Jay Platt's "No Matter What!" Report

Are You Thankful?

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue,
but the parent of all the other virtues." 

~Cicero~

I originally shared a version of this post a couple of years ago, but believe it's as timely today it ever was. I hope you enjoy it, and have a Happy Thanksgiving (tomorrow, here in the US). 

Last week, I went for my annual check up at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you’ve never been, NIH is a huge facility with people from all over the world there.

Patients often refer to it as the "City of Hope" because many who go there are basically in need of a miracle to cure what they have. And NIH provides that hope.

If you’re an outpatient (as I am) you typically stay in town at one of the local hotels and ride a shuttle van to the hospital each morning, then back to your hotel at the end of the day.

On the second day of my visit, I was sitting in the van as we picked up other passengers from different hotels in route to the hospital.

At one of the stops, a young man (in his early twenties) got into the van. I could tell from the bandage on his arm, and the bag he was carrying that he was also a patient at NIH,

So I spoke to him as I usually do by saying, "Good morning." Without looking at me, he muttered under his breath, "What’s so _____ ing good about it?"

I would say I was taken aback by his comment. But the truth is, his response, unfortunately, was something that I hear a lot and I'd like to address it here.

What is so good about being alive? Particularly when you’re dealing with a disease, and possibly in a lot of pain? Or, you have a multitude of other problems going on in your life.

My short answer is: quite a lot. In fact, I could list hundreds of things that I’m thankful for, and reasons that life is great, but because of space, I’ll only list ten here.

1) Sunrises and sunsets

2) Living in a free country

3) Homemade peach ice cream

4) A day at the beach

5) Puppies breath

6) The view from the top of a mountain

7) Laughing really hard

8) My family

9) My dogs, Jake (who is no longer with us), Sadie, and Molly

10) Reading a really good book

The fact is, life can be tough, and it’s certainly not fair a lot of the time. And I know that many people reading this article can definitely relate to that.

But, and this a really big but, it’s still the only life we’ve got. This is it. There are no do overs as far as I know.That simple truth is something we should all keep in mind.

It’s up to us to live our life to the fullest and make the most of it. And to be truly thankful each and every day, not just on Thanksgiving.

My challenge to you is that you make your own gratitude list. I’m sure if you do, you will soon discover that there really is a lot to be thankful for.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

The Power Of Self-Discipline

"We must all suffer one of two things:
the pain of discipline, or the pain
of regret or disappointment."

~ Jim Rohn ~

 
For me, the above quote by Jim Rohn pretty much says it all. Quite simply, if you don’t discipline yourself now, you are just setting yourself up for disappointment in the future. 

And in the quote lies a truth that some people won’t tell you. If you want to succeed in life and achieve all that you're capable of, there will be times when it’s not all fun and games. 

You are going to have to be self-disciplined enough to do what you must do during those times, especially when you don’t want to do them. 

It sometimes means saying "no" to those things that you may want, or saying "yes" to things that you don't want. All in the name of achieving what you're "really" after.

Still, while self-discipline is most certainly a powerful attribute to have, I'll be the first to admit that it can also be a challenge at times to obtain.

Fortunately, there are some specific strategies that you can incorporate into your daily life so you can become a master of self-discipline and stay on task.

With that in mind, below you will find five techniques that you can put to work immediately to begin building your "self-discipline muscle" and making it one of your greatest assets.

1) Hold yourself accountable.

Accountability is crucial. If you don’t do what you said you would or vice versa, it's vital that some sort of discipline be imposed. Continue holding yourself accountable long enough and you'll eventually develop the self-discipline you're seeking.

2) Accept no excuses.

There is nothing easier than to come up with an excuse as to why you didn’t do something. Become someone who does not accept excuses from yourself or anyone else. Simply put, you can have excuses or results, but not both.

3) Be patient.

Psychologists say it takes up to thirty days of conscious effort before you are able to act in an unconscious manner on something you're learning. This means that for awhile you'll have to consciously think about it, but at some point it becomes part of your new behavior at an unconscious level.

 4) Invest the effort required.

Let’s face it: learning to control yourself through self-discipline is not easy. Chances are, it is going to take a sustained effort before you see the results you are looking for; but I can assure you that it is well worth the effort.

5) Talk to yourself in positive ways.

Use self-talk to program your mind for the results you are looking for. Tell yourself the following ten times per day until you begin to know it’s true: "I am a highly disciplined person. I am totally in control of my own actions."

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!

What I Learned About Life From My Dog, Jake

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really. "
~ Agnes Sligh Turnbull ~

It's been almost a week now since Jake (my 13 year old black Lab mix) died. I miss him so much, and always will. I know if he were here, he'd be curled up beside me, watching over me.

