Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Mishale by Andru Donalds with Lyrics



Lisa Ekanger Your Hometown Realtor!

22 Things You Need to realize While you Still Have the Chance to Change Them!

By Brianna Wiest The truth is that we settle into who we’re going to become while we’re young. As Carlo Levi once said and Cheryl Strayed reiterated, the future has an ancient heart– we unravel as we evolve (another great truth Strayed once pointed out), and in fact, the word means just that, and at our core resides a great force that we build to dictate us. We are most open, most willing, most capable, and most hopeful, while we’re “young.” Before life has done it’s grand number on us for another 10, 20 or 30 years and we have all but lost our faith that we can revolutionize ourselves once again. Because time makes us blind to ourselves. We accept that things are the way they are and if we allow them to become daily routine, well, they don’t just become that– they become our mindsets. They become our unchanging ideology. We are here to sculpt ourselves, and the farther we allow ourselves to settle into what we’ve created without protest, the more difficult it becomes to change as life so readily calls for. These are the things we have to realize about ourselves, and our lives, before it’s too late. 1. If there’s anything we should sculpt ourselves considering, it’s that we will never actually know the truth about most things. We can only call attention to our own truths, our own realities, our own understanding of what it is that’s in front of us right now. This is valid just for the fact that we are experiencing it, but other people’s accounts are valid as well. 2. Nobody should be written off because what they bring to the table seems ludicrous in comparison to what we believe. 3. We find the most happiness in the little intricacies of everyday life. In them will be the memories that we hold of people we lose, the most intense bits of joy, our day-to-day reason to be. Waiting for big change is fruitless, because when it comes, it will once more fade into an overarching backdrop that becomes nearly invisible to us. But the little things will remain. 4. That person you’re fawning over but whom does not know you exist? They won’t be there forever. They, in fact, are currently weighing their own romantic options and are going to start making decisions for their own lives, if they haven’t already, with you excluded from the picture. You do not have forever to be so abruptly and spontaneously honest and romantic with hopes that things may work out in your favor just for the sheer fact that most people will, within the next decade or two, pair, partner or marry. 5. Nobody is thinking about you as much as you are thinking about you. Realize that everybody is just trying to be aware of themselves and stop thinking that everything everyone does is about you, and for you, and was done to spite you. Not only is it false, it will just make you angrier and even more attuned to your own self-interest. 6. Being busy is an excuse. 7. People are pretty simple creatures in the fact that if they truly want something, they’ll go to every length to get it. If someone wants you, you’ll know. Anything else is an augmentable detail of how convenient you are to them. 8. If there’s only one mindset that matters it’s that everything passes. 9. Change is the culmination of alterations so small you barely recognize them. This is how the work gets done, and stays done. The big picture will change when the smaller parts are revolutionized, part by part. 10. Your youth is not the only plausible time to make rash, reckless decisions, but it will very possibly be the time that will yield the least consequences of doing so. 11. Blaming your unhappiness and dissatisfaction on anything other than your sheer lack of will to change is not only erroneous, but it cheats you out of yourself. There will always be alternative avenues, help to seek, changes to make, ideas to reinvent. It’s just a matter of getting up and doing so. 12. Loving something and attaching yourself to it are two very different things, but their lines are usually blurred. It’s only when you are separated from that thing (or person) that you will be able to realize it, and it’s often important that you do before you’re too far deep to come out irreparably changed. 13. You are human and you always will be and the only way to combat the humiliatingly real flawed reality of yourself is to be honest about it. 14. Intelligence is not measured by exams, creativity not by output, desire not by action and honesty not by circumstance. 15. You do not have a guaranteed life span of another 60+ years. Though it feels that way, and to be cheated out of such feels like an offense to you, it’s not. You don’t necessarily even have tomorrow, and you’ll realize this with crippling suddenness when you lose someone you also thought was also guaranteed the same. 16. Trying times are usually wiping the slate clean for a personal renaissance. Wait for it. 17. You can spend your life lamenting what you look like or you can learn to work with what you have. You can spend each meal out with friends counting calories in your head or you can be awed at how absolutely delicious something is. You can torture yourself or not. You are the only one affected by your inner dialogue with yourself. It doesn’t make people think of you differently, it doesn’t make you cooler, smarter, more lovable or more wanted. It makes you someone who cheats themselves out of the whole of an experience. 18. You need not continue to define yourself as you once were defined by others. 19. There are no “beginnings” or “ends” in life. It’s a constantly flowing, evolving experience. There is no waiting period and acting period. You kid yourself by thinking that “you just have to get through X period of time before you can do this and that.” It puts off the reality that you can’t enjoy yourself now, and the truth is, if you don’t learn to find happiness now, you never will. You will always be waiting for the next “tomorrow.” 20. You’re never too old. 21. Your best bet is to spend your money on experiences, not things, though the latter is grippingly tempting. 22. At every single moment of your life, even this one, you are faced with a choice. Do or die. Wait or act. Hope or trust. Cower or believe. And as I said before, much like the overarching picture of your life is just a series of choices and tiny revolutions, as is how you are deciding your future will be. Though the little voice that tells you all the reasons you shouldn’t and can’t feel happiness is a resilient little demon, it does not control you more than you let it. The problem is that most people appreciate the security over the risk, and it’s in their deep security that they find the least satisfaction, time and time again. TC Mark Lisa Ekanger

