To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Inspiration

Never underestimate the importance of reassurance

Throwback Thursday! Rewinding it to this relevant post from last year.

Sharing is caring… Always a truth I fully support. I read something similar to this phrase recently and I gave an internal standing ovation, which inspired me to share.

To me, this might be the most important reminder we all get this week, or even this month. Taking the time to reassure one another is so important to a healthy community. The best leaders get this. Parents do this often when children are younger. But we need to remember that this is necessary at all ages for ourselves, our family, and our colleagues.

Who can you reassure today? Get creative with your list. Throw a quick idea below… we would all love to ignite our imagination.

  • The UPS delivery person who delivers your Amazon Prime packages could use a thank you for a job well done.
  • The front desk team member who welcomed you and had you complete that “annoying” paperwork. (Which, I assure you, they weren’t thrilled about either…)
  • The grocery store clerk that is starting hour 8 of a 10-hour shift?

I hope that you have a strong end to your week! Thank you for taking a moment or two to read these heartfelt insights.

Go deep: We need to build our root system

Throwback from 2017- some thoughts as you wrap up your week strong!

If you’ve ever stood under a redwood tree, you know that their height is something magnificent. And yet, the extent of their root system is shockingly not deep at 6-12 feet. So, how do we account for the crazy growth, with many reaching 300 feet tall? (The tallest pine measures in at 268 by comparison.)

“Redwoods create the strength to withstand powerful winds and floods by extending their roots more than 50 feet from the trunk and living in groves where their roots can intertwine.”

Perfect! Another cool illustration for how important going deep in your relationships is to your ability to grow and optimize your gifts. Of course, I love this – and so should you!

“Community” is what allows us to live a joy-filled life. (“Community” is also defined as families, friendship groups, circles, tribes, colleagues… you get my drift.)

To serve well, it is almost required that we are encouraged, held accountable and ultimately pushed toward our best self. For most of human history, this has been a normal part of life, starting out with the earliest Native American tribes and, for my generation, playing kickball in the street until well after the sun went down. Today, many find themselves immersed in technology and other distractions. That seems almost too obvious to state but when the shoe fits… Heck, I don’t even like to get out of my car to go in the bank. God forbid I can’t take care of business on my phone or through a machine.

I like the idea of going deep. I need to work more at this. I’d love to achieve the greatness of a redwood grove… to lock arms together with some amazing people and establish root systems that allow us all to grow and flourish.

Laughter & pain: Life requires both

Laughter is the best medicine, right? Actually, laughing does produce those feel-good chemicals called endorphins. According to scientists, laughing has the power to increase pain tolerance, improve quality of life, and, based on experience, provide levity during challenging conversations or situations.

I have often felt like I had two choices: to laugh or downright cry. I usually try to go the laughter route (unless my hormones get a say – ha!), because it feels more healing to me. Life can be pretty harsh some times. I hope that we all remember to take a step back during those times and reframe our situation. Perhaps there is nothing that can make it “lighter.” Perhaps the pain is so deep that crying is the healing source. Or perhaps it requires both.

I have some friends going through some grueling experiences: losses of family, divorces, children with health issues – some sad and agonizing stuff. I want them to know that it is okay to laugh. It is okay to find humor in the smallest things. It is okay to do whatever is needed to find a ray of light in the situation. Whatever the case, may we all reflect as much sunshine and hope into this world as we possibly can.

I hope your week finds your spirit ready for spring and the fun and beauty it brings!

“Life isn’t supposed to be hard… really?”

Have you ever heard this? I have heard the words spoken from many, and far too often it’s meant with the best intentions.

Most of you know I have a strong faith, but unfortunately some of those messages come most strongly from those who share that faith. “If God’s in it, it won’t be hard… If the job is too hard, the relationship too challenging, the deal on the house or car or whatever doesn’t work out just as you want… “It’s not meant to be.” After all, life isn’t supposed to be hard if we follow the plan set out for us, right? Hmmmm….

Maybe this non-truth resonates more the older I get, and the fact that my boys and their friends are getting older. Instead of this message, I want to shout from the mountaintops: “It’s going to be really hard! Anything worth it generally has a tall order of pain involved. Sometimes, there will be tears. But it WILL be worth it!”

Some things that came to mind:

  • College: Yep, pretty hard lessons – lots of fun, but lot’s of work. It was always the “tough professor,” however, that stood above the others.
  • First 10-20 years post-grad (adulting 101 and 201): Yep. Again, marriage was hard, learning how to deal with bosses in a new career, learning how to pay the bills, deal with a broken washer and unexpected expenses. Yep… check mark all of those…really hard.
  • 40+- aging parents (and so on): Again, hard. But how special is that time? And what a great opportunity.

I think we need to be careful what we share with one another and specifically how we encourage. Sure, I’m a positive person and I believe in all kinds of good. In fact, many may say I wear the rose-colored glasses – I’m deeply and innately positive. Perhaps that’s why I felt it should be me that points this out.

Let’s set each other up for success. Let’s not encourage one another to run away from the obstacle courses of life – even the ones that might bruise us. Let’s grab each other’s hands and help push, pull or whatever it takes to get through it, not only alive but on fire for life. It’s worth it – every single time.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: What, God? What are you trying to teach me?

