Get Outside

The fact that we have been in lockdown for the past few weeks did not mean we were locked in. It is also true that just because you are not in school, the learning has stopped. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, said, “The outdoors is par excellence the school for observation and for realizing the wonders of the wondrous universe.”

Scouts and Scouters are made to be outdoors. We can learn so much by just being in and a part of God’s magnificent creation. Get out for a bit every day. Go for a walk. Go and spend time in your back yard. Listen to the birds, the wind, the sounds of nature. See the colors and the shapes and all the wonders that have been there all along.

 “Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.”

George Washington Carver

1864-1943

Scientist

Nature is one of those things that we so easily take for granted. It is there, has always been there and will be there long after we have gone. Yet, we pay so little attention to it. Make a point to pay attention. Go out for just one hour with a notebook and jot down all you see and hear. You may be amazed just how much you have missed before.

There is no better social distancing than to be outside. You can be alone and yet never feel alone. You have the Creator of the universe with you and the universe He created to boot.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOU042920 Something New

It Takes Courage

During this challenging time, while we are in lockdown, and it feels that the whole world is at a stop, there is more happening that just trying to keep ourselves busy. I know that I have talked a lot about what to do with this time we now seem to have. For many of us, it is an opportunity to do projects we had wanted to do for some time. For others, however, this has been a time of loneliness and fear.

We cannot forget where this pandemic has inconvenienced many of us; others have been personally touched by it. Some are our friends and fellow Scouts who do not have the blessing of siblings and are home, alone and facing this with no one to share it with. Some have been touched by the virus and are sick or have family members who are ill and, again, are along.

 “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

Mark Twain

1835-1910

Author

One of the terrible things with this sickness is that it isolates people and keeps them alone. They do not have loved ones at their side. Family members cannot be with their sick loved ones and feel helpless to give comfort and support. This causes fear.

Reach out to those you know are alone. You may not be able to visit, but you can call them on the phone or use Facetime. A Scout is brave. Be the one to bring that courage to others and help them feel they are not alone and that you are there for them. Maybe at a distance, but still there all the same.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOU042720 Helpful

Good Deeds in Lockdown

Every week at the Troop meeting, you are asked, “What is the Scout slogan?” You answer, “Do a Good Turn Daily.” And, like a good Scout, you try to fulfill that promise. You keep aware of your surroundings and see where you can do a good turn for someone in need. Not that hard to do.

But how do you do a good turn daily when you are in lockdown? If you cannot leave the house, how do you find someone you can do something for? I have a suggestion. It may be a bit far fetched and odd at first, but once you get past the initial shock, you will see sense in it. How about doing a good turn for your family?

 “Having family responsibilities and concerns just has to make you a more understanding person.”

Sandra Day O’Connor

U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Here is something you can try. For the next few days, pick a member of the family to watch out for. Do not tell them, or anyone for that matter. Just pay attention to what they are doing and how they are spending their day. See how many times you can do something nice for them without being asked. Do not make a show of it. To make it a real challenge, try to do it and not get caught doing it.

Each day pick a different member of the family. If you have a big family, you have a lot to do. If you have a small family, you can keep repeating your kindness to the same person. Remember that it does not have to be an action. Sometimes just a kind word or a small sacrifice is all that is needed. Like letting some watch what they like on TV rather than what you want even if it is your turn to choose. You will find this not only a great way to do your good turn daily, but it can also be a lot of fun.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOU042220 Fix It

A Little Something Everyday

Most Americans have been in lockdown for several weeks now. One of the side effects of this isolation is that we begin to lose our desire to do anything productive. There is a dark cloud of gloom that sets in, and we find ourselves stuck on the couch binge-watching some TV show that we could not name the main characters even after fifteen shows.

We feel stuck in the house and therefore stuck in our life. Wake up!! This is a dangerous place to be. Scouts and Scouters are creatures of action. We were never meant to be stagnant and lifeless. Like flowing water that is trapped and made to sit still, we soon go bad and begin to stink. Time to break free and get moving again.

 “Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day,

give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.”

John Wooden

1910-2010

Coach

Use this time wisely. Here are some simple things to do that will get you back in action, improve your attitude, and keep you healthy.

1)      Work on Merit Badges you do not have. All badges are available online as well as councilors. The sky is the limit, and you have lots of time to get them done.

2)      Find the worksheet for the Person Fitness Merit Badge (even if you already earned it). On the worksheet, you will see an exercise plan. Follow that plan every day. If you did not receive the badge, you are doing it now. If you already have the badge, you are keeping in shape for the future.

3)      Read a good book. Find a book to your liking and spend some time every day reading it. If you do not have one at home, you can find one on Kindel (they have thousands for free), or you can access your local library online as well. Do not spend all your time playing video games or watching TV.

