Question: when you look back on your life, 10, 20, 30, even 50 years down the road, what do you think you'll remember most, the times you effortlessly moved forward without any bit of struggle or the times you found yourself wrestling against your deepest fears? I think Jim Rohn said it best, "we must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment." I would have surely regretted not giving 110% of my heart and soul to my rehabilitation.

I had taken a 35-foot fall into a creek with a near drowning, suffering massive closed head trauma, with a collapsed lung. Miraculously, I survived that, yet alone surpassing an uncertain future plagued by insurmountable odds. It was those same impossible odds that set the scene for an amazing journey. The odds were definitely against me, and sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which according the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota, affects 100,000 individuals just in Minnesota alone. The numbers are close to 1.4 million across the United States.

And today, we have to also consider our brave troops overseas. It is estimated that nearly 20% of our returning troops will have some form of mild to severe traumatic brain injury, many from improvised explosive devises. This number is staggering, but I think is underestimated. I've learned, in my short time with my brain injury, prevention is the only known cure.

I had a choice, to remain in the shadows or move forward, defining the moment, or letting the moment define me. I was hospitalized for months, September 27th of 1998 until early December of that year. After being discharged, after escaping death, I continued outpatient rehab at Sister Kenny, and continued moving forward. Moving home provided me with the comfort of family, but also the drive to continue walking my path with myself. My parent's and I were at the mall one Sunday afternoon and we walked by Successories and then I saw it. A poster of a runner with an inspiring quote. "Persevere: On the road to success, you can be sure of one thing…there is never a crowd on the extra mile." At times, it felt like I was running alone; the action had to be pushed forward by me.

Seeing pictures of me in the hospital offer inspiration. I was totally unconscious on life-support laying there with my eyes open, but I was not there. I was semi-comatose. The difficulty in seeing myself in such a state has nothing to do with whether or not I thought I would make it back. The difficulty was knowing that my family, friends, and others were faced with the uncertainty and pain that I may never, ever return. I think it ultimately came down to faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these three being love, the love of my family, friends, and everybody else.

I love motivation, particularly self-motivation, and not letting fear make my decisions. It took a near-death experience to open my eyes, to see a future serving others. My mom gave me a plaque from Successories during that first year as I was enduring an extensive rehabilitation, relearning how to walk, how to write, how to feed myself, how to live again. It was titled, New Beginnings, and it said, "In life what sometimes appears to be the end is really a new beginning."

Yes, I had thought my life was over. I saw my friends and everyone else moving forward, and I was stuck in the past. I saw my glass as half-empty, not half-full. I had a bad attitude. I needed to visualize my new beginning. I needed to change my perspective. I needed to re-define my TBI. Rather than Traumatic Brain Injury, I think TBI really stands for, "To Believe in the Impossible," "To Baffle the Imagination," "To see Beyond the Individual," and "To Become Invincible." I needed to see my struggle as an opportunity to take me to the next level.

Nearly 12 years post-TBI now, looking back, I can hardly imagine my life going any other way, without everything I have learned and every person I have met from this one experience. I was able to return to college, meeting people on the journey whom have shaped my life and transformed my future. I have been fortunate enough to get a job working at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, where I have worked since August of 2004. Working here has helped me go from being somewhat shy and introverted (qualities amplified after having a head injury) to becoming the opposite, outgoing and extroverted. It became my future.

I never would have imagined such a meaningful purpose, serving others enduring the same trials and difficulties. I have found a place serving the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota on their Speaker's Bureau, as well as on their Board of Directors. I can use this experience to lift others up. Adversity can, in the end, strengthen character.

And the best part, which I saved for last, was meeting my beautiful wife, Tina, whom I never would have met had I not been injured. She is my best friend and someone I can't see my life without.

So, I'd like to ask you another question: would you ever take a journey if, before you even started, you knew you would face death, be overcome by fear, and feel as though the world would be better without you in it? Or think about it this way. If, walking that same path, you'd discover your potential, meet the person of your dreams, and find your true calling in life?

Check out Nick's website: http://www.dennen23.com, or leave comments for him!