To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Wellness

You gotta fight…

You gotta fight… for your right… to PARTY!

Who knew the Beastie Boys would come alive strong on Sunday night! A blast from the past, and a timely and on-point reminder brought to us by the Kansas City Chiefs post game celebration and Travis Kelce. Incredible! 

We all know this is true if you stop and think about it. We don’t just get to celebrate big – to toast to small or great wins – without first serving up some time, sweat and often massive effort (AKA, fight!). 

Winning in 2020 (and every day) starts with a certain rigor, and the decision to not settle for anything less than excellence.

Excellence in our routine…

Excellence in our personal wellness…

Excellence on both large and small platforms…

It is indeed first a decision, and then a commitment to doing whatever it takes each day to bring us to our highest levels.

Where do you need to fight? Where do you need to go deep and build a strategy to ensure excellence? 

As you hopefully saw in Sunday’s historic and epic celebration… the ability to celebrate (or as Travis Kelce said this weekend, paaaaartty) makes all of our efforts absolutely worth every ounce of hard work.

Have the most incredible wrap to your week!

Where will you put in a stake in the ground this year? This month? This moment?

A strong American idiom: “Put a stake in the ground.” As in, what is the first step you are going to make? What move are you going to make to get something started? How are you going to rally the troops? (adapted from American Idioms Daily)

As I said Sunday, I love the start of a fresh year. While one could argue that anytime is a good time to reevaluate, edit or even cast new visions, the start of a new year offers hope unlike other times to me. It’s as if we can leave what we don’t want to bring forward and somehow step out the front door freshly dressed and with the vigor needed to make great things happen for ourselves and others.

I love the visual above because it draws to mind us claiming our stake… our goal… our moment. So, what will it be?

  • You want to use your voice this year to make changes. Perhaps it’s writing, perhaps speaking… perhaps it’s in one-on-one conversations where the action is going to happen. Perhaps you want to be the one that makes sure where you live or work is full of extraordinary kindness every single day.
  • You want to finally walk or run that race? You have decided that the mental dialogue that stops you from “thinking you can do it” is not going to win this year and you are going to take a step forward toward that goal.
  • You desire to forgive that loved one that wronged you and you just haven’t been able to let it go.
  • Your hope for a FUN life, full of joy and depth (and less fear about health, money, or you name it) is going to be attacked once and for all and you are going to have more days that meet your expectations.
  • Your greatest dream would be world of true unity and that you are going to use your time, talent and gifts to help us move us all forward…

So many stakes to claim. So much that God wants for us in this life, no matter our situation. While we may walk out tomorrow morning with a cold, brisk wind confronting us, we have the ability to lay out the “must haves” for our lives. To both name them and to make them happen. I believe the world is conspiring for what is good, honorable and true. I believe that social justice is imperative and it is all of our responsibilities. I believe that we are called as humans to think bigger and to realize that we are more powerful than we could imagine if we will push ourselves a bit past the limits we have given ourselves.

Here’s to a year of putting our stake or stakes in the ground and developing action plans to make sure we make progress. Here’s to great health, wellness and more laughter than you’ve had for many years. Let’s make it count.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Welcome 2020

This idea of God establishing the work of our hands is just what I need and possibly you as well, as we launch into the first full week of the new year and the new decade. I don’t want anything or anyone else establishing the work that I do, and I also am keenly aware that I need God’s favor at every turn. No matter where life finds you right no – in school, in retirement, at the onset or at “prime time” in your career – this message should resonate.

The word of God has a lot to say about work. I fully believe that no matter our age or stage, that we are all to be working toward using our energy and minds to fulfill our purpose. One of my all time favorite verses:

“Whatever you do, work at it will all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-34)

God calls for us to be faithful with what He has given us to make the world, at this very time in our own generation, the best it can be. If we all do this, our work and service will elevate us all.

