We heard the fall colors were blazing on the road to the mountain ghost town of Kirwin, Wyoming. Elgin and I called up a couple of friends (Shane Colms & Jason Pinder) to join us for the ride out to see the beauty. And oh, was it beautiful! Wow!
Jason put it best when he said, “How blessed are we to have this in our backyard?” Absolutely. We felt fortunate to see the snow with fall colors too.
As you know, I believe in living my MS life to the fullest. The fall colors are my favorite time of year. I think about them all year long, and then, when they arrive, I run out to play at every opportunity. I won’t let MS keep me on the couch, missing fabulous opportunities. I encourage you to step outside and enjoy the beauty around you this fall season.
BOOK OF THE MONTH – October 2022
Book Recommendation – I recommend books that will benefit multiple sclerosis patients, people with chronic illness, and caretakers each month. I select books based on my recommendation and receive no compensation for choosing them. All links to Amazon are affiliate links, however.
How To Win Friends & Influence People is a classic book by Dale Carnegie from 1936. It has over 79,000 rankings on Amazon, with a 4.7-star rating. I read this book when I was in graduate school twenty years ago.
Years later, I purchased the book a second time. I remembered pieces of the excellent advice I found in How To Win Friends & Influence People, and I wanted to study them again now that I am a retired teacher, author, and volunteer firefighter-EMT. I recommend this book to MS warriors and their support systems because we work together as a team. Knowing how to support your team (win friends) and solve challenges (influence people) is the most productive and positive way to a happier and healthier life.
Here are a few lessons I learned from How To Win Friends & Influence People that I incorporated into my way of life. Be honest. Smile. Greet and say goodbye to people using their names. By doing this, I am saying I know who they are and that they mean something to me. Be interested in others and listen to their ideas. Respect differences in opinions and admit when you are wrong. To lead doesn’t mean you make all the decisions; facilitating others in determining a solution is ideal. Give praise based on truth.
How To Win Friends & Influence People is a guide to behavior that will earn respect. I am not a fan of the book’s title because it makes me feel like I am hoping to manipulate people. I purchased the book because it came highly recommended. I loved the book because it teaches basic lessons on human interactions. It is about the simple things you can do to improve your relationships with others.
Upcoming Appearances
October 8, 2022 – High Plains Book Awards, 12-4 p.m. Billings Public Library Community Room for panel discussions and author book signings at 510 N Broadway, Billings, MT 59101 and, 7:30 p.m. Awards Presentation at Petro Theater at 1500 University Drive, Billings, MT 59101
October 25, 2022 – Thriving Over Surviving podcast interview
October 27, 2022 – Inside the Nest podcast interview
November 1, 2022 – Dragonclaw.net guest speaker on Zoom
