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How to Make 2011 the Greatest Year of Your Life!

  1. Start a journal. Record your dreams, wishes, wants, success, failures, and anything and everything of importance.
  2. Set one physical goal for 2011. Sign-up for a 5k or some physical challenge for this year, and do it ASAP. Without an event, physical goals typically don’t happen.
  3. Set one financial goal for 2011. Contact your employer, bank, and/or credit union and divert a small % of your earnings to a vacation/Christmas fund. Don’t dream about a huge lump sum, set aside a little each week.
  4. Set one spiritual goal for 2011. Go on a retreat, set some scripture reading goal, etc.
  5. Make ‘reserving time’ a new habit. You will never FIND time, and you cannot MAKE time, but you can and should always reserve time for the people, activities, and dreams that are important to you. Get out your calendar and begin a lasting habit of reserving time for what’s important. Make certain that you reserve time for your family, and most importantly individual time for each member of your family.
  6. Buy some index cards and use them as your daily to-do list. You will accomplish all that you write down, and nothing that you don’t.
  7. Have lunch with TED once a week. If you are unfamiliar with TED (www.ted.com) you really should familiarize yourself with this incredible resource and have lunch in front of your computer with one of these super talks once a week. You will see amazing results.
  8. Apply the “Start-Stop-Continue” monthly plan to your life. Each month sit down with your journal and figure out what you need to start doing in your life, what you need to stop doing, and what you need to continue doing.  It’s short and effective.
  9. Find an Accountability Partner. Find someone in your life that you can share your dreams, achievements, and setbacks with periodically.  Find someone that will encourage and challenge you.
  10. Visualize Success. The glass is always half full, you’ll never be given more than you can handle, and what you think about truly matters. Apply it. Think about the great things you have already accomplished to leverage yourself toward the next level. Think about the gratitude for what you have, and how awesome it will be to help others when you summit the next challenge in this awesome adventure of life. Seeing it is step number one toward achieving it.
  11. Set the Timer for Ten Minutes.   Everyone wastes time. Learn to set an egg timer, an alarm on your phone or watch, the timer on the microwave, or whatever, for ten minutes. Do some laundry. Get off the computer.  Ten minutes is an incredibly powerful amount of time.
  12. Read. Read books that will change your life. Read for entertainment. Make a list of books you want to read or create a Wish List on Amazon. If you don’t know what to read email me and I’ll send you a great list. Read.
  13. Think BIG. Nuff said.
  14. Ask. Write letters, send emails, make phone calls, Tweet it, Facebook, or do it in person, but ask for the things you want in life.  If it doesn’t happen, you’re doing it wrong.  Learn to communicate better, more powerfully, authentically, emotionally, or honestly. People want to help others. Become a master of communication.

These are the 14 irrefutable laws to making this year the greatest year of your life. Follow them.  Good luck. Happy New Year!

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event. info@kellycroy.com


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Be Relentless!

Each and every day I check my mail and I see an increase in the marketing for Christmas. Advertisements galore! I have enough Christmas catalogs and advertisements to litter-train all of the 101 Dalmations.  But it doesn’t stop there.  There has been an increase of Christmas marketing in my email, on my television, and everywhere I go. We laugh each year and note how early the marketing begins.

Marketing! Advertisements! Commercials! Sales! Fliers! Discounts! Specials! Deals!

So much marketing! Why do they do it?

It’s simple. Marketing works.

I could protest, shun it, and write countless blogs about the absurdity of so much marketing. I could interview my poor mailman and retell his woes of the literal heaviness of delivering these must-have reminders for sales, gadgets, and discounts. But in the end, they will still arrive, because when it’s all said and done, they are effective. Again, marketing works.

Surrender? No, never surrender.  In fact, I recommend the opposite; join them. That’s right.  Become a relentless broadcaster of something timeless and meaningful. Something that truly embodies Christmas. Spread goodwill.

Remember goodwill?  That enchanting, magical dust, sprinkled from The Spirit of Christmas Present onto the poor in Dicken’s Christmas Carol. That overpowering urge to let someone pull out in front of you during a traffic backup. An anonymous gift of something small, to someone you think is first-class. The mailing of a thank-you card.  You know, being nice. Helpful. Friendly. Encouraging.

