LOVE is the most transformative power in the universe. In this episode we explore the infinite positive effects our love and kindness create and some simple ways we can begin today to radiate love wherever we are. <3

Thank you for joining me! I appreciate it. Please like, comment, and share the Blooming Together podcast with others. :D

Tex is so committed to and enthusiastic about service, growth, purpose, and connection, that it's easy to feel his love and dedication as a teacher and engage with him.

We talked about the "C's" of change, "servant leadership", and, of course, blooming where you're planted.

Tex is a seasoned educator and leadership trainer with over 30 years at the University of Minnesota. He has dedicated most of his career to student development and engagement and serves as a Student Success and Development Coordinator at the University. His philosophy is simple: meet people where they are, recognize that leadership is a journey, and help others discover their plan, purpose, and potential. He often says, "Together we are better, together we are stronger, together we find success."

Beyond the University, Tex is the proud father of four outstanding adult children, Tessa, Ellie, Marcus, and Lexi. Married to his high school sweetheart, Tex and Donna continue to work and volunteer in the Orono community where they met. Since 1991, Tex has coached youth and high school sports, including rugby, soccer, football, swimming, track and field, wrestling, and even competitive high school speech, gaining invaluable insights into how leadership in sports develops across generations in countless ways.

In addition to all the things he does in education, coaching, and volunteering, he also loves being an instructor for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When is comes to teaching he strives to be the best he can because he knows, "An average teacher tells, a good teacher explains, a better teacher demonstrates, yet the best teacher inspires."

Welcome, Tex Ostvig! Thank you for joining us today!

Pivoting isn't a sign of weakness or lack of commitment - it's proof that our commitment runs deeper than any single plan. Being able to change or shift how we move is often the only way to keep moving.

January is a long, gentle exhale of everything we've just experienced and an equally gentle inhale filled with hope for the new year and all of it's possibility.

Keep blooming. We're in this together.

Connection is a gift, the best gift.

Simple daily rituals can make a big difference in the overall quality of our lives.

The love of an amazing mom and close friends, encouraging words from a beloved grandfather, caring counselors, insightful teachers, and the sheer tenacity in her soul, helped my friend, Ariella Larson, find her way through the darkness of depression and debilitating ADHD, to discover her passion and purpose serving others as an ASL interpreter...and blooming, even when she didn't like where she was planted.

In addition to being an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter, Arie, is a hobby artist and life-long learner. She was raised in a Jewish family and is the youngest of three children. She is most proud of graduating from college with a bachelor's degree, despite initially dropping out.

Amazing things grow beneath the surface. Plant impossible gardens and see what blooms.

Unlock the fullness of life with gratitude. It really is everything.

We all need encouragement to keep growing and blooming. Tune in for a little Monday motivation.