What I Have Come to Know so Far – Part II

Personal Development, Personal Values • Tags: ,

I am just 4 months away from the 65th birthday. (I know it’s hard to believe – but it’s true :-)) As I reach yet another milestone in my life I thought it would be a good time to take stock of what I have come to know so far. This is my second installment.  They appear here in no particular order.

I have come to know:

  • You don’t manage time – you manage your life so you have the time to do what is important to you.
  • 90% of playing good golf takes place between your ears.
  • Your attitude is 100% in your control. Only you get to decide how you want to react.
  • Assume nothing
  • Cats are somewhat manageable
  • Kindness is reciprocal. If you are kind to someone they will most likely be kind to you in return
  • If it looks like a rose, and smells like a rose, you can bet almost for certain that it is a rose
  • Become a student of human behavior. People will reveal their true self
  • If you can’t communicate effectively you can’t manage or lead others.
  • I love french fries with mayo (Hellman’s of course)
  • A great hamburger is hard to beat (Pizza is a close second)
  • Life is a planned event. Wishing and hoping won’t make it so. Have a plan and work your plan
  • All work and no play does make Brian a dull boy.
  • Stress is manageable. You can develop good coping skills
  • Spandex is not a god given right. Some people should resist the urge to wear them
  • 60 is not the new 40. 60 is 60. I can’t do some of the physical stuff that I could do when I was 40.

Copyright (c) 2015. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Looking for a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator on a variety of soft-skills topics? Brian will work with you to insure your event is an overwhelming success. Call today. Visit http://briansmithpld.com or email Brian at – brian@briansmithpld.com

Hello Dad – It’s Me

Personal Development • Tags: , ,

137r2v8t0hcp5mae.D.0.Happy-Father--s-Day-QuotesMy Dad passed away in November of 2012. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him. I still haven’t deleted him from my Skype contact list. (We Skyped each other on Sunday afternoons). I’m reminded every Fathers Day of how much I’ve lost, but also how much I gained. I have my memories to comfort me. I’m glad I was able to kiss him on the forehead and tell him how much I loved him as I left his hospital room. The last words I heard him say was that he loved me too. If your father is still alive don’t miss the opportunity to let him know how much he means to you.

The truth is we don’t get to pick our Dad. I lucked out. I got a Dad who loved me unconditionally no matter how many times I screwed up – no matter how many times I might have disappointed him. I know I could always count on him to be my soft place to fall. I could call on him for advice – to give me guidance – to be a strong disciplinarian when I needed it, but also loving and caring and empathetic when the situation warranted it. I knew he’d always be in my corner.

Fatherhood doesn’t come with an instruction manual. You learn in bits and pieces as you go along. Experience is a great teacher. You learn what to do – but more importantly – you learn what not to do. I’m thankful my Dad was around to teach me how to be a father. I didn’t learn all of the lessons as well as I could have – or should have – but I did the best I could. Hindsight is always 20-20. Did I make mistakes? – Absolutely. Did I learn from them? – You bet. My son is proof positive that things worked out in a good way. He’s a great Dad to his daughter. The legacy passed down from my Dad to me and from me to my son will live on. Thanks Dad. Thank you for everything. I know you are still there looking over me – guiding me – and pointing the way. I love you. Happy Fathers Day.

Copyright (c) 2015. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Not to be reproduced without permission.

How Much Are You Worth?

Coping with Stress, Personal Development, Self-Help • Tags: , , , , , ,

New BeginningHow much are you worth? I posted that question on my Facebook page as a challenge to the majority of women out there who don’t put themselves at the top of their to-do list. Are you worth blocking off one day a week for “Me” time? One day a week to do what ever you want to do for “You”? One day a week to do what ever you want to do for “You” without feeling guilty? Are you disciplined enough to say “No” to family and friends who want to rob you of “Your” time? Based on the responses I got the majority agreed that they aren’t spending enough time, if any, on themselves. That needs to change.