As most of the folks who hang with me know, I am committed to my faith and believe 100% that God is guiding me and all of us along our relative paths. I believe that we don’t encounter lessons that won’t be used to help provide a light for our path. That we don’t meet people we aren’t supposed to love and serve in some way.

I want to admit today that I have had many life moments that have left me wondering years later what the intended lesson was. What in the world am I supposed to learn from this? How do I grow, and how can I understand it more clearly? Perhaps, on this side of heaven, we don’t get that opportunity. Perhaps I’m not patient or haven’t arrived yet at the right timing. I’ve found that’s why it’s called faith.

There is fairly common scripture, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans for good, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Today, regardless of what is going on in your life and where life has taken you, I pray that you will join me in believing that there is a plan and that the plan is for your good. I believe that it is for you to achieve your best self – the you that feels pure joy and love surrounding you deeply.

Cheering you on. Bold prayers my friends, bold prayers.

Leave every conversation with energy

Being an energy GIVER versus an energy TAKER is a goal that we should have.

When people interact with you, be it on the phone (yes an actual call), via text or in a meeting, do they leave noticing that they have more energy than when the communication began? Another way to say it, is do they feel better… more inspired, excited or hopeful?

This isn’t the kind of energy a cheerleader brings – although that is great energy. This is the kind that LIFTS the atmosphere. The kind that heightens your awareness of life itself and how we can accomplish and achieve so much more together. No matter if it is holding someone’s pain with them, challenging them to level up in a specific area, or encouraging them to develop a plan to achieve their personal goals… this ENERGY brings the mood of the room up a notch.

We all need energy transfusions. We all need to be more aware of how we “leave a conversation.” Are we elevating the ENERGY, or can we do better? I for one, can always do better by being more aware of even the most simple transactions…

I hope you’ll join me in raising the POSITIVE ENERGY in our world! We certainly need it!

Be fully awake to the present

Today is the opportunity we have been granted.

This month is a great time to recommit and be fully awake to what is going on around us, and be completely open to living in the moment.

Tom Peters has a thought that “Excellence is the next 5 seconds…”

I want to be excellent. I want to be IN this moment, not OUTSIDE of it.

I want to be fully aware of the lights on the tree, the anticipation from the children for the holiday festivities, the tears that are hidden behind my friends smile, the extra-tight hug that shows a friend needs a little extra support right now… all of it.

I want to be fully awake. Don’t you?

I believe that if we can get better in this area, we will be closer to being fully alive.

Who’s with me on this?

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Pause, reflect, celebrate

Happy Sunday and welcome December, the month of culmination… love… joy and celebration. I’d submit that this is true only if we allow it. If we pause. If we reflect. If we set our intentions early on to achieve peace and resolve to find open spaces of quiet.

I’m committed to find this in the next 29 days – to pause and embrace solitude when I can and have quiet conversations that center around true joy. Getting to the depths of…

  • What brings me true peace?
  • Who brings me full joy?
  • What activities create a positive energy that leaves me wanting more?
  • Where can I see growth?
  • How can I curate more days of fullness and beauty?

These are not easy questions. I need to recognize that and take time to go all in. I would love for you to walk this path with me this month. I’d love to hear your stories and I’d love to know what questions you may add to the list. At the end of the month, let’s celebrate this reflection and forge into 2019 with a fresh view of God’s purpose for my life.

I am praying as I write this that you find yourself right now in a moment of gratitude and commitment to use the month to find the joy you so richly deserve. I believe that is God’s plan for all of us… to fully feel the love, joy and peace available to us.

Shifting our expectations can be a blessing in disguise

Rewind! This post is a throwback to December 2015.

Today I wanted to touch on the idea of shifting expectations. As we consider living out a life of excellence, we have some options. We have the power to make a simple shift in the way we see a situation in order to move forward in a positive direction.

I wanted to point something out here: Many people associate this concept with settling – big difference. Settling has a negative connotation and makes us feel like we lost somehow. Instead, consider that you’re making a healthy decision for yourself and everyone around you, and move forward! That is excellence.

My hope for this week (let’s take it one day at a time) is that you will shift along with me as our expectations overwhelm us. In this moment, choose to focus on joy. Not the rush, the hustle, nor the chaos, but on the beauty created in the moments that fill our lives.

Simple thoughts Sunday: You have the power over your “IT”

I firmly believe this statement.  Over and over again in my life I’ve felt it personally and I’ve seen it to be true on the front lines of the lives of my family and friends.

Isaiah 40:29 is one of the most known Bible verses, stating, “He gives POWER to the weak, and increases the strength of the powerless.” Some believe that the scripture is all about the sick or downtrodden. I believe it’s for all of us.

We all have moments of grief, sadness, and yes, even weakness.  As in… I don’t know how I can get through this situation, trial, or whatever life may have ushered in — God’s power is there for each of us to grab on to and when we don’t know how we made it through, we can know that God provided exactly what we needed for that moment. That may be extra sleep, a friend calls or texts at just the right time, a child belly laughing from across the room… He provides precisely what will give us the POWER to push through.

As you start the week, know that you have ALL THAT YOU NEED! We are covered in love and strength for our journey. Now, that is all of the good news I need to kick off this chaotic and fun time of the year.