Can we make real progress and be popular at the same time?

                                               Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Some scream a resounding “NOT!” when asked the title question.

Accompanying the negative responses are usually examples of real people who have had to make tough decisions that would ultimately move people and situations forward and out of individual and group comfort zones.

Some say that while the tough decision makers might have enjoyed temporary moments of popularity with the people “pre-decision,” their assumed popularity ratings quickly took a dive once people affected by the decisions learned of any changes that would alter their personal universes.

Stories about mild to severe kicking and screaming, and sometimes even strategic sabotage attempts provided by the “upset populations” tend to follow the real people story examples mentioned earlier.

The stories generally include descriptions of improved conditions, further developments, and smarter work habits ~ all designed to help the populations move forward, make progress, and embrace a “new and improved lifestyle.”

Gusto story finales speak about individuals who instead made choices to forever be favored in the eyes of the people.

As told, if making a tough decision and progressive change for the good of the group meant upsetting people and having the population decide those who were once favored are now among the least popular...the choice was made to forego progress, maintain the status quo, and just focus on remaining at the top of the popularity ratings’ chart.

As we think about people in our own personal and professional circles who are major decision makers of one kind or another, would they belong to the “Progress-Minded” group or “Popularity-Focused” group?

And, do we have a preference when it comes to which group we want to team ourselves up with?

Just a handful of thoughts for us to consider...

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

The Empty Nest ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective

Photo Copyright:  Rene Corado/WFVZ

The time has finally come when our homes are about to turn into empty nests.

Those teens who are only children will leave behind parents to have the house to themselves.

And those who are older siblings will leave the house to parents and younger kids.

Our homes will never be the same.

The days where our laughter and sometimes cries filled the house have come to an end.

It appears that after college/joining the workforce/joining the armed forces, or whatever road we take; we will hardly ever see our parents and families.

But, we must not let that happen.

Even though we won’t be in the house every day, we must make sure we call, text, e-mail, Facebook, and visit as much as we can.

We cannot afford to lose contact with the people who made us who we are.

They are our refuge, and if we ever need help, they are the ones who will always be there for us.

So as we venture out into the world to start our young adult lives, we must remember our families back at home; and every now and then, we must return back to the nest to catch up and relax with the people who will support us no matter what.

“There isn't a child who hasn't gone out into the brave new world who eventually doesn't return to the old homestead carrying a bundle of dirty clothes.” ~Art Buchwald

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee, Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Sometimes we just need to pick up the phone and call each other to talk…

Photo:  Copyright www.businessweek.com

Text messages, emails, social networking site posts, and message board communications help us stay more connected.

But, there are certain times when less can be more.

Like when it comes to effective communication.

By the time we sift through threads of our e-conversations we probably could have just picked up the phone and called each other to talk about whatever we needed to discuss.

After all, our new Smartphones were made not only so we can calendar, text, search, calculate, and do a host of other things.

They were primarily made with our live conversations in mind.

So why are so many of us guilty of not regularly using our mobile talking devices or our landlines all that much anymore?

Some say it’s because it takes much less time to have a virtual chat or e-conversation with someone than it takes to talk live.

Really?

Remember the conversation threads mentioned earlier?

There are times when those threads get so tangled up or ripped apart we can barely decipher what the other person is really saying in their portion of the e-conversation.

And, by the time we scroll to the bottom of the screen to open a conversation every time we need to re-read and then reply; …well, more time passes by than we may realize.

If we’re honest, we also have to admit that each time we see or hear the message notification signal on the screen we click it instantly so we don’t skip a beat during the e-talk.

We just keep clicking, re-reading, and replying…clicking, re-reading, and replying…

Let’s not even talk about the misunderstandings, misinterpretations, or misreads that can happen when the threads go on for page after page after page…

Now, anyone and everyone who considers him or herself current and tech savvy appreciates the depth of technology and will often question what we ever did without all of it?

What did we do?

We picked up the phone and called each other so we could talk about whatever the issues were.

We can remember that in between our text messages, emails, social networking site posts, and message board communications… we can remember that sometimes we just need to pick up the phone and call each other to talk.

Hearing the smile and affirmation in another person’s live voice when we talk on the phone and it becomes crystal clear that what was once being misunderstood and maybe even causing some degree of anger to rise up in an e-communication is now being readily understood and greatly appreciated.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Only the strong survive…except when we think our kids might be in danger…SPECIAL JULY 4TH WEEKEND EDITION

All bets are off when we have even the slightest image of our kids being in some kind of danger.

Calm resolve, consistent focus, consummate professionalism, model character, and everything else we may own as part of us can literally go right out the window when there is no available communication to assure us that our seed is safe and sound where we left them.

From the time our children are born all we as good and responsive parents want and try to provide for them is our very best, and what is the very best for them.

We do all we can to help them not to cry, hurt, misunderstand, or fear.

At any cost, by any means, and for every reason that seems valid enough for us to come up with.

As parents, we teach our children to be strong survivors whose resilience will get them through even the most difficult situations.

But, let us for a moment think our kids may be hurt or in harm’s way and we who are usually the strong can easily become melted mush.

And, we love our children so much we just mush our way around until we can regain comfort in knowing our kids are fine.

So when they are babies, we sometimes cry when they cry until they stop crying.

During their toddler and elementary years, if they fall and hurt themselves we also feel hurt.

Among the middle years, unfairness or injustice for and to them can at times translate into feelings of unfairness and injustice for and to us.

A teen’s appearance of nonchalance that is really a mask to cover a true fear of growing up and having to leave “the nest” can easily become a parent’s anxiety if the mask leads the teen to do something completely out of character and downright risky.

If we think for one minute that our precious gems called children are distressed, we can also become stressed and behave out of our own character.

Our minds can’t think straight, we can’t communicate the right way…and, all of that is irrelevant because all we care about is getting our kids back to that cozy, safe and sound place…right where we left them…

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND...Let's all keep our children cozy, safe & sound...they really are the globe's most precious commodity...

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)