The STU-PENDOUS BLOG!

I have never really been sure what that meant. I know that if you take it litterely that it means you are supposed fish for a while and then realease. Maybe it means if you don’t catch something you should cut off the bait, you know, let go. I would love to find out the history behind that phrase. It has been running through my head recently. I think it means know when to move on. I have had a tough time recently with a few fish I have been struggling with.

My personal life is on a bit of a mini roller coaster, two of the most important pieces of my life that have shaped the last ten years have moved on. There are two people, one has moved on with a new life and one has just kind of left me behind as her new life has evolved. This first one, I expected to happen and in a way I am fine with it. The second though I wasn’t prepared for. I told myself I was, told people I was, but I wasn’t.

At YLCC we teach campers a lesson called A.C.E.. The Ace is the highest card, the most valuable. That’s what the lesson is, the most important. Some people say, the ace can also be the lowest card. In that reference the ACE theory is also relevant as it is the starting point of any change or learning.

Let me explain the idea behind ACE. The A is for Awareness. The C is for Choices and the E is for End results. With more AWARENESS we make better CHOICES and with better CHOICES we will create or obtain better END RESULTS. Both of these pieces of my personal life puzzle I have been holding on to. Hoping I could change the unchangeable. Yesterday after a discussion I realized after giving someone else adivce I should take some of my own.

I said the words to my dear friend… “It’s time to fish or cut bait.” I have held myself back trying to change what I can’t. The universe has a bizarre way of showing you exactly what you need to know to live a great life. It’s time for me to listen. No matter how much I have fought it, I need to listen. I am.

I am all ears. I am now finally (sadly) AWARE, I have made a new CHOICE, I hope in the end I will have a better END RESULT.

Here is today’s question… Read it, write it down, answer it and of COURSE share it here on the STUpendous BLOG.

What in your life do you need to let go of. What have you been holding on to that you know is not moving you forward?

Today’s picture is from my camp up North. I am not sure how it will end, but I will enjoy the journey.
For more information on YLCC or STU! please email info@ylcc.com

I was recently challenged to look at how I live my days. How I choose to spend my hours. Who challenged me? I challenged myself. Life is short, we are told frequently to live each day to the fullest. A friend of mine always says that once a person accepts his or her mortality they can start to live a more full life. Some might say thinking that you might die is a sad thought, I think it’s actually extremely powerful thinking.

Two of my colleagues passed away over the last 6 weeks, both living a very full life. Richard Carlson author of the Best Seller Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, passed away just before Christmas at the age of 45. Bob Burton, former school teacher, legend in the world of Student Leadership and author of the Best Seller, Spirit Works lost his battle to Cancer at the age of 67. Both men where really to young to have left us, but they left a legacy.

I remember a few years ago while spending some time with Bob after a speach he said to me, “Isn’t this a great job we have Stu, we get to see and change the future every day!”

So true, two men, living life to the fullest. Living every day as if it where their last. They will be missed and the positive comments about their life has been pouring in. I guess that’s a way to live forever. It is said that how you live each day is a reflection of how you live your life. Powerful thought.

Here is today’s question… Get out your journals, read it, write it, answer it and share some of your thoughts here on the STUpendous BLOG!

What are you doing every day to live to the fullest? What could you do differently to make each day count? What are you going to do today?

Today’s pic is in memory of Bob Burton. A life truly lived.

For more information on YLCC please go to www.ylcc.com

Driving early on Monday morning to London to take my children to school. Left before 7am. We had snow the day and night before. I pulled onto the highway and immediatly sped up to… about 20km per hour. The roads where so bad. It ended up taking almost 6 hours to get to London. I was very tense when I arrived to the city, my knuckles where white and the my back was sore. It was a long trip.

The last thing I wanted to do was jump back on the road. So I stopped into the local Mall and ended up getting my new Laptop. The one I had been eyeing for quite a while. It was about 300 dollars cheaper then when I had started looking at it about a month ago. On the way out of the city I stopped in to see a friend I haven’t seen in a while. We caught up, laughed a little and I received a quality hug.

Then, just as I was about leave the parking lot I spotted a small plant covered in ice. The entire London area was covered in ice. Although these ice storms can be extremely damaging to trees, they also produce some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. I jumped out of my truck crouched down and snapped the photo. Beautiful.

What had started out as a stressful, long and almost regretfull drive turned into a great trip. I even got to spend an extra 3 hours with my children! Never a bad thing.

Here is today’s question. Read, write and share your thoughts here in the STUpendous BLOG!

What lessons have you learned from seemingly bad situations? How do you look at negative situations? How could you handle these situations better?

Today’s pic is that beautiful little plant. Truly incredible.

