Do You Have A Couple Of Minutes

Reminder about the November Experiment.  for the month of November let's try to do the following five things daily: Compliment yourself, two minutes of gratitude, five minutes of goal review, give someone a compliment or show them appreciation, and celebrate yourself.

Continuing our November theme of 'On My Mind,' I thought Ii would share something that comes to mind every time I eat a banana.  I wonder if my grandpa really liked ripe/black bananas or if was he making a sacrifice for others. I only remember meeting my grandfather once, when I was about 8.  he seemed content sitting in a rocking chair on the porch and smiling.  I think I probably met him one time earlier at the age of two or three.  One of the stories I recall about my grandpa is that he liked very ripened,/black bananas.  I wonder if he was just making a sacrifice as parents do.

As leaders we often find ourselves in a position to make a sacrifice to maintain the momentum of the team or to help ensure some desired outcome.  It's a short term inconvenience for a long term payoff.  It's a basic premise of life, that sometimes sacrifice is necessary.  I like that my grandpa was known for liking the over ripe bananas.  Perhaps he really did like them, but I like to imagine that it speaks more to his character of sacrifice and caring for others.  That maybe he chose the overripe banana so others might have "better" options and opportunity.  What legacy will you leave? 

#bananas #OnMyMind #sacrifice #leadership #legacy #Shortterminconveience #Longtermpayoff #momentum #opportunity #mentorship #Guidance  #example 

#DoYouHaveACoupleOfMinutes #Think #Learn #Grow #Fulfilled

Don't forget our November Daily Challenge: The Experiment - Compliment yourself, 2 Minutes of Meditation, 5 Minutes of Goal Focus, Give a Compliment or Show Gratitude to someone, Celebrate Yourself!

And this is milestone episode #200!!  Thanks to each and everyone of you for your support and for sharing the podcast with others.  Together let's continue to inspire, and help others to think, learn, grow, and live more fulfilled!

Today's On My Mind topic is "Just Because."  Sometimes we get urges to do things and we ignore them.  But let's try to pay attention to those nudges and take those seemingly small positive actions that might really be something beneficial to others or the start of something big.  It's been my experience that when i have  taken the time to be present, and taken action to infuse positivity or gratitude, it always seems timely and very much appreciated.  So, let' not miss these opportunities, let's listen to those urges and share a little bit more positivity, lend a helping hand, be a listening ear.  The seemingly ordinary things of life can be extraordinary when they are compounded!

If you get a chance, please like, follow, rate, and comment on this podcast on Apple Podcasts. 

#JustBecasue #WhyNot #Present #Presence #Positive #Help #Ordinary #Extrordinary #special #compliment #gratitude #thanks #200 #urge #nudge #NovemberExperiment #beneficial #benefit 

#DoYouHaveACoupleOfMinutes #Think #Learn #Grow #Fulfilled

I hope you are joining with me in a daily self compliment, 2 minutes of gratitude, 5 minutes of goal focus, appreciation/compliment of others, and self celebration. Let's continue our focus on various topics that have come to mind, with the topic: Are you choosing to stay angry.

I want to share the 90 Second rule with you that I recently learned.  It will help you manage your physical emotion to your advantage. Research shows that it on take 90 seconds for your physiological reaction to ranger or other discomfort to pass  by.

Here is s to some information on the 90 second rule: http://thedanielislandnews.com/opinions/how-90-second-rule-can-change-your-life#:~:text=Explains%20Taylor%3A%20%E2%80%9CWhen%20a%20person,stay%20in%20that%20emotional%20loop.%E2%80%9D 

#angermanagement #90secondrule #change #decisions #outcomes #intention #takeinventory #discomfort #takecontrol #incontrol #managingemotion

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

I hope you are joining with me in a daily self compliment, 2 minutes of gratitude, 5 minutes of goal focus, appreciation/compliment of others, and self celebration. Let's continue our focus on various topics that have come to mind, with the topic "Hanging On, Letting Go"

In life sometimes we have to hang on and sometimes we have to let go.  It's important that we know our "why" and we know the direction we are headed in order to determine if we need to hang on or let go.

