I seem to be on a roll with You Tube. Found this really nice video produced by a homeschooler. Outlines what this person likes best about homeschooling.
Tags: Homeschool, Homeschooling, Lifelong Learning
OK, after my last post, dear son begged and pleaded for me to post his favorite song on my blog, too. Hope you enjoy this one, too.
Tags: musical fun
I was introduced to this song and love the theme–it’s up to you to write your life. Do you just let the words flow out undirected or do you plan what you want to say and write it that way? Are you a victim of the vagaries of fate or do you pen it in yourself?
Enjoy!
I was getting my planner ready for the day and was intrigued with the quote for the day. It’s Einstein’s opinion on what the true value of a man is:
A successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellow men, usually incomparably more than corresponds to his service to them. The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives, and not in what he is able to receive.
—-Albert Einstein
Although I’d always recognized this fact at some level, this was the first time I’d seen it spelled out–the difference between success and value. So often in our society success is measured by the amount of money and/or power a person has. True success, true value, goes deeper. It’s based in what we contribute, in whether or not we’ve made a difference.
This quote gave me a bit of a perspective shift today. How will it affect me moving forward? I’ll try to remember that value is measured in what I give to others, to the contribution I make, to the difference I can effect.
Something else I thought about and have noticed to be true is that those who provide true value to others in the marketplace are also those who are successful.
What did you learn from Albert today?
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Lifelong Learning
I had someone ask me last night how much an hour of my time is worth. Before I tell you my answer, ask yourself the same question.
How much is an hour of your time worth? Really?
Perhaps you immediately think of how much you make per hour in your job or with your business. But is that really an accurate value for your time?
I think not. Think about this–time once gone can never be gotten back. Every moment that slips by poorly used can never be used again. In reality, your time (and your health) is infinitely valuable. Too often, though, we take our time for granted.
I’ve gotten into the habit of asking myself throughout the day, “Is this the absolute best use of my time?” If not, what will I do about it? Hire someone else to take over the task? Delegate it to someone else? Or, simply stop doing the activity (quite often one of the better alternatives)?
For example, let’s say you’re sitting down watching television and you remember to ask yourself that all important question, “Is this the best use of my time?” Your answer might be yes (if the show is teaching you something you need to know or are interested in) but a more honest answer would be no. What else could you do with that time?
- Start a part-time online business.
- Read to your children.
- Spend time with your significant other.
- Pursue a hobby.
- Perform marketing functions for your business.
- Look at and make offers on investment properties.
- Do a workout and get in better shape.
- Check in on an elderly neighbor.
- Volunteer for a cause you feel strongly about.
- Go to a city council meeting to stay informed about what’s happening in your town.
- Network with positive, energetic, enthusiastic people who are interested in the same things you are–building your business, investing, building a better community, etc.
The possibilities are really endless. It’s up to you to decide the best use for your most valuable asset–your time.
I promised to tell you what my answer was to the person that wanted to know what my time was worth. Here it is: “An hour of my time is infinitely valuable and should be spent as wisely as possible.”
Stop taking your hours for granted–get out there and use them wisely.
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Lifelong Learning
I just came back from what was supposed to be a real estate investment seminar. I believe they called it something like “Supercharge Your Real Estate Investing”. Guess the name should have been the clue. Anyway, real estate was mentioned, but the seminar was actually all about selling insurance, bonds, stocks, and other types of investment advice. Now, there’s nothing wrong with any of those products; however, I came specifically to learn more about real estate as an investment and was sorely disappointed.
It’s been a long time since I was the victim of “redirection” as I call it. It resembles bait and switch in the retail arena. So, I endured 2 hours of a topic I had minimal interest in. Why? Partly because I’m polite. Partly because you never know when you’ll learn something new that might be of value to you. I did actually pick up a couple of ideas so that the whole evening wasn’t a total waste. I also got a chance to stretch my thinking and to challenge the thinking of the presenter–always good for the gray matter LOL.
Remember, even when things don’t turn out to be what you thought they were going to be, there’s still the opportunity to learn something new–or to at least practice stretching your thinking and wrapping your brain around someone else’s point of view. Both great things to keep you from becoming stuck in a rut.
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Lifelong Learning
At the end of the day, one of my favorite questions to ask myself is, “What did I learn today?” Have you ever pondered that question as the day draws to an end? Or how about this one, “What contribution did I make today?” Whether at work, in the community, or at home, what did you do that made a contribution to others, that made a difference?
Those aren’t always comfortable questions–especially if you just walked through your normal routine like a zombie. Most days, though, if you’re open to new ideas and are honest with yourself, you’ll realize that your day was far from ordinary.
If, however, you have been walking zombie-like through your days, just surviving, just doing the minimum to get by, just gettin’ through, then it’s time for a wake up call. Each moment is precious–passing into eternity never to exist again.
