Personal Health Sparks
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When considering personal health, our thoughts generally are drawn to how we feel physically. Our lives though, consist of much more than a sense of physical well-being. Most people would agree that each individual exists as a three-dimensional being, one that consists of body, mind and spirit. A complete health picture must take all three of these dimensions into account. |
| In this section it is our desire to share sparks in a few areas that have been valuable to us in maintaining a mind that is fit. Just as the muscles in our bodies must be exercised to be maintained or developed, so also must our mind be exercised and stretched. |  |
| Some of the areas we have identified in our personal lives that have been instrumental to our own mental fitness are: |
| Creativity and life-long learning are two other areas that greatly influence the fitness of our mind and you can find Sparks on these two subjects in Personal Project Sparks, Family Life Sparks, and Homeschool Sparks. As to the third dimension of our being, the spirit, please check out our Spiritual Wellness Sparks. |
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Several years ago someone told me, "You are either green and growing, or ripe and rotting." Another way of saying this is, "Grow daily or die gradually." Unfortunately, there are many people who are in the die |
| gradually mode. I would have to confess that at some point, or points, in my life I have experienced at least the early stages of dying gradually myself. When we come to a point where we believe we know everything about a particular subject, we become unteachable and fall into the die gradually mode. |
| Though I have no formal training as a teacher, I have had various life experiences that have allowed me to teach and challenge others. One of the things I personally have discovered is that in the process of teaching or training others, it is often I who ends up learning the most. |  |
| The truth is, we can learn at least one thing from every person we encounter. Even a fool can teach us something. The most difficult part is having the patience or inclination to exert the effort to discover what it is that we can learn from another person. We love to share what we know but don't always take the time to discover what others know. While many of the sparks that have challenged me personally are located in the Leadership Development Sparks, here are some sparks to get you started that have been valuable to both Patience and myself. |
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"All ideas come about through some sort of |
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Repacking Your Bags by Richard J Leider & David A Shapiro Have a mid-life crisis on purpose? That is exactly what the authors of this book propose. As we go through life we pick up a lot of baggage, much of which we don't |
| need, and which actually hinders us moving forward and finding true fulfillment in our lives. This book walks the reader through a process of unpacking the life bags, identifying what really belongs, and repacking with a lighter, more beneficial, and more enjoyable load. Perhaps one of the most profound sentences in the book comes as one author relates a personal experience where an individual asks him, "Does all this make you happy?" ~ Kevin |
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| Thinking for a Change by John C Maxwell It is difficult, if not impossible, to overstate the power of our thoughts. What we think determines our results. Maxwell, and others, have broken down the thought-to-result equation this way: What we think determines what we believe, what we believe sets our expectations, our expectations |
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| motivate our actions, and our actions bring about our results. In essence, everything begins with a thought and to change the end result we must change the thoughts associated with that result. In Thinking for a Change Maxwell promotes that not only must we change what we think, but that we must also address how we think. Throughout the course of this book the reader will find eleven thinking skills that address the process of thinking. By developing these various areas of thinking we can learn to think intentionally and expand our thinking processes, improving our results. ~ Kevin |
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey What makes some effective and others, well, not so effective? The simplest answer is, it is the habits they keep. In studying both highly effective people and those not so effective, Covey identified seven habits, or things done regularly and consistently, that differentiated the |
| two groups of people. The habits we keep contribute a great deal to how effectively we live our lives and influence others. In order to increase our effectiveness, we must examine the habits we keep and correct or strengthen them. Although I personally found this book to be somewhat wordy and at times repetitive, Covey leads the reader through a process of not only discovering the seven habits, but also implementing them. One testament to the value of this book is its relevance and long-term popularity almost twenty years after its original publication. ~ Kevin |
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| How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie I wonder if, a little over seventy years ago, when Carnegie first wrote this book, he realized that he had written what might be considered a modern day classic. Just as relevant today as the day it was first published, this book is still in print today which is a testament to its value. |
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| If you don't personally own a copy of this book, get one. ~Kevin |
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Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success by John Wooden How do you define success? Having a proper definition of success is the first step to achieving success, and that is where Coach Wooden starts his book. |
