To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

To Serve Well

Simple Thoughts Sunday: The strength of your life will depend on your decision to abide.

Abide: To stay, to uphold, to hold to… keep to.. stick to… ABIDE

What a powerful word. I love it when a strong word hits so hard that it stays with me. It’s not like I didn’t know the word, but when said in a certain way, or perhaps at a particular time, it just settles deep. Where does your mind go when you hear the phrase, ” The strength of my life will depend on your decision to abide?” So much to unpack…

First of all, “The strength of my life…” What is the strength of my life right now? Is it strong? Is it producing the results I want and believe I’m called to? Am I striving in this moment or am I complacent? What defines strong for you? There is no wrong answer. It’s a worthy question.

Next, “will depend on my decision to abide.” Why abide? Why stay focused? In this reference, abiding is all about staying close to God…to ensure we are consistent in our pursuit through whatever means necessary. It might be writing, praying, reading the scripture, positioning ourselves around other spirit-led people, attending a place of worship, and yes, even hiking in this beautiful world God created. What brings you close? What helps you abide? I find God in so many places and conversations. For me, I have found it is about making the decision to look for His guidance literally anywhere… an elevator conversation or witnessing a beautiful sunset are sometimes the most significant. For me, this part is all about making the DECISION and being committed. As with many parts of life, we make it harder than it needs to be… simply… make the decision and commit.

As we are in mid-January, the days and nights are colder and darker, and this seems like a truly ideal time to reflect on just how we can strengthen our lives. The thought of staying close to the fire and to God is a truly beautiful thought. I’m praying for you all to seize this moment and pursue decisions that brings you toward your best self.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Let’s have some urgency over our lives

What does that mean to you? The comment has stuck with me since I heard it.

Robin Arzon is an outstanding Peloton instructor, but more than anything, she is a motivator through and through. A year or so ago I did a series on the blog called #HeardOnPeloton… almost all courtesy of her passion and ability to share it with enough power to get your attention. We all need more people like Robin surrounding us. People who speak LIFE, STRENGTH and ENCOURAGEMENT. Anyone else agree?

As we step into the year ahead, we have an open canvas available for us to create and curate beautifully. One really great step is to ask God what He has for us in this season… Asking ourselves, what is my season declaration? How do I claim this BOLDLY? Run toward – not stroll leisurely, to use Eugene Peterson’s words.

“…I want you to get out there and walk-better yet, run! On the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline-not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each in acts of love.”

Ephesians, 4:1-2-Message version

My declaration/”word” of the year is IMAGINE. As in design, build, create… I am claiming this for so many reasons, but primarily, I want to advance good in this world. I have found that in order to do this, I need to stay positioned in prayer and surrounded by people that throw around kindness and their brilliance around like confetti. How about you? As we go into week two of 2022, I am praying for each of you and believe in our collective power to make this year the very best year!

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!

A bias for action… 3 to take by the end of the year (in the category of life optimization!)

Photo cred: Washington Post

The story behind this picture is incredible. The headline stated: “A man strung Christmas lights from his home to his neighbor’s to support her. The whole community followed.”

A bit more detail: In this Baltimore neighborhood, a family received a text from their neighbor that cookies were on the porch and that he had connected their houses with lights to reinforce that they were always connected despite the pandemic lockdown. The neighbor had previously shared that she was dealing with depression and anxiety, as well as grieving the loss of a loved one and struggling with work-related stress. The mounting pressure had led to panic attacks and her neighbor could relate. In the days that followed, the neighbors – one by one – followed suit and stretched lights from one end of the street to the other.

“The lights were a physical sign of connection and love,” quoting the man who started it all via the Washington Post article. Going on, “What blows my mind is that it was all organic… it just happened… It just grew out of everybody’s desire for beauty and joy and connection.” (Check out the full article – it’s great!)

Ending a year well to me is primarily about this message; the overarching message the “Love Lives Here” is worthy of a tattoo if you ask me. It strikes that inner knowing that we are meant for so much more. That we can if we choose to use both our painful experiences/memories and all of the good moments and kindness we have been a part of, we can inspire the world around us. All of us have this ability and that is proven by countless stories of those in dire situations who rise above.

So, what three actions can we take as we finish off 2021? They may look a little different for each of us, but here are the insights that I feel are “must haves” to truly finish strong. My wish is that one or more might resonate with you and ignite something that will help move you to the best version of yourself.

1. Take inventory. (Look behind to look forward.) There is no shortage of “21 lessons learned in 21,” and some are useful for getting our memories ignited. Often I go through pictures on my phone to remember the moments that stood out. Taking inventory of the year belongs on this “must do” list. We are only given so many years, and time is fleeting. I happen to believe that almost all of life’s happenings are by design and that the people we meet, and experiences we have all have a purpose; whether in a moment, a month, season or lifetime. Take inventory of what stood out to you this year, including the highlights and lowlights and learnings and musings… Bonus points if you store it somewhere where you can create a system for future reflection. (Anyone else rely on the “notes” app on their phone?)

