Back to the Basics

Many times life becomes really busy and hectic. At these points in time I am often reminded to return to the basics and just go with what is natural and simple.  In a nutshell three things are my go-to basics:
1. Quotes- I tend to find peace in the words in rough times
2. Outdoors- Experiencing nature in the most pure form is remarkable every time
3. Music- I get lost in music, the beat and rhythm have the ability to change my mood instantly

In our lives, what are the basics that we can go back to when we have a rough day?  What brings us inner peace and happiness?  Out of the complicated things in our day to day life, what is the most basic and fundamental thing that brings you joy?

 Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Strive not to be of success, 

but rather to be of value. 

-Albert Einstein

Adopt the pace of nature

her secret is patience.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trust your struggle.

-Anonymous

A society grows great when

old men plant trees whose

shade they know they 

will never sit in. 

-Greek Proverb

Stay Classy Kansas FFA

New Perspectives

For some of us this year was the first time we had the opportunity to experience National FFA Week and all that it offers to students majoring in agriculture and FFA members across the nation. For others, it was the fifth or sixth time we have experienced National FFA Week which I would like to call its own holiday; for me this was the case.  I have had a multitude of different FFA week experiences; however none of them quite compared to this year. I got involved in different events outside of my home chapter which allowed me to have a different perspective of the so-called holiday to those of us who eat, sleep, live and breathe FFA.  

Take a moment to think about how it can be refreshing to see a different perspective of the "same view."

Packaging food at Harvester's

To kick-off FFA week the state officer team started at the state capitol in Topeka where we visited with Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman and Governor Sam Brownback as well as Senate Aricultural Committee Chair Garrett Love.  In each one of these different meeting we saw a different perspective of the Kansas government and what different views these individuals had about agriculture.  In addition to this we were also introduced on the House of Representatives Floor which for me was a whole new perspective of the law making process. We also helped to kick off the Neighbors to Neighbors Food Drive at Harvesters.  

On a cold Tuesday morning, Denver and I were blessed with the opportunity to interact with the Wilson FFA Chapter. We learned more about the three circles of the agricultural education model from a facilitator’s perspective instead of a students while we shared more about the model to seventh and eighth graders.  We also discovered more about personal securities and self-confidence and how both of those aspects are important to help us grow into the people we are destined to become. 

Wilson FFA Members

Later that afternoon we visited with a past state officer who served in 1957-58 and was the Kansas National Officer Candidate.  Getting his view of what FFA and agricultural education meant was a totally different view which provided me with an opportunity for personal growth.  By coincidence I actually knew this man.  He lives rather close to me and I have hunted on the ground right next to his.  It was interesting to learn about him from a different viewpoint than the man who we spoke to on the road in passing. 

Lloyd Oswald (past state officer) 

The Ellis FFA visit was one where we also had the opportunity to learn more about the three circle model and we spent time getting to know the eighth graders on a more in-depth level. 

Over the next week or so I challenge you to think about things that you do every day from a different perspective and see what changes you might make or what growth opportunities you can find.

Stay Classy Kansas FFA

Celebrate Everyday

Many times throughout the year we throw parties to celebrate a certain occasion, often times with a cake or balloons and maybe even one of those fun piñatas. Recently, I have had several reasons to celebrate; K-State winning the Big 12 Championship, my godchild’s second birthday, my dads’ 50^th birthday and many more.  Every one of these occasions resulted in some mutual feelings of happiness, thankfulness and praise.  But what if we celebrated like we won the Big 12 every day?

The evening of the final K-State home football game was a special one.  Team mate and friend Glendolyn, or as I affectionately call her Coco and I stormed the football field after the win over Texas to secure the Big 12 Championship title.  It was the celebration of a lifetime and something I will always remember.

My godchild Addalyn who I refer to as Boo, is the most important person in my life.  She celebrates like there is no tomorrow including when she goes on the big girl potty and says to me “still dry”.

 

If we could have the mentality  like Coco and  myself after the game or like Boo during potty training we would be celebrating every day.  It sounds like a great plan in theory but I will be the first to admit sometimes things go wrong that lead us to throw ourselves a pity party not a celebratory one.  As difficult as it may seem sometimes life is about picking up what happened and moving on while trying to find the good in the situation.  No, it most certainly isn’t always easy but life is so much sweeter when we learn to celebrate the little things like hitting every green light on the way to school, or acing a test, or even having the extra time for a nap during the day. 

