If you were to ask your friends or family the following question, pay close attention to the answer you get: "In a crisis, or when things aren't going well, am I more likely to react or to respond?"
How would YOU answer that question about yourself? If you do not know the difference, we have some work to do. A reaction can (or possibly may):                                          A response can (or possibly may):

• damage  relationships                                                 •  help preserve relationships                                     
• involve harsh words or actions                               •  encourage others to remain calm
• cause more pain and stress                                       •. lead to trust and closer relationships
• result in consequences (EVERY TIME)                 •. come from wisdom and compassion

Stop and think before you react. The act of thinking before you react is a step in the direction of a response. When you respond, you are encouraging compassion, love, and wisdom into your relationships rather than conflict. Which would you rather have, benefits, or consequences? Benefits follow responses, consequences follow reactions. Think it over, and choose wisely.

Regardless of your chosen path in life, the ability to be successful is directly related to your ability to communicate effectively. Communication involves a message being sent AND received. Sometimes, we ignore the way in which we send the message assuming that it is being received as it was intended. Think about how you want to be heard, and consider your "audience" when you speak. They may be trying to listen, but just don't have the tools to listen effectively, or they don't have the context with which to listen to your message. Read the following group of words as quickly as possible: Isle of dogs. The context of the three words is not what is likely interpreted by whomever hears you read the words as quickly as possible. Just keep this in mind when you are trying to communicate, and the message is not being received- regardless of how clearly you "think" the message is being delivered.

Today matters in every possible meaning. Yesterday is unchangeable, and is gone forever. I have often used the quote from John Maxwell, "Yesterday ended last night." That is great news on some days, and we lament that fact when something special happened yesterday. Either way, yesterday is the past, and tomorrow is not a guarantee. So today is the only day you have! You can make today useful by how you spend your time. You can honor yesterday by how you spend your time. You can prepare for a better tomorrow by how you spend your time...today. Today matters! Intentionally well-spent time today is the only way to ensure that tomorrow's yesterday was well-planned and well spent. In order to know how to spend today, you must have a plan in place, and know that everything you are doing is moving you closer to achieving your goals. The truth is, each action every day is moving you toward something. Either your goals or somebody else's. So let's Get after it... Today!

Where do you spend the most time? Alone online or playing video games? Or with others sharing ideas of how to make something meaningful for others? Maybe just with others, but maybe not developing something meaningful? Why not? Why not engage in the act of making something better than it is? Just start by sharing ideas with some like-minded people who share a passion to make the world a better place...today! Start small, and act now. Decide to volunteer for a local food shelf, or help pick up garbage in your neighborhood. Help one of your neighbors with a household task, like raking leaves, mowing the grass, or if you are up north, shoveling the spring snow. Develop ideas that might outlast you. Think bigger than yourself. Think about how your community would be if EVERYBODY thought to do this sort of thing. Think about how much better you feel when you do things for others rather than just thinking of yourself. Make the leap. Ask for help, and get to work. Maybe, just maybe, you will start a chain reaction of action that will lead to something special. What will happen if you don't? Nothing. Which is what you will get in return. So what are you waiting for? Get going, and make a difference that will benefit others. Now.

Each year on New Years Day, follow the advice of John Maxwell, and choose a word to focus on for the year. This is a better approach than a resolution that will be abandoned by Ground Hog Day. Last year I chose the word, "finish," since I had started several projects during the prior year without finishing any of them. Using the word to motivate me daily (I posted it on my desk at work), I finished development of several parts of this CLIC program. This year, I chose the word, "grow," which I need to do in several parts of my life. You get the idea, choose a word, make it a theme, and make it a better year than last.