Heart Book Series

It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus or community organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Yesterday I was a registered Republican campaigning for a Democrat.
I spent the day walking my neighborhood, working to get out the vote.
During the campaign I spent hours on the phone and worked the rallies.
I placed a bumper sticker on my truck, and a sign in my yard.
 
I witnessed the best and worst in my fellow Americans.
Their behavior did not fall along party lines, but was split between those who fear and those with hope.
It was the first election where I did more than cast a ballot.
I admire and applaud all of you, win or lose, who worked your tail off for your candidate.
 
But today is a new day.
I believe it’s time for a new attitude, a different outlook.
Simply saying I belong to one political party doesn’t seem quite big enough.
 
Starting today, whenever I’m asked about my political affiliation, I will say with pride, I am an American.
 
I’m not sure what will happen next, but I’m excited about the possibilities.
I intend to be a part of whatever it is, and I hope you feel the same.
 
I share common ground with those of you who voted for, or worked on behalf of, any of the candidates.
I invite you to use the link below to visit my blog and post a comment of what you think should come next.
Not about what the politicians should do, but what we as individual Americans will do.

I used to spend a lot of time trying to impress,
Little did I realize how it added to my stress.

My zealousness for business and my desire to succeed,
Led me at times to stretch the truth, exaggerate, mislead.

Name-dropping, bragging or a little white lie,
It’s harmless I’d say, I must impress, or at least try.

My home is the biggest, I make lots of money,
My spouse the most wonderful, my world is sunny.

Look at me! Look at me! Do you think I’m great?
I’m not quite sure, how do I rate?

Later I’d lament that all was not well,
What in the world was I trying to sell?

It was then that I learned as I worked with my coach,
That perhaps what I needed was an adjusted approach.

Be humble, speak the truth, understate, promise less,
This new way of thinking would be key to success.

As I shifted my focus and turned inward to grow,
I discovered the truth that I had longed to know.

I’m truly enough, just as I am, being me
No exaggeration necessary, WOW, I feel free!

Being an eight-time entrepreneur, I can attest to the best business school courses worthy of consideration, with the lowest tuition yet the highest return. Some of the most valuable ethics were those role modeled by my mother. To support the family income, and to get her out of the house being a young stay-at-home mom, she was the door-to-door Avon lady. Since my two brothers were old enough to attend school, she carted me around on her weekly routes. Believe it or not, I was quite shy, so she made me meet people – which translated later into natural networking skills.

A few years later, to help put my brothers through college, mom starting selling Amway products, and our household was one of the first to use biodegradable products – a truly novel “green” concept at that time. When I was 14, she dragged me to an Amway “Revival” where I heard my first motivational speaker, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones. Today, we are colleagues in the National Speakers Association, and I’M a motivational speaker! From painfully shy to inspirationally high! (We never know where the seeds are going to be planted.)

From mom, I learned Midwestern values, work hard, show respect, do right, have integrity, help others, and what I now know as good old-fashioned customer service skills.

“Know what you want in life—and go for it.” A child of the Depression, at 18, mom moved herself from the farm in Iowa, with only $10, and her best girlfriend to “get a life” in California. She taught me about goal setting and visualization, without ever using the phrases. (I was named after that best girlfriend.)

“Be positive.” Attitude truly does make a difference in our ability to succeed—I’m convinced of that! In challenges where I have not yet developed the skills, it’s been having a positive attitude has catapulted me through the fears. As a speaker on the topic today, I believe that Faith is the “compass” of Attitude. We’ve also got to believe in ourselves.

“You can do anything you put your mind to.” A secret dream of Mom was to compete in the Olympics. At 68, she was selected to carry the Olympic Torch, on its way from San Diego to the 1984 Los Angeles Games. When I started a business at age 16 in the patio of my parents’ home, she encouraged and helped me with the silk-screening of t-shirts and bumper stickers. (My first “client” was the Shriners.)

 “Use what you’ve been given.” We each have skills, talents and unique abilities. As a youth, I was a graphic artist with a typewriter and mimeograph paper. (Remember those?) Mom constantly volunteered me to donate time designing the boating club and church newsletters. Later I earned four international design awards for newsletters (Top Ten in the world), have written five books and have presented seminars in eight countries on the topic. (It’s as if she knew…)

The best business school courses I’ve ever attended have been those in the classroom of life with Mom as my Teacher.

God Bless America.
Land that I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home.

God Bless America,
Land that I love
Stand beside her,
And guide her,
Through the night
With the light from above,

From the mountains,
To the prairies,
To the ocean,
White with foam,

In the soft gentleness of the dawn’s early light,
My eyes are dazzled by an enchanting breathtaking sight.
For regally gracing the clear early morning sky,
Is Old Glory cheerfully waving so very high.

For dear red, white and blue you symbolize a nation of heroes
Who are so loyal, brave and true.
Like a dove of peace, your stripes are of a snowy white,
Symbolizing freedom’s preciously shining eternal light.
A bright red is as fiery as a blaze,
Adding luster and brightness to the morning haze.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Nothing’s overnight baking, not Lamb and not Grouse.