Over a week ago I ran my first race of the season, the Shamrock Shuffle. It's the largest 8k out there, and it's held in Chicago each year. I've run it most years of the 10 years I've lived in Chicago. Approximately 45,000 people sign up each year and about 35,000 show up to run it...plus tons of fans cheering along the way. I have a love/hate relationship with this race, but I do tend to love it more than hate it which is why I've run it 8 times. That race is the official start of running season in Chicago so I tend to find lots of motivation to run once I've completed that 5 mile race. I was feeling pretty good last week and was motivated to run more than I had been.
That doesn't compare to Monday, April 15.
On Sunday, April 14 I went for a short run with my dog to make sure I keep the miles in and start building up to running more days than not. It's getting more tolerable in Chicago for outdoor running so I like to build up my miles. On Monday, April 15 in the morning I went for a longer run, nothing big, but I love running on Patriots day...I'm an east coast transplant so I remember things like Patriots day and I like to think that I'm running in the spirit of Marathon day. I love Marathon day and tend to read up on it during the day. In October each year I cheer on the marathon runners in Chicago (except for the year that I ran it) and it's just so inspiring.
So I run on the 3rd Monday of April each year just to feel even more connected with the running community. That late afternoon though, my running desire increased about 100 fold. That runner inside of me that has been hiding for the past few years woke the f up. After the watching and reading and listening to the news, I knew that I needed to rejoin my fellow runners. We are a funny lot...we run to eat, we run to drink, we run to reduce stress and anxiety...but we run. If someone tries to stop us, it makes us want to run more.
After this explosion, I want to run more than I have in years.
I am fortunate enough to live in a very strong running community. The Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) posted that there was going to be a unity run on Tuesday, April 16. I didn't know if I could make it there in time, but I was going to try. When I started to waiver a bit...my husband said, "Go, you know it's what you really want to do" and I went. I am so happy that I went. I was able to run with 100+ runners on the lakefront of Chicago to show our unity with runners all over the world. I was able to run with runners who had completed Boston the day before, the year before and many years before. I was able to run...no one could take that away from me.
I am a runner, I will continue to run...I will not be scared away from running...I will not be scared away from racing...I will not be scared. Try to stop me and I'll go stronger...it's the stubborn New Englander inside of me perhaps...but I will not be stopped...I'm stronger and more determined now to run even more.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Sometimes you do get what you ask for
This morning I realize that I was dwelling and worrying. I was thinking that I was losing friendships in my life and I didn't understand why. I was focusing on that negative part rather than focusing on all of the positives. I realize that some relationships are meant to be short-term and others long-term, and some flow in and out. Holding on and forcing a friendship to remain is not healthy.
I was being a negatron, and it was pulling me down. So this morning, while I'm wondering why these relationships seem to be ending (in my mind) a friend posts something that grabs my attention:
1. Believe in your vision and gifts when no one else believes in your vision and gifts.2. Start your day with 20 minutes of exercise.3. Make excellence your way of being (versus a once in a while event).4. Be on time (bonus points: be early).5. Be a celebrator of other’s talents versus a critic.6. Stop watching TV. (Bonus points: sell your tv and invest the cash in learning and self-education).
7. Finish what you start.
8. Remember that your diet affects your moods so eat like an athlete.
9. Spend an hour a day without stimulation (no phone+no FaceBook+no noise).
10. Release the energy vampires from your life. They are destroying your performance.
11. Write in a journal every morning. And record gratitude every night.
12. Do work that scares you (if you’re not uncomfortable often, you’re not growing very much).
13. Make the choice to let go of your past. It’s dusty history. And polluting your future.
14. Commit to being “Mozart-Level Good” at your work.
15. Smile more (and tell your face).
16. Do a collage filled with images of your ideal life. Look at it once a day for focus and inspiration.
17. Plan your week on a schedule (clarity is the DNA of mastery).
18. Stop gossiping (average people love gossip; exceptional people adore ideas).
19. Read “As You Think”.
20. Read “The Go-Getter”.
21. Don’t just parent your kids–develop them.
22. Remember that victims are frightened by change. And leaders grow inspired by it.
23. Start taking daily supplements to stay in peak health.
24. Clean out any form of “victimspeak” in your vocabulary and start running the language of leadership and possibility.
25. Do a nature walk at least once a week. It’ll renew you (you can’t inspire others if you’re depleted yourself).
26. Take on projects no one else will take on. Set goals no one else will do.
27. Do something that makes you feel uncomfortable at least once every 7 days.
28. Say “sorry” when you know you should say “sorry”.
29. Say “please” and “thank you” a lot.
30. Remember that to double your income, triple your investment in learning, coaching and self-education.
31. Dream big but start now.
32. Achieve 5 little goals each day (“The Daily 5 Concept” I shared in “The Leader Who Had No Title” that has transformed the lives of so many). In 12 months this habit will produce 1850 little goals–which will amount to a massive transformation.
