Learn to Lean

Successes and failures depend on the presence of early action steps or the lack thereof.

 
Today’s blog will focus more on one early action step, which is “Teamwork.”

No matter what your aspirations are, the principles within this blog will help your dreams become reality.

It is a must for us to develop ourselves, but a dream cannot be achieved without a team.  If your dream is small enough for only you to accomplish it, maybe it is not dream.

Surround yourself with people who support your dream and that are fine making your dream theirs.  Where can your dream go without the help of others.

As leaders, then we must Learn to Lean.

Leaning just means bringing others on board to help support, promote, and enhance the team’s dream.

Any and everyone can be part of the team, but make sure develop and value your team.

Arguably, this is one of the most important steps to success.

 

Action: Write down your dream(s), then list the team members for each dream. 

Question: What dream is requiring you to lean?  (Please leave a comment below.)

 
Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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What's Left?

I hope you had a great day of Thanksgiving with your family and friends.  Thanksgiving is usually the time of the year when we cook more food than ever and when we eat the most food as well.  So, after all the cooking, eating, and great fellowship; What’s Left?

Of course, we have food for leftovers that will last for days, weeks, and possibly months.  Longer than a week, eat at your own risk. More importantly, what’s left is great memories and relationships that will last forever.  The one thing that drives everything in my life are RELATIONSHIPS!

Our lives are driven by relationships.

When I speak of relationships, I’m speaking of the human touch.  Not a physical touch, but a heart to heart connection.

Whether good or bad, every relationship experience drives us.

Why do you eat what you eat?  Why do you speak, think, act, and live the way you do?  Someone influenced you whether it was a family, friend, TV show, etc.

So, at the end of the day, what’s left?

RELATIONSHIPS!

Make them, respect them, nourish them, but most of all protect them.

Think about all the good things in your life and somewhere nearby you will discover a great relationship.

Action: Call or sit down with a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while and tell them how they how impacted your life.

Question: What relationship(s) are driving you?  (Please leave a comment below, even if it is one word.  i.e. father, mother, spouse, sibling, children, etc.)  Please leave a comment below, send me a tweet on Twitter, or leave a comment on Facebook.

Bryant

 

A Grateful Heart

Thanksgiving is more than a one day holiday, it is a life of giving thanks!

Every single day we live, we have many reasons to be thankful.

When was the last time you verbally announced gratefulness for breathing?

Think about the last time you were thankful for every person in your life, not just your friends?

Are you content with where you are in life?

A grateful heart is a appreciative heart.

At times, we take things for granted.  Trust me, it is easy to do.

A vital component to moving forward in life is appreciation for where you are.

Without appreciation, ungratefulness settles in a person’s heart.

And, ungratefulness is only present when we want something we are not yet ready for.  Let’s face the facts.  If we were ready for whatever we are ungrateful about, we would already have it.

If we cannot be content with less, why do we need more?

Having a grateful heart is so important, so here are 4 steps to developing a grateful heart.

4 Steps to Developing A Grateful Heart

1. Be yourself.  Appreciate your gifts and abilities because no one else has your skill set, you are weird (unique).  So, be proud of it.

2. Do not compare yourself to others.  Everyone has their on set of challenges and difficulties, so don’t make someone else’s problem yours.

3. Live in the present.  Quickly look at the past, but don’t dwell there.  Focus on your present journey.

4. Know who created your uniqueness.

Action: List 5 things, big or small, in which your heart is grateful.

Question: Why is your heart grateful? (Don’t be afraid, FNBW and leave a comment below.)  Please leave a comment below, send me a tweet on Twitter, or leave a comment on Facebook.

Bryant

 

Leading with Patience

We live in a fast-paced, “I gotta have it now” world.  As leaders, sometimes we just need to be patient and slow down.

 
Did You Know?  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports the ratio of fast food restaurants to grocery stores is 5:1.  I will let you draw your own conclusions, but I believe we as Americans have been conditioned to want things now rather than later.

