Dont grow a wishbone where a backbone should be!

How many times do you hear the words I wish?  I would rather hear the words, I will.

So many people go through their lives wishing and not doing!   I will has so much more power attached to it whereas I wish does not. 

I will places you on the adventure, you simply have to decide when!  It informs you and everyone else that you are ready to take action and you are not interested in maybe.

Consider hearing the words...I wish I could quit smoking vs. I will quit smoking.  I wish I could ride a motorcycle across the country or I will ride a ...you get the drift!

 

Where does the power lie? 

I have learned that there is much wisdom available to all of us however it is not always easy to receive it.  Making a decision allows the view to change and a good decision allows the wisdom to flow your way.

Our lives grow shorter every day and I choose to enjoy mine doing instead of wishing.  How about you?

I pay attention to people in my life and I always admire those that take the risks and go on adventures.   If you are a fan of Facebook, I ask you?  Who gets all of the likes?  The answer, those that do the cool stuff!   Everyone wishes they were doing cool things too! 

I have learned the world rewards those that are on the right path; however if it were an easy path everyone would be on theirs!   How many people do you know that are on the right path? 

Finding your path is one step, pursuing your path requires a backbone.  A strong backbone is simply a gift in this world, one that you can give yourself.  The added benefit…everyone else around you benefits as well.  How awesome is that?

What are you wishing for that you should be doing?  

Today is a good day to start!

NobleOne

Note:  The quote “Don’t grow a wishbone where a backbone should be” came from Clementine Paddleford, an American food writer active from the 1920s through the 1960s.

The Power of Then!

If you have not read Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now do yourself a favor and read it.  It truly allows you to discover the power of being “present” in a busy world. 

As I stroll through my mid-fifties I have now discovered the “power of then.”  Two interesting things have come across my radar screen recently.  1. A chance encounter in my college day’s lead to a wonderful award I received 35 years later.   2. Facebook has allowed me to connect with kids that I taught in Sunday school who are now having their own kids.  You never think you have made an impact and then Bam!  You find out that you did!

My point is this, what you do today are the seeds of life that will yield fruit for potentially a very long time. 

Living a life and understanding your impact on others is truly exciting.  The acts of kindness and paying attention to the needs of those around you can right wrongs and change lives forever. 

What may seem to you as a simple moment possibly has the power to transform a life.  Decades later you may then discover the Power of Then! 

Everyone leaves footprints in the sand that wash away with the next wave however some footprints will never go away.  Hopefully yours from time to time carried someone else’s burdens.  It will only make you a stronger person when you discover how to help others.

Today my wish for you is to understand the power you have in others’ lives.  Consider the return on investment you will enjoy later on in your life as you consume the fruit of your seeds that you planted today!

NobleOne

More than One!

Back in 1995 I founded the Robin Hoods of Va. Beach.  I had an idea that inspired me to convince others to do something, however, strangely enough I was not sure what it was!  From that point on…I relied on others for feedback, synergy, and friendship.

It takes “more than one” to do great things and yesterday it was proved once again.  In 2004 I received a call from the Burpenfartzen Brothers proposing a partnership to celebrate Oktoberfest together with our friends.  I had no idea where this partnership would lead however I was “in” from the start.

What started as “One” is now so much more!  Thriving on inspiration, fun and good deeds, our lives are celebrated daily just knowing the impact we have made on so many! 

We don’t ask people to join our ranks; we are asked by them, how to join us! 

Surely everyone remembers the movie Field of Dreams, when Kevin Costner is told “If you build it he will come.” 

For me it was more like “if you start it they will come” and they have!

For everyone that reads this blog I want to say "Thank you" for allowing me to live my life in a Field of Dreams!

NobleOne

I've got your back!

“What wonderful words to hear from someone”   Especially when you know that person actually does!  

Cool adventures and life changing moments typically occur when you take risks.  Making the decision to change a comfortable course in life requires guts.  After guts, a whole of determination, persistence and commitment to yield results! 

As I have learned there are many “border guards” in your life that claim to have your best interest in mind when they discourage you from leaping forward and trying new things . 

It is my belief that everyone has an internal compass that guides them through life.  The interesting thing about this compass is that it only “shows” the way, yet doesn’t require you follow its desired course. 

Also, not everyone knows how to read a compass.   You don’t learn how to use it in school; if anything school sometimes prevents its usage.   

Reading your compass requires meditation and quieting the outside noise in your life.  As your skills increase the path becomes clearer and you are able to defend your new course in life.   

I mentioned earlier that often time’s friends and family persuade you to alter your true course as they are not able to read your compass.

And then a supporter jumps on your path and lets you know that your choice is “true north” and clearly demonstrates “I’ve got your back.” 

Here is another benefit to this lesson!

 Do you know of someone close to you that appears to be following their compass and perhaps not the path that others would support? 

Consider offering your support and expressing enthusiasm about their new course. 

Trust me, it gets lonely pursuing dreams and the thought of someone expressing “I’ve got your back” is like honeydew vine water!

