S.U.M.M.I.T. Leadership

"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious." - John Sculley Take your mind off the problems for a moment, and take some time to focus on all the positive possibilities. Consider how very much you are in fact able to do. The vast possibilities of our great future will only become realities if we make ourselves responsible for that future. It takes someone with a vision of the possibilities to attain new levels of experience. Someone with the courage to live their dreams. Start by focusing on clarifying your dreams and goals. Then, take action steps every day toward achieving them. Soon the impossible will be possible and the invisible will be visible. Things always seem impossible until you get out there and just do it. Even the word 'impossible' includes 'I'm Possible'. Make today great! Curtis "We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do." - Dale C...

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney Do you ever have a plan for the day and suddenly it's 5pm and you've achieved literally nothing? I have. I mean, it's ok to relax. It's good for you both mentally and physically. But you know as well as I do that at the end of the day, you get the most satisfaction out of actually getting things done. Checking things off your list. It's not from lounging around doing nothing that you feel satisfied; it's when you have everything to do, and you've done it. So don't wait, don't hesitate. Just get up and start doing. Don't talk, just act. Don't say, just show. Don't promise, just prove. Don't wait for opportunity, create it. Do it now: Sometime later often becomes never. Don't put off until tomorrow what can be done today. Don't do later, what can be done right now. Ask yourself if what you are doing today is getting you closer to wh...

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt Recharge, refocus, resume. Every day is a chance to start anew, recharge yourself and start fresh. Refocus on what it is you want to accomplish. Don't limit your challenges, instead challenge your limits. Sometimes we're tested, not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths. The key to success is to focus on your goals, not the obstacles. Resume taking action steps towards your goals.  And yes, it's going to be hard, but it's going to be worth it. Continue to push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. Don't downgrade your dream just to fit your current reality, upgrade your conviction to match your destiny. Don't settle for less. You got this. Make today great! Curtis "Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for your life to begin and start making the most of the moment you are in." - Germany Kent

"You must become the producer, director and actor in the unfolding story of your life."  - Wayne Dyer The best project you'll ever work on is YOU.   What a difference a month makes. Around the world, millions of people have been quarantined or furloughed. While the masses are binge watching or immersing themselves in the constant negativity of the news, instead you can invest in your self-improvement so you can thrive in the coming months ahead. The timing is perfect, and a huge opportunity for anyone who chooses to use this time to create better habits. It's easy to get caught up in mundane routines, or habits that aren't beneficial to your well-being, because it's what we're used to doing day-in, and day-out. If you feel yourself drifting into negative habits or creating any negative momentum, you must first STOP yourself, turn it around and develop positive momentum. It all starts with awareness and decisive action. We must change our habits if we inten...

Learn to appreciate what you have, before time makes you appreciate what you had. What are you thankful for? Sometimes it just doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full. Just be thankful that you have a glass and grateful that there's something in it. And...don't forget that the glass is refillable!!! It's about perspective, the thoughts you have and what you focus on. To be grateful can be difficult when things seem not worth giving thanks for. Try it anyway. Try to see the situation from a different perspective and take control of your thoughts. Allow yourself to be in the difficult situation and be grateful inside yourself. Grateful for what? Grateful for the lessons. Grateful for the growth and expansion you are in the middle of. Grateful for all you have. Grateful for your ability to turn things around. Grateful for the opportunity to improve. When a negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with something you are grateful for ...

A box of kisses - Author unknown "The story goes that some time ago a man got angry and punished his 5-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight that year and he became even more upset when the child pasted the gold paper so as to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The father was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He spoke to her in a harsh manner, "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was full." The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around this little girl, and he begged h...

Today is a new day and it brings with it a new set of opportunities for you to act on. Be attentive to the opportunities and seize them as they arise. Have full confidence in yourself and your abilities. Believe you can do all things that you commit yourself to. No obstacle is too big or too difficult for you to handle because what lies inside of you is greater than what lies ahead of you. Be committed to improving yourself every day. Don't get held back living in your past, move forward daily. Absolutely nothing is impossible. Be awesome! Make today great!

