My wife, Alicia, and I embarked on this entrepreneurial journey with the anticipation of Daniel joining us once the business found its footing. His expertise in operations made him the perfect fit for the role of VP of Operations. But life had its own script to unfurl. On May 8th, 2023, Daniel passed away, leaving behind unspoken plans and shattered dreams.

We reveled in joy at a family wedding in San Antonio just days before his untimely departure. Daniel, brimming with pride, shared his impending collaboration with his big brother with anyone who cared to listen. The anticipation of merging forces and experiences was palpable in his words.

Our lives had taken divergent paths as we ventured into adulthood. I delved into the world of financial services, while Daniel navigated the realm of retail. Yet, a steadfast belief lingered – a belief that we could somehow, someway, intertwine our professional lives to bolster each other and revel in shared experiences.

Our journey as brothers faced a monumental blow when our mother passed away unexpectedly when we were kids. Struggling through the emotional aftermath, compounded by our absent father who had severed ties after their divorce, we leaned on the support of family and friends. I found semblance and independence in my early adult life, eventually becoming Daniel’s legal guardian during his final high school years. Our childhood bond transformed into an unbreakable tether after our mother’s passing, anchoring us to each other amidst life’s turbulent waves.

Life, indifferent to our desires, pushed us onto separate paths. We grappled with personal demons and carried the weight of emotional baggage yet set aside victim mindsets to seize the opportunities before us. Marriage, fatherhood, and faith became pillars of contentment for us, albeit amidst life’s persistent struggles. Through it all, we found solace in each other’s unwavering support, no matter the magnitude of our trials.

Daniel carved a successful career in retail, contributing significantly to the operational triumphs of renowned enterprises like Target, Staples, and Home Depot. Meanwhile, I charted my course, ascending the ranks of corporate America, occasionally sprinkling notable entrepreneurial ventures into my journey.

As I reminisce about shared dreams unfulfilled, I find solace in the memories of a brother whose life intertwined with mine in ways that transcended professional aspirations. Life, indeed, is ephemeral. Yet, the imprints of shared experiences and unspoken camaraderie linger as a testament to the bond we forged, enduring beyond the confines of time and space. 

Today, as I grapple with the gaping absence left by his untimely departure, I can’t help but question why fate chose such an abrupt end to our shared journey. In these moments of longing, I find myself yearning for my brother more than ever. He was more than a sibling; he was my unwavering champion, standing by me through every ambitious dream, no matter how far-fetched. With his sudden absence, our shared dream lies fractured, scattered among the remnants of what could have been.

Yet, in the face of this profound loss, I’ve made a choice. I refuse to let his memory fade into the ether of despair. For him, for us, I choose to march forward, carrying his spirit within me as I navigate this unexpected chapter of life. This is another unexpected turn in a life full of them, and though the road ahead may seem daunting, I’ll navigate it with his indomitable spirit as my guiding light.

The post Living the Dream: Life’s Loss and Aspiration appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know.

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?”

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze.

“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked.

She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids…”

“No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students.

She was living it up.

The post It’s Never Too Late to Be All You Can Be appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

You can use your thoughts to create almost anything you seriously want. No other creature on earth can do that.

You have the power to create something that has never existed, write best-selling books, live in the house of your dreams, build a new business, and make all the money you want.

You can do all those things and much more. But you have to believe that you can do it. And if you don’t believe it, it’s time to upgrade some of your beliefs.

Leland Val Van de Wall said, “Our belief system is based upon our evaluation of something, and frequently if we reevaluate a situation, our belief about that situation will change.”

So, take a few minutes to evaluate the following questions to help you see what shifts you may need to start making in your mindset.

• Do I believe that I am worthy of having this dream and all the money I need and want?

• Am I comfortable talking about money and my dreams?

• Do I believe I can create financial freedom or anything else I would love to create?

If any of the answers are ‘no,’ ask yourself where those beliefs came from and if they are true. Most of the time, you’ll find there is no supporting evidence; you’ve just been operating on autopilot because it’s part of your conditioning.

