The 5-5-5 Plan

Week 47 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Wisdom

 (No Thursday or Friday-thanksgiving)

 

Monday: This is a short week – the week of Thanksgiving and as I was contemplating themes – what I had scheduled and then what I wanted to share for our three days – it came to my mind to share quotes around wisdom – this is something I continually seek and something I’m grateful for – that our life brings wisdom when we seek that and not just experiences.

 

            Quote: Calvin Coolidge once said this: “Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of facts within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity.”

 

            Word: reiterate – A verb meaning to repeat what you’ve stated earlier. It comes from the Latin for “re-traveling.” So when it’s good – or wise – it is worth saying it again – and again – to reiterate – the truth.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Today’s quote comes from Charles Caleb Colton who said, “There is this difference between happiness and wisdom, that he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.”

I liked this one because as I seek wisdom I am continually reminded that I am not so wise, or that I have a continual path to follow on it – my dad used to say to me, “The more I know the more I realize how much I don’t know.” It’s like that for me with wisdom.

 

            Word: Ponderous – This adjective means “having great weight.” When a thought is “ponderous,” however, it can be so heavy and unwieldy that it’s actually “dull,” another connotation of the word. I use it here because to gain wisdom it helps to ponder or give thinking some weight –

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Our last quote for this short Thanksgiving week comes from Whittaker Chambers who said, “True wisdom comes from the overcoming of suffering and sin. All true wisdom is therefore touched with sadness.”

I selected this quote because we’re going to be getting together with family and friends and sometimes there has been some suffering – or sadness – just from the loss of family or friends or past hurts –

My wish for you is that you are wise in your dealings with all others and that you have great love and happiness this Thanksgiving season.

 

No word today – I would like each of you to share one or more things you’re grateful for this Thanksgiving.

 

Also, next Monday it’s the beginning of a new week and new month – what will your focus be for the last month of 2008?

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day & have a magnificent Thanksgiving!

 

Week 46 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Problems

 

Monday:  This week’s theme is problems – because we all have them – the world seems to be focused on them – so how do we deal/think about/ move through them –

I’ve found that what I focus on becomes reality so we’re not focusing on problems per se, we are focusing on overcoming problems – on learning ways to work through and be triumphant over problems -

 

Today’s quote is from George Matthew Adams who said, “Nearly all our ills are the result of neglect in some way or other. And this truth may be said to apply to the ills of nations as well. Negligence is at the bottom of all decay. And decay always starts by showing little signs- or warnings. Then is the time to show interest and to be alert. There is nothing quite so easy as to neglect, and nothing quite so difficult as to repair that negligence. Negligence always carries a high price. It costs nothing to avoid it!”

 

            Word: Zenith – From the three “A” words meaning “highest point” to a “Z” word of the same meaning. This noun originally had an astronomical sense of the highest point of a celestial body and comes from Arabic, the language of many great early astronomers.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Malcolm Forbes said “When things are bad we take a bit of comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.”

 

            Word: Pinnacle – another word for “highest point” as well as a common term for a mountain peak – sometimes for problems we feel far away from the pinnacle.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Frank Crane said, “Nobody’s problem is ideal. Nobody has things just as he would like them. The thing to do is to make a success with what material I have. It is sheer waste of time and soul-power to imagine what I would do if things were different. They are not different.”

 

            Word: Bathos – (BAY- thoss) This singular noun, coming from the Greek word for “deep,” refers to a literary effect that is overly commonplace or grossly sentimental. Less talented authors unintentionally fall into it, but parodists or satirists may seek it out for effect. (It neatly rhymes with “pathos,” the Greek word for feeling.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday: Note: Jeri had her baby! So she called in and Kasey Kay was on the phone with us! What a gift! What a blessing!

 

            Quote: M.D. Garbrick said, “Should one look through a red glass at a white lily, he would seem to see a red lily. But there would be no red lily. So it is with humanity’s problems. They consist of false mental pictures.”

 

            Word: Abject – This adjective describes either a low condition or status or describes something most contemptible or most wretched. Appropriately, it comes from the Latin meaning “thrown aside.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: William F. Halsey said our last quote of the week on problems and he said, “All problems become smaller if you don’t dodge them but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble.”

