Today starts the season of Lent for Christians. Among other things, it is a time when we atone for things in our lives, practice a bit of self-denial, and increase our self-discipline, all in preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Over on my Bobby-C Health blog, I mentioned some of the things I am going to be doing for myself during this season. I also have some other things planned that I won’t discuss here on my blogs, but which involve reaching out in the broader community.

I was sitting and thinking about what I could do here on Just some thoughts I have…. For some time I have been thinking about having a series of posts on a particular topic. Today I am announcing that there will, indeed, be a series of posts coming to my blog.

Starting on Monday, February 23rd, I will publish a series of posts about Dale Carnegie’s 30 Human Relations principles, as written in How to Win Friends and Influence People. In all there are 30 principles, and this series will run Monday through Friday. It will conclude on April 3, which is also Good Friday for Christians.

Each week day during that time I will write about one of the Human Relations Principles. I’ll include my thoughts on what each principle means, and how it can be applied in our daily lives. Wherever possible, I will work in anecdotes from my own experience to underscore either the correct application, or a misstep I have had which would have been better had I used the principle.

I am very excited about writing this series. It will be a good review of principles that I have held dear in my life, and will help me rededicate myself to those principles which have waned in recent years. For my readers, I think this series will give a structured look at how our relationships with others, and how our influence in the world, can be enhanced with intentional effort.

On Sunday, February 22, I will kick things off with an overview of the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. In that overview I will also publish the schedule of my future posts.

Today my reflection is on the somewhat daunting task I have set before myself. I am looking forward to sharing with you all my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Along the way I know I will learn more about myself, and where my challenges lie. It is going to be an interesting Lenten season for sure.