SNAPlife Podcast by Bill Snodgrass

You are not special. Sorry. Well… okay… everyone is special. But the harsh reality is that, once beyond the compulsory school age, no one cares about all your specialness. Okay… so your friends and family will care. But, if you run your own business, your customer does not care how hard it was for you to do whatever it was they hired you to do. They only care whether or not you did what you were supposed to do in the time you were supposed to do it in, and whether you did it well or not. Your employer doesn't care if you are bad at math. They care whether or not you gave back the right change or if you balanced the spreadsheet numbers. They don't care if you are not a good speller. They care if your presentation is RIGHT. So, conceding that everyone is special, the harsh truth is that… What matters is whether or not you do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do using the right tools and materials in the right way and that the outcome meets or exceeds expectations. #motivate #motivation #inspire #happiness #peace

At last, we come to the end of this collection of thoughts regarding using the agile project management system to organize and optimize your life. Truthfully, we diluted the full power of agile in this series and bent some of its principles a bit. But, it is an approach—a vocabulary in the least that, if utilized indeed can lead to better living. Beginning with coming to understand our purpose… our why-behind-all-other-whys… we can divide our life up into some number of major projects. Some of them are on-going, such as managing our household and our relationships with family. Others, like career development, have discrete steps that can be completed as new ones come along. With our life organized into some number of projects, we then devise the sprints that need to be completed so as to make progress on those projects. Some are routine and repeated, like paying the bills on time or checking emails. Others are once-and-done, such as finish the class in XYZ that is part of our career project. All of the sprints for all of the projects are then organized into the burn-down list(s). Those needing attention first are prioritized over others. Some sprints lead to the discovery of other sprints along the way. And routine, repeating sprints show up on the list daily, weekly, monthly… regularly. Each day begins with a scrum meeting with yourself. (And maybe others?) Decide what sprints must be completed that day and what steps must be taken to see that they are done. As a sprint is finished, check it off the burn-down list (or move it to its place in the list when it next needs to be done). The daily scrum meeting puts a plan to your tasks. They are not just things on a list. They are things that have to be done that day and are arranged in order by clock and priority. Wrapping up each day reflecting on what was done sets up the next day's scrum meeting. Using ideas from the agile project management system can help you organize your life and lead you to more fulfillment, peace, and satisfaction. #motivate #motivation #inspire #happiness #peace

So, does using agile project management to organize your life really work? It can! A student approached early last week and showed me a list of all of his assignments for all of his classes. "Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked. I replied, "Absolutely! You have made a list of all the things you need to do. Now, just organize them from most urgent to least. Put things due today at the top and then order them in the order they need to be done." Later in the week, I asked how it was going. He reported that it was great. He said he had less stress knowing what all he had to do and could attend to things in an orderly way. This is a perfect example of using the agile approach (whether or not you use the agile words for it). Education was a project that was part of his life. The assignments were the sprints he needed to complete in order to have success within the project. Taking time to make and organize the list was his scrum meetings. The words you use to describe the process are not nearly as important as the process. But however you describe it, this guy in my class had the right idea. Organizing your tasks and knowing what needs to be done in what order is a great start reaching a satisfying, peace-filled life. #motivate #motivation #inspire #happiness #peace

To manage our lives using an agile approach, we need to extend the concept of the sprint to include both once-and-done items related to the aspects of our lives we have defined as projects and also to routine task we do daily or weekly. Things like answering emails are tasks—sprints, if you will—that need to be done on a regular basis. To keep our progress on everything going, we need to fit the routine sprints into the day with and around the project-based sprints. For instance, you may need to finish a PowerPoint or Keynote for… next week, and to do that you need to find some data… That's a once-and-done sprint. Answering emails and checking in with the family to see if you need to pick up anything on the way home are routine sprints. You need to do both the routine sprints and the once-and-done sprints! By creating a prioritized list of once-and-done sprints and then injecting the routine sprints into that list appropriately keeps you moving, keeps you on track to finish all the projects. Aligning our routine sprints with project-specific sprints and creating a prioritized order allows us to effectively make progress toward our life goals.

