The Rearview Mirror and the Stuff of Life

Recently, a dear friend who has been both a coach and a mentor called me asking if he and his wife could be of any help. He had learned that I was experiencing significant challenges due to my mother's three-week hospital stay because of liver failure. Additionally, husband was experiencing a serious, but not life threatening health issue. When I heard my friend's voice and his offer, it brought me close to tears. We continued talking and he shared that all of his troubles were in his rearview mirror and not on the front hood. I couldn't help, but smile. I quietly responded that eventually these troubles wold also be in my rearview mirror.

Upon continued conversation, I confided that 20 years ago I would have not had this attitude. I probably would have been poor me'ing it as "Why me!" while dealing with these challenges. My conditioning as the older child would not allow me to abdicate my responsibility to my mother however; I would not be a consistent, calm and steady influence to my sister and to our children.

Reflecting later upon our conversation, I must admit I liked the analogy of the rearview mirror. How many times in life do we feel everything is right in our face ? on our front hood and then later see it behind us as we meet the next challenge?

Life is full of stuff hitting our front hood, and how we deal with that stuff - whatever it is ? is a simple matter of choice. By choosing a positive and proactive mental attitude, we have the ability through our unique and exceptional motivation to overcome this "stuff."

Individuals such as Helen Keller and Lance Armstrong have clearly demonstrated such positive attitudes to over the "stuff of life." Some may attribute their achievements as being magical. Yes, it may appear magical, because these individuals have learned how to align their attitudes and realized that the stuff of life will eventually be in their rearview mirror.

So the question is: "How will you deal with your 'stuff in life?"

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist.With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or email leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results.

Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, leanne@processspecialist.com

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, & the article is not changed in any way(grammatical corrections accepted).

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..
In The News:

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.
New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.
The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.
TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.
Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.
San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.
Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.
A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.
Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.
Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.
Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.
Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.
Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.
A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.
Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.
Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.
OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.
A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.
The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.
Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.
Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.
The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.
Moving and downsizing expose seniors to identity theft and scams as data brokers collect real estate records and personal information to sell to criminals.
ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.

Eight Simple Anger Management Tips

"The other night I ate at a real family restaurant.... Read More

Use Your Imagination to Create the Self You Want

"Every prayer - every thought, every statement, every feeling -is... Read More

Taming Your Gremlin

"Who am I fooling?" "I'm a loser," "I'm too old,"... Read More

Never Quitting is an Attitude

Never Quitting Equals Success Most people who achieve fortunes in... Read More

Feelings and Attitudes

Are feelings and attitudes the same thing or different? Does... Read More

Cleaned Up or Cleaned Out?

I need your help. I did a good deed recently,... Read More

The Language of Confidence

The language we use programs our brains. Mastering our language... Read More

Universal Thought Systems #4

Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System... Read More

Living in the Moment

This week's wisdom is on the power of living in... Read More

As A Man Thinketh...

"For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is... Read More

Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life - Books to Help You Find the PMA Inside You

Many of the books on this page were inspired by... Read More

Have a Present Moment!

It was the 10th day of rain, and I walked... Read More

Change Your Focus and Change Your Results

In his all-time bestselling record The Strangest Secret, author Earl... Read More

Halt All Complaining

Have you ever thought about you have a lot to... Read More

Letter of Hope from Hospital Patient

Hospital patient undergoing surgery recounts how Hero Soul provided strength,... Read More

You Have All The Resources You Need

You already have all the resources you need to accomplish... Read More

Dissolving Stereotypes through Personal Individuality

The other evening, I was meticulously assembling and painting one... Read More

Being Tender With the Ugly Parts of Yourself

Does that title make you cringe? It made me cringe... Read More

Shifting Your Paradigm

What is a paradigm? In my own words, a paradigm... Read More

Why Motivational Posters Arent Cheesy!

I don't want to say people are basically negative but?..if... Read More

Words, Ignorance, And Casper The Friendly Ghost!

Words, Ignorance, and Casper The Friendly Ghost!Do your best to... Read More

Get Some Attitude!

You've been looking for a job for as long as... Read More

Seeing Challenges as Opportunities

Are you a person who loves challenges, or hates them?... Read More

Individualized Positive Affirmations for Improving Self-Esteem

Positive self-esteem is very important if not crucial to our... Read More

The Art of Jiu-Jitsu

Using an opponent's force against them is the fundamental teaching... Read More

on demand house cleaning Arlington Heights ..