| Through this book, Coach Wooden shares fifteen character elements that make up the building blocks of the pyramid and ten qualities that make up the mortar which holds it all together. One of the great things about this book is the simplicity with which Coach Wooden approaches each element of the pyramid. Another plus, for those who aren't heavy readers or feel they don't have a lot of extra time for reading, is that the book is laid out in such a way that you can read one element per day should you choose to do so. We can all learn something from Coach, but what a great book for a student just starting their own road to success. ~ Kevin |
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| The Other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential for Leadership and Life by Robert K Cooper Whether you are a CEO or a stay-at-home parent, a business person or a |
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| student, an employee or a retiree, this book has something for you. At first I wasn't sure what to think, this book covers so many topics, but then, that is an awful lot like life isn't it. Cooper shares a wealth of information based on life lessons passed on to him by his grandfathers as well as results from recent studies and research covering topics ranging from vision to championing lost causes and stress reduction to developing strong relationships. This book is a welcome addition to any personal library and deserves to be read more than once. I've read it twice so far myself. ~ Kevin |
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The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear by Joyce Meyer This was a great book! There are two parts - "The God-Ordained Gift of Confidence" and "Living Boldly and Without Fear." Some of my favorite |
chapters are "Seven Secrets of a Confident Woman," Overcoming Self-Doubt," and "You Go Girl!" I am more encouraged than ever that I can become the confident woman God intends for me to be. I love her closing sentence - "Walk confidently into your future and never look back! |
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| Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr Suess Who better to illustrate life's ups and downs, with its disappointments and victories, than the good Doctor? I have been amazed many times at some of the sheer wisdom intertwined in the seeming nonsensical rhymes of Theodore |
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| S. Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. Oh, the places you can go, when you overcome disappointment, when you conquer obstacles, and push through the uncertainties of life. ~ Kevin |
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If there is any one thing that influences our general state of being, it would certainly be relationships. From our earliest days as an infant our lives have been, and are being, shaped by the relationships we have with others. |
| Some of our relationships are chosen, others are forced upon us either through birth (family relationships) or some event that occurs. Not all of these relationships are healthy or beneficial. In many cases, the ability to improve the relationship lies within us. Unfortunately, there are some that we cannot improve and we must distance ourselves from them. |  |
| Those relationships which have the greatest impact on us are those within our family, whether it be with parents, siblings, children, or a spouse. |
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As with anything of value, it takes effort to build and maintain a relationship, and many relationships that fail do so due to a lack of maintenance. |
| In the following sparks, we would like to share some ideas and resources that have helped us build and maintain relationships, especially those among our family. |
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. |
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The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman Although this book is written to the married couple, I've found it to be beneficial to all of my close relationships. Chapman talks about how people express love in different ways and if you aren't expressing love in a way the other person can receive it, your message won't get through. As the title |
| suggests, he covers five different love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. He not only helps you discover your own love language, but also begin speaking the love language of your spouse (and others), even if it's not your primary language. I also have the other books in this series which includes, The Five Love Languages of Children, The Five Love Languages of Teenagers, and The Love Languages of God. I highly recommend them all. ~ Patience |
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| How to Deal with Annoying People: What to Do When You Can't Avoid Them by Bob Phillips and Kimberly Alyn There will always be annoying people in your life, even in your own home! People annoy us and we also, annoy other people. I have done much study on |
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| what makes people different, but this book has its own unique perspective on the subject. I liked the first part the best, and it's easy to read. The second part gives suggestions for using what you've learned in various types of situations. This book will be a great addition to any library. ~ Patience |
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Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus This book answers 21 important questions about physical intimacy asked by Christian women. The authors give us a much needed Biblical view, and frank information on this sensitive topic. Questions answered fall into three categories: Simmering Questions, Smoldering Questions, and Sizzling Hot |
