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Articles from Hugh DeBurgh | Selfgrowth.com
- Going Into the Light - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy good friend died this morning. We knew it was coming, of course. We arrived at his home only last night. I didn’t feel bad for him. I believe that he was finally released from a now-useless body and probably feels great. I’m glad that today he can be with us without a struggle. I’m not ...
Views: 1257(4 votes) - I am Bored - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghYesterday I was talking to my kids at dinner when one of them uttered those classic words, “I’m bored.” I told her that there were only two roads away from boredom, and only one of those was permanent. The second road would lead her right back to the boredom she hated, but the first road would ...
Views: 1248(3 votes) - The Problem with Big Families - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe problem with big families is that they don’t fit anywhere. I never thought about this problem until I experienced it, but everything in our society is designed for the family with 2.4 kids and a dog. If you happen to have four kids, a cat, a few kid friends, and a spouse, a lot of things ...
Views: 3843(3 votes) - Rescuiing a Generation - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy mom had a dream when she was young. She wanted to be a surgical nurse. Mom grew up as a middle child in a large family. Her family lived in the boonies and had little money. Her dad was a boat captain and was away all week. All of the children worked hard to take care of what little they ...
Views: 1085(2 votes) - Amy's American Adventure - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAmy was an adventurous blond, blue-eyed tomboy living an ordinary suburban life when her parents announced that the family would be purchasing an RV motor home and traveling the United States for one year on a journey of discovery. She was a bit sad to leave her friends behind, and she wasn’t ...
Views: 1328(3 votes) - Approaching Life - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHappiness is the direct result of a choice. An agreement, between you and you. If you aren’t happy now, it’s because you have not made this choice, this agreement with yourself. The question is, “Why not?” Many people simply do not understand this basic rule of life. Apparently, nobody told ...
Views: 2396(3 votes) - We Are All Related - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHey Cousin! For those of you following the progress of the Road Warrior crew I am writing to you tonight from Stone Mountain, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. Today as I sat with my family in an Atlanta restaurant I couldn’t help but notice the guy who was sitting just across from us. You see, he ...
Views: 1283(2 votes) - Educating Teens - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2010 from Hugh DeBurgh"Educating" Teens My wife and I were talking today about our oldest child, who is almost eleven years old. He is a very bright, compassionate, and mature young man, and he has been a great help to us with chores and in dealing with the younger kids. But he is getting quite bored, maybe even ...
Views: 1384(8 votes) - Keeping Your Female Partner Happy - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThis article is aimed at my masculine readers. If you are of the feminine race, please read this as well, and set me straight if you disagree. You certainly know this subject better than I! Let me start out by stating that this post is a hopeless generalization. When I refer to relationships ...
Views: 1932(2 votes) - Are You Determined to Be Happy? - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAre You Determined To Be Happy? You already have everything that you need to live your dream life except perhaps a solid understanding of who you are and a bit of courage. And a desire to be happy; no; a determination to be happy. In fact, I think that it is determination that sets satisfied ...
Views: 2377(1 vote) - Spreading Good News - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghHelp Spread The Good News! I believe that people everywhere need to be woken up to the life that they could be living. Do you have friends and loved one’s who seem to be sleep-walking through life? Do the energy and the light seem to have faded from their eyes? Has their marriage lost its ...
Views: 1202(1 vote) - Teach 'em! - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghTeach 'Um! Today my wife and I took a little detour and met with some potential new business associates for a business that she runs. This was not my idea of a fun afternoon’s activity but sometimes you gotta do stuff; so I went along. It could be a big deal if it goes through. I hope she gets ...
Views: 1134(2 votes) - Persuade Your Partner - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghNew FREE Guide to Persuading Your Partner Published! You have made up your mind. You are going to take the plunge. Start your new life. Live it your way. Then reality socks you in the face. What about your partner? What will he or she think? What if they nix the idea right off? Or maybe ...
Views: 1469(1 vote) - What is beauty - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWhat is Beauty? What is beauty? Is it a perfect profile or a perfect smile? Is it hope? Is it the energy of positive expectations? Is beauty simply the opposite of ugly? Is beauty the absence of ugly? Is ugly a lack of hope? Is it a surrendered soul; a bitter heart? Every day around ...
Views: 1098(8 votes) - Pain - by Submitted on Oct 22, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghPain Pain; it’s a subject that most of us would rather not hear about. Others less fortunate cannot get out of their minds. Of course pain comes in many forms. Physical pain is the most obvious form. I am not a physician so I will not address the physical or psychological issues ...
Views: 1114(2 votes) - Mars vs. Venus Redux - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghOne of the greatest problems that families have in improving the quality of their lives together is the common reality that the parents themselves don’t always agree on what the family priorities should be. In fact many men find themselves confused and saddened by their family life; especially ...
Views: 1145(6 votes) - Keep Your Eyes on the Prize - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghI have found that there are two approaches to achieving a goal. • You can focus on the process – that is, focus on the things you need to do to be a success • You can focus on the goal, and sort of let the process happen. The first method sounds more responsible; certainly you have to ...