For many, the last several days have given us an opportunity to rest and otherwise be away from the normal daily grind. This time provides us an opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds for our work in the year ahead. Hopefully you have spent some time asking yourself some clarifying questions to get you focused on what you hope to bring into the year. I am a full-out nerd about this time of year … the thought of a blank canvas to dream and imagine … is incredibly energizing to me. The exercise of drawing a child-like diagram that features the key parts of my life – family, spiritual, career, health/wellness, financial, etc. – and then drilling into “must have” actions to ensure I achieve these goals has been a necessary step for me for many years.

So, what about you? It would be great to hear any ideas as it relates to good old fashioned life planning and goal setting. How do you approach this new chapter that brings you renewed energy and enthusiasm?

I’m so thankful the word of God has given us both examples and guidance on the topic if we will take time to read and apply. The very idea of this blog is that we are to serve well, and serving is the way we honor those around us and God. We do this best when we are actively working toward using our gifts, time, talents and resources.

Happy, happy new year! I’m so excited to start afresh and am ever grateful for your support and encouragement.

Be a force for love

I’m attending a leadership “edge” program this week so I’m going to keep this super short. The whole week is focused on wellness. The idea is that by focusing on wellness, we might find our own “edge” in being the best in this life. I’m pretty stoked about that idea. 

Being a force for love requires energy. I love this photo because it conjures up thoughts of a team working together – in unity – building optimal energy for their sport.

The sport of life is no different. Getting ourselves to a strong base level, and then locking arms with a team or community to unify around a goal, is perhaps the most profound work we can do as human beings.

The goal may be…

  • Raising up the next generation;
  • Teaching, coaching, advising;
  • Sharing our story with the hope of being in service to others; and
  • Creating innovations that help our communities thrive (including infrastructure needs and aging, providing healthy transitions from one season to the next).

So many opportunities to be a force of love. But first, optimizing our own health and wellness. We must start with finding our core strength: mind, body and spirit, and build from there. 

Have such an amazing week.

Time to set some big goals (or perhaps, just one that makes you proud)

Setting personal goals is one of the most important actions we can take. This topic reminded me that some time has gone by since I really locked in on this process for my personal life. As a matter of record, a few years ago I wrote down where I specifically wanted to travel, by year, for 5 years straight…and guess what? I actually achieved that – so I know there is indeed great truth here!

Goal-setting is so powerful that if we write them down, we are 42% more likely to achieve them, according to a Harvard Business Study. A more specific example from that research: “The 3% of graduates from their MBA program who had their goals written down, ended up earning ten times as much as the other 97% put together.” That’s POWERFUL.

So, why is this true? The difference is that this effort requires you to get them out of your head and into a place where you can set your focus and move forward toward their achievement. When you can actually visualize yourself at the counter of that restaurant you now own, or driving in that ultra-cool truck, you want it more. It becomes real. It isn’t about the competition; it becomes about creating a better experience for ourselves, and that often requires us to push to a new level of thinking and activity. Our minds can literally CREATE new paths to achievement if we can articulate what we want and begin to focus on how we might go about making those goals a reality.

The same blog that gave me the Harvard Study offered a few ideas on the “types” of goals. They are basic, but still a quite helpful construct when you decide to frame them up and put them on paper.

  1. Short Term Goals: Goals you’d like to go after in the next 5 minutes to 6 months. Of specific help, they are great as a smaller part of a larger goal. For example: I want to run a 10K but my feet often hurt. A short term goal would be to go visit a specialized running store this week and get educated on the “right” shoes for my stride. ( side-note: not sure what to do about that little fact that I hate to run…?… may be more than a short term situation!)
  2. Long term Goals: Goals you want to achieve that may take a bit of time. For example: I want to go on a 2-week trip to Greece.
  3. Lifetime Goals: The ultimate big-picture goals go here. For example, I’d like to pay for my grandchildren’s college education.

This little excerpt reminded me of the SMART goal setting process which you likely have heard before. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. (So, re-working the 10K goal above may look like: “As a part of my personal wellness plan, I would like to run a 10K in my city by March of 2020.”)