| Questions. A chapter I found extremely helpful is about getting over the pain of sexual abuse. In the back of the book is a 12-week Bible study on Becoming a Godly and Sensuous Wife, the purpose of which is to "saturate your heart and mind with God's Word so that your...attitudes may be conformed to God's attitude about" physical intimacy. This book made a huge difference in my life and I pray it will in yours as well. ~ Patience |
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I have encountered people who have said, "I'm not really into the leadership stuff because I'm not a leader." I find this statement and others like it disheartening because in reality, everyone is a leader in |
| some area of their life. Many who believe they are not leaders are simply not aware of their position of leadership. |
| John Maxwell defines leadership as influence, and everyone has influence with at least one other person in some area of their life. A parent or spouse holds a measure of influence. Even children have varied levels of influence in the family and among their peers. Many times it is not "the boss," a manager or supervisor that others seek for advice or input, but rather a |  |
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fellow "grunt" who's opinion is respected and may actually have more influence than those in the chain of command. The point is, everyone is a leader, and as we recognize this and work to develop ourselves in personal areas of leadership we improve each life situation we find ourselves in. |
| Our hope is that these sparks will assist you to get started in the art of leadership, or if you are already traveling that path, will prompt you to take your personal leadership to new levels. |
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"At times our own light goes out and is |
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Discovering the Leader in You: A Guide to Realizing Your Personal Leadership Potential by Robert J Lee and Sara N King If you only ever read one book concerning the topic of leadership, make sure it is this one. |
While many books focus on growing and developing as a leader, this book centers around who you are personally as a leader, an important first step in growing in any leadership role. |
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| Developing the Leader Within You by John C Maxwell This is probably one of the most recognized leadership books available. Maxwell shares sound, tried and true principles for leadership growth, illustrating how leaders grow in their leadership roles as their influence with others is strengthened. |
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| This book speaks to critical personal issues every leader must address in order to be a person of influence including: integrity, attitude, vision, and self-discipline. Anyone, in any position of influence, will benefit from this book. An added plus is the available workbook that allows the reader to reflect on, and apply, the principles shared. ~ Kevin |
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Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert E Quinn In this book, the author will challenge you to the very core of who you are, as a person and as a leader, thus the secondary title, "Discovering the Leader |
| Within." Change is inevitable. We change everyday. Not just growing older, but also adapting to the changes around us. The problem, as Quinn proposes, is that this type of change is behind the curve and can actually end up leaving us irrelevant to our surroundings. "Deep Change" addresses the need to go beyond the normal change process and to change with purpose. This book will rock your world, read with caution!! ~ Kevin |
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| The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel When it comes to top ten lists, this is one that you wouldn't want to be identified with, but as Finzel shares his own experience with these mistakes, it is far too easy to recognize and identify those times when we have |
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| committed the same, or similar errors. This is a very readable book, dealing with foundational leadership mistakes through the author's own experiences, allowing the reader to acknowledge and identify their own mistakes as they share in the experience of another. ~ Kevin |
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A Fish Out of Water: 9 Strategies to Maximize Your God-Given Leadership Potential by George Barna At some point, everyone in a leadership position, regardless how big or how small, will find themselves in unfamiliar circumstances and a place where they |
| may feel...like a fish out of water. To a leader this is an uncomfortable place, because the leader is supposed to have all the answers, isn't he? Barna has identified nine areas where leaders often struggle, sometimes to the point that the leader begins to question his own place as a leader. Through the insights shared in this book the leader can begin to see these "fish out of water" challenges as opportunities to build not only themselves as leaders but also build the people around him. This is a great book for not only leaders, but also for those who desire to be a more effective team member. ~ Kevin |
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| Less is More Leadership: 8 Secrets to How to Lead & Still Have a Life by H Dale Burke If you don't have a personal leadership library yet, or if you have limited funds for one, this is a great book to start with and you won't have to add very many |
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| books to make your library complete. Burke shares eight principles of leadership that allow a leader to lead more, and lead better, while actually doing less, allowing the leader to focus his attention where it is really needed. With today's fast-paced, high-stress environment, the insights shared in this book could make it one of your most valuable assets. ~ Kevin |