I'm reminded of a story about a monkey who was after some food and stuck his hand into a small hole to grab some food within.  Unfortunately, having a full fist prevented the monkey from taking his hand out of the hole.  So the monkey became stuck.  The monkey could let go of he food and have the discomfort of continued hunger or the monkey could remain trapped, still hungry, and susceptible to become prey to predators.  The monkey's why was food, but his actions only made him stuck.  Sometimes we have to let go of something, endure the hardship that comes along with that, as part of the path to something better. 

In business this might mean making a tough financial decisions, like continuing a process that costs more or takes more time than initially anticipated because of the expected beneficial outcomes, or making tough staffing decisions. Again, making the choice to hang on or let go, may be uncomfortable, but when we know the decisions align with the desired outcome versus being stuck with lack of progress, the short term difficulties to be endured may be worth it.

What things might you be holding onto that you need to let go?  And where might you be hanging on, when it may be time to let go?  Take inventory of the "Why" behind your action, then intentionally let go or hold on as needed!

#lettinggo #hangingon #change #decisions #outcomes #letitgo #intention #monkeytrap #takeinventory #discomfort 

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

I hope you are joining with me in a daily self compliment, 2 minutes of gratitude, 5 minutes of goal focus, appreciation/compliment of others, and self celebration. Let's continue our focus on various topics that have come to mind, with the topic 'Are You Ready?" 

Ready, Aim, Fire...Are you ready? Do you have a habit of getting ready so you are prepared for what comes your way? So you are prepared to take action?

In the daily experiences of life we can take some great lessons and getting ready, and being ready is one of those lessons.  As a child, I was required to do three things first each day in any order - make my bed, get dressed, and eat.  My mom knew the importance of mindset preparation, being ready to go, and having fuel for the day.  Sports is another great teacher, I remember hearing as a player, and shouting as a spectator, "Be ready!"  Ready meant bring your preparation to bear in order to provide a response appropriate to the circumstances that would come.  If it was a fly ball that meant being ready to run, if it was a line drive, that meant a quick response to catch and possibly throw the ball. Most every sport has a stance for being ready.

Runners hear "on your mark, get set, ready, the the pistol sounds to take action.  That ready implies they are prepared to take action. Being ready means we have put in the intentional and focused effort and work to take action that will move us toward our goal. Take time to ready yourself for future opportunities and keep up the work to stay ready.  Being ready and staying ready doesn't happen by accident, it takes effort.

Get ready, be ready, stay ready.

#Ready #LessonsLearned #Preparation #BeReady #intention #focusedeffort #opportunities #AreYouReady

 #Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

I hope you are joining with me in a daily self compliment, 2 minutes of gratitude, 5 minutes of goal focus, appreciation/compliment of others, and self celebration. This month I plan to focus on various topics that have come to mind.  I hope you will find value in the things that will be shared.

Today, let's talk about what you are practicing.  We sometimes think of practice that is something very intentional.  And I would agree that when we have a purpose and goal, we tend to focus our actions and behaviors more intentionally.  However, even when we are not intentional. we are likely practicing something.  What are the things that you do, the habits you have?  Those are the things you are practicing.  It is important to see if those things are serving you and to make change if needed.  if you have a desire to get along with others and find yourself only seeing the negative, the shortcomings, and engaging in interaction that does not add value, something in the scenario is not serving you.  The answer might be who or it might be how, but you must evaluate to figure it out and engage in an action that serves to move you toward your goal or desired state.  It's a simple concept, yet we see it all around.  Someone want a better job, but they slack on their current job.  Someone wants to lose weight, but they don't change any eating or exercise habits. 

I hope this will encourage you to take inventory of your habits - small and large, so you can be intentional about the behaviors and practices - the habits,  that serve you. 

#Practice #Habits #intetnion #goodintetnions #selfevaluatoin #goals #serve #improve #Think #Learn #Grow #LiveFulfilled #ShowUpOpen 

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

For the month on November, I'd like us to try a little experiment.  Let's try to do the following things daily.  

