Category Archives: Parenting

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The Listen Habit

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When you think of the greatest leadership development organizations in the country of what do you think? You might be tempted to name a company like Google that has re-defined what it means to search the Internet and is known for their out of the box thinking. Maybe a company like Apple will come to mind as you marvel at the steady stream of blockbuster devices they have engineered. Still others might think of the U.S military with its world-class training to prepare our troops for optimal performance. All of these, of course, are excellent organizations with proven leadership programs. However, none of them compare to the greatest place for leadership development in the world—your home. Family is supposed to be the training ground that equips you with the relational skills, character, and affirmation that you need for success in life. Developing this culture in your home demands one skill above all else. This is the ability to create a listening atmosphere in your home.

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LYH62: The 50 Things I’d Tell My Younger Self [PODCAST]

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Happy 50th birthday

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You can find the full list of 50 by category at haroldarnold.com/backtofuture

Happy birthday month to me. This month, June 2015, I am 50 years old. In celebration of my fiftieth birthday I have compiled a list of the fifty spiritual, psychological/relational, financial, and health-related things that I would tell my younger self if I could travel back in time.

Some of these things would have served me well as a youth and young adult in having self-confidence and being proud of my physical appearance. Other things would have helped me develop a stronger business orientation sooner.

I am very proud of what I have accomplished in my life. I have a beautiful wife who loves me without question. I have two amazing and talented children. And, I have achieved many of the goals that I have set for myself.

But, I believe that as I continue to tweak some things that I will become a better human being, husband, father, friend, and Christian. It is my hope that these fifty suggestions empower you to your next level as well.

Get your FREE copy of the “10 Proven Steps to Extraordinary Influence” at haroldarnold.com

Check out the blog post HERE to read more about this.

Please do me a huge favor and click HERE to go to iTunes and leave me a rating and review. It will only take 2 minutes of your time. And, it means so much to me. And, just for you, I’ll give you a shout out on the next show.

 

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Back to the Future: 50 Things I’d Tell My Younger Self

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This year I celebrate the 50th anniversary of my birth. The big 5-0. It feels like a big milestone in my life as I reflect on where I am. As I approach my 50th birthday, I have been reflecting pretty intently on the first forty-nine years of my life. Even with all of the blessings in my life, there are many things that I wish I could tell my younger self because I made a lot of costly mistakes. If I only had it to do over again, some things would be very different. Here are the top 50 things I wish I could now tell my younger self.

I am so tremendously blessed to have a personal relationship with the Lord, an amazing wife who is my biggest fan, two wonderful children in whom I’m proud, a small cadre of friends who enrich my life’s meaning, and a life of accomplishments that affirm who I am. But, personally, there are many things I didn’t do very well.

As a result I developed poor habits from which it has taken me years to recover–though admittedly some continue to be a struggle. We don’t get a chance to rewind and re-do. But, this list does help me stay focused now on what matters most. I think to that classic 1985 movie “Back to the Future” in which Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) time travels in order to change the course of history. If I could do my own back to the future experience here are the 50 things I would tell myself–some of which I believe could have changed the trajectory of my life. Minimally, it would have spared some of the damage that I did to my marriage in my earlier years.

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10 Dreambusters to Stop Immediately

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I like to laugh. But, I’ll admit I don’t find most of today’s comedies on TV or film very funny. My daughter thinks I need to loosen up. She might be right. But, I think that most of today’s screenwriters are just not funny. Instead, they rely on shock effect and profane rantings to get a laugh. No thanks. So, imagine my excitement when I recently became reacquainted with a comedy sketch that I first saw years ago. Maybe it says something about my humor. But, I think it is hilarious. Better yet, I think it has a helpful (though simplistic) tip to push us out of our unproductive and sometimes maladaptive routines.

Maybe its my training as a marriage and family therapist that makes this MadTV sketch featuring long-time comedian Bob Newhart so funny. The sketch, simply titled “Stop It”, is a spoof of the clinical counseling session. It presents Newhart as Dr. Switzer who is seeing a new patient named Katherine whose life is marred by struggles with claustrophobia, bolemia, self-destructive relationships with men, and a fear of driving. Though a spoof and clearly outside the bounds of acceptable clinical practice, I think there are some really good lessons for us to glean. Dr. Switzer, who claims to help most people in five minutes, offers Katherine two simple words to cure–STOP IT!

Click HERE to watch the short video.