Free Back To School Supplies

When I was asked to start a morning TV segment on helping moms find the best ways for living a life of balance and peace, I was thrilled to say “Yes”! As a life-coach, trainer, and advocate for empowering families to be the best they can be, it is my greatest joy to serve others by providing useful tools that will help them achieve their goals to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

Each Tuesday morning at 6:45 a.m. on KTHV (www.todaysthv.com) you can join me as I reveal some truly fantastic ideas to help your family become ultimately successful in every area of their lives.

This week’s tip will help you save money on back to school supplies, clothes, and more!

Smart Money For Smart Moms

Already the stores are packed with back to school supplies and row upon row of tantalizing options for our kids. Spirals with their favorite Disney characters, pencils in every color and style, scissors with pads and without, lunch boxes for every personality, and rows of backpack options make the job of back to school shopping more tempting and stressful than ever if you are trying to help your family stick to a Smart Money budget.

This week on our KTHV Moms Like Me segment, I shared three important tips for saving money as you send your kids back to school in style.

TIP #1 - GET THRIFTY

Why pay retail when you can pay wholesale, or even better, if you can get it for FREE? Today, there are so many consignment and thrift stores, resale shops, and non-profit organizations that offer inexpensive and often free clothing for all ages. And, even better…. many of these organizations insist that the clothes be in excellent, clean condition, ensuring that you not only get a great deal, but great quality too!

How do I know? My family is continually praised by how well-dressed we are and how we present ourselves with excellence as a family. And, guess what….. we RARELY ever buy anything at retail costs. Though I am regularly on TV, radio and a featured speaker before large audiences, I am still a bargain shopper and delight in the money I save – finding and wearing my “special bargains” that cost less than most people pay for a pair of shoes. I’ve learned to spend less by wisely shopping at consignment, resale shops and bargain centers. I have no problem shopping at a thrift store if it means being a good steward of the finances God gives my family.

Another great way to get thrifty and be smart with your money is to be confident, or should I say humble enough, to let others know that you don’t mind taking hand-me-downs. It will help your family financially AND it will help our earth by recycling items that aren’t even worn out!

How do you get hand-me-downs? The answer: YOU ASK! If you see a child in your neighborhood or school that dresses well and have good relationships with their family, subtlely let the parents know that you would love it if they ever have any hand-me-downs they would like to pass on to your child.

My brother and sister-in-law have two boys that are only 2 sizes above my son’s. Right when my son was born, I made it clear that the hand-me-downs from their boys would be such a blessing to us. And since my nephews have been blessed to wear top name brand clothing…..it has been a special blessing for our son to enjoy those clothes that continue to come regularly to us even today! Recycling has become a way of life for our family…..not to mention, the blessing we are able to be to others as we pass these clothes on. “Pay it forward” has become our family motto!

So don’t be too proud to search for bargains. Remember, the goal is to become debt free so that you can use your resources to bless others!

TIP #2: GET HELP

Matthew 7:7 says “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. Today, there are so many organizations that exist for the purpose of lightening the burdens off of families. You don’t have to be a family in dire straights to tap into these blessings. You just have to be humble enough to ask and receive. Right now, there are organizations like EMwomen that have GREAT opportunities for families. One of the organizations partnered with EMwomen is Project Backpack, where FREE school supplies are being given to any child in Garland County who simply shows up to receive one. The backpack is filled with all of the basic supplies a child would need going back to school.

Google free school supplies and see who is offering them in your area. If you are in the Garland County area visit EMwomen.com and you will be able to get information about backpacks being passed out this weekend in Garland County.

TIP #3: GET SMART

If your kids are anything like mine, you know the masterful way they have in talking us into overspending on items they say they NEED. Just take your 5 year old to the store with you and you will know what I mean. What was intended to be a quick trip for a couple of items becomes a “Mommy, PLEEEAAASE!” session. And, unless you are Atilla the Hun, you probably cave at some point……. like me.

So here is what I decided to do when my 5 year old son told me he just HAD TO HAVE a motorized truck to drive --like his neighbor. Realizing we were months away from a birthday or Christmas, I decided to get smart by teaching my son the importance of saving his money and earning his money to get that special item he didn’t think he could lie without!!!!

