Guymon, Oklahoma

“Kaizen” is a Japanese word that translates to “continuous improvement” or “change for the better,” according to the International Toastmasters President. He goes on to explain that Kaizen is more than just a word, it’s a lifestyle. It represents striving for constant improvement in all areas of life.

One of Kaizen’s principles is “Think of how to do it, not why it cannot be done.” Identify the obstacles keeping you from reaching a goal and then come up with way to overcome them. Don’t tackle the entire problem at once, but rather, break it down into smaller, more manageable piece. And keep persevering.

“Don’t seek perfection” is another Kaizen principle. Halfway to a goal is better than no progress at all. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds and you lose only 25, you are not a failure even though you haven’t completely reached your goal.

We can’t always be perfect, but we can always improve. Strive for improvement and excellence. Those are attainable goals.

In every project you undertake, as yourself if it can be improved.

Resolve to work toward continual, incremental improvement in every aspect of your life and excellence will be a word associated with all you do. You will always be raising the bar.

So, the goal is to never stop improving.

The goal isn’t to be perfect by the end, but to be better tomorrow.

While you’re improving yourself consider possible 2018 Guymon Pioneer Day themes. The committee is asking for short, concise theme suggestions that lend themselves to great logo and parade float ideas. Submit the theme by 5 pm on Feb. 16, to the Guymon Chamber of Commerce, Rt. 5 Box 120, Guymon, or call Jada at 580-338-3376. Be sure to include your name and phone number with your theme idea.

They are also looking for Pioneer Queen and Parade Marshall nominations. According to the information from the Chamber, “beginning in 1940, the founders of the Pioneer Days celebration have honored the memories of the mothers by selecting one lady who would represent all the pioneer women. Beginning in 1964, a Parade Marshall was named to represent all pioneer men. These individuals represent all the pioneers who braved the many hardships and lived through those homesteading years almost on faith and hope alone and who set a good example of courage for their descendants to follow.

The criteria for the queen and marshal is 1) a descendant of settlers in No Man’s Land in the late 1800s or early 1900s; 2) live in Texas, Cimarron or Beaver County at the time of the honor; 3) have lived in the Oklahoma Panhandle for at least 50 years; and 4) must be willing and able to serve if selected. Submissions need to me sent to the Chamber, Rt. 5 Box 120, Guymon 73942.

You can also improve your community involvement by attending some of the following events.

Bank of the Panhandle is putting on the Craft for a Cause on Feb. 12 with the proceeds benefitting Meals of Wheels. It takes place at 6:30 pm in the Main Street Guymon office at 116 NE 5th, at 6:30 and costs $25 a person. Call 580-468-3584 to reserve your spot.

That same evening you can support the OPSU men and women’s basketball teams with the women playing at 6 pm and the men at 8 pm.

Don’t forget to vote on Feb. 13.

And Feb. 15, 16, and 17 is the last weekend for the Guymon Community Theatre production of “The Shadow Box” where tickets are $8 a person and the talent is amazing. Go see this thought provoking play directed by Michael Patterson. Call 338-0019 to make your reservation.

Also, on Feb. 16 is the Mother Son Dinner, a benefit for Panhandle Services for Children. The dinner begins at 6 pm and it costs $30 a couple with $10 for extra sons and is served at the Methodist Church Enrichment Center.

And it would be awesome if you broadened your community support to include Main Street Guymon (close to my heart) and attend the Annual Awards Evening on Feb. 20. The cost of the ticket is $25 and you’ll see many wonderful volunteers and businesses recognized during that evening from 6 – 7:30 pm. Call me at 338-6264 for more information.

See the new and improving you on the bricks!

Last Saturday three high school boys, Main Street Guymon Transformers, went to the Heritage Community and visited with several ladies. Two of the ladies are over 100 years old and all of them had better than 75 years of wisdom stored up. First, the staff there was wonderful. They had everything planned and set out so well. Then the ladies were so gracious and hospitable.