When you find any negative or limiting thoughts or feelings, your job is to recognize that it’s not a beneficial belief to have and look at it from a new, more empowering perspective.

Five steps you can take right away to start altering your self-image and improving your life:

1. Visualize: Spend 10-20 minutes, two or three times a day, to visualize yourself with the wonderful things you’d like to be, do, and have. Allow yourself to completely relax so you can feel what you want down to your cells. To do that, you must live the part while you are visualizing.

2. Write It Down: Burn the images of how you want to live this year in your mind, and then write a detailed description of them. The more you can see and feel as you read your description, the better.

3. Make a Comparison: When you’ve got your description just the way you want it, take a good look at it, and compare it to how you’re living now.

4. Choose One Thing to Change: Once you’ve made this comparison, you’ll see the changes you need to make. Even if you could make dozens of changes, begin by making one change at a time. An excellent place to start is with your appearance.

You want to present yourself physically in a way that is consistent with the new image you are developing. Something as simple as how you dress, walk, and project yourself sends a powerful message to your subconscious mind. It also sends a strong message to everyone you come across.

5. Use Your Inner Eye: Go inside and take a close look at yourself with your inner eye. See if you’re beginning to see yourself, from within, as the person you really want to be.

During the transition period, when you’re in the process of implanting your new image in the subconscious, you will actually perceive two people—the old you and the new you. Every time you see yourself as a failure or lacking somehow, shift your focus to the new you.

You ARE capable to BE, DO, HAVE, GIVE, LOVE, CREATE, and EXPERIENCE anything you set your intentions on…you simply must BELIEVE it!!

The post You Have the Power to Create appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

Do we persevere through our challenges? Do we choose gratitude? Do we choose happiness?

Some of the most admired people in the world had to endure tremendous hardship for a season of their life, or, in some cases, the majority of their adult life.

• Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison. Imagine the mental battle of 27 years in prison, and the choices he had to make in order to persevere. Was it hard at times? You bet. But he used the time to develop his mind and character.

• Martin Luther King was arrested 26 times, and that only scratches the surface of the challenges he and many others had to endure in the fight for equality.

• Mahatma Ghandi was sentenced to six years in prison after organizing a non-violent protest that turned violent. Ghandi was horrified by the violence, yet served his sentence and continued to inspire his people and his movement.

• Hellen Keller learned to appreciate so much of life, and accomplish more than most, despite not being able to see or hear from the age of two.

• Lance Armstrong launched the Livestrong movement after battling cancer.

• Walt Disney endured failure time after time early in his career before finally achieving breakthrough.

The list can go on and on. And you might ask, what does this have to do with gratitude?

A lot.

As we face the challenges that life can bring our way, we need to make a choice about how we’re going to react. If we aren’t able to keep hope, accept what is, and experience gratitude, it’s hard to move forward.

We can’t always know what the current season of life is going to provide for us later on.

I encourage you to find Gratitude no matter where you are on your life’s journey.

The gratitude jar is a stunningly simple exercise that can have profound effects on your wellbeing and outlook. It only requires a few ingredients: a jar (a box can also work); a ribbon, stickers, glitter, or whatever else you like to decorate the jar; paper and a pen or pencil for writing your gratitude notes; and gratitude!

Step 1: Find a jar or box.

Step 2: Decorate the jar however you wish. You can tie a ribbon around the jar’s neck, put stickers on the sides, use clear glue and glitter to make it sparkle, paint it, keep it simple, or do whatever else you can think of to make it a pleasing sight.

Step 3: This is the most important step, which will be repeated every day. Think of at least three things throughout your day that you are grateful for. It can be something as benign as a coffee at your favorite place, or as grand as the love of your significant other or dear friend. Do this every day, write down what you are grateful for on little slips of paper and fill the jar.

