To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Inspiration

Leveling up: Time to take the difficult path

13.1 miles of me v. me a few weeks ago. Good news: I won.

Hey there, friends! Ashley here. I am the lucky one who gets to help Lori with To Serve Well. You heard from me once, back in 2017. It’s funny, because I only vaguely remember the woman who guest blogged that post about self care. In fact, for a while, I lost her.

I’ve been on a journey for years now – mostly physical health. You know that vicious cycle where you lose the weight and gain it back (lather, rinse, repeat).

But right now, I’m on a different journey – a journey to grow. A journey to level up. I’m on a journey to discover more about my own capacity to learn, to become more patient, kind, innovative and effective. I’m on a journey of evolution, watching the rewards trickle out into every part of my life, from the office to my dating life (a generous term, but we are rolling with it).

There’s absolutely nothing special about my ability to accomplish this over anyone else. It is sometimes messy and always hard, but it’s worth it.

Critical to my success these past three months is my willingness to have an open mind and heart to the messages of other people. Which brings us to a quote that I picked up recently that resonated:

I say no to a lot of stuff so I can have bandwidth and energy and dedication to the difficult path.

Robin Arzón

Please tell me that touched your soul the way it did mine. I mean, wow. It came from Peloton VP and instructor Robin Arzón, who Lori mentioned in a blog last week. I’ll include the podcast below if you’d like to take a listen. Her mindset about growth and persistence is really amplifying what I feel in my bones right now.

How often do you watch people around you take the easy route? They wander back into a relationship because it’s comfortable, or stay at the job they see no long-term opportunity in despite having a grand vision of starting a business. I hate to suggest it, but maybe that’s not just someone around you – maybe it’s you?

Let me bring it home for you. I devoted an alarming amount of bandwidth for months about whether I was in the right job and whether those around me thought I was capable in my role. Instead of letting that be a fleeting thought, it consumed me, and everything that was happening around me was, in turn, validating that negative mindset. But my gosh, friends, do you know what happened when I finally decided to take my version of the difficult path that Robin’s talking about? My life changed in a matter of months.

Between a mentor, a therapist, a financial planner, daily journaling, personal development books and podcasts galore, I feel armed and dangerous with a better understanding of what it means to be a strong woman here to serve myself well so I can be a better servant to those around me. And I was previously shut off to all of those resources and people, though I still don’t understand why.

I share a piece of my heart with you today, in the context of my girl Robin’s quote, in hopes you give the bandwidth, energy and dedication to whatever difficult path awaits your attention. Trust me. Come on in. The water’s fine.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Bring your energy this week.

ENERGY! We need it, we desire it, and it makes us all better.

The trainer I love via Peloton, Robin Arzon (@robinnyc on Instagram) has a 2019 goal which I think is worth sharing:

“If it’s doesn’t raise my spirit, I’m unavailable.”

(She also adds if it doesn’t raise her bank account – ha!) She is spot on! Positive energy is what brings a positive spirit into our lives. This happens on every single path we take…

In the workplace? Yep for sure! Have you ever walked in and felt a dull sense of enthusiasm (AKA none)? It feels like everyone dredged in and doesn’t want to be present. That is so sad.

Alternatively, I hope you have walked in and felt that vibration… the power of energy… high enthusiasm… passion for great teamwork and work itself… a noticeable environment of purpose. It makes a big difference, doesn’t it?

What makes this happen? What makes it happen is YOU.

Creating culture and a positive experience is everyone’s role. It is walking in with encouraging words, smiles, hugs (when appropriate), and a constant focus on bringing up the level of energy and therefore success! I have seen everyone from new employees to leaders bring this spark.

This is true in the home, in classrooms, in the corridors of our community… everywhere.

Let’s bring the energy this week. Let’s shine that light that ignites a fire of awesome all around us!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: You are meant to flourish – 4 steps to move forward this summer

Flourish… Grow… Prosper… Develop… Multiply – I love all of it.

God indeed intends for us to flourish. To become… To live out our purpose fully and with joy.

On Friday night, our church, Hillsong KC, had a women’s “sisterhood” night. It was a ton of fun and I had many friends join me, which made it all the more powerful. I believe God shines brightest when we are unified in our praise, celebration and, like it or not, in our struggles. The major takeaway for me was something I thought you all may find worth your attention as well: Co-pastor Liz Turner shared 4 steps for us to consider taking this summer. I hope you join me in putting them into action! (I do have to say that I surprisingly am somewhat of a traditionalist with many things, but the fact that she co-leads the church is awesome! It’s rare to see a woman as integrated in a key role at a church. Her spirit and passion make a huge difference to so many. More faith-filled women please!)