With this New Year I challenge all of us to celebrate every day for whatever reason and if we can’t find a reason here is a great one; we are alive, and the sun will come up tomorrow.

Stay Classy Kansas FFA

Like A Skyscraper

Driving around, windows down, music blurring; this scene is an all too familiar one for my friends and I. This is always a great time and a great stress relief. Do you ever feel like you’re just burly keeping your head above the water, avoiding complete submersion? Stress is a daily part of life, its not whether we have it in our lives, it’s how we deal with it. Cruising around the great town of Manhattan one day with my friends the song “Like a Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato came blasting through the speakers. As sat in the back seat thinking about the long list of things I needed to do and everything I had on my plate the song lyrics finally hit me. “Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground, like a skyscraper.” It’s a great motivational song, but the question is how do we rise? In a perfect world it would be easy but we all know different. So below are five tips that can be used to survive a stressful day or week and truly rise like a skyscraper:

Time Management and Organization-
Alan Lakein once said “Time = life, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.” When things get hectic and crazy this is always the first thing I throw out the window for some reason. In all reality it should be one of the first things I do to prepare myself for what’s a head. A simple planner or notebook to write down all the important dates and the all too vital To-Do List can make a big difference. The first step is to calm yourself down and get your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Goal Setting and/or Action Plan-
This tip flows right along with the time management and organization. I find it very valuable after I get my head back on straight to think about my goals for the day or the week. I start by answering these two questions: What do I need to get done and when does it have to be finished? After I have those questions clearly answered and written down I create a plan and some goals on how to get them done. It might sound silly but it works. When I create this plan I turn heavily to the resources around me to insure I get them done and done well. No one said you have to go it alone. I am blessed to have five amazing teammates who will help me in any way they can, whether that’s helping me study or giving me a ride to class. Everyone has resources they can turn to in their lives so why not use them. Resources are only valuable if we use them.

Support-
This one my sound funny however we all have those people that we go to for a quick pick me up or a simple reassurance that we can in fact survive. These people could include your family, friends and teachers. Being the mama’s boy I am, I always seem to be calling my mom. She is there to talk things through at all times and helps me form my action plan. Just having a conversation with people like this in your life about what’s happening can make it feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. It’s never good to leave things bottled up in your brain.

Sleep-
This is the second thing I always mange to cross off my list when things don’t go as planned. A good night’s sleep can insure that your body can work at maximum potential. It may seem like a pointless waste of time however it really is one of the most important. The average person needs between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you are sleeping your brain is going to work, converting the day’s learning into memory and reenergizing the body. Sleep can affect how you feel, your relationships, your productivity and your quality of life.

Stress Relief-
One of my favorites: stress relief! For me when one thing goes wrong it seems like everything starts going wrong. It is very easy to become frustrated when things in life don’t go as planned but don’t ever let stress win! How do you battle stress? The answer to this question is quiet simple, whatever makes you happy. For me sugar and good music makes it to the top. These two things can make my worries and anxieties slip away. Some of my friends enjoy sitting down and reading a book to get away from it all. Whatever it is for you, make sure you do it. You only have one life to live so you might as well enjoy it. Life may not be the party you plan for but while you’re here you might as well dance!

So the next time things get a little stressful and you don’t know how you’re going to stay afloat try the things listed above. The funny part of life is that it never slows done and time never stops so even when it feels like there is no tomorrow I can assure you that the sun will rise and the world will continue to spin. I can also assure you that life is going to tear you down every so often but the question is: Will you be rising from the ground like a skyscraper?

Need some Motivation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_8ydghbGSg&ob=av2e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I

Self Improvement - A Continuous Drive

What does eating black-eyed peas, wearing red, kissing at midnight, checking the direction of the wind and making a lot of noise have in common? These are all the traditional ways people around the world bring in the New Year. With the New Year officially starting only days ago it is a time filled with people thinking about a fresh start focused on personal growth to insure they have a better year then the one they are leaving.