We talked it over, checked out the truck pricing “on-line” ($299.00 – ouch!) and then started planning our strategy! Together, we wrote out a plan on how he could raise that money himself and save up for the day he could confidently walk into Toys-R-Us and buy that truck. With great determination, I watched as my 5 year old boy sold cupcakes, washed tires, babysat neighbors’ children (of course I helped!), sent letters to relatives asking for their support in acquiring this “must have” truck and even held a toy sale of some of his best toys. In just two weeks, he had raised enough to get his truck. Not only did he have his truck, but he acquired confidence and pride in having been successful in his venture!

Too often, we, as parents, want our kids to have the desires of their heart but fail to see the importance of teaching them valuable life principles in finances by training them to work hard, believe in their dreams, and never give up!

As you start planning your own strategies for successfully sending your kids back to school this year, I hope you will be able to use these tips to help your family get Smart with their money. If you would like to download the full SMART MONEY course online, visit my website at: www.staciwallace.com

Until next week, know that I am believing God’s absolute B.E.S.T. for you and your family!

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR SPACE, DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE! (PART 3)

BY STACI WALLACE

RULE #3: De-clutter Your Personal Space

Recently, a client came to my office with a great amount of stress. She sat in my office and cried, “My life is in a place of chaos. I’m overweight, my marriage is rocky, and I don’t even have time to clean my own house. I am behind the eight-ball with no plan of escape.”

After listening to her desperate plea for help, I asked her to take out a piece of paper and play a game with me. The game was hide and seek. The goal of the game was to search (or seek) for hidden time in her daily routine that would allow her to find greater life balance. She looked at me as if I were asking her to do the impossible.

She said, “You don’t understand, I HAVE NO TIME.” I explained that I agreed that time is a tricky little bandit that gets away from us if we let it. I then assured her that I felt like a good 007 agent, up for the task of finding the time she had somehow misplaced.

As we took inventory of her day, we started with her morning routine and discovered that her lack of planning was draining precious moments from her schedule. We found 30 minutes lost due to a lack of planning her kids clothing and lunches for the day. We discovered another 30 minutes lost when she took calls from random friends with no real purpose but to say “hi”. Another 15 minutes was lost looking for her keys, shoes, or other pertinent items to each day’s kick-off. As we continued “searching” throughout her day’s schedule, it was an eye-opening experience for her as we discovered an extra 2.5 hours in her day that were prime moments being waisted. After our meeting, she left with a new lease on life, a new outlook on her possibilities, and a new plan for reorganizing her time, her relationships and even her home.

So, when we talk about de-cluttering your personal space, we are specifically talking about your home. If you say, “Staci, I just don’t have time to clean,” I encourage you to play little game of hide and seek with yourself, too.

You don’t need HOURS to tackle the challenge of de-cluttering your home. Like the old saying goes, “You can’t eat an elephant with one bite. But inch by inch, anything is a cinch.”

Baby Steps

Take baby steps and set aside 15 minutes a day to tackle one project at a time. Here is a step by step approach you can use to get started.

STEP #1 - Prioritize.

Start your de-cluttering process by sitting down and assigning priority to each room in your home. Create a sketch or graph of your home and put a number on each room according to importance of clean-up. Room #1 would be the room that takes first priority in your de-clutter plan. Room #2 would be the second room to tackle, and so on.

STEP #2 - Divide and Conquer

Once you identify the first room you will focus on, break it into projects. For example, let’s say your bedroom is priority #1. Your first project in that room might be to organize your nightstand. Rather than looking at the room as a whole, start with one area. If you have a mound of clothes or trash on the floor, start by clearing everything out and sorting it in another room or in the garage. Only put back in the room what deserves to stay. If you are tackling the nightstand, remove all contents in the nightstand. As you put items back in the nightstand, purge with passion. If you have not used something or worn something in a year, it’s time to purge it. If it has not sentimental value, let it go to a charity, a garage sale, or make a few bucks with it on Ebay. The point is, start somewhere. By dividing big rooms into small projects, you will have quicker sucesses and stronger motivation to keep going.

STEP #3 - Keep On Keepin’ On

One of the last statements made to my by my grandmother before she passed away was, “Honey, just keep on keepin’ on.” Those simple words have had such meaning in so many areas of my life. From the natural childbirth of my son after 17 hours of labor to the passion behind starting a non-profit organization from scratch to the sometimes daunting goal of keeping our family home organized and clean, I can hear her words ring loud and clear, “Honey, just keep on keepin’ on.”