- Daily Self Compliment 

- 2 Minutes of Gratitude

- 5 Minutes of Goal Focus

- Appreciate Someone or Give a Compliment

- Celebrate You - give yourself some gratitude, a treat of something you like to do or enjoy, even celebrate doing the experiment!

If you forget or miss and item or a day, no worries, just start again when you remember.  I hope you will find this helpful and that it will be cause for thanks at the end of your month!

#TheExperiment #SelfCompliment #Gratitude #GoalFocus #GiveCompliments #Celebrate

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

Let's have some more real talk today.  For me it has been a super long and exhausting week.  I am looking forward to the weekend to get some more things done.  But you know what I did to help me make it through?  I took some time to pause.  When we pause, we take a moment with the intention of staying on track and picking right back up where we started.  What we do in the pause is important for the rest of our journey.  In my pause I took some time to think about all I have to do, and I thought some more about how grateful I am to have the opportunity to do those things, to have that potential for lasting and positive impact. I looked deeper and thought about all the experiences I have had  in life that allow me to be in this moment in both gratitude, calm, and peace.  Some of those lessons were messy, uncomfortable, frustrating, and difficult - and they all prepared me for the next lesson, and the next level.

We can all get to points of weariness or exhaustion.  However, if we take the time to pause, we will not only reinforce that we have what it take to move forward, we can be grateful for the experience and the knowing that it is preparation for the continuous evolution of our lives.  So today, I am keeping it real and I am real grateful for this journey...I hope you are too.  I hope you will also be able to find some time to pause in gratitude and live fully in the moment.

#RealGrateful #RealTalk #Pause #TakeBreaks #Mindfulness

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

Who are you really?  What do you want to be known for?  It takes intention and effort to really know yourself.  Sure it is easy to figure out likes and dislikes, things that make you happy, sad, angry, indifferent.  However, do we take time to understand the why, to really delve into why we have the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs that we hold?

When we take time to know ourselves, it allows us to be of service to ourselves and to others.  When we know the skills and value we have to offer, it allows us to be fulfilled in using our talents and it allows us to be of great service to others,  When we are able to use and develop our skills it allows us to add more value.  Knowing where we can add value also take the guess work out the equation.  I was recently thinking of a work situation where someone offered to be of general assistance.  The problem was, that this person had not differentiated or shared their skills and abilities for the offered help to be of value. This is how we sell ourselves short and how we get overlooked, when we may have something valuable to offer .

So I want to encourage you to take time to understand who you are.  What do you do and why?  How do others interact with you and why?  What do these things tell you about you?  Are there things you want to increase, things you want to change?  What are the words that define you?  What are the life moments that define you?  What do you have to offer? Who are you? Is it who you want to be?  If not, what changes will you make to realize your ideal self and situation?

#WhoAreYou #Intention #WhatIsTheWhy #AddValue #Skills #Strengths

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled

Today, I thought I'd remind you that it is up to us in large part to write our story and to tell it.  Recently I was reflecting on how I've responded to life when I couldn't blend in.  It's part of my story that has shaped who I am.  At some point early on, I figured out if I couldn't blend in, it was probably a good idea to shape the story that would help define me.  At first that meant going beyond low expectations.  It meant being peculiar in a positive sort of way.  Taking initiative to work a little harder, be a little extra.  And my goal was acceptance and belonging.  Acceptance for having figured out how to be successful in between circumstances and faulty expectations on the part of others.  I believed that if I proved I had what it took to be successful, that acceptance would lead to belonging - but that is not always the case.  However, the take away from all of this is that I had the ability to write my own story, to tell my own story about who I was and what I was capable of by taking initiative and being intentional and genuine in my interactions.  When we make efforts to show others who we are, we have the voice that resonates most in telling our own story, and not only telling it, but creating it.

Not blending turned into a positive for me.  It gave me perspective that the very thing we sometimes do not value, can be of utmost value in living out our purpose.  Tell Your Own Story. 

#TellYourOwnStory #UseYourVoice #StandOut #WhoAreYou

#Inspiring Topics to help you #Think, #Learn, #Grow, and Live #Fulfilled