Blog
To A Footstool A Chair Is Everything
Every Sunday our family has a tradition that as we sit around the kitchen table for dinner together we always go around the table and each take a turn sharing something that touched us in church that day. Then we discuss the thoughts shared. This tradition is something we value tremendously because it’s a time …
Tagged appreciation, C.S. Lewis, church, existence, family tradition, god made us, growing, happiness, happiness and peace, humility, life lessons, mere Christianity, prayer, reliance on God, religion, spirituality, spiritually in tune, stay grounded, the best way to be happy, to a footstool a chair is everything, we need god, what awesome looks like
Time Flies When You’re Doing Things You Love
I swear the day goes by so ridiculously fast when you are working on things you love to do. The days I spend my time trying to help others and give back in meaningful ways literally fly by so fast that I’m always blown away to look at the clock and realize the day is …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, charity, criminal justice reform, do what you love, going good, help others to excel, important work, make a difference, mark holden, not enough hours in the day, safe streets and second chances, sexual abuse, sexually abused children, shelaine maxfield, stand together, time flies, Time Flies When You’re Doing What You Love, younique foundation
Don’t Be Cutoff
Last week my family and I went and stayed at a cabin in Kamas, Utah for some much needed family bonding time. I planned several fun activities for us such as attending a Queen Nation concert (a cover band that performs music from Queen), boating on the lake, watching a small town parade, playing card …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, boating, camera phone, capturing moments, cell phones, cutting ourselves off from the moment, Don’t be cut off from the very experience we are trying to capture, enjoy the moment, family bonding, family time, fuji, getaway, Kodak, live in the moment, overkill, pictures, process film, shooting video, taking pictures, taking too many photos, too many photos, vacation time, videos, what awesome looks like
7 UP-Lifting ways to start your week of right
7 UP-lifting Ways To Start This Week off right: 1. Wake UP – and Decide to have a good day. 2. Dress UP – The best way to dress up is to put on a smile! 3. Cheer UP – say nice things and have a positive attitude. 4. Stand UP – For what you …
Tagged 7-up, Amy Rees Anderson, cheer up, dress up, inspiring thought, lift up, list, look up, motivation, positive thinking, reach up, smile, stand up, start the week off right, uplifted, wake up, what awesome looks like
Remember – You’re On The Same Team
A few years ago we were playing games with several couples. One of the people playing the game got really frustrated when someone on their same team did something that caused them to lose their points. In a fit of frustration this person yelled a reminder to the other player, “We are on the SAME …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, couples, forget, forgive, game of life, give the benefit of the doubt, help each other succeed, husband and wife, if you want to win, love, marriage, move forward, on the same side, relationships, what awesome looks like, you are on the same team, you’re in it together, zig ziglar
Feeling Stuck?
Have you ever had a time when, for lack of a better description, you just feel stuck? Unsure of how to go forward, but aware you can’t stand still? Feeling stuck is actually a clear indication that something in our lives needs to change. Whenever I find myself feeling stuck it’s because I have a …
Tagged agency, Amy Rees Anderson, beyond a doubt, choices, choosing between two good options, consider the options, decision making, don’t wait for all the doubts to dissipate, faith, fear of missing out, feeling stuck, fomo, good better best, guard rails, guidance, in times of doubt, know your values, making a decision, move forward, need to make a decision, progression, stuck, weigh the options, what awesome looks like
Celebrating Pioneer Day And A Legacy Of Faith
July 24th may be just a regular day for most of the world, but here in Utah it’s a State holiday called Pioneer Day when we celebrate the fact that on July 24, 1847, the Pioneers first arrived to settle the State of Utah. If you are not familiar with the story of what these …
Tagged 17 miracles, Amy Rees Anderson, ancestors, bravery, courage, courage in your convictions, endless faith, endure to the end, extermination order, face challenges with courage, family history, hatred, history, history of Utah, holiday, joseph smith, latter-day saints, life history, love, massacre, mobs, Mormon pioneer, persecution, pioneer, pioneer day, refugees, relatives, saints, settling Utah, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, trek, unbelievable courage, Utah
