Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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Pull on a loose thread dangling from a carpet and the entire carpet can unravel. Some seemingly small things in life can have the same effect. Left untended they can lead to much greater consequences than imagined. Human tendency is to ignore small things in order to give our attention to larger issues that have already reached the crisis stage. These emergency situations scream for attention. The minor ones, the loose threads, fall by the wayside. Since they carry no immediate consequences, we...
Peter and Jean have two kids and live in a modest suburban neighborhood. The children are in grade school and both Peter and Jean work. Like most Americans, they have a very comfortable life. Also like many people, Peter and Jean are concerned about the impression they make on others. Peter and Jean feel as if they are in competition with their friends and neighbors. From the cars they buy to the activities their children are involved in, Peter and Jean are constantly concerned with how they...
Some are skeptical as to the power of positive thinking. People have told me they tried "that positive thinking stuff" and it didn't work. They are convinced the concept is a lot of hype with very little substance. In talking to many people over the years, I have found a common belief held by those who reject that thinking patterns have an impact on their lives. These individuals doubt the significance of their thoughts. They are frustrated, feeling they don't have much control over their life....
Each day you are exposed to stress inducing events and people. There are both minor and major situations you have to deal with. What causes stress is very different for every person. You can't judge how you should react to stress by looking at how others handle it. Regardless of the source of stress, there are techniques for reducing your stress level. All of the following are simple and easy to implement. To be effective, they must be consistently applied. Stress won't go away by ignoring it....
You've heard the saying, "Everyone has their price." This refers to the tendency of people to compromise or abandon their ethics for the right price. The person who is willing to travel this route doesn't really have ethics. True ethics are not for sale. An individual who is willing to alter his or her beliefs for great enough remuneration never had principles at all. Someone who has firm convictions will not be influenced by any price. Yet people from all cross sections of society do have a pri...
Ideas are either the engine of achievement or the instruments of destruction. Ideas have such power because ideas precede action. An idea without action is ineffectual. Good ideas can be supported with sound reasoning. They can withstand scrutiny, analysis, and challenge. A bad idea is not merely a good idea that didn't work out as expected. A bad idea is rooted in selfishness and shows a total disregard for the well being of others. People who purposely espouse bad ideas typically have an air...
Your thoughts affect what you do, how you act, the kind of person you are, how you feel, and what you attract. Your thoughts can either solve problems or create them. Regardless of what your thoughts are, they are within your control. Even the most positive, proactive person can have negative thoughts. A normally upbeat, happy individual will have off days. Although you choose your thoughts, there are thoughts that seem to pop into your head on their own. How do you select the most desirable...
When walking backwards it's easy to see where you have been, but difficult to see where you are going. You have to really crane your neck to see where you are headed in order to keep from tripping. Although it is impractical to get through each day walking backwards, this is how many people go through life. When walking backwards, the view is clear. You see exactly where you have been, along with the route you have taken. However, unless you turn around, you'll struggle making real forward...
Much frustration results when a person tries to be someone who they are not. When this happens a number of factors are at play. Pressure to conform to the expectations of others, the desire for acceptance, and the yearning to emulate other's lifestyles are some of them. You are a unique individual. No one else is exactly like you. You have aptitudes, abilities, desires, and a personality unlike anyone else's. You need to recognize and be who you are. It's easy to get caught up with trends and...
Some people have ambition while others don't. But ambition isn't required for happiness. So, does ambition serve a purpose? Ambition is beneficial when it originates from your own desire. Ambition can be detrimental if it is externally imposed on you by another person. A common example of externally imposed ambition is a parent's expectations for their son or daughter. The expectation of the parents may be at odds with what their child desires. When the child grows up and strives to please...
" He who never made a mistake never made a discovery." - Samuel Smiles Although no one wants to, we all make mistakes. It's virtually unavoidable. Mistakes have a stigma associated with them. To many people, mistakes are synonymous with failure, and no one wants to be labeled a failure. When faced with two or more options, mistake avoidance plays a significant role in the decision making process. So rather than analyzing which choice offers the greatest rewards, you limit yourself by gravitating...
Everyone has problems, challenges, adversity, and obstacles they have to deal with. Collectively, these are commonly referred to as troubles. Rather than being a master of our situation, we allow our circumstances to govern us. We react to whatever is happening rather than acting to produce the outcome we want. For many, their troubles become their constant companions. They leave work and bring their troubles home. They go to work and bring the troubles from home with them. Wherever they go,...