I don’t know about you, but there is an expectation of instant gratification with just about all service these days.  I am definitely guilty.  But, we must find a way to tame any unrealistic expectation and be patient.

If you have read any of my blog postings, you know I am a firm believer that everyone is a leader whether they want to be or not because someone is always watching you.  So, as a leader be patient.

So, let’s look at 4 advantages of being patient.

 

4 Advantages of Being Patient

1. Reduces Stress

2. Decisions Become More Rational

2. Appreciation for the Growth Process

3. Understanding and Compassion for Others

 

Remember, good leaders understand the importance of patience.

 

Action: Your next big decision…

1. Slow down

2. Delay gratification or immediate action

3. Think about your options an consequences

Question: In what area of your life do you need the greatest amount of patience? (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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You Deserve More

No one should dictate how you feel or how you live, but you.  You Deserve More!  We live in an age where it has become increasingly easy for others to make decisions for us and pull us in different directions.

 Except for the Creator, no one should have power to control your life.  And even the Creator gives us the option to voluntarily choose.

For the most part, the problems of our world all stem from individual indecisiveness.

If you don’t take ownership of your life, no one will.  Your faith, family, job, business, and anything else important is at stake.

As parents, no one else will raise our children for us.  If you are an employee, no one will do your workload for you, but you.  As business owners, no one else will plan for the success of our businesses.

It all comes back to the word, OWNERSHIP.

If you know anything about me, I am all about being a team player.  Matter fact, I don’t believe anything great can come about without the help of many.

However, before we can work as a team, individually we must be sound.

We must already have a sense of…

Peace,

Hope,

Compassion,

Willingness to learn,

Determination, and

Love.

Don’t settle for less waiting for a school, job, government, TV show, church, business, or any other thing else to provide you with a sense of inner well being.

Every aspect of our life will be better, if we add value to our lives and take individual responsibility.

4 Tips To Add Value To Your Life

1. Position Yourself To Learn More

2. Manage Your Time Well

3. Work For Everything You Receive

4. Seek Out Opportunities To Give & Grow

 

If you allow someone else the pleasure of making plans for your life, you will be quite disappointed at the end of the day.  I can guarantee you one thing, they won’t have much planned for your life because they will be too busy planning for their own life.

Just remember, YOU DESERVE MORE!

Don’t settle for some one else making decisions for your life.

Add value to your life by doing more because you deserve more.

 

Action: Pick at least one or two of the 4 ways to add value to your life and start with your family, friends, business, etc.

Question: What are some other ways you could take ownership of your life? (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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Stand Out

Whether it is your desire or not, we must stand out to move forward.  All those who we would consider successful, stood out.  Take a close look into the life of those who you may hold in high esteem and you will find a person that distinctly stood out through their exceptional leadership. 

 

When I speak of standing out, please don’t think I’m talking about showing out.  Some leaders are all about showing out, rather than standing out.  There is a big difference.

 

Those who show out…

1. Need a crowd.

2. Are looking for attention.

3. Are never content.

4. Will stand out at the expense of others.

5. Seek to please self.

 

On the contrary, legitimate leaders who stand out live by one rule…

1. *BE YOUrself!*

This is what makes you the unique parent, friend, leader, and/or entrepreneur you are.

Yes, you will still have to work hard.  Besides giving all of your heart and mind to the current responsibilities in your life, you shouldn't have to do anything else.  However, showing out or attempting to be someone you're not will cost you credibility as a leader.

Leaders that stand out cannot help it, it is part of being yourself.

God created one of you.

Even if you were to cloned today, you will NEVER be reduplicated.  They may get close, but a complete replication would be impossible.  Your smile, frown, likes, dislikes, thoughts, memories, temperament, etc.

No one will be what God created you to be.

So, stand out by being yourself and lead with individuality!

 

Action: Focus on the gifts God gave you and discover a way to change our world with those gifts.

