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Articles from Hugh DeBurgh | Selfgrowth.com
- The Problem with Big Families - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe problem with big families is that they don’t fit anywhere. I never thought about this problem until I experienced it, but everything in our society is designed for the family with 2.4 kids and a dog. If you happen to have four kids, a cat, a few kid friends, and a spouse, a lot of things ...
Views: 3860(3 votes) - Why Thinking Like A Child is Better Than Thinking Like A Grown-up - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWhy I Like Kids Better Than Grown-Ups I have a confession to make. For years, I really had little use for kids. I used to have a near magical ability to entertain kids and engage them in a way that other adults just didn’t get. I didn’t enjoy doing it. It was like an elaborate act and it ...
Views: 3271(2 votes) - Leaving the World a Better Place - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghOne of the mottoes that I like to live by goes something like this: “Leave the world a better place than you found it; your community a better home than when you arrived and others happier than when you met them.” This is the message that I hope that my kids will live by. It is simple and can ...
Views: 2779(2 votes) - Approaching Life - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHappiness is the direct result of a choice. An agreement, between you and you. If you aren’t happy now, it’s because you have not made this choice, this agreement with yourself. The question is, “Why not?” Many people simply do not understand this basic rule of life. Apparently, nobody told ...
Views: 2412(3 votes) - Are You Determined to Be Happy? - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAre You Determined To Be Happy? You already have everything that you need to live your dream life except perhaps a solid understanding of who you are and a bit of courage. And a desire to be happy; no; a determination to be happy. In fact, I think that it is determination that sets satisfied ...
Views: 2398(1 vote) - When It Hurts Say OUCH! - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThat's Got to Hurt! I recently had a Twitter friend ask me to post some uplifting quotes related to “taking kindness as weakness” and “being pushed too far.” Of course I did my best to find a few that might assuage her pain. At least I hope they helped a little. This reminded me of a common ...
Views: 1979(2 votes) - Keeping Your Female Partner Happy - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThis article is aimed at my masculine readers. If you are of the feminine race, please read this as well, and set me straight if you disagree. You certainly know this subject better than I! Let me start out by stating that this post is a hopeless generalization. When I refer to relationships ...
Views: 1950(2 votes) - Embracing Your Inner Warrior - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghEmbracing My Inner Warrior They say that you can do anything in Vegas. Well, apparently, you can. My older kids noticed a brochure on the tourist racks for a place called “The Gun Store.” Yeah, I know a gun store? “But dad, they have all of these uber old guns from World War II and stuff and ...
Views: 1703(2 votes) - Live and Let Live - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLive and Let Live “There will always be war, famine & poverty as long as anyone believes that he has the right to impose his will on another.” I wrote that on Twitter a few weeks back and it seemed to resonate with some people. That sentence is my conclusion of what people like you and I must ...
Views: 1670(2 votes) - Get to Know Yourself - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWho Am I? Know Thyself. This advice was reportedly engraved on the famed Oracle at Delphi the seat of all wisdom in the ancient world. It was the guiding rule of the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates. Even the mysterious “Oracle” in Hollywood’s Matrix movie trilogy had this phrase posted ...
Views: 1639(1 vote) - Peace Amid the Chaos - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghPeace Amid the Chaos I am going to tell you something strange; perhaps even unbelievable. I understand exactly what is going on in today’s world. I seem to have a gift. I can see the big picture where many others cannot. I understand what is causing so much of this chaos that surrounds us. ...
Views: 1636(1 vote) - My Life IS My Message - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy Life IS My Message My Life IS My Message. Sometimes new acquaintances ask me, “So Hugh, what is it you do?” It seems like a straight-forward question but for me answering never is. Consider the following possible answers: • “I help awaken people to the life they should be ...
Views: 1606(1 vote) - The 7th Secret to Living the Good Life - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghIt's Time to Fall In Love ~ With YOU! I’ve saved the best for last. It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how much natural talent ekes out of your every crevice – you will not achieve satisfaction in life if you do not love yourself. Instead, you will sabotage your own success, knowingly or ...
Views: 1551(3 votes) - Persuade Your Partner - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghNew FREE Guide to Persuading Your Partner Published! You have made up your mind. You are going to take the plunge. Start your new life. Live it your way. Then reality socks you in the face. What about your partner? What will he or she think? What if they nix the idea right off? Or maybe ...
Views: 1493(1 vote) - The Seven Secrets to a Successful Life - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurgh7 Secrets to Living the Good Life Know the 7 Secrets. There really are 7 “Secrets” that you need to know and understand before you can successfully transform your life from where it is now to where it needs to be. These 7 Secrets require that you change your long-held attitudes, your ...
Views: 1468(1 vote) - AWE - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghToday there isn’t much that leaves us in awe. We are educated in general scientific principles. Through modern media we are exposed to the wonders of space; of quantum physics and other incredible discoveries. As a species we no longer ascribe great geological events to the anger of the ...
