Have you seen the wrist bands with the letters WWJD? I didn’t know what that was but Anne told me it stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” The young man who had it on his wrist appeared to want to live a wholesome life and was working hard to make a living. I am certain that Jesus was a great inspiration for him.

I thought about this for quite awhile and realized that everyone could use this concept, regardless of their religious beliefs. You just fill in someone else’s name for Jesus in the phrase “What Would _____ Do?”

The person whose name you use could be someone famous, alive or dead, or someone who has had a personal influence on your life (alive or dead too). And the neat part about this strategy is that you can use different people for different situations. I might have a hero ultra runner about whom I would think when I’m in a tough period of a race. But when live is providing some challenges for me, I might draw upon another person – when I need courage I know two people who I think are my heroes – they have both been enduring treatment for cancer this past year and I know they have much more courage than I do. So, when I think I want to give up on something or can’t go on, then one of their names always pops into my head and I say “What would Sally do?” (Name changed to protect their anonymity). Another person whom I admire is the woman who is choosing when to end her life rather than suffering the pain and humility of death from a brain tumor (a horribly painful condition). She has also chosen to speak out to help raise awareness in hopes to help others in similar situations. That is amazing when you consider many others on their last part of the journey would be very selfish and think only about what would make them happy.

I also admire the young girl who is dying also I believe of a brain tumor and wanted to fulfill her dream of playing in a basketball game. She came to practice every day and thanks to the support of everyone she was able to accomplish that goal with about only 2 weeks left in her life. Despite the pain and fatigue she kept showing up and being part of the team. Can you imagine what toughness that girl has? I only wish I had a tiny bit of her courage and strength.

Give this some thought and come up with someone (or several someones) who have inspired you and who has qualities you wish you had. Insert that person’s name in the “What would ____ Do?” and call upon their memory whenever you need some help.

Who’s on your wrist?

Terrie

The post “What Would ________ Do?” first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

This could be “PN” or “PD” (post Nyad or post Diana) – it doesn’t really matter. I just want to continue reminding you that your dreams are yours. As one reader commented though, they don’t all have to be physical. Diana Nyad’s achievement was not so much about endurance swimming as it was about the human spirit and she knows that and has tried to get that message across to all of us with her “three messages” and “Find a Way”.

So look at your day and do something different to get you going in a different direction. “That’s easy” you say – well, it’s not so easy. We are creatures of habit and that’s a safety measure built into our survival mechanism. We have to make a conscious effort to change things up. So pick one small thing to change and then do it. From my own experience I recommend you have alternative “changes” – all of which are small. Why? Because one might not pan out and if you have other options to pick from then you are more likely to actually do something instead of staying in the same rut and then spending the rest of the day or night chastising yourself for not doing it. We create more energy and “action” by criticizing ourselves for failure instead of looking at the situation and “Finding a Way”.

I’ll give you an example from yesterday for me. I decided to change up what I did when I came home. I planned on coming home and going for a run before my coaching call instead of just going to the grocery store to get dinner, coming home, eating it while reading, doing the call etc.

But as I was driving home, the same old pattern took hold and although I debated with myself with all sorts of “excuses” (it’s too hot, I’ll do it later etc), I ended up going to the grocery store first. So I “failed”, right? Not at all. First, I had thought about the habit/pattern and decided to make a change – that was definitely a different action/reaction than before. I was not operating as an automaton.

Then I “debated” which action I was going to take and why. Sure, most of the “whys” were excuses, not reasons …but – the key here is that I was thinking about it. Then I chose to NOT beat up on myself for not doing that ONE thing I had planned. I immediately looked for a different “change” to make (it would have been better had I come up with that option/alternative in the morning so I had some to fall back on but I didn’t and I learned from it).

So what did I do? I went and got dinner. But instead of eating it reading and watching TV, I ate it while sitting at my computer (instead of the recliner) going through and cleaning out my email. Was this the best course of action. Probably not – people will say I wasn’t “present” for my meal because I was multi-tasking and others will say it was still a waste of time. I disagree. All I know is that I felt good because I had done something different and had consciously thought about it. It was such a tiny little thing that would not be noticed by others. But my subconscious being sure noticed it and in this case it felt good – most likely there was no bad reaction from within because it was such a tiny change. You can’t make major changes right away. You have to work your way up to things.