Question: What’s one way you can stand out by being yourself?  (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 
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MOTIVATION

We all are in need of...

Motivation is…

 

A drive,

An urge,

Being told what you can’t do,

Impossible turned possible,

Movement,

Energy and effort,

Pursuit,

The much needed kick in the butt,

The push,

The work that will blossom a dream, goal, or hope into reality,

A radiant shine in a dim world.

 

Action: Let your energy and effort be your motivation.

Question: What’s your motivation?  (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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Embrace Change

Life is filled with many opportunities to advance your life.  One opportunity I pray you will never pass up is the opportunity to EMBRACE CHANGE.

It is hard to define what change will look like for each individual person.

Change has many long-term benefits, but not without short-term discomfort and uneasiness.

You’ve done it before, if you are or have been a…

Christian,

Married,

Parent,

Student, and/or

Business Owner.

Think about the short-term difficulties with each of these and there are many other examples, but consider the long-term benefits as well.

If change was easy, everyone would do it.

I believe everyone is in search for change, but it takes discomfort and uneasiness to bring about the change we need in our lives.

Change is all about being wEiRd.

 

Every good leader is weird.

Why?  Because they are different and not like anyone else.

Don’t get me wrong, they may have similar traits as other leaders, but they are unique in their own rite.  They’re not afraid to push the envelope when necessary or make tough decisions when a decision needs to be made.  That’s why we call them LEADERS!

These people stand out, but give credit to the teams of people that help push the dream into the realm of reality.

It’s never too late to change, but please don’t find yourself never changing.

Don’t be afraid of it. Try it.  Embrace it.  Love it.

CHANGE!

Watch what it will do to your life by way of growth and development.

 

Action: Take one aspect of your life and embrace change, whether it is family, diet, exercises, business, etc.  Start with changing something small.

Question: What small thing can you change to make a BIG difference in your life? (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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Who's In Control?

Many things happen in our lives that are out of our control.  At times, those are the very things we attempt to control.

On my way to work yesterday, there was abnormal spike in traffic.  Traffic was at a stand still.

As I was waiting for the congestion to clear, I observed some interesting behavior.

It’s no shock what I observed.

I noticed a lot of things, but more than anything I saw drivers with high anxiety, unreasonable frustrations, stress, etc.

Before I knew it, I began feeling some of those same feelings.  I felt I was being hijacked.  It felt as if someone pushed me into the passenger seat and sat down in the driver’s seat to take control over my life.

I had to make a quick decision to jump back in the driver seat and take control over the wheel of my life.

I had to tell myself, “I have no control over this situation.”

Furthermore, I had to remind myself, “Stick to the plan by controlling what you can.”

There was no way for me to control the following: the accident, the traffic, or the emotions of the other drivers.

However, I could control my feelings and responses to those three things mentioned above.

Daily, we are sucked into the vacuum of trying to control the uncontrollable things in our life.

Not only does this apply to sitting in traffic, but these principles can be applied to your family, business, etc.

What if your child s being disrespectful?  Or…

What if you have a customer that isn’t seeing eye to eye with one of your employees or products?

Check to see who is driving your life.

Maybe, just maybe someone else is in the driver’s seat.

Take back control over your life and jump back in the driver's seat!

 

God created you to handle that very situation, child, business, or any other relationship you can possibly imagine.

 

BElieve in YOUrself!

3 Ways To Take Control Over Your Life

#1 Stop and Assess

Survey the situation, relationship, business, etc.

#2 Ask the Right Questions

Find out why things are like they are.  Ask yourself, “How would I feel if I were in this person’s shoes?”

#3 Take Action with Humility

Treat the situation, relationship, business, etc. like you would want to be treated.

 

Action: Next time anything attempts to take control of your life, take this action.  Stop and say this to yourself, “Stick to the plan by controlling what you can.”

