Better late than never

We can never afford to let someone else make us believe it is too late for us to accomplish a goal.

As long as we have breath and can see a new day, it is better late than never to start something we never started, or finish something we never finished.

If given the chance, pessimists, cynics, and critics might negate us all the way to the Land of the Defeated because of their linear view of the individual strength we possess to do great things and to do those things well.

At times even people who generally support us and would never wish us any harm may misrepresent the timeline we are supposed to follow to reach certain marks along our journey.

These folks may think they are advising us with our best interest in their minds, but in reality, they may be unintentionally standing in the way of completion.

Any way you slice it, “Timeline Sabotage” is a tough obstacle we will sometimes encounter in life.

Knowing that to be the case, WE CAN, WE SHOULD, AND WE WILL finish whatever we need and want to finish.

The question to ask ourselves is “Do WE really need and want to finish whatever it is?”

If it is not something we truly need or want, “better NEVER than late” may be the correct route for us to take so we can avoid having to clean up one big unnecessary mess later on.

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 25-year educator, who is currently working on her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, 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)

Seasoned Divas

Young women in their teens and early to late twenties are sometimes fortunate enough to be graced with high levels of confidence, charisma, and character.

If asked how and when they became so sure of themselves, we may hear from them stories about having positive parental influences, strong family and friends’ networks, healthy work ethics; and a host of successes and accomplishments already experienced at their young ages.

Of course, there are those teens and twenties who spend years struggling to find their niche in life; which can sometimes unfortunately lead to unhealthy risk-taking in their quests.

Moving on to slightly older women who are “thirty-something,” we may see evidence of a wide range of young women who either transparently share who they are with the world; or those who prefer to be hyper-cautious about opening up to anyone outside of their inner circles.

When some women reach the age of 40, they may begin showing signs of resurrected confidence, charisma, and character as a result of a “personal epiphany” that reminds them they are entering the realm of the middle-aged woman who needs to be laser-focused on getting things done “before it’s too late,”  whatever that means to them, individually.

Then, comes THE BIG 5-0 when women enter “The World of the SEASONED DIVAS!” 

By 50, many women, if not most women, can look in the mirror and like the Seasoned Diva she sees – regardless of the color, shape, size, or skin she is in.

Seasoned Divas are the ones who can usually walk into a room and change the atmosphere just by being there. 

The age of 50 seems to give women the ability and gumption to:  accept it, reject it, stick with it, leave it alone, call it out, ignore it, sleep on it, immediately decide about it, speak up, remain silent, keep what’s already there, re-invent what’s there to make it even better, wear her hair long and traditional, sport a funky short hairdo, teach a new idea, learn a new skill, exercise a lot, exercise a little…

Just like E.F. Hutton, when the Seasoned Diva is in the room, people seem to want to listen to and learn from her pearls of wisdom.

During the Seasoned Diva’s fifties, and into her sixties, seventies, and beyond; the timeless “seasoning” that makes her who she is oftentimes seems to get even better the longer she lives.

Confidence, charisma, and character are usually constant companions of the Seasoned Diva by the time she turns 50.

And, she makes no excuses about the fact that it may have taken her a half-century or more to reach that point – she is just glad to be among the elite ranks of "The Seasoned Divas."

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)

Setting self-improvement goals in 2011



Photo Copyright:  Photoxpress.com



At the start of every New Year, there is usually a lot of talk about setting self-improvement and individual growth goals.

What does self-improvement and individual growth truly mean?  Does it have to mean the same thing to different people?

Stephen Covey advises us to set realistic personal goals that will directly influence us in body, heart, mind, and spirit.

If trying to tackle the entire 12 months of 2011 at one time seems too overwhelming, we can split the calendar into quarters and infuse Covey’s advice when setting our goals.

Taking that approach may lead our 2011 self-improvement goal setting to look something like this:

Body –

January, February, March

Develop a healthy living plan that will include daily physical exercise and healthy dietary habits that are the right fit for our individual personalities, schedules, and lifestyles.

Taking care of our bodies and keeping them well nourished and well maintained can help us live longer and more enjoyable lives.

We can start implementing this healthy living plan in the first quarter of the New Year, and keep it going throughout 2011 and even beyond that.