This will pass soon enough. It will not last forever. The goal is to come out if it a better Scout that when you went into it. You can do this.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOU042020 Pay Attention

That One Thing

When we start to think about what it is we would like to do with our lives; the thoughts start flooding in. It is easy to come up with two or three dozen ideas of what we would like. The problem is, we will never achieve all of them. In fact, we will only achieve one of them.

The great American Basketball star Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), who we sadly lost in a tragic helicopter crash last January, once said, “I focus on one thing and one thing only - that's trying to win as many championships as I can.” Please note, he did not say he wanted to be the best player on the team. He did not say he wanted to be the wealthiest player league. He did not say he wanted to win the most games. He said, “…win as many championships as I can.”

 “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.”

Josh Billings

1818-1885

Comedian

Think about it. For him to win the championship, he will have to be continually improving his game. He will have to be at his best all the time. He must win more games than he loses. Along with that will naturally come the rewards such as fame, recognition, and wealth. Kolbe did not have to think about all those other things because he was thinking about the one thing that mattered, the result. Winning the championship.

Think again about what you want to achieve in life. This time think about the end result. What is the one thing you what to accomplish in the end. As you go through life and follow a plan to achieve that goal, you will touch on all those other things as they come along; however, the one thing is always the main thing. Keep your eyes on that, and you will not fail.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOU041520 Think

Learning Preparedness

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout Movement, said: “The secret of sound education is to get each pupil to learn for himself, instead of instructing him by driving knowledge into him on a stereotyped system.” He understood that learning did not happen only in the classroom or from a textbook, but in every experience, a young person has in life.

                Over the past few months, we have all had some of the most exceptional learning experiences we could ever hope for. We have been hit with a pandemic that no one expected. Confined to our homes, out of school, work, and unable to have Troop meetings or even attend church together, we have had to discover a new way of doing our everyday life.

“Be Prepared…the meaning of the motto is that a Scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”

Sit. Robert Baden=Powell

1857-1941

Founder of the Boy Scouts

This is where preparedness comes from. It is when we learn from new and different experiences, and from that learning, we prepare ourselves for the next time this same thing happens. It will happen again. Life always repeats itself. We say that we have never experienced anything like the Cronovirus before. We have. We have had several pandemics in our lifetime. The difference here is how hard it hit us and the attention it got.

Scouts and Scouters must take this opportunity to learn and prepare for the next time this type of thing happens. When faced with this challenge, we will know what to do and can quickly snap into place and be ready. By being prepared, we can lessen the damage done by unforeseen tragedy and even avoid unnecessary pain and deaths.

Preparedness comes from learning, and that learning comes from the classroom of life. For all those whose motto is Be Prepared, the class is in session.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOUCV01 In Crisis

SOUCV03 Something New

Duty in Times of Crisis

It seems that every generation has an event that stands out as a once in a lifetime event. We have seen wars, (our great civil war, world war I, World War II, Korea, Viet Nom, Desert Storm and many other conflicts), disease(Polio, measles, 1917 flu outbreak, SARS, mIRES, Swine Flu, Evola to name only a few), natural disasters(Hurricanes like Hugo, Katrina and many others, tornados, earthquakes, massive forest fires, mudslides and more), and numerous manmade tragedies like the Titanic and the Challenger disasters, Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center on 9/11. Each time we face these horrors with shock, and it knocks the wind out of for a bit, but we always come back to our senses and face it face to face.

The current pandemic we are facing is different than many of the other battles we have fought. One thing is that it has involved the whole world. We are not competing on different sides. We are all fighting the same enemy. An enemy that cannot be seen has no rules to follow and is deadly beyond any we have fought so far. For the Scout, however, we have been preparing to fight this enemy for some time.  Our Oath and Law call us to action. Let me explain.

“And through this, great national unity is happening.  We have a great unity developing that a lot of people didn’t think would be possible to develop like this. And we will conquer the disease and restore our nation to its full and glorious might.  We’re doing well, and I’m very proud of everybody out there.  We’re very proud of you.  It’s something that nobody could have ever projected.  It’s been over 100 years that a thing like this has happened.”

Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

Duty to God and Country: In our duty to God, a Scout understands the power of prayer. That there is no higher power than to come before the Creator of all things to seek help in times of need.  In our duty to the country, a Scout follows the instructions of their leaders. We support our leaders and do all we can to show unity and to follow the instructions we are given.

A Scout is Trustworthy: A Scout can be trusted not to do what they have been asked not to do, such as gather with friends or go to gatherings. They follow instructions. A Scout stays safe and stays home.

A Scout is Loyal: A Scout is loyal to their leaders and does not engage in backbiting or complaining. They may not fully understand why some decisions are made, but they will fully follow them and not support those who cause division and disloyalty.

A Scout is Clean: A Scout washes their hands – often. They are sure to keep themselves and all areas around them clean.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2020 John Patrick Hickey

SOUCV02 Be Creative

SOUCV01 In Crisis