Love springs from the inside. It is the immortal surge of passion, excitement, energy, power, strength, prosperity, recognition, respect, desire, determination, enthusiasm, confidence, courage, and vitality, that nourishes, extends and protects. It possesses an external objective - life. Life is great, learn to live it! Life is too valuable and too short to be anything but happy, so make the most of it. Do more, worry less.  Control what you can control.  Smile often.  Have fun.  Listen to music.  Sing and dance.  Laugh with others, as much as you can.  Tell the people you care about, how much you love them.  Love deeply, forgive quickly, take chances and give freely with no regrets.  Do what makes you feel good and stop doing things that don't benefit you.  Learn to appreciate the things around you.  Look for the positive and the good in everything.  Carry an attitude of gratitude in all you do.  Practice...

Recipe for Happiness Today:  Live with enthusiasm  Smile for no reason  Love without conditions  Get organized  Act with purpose and intention  Do something you love  Get up and move  Listen with your heart  Laugh often  Practice random acts of kindness  Learn something new  Take time to play  Be so happy that when others see you, they become happy too!

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little.  I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.  Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.  Focus on the wonders of the world around you.  Make every day an Earth Day. We need to take care of this world we live in, and strive to preserve all of its natural beauty.  We can make an impact on the world around us every day.  What we do makes a difference.  Love this earth as you would yourself.  Happy Earth Day!

I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated. The quickest way to overcome your fear and doubt, is to boost your self-confidence. Build your self-confidence by focusing in on the things you can control; work to improve your thoughts, your behaviors, your feelings, your actions and your habits. Instill positivity, optimism, gratitude, belief and enthusiasm into everything you do. Focus on being positive. Have a positive attitude and outlook. Look for the good in everything and everyone. Carry an attitude of gratitude, always. The more positivity you put out there, the more you will receive in return. Practice happy thinking. Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. Believe things will turn out well. Believe it is possible to solve your problems. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So believe the answer will come. It will. Start believing in yourself and your ability to accomplish and achieve. When peopl...

Mental toughness is a choice and a discipline, not an innate quality bestowed upon the lucky. It can be achieved and enjoyed. We all reach critical points in our lives where our mental toughness is tested. Whatever the challenge is, you must be strong, look at things differently and take action, if you want to maneuver through it successfully.  It sounds easy but is isn't. It's hard to be mentally tough, especially when you feel stuck. Your mind is a muscle. Just like all your other muscles, you need to work it out for it to stay strong and to grow. Weightlifter's know the discipline of continuous untiring effort. They don’t expect to be able to lift as many pounds as someone who has been lifting weights longer. Through continuous work, they become stronger and can lift more and more. The same comes with mental strength. You must work on it with continuous effort. Soon you will be stronger. This is a perfect time and opportunity for you to build something stro...

I'm going to make the rest of my life, the best of my life.   Instead of just making the best of every day, make the decision to make every day the BEST - it's your choice!  If we try to make every day better than the one before, then TODAY will be the best day yet, and the greatest days ever will await us in every tomorrow. That is a lot to look forward to!   Take a step back, inhale and breathe, smile and laugh.  Take the time to reflect:   Reflect on who you are. Everything and everyone in your past helped you to become who you are. Everything that happened for a reason. You are never given anything in this world that you can't handle. Learn from the past. Be hopeful for the future. Be strong, be flexible. Love yourself and love others. Never stop learning and growing.   Reflect on why you're here.  What is your purpose, what is your why?  How can you contribute?  What is your passion? How can you live a life of significanc...

Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. Who doesn't love being productive? That feeling we get when we check something off of our list of To Do's. The satisfaction of being able to achieve and just getting things done helps to create peace of mind. Here's some tips to help your productivity: Write things down: Every task, every commitment should be written down. This frees your mind from the energy and 'attention-sucking' job of trying to remember everything.  Get a head start: It's best to review your list the night before, and again first thing in the morning. This will make you better prepared and less likely to be caught off guard.  Do your most dreaded task first: Whatever it is, it hangs over your head, distracting you with guilt because it keeps getting pushed to the next day and the next. It's time to end that cycle. Do it.  Turn off distractions: W...

"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." - Sun Tzu Engaging in meditative self-reflection and gaining increased control of inner experiences provides a person with a sense of control over fear and trembling and the chaos of life. Over the past three weeks of self-quarantine, we've all had a lot more time to reflect on our lives and life itself.  Time to reflect on what's important and what matters most.  Normally, we get so caught up in life and our day-to-day activities, that we lose focus on the things that deserve our attention: Our family, our friendships, our health, appreciation of what we already have, appreciation for what other people do, our dreams and goals, and desires, and self-improvement or becoming better versions of ourselves. If we aren't the one who is controlling our thoughts, feeling, emotions and actions then we are the ones who are being controlled.   Now is the perfect time to take back that control. Now, what will make the diffe...

A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug. We don't understand entirely why positive thoughts impact our bodies in positive ways, we just know that they do. People who are sick improve quicker when they have a positive attitude rather than a negative. Think of the power of the placebo effect. A positive attitude by itself may not cure an illness, but it helps us cope better during hard times, which reduces the harmful effects of stress on your body. We can better face whatever comes our way with a positive attitude.  Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this positivity question reflects your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself and others. Positive thinking doesn't mean ignoring life's less pleasant situations. It just means you approach things in a more positive and productive way. It's important to catch and identify negative thinking so you can stop it. Magnifying the negative aspects of a s...

When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you're making a commitment and difference in that person's life. Encouragement really does make a difference. It is an important time for us to all stick together. To be there for one another. To encourage each other. To uplift and support someone to help them get through. To help protect each other through these difficult times. This reminded me of when I see geese flying south for the winter, flying along in that "V" formation. You might be interested to know that science has discovered why they fly that way. Research has revealed that as each goose flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately behind it. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. Together they can go further than they can alone. If a bird falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to...

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear." - Mark Twain With all the craziness in the world today, in our communities, our country, and the world, it’s clear to see that there is a lot going on and a lot we don't know, and this ignorance to all the information, creates anxiety and breeds fear.  When we have limited information, or if we only consistently hear the negative side of the story, our doubts dominate us. Our fears can paralyze us, keeping us from taking constructive action or any action at all. If we only took the time to learn more, educate ourselves, and understand what we may not know, we would have the courage to change everything.  The very act of gathering more and better information about a particular subject increases our courage and confidence in that area. You can see this in the parts of your life where you have no fear at all because you know what you are doing. You feel competent and completely capable of handling whatev...

"Renew, release, let go.  Forget yesterday, it is gone and it has already forgotten you. Don't sweat tomorrow, for you have yet to meet. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift - today." - Steve Maraboli Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.  It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do?  Draw out every cent, of course!  Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it  writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.  It carries over no balance.  It allows no overdraft.  Each day it opens a new account for you.  Each night it burns the remains of the day.  If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is  no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorr...

"You can be aware of the crisis and challenges and threats, real or imagined, and still be in control, instead of fear or panic running the show." - John Assaraf ATTENTION COVID-19: The following things have NOT BEEN CANCELLED due to the Coronavirus. Reaching out to check on friends and family Having good conversations Spreading joy and love Smiling Singing, dancing or listening to music Reading a good book Working out Spring flowers blooming Believing in yourself. Hope. Love. Instead of worrying about what we cannot control, let’s focus in on what we can control and shift our energy to what we can create. We can choose to lean into the good stuff that remains. What we give our attention to determines the experiences we have, and the experiences we have determine the quality of life we live. Or said another way: we must control our attention to control our lives. Take control of your thoughts. Take control of your attitudes. Take control of your behavior. Take control of you...