Over time, you will find that you have a jar full of a myriad of reasons to be thankful for what you have and enjoy the life you are living. It also will cultivate a practice of expressing thanks.

If you are ever feeling especially down and need a quick pick-me-up, take a few notes out of the jar to remind yourself of who, and what, is good in your life. You will find once you get back in the energy of gratitude it’s hard to stay down.

The post Creating an Attitude of Gratitude appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

The other day I was reading about Anthony Ray Hinton. He spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. He was working in a locked factory at the time of the crime he was being accused of. The police told him he would be going to jail because he was black.

His time in jail was spent in solitary confinement in a five-by-seven-foot cell, allowed out only one hour a day. But, Hinton quickly became a friend and counselor to other inmates and the death row guards, many of whom begged Hinton’s attorney to get him out.

A unanimous Supreme Court ruling ordered his release, and he was able to walk free. In an interview he is quoted saying: “One does not know the value of freedom until it is taken away, People run out of the rain. I run into the rain…I am so grateful for every drop. Just to feel it on my face.”

Hinton was later interviewed on 60 Minutes. The interviewer asked if he was angry at the people who put him in jail. He said he forgave them all.

The interviewer asked, “but they took 30 years of your life — how can you not be angry?”

Hinton responded: “If I’m angry and unforgiving, they will have taken the rest of my life.”

How much of your life have you spent angry or unforgiving for far less suffering, or for circumstances out of anyone’s control? Unfortunately, many spend part of their life angry or unforgiving of themselves. Hinton is a strong example of the ability to respond with joy and gratitude despite horrendous circumstances.

He’s quoted in another interview: “The world didn’t give you your joy, and the world can’t take it away. You can let people come into your life and destroy it, but I refuse to let anyone take my joy. I wake up in the morning and I don’t need anyone to make me laugh. I’m going to laugh on my own, because I have been blessed to see another day, and when you’re blessed to see another day that should automatically give you joy.”

There is something to be grateful for every day. As Hinton says, simply seeing another day is something to be grateful for.

Sometimes the hardest part is building the awareness. If we’re not careful, we go through each day and each week as machines, repeating the same behaviors and tasks. We rarely stop and bring awareness to each moment, each day, and the things that we should be grateful for.

What if we set a reminder each day this week to bring more awareness to building our gratitude muscle? Set a reminder on your phone. Find a wallpaper image for your phone. Or, my favorite, pick a doorway in your home and hang a sign that says — “Be Grateful.” Touch it every time you walk through the door.

We spend too much time living in the past and dwelling on things that went wrong. This poisons our actions in the moment and slows our momentum for the future. Gratitude does not make us complacent. It allows us to experience more hope and more abundance in life.

We attract more good into our life when we focus on the good that surrounds us now. I challenge you to find gratitude every day and then notice how your energy and the energy of people around you shifts.

The post Finding Freedom: The Remarkable Story of Anthony Ray Hinton appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

There once lived a water carrier. Every morning, as soon as the sun rose, she walked from her home to collect water in two earthen pots that hung from a long pole that she carried across her shoulders. One pot was perfectly formed, the other, although the same shape and size as its counterpart, had a crack in its side. So, whenever they returned to the water carrier’s house it was only ever half full.

For years, the water carrier repeated her journey to and from her house collecting water from the river. As the years passed by, the cracked pot created a story in its head about its level of worthiness and inability to properly perform the job for which it had been created. Eventually, the pain and shame that it felt about its own perceived imperfections, became too much for it to bear.

So, one day as the water carrier knelt beside the river and began her usual task of filling the pots with water, the cracked pot found its voice and said; “I am so sorry. For years and years, I have watched you fill me with water and I can only imagine what a fruitless task it must be for you. As whenever we return to home, I am only ever half full. While in comparison, the other pot is perfect, rarely does it lose a drop of water on our long walk back to our home, but me, I am far from perfect.

