On the Run Today

Whew!  I just got my first breather this morning.  I'm on my first break at my day job.  My Indiana tennis buddies pushed me hard for over two hours on the courts before work.  I will be on my feet for another eight hours today at my day job.  I will have more updates tomorrow once I get a chance to slow down.  Have a great day.

First Member from Tents in Evansville Makes the News at Grand Opening

Wilson's new friend, Wayne, made the news yesterday when the news people featured him in a story about our grand opening.  I'm so thankful I got the opportunity to witness this special moment in Evansville, Indiana.  My time here is about to come to a conclusion early next week.  There is still much work to do.  I'm headed in to help out this morning.  Have a great day.

Wilson Meets CEO

It was a big day at my day job yesterday.  We had a VIP party last night and Wilson was introduced to our CEO, Craig Jelinek.  I'm hustling today to get to work in time for the ribbon cutting in 30 minutes.  Also, I'd like to give a birthday shoutout to our younest son, Shane, who is celebrating his 24th birthday today.  Have a great day.

Love is Louder

Today's message is dedicated to the memory of a young Evansville teenager who left something special behind when she died tragically in an automobile accident.  Three people from the same family are no longer with us. 


I found out about "love is louder" when one of my teammates commented on a teeshirt she saw yesterday while venturing out in the community we now serve at my day job.  The three crosses on the back drew her in like a magnet.  She asked to see the front side and saw the message.   I got teary-eyed when I learned how the young teenager had painted this in bold letters in her bedroom.  Love is louder.  I hope to find one of these teeshirts before I leave this wonderful community I've called home for these last two months.  Spread some love today.  No matter what crosses you bear, remember, love is louder.  Have a great day.

Awareness Check

Take a moment right now and give yourself an awareness check.  I've been doing this with greater frequency lately as I'm away from my family and my surroundings are much different.  I'm learning how the small things are so critical.  The more I pay attention to what's going on around me, the better I understand the errors of my ways.  That happy place I seek is actually inside me.  It's not a location.  It's not goal achievement.  It's a choice. 


Once you become aware of what's going on around you, you can make adjustments.  Beware of negative people.  They can really mess with your happiness.  Avoid repetitive bad choices.  Make changes that can get you back on track.


I have a day off today to work on awareness.  I'm going to spend some time reviewing all the blessings in my life.  It's a good day to make some phone calls and thank the people who have supported me along the way.  Have a great day.

Track Your Choices for 30 Days

Are you ready to be happier, healthier and maybe a little bit wiser?  Here goes...Track your choices for 30 days and see what happens.  Every. Single. Choice.  Yes, even the small ones that seem insignificant to you.  Start to finish.  Alarm going off to falling asleep.  Time is important.  That first choice to hit the snooze button or get up.  The first food you choose to eat.  Everything.  Track it.  The idea is to increase your awareness about your habits. 


Most habits are so engrained, you don't even think about them.  They're automatic.  If they're bad habits, this is not good.  That's why you need to pay careful attention to every detail about the choices you make.


Sadly, only about 5% of the population gets it right when it comes to good choices.  Not choosing counts against you as a negative option.  In order to win, you must be in motion.  Check back with me in 30 days and let me know what you learned from 30 days of tracking.  I have a feeling you will be a different person.  Have a great day.

Putting the Slight Edge to Work

My flight delay at the airport in Atlanta gave me the time necessary to complete "The Slight Edge."  I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a long-term proven method for maximizing his or her life.  The author admits his ideas are simple to do and mundane.  They are also easy to ignore.  Either way, there are results.  Unfortunately, most Americans, approximately 95%, choose to skip out.  Not me.  I'm already making minor changes to my habits in order to gain the slight edge in my life. 


How are your relationships?  How is your health?  Do you know what you need to get started?  The author, Jeff Olson, states all that is necessary is a penny.  You can consider this blog as your penny.  It may not seem like much.  It's a first step.  I recommend you take the penny and keep walking toward your goals.  As for me, my journey now includes reading 10+ pages of self-improvement books today, tomorrow and every day for the rest of my life.  That's my penny.  What's yours?  Have a great day.

