The Bed Head Chronicles

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.

Today, I want to talk about how in the world today, if we could change all of us the way we think about our communications with others, and always have our primary intention being 'What can I do FOR this person?' -- whoever it is that's standing in front of you, whether it's your husband, your wife, your son, your daughter, your friend, your client, someone you're meeting for the first time -- How can I add value to this person's life right now?

Whether that's something as simple as putting a smile on their face or adding value by whatever services you can provide them with. 

But, I think, oftentimes it's important to just be aware.  Do you go into every relationship in your life thinking 'What can I get FROM this person?' or 'What can I get out of this interaction?' rather than 'What can I GIVE to this person?  How can I impact this connection or this communication in a positive, generous, loving, kind way?

So, what about, if we all begin this coming week saying that in every moment, whoever we come across, our main focus -- our main intention will be 'What can I do for this person?'  What can I do at this moment that's going to add value -- that's going to have a positive impact?  How can I be a gift to this person, to this moment, to this experience?  How can I be a gift?  What can I do for these people?  How can I add value, joy, happiness, good feeling -- whatever it is in every moment?

Let me know in the comments what you find.  Try that for a day.  More importantly, if we can do this all week in every interaction, we can change the world by individually managing how we live our lives; how we treat others with love, kindness, gratitude, appreciation.

And from there, that will spread.

So, have an amazing Sunday everybody.  I love you all.  Thank you for listening.

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.

Today, I want to talk about when we have an ultimate goal that we're working towards, training towards, working towards -- whatever it is. 

Usually, what happens is you start out and you have weaknesses that need to be overcome; and until those weaknesses have become actual strengths, we can expect to fail, to be disappointed, and fall short over and over again.

So, how do we measure success along the way to keep us motivated, to keep us confident, to keep us certain that one day we truly will achieve our ultimate goal?

My belief is that along the way -- through our failures, through our disappointments as we all know, we learn and we grow the most and we gain a very strong character.  Okay?

So, our strength of character is building along the way.   I believe that if you can truly be aware of how your character is changing -- how you are becoming more resilient, relentless, you're learning from every lesson, you are changing your approach when you need to, when you know something isn't working the way you wanted it to or you hoped it to.

So, my belief on this road to achieving your ultimate goal -- during those times when you feel like you're failing over and over again, or you're falling shorter -- You're not just getting there.  Have the strength of character gains that you're making be how you measure your success. And be proud of that because ultimately that strength of character is going to be that which takes you to the very top.  Which basically means achieving that ultimate goal.

So, have an amazing day everybody.

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.

Today, I'm going to take you out into the Team Sirius pain cave where you're going to see two of my top athletes: Captain Ellie Salthouse and Jodie Robertson.  They are the perfect example of doing whatever it takes to make your dream come true.

Do you have dreams that you want to make come true? 

Well, this is what's required.  You MUST get out of your comfort zone every single day.  Live there, even. 

You MUST be afraid.  But do it anyway.  Have that fear fuel you.  Have that fear tell you 'This matters to me'. 

You've got to, not only, get out of your comfort zone.  Not only be afraid and do it anyway.  You've got to be willing to fail because when we fail when we fall short of what we're trying to do, that's when we learn.  That's when we grow the most.  That's when we learn more about what we need. 

These girls and every single one of my athletes does this every single day.  If you have a dream that you want to come true, you MUST be willing to lay your soul down for that mission.

This is what these girls and every single one of my athletes does every single day.  So, I'm going to take you in so you can see them.  Here are some of my many athletes that have done the same.

They are in the recovery part. 

What time do they get up?  The crack of dawn.  You know why?  Because there's no time to waste.  You have dreams you want to accomplish?  You wake up early.  You have to make sacrifices.  You do what needs to be done to make your dream come true.

These athletes do that every single day, and you can, too. 

If it matters enough, you'll get it done.  Make a decision today that will help you get closer to achieving your dream.  Make a decision today and every single day after.  Think about the one thing you can do on that day that's going to bring you closer to achieving your dreams.  You got this!

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.

I want to look back to the year 2000.  I was a pro triathlete and I wanted to make the Olympic Games in Sydney.

