How I Found My Writing Voice

Everyone has a voice.  I'm not referring to vocal cords, I'm speaking about an inner voice unique to each individual on the planet.  Your voice is your talent or set of talents and no two people are exactly alike.  That's why sharing your voice is so important.  You have something to offer that only you can give.  There are several ways to find your voice if you haven't already.  Perhaps the easiest way to discover your voice is to ask your friends or loved ones.  Sometimes they can experience it before you find it on your own.  They are attracted to you because they feel something special when they see, hear, feel, smell or taste your talent, especially when you invest time refining your unique gifts.

Another way to find your voice is to keep track of how you feel each time you are using your talents.  If you lose track of time because you are doing something you love, you are using your voice.  That's what happened to me when I started writing.   It happens when I'm coaching others.  And when I can write about subjects that help others find their voice, I get this giddy feeling inside me because I'm using my talents in harmony.  It's like adding musical instruments to a song you enjoy listening to.

Monthly Page Views

I found my voice by accident.  There was this nudge inside of me one morning over 1,700 days ago.  I got out of bed and started this blog.  I had no idea anyone else would want to read my stories.  The best part about my journey is getting feedback from people who are positively affected by what I share here. 

This month is another record.  I'm celebrating 30,000+ page views for April, more than double the number of page views from one year ago.  If you have any special requests, please email me and I will do my best to answer you in a future blog story.  I would love to hear your voice.  Please share a little bit about your unique gift(s) in the comments section and let me know how you plan to share your talent(s) with the world.

Thank you for allowing me to share my life with you.  Thanks also for encouraging me to keep using my writing voice. 

3 Signs You're Going the Wrong Way

Are you having trouble deciding which road to take?  If you're like me and you have a stubborn streak inside you, you may travel hundreds of miles, even thousands, before admitting you're going the wrong way.  It reminds me of a joke I heard about the three wise men.  The reason it took so long to find the baby Jesus is because they were men and men don't like asking for directions.  It's also difficult to say "I was wrong."  It's too bad I didn't pay more attention to the road signs earlier in my life.  Here are three signs you're going the wrong way in your life:

1. The Speed Sign.  It has two components – a maximum speed and a minimum speed.  If you're going too fast or too slow, you won't reach your destination at the appropriate time.  Adjust your pace to make sure you get the important things done in your life.  If you rush, your work will be sub-par and if you go too slow you will fall behind on your to do list.
2. The U-turn Sign.  If you let your pride get in the way, you will avoid this sign.  If you care too much about what others think about you when you fail, you will ignore this sign.  You may even become so blind that you never see this sign.  The longer you ignore this sign, the more it will cost you in lost time and lost resources.  
3. The Yield Sign.  There is a supernatural force on the roadway.  It's bigger than you and smarter than you.  It's all-powerful and all-knowing.  It's also all-loving.  This force is capable of helping you get back on the right road if you're willing to yield to it.  Failure to yield will lead to some serious road hazards.  Give God the right-of-way and yield at all times when you see this sign on the roadway.

Whatever mile-marker you find yourself at today, I wish you well on your journey.  Be safe and pay attention to all the road signs.  Don't be afraid to ask for directions if you're lost.  Have a great day.

Here's What Happens When You Stop Complaining

People who always find something to complain about have one thing in common – they're unhappy.  The reason for this is simple.  They focus on everything that is wrong and overlook what is right.  They dwell on the bad weather and miss the silver lining in the clouds.  I took this picture on my way home from my day job yesterday at sunset.  Hours before I shot this we were under a tornado watch.  I wonder how many people looked up after the storm and witnessed this beautiful sunset.  Yes, that's what happens when you stop complaining.  You look up.  You see everything good in this world.

Every day when I'm driving on the interstate, I resolve to do one thing – to forget about anything that may be disturbing my peace.  That means I leave my troubles behind me.  I refuse to complain about anything.  It works.  Try it for thirty days and see what happens to your relationships. 

Do You Own an Artistic License?

Creative people don't usually paint inside the lines.  They seek exceptions to the rules.  They rebel against the norms of society.  You may often find them out on a limb.  They seem comfortable there.  They enjoy living on the edge.  If you ask them for identification, most likely they will pull out their artistic license.  I decided to get mine when I started writing.  Here are some advantages of owning one:

1. There are no limits to what you can achieve.
2. The only boundaries you have are set by your own imagination.
3. You cannot be cited for ignoring the rules because there are no rules to follow in fiction.  Everything and everyone is make-believe.  Any relation to real people is purely a coincidence.
4. You can't offend anyone because all your characters are fictional.
5. You don't need to ask anyone for permission when you're writing fairy tales unless they're fairies.  So far, I haven't met any real-life fairies so I'm safe.