Once you have conquered that first project, don’t stop! Find another project in that top priority room and dominate it. No matter where you start, whether it be a closet, pantry, bedroom, the kitchen sink, or any space of your choice, just keep on keepin’ on. Take those little 15 minute windows and make them prime-time for clean-time. Don’t just sit on the couch when you watch that reality show, go ahead and pull a drawer into the living room with you and organize your socks, de-clutter your jewelry box, organize your warranty papers. Make the most of your time by making your time work for you!

(Note: For those of you who are in need of true down-time due to being hyper organizers, chill out and enjoy the night off. For the rest of the 99% of time-waisters, however, enjoy a great game of TIME hide and seek and eat that elephant of clutter, one bite at a time!)

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR SPACE, DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE!

BY STACI WALLACE

PT. 2 - DE-CLUTTERING YOUR WORK/OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

Did you know that your desk can play a physiological role in your daily productivity and overall health? A messy desk and disorganized office environment could very well be the cause of deeper issues in life.

According to researchers at NEC-Mitsubishi, a computer-monitor manufacturer, many office workers are suffering from IDS, irritable desk syndrome (IDS), which can cause chronic pain, loss of productivity and other physical and mental symptoms. IDS is actually a sickness associated with working long hours at a cluttered desk (often with poor posture, as well). In a recent study of 2,000 office workers, researchers found that:

• 40 percent said they were "infuriated by too much clutter and paper on their desks but could not be bothered to do anything about it."

• 35 percent said they had back or neck pain because they knowingly had poor posture or an awkward position while at their desk.

"What most individuals fail to realize is that desk symptoms typically escalate very quickly, from persistent discomfort to chronic pain, which can end a person's career and reduce their quality of life in a wide range of ways," said Nigel Robertson, researcher and noted "deskologist."

Other studies have stated that working at a cluttered desk is less time-effective and often results in workers devoting excess time and attention to finding what they need, before they even get to their regular assignments.

"Studies have shown that the person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one and a half hours per day looking for things or being distracted by things. That's seven and a half hours per week," says time-management speaker and consultant Dr. Donald E. Wetmore.

Of course, the antithesis of this syndrome is the person who spends excess time organizing too much. The key? Balance. Once you set your space, maintain it with a simple system of organization. Here are a few tips to getting started on a de-cluttered work/office environment.

1. De-clutter your raw space.

Not sure where to begin with a completely cluttered office? Start by de-cluttering your raw space. Take one drawer at a time and take everything out before trying to organize. You may have papers, files, or documents that are useless and just cluttering your space. As you begin adding things back to your drawers, be strict about what makes the cut back into the drawer. Your office is your sanctuary of productivity. Don’t let just ANYTHING be accepted into the drawer or in your office as a whole. Items must earn their way into your space based on their importance and their ability to produce income, productivity, or creativity to what you do.


2. Eliminate visible clutter.

Once you have gone through your drawers and eliminated the “inner” excess, you should have an organized “inner office”. Your “inner office” is what people DON’T see. Much like finding “inner peace”, your “inner office” will be the foundation of what others should begin to see externally. Now that your inner office is in order, clean off your desk completely, removing all pictures, notes, papers, etc. Once you have a clean slate, only add the essentials back to your space. If you are a picture lover, make sure that your pictures are organized, well displayed, and appropriate for your environment. Your desk will be a reflection of your life and if you have a disorganized mess of pictures, papers, or trinkets on your desk, it will show the lack of balance in other areas, as well. On the other hand, a clean desk is often a sign of a clear mind.


3. Place value on your open space.

Now that your inner and outer office space is clean and de-cluttered, choose wisely what you allow to take up space in the future. When new papers come into your room, read them and determine if they are to be taking up space or hitting the bottom of the trash can immediately. Open your mail and read it. Experts say that a major amount of office clutter comes from items we intend to get to at a later date that never end up being addressed. Mail is a good example; open it, read it, and then either eliminate it or file it appropriately. This will also help you in assuring that bills are paid on time and not overlooked in the shuffle.

4. Specify your space.

You can eliminate needless stress by labeling your space. For example, if you have a file or box that is labeled “IMMEDIATE ATTENTION”, that means that anything in that box gets your attention before the end of the day. Before you go home, look through the box and make sure you have completed the items of high priority. Have a space set aside for essential items. For example, by eliminating that mad scramble for your keys or any other item, you've spared yourself loads of unnecessary anxiety. Save yourself this precious energy and give your space labeled boundaries.

These are just a few tips for de-cluttering your work/office environment. Stay tuned next week for tips on how to de-clutter your home/life environment. :)

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR SPACE, DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE!