Now, for some reason, I thought I needed to move out to Australia and live this solitary life where I could find this deep, incredible strength that I didn't think I already had.  I thought that the only way I could find that is if I go off on my own, and I train alone, and I eat alone, and I live alone, and all that I'm focusing on is becoming better, getting stronger, getting fitter, getting faster and getting tougher.

It was, I think, the hardest thing I've ever done in my life because I am -- my nature is love.  I love being surrounded by my family, by my animals, by my friends and having these people around me fill my soul with joy and energy, and being able to share in every experience of life -- the wonderful experiences, the tough experiences and just every moment of peace.  Just enjoying the solitude with one another.   

So, I went off and I did this. 

There are a few lessons here because another thing I did is every single night I visualized the perfect race.  From start to finish.  Everything going absolutely perfect with me crossing the line, arms in the air, winning the race and qualifying for the Olympics.

Now, the problem with that is on race day, I'm at the Olympic trials.  The gun goes off.  I dive into the water.  Within the first 20 seconds, I get dunked into the water, I get kicked in the race and I lose the front pack. 

I had not visualized this. 

I absolutely had not even thought to think about what happens when I lose the pack?  How am I going to respond? 

So, the biggest lesson is for all of you, just as a side note is visualization is a very powerful practice.  But when you visualize, you also have to see things going wrong and see yourself handling these problems, these issues or these bad moments with grace, with calm, with intelligence, overcoming whatever the problem is, and then succeeding in the end.

I didn't know that at this point in time.

Anyhow, I lost the front pack.  I felt like I was swimming harder than I've ever swam in my life.  I felt like I was biking harder than I ever had.  And I was going backward.  I was being passed by everyone. 

I choked.  I absolutely choked at the Olympic trials.

I'll never forget there were so many people after the race, because at the time, I think, I was the second-ranked American, they were all like, "What happened?  Are you sick?  Did you have a flat tire?  Like, what happened?"

At that moment I thought to myself, this will be a defining moment.  If I make up an excuse, that's going to cut off my entire capacity to grow from this.  To learn from this.  And most importantly, I'm going to lose a lot of respect for myself. 

But if I own it...if I can own what happened, I am not only going to learn from this and maintain respect for myself, but that truly does open up any ceilings that I have over my head.  It allows me to know now what I need to work on, what I need to avoid, and that's going to make me better.

So, I owned it. 

The first person that came up and asked me what happened, I said "I choked.  I absolutely choked."

What that led to ultimately is a lot of really deep realizations that changed the whole trajectory of my life.  One of those was my strength, my energy.  What makes me and helps me be my very best is being in an environment that fills my soul and nourishes my spirit -- and that is in an environment of love.  Having my pets show me unconditional love and think I'm the greatest thing on the planet.  At the time, I didn't have my wife, Bek.  But my mom -- having her encouragement and support and her creative ideas on how to help my experience be that much more successful.  Having my friends that gave me more laughs and make it more fun.

All these things were things that I needed to feel complete.  Thus, being able to tap into all my strength and bring that into this mission that I was on to become the best in the world in this sport. 

So, that was a huge realization.

Another realization about what I'd been focusing on.  I had been focusing on making the Olympics.  That was everything.  That was a life or death -- the Olympics was all I cared about.  Or making a paycheck.  Or making the team.  All these things that were such high-pressure goals weren't fueling me.  When I thought about it, it had been six years since I started this sport, when I was 23 years old.  Only six years.  And I was 23 years old when I started and I didn't know how to swim.

So, six years from that point, not only had I learned to swim, but I got myself to the level where I'm racing professionally.  And I've got the opportunity to make the Olympic team.  I ended up being an alternate.  But I started thinking "Wow!  I have come so far!  This isn't a failure.  This is a complete victory.  My God!"

I suddenly saw it as something to be so grateful for.  I started looking at what didn't happen -- that I didn't officially make the Olympic team that day.  I looked at it as, I, not only learned how to swim but now I'm racing against former Olympic swimmers.  I'm racing at the highest level of this sport. 

