John Harrell's Blog, page 106

Stop!

There is nothing in this world that can stop us from fulfilling our dreams. There are no insurmountable obstacles. Our only challenge is inside our heads. That’s right. Mindset is everything…

Veterans Day

We honor our veterans on November 11th every year. We should honor them daily.

It’s easy to take for granted what our armed services do. We are safe from a war in our country because they protect us. Service personnel go into some dark places and do some unspeakable work. They take out terrorists and protect foreigners, too. Our armed forces are the best in the world. Period.

I encourage you to take a moment and say a prayer, thanking God for the brave men and women who serve and have served. They are honorable…

Narcissists

Have you ever been in a relationship with a narcissist? Narcissist destroy whoever gets in their way.

Narcissists break you down so they can rebuild you into what they want: someone they can control.

By doing this, the narcissist forces us to find our inner strength. We rebuild ourselves and become a stronger version of ourself. We develop into who we are, not who others want us to be.

If you are in a relationship with a narcissist, I encourage you to find your strength. Find your voice…

Work

We find satisfaction after we have put in a good days work. The feeling of accomplishment is satisfying.

We must be cautious that we don’t allow our identity to be attached to our work. No, we are so much more than that. Our identity is who we are, not what we do.

Get to know yourself outside of your occupation. Examine your good qualities, and work on the characters traits you want to improve on. We are all works in progress…

Age

We can’t stop the aging process, but we don’t have to allow it to ruin our health, either.

Age only exists in your head and your heart. Keep your thoughts on what’s true, right and noble. Exert yourself when you exercise. Eat good foods. Read books that make you think, books that inspire you. By doing these things, you will begin to age in reverse.

Try it! You will become more vibrant, and the lens you view the world through will expand…

What the???

It’s November 7th and Christmas decorations have been up in stores for almost a month. In August, Halloween stuff filled the aisles. My prediction is that Valentines cards will be available the week of Thanksgiving. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

We have become so rushed that we miss some important moments in our lives. We get so busy thinking about the next “thing” that we fail to truly enjoy today. I’m the guiltiest one of all.

I encourage you to slow down, just a little, and feel the presence of the day, moment by moment. You might still miss a few things, but odds are you won’t…

The Determined People Podcast I Interview with Art Acevedo

Art Acevedo has the mindset of a warrior and the heart of a servant leader. Click on the link to watch Part One of our lively interview where you will learn about his family’s immigration from Cuba, what it was like growing up in east Los Angeles, and he will give you a closeup look at the riots after the Rodney King verdict and how it shaped him as a law enforcement officer.

Start

People believe they must have everything aligned perfectly before beginning a new, worthwhile venture. Or they need more education. Or time. Or money. Or whatever excuse they conjure up.

Here’s a secret for you: you do not need perfect alignment, education, time or money or anything else. Commit your work to honoring God, ask Him for guidance, keep asking along the way, and begin. That’s it!

Then keep going, no matter what…

Reborn

I get it. Change is hard, or is it? The battle is in our mind and our thoughts will dictate our actions.

If you desire to change something in your life, you cannot remain the same person with the same behavior. Think of change as a form of rebirth. You become like the butterfly, released from a dark cocoon, free to fly wherever you want to.

Start by changing one thing, only one. See yourself succeeding in your mind’s eye. Commit to it for one month. Watch what happens…

Political Divide

In the United States, we have had our differences politically since the founding of our country. That’s okay. Free thinking is a good thing.

Sadly, we have devolved to name calling and worse. It doesn’t have to be this way. We must regain our ability to recognize and respect the beliefs and opinions of others, no matter how wacky we believe them to be.

When someone disagrees with us, politically or otherwise, try to build a bridge rather than tearing one down. If we don’t learn to be quiet and listen, our society might be doomed…