Meaningful Mondays

Life isn't just about recognition of whether we win or lose in the traditional sense. It's about how much we learn from our experiences that we can use. If we aren't learning, our experiences are empty. "Turn your wounds in wisdom." - Oprah Winfrey "Always make your learning greater than your experience." - Dan Sullivan "Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." - Corrie ten Boom

We're building the kind of Enduring Wealth™ that strengthens relationships, deepens trust, and makes people feel seen. That’s the kind of wealth that lasts far beyond likes on social media. "The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." - Dalai Lama "We often overlook the immense power of a small Arrows Out™ gesture—a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, or a heartfelt compliment. These simple acts of care and gratitude can potentially transform lives."

Having a vision is not enough! "Vision without motion is perpetual frustration. The first lift of the anchor may not set you free, but it sets you in motion. And once you’re in motion, the horizon is yours.”

In today's environment, where negative news often dominates, it’s important to remind ourselves that while we can’t always control what happens in the world, we can control how we choose to see it. As a leader, here's a way to inspire yourself and others to take control and "turn the spoon around". When you feel overwhelmed by negative news, pause and "turn the spoon around." Find one thing, however small, that you can be grateful for or take positive action on. Note how this shift affects your mindset and actions throughout the week.

"The true power of a question lies not in the answer it seeks, but in the connection it creates." — Lee Brower "In the right moment, a single question can be more powerful than a thousand answers." — Lee Brower "Great questions make great answers." — Oscar Wilde "Questions can be like a lever you use to pry open the stuck lid on a paint can." — Fran Peavey

"...We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

One reason time seems to speed up as we age is that we experience fewer novel events. Journaling helps create more vivid and accessible memories, making time feel like it's passing more slowly. By recording daily experiences, thoughts, and events, we: Create "memory anchors" that distinguish one day from another Become more mindful and attentive to our daily lives Reflect on and process our experiences more deeply Make your days feel fuller, more meaningful, and less rushed?

"Life will always be full of the unexpected. It's how we respond that defines our experience." ASK: How can I shift from reacting to responding in challenging situations? What three things can I be grateful for right now, despite my/our challenges? In my life, who can I reach out to for support or to offer support? "We don't have to wait for the rainbow to find joy in the rain." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf By cultivating gratitude and consciously choosing our responses, we can find joy and meaning even in life's most unexpected moments. Let's embrace the journey!

If your "aware" of the nudge, you just might follow it.

Empowered Wealth Perspective Entertaining new perspectives is a critical step in personal growth. By embracing new and diverse ways of thinking, we broaden our outlook and uncover innovative solutions to problems. You will see a new horizon, which generates deep appreciation for where you have been, where you are now and where you have the potential of going. This leads to new thoughts, new vision and new motion, as you continue to balance your approach and capture your progress as you go. - Lee Brower, The Brower Quadrant *DyVal Video from Feb 22, 2019, for Meaningful Monday

Who are you trying to please, and at what cost? Who are you listening to, and how does that align with your enduring vision and your core principles? "The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything." - Warren Buffett "It is easy to say no when a bigger yes is burning inside." - Stephen R. Covey

Three essential keys to leadership in today's world. Go BIG (Be IN Gratitude), regardless of your circumstances. Challenge the traditional thinking- even if that is the way you have always done it or believed. Act and Adjust The enemy of thriving is arriving.

Welcome to this week's edition of Meaningful Monday with Lee Brower. In this heartfelt episode, Lee reflects on the profound impact of Father's Day, expressing gratitude for his father, his role as a father, and as a grandfather. He shares a touching story about a cherished memory with his late father and emphasizes the vital role fathers and father figures play in the home. Lee introduces the concept of "Involved Fatherhood," highlighting that fatherhood extends beyond biological ties to include stepfathers, single mothers, mentors, and community leaders. He underscores the importance of stability, wisdom, and integrity that fathers and father figures bring to future generations. Through a personal anecdote, Lee demonstrates the power of expressing gratitude to those who have positively impacted our lives. He encourages listeners to commit to nurturing stronger families and creating a legacy of enduring principles, compassion, and deep connections. Join Lee in celebrating the essence of fatherhood every day,

Good morning, everybody. Lee Brower here. Welcome to this week's edition of Meaningful Monday. I am so grateful to be here. I am so glad to be here. Let's go big. In this episode, Lee Brower shares his belief that we can learn from every experience in life, making the world the perfect school. He reflects on a recent event where he spent time with James Dixon, a motivational speaker, and the importance of developing habits of learning. Lee recounts a heartwarming experience with his granddaughters at a Frozen performance, coining the term "clapping frozen moment" to describe those instances of pure joy and excitement. Lee encourages listeners to identify and cherish their own "clapping moments" in daily life, emphasizing the value of living deliberately and creating meaningful memories. He also shares a powerful quote from a masterclass he attended: "It's not what you leave to them. It's what you leave in them." Join Lee in this inspiring episode as he challenges you to find and own your moments of joy. Live

