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I was shocked, confused, bewildered
as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
who made me sputter and gasp--
the thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
looking incredibly well.

I nudged St. Pete, "What's the deal?
I would love to hear your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake."

"And why's everyone so quiet,
so somber - give me a clue."
"Hush, child," he said, "they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you."

JUDGE NOT.

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.  And then go and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment. That also applies to the way you meet and greet an insured. Always be genuine with them and they will become your ally. Listen to them, don't just let it blow in one ear and out the other. You want the insured to know you have their interest at heart.

Two young women sat before the Grandmother. They had come to their Wise Elder to settle a dispute. The first young woman was quite a speaker, but she was nervous and could not look in her Elder's eyes. The other young woman was serene, but she had a problem speaking because of a speech defect.

The nervous girl kept twisting a lock of hair, babbling about why the Grandmother should decide in her favor, but she never told the Elder how the dispute had happened. The other girl simply answered the Old One's questions with short sentences that her mouth could form, looking into her Elder's eyes without shame.

The dispute was settled in the favor of the quiet young woman, and the Grandmother explained why. She told the girls that when she listened, she listened with all of her senses. These senses never failed her because they showed her truth. She taught the girls that sometimes human beings need to listen to what people are not saying, rather than listening to their words.

This is also true in our profession. LISTEN!

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different from the norm. One must excel in anything they pursue. This holds true to this profession. The more credentials, training, and experience you have, the more irreplaceable you become.

                                                                   One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a
                                                                   well. The animal cried piteously for hours as
                                                                      the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

                                                               Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the
                                                                     well needed to be covered up anyway;

it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and
help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began
to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the
donkey realized what was happening and cried
horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he
quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally
looked down the well. He was astonished at what
he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his
back, the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel
dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it
off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey
stepped up over the edge of the well and
happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds
of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well
is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of
our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out
of the deepest wells just by not stopping,
never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

                                                                                       Give more.

                                                                                      Expect less.

                                   NOW ............

                                                       Enough of that crap . . . The donkey later came back,

                                                             and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.

                                                                The gash from the bite got infected and

                                                        the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

 
                                    MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:

                                                        When you do something wrong, and try to cover
                                                            your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

Listen to this and remember those who have died for our freedom and our abillity to carry on as meaningful human beings.

A Merry Christmas to all of you. May you be  blessed with kindness toward others, love of your families, and love of country.

http://www.trdaniel.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

How to have a positive attitude!  Living by these 12 reasons will help you along your path to success. Print this out and take it with you on your assignments and leave a copy at home.  We all must have a reason for living and positive living will inspire you to do bigger and better things.  Gain as much knowledge as you can, which will allow you comfort during the day of work.   Share  yourself with others and mentor someone who is in dilema. Insurance adjusting is not an easy vocation, so, learn, learn, learn.

As Americans, we have so much to be thankful for. Some of us take for granted all that we have. We should be thankful everyday for what we have worked so hard for and that we live in a country that allows us to do so. Never take life for granted!!

Give thanks for each day.

Whether you say it to yourself or pray about it, express gratitude for all the things you take for granted, including your place to live, family, employment, clothes, neighbors, transportation, education, sunshine, food choices, health, and freedom. Even if you have just some of these things, or small amounts of them—like a high school diploma instead of a college degree—be thankful that you have even that much. Americans enjoy the top 10% of the world’s wealth; now, that’s something to be glad about.

 Count your personal blessings.

In addition to general gratitude, look for personal benefits in your life. These could include things like a clear mind, a fit body, nice furniture, a social life, leisure time, trustworthy friends, health care insurance, entertainment opportunities, and a host of other things that you wouldn’t notice unless they were taken from you. You can even make a list and add to it as more things come to mind. Then when you are feeling down, read your list to be reminded of all the good things in your life.

 Do a good deed without telling anyone.

Isn’t it exciting to help people without their knowing it? Imagine the surprise on a single mom’s face when she receives an anonymous delivery of groceries or a gift card for a free oil change. How about a child’s delighted grin when he finds a bicycle with his name on it on the back porch or receives a gift certificatre for the athletic equipment store? An elderly neighbor might gasp in shock to find her flower beds weeded one morning. There are plenty of good deeds waiting to be done by caring people like you. The surprising backlash is you will feel better about yourself and the world at large, too.

Forgive an old hurt.

Holding a grudge for weeks, months, or years can keep a sour expression on anyone’s face. Contact the person who has wronged you, using email, telephone, or a note card, and express your forgiveness in kind, not controlling words. You will feel empowered by your ability to demonstrate strength of character in humility and forgiveness, which can open the door to restored relations and help you feel better about your magnanimous actions.

 Ask to be forgiven.

If you have wronged someone but stubbornly refuse to admit it, now is the time to seek forgiveness. Call or write to say you’re sorry. If the recipient of your apology gives you a hard time, thank him for listening and mention you have to get going. By remaining polite and respectful, your apology will let you get the old burden off your chest, no matter how the other person reacts. You’ll feel better, stronger, and freer automatically.

 Appreciate your belongings.