 

            Word: Consummate – Note the pronunciation; we’re talking about the adjective form, not the verb (KAHN sum ate). The adjective describes the highest, most complete or perfect form of some quality, whether positive or negative.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 44 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Philosophy

 

Monday: This week the theme is philosophy and it’s something I’ve been working with and on and around for about 20 years – that we need to have our own personal philosophy – the person who most affected this desire in me was Jim Rohn, a businessman and deep thinker who maintains that it’s our philosophy about life that determines our path and results – so this is a special week for me and our first quote – though long is also wonderful.

 

            Quote: It’s from George Matthew Adams who said, “Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on. It is this philosophy by which we measure out our days, and by which we advertise to all about us the man, or woman, that we are… It takes but a brief time to scent the life philosophy of anyone. It is defined in the conversation, in the look of the eye, and in the general mien of the person. It has no hiding place. It’s like the perfume of the flower – unseen, but known almost instantly. It is the possession of the successful, and the happy. And it can be greatly embellished by the absorption of ideas and experiences of the useful of this earth.

 

            Word: Philosophy – the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, esp. when considered as an academic discipline. And how I mean it: a theory or attitude held by a person or organization that acts as a guiding principle for behavior. Our philosophy determines our behavior.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Today’s quote comes from Eric Hoffer who said this about philosophy – “The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.”

Love that thought – the play and dance of ideas –

 

            Word: Ardor – the root of this noun is the Latin word ardere, which means “to burn” and it means burning passion or fiery devotion. The adjective form is ardent. You can feel ardent about a person or an idea as long as it is a very enthusiastic feeling. I have ardor about personal philosophies!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Today’s quote is sage advice also and comes from Bliss Perry (love that name – Bliss) “To make the most of dull hours, to make the best of dull people, to like a poor jest better than none. To wear a threadbare coat like a gentlemen; to be outvoted with a smile, to hitch your wagon to the old horse if no star is handy – that is wholesome philosophy.”

 

            Word: Vehement – It is possible that this adjective comes from a Latin word for “to carry.” It means characterized by (or carrying) and intense emotion or conviction. People are not vehement, but they do things with vehemence. The word sounds somewhat evil or like a breath mint!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Today we hear from Plutarch who said this simple thing: “Philosophy is the art of living.”

 

Roll call

 

            Word: Venerable – This adjective means “commanding respect because of old age or dignity.” It also has a religious connotation. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is used as a form of address for a person who has reached the first stage of canonization. It comes from the Latin word for “worship.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: Our last quote of this week is from Voltaire who said this, “The discovery of what is true and the practice of what which is good, are the two most important aims of philosophy.”

 

Roll call

 

            Word: Alacrity (a LACK ri tee) This noun refers to speedy and cheerful willingness to do something. It’s most often seen in the phrase “with alacrity.” It comes from the Latin word for “lively.”

 

Joke of the week:

 

This Christian couple felt it important to own an equally Christian pet. So, they went shopping.

At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found a dog they liked quite a lot. When they asked the dog to fetch the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with dexterity. They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went home.

 

That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their new dog and his skills, they called in the dog and showed off a little. The friends were impressed and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog tricks as well. This stopped the couple cold, as they hadn’t thought about “normal” tricks.

 

Well, they said, “Let’s try this out” Once more they called the dog and they clearly pronounced the command, “Heel!” Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man’s forehead, closed his eyes in concentration and bowed his head.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 43 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Personality  

 

Monday: This week and the final week of this month is focused on personality – What we are, how we evolve – it’s an exciting topic so here is our first quote:

From William Lyon Phelps “Every person in the world may not become a personage. But every person may become a personality. The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Interesting thoughts can live only in cultivated minds. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays at the theater, good company, good conversation – what are they? They are the happiest people in the world; and they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.”

 

            Word: Personage often used to express someone’s significance, importance, or elevated status – so we may not become that – okay – we can still work on our personality!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Today’s quote about personality is from Julian Huxley who said, “The well-developed, well-patterned individual human being is, in a strictly scientific sense, the highest phenomenon of which we have any knowledge; and the variety of individual personalities is the world’s highest richness.”

Love that thought – the highest richness!