Six ladies came out to visit with us, all were dressed so nicely. They had really made an effort and you could tell that it mattered to them that we were there. I was a bit ashamed at my flaps and warm – up britches and tee. But the ladies didn’t seem to notice. The boys asked some questions of the ladies and the ladies asked some questions of the boys. Several of the ladies wanted to tell a story. And everyone was patient and listened patiently.

It was a blessed time.

Eighty years spanned some of the ladies ages to the young mens. Different cultures, different lifestyles, but kindness travels over all of those. We felt special and they felt special. The boys, who are busy with jobs and school work and fun times, all want to go back.

That’s the way life is supposed to be. We should all work to make people understand their worthiness and in the end, we will find ours.

So, here’s a task, if you’re looking for a challenge. For each day one week, do something that makes another person understand that they do matter to you. We can all do a better job of this.

Margaret Mead said, “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”

January 25 is a busy day. You can attend the Agriculture Mini – Conference in Goodwell from 6 – 9 pm (call OSU Extension office for more information). You can also attend the OPSU Women’s Basketball game at 6 pm and the Men’s game at 8 pm.

On January 26 and 27 are OPSU baseball games at noon and 2 pm in Goodwell. The 27th also has OPSU women’s basketball at 3 pm and men’s at 5 pm.

Then on Feb. 1 is the Shop and Dine in Downtown with special snacks and drawing at Golden Crown, Merle Norman, Christine’s Home Furnishings, SPC WOW Boutique, Beauty and the Beast, and La Amistad. It’s fun! Remember to take your TCEC Community Connections card with you and get $5 off any unlimited monthly tanning bed package at Beauty and the Beast, 15% off at SPC WOW, and a free gift with purchase over $25 at Merle Norman.

Also on Feb. 1 is the Guymon Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Banquet from 6 – 8 pm. OPSU President Tim Faltyn is the speaker and tickets are $15 before Jan. 29 and $25 after the 29th. It’s a steak dinner and a fun evening when several ag awards are presented. Tickets are available at Anchor D Bank, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma, OSU Extension office, and the Guymon Chamber.

The OPSU Rodeo Top Hand Auction is at Pickle Creek on Feb. 3.

Super Bowl happens on February 4 and I hope you have something fun planned for that day. You might want to be sure to attend the Souper Bowl, a fund raiser for the Oaks of Mamre, that lunch day. It happens at the Methodist Church and all proceeds go to a great cause.

And don’t forget to put the Methodist Groundhog Supper on Feb. 5 on your calendar. Adult plates are $8 and it runs from 11:30 – 1 in the afternoon and 5 – 7 in the evening.\

All week, Monday through Friday, you can get 10% off of the lunch special at Dizzy B’s with your Community Connections card. And at Pizza Hut you can get a large pizza for medium price. And for coffee lovers, check out the savings at Urban Bru.

Lots to do in our community. Take part! And mark February 13 as your day to go vote.

I’ll see you on the bricks.

There are some really thought provoking quotes that remind me of people or events and when I take a moment to think about them, they just make the whole world seem nicer and more lovable.

Aesop is credited with saying, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

See, you read those words and you know that every single day you can do this. It doesn’t take money, it doesn’t have to take much time, and it doesn’t take being very smart. You just be nice to someone.

Sometimes I read facebook posts. And during one of those brainless moments of reading, I read one where one of my friends asked others to tell about a time when someone was kind to them and they really appreciated it. When I read that, I thought it could be fun to read these comments and proceeded to move down the post. The first post was from a friend of mine who I worked with when I was at the Tourism Department out of Oklahoma City.

Stacy wrote how she had taken a new job and moved to a new town right before her birthday. She had a friend who contacted people in the new town and told them about Stacy and asked them to take a moment to tell her happy birthday that day. She had people call and come by that day, one of the first in her new job, and wish her well. She said it was Melyn Johnson that did that.

You know, I don’t remember anything about any of this, but it does sound like something I would do. I probably emailed my contacts in that town, who also shared, and what took me about three minutes many years later I am getting all this credit for. We never know how much of an impression we make. And when we work together it can be so good.