Bring The Vacation To You
We all love going on vacation – Why? Because vacations are our opportunity to throw normal routines out the window and give ourselves permission to venture out and do new things without feeling weighed down by any day-to-day expectations, and without feeling the tremendous guilt of forgoing them. We allow ourselves to ignore the cell …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, be happy, bring the vacation to you, calories don’t count, enjoy the ordinary, explore, find new things, give yourself permission to enjoy, have fun, ignore the emails, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, love at home, stay home, time off, turn off the cell phone, vacation, wanderlust
Choose Your Perspective
My Mother is a woman of many talents. She writes poetry, she’s written song lyrics, she’s published a book, she draws, she does beautiful sculptures, and the list of her talents goes on and on, but at the top of that list has to be raising ten children. Having raised two children myself I can …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, attitude, change your perspective, choose your perspective, dandelion, happiness, keep things in perspective, leslie, Leslie Pearson Rees, life lessons from a child, mother, perspective, poetry, see the flowers not the weeds, summertime, talents, through the eyes of a child
Enjoy The Moment With Your Full Focus
I’m one of those people that when I know I have something coming due in the future, that I haven’t had time to do yet, it weighs on me like a big ball of stress just waiting to smack me in the gut. I find I have a hard time relaxing and enjoying anything if …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, be happy now, burdens, busy, culture, do your best, focus on the ones you love, live in the moment, project, self-improvement, stop stressing, stop stressing about the future, stress, things to improve on, time management, time with family, too busy
It Only Takes Three Words To Strengthen Any Relationship
Years ago someone shared an article with me titled “Only 3 Words” that reads as follows: “There are many things that you can do to strengthen your relationships. Often the most effective thing you can do involves saying just three words…The following three-word phrases can be tools to help develop every relationship. 1.Let me help …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, appreciation, coworkers, friendship, i love you, i miss you, i respect you, i thank you, i understand you, let me help, love, marriage, maybe you're right, please forgive me, relationships, three words to strengthen any relationship, you are awesome
A Day In One Another’s Shoes
Last night my I went and saw the musical Freaky Friday with my daughter. I would guess all of you are familiar with the storyline from the Disney movie Freaky Friday already, but just in case your not, it’s about a mother and her teenage daughter who have been struggling to get along (as many …
Tagged a day in one another's shoes, Amy Rees Anderson, appreciation, ashley, disney, disney's freaky friday, empathy, freaky friday, mother daughter relationships, parent child relationships, parenting, put yourself in their shoes, see it from the other person's point of view, switch places, understanding, walk in one another's shoes, walt disney
We Are Connected – What You Do Affects The Whole World
“One day, a western anthropologist went to Africa to study the social behavior of an indigenous tribe. He proposed a game to the children and they willingly agreed to be part of it. He put a basket filled with fruits underneath a tree and told the children that whoever would reach the basket first would …
Tagged affirm, affirming, africa, attitude, children, connected, culture, desmond tutu, family, generosity, God, group, human, impact, linked, network, networked, self-assurance, self-confidence, teamwork, tribe, trust, ubuntu, whole
The Rule Against Why Or When
I moved every few years as a kid. My father’s work took us from Oregon, to Washington, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, California and then Utah. Every time we moved and I had to say goodbye to my friends it was hard. That gave me a special appreciation for the fact that from the time my …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, attitude, california, choose to be happy, despite difficult circumstances, difficult times, faddis, friends, friendship, friendship isn’t constrained by proximity, it’s hard to see people go, life, life lesson, love, michigan, moving around as a kid, moving away, negativity, neighborhood, oregon, positive thinking, sadness, tennessee, texas, the value of friendship, the way we face our problems, Utah, virginia, washington, why or when
Paying It Forward With A Reminder That Today is #FreeSlurpeeDay!