33. Write handwritten thank you notes to your customers, teammates and family members.
34. Be slow to criticize and fast to praise.
35. Read Walter Isaacson’s amazing biography on Steve Jobs.
36. Give your customers 10X the value they pay for (“The 10X Value Obsession”).
37. Use the first 90 minutes of your work day only on value-creating activities (versus checking email or surfing the Net).
38. Breathe.
39. Keep your promises.
40. Remember that ordinary people talk about their goals. Leaders get them done. With speed.
41. Watch the inspirational documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.
42. Know that a problem only becomes a problem when you choose to see it as a problem.
43. Brain tattoo the fact that all work is a chance to change the world.
44. Watch the amazing movie “The Intouchables”.
45. Remember that every person you meet has a story to tell, a lesson to teach and a dream to do.
46. Risk being rejected. All of the great ones do.
47. Spend more time in art galleries. Art inspires, stimulates creativity and pushes boundaries.
48. Read a book a week, invest in a course every month and attend a workshop every quarter.
49. Remember that you empower what you complain about.
50. Get to know yourself. The main reason we procrastinate on our goals is not because of external conditions; we procrastinate due to our internal beliefs. And the thing is they are stuck so deep that we don’t even know they exist. But once you do, everything changes.
51. Read “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.
52. Know your values. And then have the guts to live them–no matter what the crowd thinks and how the herd lives.
53. Become the fittest person you know.
54. Become the strongest person you know.
55. Become the kindest person you know.
56. Know your “Big 5″–the 5 goals you absolutely must achieve by December 31 to make this year your best yet (I teach my entire goal-achieving process, my advanced techniques on unleashing confidence and how to go from being stuck to living a life you adore in my online program “Your Absolute Best Year Yet”).
57. Know that potential unexpressed turns to pain.
58. Build a strong family foundation while you grow your ideal career.
59. Stop being selfish.
60. Give your life to a project bigger than yourself.
61. Be thankful for your talents.
62. Stand for iconic. Go for legendary. And make history.7. Finish what you start.8. Remember that your diet affects your moods so eat like an athlete.9. Spend an hour a day without stimulation (no phone+no FaceBook+no noise).10. Release the energy vampires from your life. They are destroying your performance.11. Write in a journal every morning. And record gratitude every night.12. Do work that scares you (if you’re not uncomfortable often, you’re not growing very much).13. Make the choice to let go of your past. It’s dusty history. And polluting your future.14. Commit to being “Mozart-Level Good” at your work.15. Smile more (and tell your face).16. Do a collage filled with images of your ideal life. Look at it once a day for focus and inspiration.17. Plan your week on a schedule (clarity is the DNA of mastery).18. Stop gossiping (average people love gossip; exceptional people adore ideas).19. Read “As You Think”.20. Read “The Go-Getter”.21. Don’t just parent your kids–develop them.22. Remember that victims are frightened by change. And leaders grow inspired by it.23. Start taking daily supplements to stay in peak health.24. Clean out any form of “victimspeak” in your vocabulary and start running the language of leadership and possibility.25. Do a nature walk at least once a week. It’ll renew you (you can’t inspire others if you’re depleted yourself).26. Take on projects no one else will take on. Set goals no one else will do.27. Do something that makes you feel uncomfortable at least once every 7 days.28. Say “sorry” when you know you should say “sorry”.29. Say “please” and “thank you” a lot.30. Remember that to double your income, triple your investment in learning, coaching and self-education.31. Dream big but start now.32. Achieve 5 little goals each day (“The Daily 5 Concept” I shared in “The Leader Who Had No Title” that has transformed the lives of so many). In 12 months this habit will produce 1850 little goals–which will amount to a massive transformation.33. Write handwritten thank you notes to your customers, teammates and family members.34. Be slow to criticize and fast to praise.35. Read Walter Isaacson’s amazing biography on Steve Jobs.36. Give your customers 10X the value they pay for (“The 10X Value Obsession”).37. Use the first 90 minutes of your work day only on value-creating activities (versus checking email or surfing the Net).38. Breathe.39. Keep your promises.40. Remember that ordinary people talk about their goals. Leaders get them done. With speed.41. Watch the inspirational documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.42. Know that a problem only becomes a problem when you choose to see it as a problem.43. Brain tattoo the fact that all work is a chance to change the world.44. Watch the amazing movie “The Intouchables”.45. Remember that every person you meet has a story to tell, a lesson to teach and a dream to do.46. Risk being rejected. All of the great ones do.47. Spend more time in art galleries. Art inspires, stimulates creativity and pushes boundaries.48. Read a book a week, invest in a course every month and attend a workshop every quarter.49. Remember that you empower what you complain about.50. Get to know yourself. The main reason we procrastinate on our goals is not because of external conditions; we procrastinate due to our internal beliefs. And the thing is they are stuck so deep that we don’t even know they exist. But once you do, everything changes.51. Read “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.52. Know your values. And then have the guts to live them–no matter what the crowd thinks and how the herd lives.53. Become the fittest person you know.54. Become the strongest person you know.55. Become the kindest person you know.56. Know your “Big 5″–the 5 goals you absolutely must achieve by December 31 to make this year your best yet (I teach my entire goal-achieving process, my advanced techniques on unleashing confidence and how to go from being stuck to living a life you adore in my online program “Your Absolute Best Year Yet”).57. Know that potential unexpressed turns to pain.58. Build a strong family foundation while you grow your ideal career.59. Stop being selfish.60. Give your life to a project bigger than yourself.61. Be thankful for your talents.62. Stand for iconic. Go for legendary. And make history.