I did this a few days ago and WOW. I had forgotten some really important moments and lessons and it reminded me of what I truly want in my life: To be vulnerable, one was how my sister and I have had more time this year for coffee dates. Those meaningful conversations on the patio of Meadowbrook Park, have been a big part of my life this year. They have guided me and provided a warm and loving space to connect with my first and forever best friend. Too many years have gone by where we didn’t make time for these deeper moments, and it has meant the world to me.

2. Create a gratitude plan. Using the inventory, be it 5 things or 100, identify where you really owe some thanks. It could be for a lesson learned, the neighbor that pulled your car out of the ditch, (or the friend that symbolically did the same for you on a bad day…) or your own family for extending love even when you perhaps could not. Now, go out and thank those people. One meaningful conversation can be just a powerful as a bunch of short texts or messages. Let your heart lead you! (I know we talk about gratitude quite often, but the increasing research on happiness seems to always be sourcing back to starting with gratitude. I am convinced that doubling down on being grateful and taking the time to acknowledge people and the good that is ever present is critical in today’s society.)

One example here is that my friend Joanne, who is always the one that is so good about ensuring we stay connected, decided to start inviting me over for coffee realizing my schedule was typically very full. She has great wi-fi and always accommodated me taking work calls if we talked too close up to my next meeting. She took a normal Tuesday morning and turned it into something exceptional. They were some of my favorite days and it was easy. I feel full of gratitude as I reflected on these special moments. As you can see, this idea of really thinking through allows you to plan your future days and create the life you really want.

3. Set your intentions. Energy is a precious commodity. We must be mindful of where and how we use it if we are to optimize our days in this often fast paced contemporary world. My grandmother, at 96, said, “You have to keep getting up and moving, even if you don’t feel like it.” I hope to never forget that, because it is profound. She set her intention to do just that every day as she aged and this alone makes the case for the power for of intention. We have to decide what we want and in that way we begin to manifest our days.

One of my boys shared with me that he really wanted 2022 to be about building his financial health, get some savings in place, invest etc. I loved that because whether or not he knew it, he was setting an intention. We will go deeper in this topic as we launch the new year with some other ideas such as creating life maps and our “one word,” but for today, the idea is to think through the base of what you want as you move forward into a new year. The bottom line is that if you know what you want out of it, you can drive your energy (mental, physical etc.) toward supporting that desire. When it is all aligned, it sets forth the best path for success.

As you go into the Christmas weekend, I am praying that you all have an absolutely warm and wonderful time, filled with whatever brings you love and hope. As this beautiful neighborhood illustrated for us, LOVE LIVES HERE… Indeed, it does!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: “I looked around the room and saw…” The power of cultivating friendships

I had the most amazing experience last night. My dear friend Cindie did what I think many of us dream of doing and the “some day” part of that comes into play and it doesn’t happen. She hosted a few of us for what we thought was our annual Christmas gathering (and of course, watching our KC Chiefs play), but this year she brought all kinds of magic moments. She set the most beautiful table, she put so much care and thought, planning and intention into everything from the menu to her incredible toast to our life long friendship that it left us all spinning.

She started her toast with a simple, “I looked around the room…” and she went on to note either experiences or gifts that adorned her home and her heart with memories of our friendship. That friendship started in the neighborhood when all of our kids were about kindergarten age and has been steeped and sowed over lake trips, soccer sidelines, pool gatherings, birthday parties, holidays, graduations and now weddings. There has been so many changes for all of us over the last 20 years, moves, new jobs, heart break, love won and love lost, the passing of parents and much of the normal journeys of life.

One of my favorite pastors, Adam Hamilton, often asks us to think about who our “stretcher bearers” might be if we passed. His point is that it is helpful in life to cultivate strong friendships and to surround yourself with people that bring the best out of you and that will stay with you through “it all.” It’s powerful.

As we go into celebrating the last part of 2021 and this week, a focus on the birth of Christ, it seemed useful to me to share this story in hopes that we might all do whatever we can in this season to acknowledge, call out and love a little deeper those long lasting friendships that literally form and mold our lives. They infuse life with joy and hope and that is to me, a huge part of the Christmas message.

Here’s to wrapping up all of the good and not so good parts of the year and reaching forward with all of the love we can give this week.

Entering 2022 with a spirit of JOY

I can’t even! I am so over the moon still about the wedding earlier this month, and I can’t keep smiling. JOY.

I made a note a few weeks ago that I wanted to blog about “entering” a state of joy. It seems so powerful to me, this idea of entering… No matter what is going on in our lives, we have so much to be grateful for. So much joy literally outside our window, in the next room, or a call away. Throughout the year we get beat up a bit, start to feel weary from the activity and the noise, and we often can’t seem to pull away from that feeling. Starting in November, we circle the calendars for Thanksgiving. and somehow turn our minds toward the joy of life.

