Living It With Lisa

This quote from Jim Rohn says it all.  It epitomizes the legacy he leaves behind.  I was blessed to have known him.

“Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed.” ~ Jim Rohn

MyDailyInsights will feature Jim Rohn quotes for the remainder of December.  We have never done that before.  It was amazing how I felt once I immursed myself in his quotes.  I hope our subscribers get the same feeling and get empowered to start the new year with momentum.

Here are a few of my favorite Jim Rohn quotes:

• The major value in life is not what you get.  The major value in life is what you become.
• How long should you try? Until.
• Either you run the day or the day runs you.
• If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan.  And guess what they have planned for you?  Not much.
• Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.
• Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.
• Commit yourself to something bigger than yourself.
• Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.
• Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
• Don’t blow your own horn, or you might just miss the music.
• Learn to say NO to the good, so you can say YES to the great.
• Failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.
• Don’t just read the easy stuff.  You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.
• Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process.
• Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.
• If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.
• You don’t get paid for the hour.  You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.
• Give so much to the improvement of yourself, that you don’t have time to criticize others.
• Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.
• You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.

This story was posted as the Friday Story on MyDailyInsights in honor of our mothers 80th birthday.

MY FRIDAY STORY

THE “M” FACTOR

By Lisa Johnson, Julie Dickison, Melea Fisher and Natalie Krause

Our Mother turns 80 tomorrow November 14^th and we four daughters have gathered to celebrate with her (but, shhh … it’s a surprise … she is still in transit and doesn’t know we’ve traveled from across the country)!

Meanwhile, we are lounging on our first day together, still in our PJs and naturally we started to reminisce … like most everyone, we think our Mother is pretty indescribable!  She has what we like to call, ‘the M Factor’…

Mother started life on a 14,000 acre ranch in Montana.  Her work ethic was formed and has been more than replicated in all of her girls!  The “M” factor:  Complete the job and don’t be a half done Polly!

Mother has an intense fear of water, developed as a young girl after her brother tragically drowned.  She has worked hard to conquer her fear, and wasn’t going to accept it in any of her daughters.  Our parents required each of us (there was no discussion) to complete lifeguard certification.  The “M” factor:  Don’t pass on to your children your own fears.

When Mother became a Christian as a teenager she found her real passion in life and we are forever thankful for the love of Christ she has shared with us.  Inscribed in our parents’ wedding bands is their personal motto “Each for the other, both for Christ”.  The “M” factor:  Our marriages must be caught up in a purpose larger than itself.

As we grew into adults, we discovered that our Mother had been a ‘cougar’ and ‘feminist’ without even realizing it!  She married in 1955 at the age of 26 (considered old at the time) to a 21 year old!  Mother, a nurse, was the primary provider for the family of three once Lisa arrived on the scene, working nights while Daddy finished college.  The “M” Factor: There is no such thing as ‘woman’s work’ or ‘man’s work’.

When our Daddy started his own business, Mother happily became a stay at home Mom.  As each of us grew up, she determined to teach us what she considered were three essential life skills:  how to make a quilt, how to cut up a whole chicken, and how to can fresh produce.  The “M” Factor:  While we may laugh at these skills now, we have since discovered that what we really gained was the ability to be creative, frugal, and self-sufficient.

Mother was often at the forefront of what would much later be an accepted trend.  Before it was popular, we ate unprocessed foods, made our own bread, used environmentally friendly laundry detergents, and took whole food supplements!  The “M” Factor:  Don’t be afraid to question the ‘norm’, to lead even if no one is following.

Our greatest joy has been to be present while our parents have achieved some of their dreams.  Mother always wanted to live in Australia, and the opportunity presented itself when she was 55 years old!  They didn’t hesitate to take the risk.  The “M” Factor:  Dreams come true only as you work towards them.

Retirement for Mother has yet to happen.  She still runs a business with our Daddy, providing endless nutritional advice.  At the age of 70, she took a class to conquer the Internet and Power Point.  At age 79 she was introduced to Facebook and keeps in touch with her grandchildren and is considering whether she should start a blog!  The “M” Factor:  Learning never stops.

We admire our Mother for everything she has taught us.  For all that makes her who she is … the “M” factor: our model, our mentor, and best of all, our Mother.

Happy 80^th Birthday Mother, we love you,

Your Darling Daughters,

Lisa, Julie, Melea and Natalie

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Lisa Johnson is the wife of Vic Johnson, mother to Joseph, chosen mom to Tyler & wife Savanah, Victoria & husband Drew, and Carter.  MamaLisa to Dylan, Tommy, Hannah, Mason, Austin and soon to arrive Nathan.   Julie Dickison is the wife of Ron Dickison, mother to Natalie and husband Shaun, Jessica, Philip, Michael and Hope.   Melea Fisher is the wife of Andrew Fisher, mother to Laura, Emma and James.  Natalie Krause is Auntie Extraordinaire to all nine of her nieces and nephews.