Question: Has anyone or anything ever been in your driver seat?  If so, please share to help someone else take back control over their life.   (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant E. Hall
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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All or Nothing

When you are attempting to improve yourself, it's either All or Nothing.

 There isn’t anything in-between.  Trust me, if you try the in-between route, you will be left with nothing.

So, go All-In when it comes to life.  (No, I’m not speaking about gambling)

3 Ways to Go All-In

#1 Believe in something.

#2 Commit to your beliefs

3# Don’t look back

 

There is one quote that sticks out in my mind by Alexander Hamilton.  He said, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.”

We need something to believe in, unless we will be easily influenced by any and every thing.

The emphasis is STAND FOR SOMETHING!

At the end of your life, do you want to be known for not standing and falling for everything.

Just remember, it’s either all or nothing.

 

Action: Pick one important thing in your life (Attitude is usually a great place to start) and stand firm to make great things happen to better that one thing.

Question: How do you plan to go All-In in your life?  (Please leave a comment below.)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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Break The Cycle

I have heard and seen so many people in search for change, but they continue to do the same thing.  We all have been guilty of this, but at some point we have to be WEIRD enough to break the cycle.

There’s a leader within us all.  To discover that leader, we need to break the cycle.

This doesn’t mean you are doing anything wrong, but good leaders are always looking to better themselves and others around them by adapting.

Please don’t confuse ADAPTING with BEING FAKE!

Good Leaders don’t…

Lie to those who they lead,

Cheat those who they lead,

Take advantage of his/her followers,

Talk down to those who he/she leads, or

Ask others to do something they aren’t willing to do themselves.

On the contrary…

Good Leaders aren’t afraid of change, but seek out every opportunity to change.

 
Courtesy of http://doseofencouragement.wordpress.com
 

3 Ways for Leaders to Break the Cycle

#1 Never Stop Learning

#2 Listen and Communicate with Clarity

#3 Lead By Example

 

Action: Find one thing in your life that needs change and practice the 3 ways of breaking the cycle.

Question: Is it ever too late to break the cycle?  (Please comment below)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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Think Good Thoughts

I have had the opportunity to be a servant leader in several arenas: sports, medical, business, etc.

 

No matter where you are in life; if you think bad, bad things will happen.

As a child, I remember my parents emphasizing this Bible verse to me and my siblings.

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” ~Proverbs 23:7

Now, those words are more valuable than ever.

As a leader, husband, father, son, entrepreneur, and my favorite - just plain servant... 

I CHOOSE TO THINK GOOD THOUGHTS!

 

Whatever we consume our minds with, eventually will drive our actions.

If you think you can’t, you won’t.

If you think you can, you will.

I don’t know all the science behind how this happens.

But, I do know the more you think good thoughts, the more you will intentionally position yourself to achieve and accomplish the goals and dreams in your life.

I talk about some of these thoughts in one of my previous blogs, SMILE. (Click on link)

No one will do this for us, thinking positive starts with the thinker.

There are a lot of things we have absolutely no control over, but our thinking is totally under our control.

Action: Right now, think of one good thought that puts you in a positive frame of mind.  Now, repeat this throughout the day.

Question: What helps you think good thoughts?  (Please comment below)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 
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The Bible verse listed in this post was adapted from the original Word and Bible through the website – Bible Gateway.
 

Welcome the Fall

 
We are all unique in our own right, which makes us weird.  It is that weirdness that makes us leaders.  Whether you are leading thousands or just one to two people, you need to be an effective leader.

  Do you have any siblings?

Are you a father or mother?

Do you have job that requires you to perform a specific job responsibility?

Are you in contact with several people in a day?

Do you blog?

Do you have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or LinkedIn account?

Well, if you answered yes to any questions, you are a leader.

No matter if you think people are watching you or not, you are a leader.

I have heard so many people say, “I’m not a leader” or “I never planned to be a leader.”

This will set any leader up for disaster.

Every good leader doesn’t plan on failing, but understand it is part of the process.

