We have a shortage of respect. The words “offended and offensive” are used more today than they were in decades past. We see it in our news, where almost every other story is about someone being offended by what someone else did or did not do. We see it in our discourse. Social...
Respect is treating others with honor and dignity. The more I think about respect, the more I realize it is a hard word. I have discussed respect with several people and gained a greater understanding of how challenging it can be. When I look back in my life, I see times that I have not offered...
At some point, we’ve all struggled to be thorough. No matter how intelligent, skilled, educated, or hardworking you may be, you’ve stumbled over something important because you just weren’t thorough enough. There is a great equalizer that reveals our lack of attention. We call this great equalizer...
Persuasiveness has fallen into a bad light these days. Some may actually see it as a negative trait due to stereotypical images of pushy sales people and overpromising politicians. Persuasiveness can easily become contentiousness with a polarization of viewpoints, which we see all the time on...
I asked my wife, Sennola, to help me with my article on creativity. Without batting an eye, she said, “Use your creativity.” My wife has known me for over 53 years. She knows that I thrive on opportunities to express my creativity. She knows me as a songwriter, author, sermon writer, and...
Loyalty is the character trait for July. The Urban Dictionary defines loyalty as making something or someone a priority and doing so in small and discrete but meaningful ways; staying true to someone or something even when other things call attention and a way of showing support for a person or...
There are certain character words that when you hear them, they immediately resonate. Loyalty – Demonstrating commitment to others. When you hear the word Loyalty, what are some thoughts that create visions in your mind? A loyal pet that greets you when you return home. A loyal brand that you...
In a recent staff discussion a director recognized two team members for exemplifying this month’s character trait of loyalty. The first example is a member of the team who is choosing to work around the need to provide care for her dad as he is aging and encountering health issues. She adjusts...
Determination can be defined as overcoming obstacles in order to reach my goal. Determination is the fuel necessary to get us to the finish line. Conversely, inertia is a relentless villain itching for us to “fall off the wagon,” the villain that is rooting for us to quit and remain unsuccessful...
Recently, I became familiar with the term “cycle breaker.” A Cycle Breaker is someone in your family who recognizes unhealthy familial patterns and chooses not to repeat them. I come from a long family line of alcoholics. This social disease has disrupted my family– maternally and paternally –...
Vince Lombardi related success to determination when he said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Not their attainment of excellence, but their commitment to it, their...
Each year the Character Council solicits applications for an annual scholarship. Students often write about determination, hard work, and patience. For the first time, one of the applicants wrote about availability, stating: “Availability means being able to be present whenever goals need to be...
