If we’re being honest, we all get discouraged. It’s just one of those potholes on our journey we all hit from time to time. You can have everything you have ever wanted, but you are still going to get discouraged at times.

When we get discouraged our attitude and emotions turn negative. When this happens our productivity takes a nosedive, we tend to retreat and withdraw from others, and the risk of giving up on whatever we’re working toward runs very high.

Since it can have such a negative impact on every area of our lives, including our health, learning to deal with disappointments in life and the temporary discouragement that may result is an important part of managing our lives…read more

If you are old enough to read this post, I am sure you have experienced what it feels like to have people talk behind your back. When this happens to you, how does it make you feel towards the person who spoke poorly of you?

Your Words Are a Mirror

What we say about others reflects on our own character. Specifically, when we speak unfavorably of others, it not only hurts the person our words are aimed at, but it also damages our credibility and reputation in the process…read more

(Author, Hannah Smith, Todd Smith’s 15-Year-Old Daughter. The image is not Hannah)

Have you ever had an argument with someone important to you? Did you win or lose? Do you love the feeling when the opposing argument gets shut down, and your opponent conforms to your opinion? Is that your ultimate goal? What about how your opponent feels? Do you care?

I’m like many teenagers. Because I have strong (and often contrary) opinions, I’ve had my share of arguments; I’ve won some and lost some…read more

Psychologists say that people generally complain for one of two reasons—as a way of enlisting people to agree with their point of view, or as a means of making conversation since negative observations often yield a bigger response than positive comments. (Sadly, that is true.)

Today, I’m going on record as saying that neither of these reasons are valid enough to outweigh the fact that no one likes being around people who are chronic complainers.

Whining Damages Reputations

Whining is a childish trait and can be a very difficult habit to break once it has become a part of a person’s communication style. Nevertheless, breaking the habit of complaining is essential if we wish to be viewed as people whose words carry weight and whose opinions matter…read more

I want to write today to share my plans for my Little Things Matter blog, to request your help, and to inform you about my upcoming book.

First, I want to say an earnest “Thank You” for helping me grow my blog and Facebook page over the last seven months. Because of your endorsements, I now have almost 20,000 Facebook connections; my blog has had more than 60,000 visitors in each of the last two months with more than 200,000 of my posts being read and/or listened to each month, and my podcasts are ranked #38 in America’s top 100 podcasts (exclusive of iTunes)…read more

How would you like to be in command of your finances—never be in debt again, live free of financial pressure, and retire comfortably when that day arrives? This is possible for each of you, but it will require intentional effort.

If you sincerely want to be Captain of your Financial Ship, today’s lesson will emphasize three crucial things you must do: put together a budget, track your expenses, and commit to spending less than you earn.

When we do not track our expenses, we actually forfeit control of our Financial Ship. The reason is simple: when we don’t have a clear picture of where our money is going, it’s like being on a ship with a leak that prevents us from navigating toward our financial goals. Benjamin Franklin said it better…read more