THE FALL!

It can be scary.  It can cause anxiety.  It will even cause tension in your life.

But, it is that tension we need to grow and develop our leadership skills.

We learn valuable information from the fall that further promotes our uniqueness as a leader.

No leader is the same and we all will lead in different ways because of our weirdness.

Our primary goal should be to effective lead by example and to help others grow in the process.

No one is perfect, so at some point we will fall as a leader.

However, the depth of your fall will depend on your preparation.

4 Ways to Prepare for the Fall

#1 Know Your Goals

Why lead without knowing where you would like to go?  If you set goals, they will be a map to you.  If you are lost refer back to the map.

#2 Take Steps Towards Your Goals

Even though you know the fall is inevitable, don’t wait for the fall or stop moving to avoid the fall.  Move towards your destination.

#3 Stay Positive When The Going Gets Tough

Staying positive keeps an effective leader focused and sharp during pressure-filled times.  Speak positive affirmations to yourself, listen to positive speakers, read positive books, watch positive TV programs that will enhance your positivity, etc.

#4 Surround Yourself With The Right People

For the same reason we trim dead leaves, limbs, and branches off of plants; effective leaders trim out any negative people because accomplishing their goal is at stake.

Question: How have you become a more effective leader by welcoming the fall? (Please leave a comment below)

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 
 
 

Living For The Weekend

I don’t think we need any research to make the assumption that most people live for the weekend.

I’m not saying it is wrong and I understand why we love our weekends.

The weekend’s are the only times we can spend a wealth of time with our friends and families without watching the clock.

We have to make ourselves get out of the bed on week days, but on the weekends we naturally wake up before our work wake time.  Right?

Matter fact, we usually go to bed later, but we will find a way to wake early to do those things in which we love on the weekends.

Just think, what if we treated week days like weekends.

In all of my comings and goings, I have consistently noticed a gloominess on Mondays and increased excitement on Friday’s.

On Monday’s, when I say, “Good Morning.”  Some people are reluctant to speak or they say “It’s Monday” in the tone of Oscar the Grouch.

On Friday’s, people barely let me get out my “Good Morning” before they say “It’s Friday.”

There’s no shock that Friday is the most anticipated day of the week.

In addition, it’s no surprise that Monday is the most dreaded day of the week.

Matter fact, Monday has the highest rate of job quits and heart attacks.

Why?

Maybe Monday is just quitting day.  Or could it be that doctors only can diagnose heart attacks on Monday.

More than likely, it’s the perceived stress we believe Monday will bring.

 Instead of perceiving stress, perceive the best!

Perceive that Monday’s will be the best day of your week by thinking on those good things that could happen on Monday.

Think about this thought…

Living for the weekend’s will waste your life away.

If we consider the weekend as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Living for the weekend’s means you are looking forward to…

  • 3 out of 7 days a week,

  • 75 out of 168 hours a week,

  • 300 out of 672 hours a month,

  • 3,600 out of 8,064 hours a year, and

  • 144 out of 365 days a year.

 

Whether you love Friday’s or not, living for the weekend means you are enjoying less than half of your year.

More importantly, it means you are only living and enjoying only half of your life.

Be excited that Monday moves you closer to you achieving your dreams and aspirations!

Since Friday is a great day for most, change the norm and be weird by making everyday Friday?

With that said, SMILE (click the link) and ENJOY your weekend.

But, be ready for Monday.

Please share your thoughts with our other readers about how can you make everyday a Friday?  There are many ways to do this, but share how you will make Monday through Thursday more exciting?

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 

Meditations of the Heart

RDF1.jpg
Can you relate to any of these?
Making To Do Lists.
Setting priorities for work projects.
Carrying out Family/husband/wife/parenting responsibilities.
Tidying up the house.
Grocery shopping.
Exercising body and mind.
Moral responsibilities.
Daily Bible Study and Prayer.
Practicing patience.
Not enough time in the day.
Procrastination ( ENEMY # 1).
Oops, Oh Yeah, that was due when?
Make each moment count.
Make memories.
Pick-up this at this time.
Don’t forget this.