Such small acts mean so much. I recently went into Dizzy B’s and Lowell handed me one of those new Hershey’s Gold bars, peanuts and pretzels, and told me to try it because it was so good. Was he ever right! Delicious. And, no, he didn’t let me pay for it. How nice was that? I smiled for ages just remembering.

Ghandi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

All you need to do to remind yourself that life isn’t so bad is to start helping others who have a harder time. And there are many who have fights that we can’t even imagine. Jim Norris is one who really makes the truth of this statement come out. Needing a liver transplant and yet he doesn’t let this keep him from working for the community. He is on several boards, he is the one who spearheads the Veterans Banner program and he also works one several other community projects. That takes strength.

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” Elizabeth Andrew said and she was so right. When Coach Keith Schulz stepped up and made the Special Game Day happen where the OPSU Baseball Team had a day for kids, including special needs kids, to play baseball and feel the thrill of being on the field and having the crowd yelling for them with their family watch them, he was my hero. He understood the time it would take and that it was worth it, for the baseball team to appreciate what they had and to share it, and for the families and kids that participated to know that they all matter. And Coach Keith stepped in with a smile and a can – do attitude and did it. It wasn’t about what they would get, but what they could give. I love him for it. There were so many others who stepped in to help and I love them for that, too, but we couldn’t have done it without the baseball team.

Volunteers are not paid. Not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.

Are you wanting to start volunteering? If you want to talk about it, give me a call at 338-6246. There might well be an entity (maybe even Main Street Guymon) that needs some help once in awhile and it might be the perfect fit for you!

See you on the bricks!

Applications for the 2018 Leadership Guymon class are being taken at the Chamber of Commerce. This is an excellent program that benefits the community first, the businesses, and individuals. Would you like to get more involved in your community? Professionally, should you be out more and talking and meeting people? You can do both by applying to be in Leadership Guymon.

It begins on Jan. with a reception and the chance to learn more about expectations and scheduling.

On Jan. 19 is the Community Leadership.

Feb. 2 is the Quality of Life Session and starts by attending Eggs and Issues.

Feb. 16 is the Education Session with an update on all Education facilities & what Guymon and Texas County has to offer.

Mar. 8 is for the Local Government Session, featuring how city government functions. Participants will attend Guymon City Council Meeting as part of the session.

Mar. 26 and 27 is State Government Session with an overnight trip to Oklahoma City and attendance to the Northwest Oklahoma Alliance Legislative Reception. You tour the capitol, visit with legislators and others that impact our communities.

Apr. 6 is the Economic Base Session to learn about local banks and financial institutions, agribusiness, oil and gas and other industries.

Apr. 13 is County Government, focusds on Texas County Government and how it operates.

Apr. 19 is the Graduation Banquet.

There is a cost for the program and you must fill in an application, but it’s easy! Contact Jada at the Guymon Chamber of Commerce for an application. And remember, there is a place in the community that you’re needed. Step on up.

“The best way to find yourself is in the service to others.” Ghandi

One of the important parts in becoming a leader is knowing what you feel passionate about. When you realize what you really care about, then you find ways that you can improve there, ways you can help. It’s an adventure that leads to you being a happier and more respected person. And Texas County has so many areas that are doing excellent things for our communities and our families. And almost all of them need help.

Remember that a volunteer doesn’t get paid because they are priceless.

Time for a mention of TCEC Community Connection opportunities:

• Anytime Fitness has one month free and a free gym bag.
• Beauty and the Beast has $5 off any unlimited tanning bed package.
• Harana MedSpa has 5% off products.
• Merle Norman has a free gift with purchase of cosmetics.
• Texas County YMCA will waive your joiner’s fee, worth $50.

See you on the bricks!

The art of good conversation is a skill that all should aspire to gain. When we are able to be confident in talking to whomever we need to, the world just becomes a lot nicer place to be. Recently the Toastmaster magazine had some very good suggestions to becoming a better conversationalist that I’m going to share.

Express a sincere interest in the other person. Asking someone about themselves is the easiest way in the world to start a conversation. And the person who actually listens to the answer is usually considered a new friend.