This crack in my side, not only does it cause me so much hurt and shame, but it must also cause you to want to get rid of me. Surely, I am only making this long, arduous job that you do each day, that much more difficult? I can understand if you are thinking of getting rid of me and replacing me with another perfectly formed pot.”

The water carrier listened to these words with both care and compassion. The cracked pot’s story of unworthiness and shame was not one that she recognized. For this was not what she thought of the pot. She knew about the crack, but did not see it as an imperfection, or as something that made it less worthy than the other pot that hung from her shoulder.

Gently she turned to the pot and said, “On our return walk home, I want you to look up and to the side of you. For too long, it would seem you have been looking down, comparing yourself to others and not noticing how you and the crack that you have in your side has brought untold beauty into my life”

Puzzled, the Cracked pot wondered what on-earth her words meant. She seemed to be suggesting that its story of lack, unworthiness and shame, was in some way faulty. As to how this could be, it could not comprehend.

However, the Cracked Pot trusted the water carrier. It occurred to it that in all the time that it had journeyed with her, she had never said a harsh word, never scorned or ridiculed it, but had always shown a sense of gratefulness and care when filling it with water.

So, on the return journey it heeded the water carrier’s words. It looked up and it looked out. In its former depressed state, it had not noticed that along the path that they traveled there was a dazzling array of beauty, color and life. The water carrier in her wisdom, knowing of the crack in the pot’s side, had sprinkled seeds along the path. These seeds were duly watered every day as a result of the crack in the pot’s side and the path that had once been barren and devoid of life was now resplendent with an array of beautiful wildflowers.

Now, the cracked pot understood. Now the cracked pot began to see itself in a new light. Now it understood that indeed it had been telling itself a faulty story. If its experience of being a ‘cracked pot’ was going to change, then it would have to change the story that it was telling itself.

Geoff Mead says, “We need to consider how our lives are shaped by the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we are here for, because knowing our stories is an essential prerequisite to claiming our personal authority and to making our unique and authentic contribution as leaders”

This week I encourage you to see the beauty in what you may perceive to be a flaw. What stories have you been telling yourself? How would you love to repattern and reframe the story you have been telling yourself?

3 Steps to Repattern Your Thoughts

Notice the thought – Pay attention to thoughts that are discouraging. These thoughts can pop up sometimes before you can stop them. But learning to recognize them can help you shift them.

Question the thought – Look at that thought, without judging it, and ask yourself whether it is helpful or true. Ask yourself questions about the situation and your thoughts. Your answers can help you find more accurate and helpful ways to think about the situation.

Replace the unhelpful thought with a more helpful one – Here’s where you can ask yourself “What’s something that’s true but more helpful?” For example, you might think, “I’ve done a lot of good work this year, and my boss noticed it. She thought there was one area I can improve. So I’ll think of some things I can do to get stronger in that area.”

Changing your thought patterns may not be easy. But our minds can be trained to be stronger and healthier—just like a muscle. With time and practice, you’ll get better at noticing unhelpful thoughts and choosing healthier thoughts instead.

The post Beyond Perfection: Lessons from the Cracked Pot appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

The son goes off, finishing up his graduate school, he’s gone over a year and
intermittently checks in, but he comes home on spring break and finds his father
distant, quiet, and even depressed. As the few days that he’s going to be there is
coming to an end, he finally gets his dad, and he sits him down and says, “Talk to
me. What is going on?” His dad says, “We’re going bankrupt. I don’t know what to
do. I’m the third generation and it’s going to close under my leadership.” His son
says, “Well, what’s happening?”

This is during the time where the low-cost cutting salons were moving in across
America. One of those establishments had recently moved into town and was
offering six-dollar haircuts. The father explained, “There is no way I can compete
with six-dollar haircuts. I can’t pay the overhead. I’ve run numbers every way I can.
I’ve gone through all of the reserves, and we have maybe enough to survive
another thirty days, but at this rate it’s over. I didn’t want to alarm you, but I don’t
know what we’re going to do.”

