Tag Archives: Circle A Ranch

Learning From Skip Ross

Better Living, Inspirational, Personal stories, , , , , , ,

This is a tribute to Skip Ross, a wonderful man I had the privilege of knowing 44 years ago. His passing not long ago deeply saddened me, as the world lost someone truly special. Skip was not only admired but loved by everyone who knew him. His kindness, wisdom, and generous spirit left a lasting impact on so many lives, including mine. He will be missed dearly, but his legacy lives on in the countless people he inspired.

One of the saddest things in life is seeing someone with low self-esteem. I understand this pain all too well. When I was in elementary school, I struggled as a slow learner. This label, given to me by my peers, became a heavy burden to carry. It made me question my worth and abilities, causing me to retreat inward and doubt myself even more. Those early years of self-doubt were tough, but they shaped my journey in profound ways.

Although many students at school knew who I was, I didn’t form close connections with most of them. I had one good friend who became my lifeline during those lonely years. Before school, we would wander the halls together, chatting and waiting for the bell to ring. Still, there were moments when I felt utterly alone. At home, I often found solace in talking to our family’s pet goats. That little farm was my sanctuary, a peaceful place where I could be myself. It was my small piece of heaven in an otherwise challenging time.

Looking back, I am deeply grateful for the incredible teachers, church leaders, community members, and, most importantly, my parents. They saw potential in me even when I couldn’t see it myself. Their encouragement and belief in me helped me begin to reshape my self-image. Slowly but surely, I started to become more confident and outgoing, breaking free from the shadows of self-doubt.

My journey toward self-confidence took a pivotal turn when my parents joined the Amway business. At the heart of their business was a focus on personal growth and self-improvement. This is where Skip Ross entered my story in a meaningful way. Alongside weekly product orders, my dad would bring home a cassette tape called “The Tape of the Week.” These tapes were filled with motivational messages from speakers like Zig Ziglar, Rich DeVos, and Skip Ross. Listening to them became a routine, and Skip’s powerful messages resonated deeply with me. His words made me believe that I could rise above my struggles and accomplish great things.

When my parents told me that Skip Ross was coming to town, I couldn’t contain my excitement. To me, it was like going to see a rock star perform. Skip Ross wasn’t just a motivational speaker; he was a beacon of hope, radiating self-confidence, humor, and talent. Hearing him speak live was transformative. Watching him captivate the audience and inspire everyone in the room, I thought to myself, I want to be like that someday—a person who radiates positivity and confidence.

The impact Skip had on me didn’t stop there. My parents also told me about his youth camp in Rockford, Michigan, and I was determined to attend. Saving up $800 on a $3.15-an-hour job was no easy feat, but I worked tirelessly for a year to make it happen. That camp became a defining moment in my life.

It was my first airplane ride and my first time being so far from home, surrounded by strangers. I was nervous but excited. Each day at camp, Skip Ross taught us how to unlock our full potential, weaving lessons of self-love and perseverance into every session. He didn’t just teach us to dream—he showed us how to act on those dreams. Between these lessons, we engaged in activities like swimming, horseback riding, and barn chores that reminded me of home. These moments taught me that growth often happens when we step outside our comfort zones.

One memory that stands out was a trip to Lake Michigan. I had the privilege of sitting in the front seat with Skip during the drive. He had a cassette tape of himself singing, and when I asked if we could listen to it, he agreed. That small moment of connection made a lasting impression on me. It reminded me that even someone as accomplished as Skip Ross was still relatable and genuine.

That camp didn’t just teach me how to dream big—it gave me the tools to overcome my self-doubt and take meaningful steps toward those dreams. One lesson in particular stuck with me: “Love yourself, for if you don’t, how can you expect anyone else to love you?” Those words have guided me through many challenges in life, reminding me that self-love is the foundation for all growth and success.

This message has deeply influenced my journey, even beyond Skip Ross’s teachings. I think often about how far I’ve come since my early struggles with self-esteem. Today, I write, teach, and share my passion for essential oils—something I find incredibly fulfilling. Essential oils have become a part of my story, helping me find focus and balance in ways I never imagined. They represent a journey of healing, much like the one Skip inspired in me.

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you stay in the same job? Go back to school? Pursue a long-forgotten dream? I believe we’d all live with greater courage, healthier habits, and deeper self-love if we embraced the possibility of success. Skip’s lessons remind me that the greatest love of all is learning to love yourself—because everything else flows from that foundation.

