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Forward Habit

Personal Development for People Not Content Standing Still

Soaring Saturday: July 25thJuly 25 2009

My dad Gene Mitchener always said, “Don’t let what you can’t do stand in the way of what you can do.” Since I’m disabled, there are many things I can’t do. I can’t walk. I can’t breathe without the use of a ventilator. I can’t even scratch my nose. But there are also many things I can do. I can write. I can create artwork. I can pray. I can encourage. As I write in my book Just Passing Through: Notes from a Fellow Traveler, “With every prayer I pray, I soar. With every word I write, I’m free. With every song I sing, I fly. With every moment placed in God’s hands, I ride the wind.” Or as I put more simply on my Twitter page, “I can’t walk, but I can soar!”

Soaring despite setbacks is not unique to me. Many people deal with difficulties, but choose to soar. So I’m starting something called Soaring Saturday. Every Saturday, I’ll feature a few people who soar despite setbacks. Today, I’m featuring two people.

My first Soaring S

The Power of LessDecember 31 2008

One of my favorite blogs to read is Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. Leo writes about many of the same subjects I do here on Forward Habit but in his own unique way. I don’t consider him a competitor, but another source that can help you attain your personal development goals.

Leo just released his book The Power of Less which teaches us how to simplify our lives so that we have more time (and money!) to focus on the things that are really important to us. In our ever-evolving world, it can be too easy to get caught up in the busy-ness and complexity of life. Leo’s book looks like a good aid to help declutter our lives both physically and emotionally.

I will post an in-depth review of Leo’s book the Power of Less in the coming weeks, but for now you can check it out on Amazon here:

How to Really Make a Difference in People’s LivesDecember 19 2008

photo credit: Heraklit

Fox has been broadcasting a new show called Secret Millionaire. The premise of the show is that a wealthy individual spends a week incognito in one of the poorest areas of the country. The millionaire lives on minimum wage during the week and has to get to know members of his adopted community. At the end of the week he decides what people or organizations to help by giving at least $100,000 of his own money. The millionaire reveals to the people that he’s been lying about his identity and hands them checks for anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000. After all the checks are given out, the millionaire usually reflects on how his life has been changed by seeing how poor people truly live and how he’s glad he was able to make a difference in t

When People Say “No, You Can’t” or How Not to Give in to DiscouragementNovember 10 2008

(Photo by JuLiEn LoZeLLi)

David Ring was born with cerebral palsy and was orphaned at an early age. Years later, after he became a Christian, he felt the call to preach. People tried to discourage him, saying his slurred speech would never allow him to preach. David ignored them and went on to become a nationally known preacher who speaks to over 100,000 people a year. When speaking about all the obstacles he overcame, David challenges his audience, “I have cerebral palsy. What’s your problem?”

My father Gene Mitchener was also disabled. He spoke all over the country at conferences and hospitals. He once said, “Nature disables us, but we allow people to handicap us.”

Often we let people discourage us. Can you imagine how different the world today would be if more people had given in to discouragement?

“Simon Peter, stop that preaching! You’re just a fisherman.”

“Helen Keller, you’re blind and deaf. You have no business writing.”

“Abraham Lincoln, you’ve lost more political races than you’ve won. Quit trying to become president.”

“Orville and Wilbur, that thing will never fly. Just give up.”

How Not to Give in to Discouragement

1. Realize You Have Unique Abilities - God has created us each with unique abilities that no one else has. W

How to Help Fight PovertyOctober 15 2008

(Photo by eren | thisvintagechica)

Today, as part of Blog Action Day, I’m contributing to the discussion on poverty.

I’ve never though of myself as a rich person, but according to the web site Global Rich List I’m in the top 14% of the richest people in the world. This number really changes my perspective and makes me want to do more to fight poverty. But here are two things I’m doing right now that you may also want to consider:

Sponsoring a Child

Through World Vision, I sponsor a six-year-old boy in the Dominican Republic named Marcos. Because Marcos lives in a community affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis, World Vision classifies him as a HopeChild. What this means is that I donate $35 per month instead of $30 and my extra donation helps Marcos’ community fight HIV/AIDS. Truthfully, $35 a month does not seem like much to me, but it does mean a lot to Marcos and his family. He will have a better chance at a healthy life and have opportunities for education.

My donation to World Vision is easy. At the beginning of every month, $35 is automatically withdrawn from my checking acc