To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Growth mindset

A Summer Series: Re-centering on what’s important

One of life’s greatest pleasures for me is reading a book that makes me a better person. Sometimes it takes my mind on a journey that is new and different, but most often, it’s nonfiction for me that helps me more clearly understand both the simplicity and the complexity of our lives.

Shauna Niequist’s latest, “I guess I haven’t learned that yet,” delivers on all things making us better in pretty much every chapter. She, like many of us (okay…probably all of us) found her life disrupted in an unexpected chapter of their lives after moving from the Midwest to New York City. The depth and vulnerability she shares about all manner of issues, including new & old friendships, menopause, marriage, trying to be a great mom and all of the things that come as we grow and age is just what I needed. I think you might love it too!

As we are in this “Summer Series” topic of re-centering, I particularly loved her thoughts on finding inspiration… all in a chapter titled, “Put Yourself in the Path.” How on point is that?

“There’ a myth that (inspiration) is mercurial and wispy, that it’s floaty and unpredictable and you just cross your fingers and hope it lands on you at the right time. ‘Not true!’ Inspiration is my responsibility. It doesn’t strike like lightning. You can’t manhandle it or make demands of it, but you can put yourself in the path of it. You make yourself available to it.”

To me, one of the best products of re-centering is that inspiration…creativity and clarity often emerge! How can you put yourself in the path over the next several weeks? Can you make time to seek out nature? To watch the hummingbirds living their best lives, or stare up at the magnificence of an old tree? To stroll through a farmer’s market and ruminate on the lives of those who are literally sowing seeds and putting in the hours to ensure we have fresh produce? To find a nearby lake to simply stare and find your mind freeing up space? Can you coordinate an ice cream date with a friend or family member or grab a box of popsicles to share? Can you grab a glass jar and go find some fire flies to spark your inner child? Can you find a cool art gallery to get lost in?

What are some other ideas? I know everyone would love to hear them! I have some friends who recently went on cruises by themselves … What a brave and amazing thing to do! The one posted a pic on a hammock outside of her seaside room. How cool is that? Hearing all of the ideas alone inspires me!

Shauna continues in that same chapter, “What I’m learning is that in the same way we put ourselves in the path of inspiration, we also put ourselves in the path of joy…and sometimes frankly, it takes a little muscle… I no longer wait for joy to rise up unbidden, I put myself in her path every chance I get.” That resonates and is a wonderful reminder and challenge for us all.

Here’s to a summer of fresh thinking and renewed souls. I’m praying and cheering for you all!

A Summer Series: Re-centering on what’s important

I am writing this on Sunday and it’s my mom’s birthday! Yay for 79th birthdays. Yay for life. As many of you who read this know, life is fragile… as in we or our loves ones can be living our best lives one moment and the next. Celebrations of all kinds are the very best parts of life; as is ensuring we are centered enough to devote our limited energy to what truly is important.

One of scriptures I’ve thought through often over the years references Jesus, “withdrawing to the mountain alone.” There are times he went with his disciples and times alone. I can resonate with that. At times, being alone seems crucial. And at times, I need to be surrounded by my best girlfriends (and of course my boys at other times!). The Bible references stories of him being among the “multitudes,” and then the need to remove himself to seek re-centering. I personally have always been more likely to want to “withdraw” to the water, and long walks on country roads or a wooded trail. Regardless, I envision Jesus resting in a cabin wherever he is, journaling, walking, napping, breathing deeply… all with an intentional focus on drawing himself closer to what he might hear from God. An attempt to find wisdom, to discern his next steps and to restore his soul so that he could engage fully.

This summer is different for me personally, so I don’t have any plans yet for a “cabin” retreat. I am in transition from KC to Arizona and my frequent travel is to make it back to see the fam. For 13 years, we went to a family camp, Pine Cove, in the beautiful Texas pines, and my heart and mind were always reinvigorated in the absolutely best way.

As I write this, I am realizing that this re-centering just has to happen, even this year, and probably, ESPECIALLY this year. When life get’s a bit crazier than we hope, we likely should double down on the recenter and restore playbook. My advice to my younger self, as well as all of those out there that may need it, is to absolutely commit yourself to this practice in your life. Stop what you are doing and create a retreat – any space that serves the purpose of restoration.

