Last night I came across an article on the LDS for Youth website titled, ‘What is Your Chain Reaction?’ 

What is Your Chain Reaction

I thought to myself, ‘I should totally share this as my thought for the evening with my family!’.   As I was reading through it, my family started thinking, this is good, ‘Is this something you posted on your LDSUnPlugged blog?’   I continued with reading it as if I had wrote it and the looks on their faces were, “Wow, we’re impressed.” : )   I was tempted to just continue on as if it were my own, yet quickly told them where I had found the article and we continued to read and discuss the great wisdom that was in the question, ‘What is Your Chain Reaction.’

In a nutshell, the article re-affirms the time tested philosophy of “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”  When you really thing about Chain Reactions, you can either find Positive Chain Reactions or Negative Chain Reactions.

Negative Chain Reactions: 

• Being down all day
• Tearing down others
• Bullying
• Having an attitude of Entitlement
• Judging
• Frowning

Positive Chain Reactions:

• Being upbeat all day
• Lifting Others
• Friendly
• Having an attitude of Gratitude
• Loving
• Smiling

So, get the picture?   If you are negative throughout your day and life, you will start a negative chain reaction… If you are positive throughout your day and life, you will start a positive chain reaction.  The choice lies in each of us.   If we chose the latter, we will see great things come to light and bless the lives of many!   Let us all commit to be a Positive Chain Reactor!

This morning I was thinking of all things that I have involved myself and my family in.  I thought it would be fun to write the roles that I play in the crazy world that we live in and was suprised when I came up with 10 key roles that I am responsible for and actively involved in!   I’d like to share these top 10 roles not to ‘brag’ or ‘boast’ yet to share the fact that I’m not alone and people, just like me, have similar key roles (and in many cases many more) that they are involved in.  So, my 10 key roles I am responsible for are:

• FAMILY – I’m a husband; a father; a friend; a son; a brother
• WORK – I’m a owner; manager; leader; a teacher; a producer; a consultant
• INSTRUCTOR – I’m a licensed real estate agent instructor
• BNI – I’m a member and serve as the education coordinator
• LDS BISHOPRIC – I’m a member and serve the Primary and Young Men
• SCOUTING – I’m a leader and serve as the Chartered Organaziton Representive
• CEDAR HILLS – I’m the owner of and manage a real estate investment portfolio
• LDS UNPLUGGED – I’m the founder and operator of this new concept and idea
• SKI INSTRUCTOR – I’m a part time instructor for a locally owned ski resort
• FES AGENT – I’m an agent and member of a financial educaiton company

As I started comiling everything that I’ve brought on to myself I had an ‘ah-ha’ moment where I realized “That’s why I’m so busy and have many days where I feel I’m never getting caught up and never have any time for myslef!”   Now, understand that these are 10 of likely many other’s I could possibly right down.   I reminded myself this past week of how this is not the first time I’ve stretched myself too thin…   This is not the first time I’ve felt like taffy being pulled and stretched in so many different directions.   You see, I have a disease, I call it the ‘I can do it’ disease!   This disease is a mental one… I have this crazy belief that I can take on more and more and be great at everything that is given me at any given moment.  The truth of the matter is, it’s not humanly possible.    If you add to your pile and run faster than you can run, you will eventually faint and fall.   I know, from experience, I have hit ‘burn out’ and with the help of friends; family and my soul mate; I have learned to cope with burn out and learn how to prevent it.    Here’s a great article that I encourage anyone, in my similar shoes, to read and study:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/preventing-burnout.htm

At the end of each day, I remind myself that it is good to be active and involved in many things, yet as I know from experience, I can either be mediocre at many things and world class at none, or I can be world class at a few things and mediocre at none.   My choice is the latter, to be world class at a few things, knowing when I’m capped and be ‘ok’ with saying ‘No’ and/or replacing one of my key roles next time I’m asked… ‘Will you serve’ ; ‘Can you help’ ; ‘I need you too’ ; ‘I wish you could’, etc. etc.

My ultimate goal is to find joy in living a simple; focused; honest and happy life.   My hopes are that you too will find your own happiness and not burn yourself out in the journey of this wonderful life we live.

I had a fun time yesterday evening sharing a daily blog from one of my favorite mentors and motivational speakers out there, Darren Hardy:

http://www.darrendaily.com/the-matrix/

After I shared this with my family, my wife nodded and said, “that’s a good one, yet 100 days is a lot!” one of my sons said, “good idea dad, I liked that too” my other son, shook his head and said “no way, I’m never going to do that, I like being ‘plugged’ in and no way am I going to have a day where I ‘disconnect’ from technology.”   Interesting spectrum of opinions and thoughts on this.

I personally feel that it is wise counsel to ‘unplug’ for 2 days a week, a perfect time to do this is on the weekend, Saturday and Sunday are special sacred days where other people don’t necessarily expect you to reply to messages, etc.   So, as mentioned on http://www.LDSUnPlugged.com, are you willing to become a ‘Weekend Warrior’?

Please take a min to comment and share if you feel you can ‘Disconnect’ from technology and how doing so would benefit your life.