If we view life as a collection of projects, and if we decide to organize them within the agile project management system, then we end up with a list of sprints all connected to the various projects. To keep everything moving, you can begin each day with a "scrum" meeting… with yourself. You can look into the mirror and think about all you need to do each morning as you start your day. What is necessary for getting ready for work? You'll need to think about what's coming up at work, then as you get ready, tic off whatever needs to be done to get you ready. What family sprints do you need accomplish? Where do they fit into your schedule? As you go through the day knocking off sprints, you might think of other things that need to be done. Emergencies might come up. But starting the day with a plan is your best bet. Organize your sprints according to the priority of your projects, putting the most important tasks before those that are less important. If you are trying to manage your life using an agile approach, you need to start off "scrumming" with yourself to put each sprint in its proper place.

With your life viewed as a collection of projects, and as you begin developing the sprints—the specific todos necessary to complete the project, you will sometimes start a sprint and realize there is some other sprint that needs to be added to the list. Beginning one sprint will sometimes show you other sprints that need to be done. Suppose you are planning a camping trip (a project), and one of your sprints is to get food. Starting that process will reveal that you need coolers and containers for the food. Obtaining those, then, becomes a sprint in and of itself. Working through a sprint often reveals the sprints you need to complete. In sum, the sprints of "the agile life" approach are the todo lists that allow you to manage your life in a harmonious way.

If we view life as a collection of projects, and if we decide to organize them within the agile project management system, then we need sprints! A sprint is a specific task that is part of a project. It is a must-do that, when done, can be "checked off" and which leads to the next sprint on the list. In our life, every project can be split up into a sprint list. For instance, the on-going project of managing a household might include grocery shopping. In a more long-term project, a sprint might be competing an assignment that is part of a course (where the course is a project that is part of the bigger project to get a credential or training certificate. Or degree). To keep our whole life in harmony when we view life as a collection of projects, the sprint lists become the daily tasks that must be done to move us forward.

Applying the agile project management approach to organizing our lives assumes that life is a collection of projects all taking place at the same time. For instance, at any given time, you might be attending to family, career, education, and… say reception, too… all at once. And, at any give moment, an emergency might pop up, and that would become an urgent project, all in on its own. With so many things all happening, some strategy needs to be in place so that we can move through life from where you are to where you want to be. Applying the agile project management approach, is one way to do that. Each project can be viewed as some number of steps, each necessary for reaching the goal. Within the agile framework, we'll call these todo items sprints. Viewing life through the lens of agile project management give us an approach that can help make the most out of our resources and move us ever closer to our goals.

When considering what aspects of your life might fit into an agile approach, the conclusion will be… a lot. Anything with a specific, defined outcome fits. A family trip. A new course of study. Remodeling your house or even just a room. Day-to-day aspects of work… All that the "thing" needs is to be a multi-step process leading to some definable outcome.

If we think of our lives as a continuous series of projects, one leading to the next and that one to the next, and if we apply the ideas of agile project management, we begin by establishing a vision and scope for each project. Given that the project we are attempting fits in with our life mission, then we are ready to set a scope for that project. The scope of a project needs to establish a clear definition of what is to be done. What, specifically, would it look like to finish the project? Scoping out exactly what "done" looks like is very important. Otherwise, it is difficult, if not impossible, to gauge progress or recognize when we have succeeded. Thus, each project that is part of our life mission needs to be seen in light of clear, measurable outcomes. Without a clear and well-defined project scope, it is easy to get off track. Here's another way to look at it: If you don't know what you are trying to do, you'll never know when you are done!

According to the agile project management system, it is necessary to begin by setting the vision and scope of the project. Applying this to living a happy and fulfilled life is easy. What is the vision of your life? What is your purpose? What, exactly, are you trying to accomplish? What is your life mission? Pastor Craig Strickland, in Memphis, Tennessee occasionally would caution people regarding climbing the ladder of success too hastily. "Sometimes," he would say, "people spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to, once at the top, realize their ladder was leaning against the wrong wall!" So, what is the vision for your life? What is the mission you hope your life will accomplish? Over they years I have discussed life vision and mission frequently. Your visions must grow out of your fundamental understanding of your purpose as a person in the universe. What is your "why behind all other whys"? What do you believe gives meaning and direction to life? From that… and if you are to be ultimately content with life, from only that must come your life mission and vision. It's hard work, but it is essential to figure all this out on the front end.

