How Stephen Covey’s Technique Can Help You Write the Story of Your Life EVALUATING YOUR VALUES
What are the values that define you as a person? Why do they matter?
WRITE THEM DOWN. Writing helps us think deeper. It makes it easier to memorize, and it gives us something to go back to.
HERE’S THE POWER OF THEM. As you begin to live from those values, you give yourself the power to write the story of your life the way you want it to be written. If you stay true to your core values, you will no longer be tossed about so much by the tidal waves of life and work. You have something to fall back on, to frame your response to a situation that reflects who you are. Your values become your guide in life. They release you from slavery to your own desires and feelings. You learn to act in accordance with them, even when you don’t feel like it. For example, if one of your values is making time for your children, you’ll find the energy to throw the football with your boy after a long day at work. You value time with him, not your exhaustion. They can also guide you in response to the pressures of life. Say you have honesty as a core value. When you make a mistake at work that you could blame on a coworker, you’ll remember you value honesty over avoiding responsibility. There are two amazing things about deeply considering your core values and living from them. First, you might be shocked by what they really are. Second, once you internalize them, they become the basis for every decision, every response, and every use of your time and talents. And don’t worry — developing your core values isn’t trendy or “just the latest thing.” For those of us raised in the South, it’s nothing less than what so many mamas have told their children when they left home: “Remember who you are and who you belong to.”
They matter because who you really are is how you respond to the decisions and pressures of life. If you aren’t using basic principles and beliefs to guide every decision and respond to all the strains of life, you’re a ship without a rudder. You’ll be cast off and thrown about by the waves, always unsure if or where you’ll ever land. I’ve evaluated my own values using a time-tested technique, and I can tell you the results are truly surprising. If you invest the time and effort to really think deeply about this, I predict you’ll be surprised to learn what it really is you value. And molding your life around those values can change it for the better, forever.
The method I used comes from Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” It’s kind of morbid, but it really works. In the chapter on his second habit, “Begin With the End in Mind,” he asks us to imagine that we’re attending our own funeral. He urges us to consider what we’d want people to say about us in the various roles in our lives — as children, parents, spouses, professionals, and friends. In other words, what would we want the folks we impact the most to say about the kind of person we were in that role?
From that exercise, you’ll develop a list of the most important qualities you want to live out as a person. These are your core values.
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If you aren’t using basic principles and beliefs to guide every decision and respond to all the strains of life, you’re a ship without a rudder.
Write the story of your life the way you want it. It truly is your choice.
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The leaves are turning, the weather is changing, and the holidays are right around the corner, which means it’s time to bring out the fall decor! To make this season especially memorable for your family, create your own decorations with these fun ideas below. PINE CONE PAINTING Go on a family walk through the park to pick up a few fallen pine cones or take a quick trip to the store to buy a bag. Once everyone has their own hand-picked pine cone, grab a paintbrush and a few colors and have at it! For extra flair, add some fixings like glitter, beads, sequins, string, and more. LEAF PAINTING Take a trip outside with the kids to pick out some large, unbroken leaves, then head back inside and get creative! You can pull out the construction paper and paint trees, using handprints and “arm prints” as the trunks and branches. Paint the leaves you found to spruce up your trees or use them as decorations on their own. You can also use them for leaf printing or leaf pressing. FUN FINGER FOOD When you’ve got multiple friends and family members coming over and you need snacks, edible decorations are the way to go. You can get a little creative and make elaborate treats, or you can opt for delicious and easy-to-make finger foods with your kids. A good starting treat for your family is a batch of pumpkin Rice Testimonial HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US! “Rob Usry handled my case recently and did an amazing job. I got the most successful outcome I could hope for, and he was so kind and really took the time to understand my case. I’ve had to hire legal help a couple of times in my life, but Rob really was the best I have ever hired. If I ever need legal representation again, I will definitely hire him as my legal counsel. Pamela, who works at the reception area, was also so sweet and extremely helpful. I enjoyed getting to talk to her when I came to the office, and when I got lost on FALL FAMILY FUN Decorate Your House With Your Own Creations!
Krispie Treats. Add orange food coloring to the mix and get your kids to shape the treats like pumpkins before using a few pretzel sticks to make sturdy stems.
THANKSGIVING CRAFTS Thanksgiving is only a month away, and your possibilities for holiday-themed crafts are endless with just a few supplies like paper, scissors, markers, and string. You can make turkey placemats, tissue paper trees, pumpkin garlands, paper pumpkins, or leaf mobiles to hang from the ceiling. Compile a list of ideas and have your kids pick out which craft they want to do first, then get to work together to create as many decorations as you want to display for Turkey Day.
With these engaging craft ideas, the whole family will be eager to make their own decorations and show them off for months to come!
the way to my hearing, I called her, and she gave me exact directions to the court and called to check on me to make sure I got there. I would highly recommend!”
