What is call within your heart? Is it softly speaking to you? Is it shouting? There is a call in each of our hearts sending us on a unique mission to make our world a better place. Listen to your heart’s call, act on it, and you will astound yourself and others with what you are able to accomplish. Lewis Pugh’s deep call is to make us aware of the effects of climate change on our planet. In this YouTube video, Mr. Pugh swims in below freezing water as he becomes the first person to swim across the North Pole. It is his unique call and response that raises attention to climate change.
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Joy Is Contagious
Joy is contagious. Are you a carrier? All it takes to bring joy is sharing your wonderful gift. Your magical gift, given freely to others to experience and the only reward is to see the joy on the face or faces of those you touched. I smiled throughout this YouTube video. I caught the contagious spreading of joy. I hope you will have a similar experience. Ray
There’s A Reason You’re Here
There’s a reason you’re here. Use it to build others. Use it to inspire others. Use it to show others it can be done. You’re life is important to all of us. Use it to motivate us. Use it to bring joy to us. Use it to make us laugh. Use it shine the light on our darkness. Yes, there is a reason you’re here.
Fuel Your Passion
I get inspired by people who won’t quit, who fight the greatest of odds and succeed. They fuel my courage to fight on, to never look back, to only look ahead. These are the people who don’t say life is unfair, they take life as it is and make the most of it. Get inspired by the Blind piano genius Derek Paravicini. You’ll be amazed and have your passions fueled.
Courage Comes In All Sizes
We humans are an amazing species! When we refuse to quit; when we don’t return the RSVP to the pity party; when we dig down deep grabbing hold of handful of determination, courage, and desire. nothing will stop us. Are you stuck? Running in place? Feeling sorry for yourself because things are not going your way? A young woman, Jessica, without any arms, learned to fly a plane and lives a full, meaning-filled life. Go Jessica, you are a wonderful example for us.
Life Is Tough – But You’re Tougher!
Years ago, I began reading a book by M. Scott Peck and the first sentence was, “Life is difficult.” I called to Babe (my wife) and hollered, “This guy knows what he’s talking about.” Yes, life is tough. We each have moments. The tough times can knock us down. They can knock the wind out of us. They can leave us for dead. But, you and I are strong. We get up again and again. We don’t quit. The following Vimeo video provides a great pep talk on getting up and not quitting for any reason.
It’s Time: Chase Your Dreams
Tomorrow. Mañana. How many times have each of us put off chasing our dreams until tomorrow? A dream is only a dream until we start to chase it. The chase becomes our story. When we begin the chase, we begin to write a story of courage, hope, and resilience. We write the first line of our story . . . “Today, I decided to chase my dream and follow my destiny.” The short animated Vimeo video gives us a chance to become inspired once again and set out chasing our dream, following our destiny.
A Child’s Imagination
A child, filled with imagination, dreams big dreams. Maybe one day, the young boy in this YouTube video will play for the Chicago Cubs, but today in his imagination, he is playing for them and it is real. Free the imagination in your little girl or boy. Let it run wild once again. Let it slay dragons, govern a magic kingdom, discover a new solar system. Set your course, let your inner child guide you.
A Year of Grieving
August 19 – Today is the first anniversary of the death of my best friend, soul mate, and wife, Barb Calabrese. I called her Babe. A remarkable woman who taught me more about love than all the words I’ve read on the subject. She touched a large Twitter following, @Barb_Calabrese, reaching out in simple, love-filled ways.
My year has been a year of learning to dance with grieving. A year of learning how to live without someone whom I shared the most intimate secrets of my soul. A year of grappling with why? And, discovering I’ll never know the answer. A year of discovering I am not alone on this journey. All who have suffered a deep loss understand the grieving experience without speaking. They understand by looking into each other’s eyes. Their messages travel silently from heart to heart.
In my year of grieving, I rediscovered a deep faith in God. For unexplained reasons people I know, and strangers enter my life as messengers of love at unexpected times, times when I am low; times when sadness knocks at my door. They pick me up. Make me smile. And, encourage me. I find the strength to go on another day.
Each day, I grow stronger. Each day, I grow more optimistic. And, each day I find my path forward unfolding before me. How does it happen? I believe it is grace. I have no other explanation for it. I don’t think grieving ever ends. But I choose to dance with it.
To all my brothers and sisters who grieve over the loss of a loved one, together let’s find the strength and courage to go on. Together, let’s smile more often. Together, let’s sing joyful and happy songs. Together, let’s celebrate the gift of the life of the person we loved and love; and, together let’s not waste a moment of the wonderful gift of life you and I still share.
Creativity & Courage: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Are you creative? Have you run up against brick walls? Naysayers? People who won’t encourage you? Join the club of creative people. George Lois, American art director, designer, and author gives a blunt talk to college students about the courage they will need to be creative. If you need a creative pep talk, this Vimeo video is for you.
