May 16th this year we awoke to frost in WI.  Crazy.  Thirty-two degrees and frost in the middle of May, but it didn't stop me from getting outside.  For some reason, thirty-two degrees in December stops me in my tracks, but in May, it's a different story.

Same holds true for my dogs.  With so many birds to chase, holes to dig, and bugs to eat, they were undeterred by the May cold snap.  They know it will be short lived and are determined to enjoy every second of every minute of warm sunshine that they can until the bitterness of Winter is once again upon us.

If you've ever endured a Midwest winter, you've probably had the same experience.  We longingly await the first crocus to pop through the melting snow, so we can pull out the grill and start cleaning off the lawn furniture.  As soon as we're able, and the roads are clear, we start going for walks in early morning and begin daily outdoor activities such as bicycling, baseball, badminton, and bass fishing.  There's something about fresh air, long days, and sunshine that makes you feel alive and closer to God.

Our long winters create an appreciation for spring and summer.  For my dogs, the long winter creates an appreciation for dirt, bugs, chasing butterflies, and basking in the sun.  When winter is upon us, they dream for spring knowing it means the enjoyment of time spent outdoors.

If you haven't done so already, now is the time to get outside.  Tulips are blooming, the song birds are back, and the clouds in the sky are awaiting your day dreams.

Audrey Hepburn said it best when she said:

                       "I'm an introvert... I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking long walks
                   with my dogs and looking at trees, flowers, and the sky."

What better way to spend your day than outside with your dog?  It's good for your soul.

We all do it.  We judge.  It's human nature.  We are programmed to look for good vs. bad and right vs. wrong.  We interpret situations all day long based on our personal experiences and beliefs at that moment.  Although human nature, it can also result in a lot of negatives for you.  Have you ever noticed that when engaging in the judgment of something, you're not as happy at that particular moment?  It's true.  Passing judgment automatically puts you in a position of being less than satisfied with your current state which can result in feelings of unhappiness, anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, etc.

Wanting, of course, to be happy and satisfied with your current state, avoiding judgment would then be a best practice.  There are numerous benefits to avoiding judgment of others.  Here are just three...

I had the privilege of presenting today to 75 first grade students from Franklin Elementary school and although all were wonderful, I have to say that one particular little man named Alex just made my day.  As everyone was gathering in the theater and finding a seat, in walks Alex.  He approaches me squarely with a big smile on his face, says "Hi, I'm Alex", and simultaneously wraps his arms around my neck giving the most amazing hug.  After the hug, he asks my name and then takes his seat.  Alex's mom, following closely behind apologizes for him giving me half of an eye roll which makes me think he must do this type of thing a lot.

To that, I say "Good for you Alex!"  So what about you?  Have you hugged someone today?  I ask because...

We can always tell when spring is upon us.  For no apparent reason, our dogs start pulling all their blankets out of their kennels.  In the middle of the day, one will jump off the couch, dive into the kennel, and next thing we know, there's a pile of blankets in the middle of the room.  I figure it's either boredom or even dogs know the value of spring cleaning.

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.

One of the more comical things I've ever seen was a friend's German Shepherd trying to carry a stick into the house.  He was so proud of the big stick he found in the field, but not so good at navigation and reasoning.  The stick was about four feet long and he held it horizontally in his mouth.  Now, I'm sure you're visualizing what happened next.  Yes, he tried to take the stick in the house only to hit the door frame, and bam.  No go.  So, he backed up and tried again.  Bam.  No go.  On and on, over an over, he just kept trying.  (Just thinking about it makes me smile.)

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.

Shopping at a local home improvement store...

One of our favorite breeds of dog is the Miniature Pinscher.  They’re lively and energetic with antics that are at times comical.  Being Min-Pins, however, they also push their limits at every turn.  They are smart, trainable, and truly loyal, but give them even an inch of space and they take the whole.  They don’t just want it.  They take it challenging the boundary you’ve set for them and testing what they can get away with.

Exhausting?  Yes.  But, as a result, they experience great happiness.  Testing their boundaries leads to great adventure and surprise treats.   They lack the self-doubt, fear, and limitations which you and I seem to embrace as just part of life.  They live outside the box.  Step outside your box today.  Let go of some self-doubt.  Challenge yourself.  It's worth the experience!

As an entrepreneur, I have a large file of business cards collected over the years from networking contacts, vendors, potential customers, and even friends.  Take a look at those cards and you'll find several names with special distinctions such as CPA, MBA, JD, DDS, EDFP, CFLC, LPC, MS, CRB, GRI, and the list goes on and on and on.

Those letters are of importance because they're a sign of accomplishment.  They identify an individual has taken extra time and put forth extra effort to become an expert within their profession.

Yesterday, Sadie earned her own letters of distinction...