Today’s action – take a look at your daily life  and routine and see what one tiny thing you can change that has to do with your dream. If you aren’t sure, yet, what your dream is, then just change something. See how it feels. Then keep going. Decide in the a.m. what you’re going to change. Then write in your gratitude journal (also can be called your success journal) about what happened. See how you feel and go from there.

Let us know what happened.

ONWARD – Find A Way!

Terrie

The post PN (Post Nyad) Day 2 – What Did You Do Differently Yesterday? first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

 Don’t let this happen to you – we get all excited about someone’s achievement and talk about how they have “inspired” us to take action etc etc etc.

But the next day, what happens? You think about it (or not) and probably go right back to your old way of living.

Today is the day to make a change. To make a decision. Today (if you didn’t do it yesterday) you write a commitment to yourself about what you vow to do to follow a dream. Even if you don’t think you have a dream, take today to dig deep and write down all the things you’d like to do and have wanted to do since you were a little kid.  DO SOMETHING and DECIDE SOMETHING! Don’t wait for another great human interest story to get you all fired up – for a few hours or days. Do this now. Then use my Define and Conquer 2013 program to help you “Find a Way” (Diana Nyad 2 September 2013).

You cannot just sit on your butt and expect that your dream will be brought to you because you wished so hard. You have to do the work. But if you decide to follow it and you aim high and continually refocus and regroup, you WILL achieve your dream.

There will be naysayers out there that will say Diana Nyad had it easy this year because the weather was good and there were no sharks and no jellyfish. Easy? Try enduring all she’s endured for the last 3 years with a near death experience last year, the disappointment and discouragement and the picking herself back up and looking at all possibilities and all avenues to find a way to combat those threats. I believe that Mother Nature said “ok, I know you’ve prepared and persevered so we will not throw much more in your way.” But ladies and gentlemen – she still had to do the swim. She still had to swim in the ocean for 110 miles, 53 hours never touching anything solid, not being able to rest her body and not sleep at all. And she’s 64. So don’t anyone say she had it easy.

You really can find a way. I will be on you about this all week until I feel you have either decided to do something or have really gone back into your habit hole (not rabbit but habit).

Let us know what you have decided to do!

Terrie

The post Diana Nyad – Post Achievement – Ok, Folks What Are You Doing Today? first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Watch Diana walk onto the beach and deliver three messages for us:

Here’s her three messages:
“I have three messages,” said the breathless Nyad.”One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.”

The post Diana Nyad Breaks The Record(s) and Reaches Her “Insurmountable” Dream first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

 Diana Nyad is very close to achieving her dream and I am not only in awe of her and her accomplishment but have also learned a lot about life from following her for the past 4 years. Here’s just a few of those things (feel free to add whatever lessons you’ve learned – post in the comments section):