Whereas "agile" was an approach originally applied to developing software, it is, from time to time, being adapted to other uses. The "Agile Life" series that will follow this preview will look at the processes used in agile and apply them to living life better. So, this is not going to be a series teaching you how to use agile. What it is going to be is a look at the steps in the agile process as they could apply to living better. For instance, in agile, you begin with a project definition—a scope of what will be included in the total, final, end product. This, I will argue, is like your life mission; your purpose for being. Join me in this little exploration! Could your life be better, and if so, could applying some of it to how you live your life improve your situation? Keep watching, and let's find out!

Suppose we looked at life as a project. And what if we decided to manage our life using the "agile" approach? An agile approach—to follow the industry usage, I should just say—agile is a technique of managing a process where the focus is on specific, incremental steps where each step plays a specific and necessary part in reaching the larger goal. (I probably just infuriated the agile experts with this gross generalization!) What if we looked at life that way? What if we managed our life using an agile approach? Instead of setting out to become rich, we set out to pay off one credit card? We know that a diploma is our long term gaol, so applying to a program that offers that diploma is the first step. Instead of looking at the end-goal, we pay attention to the first step, with our eyes on the next step to follow. In the near future, I'll be talking about this idea, so stick around. Maybe an agile approach to life will work for you!

Change happens for many reasons. Sometimes, it is the result of a decision. Sometimes it is forced upon you by circumstances you cannot control. Often, the upheaval caused by change is very challenging. Sometimes, change leaves you feeling overwhelmed, confused, and unclear about what to do first. Chances are you have some big-picture idea of what normal will eventually become. But getting from where you are to where you see things going can be difficult. But you can persevere. Just take things as they come, and keep going, making sure everything lines up with where you're trying to end up. In the face of change, sometimes getting to the new normal takes a lot of effort. Just push on and take things one day at a time.

A guy spends six hours every Saturday morning working in his yard. And a half hour or more each workday when he gets home. What seems obvious? His yard is a priority. Hopefully, it's also something he likes… You can tell what is important to people in various ways. One is that how they spend their time. The things that are highest priorities will be done first. Lessor priorities next. Lowest priorities will come last, if they ever get done at all. Given more than one option, the chosen actions reveal the priorities!

People sometimes say things with which nobody around them agrees. But, the silence of those hearing the remark fails to convey their beliefs. Just because no one protests or complains does not mean they agree with you. People who disagree might just be keeping quiet because they think a reply is pointless. They think the speaker is, frankly, not worth the trouble to engage in discussion. They think the speaker is hard-headed. Stubborn. Closed-minded. Silence is NOT a measure of agreement!

What is the joyful approach to life? It is being content in the knowledge that everything you did in a day was done in alignment with your mission, with your purpose—a purpose growing out of your deepest beliefs, out of your why behind all other whys. Whereas happiness is a response to things that happen, to things outside you, peace and contentment comes from acknowledging that, on a given day, you did your best to live in accordance to your mission. Peace and contentment come from within. And they don't rely on outcomes. Peace and contentment rely on intentions. Did you do things in alignment with what you believe you are supposed to be doing? While we learn from the outcomes what to do better and what worked well, we don't depend on the outcomes for our joy. The outcomes inform what we might try to do next time. And, indeed, when things work out well, we feel happy. But happy is not the goal. The goal should be to live joyfully knowing that our actions, day in and day out, grew from our intentions to fulfill our life mission. Given a meaningful why behind all other whys, we can develop a life mission that will guide our intentions in everything we do. Then, if at the end of the day, when we look back, we can be at peace and content knowing that our every intention was to fulfill that purpose. Stop trying to be happy. Develop a joyful approach to life, and be at peace.

