To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Creativity

The assignment: What do you want to leave and what do you want to take with you in the next season?

The power in nature is incredible. I was given an assignment recently that I thought was awesome. It was also a bit harder than I expected it to be. In short: “Go out in nature – anywhere really – and find a rock. Hold onto it while you are walking and think through all that you are currently holding that isn’t helpful to you on your journey. After you have processed that, toss the rock aside and find something living – or that has recently lived – like a leaf for example and think through what you want to bring with you into the next season.” It was very therapeutic and unexpected.

The hard part was just that my mind didn’t want to go into that stream of thought. Getting out of our head and allowing nature to settle in and open our creative minds doesn’t just happen the moment you hit the trail. However, over the course of an hour or two, my mind cleared and I suspect yours might, too, if you give it a try. There is so much strong evidence that nature is perhaps the antidote to anything and everything that ails us. In a Psychology Today article from Nov. 4, the author shares that “Nature is the purest pathway to inner peace, and it recharges one’s energy and renovates the personality.” She goes on with three key benefits:

  • Harmony for the mind
  • Strength for the soul
  • Calmness for the body (going on to say that is it essentially has a “magical impact on our health.” – I love that)

As we head into the holiday and winter seasons, this seemed the perfect time to share this. Many have an extra day or two off this week, and taking the time to soak up some nature to connect and get grounded on what is good and useful and beautiful seems like a wonderful assignment. As we head into Thanksgiving tomorrow, I want you all to know that I count it a blessing to connect with so many of you via this brief blog and I am thanking God for the gifts you all are and praying for such a wonderful time of love and gratitude for you to experience over the holiday.

Hello September: Setting ourselves up for a meaningful and fun wrap to 2020

I have a weekly email to our team at work where I share some fun ideas or things I’ve seen over the week that could offer inspiration or hope. For many, September is like the “other” January, locking into the back to school mindset, and contemplating what you want to accomplish to pull off a truly meaningful year. With so much being different this year, this seems of the highest importance… to truly not let it “go by.” After all, we are only given so many years, and even though one has tried to cancel many of our plans, we can get creative and still ensure we are better at the end of it!

One of the best ideas I saw last week was was putting together a bucket list for the rest of 2020. Something that would be easy, but yet make it perhaps a bit exciting. My mom and I were texting the other night about how nice it would be to actually be able to go visit her Aunt Clara still this year. I loved that and thought it was a good one to add to the list.

Where does your mind go when thinking about what you want to do yet this year? A fall camping trip? A COVID-19-friendly visit to relatives or friends who are a road trip away? A financial goal? How about a wellness goal? Take your first yoga class, or at least try some of the great ones on YouTube? Add deep breathing exercises to your regimen, or create your own 5K walk or run with some friends? How about spiritual goals? How about seeking out a spiritual mentor in a person or some great authors that helps you learn and grow? Family goals? Create a family mission statement? Decide on a place to serve and do it together monthly for the last part of the year?

Where can you dream a bit and what are you willing to commit to? Make it easy, fun and impactful. Please share your ideas! Have an amazing wrap to your week and long weekend ahead, if that is in the cards for you.

As always, cheering your journey on and praying that you will find yourself feeling energized and hopeful if you decide to spend some time with this idea!

Celebrating the little things

I want to throw it back a little bit to an old post, but with a new spin for you. Back in August 2017, I talked about how important it is to celebrate the little things. In fact, I said so in the context of the eclipse!

But three years later, this concept feels even more relevant, as we all are looking for little silver linings amid what sometimes feels like chaos. I personally need to do a better job of celebrating small moments.

I actually used to always have a bottle of pink champagne in my refrigerator to have on hand to celebrate the little things in the lives of our family, neighbors and colleagues. My friend and blog helper, Ashley, tells me that she has a system to celebrate the small wins: She buys champagne, and tapes a piece of paper with a goal onto it. When she hits the goal, she pops the bottle. How cool?

How else can we make celebrating easy and top of mind? What do you do? Share them with the rest of us so we can adapt and adopt!

Celebrating is a gift we have on hand every day and week if we choose to use it! Seeking out the good in life is a key to happiness and to a life of serving others and yourself well.

What do you need today?

So, what do you need today?

What would absolutely brighten your day? Fill your soul? Lighten your load? Spark a fire? Ignite your creativity?

Now, what would it take to go make it happen?

Spring is all about fresh life, hope and joy. Our life is ours to create, to curate, and to actually live – abundantly!

Sounds easy, right? Maybe for some. But in case you are like me and struggle with this at first, I want to share a mind-mapping exercise I use to make this happen each year.