Over 20 years ago, I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina serving a Full Time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   While I was serving, I ended up really sick with Bronchitis which then turned into Pneumonia.   Battling the sickness out of my native country and trying to serve the Lord at the same time was one of the most challenging moments in my life.

Unfortunately, since then, almost at least once a year, when I catch a common cold I’m susceptible to getting both strep and bronchitis.    This past week I’ve had the joy of having both.   Strep was so bad that I was ready to just rip my tonsils right out (yes, I’m one of the few adults who still have their tonsils) and now I’m dealing with a lovely bronchial infection that is making my lungs feel like they’re going to collapse!

There have been multiple moments that I tell myself, I am so sick of being sick!   Yet at the same time, I need to remind myself, how lucky I am to only have the sickness that I have.   Their are always others out there that have it worse that I have it.   In the end, we are given our temporal and spiritual challenges in order to grow, learn, sympathize and empathize with those that are around us.   If anything, being so sick this week has given me (or should I say given those around me) opportunities!   My awesome wife has had the ‘opportunity‘ to serve me; care for me; love me.  My kids have had the opportunity to bring me stuff and do the the things I normally would do around the house.

Being sick this week gave two priesthood holders the opportunity to perform a priesthood ordinance (which by the way was so powerful that it gave me a moment and break in my day to attend sacrament meeting yesterday!).   My sickness will provide opportunity for my doctor to earn some money; my co-workers opportunity to work more; my family opportunity to serve more.  etc. etc.

So, next time you say to yourself, ‘I’m Sick of being Sick’, step back, look at the big picture and tell yourself, ‘How Sick it is to be Sick!’

It’s been a fun Christmas Break and now we head into the New Years where we begin thinking of this past year as well as this New Year to come.   It’s human to start thinking about what we accomplished; what we may have not accomplished; what we want to accomplish; and what we may just give up on.

Really, when you stop and think about it, it’s kind of silly that we resolve to be better only once a year.   In my opinion, it’s better to ‘check-in’ and resolve to be better on a daily; weekly and monthly basis.    As Karen Lamb once said “A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” 

Yes, it’s good to make yearly goals, yet I believe the best way to accomplish your end goal is to break them down into smaller more realistic goals.    Here are what I feel are the top three New Year’s Resolutions that commonly are broken:

• Lose Weight and Get Fit
• Learn Something New
• Get out of Debt and Save Money

People usually take these goals and make it huge and do not achieve the end result.    Why tell yourself that you’re going to lose 30 lbs by spring; learn how to be a chef in the upcoming year; eliminate your debt by the end of the year; when in reality, it takes much longer to accomplish all of these things?    Sure, it’s possible, yet if you resolve with this and make too many lofty goals, you’ll be disappointed in yourself and the outcome.

Here’s a few tips that I feel will help you achieve and be successful with your goals and resolutions:

1. Set a lower and realistic goal (Instead of losing 30lbs; start off with losing 5lbs in a shorter period of time)
2. Pick one (Instead of having 3, 4, or even 5 goals that you’re working on, pick one and make that your primary focus until you achieve it, once achieved, work on the next one)
3. Tell friends and family (You’d be surprised about the power of being vocal with your goals.   The more you tell other people, the more you will hear yourself and the more it becomes real)
4. Reward Yourself (For example, If you’re working on getting out of debt and saving money, pat yourself on the back by buying yourself a $6.00 Starbucks Hot Cocoa when you pass on that $60 new pair of jeans)
5. Start your Goals later (Instead of setting goals at the turn of a new year, try setting them at the turn of a new season.  Spring time is a great time of year to get some momentum)

In the end, I am a true believer in Goal setting.   As I’ve learned over the years, you really need to Keep it simple; measurable; attainable; realistic; and timely.   Oh, and one last thing, have FUN with it, as whether you accomplish or fail at your goals, it’s a win-win.   When you accomplish your goals, you will feel a greater sense of self worth and satisfaction.   When you fail at your goals, you will learn and grow and become better at realizing your true potential and be able to re-prioritize; re-set; re-establish yourself.   Either way, remember that we have an eternity to fulfill our divine destiny.

Happy New Years and Happy Resolutions!

 

 

 

I have learned that many of us base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think that success comes from someone else failing.  Meaning, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose.   Well, the reality is that if we change our mind set of seeing life as ‘win-win’ vs. ‘win-lose’ we will have a heart and mind that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all that we do.

This past week I have been working as a ski instructor at a local ski resort and have had students that are First Timers; Beginners; Advanced Beginners; and even Intermediate skiers.   Many of my classes, max of 4 students, have had to be ‘split’ up due to the ability levels of the student.   Does this make one student less successful than the other?  Not at all, if anything, each and every student is in their appropriate level learning the skills and techniques to be better skiers.

We encourage the students to not base their ability (self-worth) on comparing themselves to other students as well as to not compete with others, yet to compete with themselves.   Skiing is a great sport and when you look up on the mountain, you will see a diversity of skiers from all levels; all enjoying the same mountain; improving on themselves; helping those around them that are at different levels; a ‘win-win’ if you will.

