Happy Thanksgiving!

Listen here for a special, short Thanksgiving message just for  you!

 

 

And, as always,

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 7: Summation)

 

I hope you have enjoyed and benefited from this series.

 

"Enjoying" does not necessarily mean "enjoy" in the way that we usually associate that word. Sometimes we are faced with things that make us uncomfortable because they make us take a close look at things in our lives that may need to be changed. It might make us squirm BUT we "enjoy" it because it did, in fact, challenge us to improve our actions and our lives.

 

Again, if you have not read the previous posts on this, PLEASE take the time to read them and also send me your thoughts/feedback on this series. That would mean a LOT to me and it would be a big help as well.

 

Let's sum it all up. No, I'm not going to go back and do a "review" but, instead, I want to just tie it all together in a way that, hopefully, will help us all - myself included.

 

If you've spent ANY time with me at all then you know that I emphasize the importance of TODAY quite often. And so it is with this whole series.

 

I could go on and on urging us, with specific examples, of why it is so important to take advantage of today. Why? How? Because it's that important and simply due to the fact that the need and urgency is endless.

 

However, let me simply say this: TODAY MATTERS.

 

Even more importantly, WHAT YOU DO TODAY matters!

 

Stop wasting your days. Stop thinking that there is nothing more to life. Stop thinking that the mistakes you have made in your life cannot be overcome. Stop thinking there is nothing you can do. Stop thinking that it's too late.

 

Start realizing that today is a new day. Start taking advantage of this new day that you have. Start making definite decisions to make the changes necessary to correct whatever needs to be corrected in your life. Start taking one step at a time, beginning TODAY!

 

Friend, I can never "over-emphasize" enough what YOU can do in this one day!

 

Here's the great thing about this as well: You don't have to worry about tomorrow or the next day - JUST TODAY! That's all you can control.

 

So, with that being said, I CHALLENGE you, I ENCOURAGE you to take care of TODAY.

 

There is POWER there, my friend. Look at it. See it. Feel it. KNOW IT.

 

Now, start LIVING it.

 

TODAY.

 

And, as you do so, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 6: The Day of Your Death)

In this series we have talked about many things. We have talked about events in history that most anyone would know due to the impact that it had in history. I talked about the assassination of John F. Kennedy but we could also talk about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

 

We have talked about the importance in understanding the IMPACT that each of us - YOU and I - have on those around us. What we do, either good or bad, positive or negative, can make all the difference in the world FOR the world of those that cross our paths every day.

 

We have discussed this idea and how it relates to the problem of bullying. I hope and pray that this part of the series, in particular, will be something that will help SOMEONE along the way.

 

In our last blog post I even talked about the POWER of the day of your BIRTH! Go back and read it if you haven't done so already.

 

As a matter of fact, if you haven't had the chance, take some time and read each of these that have been posted so that you can "feel" the thought behind everything that has been shared.

 

Now, today is going to be a little different. Today we are going to discuss the POWER of ONE DAY with that day being the day that you die.

 

Sounds morbid, I know but I hope you will stay with me and follow along with my reasoning.

 

Can I share something personal first? As I type this out on a Monday I do so following news that my Dad passed away last night. He had been battling with cancer and I got to visit with him last Tuesday. I'm not going to say much more about it but, please know that when I speak on this topic it is FRESH in my mind and in my thoughts, okay?

 

Yes, more than likely, the day that you die may be a sad day for those that know you. I mean, YOU HOPE SO, RIGHT? I have actually been to a few funerals where there were no more than two or three "mourners" which, to me, is a sad thing to see.

 

In reality, what I'm talking about is not actually the fact that the day of your death is so powerful as much as it is a marking of your LEGACY that is so powerful!

 

Did you notice that the picture of the tombstone at the top of this entry is BLANK? And so it is with your life, friend. Sure, you could go ahead and have your name and the date of your birth put on ahead of time - you know those. However, you do not know the day that you will die and, even though this is not "written" on the tombstone, what is said ABOUT you with that tombstone has not been written - or FINISHED being written - yet.

 

A person's death can do many things. I've seen many times where a person's death actually brought a family back together when there has been separation due to arguments or other division. Even if not that, a family is brought together and, even though the situation may be sad, the family gets to visit and catch up with what has been going on in the lives of those gathered.