However for me that started days earlier. At this point the majority of you reading are lost. How can I make a fresh start during the final weeks of 2011? However why must we wait for time to tick by for us to grow and make improvements? New Years day is like any other day of the year, the sunrises and then sets and time marches on. Now I am not saying resolutions aren’t a good thing. Researchers say people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions. The question is why can’t we make resolutions year round? The need to embark on a journey of self-improvement shouldn’t have to be marked on a calendar. Webster describes the word RESOLUTION as a firm decision to do or not to do something. That definition didn’t come with a time stamp. To me a resolution is nothing more than a goal. The word goal doesn’t seem nearly as complex and complicated as the word resolution.

GOAL SETTING is nothing new to a lot of people. The basics to forming a solid goal follow the S.M.A.R.T. method. Meaning the goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound. But where do we start and how do we set out on sticking to and achieving a resolution or a goal?

One day on my winter break I was surfing Facebook when I happened upon a link that took me to an awesome blog that helped me to answer that question. The blog entry was talking about dealing with change and the author made the solution simple: simply stick to our purpose. They entry stated this:

“Purpose is what makes your life worth living. It is what drives our decisions, direction and attitude. If we seek purpose in our actions here on earth, then change becomes our alley, our "side-kick" that helps us do good.”

The same can be applied when trying to develop our goals or resolutions. If we center our goals around our purpose we will surely succeed. So the next question, how do we develop our purpose? Unfortunately I don’t have a direct answer to that question. I can only provide some tips. Each person on this earth is different and unique. Therefore no two people on this earth will have the same purpose. Each will vary. There are a couple things that are certain for sure: ONLY YOU and YOU ALONE can find and discover YOUR PURPOSE.

Look at your life, what you have achieved or what you didn’t then look towards your future, what do you what to achieve?

Another thing that is certain for sure is that New Years day will continue to happen as long as we live. Things will continue to change in our lives. Time marches on. Lets use that valuable time towards our advantage and seek out SELF-IMPROVEMENT YEAR ROUND!

The Power of One

96,783. This is not the number of calories in a box of Lucky Charms, miles on my truck or the number of times I have logged into Facebook. 96,783. This number represents exactly how many “Kurt’s” there are in the United States.

In my day-to-day life I will admit at times I simply want the day to end, not always looking towards the future and the impact I could be making. However one evening the number 96,783 appeared and the question arose, how was I going to make an impact and not just be part of the five-digit number in front of me. The first thought in my head was simple; I had a hard enough time getting through my own day how can I possibly stand out and make an impact. I became very discouraged but then two stories were told that changed my mindset.

The first was that of an un-respected woman with little rights. She worked long, hard days and had a hard time getting through her own day. She had a choice one-day, a choice to stay with the status quo, get pushed around and simply get through the situation or to stand up for herself and the others around her. She took the latter option. She got arrested and put in jail. But she sparked an entire movement, a movement that would change the entire world. You know her as Rosa Parks. Congress as identified her as “the mother of the freedom movement”. By choosing to violate laws and stay sitting that day on the bus, she stood out and made an impact by using her Power of One.

The second was that of a man named Schicklewuber. As a boy he never learned about character. His parents never taught him wrong from right. He was put down when he talked about becoming a priest and insulted when he spoke of becoming an artist. He was never valued or taught values. He put up an emotional wall and never let anyone inside. He grew up and became a leader and used his Power of One. You know him as Adolf Hilter and we also all know his terrible impact.

These two individuals both had something in common; they both used their Power of Ones. They both stood out of the crowd and made an impact but one for great things and one for terrible things. Currently there are 312,325,336 people in the United States and 6,965,275,004 in the world. Our population is ever changing and growing and great leaders are needed more and more each day.

I challenge you to go to the following link and find out how many people share your name:

http://howmanyofme.com/search/

Put this number on a note card and place it in somewhere where you will see it EVERYDAY. Mine is on my ceiling next to my goals, it’s the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing when I go to bed at night. It helps me to remember to make that impact and stand out from the multiple other “Kurt’s”. One more number to consider, 15. Every seven seconds someone is born, every 13 seconds someone dies. This amounts to a net gain of one person every 12 seconds. That means since the time you began reading this, 15 more people have entered the world population. How will you use your Power of One to impact the future?

