Inspiration

7 Simple Yet Powerful Metaphors that Will Change the Way You Think

02.07.2023 by Marc Chernoff // 6 Comments

A metaphor is not an ornament. It’s a necessary lens of perception that allows us to experience and think about ourselves and the world more clearly. Metaphors have a way of relating to us in a profound way, by clarifying immense life lessons and truths in fairly minimal space.

Angel and I have shared the following metaphors and corresponding stories with our students, coaching clients, newsletter subscribers, and conference attendees dozens of times over the past 15 years, and we usually get thanked for doing so. The specifics differ slightly every time we share them, but the core lessons carry onward.

My challenge for you today is to read the first metaphor [Read more…]

7 Calming Quotes that Will Stop You from Taking Things Personally

02.05.2023 by Angel Chernoff // 8 Comments

In most cases you can’t calm the storm. What you can do is calm yourself, and the storm will gradually pass. So breathe when stress or negativity surrounds you today. Let calmness be your superpower. The ability to not overreact or take things personally always gives you the upper hand.

Remind yourself that people are hard to be around when they believe everything happening around them is a direct assault on them, or is in some way all about them. Don’t fall into this trap. What people say and do to you is much more about [Read more…]

5 Things You Forget About the Precious Little Time You Have Left

02.03.2023 by Marc Chernoff // 20 Comments

May you truly live every day of your life.

The Girl Who Didn’t Make It

Alyssa was my best friend. She was a talented musician, a graceful gymnast, a brilliant writer, and a deeply passionate human being. She cared about people. Love bled from every facet of her being. When she spoke, her eyes were as sincere as her words. And she always wanted to understand what was wrong so she could strive to make it better.

But Alyssa woke up one day during her senior year in college with a strange pain in her chest. The on-campus doctors didn’t understand why, so they referred her to a specialist. After several MRIs and blood tests, they determined that she had a rare escalated case of Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a form of cancer. She spent the next three years suffering through varying degrees of pain and sickness as multiple doctors treated her with radiation and chemotherapy. And although these doctors were initially hopeful, Alyssa’s condition worsened, and she eventually succumbed to her cancer, dying on her [Read more…]

8 Wake-Up Calls You Need to Receive in Life Before it’s Too Late

01.27.2023 by Marc Chernoff // 21 Comments

You’ve come a long way, and you’re still learning and growing. Be thankful for the lessons. Take them and make the best of things right now.

For my 18th birthday, many moons ago, my grandfather on my mom’s side gave me four lightly-used flannel shirts that he no longer needed. The shirts were barely worn and in great shape; my grandfather told me he thought they would look great on me. Unfortunately, I thought they were odd gifts at the time and I wasn’t thankful. I looked at him skeptically, gave him a crooked half-smile, and moved on to the other gifts sitting in front of me. My grandfather died two days later from a sudden heart attack. The flannel shirts were the last gifts he ever gave me, and that crooked half-smile was the last time I directly acknowledged him. Today, I still regret the little thing I didn’t say when I had the chance: “Thank you Grandpa. I appreciate you.”

That was a huge wake-up call for me — one that has served me well for over two decades now.

And here are eight wake-up calls for YOU — some important life lessons worth learning before it’s too late: [Read more…]

20 Little Things You Learn as You Let Go of the Uncontrollable

01.17.2023 by Marc Chernoff // 18 Comments

Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in your journey.

It’s always necessary to accept when some part of your life has reached its inevitable end. Closing the door, completing the chapter, turning the page, etc. It doesn’t matter what you title it; what matters is that you find the strength to leave in the past those little parts of your life that are over.

It’s all about embracing the truth: What has happened is uncontrollable, but what you do now changes everything!

Of course, knowing this and actually living a lifestyle that reinforces this truth are two very different things. Letting go is NOT easy – it’s a journey that is traveled one day at a time. If you stick with it though, here’s what your journey will ultimately teach you: [Read more…]