A Life of Purpose

In my talks about Leadership and discussing the secret ingredient for SUCCESS, I state that the key to success is HAPPINESS! In short, here is what I say about this secret ingredient:

HAPPINESS is found in the realization that you have a PURPOSE in lfe and you are doing what you have been put here on earth for. Happiness is sharing your happiness and purpose in life with others. And, happiness is knowing that your purpose in life come from a higher power.

Be filled with personal happiness each day because as the University of Texas psychology faculty member, Marc S. Lewis says, "The person you are with the most of your life is yourself and if you do not like yourself you will always be with someone you do not like."

Cornel Hrisca-Munn

Under the Romanian dictator Ceausescu, deformed and sickly babies weren't commonly treated; merely left to die in orphanages. Cornel Hrisca was one such baby. Born in 1992, without lower arms and a badly deformed leg, he was left without little hope of ever surviving. His parents could not afford to take care of him. Fortunately, a British couple, Ken and Doreen Munn, with the permission of Cornel's natural parents, brought him to England, were his leg was amputated and he received other medical care.

Raised by this remarkable couple he became an athlete, a muscian, a humanitarian, and a fundraiser. Presently he has a charity called the Cornel Romanian Rehabilitation Centre Trust that is dedicated to raising funds to help the disabled live better lives in Constana, Romania.

His charitable endeavors go way back. In 1998, at age 6, he raised $17,000 riding his tricycle for four miles around a park to help a cancer stricken Romanian boy. In 2001 he raised $700 for leukemia research. In 2003 helped a limbless Iraqui War victem Ali Abbas. He swam 1,000 meters in 45 minutes and generated $8,100 for the Limbless Association of Ali Fund.

Cornel has received numerous awards including the Citizenship Award in July, 2003, the Pride of Britain Child of Courage Award in March, 2004 and Douglas Bader Award as an inspiration to others in September, 2004, and many other awards.

In addition to his other amazing accomplishments he won a poetry competion in 2003 on the subject "100 Years of Aviation." He came in second in a national drum competion, outperforming over 420 competitors.

For more information about Cornel's charities go to www.thecorneltrust.co.uk

A Late Night Thought

A smile cost nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in busines, and is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it is nature's best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give yo a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

Danny Nguyen

Danny Nguyen has been in America 24 years. Having been an escapee from Vietnam with his Father, floating on a boat as one of the infamous "Boat People" we saw on the news, and spending years in a prison camp, (called a refugee camp), he now serves as the President and Co-Founder of the Vietnamese American Houston Chamber of Commerce.

Danny has come from speaking no English to being a graduate of Texas A & M Universtiy with a BBA in International Business and Marketing. He is presently working on his MBA degree. While at Texas A & M he co-founded the International Entrepreneur Society and was its first President. Danny belongs to many community organization and is a member of his professional organization, the Houston Association of Realtors.

Danny also speaks Spanish, Thai and French as well as his native Vietnamase and English. He has traveled world wide as part of the Houston Mayoral International Affairs and Development Council. He is a member of Toastmasters International and has a radio talk show titled "The Houston Asia Voice" which advocates freedom, entrepreneurialism and inspirational stories. He loves singing the National Anthem and spending time with his wife Marie and his two sons.

Danny leads by example. He is an example to others of what one can do with their abilities of the abilites are applied.He says America is full of opportunities. He takes the opportunity each day to show others that they can do more and accomplish more and in turn have more in life.

Nothing is as real as a dream

Dreams come from hope and faith. With a dream one can visualize and develop convictions and put those convictions into action and with perserverance and persistence can realize the dream

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in ones life. Hope does need lots of perserverance. That is, one must believe that a positve outcome will prevail even if there is evidence against it.

Hope and faith and dreams allow us to plan an idea, take personal action and execute our ideas. Hope and dreams allow us to go from despair to adventureous and bold and daring heights.

Yes, as Tom Clancy said, "Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away".

Inspirational Persons of the Month

Welcome to those coming over from my web site to read the rest of this story about Wally and Betty...

Wally is an Army wounded war vet from Hawaii who lost a right arm and right leg in Afghanistan and Betty is an Israeli exercise physiologist and together they helped him fulfill his goal. All he wanted to do was to do what he had once been able to do in Hawaii. Wally loved to surf but after losing most of his right arm and leg in a land mine explosion while serving in the Army in Afghanistan, all he could do was dream that he might once again ride the waves in San Diego where he was getting treatment at the Naval Medical Center.

