My “Full Examination of My Game of Life” came in two ways at the same time. After a 30 year sales and client relationship career, I was hit with a sudden and unexpected corporate layoff! BAM! One day I was VP of Client Development having just closed a large and important customer contract renewal, the next day that position was eliminated. BAM! I was devastated, scared, and at a loss for what to do next. So what were the two ways? I was given a test and an assignment at the same time. The test was for my toughness and grit to emerge from this set-back and use it as a set-up for my future. The assignment? Well this was the game-changer.
The morning after this “gut-punch” event, I awoke to a word repeating itself in my head. It would not stop. The word was STRONG. I quickly wrote it on a pad which I always kept on a bedside table. Then, just looking at the letters I wrote Stand Tall Remain Optimistic Now Go for it. STRONG. That day changed everything for me as I looked for ways to be strong merely by having focused on a deeper meaning for the word and how I could use it to help me recover from the devastating blow to my world. But how did this day change everything? This single word on this day started a daily morning ritual of getting a divine download of a word or phrase and writing an uplifting message each day for over 400 consecutive mornings. With each word, I used just its letters, to solve the puzzle of writing a positive meaning upon which to frame my day. Examples include, CALM (Catch A Little Moment), GREAT, (Get Ready Expect A Teriffic day) and, SMILE (Seek More In Life Every day).
What did this little word game have to do with “changing everything”? I quickly learned the power that focusing on a single positive, uplifting word could bring. Simply looking at the upside in any situation started bringing better thoughts, more positive intentions, more confident beliefs, increasingly bold actions and much greater outcomes in my life. Another example, when we are faced with a CHANGE we can look at the situation in two completely opposite ways:
Can’t
Handle
Another
Negative
Gut-wrenching
Experience
or
Circumstances
Have
Altered
Now
Get
Engaged
We choose.
Since that first day, I wrote and shared every word with friends and family. This led to publishing the collection in a book called “Above The Chatter, Our Words Matter,” international speaking including a spot on the TEDx Speaker’s stage, a corporate workshop program and opportunities to speak to students, in homeless shelters, in hospitals, civic organizations and in front of numerous industry associations. Everywhere I go, the message is the same: Our words matter and the words we choose to speak to others AND to ourselves impact everything.
With every book purchased and with every speaking engagement, I donate copies of “Above The Chatter, Our Words Matter” to organizations helping others through struggles and challenges in life. Recipients include Hospitals, Homeless Shelters, Veterans Support organizations, Orphanages, and more.
Losing that job was in some crazy way a blessing. For not being faced with that challenge, I likely would not have been inspired to write the first word. God’s assignment to take the word each day and create an uplifting message absolutely has changed my life. He gave me the gift of seeing words in this unique want and the challenge to put my gift into action. We all have GIFTS (God Installed Features To Share). I encourage everyone to tap into theirs and use them to give back to the world that so desperately needs us to share them and make the world a better place for all.
Feel free to reach out to me via Facebook or on my Linkedin page. Also, if you want to find out who NOMINATED Bruce Pulver, click the picture of Cathy Parker below or here to read her story!
My Advice
Based on what I learned during incredible experience, I would offer three recommendations for anyone facing a challenge or struggle in their lives.
1) Believe that you ARE enough, you have enough and everything you need is inside of you
2) Make a commitment to living w/positive expectation, then commit to living that commitment
3) Build a strong faith and walk with God because “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” Luke 18 V 27 (Amplified)
Great inspirational story of resilience in the power of words. Bruce Pulver raised the bar for how to handle the unexpected. Taking a devastating blow and you and the power of words to lift yourself up daily and then to share those powerful words with others to help raise them up it’s powerful. We may not realize that we are being groomed for a much bigger vision and purpose. Life with purpose.
Thank you Sabrina. My faith took over and I turned to God. When I did he gave me the words and the assignment to take his daily inspiration which he gave me in the form of a powerful positive word and write a message with it. This also created a closer walk with him as I relied on him for strength and with this he made me a little stronger every day.
The power of positive words is unquestionable. Thank you.
Bruce, this is so encouraging to me. Your story reminds me that in my scariest moments, I can count on God to speak to me and show me the way through. A needed reminder. You didn’t just listen, you searched for the deeper meaning. “Seek and you shall find,” and you did. I’m thrilled that God led you into the purpose that He had for you. Thank you for sharing this.
With the challenge came the assignment. I realized I had no choice but to dig deeply into my faith. I realized God had never let me down (and he won’t). The assignment came to writing the messages that I believe he penned through me every day. I have no other explanation. The messages continue to flow through me to this day as I continue writing and posting messages of encouragement and support. Thank you for your kind words.
Incredible! Congratulations Bruce for overcoming this huge life challenge. Your strength to endure and persevere to create your new future is admirable.
Thank you for sharing.
Sara
Sara. Thank you with God’s Grace and Love, he indeed strengthened me. He continues to put challenges and opportunities in front of me and I continue feeling his pull to make me a better person and to become the person he intends me to be.