Views: 1250(1 vote) - The Desire for Family Freedom - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWhen I started writing about the Families Without Limits phenomenon, I really didn’t think much about the worldwide appeal of the concept. Like most North Americans, I was so wrapped up in my own world that I failed to consider the rest of humanity. What I have discovered, however, is just how ...
Views: 1147(2 votes) - When It Hurts Say OUCH! - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThat's Got to Hurt! I recently had a Twitter friend ask me to post some uplifting quotes related to “taking kindness as weakness” and “being pushed too far.” Of course I did my best to find a few that might assuage her pain. At least I hope they helped a little. This reminded me of a common ...
Views: 1958(2 votes) - Why Do I Write? - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWhat drives me to write my books and my blog is a consistent reaction I have when I see the eyes of people who think they are imprisoned by their lives. Mind you, these folks almost never say that they are imprisoned and I suspect that most of them would vehemently deny it if you asked them out ...
Views: 1084(2 votes) - I Ain't Got No Money! - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLet’s face it. The number one reason (or excuse) that most of us use to avoid even thinking about making a major change in our family’s lifestyle is fear about our financial situation. Especially in today’s unstable economic environment most folks are holding their breath and hoping that they ...
Views: 1174(2 votes) - The Costs of Adventure - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe Cost of Adventure How Much Do You Need? Recently I wrote about why you need not fear making a change to your lifestyle simply because your financial situation is uncertain. Today I am writing about what living a more adventurous lifestyle will really cost you. My family has traveled to ...
Views: 1136(1 vote) - A War of Words - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghYou Are Wrong! I was distracted today by a vigorous “debate” that I stumbled upon on Amazon.com. I never realized just how active the discussion groups at Amazon are and regarding much more than books! One such subject was the health care battle that is currently raging in Washington. Now I ...
Views: 1271(1 vote) - AWE - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghToday there isn’t much that leaves us in awe. We are educated in general scientific principles. Through modern media we are exposed to the wonders of space; of quantum physics and other incredible discoveries. As a species we no longer ascribe great geological events to the anger of the ...
Views: 1443(2 votes) - My Life IS My Message - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy Life IS My Message My Life IS My Message. Sometimes new acquaintances ask me, “So Hugh, what is it you do?” It seems like a straight-forward question but for me answering never is. Consider the following possible answers: • “I help awaken people to the life they should be ...
Views: 1587(1 vote) - Losing Your Job in Today's Economy - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghGotta Let You Go… Now What? Those words (or just the fear of hearing them) haunt just about every job holder in today’s “deadsville” economy. Losing a job is a real possibility these days even for long-time loyal employees. I cannot begin to alleviate your pain if this has happened to you ...
Views: 1197(3 votes) - Get Out of the Way - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghMy two oldest kids have been invited to take part in a Model United Nations program at the UN in New York. My wife and I are excited about this but our kids weren’t so sure. Specifically my oldest was (and usually is) suspicious of anything that adults organize on his behalf. In fact the mere ...
Views: 1126(1 vote) - Be True to Yourself - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghOne of the concerns that I had before I decided to take my life (and my family’s lives) in a completely new direction was what people around me might think. You know what I’m talking about. For some folks being different comes easy. For those of us who grew up among the cliques and ...
Views: 1295(1 vote) - Meeting New Friends - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghAs we travel across a continent we inevitably make new friends. Some are just fleeting. Others last a lifetime. At our current campground in southern California we have met and made a new friend who has had quite an impact on both the kids and the adults. Our new friend’s name is Kindle. ...
Views: 1157(1 vote) - The Dunes of Mars - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe Dunes of Mars Today the Warrior left the Earth that I know and entered a strange world of towering sand dunes and brown-orange volcanic rocks. In the distance low brown hills rise above a rubble filled surface. The sky above us is cloudless. The sun is quite hot and glares so bright ...
Views: 1323(2 votes) - Inspiring Families - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghInspire Your Family; families don’t really exist until they “connect.” Personally, I don’t define a family by who its members are or even by how those members might be related to each. I define a family by how it behaves and by the degree of connectedness and cohesion between its members. Even ...
Views: 1158(1 vote) - Embracing Your Inner Warrior - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghEmbracing My Inner Warrior They say that you can do anything in Vegas. Well, apparently, you can. My older kids noticed a brochure on the tourist racks for a place called “The Gun Store.” Yeah, I know a gun store? “But dad, they have all of these uber old guns from World War II and stuff and ...
Views: 1686(2 votes) - Be the Best You Can Be - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghBefore you can even begin to reorder your life, you must surrender. Most people cringe at the thought of surrender. We are fighters. We don’t just give up. I am not suggesting that you surrender to others. I am suggesting that you surrender to yourself. You don’t have to like your life or ...
Views: 1412(2 votes) - Life on the Canals of France - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLife on the Canals of France Cruising the Canals of France by Barge Bill and Nancy were a Maryland couple who decided to hang up their conventional lifestyle and try something new. Their first adventure was moving aboard a sailboat and traveling for two years from the Chesapeake Bay to ...