For more information about Stu Saunders speaking or YLCC please go to www.ylcc.com or email us at info@ylcc.com

I took my annual trip to Niagara Falls to drop off a friend who lives in New York. I made this an annual trip because I actually enjoy watching the good and the bad growth in this tourist area. The most exciting part of this trip was going to see the Niagara Aviary. Truly incredible. A chance on a cold day to take a trip into a rainforest as over 200 birds fly freely around you. Some of most exotic and beautiful birds on the planet. Some are on the threatened species list. Truly a worthwhile place to visit. You don’t feel as if you are being ripped off at this attraction.

After our visit to the Aviary we began to walk around the city, up Clifton Hill, lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, over to the new Casino, a beverage from Starbucks and then dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We had a nice day, nothing spectacular, nice. What I did notice, the streets where empty, many of the attractions were closed even some of the big name restaurants not open. What shocked me the most, was the basic lack of creativity from the businesses. No off season discounts, no off season advertising, nothing. It was like they had given into the fact that people just aren’t coming. I couldn’t help but wonder what a first time visitor would think of Niagara Falls. They wouldn’t be very impressed. It’s all about first impressions. You only get once chance to make a first impression.

I once heard that it can take 30 years to build an excellent reputation, but only 1 day to destroy it. I wonder what would happen if the city of Niagara Falls got together and decided to really work at the “Niagara Experience” 365 days a year. They could truly be the next Vegas. Something to think about. It’s the same for any individual. How you dress, talk, carry yourself. Every day. My grandmother (a wise women) would say often that people should dress every day like they where going to meet the most important person in the world. Truth is, you never know when you will.

Here is today’s question… read it, write it and share it here on the STUpendous BLOG!

How do you perceive yourself on a first impression. What would people think if they met you today?

Today’s pic comes from our annual trip to the Falls! At the Hard Rock.
For more information on Stu Saunders Speaking or YLCC please email info@ylcc.com

What choices are you making to help reduce your impact on the environment? What is a 1% action step that you can make today to change your own world to help change the entire world?

Today’s Pic comes from that day at Starbucks. The cup has a little picture and a note to make with extra love.

For more information on The Leadership Training Centre or YLCC or Stu Saunders Speaking email info@ylcc.com

Happy New Year and thank you to all of the readers of the STUpendous BLOG! 2006 has come and gone and it really seemed that it went so quickly. I really had an incredible year. Did I accomplish all that I wanted to? No. Did I make great strides? Yes! We are so lucky to live in a part of the world that you have the opportunity to look towards tomorrow with hope, with ease. Each of us would like to make our life better, don’t pretend that you do not. Maybe a little bit of weight off the hips, perhaps a few more dollars in the bank, maybe a tiny bit less debt. There is nothing wrong with that. Nothing!

Some of us dream of make our life a lot better. Perhaps it is to make a million dollars, maybe to purchase a dream car or house. You shouldn’t be ashamed by these wants either. There are also some of us that want to change the world… maybe it’s just our world, the community in which we live or the school we attend. These are very noble goals to have.

I have a problem (a challenge if you are a camp director) with the whole New Years Eve resolution tradition. There’s way to much pressure to make them and an even greater ease to fail after you make them. Here are my issues with resolutions:

1. Making the day after the night you attend a large party the start of something new, is a recipe for failure. Your tired, you have way too much food and mess in your home, you have a hundred people calling or that you have to call. None of this lends itself to success.
2. Since we put so much pressure on this day to start fresh, we feel if we don’t change right away, that we might as well just not change at all.
3. Too often we make GIANT resolutions that people just can’t accomplish overnight so we give up easily.

So what should you do? Simple. Start today. You can make the 2^nd of January or even the third as your day to start. It’s ok, there is no rule book. You can also decide to start small. Look at the BIG resolutions; perhaps quitting smoking is your #1 goal. You do not have to quit cold turkey. Look at your options and decide if you need to seek professional help. Start today by reducing the strength of your brand. Try and simply cut out 10% of the cigarettes you smoke. If you want to lose weight stop eating after 7pm. It’s such an easy step to take. If you want to increase your energy, drink an extra liter of water today.

Here is the BIG IDEA. You can have a new year’s resolutions when ever you want. I call them New Day Resolutions. Feel free to change anything you want, whenever you want to. You can even have a countdown at midnight and pretend to bring in the New Day. It’s your life, you are in control.

Good luck in all you do this year. You are destined to be a success; the universe wants you to be. Just listen to the hints all around you.

Get out the journals and read, write and share this question. The first of 2007.

What are your new day resolutions? What can you do today to take a step toward a life of true magnificence?

From my family to yours Happy New Year and keep striving for excellence!

For more information on YLCC or Stu Saunders speaking go to www.ylcc.com or email me at stu@ylcc.com