Welcome to Brunner & Associates, Inc.

We spend so much time and energy focusing on past interactions and wishing somehow they had been different.  Many relationships continue to suffer from arguing about, being offended by, and feeling hurt over something that has already happened.  Can we change – even a little bit – what has already occurred?  Of course not!  But we can learn from the past and apply what we’ve learned to actively shaping a better future.  I love what my friend Don says to help folks become more future oriented:  “Let’s give up all hope of a more perfect past.”  Amen.  It is more productive to use our energies to strengthen relationships going forward rather than living in the past.

I believe that everyone can benefit from having a mentor or mentors in life.  Some have more than one.  A friend I am coaching told me he had three coaches/mentors – one for organizational/planning/goal setting/time management (me), one for his physical health and one for his soul.  To help ensure that everyone has access to a mentor, I also believe that we who are older should look for opportunities to mentor younger folks.  

My friend John – a very successful small businessman – told me that he is now mentoring four young men.  He describes himself as “a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and someone to offer a “nudge” now and then in the right direction.  Those more senior among us have usually acquired a fair amount of wisdom, knowledge and judgment from life’s experiences.  It’s time we look for ways to pass it on to others.  It’s a great chance to give back.