Be Happy and the Reason Will Appear

Are you happy?  I hope so.  I found the key.  In fact, anyone who wants the key can have it.  Just decide you want to unlock the door and go inside.

We lost our team match in the state championships yesterday.  I'm still happy.  The defeat stung, especially because the outcome was decided by a few missed shots.  My doubles partner and I won and our team was up 2-0 with three undecided matches to go.  At the end of the day, it was 3-2 for opponent, the same team who advanced all the way to nationals. 

I'm happy.  My wife cheered from the stands.  We are dinner as a family after the match was over.  Today I'm catching another flight back to Indiana to find more reasons why I'm happy.  The reasons always appear.  Be happy.  Have a great day.

State Championships Today

I'm headed to Cedar Rapids to join my team for the Men's 40+ state championships.  Check in tomorrow for the results.  Have a great day.

1 Week Remaining

It's almost show time.  We have one week to go.  Exactly.  I was literally typing at 8:00am, Central time, where I am currently, and the doors roll at 8:00am on Friday, 6/28/19.  We have a long way to go to reach our goals.  I'm using my days off on Saturday and Sunday to visit my family and play in our championship match with our men's 40+ tennis team tomorrow at 12:30pm.


My brain is absorbing so much and I'm happy to report my creativity may be at an all-time high.  Everything is falling in place.  There is so much to report.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

After the Storm

The rainbow after the storm was worth all the challenges we experienced yesterday with the heavy rain and wind.  I ventured outside just in time to capture this spectacular moment.


I was able to take Wilson with me to a local high school before the rain.  The head volleyball coach wanted me to share my experiences in order to help the young ladies with their future goals.  After the talk, Wilson got to do what he was created to do, participate in a rally.   What are you created to do?  What will you participate in today?  Don't worry about the storms.  Look for the rainbows.  Have a great day.

Do the Thing and You Shall Have the Power

I don't know what your "thing" is.  I don't know your philosophy.  I don't know if you're happy or sad.  All I know is if you do the "thing" you shall have the power.  I culled this from "The Slight Edge."  It may or may not work for you.  If it works, congratulations.  If it doesn't, I have a feeling it's because you failed to do the "thing."


I know what my thing is and today I'm doing the thing.  It's going to be an amazing day.  I hope yours is too.  Have a great day.

Wilson Advances One More Step

Twentieth Century Fox reached out for a second inquiry yesterday regarding my request for permission to put Wilson on the front cover of my book project.  They wanted to know if Wilson was homemade or the "CASTAWAY" original that was licensed by the movie studio.  Fortunately, Wilson is the real deal. 


Wilson's story is gaining traction.  We have an appointment tomorrow to speak with one of the women's volleyball teams in the Evansville area where I'm currently on assignment.  I'm getting excited.  What started as some far-fetched dream is now becoming a reality.  A FedEx van passed by yesterday and I flagged the driver down for a picture with Wilson.  Yes.  All the signs are pointing in a positive direction.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story.  Have a great day.

Would You Like the Slight Edge in Your Life?

Well, it happened again.  Something fell out of the sky.  This time it's a book, "The Slight Edge," by Jeff Olson.  Hey, I need all the help I can get.  This is the busiest time of my life ever.  The good news is I'm keeping my sanity.  The laundry got done this morning.  I'm well rested.  The expense report is up to date.  I read the first five pages of the book, a gift from one of the new staff members I'm working with in Evansville, Indiana.


I will share more about the book as I progress.  The first pages are already a blessing.  I'm headed to my day job at my temporary location for some more fun experiences.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to work out with some strong tennis players yesterday morning before work.  They pushed me hard.  It was exactly what I needed in preparation for our big match on Saturday in Iowa City.  It may come down to one or two points for the state championships in the Men's 40 division and my captain is putting me in the lineup.  I better get reading on this new book in time for my match.  Have a great day.  May it be filled with the slight edge you need to achieve your goals.

Happy Father's Day

Oops!  I almost missed a post today.  My schedule was thrown off when I got invited to play tennis with a group of Indiana tennis players. 

Happy Father's Day to all the dads.  Enjoy your special day.  Have a great day.