The son said, “There has to be an answer to this. By definition, there cannot be a
problem without an answer. We just may not know the answer.”

The son had been studying Napoleon Hill, he’d been studying masterminding, he’d
been studying all kinds of things, and the success principles about how you make
yourself think. In explaining masterminding or thinking beyond the problem. He
said to his dad “Look, just try this out with me. Let’s sit down and we’ll write down
every idea that comes to mind about how this problem could get solved, how you
could stay in business, how you could thrive.” And his father said, “There is no
way. I’ve run the numbers and I can’t compete against six-dollar haircuts.” The son
responded, “Just do the exercise with me. What’s one idea, just give me one idea.”
The father says, “Close the shop.” So he writes it down: Close the shop. That’s an
idea about how to solve that problem, right? It is an idea isn’t it? So he said,
“That’s one idea. Now let’s look at some other ideas.” Then the son says,
“Advertise.”

The dad’s thinking, I did advertise, but he’s already been given the paradigm in
masterminding, which is “no editing.” Once you “edit,” you shut down the stream.
It’s like putting a clamp on the stream to the universal intelligence. No matter
what the idea is, you write it down.

So they’re writing idea after idea and they’re getting a rhythm. They do this for
about 20 minutes and one of those ideas just jumps off the page. They execute
that idea. The son goes back to school.

A few weeks later he calls his Dad and he can tell by his Dad’s voice—the energy is
strong—and he says, “Things are better?” The dad says, “It sure is,” he says. “Not
only did our normal clientele return, we are 11% higher than the highest census
they’ve ever had in the shop.”

Do you know what the idea was? It was to put a big sign on the top of the shop that
said “We fix six-dollar haircuts.”

There is a truth greater than the facts. There is an answer to every question and a
solution to every problem.

10 Ways to Open Your Mind to New Possibilities

Understand that everyone has fears – The biggest affect on people’s lives and
decisions is fear. We’re afraid of failure, afraid of rejection, afraid of change. But
there is no growth or experience in fear! In keeping things the same, you only hurt
yourself and shield yourself from new, enriching experiences. Often fear is a sign
that you are on the green growing edge of something great.

No one is watching you – When trying new things or getting out of our comfort
zone, we tend to think all eyes are on us. It can be pretty intimidating and makes
us quite self-conscious. Over time, you’ll grow to crush your fear and do your new
activity or hobby with confidence. But keep in mind others are looking to gain
footing in their own success and only looking at you for inspiration.

You can’t grow if you don’t try – You can’t expect a plant to grow if you never
put the seed in the soil. You’ll have to actually plant a seed in your life, as well, if
you want to expand your mind and your world. Nothing is holding you back except
yourself. Finances, personal background, education, your upbringing,
socioeconomic status, job—nothing can hold you back if you really don’t want it
to.

Do the things you dream about – What would you love? What’s stopping you
from taking salsa dance lessons, learning guitar, seeing the Grand Canyon, or
training for a marathon? It may be something you have to work toward, save up
for, or make some small sacrifices for, but opening your mind to new things means
trying new things. Take action and make it happen; don’t make excuses!

Visualize who you want to be – You can not achieve what you would love if you
can’t clearly see what it is you’re aiming for. What would you love? How does it
feel? Really visualize being in that moment. And study someone that has what you
want and see what they’re doing differently.

Don’t limit yourself – Do you find yourself thinking of all the reasons that you’re
not capable of doing some things? You pre-define in your head what it is you’re
“able” to do and not do. By doing this you’re limiting your opportunities! Open the
door for yourself and your world and allow yourself to dream big. If you can dream
it, you can do it.

Stop negative self-talk – You will quickly halt your own progress and growth in
life if you’re always talking negatively. It’s important to use phrases like, “I can do
that”, “I’m good at that”, or “I can achieve that” . By using positive language you
will cultivate the mindset you need in order to grow as a person.