Bruce and I met in May 2018 and we became fast friends. He was a speaker at the event that I was attending and his message resonated with me. When we spoke after his presentation, I mentioned my son’s traumatic brain injury journey that had begun in 2009 and the programs that provide a benefit to him and to so many others. Bruce traveled to Jacksonville later in 2018 to see these facilities first-hand, followed by a return trip in 2019 to hold sessions for the individuals who work at these facilities. Remarkable gentleman and a great friend!
Thank you Joe. The entire Sellars family is dear to me and I am honored to call you friends. I believe God intentionally places others on our path to bring us closer to him. I am grateful for our friendship and for the work he has allowed us to do together. Thank you my friend.
It is always motivating to see how someone else has turned an obstacle into an opportunity. Life is a constant ebb and flow of success and failure. Your example is an important lesson for those who are experiencing tough times beyond their control
Aaron. Thank you. I believe our challenging life experiences can be taken as our baggage or our treasure chest! I choose treasure chest because they teach us great lessons and allow us to grow and serve others. Thank you for your kind words.
Remember the day well… and am so proud and humbled by the aftermath. Some things are just clearly meant to be. So many congrats on all your success with this book and your perfect position in your second career Bruce. Well deserved.
Lynne: Thank you. Please know that you have always been an inspiration to me. Your leadership has helped so many grow to reach success that often they might not have believed was possible. You lead with clarity and a serving heart. I am honored to have learned from you
Bruce took an event that may have crushed most and given them a reason to give up and turned to God for direction.
God gave him a word. Bruce took the word and turned it into a phrase to encourage and be positive. Those words have made up an amazing book of positive and uplifting stories made up of words.
The consistency of 400 days has changed the lives of those who read the book. Especially those who turn to it for direction.
Remember that good always overcomes the bad. Always look for the positive and be grateful!
Kim: Thank you for your wonderful comment here. I was given a challenge and an assignment, YES from GOD. When life dealt me a gut punch (my BAM moment), it also sparked the gift of writing that might have laid dormant if it wasn’t forced into action. I am so grateful that God is using me to share my story and how important our words (self-talk and those with others) have a dramatic impact on our lives our mindset and of course our outcomes. Thank you.
“When times get tough the tough get going” This phrase 100% applies to you and you crushed it! I respect your faith, growth and desire to help others Bruce.
Thank you Sam. I was given some very valuable tools, (I call them GIFTS “God Installed Features To Share”) at a time when I needed to find a way to rebuild my confidence, my belief in myself and to avoid the potential spiral to deep depression and doubt. I will always remember the first day, the first word and the power that looking at situations as stepping stones versus stumbling blocks. There is no greater GIFTS than the ones that GOD gives us when we step out of the way and let him put them to use for his Glory.
Bruce, I am honored that you not only took the time to share your story, but also have taken an interest in those who share comments in regards to your story as well! Words really do matter to you and your actions show that! I also am honored that you are the first person who has been not only NOMINATED on our platform, but also have shared their story too! Thank you for that. If you were to ask me about the perfect process, I would then add this: If you enjoyed the process of being honored with your nomination, sharing your story (connecting with others and receiving encouragement), then I would ask you if you too would continue to let others experience what you did and to nominate 2 others in order to exponentially grow our community. If you would consider this, you can go to our site, click on Nominate and then go through the questions (takes minutes to do). All of the things we do on our site are complimentary, but as soon as you submit a nomination, there is a new screen that allows people to contribute any amount they feel is fair based off of their experience in our process and that includes $0 too. There is no pressure to pay. In fact, what’s more important to us is that you had a great time and want to encourage others with their nomination! Thanks again Bruce for sharing your story and we will continue to keep you up to speed with the latest. Lastly, if you want to consider doing a short 30-40 minute recorded video for your profile, let’s schedule that and get it uploaded to your page. Thanks, Gary Rogers
Gary. Thank you for being such a sincere and strong friend. I appreciate your commitment to integrity and your demonstrated faith.
I appreciate your support Bruce in sharing your story after being the very first Nomination on my site. I know you’re making an impact with your speaking, book and now apparel line; but also am excited to see how impactful you will be that started with your story and now with your Nomination. Thanks again for all of your support with what we’re doing at Check Your Game.
Congratulations Bruce on your empowering book and Above the Chatter Our Worlds Matter and the systematic way that you use words to explain Life Strategies. I have learned why to choose my words carefully and ask myself will this word empower someone or devour someone. Continue enlightening us on different ways to see and use words.
Thank you Darryl. I appreciate your kind words in the message. I’m grateful for the impact my book “Above The Chatter Our Words Matter is having on you
Bruce, your story and your clever ways of creating short “stories” in a word are such a gift! I was inspired by your GREAT book and have it on my desk — I also am creating some of those intentional story-words for my own days. Thank you for your positive and productive influence in me and in the world.
Lisa. THANK YOU. Your story, your action, work, commitment, and most importantly your FAITH, are inspiring to me. I am grateful that my book has made an impact as well. BTW, I know Cookville well, a dear friend has a business there and my wife grew up in Livingston. Honored to be with you in the Check Your Game Community