BY STACI WALLACE

PT. 1 - DE-CLUTTERING YOUR EMOTIONAL SPACE


De-cluttering your home, office and life have the potential to radically improve your productivity at work, home and in relationships. From kitchen counter tops to a messy desk and even a junk filled car – your “space” is a reflection of your life. Show me a person’s car, for example, and I can tell you a lot about their thoughts, actions, and behaviors.

It’s hard to believe, but our environments reflect our inner space and give a glimpse into our souls. When Sanya came to our organization looking to lose weight and demolish over $30,000 in credit card debt, I asked her if she would take me to her car. She looked at me perplexed and yet walked me to her vehicle. As she opened the car door, a can fell out of a messy, trash-filled car full of old papers, shoes, food bags, and wrappers. I had seen enough and kindly asked her to follow me inside.

Sure enough, as we unraveled her emotional, physical, and spiritual “issues” it was clear that her car was a mere symptom of a deeper need for transformation, self-respect and self-discipline. Sanya weighed 373 pounds and was desperately seeking change. Good news is that after only one year, Sanya lost over 85 pounds and demolished $30,000 in debt to go on to live a thriving life of balance and peace.

The key: She had a cluttered mind, cluttered soul, and cluttered life. Though her process included much mental reconditioning, there are a few practical tips we gave her to de-clutter her environments that will serve as a great help to anyone looking to de-clutter their life. They include:

Rule #1: De-clutter Your Emotional Space
Rule #2: De-clutter Your Work/Office Space
Rule #3: De-clutter Your Home/Personal Space
Rule #4: De-clutter Your Relational Space
Rule #5: De-clutter Your Spiritual Space

RULE #1: De-clutter Your Emotional Space

Do you ever find yourself misplacing important items or searching for things that you just can’t seem to find? You say to yourself that you will come up with a better system for organizing the details of your life, but where do you begin? Design Psychologist, Kelli Ellis states, “You see that person who has papers flying out of files, or you see their handbag, and you say, 'I know exactly what your car looks like or what your home office looks like.'” If you have overflowing drawers or an overflowing purse, chances are you have excessive overflow in every area of life. We call that overflow: Clutter.

Clutter, both mental and physical, can leave you frustrated, delayed, disappointed and even late for important meetings, deadlines, or events. Such disorganization eats away at our time and productivity. Think of all of the wasted seconds and minutes used up on searching for keys, papers, clothing and even excess time spent on messy relationships.

“To be truly happy, sometimes you must eliminate unhealthy people and situations from your life,” says Alex Lluch, author of Secrets to Love Life and Be Happy.

If you find yourself surrounded by negative, emotionally draining people, begin to remove them from your mental and physical space. If you feel stuck in a dead-end job, don’t just sit around complaining about the mess, make a determined effort to change.

Breaking away from a comfort zone of cluttered voices, relationships, and even a job will not be easy. It may take a monumental amount of confidence and courage, but it could very well be the key to unlocking your greatest, most inspiring days ahead.

Take Denise Gerrich who came to EMwomen weighing 330 pounds. Her life, home, work, and car were a cluttered mess. She lived with a massive amount of clutter for over 10 years till finally she made a radical decision to leave her comfort zone, change jobs, move to a new city, and clean house personally, emotionally, and physically.

The result? Nine months later she was working in the job of her dreams, having lost 123 pounds and loving life.

To master Rule #1, you may have to made some radical decisions. However, change doesn't come to those who wish for it to happen. It comes to those willing to make it happen with daily effort, faith, and determination.

Tip For The Week:

Start with one area of your home that needs to be de-cluttered. It could be a closet, pantry, bedroom, or any space of your choice. Remove everything from the room, including furniture so that you start with a clean space. Then, place back into the room, only the items you wish to keep. Be courageous. If you haven’t used an item for over a year....let it go! If you don’t plan on using it in the next 3 months, set it free! Those items that end up in your “excess” pile, either throw them away, donate them to a local charity, post them on Freecycle.org, or apply them to a garage sale to pay off some of your debt or bills!

Thanksgiving...Don't leave home without Him

This past Sunday, I attended a church service, in which the pastor (Pastor John) gave such a beautiful perspective of Thanksgiving, not as a day we celebrate, but a person we carry with us daily. For example, "Thanksgiving" has always been with us when we celebrate good times of joyful graduations, marriages, or hearing those words of doctors say, “The test came back negative.” or “The cancer was benign.” “Thanksgiving” always seems to show up for the birth of children or the return of a loved one coming home from war. Yes, “Thanksgiving” is always a welcomed guest at times of celebration in our lives.