Here you go… SO GOOD!

1.) Sit down and spend some time truly thinking about what you are believing God for this summer… identify it and write it down.

2.) Ask God what He wants you to focus on. Do this through prayer and contemplation, reading scriptures… identify it and write it down.

3.) Stay connected with others that hold this same focus and intent for their lives. Speak life to one another and stand together. Be vulnerable as to where you may need support. God has assigned the right people to help you in this phase of your life.

4.) Ask for accountability. Make a personal, faith-filled declaration of who you are and where you are going. Share it and speak it over your life.

I’m going to work on this today. If you join me, let me know! Praying your week is absolutely brilliant, and that you set a spark to ignite a summer of flourishing.

Memorial Day: A day to honor

Memorial Day is about honor.

As we kick off this week, focused on honoring those who have served our country and lost their lives, I pray that we will all consider the impact this sacrifice has had on our lives. In America, we experience freedom of every possible type. This has come at a price. It will personally be a great joy to lift up to God my many thanks for this gift. My gift in return will be to not only live a life of excellence, but to inspire others to do the same.

Let’s focus this week on honor, because we need to keep it front and center.

Have an amazing long weekend. I pray that you will be refreshed and that a spirit of honor will fill your heart and home.

I want to also take a moment to recognize not only those who have left us through their service to our country, but to all who have gone ahead of us. We are who we are because of their impact on our lives.

(Rewind — this is a throwback post to 2018).

So… What is your super skill?

Okay, so first off… how darling is this little guy? I loved him immediately!

Let’s dive right in. I was listening to a podcast this weekend (Small Changes, Big Shifts), and the guest, Randy Floyd, LSCSW, was sharing that he felt self awareness was the greatest “super skill” to have. How cool is that? I have never really thought about super skills. I guess I didn’t even know that was “a thing.” So, assuming it is, let’s chat about it for a few minutes…

I really like the self awareness perspective. One of the most powerful realities for all of us is to accept that once we really understand something about ourselves –(how and why we react, respond, celebrate, spend time, think about money, etc. )– we then magically become able to process it, as well as make any changes we might like (or need) to in order to reach a better version of ourselves. Sure, it may take some guidance, but once we “know,” we add a great deal of power to our personal growth arsenal. I’m not sure I can or want to challenge that one as the best super skill, but perhaps a good discussion would be interesting.

So… how about the super skills of:

Confidence, courage, bravery or kindness (despite all obstacles). Or how about if your super skill was that of a professional golfer or world class musician? How about a dog or horse whisperer? Goodness – this is kind of fun to think about. This is making me want to have a long list of super skills.

Guess what? That’s quite possible. After all, we get out of life what we claim and go after! Let’s pick a few great ones; a few fun ones. Let’s use the one’s God has gifted us with, and add a few to up our game.

Enjoy the long weekend if you get one! If you are working, we all thank you!

It’s always great to be an American, but it is especially poignant on weekends such as this where we honor those who sacrificed their lives while serving our country in the United States Armed Forces. For all who serve or have served, we pay you the highest honor this weekend and every day of the year.

What does it look like to stand together?

This is a truly wonderful season, full of hope and excitement as graduates of all ages cross the stage. Graduation represents an accomplishment worth celebrating, but I believe the best part is that they offer the opportunity to take us to the next level of our adventure. New seasons require higher levels of support, so the thought of “standing” together is where my mind is today.

Taking a stand with or for someone is one of the highest levels of service we can provide to those we love.

So, what does that look like exactly? I thought some examples may be helpful to get your creative juices rolling (Of course I know everyone would love to hear some of yours so please add them below!):

Taking a stand for or with could be…

Advocating for someone you work with – Sending an email to their leader to let them know what a difference they make in your day to day endeavors is something I believe is simple, yet supremely significant.

Ensuring support is there for a young man or woman to achieve their personal dreams – What if we all asked the next new high school or college graduate we met what we could do to help them at this stage in their life? Life is absolutely packed with chances to reach out and help someone by introducing them to the right person, or even a book that may change their life.

Taking action on a unified issue – Who in your circle is fighting the good fight over something that’s important to them and that you agree with Perhaps it’s a social justice issue, or perhaps it’s as simple as someone trying to push forward a plan to improve wellness in the workplace. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to jump in and lend a hand, your voice and energy.

