Smarter Every Day Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 3

Smarter Every Day MagazineVol 1 Issue 3

Smarter Every Day Magazine Vol 1 Issue 3

Table of Contents

Letter to an Unknown Soldier............................................................3

Polished Rocks.....................................................................................4

We All Have a Calling.........................................................................7

Learning is a Continual Process.......................................................11

What Journeys Preceded Yours?.....................................................15

If You Want to Be Happy…. ............................................................24

Copyright © 2010 Smarter Every Day. All Rights Reserved Page | 2


Terry Wrisley

Letter to an Unknown Soldier

How do I say thank you to someone I haven't met, for something that hasn't been done? You see, my son is there, fighting by your side. You might be the one to save him, he might be the one to die. We all pray for the best, hope that you are all safe. We fight facing reality, knowing it doesn't really work that way. So, I count on you to look after my son, the way I'd want my son to look after you. Doing his best. I can't believe it would happen, receiving the letter. The one saying how brave he was, like that would take away the pain. He's there, away from home, with you away from your home. I know who's brave, and who's afraid. All of you there and all of us here. That's why I want to thank you. You're there. Protecting us. Protecting each other. May you be safe.

A mother [Thankfully my son did come home. I wish they all could.]



Stacey Speller

Polished Rocks

While deciding what piece of inspiration to share with my many wonderful subscribers

this month, I had an experience during the last 48 hours that caused me to make a

departure from my original topic. Several days ago, I arrived in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

which is in West Africa for those not very familiar with the many cities and countries on

this vast continent. Like any traveler to a foreign country, I am trying to take in as much

of the culture and get the most of my travel experience.

I did forget a few things for my journey but I was sure to pack my natural wonder and

curiosity for the trip so I spend a good deal of my free time just people watching. One

of the things I noticed is that although this area of Africa is rich with diamond mines, the

women here in Abidjan do not wear diamond jewelry but. Of course I had to gain a

better understanding regarding this obvious absence of any bling-bling since we all know



how the ladies in The West feel about our diamonds. I even had many of my friends in

the States jokingly ask me to visit one of the many mines here and bring home a few big

diamonds as their souvenir from my trip.

Fortunately it didn’t take long to find out the answer to my very pressing diamond

jewelry question. Today while on duty in my observation laboratory which also serves as

the hotel lobby, I watched a very sharp and well dressed business woman come into the

hotel lobby equipped with the best in designer clothes, shoes and bag. I smiled politely

and then realized I had hit the jackpot; her name is Nicole, she had arrived thirty

minutes early for a business meeting and she spoke English. After enough small talk had

occurred, I shared with Nicole my observation regarding the diamond jewelry. Her initial

reaction was laughter but then she told me quite directly, “You Westerners are obsessed

with diamonds, for us they are nothing more than polished rocks and who wants to walk

around wearing a rock?”

Needless to say, not long after my encounter with Nicole, I began to really think about

what she said and how true her statement is. Most of us have been socialized into the



beauty of diamonds and don’t consider that they are mere rocks that have undergone

pressure and then polishing to become what we consider precious and valuable. As I

contemplated this concept, I thought about how God does the same thing with us; some

pressure and some polishing turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. So for those of us

who are in the pressuring and polishing stage, just know that without it the process you

would just be a rock but when the process is done, you will be an invaluable gem!

About the Author

Stacey Speller is a highly sought-after author, lifestyle coach, columnist, and international speaker. She knows that all things are possible and passionately believes that everyone should discover their own unique gifts, talents and purpose. A people person by nature, it is readily apparent that Stacey is passionate about her speaking and coaching because she has such a heart-felt desire to help people become their best self. For more information or to contact Stacey please visit her website at: www.speak2stacey.com.


http://www.speak2stacey.com/


Billy Arcement

We All Have a Calling

Making a decision to focus the direction of our life is an extremely responsible act.

Finding our true direction requires undergoing our own private inquisition. Because life

offers us total freedom to make choices, that sometimes complicates our ability to

narrow our focus. Sifting through the many options can open us to create confusion,

tension, and restlessness. But remember that life is an evolution. Where we are today

does not mean that is where we must stay for the rest of our life. We always have the

option to change, no matter our circumstance, a thought many fail to capture.

The ultimate use of our life is to be able to follow our interests, fully develop and use the

talents we possess, and to have all of this coated with personal happiness. Doing what

we like to do. That is the calling.