There are so many ways to express love, both for ourselves and for others. One simple but powerful step is to remove the word “hate” from our vocabulary. By doing so, we open ourselves to greater compassion, understanding, and connection. Skip Ross taught me to see the world through a lens of positivity and possibility, and his legacy continues to inspire me every day.

This tribute to Skip Ross is also a tribute to the power of generosity, self-love, and the belief that we all have the potential to rise above our challenges. His teachings changed my life, and I hope they inspire others to dream, grow, and embrace the incredible possibilities within themselves.


The Pony

Better Living, Humor with a moral, , , , , ,

     This is one of my favorite stories I first heard when I went to Circle
A Ranch in Rockford Michigan. This story was told by Skip Ross. The story is 
about two boys who were a part of a scientific study to see if your
environment has anything to do with your attitude or your outlook on
life. The first boy Tommy was brought into a room filled with every toy
imaginable. Tommy complained that the bicycle was the wrong color
and the remote control car was the wrong style. He already had all the
books that were in the room. The complaints went on and on Tommy
complained about everything in the room.

    The second boy Johnny was brought into a room with one huge
pile of horse manure. Johnny was told they would be right back to see
how he was doing. They came back to the room an hour later and
they found him singing and laughing. Johnny was also throwing
manure all over the room. Johnny was asked, “what are you doing?
Why are you having such a good time?” Johnny said, “with all this
manure around here there must be a pony around here somewhere”

A man is but the product of his thoughts
what he thinks, he becomes.
Mahatma Gandhi

My Experience With Skip Ross

Better Living, Inspirational, Personal stories, , , , , ,

This is a tribute to Skip Ross a  wonderful man I got to know 41 years ago. I was sad to learn of his passing not long ago. He is loved and will be missed by all who know him.

One of the saddest things I see is someone with a poor self esteem. I can relate. When I was in elementary school I was a slow learner. As a result of the label given me by my peers I became more unsure of myself.

Many students at school knew me, but I didn’t get close to anyone except for one good friend. We would wander the halls before school talking and waiting for the school bell to ring. Sometimes I felt very lonely, being able to talk only to the family’s pet goats. I was thankful for my little piece of heaven on our small farm.

I am thankful for amazing teachers, church leaders, people in the community, and most of all my parents who helped me believe in myself. As a result of them I started changing my self image into a more outgoing one.

The pivotal moment in my life was when my parents were in the Amway business. Part of their Amway training was how to be a better person on the inside and out. Every week my dad would travel about an hour south from our home in Salt Lake City to pick up his order of products. In part of his order was a cassette tape called ‘The Tape of the Week.” Some times I would go with him. On our way home we would listen to these tapes. This is where I first listened to Zig Ziglar, Rich Devos, Skip Ross and many more wonderful positive speakers.

One day my parents told me that Skip Ross was coming to town. They asked me if I wanted to hear him speak. I was so excited I might as well have been going to hear a rock star perform. He was a very successful motivational speaker, singer and had reached the top in the world of Amway.

While I was listening to Skip Ross live in person I saw a person with self confidence who was funny and could sing. Who could ask for more then that; he was the real deal. I also wanted to become a person that radiated self confidence.

My parents told me he had a youth camp in Rockford, Michigan. I wanted to go so I saved my money. It cost me $800 dollars to go to this camp a huge amount of money. I had a job making $3.15 an hour. It took me a year to save up enough money to go.

This was my first trip on an airplane. I was going to a camp where I didn’t know anyone so I had to stretch outside of my comfort zone. I was excited and nervous at the same time.

Every morning Skip Ross instructed us on how we could reach our full potential. After we were instructed he had many activities planned for us like swimming, horse back riding, and we even helped with the chores like feeding the horses and cleaning the barn. I felt right at home since I did barn chores everyday in Utah.

One day our activity was going to Lake Michigan. I had the privilege of sitting in the front seat with Skip Ross. I looked down and saw that he had a cassette tape of himself singing. I asked him if we could listen to it; he agreed. I thought that was very cool to be sitting next to the person who was singing on the tape as we were driving to the beach.

Going to the Skip Ross Circle A. Ranch in Michigan was a life changing experience. I learned that we can become anything we want to become or achieve anything we want to achieve. I also learned to Love yourself, for if you don’t, how can you expect anybody else to love you?”
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you still be at the same job? Would you go back to school and get your degree? I think we would all be the ideal weight and eat healthy. If we couldn’t fail we would have a high self esteem and we would love ourselves. The greatest love of all is learning to love yourself.

