In preparation for a recent keynote speech for the National MS Society, I found a lady named Jo Franz who has MS. She, like me, is an inspirational speaker and author. She is NOT frightened by having MS, in fact she seems to embrace it. While she isn’t dressing up tonight, she might be able to give others a dressing down for complaining about the scary things they face with fear and trepidation. Life is too LONG to live in fear. Face your fears and overcome them… and have a Happy Halloween! (exert from her email below)

Well, you asked how often I volunteer for the National MS Society–as often as I can and am asked! I spoke locally for the Portland Walk to pump up those fund-raisers and was to speak for the Vancouver “unassuming heroes” luncheon, but they couldn’t get enough sponsors this side of the Columbia River so they had to cancel. (Portland is a much more booming business town.) We–the staff and I–were really excited about the new talk based on my book theme, SOAR, that I was going to give. I was asked to speak for the Seattle area bike ride but had another speaking engagement. The Portland chapter asked me to handle the entire upcoming spring Vancouver Walk event, but I knew it would take too much energy with my own speaking schedule and book promotion, so I had to turn it down. Having MS myself, I need to be careful NOT to overbook (and right now that’s a real priority since I’m trying to get the book out there–the initial months are crucial for a new book.)

As it is, my husband can hardly get me out of my office at 5:30 pm and is concerned for me because when I’m not speaking I need to veg, I’m so tired out! However, I can report that my neurologist is amazed at how well I’m doing. Four years ago he told me I was going into secondary progressive MS and this has been my best year in years! I believe God is empowering me for a fresh ability to get out there and encourage people!

Speaking as well as peer counseling, motivating others with MS is absolutely fulfilling for me. When I became a certified peer counselor in 1984, my husband of 15 years (who began an affair two years earlier with an older teenager) had left me and was filing a divorce I did not want. MS was part of his struggle. Learning that I was like others with MS, dealing with all the same emotions while still a Christian, helped me tremendously. So, I became what the Denver National MS Chapter said was “their best peer-counselor.” I know it was because of my faith, but I never spoke of that unless I was asked why or how I could be living like I was, with the attitude I had… then I could tell my “secret.”

While we lived in Orange County, CA, we were super-active with the MS Society. We rode our tandem in five tours and I spoke at the beginning of each ride where hundreds lined up, thanking them for raising funds… I spoke for a number of fund-raising events in the evenings, for sororities, support groups, gave Christmas concerts, and I peer-counseled while I continued my own speaking events.

I have ruined my thumb-joints from using forearm crutches since 1981, so I can’t ride the tandem in tours anymore, or ski (leaning into the outriggers is really tough on the and hands–did that ever bring a time of grieving the loss of a thrill!) I’m supposed to use a chair for distances instead of crutches so I don’t need thumb joint replacement surgery, which, after immobilizing me in casts for six weeks could render my arms and hands useless with MS.

But I have a joyful life of helping others through speaking, singing, and my book out there now. And Ray and I have found others avenues for adventure.

I am ALWAYS willing and wanting to motivate others to excel with whatever they have to soar unafraid through life!

HERE’S HOW TO CONTACT JO:
Soar Unafraid, Learning to Trust No Matter What
www.soarunafraid.com

www.jofranz.com
Inspirational & Motivational Speaker, Author, and Singer
360-687-1376

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Click here (then click on Blog Talk Radio) to listen to an interview with Jin Williams who had an event today to raise money for vicitms of fire in San Diego. You can also donate by calling 619 .817. 8480

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Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

I am in Dallas where tomorrow I’ll address over 1000 attendees at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society National Conference. I’ll be on a program tomorrow night with Sue Thomas, a former FBI agent whose life was the inspiration for the PAX TV show. Also on the program is David “Squiggy” Lander from the 1970’s show Laverne and Shirley. Both live with MS.

I am as excited about this presentation as any I have ever done. In 1991, I started riding in the MS 150 bike ride in Northeast Florida. I rode on a bike that was as comfortable as a middle seat without a cushion on a cross-continental flight. I rode that year not to raise money but to have fun with my wife and a group of young friends. I continued to ride and eventually became one of the top fund raisers in the Northeast Florida Chapter. I raised thousands of dollars and rode hundreds of mile each year because of adversity – adversity faced by my sister-in-law and brother-in-law who lost men in their family to MS, adversity of friends and a neighbor who experienced the struggle of living with MS and adversity experienced by my dear retired motivational speaker friend Rosita Perez who inspired my annual “Ride for Rosita”. 

