An elderly woman was sitting alone in a busy coffee shop waiting for her order. Her face reflected a lifetime of sorrow. The barista noticed her sadness, and as he handed her the coffee, gave her a warm, genuine smile. The woman left without saying a word. The next week, the barista received a letter in the mail containing a photo of the woman and a note which read: 'The last time I was in, I was having a terrible day, and was so discouraged. But your smile made me feel

A father said to his daughter “Congratulations on graduating with honors. Here is a car I bought many years ago. It is pretty old now. But I would suggest you take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them I want to sell it and see how much they offer you for it." The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father and said, "They offered me $1000 because they said it looks pretty worn out." The father said take it to the pawnshop. The daughter went to the

When we deposit money in our bank, board a plane for a flight or prepare for major surgery, we often are placing our trust in the hands of total strangers who we may have never seen nor met. Trust is the belief that someone or something can be relied on to do what they say they will. It is a key element of social relationships and a foundation for cooperation. Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. . . . the foundational p

Regret is defined as a complex emotion caused by wishing you had made a different decision in the past. During my school years, I ought to have focused more on my studies and perhaps even considered attending college. However, in hindsight, I didn't feel it was necessary to study because my mom and dad frequently told me 'I already knew everything'. And I believed them! When you are 25 you look back on your 18-year-old self and think that many of your previous decisions were

As a young man beginning my career as a barber, I was fortunate to have had excellent mentors who taught and challenged me to excel. Throughout the many changes in my career path, I have consistently been blessed by outstanding mentors. "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." — Steven Spielberg In order to find a good mentor, you must start by being a good mentee. Listen to

Being in the apparel business for over fifty-years, I have always been around younger people and have seen so many changes. Younger people seem to have no fear and are usually open to new ideas. Although we are around younger people, we have to WORK at staying young. It’s more than eating healthy and staying physically active. It's about having a positive attitude, remaining curious and being willing to make changes. I’ve also discovered that one the best ways to stay y

"America was founded by people who believe that God was their rock of safety. I recognize we must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side, but I think it’s all right to keep asking if we’re on His side." ~ Ronald Reagan. Please click below and enjoy A Salute to our Armed Forces May God continue to bless the USA! - Charlie

An old man spread rumors that his young neighbor was a thief, leading to the young man's wrongful arrest. After being proven innocent, the young man sued the old man for false accusations. In court, the old man claimed his comments were harmless. The Judge told him to write his comments on paper, cut them up, scatter them on his way home and come back the following day. The next day the judge told the old man to retrieve the pieces he had thrown away the day. before. He t

If you were responsible for writing your own review, what would you write? Could you understand your own strengths, or be honest enough to recognize your own weaknesses? Do you even understand your areas of weakness, and if you did would you do anything to improve upon them? What are you trying to achieve? How are you handling your mistakes, successes and failures? We frequently worry about others' opinions of us, and tend to put value on temporary things like Faceboo

A successful executive was proudly driving his new Jaguar down a neighborhood street with cars parked on both sides and children playing in the yards. All of a sudden, he was shocked when a brick smashed into his car door. He stopped and angrily confronted a little boy, asking him: 'Why did you throw that brick at my car?" With tears in his eyes, the boy explained that his brother had fallen from his wheelchair, and he had no one to help lift him back up. The executive he

A young aspiring violinist sought out the world’s most famous maestro, for his approval and his inspiration. The violinist played his absolute hardest, hoping for the maestro's support and encouragement. Instead, the teacher shook his head sadly and said, "You lack the fire." Devastated, the young man quit music, entered the business world, and began building a massive fortune. A decade later, he bumped into the maestro who asked if he had finally 'found his fire'. Th

Just because somebody is serving you, doesn’t mean they’re beneath you. Never assume that anyone serving you is less important than you. Just because they are wearing the uniform of a waiter, waitress, barber, mechanic or Uber driver, doesn't mean they are beneath you. We don't have to belittle others to make ourselves look better. What we "do" does not define who we are. The next time you find yourself in a position of power and receiving service, remember that a sim

On a stormy night, a businessman boards a plane and takes his seat next to a sweet little girl, who appeared to be the same age as his daughter. He found it strange that such a young girl would be traveling alone, but he kept his thoughts to himself. After the flight took off, he began a conversation with her. About an hour into the flight, the plane was suddenly jolted by extreme turbulence. The pilot came over the PA system and told everyone to fasten their seat belts a

Over the years it's been my goal to inspire and encourage others in business and in life who -- just like me -- have gotten where they are today because of the inspiration and encouragement of others. My first thought was to do a book which I naturally envisioned would become a bestseller. However, one of my closest friends (you know who you are) questioned my choice. It was like a splash of cold water on my grand plan. Yet, I'm grateful for their constructive criticism a

Be kind. Because everyone you meet is going through some sort of battle. Someone recently said "relationships are becoming harder these days because conversations have become texts, arguments become emails and feelings become status tweets". I think one of the biggest problems today is that people talk at others, not to them. In life, we are given many opportunities to use thoughtfulness and consideration as we interact with each other. When conversations become loud arg

What is the difference between joy and happiness? Happiness pertains to conditions or your surroundings. JOY IS FROM WITHIN! We all want to find ways to be happy. But happiness is a temporary emotion that will come and go depending on your circumstances. Joy is not a simple emotion — it’s eternal and remains no matter what you go through. Happiness or Joy? Your Choice! Happiness is an emotional roller coaster. Happiness  happens to us. But it is fleeting! And misleading

It's good business sense to look for the least expensive merchandise or service. But it's not always the best 'heart-sense'. Others have to make a living too. We need to balance compassion with our purchasing power, and find ways to help each other. A friend of mine would go out of his way to buy simple goods from poor people at high prices, even though he did not need them. When somebody asked him why he does it, he says: “It is a charity wrapped with dignity.” "Charity

It’s all about me! A young man went on a date with a beautiful girl. He was so eager to impress her, he couldn't stop talking about himself. Finally he said, "Enough about me. What do you think about me?" The term "Me Generation" started in the 1970's to describe the Baby Boomers, and was noted for its emphasis on self-focus and personal gratification . Today's social media has added gas to that flame! Overnight, the cell phone became the world's new mirror and mega

“ Your attitude reflects your past, describes your present and predicts your future.” After completing his sales training class, the sales manager typically sends his top student on a sales call. However, he first informs them that this individual was once a sales manager and likes to challenge young salespeople. He can sometimes be quite rude and difficult to sell, but it's crucial to be persistent in addressing all his objections with respect. But he will always end up pla

You can only understand people if you see yourself in them . If we turn our heads the other way, we may have missed an opportunity to benefit from the blessings of deepening our sense of compassion. It's important to get close enough to the situation to see ourselves in their position. It's all about empathy! Showing empathy taxes your emotions, costs time, money and requires energy. But the heart-felt payoffs are unlimited. 'Empathy is a "muscle" that can be strengthe