In recent posts across social media, I've put forth the claim that trying to be happy is to chase a moving target; better to live contently in the assurance that each day has been spent pursuing your life purpose and mission. And further, I've claimed that your purpose and mission grow out of your why behind all other whys—your deepest beliefs as to the purpose and meaning of life. Whereas I describe my own mission for life as creating the circumstances wherein people can become the best version of themselves, I was asked what this looks like for me in my daily life. Naturally, I responded with an example from World of Warcraft, a video game. There's this quest. Go to this place and kill a bunch of bad guys. I went there and started. I could take on one or two at a time easily, and was doing that. After I was about 1/3 done some stranger joined me. Together, we could take on six or seven at a time. Quickly after that, I finished. But… Just as I was about to turn and leave, the guy "pulled" another gang of six guys. I didn't know if he could handle them all alone, and it was clear that he expected me to stay. To help. So, I did. I continued fighting until I could let him know I was done and moving on. He thanked me and we parted ways. Trivial? Perhaps. But it's an example. My putting in two or three minutes to help him didn't cost me anything but… two or three minutes. Had I ditched him… He could have "died" and that would have cost him some time and frustration. Let your life mission percolate through ALL areas of your life, whatever it is. Live in ALL things so that at the end of the day you can say, "I did my best to be my best; to do what I am created to do."

So, what about that why behind all other whys? Where does that come from? If it is so important, it ought to be pretty readily understandable. For many, many people, there would be some basic belief. The primal why, for many, would be how they understood their place in creation in relationship to the creator. So it is for me. My personal life mission is this: create the circumstances wherein people can become the best versions of themselves. This comes from my why behind all other whys: It is the purpose of the created to show the love of the creator to all creation. My purpose for living grows directly out of my understanding of God and my relationship with God. Frankly, while I suppose others have other sorts of sources for their why, I cannot think of any examples. But, I stand by the claim that every mission or purpose needs to grow out of some why behind all other whys. If you are trying to live a content and joyful life, then the first step is to drill down through all the reasons you do things. If there is no single why behind all other whys, you probably will have a problem working out that joyful approach to living we've been talking about. That's the staring point. What is at the core of why you do anything? If you don't know, then you need to find out.

Why do you do what you do? Hopefully, it is because you have come to understand your purpose in life. Your personal life mission. But, where did that come from? Let's look at an example… A young man at a gas station sees someone coming out the door he just opened to go in. He holds it open and waits. Why? Because he believes it was a nice thing to do. Why? Because he believes people are inherently valuable and worthy of respect. Why? Because he believes… We could keep drilling down, deeper and deeper. At some point, we would get to the why behind all other whys. And sometimes, what we find is… pointless. If you go to work because the why is "whoever dies with the most toys wins" then you probably just need to stop and start over. If the who behind all other whys is vapid, you need a better why! Hopefully, drilling down deep enough lands at something that has meaning. Hopefully, it results in finding something fundamental that has enduring value and worth. Where would that put us? That's the starting place. Understanding the why behind all other whys opens the door to having a unified, meaningful, and fulfilling purpose. And knowing what that purpose is leads to the possibility of living by a joyful approach to life.

A joyful approach to life means knowing who you are and what you are trying to do. It relies on understanding your purpose… on having come to understand your life mission. Guided by your purpose, the joyful approach means to check everything you do against what you ought to be doing… not ought to in light of other people's expectations, but in view of your own purpose. Coming to have that purpose is not simple, and will be addressed later. When, at the end of each day, you check all you did against that purpose, you can be content if you can say you let your purpose guide you. Was everything you did intended to advance your mission? If so, you can rest peacefully being content that you lived according to your calling. But, intentions are not enough. What about outcomes? Did anything actually work out as designed? Where you can say yes… Well, there's a nice, little happy spot! Yeah, I said happy. Where the outcomes came up wanting… You can still be content and at peace that you followed your purpose. But… You can think about what you did and try to find changes that will make the outcomes better. And "better" means more aligned with whatever your purpose is. But remember, the point is being content in the approach; not trying to find happiness in the outcomes. Peace and contentment come when your reflections on what you did confirm that you lived according to your purpose.

