June 25, 2009
Walk the Talk Penguins Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Take the initiative and lead the way. You can make the difference.
Personalize and Customize this image with Design Your Inspiration. The DYI print comes in two sizes: Wall Art Size (19″x24″) or Desktop Size (9″x13″), for which you’ll choose a frame and mat for museum quality display. Most importantly, you’ll be able to add one of our recommended inspirational quotes, or you can write your own quote, as well as a personal message. See how easy it is with this How To DYI Video.
Penguin Power
Penguins are pretty interesting creatures. They come in at least 17 different “varieties” from the largest Emperor penguins (up to 44 inches and 90 pounds!) of March of the Penguins movie fame to the smallest Little Blue penguins (adults can be 8 inches tall and 2.5 pounds!). Think of a Chihuahua standing next to a Great Dane for comparison. They’re both dogs, but, bow wow, what a difference.
Many penguins have learned to adapt to extreme weather conditions, partially through teamwork. Living in the frigid Antarctic, colonies of Emperor penguins huddle together to conserve heat and protect each other from the harsh wind. Individual penguins choose to move from the protected, toasty interior to the chilly perimeter so that each bird can enjoy some measure of warmth.
Male and female Emperor penguins share responsibility for the young, both making huge sacrifices in the process. After laying a single egg, the mother leaves it with her mate, then spends the next two months foraging for food – up to 50 miles away. The father keeps the egg warm by balancing it on his feet and tucking it under his “brooding pouch” as he stands erect. He does this for the entire time the mother is gone! He doesn’t eat a thing and loses a good portion of his body weight. When the mother returns, he must struggle to find food in his weakened state.
What can we learn from penguins? Even though we vary in size, shape and skin tone, we’re all part of the human race, and as such, we can work together to make sure everyone has their fair share – that everyone has their time in the “toasty center.” We can share the work and the responsibility in our jobs, our families and our communities, perhaps even making sacrifices for those yet to come. After all, each of us CAN make a difference.
See a movie clip from March of the Penguins.
See a Yellow-Eyed penguin video clip of adults taking care of their young.
Did you know there are Macaroni penguins? See one!
Every Monday Matters is a book that guides you – step by step – how to make a difference in the world.
Like penguins? See all of our penguin products.
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June 23, 2009
The Power of Knowledge Library Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Every story that captures our imagination, every statistic that illuminates an idea, every viewpoint that enlightens the debate forces us to question our understanding of the world. Whether it ultimately changes our thinking or not is immaterial…the real value of knowledge lies in its ability to make us more complete.
9% Happier
I recently read a statistic that said for every happy, positive friend you have, your chances at happiness are 9% greater. Interesting thought.
Naturally, I began to run through my list of friends. We tend to attract people like ourselves into our circles, and even though I knew I came from heavily negative-thinking stock, I was sure I had changed enough to attract at least 50% of positive friends. No so. Just getting to 27% was harder than I thought – three people!
What did these people have in common? It wasn’t their physical stature. They were all shapes and sizes. It wasn’t their income. All incomes were modest at best. Was it their jobs? Each one of them enjoyed their job, so that might have something to do with it. However, they all had a positive view of the world in common. As I’ve noticed so many times before, it came down to attitude.
But how do you change your attitude? First, you might want to find one of your positive friends (if you don’t have any, making one would be your first step) and get together with them to specifically talk about their viewpoint, their core values, their dreams and their goals. Really listen to what they have to say without judgement (your negative self is very quick to make judgements). Think about what they’ve said and whether or not you can apply any of it to your life.
Then spend a day trying to be aware of negative thoughts. Each time one pops into your head, counteract it with a positive thought. For example: “It’s raining – now I can’t work in the yard today!” can be changed to “It’s raining – since I can’t work in the yard, I can start that book I’ve been wanting to read.” This is a small change, but once you start reinforcing the positive thought, you will naturally begin to change your attitude.
Try doing something nice for someone else – no strings attached. You can make this into a little game. Practice bestowing at least one kindness per day to a family member, coworker, neighbor, stranger – anyone! When you get better at this, try two per day and so on. When this becomes second nature, try being nice to a person who is NOT nice to you. You’ll be surprised how disarming and helpful this can be to both of you.
Practice might not make perfect in this case, but it will help you on the road to becoming a happier person. Then friends might be seeking you out to up their 9% happiness quotient.