As a reader of this column, you are striving to improve your life. You want to attain your goals and bring your dreams into reality. You want to break through your self-imposed limitations. So you follow all of the advice in this column. But you think nothing is working. You are doing all the right things. Your attitude is positive. You are motivated. You have specific goals and a plan to reach them. You are taking action. Yet, still you feel as if you are not making the progress you had hoped...
Happiness isn't a reaction; it is a cause. People who wait for specific circumstances to materialize before they are happy are putting the cart before the horse. People who are happy attract positive situations. Those who walk around with a scowl are a magnet for the very things they are unhappy about. You don't need a reason to be happy. Being happy is a lot more enjoyable than being miserable. Since feeling crummy isn't pleasant, and it doesn't make your situation better, why not be happy...
Are you a S.N.I.O.P.? A S.N.I.O.P. is a person who is susceptible to the negative influences of other people. This is a common syndrome. We all desire approval from others. Everyone has grown up being conditioned to be concerned about what others think. Many people tend to be negative, finding problems rather than solutions. So, it's to be expected that the influence of other people is mostly negative. It's only when you pay attention to these negative people that a problem arises. When you pay...
Everyone enjoys being comfortable. Being safe, secure, and happy is a basic human desire. For the most part, we prefer the known to the unknown, the predictable to the unpredictable, and the risk-free to the risky. However, bringing goals to reality requires us to leave our comfort zone. This requirement is in direct conflict with our innate desire to remain safe. So, in order to realize your dreams, you must act in a manner contrary to normal preferences. A major deterrent to leaving your...
When someone is successful, they are more visible than when they were struggling along their path to attain their goals. Few people draw much attention while they are confronting challenges and overcoming numerous obstacles. When a person has reached the top of the mountain and is standing on the summit, they are much more visible than when they were climbing up the side. We all desire success, however we define it. However, very few of us relish the time and effort required to bring our dreams...
No one is perfect. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Those who are most successful, build on their strengths while striving to overcome their weaknesses. It's not unusual for a trait that initially appears to be a weakness to actually be a strength. I came across the following parable which nicely shows this point. Many years ago, a farmer had to get his household water from a nearby stream. To get as much water as possible from each trip, he used two large clay pots, each fastened...
The proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back is an illustration of what can happen when you feel overwhelmed. Each straw by itself is irrelevant. Yet, the cumulative weight of enough straw can be unbearable. Life’s events can have the same cumulative impact as the straw. Most situations, by themselves, are manageable. But when you are faced with one problem after another, before you have a chance to resolve each one, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Situations can also pile up gradually becau...
Are you a dream maker or a dream breaker? The category to which you belong will strongly influence the direction your life takes, your level of satisfaction, and the type of impact you have on other people. Most of us aren't even aware of the distinctions between dream makers and dream breakers. Dream makers believe anything is possible. To them, the future is full of hope, promise, and potential. They know problems have solutions and obstacles can be overcome. Not only do dream makers believe...
Everyone encounters adverse circumstances. Some people survive and thrive while others suffer and allow their spirit to be extinguished. It's not the circumstances that vary, it is the manner in which each individual chooses to respond. Harold was out for a walk when he came across an old abandoned well shaft. Peering over the edge, he lost his footing and fell to the bottom of the deep well. Miraculously, Harold was unhurt as he landed in the soft dirt at the bottom. As Harold sat down to...
As careful as you may be, you will make mistakes. Although it's not possible to live mistake free, there are effective strategies you can use to recover from your mistakes. Let's start by considering basic causes of mistakes. You are impatient and act too quickly. You lack knowledge or expertise. You don't have enough information to make a sound decision. You make a decision based on wrong information. Regardless of the cause, you need to recover from your mistakes. Once you have recovered, you...
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." -Benjamin Franklin Persistence is key to reaching your goals. But how do you know if you are on the right track or just doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results? Unfortunately, there is no easy way to know. Since there is no way to know how long it will take to reach success, there is always the uncertainty of whether you need to allow more time or alter your strategy....
You would never attempt to drive your car with the windshield painted black. Nor would you expect to keep your car on the road by looking out every window but the front one. But how many people attempt to get through life by looking in every direction except forward. Distractions are everywhere. There are the distractions of the past. You think about the things you did but shouldn't have done. Then there are those things you didn't do but feel you should have. Additionally, there are the bad exp...
The placebo effect is a great illustration of the awesome power of the mind. Here is how it works. A person is given an inert substance with no medicinal properties and told that it is a drug that is proven to cure whatever malady they are experiencing. The amazing result is that the subject often recovers as if they received actual medicine. The only explanation for the recovery is that since the person's mind believed they were going to get better, they did. Then there are those who don't...