Welcome to this week's edition of Meaningful Monday with Lee Brower. In this inspiring episode, Lee shares a unique perspective on gratitude through a prayer about biscuits, emphasizing how life's individual components, both good and bad, can come together to create something wonderful. Lee takes us back to 1898, illustrating how focusing on positivity can lead to innovative solutions, as exemplified by the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles. He challenges us to shift our focus from negative to positive aspects in our daily lives, encouraging us to ask ourselves, "What is one good thing that happened today?" Join Lee in this empowering journey to amplify the good and make a meaningful impact in our families, workplaces, and communities. Let's start the week with a positive mindset and a commitment to being the answer to someone's prayer. Have a meaningful week!

Good morning, everybody. Lee Brower here. Welcome to this edition of Meaningful Monday. I am grateful to be here. I am glad to be here. Have you ever heard of the Diderot effect? Few of you probably have. I had never heard about it until just reading recently, and I was able to link several things to it. So let's talk about where did the Diderot effect come from? It came from the 17th century from a man, French philosopher by the name of Denis Diderot. And what he did is he put together a book he called his encyclopedia, but had all All of the great philosophers, Voltaire, et cetera, brought together on how to run governments, how to put the, and it became well-known and kind of a guideline for a lot of the governments. And Catherine the Great saw it. She wanted to get it somehow. So happens that Diderot, after his fourth child, needed money. So she came in and bought it from him. She let him be the librarian for the rest of his life, but she was able then to access it and use it in her own governing and her

Welcome to this week's edition of Meaningful Monday. Our discussion this week is centered on the wisdom of two exceptional thinkers, Viktor Frankl and Abraham Maslow. Their profound insights into human motivation can help us navigate even the most formidable challenges. We talk about Frankl's experience during World War II, which was documented in his book "Man's Search for Meaning". Despite facing unimaginable suffering and hardship in a prison camp during the Holocaust, he managed to find meaning in small acts of kindness and maintained the will to live by looking forward to uniting with his wife and sharing his insights with the world. We also delve into Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs, which underwent a revision after he was influenced by Frankl’s lived experiences. He added 'self-transcendence' at the top of his model to reflect that true satisfaction comes not just from fulfilling basic needs but also from surpassing oneself and finding a higher purpose. This week's challenge is to identify a higher

Welcome to another edition of Meaningful Monday with me, Lee Brower. In this episode, I reflect on the significance of Mother's Day, an auspicious celebration of our mothers that goes back to 1908. To honor the occasion, I reminisce about my mother, a woman who played a pivotal role in shaping my life and lifting my spirits. I remember my mother as a weightlifter, not in the literal sense but metaphorically. She carried the weight of my world on her shoulders, always encouraging, supporting, and elevating me. Throughout this episode, I share two stories from different periods of my life that reflect the positive influence my mother had on me. The first story dates back to the time when she coaxed me into climbing a tree by holding my hand, showing me the way, and lifting me up. The second story is about our last moment together, where even though she was weak, she managed to extend her strength to me. The hand she held out to me symbolizes how she kept lifting me and continues to do so. In honor of Mother's

Welcome to a brand new episode of Meaningful Monday with Lee Brower. This week, we're delving into our ability to adapt, improve, and most importantly, change. Join Lee as he narrates the exceptional story of 'Big Al,' a man who spent his latter days futilely fishing in a swimming pool. This anecdote serves as a metaphor and a poignant reminder - are we fishing in our swimming pools? Are we investing time and energy in habits, activities, and goals that are no longer meaningful or feasible? In this episode, Lee underlines the idea that the 'producer of old age is habit.' While good practices indeed strengthen us, mindless repetition of routines, born from carelessness and finally settling into cowardice or inertia, can dangerously narrow our world. The empowering question posed is - Am I fishing in a swimming pool? What habits or routines can you eliminate or refine to break free from the mundanity of everyday life? Join Lee in exploring how stepping out of our comfort zones fosters growth, vitality, and imp

Welcome to this week's edition of Meaningful Monday. I am your host, Lee Brower, and today’s conversation is about the importance of gratitude and focus and how they play essential roles in making our future more meaningful based on the lessons from our past. In this episode, I question what makes a moment worthy of remembering and how we can make this week meaningful. I present a thought-provoking query to you: Can you pinpoint a moment in the last week that is worth cherishing? Let's explore this by starting with a clean slate and allowing our gratitude to naturally cascade from there. I share my own experiences, from a helpful cashier to a motivated foundation co-founders I've crossed paths with. This talk also reflects on the concept of going big – to begin in gratitude. We explore this by thinking of precise moments that are worthy of remembering rather than taking a broad look at the things we have to be thankful for. Also, I share a personal story of my collaborative work in building The Rivers, contra