What detours has life moved you through? Have you found true happiness doing what

you now do? Can you really see options to move in new directions of your choice? Are



you committed to making your life everything it was meant to be? How hard are you

willing to work to make all this happen? Tough question we must force ourselves to

answer before we can move closer to our dream life.

Commit to spend whatever time is needed to seriously think through the path your life

has taken. If you find yourself on the “back roads” and you want to drive on the

Interstate, it’s necessary to pull out the road map to see how to get back on the right

road.

Understand that everything begins with your thinking. Pay attention to your words (both

internal and external conversations) because they paint a picture of your thinking to the

world. Build that inner confidence to accomplish your calling with a strong attitude and

positive dialog. Focus your energies on working your plan and planning your work.

Reflect on your achievements, evaluate your accomplishments, adjust your game plan

and resolve to never, never give up.

Life is not a spectator sport. This is not a dress rehearsal. It’s the real thing. Get into the

game and give it all you have. What are you waiting for?



About the AuthorBilly Arcement is a professional speaker/author, MEd—The Leadership Strategist, shares his messages on common sense leadership and personal development with business, government and education leaders. He authored Searching For Success, now internationally published. His newest book, Journeying on Holy Ground, provides insightful guidance for establishing priorities on life’s journey. His website, www.SearchingForSuccess.com provides information about his services.

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Donna Satchell

Learning is a Continual Process

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but thosewho cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. - Alvin Toffler

Education ... it’s not just for youngsters any more. Learning should be a continual

process. After leaving school, many people mistakenly believe that they have acquired

all they need to know. However, in order to succeed in today's fast-paced competitive

world we must be committed to becoming life-long students. We need to look at our

lives and decide what knowledge we’ll need to move from where we are today to where

we want to be tomorrow. Also, when change comes our way, whether personal or

professional, we have to be ready to grasp the knowledge and skills necessary to adjust

to our new situation or environment.



I remember during the early 90's when computers came into the workplace. Instead of

being open to learning how to use them, some employees wanted to continue doing

things as they had in the past. The result? Some were left behind and ill-equipped for

the drastic shift to a technological workplace. But others succeeded, adapting and even

excelling, in this new environment because of their eagerness to embrace learning. One

person who stands out in my mind was a gentleman in my department in his late 50’s.

Although he was close to retirement, he did not hesitate to attend training classes. In

fact, he made sure he mastered the material presented. Because of his willingness to

change and learn, he became a highly sought after resource by others in the company.

What in your profession is changing? What will you need to learn in order to be

successful tomorrow?

What do you need to unlearn about yourself personally? For years I thought of myself as

an introverted person. That belief became limiting, restricting what actions I would take

and what fields I would consider exploring. Eventually I had to reassess my thinking. By

looking at the way I lived my life and interacted with people, I realized I was not actually

an introverted person. I could not even understand how I reached that opinion in the



first place. Society, teachers, family members and friends greatly influence how we think

of ourselves. Some of our thoughts may be true but some may not be. We must take the

time to asses ourselves. In my case, I had a perception that I had to unlearn, so I could

be more successful in pursuing my goals.

Relearning involves replacing old knowledge with new ideas. For years administrative

professionals were expected to type and take orders from others. Now, many are more

like project leaders, making decisions, executing plans, and giving others direction.

Anyone in this field needs to relearn what it takes to be an effective administrative

assistant today. How about your field? What do you need to do to keep up with the

changes in your industry?

There was a time when success was achieved by working seven days a week from

sunrise to sunset. However, now research indicates a more well-balanced life is essential.

For many people that means releasing their old constant work habits and finding time to

recharge their minds and bodies with rest, hobbies, or recreational activities with family

and friends.

The bottom line is we must seize the opportunity to grow by learning, unlearning, and



relearning. This may mean stepping out of our comfort zones and finding ourselves

temporarily stumbling as we master new skills and abilities in order to fully function in

today’s world. We need to commit to life-long learning to be educated in the essential

skills we will need to succeed in the 21st century.

I wish you the best of success in all your endeavors.

About the Author

Donna Satchell of STARR Consulting & Training is a achievement & business speaker, success skills trainer, author, and the creator of the Just Get Serious® programs that inform, motivate and propel people into action towards greater success. She provides seminars on customer service, teamwork, time management, public speaking. She also delivers exciting motivational speeches which inspire individuals to live more rewarding, fulfilling and successful lives. Visit www.JustGetSerious.com for information about programs/products and to view videos of Donna's speeches.