Build positive habits – Focus on creating the positive habit. Notice the negative
behaviors and re-pattern. Tell yourself that you CAN do it, that you CAN get the
position. You can do your best, and you can succeed. Start by telling yourself the
positive things so that you will get the results you would love.

The power is yours – If you wait to reach a certain income level before you even
look into starting a new hobby, you are blocking the abundance that is available to
you. It’s only up to you to take action and make a decision. Some things are harder
than others, but once you make a serious decision to make a change or open up
your world in any way, you can change anything.

Have empathy – A big way to expand is to serve other humans. Show them
love, mercy and compassion, even if it’s just mentally acknowledging their
intentions and what they’re going through. People get in bad moods, like we all do,
or they tend not to realize the effect they’re having on others. Realizing this and
spreading kindness for the people you come in contact with will open your mind in a variety of ways and allow you to see the world differently. Leave the world better than yon found it.

Opening your mind to new possibilities is not just about overcoming fears or trying new things—it’s about embracing a mindset of growth and empowerment. By understanding that fear is often a sign of growth, realizing that others are more focused on their journey than on judging you, and actively pursuing your dreams, you can unlock a world of opportunities.

The post Transforming Challenges into Opportunities appeared first on The Rockwall Times.

In a world often characterized by its fast pace and relentless pursuit of more, the art of gratitude can easily be overshadowed. Yet, within the fabric of relationships lies a profound power—the power to cultivate appreciation for the blessings we already possess. As friends, it is incumbent upon us to gently guide one another toward a mindset of gratitude, nurturing a spirit of thankfulness that enriches both our lives and those around us.

Lead by Example

At the heart of fostering gratitude lies the principle of leading by example. When we express gratitude in our own lives, whether through simple thank you or heartfelt gestures of appreciation, we illuminate a path for others to follow. By showcasing the transformative effects of gratitude, we inspire our friends to embark on their own journey of thankfulness, recognizing the abundance that surrounds them.

Moreover, sharing personal experiences can serve as a powerful catalyst for change. By recounting moments of profound gratitude in our lives, we invite others to partake in the joy and fulfillment that accompany such sentiments. Through the lens of our narratives, we demonstrate that gratitude is not merely an abstract concept, but a tangible force capable of transforming our outlook on life.

Embrace Gratitude

Yet, as we encourage others to embrace gratitude, it is crucial to approach the conversation with empathy and understanding. We must acknowledge that each individual’s journey is unique, and that the path to gratitude may be fraught with challenges and setbacks. By extending a hand of empathy, we create a safe space for our friends to explore their emotions and confront any obstacles hindering their ability to embrace gratitude.

Encouraging reflection is another invaluable tool in our quest to nurture gratitude within our friendships. By prompting moments to pause and reflect on the blessings of their lives, we empower them to unearth hidden treasures amidst the chaos of everyday existence. Whether through journaling, meditation, or simply quiet contemplation, the act of reflection enables us to cultivate a deeper sense of appreciation for the richness of life.

Be Mindful

Furthermore, it is essential to be mindful of the importance of focusing on the present moment. Too often, we become trapped in the pursuit of future goals or consumed by past regrets, neglecting the beauty that surrounds us in the here and now. By encouraging others to embrace the present moment with gratitude, we awaken them to the myriad blessings that await their discovery.

In our efforts to foster gratitude, we must also offer perspective. By gently nudging them to consider the blessings they may take for granted—be it their health, relationships, or opportunities—we help them gain a newfound appreciation for the richness of their lives. Through the lens of perspective, even the most mundane aspects of existence are transformed into sources of profound gratitude.

Ultimately, cultivating gratitude is a journey—one that requires patience, perseverance, and unwavering support. As friends, it is our privilege and responsibility to walk alongside one another on this transformative path, offering encouragement and guidance every step of the way. By fostering a spirit of gratitude within our relationships, we not only enrich our own lives, but also sow the seeds of joy and abundance in the lives of those we hold dear.

The post Gratitude: Nurturing Appreciation in Relationships appeared first on The Rockwall Times.