Charity = Chief ?!?!?

August 22, 2011. This is the day I officially became a college student. Now I was both excited and scared for this new chapter in my life to begin. On that same day I got my very first college homework assignment. It was in my third class of the day, History 252 (1877-Present), and we were assigned to read a chapter before we were to meet again. Now I have always loved history however I am not the fastest reader. So I decided just to dive right into my assignment and finish up the reading. As I was reading along I stumbled upon something that completely blew my mind:

”Respect among Native Americans was earned through acts of charity. Sitting Bull of the Lakota Sioux, for example, rose to prominence and eventually chief of his tribe both through his success as a warrior and due to his many exhibitions of generosity.

‘I was a famous hunter. . . I gave the buffalo calves that I killed to the poor that had no horses. I considered a good man.’ Sitting Bull”

(Exact text exert from page 444, Chapter 15: Conflict and Conquest, Visions of America)

Here I was simply trying to get done with this “assignment” when in reality there was valuable knowledge that could be obtained by uncovering the past! In my mind I always envisioned the selection of a Native American Chief to be simple. They simply selected the biggest, tallest, strongest, smartest and the best looking as the new leader. However what a closed minded opinion that was to have. It goes so much deeper than I ever imaged. Sure they looked at the person as an individual; however they also looked at how that person treated and served others. Looking at it in this light everything makes so much more sense. Cleary that’s what everyone wanted as leader back then and it still holds true today.

When comparing this to everyday life I often forget that the little things people do for others and the way they make them feel, will greatly impact their ability to be successful where ever they go. This quote by Maya Angelou sums it up:

“People will forget what you said, people forget what you did, but people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.”

For example since I was starting college for the first time this week, it was also my first time ever buying books. I headed to the bookstore and dove right in. The store was just crammed with people and everyone seemed to be moving at hyper speed. I managed to acquire all my books and head to the check-out line with little difficulty. The store was busy enough that it required three check-out lines operating at once to help alleviate the wait time. They called the next person in line and I walk up to the counter with my armful of books. As I set down my books I am greeted with a smile from the cashier. She began scanning my books, while doing so she asked if I had a customer’s rewards card, I responded with a “no”. Now she could have just continued on checking the books and I wouldn’t have even batted an eye; however she knew it would be beneficial and help me save money in the long run, so she took it a step further and asked if I wanted one. I responded with a shrug of the shoulders and an “I don't know, do I” she gave me a nod and handled me the form to fill out.

The next thing the cashier did to go above and beyond was inform me about the difference of buying a book or simply renting one. You can save a lot more money by renting verses buying. Once again she didn't have to do this, she could have just made me buy all of them and once again I wouldn’t have known the difference, but she took the time to do so. Finally all the books where scanned in and I handed her my credit card to pay. Of course something else would have to go wrong and my card didn’t want to seem to work at the register. The cashier very patiently, with a smile, helped me figure out a solution to the problem and insure I got my books, without making me feel any worse then I already did about this whole "book buying experience".

As I walked out to my vehicle, with my books in toe, I see the same lady that helped me getting in her car and pulling away. It hit's me all of a sudden that she was at the very end of her sift!! Here I was the student that has no clue which ways up, the type of customer everyone dreads, it's the end of a hard day of work, and all you want to do is get home, but did that change her desire to help me in any way she could? No!!! This amazes me! She simply did the little things and it made the biggest impact on my entire day and my entire week. She did everything she could to help me and made me feel great while doing it. Thanks to her I was actually able to read my history book in the first place!!

I am challenging everyone reading this to do what that cashier did. GIVE BACK. Those words can be scary, however giving back doesn’t have to be a large project. It’s important to remember giving back includes the little things, in the end you will be surprised on the impact they make. Holding the door open, helping someone carry an arm full of things, leaving an up lifting message on a friends Facebook wall, striking a conversation, smiling, simply saying hello, thanking your teacher at the end of class for a great lesson, thanking a friend for being themselves, calling an old friend or relative just to reconnect or being a patient driver. It doesn’t have to be big, try doing at least one act of kindness each day. Who knows those 365 acts of kindness could one day allow you to BECOME CHIEF!