I didn’t know much about biking when I first started riding three years after knee surgery. Though I thought I trained well, within thirty miles of this first ride from Keystone Heights, Florida to Silver Springs in Ocala, I was off my 287 pound bike with a seat the size of postage stamp, praying for a sag vehicle and a treat. As I slowly and painfully walked, I observed a cyclist wearing the name of someone they loved on their bike jersey. I read the encouraging signs placed by MS volunteers along the road. I heard cheers and clapping as neighbors watched cyclist fly by. I made it to the rest stop and placed my knee on a glacier of ice and snuggled up to a Power Bar of Pain killer. I decided to continue to the lunch stop. On I rode, taking it one rest stop at a time until I finally finished the 79.5 miles of day one with a record setting average speed of 3.9 miles per hour, a police escort into Silver Springs at dusk and a crude certificate made by my friends that read, “Congratulations, you finished dead last!”

I just returned from my son’s Boy Scout camporee (which basically means lots of boys, lots of testosterone, and lots of smelly clothes). When I was a scout, women were forbidden to come on camping trips –there are just some things that we just didn’t want them to know and it just would have ruined everything to have them there. Tonight, as in every troop event I have been on, there were women – gross me out! So I have been thinking both about women and my scouting experience. One aspect of scouting is Order of the Arrow, which is an elected leadership honor. The OA has a motto - WWW which means We Want Women (at least it did when I was a scout!). Actually, if I told you what it really meant, I’d have to kill you. So you’ll just have to keep with the teenage definition we gave it. In truth, I think scouting is probably better with women participating. Our troop has a boy with Downs Syndrome and his mother (or father) is with him at every event and our troop welcomes her and other women as well. If women had been involved in scouting when I was young, I probably would have never gotten a swirlie (if you don’t know what a swirlie is, you can ask a scout from my era. Trust me you are better off NOT knowing). Men leaders in my day either just let it pass (not referring to other things scouts do on campouts) or are just too full from Dutch oven cooked peach cobbler to walk around and see what REALLY happened to young scouts. So I am thankful for the difference woman make in scouting.My friend Kathy Roth, founder of the Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation, emailed me about other women making a difference - Women Writing for (a) Change.This is an organization, a writing center of sorts, located in Cincinnati founded by Mary Pierce Brosmer. Women Writing for (a) Change was initially started with the idea that, through writing and sharing their work, women might make systemic changes in their lives, and thus, the world. Over the past 15 plus years, it’s grown beyond that. There are writing workshops for families and men as well. In the summer, there are writing camps for girls. The biggest focus remains women.I also learned today about Lending Promise another very cool project that involves woman.  I must confess tonight, I feel like a womanizer and the great thing, is that my wife is okay with it….just for tonight.  

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

I received the email below from my professional speaker colleague Barbara Glanz . Barbara wrote the book the Simple Truths of Service with Ken Blanchard about Johnny the Bagger. Barbara seems to find great inspirational stories where ever she go including this from her pastor in a recent sermon (I have pasted her email exactly as she sent it:)

My pastor told a story this Sunday that really touched my heart. He said he
was traveling on Delta from Atlanta to Sarasota, and although usually he is
in the very back of the plane, this time his boarding pass said zone one.
Being one of the first people on the plane, he got to do some wonderful
people watching as others were coming on board.

He was in the third row of coach, when soon a young man in uniform came in,
stowed his pack in the overhead bin, and sat in the row ahead of him. Another young lady was seated in that row, and he was able to hear a bit of their conversation. The young man told her that he had just finished a tour in Iraq, was coming home on leave, and then would go back in several weeks.

As they were talking, a woman who had been seated in first class, came back
to the young man’s row, introduced herself, and asked him for his boarding
pass. A bit puzzled, he handed it to her, at which point she, in turn,
handed hers to him. She said, “I would like to trade seats with you.”

The young man immediately responded, “Oh, no, Ma’am, I couldn’t do that.”

She smiled a huge smile and said, “Oh, yes, you can, Soldier. It’s an
order!”

So, as everyone around wiped teary eyes, the young man reached up for his
backpack and went up to sit in first class.

Just a few moments later, he said another woman came out of first class,
went down the row to another young soldier and said, “I just want to thank
you for serving our country. Would you please trade seats with me?”

And the end of the story is that by the time that plane took off, EVERY
SINGLE PERSON IN UNIFORM was sitting in first class!

What a testimony this is to the difference each of us can make every single
day in every single situation when we are in touch with our hearts! That
one act started a chain of kindness that touched every single life on that
plane that day.

How can YOU reach out to someone today to thank them for the difference they
are making?

Blessings,

Barbara

The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have
sought and found how to serve. Albert Schweitzer

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Last week marked the celebration of Customer Service Week. It was started in 1988 by the Institute of Customer Service. Customer Service Week is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and honoring the people on the front lines of the service revolution. Having had a nightmare of an experience with a health care provider this week and an AWESOME experience with Randy at Expert Click.com today (and weekly for the last month), I felt compelled to write about great customer service providers.