The point is…both of you will enjoy the magic that the new course offers!  There is truly a return on investment when you help and support others. 

Who do you know that has recently found their compass? 

Go get their back and enjoy the ride alongside!

NobleOne

Lessons learned living on a farm!

There are a lot of life’s lessons to be learned on a farm.  Here are some of mine!

Wait for the dragonflies! 

 
 

My first spring on our farm I was introduced to the biting fly!  We have a long driveway with pine trees on either side and that’s where they wait to dine!  When the dragon flies appear the bad flies disappear.  Nothing cooler that a dragonfly.  I love the way they fly and most important the way they eat!   So remember when life sends you biting flies, just wait and the dragonflies will be here soon!

Love of an animal

When I come home I am first greeted by my dog Marlin, a black lab with the best grin on his face you have ever seen!   Hard to have a bad day when you own a good dog! 

And then there are the horses…1000 pounds of I understand you!  It is never good to share your bad day with a horse.  Like the rest of us, leave your attitude someplace else, horses or people don’t want your company if you are having a bad day.  Hard not to love a horse however there are a few I like better than others!

Barn cats greet me every morning looking for a free meal.  I have grown to love our cats, truly great hunters and always proud to show you their recent kills. 

Critters that I don’t feed

As I write this I can hear an owl outside my window.  On many occasions herds of deer greet me as they venture north at our water’s edge.  Possums compete for the cat food at night and rarely a day goes by in the summer where a snake doesn’t say hello.  I always like to see them before they see me and ya gotta love an obnoxious crawdad!

Patience and balance are life’s great lessons learned on a farm.  Everything has greater meaning and impact from rain to wind.  For every mended fence and replaced roof there are new porticos and out buildings.  There is always something to fix and the opportunity to fix you!

If someone told me years ago I would be living on a farm I most likely would have simply laughed!  I I am now grateful to have had the experience and a better person because of it. 

NobleOne

Opportunity?

What exactly is opportunity?  A very provocative question, and I love a provocative question.  Why, because its a question not answered easily.  It provokes the need to be mindful.

I talk to people often about pursuing opportunities; it’s a great topic that can lead to great things.

Recently I watched a speech made by Ashton Kucher at the Teen Choice Awards.  He spoke of three things, Opportunity, Being Sexy, and Living Your Life. 

“Opportunity looks a lot like hard work” I love this quote simply because it states a fact.  I am often envious of other people's successes until I get to know more about how they got there!  The people that fascinate me have dedicated years and their life to a passion that others may simply see as “opportunity”.  “They must of have been at the right place at the right time”

If you want to uncover wonderful opportunities then pursue wonderful things!  Be cautious of your motives and agenda.  It is not a short path; it is more like the Appalachian Trail.  Your original opportunity will most likely evolve to something much more wonderful. 

Understand you will often get what you desire, be it good or bad.  You will attract what you think about the most.  Persistent and consistent patterns tend to yield the best results over time. 

Kucher also mentioned being “sexy” was much more about being smart, kind and thoughtful.  Smart people are the sexiest people in the world!

Lastly he talked about “Living” and how most people tend to live in other people’s worlds and those worlds were created by people no smarter than us.  He encouraged the audience to create their own world and let others live in it!  Not bad advice!

What opportunities are YOU pursuing?

NobleOne

“Heroes” Here are some of mine!

People admire and worship people for many different reasons.  Some people’s heroes are fictional and others real life.  Some from the past and some present day. 

Most of my heroes are local.  It makes it easy to respect them and help them do what they do in life.  One definition from Wikipedia that applies for my definition of a hero is as follows…

A hero is often simply an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, who, despite the odds being stacked against him or her, typically prevails in the end.  And I may add, perhaps not!

I admire tenacity and focus as well as persistence and clarity.  An example would be Melodie Walenius, a mother that The Noblemen helped many years ago on one of our Trolley Rides.  To this day she continues her efforts to fight the fight for her daughter Zoe and others fighting OMS, a debilitating disease that affects the immune system.  She never gives up and inspires me daily!

I had the privilege of meeting a retired Army Colonel that offers his body to science in order to learn more about the chemical agents that devastated him in while he was defending our country.

What did he want from me?  Simply to help him help our local favorite surfer, Pete Smith, another one of my heroes that continues to be “stoked” on surfing to this day!

Mike Worrell spent hours with me prior to his death working on bringing back the Worrell 1000, probably the coolest contest for small catamarans in the world.  Mike shared with me his life of building cool local hang out spots from the Tiki to Worrell Brothers in Virginia Beach.  He had real passion for a lot of things and I will miss him being a part of our community.

Bill and Kathy Magee that founded Operation Smile are two more of my favorites.   Imagine possessing the ability to lift a bag off of the head of a small child and give them a life not encumbered with a severe facial deformity.  All for a donation of a little over $200, amazing!

Who are your heroes?  What do you think qualifies? 

I like it much better when I can simply go visit my heroes and let them know what a great job they are doing while they inspire others to do the same!

NobleOne