Dignity and Respect- For Yourself and Others

Helping Others Needs to Be a Two Way Street

Most of us have been raised thinking it’s appropriate to be generous, kind, loving and helpful to others. In in today’s world with so much suffering, we are increasingly asked to reach out and help. And if we can and are willing to do so, without strings attached, we should. Sharing the wealth of heart and wallet is a good thing.

But the key here is to do so while allowing the other person to have dignity. Every human being has a sense of pride and self-worth, and truly no one wants to beg for assistance if they can help it. When giving aid in any form, whether it’s advice, money, clothing or food, be sure to allow the recipient to have dignity.

Kevin Hall, in his wonderful book Aspire, explains it eloquently when he tells the story of Pravin and “genshai.” Genshai means never treating another person in a way that would make them feel small. So if you are giving money to a beggar, you don’t toss a coin to them, you get down to their level, look them in the eye and smile. Then you give them the money and say “bless you.” You are treating them with respect.

An interesting twist on this is to practice genshai with yourself. Never treat yourself in a way that would make you feel small. And most of us do this regularly. We criticize ourselves mercilessly, judging our actions and finding fault. All that does is lower our self-esteem and create guilt and resentment patterns against ourselves. If you feel you did something in a less than perfect way, forgive yourself and move on. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.

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Heroes Among Us…

There are Good People Everywhere

You may have read about her or seen her on Ellen®. The story of the the young waitress in Concord, NH who paid the bill for two furloughed women from the National Guard. That meant she made only $8 in tips that day, which did not cover the struggling single mother’s gas.

The soldiers posted the kind note Sarah had written them on Facebook® and Sarah ended up on Ellen, where she received an amazing surprise. Ellen gave her a $10,000 reward for her kindness.

Or maybe you read about Adam Warwick, a biologist with the Wildlife Commission, who saved the life of a black bear in Florida, who had been shot with a tranquilizer and almost drowned in the water. Adam fearlessly jumped in and saved the bear, without regard to his personal safety.

There are stories like this everyday, but you probably don’t hear them much because the news focuses on the bad and sensationalist stories. There are real heroes among us. If you don’t think so, check out this video on youtube about 5 heroic kids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QrT5Iizviw

Acts of kindness give your life meaning and bring incredible joy to your life. Focus on the good you are doing, others are doing and celebrate that.

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Success Lessons from Olympians

You Can Use Their Tools to Your Advantage

keys to success from Fired Up!

If you watched the Olympics at all the past few weeks, it would be nearly impossible to not be inspired. There were
so many great stories of overcoming adversity and set-backs,o of getting back up when you fell down, of hard work and determination fueling the fire of the torch.

All of us have big goals we want to achieve and need help along the way. I really liked this article How Olympians Stay Motivated by Olga Khazan.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/02/how-olympians-stay-motivated/283643/

Key takeaways for me were:

• mindfulness- be fully present where you are doing whatever you are doing- it’s your most resourceful state

• keep your self-talk positive and have encouraging mentors and cheerleaders

• optimism is key- you’ve seen me talk about this before. Keep your outlook focused on the good.

Have a great week fueling your dreams!

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The Power of Hope

Transform Your Life with Hope

Making Hope Happen- blog by Snowden McFall, stress speaker

“Hope matters. Hope is a choice, Hope can be learned. Hope can be shared with others.” Shane Lopez, Psychologist

The author of this book, Dr. Shane Lopez, is a leading researcher on hope, and a Gallup Senior Scientist. He believes strongly in the power of hope, as he personally recovered from West Nile Virus and almost died. The hope his wife instilled in him during his illness is what led to his recovery during extreme pain. She continually described wonderful places they would travel, great vacations they would take, and the impact they would have on others. It worked- he recovered and they visited all those places.

“How we think about the future-how we hope- determines how well we live our lives,” he says.

Hope is much more than optimism. Shane says optimism is an attitude, while hope is belief plus action. Hopeful students achieve higher grades than students with the same IQ but less hope. Workers with hope are more productive by an hour a day, than their non-hopeful co-workers.

Hope is linked directly to a sense of meaning in life, which we know from Harvard research is directly tied to human happiness.

What do you want to hope for in 2014? How will you tie the belief that you can succeed to positive action? What is your fondest hope?

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International Fired Up Month

October is International Fired Up Month!

“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.” – Walter Chrysler

Celebrated from Oct.1-31, this month focuses on motivation and enthusiasm in the workforce, where people learn what gets them Fired Up! and incorporate that into their lives. The power of enthusiasm is critical to success and this month celebrates enthusiasm. It is incredibly rare in the world. I created this month many years ago to focus on the good in our lives.

International Fired Up! month culminates with the 4th Sat. in October, International Make a Difference Day, Oct. 22, 2016, created by USA Weekend. Annually, several million people participate. The power of volunteerism has long been proven to reduce stress and increase longevity. It also improves communication, gratitude and empathy.

