John Harrell's Blog, page 41

Empowered

When we empower others, we set their creative minds to work. People who are given responsibility will rarely let you down. Your belief in them goes a long way, and their confidence soars.

Micromanaging others or being micromanaged is exhausting. It’s wasted time and energy. If you hire someone to do a job, get out of their way and let them do it! I have hired many women who have grown into confident people. It is rewarding to me to watch them grow.

Hiring the right people will solve 90% of your problems in business. Pay attention…

Making Things Better

It’s election season, so we get to hear from our favorite candidates about how they will make our lives better. They want us to believe that when they wake up every morning, they will be thinking about us. I know a good handful of politicians, from judges to members of Congress. They are telling you what you want to hear, and that’s usually not the truth.

The only one who can make your life better is you! Each of us is empowered to live active, fulfilling lives. Want more money? Work smarter and harder than your colleagues and you get promoted. The only limitations we have in life are the ones we place on ourselves. No one else can stop you from accomplishing your goals unless you allow them to.

The people in Washington will continue doing what they do. Live your life the way you want to. Don’t attach your dreams to the politicians. Make your life better through your own actions…

Interview with Jennifer Styers

For over 20 years, Jennifer Styers has been a beacon of light in the mysterious world of relationships. She is the CEO and Founder of LoveJenn.com. Jennifer created her own unique App, Lovey AI, which combines science and technology to create matches ideally suited for you, versus endless, pointless swiping. During our conversation, we discuss setting boundaries, getting rid of unhealthy habits that lead to unfulfilling relationships, and much much more! Take a moment to watch…

Inspiring Stories

Ever since I was a little boy I have loved inspiring stories. I’m not sure why. I suppose it’s in my DNA, and I’m glad it is.

The first story I read was the story of Harriet Tubman. She was not even 5 feet tall, a woman, yet she faced great danger and escaped from slavery. Even more remarkable, Harriet returned to her home 19 times and brought over 300 others to freedom. There was a bounty on her head in the amount of $40,000, equal to over $1.5 million today. It’s remarkable that no one who helped her on the “underground railroad” turned her in.

Find role models, people who inspire you. Tubman was my first, but there have been many others since then.

Get inspired and start making a difference in the lives of others…

Stay Out!

One of the lessons I learned in al anon was to mind my own business. There is no reason for me to stick my nose where it does not belong.

Humans have an innate desire to help others. This is a good thing. But this good thing turns bad when people overstep their boundaries. Most people know how to work through their problems. If they don’t, it’s not our place to solve things for them. If you do, you are depriving them of learning for themselves.

I have become quite good at minding my own business. There’s a lot of peace that comes when you’re not trying to save the world around you…

You’re Right

There are people in this world who believe, truly believe they are always right. They are difficult to talk with because you are unable to have a true conversation with them. In reality, these type people aren’t intellectually stimulating at all.

No one is right all the time. In fact, multiple studies have demonstrated that people are wrong more than they are right. This reinforces what we find in Scripture from The Book of James: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” Listening and then thinking before speaking is showing wisdom. Getting angry because someone doesn’t see things the way I do is wasted energy.

Leave the low-thinking people where they are. Seek out people who make you think, people you can learn from…

Affordability

It’s expensive to live! Yes, the CPI report shows that inflation is slowing, but the cost of going to the grocery store is not coming down. FYI, the inflation report omits the rise in food and energy because they are too “volatile.”

Here are some facts: the cost of food rose 2.2% while it costs 4.1% more to go out to eat. Medical care was up 3.3%. Shelter rose 5.1% and so on and so on. Most paychecks aren’t keeping up. This has led to 52% of families putting their groceries on credit cards. It is not sustainable.

I get it that today’s blog isn’t very uplifting. The purpose is to remind you to show patience and kindness to others. People are more stressed than ever. You might not be able to feed everyone yourself, but extending a smile is free. People need it…

Exaggeration

Have you ever told a story about yourself and exaggerated the details to make the story better than it was? Of course you have! I have, too. Guys have been doing it for thousands of years to impress girls.

The worst example of exaggeration comes from the politicians. As long as I have been aware politically I have heard innumerable promises from those who want your vote. And I have voted for Republicans and Democrats with the same results. I believe we put way too much faith in Washington DC and not enough in our Creator. He’s the only one we can trust.

In this political season, take time to listen to the “promises of a better future” the politicians talk about. Consider what makes sense. And above all the noise, remember to pray to the one who has your future in His hands…

Overboard

In 2023, actor Ben Stein (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) said he “missed Aunt Jemima. “Activists” jumped all over Stein, a Jew, for fomenting racism and hatred. I wonder if the so-called activists see the irony. For the record, I miss Aunt Jemima, too!

We have a tendency to go overboard in the United States when we are trying to correct a wrong, whether perceived or real. After the 9/11 hijackings, airport security got amped up (rightfully so) and we haven’t had any religious zealots fly airplanes into buildings since. Airport security has somewhat normalized and moved back to the center. It’s horrible that thousands of people had to die for us to get it accomplished.

Hundreds of statues were taken down, destroyed or vandalized because they were deemed racist. In Austin, Texas some idiots threw paint on the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue. Why? I met Stevie years ago, and he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. But he was a talented guitar player, not a devotee of Andrew Jackson!

Let’s approach life with calm. When something presents itself that needs to be addressed, let’s use a common sense approach to addressing it. We don’t need to go overboard…

Alterations

When we meet new people we always want to make a good first impression. After all, you only get one opportunity to do so.

People have a habit of putting up a solid front. They want to appear more important than they are. This is why people name-drop. But the truth is that everyone is important. We are equal in the eyes of God. He created us, and he doesn’t create junk.

We should treat others with dignity and respect. This applies even to the people who don’t deserve it. Calling people names and putting them down is both rude and wrong.

Stay true to your real self. Don’t alter yourself for the crowd. Just be the best version of yourself. Others will notice…