Worth Remembering … “Be selfish with your time. learn to say no to things you do not have an interest in. You are not serving anyone when you spread yourself too thin. Your first obligation should be to yourself. You cannot be any good to for someone else unless you are first good to yourself” – Larry Winget

If I asked you to write down the three most important things in your life – what would you write down? Chances are pretty good that you did not put yourself on that list. Why not? What are you currently doing to cope with the daily stressors in your life? Many doctors estimate that 70 to 80% of the patients they see are exhibiting negative health symptoms either brought on or significantly aggravated by stress. Nine out of ten headaches are due to tension-caused muscle contractions in the neck and shoulders that radiate to the head. Stress can cause forgetfulness, indecisiveness, and an inability to concentrate. Stress is a fact of life. We all have stress in our lives, specially in today’s fast paced, ever-changing world we live in.

Worth Remembering … “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another” – William James

Stress is not always bad. Stress can be a very positive and motivating influence in our lives. A moderate amount of stress can help you to be more creative, energetic, focused and productive. If is only when stress increases beyond our ability to easily cope with it that we begin to feel the negative effects – both physical and emotional. To accomplish more with our lives and achieve a greater feeling of personal satisfaction, we must reduce or eliminate unproductive stressors when possible and improve our ability to cope with stressors we cannot eliminate. What is causing stress in your life? For those stressors you can change, the key is to develop a specific action plan for creating the change you want, then follow through with that plan. For those stressors you cannot change, the key is to change your response to those stressors. Blocking off one day a week for “Me” time is a good place to start.

Copyright (c) 2015. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Are you looking for a speaker or workshop facilitator who can deliver an informative and entertaining presentation on a variety of soft-skill topics? Give Brian a call. He will work with you one-on-one to insure your event is an overwhelming success. http://briansmithpld.com

What I’ve Come To Know So Far

Personal Development, Uncategorized • Tags: ,

I spent Sunday morning reflecting on my past and what I have come to know so far? These appear here in no particular order.

I have come to know that:

  • The Rolling Stones are right – “You can’t always get what you want”.
  • Shit happens and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it.
  • There is no such thing as “Common Sense”. They should call it “Life Sense”. It just seems the older you get the smarter you get.
  • There are slow learners and it may not be their fault.
  • Life is a planned event. Wishing and hoping won’t make it so.
  • Getting married won’t complete you.
  • Without having both a physical and emotional attraction with your significant other you stand very little chance of having a long-term relationship.
  • There is smart – and then there is smart.
  • You don’t know what you don’t know until you know that you don’t know it.
  • Golf is a whole lot harder than they make it look on TV.
  • Your “Sole Mate” is out there somewhere. Don’t settle – keep looking.
  • Some people are surprised that I got this far. Other people aren’t
  • Age is just a number. Of course that depends on what type of medication you’re taking.
  • When you fall in love – your rational brain stops working.
  • Life is not perfect but it beats the heck out of the alternative.
  • When I was growing up I wanted to be an artist or a truck driver. I became a College Professor and Published Author instead.
  • Never ever give up. Keep at it because you’ll eventually get there.
  • You can never go home again is true because nothing stays the same.
  • Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes – so learn to forgive but never forget.
  • You can’t have it all
  • There is no such thing as a balanced lifestyle
  • I have a lot more to learn about everything
  • Life isn’t fair – get over it and move on.
  • I have a lot more things I want to accomplish, but time is not on my side.
  • You can’t make time – but you sure can waste it.
  • They say money can’t buy you happiness but I’d like to give it a try
  • The “Beatles” are the greatest band – ever
  • You don’t have to know everything but you need to know who does.
  • Your Mother is always right.
  • Respect your elders. They know more stuff then you do because they have lived longer.
  • Being married is not a life sentence. If you aren’t getting what you want out of that relationship it’s time you moved on. Life is too short to settle.

Now it’s your turn. What have you come to know so far?

Copyright (c) 2015. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Looking for a keynote speaker who can entertain as well as inform on a variety of soft-skills topics? Give Brian a call. http://briansmithpld.com