Ariana Grande - Break Free feat. Zedd (Lyric Video)



Lisa Ekanger Your Hometown Realtor!

Friday, July 18, 2014

Recently, a friend of mine told me, "I'm lonely."

It was a little strange because I thought to myself, "Wait! You're talking too me right now!" What does that say about me and my company? I said, "No you are not lonely and I refuse to hear it." The reason I refused to hear it is because we are trained to believe that loneliness is a state that is hard to break. That once in it, it is very hard to reverse. Loneliness is simply your instincts telling you that you crave more than you have. My friend has a spouse and two adoring children, not to mention lots of friends and relatives too. So what is the craving for? The desire or 'craving' is for new experiences, a new discussion and a new understanding. My friend is growing, changing, evolving and with growth comes painful realizations about what you want for your future. Ask yourself, will I continue to evolve to be the best that I can be in the current relationships I have? The answer is yes. You can train people to give you what you need emotionally. Why is it that when we get married, one person is supposed to supply everything to you? I think that's terribly unfair and quite honestly, terribly unrealistic too. I cant stand hearing, I married my best friend. No! You are your own best friend! You welcomed a VIP into your world and the relationship will be deep and satisfying, but make no mistake a spouse cannot be everything for you. Two half's don't make a whole, in marriages, two wholes make a whole. When you feel yourself breaking through on goals that you have set for yourself, when you look in the mirror one day and say, "Well hello there, I don't think we've met!" Then you know you are in the zone. The zone of being comfortable with discomfort. There is the old Lisa who would have complained when others didn't change their ways at the rate I did....or wanted them to. Now there is the 'new' Lisa who understands that everyone in my life is on their own timeline of growth and expecting them to meet me 1/2 (on my terms) is not always going to happen. When a person that is close to you suddenly feels as far as the moon, its because of what you are manufacturing in your head. Your thoughts become your feelings. You meet amazing people and instead of just living in the moment and soaking up all of the great ideas (and emotions) they bring to you, you fall back into the habit of comparing. If my spouse were just more playful, then I wouldn't be so lonely. If my son would just take an interest in wood-working, I could teach him everything I know! We would be busy building all kinds of cool stuff and ...yep you guessed it, "I wouldn't be so lonely" Like aches and pains in your body, your mind has aches and pains too. Loneliness is one of those pains. Your brain is begging for novelty! Its doing what it needs to do to stay vibrant and alive! Novelty can be found in a million different ways. This Kind Journey Blog is one of those ways for me. Since I started this blog in 2010, I have been going out of my way to meet new people, make new friends and really enjoy their unique personalities. It has been reported that social media has made people lonelier because they just talk online instead of actually doing things. If that's true, then I would like to offer up my experience of using the social media tools; I love them. I get to know people and then I propose a get together! I have met so many amazing people in my profession and other areas too. I have connected with old friends which has added another rich layer of flavor to my life. I once thought I was lonely too. I lived in the Arctic Circle in 1995/1996. I left my family, my country, my friends, my home, my neighborhood, my job, my car, my things, my language, my food, my comfort zone. I wandered around a lot by myself. My huge family of in-laws were trying so hard to help me transition, but I wasn't in a psychological place where I would allow that to happen. Instead, I went to my 4 hour immersion language class every day and looked at a bunch of other foreign nationals who couldn't speak the language either. I judged them in every way. I was in my 20's and really immature. I would walk around after class feeling sorry for myself...looking for that 'thing' that would fill the hole of my loneliness. I never did find it there. Not even at the bakery! Nearly 20 years have passed and the rate at which I meet new people is coming in closer and closer intervals, and I love it! My life is richer and so wonderful, I have to pinch myself sometimes. I feel loved from the moment I awake, until the moment my head hits the pillow. I will be honest, there are those really rare days when someone tries to spread their nasty on me. I do my best to quickly take out my nasty repellent...sometimes I am successful,, sometimes I am not. I am sensitive. I sometimes shed a tear or two, but I don't let them control me for very long. I heard it said once, you cant control your first thought, but you can control your second! Even on my very worst days, I look for laughter and light. Laughter and Light...its all around you my friend. Keep living with an open heart and you will never be alone. I promise:-) XOXO Lisa lone·ly [lohn-lee] 1.affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome. 2. destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc.: a lonely exile. 3. lone; solitary; without company; companionless. 4. remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak: a lonely road. 5. standing apart; isolated: a lonely tower. Lisa Ekanger

