65 Gemstones

One of my Professional Coaches gave me a challenge about 15 years ago. She inspired me to capture a sentence or two of what this year's journey around the sun taught me or made me ponder about living life to its fullest. after doing it for a few years, I went back and thought about all the things I learned before beginning this project. Now after a full 65 passes around our sun, I have all of them written down. May I share them with you?

Would you share with me one that you especially liked or something you’ve learned during your passes around the sun?

Matt, Your CEO " Chief Encouragement Officer" 916.708.8103

#65 The adversity you experience due to your own decision, have purpose and is a great trainer

#64  Taking extra good care of yourself is not selfish … it’s setting yourself up to be your best for those you Serve

#63  It is your mission to stay on course with your life’s mission no one else’s!

#62  Big decisions demand an even bigger resolve

#61   Shaking the hand and looking in the eyes of those who Serve and saying “Thank you for Your Serve” can transform grief into gratefulness

#60  The best of life is discovered in the “why” of your Serve

#59  Detours can be exactly what’s needed to gain a new perspective

#58  Sometimes no words at all are the best words of all

#57  The past is called the past for a reason, leave it there and learn from it

#56  Beauty is beyond what the eye can see

#55  There’s never a wrong time to eat pizza

#54  Ice cream does not cure a belly ache, yet can create a smile

#53  Sometimes words just get in the way

#52  Puppy breath can soften a hard heart

#51  Just because everyone else likes it does not mean it’s good for you

#50   Other people’s opinion of you is really none of your business

#49  If you think you can’t; you can’t

#48  Going fishing is not always about fishing

#47 Standing in the rain looking up, with your mouth open, transports you to a better time

#46  It’s always right to believe the best of people until they leave no room    for doubt

#45  Sometimes taking the long way home is the best way home

#44  Playing fetch with your dog is as good for them as it is for you

#43  Walking past that piece of trash on the ground says more about you than the person who left it there

#42  Wrong words last a lot longer than you want them to

#41  Breakfast can be a good time for ice cream

#40  Knowing more does not mean you know more

#39 People truly do not care how much you know; until they know how much you care

#38 It’s always right to do the right thing

#37  It’s easier to dump the garbage can before it is full

#36  Opening the door for someone is as much about you as it is about them

#35  Thinking before you say Yes, is better than having to say no later

#34  A genuine smile can be seen and felt through the phone

#33  Needy is greedy and not attractive

#32  Confidence is attractive

#31  You cannot talk and listen at the same time

#30  What you do not forgive you relive

#29  Gifts given for no reason speak volumes

#28  Mistakes are just Mis-Takes

#27  Inch by inch everything a cinch

#26  Time cannot be managed, task can

#25  Hearing a song of a memorable time has transformational power

#24  The laugh of a child is contagious

#23  That which you hate will captivate and control you

#22  Giving someone a Fudgsicle can make bad things disappear

#21  Spoken words of gratefulness are powerful

#20  Written words of gratefulness given anonymously have transformational power

#19  Saying thank you to a compliment is as good for you as it is for the giver

#18  Being there when you said you’d be; demonstrates that you value those you are meeting with 

#17  Your “First” lasts a lifetime

#16  Looking at someone when you shake their hand shows them honor and respect

#15  Forgiving someone is less about them and more about you

#14  Taking about the elephant in the room does more to get it out of the room than ignoring it

#13  Getting fired can be a large gift for them, you, and someone you do not know

#12  There is always something good to say about another, sometimes goodbye

#11  Sitting on the floor with your children is good for both of you

#10  Sitting on the floor with your Grandkids is as good for them as it is for   you

#9     Giving a Hand up is better than a Handout

#8     Cleaning your dishes shows respect and honor to those you live with

#7     Making your bed helps you get your day off to a great start

#6     Grandkids are the gift of making it through parenthood

#5     Upgrading your past happens through the words you use to describe yesterday

#4     The way you speak of others reveals more about you than you realize

#3     Giving a genuine compliment accomplishes more than pointing out a wrong, failure, or shortcoming

#2     Seeing and speaking of the good of your parents has creative power

#1     What seems like the end of a relationship often is the beginning

Secrets of Why

The Secrets of Why

 When the storms of life bear down on your soul; You will question your purpose, your worth, your belonging, and your own personal why?

 You may contemplate removing yourself from your chosen career because of the storm you may contemplate changing relationships because of the storm yet, your future may depend on you staying and enduring the winds of adversity blowing down on your soul and across your career and relationships free and it lies the discovery of your true and genuine why and its secrets.

Storms are attracted to low pressure zones with in all of us are these low-pressure zones within our soul. These storms are also created when warm and cold air meet; we encounter people all the time who have various degrees of temperature towards us, our world view, and our mannerisms.

As a driven person within every storm there is a gift; a jewel that is revealed only as the winds of it adversity blow the sand of low commitment away to reveal the five secrets of “The Why”.

 The five secrets of the why

1.    The why creates the stamina that we need for the times plagued with the routine.

2.    The why refines our motives.

3.    The why produces clarity.

4.    The why compels you to continue amid the storms and the winds of adversity.

5.    The why illuminates the way the what and how forward.

Let’s Conquer Your Challenges

Matt, Your CEO “Chief Encouragement Officer”

916.708.8103

It Begins inside

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Thoughts from the heart and mind of my dear friend Jose Vera

One of a Kind

Though the screams and taunting of your shortcomings which loudly proclaim you are a failure, a flop, a false statement of legacy ... those voices are lies and distractions of who you truly are.

You are a one of a kind ... master piece in the making ... your shortcomings, failures, flops, and actions out of alignment with your legacy are the rubble that is creating the road to your fulfillment and success.

You are not measured by the opinions of others. Your measurement is the distance between what you were and who yo are today. Your journey is from this moment to who you will be tomorrow.

Today is the day to begin! You are capable to move forward. It is time to start with what you have, start with who is closest to you ... YOU!

Your current mess is the makings of the master piece called YOU! The makings of the masterpiece called YOU is your message.

Speak through your actions ... NOW get up and begin NOW ... read that book ... listen to that fight song ... watch that video ... fill out that application ...

NOW go be YOU!

Matt Upton, Conquer Your Challenges, Your C.E.O. "Chief Encouragement Officer"

Text or Call me 916.708.8103