To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Friendship

“Use your words”

Throwing it back to a post from April that feels really relevant right now. Cheering you on, friends!

In a moment of frustration a few months back, a friend shared with me this basic truth: “use your words.”

This simple phrase stuck with me. The idea resonated and seemed to be applicable for many areas of life. Imagine if we all could use this thought with the end goal of developing healthy relationships? How might the world improve if we encouraged loving and candid conversations? Why had I not honed in on this phrase before? (It sure may have been useful when the boys were younger.)

Here’s the question I ask to frame this up for myself: What is the most loving thing to do or say in this situation? In every conversation, be it work, home, or some other relationships, using your words and sharing your heart is often the most loving/compassionate thing you can do. If you don’t, you run the risk of not fostering healthy relationships and likely even causing that uncomfortable tension that happens when we don’t fully share what is stirring in our soul.

Here are a few possible scenarios:

  • Claiming ground rules and boundaries. (Yeah, we still need to clean up after we cook in the kitchen.)
  • Sharing that you are really scared, that you don’t know how you are going to come out of this financially, physically, mentally or emotionally.
  • Telling a co-worker that you need them to communicate better for the greater good of the team even though you know they are feeling stressed.

I’m sure you can come up with several other useful scenarios. I locked in on this topic early in the week. I had never heard anyone else share this truth of “using your words.” I have however always found that the universe has a way of validating if we are on the right track. Just yesterday, one of my favorite blog follows, theartofsimple.net, shared a few poems and one was titled “Use your words.” I love it.

I hope that this insight offers some encouragement and useful thoughts as you embark on another week. Let’s all choose to use our words and LOVE WELL!

Better together

I often talk about community and the importance of us staying connected with people who accelerate the joy and growth in our lives. Joy can be found almost everywhere you can imagine, and perhaps almost always in the deep valleys of life – because God often sends just the right person or community to brighten our path and help us thru.

I was with a group of business women over the weekend and this message seems to be coming at me strongly. So many stories happening right now that could rock anyone’s world, but the power in how these ladies not only serve each other, but their families at work and at home, offers so much evidence for why cultivating relationships simply has to be a priority. We must do all we can to seek it out and be intentional. There is likely not a better return on an investment of time, energy or resources.

Along those lines, I was just in a one on one meeting with one of my amazing staff and she shared that one of her primary goals this year is finding happiness in the chaos. She wants to focus on the proactive versus reactive. We can talk about the latter in a post to come, because that certainly needs attention, but for now – joy! The joy found in community. I am certain she will find what she’s hoping for within the ranks of those who surround her if she places focus there.

I am always prayerful in these posts that at least one person needs the insight shared. Almost always it seems the “universe” conspires for the greater good by seeding the idea in my mind, ever hopeful that my words can bring out a few helpful thoughts.

Today, I hope you will know that we truly are better together. God designed us that way from the beginning. What a gift. Go hug your tribe today, make that call, send that message… it’s the best gift.

Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for all of you!

The history of Thanksgiving reminds us that taking time to celebrate the harvest is an important part of our country’s history. The idea that for generations we have maintained  integrity around “gathering” and offering thanks is powerful and necessary.

The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, MA (1621) was a time for neighbors and family to gather with those who helped provide the bounty through hard work. Today, Thanksgiving provides us the same opportunity to carve out time to break bread, share our stories, and offer thanks.

No matter what you find yourself doing over this holiday, my prayer is that you will take the time to acknowledge those who have provided blessings to your life over the last year. I also hope that you take some time to breathe deeply and celebrate your own success (or survival, as may be the case) so far in 2019. This pause just might offer you what you need for the strongest finish to the year.

Cheers to all of you, your family, friends and loved ones. My goal every time I write is that it might impact at least one person.

It is an honor that you take the time to read these little insights and I am beyond grateful for the gift of your time.

The happiness blog

What a wonderful question! So… what do you think? Who are you with when you are the happiest? 

Do you feel warm and settled in with family? Game night? Holidays? A simple stroll through the neighborhood, sharing about your day? 

Perhaps you’re happiest when grabbing a cup of coffee with a trusted confidant?

Or maybe it’s adventuring the world with your best friend? 

Better yet – riding down a country road with a great playlist while your dog enjoys the breeze out the back window?