If you have favorite practices in this category of “re-centering” please send them my way and I’ll post out over the summer! I’ll be praying for all of you! Prayers for all good things… for just enough sunshine, ice cream cones, watermelon, fireflies, afternoon naps… and love overflowing.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Sounds like such an easy question

I love long walks with my sons. I love to hear them share their life views and especially when they unknowingly reverse roles, and end up mentoring me. The above reference is from the popular tv series, “The Office,” which is old school now, but a favorite for many of all ages.

Today’s world allows us to stream pretty much anything and this show was an instant classic! Michael Scott, the infamous and inappropriate boss on the show is mentoring one of his team members with what seems to be a “sophomoric” question about where they want their life to go (Season 7, episode 5). My son then shared how he has used this with friends and teammates at work, when they are trying to make a decision. Should I take that job? Should I sign up for another degree? Should I move? Should I buy that newer car? Should I stop drinking? Should I stay in this relationship? Should I….? Life is faced with some pretty big questions almost every year, and sometimes many in one year.

What a great question to process through: Do you want your life to get better, worse or the same? For example: If I take this job, will I be better for it? What’s important to me? How about my family and loved ones? Will the decision be better for all impacted? If I don’t take it, will I be stagnant and in a non-growth mode and stay the same? Will I not be the best I can be for my family and loved ones? Am I limiting my potential with either choice?

Goodness, I love how he shared example after example of this simple exercise helping his friends by walking through this. I also think it is amazing that it came from what seemed like a simple episode of his favorite show. The simplicity in it is what is the most useful. The answers sometimes seem to be hiding and we wish for billboards and other “universal” messages that will help guide us in our lives, but often the answer is right in front of us.

I am going to put this in my phone and when I need to make my next decision, or am in a conversation with someone who is at a fork in the road, I’m going to suggest this as a life hack. We tend to complicate life naturally with our overactive minds, and any tip that helps us to remove the noise, I’m all in for! How about you? What decision do you have in front of you that might become more clear if you ask yourself this question honestly?

I hope your week is absolutely what you want it to be and that the sun is shining on your life right now. If it’s not, I’m praying with you for magical moments that move you back to your center!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Boundaries are cool

Lysa Terkeurst spoke Thursday evening at an event I went to and shared a bit about a book she is working on right now. Lysa is the author of several books, but my favorite (and to me a must-read for all), is “The Best Yes.” It is always relevant for me and I think for most people.

She shared that she is working on the topic of “boundaries.” At first I thought, “I’m glad to be here, but that doesn’t really apply to me,” but when she shared the thought above I had to re-think my position. “Who HAVE I given level 10 access to who perhaps hasn’t even earned level 3? Who has access to my full energy and passion and does it even make sense?” (Especially in context of the information overload most of us have these days and the need to protect our energy and focus.)

So, whether it’s your boss, parents, siblings, in-laws, friends… who or perhaps even what have you given “level 10 access” to in your thoughts and/or actions? Level 10 as in the ability to take over your thoughts and drives your actions. Is there anyone or anything, that has this high access, but honestly they don’t deserve it? For one reason or another, they haven’t earned your full trust, or perhaps, their actions haven’t lined up as someone that always has your best interests at heart and aligns with your values and the legacy you hope to leave during your life.

To me, of her examples, the workplace experiences resonate the most. I can think of times in my life when I gave an inappropriate amount of mind and heart power to someone who frankly hadn’t earned it whatsoever. All in some type of ego-driven need to get approval. Why in the world do we do this? (Of course the harder ones are family. We automatically often give our family level 10, when (I can speak personally) that not in all seasons do even they deserve this level…)

I was thankful that in a room of over 2,000 women (and maybe a handful of men), Lysa spoke often of the importance of good counsel, friends and professional therapy when needed. The need to normalize mental health and the truth that every single one of us at one time or another need someone other than ourselves to navigate life was and is a needed and clear message. My guess is that her new work on healthy boundaries will be a best seller, as no matter what generation we find ourselves in, we can all use fresh thinking such as this on developing our best selves.

I can assure you that I will make it a practice now when I find myself overthinking a conversation or letting my mind otherwise go down a discontented path, to consider if whoever is bringing me to this place should indeed have this level of access. If I’m honest, I think I just might find some of these thoughts to not be worth my energy and that my level of “response” so to speak, should be at a much lower level due to the source. Here’s to more strong boundaries… higher energy, better relationships and living out our purpose with grace and badassery.

Have the best week ahead!

