Where Is Your Measure?

The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort & convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
           ~Martin Luther King Jr.

How about you? Who are you and how do you respond during the good times? This is important. Who are you and how do you respond during the hard times? During the character building days? When the worst of times is staring you in the face? This is your measure.

Can You Feel Better in One Minute???

Yes you can! It only takes one minute. Honest.

In this High-Tech microwave society, we want everything in an instant.  We want to build our business to a profitable level as fast as possible – we want to quickly contact our children with an urgent message – we want our fast food prepped in the drive through in no time at all. Feeling good can happen on the spot as well. The good news? You are in control! Woo Hoo!

If you are like me, you too would appreciate adding some very simple things to your life that are certain to help you feel better…in less than one minute.  Give one of these a try today.

In one minute you could…

BE GRATEFUL – Write in a gratitude journal 3 things you are most thankful for OR write a friend a thank you note.

RELAX – Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly three times.

CONNECT – Pick up the phone to call someone you haven’t seen in a while.

GAIN PERSPECTIVE – Look out the window toward the horizon and allow your mind to drift away.

THINK ABOUT YOU – List 3 things you like most about YOU.

Now it's YOUR turn....We value your wisdom. What would you add to this list??

Nothing Happens by Accident...

The number of positive, inspirational and motivating books in my house is greater than 500.  (I know because my 12 year old counted them when there was “nothing to do” on holiday break from school.)  Interestingly enough, none of those fabulous masterpieces can be of use to me if I don’t grab the book with my hands, open the book and physically read the words.  The wisdom does not mysteriously float into my brain on its own.  I must take action steps to obtain the teaching.

Nothing Happens by Accident

I love the teachings of Kim Lavine – go-getter, one-of-a-kind, living across “the pond” from me (i.e. = Lake Michigan) Mommy Millionair.  Ms. Lavine shared in a recent blog that the Yiddish word “mac-krae” means:

Nothing Happens by Accident

My very first thought to that statement was ‘How true’.  I’m going to be rather bold here and make a statement that is wrapped in love but comes straight from my heart:  All the desire and passion in our heart to accomplish our goals cannot and will not ever come to fruition while sitting on the sofa.  Having good intentions, a grateful heart and heaps of positive thoughts and words are very useful – quite honestly, they are considered, by most including myself, to be the first step on the staircase to success.  Yet, until we get up off the sofa and start walking, all those good intentions are only, well….good intentions.  The action is missing.  We may be able to see the top of our Success Staircase and believe with all our heart and soul it is obtainable.  YES! That is the right attitude. But how are you going to get there when you are standing on the first step?

Nothing Happens by Accident

What are your goals? What is at the top of your staircase? What would your world look like if you started climbing, step by step, toward your dreams?  …And think on this: How many other people might be inspired to do the same when they see YOU stepping up?

Now it’s YOUR turn…

We want to know…What is YOUR next step on your staircase to your goals and dreams?

The Wisdom in Your Potential...

"There are two great days in a person's life ... the day we are born, and the day we discover why.” ~William Barclay

You ask, “Why what?” Why you were created the way you were created? Why you have the unique DNA that you have? Why you have these dreams in your heart? Why you have this urge inside to unleash the potential and go after your passion?

What is YOUR why? What is your potential?

After pondering a bit on these questions, I thought I would share with you some wisdom I have found. Four steps to begin to find your why…your potential:

1. Define who you are….what do you value most in life?

These could be qualities like openness, honesty, and trustworthiness, or traits like creativity, focus and aptitude. Think of your best friend. What characteristics does he/she display that you value/appreciate?

2. Identify your strengths….what are you really good at doing?

Some people can make the most incredibly attractive scrapbooks of their children’s activities. They just know the right colours, shapes, and tag lines to create a treasured keepsake of memories. Other people are a total wiz on the computer and ‘wow’ me with how quickly they can assess and FIX hardware and software quandaries. Still others have the patience to spend an entire day with 25 first graders on a field trip to the biggest museum in town, and walk away with a smile on their face and a spring in their step.

3. Discover what you know…life has taught you much; you know more than you think.
I have one child who is good at spelling. (The other child…not so much.) It is rather effortless for my youngest to do well on spelling tests and Spelling Bees. She is no National Bee champ or anything like that, but plain and simple, she knows how to spell some fairly difficult words.