We carry some wonderful gift books that speak to positive thinking:
The Dash
Dreams are Whispers from the Soul
Every Monday Matters
Finding Joy
May You Be Blessed
The Power of Attitude
The Richest Man in Town
The Simple Truths of Appreciation
The Strangest Secret
We also have an entire Attitude-themed section of motivational products.
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June 9, 2009
- Essence of Success Birches Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of children, who leaves the world better than they found it, who has never lacked appreciation for the earth’s beauty, who never fails to look for the best in others or give the best of themselves.
Breaking Through
Look around. What do you see? If you’re inside, you might see walls, doorways, a computer, furniture. But if you’re outside, do you see nature? Even in the most concrete jungles, plants find their way through crevices.
When I was growing up, I had an advertisement for Oneida flatware cut out from a magazine and pinned to the corkboard wall of my bedroom. The ad showed a photograph of a small pink flower blooming from a crack in a vast, gray asphalt surface. To my childhood self, this bloom represented the very essence of hope.
I once read a story about a teacher who had her elementary school class plant daffodil bulbs – which looked like brown, papery teardrops – in the fall to experience the magic of transformation. She wanted them to see that these strange lifeless shapes would become sunny yellow flowers in the spring.
Imagine her dismay when the school expanded their parking lot and paved over the “garden” that the students had planted. She was concerned that the students would be severely disappointed.
Months later on a warm spring day, a student came to her to tell her about a strange green pointed plant coming out of the parking lot. The class went outside to look, and sure enough, the daffodils were pushing up through the asphalt. The dismay was now transferred to the pavers, but the children were beside themselves with glee. The administration allowed the daffodils to bloom before fixing the parking lot’s surface and the children got to experience transformation and hope, against all odds.
Look around. Every blade of grass, every dazzling flower, every intricately detailed leaf is a proclamation of hope. What a great lesson for us!
See our effort-themed motivational products including posters, awards, cards, books and more.
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June 4, 2009
Believe and Succeed Sunset Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
We cannot change yesterday. We can only make the most of today, and look with hope toward tomorrow.
The What If Game
Have you ever played the “What If” game? You know, the one where you ask yourself, “What if I married that person I dated in high school? What would my life be like now?” Or, “What if I had gone on to get my Ph.D.? Would I be more successful?” Or, “What if I was chosen for an extreme makeover? Would I be drop-dead gorgeous/handsome?”
I’ll let you in on a little secret. The quote is right. We can’t change yesterday. Well, not until they create that time machine everybody’s always yakking about.
The only guy I dated when I was in high school was a twenty-one-year-old foreign exchange student from Thailand. If you can call eating cold cucumber and rat tail soup for two weeks dating. (I do.) So, I’d have to say I made the right decision in that What If game. I don’t even like cucumbers.
Getting my Ph.D. Even though that almost made me laugh out loud, right here in the office, there was a time I considered it. I mean, having a Ph.D. would let people know I was smart, right? Frankly, I’m not sure if it’s that intelligent to spend serious wads of money and giant chunks of time getting a degree that gets you a job where you can barely eke out a living. Isn’t it smarter to just look in the mirror every day and say, “I’m smart enough, good enough and doggone it, people like me.” (Thank you, Stuart Smalley, for your timeless wisdom.)
I’m also pretty sure my extreme makeover would not cause any untimely deaths by onlookers. When a person is happy with who they are – that’s when they’re most attractive. (And as an aside, don’t you ever wonder about all these young people with fake body parts getting married and producing ugly offspring? Sure, you may look great now, but your kids are going to look like the pre-surgery you.)
May I make a few suggestions? Look past yesterday and pin your hopes on tomorrow, but live today. Be aware of the moments you have now and enjoy them. You are a gem upon this earth (perhaps in need of polishing, but that’s easy with a soft cloth). And thank your lucky stars you made the choices that put you where you stand today. What if you were someone else?
Like sunsets? Don’t be embarrassed, we do to. See some of our sunset-themed motivational items.
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June 2, 2009
Enthusiasm Dogs Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Passion creates energy. Strike out with joy and exhilaration and others are sure to join you.
A Dog Named Sadie
Every dog has a story, as does every dog owner. Owner isn’t really the right word as most dogs seem to be the ones in charge. As it has been said many times before, we’re the ones feeding them, buying them toys, picking up their “deposits” and whatnot. They’ve got us eating out of their hands – wait a minute – that’s reversed, too.
Our dog Sadie is a quintessential mutt. My husband always says that she’s the dog you see running around in the background of any natural disaster area, in any country – the dog all dogs eventually revert to in a feral state, similar to a coyote. Upright ears to deter ear mites, curled tail for cleanliness, medium-length hair for insulation against heat or cold and beige coloring for camouflage in most environments.
