Daryn Kagan and ther three-legged cats and inspirational stories

Daryn Kagan is one of our countries formost promoters of Inspiration and Motivation and she tells her story by the way of her web site WWW.DarynKagan.com and speaking tours. She has evolved from one of the premier news anchors on CNN for 12 years to being unemployed to taking the opportunity given to her by loss of employment to launch her story and the stories of hundreds of others so far

This has provided her the path to touching many lives with her stories and to become part now of the Oprah Radio in 2009. She has completed many documentaries and received the 2008 Gracie Award for Best Documentary about the story of an American woman who fought for and changed the lives of thousands of people living with leprosy in India.

She has won countless awards and keeps on receiving awards for her personal story as well as the stories of others.I enjoy her work and recommend her web site to all. Go now to www.darynKagan.com and sign up to receive her daily thoughts and commentary and stories.

She sits on Top of Old Rocky Top

Pat Summitt has accomplished what no other man nor woman has achieved. She is not just an ordinary coach of a college woman's basketball team she is the EXTRAORDINARY coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, the winner of more than 1,000 games. She asks for the best from her players and they give their best. Her secret is really not a secret. She expects performance and leads by example and her players produce for her.

Pat has had the basketball floor of the arena at the University of Tennessee named for her simply as ..THE SUMMITT. Pat is dedicated to working with the young ladies who come to her knowing she is tough, relentless and at times maybe a little less than charming. They come to Tennessee to win and win they do.

Will she win another title this year? Don't say no, because eventhough she has seven freshmen on the team this year Pat Summitt has what it takes...leadership ability and style and the uncanny ability to get the most and the best from those she coaches. Hundreds of young women in America have had the distinct honor to play for The University of Tennessee and the best coach to ever coach any team in collegiate sports. She is not going to stop now.

Do you never have time to spare?

Yes, everyone alive today has been given the same 24 hours in the day to accomplish goals and dreams and other opportunities as the next person. I believe one of the most important aspects of living and leadership we can learn is how to manage time. It is frustrating and annoying to many when others complain about not having time. It is about priorities and doing what is most important and not putting off until tomorrow what should be done today.

I know it is harsh to say but someone who stals time from you is worse than someone who steals money from you. You can work again and replace money but if you have lost your time waiting for someone else then you will never ever get that time back. So if you are waiting more than a reasonable amount of time for someone to meet you understand that you will not be helping them or you by saying when they arrive that it is OK, don't worry about it. Time is important and time is valuable and you serve yourself and the other person well by stating the fact.

The greatest gift you will receive on Valentine's Day

The greatest gift you will receive on Valentine's Day will not be the candy, flowers, dinner out or anything related to "buying" your thoughts. The greatest gift will be in the fact that the person giving you a gift of love will actually mean what the gift implies. And, the gift need not be fancy or expensive or the biggest or the best money can buy. I think the greatest gift for you to give or receive on Valentine's Day is a simple but meaningful "I LOVE YOU" along with a big hug.

Words spoken with meaning and a big hug given with a feeling of warmth and understanding will be remembered long after the candy and flowers are gone. And, since each day may be the last day we are on this earth, the spoken word and the big hug will always be remembered. We should actually think of each day as Valentine's Day!

Yes, you guys reading this, an "I Love You" and a hug, given with a gift, works better than just an "I LOVE YOU" and hug by itself! :) And, don't forget the card.

PS Ladies, I have never ever meet a man, regardless of how macho or grumpy or with a seemingly "I could care less" attidude, who didn't give a little smile (sometimes ever so small) when the one they love told them they loved them with a card or a hug, regardless of whether the words were spoken or not. Valentine's Day is not just for the ladies.

Built by a labor of love World's Largest kids with special needs park

The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation is building the largest park in the world for children and adults with special needs.You can go to www.soarsa.org and read about this project that is inspired by a young lady named MORGAN Hartman. Morgan has overcome many adversities in life and gone beyond many expectations due to her positive attitude and perseverance. Her boundless love and the ability to "SOAR" above her challenges were the true inspiration for this unique and amazing park.

This park will be available FREE of charge to any special needs person in the world wishing to enjoy this wonderland of happiness. This is Morgan's Wonderland and I encourage everyone reading this short description of park to go to the web site and read about the features and the thoughts behind it and the inspiration. Coming this Fall 2009 it will be one of the wonders of the world for those with special needs.

How we use our 24 hrs in a day

How we use our 24 hours in each day determines our future course of actions in our lives. Each day should be filled with HOPE and a positive attitude that what we do will be for the good and betterment of ourselves and those around us.