Betty Michalewicz asked him his goals. When he said he wanted to go back to surfing, the two of them hit the waves. He could not surf with his prosthetic leg, so he took it off. He said it freed him to be able to return to the water without restrictions.

Wally is now learning how to stand on his surf board using only one leg. His inspiration is coming from Betty who is supporting him by assuring him he can do what he sets out to do.

This world is full of people like Wally and Betty who can inspire us. I hope that by just reading about them will giv eyou reason to be grateful for your good health and well being. Also, I hope you will understand that goals can be reached and dreams fulfilled if you have the attitude of "CAN DO" rather than "CAN'T DO"!

This information comes from an ABC program that ran on August 15th and material was written by John Donovan. You can view this story run on the ABC News featyure Person of the Week. Go to www.abcnews.com and type in Wally Fanene under subjec search or go to my Sep 1 newsletter and click on abcnews.com.

Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon Labor Day Sep 1

What a fundraiser for America! This is a wonderful way for anyone to get involved with helping others better their lives. This is a good way for money to be raised for research for a cure. WWW.MDA.ORG is the site that will tell about this disease and the Telethon headed up by Jerry Lewis.

MDA does not receive one dime of government money nor any money from the United Way, all money for research and to help families comes directly from people like you. MDA never asks for any money from the patients who use MDA facilites and equipment, or who go to MDA Summer Camp, or receive any benefit from MDA. This is truly one of the best run organizations in America.

I encourage anyone to give to MDA.

Don Braswell, Inspirational Person of the Month

Thanks for joining me at my blog from my August newsletter. Here is more information on my Inspirational Person of the Month, Don Braswell.

My friend, Al Diliberto, advised me to watch "America's Got Talent" on July 16th. A friend of his, Don Brawsell, was going to perform. Al then told me that this was not only a story of talent, but an inspirational story since Don had not been able to sign for eleven years in public due to his vocal cords being severed in an accident. Don not only sang, he brought the house down.

Don sang Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" but when he started to singm the audience reacted with negative shouts. However, Don continued to sing and before the song ended he was getting a standing ovation and cheers to move to the next level of competion in Las Vegas.

Don showed the audience and the world that persistence and faith in one's self and just sheer determination are so important in life and getting over the adversity that anyone can face. You can GOOGLE "Donald Braswell" and learn more about the wonderful performance and the man who came back after almost everyone would have given up, not only that night, but also in life.

To check out his performance, copy and paste this YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=DNdfoTnWh8U&rel=1&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//s1.ytimg.com/vi/DNdfoTnWh8U/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskIWJZy4Nvc5Ug5_0eU6ayjP&fs=1%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam&hl=en

Gratitude is the Key

For those coming over from my monthly newsletter here is the full story of The Thought of the Month for August

This was taken from The Daily Motivator by Ralph Marston

Gratitude is the key to abundance. When you are truly thankful for the good things you have, those good things grow more numerous and valuable. So how do you put gratitude in action?

You put gratitude in action by making the most of the good things you have. If you hoard and hide your blessings away, they begin to wither and eventually disappear completely, When, on the other hand, you put the good and valuable things in your life to full use, they multiply many times over.

There is no better way to show your thankfulness and appreciation for something than by using it for a positive, productive, creative purpose. Do that, and the value you already have grows even more valuable.

Whatever you have is not really yours unless you are truly thankful for it. To be truly thankful and effectively thankful for it, make full and fruitfull use of it.

Live with a thankfulness in your heart, in your thoughts and, most importanly, in your every action. All good things you make use of will grow even better.

A Happy and Optimistic 2008 for you

2008 can be the greatest year of your life. That determination is in your hands. Not only can you look at your glass half full rather than half empty you can look at your glass as full to the top. Begin today filling your glass to the top and make your dreams come true in the coming year.

I offer the following quote for you to go forward into 2008 and make it happen for you.

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help creat the fact" Wm James

My take on this is that once you are happy with your own life you can live. God gives you a gift of Happiness. Your responsibility is to understand and accept the gift.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH OF YOU!