Lean at fifty pounds, Sadie was only twenty-five pounds when she first showed up in our yard (due to parasites, not hunting prowess). Bribed by leftover pizza, she seemed all too happy to enter the fenced portion of our yard.
After we tried to find her owner, then realized she was probably dumped along a nearby highway (neighbors had seen her wandering our neighborhood for months), we adopted her. Our vet told us she was about a year old.
Talk about passion and energy! This dog was greyhound-fast, an adept jumper, relentless licker and stealthy predator. She could rush down three flights of stairs, through two doggie doors and be at the far end of our yard in what seemed like seconds. She not only chased the typical fare of rabbits and squirrels, but nimble birds and zigzagging bumblebees as well.
Couch potato that I used to be, she lured me from my contented laziness with the utmost enthusiasm and glee. How could I resist? She would push her nose under my arm and physically make my hand pet her. She would look at me with excitement and jump in the air trying to lure me outside. It worked. Sadie’s strategy of striking out with joy and exhilaration ensured that I joined her outdoors.
If you think you have to resort to force, rules or intimidation to get employees, coworkers, teammates or friends to follow you, try unbridled enthusiasm. You may get more volunteer converts than you expect – and in the end, they’ll be happy they joined you.
Check out our motivational products related to passion and leadership.
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June 1, 2009
Spiral Stairway Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Look within for strength. Look beyond for perspective.
Putting It All Into Perspective
When Dr. Suess introduced Horton Hears a Who in 1954, the idea of seeing the world from a different perspective became commonplace. After all, Horton the elephant discovered an entire world in what he considered to be a speck of dust.
The 1997 movie Men in Black has a similar theme in which a tiny universe is contained in a small marble-sized object, and our universe is likewise contained in a similar way.
Behind both of these stories is the concept of perspective. When you look at things from someone else’s point of view, or see objects from a new angle, you are able to gain insight.
When the first pictures of earth were taken from space, people were shocked at how small our planet appeared. Every human being, each with his or her own joys and woes, each living out an entire lifetime, could not even be seen. Besides the Great Wall of China, all of our architectural feats, including skyscrapers and stadiums, were invisible from space.
But just because we can’t be seen from that perspective doesn’t mean our lives aren’t important and meaningful. Horton pointed that out when he finally convinced his fellow animals that Whos really did exist, and that everyone who lived in Who-ville was important. And when the Men in Black realized the world they were looking for didn’t have to be out in space, but could be right under their noses, they were able to save the day.
When you feel overwhelmed by life’s troubles, take a step back – physically move to a different spot – and try to see your situation from a different angle. This simple exercise might help put things into perspective. It’s worth a try!
Our motivational gift books can add perspective to your life.
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May 28, 2009
The Importance of Perspective Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
It’s easy to lose sight of the greater goal when we get caught up in the details. Step forward to survey the broader landscape, however, and we discover a renewed focus and a clear direction.
Take a Mental Vacation
Palm fronds open like eyelashes and through them we see a paradisiacal beach complete with pale sand, turquoise water and cloud puffs floating in a deep blue sky. We can imagine treasures pushed up onto the beach by frothy ocean fingers – whelks, olives, cat’s paws and conchs – as well as friendly fauna swimming in the shallows.
Taking a quick “mental vacation” when stressed can be very calming. That’s why soothing images in offices and homes are so popular. Seeing a beautiful scene breaks the chain of anxiety and puts everything into perspective. Perhaps reading the above descriptive paragraph has already begun to have a calming effect on you.
Even when you can’t physically remove yourself from a stressful or difficult situation, you can look at a beautiful picture or close your eyes and imagine a peaceful scene. If closing your eyes just isn’t possible, layer the imaginative scene over what you’re actually viewing (a bland cubicle wall, your angry boss) much like the “pretend everyone is in their underwear” protocol when you’re giving a speech.
This is such a simple solution to an age-old problem, it doesn’t seem like it would actually work. But you’d be surprised how quickly a tranquil image can dissipate negative feelings.
The next time you feel pressured from every conceivable angle, try taking time out for a “mental vacation.” You don’t even need to bring sunscreen!
See our Essence Of… and Lifescapes motivational posters to “de-stressify” (yes, I made up that word) your rooms.
Can’t fit a picture on the wall? How about a desk-sized print?
Desk too cluttered? How about a motivational coffee mug covered with beautiful imagery?