Are you ready to get your artistic license today?  All you have to do is start using the gifts you were born with.  The only crime you can commit is not using your license.  You owe it to yourself to become a card-carrying member today.  Show the world what you're capable of.  Your artistic license is good for life.  It never expires.  Use it or lose it.

Travelers Welcome

"Our first house guest is coming," I told my wife after I hung up the phone with one of my California friends.  "He's passing through on a road trip and wants to visit for a couple of days."

My wife looked at me and saw the excitement on my face.  "I need to step up my training," I told her.  This is no ordinary house guest.  My buddy is the one who led us to victory when we were about to get knocked out of our team tennis tournament.  When we were on the edge of defeat in our last match, he and his mixed doubles partner dug in and won seven games in a row before winning the match in sudden death.  The team victory paved our way for entry into a regional tournament in Las Vegas where we took first place out of 28 teams.  Once again, my buddy and his mixed doubles partner were in familiar territory.  They were the last team on the courts and their win sealed first place, earning us a berth in a national tournament.  We trained hard, got some pointers from our local pros and had the time of our lives on the same courts where the pros play every year on the tour.  I will savor the memories we had together for a lifetime.  We fell short of our goal to win the national tournament and settled for 5th place.

If you find yourself passing through Iowa on a road trip, check out the red solo dot just off Interstate 80.  By the way, my cousin, Mark Mulligan is going to be in Burlington, Iowa on September 13.  My wife and I are planning to attend his concert.  Click here for a link to his site and reserve your tickets for a fun evening, trop rock style.

What Price Will You Pay For Wisdom?

Everything has a price tag.  The choices you make.  The choices you don't make.  And when your purchasing wisdom, it's easier to avoid sticker shock if you look at your purchase as an investment rather than an expense.  There are no shortcuts.  It's a long-term acquisition.  I'm satisfied my investment in wisdom is paying dividends.  My marriage is stronger, my family headed in the right direction and my faith stronger, all a result of paying the price for wisdom.  I highly recommend you add wisdom to your portfolio.  Here's how you can get started:

1. Decide today you want to become wise.
2. Be willing to make mistakes.  The more mistakes you make, the more opportunities you have to learn from your experiences.  
3. Don't worry about what others think or say about you.  They aren't willing to pay the price for wisdom and they really don't want you to succeed.  When you succeed, you are showing the world there is a better way to live and most people don't want to change.   Deep down inside they hope you give up.  Wise people never give up.  
4. Keep learning.  Wise people know how much they don't know.  The wiser they get, the more they realize how much they still need to learn.  
5. Make daily investments in wisdom.  Every moment is an opportunity to grow.  Be bold. 

One more thing about wisdom – it's not in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  It's in the rainbow and everywhere else you look for it.  It's in every experience you live for the rest of your life.  It's not a penny stock or a junk bond.  It's what defines who you will become once you decide to pursue it.

My Guardian Angel Deserves a Raise

The first time I experienced help from the other side was at the age of 16.  I was driving home in my VW Super Beetle after camping in the White Mountains with my brother and a neighbor.  The engine caught fire as I approached a curve on the highway.  I locked up my steering wheel when I shut off the ignition.  There were oncoming cars on the other side of the double yellow line and a steep cliff directly in front of me.  I cried out, "God help me!"  The key clicked over, I swerved back into my lane and we jumped out of the car in time to extinguish the flames with a rag.  When the traffic cleared, we walked across the road and looked down at the valley about a 1,000 feet below.  It was a close call.

That's not my first experience with Divine intervention.  In fact, my whole life has been a series of miracles.  My Guardian Angel is working overtime and I'm grateful.  Whoever he or she is, the playing field against my opponents has been leveled and I'm moving forward toward my destiny.  My plan is simple, do whatever God asks of me.  There's a reason I keep getting rescued every time I'm in distress.  You are the reason.  I'm here to help you cross the finish line.  There's no need to be afraid.  There is nothing in this world or outside of this world that can separate you from God's love for you.  He sends angels to protect you in your times of need.  I promise to be here every morning at 8:08 just as my guardian angel shows up in times of need and I promise to keep writing messages of hope.  Don't give up.  God has a plan for you.  And He will send whatever you need whenever you need it.  It may be an angel or someone who cares about you.  Trust in God and believe in Him.  He will move mountains and He will put out fires.  He will do whatever it takes to help you get to the finish line.