Billboards and Bumper Stickers

Traveling the Long and Winding Road

Car bumpers can yield a lot of wisdom if we simply pay attention.
Now it seems, billboards have gotten into the act!

I spent approximately 20 hours in the car this Spring Break.
Those interstates can get a wee bit monotonous if you let them.
I did not.
Since I had to focus on keeping the car between the navigational beacons;
I missed some of the most profound billboards and bumper stickers.
But much to my happiness my 13 year old occasionally took a break from his ipad; taking in the 1200 plus miles of literary scenery as well.

One of several I missed and he was kind enough to share,  
"Wherever I go, there I am."
Simple, yet insightful.

This I-95 billboard brought out some pretty philosophical queries
from my seventh grader.
Of course this got me thinking...

When I don't like something about myself,
I can't just go somewhere else,
because it, and me, will be there.

This suggests to me that we alone have to deal with who we are.
If there's something we don't like,
only two options are available:
accept it or change it.

I ask:
Do you find the you, that you like, wherever you go?

Take Care,
Coach Curley

WHAT in the WORLD AM I DOING?

Here is the typical life - typical, though not everybody does it this way.

But for the most part, lives generally go something like this:

Born

Eat and sleep

Play with toys

Go to school

Play little league, hopefully a swim team as well…

Go to school

Learn to drive

Date

Go to school

Leave high school

Go to more school

Date some more

Get a job

Get married

Buy a house

Have kids

Watch your kids eat, sleep, play and go to school

Work, work, and work

Retire

Die

That’s the basic life, isn’t it?

Please don’t email me.

I know there is more to it, but that is about it for some folks.

What I believe sets the thriving apart is that they don’t just live the average life.

They don’t just pass time.

They have something compelling in their life that drives them - something 
that gives them an answer when they are asked that question:  
What in the world are you doing?

• I’m helping children.

• I’m creating a business that supports many families.

• I lead a church.

• I am defending our liberties.

• I am raising great children.

• I’m teaching others to improve their lives.

• I help people have fun.

• I create memories for people.

In other words, flourishing people always come down to this: 
I help other people by (fill in your purpose here).

What in the world am I doing?

I believe if you want to be successful, you need to be able to answer that by describing how you help others.

Because if you aren’t helping others - if you aren’t making a difference – you’re just taking up space, eating food, and waiting to pass.

Here’s the question for all of us to answer this week:  What in the world are we doing?

If you know, then you are good to go - live it and make a difference!

If you don’t know, then maybe you need to give some reflection on what you are doing,

what your life is about,

and how you can burst out of the mundane bubble you live in!

After all, don’t you want to know what in the world you are doing here?

Take Care,

+Coach Curley

Things We Don’t Like, Not Doing

Things We Don’t Like, Not Doing

How often do you catch yourself talking about things you hate to do.

Actually, my list is small and includes things like:

Driving on I-4. 

Weighing in at the doctor’s office.

Waiting in line. (explains the first one on my list)

Yet we do them because…

Well, I’m not sure why we do them.

I guess we do them because,

as my kids say, “we’re ‘sposed’ to.”

I think we should give equal time to the things we don’t like, NOT doing.

These would include:

Eating whatever I want.  (up until the last couple years this has not been a problem)

Going “full-tilt” in all sport activities. (to borrow a phrase from a great movie… I’m writing checks, my body just can’t cash)

Staying up late. (nothing like staying up past bedtime watching an old JAMES BOND movie, but darn I feel like heck in the morning).

Some things we no longer do, 
because we can’t.

Others, we no longer do not because we can’t,

but because we’ve chosen not to.

Guess when all’s said and done,

life’s just a series of choices we make.

Me… I'll choose to talk about things I like to do.

Are you making the right choices in your life!

Take Care,
+Coach Curley

Special Thought for the Swimmers Headed to Sarasota for FLAGs...

Aiming

"Aim High!"
The +United States Military said it.
And others have said it, too.

As a coach, teacher and father, I like it.  
We should set our expectations high!
Shoot for the moon!  If you fall short,
you may hit a couple of stars!

"Aim High!"
Right on!
You bet.

Occurs to me that when we set high expectations,
we're aiming at something.
And that's good.

Not setting goals is like aiming at nothing.
And when we aim at nothing,
it's incredible how accurate our aim can be!

So I ask you... Do you aim?
And how high are you aiming?

Take Care,
Coach Curley

Givers and Takers

How many times have you heard,

“There are two kinds of people in the world.”?
I bet more than just a couple.

In fact, there are many kinds of two different kinds of people:
Winners and non-winners,
Happy and sad,
Those that think they can, and those that think they can’t.

And there are givers and takers, today’s topic.

+Shakespeare once wrote,
“Either a giver or a taker be.”

Most of us are both, depending on what we’re giving or taking,
but we’re not both at the same time.

Self-esteem is a good example.
Happiness is another.
Positive outlook is one more.
I either have it, or I don’t.

If I have it, I can give it away.
If I don’t have it, I can’t give it away,
but perhaps I can receive it from someone who has it and is willing to share.

I believe the understanding comes in knowing when to be which.

Did you give away something today? 
Or take something from a giver?
 
Take Care,
+Coach Curley

“Either a giver or a taker be.”