Garbage

READY… “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” ~ Oscar Wilde

AIM…  All of us have encountered a few folks who have been less than lovely to us at one time or another.  Perhaps you even experienced a short burst of road rage on the way to work this morning.  The following short story is a great illustration of what might be causing those not-so-nice attitudes.

 

~ The Law of the Garbage Truck ~

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car just by inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy ~ I mean he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call:"The Law of The Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run all around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointments. As the garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, resentments, anger, and frustration; so...........

Love the people who treat you right; pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it, and ninety percent how you take it.

 

FIRE!   If you run into a “garbage truck” person today, smile or wave and keep walking or quickly and quietly exit on the nearest detour.  Here’s wishing you a blessed and garbage-free day!

 

Be Excellent!

Lori

Which Half?

READY… “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties”  ~ Harry Truman

 

AIM…  Your approach to life can vary from day to day, and it can change based on your circumstances and attitude.  So, are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person?  I know several glass half empty folks.  I can say loads of positive things about most of them.  However, no matter what happens, they expect the worst in all situations.  You know the ones; they just know nothing good is going to happen. Even when things are going well for them, they are waiting for the tide to turn. 

 

I hate to admit it, but I get into those slumps occasionally; although, my glass is usually half full.  Yes, I am an eternal optimist.  I believe that something good is going to happen in every situation.  I, like other glass half-fullers, expect that life is going to work out positively and that God makes sure everything happens for a good reason. You might be saying to yourself, “Self, that is just an unrealistic approach to life.”  Yes, that may be true.  However, I guess if I’m choosing my attitude, I’d rather step up and face life head on with my outlook on the sunshine, up side of things rather than to stand with one foot ready to plunge into the depths of a blue funk.  You know, it’s never too late to change directions--even in the midst of the plunge. If you haven’t hit rock bottom, there’s time. If you have hit the bottom, there’s only one way to go--up.  It’s never too late to take a different attitude to your circumstances.  What do you have to lose?  You can either feel excited with anticipation about life or you can worry with despair about what is to come.  So I ask you again, are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person?

 

FIRE!   Ok, so there’s something interesting and joyful about this having a glass half full attitude.  My advice to you comes from a great friend. If there’s a time when you get to feeling not so positive, be sure your glass is at least half full of an incredible beverage!

 

Be Excellent!

Lori

Bullies

READY… “When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sand paper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless.” ~ Chris Colfer

AIM…  I understand that October is national anti-bullying month.  I know bullying has become a major issue in the school systems, especially since kids have almost unlimited access to social media. Social media provides a place where their identities are protected from behind a screen. It’s a lot easier to hurl insults and accusations when you don’t have to see the other person face to face.  The truth is that bullies have existed from the dawn of time.  It’s almost a survival of the fittest situation.  However, it’s not ok; it’s never been ok. Sooner or later we, as parents and community members, have to stand up for what’s right and put an end to this dangerous behavior. 

Most folks will argue that the crackdown has to come from home; specifically from the parents.  Well, with broken families and one parent trying to do the job of two, it’s difficult to love and punish with purpose.  I say that is no excuse. That is just a challenge; you can make it work regardless if you have two parents or not.  It’s whether you CHOOSE to reinforce the good morals of kindness, love and honor in your home and outside of your home.  Sadly, the honor of the family name doesn’t mean what it used to.  Kids don’t understand the amount of trouble they can get in and how it will affect the family name and reputation.  There’s so much negativity in our world that most of those inappropriate actions go unaddressed or overlooked.  It’s not until that innocent young girl or awkward teen-age boy comes home and tries to hurt themselves that our society takes notice—and starts to lay blame.

You are a responsible human being with good moral character and integrity, and I challenge you to take care of the people around you.  Bullying isn’t just for kids anymore.  Social media has become a springboard for inappropriate messages and information from all ages.  We must take responsibility to stop bullying.  We must be sure we aren’t contributing to the problem; ignoring what is being posted online is condoning it. Be mindful of your texts and social media comments.  Watch your words in conversations; they become your destiny.  If you wouldn’t want someone else speaking to you in a specific tone or with certain phrases, don’t use them yourself.  Be on the lookout for young men and women who may be in need of a trustworthy adult to confide in or provide direction for help.  It’s time for each one of us to take action against bullies.  Yes, in the long run, most of us have turned out to become amazing people despite our own bullying stories.  However, we can’t risk the chance that just one human being slips through the cracks and falls off the radar due to a lack of awareness or fear of getting involved.

FIRE!   Talk to a young person today.  Ask him about his day; who he hangs out with and what his friends are like.  Be interested in the things he is doing.  Check up on his electronic media and be aware of who he is chatting with online.  (If your kids object, tell them it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that that they are being socially responsible.) Believe me; you’ll be doing him and yourself a favor in the long run.

Be Excellent!

Lori

Out With The Old, In With The New

READY… “An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the Old Year leaves.” ~ Bill Vaughan

AIM… Yep, I’m guilty. I got caught up in the Christmas chaos and craziness and then the Christmas let down and reality check. However, I’m giddy with anticipation about what the new year will bring.

As you look back at 2011, don’t dwell on the things you didn’t accomplish or the negative bummers you experienced. Instead, feel blessed by all the amazing things you were able to do and the positive steps forward you were able to take. 2011 is simply going to be a springboard of momentum into an incredible 2012. Happy New Year, Friends!

FIRE!   Tonight or tomorrow, jot down a few of the blessings you experienced in 2011. Yay you! Then, flip the page over and make a list of a few of the things you’d like to see happen in 2012. What a fun way to anticipate the fresh start of a new year!

Be Excellent!
Lori