Life: Gear changes, adapting and new rhythms…

What a wonderful read. Tunde Oyeneyin was a new instructor at Peloton right around the start of the pandemic. I have my favorite for sure, but Tunde is a nice change up and her bold presence resonates when I need a bit more than a push. I didn’t know her story, but I certainly knew that her youthful spirit brought a bit of spice and that she’s definitely a fire starter & thought provoker. She released her first book, ‘Speak,’ recently. It is sooo good! Trust me, it’s an easy read that offers something universally impactful on every page. And if you don’t really care about all of that, the book just down right looks great. The cover is FANTASTIC! I’d definitely recommend you add it to your summer lake, beach, mountain… or backyard reading list.

Now, let’s dive a bit into the quote above. Tunde happens to be talking about the unexpected deaths of her brother and mom & dad in this context. Throughout the book, she also covers her life experience in education, race and culture, adjusting to new cities, relationships, health/weight challenges, and career changes… effortlessly moving from one very real topic to the next.

The quote above is just flat out the truth. We face all manner of “gear” changes. (My memory of gears is getting my bell bottom jeans caught in them and finding myself with skinned knees. Anyone else?) We often find ourselves having to work through the challenge… questioning whether or not the bike is going to self correct, or if we are the ones who need to make an adjustment. All being real possibilities, including getting stuck and falling face down… or the alternative, pushing through and watching the bike adjust and power through.

I happen to like the idea of “rhythms.” I find myself trying to find the new one in each chapter and season of my life. With fits and starts, I always pray that I will find myself locking in and adapting. Somehow, I always have… I suppose we are all naturally resilient in that way. It’s definitely not at all always easy to find, but there truly is not many better feelings to me than the wind in my hair as the bicycle finds the natural stride of the terrain… movement is indeed medicine. Here’s to a season of honoring where we find ourselves and rocking it to the crazy beautiful rhythm of life.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: What are your non-negotiables?

What brings you to full life? As in vitality, thriving and growing?

There is a business phrase we use a lot, “what is the minimally viable product/service (aka MVP) at this point in time?” That got me thinking: We all have to know what this is for us in our personal lives as well. What are we not willing to settle for? What are the minimum requirements we have put in place? Our personal non-negotiables…

  • Eight hours of sleep every night? Is that even possible? (Shout out to folks in my age range who just may be living through a season of sleeplessness… hormones and all of that jazz!)
  • Daily movement? What does that look like? Walking the dog? A 20-minute walk each day? (My latest is a 2-mile morning walk. I remember my grandparents did a 2-mile walk each day and that seems wise.)
  • Connection with friends or family? Calling mom or dad if you are lucky enough to have them still once a week or…?

Others streaming to the top of my mind…

  • Being rooted in my faith
  • Being mindful of saving enough for retirement
  • Being as healthy as possible so that I can hike, play, etc. with my future grandchildren.
  • Ensuring I have an activity creativity outlet – writing, sculpting etc.
  • Curating my schedule to allow for “white space” for my reading or doing nothing at all…

What are yours?

I read an article this week about how short life is. This one, by Robin Sharma, talked about how, at roughly 50 years old, you have about 25 Christmas’s left. That’s 25 opportunities to sit around the table with loved ones, 25 more Valentine’s Days to dote on your special love(s), 25 more 4th of Julys to watch the sky light up in celebration. Heck, we have more than 25 days in a single month and that doesn’t seem at all enough time to look in the eyes of those I hold near and dear.

Regardless of what time we think we have left in this world, each day is a gift and we have the power to outline our non-negotiables and act on them daily. There is proven strength in writing down our goals and so I hope some of you may find this a worthy exercise this week. There is no better time than the present to call out to the world the beautiful life you desire.

‘Tis the Season… Energy rising, building momentum and a “should” detox.

Who is so thankful for Spring? It somehow seems magical when the weather is “just perfect” or at least “near perfect” and you can put on your tennis shoes and get a walk in… You can almost feel the momentum of your energy building. The impact of getting outside and taking in nature is so important to our overall health and wellness that when the conditions make that possible, we should take the hint and get moving.

