Daily Readings for July 4th - July 8th , Allen James' Daily Guide to Success series - "The Journey: A Calendar Book"

Calendar Books by Allen James' posting for July 8th holds a special meaning for me personally; "When voted 'Most changed since high school' at your 20th class reunion, bask in the glory".

There are few increments of time throughout our lifetimes which we don't feel are meaningless. At any given moment the "present" garners all our time and energy and the "here and now" demands we realize its vitality to who we are and where we're headed. However; our adolescence plays such a pivotal role in forming our psyche and catapulting us toward our destiny.

I was never an overachiever by any means growing up. Being the youngest of 7 older siblings far out-shined me and took care of all of my needs growing up. By the time I got to high school I felt much like the character of Jan in The Brady Bunch during the now legendary episode where her lines, "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" echo through time; there had been 6 other Harrymans before me to whom I was expected to measure up. I wasn't a musician, I didn't play sports, I wasn't the class clown, I wasn't an honor roll student; where did I fit in the puzzle of our patchwork quilted family?

Seeming to hide in the shadows of those 6 siblings, I surprisingly was voted "Most Dependable" by my classmates our senior year. "Most Dependable". Looking back on it now I can't think of a better honor than to be thought of as dependable by those with whom I grew up.

Following high school I broke out of the mold and was talked in to attending college, not something any of my siblings had taken upon themselves. From the very moment I received my high school diploma my life changed, dramatically. For the next 20 years I lived life; married, worked, more college, mortgage, work, divorce. All the "normal" trappings of "living" passed not me by.

At the Dawson Springs High School class of 1979 reunion in 1999 and 2004 I was voted "Most Changed Since High School". For me it was another honor; it said to me those with whom I grew up who were now adults who perceived me as one of them; still dependable, but "changed" as well.

Change is good. Applaud yourself when you see changes in your life which are positive. Bask in the glory of your ability to take control of the only thing you can control, yourself, your life, your today...your future.

Keep looking up. AJ






Another beautiful day beginning. My hopes are, regardless what part of the world you're in or what time of the day it is at the moment this post is read, your day is or has been the same.

Our reading for July 7th is "Remember who your teachers were, send one a note years later".

Morrow, Monroe, Lynch, Siebert, Lowrey, Luther, Thorpe, Kiebler, Hazelwood, Bondurant, Hayes, Buzzard,Walker, Adams, Johnston, Lecke.... on and on I could go with the listing of my teachers while going through my formal education. These individuals were significant in my life during one of, if not the, most important times of my life; not only teaching me "school" lessons, but as well much about life lessons revolving relationships and social interaction.

Having become a school teacher myself and found the joy and feeling of satisfaction which one receives when past students express the appreciation for the role you played in their lives years prior, I can only encourage you to do the same when the opportunity arises.

Four years ago some of my childhood "classmates" and I visited our forth grade teacher, Mrs. Lowrey, in the nursing home where she lived, now 91 years of age. She was so touched by our visit. I'll never forget it. Although it's doubtful she recalled much from those 30 years ago...when I said to her, "Mrs. Lowrey, I remember you had us write an essay about what we thought life would be like in the year 2001" (It was 1971). It was so sweet the way she looked at me and retorted, "Jimmy, did you turn yours in?" (Maybe she didn't recall, but unknowingly she still had my number).

The people who walk through the revolving door of our lives are numerous; while some have little effect on our worlds as they share the same time and place, others have such an impact on us in positive ways it is a travesty we never acknowledge them personally. Certainly it's not expected from those who were our teachers, which is even more of a reason to do so.

Remember who your teachers were, send one a note years later...or take the time to visit with them... I bet you'll receive more from it than they.

Keep looking up. AJ







Our July 6th posting comes from our featured Calendar Book for 2013, "The Journey: A Calendar Book" (view book trailer via YouTube under same name)....

"Practice moderation in all things".

What a difficult principle for most to grasp. I know personally it has taken me many years to get to the point of not "over indulging" in select areas of my life. The majority of us "want what we want and we want it right now and we want lots of it".

When we condition ourselves to practice moderation, no matter what it may be we are doing (eating, drinking, enjoying entertainment, shopping, exercising), if we're conditioned to moderation we no longer desire to "over-endulge". We're able to be satisfied with "just enough".

I'm certainly not here to judge or berate...the road to personal success differs for each of us; however, for me, actually implementing the readings from "The Journey" has helped me get to "that" place in my life where "going forward" is something which excites and envigorates me...no regrets over past mistakes and no looking back at the miles already traveled. Taking control of the only thing we have control over...US...liberates us to make "our world" exactly what we wish it to be.

Practice moderation in ALL things...wanting LESS opens us up to so much MORE.

Keep looking up. AJ






Calendar Books by Allen James daily reading for July 5th, taken from our featured calendar book for 2013, "The Journey: A Calendar Book", "Plant a garden and see it through harvest as least once in your life".

A garden, you say? Some in today's world know not what a garden is...what a garden was to those over 45 who lived in small towns or rural America.

When I was in college and would visit my parents, each time I was preparing to leave my mother would take me back to the storage closet and have me pick out from among the many jars of canned vegetables from the year prior's harvest. I never failed to grab jars of home grown tomatoes (love em right out of the jar), fresh picked canned green beans, fresh grape jelly made from the Concord grapevine in the back yard, Bread and Butter pickles as well as Kosher Dill pickles.

As a child I recall doing little in the way of "working" the garden, but we 7 children, and any others from around the neighborhood who might be around, spend many a day shucking corn, snapping green beans and peas, picking grapes, washing tomatoes off at the outside hydrant.

When I got old enough, I planted my own strawberry patch in a bit of ground saved for me at the front of the garden plot. Learning to cultivate; water, hoe, keep straw around, pluck bad berries, overall care for my soon to be tasty fruit was something which I will never forget. I learned much about caring for all living things through having cared for and seen to completion the life cycle of a garden.

Plant a garden and see it through harvest at least once in your life. What you gain from all the time, effort, and finished produce is worth its weight in gold.

Keep looking up. AJ







Each of the 6 editions of Allen James' "Daily Guide to Success" Calendar Book series include the same reading for July 4th,

"Respect patriotism".

Notice, I didn't publish "Be patriotic", or "Show your patriotism", or even "Embrace patriotism". Very intentionally I made the day's post to read, "Respect patriotism". There's quite a difference between "respecting" in contrast to showing, embracing, or being. When we "respect" patriotism we admire and treat well the ieals on which our country of origin was founded and rests, thrives.

People of all ethnicities and nationalities should be just as respectful of patriotism in their homands. Citizens of the United States of America have no monopoly on patriotism (sometimes it seems we think we invented any and all things democratic in principle, we didn't. A large percentage of our society are too ethnocentric to believe otherwise).

Respecting patriotism means being accepting of those who wish to fly the national flag on their country's day to commemorate its freedom. Respecting patriotism means sitting aside and not interfering with others' expression of their own display of the love of their homeland.

Personal success is founded on this very action, "respect"; and there's little chance of attaining our ultimate goals without possessing a high degree of respect in every walk of life.

So on this July 4th, if you aren't one to show, be, or embrace patriotism; at the least be respectful of those who are and do.

Calendar Books by Allen James fans are all working toward the same end; attaining personal success while living the most positive lives we can.

Keep looking up. AJ