​A number of years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a little lady by the name of Gladys that was approaching 100 years of age. What was so remarkable, her mental acuity was impressive, she was very engaging and sparkled with vivaciousness.

At the time I was in my 20s and I immediately knew that this was an opportunity to learn something, so, I proceeded to ask her, "Gladys, what would you say has contributed to your personal longevity?"

​When someone prepares your favorite meal, we do not have to be persuaded to sit down and enjoy it. Why? When we know that we must visit our doctor, sometimes there is a degree of persuasion, nevertheless, we make the appointment. Why?

There is a common unmistakable emotional component in the scenarios just mentioned. There is something to be gained, attained and an advantage that results to our personal "benefit."

However, some individuals do not realize the benefit of taking to heart what you have to say, in a business presentation, not to mention within family or in your circle of friends.

​We once had a terrier that would chase squirrels so high up the tree it could not get down on its own. What was so interesting, I always knew when it was in trouble by his bark which sounded more like help! help!

His pitch of desperation was so obvious, we did not even bother to investigate the issue, we went straight to retrieve the ladder.

Similarly, in communicating with others, the intonation, or the rise and fall of the voice is imperative if we are to understand one another, true thoughts and feelings which will lend itself to being successful in all interrelationships.

​Failure is not a bad thing; it only means that we have to adjust our approach that will get you to your goal or success.

It is a little unsettling to know that 9 out of 10 businesses fail. However, it’s often said that failure doesn't stop people, it's how people handle failure that stops them. 

It also has been said that we need to learn from our mistakes, personally, with all due respect, I rather learn by observing the mistakes of others, thereby avoiding heartache altogether.

​I will have to admit, that many times when I go into the kitchen, I must open the refrigerator to find myself two minutes later opening the refrigerator again to see whether there is anything new. Why do I do that? I have concluded, there is a conscious disconnect of my mind and my actions, it is much like a reflex, and this can be defined as a habit.

Fortunately, it is always stock with healthy things, otherwise, I do not think I would be admitting my personal proclivity. Would you like to know how to eliminate a bad habit? Habits that tend to impede your productivity professionally, relationships and other areas of life?

​"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. The word (pursuit) is defined as the action of following something or someone. It is noteworthy that it does not suggest a guarantee you will capture happiness. 

However, I am here to tell you that happiness does not have to be elusive, it is obtainable, and we do not have to pursue it much like a dog would chase its tail until it exhausts itself and then it flops down with resignation. 

​Have you ever found yourself looking up and down and all around for your reading glasses, to find out that they were on top of your head all along? Is this indicative that perhaps your memory is waning? Not necessarily.

However, as a preventive measure of mental atrophy, we want to continue to engage and challenge our mind, yes, "lifelong learning."

Our brain has the amazing ability to learn and grow as we get older, a process called "brain plasticity." This is where Learning and new experiences create new neural patterns, the end result, your mind becomes further fortified. And by the same token, your existing neuro patterns, if used infrequently, these patterns will dissipate and die.

​There is the expression, tighty house tighty mine. In this post I am talking about how becoming organized can have positive effects. Did you know that on average, we spend 2.5 days per years looking for misplaced items?

Piles of things around you may seem harmless enough, but is it?

 There is something to be said about being organized in relation to our cognitive ability to function in an orderly fashion. otherwise, the effect of clutter is unequivocal, there is an increase of anxiety, lack of sleep, focus and productivity will wane. And research has revealed that clutter lends itself to coping strategies such as excessive snacking, TV viewing of others with more of a severe clutter issue, you guessed it, hoarders.

​Have you ever said, or hear anyone say, "I have a gut feeling about this?" What does this expression mean? It is an idiom that has to do with an instinctive feeling, intuition, and without logical rational or fact. It is a certain malaise felt as a general discomfort in your gut triggered by your mind that is telling you that things are not right.

This feeling tends to induce "indecision" because you cannot put your finger on the issue, so, you hold back. This feeling is not mystical, but it is biological.

Do you recall how kryptonite affected superman? All his energy would dissipate rapidly the more he was encumbered by it. This gives you an idea how I feel when I must wait, for instance, at a doctor's office. Of course, I am not a superhero by any stretch, and I am not saying that my time is more valuable than others, but that is how it affects me when I must wait.

So, what is the answer?

Admittedly, going to the doctor is essential for maintaining good health, so do not hold back. Therefore, those moments however, use your time wisely by occupying yourself by reading something inspirational, listening to a ted talk, an educational podcast, or anything that will reignite the fire within. Keep in mind the human brain is much like the hardware of your computer and the software is what you upload, so be selective in what you read or listen to.