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May 26, 2009
- Imagine Alpine Castle Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
When we envision the extraordinary, we lay the foundation for our wildest dreams.
Dare to Dream
Have you ever felt so inspired by someone or something that it fueled your imagination to undertake an extraordinary project or head wholeheartedly in a new direction? While many of us find inspiration all around us, not all of us act on that inspiration. King Ludwig II of Bavaria, however, did – with the clear goal of achieving a very particular dream.
As a child, Ludwig was introduced to the legend of Lohengrin, a knight of King Arthur’s court, through the dramatic murals featured throughout his father’s castle. His interest in the legend grew to epic proportions later when he attended a 1861 performance of Richard Wagner’s classic opera based on the story. Enthralled by Wagner’s presentation of the legend, King Ludwig set off on a mission to create a castle “in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles.”
In creating Neuschwanstein, Ludwig went to amazing lengths to incorporate his fascination with medieval knighthood and the works of Richard Wagner.
Nearly all of Wagner’s operas are depicted in some way (tapestries, murals, carvings, etc.) throughout the castle.
Several rooms were specifically designed to accommodate opera performances.
The art and architecture in every room and corridor reflect the German mythology that formed the basis of Wagner’s operas.
One of the castle’s more unusual rooms, “The Grotto,” is an incredibly convincing replica of a cave complete with stalactites and a waterfall. The Grotto was inspired by a cave from Wagner’s opera, “Tannhäuser.”
Lugwig’s unique plans also included a “Knights’ Bath,” reminiscent of the ritual bath used by Arthur’s knights.
As for modern conveniences, Neuschwanstein boasts forced-air heating, indoor plumbing and tight-fitting, steel framed windows.
What began as an extravagant dream has since become one of the most recognizable “residences” in the world (just take a look at the Disney castle and you’ll see why). By acting on the inspiration that fired his imagination, King Ludwig was able to fulfill one of his greatest dreams. Take a cue from King Ludwig and, the next time you find yourself inspired, act on it. Dare to dream!
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May 21, 2009
Wisdom Tree Framed Motivational P
Motivational Quote:
The years reward dedication and courage with a depth and strength of character few will ever know.
A Tale of Wisdom
There is a story, long told, about a Tree of Sorrows. I’ve heard it told many ways and this is the way I picture the telling:
There was a large tree with long, extending branches and sparse leaves. The tree grew in a special place that drew pilgrims from all over the world to it.
People went to the tree to unburden themselves from their worst sorrow by writing that sorrow down on a piece of white silk and tying it to one of the tree branches. Each person immediately felt an incredible sense of relief as they did this.
There was only one catch. If you left a sorrow, you also had to take a sorrow.
So people were always milling about the tree afterwards, reading all the other sorrows. Through the special qualities of the tree, everyone could read the sorrows even though they were written in different languages. This took a while, and also made each person realize that everyone had sorrows.
In the end, each person took back their own sorrow because it always seemed better than all the others.
The End
As we mature, we can choose to become grateful for what constitutes our journey. This life we have is precious and unique – only we can live it out – with all of its joys and sorrows.
Sip from one of our inspirational ceramic mugs and tell your own story.
See all of our Lifescapes Framed Motivational Posters.
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May 19, 2009
Collaborate Grove Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
To stand apart from the competition, you must first stand together as a team.
A Real Team
A team can exist in name only, but not function properly together. Such was the case of Curtis High School’s soccer team back before coach Joyce Simonson took over. At this tough Staten Island school, the soccer team was made up of individuals from Egypt, Honduras, Pakistan, Mexico, Poland, Costa Rica, Vietnam, Jamaica and other countries – places where kids know how to play soccer from an early age. Yet this team had never had a winning season.
The problem? Each person played as an individual. The boy’s didn’t even know each other’s names – and didn’t want to know. And to these boys, a female coach seemed to be an additional insult. But even though Joyce Simonson was in her late forties and didn’t know a lick about soccer – or coaching – she was determined to make this conglomeration of bad attitudes into a cohesive team.
Her dedication paid off as the team began winning games, but more importantly, began forging friendships with one another. And Joyce really cared. She was like a second mom (she even became the legal guardian of one of her players, a West African boy escaping civil war).
The team gradually became a unit, a smoothly oiled machine that made it to the playoffs. Did they win the league championship? No. But they did win. And so did Coach Simonson. Twenty years later, she’s still coaching.
Read the full story: Call Me Coach.
See our One Goal Soccer Poster.
We have an entire Teamwork-themed section of motivational posters, awards, books and more.
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