 

            Word: Personification – the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form – The new film Wall-e comes to mind

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: B.H. Streeter gave us the quote for our hump day, “No theory of the universe can be satisfactory which does not adequately account for the phenomena of life, especially in that richest form which finds expression in human personality.”

This is the second quote expressing that personality is our richest asset – all the more reason to develop a pleasing personality!

 

            Word: Persnickety – placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details: fussy

I love this word – it’s fun to say out loud – and who wants a persnickety personality?

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Edith Johnson gave us today’s quote “An appealing personality is not something grafted on from without. It is not like a coat of paint applied to a building or cosmetics used on the face. It is expressed through the body, the mind, the heart and the spirit. Although some persons seem to have been born with an exceptionally appealing personality, no one has a monopoly on it.”

 

            Word: Peruse – meaning – formal read thoroughly or carefully. Examine carefully or at length. This is new to me – I thought that peruse was kind of casual – I’ll peruse through it… glad I looked this up!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: Our last quote of this week comes from F.W. Pethick-Lawrence who said this about personality, “If I were asked to sum up in a single phrase the main purpose of individual life I would express it as the enlargement of personality. Unless an individual can transcend the limits of class, sex, race, age and creed, his personality remains of necessity to that extent incomplete.”

The main purpose in life is to enlarge the personality – work on ourselves – what a great purpose!

 

            Word: Perplexity – the inability to deal with or understand something complicated or unaccountable.  – a complicated or baffling situation or thing. The human personality has it’s own perplexity – we are all perplexing people

 

Joke of the week was: Sarah Palin and the Pope

Week 42 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Opportunities  

 

Monday:

            Quote: William Feather said this about opportunity: “The prizes go to those who meet emergencies successfully. And the way to meet emergencies is to do each daily task the best we can; to act as though the eye of opportunity were always upon us. In the hundred-yard race the winner doesn’t cross the tape line a dozen strides ahead of the field. He wins by inches. So we find it in ordinary business life. The big things that come our way are seldom the result of long thought or careful planning, but rather they are the fruit of seed planted in the daily routine of our work.”

The daily routine of our work, the daily getting up early for a call, the daily focus on our goals – these are the opportunities and we are taking them.

 

            Word: Resolute – From the Latin meaning “relaxed,” this adjective actually means the opposite – bold and determined, unwavering in purpose. The noun is resoluteness or resolution, though the latter form has several other meanings. Let us be resolute in our quest for seeking opportunities!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Albert E. Dunning once said, “Great opportunities come to all, but many do not know they have met them. The only preparation to take advantage of them is single fidelity to watch what each day brings.”

Another call to seek opportunities from the day – or the present – right now – the opportunity is right now!

 

            Word: Undaunted – This adjective means not discouraged or disheartened. Another form of the word is “dauntless.” Someone who is undaunted is willing to forge ahead, whatever the odds. We can be undaunted in our pursuit of opportunities!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Charles Victor Cherbuliez gave us this sage advice, “What helps luck is a habit of watching for opportunities, of having a patient, but restless mind, of sacrificing one’s ease or vanity, of uniting a love of detail to foresight, and of passing through hard times bravely and cheerfully.”

I choose to pass through these times we are having bravely and cheerfully – how about you?

 

            Word: Audacity – From the Latin word for “to dare.” This noun has a slightly different intent. Someone who has audacity is fearlessly, often recklessly, daring. An audacious act is often committed without regard for prudence or convention.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Today’s quote from Preston Bradley inspired me, “I’ve never met a person, I don’t care what his condition, in whom I could not see possibilities. I don’t care how much a man may consider himself a failure, I believe in him, for he can change the thing that is wrong in his life anytime he is prepared and ready to do it. Whenever he develops the desire, he can take away from his life the thing that is defeating it. The capacity for reformation and change lies within.”

 

            Word: Fortitude – This is one of several words (fortify, fortification) that takes its meaning from the Latin word for “strong.” This noun means the strength of mind to endure pain or difficulty with courage. There is an adjective form – fortitudinous- but it is rarely used.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: I want to end this weeks quotes on opportunity with something from the Bible – not only is it well known, it was in my business quote book!

It’s from Matthew 7 7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Sometimes we have not because we ask not – what opportunity are you not asking, seeking, knocking for?