Happiness is an emotional response. It is a pleasurable reaction when things meet or exceed our expectations. But… so often, we have no control over the external events to which we are reacting. Reacting. Happiness is a reaction to… If we are always chasing happiness, we are often chasing things we are powerless to control. There is a better way. Instead of basing how you feel on outcomes, base how you feel on intentions. Adopt a joyful approach to each and every day. What does that mean? Starting with who you are and what you believe, at some point you identify your purpose. Your calling. Your life mission. A joyful approach is to set out each day with that in mind. What are you trying to do? Align all your actions to do that. Then, at the end of the day, compare what you did with what you set out to do. And, yes! Outcomes of your efforts factor in, but more on that later. If what you did aligns with what you intended… If… If so, therein is reason for real joy. When your day is guided by your intentions, then you can rest in contentment that you were on the path. You followed the course. The joyful approach to life does not rely on what you cannot control; Peace… contentment comes from knowing you did everything in alignment with who you are and what you are trying to accomplish.

Earlier, I made a claim that happiness is not the goal. That we should stop trying to be happy. So, if not happiness, then what? What you strive for needs to be something from within you. Something that drives you forward rather than something that is a reaction to things around you. Happiness is an emotion that results from the thoughts you have about things that happen. It results from events turning out in a way that exceeds our expectations. But often, when that happens, our expectations shift. The next time, our happiness depends on something surpassing the previous experience. Thus, happiness is a shifting, fleeting feeling that comes from things outside us. The better circumstances is, rather than waiting for things to happen, to orient ourselves to something else. Instead of waiting to react to things with happy feelings, develop an approach to living that yields peace and contentment. Develop a joyful approach to life. Much more on that coming soon!

Stop trying to be happy. Happiness is not the goal. Happiness is an emotional response to how you think about things that happen outside you. Happiness is a reaction to external events. When what happens exceeds your expectations, then you feel happy. For a moment. Then, you look at all that could be improved and move the bar of your expectations. Happiness is fleeting and shifting. Furthermore, in many, if not most, cases, you have very little control of the external events you are watching, hoping they will exceed your expectations. If traffic is backed up, you are unhappy. If it is flowing smoothly, you are happy. But you are reacting to something you can't control—based on your thoughts and beliefs about that thing. Happiness, then, should NOT be the goal. Something else should. Something that comes out of your purpose, your why-behind-the-why, the source from which you draw your life mission. The goal should be an abiding, satisfying approach, not a pleasant reaction. The goal should be to develop something internal, not external. Not happiness. Peace. Contentment. Joy. They come from within you, and guide your actions. They drive you toward things; they are not a reaction coming from them. I want to propose something I'm going to call a joyful approach. Stick around… There's a lot to say!

I wish I could think of a way to make people change into what they wanted to be. I can't. I can't change people. No one can change someone else. The best I can do is point people toward a system or a process… toward tips and techniques that are proven to be useful in helping people reach their goals. But, it is up to others… up to you to make the change. No one can decide (in a way that actually leads to a satisfactory outcome) for someone else what the change should be. You need to decide what you want, then come up with a plan (with help from others), then execute that plan so that you can move from where you are to where you want to be. Others can't change you. They can help you, but meaningful change is something you have to want and create. #motivate #motivation #teacher #teacherlife #teacher2020

The Declaration of Independence was singed August 2, 1776. But THAT was only the beginning of the revolution which has gone on for over two centuries. The founders of the United States built into the election system the means for a perpetual refreshing of government. Voters can unite to remove unwanted leaders from office. Voters can unite to place whomever they wish in the seats of government. Every leader is bound by the constitutions, bylaws, and articles of government that grants them the very right to serve. Every voter is empowered by the same. The American Revolution is an on-going process. Battles are won in the voting booths and on the ballets. Bombs and bullets are not needed; only resolute people willing to voice their ideas and offer their support to candidates who share their views. When a majority of voters agree, then their will is done. The elected officials are, by design, there to see that their views are represented. Revolution in the U.S. is built into the election system. Each election is the opportunity to affirm or disavow the work of the elected. Each election offers the chance to make changes. Your VOTE is your instrument of governmental change.