Here’s a thought: What if we entered every single day in 2022 with joy?

Sure, not every day, year or even decade brings us a wedding, a birth or some other major celebration, but EVERY SINGLE DAY there is so much good to be found. (And YES, sometimes WE HAVE TO BRING IT!)

I have often talked in the blog about the power of a pre-decision. Pretty much everything from building a healthier emotional life or staying disciplined to a physical wellness routine is dependent on if we have made a strong decision and commitment to that practice. So, I believe that we can and SHOULD call out 2022 as the YEAR OF JOY. Entering every room we walk into with the intention of finding and sharing JOY. Bringing a heart of sincere gratitude to our days… quietly starting our mornings with a renewed promise to ourselves to OWN the JOY around us.

I know it sounds a bit over the top, but goodness, after 2020 and 2021, we need an ENERGY SHIFT and that is going to take some crazy joy. Remember flash mobs a few years ago? Those impromptu singing & dance performances where people have fun? SO COOL! Let’s bring those back!

Who’s on this JOY TRAIN with me? I’d love to break down anything that’s been holding us back and doing it with each other is, well, THE BEST! TOGETHER ALWAYS MAGNIFIES.

Sending love and JOY to you all on this third week of ADVENT which just happens to be the JOY CANDLE!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Pointing to the promises

Advent officially kicks off today, and it’s quite a season of celebration. My son and his beautiful fiance will be married this week, and how appropriate is it that we are headed fully into a season that just absolutely shouts LOVE and JOY? I’m not sure if they knew when COVID-19 forced them to reschedule that they were selecting this magical week, but here we are! (Perhaps it is God’s divine way of showing us His hand is in every detail, and that He gave Tucker and Libby this gift as a wonderful reminder every year on their anniversary of the power of love.)

As we launch into the holiday season formally, I love this idea of the season “pointing us to the promise.” The Advent devotional I picked for this year via Proverbs 31 Ministries is appropriately titled the same. The beauty of this season is that we have an entire 4-week period where most of the world around us is literally on a joy seeking mission. Celebrations abound & decorations dress the halls and fill our homes with reminders that it is truly something special… a season set apart.

Advent serves as a time to prepare our hearts. To take the time to really let our hearts catch up with the beauty of all that is good in this world. As this week’s devotion pointed out, “He promises love, life and light that the darkness cannot overcome.” I am so thankful for this and so many other promises and for holding on to a faith that allows me to know I am always surrounded by good, even and especially when it is hard. As I go through this week and through the next four leading up to the ultimate celebration, I am praying that my faith would be strengthened and that each of you might feel the power in the season.

I am especially prayerful for the wedding, and that Tucker and Libby might find warmth and delight in their moments leading up to their wedding and that they will always keep pointing to the promises of God. Would you join me in that prayer? I think that would be absolutely wonderful and know they would value the gesture!

Have a wonderful week. Cheers to a season of celebrations and hearts filled with peace and joy.

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.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Hang out in the glimmer

Isn’t this great? I was in a meeting yesterday and this was the phrase that was used. HANG OUT IN THE GLIMMER. In other words, spend a bit of time soaking up the good on this earth. Even consider spending some time really recognizing your achievements.

It’s closing in on the end of November, and one thing I know for sure is that most of us fall into what Brene Brown calls “forboding joy.” This means that we don’t let the JOY IN. “If you ask me what’s the most terrifying, difficult emotion we feel as humans,” she says, “I would say joy.”

Her work in this area has been groundbreaking. It points to a challenging conversation about vulnerability and really the spirit of the American culture in many ways, in my opinion. Depending on what generation you were born into, we generally are strivers and, from our initial experience with school, are graded and groomed to achieve. And while she acknowledges that calling joy “terrifying” may seem strange, the reality is that the fear is about the idea that the joy may be taken away. We often refer to that as, “When is the other shoe going to drop?” In her terms, “What we do in moments of joyfulness is, we try to beat vulnerability to the punch.” That is so true and so good!

Here’s the thing on this Sunday: This week is literally designated to turn our attention to a spirit of depth that brings us into the holiday season. I would say there is no better exercise that we could all do than to turn inward and identify (yep, make a list) all that is good, all that has sparked your happiness this year, ALL that you and those you love have achieved, big or small. After all, it is in the small steps that we achieve big things. Every last bit of progress toward being physically, mentally, emotionally, financially or spiritually healthy… count it ALL AS GOOD AND JOYFUL.

When you create that list, hang out in the glimmer of all that is good. Do your best to release anything that doesn’t allow you to rest there. I feel like this message my new friend gave me is profound. If we can imagine ourselves surrounded by a gentle confetti storm of good raining down on us, I think we might be one step closer to how heaven must feel.

Cheers to a truly beautiful week ahead. May you glimmer like crazy!

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!