 

            Word: Brazen – Coming from the Old English word meaning “made of brass.” This adjective means able to undergo adversity with bold self-assurance. When someone is brazen, however, they are insolent (rude), even shameless, in their audacity.

 

Joke of the Week: Little Alex

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it.

The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, ‘Good morning Alex.’

‘Good morning Pastor,’ he replied, still focused on the plaque. ‘Pastor, what is this?’

The pastor said, ‘Well son, it’s a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.’

Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque. Finally, little Alex’s voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked, ‘Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:45?’

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 41 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Obstacles

 

Monday:

            Quote: Thomas Carlyle said this about obstacles: “The block of granite which was an obstacle in the path of the weak, becomes a steppingstone in the path of the strong.”

 

            Word:  resilient – From the Latin for “to leap back” this word describes the ability “to recover readily from illness or misfortune” or to “get back into shape.” The noun is ‘resiliency”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: This sage advice that you may have heard is a favorite of mine from Hannah More – “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.”

 

            Word: adamant – This word comes to us from the Greek for “unconquerable” and “diamond,” it’s no wonder it means “impervious to reason” or “stubbornly unyielding.” There’s even a stone named “adamantine,” that was thought to be impenetrable.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Hump day brings us the longest quote on obstacles from Ralph J. Bunche who said, “You can surmount the obstacles in your path if you are determined, courageous and hard-working. Never be fainthearted. Be resolute, but never bitter. Bitterness will serve only to warp your personality. Permit no one to dissuade you from pursuing the goals you set for yourselves. Do not fear to pioneer, to venture down new paths of endeavor. Demand and make good use of your rights, but never fail to discharge faithfully the obligations and responsibilities of good citizenship. Be good Americans.”

Love this now – when it’s our right and privilege to vote.

 

            Word: Stalwart – This word, from the Old English word for “steadfast,” means “”firm” and “resolute” and can be used to describe people or actions. It can also be used as a noun to mean “one who loyally supports a party or a cause.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Donald Douglas gives us today’s quote on obstacles, “It is a hard rule of life, and I believe a healthy one, that no great plan is ever carried out without meeting and overcoming endless obstacles that come up and try the skill of man’s hand, the quality of his courage, and the endurance of his faith.”

 

            Word: inexorable – This adjective means “relentless” or “not capable of being stopped or changed.”

 

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: The last quote of this week is from Frank A Clark and it’s a short one, “If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”

Wow – why are we asking for the easy way – what is that prayer – Lord make my trouble less, make me stronger to overcome them.”

We have all we need inside of us – yea!

 

            Word: compliant – Someone who is compliant is “flexible,” “adaptable,” or “willing to agree to the demands of others.” It is generally used to describe someone who is “submissive.”

To attain our goals and work through our obstacles we must not become compliant.

 

 It’s interesting that this last week on obstacles held an obstacle for all of us getting on the call!

 

You create your day and life by the way you think – think well and make it a magnificent day!

 

 

 

Week 40 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Brilliance

 

Monday: This week I’m doing something different – at least in the realm of quotes – I purchased a book of quotes called brilliance – and this book is different in that there are no sections, no categories, no table of contents – the book – about 125 pages is simply filled with quotes the compilers felt were brilliant – so this week I’m going to share some that struck me right – so we’re going for brilliance this week – and that could be whatever you think is brilliant –

 

            Quote: Marie Beynon Ray said this, “Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snowflake.”

 

            Word: impending – it can refer to something threatening or not. At any rate, the near arrival of the event hanges over you, and “hangs” (as in pendulum or pendant) is the root word.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

 

            Quote: I’ve selected two quotes today for our brilliance theme – one for us to consider as the year is in it’s last quarter – it’s from Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “It takes a much energy to wish as it does to plan.” This is my own personal call to get my planning done –

 

And the next quote I hadn’t heard before and loved – about how we are focused in our life – it’s from Michelle Brown who said, “You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.”

Loved this – it said to me – do the good thing – get busy when you’re scared, or confused – roll up your sleeves – I remember my dad doing that and how the attitude of him rolling up his sleeves was one of action.

