July 2008 Archives

Today's episode of Ground Breakers on HGTV featured my Uncle Danny (George, as he is referred to on the show) and Aunt Ana in 50 Acre Wood and showcased their beautiful new home on 50 acres in Georgia.

I was going to include some photos of the house, but I've got to get the external hard drive hooked up (photos stored externally) so I'll try to post some later. It really is a gorgeous home, and such a peaceful place with all the nature and woods around it.

Update 8/19/08: The episode was so popular HGTV is airing it again Aug. 31 at 7:00 a.m. Wow, a rerun in just five weeks! I wish I hadn't been so vocal over the years about not mixing business and family. I'd love to be my uncle's agent ;)

Our minister is in North Carolina this weekend attending his 50th class reunion, so Dr. Don DeBevoise was our guest preacher today.

I don't usually blog about religious topics, even though my faith is an integral part of my daily life and core being; however, today's sermon On Being Tired, was one with which many of us can relate, regardless of religious background or beliefs, so I thought it worth sharing a few key points.

Dr. DeBevoise noted that much of our seeming tiredness today comes not from physical exhaustion but the demands placed on us [and that we place on ourselves}. It's the difference in being physically tired versus something that makes us feel tired. Things that make us feel tire include discouragement, frustration, failure, tension, worry and disappointment.

So how do you overcome being tired all the time?

"Energy comes from commitment and we get tired when we feel like what we are doing does't matter" he told us. I know that's often true for me. I seem to get tired much quicker sitting at my desk cleaning out emails than rushing around handling last minute details before a big event or promotion. The former takes no physical energy or strength yet it's the latter that gets me energized.

Dr. DeBevoisie suggests handling tiredness by telling the truth to God about what is making you tired: that big deal that fell through, or the friend that let you down. He reminded us that prayers [about] exhaustion and defeat are also prayers or renewal and strength. My interpretation is that you acknowledge the things that are bothering you, ask God for help is getting through challenging times, and then move on (personally I like to acknowledge the blessings as well as the challenges).

I guess I won't be taking a nap this afternoon after all :)

My passion for text messaging garnered some nice publicity in a front page article by Etan Horowitz in The Orlando Sentinel this morning.

I use text messaging on a regular basis, for both business and personal communication, and have found it to be invaluable.

The article is well written and Etan really did a great job capturing the parts of my response that were (in my mind) a bit disjointed. It's nice to be quoted accurately but then, he's a pretty sharp journalist so I'm not surprised.

This morning I had the pleasure of being the featured speaker at the Central Florida Economic Cooperative's Executive Seminar Series, with my new presentation Becoming a Recognized Leader in Your Industry.

The audience was fantastic! They were very engaged and asked a lot of great questions.

The books I mentioned when asked what I am reading now:

Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish by Mark Levin - read that this past weekend. It's an incredible read for anyone who has ever lost a beloved dog (or any pet for that matter). Grab a box of Kleenex before you open the cover. Trust me.

Life's Golden Ticket: An Inspirational Novel by Brendon Burchard - I actually read this earlier this Spring (thanks BB for the autographed copy). It will make you think, and I love those type books (there may even still be time to get in on the gifts if you use this link to purchase the book). Brendon is hosting The Life's Golden Ticket Seminar Sept. 26-28 in LongBeach Shoreline (CA). If I wasn't co-hosting the Small Business Summit in Orlando Sept. 26, I would be there. I'm a huge Brendon fan, which is why I readily agreed to provide a giveaway for his recent sweepstakes promotion.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About Itby Michael Gerber, one of our featured speakers at the Small Business Summit on Sept. 26.

The Appeal by John Grisham (I was on vacation; besides, he's one of my fav fiction authors). Thinly veiled as fiction, The Appeal is a scary depiction of politics when you consider how close to reality it actually is.

I didn't mention it this morning, but I also read Honor Thyself by Danielle Steel while I was laying on the beach a few weeks ago. Her writing style has always fascinated me.)

Special note for those who attended this morning: the presentation has been uploaded to my website. If you gave me your card, I'll be emailing you shortly with the specific URL; if you didn't have a card with you, leave a comment (or email me directly) with your email address and I'll get the link to you.