•  All strength comes from within – it starts within and although it may spread outward, it is always anchored within and you have to keep coming back there.
•  It’s not about age, gender or any other distinguishing or separating feature – it’s about dream, drive, determination, dedication, destination, development, and gathering the forces around you. The human spirit is so resilient once we wipe away all our limiting beliefs.
•  You’re never too old. If there is anything that Diana Nyad has taught us is that you are never too old to accomplish feats that many feel are impossible even for younger folks. There are many other older people that have achieved such accomplishments but Diana has made it a crusade to reach out to the older generation to give them hope and to tell them NOT to give up no matter what. You really are only as old as you think.
•  Don’t give up – The actual quote, I believe, was “When you are going through hell, keep on going. Never, never, never give up” when Winston Churchill said it. I ask people this all the time – what if Columbus had given up and given in to the fears that he would fall off the face of the earth if it really was flat? Another quote: “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie
  These people have said it so much better than I could ever. I just know that you will remember when you gave up and have the “what if” syndrome forever. Don’t succumb to that syndrome. If it’s important to you, it doesn’t matter if it’s important to anyone else – it’s yours and yours to do. The Universe doesn’t just give out ideas for the heck of it. You got this idea and dream for a reason! Now achieve it! And remember Thomas Edison’s quote too: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
•  Follow your dream – Don’t bury your dreams. keep them alive and find a way to make them work. “Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.” Marcia Wieder.  How many of us have dreams and then say “nah, I could never do that”? And then you file the dream away. Diana had that dream for 35 years. It may have been buried since she didn’t swim during that time but it was in there buried in the soil of her soul, being nurtured like the rose. And finally it has bloomed. Make sure your dream is nurtured and never forgotten.
•  Think of others – give of yourself and you’ll get so much more back. Gratitude, as I’ve said many times before, is the most powerful force in the universe. When you reach out to others, especially in times of your own struggle, the Universe will reach back and provide you with more strength to rejuvenate your energy banks.
•  Have a plan – know what you’re up against and make appropriate plans as well as having contingency plans. Don’t consider failure as failure. As Thomas Edison said about all his attempts to create the light bulb – “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison
•  Be prepared – Goes along with contingency item – but need to be prepared – do your research so you know what you might be up against. “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games, 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot … and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan. If you’ve tried and “failed” go over every step of that attempt and find out what you should have planned for. Then make changes in your plans and preparation in accordance with that.
•  When you think you don’t have anymore, you probably do – just dig deep. Remember all those quotes from above and the ones that say that if you just keep going when you’re about to quit, success will be right over the top of that hill. Diana is having to dig really deep to cover these last “few” miles – they are not “few” at all as anyone with any experience in endurance sports can tell you. But she is trying to go deeper within than anyone ever has in order to complete her dream. This is so important to her and she will find her strength. You can and should also pull strength from others on your team or from the universe.
•  Have a team and a coach – you can’t operate in a vaccum. you have to have a team and preferably a coach. Surround yourself with people of the same attitude and spirit. There are multiple teams working with you when you are trying to achieve something great – intimate team (probably you and your coach), close team (your support), research teams or work teams that serve one function per team (such as creating the prosthetic mask for Diana, the other jellyfish research that was done news, the team that created her special suit so that it met requirements), the world supporting you – it’s important to get the word out. There can be many different groups of teams – any successful organization has many teams. Always surround yourself with people who have the same values as you do.
•  Don’t let people tell you differently – don’t let people tell you you can’t do something or that you shouldn’t do something. Remember Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote: “Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”
•  Don’t be defeated before you start. If it’s a dream, it’s your dream and it was given to you to accomplish. Don’t think of all the obstacles or the reasons you can’t do something. As someone wrote about Diana – she’s the “anti-excuse”. There is no excuse other than giving in to your fear and you do not want to do that. Confront your fears and realize that your dreams are priority over your fear and over anything else that threatens to get in the way.
•  Things will get tough but you just get tougher – know this ahead of time. Here’s another great quote for you: “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” Harriet Beecher Stowe
• Have a solution based attitude – not a problem based attitude. If you keep looking at something as a problem, you won’t be able to find a solution because you have to be looking for a solution. That is vital. Switch your mindset once you identify an obstacle.
• Don’t let anything stand in your way – If you find something that seems to be an obstacle, find a way around or over or even under it.
• Get support from others at large – there is great energy out there in the universe – let’s harness it – this goes along with the team concept but draw energy from the Universe. Ask for support and help. There are many people out there who want to help and want to do whatever they can for you. But you have to ask them.

There are many more lessons from Diana’s Extreme Dream. What lessons have you taken from this experience? Post in the comments section below.

Terrie

The post Follow Your Dreams – Lessons Learned From Diana Nyad first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

 Diana Nyad is such an inspiration to myself and to so many others. She has just jumped into the Ocean in Cuba to begin her quest to fulfill a 36 year old dream – to swim from Cuba to Florida – approximately 103 miles.  No one has ever done this except a long time ago using a shark cage. Diana is going to do this without a cage. But what’s interesting is that sharks, although still a very present danger, are not her biggest threat at this point – the life threatening Box Jellyfish are. For the past 3 years her attempts have had to be aborted because of these creatures. But she didn’t let the dream die despite these aborted attempts and near death experiences. She persisted and didn’t mope – she allowed herself time to grieve about the events but then got back in the saddle and started planning for the next attempt – but she took what she learned from each event and worked to find a solution. Then she tried again, learned more from the incomplete (not failed by any means – define failure in terms of what Diana has done) attempt and went to work going for another solution. She sought out experts in Box Jellyfish and they’ve come up with another way to protect Diana’s face – last year they created a body suit that protected her body but she was still pummeled by these creatures around her neck and face – painful and life-threatening. Now she has a mask to wear at night which will make swimming so much harder BUT hopefully will keep these little buggers from inflicting their massive stings on her with their venomous poison.