 

Here's the main thing I want to address and I am not going to spend a lot of time on it: THE POWER OF THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH POINTS TO YOUR LEGACY!

 

There is POWER in what is possible to live on through the lives of your children and grandchildren. There is POWER in the influence that you are able to leave on and in the lives of those that you have had contact for a period of time.

 

Friend, we NEVER know the full impact of the lives that we have touched and we will NEVER know. However, this kind of influence and impact is often seen when people gather to remember one who has passed.

 

What about YOU?

 

Are you leaving a legacy of positive impact? Or are you leaving a legacy (yes, it is still a legacy) of "well, I'm glad to see him gone!"? That's sad, but it's real!

 

As I talked about in yesterday's entry, each and every day that you wake up and take a breath YOU have the chance for a "do-over". YOU have a chance to correct what may need to be changed concerning your legacy. Each and every day!

 

Every day YOU have the opportunity to allow your LEGACY to grow and expand to those that you may not ever even meet. It is called "the ripple effect".

 

Yes, the POWER of ONE DAY!

 

But do NOT miss this point. The one day that is being discussed in this post is a combination of each and every day that has come BEFORE the day of your death.

 

That's how this works.

 

I did not see eye to eye on a lot of things with my Dad. But I am thankful that my Dad - my father - instilled many strong and powerful characteristics that have served me well and have actually been passed along to my own sons.

 

And I believe they will be continued to be passed along and instilled for generations to come.

 

THAT'S AWESOME!

 

So, friend, take advantage of TODAY so that "that day" - the day of your death - will show "the POWER of ONE DAY" as those gathered remember your life that came before that final day.

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

 

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 5: Happy Birthday!)

 

The day that you were born changed the world FOREVER!

 

Friend, regardless of the surroundings or situations surrounding your birth, it is a FACT that the world was changed forever. Stay with me on this for a few minutes, okay?

 

You impacted the nurses, doctors and any other hospital staff that helped bring you into this world. Regardless of the situation surrounding your birth, you changed the world of your parents forever.  YES, parents!

 

Even if your biological father was not a part of your life (or even there for your birth), his world was changed due to his choices of NOT being a part of your life. Regardless, he was a part of YOU being brought into this world. The same is true for your biological mother. Even if you were immediately put up for adoption, YOUR BIRTH CHANGED THE WORLD FOREVER!

 

Some say they wish they were never born (STOP THAT!) and some - many of us - wish we could just go back and do it all over again.

 

Well, friend, that is impossible but, at the same time, it is indeed something that can be done.

 

Let me quickly explain. Although it is impossible to go back and be physically born all over again, the fact that you are alive and breathing today signifies the fact that YOU - yes YOU - have another day to "start over" and do today better.

 

"As long as there is breath, there is HOPE!" That's one of my favorite quotes that I've come up with over the past several years.

 

Every day is a "re-do" and every day brings the hope of change! It is also continues the idea that every day of your "re-do" or "re-birth" is a day to change the world and those that will come across your path today and EVERY day.

 

Make sense?

 

So, you see, there IS power in not only TODAY, but every day that you have since the day that you came into this world - the day of your BIRTH!

 

Make the most of it and, as always, whatever you do be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

Future You University      "LIKE" FYU on Facebook         MichaelSpillman.com

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 4: BULLYING cont'd)

If you've not done so, please be sure to go back and read the first 3 installments in this series so that you can be "up-to-date" on everything leading up to today's blog entry.

In the last blog I talked about the fact that bullying has been around for a very long time - perhaps even since the beginning of time. Does the fact that this problem has been around so long leave us with no hope of being able to do anything about it?

NO!

Before I get started with some suggestions of what we CAN do let me first state that I don't think we will ever completely rid our world of this problem. Again, that doesn't mean that we throw our hands up in despair thinking that there is nothing we can do if we can't stop it completely. There are a LOT of problems that have been around in our world for a very long time that we have the power to IMPROVE even though we cannot rid our world of them forever. Crime, for example, is one of those problems that fit this thought.

Along that same line let me also say that all the rules and laws in the world will not rid our world of this problem. So, am I saying that we should not have consequences in place for those that bully others. Not at all. I just want to make sure that we understand that, though it is important to have rules and punishments in place to serve as deterrents, these will still never stop the problem completely. Again, look at crime of any kind and you will see this point played out.

All of that being said brings me to this main point: IF WE ARE TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THIS AREA THEN WE MUST REALIZE THAT THE ANSWER MUST START WITH US!