 

            Word: imminent – This adjective describes something about to occur- when a person rolls up their sleeves it’s imminent some work is about to happen!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

 

            Quote: The quote for this hump day of the week comes from Cynthia Heimel who said this, “When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap!”

 

            Word: Germane – which has nothing to do with Germany, this adjective means “relevant” or “suitable” or “closely connected.” Literally, the root word means “having the same parents,” so then is brilliance closely connected to insanity?

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Betty Bender gives us today’s quote, “It’s a mistake to surround yourself only with people just like you. Throw off that worn comforter – and replace it with a crazy quilt of different and imaginative people. Then watch the ideas erupt!”

 

            Word: indigenous – this adjective describes people or things that are native to a region. Immigrants and transplants don’t quality. I thought this went with the idea of moving away from people like you – into that crazy quilt of new and different people – America is a crazy quilt!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: This final quote of the week is from Ivy Baker Priest who said something wonderful for us to contemplate this last day of this week, she said, “The world is round and the place which may seem like the end, may also be only the beginning.”

What a wonderful thought!

 

            Word: intrinsic – From the Latin word for “inward” this adjective is a rough synonym of “inherent” – literally being “in-born” I like to think it’s intrinsic that we contemplate our lives.

 

A man was driving down a country road one day at 45 miles per hour when suddenly he noticed a 3-legged turkey running at the same speed beside his truck. Though he thought this odd, the man decided to speed up so he wouldn’t cause an accident with the turkey.

The man sped up to 55 miles per hour, but low and behold, so did the 3-legged turkey.

The man then sped up to 65 miles per hour only to again be equaled in speed by the 3-legged turkey.

As the man watched in amazement, the turkey suddenly made a sharp left turn and took off down a side road toward a small farm.

The man quickly also made the left turn and followed the turkey to the small farm, parking out front.

Looking around the man found the farmer around back in the midst of many 3-legged turkeys.

After greeting the farmer, the man asked him why he was raising 3-legged turkeys.

“Well we figure,” said the farmer, “that with an average family of 3 people, only 2 can have a turkey leg with an average turkey. But with a three legged turkey, each member of the family can enjoy a turkey leg for of their own on Thanksgiving.”

“That’s pretty wise,” said the man, who then asked “Well how do your 3-legged turkeys taste?”

“I don’t know,” said the farmer. “We’ve never been able to catch one.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 39 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Money

 

Monday:

The theme this week – for the last week of September is money – and I didn’t realize when I selected it how many quotes – and of so many various opinions there were on the subject. At first I was overwhelmed – what was my theme behind the money? The reason it was included is because when looking through my books on quotes I saw an abundance to choose from – then as I settled down to decide which ones to use it became apparent that there are huge differences in opinion about money – and so it makes even more sense to tackle the subject.

So I’ve selected a sampling – and of course freely admit it’s my own bias about money that you will hear – and the gift for me was taking a look at that bias (a word I looked up) then decided maybe it wasn’t bias after all – simply a belief… but I digress…

So this week the theme is money – and as I share quotes with you I challenge each person on this call to think about how you think about money

 

            Quote: The first quote is just for fun and comes from Mark Twain who said, “His money is twice tainted: ‘taint yours and ‘taint mine.”

 

Now for a thoughtful quote – from Henrik Ibsen who said, “Money may be the husk of many things, but not the kernel. It brings you food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintances, but not friends; servants, but not faithfulness; days of joy, but not peace or happiness.

 

So for me this meant that money is needed for things that are needed – and the deeper life I live has nothing to do with money. It has to do with appetite, health, friends, peace and happiness. I am rich!

 

            Word: Bias – prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another -  sometimes considered to be unfair – someone has a bias against something – example: A bias against foreign applicants -

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: I’m starting today with a simple fun quote on money followed by a more meaningful one – I couldn’t resist sharing this sage advice from Kin Hubbard who said this, “The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket.”

 

Second quote: from Kahlil Gibran who has these sage words, “Money is like love; it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it, and it enlivens the other who turns it upon his fellow man.”

