Saw a movie on the weekend. Nimm’s Island. Not bad, not great but above average. The movie was good because it was an adventure, one that I felt fine taking the kids to. No adult humour, just an adventure.

I got one really great line from the film, went something like this…

“Be the hero of your own life adventure!”

Great message isn’t it? To often we look to others for the adventure or wish our life was like someone else’s. Truth be told your life should be the adventure and you really can be the hero.

Live each day to the fullest, cheesy as it sounds it is a great way to live!

Here is today’s question… Read it, write it, answer and of course share it here on the STUPendous BLOG!

If you could be a hero who would it be? What qualities do you admire in your hero?

Last night I met Josl Huter and his beautiful wife Elfriede. In 1964 Josl started one of Ontario’s finest ski resorts in Mount St. Louis. He and his wife have been in business for almost 50 years. Building with their hands what has become their legacy. Josl was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1958 and was given only 6 months to live. Josl would have none of that, he decided to undergo some very dangerous and unproven surgery to remove the ping pong ball sized tumour from his brain. He survived and is here to tell his story.

I was honoured to be able to tell their story last night at a dinner in part for them. It was wonderful. I asked Josl and Elfride their secret to success. Josl responded quickly and honestly, stay involved in your business and be honest. If you do that you will succeed. True.

I raised a glass in honour of these two wonderful people. They are such a hard working honest couple, they make me want to work a little harder.

No question today, just a challenge, ask yourself, are you truly hard working and honest? I hope so.

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
 - Thomas Jefferson

Have you ever done something for a while and it went really well and you wondered how long it would last? So you push it for as long as you could, then all of a sudden it crashes, turns bad. Then there are people that seem to recognize when it’s a good time to get out. When it’s time to retire, move on, change jobs, close a business or end a relationship. They just seem to have a knack. They get out just at the right time!

I have been presented with many different examples of both. Just yesterday I had one of each. I had a chance to meet Paul, a 60 year old camp owner/director. He has decided to close his camp. I had a chance to spend about 90 minutes with him. I asked him why he was “getting out”. He said. “I wanted to leave when I still liked what I was doing. I have had 20 great years. It’s time for something else.” He wasn’t upset, maybe a little sad but confident with his choice.

He went on to say, “I am proud of the lives that I have affected, some of my staff from the past has become teachers, great parents and some work with service organizations. I had an impact. Their lives are different, better because of this camp.”

I like Paul. I hope our paths cross again. He inspired me and made me think. It’s amazing how people enter your life at unique times.

The second person I crossed paths with was a young, first year university student that can’t seem to let go of High School. She wants to return for a school conference that she was involved with last year. The teacher advisor has had to put a stop to the return so that the current student leaders won’t have any distractions from this former student leaders return. We all need to move on. It’s knowing when that is the secret.

There are many reasons why we don’t move on. There’s comfort, staying with what you know, fear of change, fear of failure or the unknown. The thing is that life was meant to be lived. It’s not a bad thing to do something different or go out on a limb… isn’t that wear the ripest fruit is!? Think about it. If you decide to make that change, make it on your terms. Enjoy the ending, don’t regret it.

Here is today’s question… Read it, write it, answer and SHARE your thoughts here on the BLOG!   

Take a personal life inventory, is there something you need to let go of? Is there something that you could try that’s new?

What could you do with an hour? What change could you make with one hour? How could you not only impact your life, but the life of others in just 60 minutes?

Great question and it is the question that you should answer today in your journal. But today at 8pm wherever you are in your time zone turn off the lights, unplug the tv (if it’s plugged in it still uses power), turn the heat down…

It’s a great opportunity to spend time with each other, play a board game, read by candle light. JUST DO IT!

I hope you all do this VERY little thing to help impact the world!

 
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Please post your thoughts on what you would do with that 60 minutes!

Easter morning. Do you celebrate? I am with my family trying to have a nice brunch at a local restaurant. I love family events, although I did get a little upset today. What have we done to our children?

When I was little, my mom would provide us with one Easter treat. I would wake up early to find our chocolate Easter crispy bunny from Woolworths. My brother and I would run to the living room, and love that special treat and be happy. No excessive egg hunts, no new toys, no DVD’s or multiple Spiderman chocolate figures and nothing from Disney.

Today my children woke up, looked at their treats and said thank you and then followed with… “I think we got more last year…”

We went out for the hunt that is so carefully put together by the main bunny himself! After some hunting, my son was so upset he didn’t get as much as the other children, he cried.

Now as we eat our brunch, my kids were asked what they loved about their morning. I was surprised to see them not really react. “It was ok”, my daughter said. “We got a couple of things I guess…” my son said.

What have we done? We have some crazy need to spend and spend and give and give to our children. One friend told me he bought his son an Xbox 360 for Easter! What!?

Easter is about the death and resurrection of Christ. It’s not about that “other stuff”! I am not even a religious person and I recognize the point of why we get these days off work.

I love my children, more than anything. I know that they love me. They are good children. This is my fault, their families’ fault and the society that pounds into children the “never enough” attitude.

