There is only one color red...

But a world of different shades.

The same goes with the people in our lives - they may be limited in
number, and we see them as one "color", but what are the different
"shades" that make them up?

What are their dreams? What's their favorite movie or book and why? If
they could do or be anything...what would it be?

How can you better help them, and what can they do to better help you?

It all starts with you, to start to see all the "shades" of the ones
close to you...and in doing so, the ones closest to you...get even
closer.

Yours in "Finding Out" - Coach

Be Yourself...

And if you think you're not as good as you can be, you can be someone
else!

Were not talking about being another person, but being the person you
can be.

Often times, we have a hard time being ourselves, because we are not
too happy or content, with who we are.

But that doesn't need to stop us from being the person we want to be,
or know that we can be... and once we become that person we admire - we
can be ourselves.

So just start today, upgrading the real you, by doing things you have
always wanted to do and become the person you always wanted to be.

Yours in "Being Yourself" - Coach

When we are in need...

We just need to read.
Whenever we need something in our lives, getting a book, article or
information on the subject is the way to go.

We have all, most likely, read something when we are searching for an
answer to our question and the words seem to jump off the page, when it
comes to our concerns, making our answers clear as a bell.

So when we are in need, instead of continuing to roll the question
around in our head, with no end to the cycle - simply reading about the
subject of our question usually does the trick.
Yours in Getting some "Outside" Advice - Coach

Compartmentalize?

You betcha...it can help keep us sane.

We are talking about the "Flow" of what we all do, day to day.

We can get overwhelmed and even "frazzled" by the constant onslaught
of things we are doing or attempting to get handled - we do one thing
after another, many times, without a lot of structure to what we do.

And since Structure Dictates Function, why not put a little structure
into the process to add a little more efficiency to what we do - it
usually gives us more free time in the long run.

So instead of working on this and then that, group the same tasks that
we do on an ongoing basis, and handle them once an hour, once a day or even once a
week...because by the time we get our heads around a new task and
complete it and go on to another, we could have done the same task that
was saved and "compartmentalized" in a much more efficient, and time
saving manner.

Yours in "Compartmentalize" - Coach

100 Calories a day...

Over the course of a year, is either 10 pounds gained or
lost...depending if 100 calories a day is added, or subtracted
from our normal diet.

Doesn't seem like a lot of calories...but over time, things do add up.

Simply being mindful of the little extra that needs to be done, for
whatever result we are aiming for, is pretty comforting.

Yet, many of us seem to want to be heavier or lighter NOW...and get on
a program that ends up not being sustainable.

So if we want to be 10 pounds heavier or lighter next year - take that
small amount of effort that is needed to make it come true.

Yours in "100 Calories a Day" - Coach

Let's be Grateful...

For what we have, and for whatever comes our way.

There are many who are less fortunate than us, and some work much
harder...for much less.

We have a place to sleep, food to eat, clothes to wear and our choice
to take it from there...and for some, the rest is just a bonus, but it
really is a bonus to all of us.

Luxuries become necessities in short order, so we need to be grateful
for all that we have, and all that comes our way...for most likely, it's more than most.

Yours in "Being Grateful" - Coach

Many of us have our time off...

Where we can cut loose or just relax.
And that's great - we all need to balance out.
But does our time off also contain "quality" time?
We can all work and relax, but that only takes in consideration our
lives, and is the right ticket if we are alone and have no friends or
family.
In understanding that most of us have more than us, in our lives, we
probably need to take in consideration, spending quality time with others.
Who will you designate quality time with?
Yours in "Family and Friends" - Coach

Ever make a financial blunder?

We all have, and if life gave us do-overs, it would be great, but
that's not how life works.

Losing money is never easy because making it can sometimes be
difficult, and making up for lost money can mean working double time or
maybe just smarter.

But understanding our mistakes and poor choices when it come to our
dough, can actually make us stronger than we were before...in keeping and
growing what we got.

We can agree that our mistakes can make us stronger and build a plan
from our experiences, to better our future, or we can dwell on the past

• which does no good.

Reverse Psychology?

They say...it sometimes works - check this out.

Maybe not try to be so "cheery" when you "rise and shine".

Wake up mad at the world, and use this word for everything you do in
the morning - "Horrible".

If you have someone else in the house, you can let them know how
horrible you slept and feel, and let them know how horrible your day is
going to be. Then move on to how horrible your bathroom is...and your
toothbrush...and your bed...and clothes...

It may sound silly but, we've done it, and it's hard to make it past
getting dressed to see how ridiculous your talk is, and you end up
laughing.

Yours in "Try it, it works" - Coach

We may never live...

In a Perfect World, but we can sure make our Lives Great.

No matter what happens around us, we have the choice to focus on the
greatness around us or the imperfections.

Perfection is actually over rated anyway, nothing is perfect and we
shouldn't expect them to be.

So if things are perfect, or going perfectly in our lives - It's OK,
that's just the way things go...it's what we focus on that makes the
difference.

Yours in "Proper Focus" - Coach

We have to train our...

Body and our minds, otherwise our body and minds are not trained.

May sound a bit rhetorical, but it's true.