What can we learn from Diana Nyad? So so much…..

1) That you should NEVER give up on a dream no matter how old you are. You really CAN do anything you want.

2) People will stand beside and behind you if you just continue to keep your integrity intact and abide by the rules – whether they be rules of nature or rules of humans. Do NOT step on others to get to your goal.

3) Don’t let “problems” stop you – don’t use them as your excuse – use them as stepping stones to find solutions, knowing that all solutions that are found will benefit humanity (not just you) no matter how small they seem.

4) You will not find a solution if you look at it from the problem mindset. It takes a different mindset to switch to solution mode. Start thinking about what the possibilities are to conquer x, y, z.

5) Never give up but allow yourself time to “get over” and experience any grief you might have about not achieving the goal at that particular time.

6) Talking about what you’re doing and what you want to do will help others even if you don’t know it. There are people out there going through difficult times that may just hear your story and your perseverance at just the right time to help them keep going. You do not have the right to give up on your dream. God (Divine Mind) put this idea and goal into your soul for a reason. It is yours! So take hold of it and achieve it.

7) Much, much more…what have you learned from her or from anyone who has been your inspiration? What keeps you going?

Keep following this amazing woman for the next three days and just know that she WILL walk onto the shores in Florida after over 60 hours of swimming.

Terrie

The post Inspiration Knows No Age Limit – Diana Nyad Is Trying Again first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

It’s amazing. We are at the end of the 30 days honoring people who inspired me! If you’ve been following along I hope you have thought about what personally inspires you – what are those qualities that you respect and admire and would like to incorporate into your life. You may not want to do the exact same thing as someone (for example, I do not have a desire to swim from Cuba to Florida as Diana Nyad went after). But I certainly would love to cultivate that dogged determination and work ethic required to train for and endure the hardships encountered along the way of life. She personifies what I’d like to be – never wavering, never failing, never giving up, etc. That is what you want to look at when you feel someone has inspired you. Write down their wonderful qualities and make your “admiration” list and see how you can integrate them into your own personal life.

Well – I saved the best for last. Today’s “Inspiree” is Dr. Anne Kunath – founder of the Church of Today and assistant to Catherine Ponder (first lady of New Thought). But that description is nothing – empty sounding. Dr. Kunath walks the talk as they say. She has taught New Thought concepts (metaphysics) for decades before “The Secret” came out and brought the Law of Attraction to everyone’s attention. She was raising awareness of how the Universe works since the 1970’s. She is persistent, charismatic and brilliant!

I met Dr. Kunath “by accident” in 1985 when I went to a class at her “weird” church simply to have something to do (I had just been “dumped” from a relationship and the woman I hung out with was going to this “metaphysics” class – I had no idea what the heck “metaphysics” was – I only knew I didn’t want to be alone that night). That was the night that changed my life forever. I sat there in the audience as Dr. Kunath explained the concepts and although I didn’t understand all of them, things were clicking inside of me – “this sounds like what I’ve believed for so long but never knew anyone else thought the same way”. We got to talk to her after class and bombarded her with question after question. I came back on Sunday…and the following Wednesday and on and on and I was a regular. I even had the pleasure and opportunity to go to an International New Thought Alliance Annual conference in Calgary, Canada and I have to say it was the best and most rewarding conference I’ve ever attended. After that, Dr. Kunath allowed me to become intimately involve in the church and I began my life outside of medicine and the military. That may sound funny but it really was the first time I’d had anything to do that wasn’t related to either medicine or the military. It really does take getting used to but I adapted pretty quickly and she gave me so many opportunities to lead others as I learned more and more about New Thought. I was definitely addicted.

Then, as things go in the military, I was transferred to the East Coast. And although we stayed in touch, I missed her teachings (in those days they didn’t even have the internet and so I couldn’t get any “e-learning”. Many years went by and to make a very long story as short as possible, the Universe brought me this opportunity to get a job in San Antonio – I’ve told that story many times so I won’t repeat it here but others would say it was a miracle for certain. I say that it was the Law of Attraction in its purest form. I ended up back here in San Antonio and after another “accident” I learned about teleseminars and Dr. Kunath and I began Getting Unstuck, LLC and Everyday New Thought Membership center.  What a great 7 years it’s been and although I now am officially on my own because she has taken a well-deserved retirement,  Dr. Kunath is in my soul and mind and a part of my every day existence.