Here’s how to to host a Fired Up! week at work or at school or in your community. Employees, students or community members can:

• share inspirational quotes, stories and videos

• maintain a daily success list of all you accomplish- every action you take, every call you make, every thought you follow through on is a success

• share inspirational music, movies, books or stories (like Dolphin Tale, the Butler, the Blind Side)

• share about their dreams and goals and ask for help and support

• form Fired Up! Inspiration Circles™ where they support each other’s dreams and goals

• track group and individual successes on a giant Fired Up! bulletin board/ victory wall.

Give special attention to it and make it a sincere effort. Let others know you value them and encourage their positive attitude. This works especially well with salespeople- they love to see their great results posted. Employees and students who know they are valued as human beings are more loyal and productive.

For a free report on how to get and stay Fired Up!, go here https://firedupnow.com/top20tips/

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Inspiration from a 12 Year Old

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech for Community Connections Volunteer Appreciation Event. This non-profit organization in Jacksonville, FL does an amazing job of fighting homelessness, poverty and hunger, helping families, and homeless women and children. The luncheon saluted all the wonderful 1100 volunteers who do so much. They are all so impressive and give so generously of their time and money. But every once in a while, there is a volunteer who truly stands out.

One such volunteer is Osjah Castro. How many 12 year olds do you know that have 1000 volunteer hours for each year of their lives? (Yes- that’s over 12,000 hours, folks) That’s Osjah’s story, and she is amazing. Poised, confident and enthusiastic, Osjah is bumble about what she has done and enthusiastic about the future. Now organizing a concert fundraiser with national teen stars, Osjah is passionate, positive and committed. When I asked what she likes best about volunteering, she said “The way it makes you feel.” I couldn’t agree more. Giving back touches your heart, lifts your stress and inspires your soul. Osjah has inspired me; I can’t wait to see what she does next.

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The Power of Choice: Stand in Your Power

There are so many times in our lives when we can choose to be courageous, strong, and live in our integrity, and there are times when some of us do not.
Regardless of peer or political pressure in any situation, you ultimately have yourself and God to be accountable to. Live in the authentic nature of who you are, make decisions and take actions that resonate with you and your values, and you will always be able to respect yourself. There are infinite opportunities to do the right thing and be the best you can be. Choose wisely.

“To win or lose,
To love or hate,
To try or quit,
To risk or withdraw,
To accelerate or hesitate,
To dream or stagnate,
To open or close,
To succeed or fail,
To live or die.
Everyone of these starts with a CHOICE.”
Snowden McFall

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What You Focus On You Create

Choose Wisely

From Stress Express, image of messy home office

Energy follows thought so you really want to be careful where you put your thoughts. If you are worried about paying bills and all you see in front of you is a mess and a stack of bills like those shown here, it’s hard to focus on anything else. And the problem with that is you attract more of the same.

Instead, clear off your desk, put the clutter away, put the bills in a file and focus on what you are grateful for. Focus on your health, your friends and family, your loved ones, your home, your pets. your gifts and talents. Put your attention on WHAT YOU WANT. Create a dream collage and imagine yourself living in better circumstances, being happy and able to pay your bills with ease. Shift out of the negative into the positive and then take action accordingly. It can make a huge difference in your life.

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What Lights Your Fire?

Get Fired Up! By Doing What You Love

When I wrote my first book, Fired Up!, in 1996, it was born from a deep seated passion. I truly believe there is a fire inside each of us that gets ignited when we do what we love. And that fire spreads and is contagious, igniting the flames in others. That natural enthusiasm is rare. ?While Fired Up! is a practical how-to book, it is filled with stories of people who have succeeded in living their dreams. Because that is what encourages me. Every time I see someone go for it, really risk and take action on a their vision, it fires me up. Every time I hear a story of someone overcoming tremendous obstacles and thriving, I am uplifted. Over 63,000 copies have been sold worldwide, and while that is humbling and exciting, it speaks to the power of dreams and inspiration. What fires you up and helps take you to the next level? Whatever it is, tap into it often to maintain your motivation in a sometimes cynical world.

If you’d like to know more about Fired Up! How To Succeed By Making Your Dreams Come True, go here

 ©2012 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference

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Expect the Best of Others at Work and at Home

Are Looking for the Good or the Bad?

Remember the astonishing statistic that 88% of American workers NEVER receive thanks for the work they have done? Some managers expect the worst of their employees. They are constantly micromanaging them, looking for errors, hoping to catch them in a mistake. This is one of the most destructive ways to lead. Daniel Pink’s book Drive cites studies that show employees want autonomy, competence (the ability to improve) and a sense of purpose to their work. State very clearly in writing what you expect of your people, review it with them so they understand. Show them the purpose and meaning behind their work. Support and empower them to do their jobs and expect them to succeed.

The same is true at home. Expect the best of your children; don’t be suspicious and fearful. Let them know you believe in them, and their abilities. Become their cheerleader in all areas. You’ll be astonished at the results.

 ©2012 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: https://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html