Meaningful Mondays

“The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to inspire trust. You don’t manage people—you model trust, extend it, and grow together." - Stephen M. R. Covey “Trust is the one trait that consistently boosts happiness at every age.” — Research by Utrecht University, 2025 “Trust doesn’t follow leadership. Trust is leadership.” - Lee Brower In Th'River, we believe in flow—in letting trust move through us, not just to us.

“You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything.” - John C. Maxwell "Did my choices today reveal what I say matters most?" - Lee Brower “The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen R. Covey "We don't drift into meaning. We don't stumble into legacy. We choose our way there--one moment, one choice at a time." - Lee Brower

But here’s the thing—character doesn’t just show up in heroic moments. It shows up in keeping your word… even when it’s inconvenient and even when it is only to you. Character is the ability to carry out a worthwhile decision once the emotion of making that decision has passed.

"A new identity doesn't erase the past. It reclaims the future." - Lee Brower "I am not what I used to be, not what I ought to be, and not what I am going to be, but I am thankful I am not what I used to be." - Coach John Wooden

The image was fake. The "bias" was real. The truth was different. "Bias is like a weed. It starts out small. But left to its own, it grows deep, spreads wide, and quietly chokes out better thoughts." — Lee Brower "We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are." — Anaïs Nin (our perspective is often colored by internal bias- unless we pause and we pivot.) "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." — Stephen Hawking "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." — Carl Jung ( e.g. biPas™-- pausing to recognize and redirect unconscious bias.) "What is not named cannot be transformed." — Dr. Edith Eger, Holocaust survivor and psychologist. (Supports making 'Standby Moment' an asset, not just an anecdote.)

"Small choices make big ripples." "What would your future self say about that choice?" "Just this once" leads to convenience. "No matter what" leads to conviction. Conviction leads to character. “It’s easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98%.” — Clayton Christensen

Mothers are the nurturers of the world. “Motherhood isn’t just about biology. It’s a calling to nurture, to comfort, to notice someone else’s need and do something about it.” The Ripple of a "mother-hearted" life doesn’t ask, “Are you mine?” It simply says, “You matter.”

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl “Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt "Joy begins where comparison ends." – Lee Brower

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." --John Wooden "Things turn out for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." --John Wooden "The meaning of life is to give life meaning." -- Viktor Frankl

"Respect isn't earned from self-sacrifice. It is learned through self-respect." Genuine respect - both from yourself and others - begins with honoring your own worth first. Respect yourself first; everything else is attracted to that strength. CHALLENGE: "What is one small choice I can make today -- when no one else is watching -- that strengthens the evidence of my self-respect?"

“The crowds on earth, they soon forget, the heroes of the past, they cheer like mad until you fall. And that’s how long you last.” "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." - Coach John Wooden The world praises performance. God celebrates presence. The world gives you a spotlight. God invites you to serve in the shadows. - Lee Brower Let's stack the moments that really count. So, here’s the challenge this week: What am I honoring above the chair rail of my life? What small act of character, compassion, or connection could I do today, even if no one else sees it?

Potential is the seed, motion is what makes it grow. "Just" helps us get into motion. It turns resistance into willingness. It brings you into the "NOW". It is how "Arrows Out" begins: Just notice. Just ask; Just give. What is "just" one thing you can do today that will create ripples of impact?" Just...!

"You don’t become great in spite of failure. You become great through it." ... just ask Larry’s little brother.” “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” - Michael Jordan “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.” - Helen Keller “Trials are an evidence of God’s trust in you. He gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit.” - Elder Richard G. Scott

"WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU BRING ABOUT. WHAT YOU BROUGHT ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT ABOUT." “Acts of kindness create a ripple effect of neurochemical uplift—benefiting the giver, receiver, and even the silent witness.” RECEIVING kindness can: Increase oxytocin, which helps regulate serotonin and dopamine. Reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), which helps rebalance neurotransmitters like serotonin. Lead to feelings of social connection, safety, and worth, which are correlated with serotonin boosts and immune function. GIVING kindness releases: Dopamine (pleasure/reward) Oxytocin (connection/love hormone) Serotonin (well-being, mood) These positive neurochemicals reduce inflammation and boost immune cell production. WITNESSING kindness can cause a release of oxytocin, leading to downstream effects on serotonin and immune function. The observer experiences what's called 'moral elevation'--which includes a sense of warmth and inspiration. This is associated with Heart rate variability improvements, cortisol reduction

"...everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Even though he said it - he proved it wrong-- because he didn't believe it. "Struggles are stop signs -- they are stepping stones." - Lee Brower "Our response to struggle determines our future." This week's Empowering Question: How can I see today's struggles as stepping stones rather than roadblocks?

Too many people live their lives hoping Einstein is in the room when the tough questions come. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” — Socrates “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” — John F. Kennedy “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” — Mahatma Gandhi “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” — Albert Einstein

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” "We tend to become like those whom we admire." — Thomas S. Monson

How do you measure your success? By chasing the next achievement? "If you are paddling only for yourself, don't be surprised when no one else wants to get in your boat." "You don't see rivers measuring themselves by the size of their banks. They measure themselves by the lives they nourish." "Your horizon should move as you move. That's how you know you are growing." “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

"Every man has a defining point in his character where success or failure begins. It is the moment he makes a firm choice and never looks back." - William George Jordan. Don't let your ESSENTIAL be at the mercy of the important. Knowing your 'ESSENTIAL' gives you the power to say "no" to even the very important.

Desires dictate Priorities. Priorities structure our Choices. Choices determine the course of our lives. "The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities." – Stephen R. Covey Step 1: Review your list of desires. Step 2: Choose ONE thing from each of these four quadrants. Select the one thing that, when accomplished, will have the greatest effect on your other listed desires: - Core (Faith, Family, Health, Well-being) – If prioritized, what one desire would strengthen everything else in this area? - Experience (Learning, Competencies, Alliances) – What experience, learning, or association will create the most significant long-term impact? - Contribution (Arrows Out, Compassion, Impact on Others) – What act of service or generosity will amplify your influence? - Financial (Dynamic Value, Nurturing Connections) – What financial priority, when accomplished, will support everything else? Step 3: Reflect on these four priorities. When you achieve your top 4 priorities, what is