There are many different ways to understand love. We also need to remove and never use the word hate in our vocabulary. This will increase are ability to love ourselves and others unconditionally.

My Experience with Skip Ross

Better Living, Personal stories, , , , , , , , ,

Skip Ross Circle A RanchOne of the saddest things I see is someone with a poor self esteem. I can relate. When I was in elementary school I was a slow learner. As a result of the label given me by my peers I became more unsure of myself.
Many students at school knew me, but I didn’t get close to anyone except for one good friend. We would wander the halls before school talking and waiting for the school bell to ring. Sometimes I felt very lonely, being able to talk only to the family’s pet goats. I was thankful for my little piece of heaven on our small farm.
I am thankful for amazing teachers, church leaders, people in the community, and most of all my parents who helped me believe in myself. As a result of them I started changing my self image into a more outgoing one.
The pivotal moment in my life was when my parents were in the Amway business. Part of their Amway training was how to be a better person on the inside and out.
Every week my dad would travel about an hour south from our home in Salt Lake City to pick up his order of products. In part of his order was a cassette tape called ‘The Tape of the Week.” Some times I would go with him. On our way home we would listen to these tapes. This is where I first listened to Zig Ziglar, Rich Devos, Skip Ross and many more wonderful positive speakers.
One day my parents told me that Skip Ross was coming to town. They asked me if I wanted to hear him speak. I was so excited I might as well have been going to hear a rock star perform. He was a very successful motivational speaker, singer and had reached the top in the world of Amway.
While I was listening to Skip Ross live in person I saw a person with self confidence who was funny and could sing. Who could ask for more then that; he was the real deal. I also wanted to become a person that radiated self confidence.
My parents told me he had a youth camp in Rockford, Michigan. I wanted to go so I saved my money. It cost me $800 dollars to go to this camp a huge amount of money. I had a job making $3.15 an hour. It took me a year to save up enough money to go.
This was my first trip on an airplane. I was going to a camp where I didn’t know anyone so I had to stretch outside of my comfort zone. I was excited and nervous at the same time.
Every morning Skip Ross instructed us on how we could reach our full potential. After we were instructed he had many activities planned for us like swimming, horse back riding, and we even helped with the chores like feeding the horses and cleaning the barn. I felt right at home since I did barn chores everyday in Utah.
One day our activity was going to Lake Michigan. I had the privilege of sitting in the front seat with Skip Ross. I looked down and saw that he had a cassette tape of himself singing. I asked him if we could listen to it; he agreed. I thought that was very cool to be sitting next to the person who was singing on the tape as we were driving to the beach.
Going to the Skip Ross Circle A. Ranch in Michigan was a life changing experience. I learned that we can become anything we want to become or achieve anything we want to achieve. I also learned to Love yourself, for if you don’t, how can you expect anybody else to love you?”
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you still be at the same job? Would you go back to school and get your degree? I think we would all be the ideal weight and eat healthy. If we couldn’t fail we would have a high self esteem and we would love ourselves. The greatest love of all is learning to love yourself.
There are many different ways to understand love. We also need to remove and never use the word hate in our vocabulary. This will increase are ability to love ourselves and others unconditionally.