What really woke me up to how much I was missing of what goes on around me was when I ended up in a walking cast after partially tearing a ligament in my ankle. I didn’t have much sick leave, so I made my way slowly the half mile from the train station to work each day in downtown Chicago. I had to stop frequently to rest along the way. Things I had just zoomed past when I was fully mobile gained my attention now that I moved so slowly. People and places I had simply walked past without noticing captivated me and drew my attention away from the pain I was feeling. Complete strangers would stop to offer me encouragement along the way. I realized that this was simply a passing inconvenience for me, but was a daily reality for others that I now took notice of. I found myself wondering how I could have missed so many interesting things–things I went past every single day (twice!). I missed them because I was just zipping through my routine, rushing along my way to somewhere I had to be, becoming a robot in the midst of wonder.
That experience woke me up. Brief as it was, it had a definite affect on my outlook. I find myself often remembering those slow, wonder-filled days, and remind myself to stay awake, alert, and attentive to all the fascinating people and things around me every day. Wake up, pay attention, soak up new ideas and experiences.
I want to encourage you to make the most of your time and energy. Wake yourself up. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Look for and take advantage of opportunities to learn something new. Look for and take action on things you can do to make a difference to those around you. Live life excited, energetic, expectant!
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Lifelong Learning
“There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.”
—Sir Francis Bacon
Have you ever found yourself bemoaning the fact that you blew your diet? After the initial disappointment (and disgust with yourself) wears off, what was your next choice?
Did you realize that one day wasn’t enough to ruin days, weeks, or months of succeeding on your diet? Did you jump right back into your diet and exercise routine and continue to move forward toward your ultimate goal? Or, did you continue to berate yourself, tell yourself that you knew you couldn’t lose the weight, give in and eat whatever you want despite the outcome?
You only really fail when you stop striving for your goal. Anything else is simply a detour. Once you really internalize that and live it, you will succeed at your diet and exercise plan and reach your weight and health goals.
I like the saying, “Fail forward.” Why? Because it signifies that you’re taking action and continually moving forward–even if you stumble once in a while.
Stop by my weight loss blog for more info!
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: diet recovery, fat loss, weight loss
As we approach the end of the current school year, are you wondering whether the school choice you’ve made is the one that will help you child succeed and use his/her talents to their best? Or, is your child school age next year and you find yourself hesitating about putting your child in school? If so, you might want to do a little research and consider homeschooling as an option.
We’ve always homeschooled our only son and it’s been a great experience for all of us. We can move ahead or slow down in a subject as needed. We can begin and end our school day and school year when it works best for our family.
As an example, we started 6th grade at the beginning of June and were finished with all the legal days required as well as all the materials by the beginning of April. At that point, I discussed the options open to our son. We could do what we’d done every other year and simply have a lighter schedule for a few months, or he could move on and begin 7th grade early. He actually decided to do the latter. His reasons were multiple.
He thought he might be able to graduate from high school early, or he’d have extra time during high school to do an internship or start a business or work on some special interest he might have. He could even begin earning college credits during high school.
I have to admit that I was proud of his decision, but wasn’t totally surprised. As he’s gotten older, he’s become more and more responsible for scheduling his daily work and completing his assignments–and he’s loved having that responsibility. Can you envision the same thing for your child? It is totally possible.
I’d like to end this article by giving you some resources for researching homeschooling. We’ve found it to be a great solution for us and our son. Maybe it is for your family as well.
Home School Legal Defense Association–Great resources for learning about homeschooling and how to do it legally in your state. I’d start here.
Homeschool.com–Learn about different homeschooling approaches here.
A to Z Homeschooling–One of the oldest sites out there with tons of information.
Simply Charlotte Mason–One of my favorite homeschool sites. I get a lot of great ideas here, have ordered some of her materials, and really like her style.
Angelicum Academy–The program we’ve been using since preschool (with lots of tweaks to fit our son’s style and our personal preferences). If you click on the grade level for your child and scroll down to the literature section, you’ll get plenty of great book ideas–whether you decide to homeschool your child or not. Enjoy!
Coming soon! I plan to post information about homeschooling on my own site at Tall Oaks Homeschooling.
Have fun researching homeschooling as an option for your child/children.
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Home School, Homeschool, Homeschooling
Hubby and I decided it was time to take control of our own finances and reduce our exposure in the stock market. We decided to open self-directed IRA accounts and use an IRA, LLC so we could control the money ourselves.
Little did I know what a paperwork vortex I’d be entering. I just finished reading (hah, trying to read), the forms I’m supposed to sign stating that I understand all the high-risk booby traps waiting for me with an IRA, LLC. Wow, I need a lawyer just to read the stuff so I can sign that I understand. Jeez! I felt relatively intelligent and competent until I started reading that application package LOL.
Oh well. Seems like just yesterday I was stating how important it is to have a team of experts around you to help you succeed. Oh yeah, it was just yesterday. I’ll definitely be calling on the lawyer/CPA team member on Monday to help me wade through this paperwork so we set up our self-directed IRAs the correct way.
If you find yourself in over your head with something new, or information presented to you is as clear as mud, it’s great to know you’ve got a team to rely on. Start building your team today so you can continue to move forward to success.
Blessings,
Cindy
Tags: Personal Finances, real estate investing, Self-Directed IRA