Also, it occurred to me after reading about it, that some of the “hero’s” on the front lines are some of the same people who are making a difference in the world. People like my friend Barbara Gilbert who, as a waitress, raised almost $200,000 for the impoverished people of Jamaica and BJ Hart who makes his job a joy every day as he directs traffic onto a Ferry with such pizazz that people ride the Ferry just to watch him sing, dance, and turn a mundane job into an exciting one. We all see examples of people every day who turn a potentially exciting jobs into a mundane one. It’s all too common to see service provides who act like robots, are rules trolls (my name for those people who don’t have an ounce of flexibility in their body), or worse, those who are just plain rude. Randy, at Expert Click is the opposite of all those things. He’s cheerful, kind, helpful— the guy could have inspired the Boy Scout Law!

I suspect these are the people who are likely Randy who do good both on the job and who also work behind the scenes in their spare time to help others and make our world more rich in the ways that matter. Randy Rocks  -  who  do you know who rocks and why? Are they making a difference in their jobs and in their communities?
 

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Last night, I rode my bike to a coffee shop near my house. I love it that I can take off on my bike and in a few moments arrive at a few good restaurants, three coffee shops, my dentist, my church, a theatre, my chiropractor, acres of woods with some fun single track biking trails and even to the homes of a few friends.

I pasted the county courthouse that looks like the courthouse in the movie Back to the Future. As I rode, I remembered walking through my neighborhood recently and thinking how much Maryville mirrors fictional towns Mayberry or Mitford (from the book series by Jan Karon). I took some pictures of old historic homes and other sights. If you are interested in seeing them, I’ll gladly post. There are not the caliber of my friend Lynn Freeney but I have a copy of cool shots. Just walking while observing with a keen eye made me grateful for the Rich life I lead.

At the coffee shop, I watched the crescent moon come up over our village as I talked with a new friend who has made it. He has taken a business from a print newsletter written in 1995 and turned it into a business that lets him living the life he always dreamed (a true 4-hours work week guy). I want to do that. I realized how much I yearned for the “Rich life” he had - limitless time with my wife and kids, gratifying non-profit work, more time with extended family and friends, travel experiences to allow my kids to see the world. I want to be in a position to help others at a higher level of commitment as he and his wife do each summer at a camp in Asheville, NC. Some say, just stating your goal moves you toward it. I think it’s a lot more than that but here for the world to see, it’s stated…I want to live right, and live rich.

My friend gave me a gift and one I’ll tell you about but only if 10 people let me know they want to know it. Don’t worry, it’s not Network Marketing, the four spiritual laws, the Law of Attraction, The Secret, or prize in the bottom of the Cracker Jacks. I’ll show you the pictures for free but the gift will cost you something though you won’t have to give either of us money, as there is no money involved. It’s much better than money. I won’t have to kill you if I tell you that they say in the spy movies. You’ll just have to want to know and be willing to share the gift. I’ll show you the pictures for free - just ask. The gift? It’s going to cost you!

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Starting October 26th, join the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party for a 24-hour party! It’s an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. I’ll be blogging about the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund and other things. Visit the WBBP site to sign up! .

For information on inspirational speaker Tim Richardson, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Today I spoke with my new friend David Douglas who called in route to the San Francisco International airport. As I write this, he’s flying half way around the world for a two month trip to Nepal, Indonesia and Thailand (I wrote a little about him in during my recent crazy travel week). David’s story is amazing. He had it all (or at least thought he did) the gorgeous three story home in San Francisco, a Lake Tahoe condo, five cars, a BIG corporate salary, etc. He came home one day and asked his wife, “IS THIS all there is?” That question eventually led him to ponder what he was doing with his life and totally shift his priorities. He’s now in the volun-tourism field. Check this our from his web site:

If you have ever dreamed of visiting Nepal, then this is an adventure you won’t want to miss. Members of the tribe will be trekking Nepal this Fall in the Annapurna Sanctuary, considered by many to be the most beautiful trek in the entire world.

“October is the best time to visit the majestic mountains of Nepal—when the countryside is fresh, the temperatures mild, the air clear, and the views breathtaking.”

Nepal holds a special place in the heart of Off-the-Rails co-founder Dave Douglas. So he has put together a trek that makes a great introduction to the Himalayan experience visiting friends in various villages that encompass the culture and traditions of Nepal.

“I have no doubt that anyone joining in on this trip will come back with a new perspective on life…there’s something inherently special about meeting the people of Nepal and re-discovering a way of life long forgotten as we visit the villages and terraced rice paddies dotted along the base of these amazing Himalayan giants.”

