A Story of Hope (Forward Fridays)

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You may be in challenging circumstances in your life, but sometimes ideas come out of left field that can change the game…

John D’Eri ‘s son Andrew has autism. John knew that at 22, Andrew would age out of the education system. He wanted a future where Andrew could live a life, not just sit in a room where people took care of him.

John and his other son Tom came up with an idea for Andrew and other adults with autism that is truly inspirational.

Click here to read this incredible story.

The Benefits of the Attitude of Gratitude (Forward Fridays)

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I had a wonderful week off with my family. I needed it.

As I was getting ready to go back to work, I started to feel a bit down in the dumps. Fortunately, I realized something.

I’m a blessed man. I’m so grateful for my family, my friends, my work. It ain’t that bad. Even when I’ve been in challenging situations with projects, it’s been important to remember the things to be grateful for.

With that said I wanted to share this article that discusses the benefits of gratitude.

http://happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/

Spend some time today reflecting on what you’re grateful for and feel free to share it here and with others.

How to Save $1000 and Why You Need to Do It Now (Forward Fridays)

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Our family has gone through financial hardships in the past. There were times that we felt we would never get out from under our mountain of debt.

But we did.

In the coming months, I’m going to share what our family did to get out of debt in the space of eight months. One of the instrumental people in that process was Dave Ramsey. His teaching leads people through 7 Baby Steps that can lead you to a debt free life where you can eventually live and give like no one else.

His first step: Save a $1000 emergency fund ($500 if you’re a single person or student)

Emergencies will come. They always do. They also happen to hit at that magic number $1000, whether it’s a car repair, medical bill, whatever. You have to be prepared. Once that net is in place, it gives you a little breathing room so that you can focus on getting out of debt and living a more financially peaceful life.

Check out his article on this first baby step and how, if you really focus, you can do it in a month!

Camping for Beginners (Forward Fridays)

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Part of our family just returned from a camping trip on Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Islands, off the Southern Californian coast. It was magnificent. We went ocean kayaking, hiking and got to spend some wonderful time together connecting and recharging.

Camping is a great way to unplug from the stress of work and refuel yourself in the wonders of God’s creation. If you’ve never gone camping, I found these great sites that point you in the right direction to explore the great outdoors.

First visit easycampinglists.com to see what type of gear you’ll need to bring with you. This site breaks down the different types of camping you might want to do: single, family, backpacking camping, or “glamping”(glorious camping).

Then visit reserveamerica.com to see what types of campsites may be available to you nearby. Some popular spots are reserved months ahead of time, but there may be great little finds in your neck of the woods.

Camping is a great way to take a break, spend time with your loved ones, or just simply unplug from the frantic pace of everyday life. Get out there and enjoy!

Simple Exercises That Helped Me Lose Weight and Gain Strength (Forward Fridays)

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For the last 10 years I’ve battled the same 15 pounds. So I decided to do something about it.

I started logging my food using an app on my phone, but I knew I needed to add exercise into my routine as well.

I was doing 15 min walks every other day, but I needed to add strength training as well.

That’s when I found this:

Full disclosure, I don’t do 30 minutes. I do 15 minutes every other day and only do 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b.

The results: I have been gaining strength and muscle. Combined with my running/walking and food logging, I have lost 13 pounds and intend to keep it off.

Give it a try and see if it helps. It did for me.

How to Get Out of Your Funk (Forward Fridays)

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This is a new feature that I’m starting on my blog. “Forward Fridays” is the opportunity for me to point you “forward” towards different authors and/or websites that I have found informative and inspiring.

It’s been a long week between working my regular job and getting things prepped for my website relaunch. There have been several times when I’ve been feeling pretty tired and worn out.

I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to pass on these tips that I’ve learned from Michael Hyatt.

24 tips to get you out of your funk. I’ve definitely used several of these techniques, and this week I had to reach into the old emotional tool belt and use some of these myself. It’s always good to have some of these emotional tools handy.

With that said, now I feel like I should start putting together that earthquake kit I’ve been putting off for quite some time… Enjoy the article, and if you think of other tips you use let me know?

24 HACKS FOR GETTING OUT OF YOUR FUNK

ometimes, you get stuck in a funk and can’t figure out why. Maybe it is something tangible and specific. Maybe it is nothing in particular.

For example, a month ago, we had two gorgeous weeks of spring. The temperatures were in the 70s, the birds were singing, the daffodils began to bloom. I caught myself whistling as I was leaving for work.

But, as usual in Tennessee, cold weather has returned. Right now it feels just like winter. The temperatures are in the 40s. It’s overcast and raining. Last night, for no apparent reason, I caught myself in a funk.

What do you do? (Click here to read the rest of this great article)