Rather than simply missing him, however, I'd like to share some of his qualities we'd all do well to emulate. Something all dogs have, I'm sure. I was just able to see them first hand in him.

1) Love unconditionally - Jake loved me even when I made mistakes, when I was in a bad mood, when I didn't deserve it. Why do we tend to "love" someone only as long as they meet our criteria then?

2) Don't hold grudges - Jake didn't hold grudges. Mistreat him and he simply shook it off. He didn't dwell on it. So, why is it that I tend to forever remember wrongs?

3) Find the good - Jake had a great way at looking for and finding the good. Whether it be a person, a place, or a situation, he'd find it. I feel ashamed at how often I do just the opposite.

4) Enjoy the small things - It didn't take much for Jake to enjoy himself. A new treat, a long walk, or a ride in the car. All these things would get his tail wagging and a big smile on his face. Why, then, do I require something really big to get me excited?

5) Don't judge a book - If you looked at Jake, without knowing him, you'd think he was a mean dog. Some of that was because he had that look. But, as I've described, he was as sweet a dog as they come. Reminds me to not be so quick at judging others.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea by now. I loved Jake. He was a great dog and friend, and I really believe we could all learn a lot from him. I hope my words will help you do that.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!

What's Good About It?

 
"To every disadvantage there is a corresponding advantage."
~ W. Clement Stone ~

I can vividly remember the day I went blind in my left eye like it was yesterday, even though it's been nearly 25 years ago now. It happened early one Saturday morning, just a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving; one of my favorite times of the year.

Autumn was in the air; it was cool, but not quite cold, and I was looking forward to going home for the holidays. I was standing outside, and bent over to pick up a pebble. When I stood up, something strange happened.

The vision in my left eye was now blurry and I could see dozens of black, wavy lines floating all over the place as I looked out. This set into motion a three-week hospital stay, with me being poked, prodded, and tested until I thought I would break.

Then the diagnosis. It was a condition called von Hippel Lindau syndrome. The eye was only the first of many things to come. Later, I'd have that eye removed which taught me a lot about language, of all things. Check it out here, to see what I mean.

So, why am I telling you all of this? That is a fair question. It is certainly not to get you to feel sorry for me. I accepted what I have a long time ago. And there are many who have it much worse off in life than I do. I know that. So, why then?

It's this. My hope is that I can inspire you to begin looking for the good in bad situations. If I've learned anything from my trials and tribulations, it's that. There's always something good in any bad. Although, sometimes, you have to look hard to find it.

That's certainly been the case for me. Although I wouldn't have asked for it, this condition has made me who I am today. I see things in ways I never saw them before, and have empathy for others I never would have had without going through this.

That is not to say I didn't go through a dark period. For years, I was angry that this had happened to me. I pushed people out of my life and suffered more than I needed to. But I have learned my lesson, and hope to spare you from the same.

My suggestion is that you get into the habit of looking for the good when something goes wrong. Ask the question, "What's good about it?" even when things seem at their worst. Then be open for the answers that eventually will come your way.

Sometimes they're fast, sometimes they are much slower than you'd hoped. But, if you hold on, and are willing to look for them, the answers to the question, "What's good about it?" will come. Sometimes when you least expect it.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks! 

Don't Be A Crouton Counter

 
"Constant complaint is the poorest sort
 of pay for all the comforts we enjoy."
~Benjamin Franklin ~

 

Don't be a crouton counter. I know that might sound strange, so let me explain. "Crouton Counter" is a term I came up with after hearing evangelist, Jamie Ragle, tell a story awhile back.

As Jamie tells it, he was in a steakhouse with an "all you can eat" salad bar. You know the kind. With enough food to feed an entire third world county. But I digress. 

Anyway, after he ordered a steak and potato, he proceeded to the salad bar to fix a side salad to go along with his meal.

As poor luck would have it, he happened to get stuck behind a woman who seemed to think that there was some requirement to get everything the salad bar offered in one trip.

Finally, he finished getting his salad and made it back to his table (which happened to be at an angle that allowed him to see her as she eventually made it back to her waiting husband).

He said the meal was really good and he was stuffed at the end of it. He couldn't help but notice her though. She ate as if this would be her last meal. In a word she "devoured" it.

But, several times, as she was eating her salad, he noticed that she squinched up her face, pulled a crouton from her mouth, and placed it to the side.

After his meal, as he was about to leave, he saw the manager hurriedly come to the woman and her husband's table. And you can probably guess what happened next.