The sad thing is that next week they get to do this all over again… they will visit their mom and that means more, more and more. Divorced families should work together to make it more about meaning then material. I am guilty of that.

Today’s question is simple… Read it, write it, answer and if you can find the time, share your thoughts!

What are you grateful for? What could you do without?

In my life I have or had many moments that stand out as biggies. Those moments that stick out and you remember and love to tell stories about. I love those.

In my life I have had or been part of a few masterpieces. The Adoption of my first daughter, the births of Emily and Matthew, the day that I unlocked the gate of my camp for the first time and last night. These are moments that shine in your memory, moments that you can draw on for inspiration and warmth.

Yesterday was the wedding of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Jonathan. He married the most beautiful bride ever, Amelie Lefebvre. I was honoured to be asked to do a reading at their wedding and felt such pride to be part of this wonderful and truly fantastic celebration.

What made it so Brilliant was the sincerity and realness of it all. Before Amelie even walked down the isle my dear friend had a tear of joy in his eye. They never stopped smiling; there were no issues and no stress. They are in true love. Jonathan is a successful actor and Amelie is an incredible recording artist, so needless to say many of their friends are just as talented. They had an open mic night and the songs of love and laughter went on and on. Some people wrote funny ones that made us all laugh, while others sang love songs that spoke to all of our hearts.

As I drove through the streets of downtown Toronto to drop the Bride and Groom at their hotel at the end of the evening, I asked them for their wishes. Jonathan said it best…

“My wish already came true…”

I think it did Jonathan, I think it did.

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

What are the Masterpieces that stand out in your life?

The other day my assistant and trusted friend Trish came to me with a great BLOG idea. She was in the wine shop and noticed a bottle of Champagne for $900. One 750 ml bottle of Champagne that costs almost $1000.

I had to see it for myself, so I ventured out to see this expensive bottle. Sure enough there it was. I asked the clerk how often they sell such an item. “Not very often!” came the reply.

Got me thinking about today’s question so here it is… Read it, write it, and answer it and OF COURSE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS here on the STUpendous BLOG!

What celebration would you deem worthy of a $900 bottle of Champagne ?

I was listening to the CBC the other day. There was an interview with Woody Allen, legendary film maker, Oscar winner, golden glode winner and very well respected comedic actor as well as writer and director.

The interview was interesting, he was talking about a new film he had just finished. The interviewer asked him if he wondered what his legacy would be. He said he didn’t care what people thought of his films, or writing or acting. His family is his legacy, his wife and children. How he raises his children and the impression he leaves on them is the legacy he is concerned about.

Interesting. So many of us are SO concerned with image. If we have the right clothes, hair, car, house, iPod, furniture, phone. In reality it’s how we treat our family and close friends. Those are the people that will affect how you will be remembered. Doing what you know is right is important, if you do that then the legacy will take care of itself.

Here is today’s question… Read it, write it, answer it and of course SHARE it here on the STUpendous BLOG!

What are you doing today to treat your family and friends the way you know they should be treated?

I was reminded the other day about a powerful message from the late Dr. Martin Luther King. He has been quoted with many powerful thoughts. One that I just heard from a political leader hit hard.

King said, “The fierce power if now.”

It got me thinking. We all wait. I am so guilty of it. I am very aware that if I am going to accomplish all my goals and realize my passions I need to embrace that quote. We need to jump up, now, out of our seats and make some change. Not tomorrow, next week, next month or year but NOW!

Read that quote over and over again. I am putting it beside my bed! When I wake up I will realize that I need to that NOW is the best time to do anything or start something. Think about it.

Remember that it’s ok to change. Don’t think that the new start or new project is set in stone. It’s not. What we need to understand that there is power in the present.

Here is today’s question, read it, write it, answer it and of COURSE SHARE IT!

What have you been putting off that you could start NOW? It may help to make a list of those things that you are holding off… if you see the list, you may be inspired!

 

I am not an American. I am a Canadian. I wish though that I could vote in the US elections. I would vote for a set of new ideas. There was a survey in Canada about who Canadian’s would for. As a country we are not so divided on party lines. We tend to vote on who we think will do the best job, or sometimes who will do the least damage.

The US is set to make history. The Democratic candidate will be a woman, Hillary Clinton, or an African American in Barack Obama. Yesterday was Super Tuesday, the day in which almost half of the states select their candidate for President for their party. What was impressive was the incredible number of young people that came out. The biggest turn out in a very LONG time. Why did they turn out? It’s a realization that this is their future. They hold power, lots of it.

The US is in a bad time right now, in what seems like a never ending war, poor economics, a president who has lower approval ratings then Richard Nixon. Whoever is elected will have a tough job. They will have to turn the country around. Make hard choices.

If I could vote, I would vote for change, vote for new ideas, vote for fresh thoughts, vote for passion, vote for the future. I would vote for Barack Obama. Never have I felt so inspired by a politician in my adult life. I am excited for America. Can they do it?

Yes they Can.

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Here is today’s question…

What would you do if you could make real change? In your world, your country, your community, with your friends and family, with yourself? Let’s all make a list, post your favourites here and I will put them together in a document and present them to my friend who works on Obama campaign… who knows, maybe we can make a change!