The solution - the ANSWER - must begin with you and with me. We cannot wait for others and we cannot wait for and expect rules and laws to do it for us. WE, friend, must take action and we must take action NOW!

So, here are a few suggestions that I have to help. I would love to hear your feedback and additional ideas that you may have about this as well.

1. ADULTS must set the example! Young people often (if not always) pick up their ideas of how to treat others from their parents or other adults that are around them. This can be parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles as well as people like teachers and coaches. How do THESE people treat others? I have seen, heard and experienced some of the most hateful and rude actions and words come from adults. And, sadly, many times in the presence of a young person. What do you think the young person learns from what they observe from YOU?

2. ADULTS must be AWARE!  There are several ways that we, as adults, must "open our eyes" and be aware at how prevalent this issue of bullying really is in our world. Here are a few examples:

     a. Be aware of your surroundings - I know that some will think I'm going a bit far in this but I feel that this is part of the problem. We don't want to see things as they are and then we want to scratch our heads and wonder what the problem is. Pay attention to what is coming into your home via your television, for example. Have you ever paid attention to how many television programs have "misfits" in them? Sure, sometimes the programs do this and try to teach a lesson on "acceptance" but, often, it is done for comedic purposes. Adults, what are YOUR comments about such a character as you watch a program like this? What kinds of comments come from YOUR mouth? "Oh, but it's just a television show!" Sure it is, but the words that come from your mouth are REAL and the ears that travel into the minds of those young people around you are REAL as well!

     b. Be aware of MORE surroundings - Call me old fashioned and/or nosey but, friend, I think it's time YOU got a little nosey and became aware of what is going on in the life of your child (pre-teen, teen and even college age) when it comes to social media. Yes, I understand that if one of your children are college age and have purchased their own phone, etc. that this presents a different approach but, it still should involve YOU - the adult - in helping that young adult conduct themselves in a positive way. For those of you with children at home - GET NOSEY AND GET INVOLVED! Do NOT allow "out of view" access to the Internet in your house. Again, call me old fashioned if you want but I believe this problem DEMANDS some extraordinary actions on the part of adults! Along the same lines, do NOT allow "unchecked" use and access to texts. In my opinion you, as an adult, should require periodic, unannounced checking of your child's phone for two reasons: 1. to make sure they are not taking part in bullying and, 2. to make sure they are not being bullied. WAKE UP and get involved in the life of your child!

3. ADULTS must STAND UP and take the LEAD! Everything I've talked about so far has been about us, as adults, taking more responsibility in this area. As adults we must understand that this problem is NOT going to go away by itself. As adults, especially as parents we must not fool ourselves into thinking, "My child wouldn't do something like that!". It may be true that under most situations your child would NOT participate in bullying. But, again, going back to my last article, sometimes a person can get involved in bullying as a way to keep from being bullied and/or to feel like they, themselves, are being accepted and that they belong, even if that "belonging" is with a less than desirable group of people.

We, as adults must wake up and get involved in the lives of our children and the children that come into our care in any way. We must be involved so that our young people will have SOMEONE that they feel like they can talk to if they feel that they are being bullied. The same must be true for the young person that has begun to bully others and doesn't like how it feels but doesn't know how to stop without being an outcast (see last paragraph).

We, as adults, must also wake up and get involved and provide an opportunity for the bully to express what is going on in their life as well. I firmly believe that bullying is a REACTION or an ACTING OUT due to a problem in that person's life. Instead of immediately condemning the one that bullies, we need to also try to do all we can to help that person. Does that make sense? There is an issue there that needs to be addressed!

Have I stressed the fact enough that this all begins with ADULTS?

We cannot teach and/or correct if we don't first SHOW, by our actions, what it is to respect those that are around us.

I look forward to your comments and thoughts. In my next article - part 5 - I will "change speeds" and look at the POSITIVE things that each of us can do in our lives that very well may change OUR lives (and the lives of those around us) forever.

Friend, just remember, you and I hold so much POWER in what we do and say each and every day. Don't EVER forget that.

Be sure to join me in my next part of this series - you won't want to miss it!  I also encourage you to check out the podcast by either going to the feed on iTunes or the RSS feed.

Until then, whatever you do, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike                       Future You University        "Like" FYU on Facebook!      MichaelSpillman.com