Back, earlier this year, I said that society would react to the COVID19 pandemic in a way that would make it a historical event on the scale of the Industrial Revolution or the Great Depression. I am afraid I was right. Just last night, I read an article stating that some of the leading tech giants were giving up their real estate in Silicon Valley and moving elsewhere. That they were going to extend the working-from-home model, even beyond the pandemic. The end of the 20th Century was riff with high-fives, fist-bumps, hugs, and back-pats. Is that forever gone? What social-distancing equivalents will emerge? Educators in 2020 have innovated, frustrated, and commiserated through a revolution in instructional design. Where will that take us in years to come? As the promise of a vaccine waves from the near future, I cannot help but believe that society has learned lessons about immunology and virology that will have on-going impact. Cultures where masks have been part of the norm for decades can applaud themselves as the rest of the world adopts their use. With many saying COVID19 is but the first of its kind to be followed by others, I'm hoping safety will win out over comfort and appearance. As 2020 winds down, I am even more sure of my earlier predictions. Business will be different. Education will be different. Commerce will be different. Life will be different.

There is a disease in our society. No, I'm not talking about COVID. I'm talking about the proclivity to find excuses instead of solutions. It is pervasive in the culture of now, this early 21st Century first-world way of doing things. Here's the thing. There comes a time when people have to step up and face the problems without expecting the problem adapt to their limitations and weaknesses. There comes a time when WE have to change how WE do things in order to overcome the problem. (Maybe I am talking about COVID? Masks? Social distancing?) Stop expecting the problem to adapt. In the larger scope of life… nah… the problems won't cater to our wishes.

Getting everything done on time… is hard. Sometimes. People who tend to not get things done also tend to have a zillion reasons why. They frequently spend big chunks of time explaining all the reasons (excuses) for not fulfilling their responsibilities. Why? Just do it. Stop looking for excuses for why you didn't do things and start looking for solutions to get them done.

Oh, you had enough time. You had the same about of time as you always have had. You had the same about of time as everyone else. You just used your time to do different things. Instead of doing whatever it is that "you didn't have enough time" to do, you used your time on other things. Maybe you have priorities, and something that was of highest importance demanded you use your time there. The thing you didn't do might have been less important. But many times, it is the thing that is unpleasant, no matter how important that gets left undone. You have a certain amount of time, each day, every day. Look at your priorities and make sure the important things are being allotted the time needed.

Can you teach an old dog new tricks? SURE YOU CAN! You are never too old to learn something new. And you are never too old to find a new dream or set new goals. And you are never too young to start doing the same thing! No matter how old you are or how young you are, you can look around yourself and think of things you'd like to do. Things you'd like to improve. Things you'd like to make different. Start now. Set some goals and make a plan. You are neither too young nor too old!

Maybe you are having a bad day. You don't have to share that with everyone around you. Not everyone you meet is part of your support network. Don't let the bad things going on inside you spill out onto the random people you meet in the course of going through the day. In other words, do happy for the people around you. Your smile and friendly demeanor might lift up the strangers you meet, just a little. Certainly, if you are hurting, you need to be able to be real and genuine around people who care about you! But just because you're having a bad day is no reason to take it out on the cashier! You can treat them with a little of what you'd like to be treated with.

We've all become accustomed to using a mask to keep the toxic viruses out of our lives? What can you do about keeping toxic people from ruining your toxic attitudes? COVID19 has accustomed many people into wearing masks designed to keep out a virus that can kill your body. Yet, at the same time, many people regularly expose themselves to toxic personalities. Without any protection. What are you doing to keep your self mentally healthy when people around you are polluting your environment with their toxic behaviors?

It doesn't matter what you are doing. It matters what people think you are doing. The dark underbelly of this truth is that people can fake it. They can get by quite well if they just look like they are doing what they are supposed to do. I want to flip this idea! If someone is doing EVERYTHING they are supposed to be doing and doing it WELL, it also doesn't matter. Unless someone knows about it. If you work with someone who is doing a good job, who is doing a little more than necessary, who is going the extra step… find a way of making that known! Send them an email thanking them for helping you and CC your supervisor. Mention how helpful they are in passing to the boss. Let their good work become known! The person in charge will be glad to know something good is going on, the colleague will benefit from the goodwill, and you will know you have done a good thing.