4. Acknowledge your uniqueness…there is only one YOU.

The marvelous Liz Strauss says, “Know who you are and where you stand – claim your space.” The amazing Marianne Williamson says, “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right.”

What is YOUR why? What is your potential?

The legendary speaker Tony Robbins began a new series on television this week called Breakthrough. Watching Tony pour his heart into the featured married couple was inspiring and encouraging. Everyone watching the episode could see the potential of these two people. One of my favorite quotes by Mr. Robbins… “Life is found in the dance between your deepest desire and your greatest fear."

Can you learn to dance with your potential?
If inside, you feel that you were made for more, but are afraid to move, I encourage you to decide today to take that first step into the unknown. Then take another step.

…Step even when you are afraid.
…Step when you are insecure.
…Step when you are safe.
…Step when it’s stormy.
…Step when you don't see what's coming.

Before long, you will find that each step you take weaves together to create a beautiful dance...a dance that is your amazing life…a dance that is uniquely YOU. I look forward to the day when I see you teaching others to dance too.

Now it’s your turn...

What wisdom have you gained in dancing with your potential?

Do You Need a Jumpstart?

The frigid temps outside made me wonder if my car would start the other morning. My vehicle usually does not sit outside overnight but that night I stayed at a hotel. As I walked out to my car the next morning, I notice the vacant lot; most everyone had checked out. While holding my breath, I turned the ignition key. The engine hesitated, groaned and then ever so slowly came to life. I breathed a sigh of relief because I was not prepared for an event requiring jumper cables. Truthfully, even if I had jumper cables with me, I would still need assistance. Our AAA auto club membership roadside assistance would have served as a good backup plan. Although my experience went smoothly I learned something valuable. Think about this:

When we need a jumpstart in life, it requires assistance.

Jump starting my vehicle would require the help of another person regardless if it is the Auto Club or another hotel patron offering his vehicle…and a set of jumper cables in my case. The point is that there was no way possible I could get my van running by myself, no matter how great my efforts or determination. Bottom line…I needed help.

So why do we expect that we will be able to ‘jump-start’ our life by our self? Back in college I struggled with being overweight. I hit my all time high and made a decision that I needed to change some things. It did not take more than a couple days to realize that I needed someone to help me jump-start my endeavor. A dear friend chose to workout with me; she pushed me when the going got rough. Since I am a horrible morning person, I needed her to kick me in the seat of the pants and get me moving. Because I asked for help and she willingly stepped up, I lost 50 pounds and have kept it off for more than twenty years.

In what area do you need to ask for help to jump-start things?

Do you need to ask a good friend or personal trainer to exercise with you?

Do you need to ask a trusted person for feedback on a new logo you are creating for your business?

Do you need to ask your current customers for referrals?

Do you need to ask someone you admire to mentor you?

There most likely is something that you want to accomplish and know you could use a jump-start. The first step is to ask for help.

When we need a jumpstart in life, it requires assistance.

“You create your opportunities by asking for them.” ~ Shakti Gawain

Stop Settling and Start Living...

It was a dreary, overcast morning; the kind that make it hard to get out of bed and get started on your day. A few upbeat songs came on the radio that cleared my head and got me in the right frame of mind to get my workout completed. While at the club, a woman who was working out next to me, started sharing with the trainer that she had some changes going on in her life. Her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 62 and now he moved to a care facility at 70 years of age because his mind was gone. She was trying desperately to keep going and remain positive, but the reality of the experience was staring her straight in the face demanding to be noticed.

Many thoughts raced through my mind about this man’s young age, how short life is and how we just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Yet more than anything, I just wanted to know…did he make the most of every day before the Alzheimer’s stole his life? Did he make his work a priority or did he laugh with his family and create memories with them? Did he talk about where he would go ‘someday’ or did he travel and experience the incredible world we live in? Did he settle for mediocrity or did he embrace all that life has to offer? Did he take things for granted or did he tell the people who meant the most to him that he loved them?

“There are many things in life that will catch our eye but only a few will catch your heart…pursue those.”

No one can predict how much time we have left to live our life. If there is something tugging at your heartstrings that you have been putting off, why not pursue it. Even if life has thrown you a string of curve balls trying to strike you out, why not pick today to stand back up, brush yourself off and try again. Make a plan, talk to someone, pay attention to the things other people do that you find fascinating and start experiencing all those things you’ve wanted to do but never have.

“Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.”

Make today the day you stop settling and start living.

It's Planting Time...

Last fall, many people saw the American economy ‘down for the count’. We heard terms like downturn, recession and slump. True, America was sick, but during challenging times, poor discipline and immaturity seem to be revealed. Maybe it’s time to get real and be honest. Try this on for size….the economy is not dwindling – it’s being transformed.

We were sick and now it’s time to fix the root of the problem. Forget the band-aid. Let’s pick up the pieces and put them together in a new way to form a new life. What this situation exposed was simply all the elements that were broken.

What would happen if we embraced the chaos? What if we buried the self doubt, the doom and gloom, the envy and the ‘woe is me’ attitude? Go ahead…pick up a shovel, dig a six foot hole and bury that stuff for good. The truth is, today is a great time for a new generation to rise up and find the strength to start planting – planting confidence, determination and belief.

Think about when the gardener plants a new seed. When that seed begins to sprout, the first thing that comes up is a little dirt - it is then and only then that the shoot begins to appear. Can you hang on long enough to brush away the initial dirt so you can celebrate the new healthy green sprouting growth? That kind of determination will be needed.

The germination period for each seed is different. Some seeds sprout right away but the plant is slow to grow. While others take excessive amounts of time to push through the earth, then their bloom comes quickly. Can you maintain your confidence even when there is no sight of growth?

Think about a farmer. When he plants corn in the spring, he knows without a shadow of a doubt that he will be harvesting corn (not wheat) in the fall. He maintained his belief throughout the entire growing season. Can you sustain your belief throughout growing season?

We’re not ‘down and out’; it’s time to Plant. Planting confidence, determination and belief today has the potential to create an abundant harvest tomorrow.

Lessons In Uncommon Places...

My husband loves reading and has a passion for history. Just the other night he rattled off a date of some event they were talking about on television…before the reporters gave the date. Although I don’t hold the same level of interest in history, I was still in awe at how quickly the information came to him-nothing short of amazing in my mind. He reads daunting books with 300, 400 and some even 500+ pages in length, all of them about history, ones that I only will glance at on the book shelf and sigh. For me, reading something with that fine print and thickness would be like trying to run a full marathon without training. I would wonder if I would be able to finish.

There has been no book that he has talked more about than “Uncommon Friends” by James Newton. It is a (357 page) book about the lives of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Alexis Carrel and Charles Lindbergh. They are five 20th century giants known personally by very few – except for James Newton. Many know the accomplishments of these great men but Newton captures their lives on a personal level.

Since my husband spoke so highly of this book (and so frequently) I decided to open the book randomly and begin reading. I had no idea what would happen next. Not only did this author keep my attention, but he was able to colour a vivid picture of who Henry Ford was as a man. After I flew through just 10 or 12 pages of encouraging printed words, I decided to stop to share some pearls of wisdom from Henry Ford:

“The purpose of money is to provide more opportunity to perform more service. Short-sighted businessmen think first of money, but service is what really makes or breaks a business; without it, customers soon go elsewhere.”

“True happiness comes from the realization of accomplishment.”

“If money is your only hope for independence, you will never have it.”

“It’s our first duty to do the right thing, and this will earn us the right money.”

“We ought to think of our country as a servant of mankind. A trustworthy, righteous nation, whose joy is to help all people toward peace and progress. Except for idealists there would have been no United States."

These quotes contain tremendous power and wisdom. Valuable insights can be gleaned by examining the thought process of historical figures. Reading a large book on history is more of an uncommon place for me, but when I chose to go out of my comfort zone I was blessed with great wisdom to learn, grow and share. How about you? Is there an uncommon place you need to visit from which you could learn?

The Ultimate Gift of a Coach...

Thirteen days ago, I had arthroscopic knee surgery to remove a cyst that was growing out of the fibers on my Anterior Cruciate Ligament – more commonly referred to as the ACL. The surgery was a little different because the doctors decompressed this cyst rather than removing it and my ACL. RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) was my only task for nearly two weeks.

Yesterday it was back to TRIA Orthopaedic Center to remove the stitches. I was then sent directly to meet Monte, my physical therapist. After just two PT sessions with Monte, I’m pleased to announce that my knee is gaining much mobility, the fluid is decreasing and the pain is leaving. In fact, I feel that the knee is so much better that I have given my therapist the nickname, Miracle Monte. (Of course he laughed when I told him that.)

