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I Refuse to Play Make Believe Any Longer

There are dozens of examples of things that are being pushed on society that we all know that they are entirely untrue, and yet they continue. They are make believe issues.

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“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” I Corinthians 13: 11

If you are a parent or grandparent, you have probably at one point or another had one of your daughters or granddaughters come up and ask you if you would like to dress like a princess and have a tea party. Or perhaps your son or grandson has asked to dress up and play Cowboys and Indians. And of course we all did (to be clear though, I did not dress up as a princess). At some point, however, those children stop playing make believe. Or at least they should. Imagine if your 40 year old daughter came out dressed like a princess and asked you for a tea party. It would be even more disturbing if she dressed like a princess every day and went to work that way, demanding that everyone call her “Princess.” Or if your 40 year old son wore a sheriff’s uniform to work each day. We would say that something was a little “off.”

Unfortunately we have tens of millions of people still playing make believe, pretending that something is true when it absolutely isn’t. The simplest example on this is this whole idea that a teenage boy can declare himself a girl and now join the high school girls track team. This requires everyone around him to suspend belief and pretend that he isn’t a boy. In fact, they DEMAND that we do so. Even when it is patently obvious that it is simply not true. Think about it. If they can make you go along with the idea that a human body with a penis is actually a girl, in spite of all science saying otherwise, they can make you believe anything. The make believe is designed to destroy the concept of absolute truth. (And let me say right here, so as not to be accused of “transphobia,” that I believe every transexual has the exact same rights as any other American citizen. Nothing less but nothing more either. They can do what they want to their bodies and call themselves whatever they want. I’m just not going to play along with their desire to claim something that isn’t true.)

And this is just one example. In preparing to write this article, I asked my Facebook friends what other games of “make believe” we are being demanded to play. Here are some of their answers (You will note that I have GREAT Facebook friends):

That we canceled the Pipeline project for the good of the climate but it’s ok that foreign countries produce our oil (like we don’t share all the same climate!)

Just because socialism has failed everywhere else doesn’t mean it won’t work here, because we’ll do it “right.”

You can sit inches from someone on an airplane for four hours, yet it is dangerous to not “social distance” while deplaning.

A higher minimum wage will lead to more opportunity and prosperity and not inflation.

That people crossing into the country illegally should not be referred to as illegal.

That the left can destroy monuments, burn property, destroy businesses, take over municipal and federal buildings but it is called a protest.

How more gun control leads to less violence.

That late term abortion is ever necessary to save a woman’s life.

That we should not defend our property, because the thieves need it more than we do.

That Trump is a white supremacist or a Russian asset.

That at elementary age children are old enough to give sexual consent.

That Democrats are for the common man.

That personal wealth is built on the backs of the working poor.

That young black men – or any race for that matter – are being hunted down in the streets by police.

That two million poor immigrants can be admitted into the country to be fully supported at public expense and it will have no economic impact on the people who are already here.

That science is an oracle with all the answers instead of a process for exploring questions.

That banning plastic bags and straws, particularly in cities hundreds of miles inland, will save the lives of sea turtles.

That you are selfish if you support capitalism and want to see our country prosper.

That requiring ID to vote disenfranchises minorities. The implication being that minorities just aren’t smart enough to know how to get a driver’s license or personal ID.

We need TSA security and proper identification at our airports, but not at our borders or at polling places.

That just because I was born white, I’m automatically racist.

The X and Y chromosome are irrelevant when determining male or female.

Extended lockdowns were necessary or effective.

There you have it. Those were generated from just one Facebook post. I am sure that you may be able to come up with even more. But the point is that there are dozens of examples of things that are being pushed on society that we all know that they are entirely untrue, and yet they continue. They are make believe issues.

The question is why do they continue living in their fantasy land? I think they continue because we play along. They pretend and we go right along and pretend with them.

Well folks, I’m through.

I am by profession, a speaker. I have written 22 books, I am in the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame, and have spoken all over the world at conferences. I was having a Facebook discussion around the way people are now choosing pronouns that are not accurate at all. For example, a man now requires you to call him “her” or “she.” It is not true and it is therefore not even proper english. Especially when that man wants to be called “they.” It is absurd. One man or one woman is a single, not a plural. In this conversation a friend of mine from the National Speakers Association declared that most corporations are moving this way and if they require me to call their Male CEO “her” or she” or “they,” that he would do so.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. Why that? I don’t know, but it did. I said that I am done playing make believe. Sure, if their male CEO wants to be called Sheryl or Margaret, I would be happy to do so (although I would snicker in my head every time I did). But I will not play make believe and call him a woman.

In fact, I won’t be playing make believe in anything, ever again. You can pretend whatever you want. I won’t be joining you. Instead, I would encourage you to stop pretending – or even just being silent when they pretend – because allowing them to pretend without speaking up and challenging it has consequences. How bizarre is the make believe we’re talking about? Consider this:

The story I’m about to tell you is from a friend of ours. It happened to her. This is not a secondhand story.