I decided to post tonight’s blog early today because I want to make sure everyone is aware that because today 7/11 it is FREE SLURPEE DAY at 7-Eleven. But to get your free Slurpee but you’ve got to get in there by 7pm today so I wanted to post today’s blog in plenty of time …
Tagged #freeslurpeeday, 7-Eleven, 7-ss, 7/11, a little pick-me up, act of kindness, act of service, Amy Rees Anderson, baskin robbins ice cream, best husband ever, bucket of ice cream, cheesy grin, daiquiri ice ice cream, do something kind for others, free slurpee day, had a long day, happiness, manager, pay it forward, refreshing, Rollin, service, slurpee, smile on your face, sunshine and summertime, you had a bad day
The Greatest Forces In The World Are Babies
“When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother. And then God puts …
Tagged alexis anderson, Amy Rees Anderson, baby blessing, Barbara bush, Dalton Anderson, e.t. Sullivan, eternities beginning, family, fatherhood, fulfilling, generations, God, gordon b. hinckley, grandparents, hug your children, Jerry Rees, legacy, leslie rees, love, magnolia rees anderson, motherhood, name and blessing, parenthood, parents, raising children, rhe white house, tender experience, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the greatest forces in the world are babies, the greatest work, the importance of parents, Wellesley college
Stand Together To Greater Your Good
Last weekend my husband and I were with our friends Charles and Liz Koch along with 700 other truly amazing philanthropists, business leaders, and leading advocates who all share a common desire to help others to excel. As a philanthropic community, this group known as Stand Together works collectively to: 1. Empower everyone to find …
Tagged advocate, alleviate poverty, Amy Rees Anderson, amy rees anderson academic entrepreneurs, business leaders, center for growth and opportunity, charles koch, do good, give back, give of your talents, give of your time, give of your treasure, have i done any good, liz koch, philanthropy, seminar network, social entrepreneur, stand together, stand together to greater your good, usu, utah state university, Utah Valley University, UVU
Commitment Is The Stuff Character Is Made Of
“Commitment is what transforms a promise into a reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions, and the actions that speak louder than words. It is making time when there is none; coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of—the …
Tagged absolute integrity, actions speak louder than words, Amy Rees Anderson, character, commitment is the stuff character is made of, do what you say, family, integrity, intentions are reflected in words, keep your promises, marriage, respect, spouses, trustworthy, your word is your bond
Get Back Into The Swing Of Things – Tip Toe If You Must
It’s never easy getting back into the swing of things after being away for a period of time. These last several weeks I traveled down to St. George to speak at a business conference, then I went immediately down to Lake Powell to host a group on our houseboat for over a week, and then …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, back to work, getting back into the swing of things, going back to work, holiday weekend, overwhelmed, take the first step, tip-toe if you must, vacation time, what awesome looks like
Let The Celebration Begin!
As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday this week may we remember to “pledge ourselves to each other, and to the cause of human freedom, the cause that has given light to this land and hope to the world” as described by President Ronald Reagan in his speech given July 4, 1986: …
Tagged adams, america, Amy Rees Anderson, brotherhood, declaration of independence, faith, founding fathers, fourth of july, freedom, happiness, jefferson, john adams, July 4, one nation under god, peace, pledge of allegiance, politics, president, ronald reagan, Thomas Jefferson, tolerance, truth, unity
Give Your Mental Health A Fighting Chance
Tonight I’m flying back from two back to back trips I’ve been on the last few weeks. I had some awesome experiences on my trip that I’m super excited to share with all of you, but given that my plane won’t get me back home until long after midnight tonight I think I’ll postpone sharing …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, ashley anderson hill, eat healthy, exercise, get sleep, give yourself a fighting chance, happiness, mental health, nutrition, take care of yourself
Do More Than…
“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.” -William Arthur Ward That quote highlights the difference between good and GREAT! Great takes being proactive and getting involved. It takes …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, do good, do great, do more than, donate resources, donate time, get involved, give it your all, inspire, make a difference, positive change, sacrifice, stand together, worth it
Some Words Of Advice Are Timeless
Some words of advice are timeless…the words in this poem qualify as such… Wear Sunscreen -by Mary Schmich Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than …
Tagged advice, Amy Rees Anderson, appreciate what you have, appreciation, be happy now, be silly, beauty, dance, dance like no one is watching, don’t worry about the future, enjoy it while you can, failure, family, floss your teeth, friends, get to know your parents, gratitude, happiness, have children, laugh out loud, life is a gift, love, nostalgia, read the directions, smile, some advice is timeless, success, sunshine, take chances, the older you get, the power of youth, the secret to happiness, travel, wear sunscreen, what awesome looks like, what will you do with your life
The Fastest Way To Turn A Bad Day Around
