Live beneath your means.
Return everything you borrow.
Stop blaming other people.
Admit it when you make a mistake.
Give clothes not worn to charity.
Do something nice without having to gain recognition.
Listen more; talk less.
Take a 30-minute walk every day.
Strive for excellence, not perfection.
Be on time.
Don’t make excuses.
Don’t argue.
Get organized.
Be kind to unkind people.
Let someone cut ahead of you in line.
Take time to be alone.
Cultivate good manners.
Be humble.
Realize and accept that life isn’t fair.
Know when to keep your mouth shut.
Go an entire day without criticizing anyone.
Learn from the past. Plan for the future.
Live in the present.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, because at the end of the day – it’s all small stuff!

I can’t take credit for the simple reminders above but I found this list a couple months ago and it was too good not to share. I believe in a lot of these and try to incorporate them into my everyday life.

If you took the opportunity to watch any of the 2018 Winter Olympics (or like myself, was glued to the TV at every waking moment); you witnessed not only part of history, but saw firsthand how pure dedication, hard work, and commitment for something you love can pay off. Of the 92 competing countries, the ages of the competitors ranged anywhere from 15 to 51. Regardless of whether or not it was their first Winter Olympics, or for one athlete – her fifth, they all had one goal in mind; to capture that gold medal.

For the few that achieved their goal, I’m sure it was a moment where their emotions were indescribable. A moment in time that they will not soon forget. A moment where all the sweat, tears, and hard-work has finally paid off. Just imagine the endless hours, heartache, and sacrifices that went into the training for this one moment. For most, it truly has been a lifetime of non-stop training for the love of their sport. The strict lifestyle they must have adapted to is one that should be commended. But just imagine the sense of purpose these gold medalists must feel!

Now think of the opportunities we all have in our own lives to be a better person, associate, spouse, friend, parent, or significant other. It all comes down to a few things similar to an Olympic Athlete – dedication, commitment, sacrifices, and hard work. Imagine what success being that focused in on being a better person would bring you. The opportunities to have stronger fulfilling relationships and a richer healthier life are within your grasp if you want them bad enough!

There isn’t a day that goes by that you don’t run into someone who is downright negative about everything. I’m sure we’ve all had our run-ins with the individual who doesn’t enjoy what they do, lacks respect for others, is quick to judge, and to be completely candid – simply appears to hate their life.

However, it’s negative people like this that I often find myself asking, why? Why are they that unhappy? Is it envy? Are they simply not a positive person? Would they rather find fault instead of seeing the good in someone or something? Or do they maybe feel they’re in a rut that they can’t get out of?

Regardless of the situation… “life is too short to be a piss ant!” Or in my own terms – I hope you strive to be that positive individual who is respectful, appreciative, and courteous. Strive to live your life to its fullest. Live a life that bleeds adventure! This is a motto I’ve lived by for years and have preached to my kids since a very young age.

The next time you witness someone letting something get the best of them and you can see it starting to consume them – try to be that positive influence in their life. Then maybe, just maybe, they can begin to focus in and see all the positivity around them and they’ll cease to dwell on all that is negative.

With the New Year comes a year of new challenges, goals, and desires. Each of these has a common theme – they all start with you. You decide your attitude for the day. You decide how much you’re willing to push and hold yourself accountable. You decide the path you’re going to take.

Let this be the year excuses don’t overrule your accountability. Let 2018 be the year you push yourself on a daily basis to make the most of every possible opportunity. Get out of your comfort zone (I’m talking way out of it). Go try something new. Move forward this year and truly push yourself to grow.

Remember, it is not success that brings your happiness, instead, it is happiness that brings you success!

How can it already be December again? It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone and that the Holidays are upon us. This is the season of spending quality time with friends and family and creating lifelong memories. It’s time to continue with your family traditions or time to create new ones. It’s the season of giving and reflecting on the past 12 months. Although this time of the year can be extremely stressful and work can be more demanding than usual, it’s important to set aside time to truly enjoy special moments with those close to you. Don’t forgo creating memories
and reminiscing because you’re too busy or don’t have the time. Being able to fully enjoy this time of year is important to me and should be to you as well. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, & Happy New Year!

Over the past 30 days or so our country has experienced two of the worst hurricanes in history, Harvey and Irma. As we all watched these two massive storms unfold, they both left a path of destruction that covered multiple states, affected millions of people, and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. The country has pulled together to assist those in need by sending support, supplies, and money to aid in any way possible. If you haven’t already and can find it in your heart and in your budget to help those affected, the need for support is still there. There are several organizations on a local and national level, still accepting cash donations and supplies. Thank you for helping those in need.

Each year our family takes a summer vacation. Our vacations have included destinations anywhere from Yellowstone, the Black Hills, and the Hilton Head in the Carolinas, all the way to New York City, Los Angeles, Italy, and France. This is a tradition we started when our kids were young. It was important to us that they see and experience parts of the country and world that Lisa and I never had the opportunity to while growing up.
When we first started these annual trips, it was a true road trip where we would pack up the car and hit the road driving. Sometimes this meant driving up to 12-15 hours at a time. While daunting, it allowed us the time to simply enjoy various parts of the U.S. along the way to our destination. We would take along our cooler of goodies and enjoy roadside picnics to break up the drive. We’d sing songs, play games, watch movies, and just enjoy each other’s company.