Views: 1462(2 votes) - Life on the Canals of France - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLife on the Canals of France Cruising the Canals of France by Barge Bill and Nancy were a Maryland couple who decided to hang up their conventional lifestyle and try something new. Their first adventure was moving aboard a sailboat and traveling for two years from the Chesapeake Bay to ...
Views: 1449(1 vote) - Be the Best You Can Be - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghBefore you can even begin to reorder your life, you must surrender. Most people cringe at the thought of surrender. We are fighters. We don’t just give up. I am not suggesting that you surrender to others. I am suggesting that you surrender to yourself. You don’t have to like your life or ...
Views: 1429(2 votes) - Educating Teens - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2010 from Hugh DeBurgh"Educating" Teens My wife and I were talking today about our oldest child, who is almost eleven years old. He is a very bright, compassionate, and mature young man, and he has been a great help to us with chores and in dealing with the younger kids. But he is getting quite bored, maybe even ...
Views: 1403(8 votes) - Life is our Classroom - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLife is Our Classroom Since long before I married and had children I have been passionate about education. You see, I really did not enjoy my life experience with the traditional approach to education. I attended public schools my entire life (and in an area with a well-funded school system). ...
Views: 1366(3 votes) - Freedom; Is It On the Wane? - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFreed As we live our lives, freedom is singing its sweet music in far off Iran. The younger generation there simply refuses to accept tyranny over their lives any longer. When I watch these brave souls fighting this tyranny in the streets of Tehran and elsewhere; I realize that freedom is ...
Views: 1357(1 vote) - Amy's American Adventure - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAmy was an adventurous blond, blue-eyed tomboy living an ordinary suburban life when her parents announced that the family would be purchasing an RV motor home and traveling the United States for one year on a journey of discovery. She was a bit sad to leave her friends behind, and she wasn’t ...
Views: 1342(3 votes) - The Dunes of Mars - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe Dunes of Mars Today the Warrior left the Earth that I know and entered a strange world of towering sand dunes and brown-orange volcanic rocks. In the distance low brown hills rise above a rubble filled surface. The sky above us is cloudless. The sun is quite hot and glares so bright ...
Views: 1342(2 votes) - Be True to Yourself - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghOne of the concerns that I had before I decided to take my life (and my family’s lives) in a completely new direction was what people around me might think. You know what I’m talking about. For some folks being different comes easy. For those of us who grew up among the cliques and ...
Views: 1315(1 vote) - Getting the Life You Want - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe 5th Secret to Getting the Life You Want Know Your Priorities – Be present with who and what you love – otherwise, what’s the point? The greatest gift that you can give to another person is your full and undivided attention. It’s also the greatest gift that you can give to yourself. The ...
Views: 1304(2 votes) - We Are All Related - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHey Cousin! For those of you following the progress of the Road Warrior crew I am writing to you tonight from Stone Mountain, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. Today as I sat with my family in an Atlanta restaurant I couldn’t help but notice the guy who was sitting just across from us. You see, he ...
Views: 1303(2 votes) - Financial Lessons From 007 - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFinancial Lessons from 007 It’s time for a lesson in family finances. I was watching one of the recent James Bond flicks with Daniel Craig as 007, Casino Royale (I think he makes a great Bond – you?). Anyway, something I saw stuck in my mind and for some reason it popped back to the front ...
Views: 1296(8 votes) - A War of Words - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghYou Are Wrong! I was distracted today by a vigorous “debate” that I stumbled upon on Amazon.com. I never realized just how active the discussion groups at Amazon are and regarding much more than books! One such subject was the health care battle that is currently raging in Washington. Now I ...
Views: 1291(1 vote) - What About Your Savings - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghIn today’s economic chaos how can any of us ever hope to earn enough to break out of our life rut and start living the good life? The good news is that you don’t need to. Instead, what you must do is refocus your life on living with meaning; rather than on making money while developing unique ...
Views: 1282(1 vote) - Going Into the Light - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy good friend died this morning. We knew it was coming, of course. We arrived at his home only last night. I didn’t feel bad for him. I believe that he was finally released from a now-useless body and probably feels great. I’m glad that today he can be with us without a struggle. I’m not ...
Views: 1275(4 votes) - Keep Your Eyes on the Prize - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghI have found that there are two approaches to achieving a goal. • You can focus on the process – that is, focus on the things you need to do to be a success • You can focus on the goal, and sort of let the process happen. The first method sounds more responsible; certainly you have to ...
Views: 1272(1 vote) - I am Bored - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghYesterday I was talking to my kids at dinner when one of them uttered those classic words, “I’m bored.” I told her that there were only two roads away from boredom, and only one of those was permanent. The second road would lead her right back to the boredom she hated, but the first road would ...
Views: 1268(3 votes) - Family Leadership 101 - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFamily Leadership 101 Leading Your Brood Are you your family’s leader? Whether your answer is yes or no, this post is focused on you. Why does leadership matter? Well, first let’s consider the following questions. Is your home just a collection of people going separately about their ...
