I'm sure you've heard and seen many of the current news stories about shoplifting starlets, actor-addicts, or tween padded bikini tops. That’s why it’s both a refreshing and welcome change of pace to highlight an inspirational, true story—recently made into a motion picture--of the teenage surfer, Brittany Hamilton.
On April 8th some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood, and AnnaSophia Robb—will appear in the movie, Soul Surfer, portraying the true story of how a family's faith, and their community, helped them overcome a difficult tragedy.
Soul Surfer is the story of a young, up-and-coming teen surfer who was attacked by a shark and lost her arm. Rather than give away the story, I encourage you to get out and see the movie—take your family, friends or even the office staff. It’s my belief that when you and I make a little change of plans in order to support the kind of teen news that makes a positive impact on our culture, it WILL have a big result! Anybody in? I hope so!
Be encouraged,
Becky
For more information on group tickets, showings in your city, details of the story or the actors, click here to visit the Soul Surfer Movie site.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Taking BIG Risks—I’m about to do it! How about you?
Politicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and moms each tell their success stories--in spite of the risk--in a Forbes.com article that inspires the dreamer in all of us!
The article cites Ronald Heifetz, leadership expert and professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government who believes that the people around us are most often the reason we don’t take risks! We’d do it—start a company, invent a new product, change careers or locations--but, "…peoples' choices to take or refrain from risk are over-determined by their culture," says Heifetz.
In the recent article by Jane Lee, over two dozen “risk” stories are told by average people who: overcame their fears, believed in their idea or potential to change culture for the better, or wanted to improve the environment with their idea. The stories have a few common threads:
1. They took loans. Whether from family members or local banks, these entrepreneurs received support for their research or start-up costs. Of course, neither banks nor family members will support a project or person they don’t feel will bring them a return, so each of the successful risk-takers had a viable, written plan for rolling out their product or design.
2. They didn’t give up. One gal who had suffered through a love-loss, rather than withdrawing, asked each of her friends to introduce her to potential suitors by hosting numerous dinner parties—until she found her soul mate!
3. They took a hobby to a new level. Turning their passion into a career didn’t happen overnight, but when the time was right—when an overwhelming number of people commented on their abilities and were willing to pay for their services—they launched from one field or career to a new one.
4. They found a need and filled it. One mom turned her need (as a parent who wanted advice, support and encouragement) into a social network for mothers. Her husband advised her to seek outside advertising and she did. The rest is history.
5. They often invested in themselves. Many of the risk-takers sold a successful company to launch a brand new, untested company in a completely different genre. Though it often took longer than they had hoped, they were successful.
Over the weekend, I’ve been contemplating launching my own Little Changes Big Results® daily radio show. It is closer to a reality than ever—a dream that I’ve had in my heart for a very long time. This article has been just one of many “encouraging words” I've needed to hear that has given me courage to take a risk on something that I believe.
What do I believe? Our culture needs to change. We must, as a nation, live healthier lives--to eat better and exercise regularly or we are going to live shorter, disease-prone lives. For those of us who are married, we need to stay married. Period. If we are parents, we need to raise emotionally healthy and secure children who have values, self-esteem and security modeled at home. And as a nation founded on faith, our daily lives need to reflect it—beginning with the Golden Rule.
And because I’m passionate about faith and family and fitness, I’m planning to launch a daily call-in radio show in Southern California (with my husband, Dr. Roger Tirabassi as my co-host)—that can be heard “live” or streaming online for anyone to access between 1:30 and 2 pm PST, Monday through Friday. My goal is to be a part of changing our culture by giving listeners little changes to make in their lives—physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally—that will give them big results: healthy bodies, better relationships and a stronger faith! (As I take more risks and get closer to a launch, I’ll let you know the details each week on this blog--but I hope to begin by or before June 1, 2011.)
If you have any thoughts or encouragement for me, let me know! Meanwhile, consider taking your own risk and following the dream that has been in your heart for a very long time!
Be encouraged,
Becky
The article cites Ronald Heifetz, leadership expert and professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government who believes that the people around us are most often the reason we don’t take risks! We’d do it—start a company, invent a new product, change careers or locations--but, "…peoples' choices to take or refrain from risk are over-determined by their culture," says Heifetz.
In the recent article by Jane Lee, over two dozen “risk” stories are told by average people who: overcame their fears, believed in their idea or potential to change culture for the better, or wanted to improve the environment with their idea. The stories have a few common threads:
1. They took loans. Whether from family members or local banks, these entrepreneurs received support for their research or start-up costs. Of course, neither banks nor family members will support a project or person they don’t feel will bring them a return, so each of the successful risk-takers had a viable, written plan for rolling out their product or design.
2. They didn’t give up. One gal who had suffered through a love-loss, rather than withdrawing, asked each of her friends to introduce her to potential suitors by hosting numerous dinner parties—until she found her soul mate!
3. They took a hobby to a new level. Turning their passion into a career didn’t happen overnight, but when the time was right—when an overwhelming number of people commented on their abilities and were willing to pay for their services—they launched from one field or career to a new one.
4. They found a need and filled it. One mom turned her need (as a parent who wanted advice, support and encouragement) into a social network for mothers. Her husband advised her to seek outside advertising and she did. The rest is history.
5. They often invested in themselves. Many of the risk-takers sold a successful company to launch a brand new, untested company in a completely different genre. Though it often took longer than they had hoped, they were successful.
