The Top Ten Things I Learned from Mister Rogers

Fred Rogers has received virtually every major award in television and dozens of others from special-interest groups in education and early childhood, and he's one of my heroes. He makes everyone feel special and valued. Here are the top 10 things I learned from Mister Rogers:

1. "You can never go down, never go down, never go down the drain." When life can involve divorce, layoffs, losing a child, moving 2 weeks before your baby's due and you have a toddler and a dog with a new litter of puppies, or starting a new career at 55, it's good to know you can never go down the drain!

2. "You can stop when you want to, stop when you wish." Ever say to yourself -- stop the madness? Mister Rogers reminds us that we can stop when we want to. Make the carousel slow down so you can enjoy the ride. You're in control. Stop the roller coaster and get off. End a relationship that isn't working. Change a career when the passion's gone. Eliminate the tolerations from your life! You can stop when you want to, stop when you wish.

3. "It's great to be able to stop when you've planned a thing that's wrong and to be able to do something else instead." Problem-solving! When you're working at a problem and the answer isn't forthcoming, try something new. The solution isn't doubling your efforts at a failing proposition. If you're having the same things happen over and over again in your relationships, stop what you're doing and do something else. Try something else instead ... because ... If you keep doin' what you've been doin', you're gonna keep getting what you've been getting.

4. "There's something deep inside that helps us become what we can." Develop your intuition and pay attention to what it tells you; that's an EQ competency. It's the best guide to what's best for you and what will work for you.

5. "When the whole wide world seems oh so wrong and nothing you do seems very right, you can punch a bag, pound some clay or some dough, or round up friends for a game of tag or see how fast you can go." Change what you can, and those things you can't ... go chop some wood, or take a bike ride, or call your coach and talk the feelings out. It's important to learn to manage feelings constructively now, because the stakes are just going to get higher as life goes on, so the feelings will be stronger too.

6. "What a good feeling to feel like this and know that the feeling is really mine." Knowing what you feel and living in the moment will add much enjoyment to your life. We are our feelings, and the more we're able to let them into awareness and accept them fully, the richer our lives will be, and the more us we'll be.

7. "A girl can some day be a woman, and a boy can some day be a man." Yup!

8. "You know, playing at the computer's different from watching a television program. You can bring your own ideas to whatever happens on the computer, and your ideas are special. So are you!" I think the computer is the most wonderful medium for self-expression we've had since crayons and manila paper! I'm watching clients, friends and loved ones blossom and grow through the Internet -- learning new things, making new cyber-friends, building self-expressive websites ...it's a great way to share you, who are special, and your ideas too.

9. "Some are fancy on the outside/Some are fancy on the inside/Everybody's fancy/Everybody's fine/Discovering each one's specialty/Is the most important learning." Discover and develop the ways in which you're special. You'll reach a higher, more consistent level of performance, feel a deeper sense of satisfaction, and be able to share your real gifts with the world.

10. "If you've got a plan/Now's the time to try it/If you've got an airplane/Fly it/This is just the day." When will you start that new career/ask that woman to marry you/hug your child/get online/have a baby/find work that feeds your passion/quit smoking/leave that abusive relationship? This is just the day. nnn