I was told recently that they way I said something—something that was utterly ridiculous—made it sound real. My bold claim came off in such a way that the absurdity of it was obscured. This is a very scary lesson. The face-value of information can be obfuscated by the presentation. A shiny package of news, ideas, and data can create the illusion of correctness and authority. Don't be fooled! Dig deeper. Ask questions. Look at what's not said, not reported. Don't get caught up by the way it comes across. Find out what is real and what is not. #think #teacher #teacherlife #teacher2020

Who do you think you are? Well, you are not what you do? What you do for a living does not determine who you are. It does not directly reflect your character, your heart. HOW you do whatever it is does. No matter what your job is, how you go about doing it is a direct reflection on your character. Do you do it with integrity? Do you do it honestly? Do you put in your best effort? Do you do it while showing kindness and regard to those you encounter? It is not what you do that defines your character. It is how you do it.

Being nice is one thing. Encouraging bad behavior is totally something different. As an act of kindness, people often tell others not to worry about what other say. They tell them, "Don't worry! You're fine just the way you are!" This is just not true. Some people are mean. Some people are lazy. Some people look down on others. They are NOT fine, just the way they are. Many people act in ways that hurt others or leave them isolated and alone. They need to change! Telling people that they are fine, just the way they are, gives them an excuse to stay stuck in bad ways of acting. Maybe they need to change.

If you, want to understand the news, follow the money. The people who work on news teams don't do so without pay. The cameras and studios… cost money! News agencies depend on something in order to get the money to pay for their expenses. In most cases, that money comes from the commercials they sell. Even the not-for-profit news agencies have to protect their funding. They dare not offend the people paying their bills. News is a business. They have to sell their programming to the people who buy the commercials, and to do that, they create drama and controversy so that their audience continues to be interested. So, behind the news team, the production team, and everyone else is the sales team. They keep a pulse on the commercial buyers and make sure programming keeps them happy.

Decisions do not happen in a vacuum. Every decision has consequences. Every word spoken, every dollar spent, every hour passed lead to consequences. At the very least, you cannot go back and undo what has been done. People and circumstances will react and change based on the things you decide. Whatever you do, whenever you decide something, there are consequences that follow. You need to be making sure that the decisions you are making are leading you toward the outcomes you'd like to have. Before you act, think about the potential consequences of whatever it is you're thinking about doing.

What's important to you? I can tell. The things that are important to you are the things that you devote your time, energy, and resources to. If you spend all your time and money working on your… whatever. If so, THAT'S what's important to you. You can't say something is important to you if you don't invest time and energy there. Well… you can SAY it. But it won't be true. If something is important to you, you will remember it. You will invest yourself in it. It will appear as an prominent part of your day. So… what IS important to you?

Our feelings come directly out of out thought about the events. It's not the events. It's what we think about them. Classic example: clowns. Some people see a clown and laugh. Others see a clown and cry. It's not the clown. It's the thoughts about the clown. Similarly, if we dwell on negative aspects of the day, then our emotional reaction to those things will be negative. On the other hand, if we relish the positive things that happen, then we'll emotionally respond with positive feelings. People say things like, "well, you just ruined the vibe" or "thanks for spoiling the mood" come right out of this principle. Calling attention to the negative results in negative feelings. Focusing on the positive (without having you head stuck in a cloud!) results in positive feelings. If you want to feel better, think better.

What you see is only what you see. If you knew the whole story—whatever that is—there would likely be a lot of things not showing up on YouTube, Instagram, or whatever social media you are looking at. It is easy to point the camera in only one direction and not reveal all the clutter and chaos that would be seen if you looked the other way. Many people who are putting things out for others to consume intentionally created a message of some sort. The use the platforms to advance that message, be it one of being funny or one of being angry at… something. As you consume social media, make you to keep in mind that the camera only shows a small part of the whole reality. There's probably a lot more going on off-camera!

How do you find your life mission? It's a quest! Finding your mission isn't something you can sit down and do over a cup of coffee. Not unless you've poured a lot of time into thinking about it before you hit the brew button! If a life mission is defined as that thing, that idea, those practices and standards under which is organized all of the things you spend time and resources on, then developing a life mission begins when finding a deep, clear understanding of your personal beliefs and values. Knowing what you believe to be important and knowing what has real value to you if a first vital step in setting a mission that will guide all you do. Many people follow organized systems of belief. If that is the case, then start there. What, according to what you believe, is the purpose of the created person? That purpose must be part of the foundation on which your personal mission is built.