And the list goes on and on..... Sometimes I fall guilty to running around like a chicken with my head cut off and that no longer works for me.

I LOVE order and organization.

I have a need for it. I am sure several of you can relate!

Therefore, I always love a challenge to better myself.  And, I am always looking to progress to my next level of fear not be weird!

I believe we are all in constant search for inner peace.

I also love acronyms that I can recite and include in my daily meditations of my heart to help me recall something.

So on that note, I present to you: RDF! I know you're asking what in the world is RDF?

It is a:

Renewed

Disciplined

Focus

 

RENEWED

In everything, everyday, and in all that I do, I am striving for RDF!!!

My RDF has to be renewed each day because every day presents new mercies and new challenges!

But with my RDF, I challenge myself to be renewed in my mind and spirit each day and renewed multiple times throughout the day.

 

DISCIPLINED

It’s a challenge to be disciplined.

But, I must discipline myself...

Discipline myself to study, meditate, and pray daily.

Discipline myself to pray daily without ceasing as there is much to pray and commune with God about.

Discipline myself to conquer the day ahead of me.

Discipline myself to renew, re-arrange, and respond appropriately to any curve balls thrown my way.

Now, this 'D' in RDF can also mean diligence or determination, but I choose discipline because if I practice discipline I must be diligent and determined to apply discipline.

 

FOCUSED

Lastly, there's the need for focus.

Don't forget about the previous post on FOCUS (click the link).

I need, I want, and I desire a great renewed and disciplined focus.

I intend to establish a clear view / focus of what needs to be accomplished for my tasks, to do’s, inner peace/peace of mind, etc.

For this focus to occur, I must practice quiet time to arrange my thoughts, my plans, my prayer that I can be productive and accomplish what God wants and not just what I want by what I know and can see.

Why don’t you join in on this challenge and think about what in your life requires some RDF.

How do you intend to gain RDF daily?

Today, we are offering to you for FREE, a printable PDF poster of RDF for you to print out and put on your mirror as a daily reminder or post on your cubicle wall or placed somewhere that you will constantly see it and strive to practice RDF daily!

 

 
 
Chaitra
MTN Universal
 

A Trend We Must Heal, Part 2

How many children have to die?  

Not just a physical death, but our children are also dying mentally? BULLYING has become a silent epidemic.

This is anti-bullying month, but I believe we need to pay more attention to this everyday.

You have heard of the story of Rebecca Sedwick, the 12 year old young girl from Lakeland, Florida.

She was being bullied at school, so her mother took her out of school.  But the 15 or so young ladies started cyber-bullying Rebecca.  This continued until Ms. Sedwick climbed up a cement tower and jumped to her death on September 9th.

Our hearts are with this family.

Bullying takes on many different forms, but regardless of the form….

It is “A TREND WE MUST HEAL.”

How do we help with this healing process…

We must be strategic in the way we handle these situations, but it time out for our kids dying from nonsense.
#1 STAND UP

If you see something that looks out of the ordinary, let your curiosity move you to research the situation tactfully.  (Remember, what would you want someone to do if your child was being bullied?)

#2 SPEAK OUT

Just don't inquire, then walk away from the situation.  Share the information obtained with someone that can handle that situation.  (You may save a life)

I know this is a tough issue, but these discussions are needed.

Can you put a price on a child's life?  Sitting back and doing nothing will not heal this terrible pattern.

Stand up with us and speak out against these horrific acts of hate.

This goes beyond race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.  This is a problem across the board.

Let's change this negative pattern of behavior.

If you have children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, brothers, or sisters; these children need our help.

3 Ways to Break this Pattern

1. Consistently talk and listen to our beautiful children.

2. Observe their behavior.

3. Investigate who their friends are or if they have any friends.

OUR CHILDREN ARE DEPENDING ON US!