Ask meaningful questions. Ask the person to tell you what they think about a topic, event, or news item. Avoid controversial topics or ones that you’re just looking for someone to give your opinions to. Ask something that requires more than a “yes” or “no” answer.

Give compliments. There is always something nice you can say and no better way to attract the undivided attention of someone than to give a flattering remark. You can admire something about their appearance or home, compliment the food they prepared, or their work on a project.

Listen. Respond and listen. A big part of successful communication is responding appropriately, and how can you do that when you didn’t her the previous comment?

Avoid debates. Allow other people to have their opinions. Stay away from historically volatile topics like religion, politics and other controversial topics.

A poor communicator talks on and on. Be careful to not be a one – sided communicator.

We can all improve on our conversation skills. And they are skills. You can practice and improve on them. Everyone can. Start by going out to lunch with a friend and make a point to use some of the suggestions. Each time we practice, we get better. And pretty soon you’ll find you’re the one that people gravitate towards because you make it easy for them to be comfortable in a crowd.

In fact, join the Main Street Lunch Mob and have your perfect opportunity to practice! We meet once a month, January it is on the 16th, at noon in the front room of Pub on the Bricks. We just gather together and support our Main Street Guymon restaurant members. Come alone, bring a friend, it doesn’t matter. It’s Dutch treat and the $5 lunch special is always popular when we go to the Pub.

And you shouldn’t miss the Guymon Lions Club Chili and Stew Supper on Jan. 16. Lunch mob in the afternoon and hit the Chili Supper in the evening at the Methodist Enrichment Center, 6th and Quinn, from 5:30 – 8 pm. Plates are $7 for adults. This is a great way to assist those who do so much for our community.

Another chance to practice your conversation skills is at the TCEC Co-Op Connections Spotlight on Thur., Jan. 11, at Charles White Insurance. The spotlight happens from noon to 1 and when you go, you can sign up to win $100 in Main Bucks! The Co-Op Connections is a great way for you to save money at many local businesses. Check it out at www.tcec.coop.

That evening don’t miss the chance to watch the OPSU Men’s Basketball team play in Goodwell at 8 pm. It’s a great evening to watch them. They also play at 5 pm on Jan. 13.

Love to see you on the bricks!

There are several things about the Christmas season that are way better than the present thing. One of those is the children’s Christmas program at church. I don’t care what program it is, who plans it, who is in it, it is going to be fun. The worst one is memorable for that very reason and it still makes you feel good and smile, and the best one can do the very same. So, they’re all wonderful because watching kids can be so darn entertaining. Watching kids talk about peace and joy and goodwill can’t go wrong. And the hugs afterwards abound.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia said this and it is something we should remember every single day of 2018. Be the one to give the touch, smile, kind word, to listen, to care. Take the Christmas program attitude through all 12 months.

Charles Michael sent an email out to his Lions Club members after the Christmas Shopping Spree. He said when the next meeting was, and this reminder was the reason for the email. But then he thanked the 28 volunteers that worked the shopping spree. He said he had a great time and then told about a little guy who wanted a little foam couch instead of a toy because he could roll it out and have a bed, which he didn’t have at home.

Another Lion was given $300 from a man she didn’t know who saw the shoppers. Charles proceeded to tell the wonderful job done by the WalMart staff, those with the school buses, and the staff at the Ambassador Restaurant. Kids, 129 of them, spent about $10,000 and Christmas was a time of giving for many. Someone cared.

There is a reason I read Charles Michael’s emails … because so often he is telling very positive things about this community that we both love.

I don’t know what either one of them wanted to be “when they grew up,” but Charles and Colleen Michael are a pair of leaders in our community who we need to thank God every day that we have. Whether it is their work with Lions Club or with the Guymon Community Theatre, they are there making a difference for many.

I read this on Facebook and think it is appropriate for them … Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader – they set out to make a difference. It’s never about the role – always about the goal.