She has the patience of a Saint (even though she doesn’t think she does) but more importantly, she has the ability to captivate you with stories and possibilities for your life. She’s a member of Mensa which you could figure out after one conversation with her  but she’s not egotistical or egocentric. As I said, she really does practice what she preaches. She applies the principles of the Universal Laws in everything she does.

She has a persistent determination and whatever she tries she achieves. She is just a truly amazing person and I am so honored to have met her, worked with her and be her friend. Anne – you are phenomenal and I just adore and respect you more than you can possibly imagine. I also know that there are a ton of people out there who feel the same as I do.

Thank you for everything you have given me, been to me and exemplified in your life. You are truly my hero!

Terrie

The post Honoring Dr. Anne Kunath – Day #30 – Honor Someone Who Has Inspired You first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

 1 day to go! And tomorrow’s inspiree is the most special of all 30 so stay tuned for that one.  But today is for Mr. Albert M Conerly (and all other prisoners of war, especially those who endured the Bataan Death March (April 1942). Lest we ever forget what our Soldiers & Marines endured in the name of freedom and the “American Way” – like so many other atrocities in our history, we cannot forget what these young men went through.

I happen to know Mr. Conerly’s nephew and I’m so proud of him having just completed the memorial Bataan Death March marathon. But as he said, that was nothing compared to what these men had to go through – 10 days of marching without food and water. At what price, freedom? Ask yourself this question when you’re thinking about complaining about anything today (try to remember it no matter when you start to “complain” but at least do it today).

The POWs (Prisoners of War) that lived through the wars are such an inspiration for their fortitude and determination. Sure you could say it’s “just” survival of the fittest – but you know what – they could have given up and died like so many did. But these men suffered at the hands of the enemy day after day, hour after hour. And they had the courage to continue to live and fight back – even if it was only internally. They were skin and boned, ravaged with illness and injury – yet day after day they clung to life. Could you do that? I don’t think I could so my level of respect goes up even more knowing that they were able to do things I could never even fathom. They are the true heroes of our life. They are the reason we’re free to do what we want. We complain because we don’t have this or that but what did they have – not a darn thing – perhaps just memories of family and loved ones. Some fierce desire to continue living. There had to be something significant for them to hold on to, helping them get through that time.

Can you imagine marching in the sand and mountains without food or drink for 1 day, to say nothing of 10 days. They helped each other get through it I’m sure. There is such a sense of “family” amongst the military (one of the things I miss the most) that they helped each other make it. You know, I can’t even begin to describe what it must have been like. Remember that this 10 day trek was not just down the street or in some National Park – it was in a foreign country and they were at war. So they didn’t know what lay ahead of them at all. Imagine the fear and anxiety they experienced. But they continued on. Remember that when things aren’t going “your way”. When things appear “rough” – ask yourself – “are they really that bad or can I accept them and let the good come out of them. What would those Soldiers and Marines do in my shoes?” Ask yourself that and see if your attitude and action don’t change. I bet they will.

Remember these brave souls and all they went through – for us! I certainly cannot do any justice to them with this short post but wanted to let them know that I am proud of them and more importantly, very grateful for all they went through for my family and my future! Thank you all! And Tom I’m so proud of your completion of the event Sunday. You Rock!

Terrie

The post Honoring Albert M. Conerly (and other Bataan Death March survivors) – Day #29 – Honor Someone Who Has Inspired You first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Yes that’s Ellen (as we know her) – it’s nice to be so well known that you can go by one name isn’t it? Ah yes, fame – I could always be “Dr. Terrie” – that seems to be the thing now-a-days – like “Dr. Phil” or even “Judge Judy”. Ha.

But let’s get back to inspiration. Ellen has inspired me for the longest time. She has dared so much and yet has continued to be herself during all her rise to fame. She hasn’t let anything go to her head in any way. She’s still down to earth and open and honest. Something very rare in a celebrity today.