In a loud and obnoxious voice, she announced that the croutons were stale and she was not going to pay. Wow, imagine that?

For me, that story illustrates perfectly how many people (sadly) are. They are looking for all the "bad croutons" in the world, and counting them along the way. 

Well, guess what? If you want to find something bad, you can. In any situation. You can find good stuff too. It's all in what you choose to look for.

Is that to say that some complaints aren't justified? Or that you should just look the other way? Of course not! Only that you should choose your battles wisely.

And if you don't get what I'm saying, or don't like the way I'm saying it, guess what? You're probably a crouton counter!

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!

Laughing For The Health of It

 
“The human race has only one really
  effective weapon and that is laughter.”
~ Mark Twain ~

 
Laughter is free, fun, and great for your well-being. It has been a huge part of my health strategy for many years now, and is something that I do on a daily basis. And I think you should too.

I could go on and on about the upside of laughter, and the many studies that have been conducted saying so. For the purpose of this post, however, please just consider the following benefits:

1. Strengthens your immune system. Laughing assists in the fight against stress, and it strengthens your immune response. This makes you more resistant to colds and other illnesses.

2. Lessens pain. Laughing is a proven way to decrease pain. People living with chronic pain have reported that humor helps make their experiences more tolerable, and lessens their pain.

3. Exercise without knowing it. Laughing boosts your heart rate and increases circulation, which burns calories. You will still need to do other things as well, but every little bit helps.

4. Improves your mood. Laughing has an incredible effect on your emotions. A good laugh is soothing, and those improved feelings last and help you feel more positive for hours afterward.

5. Enhances resilience. Seeing humor, even during the tough times is an excellent coping mechanism. By having a flexible outlook, you will bounce back quicker from disappointments.

Hopefully, by now, I have convinced you of the many benefits of laughter. Now here are five suggestions to help you laugh more often in your daily life.

1. Smile. It's easier to laugh when you're already smiling. Make a habit of relaxing your face into a subtle smile. You'll boost your mood and begin noticing things to smile about naturally.

2. Watch funny movies, sitcoms, etc. That way you can learn from the experts. Other ideas are reading cartoons and funny books, visiting a comedy club, or listening to a comedy album.

3. Look for the humor all around. Observe your surroundings so that you notice the unexpected events of daily life. If you look around, you'll see there are funny situations everywhere.

4. Take yourself less seriously. Learn to poke fun at yourself and your idiosyncrasies. Keep minor setbacks in perspective, and remember many others face similar situations every day.

5. Be silly. If you have children, join in their games or make up silly stories to tell them. Make funny faces, put up things like a funny calendar or wind-up toy in your office to amuse you.

The bottomline is you can dramatically improve your quality of life by laughing more. Every day. It's good for your health and is easy to share with everyone around you.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!

How To Be Happier...Starting Today!

 
 "Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness."
~ George Santayana ~

 
Want to be be happy? Sure you do. I am yet to meet someone who doesn't. So many times, though, it is like we want it, but just don't know quite how to get it. As if it's just out of our reach.

The interesting thing is, happiness really doesn't have to be this far off, elusive thing. In fact, you can start being happier today. By as much as 40 percent!

To see what I'm talking about, check out the following tip that I recently found in Men's Health magazine. It's direct and to the point, and something that's well worth your time. Enjoy!

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Performing just five acts of kindness every week could boost your happiness by 40 percent,  research from the University of California at Riverside reveals.

You don't even have to spend cash: Let a car merge ahead of you in traffic, pick up litter, give advice to a colleague.

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So there you have it. Pretty simple advice, huh? Of course, the real test is whether you will actually put it to use or not. I sure hope you will, for your happiness sake.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!

A Guaranteed Smile

Below is a video clip of a commercial that is guaranteed to make me me smile, no matter what may be going on at the time. I sincerely hope it does the same for you. :-)

Well, that's it for now. As aIways, I hope that you find this information useful and it helps you to go as far as you want in life..."No Matter What!"

Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to know your thoughts on this post. Please take a quick moment and comment on it, or "like" it below. Thanks!

What You Say Is What You Get

Extensive research has shown that our subconscious mind does not differentiate between what’s real and what’s not. For this reason we must be cautious of what we expose our minds to. You never know how it will affect you later.

Unfortunately, most of us are influenced by outside forces daily, in one form or another; usually without our knowledge or understanding. It’s why we act, talk, and do the things we do.

Advertisers learned a long time ago that they could steer our buying habits by exposing us to the right types of messages. They could literally condition us.

If you doubt that’s true, try to answer the following questions: What drink is the real thing? What is less filling and taste great?  What’s good to the last drop? What’s the drink of the new generation?