I start by putting each of my life’s main categories (finance, career, family, spiritual etc.) on paper. Then, I develop 2-3 key action items for each one of them to ensure I achieve my personal goals or dreams.

My new addition to this exercise is asking: Where can I add joy – or, what would brighten my days – in each area? For example, instead of “spend more time with my family,” perhaps I could expand that to “embark on a Saturday road trip with my sister by the end of May.” (Assuming it’s safe!)

I’d love to hear your ideas!

Here’s to a great week and the best spring ever – let’s make it so!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Finding joy with childlike abandon

So… what will it be?

The freeing sensation of swinging as high as you can, creating enough energy for the wind to push through your hair, that exhilarating feeling in your tummy when you drop – fully alive.

The sense of discovery in a sandbox – digging, building, imagining your next move, making your vision come to life.

Oh, the monkey bars. Revealing your strength as you leap from one bar to the next… maybe even skipping over one or two to exercise your true superpowers.

I love the idea of finding joy with childlike abandon. The very thought of the playground experience makes me smile.

The holidays provide an opportunity for true joy and also very real stress… From clearing our to-do lists and calendars, to the hustle required in preparation to make it perfect for our loved ones.

I felt like this was a really great time to remind everyone to find time to play, whatever that looks like for you. Perhaps we should all make a commitment to enter this season with this very notion of childlike abandon. Incorporating play and exploring the moments as a child would, finding joy and accomplishment wherever the world might take us in any given day.

Setting anchors: Those people & things that secure our place

I judged a Master’s program case study competition on Friday. One group started and ended with Maslow’s Hierarchy when presenting their solution to achieving health sustainability for a specific city. I loved it!

You may recall that the base of the “hierarchy of human needs” is physiological needs (think food and water), but the very next is safety needs (think physical security, employment, resources, property), and then we go to love and belonging (think friendship, intimacy, family, sense of connection). I would say that these three are the anchors. If we get to these, we can get to the next and final two, esteem (respect, self esteem, strength, freedom) and finally, self actualization (desiring the most that one can be).

I write and think a lot about fulfilling the calling on my life. Constantly praying, meditating and taking actions to move toward where I feel I am supposed to go. I got to thinking how smart these students were to tie back the very root to Maslow’s famous thinking. It’s so true that even if we want to get to our best self, we can’t get there without having anchors set in the key areas. WOW. Light bulb!

So, where do I – where do you; where does your family – need to set their anchors. Are the key areas locked in and safe? This expands to all manner of thoughts from the money in my emergency fund, to the schedule I keep, and margin I have created to allow me to get to maximum creativity and a sense of accomplishment.

Entrepreneurs often refer to “anchor clients.” Those who secure their business, ensure adequate cash flow and a baseline of success to grow upon. Who are your “anchor clients?” Who are those people who when you are around that enable you to be fully yourself and fully engaged? It always seems to come back to people. Who are those who need an investment and an established anchor?

It’s November! YAY! Two more months and we celebrate another 365 days (AKA another trip around the sun). Speaking of sun, I’m thankful for each day we have and, in fact, I think that should be stated as one of my anchors! Sun! Good for our Vitamin D levels –– and the soul!

Have a strong week my friends.

A learner’s mindset: Open heart, open mind and creative solutions

What can you do that you could not do a year ago?

What are some challenges your organization is facing?

Are your ideas and strategies innovative enough? Are they creating the meaningful impact you’d like in your work, family, community work, etc.?

What are you passionate about and wanting to spend more time doing?

What does the world need more of?

I was inspired by this idea of being better explorers of our world by Beth Comstock’s ‘Imagine it Forward.’ Solving today’s problems will require different thinking and approaches. I am confident that we all have the capacity to tackle them if we go forward with a learner’s mindset.

If we can keep our focus on constant learning – whether it be from peacefully watching a flock of birds and their patterns, diving into a good book, or engaging in conversation with someone who has a different interest or approach to life – I am confident we will be able to use that information to supercharge our thinking and creativity.

I hope you join me in getting out from behind your desk and regular routine to get out there and explore. The world is waiting for us.

Rewind! This is a throwback post – Cheering you all on as we end this week strong!

What is your joy game plan?

“THE LAKE...” – One of the all time best places in the world. Who doesn’t love that feeling when you pull into your vacation destination (even if it’s just a weekend)? Unpacking the car, the snacks, the books/magazines, pool or lake side supplies… That alone gives me joy. The thought of after a long day on the water, (any water), with beach towels hanging over the deck, or strewn across the room… It also, gives me a rush of happiness.

