Why We Need to “Mind Our Mind” by @bethvogt Mind your manners. Chances are, we’ve all said those words before. Maybe we’ve also been reminded to mind our manners. When we mind our manners, we’re taking extra care to be polite. To remember, as I would tell my kiddos when they were younger, to use their “nice words,” like please …
In Others’ Words: Hold Your Ground
I wonder how many battles have been won because someone held their ground? Yes, I understand that winning is often seen as advancing — taking something from your opponent. But there’s a very real sense when winning is all about not giving way … not letting your opponent take something from you. At that point, when your adversary is …
In Others’ Words: The Certainty of Happiness
What determines your happiness: your circumstances or your attitude? I would have to say there were times … are times … I allow my circumstances to determine whether I’m happy or not. Things go right — the way I want them to go — and I’m happy. All good. Things go wrong? I’m fighting against the drag of my emotions. …
In Others’ Words: Finding Your Theme
Mention “theme,” and most people are transported back to English class, when the teacher asked, “What is the theme of this book?” Some of us had fun with this question about the central idea in a novel or short story or poem or play, and some of us started counting the days until summer vacation. And then some of …
In Others’ Words: Who are You?
Honest relationships are the best … and honest relationships are hard to come by. I have to choose to completely trust someone before I open up to them and show them who I am — the good, bad, and the broken. And when I do that, I hope the other person respects what I’ve shared by believing me. I don’t want to …
In Others’ Words: Hearing the Silence
Sometimes it isn’t so much what we say as it is what we don’t say. I used to to think the more I said, the better chance I had of winning an argument … of influencing people and making friends … and yes, well, making my point. Talk, talk, talk meant effect, effect, effect, right? Wrong. The power of persuasion …
In Others’ Word: So You Think You Can
“I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” Thinking “I can” gets you nowhere — no matter how many times you mentally repeat those words. At some point, thinking has to become plowing … I mean, doing. I’m stating the obvious today, aren’t I? But how many “I think I cans” have we walked away from? Our thoughts never …
In Others’ Words: How Far are You Going?
Fear has motivated me to do things. Fear of losing someone I care about or of losing their approval — has caused me to do and say certain things. Sometimes I’ve even chosen to violate my personal values in the hopes of satisfying someone else’s expectations. That’s an ugly truth, but I strive to be honest with you all on this blog. …
In Others’ Words: Three Kinds of Trouble
There are good quotes and there are meaningful quotes … and then there are quotes that hit you right in the solar plexus, forcing you to pay attention. Today’s quote by H.G. Wells hit me hard: “Some people bear three kinds of trouble — the ones they’ve had, the ones they have, and the ones they expect to have.” Wells …