Goodwill often takes the backseat in this age of reality television that promotes a put-yourself-first mentality. That’s why we need you.

It would be great if one phone call or note was enough, but it’s not.  We learn that from our advertisers. How many times do you receive the exact same advertisement? Me too. Crazy, isn’t it?! (Remember though, it works.) No, we need you to say and do lots of encouraging things. Repeatedly.

Marketers have a mission behind their madness; they want to close a sale.  You need a goal behind your marketing of goodwill.  I suggest starting small. (Now, being a BIG thinker I just want to say ‘impact a life’ or something huge, but I’m gonna hold back. For now.) Let’s start with a smile. Can you get someone to smile? Move them toward feeling good? Catch that Christmas spirit? Encourage them enough to pass it forward?  I think you can.

I love little notes of encouragement. Positive quotes inspire me. A voicemail from a friend makes my day.  Emails from a friend with encouragement are a treasure.  In fact, anytime someone reaches out to me with the intention of goodwill, it makes my day. I’m sure the same holds true for you. I’m sure the same is true for those you love.

Be relentless.

Learn to say Merry Christmas with your eyes, your actions, and then finally, with your words.

And with that, I truly wish you a very Merry Christmas.

May your home be filled with love and laughter, peace and prosperity, health and happiness.

~Kelly

 

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event. info@kellycroy.com

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Greatest Negative-Attitude-Busting Christmas Movies of All Time

Christmastime is awesome! Certain circumstances and people, however,  can cause us to lose our focus on what Christmas is all about, and then some negative thinking begins to sink in.  We must guard our minds against the holiday enemies: financial stress, obnoxious shoppers, crazy family members, dismal mood-altering weather, overeating, travel stress, and the keeping-up-with-the-Jones syndrome. None of these heavy-hitters belong at this wonderful time of the year, but they do unfortunately force themselves upon us.

One great way of battling these adversaries is with a great Christmas movie.

Here are my top-ten favorites:

  1. Elf (2003)
  2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
  3. A Christmas Carol (1984) — Starring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge
  4. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
  5. A Christmas Story (1983)
  6. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
  7. Stalog 17 (1953) Dad and I watched this together many Christmases. Many will argue it’s not a Christmas Movie. I disagree.
  8. Jingle All the Way (1996)
  9. The Polar Express (2004)
  10. Die Hard (1988) Many will argue it’s not a Christmas Movie. I disagree.

Honorable Mention: Four Christmases (2008), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event. info@kellycroy.com

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A Very Special Christmas Presentation for You!

Is your church or organization  looking for a dynamic Christmas presentation?

My name is Kelly Croy and I am a speaker and chalk artist. I have a very special Christmas Chalk Art Presentation that I would like to share with you.

This presentation is powerful and fun. It combines the raw energy of a live performance, the beauty of an artistic masterpiece, music, storytelling, and computer animation.

Chances are you have never seen a performance quite like mine. I encourage you to visit www.kellycroy.com and watch one of the demo videos available.

I am extremely proud of this presentation that I have created to help celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in a unique, fun, and memorable way. My Christmas presentation includes a large six foot by eight foot chalk drawing choreographed to some amazing Christmas themed music. The art is then brought to life with the use of computer animation. It will surprise and delight everyone. I have included something wonderful for all ages. Each member of the audience can even go home with a small signed print of the artwork, complete with your organizationʼs logo and message. Experience the Nativity scene and the Christmas story like never before.

Along with the customized live art presentation, music, computer animation, and art prints, I will share a powerful story that will touch the hearts of all in the audience. Presentation lengths are designed to meet the needs of the organization. A typical presentation is between 30-45 minutes. There are many options available.

You can find a testimonial from a previous performance along with some other literature that explains a little more about my unique chalk art ministry.

Please visit my website and contact me with any questions you may have. I look forward to sharing my art and words with you and your organization. The signed artwork is yours to keep, display, or auction off for charity. I will be pleased to help you plan and promote your event. (I travel from Oak Harbor, Ohio and have shared my presentations on each coast and practically everywhere in between.)