Connections

We're all connected.  Sometimes the links are obvious.  Blood relatives.  Our neighborhoods.  Childhood friends.  Peers at work.  Other times, the connections are somewhat invisible.  Unexpected coincidences reveal how we fit together.


I'm thankful for the way we're connected here on this blog.  It's personal for me.  There was a time when I felt writing was not the best use of the allotted time we have on this planet.  I had this anger toward my dad for "wasting" his time writing books and chasing publishers.  They sent so many rejection letters that even Einstein himself would have trouble tallying the count.


Dad passed away in 2002.  I don't think he got the opportunity to see the movie, Castaway, which was released at the end of 2000 while dad was living in Mexico.  If he were alive today, he would be encouraging me keep going with my writing, no matter how crazy the story may be to the world around me.  He would tell me to never give up on my dreams no matter how far-fetched they seem.  Yes, it's personal.  I'm dedicating this Father's Day to my dad.  I'm thankful I not only inherited his passion for writing, but also his perseverance gene.  I'm thankful for all the connections, even to those who are no longer with us.  They may have drifted away, like Wilson did in the movie, Castaway.  Sometimes, they come back.  I have Wilson as my sidekick now.  I also have great memories of my dad.  Connections.  They are treasures.  Cherish them.  Have a great day.

More Lessons in Surrender

Here I am again in unfamiliar territory.  All of the signs around me confirm this is where I'm supposed to be.  As crazy as it is, I'm open to just about anything that bounces into my life, like my friend Wilson who I adopted when he became an orphan.  Now that I've let go of all my self-limiting beliefs, the magic is happening. 


The voices in my head were really acting up when I decided to call Twentieth Century Fox to get permission about a graphic for my front cover featuring Wilson.  I'm glad I didn't listen because they were doing everything they could to shut me down.  I made the call.  Someone answered.  They told me my request was unusual but there was a way to move forward and they helped.  Now I have this crazy vision in my mind that Wilson will meet Tom Hanks for some kind of reunion.  Crazy?  Of course it is.  Am I going to act on my craziness?  Of course I am.  Am I learning how surrender is a great option?  Slowly.  Those negative voices will always be there.  The more I surrender the easier it is to go with the flow.  Watch for more magic.  Be patient.  I'm still taking lessons.  Have a great day.

Step by Step He Leads Me

When it comes to finding solutions, I discovered the best method.  It's not about trying to figure everything out in one step.  Life is a series of steps.  The blind curves are there for a reason.  Don't think about them.  Trust Jesus.  Focus all your energy on today and make it your best day ever.


There are people I'm encountering who say, "you're crazy."  I nod my head in agreement.  Sometimes you have to behave in a way the world isn't familiar with when you get a nudge to go in a direction that leads you into unknown territory.  That's where I am today.  Unknown territory.  The blind curves are revealing something I've never seen before.  The urge to hold on is fading and the surrender experiment is becoming a new way of life.  So is the miracle equation, unwavering faith + extraordianary effort.  Trust in Jesus is also necessary to keep pressing on.   I'm also learning to ignore those voices in my head that try to convince me my journey is not possible.


I did something crazy yesterday.  I called the movie studio that owns the rights to my sidekick, Wilson, and got the contact info to send an email requesting permission to share a picture of him on my front cover.  It's only one step.  There may be rejection.  I really don't care. Every step is an act of faith.  Today I'll take another one.  That's all Jesus is asking.  How about you?  Do you have a direction?  Which way will you step today?  Have a great day.

Caveman Storytelling Gets Authentic

Something extra special happened yesterday on my return visit to Mammoth Cave.  Our park ranger, Emily, asked me to stand up and share my Wilson story.  We were sitting in a large cavern about 200 feet below the surface waiting for the rest of the group to catch up to us.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this is what my life would become.

I shared my writing journey in a two minute author talk and sat down.  Others in the group asked to have their pictures taken with my sidekick.  Wilson has been opening doors ever since the first day I adopted him when he dribbled out of a minivan at my day job.