She was at a major clothing retail store and was going to go into the dressing room to try on some clothes. When the person who disinfects the room after someone uses it came out, she started moving toward the dressing room but was told to stop. She was told she had to wait for two minutes.

When she asked why, she was told that it took a couple of minutes for the coronavirus to fall off the surfaces and drift to the floor. Apparently, if she went in too early, she might bump into it in the air and catch the virus. (No mention of whether or not you can catch it on the soles of your feet)

You can’t make this stuff up. And I’m not.

What have we come to?

Until those of us who are concerned with the truth stand up and fight in the marketplace of ideas, we we are doomed because there are enough uninformed and gullible people who will follow right along with the make believe fairy tales being thrust upon the masses. We cannot allow ourselves to be canceled or dismissed.

America was built on the free flow of information and the exchange of ideas. America is a place where everyone’s voice can and should be heard and the goal is that the truth will win out. We must battle for the truth and make sure that every step of the way it is heard.

One of the greatest speeches ever given in a film was Al Pacino‘s character in Any Given Sunday. Right before a big game he tells his team that football and life is a game of inches. You have to battle for every single inch you take. The other team is going to battle fiercely, and we see that each and every day as they flood the airwaves with lies, half truths, misinformation, and disinformation. All of it make believe in order to deceive the masses. We must battle them every single inch of the way. For if we do not, eventually we will lose.

Today is the day to make your voice heard. The left RELIES on your apathy. I get it. I know how difficult it is when somebody is saying something stupid to open your mouth and raise your voice and say the truth. It is a lot easier to just roll your eyes and consider them a moron.

We must make our voices heard. Quit going along with their fairy tales and speak up!

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Chris is the Founder of PolitiCrossing, one of the World's Top 50 Speakers and a member of the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame. He considers it a privilege to be able to speak to people, help them lead successful lives, become extraordinary leaders and, masterful salespeople. Chris has authored twenty-three books with three million copies in print in 14 languages and over 450 articles on success, leadership, sales and motivation.



 
 
 

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Business

Work-Life Balance in Your Life

It the ability to experience a sense of control and to stay productive and competitive at work while maintaining a happy, healthy home-life

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Work-life balance (WLB) is the ability to experience a sense of control and to stay productive and competitive at work while maintaining a happy, healthy home-life with sufficient leisure. WLB, also referred to by some as work-life harmony, work-life shift, work-life blend, work-life effectiveness, or work-life integration, requires focus and awareness despite seemingly endless tasks and activities competing for our time and attention.

Work-life balance entails having what I call “breathing space” for yourself each day, feeling a sense of accomplishment while not being consumed by work, and having an enjoyable domestic life without short-changing career obligations. WLB is rooted in whatever fulfillment means to you within the course of a day and a week, and however many years you have left in your life.

Supporting Disciplines

Several disciplines support work-life balance though, individually, none are synonymous with work-life balance:

1) Self Management

Sufficiently managing one’s self can be challenging, particularly in getting proper sleep, exercise, and nutrition. Self-management is the recognition that effectively using the spaces in our lives is vital, and that life, time, and available resources are finite. It means becoming captain of our own ship; no one is coming to steer for us.

2) Time Management

Effective time management involves making optimal use of your day and the supporting resources that can be summoned – you can only keep pace when your resources match your challenges. Time management is enhanced through appropriate goals and discerning what is both important and urgent, versus important OR urgent. It entails understanding what you do best and when, and assembling the appropriate tools to accomplish specific tasks.

3) Stress Management

By nature, societies tend to become more complex over time. In the face of increasing complexity, stress on the individual is inevitable. More people, noise, and distractions, independent of one’s individual circumstances, require each of us to become more adept at maintaining tranquility and being able to work ourselves out of pressure-filled situations. Most forms of multi-tasking ultimately increase our stress, while focusing on one thing at a time helps decrease stress.

4) Change Management

In our fast-paced world, change is virtually the only constant. Continually adopting new methods, adapting old, and re-adapting all methods is vital to a successful career and a happy home life. Effective change management involves offering periodic and concerted efforts so that the volume and rate of change at work and at home does not overwhelm or defeat you.

5) Technology Management

Effectively managing technology requires ensuring that technology serves you, rather than abuses you. Technology has always been with us, since the first walking stick, spear, flint, and wheel. Today, the rate of technological change is accelerating, brought on by vendors seeking expanding market share. Often you have no choice but to keep up with the technological Joneses, but rule technology, don’t let it rule you.

6) Leisure Management

The most overlooked of the work-life balance supporting disciplines, leisure management acknowledges 1) the importance of rest and relaxation, 2) that “time off” is a vital component of the human experience, and 3) that one can’t indefinitely short-change leisure without repercussions. Curiously, too much of the same leisure activity, however enjoyable, can lead to monotony. Thus, effective leisure management requires varying one’s activities.