As many of you know, I am a Peloton fan, and specifically that of Robin Arzon. I find her to be just what I need with a balance of motivation, real talk and a bit more than a gentle push… all in the spirit of helping us achieve whatever is best for us. That’s important because she readily acknowledges that all levels and all seasons of life are represented in her virtual classes, and often encourages modification. Somehow I think it is really important that all of us know that in life – whether it’s in fitness, food, mental wellness, spiritual, financial…or “name a segment of life” – modification is important. Sure, I know personally that I need pushed out of my comfort zone, but overall, if I am going to sustain pretty much anything, I need to fully be able to “modify” without feeling bad, weak, or anything that’s not supportive (or else… I’ll just stop… anyone else?).

In a class I took last week, Robin shared that she was going on a “should detox.” How awesome is that? Simply, replace “should” with “can!” As in, replace “I should have had a salad, but the pasta on the menu is what they are known for, so I really just had to…” with “I can have the pasta, but it’s not in alignment with where I want to be right now in my physical health, so I am going to choose the salad.” Okay, so that was too easy, but you get the point.

Who wants to see their ENERGY RISE even higher this Spring? I am at the front of the line. Along with the beautiful Spring days and the endless opportunities we have to step into our power through healthy decisions… for example, the “should detox,”… we have all we need to get moving and inspire ourselves and each other to action. I’d love to hear your tips… I know my friend Michelle would say “play Pickle Ball as much as possible,” and Anaxis would say, “increase your water.” I could go on! It’s energizing to share ideas on a topic that brings us so much good. Perhaps this week, our goal could be to start our conversations by asking for others to share their tips. In doing so, we can literally raise the ENERGY and VIBRATION of the environment around us!

Have an incredible week my friends!

Top books for 2021! (Coming in hot as you plan 2022)

Okay, so for me, reflecting on the prior year takes a bit of time and thought. I’m so thankful for each of you that ask me for this each year. I do love my reading and find that it is primarily how I connect with my creative side – generating thought, learning, and spurring me on to what life is showing me in that moment.

My count for 2021 was around 58 total books. Honestly, a few of them I struggled to get through. My mind didn’t want any “heady” reading this year. I did two re-reads (“Stillness is the Key” and “Atomic Habits”), which I recommend we all do each year. For those of you who follow the Bible, I do think it is beyond powerful to re-read all or focused parts each year. I can’t express enough how much I learn by doing this and although I’ve only done it over the last decade or so, I wish I would have done it earlier. If you ever have a goal to do that, I learned a wonderful strategy that I’d love to share if you are interested, just comment or message me. It’s been a life game changer.

So, here you go… my 2021 recap! Of course I have to have #13, since that’s my lucky number. These are in no particular order, except for #1, which is an absolute must-read book, in my opinion!

  1. Courage is Calling, Ryan Holiday

Why: These quotes capture the heart of it well: “Do you want to think about a world where Florence Nightingale did not revolutionize nursing? Because she didn’t want to piss off her parents, because she didn’t want to confront bureaucrats in charge? We cultivate courage so we can do important work that people are counting on. We can’t just be brave when it counts. It has to be something we cultivate. No athlete just expects to hit the game-winning shot- they practice it thousands of times. So, we must test ourselves. We make courage a habit.”

(Okay, so I am apparently a huge Ryan Holiday fan. He also wrote “Stillness is the Key” and “Ego is the Enemy.” The books are short and easy reads and powerful! He also has his newsletter, “Daily Stoic,” that I love, but I will say his podcast just wasn’t my thing. It always strikes me as odd when I love someone’s writing, but not their voice. Interesting fact of life!)

2. The Art of Being Unmistakable, Srinivas Rao

Why: I picked up this VERY short book from someone sharing on a podcast how this is one of the most successful/most sold self published books. It is touted as a “Pep talk for creative people,” which I think is fairly accurate, but I found it to be excellent in many areas. Here’s a quote I marked: “Books, destination, and callings tend to reveal themselves to you while you pursue them. We often do not know where stories end, where unpaved roads lead, and who we’ll become along the way. Therefore you just have to start.”

3. Brown Girls Can, Kamara White

Why: First of all, I am a friend of Kamara, otherwise known as “KK,” and I’m so proud of her for following her dreams and publishing. She has this amazing little girl and her heart is in ensuring she does all she can do to sow love, dreams and invaluable life lessons to her. This quote in this children’s book covers it best, but really the whole things is just all of the good things in life – powerful: “Do you believe that, Laila,” Mommy asked. “Yes, Mommy! I believe it because … well, because I see you,” said Laila. “That, my dear, is called a ‘role model,'” Mommy replied. “My job as your mother is to show you all the things you can be. Your job as my little girl is to become what you want to be.” “That’s pretty cool, Mommy!” said Laila.

4. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer

Why: My son Sam recommended this to me and just as he thought it might, I found it to be incredibly impactful. The chapters on technology were really good, and I blogged about this earlier in the year. I loved the simplicity in this statement: “I think it’s wise to cultivate a healthy, suspicion of technology. Technological, and even economic, progress not not necessarily equal human progress.” Folks, this is so good, I highly recommend it!

5. Outlove, Julie Rodgers

Why: This is Rodger’s first book and it followed with a film called “Pray Away.” The topic is a sensitive one for some and I feel it is so important that we all stretch ourselves to understand the people in our midst. I loved her vulnerability overall. This message was very helpful: “Things were shifting inside of me. I didn’t necessarily read new theological argument and then change my mind, beliefs aren’t formed that simply. I began to ask different questions.”

6. Healing a Shattered Soul, Mindy Corporon

Why: Mindy is a dear friend and I am so proud of her for sharing her journey with the world through her first publication recounting the tragic loss of her father and son and sharing parts of the healing process. Mindy is a world-changer and has been since day one, obedient to the calling to play an instrumental role in our nation’s overall healing in the areas of hate and misunderstandings of others.

I loved the part of the book where she talks about her vision for seeing black and white women together. “I recall the sun shining brightly and bird flitting here and there as I stopped in my tracks to contemplate how many black women I might know. Hmmm. I had never stopped to think about how many I knew, let alone how many I knew well enough to ask them to join me for this gathering. Nicole chuckled as I proudly announced that I could name eight Black women off of the top of my head who I could call or email, asking them to join us for a conversation. I felt stupid: Why had I never reached out prior to now?” (I resonate with that reaction: “I felt stupid.” Some of the most important things we need to do are literally right in front of us.).

In the next few days, Mindy would create “Respect. Engage. Appreciate. Trust, (REAT, the name of her son) to engage a diverse group of women in life changing conversation… Mindy ACTS and we are all better for it.

7. Think Again, Adam Grant

Why: Adam Grant can pretty much do no wrong in teaching in one way or another. If you don’t follow him, I have no doubt that it will be a great move for you! His latest book “Think Again” offers us all manner of thought leadership around why we need to reconsider how we process and think, including long-held stories and beliefs, including the famous story of the frog and hot water. Can you guess where that goes in this book? The title captures it best, but I loved this, “We laugh at people who still use Windows 95, yet we still cling to opinions that we formed in 1995. We listen to views that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard.” So true!

8. Deep Work, Cal Newport

Why: The subtitle here is helpful: “Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.” After reviewing the list, there seems to be a bit of a theme around distractions and anchoring. Hmmmm?

Newport dives into many areas, but I particularly loved the neurological arguments for depth. He walks through “tool selection” and proposed that knowledge workers (most of us in this century) treat our tool (software, apps, etc as examples) selection with the “same level of care as skilled workers, such as farmers. Identify the core factors that determine success and happiness in your professional and personal life. Adopt a tool ONLY if its positive impact on these factors SUBSTANTIALLY outweigh its negative impacts.” This “craftsman” approach is in opposition to the “any benefit” approach as justification for adoption.

9. Wholehearted Faith, Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu

Why: I have been waiting for this one, and of course it was brilliant. Rachel Held Evans left his world way too early and her writing through her young life was profound. Jeff Chu, a long time friend, pieced together what she left to publish her last book. No doubt that proceeds will greatly help her young family over the years. Evans pushes the reader on the “path from unquestioning certainty to wholehearted vulnerability.” I’ve used this a few times since I heard it in the book, and will no doubt use it for a lifetime, “I like a little bit of controlled wilderness every now and then – (A hike in the hills with my family, taken with the hope of a hot shower after a successful day out, or a brief camping trip that comes with the promise of A/C and cable TV at its conclusion. That is obviously not how the biblical or spiritual wilderness works.)”

10. My Life in Full, Indra Nooyi

Why: I LOVED THIS BOOK! If I were to have ranked the list, it would have been top 3. I don’t read a lot of autobiographies but I’m so glad I did read this. I’m not sure what called me to it, but as a top female leader of one of our nation’s largest companies (PepsiCo), it was fun and chalked full of valuable insights. My favorite takeaway was the intention she put behind design work and the creation of of the PepsiCo Design and Innovation work led by Mauro Porcini. I truly had no idea of the depth of the company, its products and its impact on our country.