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 

SMILE

It takes more energy to frown than it does to smile.  At least, that’s what we have heard in the past.  Right?

You may be thinking, “I don’t care about conserving energy.”  Or you may be thinking, “Smile or frown, I’m going to be myself.” Well, let me share a true story with you.

As a healthcare provider, I am blessed to meet so many people from all walks of life.

Well, one early morning several weeks ago I was starting a new evaluation on a patient.  I was introducing myself to this new patient and I said, “Good Morning!”

The patient replied with two statements.  He first said, “If you want to call it that.”  Then, he proceeded to say, “What’s so good about it?”

At this point, you probably can tell that the patient wasn’t smiling.  :(  In addition, his demeanor was telling me to leave him alone.

There were many ways I could have responded in this situation (7am, the patient is hurting, and the patient is uncertain about his treatment because it is his first day seeing me), so I decided to just SMILE at the patient.

After a second or two of me smiling at him, he smiled back and said, “I’m sorry for being a butt, I just hurt.”  After that exchange, he was the most friendliest man you could have ever met.  All this happen in a matter of seconds up to 1-2 minutes tops.

I know this isn’t your first time hearing a story like this, but how many times do we all pass up opportunities to smile because we feel it is easier to go with the status quo?

It is amazing how many people are looking for positive energy!

Your smile is a big source of your positive energy.

Well, let me give you 2 simple reasons why you should SMILE!

2 Simple Reasons to Smile
 
  • #1  Keep Away Negative

In most cases, positive energy will cause negativity to pack its bags and get out of town.  (If you are trying to meet goals and achieve dreams, I don’t see anything wrong with negativity leaving the room.)

 

  • #2  Welcome the Positive

Positive people love other positive people.  You know the saying misery loves company.  So, instead of being a welcome party for negativity.  Smile, be positive, and invite other smiling, positive people into you life.

 

My mother would always tell me, “You can attract more flies with honey.”

I'm just a few years older, but I get it now.

If we want to attract things in life, we must be ATTRACTIVE.

No, I’m not talking about being sexy.  But, I am talking about smiling more.

Smile from your head to your toes.

 

You may have many more reasons to frown, but to live the best life you can possibly live try smiling a little more.  Try it right now, no matter who is looking at you.  Just smile BIG. :)

If someone is looking at you, they may end up smiling as well.  Come on, FEAR NOT and BE WEIRD enough to SMILE.  (Who cares what anyone else thinks?)

BE YOU!

SMILE!!!  :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 
 

Stop and Smell the Roses

About nine years ago, one of my best friends passed away.  My grandmother, also known as Nanny by many of her grandchildren, was unreal.

Any and everywhere she went, she left a beautiful scent behind that others wanted to stop and smell... She was a phenomenal woman who put others first and herself last.

No, she wasn’t fake.

She wouldn’t smile in your face and talk about you behind your back.

She didn’t make excuses.

She made you feel loved, which made you want to talk to her.

You wanted her wisdom.

So, if you heard her voice, you would attentively listen and hang on to every word.

She knew how to turn any negative into a positive.

And knew how to get what she wanted out of life because of her resilience and determination.

Her beauty went far beyond the superficial splendor of her rose pedals.  As a rose, her stem was grounded with an inner beauty that demanded the respect of any who entered her space.

I know you are familiar with family members or friends that possess these unique quality.

But one day, cancer was found in her body.  Surgery was performed to remove it and not long after her treatments, she began declining quickly.

Day by day, gradually my rose withered away.

After being victorious in so many areas of her life, this was one battle she struggled fighting.  However, she still demanded to fight this battle on God’s terms.  Even upon her passing, she had great faith to believe that God was taking care of her.

She was a beautiful ROSE that gracefully withered away.

She never complained about the cancer that was slowly eating up her body from the inside out, but took it as a challenge.