If you answered any of those correctly, you have been conditioned; as most of us have. This conditioning is well illustrated in the following story:

A mother was quizzing her three-year old son on animal sounds. “What sound does a dog make?” she asked. “Ruff, Ruff” the boy replied. “Good” the mother praised.

“What about a cat?” she went on. “Meow,” the boy correctly answered. “Very good” the mother said. “And what about a frog?” Without hesitation, he replied “Bud.”

By now I hope you're convinced of how truly powerful your mind is. But how will you use its power? Will you use it to help you become all that you are capable of, or, as so many others, will you program it for failure? Let’s take a closer look.

Imagine your mind as a computer. One so powerful, nothing man could build will ever compare to its virtually unlimited capacity. A capacity so astounding that it’s been estimated that the average person only uses three to four percent of it. 

This computer is basically empty when you first get it (when you’re born), but it quickly begins filling its database. And it does so in a truly amazing way.

Unlike a regular computer, this one records everything that it comes into contact with, automatically. This means that it not only records when you are intentionally inputting information, but also when you are totally unaware. 

This means you, as "the programmer," must exert as much control as possible over your “computer.” By what you read, listen to, and watch. By who you associate with, and the focus of this post, what you say to yourself.

This probably has more impact on your success or failure than any other one thing. Literally, what you say is what you get. Remember, you can never get away from yourself. The outside world may not hear what you say, but your mind does. It’s always there. Waiting, listening, recording.

When you say things like “I can’t,” or “I’m nothing but a loser,” it hears you and takes action to ensure your commands are carried out.

Conversely, believing in yourself will do wonders for you. You can do far more than you ever thought possible, if you’d only believe in yourself.  Henry Ford understood this when he said, “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

We’re also affected greatly by what others say to us, just as we affect others by what we say. That’s why we should all be mindful about the words we use; particularly to children, who have very impressionable minds.

Words have the power to build or destroy. As the boy in the example thought frogs said, “Bud,” after watching the Budweiser Frogs commercials, so will a child believe that he or she is stupid, worthless, or unwanted if told so enough times.

Although there are many factors involved, it basically comes down to this. Your mind is like a fertile field and you’re the farmer. If you’re planting weeds, don’t expect corn to come up. So, what are you planting?

Well, that's it for now. As aIways, I hope that you find this information useful and it helps you to go as far as you want in life..."No Matter What!"

Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post. Please take a moment and comment below. Thanks!

Conquer Any Challenge...No Matter What!

Let's face it. Life is full of challenges. Sometimes they're self-imposed, and sometimes they just happen. In fact, there's a good chance you're being challenged in some way right now.

Regardless of what it might be, there's good news. No matter the challenge, there are steps you can take to conquer it. No Matter What! And I'd like to share those steps with you here.

"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right"

Listen to the above advice of Henry Ford and avoid letting anyone tell you that you can't do whatever you have in mind. Because it really comes down to your mindset, the way you look at the challenge that is in front of you.

Most high achievers I know look at challenges differently than other people. They don't see their challenges as problems, but rather as an opportunity to excel and move forward.

And that's where the opportunity for you comes in. Begin to think more like the high achiever. As silly as it might sound, the more you believe that you can do something, the more likely you actually will.

Seeing your challenges as opportunities can help
you make it through them with flying colors.

The challenge you are presented with might be uncomfortable, but you can learn to take it and actually turn it around to your advantage. Things that used to get you down can build you up and be used for your good, instead.

No matter what happens in life, there is always joy and beauty that can be found, as well. If you look for the good things, you're going to find them; they're hiding in plain sight, just waiting to be discovered!

The Critical Key To Conquering Your Challenges

One of the keys successful people use to unlock their goals and dreams can be seen in the way they look at them. They avoid looking at how big or difficult their challenge is.

Rather, they look at how big their faith is, and that can be faith in God, or simply faith in themselves and their abilities. And you can do the same thing. Here's how:

Make a list of your challenges. Next, choose the one that appears to be the easiest, you feel best about, or one you most need to address. Whichever one you choose is fine. The key is to then get started!

Getting Started Is The Key

The point is that you can get started and be successful, no matter what you're facing, if you come up with a plan and stick with it. Then use your plan to conquer those challenges one at a time. Challenges are something you'll face all your life, just like everyone else.

Whether they get you down or build you up will be determined by how you see them. You can't choose your challenges, in most cases, but you can always choose how you react to them, and that can make all the difference in the world.

Well, that's it for now. As aIways, I hope that you find this information useful and it helps you to go as far as you want in life..."No Matter What!"

Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post. Please take a moment and comment below. Thanks!