Happy? What does it even mean, and does it really matter? To me it is feeling free to be fully myself; to have someone share the full experience of life… bringing the fun and adventurous in one moment, and diving into a deep conversation in the next. (For the record, Merriam-Webster showcases happy as contentment, well-being, glad, pleased, atmosphere of fellowship.)  All of that sounds okay but for me not enough... happy should be pure and bold joy!

And regarding the whole “does it matter” part: of course it does! I hope your heart would give a resounding YES to that question, but in case you didn’t know, the topic is backed by science. A 2005 paper found that happiness predicts lower heart rates and blood pressure. In the study, participants rated their happiness over 30 times in one day, and then again three years later – a significant study. Your happiness level also impacts productivity. Researchers find that there is a 12 percent increase in productivity when people are happy and a 10 percent decrease when unhappy. I don’t know about you but I can’t afford to lose 10 percent of my days. (These are only a couple of studies… if you need more reason I’d be happy to fill up your inbox… think lowering stress, improving immunity, etc.).

All of that information was not surprising to me at all, but nevertheless, powerful if you take it in fully. I hope that in some way, bringing this to your attention prompts you to shift your focus on understanding what and who makes you the happiest. For me, it is worth my time and energy because life is fleeting, as we were all reminded this week with the tragedies happening across our nation and even locally. I want to spend every minute I can with those that help me thrive and grow! 

So… it seems like a really good time to consider stirring up some happiness! How about calling that amazing friend and scheduling a summer sunset experience or perhaps a long chat on one of the many great patios around town. The options are endless.

Have an incredible week!

Where do you want to end up?

For me, it’s all blue sky and blue water! (OK, really any kind of water. But dang, this pic is cool.)

Where are you headed? As in, for the next let’s say 81 days or taking us to the kick off of a new year? If that scares you, how about the next 30 days.

I had a great meeting yesterday with someone I’d say is a “co-mentor,” as in I get way more out of our exchanges, but hope I am helping her in some way. We talked about the need to really gavel down on where you want to be in this season – not the fall like season, but the season of your life.

Are you in a growth mode or a contentment mode? Are you ready to fire up the engines and move to the next level or simply rest? All seasons are good for us so there is no judgement wherever you may identify that you are.

For me, where I want to end up by December 31 can be summed up by a few key things…

I want to connect or reconnect as it may be with those people that I absolutely treasure but my work or life has not allowed for the time I desire. I want to elevate my work by spending more time on strategy development and execution now that I’ve been on a learning curve for for four months. I want to ensure I don’t lose sight of my physical goals to maintain a healthy exercise regimen, and mainly eating right in the midst of a very hectic season. Oh, and I think I better find some time to rest and truly reset at some point soon. (The whole blue water thing needs to happen.)

How about you? Where are you at today? Can you spend some time writing down what you’d like to see happen? The power of the written word is strong. According to a recent Forbes study, we are 1.2 to 1.4 more likely to accomplish what we take the time to write down. In the process you “encode” your hopes and are able to draw on these thoughts as you go through your days toward success.

I hope your weekend is purely wonderful. Here’s to smashing the heck out of whatever we all want to achieve in this season.

Iron sharpens iron

(Rewind! This post is throwing it back to an oldie, but a goodie, because you can never be grateful enough for the people you get to share this life with.)

I can’t imagine my life without those around me who sharpen me. It is one of the lessons I try to impart upon my boys, although, I know it is different for boys. They don’t naturally share with one another like girls do, but it is just as important for them. God designed us this way.

Today, I thought it would be a great time to just sit down and make a list of those that have sharpened me and when possible send them a quick thanks…

To the teacher that invested in my life, drawing out a young girl, inspiring, pushing gently, pulling at times, but always encouraging, thank you!

To my sister who was and is the one who has the hard conversations and who also celebrates life’s important moments with us, thank you!

To the gals in my personal tribe, friends from many groups… WOW… I am far better because of all of you, thank you!

To my mentors or mentees… I have learned an equal amount from each of them, thank you!

To my boys who have always pushed me to be the best version of myself from early morning feedings, to late night talks about college life. (I won’t give up on the whole “boys need to be in community too” part!) Thank you, boys!