 

            Word: shrew – although this noun applied to both men and women as far back as the thirteenth century and meant “spiteful person,” it has since come to mean “a peevish, spiteful, nagging woman.” The word comes from the Old English for a “shrew mouse,” which was one believed to have a venomous bite.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: I found it very interesting that there were two men among all the quotes I found who had the most to say about money – one of them I’m quoting today and it’s Henry Ford – he provided 7 different quotes on money – some of which I found contradictory which may be a testament to how he changed as he moved through his life so I want to give you the two I liked best from him.

First Henry Ford said, “Old men are always advising young men to save money. That is bad advice. Don’t save every nickel. Invest in yourself. I never saved a dollar until I was forty years old.” This stuck me as wise and wonderful because he calls us to invest in ourselves – and this should never cease – it’s been the best investment I’ve ever made and added more value to my life and those of my clients.

His second quote is, “Money doesn’t change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish or arrogant or greedy, the money brings that out, that is all.”

What I would add that if a person is naturally loving, generous and giving money brings that out too -

 

            Word: Auspicious – this adjective means “marked by success or producing favorable circumstances.” – this word is used a lot in Feng Shui – things are auspicious are good!

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: The other man that is quoted the most, and even more than Henry Ford in the category of money is Benjamin Franklin who provided 8 different quotes for my business book – so I’m going to share two short ones –

The first some great advice from Benjamin, “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.”

And the second quote is, “Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness.”

I remember once reading something about this same idea – that money itself – in any form, paper, coin, gold bar – was only the thing, it was neutral – it was only the value we placed upon it that gave it any power.

 

            Word: Detrimental – this adjective comes from the Latin word that means “to wear down” or to “rub” and means “causing damage, harm or loss.” The noun form is “detriment.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: The last quote of the week on money is from that wise man, Bob Dylan – who I think has it right, he said, “What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.”

Wow! How about we live like that -

 

            Word: Fiasco – Interestingly, this noun may come from the Italian fare fiasco. It was used by the French for linguistic errors committed by Italian actors on the eighteenth-century French stage. It means “a complete failure.” And if we live our life without doing what we are called to do – it’s a fiasco.

 

Joke of the week:

 

There was a pastor who always used a standard liturgy for funerals. To personalize each service, he used the Find and Replace command on his computer to replace the name of the deceased from the previous funeral with the name of the deceased for the upcoming one. Recently, he had to replace the name Mary with Edna.

The next morning, the funeral was going smoothly until the congregation intoned the Apostles’ Creed. “Jesus Christ,” they read from the preprinted program, “born of the Virgin Edna.”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 38 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Truth

 

Monday:

This week the theme is truth and it was interesting reading the quotes – and asking myself at the same time – do I believe this, is it truth?

One thing I’ve learned that seems to hold truth for me around the topic of truth is this:

When I get my feelings hurt because of something someone says – it’s usually my ego talking – when I can think about it and learn I usually feel it’s truth – so my choice is truth or ego – truth, even if I disagree is better than ego –

 

            Quote: Today’s quote goes along with this, it’s by Tennessee Williams, the writer, he said, “All cruel people describe themselves as paragons of frankness.” This affected me in several ways – first – I don’t want to be cruel, and second, we don’t have to be frank when we can be gracious – so let’s all watch our words and truths this week and be kind as well as truthful.

 

            Word: holistic – there’s no “w” at the start of the word, but the meaning has to do with “wholes” not “holes.” A holistic approach emphasizes the overall quality of something, the interdependence of its parts. It’s a truth that we are all interdependent on each other.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: George Washington gives us today’s quote and it’s fun to quote our first President during this election season: “Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your reputation. Be not apt to relate news, if you know not the truth thereof. Speak no evil of the absent, for it is unjust. Undertake not what you cannot perform, but be careful to keep your promise. There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth, and pursue it steadily. Nothing but harmony, honesty, industry and frugality are necessary to make us a great and happy nation.”

 

            Word: epitome – This noun refers to a typical representative or example of some category. Dictionaries are just beginning to recognize it as a synonym for “embodiment,”

When someone tells the truth continually they are the epitome of high moral character.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Frederick W. Robertson said this about truth, “It is not the number of books you read, nor the variety of sermons you hear, nor the amount of religious conversation in which you mix, but it is the frequency and earnestness with which you meditate on these things till the truth in them becomes your own and part of your being, that ensures your growth.” This really hit me because I read books in the numbers, and listen to a variety of sermons and have deep conversations – and the call is not that but how I mediate on all of these things that determine how they affect me. Wowzer!

