Sometimes, we have better things "to do"...

Than what's on our "to do" list.

We are not suggesting "blowing things off", but we sometimes need to
balance out.

"To do" lists are always there, and never get totally done, as life
always has
us add to them.

So why not just do some important things that are not on our list, and
which doesn't have to do with "stuff".

Maybe we can spend some alone time and re-charge our battery, or spend
some quality time with some of our friends or family, or maybe just
"be".

We all need to balance, and when we do, we don't need to worry, because
our "to do"
list will be there when we're done:)

Yours in "Balance" - Coach

When I was a kid...

All pools weren't concrete and plaster.

I grew up with blowups, metal walled and dough boys, and the game was
to "Blow the water out of the pool", as much as possible, the more the
better.

We did "cannon balls', "watermelons", even the "Pittsburgh plunge" and
an occasional "wagon wheel whip"...and the winner was the one who got
the most people standing around...wet.

Well, time moves on, and I bet this weekend, we can all do what we do best, with our family and friends.

Will it be our mad cooking skills, unparalleled guitar hero genius,
world class card shark abilities, or just our inherent talent of
attempting to hit a golf ball.

Whatever it is, let's plan on getting some folks wet.

Yours in "Game" - Coach

Many decisions are in need...

Of some real analyzing...pulling from our own experiences.

Other decisions are in need of some input from our friends and family.

And with some decisions, we need some objective advice.

And sometimes, we just need our "gut" to be the umpire.

Yours in "Decisions" - Coach

We can't live forever...

And on first thought, it would be nice to.

But what happens if we did live forever?

Our family would die off and our friends would pass on too, leaving us all
alone.

So on second thought, maybe it's not the best that we live forever,
just do all we can with the one life we have.

That may make more sense.

Yours in "Living Life" - Coach

Holidays...

Are made for us to Celebrate.

With our friends, our families and co-workers.

It is our time to relish what really matters in our life, when the clock is stopped with regard to our daily routines and tasks.

So let's all celebrate, as we are meant to do on this rare Saturday holiday commemorating the day of our Independence.

Independence Day represents more than we all could hope for, in more ways than one.

Yours in "Celebration" - Coach

Remember the good old days where...

All that mattered was Where and When?

It's a pretty good plan...getting back to simplicity.

But with work, friends, family and commitments as we grow older, the
Where and When, seems to be replaced by How and Why.

Maybe we should loosen up a bit and be ready and excited for everything
and anything that comes our way...we used to be that way, and there is
no reason we can't get back to the good old days.

Yours in "Where and When" - Coach

Stop chasing...

And start embracing!

Got that one from my friend Snowy, National Sales Manager at Oneill!

We may all feel like we are chasing our own tail, in these times, and
we need to start embracing what is real in our lives.

Let's focus on what really matters...like our friends and family, and
be thankful for all that we have.

Tough times pass - they always do, so let the negativity be around our
lives, but not within our lives.

Yours in "Stop Chasing and Start Embracing" - Coach - and Snowy

It's not a burden...

It's a gift.

A good reminder of this is the song "He's not heavy, he's my brother".

So what do we have in our world that we perceive as a burden, but would be
heartbroken if it were gone?

Our responsibilities of our work, having to deal with our family, our
relationships or our friends?

We need to stay mindful of the responsibilities in our lives must not
be, or become a burden...as everything in our lives is a gift - and
some more valuable that others.

Yours in "Cherishing our Gifts" - Coach

I recently had the extreme honor...

And Pleasure to speak at the National Convention of the Casey Family
Programs - Project Head to Toe...in Hollywood, where our esteemed Galen
presented 2 day earlier.

750 were in attendance - they were mostly foster kids that are aging
out of the program along with alumni and Special Mentors that
unselfishly give their time and efforts, notably Jeff Penix and
Virginia Pryor.

At the closing ceremonies, a group of teenagers from Las Vegas gave
their speeches, all of them were inspiring, but one struck
me...Dequevies Williams, who had a tough life but seemed to use his
past to "Spin it and Win it", and it went:

I stand today knowing that I'm better than a stereotype,
Stronger than a law,
Wiser than a simple book,
And I refuse to be a statistic,
I stand today knowing that I'm a dream come true.

Yours in "Thank You Dequevies" - Coach

Ah, it's Christmas Eve...

Some Celebrate it and some don't, either way, it's the start of a National Holiday tomorrow...Christmas!

And that's the day to be with family and friends, eating, conversing
and just plain "hanging out", and for some, giving and receiving some
pretty sweet gifts.

We've all had a pretty tough year, and there is no sense in bringing the funk to our celebration.

So let's all make it a point, and do whatever it takes, to really make this Holiday a long lasting memory.

Your in "It's all about Memories" - Coach

Thanksgiving?

It sure is a day to Give Thanks for all that we have, and Everyone in
our lives.

Tradition usually dictates that we spend time with family, which can be
wonderful, but in some cases, can be a bit challenging. We pick our
friends, but not our family, and that can be the "rub".

If we anticipate a challenge with a family member, we can "Spin it and
win it" for the future.

We had Uncle Jack...at the dinner table, he would periodically give a
good lean to the side, and release any gas that was building up, and
continue eating like nothing happened. And then there was
Aunt Mary Pat...she usually got over served and passed out by mid
afternoon.

At first, everyone was appalled and upset, but after a while we just
took it in stride and actually enjoyed the shows...making side bets, on
how many times Uncle Jack would do it, and what time Aunt Mary Pat
would hit the floor.

So have a Happy Thanksgiving, and if you have to, "Spin it and Win it"
with any relative that you didn't pick.

None of us are around forever, but fond memories are.

Yours in "Just be Thankful" - Coach

Take the Time?

Whatever we've planned, mapped out or look forward to, we need to
remember to take the time, to take it all in.

The journey is usually 95% of the trip, so why spend and the enjoying
for the end?

Whether we have a family, or a business that we are tending to, as it
grows, it will soon be over and we must not "jip" ourselves along the
way.

Hardships, struggles and sacrifice are all trading in our time, for
something better, so we need to be reminded that hardships, struggles,
and sacrifice are better than our alternatives and should be viewed as
such.

Love every step, cherish the ones who have been there along the way,
and embrace the ones that have helped... just as you enjoy your
favorite meal - taste every bite - it will soon be over.

Yours in "Take the Time" - Coach

What's your Fun Day?

Not that we can't have fun everyday...but what is the day you designate
specifically for fun?

We pick Saturday - It's our day when nothing has to be done, but
countless things could be.

Waking up with the day planned for fun, or open for fun, is a pretty
exciting day to have within your week

We can have fun doing nothing and just laying around, reading or
watching the tube. It can be day designed to anything our hearts desire
with friends and family.

Many of our friends have a fiesta or party on
Saturday night - just to enjoy a celebration and "top off" the past
week.

Which day is your Fun Day?

Yours in "Making Life Special" - 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