This special Christmas Chalk Art Performance will only receive bookings for a limited time. Please call for availability. I am anticipating heaving bookings for this unique performance, so please contact me at your earliest convenience to reserve the date. I look forward to meeting you and celebrating the joys of Christʼs birth with you and your church.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas,

Kelly Croy

Inspirational Speaker & Performance Artist

www.KellyCroy.com info@kellycroy.com 1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Remember: Losers Don’t Have Accountability Partners

When I was little I had a goldfish.  He didn’t last long. I overfed him. He died getting too much of a good thing. The food poisoned his water.

I got a second goldfish. This time my sister was assigned the job of monitoring my care of the little guy; he lasted considerably longer.

Sometimes in life we need an accountability partner that keeps us on the right path. They help us stay true to our dream, our goal, our creed.

An ideal accountability partner is someone that will be honest with you.  They have the courage to correct you when you out of line.  They hold you to a high standard. They ask tough questions. They  can humble themselves enough to compliment and encourage. They call you out when you need it, and they defend you when you’re right. They check in on you, whether you like it or not. They will not let you walk down the wrong path. They will not let you quit. With them you become better.

A tall task to ask of anyone.  So, don’t ask.

I have numerous accountability partners.  It seems I have one for nearly every interest. I have a buddy I workout with, and he encourages me to do better physically.  I have other friends that help me along my spiritual journey. They send me words of wisdom and encouragement, especially when I am down or in a dark place.  I have accountability partners that check on my writing progress, my art, even my marketing and finances.  They encourage me to do more, be more, become more. And, I asked none of them to do it.

The accountability partners you need in your life are already in position. They have been with you with you for years. You either are, or are not, listening to them. If you are sure you don’t have any, stop, and listen harder. They’re there. They’re the ones telling you, you are enjoying too much of a good thing or not doing enough. Listen.

Accountability is one of the biggest keys to success I have ever discovered. Practically anyone can write a goal down on a piece of paper, but how do you keep yourself on track?  The power of an accountability partner is remarkable.  Find someone whose life in some way captures your admiration and respect and you will be on your way.

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary became the first man to summit Mt. Everest. Please know there were over 400 accountability partners with him on that expedition. He could not fail.

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visitwww.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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How NOT to Handle Your Bad Day!

I’m sure by now you have heard several accounts of the JetBlue Flight Attendant, Steven Slater, who was having a bad day, and decided to cuss-out the passengers he was supposed to be caring for, aboard JetBlue Flight 10512 over the public address system, grab some beers, deploy the emergency slide, and flee for his nearby home where he was arrested. If you haven’t, click here to read the story that is truly stranger than fiction.

Now, before I sound off on Steven Slater, and I will, let me assure you I laughed heartily and truly couldn’t get enough of this modern day spin of  Take this Job and Shove It, when the news first broke. What an odd and hilarious story.

And then reality set in.

Despite how the media portrays what happened, Steven Slater is no folk hero, and his actions are anything but admirable. Sure, we all at times get frustrated with coworkers, customers, bosses, and our jobs, but Slater’s actions are troubling. It makes a great headline and some incredible conversation, but nothing more.

Admittedly, I do not know all of the events, but I feel very safe saying he went overboard. We all have moments that could certainly make the beginnings of a bad day, but it’s only when we surrender to that moment does our day go south and end up sour.

What should we do to prevent a bad day? Here’s my advice:

1) Give up some gratitude! When you feel the pressure building to a point that you aren’t sure you can handle it, start thinking of people, situations and things in your life that you are thankful. When you start thinking about what you are thankful for it puts your life in perspective.  You remember it’s not just you. Others are counting on you.  And the biggie… many, many people have it worse than you and would trade spots with you in an instant.

2) Hit the restart button. There is no reset button, because you can never erase the score or reset the number of your lives, or turn back the clock in life, nor would you really want to. (You’d never get anywhere.) But you can hit the restart button and give it another try.  Your bruises don’t magically go away, and you may have to apologize, but you can restart your day at any time regardless of how bad it gets.