Who has “sharpened” you, raised the bar, elevated your “game”? I bet they’d love to hear from you this week!

Hello November: Making plans to finish the year strong!

(Photo Creds: Canva)

Okay so it is SO cold today here in KC I had to go with the fire.

Honestly I want fall back and pretty fast. We are 54(ish) days until Christmas (roughly eight weeks) and that means we are running out of time to knock off our biggest goals, projects and plans for 2017.

I know it will all come through like a rushing wind if I don’t sit down and plan a few things to finish strong and also to ensure I’m intentional with my holiday plans. Who are those friends, family and colleagues I really need to thank for helping make this year what it has been? What are the few things I “must” get done… Is there anything I’ve been putting off (of course there is), like budgeting (don’t forget this or these 56 days can show up late into 2018!), travel anyone? Health goals (uh-oh…)? Learning or books, etc.? Planned giving that needs to be addressed? How can I serve best this month? Who needs my help?

Okay, so that’s my insight today. I would love to hear what you are doing to plan a STRONG WRAP TO THE YEAR! We can all use all of the creativity and help we can get!

Bridges and friendships

(Photo Creds: Canva)

I sure do like the idea of this. I heard it on a podcast and it got me thinking that some of my most long lasting friendships have come from doing something like this.

When my good friends Susie and Sid Womack relocated to Kansas City from Texas, I hosted a Super Bowl party so they would feel welcome. That small effort changed my world and the world of my boys. Susie introduced us to Pine Cove which has been a life-changing factor in all of our lives and likely will for generations. Sid spoke into the lives of my boys, and I will forever be grateful. It was pretty much all thanks to a pot of chili, and a few friends that showed up.

I haven’t done this in awhile with anyone new. Most days I feel like I’m doing good to see my closest friends and family a few times a year. This idea has me thinking where a bridge is needed. I hope this sparks your thinking…

If you read this blog a lot I’d love to start here: I’d love to invite you to our new home and put on a pot of chili and talk life. Let me know if you are in and I’ll make it happen. A little groupthink may make us all better!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Spread more joy

(Photo creds: Unsplash.com)

(Another throwback for you on this glorious Sunday, because who doesn’t need a reminder to spread some joy?) 

Joy is contagious! It transmits the type of energy needed to thrive. If you are in the work place and happen to be a leader, this may just help your employee satisfaction or engagement as well. Bottom Line: Folks want to work, live and serve where they are happy!

Joy makes a person more productive! I don’t know about you, but getting a bit more done in my given 24 hours would be a huge positive! I found this great little article to back that up.

Joy can make you healthier!  That same article highlights the great benefits of joy, which include reducing stress, solving problems easier and fighting disease! I am all about all of those! A great blog post here that goes a bit deeper!

As you get ready for another week, remember to take some time to spread joy! I promise you will be better for it.

By the way, don’t put it off until later, stop now and send three brief messages and fire up the joy. It will be the best five minutes of your day.

Iron sharpens iron, and don’t you forget it

(Photo creds: Unsplash.com)

(As I continue my adventure through Paul’s Journey, I’m throwing it back to another 2016 gem. I hope it reverberates with you today in 2017 the way it does with me. Don’t forget, I’m cheering you on through your week!)

I can’t imagine my life without those that surround me and sharpen me. It is one of the lessons I try to impart upon my boys, although, I know it is different for boys. They don’t naturally share with one another like girls do, but it is just as important for them. God designed us this way.

Today, I thought it would be a great time to just sit down and make a list of those that have sharpened me and when possible send them a quick thanks…

To the teacher that invested in my life, drawing out a young girl, inspiring, pushing gently, pulling at times, but always encouraging, thank you!

To my sister who was and is the one who has the hard conversations and who also celebrates life’s important moments with us, thank you!

To the gals in my personal tribe, friends from many groups… WOW… I am far better because of all of you, thank you!

To my mentors or mentees… I have learned an equal amount from each of them, thank you!

To my boys who have always pushed me to be the best version of myself from early morning feelings, to late night talks about college life. (I won’t give up on the whole “boys need to be in community too” part!) Thank you, boys!

Who has “sharpened” you, raised the bar, elevated your “game”? I bet they’d love to hear from you this week!