Spending some Christmas time up in Edmonton, Alberta with the family and it's been snowing quite a bit. As a driver I find the snow inconvenient as it makes the roads slippery and less safe. With the snow comes cold weather, something that may also be unwanted.
However, everything in life affects us how we want it to. For some people snow represents the end of warm summer, for others it's the start of the exciting skiing season, for others it represents potential earnings in the form of snow clearing. It may signify the start of the Christmas season, something so many people look forward to.
Whatever the snow means for you, I hope it's positive. If it isn't then maybe it's time to re-frame your thoughts, especially if you live in a climate that has a lot of snow, like Canada's!
With everything and every day in life you have two choices, to make the best of it... or not.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
A Fourth Gift.
So I was discussing my parenting theory from my previous entry with my parents, whom I credit with being solid parental role models. They added a fourth gift that good parents give their children, and that's a good work ethic.
In life you will pay for everything at some stage. Sometimes you pay up front and reap rewards for a long time after, and sometime you get a lot early and pay at the end. This is true when it comes to everything - money, health, love, happiness etc.
The important part here is that hard work combined with smart work will generate results in the long term. Working hard from the outset, is paying for something at the start and reaping the rewards for a long time to come.
To increase the likelihood that someone realizes their life's goals, a strong work ethic is an essential ingredient.
In life you will pay for everything at some stage. Sometimes you pay up front and reap rewards for a long time after, and sometime you get a lot early and pay at the end. This is true when it comes to everything - money, health, love, happiness etc.
The important part here is that hard work combined with smart work will generate results in the long term. Working hard from the outset, is paying for something at the start and reaping the rewards for a long time to come.
To increase the likelihood that someone realizes their life's goals, a strong work ethic is an essential ingredient.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Christmas Gifts
It's just a few days from Christmas now, and I was reflecting the other day on the whole theory of gift giving. With two young children we have gifts to give them, but as I thought about the best gifts I have received in my life, not one of them came wrapped in paper.
As concerned parents we find ourselves is discussions with other parents on the merits of certain pre-schools and educational philosophies, how much television children should watch and whether computer games with violence should be allowed. There are so many details that can be argued for and against.
When I think of what's important and what will carry our children forward to live a long and happy life, the details are quite insignificant. I feel it's the big things that matter when parenting. There's no way my wife and I will make all the right decisions on the details, but we can ensure we do the big things well.
As I see it there are three gifts we as parents need to give to our children. These gifts are not given once, but are continually given over a lifetime.
The first is unconditional love. Unconditional love is the solid foundation on which a steady life can be built. Unconditional love is love that is shown and demonstrated no matter what happens. Unconditional love is shown in the most trying situations, for example, when a family heirloom is broken, when the car has been written off or when failing grades appear in a report card. Unconditional love is the knowledge that someone is loved for who they are, not what they do or what they have. Unconditional love is something you carry with you everywhere you go as a protective shield against any potential harm. Unconditional love by its very nature is never lost... it is unconditional.
The second is the ability to think. And I don't mean this in the simplest form, for example if I said, "Think of a number between one and a hundred" I'm sure anyone could do that. That's not the thinking I'm referring to. Thinking is coming up with a solution to a problem. Thinking is inventing, creating. Thinking is deciding that you don't accept everything as it is but questioning why. Asking questions like, "Why are there so many species of tree? Why is the sky blue? Why do people get jealous? Why do people voluntarily put themselves in harm's way? The ability to think comes from the time and opportunity to do so. The less children are "fed" what to think and the more they are encouraged to create their own thoughts, the better the thinking muscle will be developed and the greater their ability to survive in an ever-changing world.
The third, and by no means any less important than the other two is faith. I don't mean religious faith, but faith in oneself. It's the faith in knowing that everything will turn out for the best because I am in control of my destiny. It's the faith in being able to rely on yourself to get the job done. It's the faith that whatever you do will result in success eventually. It's that inner knowing that you will have life full of triumphs. It's knowing that no matter what happens you can always bounce back stronger and even if you can't see the way forward it will present itself.
It's that knowing, supported by the unconditional love and coupled with the wherewithal to discover answers through clear thinking that forms a potent and unstoppable force for personal success.
Really, when you think about the trivialities that fill our time, there are but a few fundamentals that make it all happen in life. These are the greatest gifts of all.
As concerned parents we find ourselves is discussions with other parents on the merits of certain pre-schools and educational philosophies, how much television children should watch and whether computer games with violence should be allowed. There are so many details that can be argued for and against.
When I think of what's important and what will carry our children forward to live a long and happy life, the details are quite insignificant. I feel it's the big things that matter when parenting. There's no way my wife and I will make all the right decisions on the details, but we can ensure we do the big things well.
As I see it there are three gifts we as parents need to give to our children. These gifts are not given once, but are continually given over a lifetime.
The first is unconditional love. Unconditional love is the solid foundation on which a steady life can be built. Unconditional love is love that is shown and demonstrated no matter what happens. Unconditional love is shown in the most trying situations, for example, when a family heirloom is broken, when the car has been written off or when failing grades appear in a report card. Unconditional love is the knowledge that someone is loved for who they are, not what they do or what they have. Unconditional love is something you carry with you everywhere you go as a protective shield against any potential harm. Unconditional love by its very nature is never lost... it is unconditional.
The second is the ability to think. And I don't mean this in the simplest form, for example if I said, "Think of a number between one and a hundred" I'm sure anyone could do that. That's not the thinking I'm referring to. Thinking is coming up with a solution to a problem. Thinking is inventing, creating. Thinking is deciding that you don't accept everything as it is but questioning why. Asking questions like, "Why are there so many species of tree? Why is the sky blue? Why do people get jealous? Why do people voluntarily put themselves in harm's way? The ability to think comes from the time and opportunity to do so. The less children are "fed" what to think and the more they are encouraged to create their own thoughts, the better the thinking muscle will be developed and the greater their ability to survive in an ever-changing world.
The third, and by no means any less important than the other two is faith. I don't mean religious faith, but faith in oneself. It's the faith in knowing that everything will turn out for the best because I am in control of my destiny. It's the faith in being able to rely on yourself to get the job done. It's the faith that whatever you do will result in success eventually. It's that inner knowing that you will have life full of triumphs. It's knowing that no matter what happens you can always bounce back stronger and even if you can't see the way forward it will present itself.
It's that knowing, supported by the unconditional love and coupled with the wherewithal to discover answers through clear thinking that forms a potent and unstoppable force for personal success.
Really, when you think about the trivialities that fill our time, there are but a few fundamentals that make it all happen in life. These are the greatest gifts of all.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Christmas Party
A great time was had by all last night at the Dale CarnegieChjristmas Party, held at the Ranchmen's Club in downtown Calgary. I love it when I've an opportunity to put the old penguin suit on again!
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