Entirely Achievable

Achieving work-life balance does not require radical changes in what you do. It is about developing fresh perspectives and sensible, actionable solutions that are appropriate for you. It is fully engaging in life with what you have, right where you are, smack dab in the ever-changing dynamics of your existence.

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Business

Work-life Balance: The Enduring Quest

Organizations today recognize the importance of supporting employees’ well-being while maintaining productivity

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Thank goodness that organizations today increasingly recognize the importance of supporting employees’ well-being while maintaining productivity. As such, the corporate quest for work-life balance, harmony, and integration has gained great prominence.

Key Aspects

Here are 12 key aspects of this pursuit gleaned from a variety of programs:

1. Offer Flexible Work Arrangements: Offering flexible work schedules, remote work options, and part-time opportunities allows employees to better balance their professional and personal lives.

2. Have Clear Policies: Establishing clear policies and guidelines regarding work hours, overtime, and expectations helps employees manage their time effectively.

3. Support Mental Health: Providing access to mental health resources, counseling, and stress management programs can address employees’ emotional well-being.

4. Give Leave: Offering generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave, allows employees to address personal and family needs without fear of repercussions.

5. Prevent Burnout: Encouraging employees to disconnect from work-related technology after hours helps prevent burnout and supports work-life separation.

6. Support Workload Management: Ensuring that employees have manageable workloads and realistic deadlines prevents excessive stress and long working hours.

7. Provide Wellness Programs: Implementing wellness initiatives, such as fitness facilities, nutrition programs, and health screenings, promotes a healthier work-life balance.

8. Enable Employee Assistance Programs: Such programs provide confidential counseling and support services for employees facing personal challenges.

9. Promote a Culture of Balance: Company culture plays a significant role in work-life balance. Leaders should model a balanced lifestyle, and the organization should celebrate accomplishments beyond work.

10. Maintain Continuous Communication: Engaging in open dialogues with employees about their needs and concerns regarding work-life balance fosters a supportive and responsive corporate culture.

11. Empower Workers with Training and Education: Providing training on time management, stress reduction, and resilience equips employees with the skills to better balance their lives.

12. Leverage Remote Work Policies: Crafting clear remote work policies and expectations ensures that remote employees have a structured work-life balance.

Bringing in the Hired Gun

As the world’s only holder of the title, “The Work-Life Balance Expert®,” as issued by the USPTO,  I am often summoned by organizations to enhance work-life balance for their troops. In all, I’ve delivered programs and spoken to 960 groups. Below depicts an encounter with a company who shall remain nameless for reasons of confidentiality. See if this squares up with your experience in your organization.

The following responses were derived as a result of my sending a questionnaire to the conference meeting planner where I was to be their keynote speaker. I requested the names of 10 people who would be in the audience. I called each of them to discuss their current challenges. Here are their actual replies to three of my questions:

1) If you could magically resolve a work-life balance issue, what would it be?

* Have more breathing room between high-level projects.
* Accomplish more during the workday and leave mentally free.
* Hire more staff!
* Take vacations and time off with no big pile ups when returning.

* Be allowed to take some Fridays off and catch up on much needed appointments.
* Reduce the number of pop-up requests and questions flying at me all day long so that I could ACTUALLY do what I need to do each day.
* Be approved to work from home or adjust my hours. My personal time isn’t respected.

2) What do you seek to derive from attending a session such as mine?

* Manage my time more effectively.
* Gain tools to embrace life while living it
* Develop stronger skills.
* Make work-life balance a reality in our company’s work-first culture.

* Acquire strategies, tips, or ideas to re-think my approach.
* Learn to change my focus, to be more productive, balanced, and focused.
* Be able to balance the few things that I do control during my day.
* Discover tips for keeping my staff in balance.

* Gain a realistic expectation of what we can achieve or experience.
* Develop a more positive outlook for the group.

3) Are there any observations you could offer?

* Work-life balance is a huge topic organization-wide. We are high performers who want to do a good job. We compromise our personal lives to meet work demands. We have to keep pace with the leaders and teams we support. If we don’t, we’ll be deemed unresponsive.

* A frenetic pace seems to be inherent in this company. Our team does a good job of emphasizing work-life balance; the problem lies with the surrounding divisions that thrive on working all the time, for no good reason. Yes, we are in a global space, working in different time zones, but some of these people are beyond the pale.

* What I love about this organization are the people. They are dedicated to the cause and truly want to deliver reliable, affordable, dynamic, and versatile solutions to our customers. However, our frenetic pace isn’t necessary. Not every project is the most vital. Not every problem is an emergency. Not every request has to be filled now.

* If in charge, I’d implement a more efficient, logical pace organization-wide. If we all took a breath and reevaluated how we work, in a more focused environment, we might find that we could produce better results with less stress.

Resonates Strongly

As you can see, the topic of work-life balance resonates strongly among today’s career professionals. Going forward, may more organization recognize and acknowledge the critical role that employee wellness and work-life balance has on the organization’s overall effectiveness.

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