But what about those times of sorrow -- at the loss of a job or the loss of a loved one? Pastor John went on to explain the powerful lesson “Thanksgiving” taught him one day.

He told of the story of a young lady whose body was ridden with Muscular Dystrophy. Although she had overcome many trials in her 29 years of life, she became so frail in her final days of life that she had to have oxygen consistently and was strapped into her wheelchair lest she fall out. Then the day came when she passed away, leaving behind a family and pastor who loved her dearly.

Pastor John went on to tell of how he quickly drove to the hospital to be with the family. As he got out of his car, he noticed that "Thanksgiving" who had rode shot-gun that day, tried to get out of the car and go with him upstairs to be with the family. In great remorse and disappointment, Pastor John turned to "Thanksgiving" and sternly said, "No, you stay here. This is no place for you. You stay in the car!"

Ever the servant, "Thanksgiving" obeyed and sat back down in the car. Pastor John proceeded up to the hospital room where the girl's body laid, surrounded by a family in tears. As he entered the room, he carried his own pain and offered his condolences. Then, in rightful order, they all prayed together. As the prayer ended, Pastor John said he felt such a sense of loss and emptiness and together, with the family they just stood there in silence, staring at the girl.

Finally, the mother spoke up and said, "You know, for 29 years, I have prayed that God would heal our daughter and asked God not to take her. But, Pastor, this week, for the first time in my life, I have felt a peace about letting her go to be with her Heavenly Father in total healing. You know our daughter, despite her illness, was an award winning artist. She finished her last painting recently and it was her most beautiful painting ever. It was a painting of a beautiful sky lined by trees bordering a dirt path. The sun was shining on the path as an eagle flew freely in the sky. Off in the distance at the end of that dirt path was a very small wheelchair....empty. The simple title of her final
painting said it all: FREEDOM AWAITS. I knew when she titled that painting, my daughter was ready to go Home."

As the mother continued, a light knock was heard at the door. Pastor John turned to see "Thanksgiving" slowly entering the room. Suddenly the atmosphere was illuminated with joy as the mother continued to say, "I can't believe I am saying it, but I am thankful this day has come. I know my daughter is whole and I know this was her dream. She is free."

Together, with "Thanksgiving" the family celebrated in awe at the graciousness of God in all things. A simple scripture in I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks." Take time to let your heart be grateful for the good, the bad, and even the challenging opportunities in life. Invite "Thanksgiving" to your house this Thanksgiving Day and everyday of your life. You will surely find out that every circumstance you face is a part of the plan that God has for your life. Your best is yet to come, so "Give Thanks."

Beyond The Vote

By Staci Wallace

The people have spoken and the votes have been tallied. Last night at 10:00 pm our nation stepped into a moment in history where new dreams were birthed for so many in our nation. What once seemed impossible for an African-American to be the ruler of this great nation, is now an achievement that will forever be "do-able". No longer will it be heralded as "remarkable" for an African American to do anything in this country as we have watched the highest office in this land be secured by President Elect Barak Obama.

Even as I type this, his name comes up as a spell check error signifying that the world, only a few short months ago, had no idea who this man was or how he would change the world. But today, whether he won your vote or not, his victory stands as a symbol of hope for every dream you have in your heart, stating that "anything is possible when you believe".

When Roger Bannister smashed the four minute mile, it was a feat that many declared was "impossible" for man to do. But with the desire to continue his education, Roger used his innate ability in track to seek additional scholarship money to put himself through school. He ran with the hopes of becoming a doctor. What started as a self-directed vision became a catalyst of historical change, proving that "anything is possible when you believe." Once he proved the possibility of his accomplishment of breaking that record, hundreds and eventually thousands of athletes went on to do the same.

What I witnessed last night was far beyond politics or the victory of one candidate over another. What I saw was another "four minute mile" being broken in our nation that tells exclaims to dreamers everywhere that “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”!!!!

To every African American or anyone with a dream who has ever wondered if opportunities would emerge to give way to their greatness in this country, the proof is in the moment. Yes, anything is possible. Yes, you can, dream the impossible dream. Yes, you can achieve great things others deemed out of reach. Yes, you can break barriers of limitations set by others. Yes, you can change your world.

