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Oliver Buchannon
Tony Smith
Permission to Pause — Escaping the Productivity Trap

May 1, 2026

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2 min read

Permission to Pause — Escaping the Productivity Trap

Busyness became my badge of honor. But what if I'd been measuring productivity all wrong?

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Peace

Feb 21, 2026

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4 min read

Peace

A simple but profound word.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Sunday Drives

Feb 7, 2026

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5 min read

Sunday Drives

“Let’s get lost and see where it leads!” my Aunt Carolyn would shout.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Why Not Me?

Feb 1, 2026

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4 min read

Why Not Me?

Be Bold

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
America, Why Not Me?

Jan 29, 2026

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2 min read

America, Why Not Me?

“Let our dream inspire you today.” That’s the opening line from a live performance in 1989 by the country duet, The Judds, opening their song, Why Not Me.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Common Ground Shoveling Snow

Jan 27, 2026

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4 min read

Common Ground Shoveling Snow

Sometimes the simplest actions are the most profound.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Light In The Darkness

Jan 17, 2026

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5 min read

Light In The Darkness

Be The Difference

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Live

Dec 29, 2025

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7 min read

Live

Life and Legacy

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Naughty or Nice

Dec 2, 2025

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6 min read

Naughty or Nice

Wicked or Good

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Adjust Your Sails

Nov 23, 2025

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7 min read

Adjust Your Sails

Trimming the Sails

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Maybe This Time I'll Win: Part 24

Nov 21, 2025

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9 min read

Maybe This Time I'll Win: Part 24

End of September 1939

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Motivated Mondays

Nov 17, 2025

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4 min read

Motivated Mondays

How do you go from the Sunday Scaries, dreading the start of the work week ahead, to Motivated Mondays?

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Soul Time

Nov 15, 2025

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7 min read

Soul Time

As I sat in my hotel room in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb, through the open window I heard the sounds of children at play.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
One Floor Short of the Penthouse

Oct 24, 2025

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8 min read

One Floor Short of the Penthouse

I entered the elevator and selected the floor button when the gentleman beside me replied with a smile, “one floor short of the penthouse!” I laughed along as well, replying “That sounds like a good story or book title!” He smiled and nodded in agreement as we rode up together.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Drink of Water

Oct 13, 2025

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6 min read

Drink of Water

Your Story Matters

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
To Be Young Again

Oct 4, 2025

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4 min read

To Be Young Again

As I watched the kids playing on the red train caboose museum parked by the bike trail just outside my house, I smiled.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Touch the Morning

Sep 28, 2025

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9 min read

Touch the Morning

I am not a morning person.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Plant a Little Happiness

Sep 14, 2025

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3 min read

Plant a Little Happiness

As summer ends and Autumn begins, I watch the gardeners in my neighborhood and friends and family online changing out their flowers and plants as seasons change.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Listening

Sep 5, 2025

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7 min read

Listening

A friend of mine who was on safari in Africa recently posted a stunning photo (used with his permission below) of a Red-billed Oxpecker on an Impala Ram’s neck.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Mountain Views

Aug 30, 2025

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7 min read

Mountain Views

Growing up in Gainesville Georgia at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I’ve always had a love of mountains.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Keep Moving

Aug 23, 2025

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4 min read

Keep Moving

Previously, I was at an outside dance event where I saw a 70 something year old woman in trendy boots dancing up a storm on the dance floor.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Change Your View, Change Your Music, and Change Your Story

Aug 18, 2025

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7 min read

Change Your View, Change Your Music, and Change Your Story

I often talk about the power of shifting perspectives, especially when considering challenges with making progress towards personal and professional goals.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Look Up and Look Around

Aug 8, 2025

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5 min read

Look Up and Look Around

One of my favorite lines from the book “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker is “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” It is such a visually and evocative statement that it remains just as it was written from the book to the stage musical and movie adaptations.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Snapping Beans

Aug 1, 2025

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3 min read

Snapping Beans

The train whistle outside my downtown office window leaves me with a touch of nostalgia remembering the trains in my hometown of Gainesville Georgia.

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
Blackberry Summers

Jul 26, 2025

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6 min read

Blackberry Summers

Nostalgia and Change

Tony Smith
Tony Smith
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Your Story Matters

I believe we all have stories that empower us to successfully navigate challenges and transformation in our personal and professional lives. In my blog I share stories and how they have empowered me and encourage each of you to reflect on your stories.