Our minds and bodies are a "clean slate" when we are born.

So it's up to us on how we train them. We have the choice of training
them with "good" stuff which help us grow positively, or "bad" stuff
which will lead us down hill.

That's the beauty of it...it's all up to us on how we train - and the
results will follow.

Yours in "Proper Training" - Coach

It's been 500 days since we started the daily Life Improvement writings.

And we can use the number 500 as either inspiration on how many
days have passed since we have started our Life Improvement, by taking our
lives to the "Next Level", or how many days we have let slip by, and
have done nothing.

Either way, Congratulations to both!

Congratulations for those of you that have been focusing your thoughts
and perceptions towards the positive side of the dial - you, most
likely, have found that when you have changed your thoughts - your
world changes...for the better.

And Congratulations for those of you that have not yet started, for
there is a world of opportunity awaiting you - when you're ready.

I will continue writing, so stay on board, or hop on board because there is no shortage of positive
or empowering things to write about, think about or act upon.

Yours in "500" - Coach

A big question that is often asked is...

How do I get motivated?

Great question...we can either use the "Carrot or the Stick"...you
know, in getting a donkey to do something...use the carrot in the front,
or the stick from behind - all to get the donkey moving forward...

We can so the same with ourselves - whatever works.

In using a "Carrot" in helping us to move forward, we can take things
that we perceive is better than we currently are, or have, and use them
as inspiration, for what we want to have, or become.

Or we can also use the "Stick" to help us move forward, by taking
things which we perceive as being worse than we are, or have, and use
them for motivation.

Yours in Choice - Coach

Colonel Harlan Sanders

Father died when he was 6. Dropped out in Seventh grade. He worked many
jobs, including a steamboat captain, insurance salesman, railroad
fireman, farmer and an Army private.

At age 40, he started cooking chicken, and other dishes to his customers
at his Gas Station. Interstate 75 was put up in font of his then
restaurant...he went bankrupt at age 65.

So at age 65, he used $105 from his first Social Security check to fund over
1000 visits to his potential franchisees...he took his pressure cooker,
and fried chicken at every location until one person took his proposal to
use his recipe, and fry his chicken - for 5 cents a piece.

It became KFC - Kentucky Fried Chicken

Past baggage? Is it ever too late? I don't think so.

Yours in "Moving Forward" - Coach

The older the berry...

The sweeter the juice.

Yes, since things mature over time and with age, they can be harvested to
bring out the maximum desired results.

But in today's society, the "McDonald's" factor of wanting it now and
demanding a forced result before it's ready, often times, makes us
"pick it" before it's ripe.

We must be patient for all good things to come to be, at it's own pace, and
not ours - otherwise we can't harvest all that there can be.

The Latin phrase "Pauca sed matura" meaning "Few but ripe" is all that
we need to remember.

Yours in "When it's Time" - Coach

The one thing we can give...

And still keep, is our word.

Pretty Cool, eh?

People "buy" relationships, and the one investment that is most highly
prized is trust.

Coming through on our word, and always being able to back our
commitments is not only something people can depend on, it can help be
a safe haven for many, in this world of uncertainty.

So, in keeping our word, we give what we keep - and help others along
the way.

Yours in "Word" - Coach

If half the fun is getting there...

Why not have fun getting there?

We don't have to save the fun for the place or event we are going to,
we can begin right at the start of our journey.

Slug Bug is a great game for a road trip, singing as a group can raise the spirits, and holding your breath going
through a tunnel is also pretty cool.

Even having fun every day as you get closer to your vacation or
holiday. Any time is a great time to have fun, let's not just keep it
for certain times.

Yours in " Put in some fun along the way" - Coach

Don't adorn your Hero...

Be the Hero.

When we grew up, we all had Hero's in our lives that we looked up to
and adorned.

Whether they were a cartoon Hero, a Hero on TV or in the movies, or
just someone in real life that we looked up to - we all had our Hero's.

But as in growing older, there is always the time where the student
becomes the teacher - and maybe it's time for us to be our own Hero?

Just think of the skills and attributes that your childhood Hero had,
and make them you own - and maybe over time, we might just need to wear
a cape:)

Yours in "Be the Hero" - Coach

Great Feats...

Are really something you can carry with you for the rest of your life and maybe even something to tell the Grandkids.

Great Feats always have a common thread...it's something we accomplish when we push ourselves beyond our normal limits.

By undertaking a Great Feat, we need to keep our mind focused on the process and know that the outcome is our goal.

And for those of you that have accomplished Great Feats or are in the
process of doing so...just know, it is something that you can cherish
forever.

Yours in "Nice Work" - Coach

Sometimes our "best friend"...

Can be our best friend.

In living life, we can get consumed or even have our blinders on, in
certain situations or with the direction were are attempting to
go...simply because we are part of our deal, which makes our decisions
subjective.

A best friend is a good resource to help us along the way, not only
because they know you, and have your back, but because they are also
"outside" your life and can be objective about your deal.

We may not feel that we need advice is certain situations or in
direction, but a best friend can give you suggestions.

Yours in "Best Friends" - Coach