3) Do the next right thing. You do not have to be perfect.  In fact, you can’t. No need trying. Just try to do the next right thing.  Just one right thing at a time. Live in the now and make it count.

4) Find the funny. There is something funny in every situation. Try to find it. Have a laugh. Point out the ridiculous and the absurd, then get back at it.

5) Call a time out. Find a co-worker, your boss, anybody, and tell them that you need a minute or two to collect yourself. Do whatever you need to do to get away from the situation and get a super-short break.

We have a responsibility to others, a responsibility to contribute to society and we are accountable for all that we do, as well as what we don’t do.

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Confronting Opportunities

Many people claim they would give anything for a genuine opportunity to advance in life.  I hear it all the time, “What I wouldn’t do to have what she has!” or “Why does she have all the luck?” and even “I’m waiting for my ship to come in.”

When an opportunity does present itself, however, it would seem only very few actually step forward.  Why is that?

I believe it is because most people don’t really want an opportunity, they want a reward. They want the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, without participating in the adventure to locate it.  They want the winning lottery ticket, the instant fix, or a wonder cure. They’d rather connect on a Hail Mary pass then drive the ball down the field. They would rather wish than work.

Opportunities and rewards are not the same.

An opportunity never arrives alone. It is always accompanied by work, sacrifice, and change.

Work deters a few from seizing an opportunity, but most people understand the basic idea that they have to put forth some effort to get something back.  They just want to make certain the reward outweighs the effort. If it does they stay with it.  If the reward isn’t big enough, or it arrives too late or too infrequently, they’re gone.  Sadly, most don’t stick with an opportunity long enough to reap the benefits.

Sacrifice deters even more people from an opportunity than work. People are willing to put some time in for the reward, but they aren’t always willing to give something up.  Opportunity is always accompanied by sacrifice whether it be an investment of time, finances, or energy. The more comfortable we become in our lives the harder it is to make sacrifices for opportunities. Sacrifices can and should be made in balance with our values, and consideration for our family.

Change is the biggest road block to opportunities because the thought of becoming something or someone new just out right frightens people. People like who they are, and once they reach a certain age, they find an identity of comfort. (Tip: don’t ever get too comfortable.) They don’t realize that change is actually growth, and growth is what life is all about.  Once you stop growing, improving, and changing, the quest ends, the journey is over, and life loses it purpose. The conquering of every challenge creates a change. Opportunities change us for the better.

In your life you have been given many opportunities. You chased after some will full vigor. Some you sort of jogged after until they left your range of vision. Others zipped by without you even flinching.  You have had opportunities, and you will have more.

The best advice I can offer is this: Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you.  Figure out what you want, go after it, and make opportunities happen. Share your dreams. Ask for help.

Now give some. That’s right. Think of ways you can offer genuine opportunities to others for no other reason than that you want someone to become all that they are capable of becoming.  Do this and you will find opportunities at every turn in life.  People love, respect, and reward those who help them.

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Please Stand By: There is Nothing Wrong with Your Television

There’s something wrong with your television if you’ve spent more time in front of it than you have working at your dream.

There’s something wrong with your dream if you’ve spent more time with it than you have spent with your family.

•••

Actually I’m wrong on both, and you know it. There is nothing wrong with your television nor your dream. You just need to prioritize and focus.

Prioritizing and focusing are two great disciplines. There are many books and blogs that can offer you advice on how to make some progress, but the truth is no one can do it for you.

You will not find time. You cannot make time.  But you can and should schedule time each day for your family and your dream.

Identify the bandits that steal your time from your family and your dream and launch a counter-attack. No dream needs to lie dormant until your children are raised. No family needs to be neglected while chasing a dream. You can and should work at both.  Your life will be filled with purpose and fulfillment. Completion of your dream will benefit your family, in many ways,  and your family can certainly help you in completing a dream, if nothing more than providing the much-needed drive.

Turn the television off, set the smart phone down, let your status update read: Please Stand By: Family Time or Please Stand By: Chasing a Dream, and then, and most importantly, actually do it.

Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker and artist. Please visit www.kellycroy.com or call  1-800-831-4825  or email at info@kellycroy.com to book Kelly for your event. • Kelly’s  presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation, anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.