Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. – Mother Teresa
Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.
A couple of months ago Mary Beth and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary. Our marriage has been redefined several times over the years. We are not the same couple now that we were 23 years ago and, just as significantly, we are not the same people.
My wife and I have matured and our marriage has matured. Time will do that. Life experience will do that, too. Because of what we have seen and experienced in our marriage, we are better prepared, and willing, to meet each other’s needs while at the same time preserving what is important to us, personally.
There have been plenty of high peaks in our marriage when loving each other was natural and easy. There have also been some deep valleys when we thought we just couldn’t get it together. We have discovered each day we do have the choice to commit to one another. Each day we have the choice to remain faithful to the marriage – faithful not just with sexual fidelity; although that is very important, but faithful in an emotional sense as well.
This list of 23 reasons I will always be faithful to Mary Beth comes from my heart to hers. Read more
Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. – Carol Welch
Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.
A couple of months ago I changed the time I exercise from the afternoon to the morning. Even though getting up at 4:30 a.m. can be tough at times (OK – it’s tough to do every time), I am able to get more workouts in during the week because there are fewer obstacles to contend with in the morning compared to the unplanned interruptions that can happen later in the day.
It’s amazing how many other people also arrive at the fitness center before five o’clock in the morning. It’s also amazing and inspiring too, to see many of the same folks morning after morning. It seems like more and more people are sticking with their exercise routines.
Not everyone exercises for the same reasons though. Some are training to compete in 10K events or triathlons. Others are trying to loose weight or to simply maintain what they have. But some of the most positive effects of exercise have nothing to do with performance or body image.
Exercise can help to relieve stress, build confidence and to provide self-care and nurturing. Fitness is not just for the athletic-minded; it’s for all of us. To help provide motivation to either begin, or maintain, an exercise program here are five good, real-life reasons to exercise: Read more
Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. – Dalai Lama
We face tough decisions everyday. As a parent, husband and business professional I encounter several circumstances each day which test my patience, my character and my peace of mind. For me, my values guide me and shape my priorities and reactions. They serve as my markers to tell me if my life is heading in the right direction and if it is out turning out the way I want it to.
When our actions and words are aligned with our values, life is generally good and we feel content, confident and satisfied. But when our behaviors don’t match-up with our values, we soon begin to sense an uneasiness that begins to swell and grow inside of us.
This uncomfortable feeling tells us that not all is good with the world right now. We feel out-of-whack; out-of-touch and generally out-of-sorts. These feelings can be a source of anxiety and unhappiness.
Making a deliberate and conscious attempt to identity which values are the most important is needed to keep your anxiety low and your happiness and sense of personal worth and self-awareness high. Read more
True knowledge lies in knowing how to live. – Baltasar Gracin
At first glance this idea, to identity 10 things you wish you had never learned, may seem like negative or backwards thinking. Personal growth and self-awareness should only focus on the positive – right? However, you must first acknowledge what you want to change or heal before real growth can occur. We have all learned from the negative thoughts and experiences which have contributed to defining who we are today.
At times, we have learned to what amounts to be garbage about ourselves, our loved ones and about our role, identity and place in this world. There is no filter that has been built around us to sift through the trash we sometimes absorb.
Therefore, it is important to be your own filter. It is important to see what is working for you in your life right now and to keep doing more of that. It is also important to recognize what is not working for you and do your best to rid yourself of this garbage. Read more
Not the day we expected
Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.
Last Saturday morning, June 21, was a beautiful morning in the Midwest. Mary Beth and I were enjoying the relaxed pace of the weekend over coffee and the morning news. Andrew was scheduled to play in a baseball tournament so we decided to go for a run before breakfast because we probably wouldn’t have time later in the day.
When we returned our son was in the kitchen watching SportsCenter. His baseball team had won the night before and Andrew played well. He was excited to resume play.
My wife went over to her computer to check email and I was watching last night’s baseball highlights on ESPN with Andrew as I sipped water trying to cool down from the run. Mary Beth’s cell phone rang. She walked across the kitchen to retrieve it from her purse and commented it was her mother calling.
Seconds into the call I knew it was the type of telephone call no one ever wants to receive. I placed the glass of water on the bar and walked over to where my wife was standing. At that moment, she let out a terribly anguished look and uttered the words, “Oh my God.” Read more
Thank you very much for requesting the free report 30 True Things You Need to Know Now. This report provides 30 essential truths to remind us that while we can’t escape who we are or what has happened to us; we are responsible for where we want to go next.
Some of the True Things you will discover include:
- Any relationship is under the control of the person who cares the least
- Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid
- We are what we do
- Our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses
- Happiness is the ultimate risk
- Love is never lost, not even in death
- We are afraid of the wrong things
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When a wife has a good husband it is easily seen in her face. – Johann von Goethe
Article written by Mary Beth Blackwell. Connect with her on Facebook.
On a Personal Note: The following was written by my wife, Mary Beth. This Sunday, June 22, is our 23rd wedding anniversary. I can’t think of a more special gift she can give me than this list. I have not edited or changed what she wrote. Read more
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