Heart –

April, May, June

Heart disease and strokes are strong forces and silent killers that command our attention.  Stress-loaded lives filled with unhealthy dietary and/or life choices can lead to high blood pressure, which is another silent killer, and oftentimes a precursor to the development of an unhealthy heart.

Eating the right foods, staying positive despite what may go on around us, and making the decision to love people even when they may be tough to love, as well as making the decision to keep ourselves lovable to others; can actually help us sustain healthy hearts during expanded lifetimes.

We can implement a plan to overpower the three silent killers by being selective about what we allow to “live in our hearts,” and consistently working on ourselves to remove any bodily toxins that may have sneaked in if we temporarily get distracted by outside sources.

Mind –

July, August, September

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste” is the timeless signature tag line of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). 

Having a determined focus to be lifelong learners instead of projecting the image of someone who believes he or she knows everything there is to know, and has been there and done that; will keep our mental muscles strong, healthy, and vibrant.

We can implement a plan to sign up for courses, learn new trades or skills, or enroll in university programs to obtain higher education degrees. 

This plan may not only keep our minds sharper for longer periods, but it has the real potential to make us more marketable in the job market.

Spirit –

October, November, December

Some people believe this area of goal setting goes first, and is the one that sets the foundation for the other three areas because it works on us each day – from the inside out.

Whatever the theological framework, goal setting in this area may involve us including inspirational study, music, and messages in our lives each week.

Some of us may achieve this goal by including regular and consistent prayer and bible study in our daily or weekly dietary intake.

Being in the company of others where proactive and positive discussions about fulfilling lifetime dreams take place, and where plans of action for reaching individual goals are developed, may help us pursue more realistic and balanced goals.

However we decide to map out 2011, keeping Covey’s advice in mind may help us take one big goal of self-improvement and focus on sub-goals for realistic and relevant growth and development for our bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits.  Happy Goal Setting and Happy New Year!

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)

SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION: Extending hope and gifts during a difficult holiday season

December 19, 2010 at around 6:30 p.m. probably seemed like just any other Sunday evening in the New Jersey town of Perth Amboy.

Little did 38 families know how much events that would happen in their Harbortown Development that evening would instantly change the course of their lives.

A horrific fire blazed for hours, destroying the homes of those 38 families; displacing them and rendering them homeless right before the Winter Holiday Season.

On Christmas Day, local businesses, private donors, and the organizations Eventfully Yours, Inc., Dortch-Wright Communications, The David's Touch Foundation,  Lifeline Foundation, Inc., and the Raritan Bay YMCA in Perth Amboy, combined their charitable efforts and donations to provide the fire victims with a complete Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, and gifts for the children.

The YMCA allowed the event to take place in their beautiful new facility on New Brunswick Avenue in Perth Amboy, at no cost to the event coordinators, Lisa Hall and Devvan Dowdy, co-owners and co-founders of Eventfully Yours, Inc.

Carole Dortch-Wright of Dortch-Wright Communications emceed the event, inspiring the audience; and inviting audience members to sing Christmas songs, Karaoke-style.

In addition to tables overflowing with holiday dinner and desserts, Santa Claus visited the site and handed out toys, hats, scarves, gloves, and other items to the children and teens victimized by the December 19^th fire.

The David’s Touch Foundation of Perth Amboy, New Jersey donated a large amount of toys for Santa Claus to give to the children.

Another non-profit donor, Lifeline Foundation, Inc. of Princeton, New Jersey, donated close to 250 holiday ribbon-wrapped children’s books, along with toys and outerwear items for children ages one through the early teen years to enjoy.

In addition to the gifts handed out to the children, gift cards to local grocery stores were donated to the adults.

The families were encouraged by the event coordinators and volunteers to take food and desserts with them to enjoy after the Christmas Day outreach event at the YMCA.

A community of givers extended hope and gifts to 38 families facing a difficult holiday season, and put smiles on the faces of the children, teens, and their parents.

Readers ~ If you’d like to make a donation to the families of the December 19^th Harbortown Fire contact: 

Lisa Richardson-Hall

Eventfully Yours
25 Brenner Street
Newark, New Jersey 07108
973-297-0909
Direct: 908-244-9000
Eventfullyyours1@aol.com

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)

Giving excess baggage a final eviction notice



Photo from: rickandsarah.com



When a property owner determines a tenant is damaging his or her rental business operations the owner will likely serve the tenant with a final eviction notice.