Support the Lions Club by buying a ticket to their Chili and Stew Supper on Jan. 16. From 5:30 – 8 pm in the Methodist Enrichment Center at 6th and Quinn. Tickets are $7 for adults and less for kids.

Visit Charles White Insurance at 1024 N. Main on Jan. 11 from noon to 1 for the TCEC Co-Op Connections Spotlight and have a chance to win $100 in Main Bucks.

That same day, Jan. 11, you can go watch the OPSU Men’s Basketball team play in Goodwell at 8 pm.

Lots of ways to show you care about your community! Pick one to do this week.

Remember what Anthony J. D’Angelo said, “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” Be a part of your community this year. We care and want to see you there!

See you on the bricks.

E.E. Cummings said, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” He is someone that would be fun to sit and visit with on the patio.

“Psychology confirms that when people have fun, the brain releases feel good chemicals such as oxytocin and dopamine, leading to feelings of bonding with people,” according to an article in the Toastmaster magazine. Author Scott Christopher refers to a 9.1 million person study by the Great Place to Work Institute that “made the connection between the top places to work and the amount of fun employees have. Studies show that fun in the workplace can increase profits and employee camaraderie, lower absenteeism and reduce workplace conflict.”

So, grouchy people need to work alone and not have anything to do with customers. That’s tough to make happen. But we can decide not to be grouchy. It is true. I know it is because I see people who blame all sorts of things and people for their bad attitude, but then there are lots of people who have worse problems that don’t have bad attitudes. So, it’s in the decision on whether you’re going to be a grump or not.

Look up Shaquem Griffin. A recent Sports Illustrated magazine featured him as a “Best Inspiration” article. As a very young boy he lost a hand. And yet he is a leading college football player in the nation. The article said, “Shaquem hated hearing excuses. ‘A lot of people in our generation like to make excuses about little things that really don’t hinder them from doing what they want to do,’ Griffin says. ‘It always comes down to the work ethic. God put you on the earth for a purpose. I feel like my purpose is to get away from people making excuses.’ That’s why Shaquem declined a disabled parking permit even though he’s eligible for one.

‘It’s not a deformity unless you make it one,’ he says. ‘You’re not disabled unless you say ‘I’m disabled.’

“Shaquem’s platform will get bigger next year, when he gets his shot at the NFL. At some point during the predraft process, a league general manager will take one look at Shaquem’s left arm and say, ‘No. Not him.’

“That will only open an opportunity for another team to land a player who won’t stop until he proves all his doubters wrong.”

All this means we need to start being more positive and have more fun.

And we need to quit making excuses for not doing so.

A couple other things to put on the “Quit List” are to stop trying to please everyone, stop fearing change, stop living in the past, stop putting yourself down, and stop overthinking. Lots of things for us to work towards. But remember, according to Shaquem, who puts us all to shame, it’s all in the work ethic. Let’s work on it.

A couple of excellent working groups that have things coming up you might enjoy is TCEC and the Guymon Lions.

On Thur., Jan. 11, during the lunch hour, noon to 1, go by Charles White Insurance at 1024 N. Main Street for the Co-Op Connections Spotlight. You can sign up for the drawing for $100 in Main Bucks. You can spend your Main Bucks at Beauty and the Beast, Bob’s Cowboy Bar, Chamber of Commerce, Cheryl’s Quilt Corner, Christine’s Home Furnishings, Dancers, Dizzy Bs, G & G Electronics, GABS Liquor Store, Garrison Insurance Agency, Golden Crown, Guymon Furniture, Harana MedSpa, Helm’s Garden Shop, Inspirations, Lumber Mart, Maddox Farms, Merle Norman, Mitchell Theaters (Northridge Cinema), Panhandle Pest Control, Pub on the Bricks, Reid’s Furniture, Roberts and Keenan, SPC, Top Value Grocery Store, Urban Bru, Whispering Bliss Boutique, Willows Inn, Wirtz Lumber, Wolf Creek Mini-Mall. The Co-Op Connections Spotlight is done by TCEC, highlighting the deals you can get through the program. Go see all the opportunities by visiting www.TCEC.coop.