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Leading Change by John P Kotter Looking at all the laudations on the dust cover and the first few pages of this book it is evident that I should read this book if I am the CEO or some other high ranking individual in an organization that is facing the need to change. But what if I am just the average person pulling in a paycheck, or a |
| small business person who has only a couple, if any, employees? My answer is unabashedly “Yes!” By all means, get a copy of this book and read it, whether you purchase it or check it out from a library. Change affects us all, regardless of our place in the economic system and business structure. Reading this book will help the average employee understand much better the changes that may be taking place around them, and can help them become an integral and active part, rather than someone who just gets swept along by the current or left behind. For the small business person, the principles set forth here are just as crucial to survival as for the major corporations, and are necessary for the small business to stay competitive. And for the individual, in whatever role in life, change happens. Although this book is addressed to larger businesses and corporations, individuals can, and should, apply these same principles in our everyday lives. I can’t help but wonder if our family might have experienced some smoother transitions at various points in our lives if we had employed the eight steps that Kotter sets forth in this book. And since change is a constant and ongoing process, perhaps it is time to look at, and implement these processes proactively rather than reactively, creating change opportunities rather than waiting for a crisis. ~ Kevin |
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Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Based on Kotter's "Leading Change," the authors have employed a colony of ill-fated penguins to illustrate |
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| how successful change might come about. Anyone who has been involved in a significant change situation will be able to identify with one of these penguins, and identify the actions and attitudes of other "penguins" they have interacted with. Change is not easy, but when implemented properly, an organization will witness leaders rising from within the organization, sometimes from unexpected places. Very readable, even entertaining, any organization going through a change process should get this book into the hands of as many team members as possible. ~ Kevin |
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Good to Great by Jim Collins What is it that sets truly great companies apart from those that are simply good? That is the question Collins and his team set out to answer, and what they discovered is shared in this book. |
Some people will find this book to be technical, dry, and difficult to read, but it is worth every effort the reader will invest. While the book is focused on organizations, the insights shared can, and should, be applied to individual leadership assessment as well. |
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Emotional well-being is a subject that is hard to single out, for there are so many things that factor into our emotional state of being. Life factors ranging from physical health and hormonal fluctuations to job stress and relational difficulties all contribute to our emotional well-being. |
| We are not psychiatrists nor psychologists, but we have had emotional struggles and have found some resources that have helped us through those struggles. |  |
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Like every other part of our lives, there are no quick or permanent fixes in the area of emotional well-being. Achieving a state of well-being is an ongoing, daily process. Each day brings its own set of difficulties to deal with, but as we build a stable foundation we are better equipped to face each day. |
| Our desire is that these resources will light a spark of hope in whatever place you find yourself at this moment. |
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"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results." |
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The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear by Joyce Meyer This was a great book! There are two parts - "The God-Ordained Gift of Confidence" and "Living Boldly and Without Fear." Some of my favorite |
chapters are "Seven Secrets of a Confident Woman," Overcoming Self-Doubt," and "You Go Girl!" I am more encouraged than ever that I can become the confident woman God intends for me to be. I love her closing sentence - "Walk confidently into your future and never look back! |
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| In Pursuit of Peace: 21 Ways to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Discontentment by Joyce Meyer I read this book during a very difficult time in our lives and it was a great help. Joyce shares her insights on how to be at peace with God, yourself and others. My favorite chapter is "Keep Your Thoughts Above Life's Storms," |
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| where she writes about not "renting too much space in our minds out to problems," because the problems will take over and steal your peace. Instead, fill your thoughts with faith, trust God, and be free to enjoy life. ~ Patience |
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Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer In this book, Joyce helps us to see how negative thought patterns make a huge impact on our lives, bringing worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger and condemnation, of ourselves and others. She helps us to find peace and see the truth by thinking correctly. The three sections of the book are: The |
| Importance of the Mind, Conditions of the Mind, and Wilderness Mentalities, where she covers 10 states of mind that are harmful to us. Our thoughts are powerful. Discover for yourself how to win on the Battlefield of the Mind! ~ Patience |
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