HOPE "Of all the forces that make for a better world, none is so powerful as hope. With hope, one can work, one can dream. If you have hope, you have everything."

HOPE is also FAITH and each allows dreams and visualization of those thoughts that gives us convictions which leads to action and perseverance and persisitence toward those dreams. One can go from despair to overcoming adversity in life by first believing that one can and does have hope and faith that will give you a positive outcome to events and circumstances in one's life.

How we use the 24 hours in each day (the same 24 hours every human has each day) that we have been blessed to have on earth determines our daily future as well as the long term future. We should not waste nor ignore time because time cannot be replaced or added to in life. Once time has passed, it is gone from our lives. We can replace lost money, or a house that may have burned, or a wrecked car, or many other material things in life but one cannot ever replace time. You cannot go back. AGAIN: Use your 24 hours each day wisely and with comfort in the fact that with faith and hope one can believe that a positive outcome will be the end result to the events and circumstances in one's life.

Elf Louise

Louise Locker, aka Elf Louise, is dedicated to making children's wishes come true. She has given 40 years of joy and generosity. Last week during Christmas Elf Louise and her 4,000 volunteers wrapped gifts and put on 225 Santa suits and brought gifts to 21,700 children of 5,800 families in the San Antonio area.

Elf Louise was once anonymous but a local reporter, against Louise Lockers wishes to remain anonymous, told the city and world who she was and that she started the program as a 19 year old college student who actually was inspired by a Johnny Carson Show where Johnny read letters delivered to the post office for Santa from kids who wanted, but probably would not recieve, much for Christmas.

The next day in December of 1969 Elf Louise went to her post office in San Antonio and asked if she could read letters delivered to Santa so she might be able to find little girls who would like some of the dolls she had been given over the years but that were now just stacked up at home.

From this humble beginning more than one million children have now been visited by Elf Louise and Santa. The effort now has an annual budget of $300,000 and ninety-six percent of funds collected goes to buying toys for kids.

Louise Locker, aka Elf Louise, is now a private practice therapist in San Antonio who by her own admission is either a starry-eyed dreamer and optimist or both. But we know that more than one million gifts to children at Christmas over 40 years has provided a difference in the lives of many children who always believed that Santa would come and he did by many random acts of kindness from the volunteers and the personal effort of a once 19 year old college student who was inspired to give and to keep giving.

A side note: One never knows when any act of kindness will expend into millions of acts of kindness. We thank Elf Louise for her projects but reflect upon the fact that Johnny Carson inspired her actions. We not only should be those who extend acts of kindness but one who also inspires others to be kind to our fellow man.

Adversity does not discriminate

Adversity does not discriminate. How does one overcome adversity? Here are five thoughts on how to overcome adversity in one's life.

1. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful each day of your life for life's blessings

2. Believe you have a purpose in life and work each day toward that purpose

3. Tell someone each day that you love them and if you are where you can, give them a hug

4. Be filled with personal happiness each day and if you are not happy with your life, change it

5. Realize each day can be your last day on this earth. Live your life as if it was your last and fill your day with compassion, love and understanding for those around you.

The above thoughts are from my presentation on how to overcome adversity in one's life. If you are interested in these thoughts being presented to your organization or group please contact me at www.optimisticday.com

Irving Berlin...Inspirational Person for Dec

Irving Berlin was born a Russian Jew in 1888. His family emigrated to the U.S. when he was three-years- old. He had a difficult childhood. His father died when Irving was only eight-years-old and he was forced to survive by selling newspapers and doing odd jobs. He continually worked and his first opportunity came as a young singing waiter in Chinatown when he was asked to compose a song. He complied the song and earned $.37 (thirty-seven cents) for his efforts; most importantly he earned professional composer status.

He achieved moderate success writing sheet music until he wrote "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911, launching his career as one of Tin Pan Alley's (an area of New York known for publishing and writing songs) rising stars.

Although his life was moving along, tragedy struck Irving once more. While honeymooning in Cuba in 1911, his first wife, singer Dorothy Goetz, contactred pneumonia and typhoid fever and passed away five months later.

Irving, used to hardship, continued to press on, eventually remarried, and became one of music's all-time most profilic composers During his phenomenal career, he wrote over 3,000 songs., many, such as "GOD BLESS AMERICA" and "WHITE CHRISTMAS" - with over 30 million in sales - became American classics. In addition, he composed 17 film and 21 Broadway scores. Irving Berlin was also honored with seven Oscar nominations and in 1968 was presented the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

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."