The Lions Chili and Stew Supper is Jan. 16 at the Methodist Enrichment Center, 6th and Quinn, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. The cost is $7 for an adult, $5 for kids from 5 to 8 years old and free for kids under 4. And don’t miss out on the homemade pies!

Lots of fun to be on the bricks!

The end of 2017 is near and it could be known for many things.

I read an article in the Rotarian magazine about the year 2016 and what it is known for. The article had an interesting title and some good points to ponder. I’m going to share some of these points from the article “Could be Worse: When the Story Seems Grim, Rewrite the Ending.”

The author, Frank Bures, says, “The idea that 2016 was the worst year ever started circulating after several celebrity deaths (Prince, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen) were followed by an election that did not go the way many people wanted it to. After that, the worst – year – ever meme became unstoppable, and in 2017, the drumbeat of decline has not stopped.

“Offhand, I can think of a lot of things that are worse than a cold winter day: the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 1929 stock market crash, the Bataan Death March. But it’s true that things do feel worse than they actually are. Part of the reason lies in the 24 – hour news cycle and it’s never – ending flow of bad news.

“As writer Jia Tolentino put it in The New Yorker, ‘There is no limit to the amount of misfortune a person can take in via the Internet, and there’s no easy way to properly calibrate it. …Our ability to change things is not increasing at the same rate as our ability to know about them.’

“Contrary to what you might think, violence is at all – time lows, as is the rate of global poverty. War deaths are fewer than ever in history. On most indicators where you might think progress is not being made, the opposite is probably true.

“Nicholas Kristof recently pointed out in a column in The New York Times: ‘2017 is likely to be the best year in the history of humanity.’ He continued, ‘Every day, another 250,000 people graduate from extreme poverty, according to World Bank figures about 300,000 get electricity for the first time. Some 285,000 get their first access to clean drinking water. When I was a boy, a majority of adults had always been illiterate, but now more than 85% can read.’

“Likewise, Steven Pinker said stated in his book that the world is not more violent, more racist, more genocidal, or more unjust than in the past. He documented long – term declines in homicides, as well as massive gains in education, health, and wealth. He showed that diseases are not spiraling out of control. None who which is to say that things are perfect or that our progress is permanent. But the world is far more perfect than it used to be.

“Yet many of us have given in to a pessimism, a hopelessness, a sense that things are going from bad to worse. Minnesota winters notwithstanding, it was shocking how many people rushed to declare 2016 the worst year ever, when in fact it was one of the best.\

“This disconnect between perception and reality was noted by sociologist Barry Glassner …. He explored the growing distance between the things we fear and the reality of those threats. Throughout the 1990s, people became more afraid of crime, even as crime rates were falling. Other threats, such as road rage and child abduction, proved wildly overblown, while others – the satanic cult scare and Y2K, for instance – turned out to the entirely fictional.

“…The stories we tell ourselves matter, and what we see around us often says more about our inner world than our outer one. All lives have positive and negative things that happen in them. But it’s about how you take time and draw connections.

“Stories are contagious, and negative stories even more so. But it matters for other reasons too. One reason is that a negative outlook doesn’t let us acknowledge the accomplishments of those who are doing good work: people fighting to eliminate polio, or end child marriages, or combat global warming, or conserve our water, or educate our children.

“But the most important reason is the simple fact that no problem has ever been solved by people who didn’t think it was possible to solve it. When we let the negative memes take over – when we consume them over and over online – they create a cage of despair from which we can’t see an escape.

“Look around you and write a new story that reflects the world as you want it to be.”

See you on the bricks … and be sure to tell me about your new story.

Your choices can make a difference to a lot of people. If you choose locally owned businesses for your shopping, you are supporting the people who support the schools your children and grandchildren are in, the programs that are set up for you and your friends and family. You are also helping to make paychecks for friends and neighbors of yours and supporting local banks and their employees.

It goes on and on, does this ripple effect. The taxes paid locally pay for the water and streets that you use, not that someone else uses. So, if you like to spend your money in other towns, don’t be complaining about your hometown streets or water system. You’re part of that problem.