Nooyi’s premier program initiative, “Performance with Purpose” outlined three key topics worth sharing, “This was my opus. We would deliver excellent performance, as was expected for PepsiCo, but would add three imperatives to our work ahead. Nourish humanity and the communities in which we live, Replenish our environment, and Cherish the people in the company.” (Isn’t that great? NOURISH…REPLENISH…CHERISH!) In my next assignment, you can be sure I’ll be using this as a fire starter.

11. Florence Nighingale, Cecil Woodham-Smith

Why: I also don’t usually read biographies, but Holiday referenced her so much, that I had to back track. I mean, I am in health care so I certainly know who she is, but goodness… I had no idea of her story. I’m so glad I took this detour and caught up. There are some notes I made to myself at the end of the book that I feel we can all use:

  • “I attribute my success to this- I never took any excuses.”
  • She worked shoulder to shoulder with her team. She was devoted to serving.
  • Look at data and then acted ( I loved the emphasis on this… so important)

12. What Happened to You, Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD

Why: My coach told me about this late this last year. It is focused on past trauma and the title conveys the message, that instead of asking “What is wrong with them” for example, we consider changing the narrative to “What happened to them.” It is a simple change up and significant. When we peer into ourselves and others, it is useful to not be critical but to come into the dialogue with curiosity.

This is the ONE BOOK I would recommend to anyone who has anyone in their life that has experienced any kind of trauma or whom has found that in their own path. It is very easy to read and strong work that will make you better for taking the time to dive in and learn about the many complexities that impact our lives.

13. A Burning in my Bones, Winn Collier (biography of Eugene Peterson)

Why: One of my aspirations for 2021 was to read all books by Eugene Peterson. (It was amazing!) It just so happened that Collier’s book also came out this year, so I just had to read it right away. Some of you may be familiar with Eugene Peterson, who authored the Message Version of the bible. It is a really nice change to read the bible in the way we may think today. I find myself often looking up a verse in his re-construct of the original version to see if it hits home in a different way and it often does. At any rate, Collier did a wonderful job of sharing with us Peterson’s life and he didn’t leave out anything that was the slightest bit sensitive, for example, sharing that the famous preacher/writer also leaned on drinking a bit too much and was very much aware of this and how he addressed it. It is always helpful to know that we are all human and see real life examples of that, especially for those we look up to. If you are a Peterson fan, grab this one for the joy of it!

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.

The power in our first waking thoughts

“For many of us, our first waking thought of the day is, ‘I didn’t get enough sleep.'”

Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

How many of us wake up and think, “I’m still tired, I better stay here a bit longer,” or “I can work out later,” or “I have a big day, and need the energy so I’ll just hit snooze again.?”

I’m totally in that group. Those who study human behavior call this “scarcity” thinking, as in, we aren’t waking up with a focus first on the positive but with a notion of lack. Alternative would be: “I am healthy. I am so blessed to wake up and have a purpose.”

You get the picture. I am TOTALLY feeling this one.

In the book I quoted from above, the “not enough” thinking seems to saturate us early and often. Not enough exercise, work, money, power, time off, weekends, etc. “Before we even sit up in bed, we’re inadequate, behind…already lacking something.” We end the same way, thinking about what we didn’t get to. Ugh! Why do we do that? According to Brene, “We each have the choice in ANY SETTING to step back and let go of the mindset of scarcity. Once we let go of scarcity, we discover the surprising truth of sufficiency…a knowing that there IS ENOUGH, and THAT WE ARE ENOUGH.”

We should all pay attention to our thoughts. Our ultimate goal is toward “abundant” thinking. Focusing on abundance directs us to think through the good in each situation. Our first thoughts set the course for the day, and can propel us forward or leave us in bed while the world keeps moving. We are far more incredible than we ever give ourselves credit for. We are powerful and strong and even on those days when we feel we cannot be enough, THAT EVEN WILL BE ENOUGH!

I hope that this resonates with you. We should start our days with some bravado and a touch of momentum –– badassery, if you will. We are all gifted and able to bring forth a positive movement for this very day. My prayer is that God will work on our minds and allow us to be all we are intended to be.

Rewind! This is an adapted throwback post that just really spoke to me right now. I hope it does the same for you!