Have you ever noticed that no matter how tired you are or how worn out you feel, the instant someone puts on great dance music you can’t help yourself from starting to bop your head and tap your feet to the beat. Nothing can lift your spirits faster than an impromptu dance party. For those …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, be that person, carefree, dance for joy, dance like no one is watching, dance par-tay, dance party, dance to have joy, dancing, don’t stand on the sidelines, don’t worry about what other people think, footloose, good dancer, happiness, happy people, impromptu dance party, joy, joyful, judgement, judging, leave your shyness at the door, let yourself go, life is too short, lift your spirits, miserable, nervous, scared, shy, the fastest way to turn a bad day around, what awesome looks like
Forgiveness Day
June 26th is Forgiveness Day – a day to forgive others who have wronged you and a day for seeking forgiveness from those you have wronged…finally, it’s a day to forgive yourself. Forgiving others is hard to do when you are hurting, but it is also the most therapeutic. When you forgive someone you are …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, brave, burden off your shoulders, do it as a favor to you, don’t harbor anger, don’t harbor resentment, don’t think about it, expectations, forgive, forgive and forget, forgive others because one day you will need God to do the same for you, forgive yourself, forgiveness, forgiveness day, humility, intimidating, justice isn’t a prerequisite for forgiveess, keep the past in the past, let go, perfection, put the past in the past, scary, seek forgiveness, the first to apologize, the first to forget is the happiest, the first to forgive is the strongest, the pursuit of perfection
Question Your Way Of Thinking To Broaden Your Perspective
I was reading unopened emails in my inbox when I came across one from my daughter-in-law Alexis where she had written a guest blog post for me to be able to use on a day I was busy and needed help. Given that she’d sent the unopened email to me clear back on June 6th …
Tagged a seemingly thankless job, alexis, Amy Rees Anderson, anger, become more of a person, being a parent, broaden your perspective, change your outlook, change your way of thinking, Dalton, don’t have children, Flynn, grandbaby, grandchild, guest post, have children, life’s biggest blessing, little monster, motherhood, perspective, question your way of thinking, sacrifice, selfish, selfless, the joy of children, the joy of parenthood, what children teach us, worth the sacrifice
Bring On Those Two Virgin Pina Coladas!
It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for summer to arrive this year. The weather has been cold and rainy, the flowers were late coming in, and life just seemed to get nutso every since 2019 began. I think I’ve officially spent more time in hospitals in 2019 than any other year in my life. …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, boating, check your local events, don’t let it pass you by, flowers blooming, garth brooks, it will be gone before you know it, lake powell, little paper umbrellas, make a plan, movies in the park, outdoor concerts, plan your vacation, playtime, schedule it out, summer concert series, summer vacation, summer vacay, summertime, sunshine, take full advantage, time management, two pina coladas, warm weather, water fights, what awesome looks like, whipped cream
We All Scream For Ice Cream As We Begin Summer 2019!
Guess what?? Today is National Vanilla Milkshake Day! YEEE HAWWW 🙂 Why am I so excited about that, you ask? Because I LOVE ice cream! That’s why. So when I heard that today was National Milkshake Day I thought, “What could be better than that?!” You see, I growing up in the Rees Family, ice …
Tagged a bowl of ice cream, Amy Rees Anderson, baskin-robbins, childhood memories, daiquiri ice ice cream, does it get better than this?, father, first day of summer, grandfather, growing up, happy times, I think not, ice cream, ice cream cone, Jerry Rees, national vanilla milkshake day, rees family tradition, stan rees, summer 2019, sunshine, sunshine and summertime, the joy of summer, the start of summer, we all scream for ice cream, what could be better
If You Have Purpose You Don’t Have To Be Pushed, Your Passion Will Drive You There
“If you have a strong purpose in life, you don’t have to be pushed. Your passion will drive you there.” – Roy Bennett I’d only been asleep for three hours when my alarm went off at 4am this morning. I had an early morning flight I needed to get up and ready for so I …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, business, don’t give up, energy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, forbes, full purpose of heart, get up, goal poster, goals, help others to excel, how to excel in business & Life, how to excel in business and life, if you have a pulse you have a purpose, if you have a purpose you don’t have to be pushed, inspired, keep going, keynote speech, leadership, life purpose, man's search for happiness, motivation, move forward, passion, what awesome looks like, your passion will drive you
Work hard at your job you can make a living. Work hard on yourself and you can make a fortune.
“Work hard at your job and you can make a living. Work hard on yourself and you can make a fortune.” — Jim Rohn As a CEO, whenever I saw a hard worker I instantly noticed them. They always stood out from the rest. And knowing they were a hard worker made me comfortable to assign them …
Tagged Amy Rees Anderson, be your best, best version of yourself, buisness, CEO, confidence, develop your talents, earn a fortune, earn a promotion, entrepreneurship, get a raise, get noticed, getting ahead, give 100%, god given gifts, hard work, how to excel, make a living, monetary reward, promotion, raise, reputation of trust, return on investment, stand out from the crowd, what awesome looks like, work ethic, working hard at your job, working hard on yourself