Today was my second appointment. While lying on the table receiving my well earned treat…use of the “Game Ready” ice machine, I had time to ponder about these brief, painful but helpful sessions I completed. Monte is my coach. He runs the game plan. When I perform at a mediocre level, he pushes me to do better. He believes I can do more and perform better with each session I work out with him. Monte has the road map; he knows my goals and is there to coach me through when I would prefer to give up.

Monte is a terrific coach because he has the ability to motivate while he trains. Because he continues to cheer me on and remind me of the progress I am making, I’m able to push through the tough times. He continues to raise the bar and asks me to reach higher, but never forgets to remind me of how far I have come.

The ability to encourage and inspire while guiding an individual to peak performance is a gift…the ultimate gift.

The folks at this orthopaedic center have a mission “Whatever your personal goals are, TRIA has the experts to work with you to help you achieve the highest level of function with the best outcome possible.” My goal of having a knee that functions properly is going to take much effort. Quite frankly, I would never be able to push myself to accomplish that goal, nor would I know how to do it on my own.

You may be a coach or you may be looking for a coach to guide you to a higher level of function with the best outcome possible. Wherever you are in life, remember the ultimate gift…encouraging and inspiring while leading.

A New Perspective on Calendar Management...

Imagine walking into a room feeling confident, poised and energized. Your dreams are big and your motivation is high. You have your goals set, the action plan in place, you have even hired a coach to help you stay on track and keep pace with your demanding schedule. You live in a nice home in a great part of town and have a wonderful spouse and kids. There is so much to be thankful for. The warmth of the sunshine on your arms and the pleasant breeze blowing against your face are all reminders that life is good.

Then you look at the calendar for the next week. It seems to be filled with numbered black squares bursting with a rainbow of colours denoting each doctor appointment, early morning conference call, and after-hours meet and greet along with the vast array of children’s sporting activities that overlap and require permission slips and transportation.

Sure, life is hectic. We get by on too little sleep, promising to catch up on weekends. But we never do. To remain healthy and stay confident, poised and energized means being good to yourself too. Since the calendar refuses to clear itself, how about taking a new perspective to carve out some ‘play time’ for you?

How can you spend your play time? If you’re rattling off sports activities, forget it. Those don’t count. If you have forgotten how to play, break out the bubbles, kites, colouring books and most of all your imagination! Make up a game with rocks or loose change. Get some sidewalk chalk, a croquet set and some jacks; If you feel silly…good! If you don’t want the neighbors talking, join in with some kids or play with the dog.

Did you know that play time is one of the most healing activities for your health? Cut free from the rules, worry and stress. Most importantly, abandon your adult fixations and get in touch with your inner child. There’s a kid in all of us, just waiting for play time.

The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands. ~Robert M. Pirsig

Do You Have Double Vision?

I’ve heard it said…’If you do today what others won’t…you can live tomorrow like others can’t’. It makes complete sense. I know how I want my life to look tomorrow; I’ve played the video over and over in my mind for years. How hard could it possibly be? Just do a few important things each day and eventually my tomorrow will become a reality. There you have it; simple, right?

However, along the journey toward my blissful tomorrow, I have found one thing that seems to be extremely important yet most difficult to achieve. It is the act of self-discipline – training and controlling myself and my conduct to progress toward my goals and dreams.

Writing this blog holds a measure of self-discipline. I have a goal in place for posting new material, yet the calendar days flip by like a speeding race car. Today, I find myself caught between what I want to do and what I know I need to do. Obviously I have not yet mastered self-discipline, but it has become evident that self-discipline should occur first before my vision of tomorrow will become a reality. This develops into a ‘first this, then that’ type of scenario. A form of double vision - having one eye focused on today and the other eye focused on tomorrow.

Double vision for my teenager means in order for her to achieve her career goals tomorrow, she needs to focus on each class in school, which will add to, or subtract from, her GPA today.

Double vision in my role as mother, says that each and every time I stand firm while teaching values and obedience to my children today, I’m grooming them for a future tomorrow of significance and strength.

What are your eyes fixed on for today and tomorrow?

It will require self-discipline to keep one eye fixed on the important things which ought to be done today. There is an old saying that…’discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons’. If that is the case, might I suggest that we have the self-discipline to accomplish what is important today; so that we can be free tomorrow to live our destiny (without regret)!