–Kathryn R.
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Halloween Do’s and Don’ts
SAFETY TIPS TO AVOID A REAL SCARE
If you enjoy a fright, there’s no problem with Halloween being a little spooky. Some folks even enjoy paying their hard-earned dollars to people who’ve designed ways to terrify them. Whether a journey through a haunted wood sounds like a fun time or a nightmare, we can all agree that the scares we enjoy on Oct. 31 shouldn’t include actual danger to our health and safety. Follow these tips to ensure that the only screams you’ll have on Halloween will be ones of delight. DO PLAN YOUR ROUTE. Unless you are trick-or-treating within your own small residential neighborhood, it’s best to map out where you’ll be heading. With today’s digital mapping tools,
it’s not hard to devise a detailed route and even get time estimates for how long you expect it to take. Planning where you’ll be and when you’ll be there allows you to avoid getting lost or needing to hustle home. DON’T WEAR ALL DARK COLORS. We get that little ghosts and goblins want to look as true to form as possible, but they also need to be visible to parents and passersby. A little reflective tape on the back of a costume is a great way to ensure that nobody will go unnoticed. You can also buy reflective candy bags that work exceptionally well for this purpose. Dracula may never have worn a reflector, but he also didn’t live in a place with a lot of car traffic. DO BRING ALONG SOME SUPPLIES. Nobody can subsist on Snickers alone. Packing a backpack with some water, a flashlight, and other essentials is a great way to ensure everyone remains comfortable. A bag is also great for when a child inevitably wants to shed some of the heaviest and most cumbersome parts of their costume. DON’T DRIVE IF YOU CAN HELP IT. Unless you absolutely need to be on the roads, try to leave them free for the trick-or-treaters. If you must drive, exercise extreme caution, especially in residential areas.
Good News
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
LEFTOVER CANDY SNACK MIX
This recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar chef and “Master Chef” judge Christina Tosi makes great use of those extra Halloween goodies. It’s a quick and easy way to both elevate and get rid of unwanted leftovers.
Ingredients
overcome the world.” Philippians 4:8
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1/3 cup dry milk powder
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2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely broken
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6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
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1/4 cup light brown sugar
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12 oz mini candy bars, such as Snickers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”
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2 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions
1. Heat oven to 275 F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, fold together pretzels, sugars, milk powder, and butter. 3. Spread mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. 4. Let cool for at least 30 minutes and mix in candy bar pieces before serving.
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* This newsletter is intended to educate the public about personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and family law issues. You can copy and distribute it as long as you copy the entire newsletter. But the newsletter is not intended to be legal advice; you should ask a lawyer about your specific case. Every case is different, and all case outcomes depend on unique facts and laws.
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INSIDE this issue
1
What Are Your Core Values?
2
Fall Crafts for the Whole Family
Testimonial
3
Vital Halloween Safety Tips
Leftover Candy Snack Mix
4
Avoid Getting Your Hands Dirty This Halloween
If you no longer want to receive this newsletter, call Pam at 864.582.0416 or email rob@bhollandlawfirm.com .
NO-CARVE PUMPKIN DESIGNS! JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN
Jack-o’-lanterns go hand-in-hand with Halloween, but digging through the inside of a pumpkin is not something everyone enjoys. If you aren’t keen on cutting open a pumpkin, here are a few no-carve ideas you can try this Halloween! HAUNTED HOUSE Take a few pumpkins, stack them on top of each other, and create a spooky pumpkin haunted house! Then, use paint, balsa wood sheets, and hot glue to create silhouettes, ghosts, windows, and doors for a haunting effect! CREATIVE WITH STRING Use cotton twine and hot glue to create a web-like design on the surface of your pumpkin. Don’t forget to add a few plastic spiders! You can also use string art to create ghostly words or images. Lay our your design with small pegs or nails and wrap the string around them to reach your desired effect. NOTHING BUT NET You can create eerie pumpkins using fishnet stockings. Spray-paint your pumpkin if desired — just make sure the design of the stockings will stand out. Once the paint is dry, cut the legs off the stockings, slide the pumpkin inside, remove the extra fabric around the stem, and use hot glue to secure it.
COLORFUL PAINT Painting your Halloween pumpkins gives everyone a chance to participate. Be creative by using different designs, cutouts for silhouettes, drip paint to create a marble design, or nail polish and water to give white pumpkins a unique and vibrant look. A SPOOKY MONSTER By adding a witch hat, wrapping a pumpkin in cheesecloth, attaching spider legs, or tying on a vampire cape, you can create a pumpkin version of the most popular Halloween monsters. Along with these accessories, you can also use paint, construction paper, and other craft materials to add the details that will make your creation pop!
For more detailed directions for these pumpkin designs and more ideas, visit WomansDay.com.
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