THE BALANCING ACT
Building Balance for Better Living

APRIL 2006

April 6 Teleseminar-How to deal with any Tom, Dick, or Harriet

April 13  J.C. Penney-Learning New Things

April 19 Tenent-Managers Guide to EAP

April 21 Louisiana Nurses Association-First Aid for Caregiver Burnout

If you have seen me in the last few days you would have likely said, "Oh my God, what happened to you?" There are 15 stitches in my face.

I tried to tell people, "I was on Extreme Makeover". They didn't believe me, so I said, "I tried to catch a tiger by the tail."

The vulnerable truth is my 18 year old son and our family hit rock bottom this weekend. He has struggled with drugs the last two years, and this weekend he attempted suicide by chugging 27 pills. After having his stomach pumped, he was stabilized and ready to leave for a long term substance abuse treatment program the next morning. He changed his mind at the house, and was about to run and down another bottle of Tylenol when I instinctively dove to bear hug him and prevent him from downing the pills. He reacted by slamming a drinking glass into my forehead and blood gushed everywhere. Yes, 911 was called, and the scene could have been on the "Jerry Springer" show!

Thank God, my son was stabilized again, I was stitched, and my son went to a year long substance abuse treatment program on Monday.

My wife and I, our family, and friends have striven to find the balance in all of our parenting struggles. Many of you are also trying to find the balance in your personal, family, and relationship struggles. Remember these three balance tips in the midst of dealing with personal struggles.

1. We are all human. We do not have to pretend to be perfect. We are fragile, vulnerable, emotional human beings. Let go of the pressure to be the winner, to be successful, to be the perfect person. Don't be a phony bologna!

2. Give tough love. We are challenged to forgive, have compassion, and grace for those we struggle with. However, the balance is sometimes we are called to give tough love. That may mean holding someone accountable for their actions and not rescuing someone from their pain, legal, or personal problems. One of the best stories of the balance between tough love and grace is found in the bible in Luke 15:11-32. Read it!

3. Give and RECEIVE! My son, my wife, and myself have been surrounded with family, friends, and our church through this ordeal. Counselors need counseling. Nurses need to be nursed. Ministers need to be ministered too! The balance is to allow others to give support, feedback, and love back to us in our time of need.

Call 903-819-0301 or  Contact Brent Now.

The all time great, Jack Nicholas is a living legend. He is the ultimate professional golfer who has become immortal! Though Tiger Woods is the contemporary version of Jack Nicholas, Tiger knows he has to endure in his professional career to be compared to "The Golden Bear".

Though you and I may never accomplish the feats of Tiger or Jack, we can become professionals that endure, and leave an immortal legacy! I will share in this last segment on "Working with E's", the importance of endurance.

It's good to have a good thing going; it's great to keep a good thing going! My hobbies of tennis and golf have taught me over the years that consistency and enduring the hard times are keys to success. Being a professional means working when you don't feel like it. Enduring boredom, enduring burnout, enduring co-worker conflicts, enduring disappointments, enduring distractions, enduring frustration, enduring illness, etc.

Professional endurance is like running a marathon, putting one foot in front of the other, and not quitting until you pass the finish line.

Endurance is needed in life, marriage, parenting, sports, and professionalism! If you feel like quitting, don't give up. Endure until the end and you will develop an immortal legacy.

Always professional means, working with "E's": education, experience, enthusiasm, effort, excellence, expertise, and endurance!

Call 903-819-0301 or  Contact Brent Now.

Recently, I received a phone call that was a blast from the past!

I had just finished a counseling session and my office manager said, "Someone is on the line waiting to talk with you." I picked up the phone and the female voice on the other side said, "FJPA. Does that ring a bell?" "No, who is this?" Then she said, "What kind of scientist were you when you were a kid?" A bell went off in my head, ding, ding, ding... "Susan! Susan is that you?" We then exploded in child like giggles over the phone. You'll have to ask me personally, "What kind of scientist  was I as a kid?"

Susan and I started 1st grade together, but have not seen each other in approximately 20 years. Her parents were best friends with my parents, and so she was like a cousin. Our families would get together every week for some kind of fun activity.

Susan and her family now live in California, and she decided to Google my name and found my web site. The rest is history!

Susan, emailed me after our phone conversation. "You didn't get the FJPA thing. That event is etched into my memory! Federal Junior Police Agents...We decided we were going to buy a CB radio to protect our neighborhood. We went door to door collecting money. Then I told my mom and we had to return the money."

Oh yeah, now I remember!

Susan, her husband, and parents recently visited our home and had dinner with us. It was such a playful break in the week to visit, tell stories, laugh, and renew old friendships.

Is there someone from your past that you are curious about? Do you remember the funny antics you did as a child? Why not call that childhood friend and visit, tell stories, laugh, and add some playfulness to your daily grind?

  Contact Brent now!  

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View Brent's resources at www.brentspeaks.com