Story Archive

George Washington was a prosperous farmer from Virginia who took great personal risk by joining those who rebelled against British rule in the Revolutionary War. Washington was the commander of the Continental Army, and after the Americans gained their independence,...

Life is a series of choices. The better your choices, the better your results. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” And that's great advice whether you're six or a hundred and six. So the next time you're faced with a...

The word "courtesy" is defined as "showing politeness in your attitude and behavior toward others." And, as you've probably heard more times than you can count, it pays to be courteous. Fred Rogers was a man who understood the importance of courtesy. Mr. Rogers was...

You've probably heard it said many times in many different ways: It pays to be kind. One man who understood this fact was Fred McFeely Rogers. Fred Rogers was not only the star of his own kid-friendly TV show (which was called Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood); he was also a...

If you'd like to feel better about yourself, try this: find somebody who needs your help, and help them. Booker T. Washington (1856 – 1915) was an American educator, author, lecturer, and advisor to presidents. Born into slavery, he was freed at age nine. Young Booker...

When you establish a good habit, you're doing yourself a big favor. But if you fall into a bad habit, you may discover that some bad habits can be very hard to break. Ben Franklin understood that the easiest way to stop a bad habit is to never get started. He said...

Whether you realize it or not, you've got lots to be thankful for. So, it always pays to count your blessings, even if you can't begin to count all of them. Oprah Winfrey was born in rural Mississippi and lived with her grandmother in a house that had no indoor...

Late in his life, Mark Twain said, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” Mr. Twain was making the point that most of the things we worry about aren’t worth worrying about. If you’re spending time and energy thinking...

Nobody's perfect; everybody makes mistakes; and you'll make some mistakes, too. When you make a mistake, you may be tempted to beat yourself up, but there's a smarter way to react. Instead of getting angry, or discouraged, or both, you can try to learn something....