I started feeling so grateful.  I thought to myself, "how can I show God or the universe" -- whatever you believe in -- that doesn't matter.  You can put this into your story.  But, to me, I was like, "how do I show God how grateful I am for the gift of my strong mind and relentlessness and my determination and grit?  How grateful am I how every time I fail, I dust myself up and I get back up again?  How grateful am I for all the people that helped me get to this point, here -- my coaches, my massage therapists, my mom, my friends, my pets -- my dog was my running partner.  There was so much to be grateful for."

Suddenly my whole focus became -- I thought that the best way I can show my gratitude -- the best way I can show my thanks for all these incredible gifts is to get out there and use every single one of them to the utmost.

When I race, I'm going to lay everything I have inside of me out there on the race course.  That is my way of saying "Thank you, God.  I see and I appreciate.  I am so grateful, and I will use these gifts to the absolute fullest to show you my thanks. "

These incredible things came from that failure.  In my mind, it was a devastating failure at that time.  But I would not change a thing.  It led to some of the most powerful realizations in my life.  Embracing the power of your team and your support system, and allowing yourself to put yourself in proximity to the people that fill your soul with joy and love and energy.  And also make sure that whatever you're going after is fueled by something deeper than just a monetary goal or a goal of having a certain title.  Make sure that your purpose, your why, your inspiration, your fuel is something way deeper than that.  Something that not only serves you but something that serves all those around you.

You are an example.  You're an inspiration.  You are a gift.

Celebrate this life.  Be all that you are.  Embrace every moment -- the good, the bad -- every single moment is what makes you YOU.    And you are absolutely perfect just the way that you are.

Thank you.   

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.

Today, I want to talk about how each and every one of us -- whether we are moms and dads, or sisters, or teachers or coaches, or business leaders -- every single one of us is a leader in our own lives.  We're fearless leaders of our lives, first.  But all of us can be an example to others. 

As simple as being in the grocery store and being kind and appreciative to your account clerk, and smiling and wishing them a good day. 

You are being an example to the person behind you of how you can make someone else feel good.  Of how you can have an impact on someone's day.

We all are mentoring those around us.  And, so, it's important to think about our actions.  Think about the things that we do.  Think about things that we focus on in our own world.

Are we always talking to others about our problems or what's wrong in the world?  Or how awful something is?  Or are we always talking about possible solutions to different things going on, and all the good in the world and what we're grateful for?  Or what we appreciate?  Because in how we speak and how we act, we will truly impact those all around us.

It all starts as our parents were our greatest mentors as we were kids.  And being on sports teams or in music groups or art groups where you look up to the older kids and learning from them what it means to be part of a team, work ethic commitment, passion.

We are constantly learning from all those around us.  So, be aware of how you speak and how you act and how you treat others.  Understanding that you are a mentor to all those that are experiencing you. 

So, shine.  Bring everything good you have inside of you into this world.  Focus on the things that you know can not only make a positive difference in your life but when other people watch you, you can help them make a positive change on their own. 

There are so many amazing things in the world.  We are so blessed to lead these lives that we live. 

Yes, we could focus on what's happening in the news and all the things that may be wrong.  But that's not going to influence change for the future. 

Let's bring life into this world.  Let's bring love into this world.  Let's bring faith and whatever you believe in yourself and one another.  Let's be all those things that we hope all those around us to be as well.  Because even starting at that level, we can create tremendous, beautiful change in this world. 

All of us are mentors.  All of us are teachers.  Make sure that the example we set is one that is going to impact the world in beautiful and powerful ways.

Have an amazing day.

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles. 

Today, I want to talk about the power of vulnerability. 

I found that in this world, today, it seems as though -- and probably because of social media -- that kids can sometimes think that success comes from everything going perfectly or having everything that you need to succeed.

So, if they fail or feel that they aren't enough -- which, almost every person on the planet feels that at some point in time -- then they think that success just isn't for them.  That it will be someone else that will be succeeding because they have anxiety or are fearful, or they failed.   

So, when we are vulnerable -- when I go around and I talk about how I failed, how I've struggled, but how I overcame all those things and found more strength -- we truly do stumble across our greatest strengths through our deepest struggles. 