We have one life and we have the ability to do the unimaginable. I hope this blog encourages you to set some goals, write them down and move yourself closer to your dreams – ones you’ve held on to for years/decades, and new ones, too. I’m cheering you all on.

Go ahead… Drop some balls

The New York Times on Sunday had a terrific article titled, Work-Life Balance is a Myth, by Tiffany Dufu. I loved the approach in the article, driven around answering the hard question of “what really matters?”

I sometimes think of this as “what is my Best Yes?” which I stole from the namesake of Lysa TerKeurst’s book. So what does this mean? It means asking: Do I really need to go to that social gathering after work? Do I really want to stay out late on Friday, ( or would I rather have a robust Saturday morning?) Should I take the time to pick out a meaningful card for a dear friend’s birthday, or can I wing it and buy one on the way to the party? What is the best use of my time right now – a walk in nature to clear my head or jumping on another call to push through on being more productive?

There are no wrong answers. What is best for you, at this present time in your life, is what matters.

Here’s an excerpt from the article that I found to be both a simple and meaningful way to start figuring this out …

“– try this visualization exercise adapted from the book, ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ (Side note: That book is a classic must-read. In fact, I would go as far to say it should be required high school or college reading.)

Imagine three people eulogizing you at your funeral. What would they say about you? What do you hope they would say about you? Write this down.

Now, ask yourself: Are you on the path to becoming the person they describe? If not, maybe you’re not putting your energy into what’s the most important to you.”

Here’s where the “drop the ball” idea rolls in: Once you know what really matters to you, you can assess your current calendar and how your time and energy are being saturated. Once you do this, it all begins to come together, and somehow… magically, you can then take a discerning look at how you are investing your time and decide which balls you can – or rather should – drop. (If you are like me… there are atleast a few… let’s call them, “mis-prioritized” balls.)

What balls can you drop? Hopefully over the next few days you get a smile on your face when you purposely decide to drop a ball or two. Your joy and wellness are sure to accelerate when you do.

Have the best weekend!

Why you need a security detail

I hope this hits some of you like it did me. I have a security detail, and I hope you do as well! It may be that you need to rethink who is in yours, and perhaps even add one or more key folks to the team.

You may be thinking, “What is a security detail?” My son even asked about it when he saw me working on this post. According to Wikipedia, a security detail is a “Personal Protection Detail (PPD); a protective team assigned to protect the personal security of someone.” So, who is protecting you? People who “have our back,” and push us and make us better. People who we primarily choose, though often God blesses us with family members who are incredible at ensuring we are covered, protected, confronted, redirected, and gently pushed toward a positive direction. My sister has always had my back full on and what a gift that has been.

So, what are some of the critical areas where this is essential to a successful life? Here are some thoughts…

Your personal physical and mental health… Everything from exercise and fitness to those girl’s nights out that fill your spirit.

Your financial wellness and ability to find freedom in that area… A trusted advisor who comes alongside you and offers clarity around some often complex and private decisions.

Your career and in the workplace… This one is huge. I’ve blogged before about the need to have a champion – a few, if possible – that you know without a doubt will lift you toward great success.

Your spiritual life and your ability to navigate the complexities of life in general… Who do you know that is locked in to their faith and can help you build yours?

If I think through “who has my back,” I can come up with a short list that I know without a doubt want to see me succeed in many areas. I have, however, gone seasons without that “someone” in some of these areas. This is a call to action if you find yourself in that same boat, so to speak.

It takes intention to seek out this type of help. I personally like to have people that are ahead of me in life, or who have experience in an area at a much higher level than I have. These people offer me the opportunity to level up, and they can hold me accountable because of their experience having already walked this path.

Have a crazy-good week. Make it that way.

Add to your tribe if needed, and know that no matter what, most people are good, and the universe wants you to succeed in all that you dream and desire to accomplish!

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.

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!