There is a major legal obstacle I need to overcome now that I have a vision for my 4th writing project.  The idea was tested in the cave and the audience told me they want to read more about Wilson.  Even though Wilson travels the world with me, Twentieth Century Fox & DreamWorks owns the trademark and copyright for his image.  As crazy as the idea is, I'm asking these folks to give me permission to put Wilson on the cover of book number four, "Adventures with Wilson."

Yep.  I know I'm crazy.  The secret to my writing is simple.  I wait for my stories to fall out of the sky and go to work.  Thankfully, none of the stalagtites broke off and hit me while I was receiving my messages from Heaven yesterday in a cave two hundred feet below the surface.  Have a great day.

Add a Zero to Your Challenges

Imagine your challenges are multiplied by a factor of 10.  Are you freaking out yet?  That's okay.  You're allowed.  Who really wants to blow up a problem into some kind of giant that can't be defeated?  I encourage you to do this so you can change your thought process about how to deal with your life.

If you're not interested in change, today's post isn't going to do anything for you.  The idea of adding a zero to whatever you're facing is to overwhelm your brain so much that creativity flows faster to deal with your current situation.  This forces you to change your perspective or vantage point.  It forces you to come out of your comfort zone.

I'm on my way back to Mammoth Caves to spend time with Nature on my day off from my day job.  This is the place where I'm hoping the light bulb goes off and I get some added inspiration for my projects.  It's time to close out my third book so I can make room for something completely different from the first three books.  Do I have enough time for all this?  Well, I'm adding a zero and let's see what happens.  Have a great day.

Thankful for Family

It finally happened.  I got to be reunited with my entire family in the same place at the same time.  Our pet, Roxy, was beside herself.  The experience was like a shot in the arm for me.  I'm back in Evansville now and it's time to finish what we started.  There is much work to be done.  All I can say is my family time makes me feel invigerated and rejuvenated.  I'm a blessed man.  Have a great day.  I'm off to my day job for an early shift today.

State Champions!

Congrats to my teammates.  We did it.  We're men's 18+ state champions.  All I can say is this journey began the day after we lost in a nail biter one year ago in Waterloo.  It came down to a couple of points last year.  The ball did not bounce our way.  We got serious.  Real serious.  The focus paid off.  It was a clean sweep.  5-0. 

It's still soaking in as I sit at gate 3 in the Cedar Rapids airport waiting for takeoff.  I'm headed back to Evansville to assist our new team with our new store opening.  We now have over 5,000 families enrolled.  I kissed my wife goodbye and told her I'll be back in two weeks.  We will have home court advantage for our state championship match in the men's 40 division.  Somebody pinch me, please.  I want to make sure I'm not dreaming all this.  Have a great day.

Big Battle in Waterloo Today for the State Title

Our dreams come down to one match and it's winner take all today in Waterloo at 1pm.  Could it be a miracle?  I believe.  It's all about unwavering faith + extraordinary effort.  Today the sun is shining on our dreams.  Let's go, men.  This is our day.  Have a great day.

Wheels Up for Some Family Time

Our daughter gets five gold stars today.  She's setting me up with some standby travel so I can take a quick trip home on my days off to see her while she's visiting from her home base.  We may even get the opportunity for the five of us to be together at the same time.  Standby is risky because there are no guarantees and that's okay with me.  This surrender experiment thing I'm incorporating into my life is really working.  There are no worries.  Life is about being in the moment and trusting in God's plan, even if it may be invisible to the naked eye.


My body is going through and adjustment process right now.  The combination of sleep deprivation along with the high of working on projects that at times seem impossible are keeping me off balance enough to say, "okay God, you're in charge.  I'm trusting your plan.  What's the next step?" 


The next step is to show up at the airport and watch God part the Red Sea so I can give my loved ones a big hug.  Have a great day.

Training Opportunities Expand

I knew something extraordinary was happening when music you hear at graduation ceremonies was playing at the end of the training course.  It wasn't for the students.  It was for me and my peers.  We are now midwest regional trainers at our day job.  Wheels are up soon on my connecting flight to Evansville. 

I would like to thank my trainers for sharing their expertise with me and my wife for her support on this amazing journey.  Have a great day.

