Showing posts with label Jimmy Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jimmy Stewart. Show all posts

Monday, April 19, 2010

Your Life's Fingerprints

YOUR LIFE'S FINGERPRINTS

Most of us understand the basic facts about fingerprints, right?

Most of us realize that no two fingerprints are alike but did you know that this was also true in regards to identical twins?

Did you also know that Koala Bears have fingerprints that can be mistaken for human fingerprints?

And, finally, did you know that injuries such as burns or scrapes will not change the ridge structure: when new skin grows in, the same pattern will come back.

These are all interesting facts, aren't they? And, they also bring about some thoughts about a different kind of "fingerprint" that we all leave behind.

I call it our life's fingerprint. The imprint, the impact that we all make on our world - yes, even you!

I know that many people feel that they have no impact on the world and that there existence doesn't matter at all and that the world would be no different if they were to disappear.

WRONG!

Yes, I know it's a movie, but let me call your attention back to that classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart. You remember, don't you, that the premise of the movie is that of the character played by Mr. Stewart having the chance to see what his world would have been like had he not even been born. He found that his life DID INDEED have far greater impact than he imagined.

Now, I know of no way to do this for you. HOWEVER, I do know that it is true of your life as well as everyone else's.

Yes, there are those that leave a negative - and sometimes even an evil - impact upon the world. But there are many that impact their world with a POSITIVE imprint that reaches far beyond their imagination.

We've talked about this idea before when we've mentioned how YOUR imprint can impact generations to come without you ever even knowing about it. POWERFUL!

Now, if you noticed, I highlighted a couple of phrases in that last fingerprint fact listed above. I highlighted the words, "will not change" and "same pattern" in regards to our physical fingerprints.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS: We CAN change our life's fingerprints! If we don't like the impact or are not satisfied with the type of fingerprint we are leaving on our world we CAN change it and/or correct it!

Again, it's that wonderful ability we all have to make a CHOICE!

Isn't life wonderful? "As long as there is breath there is hope!" helps us to understand this each and every day.

Know this: you DO leave and you ARE leaving a fingerprint - an imprint - upon your world.

What does your "identifying mark" say about you?

Join me the rest of this week as I discuss this topic further in both my podcast and here, in my blog. Thanks for joining me today!

And, as you go through your day remember to...

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

Mike


Wednesday, March 24, 2010

YOU Own the Pricing Gun!

Yesterday we talked about the fact that we do not need to allow ANYONE to try to determine our value and/or our worth. But yet, sometimes that is easier said than done, right?

Here's the thing - just because something is easier said than done does NOT mean that we should not do all within our power to DO IT! Hey, if that were the case we'd all give up ANY attempt at improving our lives because it's not always easy.

Is it?

Of course not! And, when we have people around us that seem to take joy in trying to determine our worth and convince us of THEIR view in this regard - well, that just makes it a little tougher!

However, REMEMBER: use that "negative garbage" to fuel the fire for your future! Use the words, "You can't" or "You never will" to drive you to look back at them with, "I DID!".

Now, I know that sometimes we all have problems realizing our own worth. Many times it is because of the input and impact of others, but sometimes we just don't feel very valuable.

In today's podcast I talk about the art work of the greats and the fact that they were not considered so great while they were alive! The phrase, "starving artist" came from the fact that many of these artists were literally starving because no one would pay them anything - or much of anything - for their work!

But now, long after these artists have been dead, their work may be worth MILLIONS!

With that in mind, think about YOUR life and the fact that YOU'RE NOT DONE YET! I mentioned the phrase, "Please be patient with me. God isn't done with me yet!", to encourage all of us to realize that this is a true fact! WE'RE NOT DONE and, that being so, NO ONE (not even ourselves at time) can determine the value of our lives!

Do you understand and realize that you may likely never know the extent of your reach? What do I mean by that? When you reach out with a kind word or deed to someone do you really think that it stops there? My friend, the truth is, IT DOES NOT!

You likely never see the IMPACT of your kind word or kind deed on that person and how it may encourage them to do the same for someone else. And then, guess what? THAT person may be impacted in such a way so as to "pay it forward" to still another person. I wonder how far reaching that kind word or deed that YOU did really is?

WE HAVE NO IDEA! Isn't that exciting to think about?

So, my friend, don't "devalue" your existence and your life! You truly have no idea how valuable you really are to some that you may never know and that may never know you!

The Christmas classic, "It's A Wonderful Life" is a great example of this! When the lead character played by Jimmy Stewart is shown the IMPACT made if he had NOT existed, he is able to see how far reaching his "little existence" really was!

And so it is with YOU...with ALL of us!

So, remember - NO ONE else but YOU owns the pricing gun on your life! And, likely, NOW is NOT the time to put that price tag on your life just yet. But, even if you do, know this - THAT VALUE CONTINUES TO GO UP DAY AFTER DAY!

That's just plain ol' cool!

And, friend, as you go about sharing your value and worth...

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

Mike