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Robert Alan Black

What Journeys Preceded Yours?

What journeys did your parents, grandparents, great grandparents take so that you

might take the ones you have taken?

My material grandfather walked many miles to find work when he was a young man to

Kirkcaldy, Scotland. There he met my maternal grand mother. Together they had 9

children, 5 girls and 4 boys.

My paternal grandparents were descendents of people from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and

England. They started their family in Blythe, England. My grandfather worked on ships as

had his father, his grandfather and his great grandfather. His father, my great

grandfather owned his own ship. My grandfather worked mostly as a mechanic, engineer,

a general repairman on ships.


http://alaniswriting-cre8ngalan.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-journeys-preceded-yours.html


My mother left Scotland to come to the United States. My father left England to come to

the United States. Both lived in a couple places before coming to Detroit, Michigan where

they met, fell in love, married and started their family of three sons. Me, I was the

youngest.

Each generation has been preceded by the journeys of other generations. Each of their

trips have had impact or could very easily have impact on the travels of the following

and future generations.

What about your families and their journeys?

Did they travel across their villages, towns, cities, states, country on their journeys that

preceded yours?

Take some time and jot down some notes of the types of journeys they may have taken.

Don’t consider whether their individual journeys might have affected your life travel. Just



list them. You can examine them for clues and patterns later.

List all the relatives you can.

Where were they born?

Where were they educated?

What kinds of schools did they go to?

Did they finish school?

How high did they go? HS, College, Technical School, Masters, Doctorate?

What type of work journeys did they take?

Occupations

Jobs

Careers

What types of travelers were they?

Did they travel within a limited range or distance?

Did they travel a great deal?

Did they travel for their livings?



Did they travel over seas?

Did they live in different towns, cities, states, countries?

Did they take later dreams that helped fulfill lost or dead dreams?

I just watched the movie, The Rookie. It is about a man in his early to middle 30s who

had tried out as a professional baseball pitcher but was hurt in the first year and had to

give up his dream. 8 to 10 years later while teaching high school science and coaching

the school’s baseball team he challenges the players to chase a dream, winning the state

championship, or at least get into the regional championship. They in turn challenge him

to try out once again if they do win.

In the movie they do win, they win 16 games after 3 or 4 years of winning only 1 game

each year. The players then turned to their coach and say “Now it’s your turn coach!”

After much thought and anxiety he does and he is picked up by a farm club, where he is

the old man. The old man who can throw a pitch at 98 miles an hour over and over. He

plays most of the summer with the team making very little money. Back home his wife



and 3 kids are going into debt more and more each week. With two weeks left he wants

to quit and come home. He had come close but still didn’t reach his true dream. She

convinces him to hang in two more weeks. He does and is brought up to the majors

where is successful at achieving his dream, pitching in the major leagues. As the movie

credits start the last line on the screen says Jimmy Morris did pitch and he pitched for

two seasons before retiring.

He had completed his dream journey.

Have any of your relatives completed such dream journeys?

Have you? Do you have any yet to travel?

Most family histories have such stories. Perhaps not worthy of blockbuster movie plots

yet still worthy of making a difference in your life.

Because so many people before me took their life journeys I have been able to take



mine.

One of my observations and learnings is that there were many other journeys I might

have taken had I thought or felt different at particular times in my life. More confidence,

less self-doubt, more belief in myself, less laziness, more work and so many journeys

might have been taken.

Yet knowing that I can’t have done something different because I have done what I did

already. “If only” is a nice game of fantasy to play. If the “If only’s” can not be still done

then spending time and mental energy on them may be either a waste of time or

detrimental to you today and in your future.

We are where we are, where we stand or sit. We can’t have been somewhere else. We

can move. We can leave. We can work at changing our lives.

I believe the first step is accepting the life we have led. Then focus on the good to great

to absolutely fantastic trips we have taken. Enjoy those. Relish those. Then examine



what other trips we might take.

If you were to go back to school might you be able to prepare for other journeys? New

career? New job? A brighter future? More fun? More excitement?

Where and how might you go back to school now?

Thanks to technology: world wide web, the internet, computers, CDs or DVDs we can

access so many more ways to obtain an education from technical to college degrees.

With distance learning and many other forms of life long learning available to us now we

can nearly live anywhere and still complete our educations.

We might even work completely from our homes today.

Thanks to technology we can travel virtually to nearly any place on earth and in time

without leaving our homes.



