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Bill Sims, Jr.

Forget Your Obsession With Shiny Objects

Ours is a world focused on "shiny stuff". An endless parade of shiny new things that will supposedly make us happier. Whether it's a new baby doll or toy car, we are taught from the earliest age to strive harder, to be better, so we can get more shiny stuff. Soon we learn that shiny stuff isn't what it's cracked up to be. The wrapping paper goes in the trashcan, and the shine begins to wear off. It's time to donate the old stuff to make room for the new stuff.... "Do you have something shiny?" we ask.... And so…

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A Simple Guide to an Honest Heart

The more we give to others the happier we become. It can be as simple as a smile, a helping hand, a listening ear or a prayer. These little things can change a person's entire life. There is always good even in what seems like the worst situation. That might not change the way you feel, but it will eventually be understood. You can find comfort in the fact that one day, that moment will be the reason you are where you are. A messy house doesn’t mean you’re a failure- it means that you’re enjoying your family and living…

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The Unexpected Benefits of Contributing

I'd like to encourage you to notice, acknowledge and celebrate contributions of all kinds. It's amazing how this practice will enrich your life. Contribution is what creates relationships because it establishes a shared experience. Contribution nourishes both the giver and the receiver - a double gift that lasts forever in the heart. It's the little things you contribute that aggregate into really BIG things. Take a smile, for example. A simple smile can quickly build into an emotion of interest, of curiosity, of excitement - that inspires a reciprocal action! A contribution can be something very simple or something profound…

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It All Begins With You!

Smile. Not 5 minutes from now or when you feel good enough to, but smile right this second. Notice how you feel? There's a scientific explanation behind that, but we won't get into it right now. There's a lot more to smile about than you're aware of. Whether it's because it's a new day with endless opportunities, the fact that you're alive right now and healthy enough to be reading this, or something as simple as having a great neighbor, you have a reason to smile. Always remember that with everything you do- you have a reason to smile. Love.…

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The Secret To A Life Truly Lived!

It has been said that the sign of a life well lived is one that was spent serving others. Let's face it, would you get more enjoyment from getting a pat on the back at work or watching someone you helped to excel get the same kudos in the cubicle next to you? It seems that when we focus our attention toward the betterment of others, we get the same amount of appreciation in return. It may not always be vocalized, but internal satisfaction is something that cannot be bottled or sold. It's the same feeling of pride parents feel…

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Give With No Expectations

Giving without the expectation of getting anything in return can lead to amazing personal fulfillment and rich rewards. If we are willing to give away what we have both from an intellectual perspective and an emotional perspective, we are often rewarded in so many ways. Let me begin by talking about the business side. If I am abundant and willing to share what I know (ideas, processes, procedures, etc.) even with my closest competitor, I win. I win in knowing I have assisted others. I win in knowing that I am helping my industry grow and prosper. I win because…

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10 Priceless (And Free) Gifts For Parents To Give Their Child

Many are saying this generation has bred some of the rudest, crudest and most insincere children there are. Every older generation has probably said that about the younger ones. Let’s face it, folks, the generations are what we create. We are, after all, the ones molding them. Though it is not necessarily true (Generation: R for Rude), it is the collective perception. With iPads, iPhones, iThis and iThat out there, perhaps there is a disconnect at home. More time is being spent virtually, with technology rather than with people. Amidst all of the technological advances (distractions), the seeming chaos and…

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Ask a Luminary

How Can I Fix a Friendship?

"Will a friendship I lost a year ago have a chance to be repaired?" ~ Karin, Dresser, WI Hi Karin, I’m sorry you’ve been without your friend for a year now. Whether your relationship with him/her can be repaired or not depends on each of you and your individual wishes about this. Without having details, I can only offer some general suggestions. The first thing to do is to reach out to your friend and let him/her know how much you miss your relationship and how you would like to become friends again. It’s very important when you do this…

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Become Your Inner Grinch this Holiday Season

After one too many Black Friday Sales, the Grinch ended up with his heart two sizes too small. Luckily, you don’t have to. Because even Mr. Grinch… the mean one, the one as cuddly as a cactus… was able to change. Even Grinch, during the holidays, was able to open his heart—so big that it busted right out of his chest. The secret? He started giving. He started practicing seva, or service to others—and in the end, he returned the tree, the toys, why… even the roast beast to all the lovely Who’s of Whoville, as they sang their Who…

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