She went on the air when Oprah was still there – some pretty stiff competition I’d say.  But she was a different kind of celebrity than Oprah and I truly believe her love for entertainment is what made it appear to be more of a collaboration than a competition. Ellen is a comedian who has guests on her show whereas Oprah still had that reporter image, looking for/at a story. There’s plenty of room in this world for everyone and these two proved it. Ellen took that big brave step when she first went on and she persevered because she appeals to such a great group of people who love to laugh and live right along with her.

I’m inspired by her sense of humor and ability to let people know that she cares about them and this is the way she can bring a little light and sunshine into their lives every day.

But I’m more inspired by her openness and willingness to profess her being gay and risking a great deal by letting people know. But it hasn’t seemed to dampen her popularity at all – in fact her honesty and courage may have increased it. You always hear the phrase “the courage to stick to their convictions” but what does that really mean? I think Ellen has definitely proven what it means. She doesn’t hide behind pretenses – she wants to be herself and let her life be there for others to emulate or ignore -whichever they choose. But she believes in herself and the right to having your own sexuality and being able to express it without judgment. She stood up for that. She did not hide behind any cloak (or in the closet as they say). She risked her career to stand up for what she is and what she believe in. What more can you ask in a person.

Ellen lives as I’d like to live – in openness and honesty. And her humor and love for others is something that impresses me more than you can know. I want to be like Ellen when I grow up!

Terrie

The post Honoring Ellen DeGeneres – Day #28 – Honor Someone Who Has Inspired You first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Have you ever known someone who’s seemingly had a black cloud over them – or bad luck just follows them no matter where they go? If you didn’t know better, you could have said that about the Pavlats (Jack, Barbara and Suzanne). Within about a month their lives were completely turned around and not in a way that anyone would wish on their worst enemy. What happened to them in that short period of time would have turned lesser mortals into pessimistic, bitter and angry people. But not them! They tackled the problems at hand with their usual positive attitude and the usual question – “Ok so what can we do about it now?”.

Within that short period of time, Jack had been in the hospital having surgery for colon cancer (in fact, he was in the hospital when they told him that his daughter, Suzanne, had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma), Suzanne was diagnosed, and then Barbara was also diagnosed with cancer. How much more can the odds be stacked against one family?

I met this family in a way that only the Universe can orchestrate and I will be forever grateful. Suzanne became the Wind Beneath My Wings and is my inspiration for everything I do (especially the non-profit organization I want to develop).  Every time I saw them they were filled with gratitude and the smiles across all their faces were the broadest smiles you could ever imagine. How they did it, I never knew. Because it always seemed as if the odds were against them. But they never let that show. They always maintained the positive “it could be worse”  or “it’s going to get better” attitude that you only see (and know is sincere) in people you consider Saints. And I have to tell you that I think that these three people qualify for saint hood in my opinion.

I was fortunate enough to get to visit St Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a weekend when the country DJs from all around the country were there for their annual workshop. So I got to see everything they did. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that. And Jack, Barbara and Suzanne were there because they were part of the panel of patients/families that talked with the DJs. So I got to see inside the Target House there too. That is where I fell in love with elephants (I was told they were the international symbol of friendship but I’m not sure that’s correct – I do know they have a complex social structure) because there are wonderful statues of elephants outside the house.

After Suzanne’s passing Jack and Barbara continued to be avid supporters of St Jude – they didn’t just fall off the face of the earth in their grief – they expressed their immense gratitude by recording their story for St Jude to use in their radiothons, they volunteered at the hospital and the Target House. They were all over, supporting  St Jude in memory of Suzanne. They gave back in gratitude just as I encourage all of you to do every day no matter what is going on in your life.

If Jack and Barbara can remain positive after finding out that their precious little girl had a deadly disease and then had relapses just when they thought she was on the verge of a remission (not just once but twice), you can remain positive at least for today, don’t you think. I know that I try to remember what they went through every time things don’t seem to go my way or get overwhelming.

To continue with faith and hope in the face of immense adversity and tragedy is the mark of a true hero in my book. And Jack and Barbara fit that bill completely. I honor and respect their resilience and hope that I can garner a tiny bit of their phenomenal qualities.

Thank you for being in my life, Jack and Barbara. You are a great inspiration to me.

Terrie

The post Honoring Jack and Barbara Pavlat – Day #27 – Honor Someone Who Has Inspired You first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.