You need to know where you are going. If not, you'll not even notice that you got there! Having a destination is typical when setting out on a trip. Or at the least, having a general idea such as, "Let's go to the mountains and just look around." Knowing that destination makes it possible to prepare for the journey and to assess whether or not you are making progress in the right direction. As sensible as that is, often, people have no idea where they are going with their lives. The live day-to-day unsure what it is they are trying to accomplish. Having a life mission, a purpose for living, unveils the lanes in which you need to travel. Metaphorically. For me, I like to say my mission two different ways. First, I say I am trying to create opportunities for people I encounter to become better versions of themselves. I say that differently, sometimes: Show the love of the creator to all creation. Knowing what I am trying to accomplish lets me check what I'm doing to see if it fits. (Caveat: rest and recreation.) If you don't have a direction for your life, goals, and missions, then you might be wandering around in circles, never getting to anything significant.

You have a voice. It is what you say and what you do. How are you using it? Whoever you are, whatever you do, you probably are coming in contact with people, either face-to-face or through social media or other Internet means. What do your words and actions say to them? Are you using your "voice" to lift them up? To spread positivity? Are you encouraging people and helping them become better versions of themselves? Use your words and actions in a way that makes life a little better for people around you.

Being able to adapt is a great way of enhancing your chance at success. Being flexible in how you do things can help you work with others. Things don't always have to be done YOUR way. But… There is another side to this. If you are always the one giving in and changing to fit what you do into the ways other people want to see it done might be tiring. You might ultimately find yourself just worn down by always being the one who gives in. In a good situation, there should be some give and take. Sometimes, YOUR way should be accommodated. Being cooperative and flexible are good, when working with others, but sometimes you need to stand your ground and not bet pushed around.

Don't fool yourself! Sticks and Stones may break your bones. BUT, words CAN hurt! Humanity is created to be in community with others. As part of that, we are meant to sense how others are reacting to us so that we can be better parts of the community. As such, we DO react to other people's interaction with us. So, when someone intentionally says or does things that are cruel and uncaring… it hurts. Implicit in criticism is the idea that we did not meet the expectations of—even if it is just one person—our community. That leads to (insert long psychological discussion here) us feeling hurt. There's no doubt. Words CAN hurt, so don't pretend they don't. Let people know when they are hurting you, and if they care about you, they will stop. And DON'T use your words in a way that could hurt others!

It is easier to stay caught up than it is to get caught up. If you get behind, it's hard to catch back up. Whatever it is that you are responsible for doing, it takes effort and a good process to stay caught up. But if you ever fall behind, the effort needed to catch back up increases dramatically. You need a plan that allows you to do the things you need to do in the way you need to do them in the time you have allotted to get them done. And you need to follows that plan! Falling behind is easy. Getting caught back up… not so much.

Help! I'm lost! Ever feel like you are on a path that might not be leading you to where you want to go? You don't have to stay there. Just because you don't see any options ahead, doesn't mean there are none. It's possible that they are there, but you can't see them. When you feel like you are stuck, don't panic. Take a moment and look around. Find someone who cares about you—a parent, teacher, coach, minister, aunt, uncle, friend—and ask for help. It might be that they know of a different path you can take. A path you cannot see by yourself. You don't have to go it alone. It's fine to ask for help.

With your words and your actions, you—every day—proclaim a message to the world. You can't always control who hears the message. Your circumstances put you in the presence of people, and usually, who they are depends on factors outside your influence. But whoever you are around… coworkers, customers, students, teammates… Make sure you are living in ways and saying words that put out the message you want your life to have. You may not be able to control who it is that "hears" you. But, you can control the message the hear. Your life and words are yours to use. Use them to make the world better.

Do you want to live in a way that you are making things around you better? Maybe you answer "yes" to this, but you don't think you have any way of doing this. Maybe you think you need to have some large social media audience if you want to make a difference. You don't. Everyone has the platform of being a human in the world. In that world are other humans. Your realm of influence might only be the people in your office or the customers who come to your cash register, but—THAT IS a platform you can use to touch the lives of THOSE people. Use the opportunities you have to make a difference in the lives of people you meet. You have a platform through which you can voice and act out your ideas. Are you using it?