Gregg Masters3 hr ago 1 Sometimes we look at things or hear things over and over and they tend to lose meaning. Sometimes they never achieve their purpose because we hear them or see them and think to ourselves, “Oh,that’s nice” and leave it at that. Yeah, let’s not do that! In this One Minute Blog I want to explain the meaning behind something that I now recite every night. It means a great deal to me and since it was originally told to me, has changed my outlook and my life. The quick backstory is I first heard this Lakota Prayer at the end of a few long and dangerous weeks. We were on our way home and as tired as I was I was hurting too much to sleep. I wasn’t alone, most of us were hurt, injured or nicked up some how. At some point on the flight, the most wise person I think I’ve ever met came and sat down next to me. She was feeling the same as I was. As we talked, she told me about the Lakota Prayer.  I asked her if she remembered it and she said she still recited it each night and asked if I’d like to hear it. Since saying yes on that flight, it not only changed my outlook on life, but has changed my life. Here it is. Pay careful attention as you read to not only what the words are asking but how your life might change if these various things would happen. For me it came down to a bottom line of will I be a better person? In my case the answer was yes. My hope is not only to expose you to this incredible piece of ancient wisdom, I’m also hoping to remind you about the myriad of other things that might be happening in your life that could add unimagined impact to your life. If you’re so inclined, recite this for a week or so and note any changes. Share this with your spouse, partner, kids or your friends. Thank you for allowing me to share this. I’ll consider it a success if this has even given you something to consider. Peace      ……Gregg

5 years ago I wrote a blog that dealt with that most hated term known as the “New Year’s Resolution.” (Note: Never ever write a blog about New Year’s Resolutions!) So this year I took a different approach. I also took a little and gave a little from each year from then until now and hopefully mixed in some of the wisdom that has rubbed off over the years. Call them suggestions, recommendations even urgent pleas, but what ever you do, don’t mention the “R”word! So to kick things off, let’s start here. Don’t make Resolutions instead, make promises or plans. If you want to make it even more real, write out a contract on paper and sign it! This makes your proposed changes a bit more real and easier for you to remember during those “weak” moments during the year. Don’t be so concerned about getting rid of things you’re upset about or frustrated inyour life(losing weight, being better at something, etc.)  Instead, focus on what you can add in 2022 that will make your life better. For instance, if you want to lose weight (don’t we all?) instead of promising to join a gym and get up at 4:30 am every day to exercise, (which in 3 weeks you’ll end up “snooze alarming away”) focus instead on adding some healthy things. Commit to eating more fruit or make a healthy fruit shake instead of a sugary soda. Find positive things you can add to your life and soon those negative things you were worried about will drop away one by one. Go Slow!!! Man, this is one’s important! Want to see some changes in your life? Baby Steps! Make a list and then edit it down. Let’s say you come up with 12 things you’d like to see happen in your life. Actually, schedule them each month. January – eat more fruits, nuts and berries than candy. February – turn the electronic devices off during dinner. You get the idea. The important thing is not to plan on sweeping changes. Plan on small changes that are simple to make. Trust me, you won’t lose 40 pounds overnight but through baby steps, you’re much more likely to make positive changes that will last! We all have “To-Do Lists.” I recommend writing a “To-Done List!” What is that? It’s a list where we sit down at some point during the week and write down our successes, big and small! What are the things we’ve done that went well, helped someone else, made us feel good, gave us some relaxation or peace? We are programmed to forget these moments. WELL DON’T!!! Write them down and celebrate them. Then, at the end of each month, take a look at those 4 pieces of paper with your successes and congratulate yourself for the things you’ve accomplished that month! Make yourself realize the truth about what and why you want to change or accomplish this coming year.  Are they things you really want to accomplish or are they things you think you should accomplish? Are they things others say you need to accomplish?  Why? Are […]

First things first, Merry Christmas Happy Holidays and Happy New Years!  At this point in the year gifts are the rage. So, I wanted to spend a second and take look at How You Give and How You Get Gifts is SO Important whether they’re Christmas or other Holiday and Life gifts.   An important note to remember… the things that you’ll remember for years might be the gift itself, but more than likely it’ll be the look in their eye, the preparation put into the gift or the perfect imperfection of the gift and/or the circumstances around it.  So here goes, some of my favorite Christmas Gifts…  Several years ago, I was a grown man making a decent living when my dad handed me an envelope as we opened Christmas gifts. I can still hear his voice as he looked at my mom and said “I want to see his face when he opens this one.” I slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of folded paper. As I unfolded it I saw a crisp, new $50 bill! I saw the note which simply said “I’m proud of you. I love you. Dad”  I looked up and saw this Old School, gruff, wonderful man, shifting uneasily in his chair as he sniffed and wiped away his tears. I had seen and used $50 and $100 bills before. It wasn’t the amount. It was that this gift meant something to him, he didn’t have much and he was giving me much, much more that just $50! I’m just glad I understood it then and everyday since then too.     That Was A Great Gift! I was walking one day with my son who was a grown man at the time. It had rained much of the day and had just stopped. It was one of those perfect times, still a bit cloudy and cool from the rain and the smell was so clean and perfect. We had only walked for a short distance when I noticed him lagging behind. When I turn around, there he was bending down picking up a worm that had been washed up onto the sidewalk instead of the grass. He gently bent over and moved the worm into his hand, walked over to the grass and gently put it down. As his hands came together to get rid of any excess mud, he look up at me and just smiled. Didn’t say a word, just smiled. We continued our walk and talk that day but we stopped often. Both of us would bend over and gently moved a worm from the concrete to the safety of the grass. And then we would just smile.     That Was A Great Gift! I remember the eyes of a woman who, after a long, dangerous and painful few days, told me the words of the most beautiful, life altering ancient Lakota wisdom. The moment was born out of a genuine to will to make life better. It did. […]