That tenant may appear to be a very nice person and decent citizen to other people, and perhaps even to the landlord; but some of the behaviors of the tenant reinforce in the mind of the landlord the fact that the tenant must go.

Room has to be made in the owner’s facility for tenants who will consistently demonstrate positive, helpful, and favorable behaviors.

The negative behaviors of the undesirable tenant are bad for business and bad for the peace of mind, success, and sanity of the property owner.

A new season and a new year gives us all a chance to make a clean break from the negative people, places, positions, behaviors, and thoughts we may still be allowing to hold us back.

That negativity weighs us down like excess baggage, slowing our forward movement and forward thinking.

The time has come to serve the negativity with a FINAL EVICTION NOTICE.

We have to do this so we can successfully think clearly and move forward to reach our full potential in 2011 and beyond.

There can be one problem, though.  Excess baggage can be cunning and slick. 

It can creep up on us before we can say, “What happened?”  Once it latches onto us, it can be a beast to get rid of.

The extra baggage can weigh us down, slow us down, stamp early wrinkles on our foreheads, make us miss opportunities, and trick us into behaving anti-socially, and politically incorrectly.

It can also trip us up so that we say or do things that are unfriendly or downright mean – leading our behavior to become just like the excess baggage:  negative.

If we are not careful, the extra baggage can even ruin our health and steal years away from our lives.

So, let’s all make a 2011 vow to:

ü  Admit that we have made mistakes in the past.

ü  Forgive ourselves and forgive others for situations that have gone sour – harboring guilt and resentment will not change what happened, but it will change our health for the worse.

ü  Accept that we live in the present, and not in the past.

ü  Commit to learn from the past mistakes we have made.

ü  Decide not to make the same mistakes twice.

ü  Teach other people how not to make the mistakes we made by being transparent about our experiences when we coach them into their success.

ü  Understand that as humans we are prone to make mistakes from time to time.

ü  Stop scapegoating, blaming, resenting, and hating people because of our own individual and personal deficits and deficiencies.

ü  Determine to leave all 2010 and prior excess baggage behind so we are not weighted down by the people, places, positions, behaviors, and thoughts that will do us more harm than good.

Happy New Year, LifelineExtensions.blog Readers!  We can and will move forward without any unnecessary and excess baggage! 

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)

Love really does have something to do with it…

Some of us were young adults during the era when the fabulous Tina Turner exploded with the classic song, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”

We may even have danced and sang along to the rockin’ beat and radical lyrics; all the while celebrating with and loving Mrs. Turner for her fortitude and courage to end a long-time abusive relationship with her former spouse.

Years later with several life experiences behind us, some of us started to listen to the words of the song a little differently.

We started saying things like: Well, maybe love has something to do with it…maybe something…

Unconditional and no-strings-attached love can and will outlive us all. 

Now, this does not include, nor should it be confused with the control that is evident in the kinds of abusive relationships Mrs. Turner teaches the world about because of her personal experience.

The unconditional and freely given love we are talking about is the kind of love that is ever understanding even when we do not fully understand every bit of a situation or circumstance.

It is ever forgiving when people have mistreated us more than we ever thought we would or could handle; ever appreciating and grateful when we think we got the short end of the stick.

Ever welcoming when we feel physically or mentally exhausted and do not seem to have one bit of energy left to entertain or pay attention to someone or something; ever kind when the face we see in the reflection of a mirror looks grumpy and irritable.

Forever patient when things do not occur when or how we believe they should have occurred; ever-building up and not tearing down even though the build-up requires more of our time, talent, and focus.

We still adore Mrs. Tina Turner, and we are grateful she triumphed through tremendously difficult experiences we wouldn't wish on anyone.

But by the looks of things, unconditional love has everything to do with it when that same love is built up and worked on to last forever.

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)

"What great things would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?" (Chinese Proverb)

Photo Copyright: Choe Sang-Hun/The New York Times (Sept. 2010)

Not giving up because we know our determination will help us help others can often lead to realized success.

We may have heard the story of Cha Sa-soon, a 69-year-old South Korean woman who took the written portion of the driving test 960 times and finally passed it.

Thinking about it, we may shake our heads and wonder why she would even keep trying after about the fifth or sixth time.