All anger at its core is a request for LOVE.

A Blog Post By Mastin Kipp It’s a good day to analyze the judgments we have about others. Wherever we want to make others wrong for how they are being, let us first look inside our own selves. In my kind of work, I do everything I can to give, to add value and to help others. And I understand that when it comes to pushing on topics that are tender for folks, a lot of emotion can come up. What I’ve come to realize is that when people stand up and shine their Light, it shines a light on other people’s darkness. And those of us who try our best to shine tend to get some darkness projected onto us. When you shine your light, you are bringing about 10% of the meaning. When someone interprets what you are saying through their filter, they bring 90% of the meaning to what you are saying. And BOY – let me tell you – on this end, I get a WIIIDE variety of emails and tweets from people. Lots of praise and lots of haters. And I love ‘em all. My mantra is “Bring ‘em all into my heart.” I realize when someone is sending me negativity or hate, it’s not because I’m wrong or did something wrong, it’s a projection of what’s inside them onto me. And the same goes for me. When I’m in a negative or angry state, I tend to project that state onto others. But the key is, let us not stand in our light because we are afraid of the darkness that will be projected onto us. That is letting fear win. Let us EMBRACE and WELCOME darkness, anger, sadness and fear of others – KNOWING that it is simply a deeper request for LOVE. All anger at its core is a request for LOVE. All hate at its core is a request for LOVE. And as Louise Hay once said, “People need Loving the most when they deserve it the least.” My aim in Life is to try to Love like the Sun – which shines on everyone the same. I’m not there yet, but I’m trying my best. And I’ve had to make peace with the idea that people are going to project onto me because of the path in life that I have chosen. There will be positive and negative projections – and none of those projections or opinions define who I am. Just like when I am in a positive or negative state, my projections and opinions do not define others. It’s all about your relationship with yourself. And my relationship with myself. What you think is off in them is an opportunity to see how YOU can bring even more Love. This doesn’t mean being a pushover, but it does mean seeing that each person, no matter how evil they may seem, is an innocent child of The Uni-verse and at their core is a desire for Love. The most “evil” people on the planet do what they do because it meets their needs. And they are simply getting their needs met in a fearful way. Sometimes it’s easier for people to kill other people than it is for them to kill their own ego. But, when we love like Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa and all the Saints of all time, we choose non-violence as a way to demonstrate the power of Love. Be that demonstration in your own life. Lisa Ekanger

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Wise Words from My Friend Sandra Lineen

Life is a fine line of what we need and what we need. Being a geriatric nurse I see many people who have just come to spend the rest of their days in rest homes. They worked, sacrificed, collected and bought many things. Many came from large beautiful homes that are being sold and all their possessions liquidated. Most if their children don't even want their furniture. The residents are allowed to bring only a few pictures, usually they choose family pics. They also may bring a fav recliner and some old cheap costume jewelry, (anything else will be sadly be stolen by employees. This is what is left of a life long effort of working. Of course a little later, when we die, we take nothing but our soul. This is not to be a depressing kind of a story, but just a reminder that a happy balance of work and life are so important. I think many times we have to remind ourselves that bigger is not really better and we may think material things make us happy, but they don't. Love is the best understated treasure on this Earth! Lisa Ekanger

Lisa's Top 15 Health Tips for Vigor, Youth and Vitality!