Now, when I share that story, it gives hope.  It gives hope knowing the truth, the reality, that in life, you fail multiple times before you succeed.  That's how we learn.  That's how we grow. 

Almost every human on this Earth is going to struggle in some way, shape or form.  So, if kids this day know that we all have struggled, we all have been afraid, we all have been anxious yet we have overcome that, we have worked through it, we have danced with our fears to become what we are today.

So, when we are vulnerable, we allow others to be vulnerable as well.  When we are vulnerable we give hope to others.  When we are vulnerable we deepen our relationships.  We deepen trust between ourselves and another. 

Don't be afraid to be vulnerable.  There is a power in vulnerability, and it is so beautiful.  It is so empowering.  Share your story.  Share everything about your story. 

Success isn't just "Oh!  Everything was amazing.  I was strong.  I had no fear.  I went and I achieved it, then boom  It's just perfect!" 

I don't know about you, but in my life, every great success was at the end of a mountain of struggles.  A mountain of struggles that I overcame, found greater strength along the way, and ultimately found the way to get to the finish line successfully. 

So, think about that.  Be vulnerable.  Allow yourself to be all of who you are.  Share your story.  It will inspire all those around you to do the same. 

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles. 

Here at the Bed Head Chronicles, we celebrate what we can give from inside ourselves -- our heart, our soul, our spirit.  It's not about what we look like on the outside.  It's about who we are and what we share in this world. 

Today, I want to talk about our greatest happiness.  Our greatest joys in life, I believe, are things that can't be taken away from us.  Ever. 

The joy of bringing a smile to someone's face, someone that you love.  Or bringing a smile to the face of a stranger.  Doing something nice.  Doing the right thing.  Doing your very best.  Putting in your best effort. 

That's something that can bring us peace and joy and happiness inside.  Something that can't be taking away from us.

I feel that giving to others freely from your heart with love, with kindness is the greatest joy that you can ever, not only, give yourself, but give others --  giving without any expectation of getting anything back in return -- there's no greater feeling.

And there's a reason why when people are depressed or sad or really going through tough times in their lives is one of the greatest pieces of advice is to go do something for others.

Give your time.  Work or volunteer somewhere.  Put your focus on something outside of yourself.  Because when we do that, when we give up our hearts freely, that is not only giving that other person a gift, but you're giving yourself the gift.  Of doing the right thing.  Of doing something that feels good.  Of giving your heart and giving your soul and being present for something outside of yourself.

So, remember that our greatest joins in life -- some of the happiest things will never be taken away from you as long as you acknowledge them and appreciate them.  Because these little things in your life -- they end up being those big things that you remember later on.  The big things.  The times.  The moments.  The things you did.  The things that you felt that leave that lasting impression on your heart and all those around you.  These little things may end up being the big things towards the end of our lives. 

So, focus on those.  This kind of joy, this kind of happiness can never be taken away from you. 

Be your best.  Put in your best effort every day.  Put a smile on other people's faces and give them without expecting anything in return. 

You will be amazed at the abundance of joy that you can feel in your heart every moment of every day.

Thank you!

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles.  This morning I wanted to talk about going first.

When we think in our lives of the things that are great -- and I ask that you take this opportunity to think about the things that are great in your life.  Then think about the things you would love to be better.  Or things in your relationship that you would love to be better.  Or things at work that you would love to be better. 

What is it with the things in your life that are great?  What makes those things great?  What makes those relationships work? What brings you joy in those moments or doing that specific thing?

Bring all those things into the areas of your life that may not feel so great right now and go first.

For example, if you want more inspiration at work, well, then be more inspiring. 

If you want more understanding and compassion with your friends or with your family, then be more understanding.  Be more compassionate. 

If you want more peacefulness around you, be more peaceful inside of yourself. 

I believe that everything in life -- if you want more love in your life, be more loving first.  If you want more passion, be more passionate first. 

We must go first, and we can invite all those around us to meet us where we are.  And if you're in a situation where you might be surrounded by people that you feel are bringing you down, or they're not as motivated and inspired as you are, don't drop to that level.  Invite them to meet you where you're at. 