Over the weekend, I’ve been contemplating launching my own Little Changes Big Results® daily radio show. It is closer to a reality than ever—a dream that I’ve had in my heart for a very long time. This article has been just one of many “encouraging words” I've needed to hear that has given me courage to take a risk on something that I believe.
What do I believe? Our culture needs to change. We must, as a nation, live healthier lives--to eat better and exercise regularly or we are going to live shorter, disease-prone lives. For those of us who are married, we need to stay married. Period. If we are parents, we need to raise emotionally healthy and secure children who have values, self-esteem and security modeled at home. And as a nation founded on faith, our daily lives need to reflect it—beginning with the Golden Rule.
And because I’m passionate about faith and family and fitness, I’m planning to launch a daily call-in radio show in Southern California (with my husband, Dr. Roger Tirabassi as my co-host)—that can be heard “live” or streaming online for anyone to access between 1:30 and 2 pm PST, Monday through Friday. My goal is to be a part of changing our culture by giving listeners little changes to make in their lives—physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally—that will give them big results: healthy bodies, better relationships and a stronger faith! (As I take more risks and get closer to a launch, I’ll let you know the details each week on this blog--but I hope to begin by or before June 1, 2011.)
If you have any thoughts or encouragement for me, let me know! Meanwhile, consider taking your own risk and following the dream that has been in your heart for a very long time!
Be encouraged,
Becky
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Want more love, character and achievement for your kids?
As a wife, mom and mom-in-law, business-owner, speaker, author, Certified Life Coach, Fitness Instructor and student (I’m getting my Master’s degree in Education: Teaching and Curriculum), I am constantly looking to find ways to help people change their lives for the better. Through this weekly column, I highlight a “current affair” that illustrates how you and I can make little changes in our lives and see big results.
This week, I was inspired by a recent GMA interview of David Brooks, author of The Social Animal and columnist for the New York Times, in which he suggests that successful people are not just IQ’s and beauty, but that a meaningful life can be measured for happiness by:
(1) character—the ability to persevere after setbacks, possess enough confidence to take risks, own up to your shortcomings, and control the worst of your impulses, and
(2) street smarts—the intuition in impromptu situations that allows you to think on your feet.
In Brooks' book, The Social Animal, even though he includes a good deal of research, I am encouraged by the simplicity of what he suggests will create a successful life. His premise begins with the idea that people learn from people they love. Therefore, he believes that a parent's greatest gift to his or her children is to teach them the non-cognitive skills of good character and healthy social skills in order to raise healthy, happy adults.
What do non-cognitive skills look like? Hugs. Smiles. Please and thank you. Good sportsmanship after a win or a loss. Tenacity. Perseverance. Temper control. Rewards. Gold stars. Time outs. Family outings. Respect for elders. Praying to God. Visiting the sick. Being on time. Laughing at self. Not yelling. Loving the unlovely. Generous giving. Humility. Healthy living. Not to gossip. Never to bully. Protect the weak. Don’t lie. Admit when you’re wrong. Forgive quickly.
I agree with David Brooks. You and I have a great responsibility to model little changes, such as those listed above, with the expectation that they will have big, lasting and immeasurable results in the lives of those we love.
Be encouraged,
Becky
This week, I was inspired by a recent GMA interview of David Brooks, author of The Social Animal and columnist for the New York Times, in which he suggests that successful people are not just IQ’s and beauty, but that a meaningful life can be measured for happiness by:
(1) character—the ability to persevere after setbacks, possess enough confidence to take risks, own up to your shortcomings, and control the worst of your impulses, and
(2) street smarts—the intuition in impromptu situations that allows you to think on your feet.
In Brooks' book, The Social Animal, even though he includes a good deal of research, I am encouraged by the simplicity of what he suggests will create a successful life. His premise begins with the idea that people learn from people they love. Therefore, he believes that a parent's greatest gift to his or her children is to teach them the non-cognitive skills of good character and healthy social skills in order to raise healthy, happy adults.
What do non-cognitive skills look like? Hugs. Smiles. Please and thank you. Good sportsmanship after a win or a loss. Tenacity. Perseverance. Temper control. Rewards. Gold stars. Time outs. Family outings. Respect for elders. Praying to God. Visiting the sick. Being on time. Laughing at self. Not yelling. Loving the unlovely. Generous giving. Humility. Healthy living. Not to gossip. Never to bully. Protect the weak. Don’t lie. Admit when you’re wrong. Forgive quickly.
I agree with David Brooks. You and I have a great responsibility to model little changes, such as those listed above, with the expectation that they will have big, lasting and immeasurable results in the lives of those we love.
Be encouraged,
Becky
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Benefits of Vacation!
We all need a get-away from work and since I have been traveling and speaking for a number of weeks, I am taking a writing break this week! But rather than leave you without an encouraging word, I found a short article by a corporate comedian on the five benefits of vacation that reminded me that you only need to make a few little changes -- like shutting off the cell phone, not opening your email, or taking a day trip to a museum or zoo or vista point in your area, even for just an hour or two-- to get the following big results:
1. Live Longer
2. Be Happier
3. Improve Sleep
4. Improve Productivity
5. Solve Problems
Please, if you need a getaway from stress, pressure, or other problems that are out of your control, take a stay-cation (even for a few hours or a half of a day) and enjoy some of these benefits!
Be encouraged,
Becky
1. Live Longer
2. Be Happier
3. Improve Sleep
4. Improve Productivity
5. Solve Problems
Please, if you need a getaway from stress, pressure, or other problems that are out of your control, take a stay-cation (even for a few hours or a half of a day) and enjoy some of these benefits!
Be encouraged,
Becky
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