We are all here on earth, from a kind Heavenly Father with the same opportunity to be successful in our own individual way.   It doesn’t matter what ‘level’ we’re in, if we have the heart and mind to constantly live our lives to support and build those around us to ‘win-win’ vs. comparing ourselves and competing with others, we will all mutually benefit and through Him will accomplish the goals we have set for ourselves!

I was at a family Christmas Party this past weekend and I was asked, ‘When did this LDS UnPlugged thing happen?’.   My answer was… It came together from one day that I was thinking of ways to evade, or I guess the more political term would be to ‘reduce’ my tax liability of our ‘for-pofit’ business!

Earlier this year I was having lunch with my older brother and one of his good friends, both entrepreneurs and owners of business and the topic of paying self employment tax came up.   My brother’s friend told a story of a late night comedian who thought it would be fun to experiment on setting up a 501C3 non-profit and generate ‘tax-free’ income from it.   This comedian was successful in creating this non profit, generated revenue, and paid zero in taxes!

A few days later, I came up with this novel idea of setting up a non-profit myself.   I’ve always been passionate about being ‘unplugged’ and taking time away from distractions of the world.   I’ve also always enjoyed traveling as well.  So the idea of the week, create an organization that organizes 10 day excursions ‘unplugged’ from the world, temple themed in particular for youth 12-18.   I figured I could take a portion of the revenue from my business; ‘donate’ to LDSUnPlugged; have $$ to travel the world (imagine how many 10 day ‘temple’ themed excursions I could come up with); and in the end not have to worry about having such a large tax liability!

Unfortunately, when I shared my thoughts with my CPA, he advised that it would be most difficult and a major red flag to the IRS to ‘reduce’ my tax liability in this manner.   I was a little bummed, yet at the same time, the idea was there and I knew I would get a return on my investment.  I may not receive a temporal ROI, yet I can see the potential spiritual ROI!   So, Fall of 2015, LDSUnPlugged was born.   We’ll see where it goes from here!

Happy UnPlugging!

I many times wonder what our Father in Heaven thinks of His children here on earth.   When I say ‘children’ I refer to each and every one of us,  us humanoids who go about our lives working towards a goal; a life mission; a career; etc.   Does He ever think ‘If she/he only knew what was to come… would my children be more obedient; more patient; more forgiving; more merciful; less worried; less insulting; less offending.’

Well, guess what?   Great news, we have the ‘gospel’ or the ‘good news’ given to us!   And through living Prophets, we really ‘know’ what our Father in Heaven thinks of us and wants of us.   He is our Exemplar and our guide.   He gave his only begotten son, Jesus the Christ, for us to follow and learn from.   Thru their examples we can learn; grow; and become examples to our own earthly children, family and/or friends.   Let us press forward with faith, hold to the rod and Be an Example, a ‘good’ example in order to give us the opportunity to be that good bright light in the lives of our immediate/extended family and/or friends.

By being more obedient ourselves; more forgiving; more merciful; less worried; less insulting and less offending, those around us will follow and do as we do.   I know it to be true as I myself have followed and continue to follow those that lead me.

 

Have you ever wondered how stuff gets done?   Well, looking at the big picture, I have determined that they are by patterns.   You can also relate this to habits and/or recurring activities.

Series of patterns related to your goal, your mission, your objective is the how to accomplish things.   For example, LDSUnPlugged is an idea of replacing the distractions of the world with activities and quality time spent with each other to improve relationships and our individual spirituality.

How would you get this done?   It’s simple, you develop patterns; habits; and/or recurring activities that will net a result in your end goal.   I have personally been working on patterns over the past few weeks which have helped me achieve my goals.   A good pattern to adopt is the LDSUnPlugged challenge:

Turn off all technology distractions for a set period of time each and every day.   During this time, interact and converse with your children.

Try this out for 15 minutes a day with each of your kids/spouse/significant other and/or friend for 10 days and see what happens.    Turning off ALL technology means you silence your phone (don’t pick it up when you get that notification!); turn off the TV; don’t answer the phone call that comes in; etc.   You may think this is easy, yet once you try it, you’ll realize how difficult it actually is.   Yet, once you set this pattern in your life, you will realize how awesome it is and how much you will get to know each other better.

So, are you up for the ‘challenge’?  Good luck and happy patterning!

“Success seems to be connected with action.   Successful people keep moving.   They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”  – Conrad Hilton

Conrad Hilton was the founder of the infamous Hilton Hotel line, a multi-billion dollar company.   My question is, what is ‘success‘ to you.   Can you have  multi-billion dollar family; a multi-billion dollar spirit; a multi-billion dollar attitude; be ultra rich in happiness?    Think about it.   We sometimes aspire for richness and wealth in a worldly sense, and we know what it takes to get there.   Now, imagine if we apply the same things to become wealthy in a spiritual sense!

Be successful with your spirit by moving forward, staying active, never quitting. In the end, it’s worth the energy; action; and sacrifice to become a spiritual billionaire!