I encourage each of my EMwomen sisters to dig deep on this one. As somewhat of a "momma" over this community, I have enjoyed seeing the valiant debates and support of your candidates in this election. I have silently watched as so many of you, normally "shy and quiet spectators" move to the front of the crowd to let your voices be heard. Did I always agree with your passions? No. Did I still embrace your zeal and willingness to stand up for your convictions? Absolutely! I know that courage is the beginning of change. When you have courage enough to stand up for what you believe in, you have the power to make a difference.

Whether that courage sets a woman free from abuse or enables creativity and boldness to own your own business, courage begins when you are so passionate about something that it pulls you out of the woodwork and into the spotlight of conviction.

So now what? What happens beyond the vote? Here is what has kept me from sleeping tonight and what I pray will burn as a new passion in your heart. Whether your candidate won or not, I beseech you to take this to heart.

No matter what your Party affiliation may be or how you voted, now it’s time to move beyond the election into a place of action. Your greatest freedom is not the freedom to mark a ballot, but knowing you live in a country that gives you the freedom to become a catalyst of change for the values and principles you
hold most dear.

For example: If you don't like the way government is being run.....run for office! If you are tired of old education models dictating your child's future.....join the PTA or school board and help influence change. If you are pro-life (and many of you have been clearly so)....take your passion beyond the vote and get involved in a local organization that supports your vision for life, make a donation, volunteer for an organization in your community. The point is.... get involved. Don't just wait for things to happen -- get out and use your life, your money, your voice to initiate change and make things happen!

If there is one thing I am passionate about, it is helping individuals see beyond their current reality into a life of what "could be, should be and must be!" This is the greatest country on earth and our leadership now will thrive, not on the standing of who is in the White House, but the millions of Americans who take this opportunity to get involved in their community, their country and their future.

Barak Obama has broken a barrier and written new text for our history books. What is the record that you will break in your lifetime that will prove to your children and their children that anything is possible? If you will possess the passion, determination, commitment, tenacity, work ethic, and “Never give up” attitude, President-Elect Obama possessed, your dreams can become a reality. Dreams come, not to those who hope for things to happen, but they come to those who dedicate their lives to making things happen.

Will you join me in making EMwomen a community of passionate catalysts of change for the future? Will you stand up and let your voice be heard by getting involved in your community, state and schools? Will you agree to pray for our President no matter what your political preference? Will you be a woman who uses her life to change her world?

If you say yes and are willing to help me in this effort by becoming a woman with passion taking action, email me at staci@emwomen.com. I want to know who the real movers and shakers of this community are going to be! For doing so, I want to send you a free download to my latest song, "Stand Up". I pray it will motivate you to do something remarkable with your life.

Remember: Your life is like a fingerprint that will leave an imprint on this nation. The question is: What kind of an imprint will it leave?

Believing the best for you today!

Staci Wallace
Founder, EMwomen.com

What Is Your Obstacle?

Have you ever had a dream, idea, or challenge that seemed impossible? Have you ever hoped you could break through limitations to see those dreams become a reality?

Erik Weihenmayer is a unique leader that has not only broken those limitations, but has made a career out of overcoming insurmountable odds. On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer climbed the summit of the world's highest peak - Mount Everest. And on September 5, 2002, when he stood on top of Mt. Kosciusko in Australia, Weihenmayer completed his 7-year quest to climb The Seven Summits - the highest mountains on each of the seven continents

In September, 2003, Erik joined 320 stellar athletes from 17 countries to compete in the Primal Quest, the richest and toughest multi-sport adventure race in the world: 457 miles through the Sierra Nevada's, nine days, sixty thousand feet of elevation gain, and no time-outs. Averaging only two hours of sleep a night, Erik and his team surged past the finish line on Lake Tahoe, becoming one of the 42 teams to cross the finish line out of the 80 teams that began.

What makes Erik's accomplishments incredible is not only that he is living his passion to climb the hardest and highest peaks in the world, but he has done so despite being completely blind. As the only blind man in history to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, his passion and tenacity have set a new standard for the potential of mankind to overcome what others consider impossible obstacles. He has shattered the ceiling of limitations for blind people and has lived as a catalyst of hope for the human spirit.

Today, as you set out to conquer your world, look for the opportunity to overcome the odds, face the winds, climb the mountains, and summit the heights of excellence. To some, adversity causes them to break. To leaders like Eric, adversity causes them to break records. Today is a great day to set new records in your life, work, and family.