So this is what I did to get my life (and weight) in control: 1) See a Dr for your blood panels...I didn't know I was anemic until I was in my 30's! 2) Start taking supplements like vitamin D...Omega 3 (mega red krill):- resveratrol, vitamin c, coq10, Acai and garcenia cambogia...I rotate them..taking them more in the winter and less in the summer. 3) I take a baby asprin every 3 or 4 days. 4) I turned my diet upside down: went to a nutritionist who made it clear to me to think of your dinner plate as a pie chart w/ percentages...your diet should be 50-65 percent fruit nuts veggies...20 percent lean protein (pork is very hard to digest fyi) 10-15 percent starch and 5 percent oil/fats REDUCE RED MEAT! 5) Work to eliminate refined sugar...when u are transitioning to health, cut out chips, crackers, cookies, pasta, potatoes and rice...pastries too. All white foods! Not forever but read the book southbeach diet...its a mediterranian diet and I follow it. 6) Dramatically reduce dairy 7) Increase water, but esp before bed...thats when your body does it repairing and flushing of toxins 8) Do (2) 15 minutes (1 early, 1 later) of rigorous exercise (3 x per wk)instead of one long time 9) Learn how to meditate and make it a habit of 20 min a day...any time of day! 10) Read the book Success through Stillness to get you started! 11) Train the brain...read positive things first thing...learn to identify the negative self talk or we call it the drunk donkey...and develop the skill of quickly shutting those thoughts out. 12) Use your time blocking and make sure you tell people love to cant now so that people understand your time is precious and they are lucky to be with you! 13) Join a book club...laugh with the girls! 14) Drink 2-6 alcoholic drinks per week...no more because its hard on you, no less because there are real health benefits! 15) Laugh laugh laugh! Use humor to diffuse stress and remember we are all in this together babe! Lisa Ekanger

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The past is neutral and you don’t really reach back there any longer…

For several weeks now, I have wanted to write a blog entry about marriage. Not just any marriage, but a long marriage. What does it take to have a long successful marriage? The question should instead be, “What is Love?” As the years pass, I see more clearly what love really is….or I guess more accurately (like a medical Dr. rules out disease) what it is not. Love is not a place for you to build your fantasies hoping one day another person will make them come true….but within a team framework (and with clearly defined goals) dreams can be realized. Love is not a feeling. Love is not a destination, not a safe place and not certainly not predictable. Love is a choice. Yes, love is a choice you make each and every day when you are in a long marriage. I can hear you now, “Define long marriage.” 25+ years is a long marriage. I chose 25 because I am recalling the stages of my own marriage and it was right around the 25th mark when I realized that love is just like the earth when it tilts, moves, and shifts and rotates, but make no mistake, it is on its permanent axis and there it shall stay forevermore. Marriage needs to be developed like the chants of a Buddhist monk. At first they are raw, quiet and confusing, but as time leaves it mark the relationship becomes thoughtful, disciplined, steady and clear. There is a new reality that sets in when you see the bend in your life ~ which is more of your life behind you than in front of you. You understand that each day is to be treated as a unique compartment…a place with a ceiling and a floor and two walls. Within this box lies your intentions and only you can see them. Only you dispense them and only your partner receives them. They are private now whereas before they were not. You do not complain about the issues of the past, the irritations and the disappointments. The past is neutral and you don’t really reach back there any longer…and the joys are back there too. You are at total peace and you risk leaving them all behind because you know that your only focus, your laser beam focus is to enjoy just this one day with the one person you chose to love. Lisa Ekanger

Desperation is (also) a story we tell ourselves.

