Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Gratitude and other essentials


As Thanksgiving approaches, lets be grateful.

Business coach P.T. McClure offers this:

1. Be grateful for your life’s bounty.

Your family. Your friends. Your faith.

What your mistakes have taught you.

My career pursuits dominated my life.

I took my loving family for granted.

Big mistake.

It took many years to discover the error of my ways.

Be grateful for what you have while you have it.

Show your appreciation to those who love you.


2. Know your purpose. What are you here for?

Have you taken on a task without a clear purpose?

Without knowing what you want to accomplish?

Purpose is one key to living a fulfilling life.

I stumbled into journalism because it looked exciting.

I did not think about its essential purpose.

That took years to figure out. I was a slow learner.

Don’t be a slow learner. Figure out your purpose now.


3. Be willing to change bad habits.

This usually takes a painful wake-up call.

I was addicted to tobacco for a dozen years.

Beating it, giving it up . . . what a challenge that was.

A friend with emphysema influenced my decision to quit.

Keep smoking and end up with his condition.

Fear can be a strong motivator.


4. Never stop learning. Become a lifelong learner.

Hang onto your child-like fascination with life.

Albert Einstein advised us to be passionately curious.

We don’t know when our next powerful lesson may come.

One goal: Tap an instructive book or CD a week.

Take notes. Underline passages that make you say "ah-ha".

Have you heard anyone say, "I don’t have time to read?"

What a mistake. Read. Study. Make the most of life.


5. Find strong mentors. A half dozen are best.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

Dozens of wise, experienced mentors have helped me.

They showed me the way. They asked the right questions.

They encouraged me and helped me solve problems.

My way of thanking them is to help others.

Be unselfish. Share the wisdom you have accumulated.


For more on this, read "Your Life’s Great Purpose".

Email me for a personally autographed copy.

Jerry@JerryBellune.com

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Reasons to give thanks


Our editor Mark and I recently visited New York.
We had lunch with Brooklyn firefighters.
They were among the first responders during 9/11.
During lunch, a call came in to the Red Hook station.
Office workers were trapped in an elevator.
The firefighters jumped up and headed for their truck.
None hesitated. All responded. Quickly.
They knew those on the elevator were stressed.
They were to get the elevator working and get them out.
They returned 20 minutes later. Mission accomplished.
It wasn’t 9/11. Yet it was the same response as 9/11.
We should be thankful there are such people.
These firefighters lost seven from their firefighter family.
Think about that. What if one was a member of your family?
How would you feel? How would you deal with the loss?
Could you celebrate the spirit that drove the first responders?
Celebrate those who put the welfare of others first?
Rotarians worldwide strive to practice “service before self”.
Many other organizations pursue similar selfless goals.
It is easier to say than do. But in giving we receive.
It’s Biblical. It’s noble. It separates us from the animals.
We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Show your thanks. Do something for someone today.
Do something for someone tomorrow. And the next day.
It’s the way to show your gratitude.
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