But what about that good-tired feeling where everyone just collapses to watch some simple but fun comedy, or perhaps play a game or some cards if that’s how your tribe rolls? So refreshing!

Summer is prime time for a change up of routine. A time to set apart some time for seeking joy, fun and adventure. A time to shake off the daily grind and those things that can, at times, add up to stress that’s not serving you. (Yes, scientists do say, that stress does in fact serve us… more on that in another post.)

It is the perfect season of the year to bring back your favorite childhood memories. Mine revolve around the lake. Where do you find yourself smiling just thinking about those moments? A dear friend who I love, recently told me that hers were around long road trips across the country with her family, camper in tow, spontaneously stopping at super-cool, sometimes-random spots across the United States. I loved that and could immediately visualize the joy.

Before we get too deep into the summer, if you haven’t already I hope that you will put together your “joy game plan.” Whether it’s a staycation, a weekend full of lake hopping around our many beautiful local parks, or a longer trip… The only rule is to make sure it refreshes your soul. There is huge power in that. I would even call it a game-changer for you and those you love.

“A change of pace plus a change of place equals a change of perspective.””

– Mark Batterson

Perspective often improves our path, including generating massive creativity and better decision making.

Have the best wrap to your week, and an amazing weekend. If you have time, I know everyone would love to hear your “joy game plan” via the comments. It just might inspire someone and create a ripple.

What do you NEED today?

So… what do YOU need today?

What will absolutely brighten your day?

Fill your soul? Lighten your load?

Spark a fire?

Ignite your creativity?

What would it take to go do that? What would you or someone else have to do to make that happen? Spring is all about fresh life, hope, joy… Our life is ours to create, to curate, and to actually live in abundantly!

Sounds easy, right? Maybe for some. But in case you are like me and struggle with this at first, I want to share a mind mapping exercise I use to make this happen each year.

I start by putting each of my life’s main categories (finance, career, family, spiritual etc.) on paper, then I develop 2-3 key action items for each one of them to ensure I achieve my personal goals or dreams. My new addition to this exercise today is asking: Where can I add joy, – or, what would brighten my days? – in each area? For example, instead of “spend more time with my family,” perhaps I could expand that to “embark on a Saturday road trip with my sister by the end of May.”

I’d love to hear your ideas!

Here’s to a great week and the best spring ever – let’s make it so!

The Culture Connection: Why travel is a priority

Rewind! This is a throwback post – an oldie but a goodie – as I am traveling this week. Enjoy!

I have made travel a life priority.

Along the way, I learned that whatever your budget — and whatever your goals with travel — it can be done with a bit of research and flexibility. There are so many stories out there of poor college students backpacking across Europe, and travel blogs that showcase journeys around our vast world. This is encouragement to many, as travel can seem to be a goal achievable only after retirement, if at all. In my viewpoint, even a trip to the lake can be a much-needed cultural shift from our day-to-day lives.

As it pertains to my writing on this blog, I truly feel that in order to serve well (for me) that travel is essential to creating a greater understanding of the people we share this planet with.

Here’s why: Being immersed in different cultures allows us to stretch and grow beyond our normal experience.

I have learned that whether it be a trip to New York City, Chicago, San Diego, or abroad to say, Australia (or my current journey in Barcelona), the customs from the time they eat meals to the way they approach their day opens me to new, potentially life-changing perspectives.

For example, in bigger cities, you seldom see anyone overweight. This is likely due to their active lifestyles to some extent, with a dependence on walking as a major means of transportation. It forces me to consider how to incorporate more of that lifestyle into my own.

In most countries I have visited outside of the U.S., the pace of life seems to be less frenetic and more reasonable. Even the average vacation time they are offered by employers is almost triple what we find here in America. It ties to a focus on overall wellness, it seems. I believe our country has a lot to learn in this area. (Side note: I have not been to the Asian countries, which I understand are more hurried in their approach, and perhaps it is due to the size of the population.)

One of my favorite authors (Batterson) is known for saying “a change of place, offers a change of perspective.” That is so very true. Somehow, when you are able to remove yourself from your routine, your mind “shifts” to a neutral zone that allows you to more easily embrace the beauty that surrounds us, even in the seemingly simple matters. I believe that notion leads us to achieve creativity and engage in life with a more health focused approach.

I try to keep these short, so will stop here. As the North Face slogan goes, I hope that you will “Never stop exploring,” and I hope this has inspired you to travel, local or abroad — just get out there!