Views: 1434(1 vote) - Travel Is A Family Education - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFamily Travel Is Education. Today I watched as scientific data confirmed that the planet Earth had been split into pieces and vaporized. You see my family and I spent this afternoon at Meteor Crater in Arizona; the best preserved crater of its kind on Earth. The Apollo astronauts trained here ...
Views: 1151(1 vote) - Take time for You - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghSometimes life seems so complex and chaotic that we really have no idea where to start to wrest back control over it. It may be necessary for you to take a personal time out. This time out may be with family and/or friends; like a vacation. However I believe that you really need to spend some ...
Views: 1205(1 vote) - What's Wrong With a Game About Dead Bunnies? - by Submitted on Oct 19, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghSo What’s Wrong With Dead Bunnies? Ahhhhh! Splat! Ewwwww... My kids have been complaining about the Internet filters we put on our PCs to prevent them from accessing inappropriate content. It’s a parent’s right and duty: right? My oldest is quite the crusader and may just be a budding Civil ...
Views: 1065(5 votes) - Live and Let Live - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghLive and Let Live “There will always be war, famine & poverty as long as anyone believes that he has the right to impose his will on another.” I wrote that on Twitter a few weeks back and it seemed to resonate with some people. That sentence is my conclusion of what people like you and I must ...
Views: 1653(2 votes) - Leaving the World a Better Place - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghOne of the mottoes that I like to live by goes something like this: “Leave the world a better place than you found it; your community a better home than when you arrived and others happier than when you met them.” This is the message that I hope that my kids will live by. It is simple and can ...
Views: 2761(2 votes) - You Are Programmed to Be Stuck - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThere seem to be two kinds of people in this world. There are those who, when they want something to occur, they roll up their sleeves and do their best to make it happen. Let’s call these folks entrepreneurs. And then there are those who, when they want the very same thing, wait for someone ...
Views: 1157(4 votes) - The Words of the Wind - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghThe words of the wind; can you hear it? Listen to the little sounds. They carry the most powerful messages. As I grow more mature and learn to ignore the background noise that is the majority of my life I hear things. I hear simple things; natural sounds like those of the wind and the rain ...
Views: 1072(1 vote) - Why Thinking Like A Child is Better Than Thinking Like A Grown-up - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWhy I Like Kids Better Than Grown-Ups I have a confession to make. For years, I really had little use for kids. I used to have a near magical ability to entertain kids and engage them in a way that other adults just didn’t get. I didn’t enjoy doing it. It was like an elaborate act and it ...
Views: 3251(2 votes) - Family Freedom Now - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFreedom; today, my wife kids and I declared our freedom. My wife and I made a huge decision today. We had a meeting scheduled with our kids’ teacher at school. The Head of School was also there. My wife and I were supposed to talk to them about getting our kids re-enrolled and back into the ...
Views: 1242(1 vote) - Freedom; Is It On the Wane? - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghFreed As we live our lives, freedom is singing its sweet music in far off Iran. The younger generation there simply refuses to accept tyranny over their lives any longer. When I watch these brave souls fighting this tyranny in the streets of Tehran and elsewhere; I realize that freedom is ...
Views: 1337(1 vote) - Is It Just a Tummy Ache? - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghA Tummy Ache For some time now, my daughter has had a tummy ache yet she rarely complains about it. Apparently it’s not much but it always seems to be there. Once in a while if I ask her how she is doing, she’ll say, “Fine. My tummy aches but that’s normal.” Of course, that is not normal. ...
Views: 1055(1 vote) - Peace Amid the Chaos - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghPeace Amid the Chaos I am going to tell you something strange; perhaps even unbelievable. I understand exactly what is going on in today’s world. I seem to have a gift. I can see the big picture where many others cannot. I understand what is causing so much of this chaos that surrounds us. ...
Views: 1621(1 vote) - The Seven Secrets to a Successful Life - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2010 from Hugh DeBurgh7 Secrets to Living the Good Life Know the 7 Secrets. There really are 7 “Secrets” that you need to know and understand before you can successfully transform your life from where it is now to where it needs to be. These 7 Secrets require that you change your long-held attitudes, your ...
Views: 1450(1 vote) - Get to Know Yourself - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghWho Am I? Know Thyself. This advice was reportedly engraved on the famed Oracle at Delphi the seat of all wisdom in the ancient world. It was the guiding rule of the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates. Even the mysterious “Oracle” in Hollywood’s Matrix movie trilogy had this phrase posted ...
Views: 1619(1 vote) - Living the Good Life - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghIt's Time to Live the Good Life Now it’s time to go to school; Creative Family Lifestyle Design School, to be exact. What is Creative Family Lifestyle Design? It is you taking charge of the direction of your life. It means making your life work for you. The 2nd Secret to Living the Good Life ...
Views: 1230(1 vote) - What About Your Savings - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Hugh DeBurghIn today’s economic chaos how can any of us ever hope to earn enough to break out of our life rut and start living the good life? The good news is that you don’t need to. Instead, what you must do is refocus your life on living with meaning; rather than on making money while developing unique ...
Views: 1264(1 vote)