We will do beautiful day walks working our way along rivers and ridges from one village or settlement to the next, staying and eating in Nepalese style bed & breakfast inns (no camping!). All you need is a light day pack for essentials throughout the day and we will have porters carry your other necessities during the trek.

We’re giving David the job of being our international correspondent for the World’s Biggest Blog Party. He’ll be writing weekly about his adventures, the people he meets, and some very RICH stories on voluntourism. Look for his stories soon on the WBBP.

 As my friend, WBBP party goer, and former National Speakers Association president Scott Friedman says, “Enjoy the Journey!” I’m quite sure Dave will and hopefully we will vicariously through his posts on the blog.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Only two more weeks until Make a Difference Day which also kicks off the World’s Biggest Blog Party.  So the staff here at the corporate headquarters all gathered in the conference room today for a major meeting. Among the many things discussed included the upcoming blog party. The dialogue went something like this:

Tim: Okay, who has an idea on how we can get 1000 bloggers to participate in our world’s biggest blog party?

Silence.

No one said anything.

So I asked the question again.

Tim (with more passion and volume): Who has an idea on how we can get 1000 bloggers to participate in our party?

Again, nothing. Nadda. Not one word. You could have heard a pin drop.

So I repeated (sometimes it takes awhile for people to REALLY comprehend when a rhetorical question is being asked or not).

Tim: (This time I cleared my throat for emphasis). “I’m looking for ideas, here. Come on folks this is an obtainable goal. Brainstorm. Let’s go.”

Of course, no one answered. It’s only me and when I talk to myself in the office, my wife worries. Plus I sound funny when anyone over hears me. So I decided that I’d have a contest. If we were to start now, Charles Brinkley would win … hands down. He’s been a great WBBP team member. But SOME might complain that he already had the momentum so we’ll start everyone together.  So the contest kicks off tomorrow and ends on October 26th. SO Start telling your blogger friends. I’ll do the fair thing and count myself out. Now the question is what to give away…cash? Too common and too difficult to come by. A gift certificate? Too impersonal.  One of my children? No, you would grow attached as I have. 

Just blue skying here - what about a free ticket to any location in the US or Canada. And if you are local (or VERY adventuresome) my wife and I will also treat you to a fabulous gormet dinner in our home or at a local restaurant). Perhaps a CD set of all Jana Standfields music. She’s a terrific singer and song writer. And a personalized copy of my buddy Greg Godek’s book 1001 Ways to be Romantic. But wait, there’s more - how about a ginzu knife set, a bamboo steamer, and the Ronco Chop-a-matic - it slices,  it dices, it purees.

Of course, all this will have to be run by the selection committee (who might just impose some rules).

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

I just got off the phone with my dad. I called him because my son’s hands and legs are stained dark brown from playing with black walnuts. Since my dad loves black walnuts, I thought he’d have an answer to how to get the stain off. Had I thought about it first, I’d had gone online to ask the great internet Google god the following ”oh master of all great knowledge, tell thee kindly how does one remove black walnut stain from the hands of a mischievous lad who wrote all over the road using the nuts from the tree as if a pen”. Fortunately for me, I didn’t consult Google, but grandpa (my son’s grandpa that is). His answer included information that I would have never received from Google. By the way, I think we are missing out by asking Google questions we should ask grandpa, grandma, the next door neighbor or a friend. 

I am not sure how it came up but dad told me that he had been listening to a musical program this week where the host posed this question:  “What music changed your life?”  Dad told me that hearing Fredick Chopin’s Polanise Opus 53 at age 15 changed his life. He said up until that time, he had never heard a man play a grand piano. He remembered thinking over 60 years ago, “If it takes me until I’m 45, I’d like to be able to play that piece like that man.” Inspired by Chopin, he started taking piano lessons again. Two years later, he played the Polanise in a recital.

Dad told me if he hadn’t heard that music, he might not have become really interested in music. Had he not rediscovered music, he likely wouldn’t have enrolled at Stetson University to study music. Had he not attended Stetson, he certainly wouldn’t have met my mother and if he hadn’t met my mother, I’d not be writing it. (Thanks Fred!)

I heard this story which I had never heard before because I called my dad for black walnut stain removal advice. While I’m grateful to Google for the impact it has had on me, I’m much more grateful for my dad (who by the way, has never even been on the internet).

*********

So the question of the week is what piece of music has changed you, impacted your life, moved you to action, or just is music that has meaning to you? The brain trust of the World’s Biggest Blog Party wants to know. In fact, we’re putting together a list of music that will be downloadable on the WBBP blog - music that matters. So what do you think?

If you see this twice, I am posted it there too.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com