We all thrive when we stand together. I hope that you take a small – or a large – stand this week… I know that when we do that, we will also RISE TOGETHER. Cheering you all on.

Just ahead… The sunshine is bright!

Saturday morning we were flying in the early morning back to Kansas City after a whirlwind (AKA, very short) trip to help one of my boys get ready for his next adventure.

I almost always sit in the aisle seat, because frankly I can’t stand the idea of being unable to get out of my seat. (That may be a new blog topic… yikes?) What you miss in that seat, of course, is the opportunity to admire where you are and the magnificence around us. Talk about a room with a view.

I knew it was a wet and cold morning back in Kansas City, and yet about 30 minutes before we landed we were still above the billowy white clouds in what seemed like endless sunshine. It was a reminder that struck me, and I want to share in case you need this like I did…

No matter what is going on in your “world” or where you find yourself right this minute – be it immersed in a cold and rainy day, or sitting in the sunshine wondering what in the world is going on in your life (because it seems pretty heavy right now), know that just ahead, there is indeed sunshine. I love this quote, “Every day I have ever had was secretly sunny, after all.” (Caitlin Moran)

What a beautiful thought – let that sink in! Have a strong wrap to your week! You have an entire universe cheering you on!

Be the champion you are

Are you vibing being a champion today? Do you realize that you are powerful beyond measure? Are you focusing your thoughts on the good, the helpful, the kind, the strong?

You might want to sit with this well-known quote a bit today: “We are the stories we tell ourselves.” Are those stories epic in the best way possible? Are you the superhero you should be?

One of my dear friends and a colleague “owns” the Wonder Woman character. Yep, she claimed the nick name and I love it! She shows up every day speaking that truth to herself, and you know what… she is Wonder Woman. To me, that means beyond helpful, always looking out for others, always on a mission to lift up the energy around her and shine a light in dark places.

Today and this week and this month and this year, let us all own being a champion… Let’s show up for both ourselves and for those around us. Let us tell ourselves stories that are rich in positivity, in laughter, in love and in handling obstacles with power and grace.

You my friend are a champion indeed!

What deserves your highest honor?

Honor. It’s one of the best words on the planet. It’s what we really do to serve well. But, serving ourselves well is also an important part of that.

This post can go in many directions…

Who have I not honored as much as I should have this year? Someone I really want to honor every day, but for some reason life has taken hold and I haven’t done so. Perhaps someone I know I want in my life indefinitely.

What have I not been honoring? Is it my attention to community service? Or could it be a distant friend that – although you don’t need to see each other weekly to know you are there for one another – you really want to spend more time with. It could be all manner of things: maintenance needed on your home or car, for example. What is it that requires your attention?

But back to where we started this post. What about how you honor yourself? This message is strong. Attention goes where energy flows, after all.

How can we focus on personal wellness? Some members of my team were having a “water” contest on Monday. I thought that was a great start. What about taking that next call outside while walking? Healthier choices when ordering food? Heck, maybe you combine a couple of these broader ideas and get moving with an old friend… or even get moving with some spring cleaning. I know my garage is a winter mess.

If you would like some professional input on all things wellness, I highly recommend Dr. Michelle Robin. Her podcast, books, etc. are terrific places to start because they are easy, practical and profound.

I hope you all are having a fantastic week! Let’s wrap it strong and go out with high honor for all those people, places or things, that are so important in our lives.

Sometimes renovation requires demolition

Life is a fun challenge. We all have the opportunity to be the architects and designers of a life well-lived.

What type of life do you want? What makes you feel like you’ve achieved true “wellness?” What needs to happen for you to achieve your purpose? To make sure you are moving forward in those key areas that sometimes show up in these types of conversations – relationships, career, school, spiritual, financial, physical and emotional wellbeing?

The above is a powerful message. What areas need to be completely dismantled? That’s a hard question. Demolition only seems to look good when Chip and Joanna, the team from Fixer Upper, are involved. Can it even be fun?

I believe this statement is true. Sometimes we are on the wrong path… our diets are off track, our spiritual practices are lacking, we are spending too much money on the wrong things, our relationships are not filling us up, and we have some unaddressed emotional challenges.

What is so cool about this idea is that no matter if partial or full on demolition is needed, you have the ability to create an amazing, new space that lights up your life. That opportunity is just on the other side of the decision to act. Now that I can get excited about. How about you?

Let’s make it a STRONG week!