Meaningful Mondays - Arrows Out

"Just This Once..."

"Small choices make big ripples."

"What would your future self say about that choice?"

"Just this once" leads to convenience. "No matter what" leads to conviction. Conviction leads to character.

“It’s easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98%.”
— Clayton Christensen

Can you name two of the most powerful words a mother can utter?

Mothers are the nurturers of the world.

“Motherhood isn’t just about biology. It’s a calling to nurture, to comfort, to notice someone else’s need and do something about it.”

The Ripple of a "mother-hearted" life doesn’t ask, “Are you mine?” It simply says, “You matter.”

No Wings - No Problem

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
– Viktor E. Frankl

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

"Joy begins where comparison ends."
– Lee Brower

Don't Look Back - a handwritten poem by Coach John Wooden

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."
--John Wooden

"Things turn out for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."
--John Wooden

"The meaning of life is to give life meaning."
-- Viktor Frankl

The 3 E's of Self Respect

"Respect isn't earned from self-sacrifice. It is learned through self-respect." Genuine respect - both from yourself and others - begins with honoring your own worth first. Respect yourself first; everything else is attracted to that strength.

CHALLENGE: "What is one small choice I can make today -- when no one else is watching -- that strengthens the evidence of my self-respect?"

I bet you don't know where John Wooden displayed the Presidential Medal of Freedom

“The crowds on earth, they soon forget, the heroes of the past, they cheer like mad until you fall. And that’s how long you last.”

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
- Coach John Wooden

The world praises performance. God celebrates presence. The world gives you a spotlight. God invites you to serve in the shadows.
- Lee Brower

Let's stack the moments that really count. So, here’s the challenge this week:
What am I honoring above the chair rail of my life? What small act of character, compassion, or connection could I do today, even if no one else sees it?

The Little Word that Could

Potential is the seed, motion is what makes it grow.

"Just" helps us get into motion. It turns resistance into willingness. It brings you into the "NOW". It is how "Arrows Out" begins: Just notice. Just ask; Just give. What is "just" one thing you can do today that will create ripples of impact?" Just...!

Who's your Larry? A Front Seat Moment.

"You don’t become great in spite of failure. You become great through it." ... just ask Larry’s little brother.”

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
- Michael Jordan

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.”
- Helen Keller

“Trials are an evidence of God’s trust in you. He gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit.”
- Elder Richard G. Scott

Get your boost of serotonin and strengthen your immune system today!

"WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU BRING ABOUT. WHAT YOU BROUGHT ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT ABOUT."

“Acts of kindness create a ripple effect of neurochemical uplift—benefiting the giver, receiver, and even the silent witness.”

RECEIVING kindness can:

• Increase oxytocin, which helps regulate serotonin and dopamine.
• Reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), which helps rebalance neurotransmitters like serotonin. Lead to feelings of social connection, safety, and worth, which are correlated with serotonin boosts and immune function.

GIVING kindness releases:

• Dopamine (pleasure/reward)
• Oxytocin (connection/love hormone)
• Serotonin (well-being, mood)

These positive neurochemicals reduce inflammation and boost immune cell production.

WITNESSING kindness can cause a release of oxytocin, leading to downstream effects on serotonin and immune function.

The observer experiences what's called 'moral elevation'--which includes a sense of warmth and inspiration. This is associated with Heart rate variability improvements, cortisol reductions, and positive neurochemistry shifts (dopamine, serotonin).

Who's In Your Car - Part III

"...everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Even though he said it - he proved it wrong-- because he didn't believe it.

"Struggles are stop signs -- they are stepping stones."
- Lee Brower

"Our response to struggle determines our future."

This week's Empowering Question: How can I see today's struggles as stepping stones rather than roadblocks?