We would always sit down and talk, even before the cancer became a nasty third wheel.

During our conversation, she would try her best to hold back her tears and would say, "Bryant, it is what it is.  I have to live my life to the fullest.  I still have places to go and people to see."

Together, we would then awkwardly laugh.

As a young man, I really didn't know what to say.  But, I knew I was witnessing something supernatural.

So, what do you do when you see a rose?

When you receive a rose, three things usually happen:

#1 You stop to admire its beauty.

#2 You then take a big whiff of the rose.

#3 You delight in its smell.

I was blessed to see the rarity of this rose for 23 years of my life.  And I am still delighting myself with the smell her infectious spirit, which now lives in me.

This blog is not only to honor my grandmother, but all the roses of our world.  Men, women, boys, and girls.  This month is breast cancer awareness month, but I would like honor all who have survived or lost the battle to any form of cancer.

 
Courtesy of http://www.intheequation.com/category/quotes-fun/
 

If you have survived cancer, know that you are our heroes.  If you have been touched as a family member, friend, or even an associate; know that the scent of your loved one lives within you.

Our world smells much better because of our beautiful roses.  If you have been touched, please share your stories and share this blog post with others who have been touched by this devastating disease.

It’s not about one individual, but it is about all of us coming together for healing and restoration.  This is bigger than one person, so every team up an fight.  Start your fight today or continue to fight even harder by sharing on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, tweeting, or by email.

 

Courtesy of http://www.dcclubbing.com/style/bulletproof-breasts/attachment/breast-cancer-awareness/

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 

Mulligans and Life

Our last post on Friday was Stay the Course.  Well, after writing that blog post, I wanted to add just a little more golf / life insight. A Mulligan is a golf shot not counted against the score, permitted in unofficial play to a player whose previous shot was poor.  In other words, it is a redo or a do over shot.

For an amateur golfer like myself, somedays I need a Mulligan just about every hole.

However, if you remember the definition for a mulligan, it applies to unofficial play.

In life, there is never a time when we can live unofficially.

EVERY SHOT COUNTS IN LIFE!

There are some decisions and choices we make that affords us the opportunity to have second chances.

However, there aren’t many situations in life where we get more than one shot.  Think about it…

So, instead of focusing on the use of Mulligans, make sure every shot is your best shot.

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!
 

Stay the Course

My father and I have been playing golf together for the last 2 years.  During our short time playing golf, this beautiful game has taught us many lessons. I know, either you hate it or love it.

I heard people say, “I hate golf because it’s boring.”  (Anything is boring if you are uninformed about it)  Others may say, “It is too slow.”

Well, let me share with you 3 reasons why I love golf:

1) It’s a great time to bond with my father and examine one of the greatest men I know (Christ would be number one hands down.), 

2) The challenge of the game (Someone tell me why it is so challenging to hit a ball that doesn’t move?),

3) The strategic nature of the game (You can’t depend solely on muscle, you have to use your head!)

One thing that my father and I say to ourselves every time we play is “KEEP IT IN THE FAIRWAY!”

In other words, “Stay the Course.”

The game of golf is less forgiving when you find yourself amongst the tall grass called the rough, buried in sand traps, or if you consistently find your ball hiding behind trees.  If you are in the fairway, you don’t have to worry about your next shot being hindered.

Life is more forgiving if you stay the course.

In life, we are all trying to move forward.  However, we find ourselves out of the fairway choking out our dreams, trapping ourselves with problems, and hiding behind fear.  So, we make progressing forward more of a challenge than it really should be.

Whatever you do, “Stay the course.”  Get away from the distractions of life.  When you do these things, you will find out how success has been knocking on your door for days, weeks, months, and possibly years.

If you haven’t played golf, try it.  If you play, keep it in the fairway.

With your life, find a way to keep your life straight or purposeful and void of meaningless distractions.

 

Bryant
MTN Universal
Be the wEiRd this world needs!