About the AuthorAlan Black S.P.R.E.A.D.s Cre8ng and Creative Thinking throughout entire organizations from their front doors to their executive floors. He works around the world through consulting, speeches, workshops, training programs, books, articles and his website to help as many people as possible tap into and develop their greatest gift -their creativity. Since 1970 Alan has had over 500 articles published on creativity, leading, communicating teamwork and has authored or co-authored over 40 books in the US and a mix of other countries. Please visit Alan's website www.cre8ng.com.

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Nancy Weil

If You Want to Be Happy….

Everyone wants to be happy. In fact the Declaration of Independence gives Americans

the right to pursue happiness. It is not guaranteed, but we can chart our own path to

joy. At times when our work becomes overwhelming, or in this economy underwhelming,

we may feel stressed and unable to rise to the level of cheerful delight. However we all

know people that no matter the circumstances always seem to have a smile on their face

and a joie de vivre. How do they get there and how can we achieve this same

satisfaction in our days and allow this feeling to spill over into the work we do? Happy

people have three qualities that other people don’t have: they know it, they show it and

they grow it.

They Know It



People who are happy remain in touch with their emotions. They allow their feelings to

act as their guide. When they get stressed and lose their feeling of well being, they

immediately take steps to get centered and clear. If they lose their temper or get angry,

happy people start to feel anxious at going into such a place and quickly regain control

and try to resolve the situation from a better state of being. In short, happy people

enjoy the feeling of feeling good, that they will do almost anything to return to this state

when life takes them from it. Happy people know they are happy and they are grateful

for the good times and grateful for those times that challenge them to look inside and

change for the better.

They Show It

When you are around a happy person, you know it. You immediately start to feel better

and lighten up. Their joy is contagious and you look forward to interactions with them,

whether in person or on the phone. If you are that happy person, then you understand

that you become the cheerleader at your place of business or in your home. When the

day becomes difficult, others turn to you to lift their spirits and calm their nerves. It is a



lot of responsibility to be the designated happy person, but happy people are happy to

take on this role!

They Grow It

Happy people look for reasons to maintain their joy. They participate in fun activities,

continue to learn new things and spend time with people they love. They do not waste

their time on tasks that have no purpose. They will not take on other people’s burdens

that weigh them down and stress them out. Their time is filled with work that fulfills

them, people who nurture them and fun that energizes them. If they must do something

that is tedious or tough, they find a way to make it into a game. Life is not wasted on

moments of obligations, but filled with one great adventure after another. Even dusting

and vacuuming can take on a new energy when performed by a happy person. Very

simply, happy people find ways to make each moment fun.

So what can we learn from their example if we are feeling less than giddy and a bit beat

down? Happiness is, not only a choice, but an obligation. We owe it to ourselves, our co-

workers and our families to be happy. It is the one gift that no one can give us, we have



to find it ourselves. So, here are three simple steps that can take you from okay to

fantastic:

1. Understand that happiness is a choice We make hundreds of small decisions

every day. What you wear, the route you take to work, where you park, what you

will eat for lunch, etc. etc. All day long we must make decisions, yet we don’t

realize that how we feel is a choice we can make as well. If you want to be happy,

act happy. Motions create emotions. Try it, it works.

2. Play By engaging our right brain, we get away from the lists and the figures and

the facts that bring us down. Playing brings out our creativity and problem solving

abilities. Want to “think outside of the box?” Better grab a toy and play. Keep your

desk filled with small toys such as stress balls, bubbles and bobble heads. I just

added a slinky to my collection because when I am struggling, I remember, as

their jingle states, that it is “the hit of the day when you're ready to play, everyone

knows it's Slinky.”

3. Don’t take life too seriously Oscar Wilde wrote, “Life is too important to take

seriously.” I work in an industry where I witness firsthand the transience of life.



There are no guarantees and, as my teacher told me, “People who take themselves

seriously, end up in serious condition and those who are too critical, end up in

critical condition.” So lighten up, let go and laugh, and if you do, happiness is sure

to follow.

About the Author

Nancy Weil is a sought-after lecturer, presenting programs and seminars on the healing benefits of humor to a diverse audience. Through her company, The Laugh Academy, she teaches clients how to reduce stress and live an incredible life now. She is Director of Bereavement Support at eleven cemeteries in the WNY area and serves as a Funeral Celebrant. To learn more about Nancy, visit her website at: www.thelaughacademy.com


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Smarter Every Day Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 3