This year was no different as we set out for our annual trip – this time heading East to New York City and Washington D.C. We had 7 days of simply being tourists and taking it all in. We enjoyed great food, people watching, a lot of walking, and exposing ourselves to things we hadn’t seen or experienced before. On our last day in D.C., we spent the morning and part of the afternoon visiting Arlington National Cemetery. We were able to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Kennedy’s grave, and walked past thousands of graves that belonged to soldiers who had passed in war or as civilians. This experience, out of everything we did on the entire trip, was the highlight for everyone. We were able to witness first hand, the numerous burials with caskets being paraded to their final resting place by a horse-drawn carriage and a 21-gun salute send-off. It was an entirely humbling experience for all of us as we thought about the lives lost and the freedom we have because of it. Tears were shed that morning not only out of sadness but of thanks as well. Thanks that we have been given the opportunities we have but also for being able to enjoy and experience life together as a family.

I’m sharing this with you for a few reasons. As many of you start your own families, or even if you already have young children, pick up this tradition of family vacations and enjoy the opportunity to create lifelong memories. Go on road trips, have those fun roadside picnics, and enjoy your time together. Go places where your kids can learn, explore, and be humbled. Try experiences beyond the typical theme parks. Instead, take your families places they can learn about other cultures and see the real world. Don’t put it off because the timing isn’t right, the kids are too young, or you can’t afford it. Start creating the memories of a lifetime now!

For those of you that don’t know, my family and I spend most of our summers at our lake home in Northern Minnesota and for those who haven’t been to Northern Minnesota – this is heaven! From tall white pines, the amazing lakes, to the wildlife – it is truly an amazing place bursting with natural beauty. Each summer we have the opportunity to host several families to share our home and what this great area has to offer.
So far this summer, we’ve hosted several families and kids ranging from ages 3-19. Regardless of age, everyone has shared an appreciation to simply enjoy what God has created and to take it all in. It is a pure joy to see the smiles on their faces and hear the laughter while playing in the lake. To see their expression when they hear a loon for the first time or when they spot a bald eagle flying overhead is quite memorable. Then there are those guests who are true troopers, staying up until 3:00 am in hopes of seeing a glimpse of the Northern Lights for the first time. Witnessing all of this first hand is such a rewarding and once in a lifetime experience.
In today’s world and environment, if you choose to disconnect from time to time and simply enjoy nature, you will find it is a wonderful experience. Whether you’re enjoying the beauty of Northern Minnesota or someplace else – take the opportunity to simply unplug and enjoy. It is truly one amazing experience you won’t regret!

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go back to my hometown, Sumner, IA, and attend an all 80’s Class Reunion. This was a decade of classes of which my class, the Class of ’84, fell almost in the middle. Being from a small town you know everyone who’s 5-10 years younger and older than you. Needless to say, I was very excited to go “home” and be reconnected with people I hadn’t seen for a long time (some since I graduated from high school)!
This wasn’t a weekend of “who’s more successful”, “who has the nicest car”, or a popularity contest. Instead, it was a time to reminisce and go back 30-40 years to simply relive those great memories of being a kid with no electronics, no boundaries, and all the freedom in the world. It was a time to really reflect on how fast time flies by and a lesson to truly appreciate each moment in every day. It was a time to thank teachers and faculty for being the mentors they were and for the words of encouragement they gave you along the way. It doesn’t seem possible that 33 years have come and gone since I graduated, but it was amazing how vivid those memories remain in my mind.
I write this simply to remind all of us that life is very short. Enjoy it to the fullest. we often find ourselves caught up in work, meeting deadlines, and the little things that at the end of the day – really don’t matter. I write this to encourage each of you to attend your class reunions and to reconnect with those you haven’t seen for awhile. Do as I did and relive life for a moment!

Over the past week, most of you have already heard of the horrible automobile/tractor accident involving former Bachelor Star, Chris Soules and Kenneth Mosher. This accident took the life of 66 year old Kenneth who was a husband, father, and grandfather. The day of the accident, Chris probably greeted the day with his regular morning routine, which also likely involved strategizing around what the next steps would be in getting the spring crops in on the family farm. Little did he know, within hours, several choices he’d be making would ultimately cost another man his life and will forever change his very own.
The choice (I’m presuming) of having one more drink and getting behind the wheel instead of calling a friend to pick him up. The choice of leaving the scene of the accident. These are all choices he made and right or wrong – will have to live with for the rest of his life. While the investigation continues, there is definite speculation that he was above the legal limit. When Chris left the scene of the accident and refused to come out of his home for over 5 hours until authorities were able to deliver a warrant for his arrest, which indeed has fueled that speculation even further. Choices he made could’ve possibly been prevented and the life of an innocent man saved. Choices that will more than likely put him behind bars for a lengthy period of time and may cost him everything he owns.
This is an important reminder to all of us that every hour, day, week, and month we have choices to make. These choices are both big and small and can affect not only our own lives but the lives of those around us. Please remind yourself that the choices you make today could completely change your life or the life of others forever. As I tell my kids on a daily basis, please make good choices as you never know how a bad choice is going to end.