And that requires you going first. 

If you want more authenticity from people, be more authentic.

I was thinking also this morning about freedom.  What does freedom mean to you? 

Freedom to me means being able to live fearlessly, authentically me.  Being able to be me in every circumstance.  To never have to think of what do I need to be today or who do I need to be today?  But be ME. 

That's freedom of me.  And knowing that my wife loves me for who I am.  People around me love me for who I am.

And I choose me.  I choose to be authentic.  That gives me freedom and a sense of peace inside myself that means everything to me.  It allows me to be my best for everyone else around me.

So, go first.  And that means, if we're talking about fearless authenticity, decide to be you.  Go first.  Encourage all those around you to do the same.  To be who they are. 

There's too much judgment in this world, and we are our own harshest judges.  And often times, when we do judge ourselves it keeps us from being all that we truly are.  It keeps us from going first.  It keeps us from being brave.

Take the judgment out.  Celebrate being you.  Be free.  Go first.  Create in your life everything that you dream of by being that first.  And watch all those around you begin to do the same.

Have a great day, everybody!

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the Bed Head Chronicles. 

Today, I want to talk about -- I was remembering back to when I just started triathlon and I was 23 years old and I had been in a place growing up where I was just nervous and anxious all the time.  I had a horrible case of OCD.  When I finally turned myself around, one of the things I said to myself was "I'm going to do something that scares me every single day."  Not things, you know, scaring myself with things I had no control over, but actually going out and doing things that scared me.  At least one thing, every single day.  Whether that was saying hello to someone that I wanted to meet, and having the courage to say hello.  Or going and riding up a hill that seemed so steep that I was terrified.  Or descending without holding on to my breaks the whole time.  Or whatever it was -- just doing something that scared me every single day. 

And what happens is, as you start building up your courage, those things become bigger and bigger that you take on.  Leading me to my final coach, Brett Sutton, who the training he gave me absolutely terrified me every single day.  I didn't know how I was going to survive it.  But I just went in and decided to be afraid and do it anyway.  That's what courage is.  Courage is being afraid and doing it anyway.  That's what I did every single day.   Building up my confidence and building up my threshold of how scary something would be for me to take it on. 

And, what I realized that is so, so important in all of our lives is:  How can we ever know what we are truly capable of if we're not trying to do what we don't think we can every single day?  You have to, at least, try.    You've got to step in.   You need to be courageous.  And go for it.  Give it a chance.  Because if you don't try, you'll never know.  And what I discovered is each time that I stepped in and was terrified, but I did it anyway, it brought me to all new levels in my life.  So, live life to the fullest.  Trust in yourself.  Be courageous.  And do something that you don't think you can every single day.

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/

Welcome to the bed head chronicles. 

Today I'm out here doing a two hour hard run with my athletes.  And it's sunny, it's hot, it's a very hilly route.  What determines the experience in our lives is what we choose to focus on, the meaning we give things, and what we choose to do about it. 

So, these athletes today can say "Oh my God!  It's a two-hour hard run.  This is a disaster.  It's going to be so hard.  It's going to be so miserable."  But, no.  They choose to focus on the fact that this is an incredible opportunity to get fitter, to get stronger, to get faster, to increase their pain threshold.  Yes, it's a hilly course.  It's gonna hurt.  But instead of saying "Oh my God, it's gonna hurt," they say "wow!  This is going to make me strong."  It's hot out and they say, this is going to help me respond well in hot races. 

Everything is an opportunity for these athletes.  An opportunity to grow.  An opportunity to get better.  An opportunity to increase their pain threshold, get stronger, get tougher.  So, how are you -- what are you focusing on today?  Are you focusing on what you have?  Or what you don't have?  Are you focusing on what you want or what you don't want?  Are you focusing on what you don't have control over?  Or are you focusing on all that you have control over?  Choose to focus on what you have, what you want, what you love, what you can control.  And make it an amazing day.

Hey!  You woke up this morning and I'd say that's an ultimate gift.  So make it an amazing day.  And thank you for listening to the bed head chronicles. 

For more tips and advice about living an authentic life go to https://www.sirilindley.com/authentic/