Are You Squandering Brain Power?

You may be thinking, “I certainly hope not.” But far too many people are. As a recent study pointed out, “That little screen is always nearby – in our pocket or backpack, on the nightstand or under the pillow – beckoning us.” The average person touches their phone 2,617 times per day. That is nearly…

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Are You Self-Sustaining?

You may find that to be an interesting question as it could be viewed and answered a number of different ways. You might think, “Well, I live on my own and I earn enough money to support myself, so, yea, I am self-sustaining.” Or you may state, “Ever since I moved out of my parent’s…

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Are You Resting to be More Productive?

As you read that question, your first thought is probably more along the lines of, “Wait, shouldn’t I not be resting so that I can get more done?”  My approach may sound like an upside down plan.  But I would ask you to consider a story told by author Steven Covey. There were two men…

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Are You Remaining Relevant?

I recently read an incredible story about a man named Robert Owens.  Robert’s journey has taken him from the U.S. Air Force Pararescue special operations team, to counseling troubled students at the University of Nevada, to pastoring a church in Reno.  While he has participated in marathons and Ironman competitions, probably his most physically daunting…

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Are You Ready?

When the worst tsunami in generations hit Southeast Asia the day after Christmas in 2004, “60 Minutes” discovered a group of people that had amazingly survived the catastrophe. The Moken people live off the coast of Thailand and they survived because, as “60 Minutes” reported, “they knew it was coming.” “It was their intimacy with…

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Are You Nearing Burnout?

Burnout has been defined as, “an extreme state of psychological pain.” “It’s a response to facing prolonged, chronic stressors that go beyond your ability or available resources to overcome.” Professor Michael Leiter of Acadia University in Nova Scotia states that burnout has three components – “overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism, and a sense of discouragement.”…

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Are You Missing in Action?

“So many men (and women) feel empty and unfulfilled,” begins comedian Jeff Allen. He goes on to talk about the fulfillment and accomplishments we expected to feel by this point in our adult lives. We expected to feel a deeper purpose but instead, we’ve “got nothing.” We go through the motions, and put on a…

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Are You Lost in the Weeds?

I feel as though I am in the weeds today. What do I mean by that? Do you ever plan your day or your week, expecting to make great headway on your meaningful and significant goals – only to get derailed? Perhaps you are checking your email and you come across one that winds up…

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Are You Looking at the Big Picture?

The following story is told by Dr. Richard Carlson and is fitting for us to consider when we find ourselves getting bogged down in the minutia of our daily life. I heard a story about two workers who were approached by a reporter. The reporter asked the first worker, “What are you doing?” His response…

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