A caring heart and love for her grandchildren were the driving forces that led “Grandma Cha Sa-soon” to be disciplined enough to wake up before sunrise for years, so she could study the driver’s test manual.

Ms. Cha wanted the independence to be able to drive her grandchildren on trips to the zoo and create lifelong memories they will probably talk about throughout their lives.

Unable to start fourth grade until the age of 15, and then having to drop out after only a few years; Ms. Cha’s limited formal education presented a challenge when taking the written segment of the driving test 949 times.

After the 950th attempt, Grandma Cha Sa-soon passed the written test and was then able to take the actual driving test.

Practice made permanent after the 960th try, when Ms. Cha passed the test.

Probably all of our lives we have heard the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

Ms. Cha Sa-soon’s determination, discipline, hard work, and love for her grandchildren fueled her to take that slogan literally -- 960 times.

Think of the mountains we could move, obstacles we could hurdle over, conflicts we could peacefully resolve, and accomplishments we could achieve for ourselves and for others if we daily applied the same simple philosophies into all that we do both personally and professionally.

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)

A loving family is like a good pair of support hose stockings

Image Copyright:  http://www.discountsurgical.com/

Many of the older women I knew growing up wore some type of support hose stockings so much so that I dreaded the day I would need to wear stockings.

My perspective was that every woman would one day need support hose, and that perspective did not make me very happy.

I just could not understand how these older women who were part of my history could be so content with what my inexperienced youthful eyes saw as a total and inexcusable fashion snafu.

Little did I know at the time that the supportive hosiery provided the otherwise stronger than Hercules (or Herculetta!) women who always seemed to move and shake and make things happen with extra added support for their tired and pressured shapely attractive legs.

A loving family and close friends who are consistent in their friendship are like a good pair of modern-day fashionable support hose stockings.

Our families and close friends come with just the right appealing and attractive stuff we need when we feel pressured and tired, as well as when we believe we are at the top of our game.

Confident and strong characters, developed capacities and charismatic personalities can sometimes lead us to believe we are empowered and enabled to “leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

Even then we may need the support of our families and close friends (who may as well be blood relatives because they too are always there for us) to support and strengthen us beyond expected and unexpected landmines that serve to snuff the strength, good character, and developed capacity right out of us.

The strong women in my life never once tried to hide their support hose because they were proud of and glad for the support the hose provided.

As we continue to pursue our passions, dreams, and true human purposes, we can confidently lean on those faithful family members and friends for the kind of support that will hold us up when we even look as if we are starting to crumble or fall to pieces.

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)

Smiling can help us get through difficult circumstances and enhance our quality of life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HsJ7CgmIVM

Some individuals find it easy to frown, look sour, and become noticeably silenced when situations get difficult or when times become more challenging than usual.

It is during those very times we need to muster up a boatload of courage to smile and maintain a positive and empowering voice.

Especially since there are probably many people depending on us to demonstrate for them that contagious smiling is a possibility despite how tough things may get or appear to have gotten.

In addition, ample research was conducted and articles written about a linkage between the benefits of smiling and good health, strong relationships, and overall feelings of self-worth and self-capacity.

Those life benefits alone should be able to encourage and persuade us to keep on smiling our way through those difficult, yet sometimes inevitable circumstances.

If we want to really “live on the edge,” why not take our smiles a step further and make sure that each day we laugh out loud about something funny until our stomachs hurt.

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)

Sweating the small stuff and the big stuff

Photo Copyright:  http://www.medimanage.com/

Sweating has gotten a bad reputation when it is actually something that provides natural protection to the human body.

At times sweating might be uncomfortable and unattractive, especially if it stains or damages favorite articles of clothing; or occurs when we are trying to look our very best.

But sweating is something we really do not want our bodies to completely rid themselves of.  Ever. 

According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the following may be common reasons sweat glands become activated:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Cancer
• Certain medicines, including thyroid hormone, morphine, drugs to reduce fevers, and medicines to treat      mental disorders
• Emotional or stressful situations (anxiety)
• Exercise
• Fever
• Infection
• Low blood sugar
• Menopause
• Overactive thyroid gland
• Spicy foods (known as "gustatory sweating")
• Warm temperatures
• Withdrawal from alcohol or narcotic pain killers

Giving attention to good personal hygiene habits, drinking lots of water, and controlling environmental temperatures whenever possible can help reduce or eliminate excessive sweating.