I grew up in an upper middle-class family in the country. I am one of 4 children (yep you guessed it, a middle child) and my childhood was really great…until it came to a screeching halt in my mid-teens. My father, the breadwinner, lost his job of 20 years and lost his mind too. When you hear the phrase, “going off the deep end”, well that’s exactly what happened to my Dad. The crisis of a father disappearing, a mother filing for bankruptcy and my childhood home going into foreclosure was too much to bear; so at 18 years old, I decided to move to NYC. I spent a year as an indentured servant (Nanny) to a wealthy family and, almost immediately, I knew I wanted to live like them, not be the servant to them. Instead of planning for that kind of success, I spent most of my teens and early 20’s scratching to get by. From the ages of 19-27 I spent a massive amount of time locating my wandering homeless father, going to court to have him committed, taking care of him, and advocating for him too. My early adulthood was void of dreams because when you spend all of your time in a place of fear, you simply don’t have the energy or inspiration to cultivate those plans. Out of the experience of desperation however, I also learned a level of gratitude that I never knew before. The suffering of having little food, little money, little stability and very little guidance caused me to become very self-reflective. It was during these years I first began studying the power of self-control…of attitude control. Now I know differently. I know now that desperation is (also) a story we tell ourselves and that if someone shows you the path, you don’t have to use any unfavorable circumstance as an excuse for not succeeding. I learned of the law of attraction, but I didn’t believe it. Like most people, through the years, I had glimpses of insight of how to go about setting goals and achieving them but did nothing with them. What I didn’t have was a formula. So I continued on with my life in an entrepreneurial way. This means to just go with the flow and do what comes naturally. It’s probably the way most people live ~ in a reactive state instead of a deliberate and purposeful state. It was also during this period of my life that I did the standard thing; I got married, completed college, had children and started a career. My spouse and I were always looking for the next thing, so we moved 16 times in our 27 year union. We’ve lived in 4 states and 2 countries and yet somehow each move didn’t procure the satisfaction we had hoped for. I gained weight and I lost weight and gained it again. He was in education, I was in sales. Each position I took (I told myself) would somehow be that magic career-move (there was even the occasional million dollar sales club designation) but the years rolled on and I always put my kids first telling myself that I was lucky to be able to work a flexible job [which was really underemployment] and when I was downsized from my tiny stable position, I consequently allowed stress to rule my life. From 2003-2008, I was very sick and battling a number of health issues when I decided to take a huge risk. I decided that I must make the mind shift to work for myself. I must learn how to control my own time, my own income and my own destiny. I obtained my real estate license and within a few months of joining a prominent company, I was introduced to The Floyd Wickman Program. I was new and terrified… and now I was going to be held accountable too? In the beginning, I remember resisting it. I remember the mental battles that raged in my head. The fear was huge and the effort felt like such a monumental task. The results however were magical. It was during my 2nd full year in real estate I saw a 500% increase in my business, and then I took the program again and again. Each time, I saw the same gain and the most amazing part was the personal goals I had set for myself were beginning to happen too: • Goal #1 weight loss/health (down 25 lbs, for more than 4 years now – arthritis in remission) • Goal #2 help son through college (graduated in 2012 and is now a PhD candidate in chemistry at W.S.U.) • Goal #3 buy investment property to flip (did so in 2011 with a 45k profit) • Goal #4 buy dream home (did it in 2011, already up 100k in equity!) • Goal #5 make it to our 25th wedding anniversary and throw a huge party for doing so! (did it last July) • Goal #6 build a real estate book of business to sell (sold in 2013 when asked to join Floyd Wickman Co.) • Goal #7 Take dream vacation (Santo Domingo last April!) There are many small goals I’ve reached as well, and I’m achieving them in closer intervals than before. Real estate is a mindset business. 80% creating daily habits, controlling your time (and their expectations) & setting boundaries for your life and career~ The Floyd Wickman Program changes both careers and lives! With Love, Lisa Ekanger Your Floyd Wickman Trainer

Thursday, July 3, 2014

“Frustration comes from knowing what to say, but not knowing how to say it" ~ Floyd Wickman