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Christopher Columbus

I watched this video today and you may want to watch it more than once and let it really sink in .   Ariane at First 30 Days was right.  It says it all.

What is the one thing that holds you back ….. nothing but FEAR!   In love, in life, in finding your passion, in discovery, in growth, in your job search, in everything.  Fear.  We should embrace fear as it can be our green light to go!

Watch this video and ask yourself what is stopping you from reaching out and grabbing what you want in life?  You are not alone.  You believe in you.  So face it and grab it!

I came across this poem recently.  Many of us can relate to the experience of waking up and searching for our own voice and belief in ourselves when the going is tough.

THE JOURNEY

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the
old tug at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations—
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life that you could save.

– Mary Oliver

“Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor.” H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Most of you know that I am a Dancing With The Stars fan. Seriously! Many of the stars really get outside their comfort zones and it is great exercise.  It shows us that determination and perseverance do produce results even when you are not in your element.

It is interesting that many times the star doesn’t have a dancing bone in their body.  Yes, it does make for good television, but for me it is watching what goes on behind the scenes and how they overcome what is obviously a road block to pull it out by show time.   We have seen that in each season, where someone is kept by audience vote purely because they want the underdog to have just one more shot. Yes, Cloris Leachman was a dancer but she ultimately was more of a performer, which we all embraced. It was as if we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. The oldest performer to date on DWTS, yet she could do leg lifts, spins and splits with the best of them.

As you watch this video embrace your inner “Cloris Leachman” and never underestimate someone with the power of passion.  It is not about what others think you should do, because of who you are or how old you are.  It is about how you feel inside. You can do anything you set your mind to do.

How passionate you are about life?

Take a moment and while you are watching think about what YOU would really enjoy doing now and in your twilight years and put it on your vision board.  Don’t stare at it.  Do something about it … everyday. The ole gal in the video didn’t become a salsa dancer overnight.

So ..do you want to be barely moving from chair to bed or dancing in the moonlight?

I am gonna be dancin’!

Have you ever had a day where the “rain” just wouldn’t go away?  Are  you still be full of gratitude?  Are you dancing in the rain?   Understanding the power of gratitude can change your life forever.

Sarah Breathnach said it best …”When we choose not to focus on what’s missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present … we experience heaven on earth.”

Take a moment to reflect, to focus, to be aware and to be grateful.

“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…
it’s about learning how to dance in the rain!”

Click here:  Dancing in the Rain Movie

Attitude and persistence.  What an incredible life story.  If you are thinking your life is less than perfect, then you will find this story inspirational.  Try doing everything with no arms.  Crack eggs, put on makeup, change diapers and drive a car. 

Sportsmanship is alive and well.  I read this article on ABC’s Person of the Week and it moved me and gave me hope.

Its the story of two young men and their basketball teams.  One young man  lost his mother hours before the game and came to play because that is what his mother would want him to do.  What the other team did was amazing.  It is nice to know that coaches are still teaching sportsmanship and class.  

Because it isn’t always only about who wins. it is how you play the game. 

http://tinyurl.com/blf8tu

This was sent to me by my cousin Kathy.  It gives you pause to think about how many things just simply make us feel good.  Take time to be in the moment.  Each moment we have creates our journey called LIFE. How sad it would be if we raced too fast to get to the next big thing, the next deal and we missed the simple things that we experience everyday. 

Read each one.  Think about it.  They do make you simply Feel Good. 

Experience one, two or five … EVERYDAY!

§  Falling in love.

§  Laughing so hard your face hurts.

§  A hot shower.

§  No lines at the supermarket.

§  A special glance.

§  Getting mail or e-mail.

§  Taking a drive on a pretty road.

§  Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

§  Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

§  Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

§  Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).

§  A bubble bath.

§  Giggling.

§  A good conversation.

§  The beach.

§  Finding a 20-dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

§  Laughing at yourself.

§  Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

§  Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

§  Running through sprinklers.

§  Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

§  Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful.

§  Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

§  Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

§  Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

§  Your first kiss.

§  Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

§  Playing with a new puppy.

§  Having someone play with your hair.

§  Sweet dreams.

§  Hot chocolate.

§  Road trips with friends.

§  Swinging on swings.

§  Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

§  Making chocolate chip cookies.

§  Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

§  Holding hands with someone you care about.

§  Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

§  Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much-desired present from you.

§  Watching the sunrise.

§  Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

§  Knowing that somebody misses you.

§  Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

§  Knowing you’ve done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

“Don’t start your day until you finished it” – Jim Rohn
Make sure you are waking up to the day knowing what you are going to be doing. 

“The person who wakes up and says, ‘I wonder what is going to happen today?’ Should go back to bed and wake up and prepare for the next day.”

Use everyday to its fullest. Taking days casually will destroy your ability to live the life you really wish for.

Have a great day, plan for tomorrow and make it happen.