Views: 1266(3 votes) - Family Freedom Now - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFreedom; today, my wife kids and I declared our freedom. My wife and I made a huge decision today. We had a meeting scheduled with our kids’ teacher at school. The Head of School was also there. My wife and I were supposed to talk to them about getting our kids re-enrolled and back into the ...
Views: 1262(1 vote) - How to Beat the Best at Their Own Game - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHow to Beat the Best at Their Own Game The Power of Focus on Demand The following is a reprint of a guest post that I did last month at the Bold Life blog. Just in case you didn’t catch it there, I thought you might enjoy it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Everybody wants to win. ...
Views: 1260(1 vote) - Living the Good Life - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghIt's Time to Live the Good Life Now it’s time to go to school; Creative Family Lifestyle Design School, to be exact. What is Creative Family Lifestyle Design? It is you taking charge of the direction of your life. It means making your life work for you. The 2nd Secret to Living the Good Life ...
Views: 1254(1 vote) - Do Something Different - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghGive your creative family lifestyle dreams a try out. If you followed the advice in the past, you have been doing a lot of thinking lately about what sort of creative family lifestyle you could be following. Now it’s time to get your feet wet. Up to this point, everything that you have done has ...
Views: 1223(6 votes) - Is Public School Right for Your Child (Part 1) - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghEducation – Is It Screwing Up Your Child? (Part One) I will assume that you have a child of school age or that is about to enter school. Or perhaps you have grandchildrenor you are just thinking ahead. Either way, when it comes to the educational options for your loved ones, perhaps you are ...
Views: 1223(1 vote) - Take time for You - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghSometimes life seems so complex and chaotic that we really have no idea where to start to wrest back control over it. It may be necessary for you to take a personal time out. This time out may be with family and/or friends; like a vacation. However I believe that you really need to spend some ...
Views: 1222(1 vote) - Spreading Good News - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHelp Spread The Good News! I believe that people everywhere need to be woken up to the life that they could be living. Do you have friends and loved one’s who seem to be sleep-walking through life? Do the energy and the light seem to have faded from their eyes? Has their marriage lost its ...
Views: 1218(1 vote) - Losing Your Job in Today's Economy - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghGotta Let You Go… Now What? Those words (or just the fear of hearing them) haunt just about every job holder in today’s “deadsville” economy. Losing a job is a real possibility these days even for long-time loyal employees. I cannot begin to alleviate your pain if this has happened to you ...
Views: 1215(3 votes) - Dare to Dream - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghDare to Dream - And to DO “Follow your dreams – this requires courage, drive, and bold action.” It is easy to ignore your dreams; to regret them; to label them as unrealistic, childish artifacts; to deny that they really matter to you anymore. Adult life is filled with reasons that dreams are ...
Views: 1209(1 vote) - I Ain't Got No Money! - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLet’s face it. The number one reason (or excuse) that most of us use to avoid even thinking about making a major change in our family’s lifestyle is fear about our financial situation. Especially in today’s unstable economic environment most folks are holding their breath and hoping that they ...
Views: 1196(2 votes) - You Wanna Do WHAT? - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghYou Wanna Do What?!? Are You Nuts? Because I blog about changing your lifestyle I have asked readers to comment about what they think are the personal barriers to chucking it all right now and living the ultimate family lifestyle. I want to thank all who responded. The honesty and palpable ...
Views: 1183(3 votes) - Meeting New Friends - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAs we travel across a continent we inevitably make new friends. Some are just fleeting. Others last a lifetime. At our current campground in southern California we have met and made a new friend who has had quite an impact on both the kids and the adults. Our new friend’s name is Kindle. ...
Views: 1178(1 vote) - Are You a Family Leader? - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAre You A Family Leader? The purpose of The Way of the Passionate Warrior is to create inspired and passionate family leaders. Yes, this site is about families but truly it is about family leadership. Are you a family leader? Not much happens in life without some sort of initiative and ...
Views: 1176(2 votes) - Inspiring Families - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghInspire Your Family; families don’t really exist until they “connect.” Personally, I don’t define a family by who its members are or even by how those members might be related to each. I define a family by how it behaves and by the degree of connectedness and cohesion between its members. Even ...
Views: 1176(1 vote) - Embrace Uncertainty and Discover Adventure - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghUncertainty is the key to adventure. One of the first steps to starting down the road to a creative family lifestyle is to prepare yourself for uncertainty. If you are the kind of person who needs a lot of predictability in your life in order to sleep well then this path may not be for ...
Views: 1172(2 votes) - You Are Programmed to Be Stuck - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThere seem to be two kinds of people in this world. There are those who, when they want something to occur, they roll up their sleeves and do their best to make it happen. Let’s call these folks entrepreneurs. And then there are those who, when they want the very same thing, wait for someone ...
Views: 1171(4 votes) - Travel Is A Family Education - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFamily Travel Is Education. Today I watched as scientific data confirmed that the planet Earth had been split into pieces and vaporized. You see my family and I spent this afternoon at Meteor Crater in Arizona; the best preserved crater of its kind on Earth. The Apollo astronauts trained here ...
Views: 1168(1 vote)