When she was a teenager, Vicky Armstrong imagined that by 30 she’d be a best-selling novelist, married to a drop-dead gorgeous actor with four adorable children and living in a beach pad in California.

It was only when Vicky, an office manager, saw 40 looming that she started to accept the implausibility of her dreams.

‘I have achieved the sum total of none of these things,’ she says. ‘I’ve never married, don’t have children and my only attempt at writing a children’s book was returned with a confidence-zapping rejection note.’ (more…)

Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It’s really the open door to it all. In fact I’d like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, “The major key to your better future is YOU.”

Let me repeat that. “The major key to your better future is YOU.” Put that someplace you can see it every day, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere where you can see it every day. (more…)

When you consider what you should invest your time, money and effort in, try looking at yourself. You can be a worthwhile investment that can make an impact on the world around you. The time you put in improving, disciplining and educating yourself can pay dividends to you and others far into the future. When you have worked to reach your maximum potential, you are capable of unbelievable things.
When you pursue education in a field you enjoy, you are motivating yourself to have a purpose in life. (more…)

The minister noticed that the bride was in great distress. She said she was nervous and afraid she would not remember what to do. He told her that she only needed to remember three things.
First the AISLE, because that is what she’d be walking down.
Secondly the ALTER because that is where she would arrive
Finally she had to remember the HYMN they would be singing during the service.
Family and friends were shocked to hear the bride repeating the 3 words, aisle, alter, hymn.
This is how many go into marriage but that is not love. “I’ll alter him.” (more…)

Have you ever heard yourself say “I’m not creative,” or “I haven’t got a creative bone in my body?’ Or maybe you’ve dabbled in creative things and thought “this is not for me.” I have found as an artist, that almost everyone who has a desire to paint, can learn to paint and I believe the reason they have the desire, is because they are meant to paint.
It is said that the creative part of the brain is formed somewhere between 6 and 18 months of age. This is the time to let the child explore….let them get into the pots and pans, let them have many experiences otherwise it can stifle their creativity for the rest of their life. (more…)

Today about 1 billion Valentines day cards are being sent out around the world to express love and affection between intimate companions. There will be lots of warm fuzzies going on especially among young people and there will be some heartaches because they didn’t receive a card from the person of their dreams. I guess Valentine’s Day is a good thing overall and I know the retailers and particularly florists will certainly have a boost in their businesses today.
To express love to another is a powerful thing (more…)

With only a few days left until Christmas, you might be like a lot of people, rushing from store to Internet site in-between the Christmas parties, family get-togethers, school programs, decorating, extra cooking, cleaning and baking, writing of Christmas cards – you know how it can be!
Whether this describes you or not, here’s an idea that will not only reduce some of the Christmas frenzy, but gets back to the true spirit of giving. It’s called gifts from the heart. Very simply, giving a gift from the heart means giving of yourself to another. Depending on the individual, this could mean giving your time or a skill as the gift. These presents are as unique as the giver, the possibilities are limitless, and you can give them at other times (more…)

George Phillips of Meridian, Mississipi was going to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the shed.
George opened the door to go turn off the light but saw there were people in the shed in the process of stealing things.
He immediately phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?” and George said no and explained the situation.
Then they explained that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be there when available.
George said, “Okay,” hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
“Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry (more…)

Excerpt from Charging the Human Battery

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to the Saturday morning swap. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about “a thousand marbles.” I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say.

“Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you’re busy with your job. I’m sure they pay you well but it’s a shame you have to be (more…)

Do you ever find yourself wanting something different than you’re getting out of life?

The only way to change what you get out of life is to change what you put into life.

The Law of the Harvest is that we reap what we sow, or we harvest what we plant. We get out of anything exactly what we put into it.

Most people want to change their life’s “harvest” without changing what they “plant.” But the place to begin any change is with our thoughts, for that is the garden from which all results flow. (more…)