Max Living

The bird let loose in Eastern skies,
Returning fondly home,
Ne’er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies
Where idle warblers roam;
But high she shoots through air and light,
Above all low delay,
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight,
Nor shadow dims her way.
—Thomas Moore, “Oh That I Had Wings”
How do fly above “all low delay”? How do you avoid “idle [...]

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
—Leo Buscaglia
How have a touch, a smile, or a kind word turned your life around? Share your thoughts by [...]

One hundred and fifty years ago this month, the American Civil War began when Confederate batteries in Charlestown, South Carolina, surrounding Ft. Sumter opened fire. The nation would not know peace again for almost exactly four bitter years. The war claimed the lives of some 620,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. Destruction, especially [...]

“A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
What influence do your friends have on you? Do you allow your friends to be sincere? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

This blog has focused from time to time on the power of words—power to motivate and help, or, conversely, power to harm and discourage. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7) is well known, but let us not forget, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh [...]

By Mark Brown
In the personal development field, few names have as much cachet as Stephen R. Covey. His book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a true classic, spawning or otherwise propagating such familiar terms as “begin with the end in mind,” “Put first things first,” and “seek first to understand, then to [...]

“The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man’s observation, not overturning it.”
—Edward George Bulwer-Lytton
Do you engage in conversation as conquest, or in the “true spirit” as Lord Lytton suggests? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

By Mark Brown
Friendships bring great joy to our lives. Friends help us be more well-rounded people, and expose us to new experiences and ideas. Friends help us celebrate good news, and comfort us when things don’t go our way. Without question, friendships are vital to a healthy psyche and attitude.
And, according to author Tom Rath [...]

“You’ve heard of people calling in sick. You may have even called in sick a few times yourself. But have you ever thought about calling in well?
It’d go like this: You’d get the boss on the line and say, ‘Listen, I’ve been sick ever since I started working here, but today I’m well and I [...]

On Sunday, The King’s Speech won the Academy Award for Best Picture. This film tells the story of England’s King George VI and his efforts to overcome a severe stutter, which greatly impacted his life as a public figure.
As shown in the film, even before he was made King, George VI (or “Bertie” to his [...]