This past spring marked my 5th year in the real estate industry. The time went amazingly fast and the learning curve is still not over. Before I was in this industry, I used to think of real estate as an elusive undefined industry ~ they knew all of the ‘secret’ knowledge about achieving the American dream. I noticed that there were agents who looked and acted like million dollar producers, and then there were the agents who could double as used car salesmen. I’ve met agents who sell tent rentals, skin care, candles and even perform puppeteering in their ‘other’ time. I have thought to myself, “Wow, how do you ever expect yourself to be taken seriously as industry leader when the back seat of your Saturn is stuffed with puppets? If your dentist tried to sell you candles, would you respect him or her? If your attorney interrupted the meeting to hand you a skin care catalog, would you feel confident in their advice? Why? Why did some dress like attorneys and command incomes as such, while others dressed in faded jeans and worn out loafers? I’ve come to learn the reason is because real estate (like any other self-employed industry or group) is a self-propelled career. Since 70% of the general population is made up of what are referred to as ‘Sociable’; it would also make sense that 70% of the population of real estate agents are also in that group. What is a ‘Sociable’ personality type? They are dedicated, responsible, and supportive; they enjoy sharing, groups, unstructured activity and they are problem solvers who can generate positive energy for a good cause. In short, they are law-abiding great people. So why don’t they naturally make successful agents? It’s because they lack the areas needed most to succeed as their own boss; strong leadership, clear direction, group recognition and well-defined boundaries. Real estate is a self-driven, self-employed industry (in case you didn’t know that) real estate agents drive their own income. Unlike other commission based industries (like insurance sales and mortgage sales) agents do not receive a stipend, a base salary or a draw. Unfortunately, many agents still drive around and behave like they are on someone else’s clock. They haven’t left what we lovingly refer to as ‘civilian’ life. They lack the insight and ability to stream-line their energy and resource towards income producing activities. 70% will also fail out of the industry in the first 5 years. Many agents spend years in the state of ‘quit’ before they actually leave. They just cannot seem to make enough money to justify quitting their ‘other’ job. If it hadn’t been for my early exposure to an industry legend, I too would have been in a perpetual state of quit. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. That’s why this industry has such a massive fail rate. Luckily, I was exposed to the advice of successful agents who told me that training was the key to longevity in this career. I spent the first 2 years attending every class that I could find, but it wasn’t until I was introduced to The Floyd Wickman Program, that the path was illuminated…the path of building a salable book of business through time control, managing expectations and learning how to listen for motivation. Floyd says, “Frustration comes from knowing what to say, but not knowing how to say it, and from knowing what you need to do, but not knowing how to do it.” I was once told, “Real Estate is simple but not easy” and when I first heard those words, I didn’t really understand them. I do now. There is no magic in the magic formula for real estate success. There is however a path that was beaten by years of trial and error; this was Floyds life work. He wanted to teach others the lessons and battles that were hard won, so that they would benefit from his success. If you are a broker who has a bottom half in production (the agents who just can’t seem to get the ball rolling) and you know where you want to go, but don’t know how to get there, please give me a call so we can discuss what the Floyd Wickman Program can do for you. Let’s do this! Lisa Ekanger Floyd Wickman Real Estate Trainer 810-357-8404

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Take a Closer Look at What Floyd Wickman Can Do For You!

Lisa Ekanger

"What is it like to be a Floyd Wickman Trainer?"

Why do I do it? People often ask me "What is it like to be a Floyd Wickman Trainer?". They’re curious as to why I do it. As a trainer I have been blessed with meeting many people from different parts of this great country. I’ve had the privilege of helping real estate agents realize their true potential. My goal is always the same...to help them become the agents they intended to be. I have been able to this because I teach the Floyd Wickman Program. I sometimes hear “it must be hard with all the traveling, hotels, airports, food etc.” So, I would like to share a story to help better illustrate how I feel. Once upon a time a boy went into a pet shop, looking for a puppy. The store owner showed him a litter in a box. The boy looked at the puppies. He picked each one up, examined it, and put it back into the box. After several minutes, he walked back to the owner and said, “I picked one out. How much will it cost?” The man gave him the price, and the boy promised to be back in a few days with the money. “Don’t take too long,” the owner cautioned. “Puppies like these sell quickly.” The boy turned and smiled knowingly, “I’m not worried,” he said. “Mine will still be there.” The boy went to work-weeding, washing windows, cleaning yards. He worked hard and saved his money. When he had enough for the puppy, he returned to the store. He walked up to the counter and laid down a pocketful of wadded bills. The store owner sorted and counted the cash. After verifying the amount, he smiled at the boy and said, “All right, son, you can go get your puppy.” The boy reached into the back of the box, pulled out a skinny dog with a limp leg, and started to leave. The owner stopped him. “Don’t take that puppy,” he objected. “He’s crippled. He can’t play. He’ll never run with you. He can’t fetch. Get one of the healthy pups.” “No thank you, sir” the boy replied. “This is exactly the kind of dog I’ve been looking for.” As the boy turned to leave, the store owner started to speak but remained silent. Suddenly he understood. For extending from the bottom of the boy’s trousers was a brace--a brace for his crippled leg. Why did the boy want the dog? Because he knew how it felt. And he knew it was very special. Why do I do it? Because I know how you feel. You see, for 20+ years that I was in commissioned sales, I went through the ups and downs and everything in between. Heaven knows, I know what agents are going through...the good and the bad. I know in my heart that this has helped me become a better teacher. I’ve seen so many lives transformed, because of The Floyd Wickman Program. This......is why I do it. Until Next Time, Lisa