Encourage Others

28 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes #117, February 28,

“You should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. And everyone who receives it—young or old, successful or less-than-successful, unknown or famous—is changed by it.”–John C. Maxwell

A couple of days ago I spoke of a positive attitude (I think I can) and now it is time to move on to sharing that feeling of confidence.

When you see someone who is struggling to solve a problem or to reach a goal—Instead of telling them about your wife’s uncle’s girlfriend who had a far worse problem—Instead of that, offer some encouragement.  Share a “you can do it” attitude, find enjoyment in seeing another’s work in progress, and be positive. We never forget the encouragement that others have given us in our lives.

Venture into the world with a “you can do it” attitude.

Share a smile.

Everything is going to be all right.

Your Lucky Day

27 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes, February 27

Today the key word was “luck” and I seemed to end up with three interrelated concepts of luck and felt that I needed to use them all. McCarthy tells us that the tree could have fallen on you instead of your house:

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.” –Cormac McCarthy, “No Country for Old Men.”

Tennessee Williams gives us a compact definition of luck that brings in the concept of optimism:

“Luck is believing you’re lucky.”–Tennessee Williams

And Jimmy Dean gives us something about luck to ponder all day. I’ll have to figure out exactly what “try your luck” means.

“You gotta try your luck at least once a day, because you could be going around lucky all day and not even know it.”--Jimmy Dean

Today, as the clouds clear and the sun starts shining on your life, think of what parts of your life are luck and which parts are consequences. This is your lucky day. Start it by sharing a smile.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

New Beginnings

26 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

 

Quotes and Notes #115, February 26

“There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I.”–John Steinbeck

Each day, as it dawns, offers an opportunity for new beginnings. We can study our future directions and fine tune them like an old time mechanic would adjust a carburetor, with his hands lovingly holding and gently turning his screwdriver as he listens to the sound of the motor. We can adjust our feelings and our actions to match the day or to align with our perceived future needs. Self confidence and determination will help you to prevail in these endeavors.  A smile on your face will light a candle in your eyes.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

You Can Do It if You Believe

25 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes #114, February 25

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”–J.M. Barrie, “Peter Pan”

I’m sure that we all doubt our abilities periodically, but we mustn’t allow these doubts to stop us from trying to reach our goals, no matter how difficult they may be.

This quote brings to mind a story that my mother read to me many times when I was a child. The name of the story was “The Little Engine that Could” and it was about the smallest train engine which, against all odds, pulled its load to the top of a big hill. And how did it accomplish this? It reached the top not by saying “I know I can do it” but by saying, over and over, “I think I can, I think I can, I thinkicanIthinkIcan” until the job was done.

A positive attitude will help us to achieve seemingly impossible goals. Add a smile to that equation and you have a winning combination.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

Clouds in My Life

24 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , ,

Quotes and Notes #113, February 24

"There is a different sunset every day"--Bill Land

“There is a different sunset every day”–Bill Land

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or to usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”–Rabindranath Tagore, “Stray Birds”

Much of the time, when things become problematic, we take a bit of pleasure and satisfaction in dealing with the problems and finding closure. The true optimist looks for the good side of things even though the good side may be a bit obscure.

So enjoy the sunset today. If there’s not much of a sunset today or tomorrow, there will be one sooner or later. Someone once asked of my grandmother, “Ms. Tommie, do you think it will rain?” She gave them her sternest look and said, “It always has.” Share a smile.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

For One Day, Don’t Complain

23 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , ,

Quotes and Notes #112, February 23

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”–Maya Angelou

Resolve to spend an entire day without complaining, you’ll feel better for it and the nature of your conversations with others will improve. Think about this, too—if you can go a day without complaining, then go another day without it. Keep this up and soon not complaining will become a habit.

As for me, I never saw where complaining accomplished anything. It just serves to take that smile off of your face for a while, and you know how important that smile is.

Spring is only a few short weeks away. Think of this and share a ray of humorous sunshine with a bright smile.

Everything is going to be all right.

John P. Schulz

Take Care of Yourself

22 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

Quotes and Notes #111, February 22

  • “Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others.

  • Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval.

  • Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.”–Lao Tzu

Take time for yourself. Pamper yourself a bit. Come to terms with yourself. Never forget that you are what you are because you have had the courage to confront countless trials in life. You are a hero in your own way. Of course there have been failings, but without failings there can be no successes. So don’t dwell on the shortcomings, laugh about them. Forgive yourself.

Straighten your back and hold your head high as you go through the day today. Share a smile—a confident smile.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

A Silent Friend

21 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in quotes Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes #110, February 21

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing…not healing, not curing…that is a friend who cares.”–Henri Nouwen

This is the description of a wonderful friend. Are you looking for a friend with these qualities? Instead of trying to find this friend, try more to be this friend. It’s kind of like sharing a smile—the ripples spread and spread and spread.

Visit or call a special friend today and tell them how wonderful they are. And, as usual, it doesn’t cost anything to share a smile.

Everything is going to be all right

John P. Schulz

Keep on Waggin’ That Tail

20 Feb 2015 2 Comments

by John P.Schulz in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes #109, February 20

I talked with an old farmer yesterday on a cold afternoon. His boxwoods need pruning. I say that he was old—he looked to be my age—around 70 more or less.

 

Any time I have a conversation with someone, the button on my throat that I push when I want to talk allows the word “cancer” to float around in the air like a leaf on the wind. Sometimes it is mentioned and sometimes not. (Cancer,” that is.)

I could tell that he was well-to-do because of his surroundings. I wouldn’t have made that judgment just looking at his clothes. He was a working man. He asked me where I gotmy treatment, I replied, “Emory.” He smiled, “They do a good job at Emory. I go there a lot.”

I asked about his cancer and he told me it had started in his kidney and progressed to a couple of other parts of his body. He said that it was not curable but the doctors had slowed it down and he would “just live with it.”

“How does it make you feel?” I asked.

“Well,” he said, “I guess I’m happy with my life. I should have been gone some time ago.” He paused with a smile on his face.

“I’m just like an old cur dawg.” He continued, If I was a purebred I’d be dead by now. I guess I’ll just go on waggin’ my tail til I cain’t no more.”

And there’s my quote for the day, “I guess I’ll just go on waggin’ my tail til I cain’t no more.”

Everything is going to be all right.

John P. Schulz

Listen, Feel, Give

19 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by John P.Schulz in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Quotes and Notes #108, February 19–Giving

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”–Khalil Gibran, “The Prophet”

When someone we know tells us of their adversity and we don’t know what to say to them, we listen to them and say, “let me know if there’s anything I can do,” not realizing that if we listened totally and completely, we have already done something for them.

One of the best gifts we can give is to listen, to care, and to feel along with whomever we are talking to. This is also a self-serving gift because it takes our thoughts from our own problems, thereby making us feel good in return.

When you share a compliment, a pat on the back, or a smile—it makes a difference and there is never any telling how far that difference will go or what it will accomplish.

Everything is going to be all right.

John P. Schulz

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