Extreme cases of chronic sweating outside of the reasons shared by Medline Plus may warrant a visit to a medical doctor or dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment.

Making annual visits to a primary care physician for regular physical examinations and complete blood work is another good idea for all of us if we want to prevent illnesses vs. having to repair health problems after they've had a chance to manifest in our bodies.

In addition, we do need to keep in mind that our bodies natural mechanisms are programmed to help us through typical and/or inevitable periods of sweating…sweating of both the small stuff and the big stuff in our everyday lives.

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)

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)

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)

We cannot underestimate the power of subconscious thoughts

There may be times when we feel overcome by certain emotions and cannot explain why.

Some would argue that biologically and psychologically speaking, the subconscious level of our thought process has taken over in these instances.

One example might be after the loss of a loved one when we find ourselves in settings or situations that subconsciously trigger thoughts about that person, and before we know it, we begin feeling inexplicably weepy and deeply saddened.

It is in those times we may subconsciously be reminiscing or reflecting about how much fun we used to have with our loved one in that particular environment; and experiencing sudden reminders about the void that has been left by the loved one’s passing.

Or, if we are feeling and behaving completely positively and all things around us seem to be on the upswing; but then we instantly start to feel, look, and act negatively and sour; the strong subconscious layer of our reflections may very well be at work.

Likewise, everything around us may appear to be falling apart, yet just like "the little engine that could," we deliberately and with unwavering determination decide to think, speak, and act positively despite what is going on or being said around or about us.

This is another example of when our subconscious may once again be pressing through to take control of situations in the world around us.

Scholars such as Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Pierre Janet spent much of their lives studying and writing about the mind’s tiered levels and their powers.

Discussion is also offered by students of the mind who may be considered less traditional in their approaches.

Regardless of the camp of thinkers and students we choose to journey through life agreeing with, we cannot underestimate the power of our subconscious thoughts when it comes to getting out of life what we want to; or not getting out of life what we think we cannot ever attain.

Seemingly, whatever we spend our days thinking about will drive our actions, accordingly.

Moreover, opinions given by members of both groups of mind students appears to be that the subconscious level of the mind offers us a powerful tool to tap into as a resource to aid us in deciding which set of reflective lenses we will determine to wear through life:

Rose-colored positive lenses that allow us to think, see and experience the glass half-full, or gloom & doom negative lenses that tend to lead us to think, see and experience the glass half-empty.

Which lenses will our minds lead us to choose? What do you think?

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)

Tough conversations and total transparency help overcome biases

The older we get the more ready we are to admit that everyone has biases of one kind or another.


The wiser we get, the more transparent we are when we discuss those biases with people with whom we strive to build sustained and secure relationships.

Neither the admission nor the discussion is necessarily easy, and both are unfortunately roads less traveled for the members of some organizations. Even today.

However, those tough conversations help build relational fortresses of trust around people who team with each other and have to rely on one another for support and encouragement during the most vulnerable times.

Moreover, an abundance of trust is needed between true teammates so they can embrace hard talks about delicate, fragile, or even controversial issues.

When the trust and the discussion are missing links in organizational relationships, the result is usually discord and disharmony.

Knowing that to be the case, what sometimes prevents strong trust from growing and honest dialogue from happening?

Some say the answer is simply DNA.

A common argument is that bias is part of everyone’s DNA; making it a factual, not fictional, part of each person’s daily reality.

Now, hair color and hair texture are DNA-embedded parts of our individual wiring and make-up.

Yet, we can think about what we want to do with our hair color and hair texture; and can change both anytime and any way we want to.

The trick to a favorable outcome with both is to expect that it will take time to get just the right hair color and hair texture we like.

If bias is part of everyone’s DNA, is it also something we can spend time reflecting about and alter whenever we decide it’s time for a shift in mindset, philosophy, and actions?

Converse to a lack of trust and honesty, when personal biases are deliberately altered by the owner to allow trust and transparency to take over…would this not be a formula for accord and harmony?

The only way to find out is to try it on for size and see what happens…we may be very pleased by the end results…but the trick is to acknowledge and accept that it will take time to get it just right…

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)