Monumental Day Today

It's showtime in a couple of hours.  I'm on a team of five people from all over the Midwest and we came together to help some teammates in the area improve their approach with the people we serve.  We were all practicing last night until nearly midnight.  Our final rehearsal commenced at 6:30 am, this morning.  We're ready.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be with world class trainers.  Now it's time to put it all together.  Have a great day.

Time for Some Training

Good morning from Columbus, Ohio.  It's an early day here and training begins in 40 minutes.  That's just enough time to eat a quick breakfast and get to work with my day job friends from all over the Midwest.  There's also some great people from our corporate office who are here to help us out.  I'm in my element.  It's going to be an amazing day.  You should see Wilson.  He's opening doors big time.  I'll share more later.  Have a great day.  As my new Japanese friends from yesterday would say, "Sayonara."

Light Speed Today

I'm writing this on the fly.  Literally.  Wilson was just interviewed at the Atlanta airport.  I'm on a quick layover.  The plane is boarding.  Check in tomorrow for more.  Time to fly.  Ohio go zymus!  Have a great day.

Why I Took a Detour on My Way to the Mammoth Cave Yesterday

Yesterday is a day I will never forget.  It was one of those days where you think you have a pretty good plan when you wake up but something happens that blows your mind.  The morning routine was noneventful.  I started with ten things I wrote in my gratitude journal that I'm thankful for.  I ate breakfast at my hotel and jumped in my rental vehicle to head for the caves in Kentucky.  The weather was perfect.  The trees lining the highway made me feel like I was already back with nature and the joy of experiencing Mammoth Cave got my heart beating.  There wasn't even a hint the plans would deviate.


The moment I crossed the Ohio River I spotted this really cool spot along the riverfront filled with pathways, park benches and lookout points.  I pulled over, parked, and started walking along the riverfront.  I found a bench swing and sat down facing the river.  My mind drifted to my wife and I wished she was swinging with me.  When I called, there was no answer.  I took a picture to share later and headed back to my truck.  The road out of town revealed two church steeples and I said a little prayer..."Jesus, if one of these churches is my denomination, I promise to stop and visit."  The first church wasn't a match.  I was in the far right lane when I approached the second church on my left so I quickly pulled into the parking lot where there was a social center.  There was one spot left in the parking lot and I barely squeezed by Dodge 1500 Quad Cab into the space.  There were two ladies holding the door and I was curious so I walked in.  It was some kind of party and they were selling lunch tickets for $7.00.  Everyone was speaking Spanish.  I thought, here we go, a chance to practice.


"Que es esto?"  I asked, meaning what is this?


"Retiro."


I knew what this meant because I attended a life-changing retreat while living in Southern California.  There were only two others in the room who looked like they might be English speaking so I went over to find out what was up.  I told them I was praying while driving by and told God I would pull over if there was a match with my faith. 


"Looks like God has other plans for you today," one of the ladies said with a smile on her face.  My five minute pit stop ended with an extra surprise nearly nine hours after I pulled over to spend time with God.  The gentleman who was leading the music pointed to me and signaled for me to come up and stand next to him.  I turned around to see who he was pointing to.  My heart rate shot up when I realized he was calling me to stand in front of 100 people who don't even speak English.  Oh boy!


I shared my story about how I was praying and found this church by accident.  My plans weren't part of the journey.  God had something much different in mind.  By the way, this isn't any kind of ordinary retreat.  It's "Charismatic."  I'm going back today for another six hours.  I told my new friends, "hasta manana."  Come back tomorrow and I'll share the rest of the story.  Have a great day.

Nature Day Today

I'm headed to Kentucky today for a day of cave exploring.  Time with Nature helps keep my mind, body, and spirit in balance.  A friend recommended I check out Mammoth Cave.  Based on the pictures I've seen online, it looks like a great activity on my day off from my day job.


I would like to send out a special thank you to my wife for allowing me to have this opportunity to make a difference with the people I'm meeting at my day job.  The best way we can maintain our culture is by sharing our lives with the new employees we welcome into our family.  This will be a great day to discover new places off the beaten path.  My hope is to return here with my family and take them to places like Mammoth Cave.  Have a great day.