Goals Take You Places

Better Living, Personal stories, , , , , , , , ,

Daniel and Leonard FishA lesson I learned from Skip Ross, at a youth summer camp in Michigan, was how to prioritize and set goals. What a thrill it was to learn great wisdom every morning from this wonderful man. I learned that a goal not written down is only a wish. Also, visualization helps you reach your goals. Put things you want to achieve on 3×5 cards. Read them every morning and night. Also, cut out pictures of the things you want. Put them on a poster board so you can look at them daily.
Before I went to the Circle A. Ranch I was getting a C+ average in school. The next school year, I was getting a B+ average. I was also very shy. I didn’t like this. My transformation into the person I am today started in high school as a result of setting goals.
You can become anything you want to become in this life. Skip Ross would say, “Say yes to your potential.” Anything you can conceive and believe, you can achieve.
About six years ago, I realized I had stopped dreaming and writing down goals. Life comes and goes quickly. Then, in the blink of an eye, one year turned into ten.
I have always loved listening to motivational cassette tapes and audio books. So I started listening to them again with almost an obsession. Some audio books I listen to on a regular basis. In most of these audio books they talked about the importance of first deciding exactly what you want. Be specific by writing down your goals and visualizing what you want to achieve with emotion.
I got excited with the idea of making a vision board after I heard the story of a man who wanted to live in beautiful mansion. He found a picture of a home in a magazine. He cut out the mansion from the magazine. Then he put it on his dream board. Four years later he was unpacking his dream board from one of his moving boxes. He realized the home on his dream board was the home he had just moved into. Dreams do come true. You can achieve any goal you want to achieve, if you believe.
I made a dream board putting it on my bedroom wall where I can see it every day. One of the things I put on the dream board is, “Our family loves to travel,” with pictures of fun places to travel to.
We have traveled more in the past six years then I ever dreamed of. We have been to Washington D.C, to see the monuments; Maryland to visit Cassie’s Dad; In Virginia we went to see George Washington’s home; Pennsylvania, to visit the Amish and Gettysburg, Delaware, to swim in the Atlantic Ocean. We went to California having fun visiting the Pacific Ocean and Disneyland. Later we went to Washington and Oregon to visit Cassie’s brother and go to the beach. Then we went with my parents to visit the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park over a long school holiday.
Another thing that my wife Cassie and I like to do is go to a community theatre where we have seasons tickets. We see wonderful musicals like My Fair Lady, or magical plays like A Christmas Carol. These are things we didn’t do until we put them on our dream board. I get excited just writing about our adventures.
The next thing that I do is set a deadline for my goal. I wrote on my dream board, “I am excited we have bought season tickets to the community theater. Today is August 1, 2011.” Every year, this is when we buy our tickets.
Every year we prioritize our goals, then we take action. Smaller goals don’t take as much planning. Our goal to go to the Grand Canyon was easier to achieve because we live closer to Arizona.
Our goal to go to the Oregon Coast took more planning. We knew we wanted to rent a beach house and it would be more costly, so it took action on our part by planning to save our money and reserve the beach house. It was well worth the dream when we achieved this goal. Remember to do something everyday that will move you toward your most important goal, whatever it is at the time.

What are Affirmations?

Personal stories, , , , , , , ,

Affrimations for homelessWhen I was 17 I went to Rockford, Michigan, to go to the Circle A Ranch directed by Skip Ross. One of the lessons Skip taught us was the importance of positive affirmations.

What are Affirmations?
Every thought you think, every word you say is an affirmation. All of our self-talk or inner dialogue is a stream of affirmations. We are continually affirming subconsciously with our words and thoughts, and this flow of affirmations is creating our life experience in every moment.

Our beliefs are just learned thought patterns that we have developed since childhood. Many of these work well for us, but others may now be working against us. They are dysfunctional and may be sabotaging us from achieving what we believe we want.
Every affirmation we think or say is a reflection of our inner truth or beliefs. This is our reality. It is important to realize that many of these “inner truths” may not actually be true for us now, or may be based on invalid or inappropriate impressions we constructed as children, which if examined as an adult can be exposed as inappropriate.

My brother Wes was shopping in Salt Lake City when he called me after making a very interesting observation. He told me, “I see many homeless people holding signs that read” “Homeless please help.” Wes went on to say, “Aren’t these people reading and writing affirmations every day that keep them believing they will be homeless when they hold up these signs.” My brother is right. Our subconscious mind uses the behavior patterns we have learned to automatically respond and react to many everyday events in our life that keep us doing the same things day after day, and year after year.

Our learned responses and thought patterns enable us to automatically respond to circumstances quickly and easily. Problems arise, however, if at an early stage some of the foundation beliefs on which many of the others are built were formed from a different perspective. Maybe the strategy was appropriate for a perceived difficult circumstance; however, often such beliefs are totally inappropriate for succeeding in the real world as adults.

You can use “Positive Affirmations,” which are usually short positive statements targeted at a specific subconscious set of beliefs, to challenge and undermine negative beliefs and to replace them with positive self-nurturing beliefs with emotion. It is a kind of “brainwashing”, only, you get to choose which negative beliefs to wash away. The way these statements are constructed is extremely important.

It is important to remember, of course, that everything we say and think is an affirmation. Using positive affirmation statements forces us to keep focused on our inner goals and reminds us to think consciously about our words and thoughts and to modify them to reflect our positive affirmation.