The Caring Catalyst

Who Cares - What Matters

I Believe / I Know

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What’s the big deal? What’s the Difference?

I Believe! I Know!

Semantics?

There’s never a time I stand before an audience; never a time I walk into a patient’s room; never a time I walk into a facility; never a time when I’m one-on-one with a person and not with all of my heart believe that I’m the absolute BEST PERSON to be there! I believe it with all my might, strength, heart, my whole life–I Believe it!

Egotistical?

As much as I Believe it with my whole Being. . .I KNOW it’s not true. . . .

And that, that’s my greatest source of motivation every day, in every situation.

Unblinkingly, may IT ever be so!

What’s Your STARING Frog?

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allaboutfrogtoad

Everyone has one…some may even have a whole herd or a farm of them! What Frog stares you down everyday? What’s the ONE thing you put off or maybe just postpone, ok, PROCRASTINATE!

Procrastination is the one WTF Wrestler we all tangle…some more than others, but all of us, just the same. We all seem to run from or at least put off things we see as painful or difficult. The Catch: We often bring more pain on ourselves. The Bigger Catch: Even though we know the consequences of procrastination can be severe, oh yeah…WE STILL DO IT!

There’s a very old saying that spouts, “If the first thing you do in the morning is to eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day.” What’s YOUR STARING FROG? What’s the worst thing you look forward to as you wake up? Exercising? A meeting? Paperwork? Obligations that aren’t all that pleasing?

But once…only ONCE: Eat THAT Frog! Get rid, right up front, of the one thing that Stares you down and taunts you with every second you try to avoid IT. Just ONCE, eat THAT Frog and see the energy it gives you…Makes an Extreme 5-Hour Energy drink, blush. But. . .but, you let him stare you down and it’ll put a huge straw right in your heart and suck the Life and Essence right out of it without so much as a satisfying belch.

Here’s the Deal that only you can make for yourself: JUST ONCE! Do it once and never again unless
the Frog, totally intimidated, looks down and has not the guts or the energy to even think about Staring back!

Just Once. . . .

Flat Compassion

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photo

Yes…this is correct! Your eyes Do Not Deceive you. I’m not a huge fan of Flat Stanley.

For years our sister-in-law, Tracy, lived in Arizona and taught elementary school and had her class send Flat Stanley’s all over the country and one of them would inadvertently would find itself here in Bay Village, OH. It was great for the youngster who didn’t have anywhere else to send Flat Stanley because he would go everywhere in Northeast Ohio. The Art and History Museums, The Rock & Roll Hall of fame, Church, Lake Erie, Diners, Parks and yes, even my colonoscopy, unbeknownst to me, with his little blue booties and cap on.

I hate him. . . .

But, I’ve go to admit, Flat Stanley has been more places and and has touched more people’s lives than I will ever in the next 1000 years. He’s brought more smiles, stimulated more conversations, brought more people together and generally have made more people/kids feel good than my wildest imagination could ever conjure.

Hey, if Flat Stanley can do that, what about me, you, us? Maybe it’s a uphill battle or an unconquerable feat, but what a horizon to chase, huh? Because when it’s all said, done and complained about, Flat Stanley’s greatest trip is the one that takes us to the very center of Compassion. Now maybe, just maybe that’s the greatest, most adventurous trip he’s ever taken. . .and one that he continually invites and inspires!

Besides if you can’t strangle, dispose or beat him. . .uhhh, yeah, Join him. There’s much Compassion to not only receive, but ultimately to share and share and share again and again and. . . .

More Sunshine

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You know what’s great about Sunshine?

Sure, it’s nice, it’s bright, it’s warm, it’s comforting and soothing. It makes for great lyrics and in moderate amounts, it’s extremely healthy.

Still, the best thing about Sunshine, especially when it has all of these benefits is simply this: MORE OF IT! A Second Dose! A few more rays just when you thought it was gone, buried behind clouds or the lateness of the day, only to show to you IT’S RAYS ARE A LOT STRONGER AND SOMETIMES MORE SURPRISING than you’ve ever imagined!

I wrote a previous blog post on the great song, BRING ME SUNSHINE performed by the Jive Aces and Alex, a member of the band, read the blog, saw the video and suggested to me how I not only might view IT better but how it is that you the Reader and better still, the SEE-er of video might be able to view it as it was intended.

You want to know what’s better than Brought Sunshine? M O R E Sunshine brought with even brighter, warmer rays.

A huge SHOUT OUT to Alex and the Jive Aces. . .let this be yet another opportunity for you to enjoy their GIFT, and more, a better, more enriched, way to be inspired to not only to Share your own Sunshine, but to throw in a few extra illuminated and Warmed rays to some unexpected person living in a Black & White World, begging for the Color you promise just by Showing UP!

Get your SQUINT ON as you reach for those Sunglasses that don’t so much Block, but let in THAT warm Light so much needed by ALL. . . .

Bring Me Sunshine

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I am often asked to do Team-Building, which in may ways, is just telling folks what they already know, what they know they know, what they bet their lives that they know, but for the life of themselves, never act like they actually know.

Often, what I actually do is just hold the mirror in front of them–very steady–so that they can actually not so much just take a quick glance, but an actual LONG LOOK at who they are, Right Now!

I ask, who has the Best Job in this room?

I wait and listen for the answers, always hoping for that ONE who says: “I DO!”

That’s the answer we should all be answering, isn’t it?  I mean, if we don’t have the best job in our agency, our office, our department, well–WHO?

I have been a fan of The Jive Aces ever since I’ve seen this YouTube Video: BRING ME SUNSHINE.

It’s us, isn’t it?  WE bring the Sunshine, the color to so many living in a dull, black&white world.  That should always be our intention, our goal, the never-say-end-till-it-happens-affirmation, right?  Well the good news is you don’t have to attempt it, or put it as a goal or even a priority or number one Intention: JUST DO IT–better than Nike’s favorite way of putting things.

Bring Me Sunshine.

Hey, it won’t hurt to throw in a pair of Sunglasses, either!

BE ALL to ALL. . .Every time!  Bring Me Sunshine. . .be the reason I squint and reach for a fan because of the abundance of warmth. . .BRING ME SUNSHINE. . .Bring IT not when you’re ready to Give IT. . .but when it’s NEEDED!

Bring Me Sunshine–NOW!

HAPPY BEGINS WITH “I”

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john-lennon-quote

Well, Are You?  Are you Happy?  Now?  Today?

Is now the happiest you’ve ever been in your life?  If not, when was it. . .or When Will It Be?

Poets, Philosophers, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Song-Writers, Ministers, Parents, Men, Women, Children, You–all have an answer, a definition of what Happiness is. . .but if Happiness is anything at all, in any form, shape, size, sound, taste, feel, smell or touch really starts is an “I” doesn’t it.

The World will tell us where Happiness can be found and where it exists or how it’s concocted, but if it doesn’t begin, continue, end with, “I” then does it ever really exist at all or can it until the ‘next One thing’ that promises IT like so many things before IT?

I use to ask people, in passing, like so many others, “What do you do?”

I’m feeling more and more that it’s not what we do for a Living that contributes to our Happiness so much as what we do for a Life.

Happiness begins with an “I”  Maybe John Lennon felt that, maybe someone you’ve always admired, respected, love, feels that way or thinks differently.

The Truth: IT doesn’t make much matter–IT’s what You think, Believe, Know, Live.  H appiness with a Capital  H  begins with you and, oh yeah. . .how it Spreads best. . . !

Professional Speaker, Author, Assurance Man