Have you ever noticed the quality of your hand-sewn leather shoes? How about the unbeatable taste of Grandma’s award-winning apple pie recipe? Do you enjoy the feel of leather in your late-model car? Isn’t it great crashing on your sofa after a trying day at work?

All of these material comforts may seem small when compared to other things, but they are priceless in their own way, providing emotional and physical comfort as well as ownership pride and satisfaction. Be happy that you can afford leather shoes, and that you have a grandmother who bakes, and that you can relax in the privacy of your home. Many people do not have these things.

 Compliment someone.

When you feel truly lousy and just don’t want to be bothered, say something nice to the next person you see, assuming it isn’t someone to avoid. Making a positive statement about a person’s appearance, attitude, health, or job performance can help him or her feel better, and you will feel good, too, for improving that person’s day.

 Admire the view.

Find a comfortable seat outdoors and admire the scenery around you. This could be at a small urban park near your workplace during your lunch break, a cluster of trees in your neighborhood, or a country drive in the evening or over the weekend. Pastoral scenes help to rid your mind of stressful images and are conducive for helping you to relax and feel good about nature and life.

  Donate something.

If you have something in your home that you’re not using, give it to someone who can use it. People in need of these things may appreciate an extra television, a second crock-pot, or a computer printer that you’ve replaced. If you don’t know someone who needs a spare, give it to a donation store and collect the tax receipt. Both outcomes should put a smile on your face.

 Volunteer to help the needy.

If you have a busy schedule, perhaps helping once a year will be enough. Otherwise, try to donate a few extra hours each month to aid those in need. This might take the form of registering runners in a charitable marathon, delivering meals to shut-ins, or driving elderly persons to doctor appointments. There are numerous ways to offer assistance, which will make you feel needed and appreciated.

 Sing a song.

Admit it—it’s hard to sing and stay in a bad mood! When you start to feel down and need to get back a positive attitude, hum or sing to yourself a childhood favorite or a contemporary pop hit. Either way, your spirits are bound to be lifted, boosting your self-confidence.

 Smile!

Whenever you get a case of the grumps, look in the mirror and smile! You will truly smile at seeing your image in an artificial posture of gaiety. Practice your smile in front of the mirror until you find one you like—then share it frequently with those around you to demonstrate the power of positive thinking, as they probably will smile back, thus reinforcing your friendly efforts. Even when you’re sick, angry, or sad, remember to smile as you catch others’ glances at work, in the supermarket, and especially at home among your loved ones. A smile is contagious and promotes good will as well as a favorable impression of the one wearing it.

So now you know how to have a positive attitude. By repeating positive affirmations like those outlined above, you will become more and more of a positive person, the kind people like to have around, rather than the sourpuss that most go out of their way to avoid. Share your positive attitude with others to make the world a better place!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out.
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are -
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

Be like a postage stamp.  Stick to it until you get there.

Happy New Year to all of you and Janice and I wish you the best.

One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves.  The process never ends until we die.  And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

I suggest you print this, sign it, and hang it on a wall near your work area. These are commitments that have value.

A Creed for Self-Discipline

Willpower:
Recognizing that the power of will is the supreme court over all other departments of my mind, I will exercise it daily, when I need the urge to action for any purpose; and I will form habits designed to bring the power of my will into action at least once daily.

Emotions:
Realizing that my emotions are both positive and negative I will form daily habits which will encourage the development of the positive emotions, and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action.

Reason:
Recognizing that both my positive emotions and my negative emotions may be dangerous if they are not controlled and guided to desirable ends, I will submit all my desires, aims and purposes to my faculty of reason, and I will be guided by it in giving expression to these.

Imagination:
Recognizing the need for sound plans and ideas for the attainment of my desires, I will develop my imagination by calling upon it daily for help in the formation of my plans.

Conscience:
Recognizing that my emotions often err in their over-enthusiasm, and my faculty of reason often is without the warmth of feeling that is necessary to enable me to combine justice with mercy in my judgments, I will encourage my conscience to guide me as to what is right and what is wrong, but I will never set aside the verdicts it renders, no matter what may be the cost of carrying them out.

Memory:
Recognizing the value of an alert memory, I will encourage mine to become alert by taking care to impress it clearly with all thoughts I wish to recall, and by associating those thoughts with related subjects which I may call to mind frequently.

Subconscious Mind:
Recognizing the influence of my subconscious mind over my power of will, I shall take care to submit to it a clear and definite picture of my major purpose in life and all minor purposes leading to my major purpose, and I shall keep this picture constantly before my subconscious mind by repeating it daily.

Signed_____________________________

Discipline over the mind is gained, little by little, by the formation of habits which one may control. Habits begin in the mind; therefore, a daily repetition of this creed will make one habit-conscious in connection with the particular kind of habits which are needed to develop and control the six departments of the mind.

The mere act of repeating the names of these departments has an important effect. It makes one conscious that these departments exist; that they are important; that they can be controlled by the formation of thought-habits; that the nature of these habits determines one's success or failure in the matter of self-discipline

Napoleon Hill

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments. This is a very important aspect of being a successful adjuster. Without discipline, there is complete chaos.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Don't waste them, as there is but one time.

Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest accomplishment.  As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline not to lose your sense of balance, humility and commitment."