 

            Word: Conundrum – a conundrum is a challenging puzzle, a dilemma, a riddle. Even the origin of the word is unknown. – sometimes we get into a conundrum when it comes to the truth.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Nathaniel Hawthorne shared this wisdom, “No man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one.” So being true, and truthful is the only face we ever need and will prevent us from stumbling.

 

            Word: Belie- This verb refers to misrepresentation, to self-contradiction. Although it’s based on the word “lie,” it isn’t used to convey a sense of deliberate deception.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: Our last quote on truth is from Winston Churchill – who said, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”

 

            Word: embellish – The verb “embellish” means “to decorate,” presumably with the end of making something beautiful. A speech that is appropriately embellished is effective, but if the number of embellishments is too great, bombast (another great wording meaning to pad) may be the result. The use of “embellish” is not limited to language.

 

 

Joke of the week:

 

A 50 something woman decided to introduce her mother to the magic of the internet. The first move she made was to access the popular Ask Jeeves site, she told her mother it could answer any questions she had. The mother was very skeptical however the daughter insisted, “It’s true, Mom,” she implored, “Think of something to ask it and I’ll type it in.” As she sat with fingers poised over the keyboard the mother thought for a moment, then responded, “Ok, find out how Aunt Helen is feeling?”

 

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

 

Week 37 – 5-5-5 Plan – Theme – Manners

 

Monday:

            Quote: Our first quote for and about manners is from Lord Chesterfield who said, “Prepare yourself for the world, as athletes used to do for their exercises; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.”

We must oil our manners – by knowing them, using them and having our manners be of benefit to others.

 

            Word: Panache – From the Latin word that means “plume.” This noun means a touch of added style or dash. Just picture a brilliantly colored feather emerging from a Roman helmet, and you’ll get the idea. People with manners have panache.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Tuesday:

            Quote: Today’s quote is a favorite and moves past the situations of our days, it’s from George Bernard Shaw who said, “The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls; in short, behaving as if you were in heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another.”

 

            Word: esprit – from the French word of “spirit” this noun means “liveliness of spirit” or “sprightliness”. – Usually meaning a common spirit of enthusiasm.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Wednesday:

            Quote: Today we have another great quote on manners from George Bernard Shaw who said, “The test of a man’s or woman’s breeding is how they behave in a quarrel.”

This got me to thinking – how am I in an argument? Am I fair, do I listen? – One thing I’ve come to realize is that I am hurtful when I am hurt – and recognizing that helps me be less so -

 

Roll call

 

            Word: Brio (BREE oh) From the Italian word for or “life” this noun means “vivacity” or “spirit”. It is generally used to describe a way of doing something. It may have entered the English language from the musical instruction “con brio” which means “with energy”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

 

Thursday:

            Quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson said this, “Manners are the happy ways of doing things; each one a stroke of genius or of love, now repeated and hardened into usage.”

It made me happy to read – Manners are the happy ways of doing things – isn’t that a great way to look at it – saying “Please” and “Thank you” are the happy ways of doing things – what other happy ways of doing things can we spread today?

 

            Word: Flair – This noun means a distinctive elegance or style and comes from the Middle English word for “fragrance.” It can also mean a particular aptitude or talent. Some people have a flair for finesse.

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!

 

Friday:

            Quote: To end our week on manners we go to Wendell Willkie who said a great truth, “The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.”

 

Roll call

 

            Word: Charisma – this noun, which comes from the Greek word for “divine favor” means “personal magnetism” or “charm.” It’s used to describe someone’s personality rather than their fashion sense. The adjective form is charismatic. To have good manners and use them consistently is charismatic.

 

Joke of the week:

 

A family was celebrating their daughter’s fifth birthday at a local restaurant when the little girl’s father noticed her looking sadly at a moose head on the wall. Someone had placed a party hat on its head. Her father knelt beside her and explained why some people hunt animals. “I know all that,” the child sobbed. “But why did they have to shoot him at his birthday party?”

 

You Create Your Day by the way You Think! Be Present!

Go make it a Magnificent Day!