"Appreciate what you have, while you have it, or you'll learn what it meant to you after you lose it." - Frank Sonnenberg A friend posted this viewpoint and I thought it was an interesting way to look at the Coronavirus, and it really makes you stop and think about things differently: "Mankind got the disease it needed. We stopped looking after our health, so we became sick with a disease that made us realize what was most important in our lives. We no longer appreciated nature, so we became ill with a disease that made us realize how valuable it really is to be out in nature. We stopped paying enough attention to our families, so the disease locked us in our homes to teach us a lesson how to function as a family again. We stopped appreciating the elderly and the sick, and this disease came up to remind us how vulnerable they are. We stopped appreciating healthcare professionals and pharmacists and we got a disease to remind us how irreplaceable they are. We stopped ...

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi   Take your mind off the problems for a moment, and take some time to focus on all the positive possibilities. Consider how very much you are in fact able to do. The vast possibilities of our great future will only become realities if we make ourselves responsible for that future. It takes someone with a vision of the possibilities to attain new levels of experience. Someone with the courage to live their dreams. Start by focusing on clarifying your dreams and goals. Then, take action steps every day toward achieving them. Soon the impossible will be possible and the invisible will be visible. Things always seem impossible until you get out there and just do it. Believe that there are positive possibilities that exist for you. Seek to find them, they are there and they are endless. The future belongs to those who see possibilities before t...

"Every day may not be as good, but there is something good in every day." - Alice Morse Earle I’ve been thinking lately about how important it is to find and keep a positive perspective in everything, and live life in the present. These are scary times for sure. Unprecedented uncertainty undoubtedly unleashes unpleasant uneasiness! But the news isn't ALL scary, and we need to take a minute to recognize that. As we continue to try to wrap our heads around what seems to be an enormous hill in front of us to climb for the foreseeable future, it is hyper-critical that we also try to find the positive within. There is a lot of good happening out there too. We are thinking of new and creative ways to get things done. Or think about this, with less cars on the road, less planes in the air there is less pollution in the air.  People are rising to the occasion. People sharing their positive thoughts and words of encouragement with others.  Tons of focus on gratitude and thankfulne...

"You must become the producer, director and actor in the unfolding story of your life."   - Wayne Dyer   There are moments in your life that make you, and sets the course of who you're going to be.   Sometimes they're subtle moments.   Sometimes, however, they are big moments you never saw coming.   No one asks for their life to abruptly change, but it does.   It's what you do afterward that counts.   That's when you find out who you are.   Your attitude and mindset can make all the difference.   It's not about what happens to you, but how you interpret what happens to you and most importantly how you respond to it.   We are not victims unless we choose to be.     Life is about choices.   Choose to live by choice, not by chance.   Choose to make changes, not excuses.   Choose to be motivated, not manipulated.   Choose to be useful, not used.   Choose to live with self-esteem, not self-pity. ...

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? - John 11: 25-26   Happy Easter Everyone!   As you reflect and celebrate on this day, I wish you only the best wishes. May you have the faith and strength with which you can easily overcome all difficulties.   May your days be filled with warmth, happiness, joy, love, health and bring you hope for a better tomorrow.   Curtis

"We can never really be prepared for that which is wholly new. We have to adjust ourselves, and every radical adjustment is a crisis in self-esteem: we undergo a test, we have to prove ourselves.  It needs subordinate self-confidence to face drastic change without inner trembling." -Eric Hoffer These are unprecedented times filled with so much uncertainty.   Causing drastic changes in the way we do things.   Some things may never be the same.   But here's the thing about change, we know it's the only constant thing.   Change is always going to happen, it is always going to come.   You are either creating it, or you becoming a result of it.   Which do you choose?     With social distancing, some of us have been awarded with the gift of time (or the illusion of more time).  Think about it, you might step out of bed and you are instantly 'at work'.  No long commutes.  Less driving around to go to 'events'.  What are you...