“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” ~Jimmy Johnson I have always encouraged and modeled for my kids to give that little bit extraevery day: to give 110% in all they do.  If you are going to do something, take the extra few minutes and do it well; to look over their notes from school every day whether there is a test or not; to be willing to help someone when they see a need, to just simply hold the door for someone behind them; to let someone out of a side street in traffic when driving; to be nice to a grouchy teacher they come in…

“Every single day is filled with lessons.  Face each new day with your eyes, ears, heart, and mind open to those lessons or you will be presented with them again and again.” ~Noelle Picozzi As long as I can remember, my motto has been, “Learn, grow, and change.”  I’m not sure of the specifics of when I started saying it or how I developed it, but I still say it and believe it with all my heart and soul today, all these years later!  In fact, I am much surer of the fact that it makes sense for a happy and productive life today than I was 25-30 years ago…

“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” ~Warren Buffet Pastor Steven Furtick talked about the chains that keep us stuck in one of his sermons.  I am going to share his acronym, CHAIN, with you and break it down as it relates to us being empowered by our choices, in order to create new, positive habits that will lead us toward, not away from, our life goals. Choice Habit Automatic Identity Nature We have freewill, and because of that we make hundreds of choices every day from the moment we open our eyes, so many without even giving thought to…

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” ~Oprah Winfrey In honor of Valentine’s Day on Sunday, I have chosen to write about LOVE and share the most important points I have learned in my 54 years, through life experience and through learning from others.  Valentine’s Day is an extra special day for me, it is the day eHarmony matched my husband and I, 17 years ago and the day our communication first began.  I grew up in a home where little love was shown between my parents or from my father, instead a lot of anger was shown.  You could say I am self-taught, and…

“In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening.  So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow.” ~Carol Dweck The Growth Mindset is a belief or attitude about the malleability of any personal qualities, meaning they can be shaped or molded into something else, something better and stronger.  This view you adopt profoundly affects the way you lead your life.  It is a transformational belief or way of thinking that determines the rest of your life, what you become and accomplish, and how you think, feel, and act.  It is a term coined by Stanford Psychologist and Professor,…

Because of you, I laugh a little harder, cry a little less, and smile a lot more. ~Author Unknown Scripture: So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  ~Matthew 7:12 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:31 Perspective: Relationships are an integral part of living a happy, fulfilling life.  No one is meant to be alone all the time, in fact loneliness is an epidemic across all ages in society today, causing numerous mental and physical problems.  We all have relationships that we would say are going…

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true. ~Author Unknown Scripture: The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ~Proverbs 21:5 Perspective: Did you set resolutions for the New Year?  So many people do, yet this week on my local news channel I heard that only 8% of people complete their New Year’s resolutions and only 25% of people work on them after the first week of January, WOW!  So, what is the problem with resolutions?  A resolution is…

Quote: “Standing firm is not only about digging in.  It’s about moving forward.” ~Priscilla Shirer Scripture: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand…

“Faith is not speaking into existence what we want, it’s believing and obeying what He wants.” ~Martha Mac Scripture: Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?  He said to them, “Because of your little faith.  For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” ~Matthew 17:19-20 Perspective: The world’s smallest known seed comes from tropical orchids and weighs just 10-billionths of an ounce, it is like dust, while the largest seed comes…

“Some people live in a bitter, angry, hate-filled world.  Some people live in a friendly, caring, love-filled world.  Same world… ~Jose N. Harris Scripture: Not that I have already obtained this or am perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Jesus Christ has made me his own. ~Philippians 3:12 Perspective: How many times in your life have you said, “Everything is perfect?”  And how long did it stay in that perfect state?  Conditions in life are sometimes great, other times not so great, and many times somewhere in between.  Life is rarely perfect and when it is, it is bound to change (since life is everchanging)…