But rather than be negative, let’s talk about the positive things that happen when you shop locally.

You benefit from expertise if you go in the store, rather than shopping online. And you hear the advice from people you can go back to. There is a face moisturizer that is wonderful with my very sensitive and very old skin. Paige at Beauty and the Beast special orders it for me … and not only that, she special orders it so that she has it there BEFORE I run out. When I walk in the door, she already has it on the counter by the time I get there. That’s customer service.

That’s shopping local. You can save time and get the right thing by relying on the local retailer.

You connect with the community.

Shopping locally means bumping into friends, enjoying lively conversations in the store, and trading neighborhood news with the people behind the counter. Local businesses make communities work.

You strengthen our local economy.

One study says that compared to Amazon, independent retailers create twice as many jobs for the same amount of revenue. Local retailers hire local people, pay local taxes, and source goods locally. When you shop local, you expand opportunities where you live.

You cast a vote for the American Dream.

Starting a small business has long been a pathway to the middle class. By supporting local entrepreneurs, you invest in a future that works for all of us.

Places with more small businesses have less income inequality, which means your community does better for its citizens.

In places with more local businesses, people have stronger social ties and participate more in civic affairs.

So, where do you choose to invest your dollars?

Be honest.

You aren’t going to be held accountable to anyone but yourself, so don’t let me or anyone else make you feel guilty where you spend the money that you worked hard to earn. But ponder it and be honest with yourself.

And I’ll see you on the bricks!

None of us is perfect.

Once again, I’m going to retell a story that was printed in the Toastmaster magazine. Although I am going to cut out about half of it because I don’t want you to quit reading and it is a little long.

The article is about a pharmacist who eventually began to be a public speaker / leadership coach. His name is Glen Savage.

“I was born with a hereditary hand tremor. I came to believe that if I spoke to a group, the audience would be distracted by the tremor and assume I was a shivering bag of nerves and it would affect trust and credibility. That is what I’d much later come to learn was a limiting belief.

“My confidence in speaking was pretty low, and my doctor stepped in with beta-blockers to stop the tremor when needed. That was helpful, except I then had another limiting belief that I couldn’t speak unless I took a tablet.

“Then I explored all of this with a great Neuro – Linguistic Programming (NLP) coach. I discovered that my beliefs were just beliefs – a way of thinking that was inhibiting me. I developed a newer, healthier belief that I could speak and train without tablets and the tremor didn’t matter. My NLP coach helped me focus on the possibility that people would be interested in what I had to say and the benefit I could deliver. I haven’t taken a beta – blocker in over 15 years. People do in fact listen to me. And no one has ever commented on my tremor.

“Focus on the audience, rather than yourself. If you take on the mindset that you have something others deserve to hear, you’ll speak stronger and deliver more benefit. It’s all about the message and not about you. If they happen to like you, that’s just a bonus.”

These things are so true. When we focus on something that we don’t like about ourselves, we start to believe that everyone notices the same thing when it is likely that nobody does. When I was a freshman in high school, the dentist pulled my front four upper teeth and put in fake ones, they call it “an appliance”. It corrected an overbite that I thought was very unattractive.

Nobody knew I was getting my teeth pulled and the appliance was put in right after the teeth came out. I had pizza for supper that night. After the weekend, we had school and nobody said a word to me about my new teeth. But I knew, and I smiled more. Finally, one girl said, “Did you do something different, Melyn? Cut your hair?” She had no idea. And she’s the only one who said anything.

It was an awakening for me. Not everybody was as focused as I was on me. And it probably would have been a lot happier life before had I not been so focused on my bad points, too. So, give yourself a break. Everybody isn’t watching you when you walk in to the room. I promise. They aren’t. Everybody isn’t noticing that your clothes are kind of old or your shoes don’t match or that you don’t have on earrings. Honestly, people really don’t care.

But they do notice if you smile. And they notice if you talk to them.

So maybe those are the things we should be focusing on. Take a gander and think about your limiting beliefs. And be realistic.

And I’ll see you on the bricks!