EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was released before the new restrictions and shutdowns resulting from the recent upswing in COVID numbers. COVID-19: Facing the Fear of Failure and Overcoming It is both a catchy title and a daunting task, particularly if you don’t want to talk about it. With all of our collective uncertainties, I wanted […]
Personal Growth
Easter, COVID-19, and New Beginnings
I hope your Easter Celebration went well. It was one memorable experience for millions of believers around the world as we celebrated this most critical day in Christianity while living in the shadow of COVID-19. Over the weekend, I chose to reflect on the oldest Creed in the Church. The early church leaders developed The […]
2 Problem Solving Killers
What is the most recent problem solving situation that you have personally faced in the past few days? How did it turn out? Did you know that one trait of a person who is living a resilient life is the ability to problem solve and make good decisions? I don’t know about you, but it […]
Peserverance and Tenacity: 2 Keys to Lasting Relationships
Perseverance and tenacity are two of the most important, least discussed, aspects of building and maintaining a long-term marriage. I should know, my wife, Angie and I recently celebrated our 45th anniversary. This year we took an anniversary trip to the Grand Canyon by train. We left Albuquerque on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief and got off […]
Are Your Destined to Fail? No!
(c) 2013 John Thurman – Prison cell window,Chateau d’ if – Count of Monte Cristo, Marseille, Fr. Are You Destined to Fail? No! Do you believe that negative events are unchangeable, and you have little or no control over them? If so, you’ve fallen into the “stinking thinking trap” of Always, Always, Always. This mindset […]
Recapture Your Vision: Quit Isolating
(c)2012 Istockphotos Stop Isolating By John Thurman Reggie had struggled with his severe, recurrent depression and his ten-year battle with alcohol abuse. He consistently complained about how lonely he was but minimized how much he was drinking by himself. He tried church support groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, going to the gym with friends, but each program […]
10 Steps for Surving a Rough and Tumble World: Part #3
This is the third and final blog of the 10 steps for Surviving a Rough and Tumble world. Here is a quick review of the first seven. 1. Practice optimism. 2. Find a resiliency model. 3. Develop a moral compass and unbreakable beliefs. 4. Practice generosity and kindness. 5. Develop acceptance and cognitive flexibility. 6. Face […]
Avoid 6 Stinking Thinking Traps
(c) 2014 John Thurman 6 Thinking Styles to Avoid by John Thurman Have you ever noticed how quickly your mind can get distracted? Things seem to be just fine and then out of nowhere you begin to have these intrusive, negative thoughts? Thankfully, it is a problem nearly every human being experiences from time to […]