I needed this today, more than I knew. I'm digging into the negative side rather than the positive side. I am projecting negativity towards the relationships, so no wonder I think that they are ending. If they are ending, well then this is the moment that they are supposed to. I can't keep hold of the past, especially when I want a future that is pure and good and clean.
So today I share this wonderful positive list. It's helping me out of my funk!
I was being a negatron, and it was pulling me down. So this morning, while I'm wondering why these relationships seem to be ending (in my mind) a friend posts something that grabs my attention:
1. Believe in your vision and gifts when no one else believes in your vision and gifts.2. Start your day with 20 minutes of exercise.3. Make excellence your way of being (versus a once in a while event).4. Be on time (bonus points: be early).5. Be a celebrator of other’s talents versus a critic.6. Stop watching TV. (Bonus points: sell your tv and invest the cash in learning and self-education).
7. Finish what you start.
8. Remember that your diet affects your moods so eat like an athlete.
9. Spend an hour a day without stimulation (no phone+no FaceBook+no noise).
10. Release the energy vampires from your life. They are destroying your performance.
11. Write in a journal every morning. And record gratitude every night.
12. Do work that scares you (if you’re not uncomfortable often, you’re not growing very much).
13. Make the choice to let go of your past. It’s dusty history. And polluting your future.
14. Commit to being “Mozart-Level Good” at your work.
15. Smile more (and tell your face).
16. Do a collage filled with images of your ideal life. Look at it once a day for focus and inspiration.
17. Plan your week on a schedule (clarity is the DNA of mastery).
18. Stop gossiping (average people love gossip; exceptional people adore ideas).
19. Read “As You Think”.
20. Read “The Go-Getter”.
21. Don’t just parent your kids–develop them.
22. Remember that victims are frightened by change. And leaders grow inspired by it.
23. Start taking daily supplements to stay in peak health.
24. Clean out any form of “victimspeak” in your vocabulary and start running the language of leadership and possibility.
25. Do a nature walk at least once a week. It’ll renew you (you can’t inspire others if you’re depleted yourself).
26. Take on projects no one else will take on. Set goals no one else will do.
27. Do something that makes you feel uncomfortable at least once every 7 days.
28. Say “sorry” when you know you should say “sorry”.
29. Say “please” and “thank you” a lot.
30. Remember that to double your income, triple your investment in learning, coaching and self-education.
31. Dream big but start now.
32. Achieve 5 little goals each day (“The Daily 5 Concept” I shared in “The Leader Who Had No Title” that has transformed the lives of so many). In 12 months this habit will produce 1850 little goals–which will amount to a massive transformation.
33. Write handwritten thank you notes to your customers, teammates and family members.
34. Be slow to criticize and fast to praise.
35. Read Walter Isaacson’s amazing biography on Steve Jobs.
36. Give your customers 10X the value they pay for (“The 10X Value Obsession”).
37. Use the first 90 minutes of your work day only on value-creating activities (versus checking email or surfing the Net).
38. Breathe.
39. Keep your promises.
40. Remember that ordinary people talk about their goals. Leaders get them done. With speed.
41. Watch the inspirational documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.
42. Know that a problem only becomes a problem when you choose to see it as a problem.
43. Brain tattoo the fact that all work is a chance to change the world.
44. Watch the amazing movie “The Intouchables”.
45. Remember that every person you meet has a story to tell, a lesson to teach and a dream to do.
46. Risk being rejected. All of the great ones do.
47. Spend more time in art galleries. Art inspires, stimulates creativity and pushes boundaries.
48. Read a book a week, invest in a course every month and attend a workshop every quarter.
49. Remember that you empower what you complain about.
50. Get to know yourself. The main reason we procrastinate on our goals is not because of external conditions; we procrastinate due to our internal beliefs. And the thing is they are stuck so deep that we don’t even know they exist. But once you do, everything changes.
51. Read “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.
52. Know your values. And then have the guts to live them–no matter what the crowd thinks and how the herd lives.
53. Become the fittest person you know.
54. Become the strongest person you know.
55. Become the kindest person you know.
56. Know your “Big 5″–the 5 goals you absolutely must achieve by December 31 to make this year your best yet (I teach my entire goal-achieving process, my advanced techniques on unleashing confidence and how to go from being stuck to living a life you adore in my online program “Your Absolute Best Year Yet”).
57. Know that potential unexpressed turns to pain.
58. Build a strong family foundation while you grow your ideal career.
59. Stop being selfish.
60. Give your life to a project bigger than yourself.
61. Be thankful for your talents.
62. Stand for iconic. Go for legendary. And make history.7. Finish what you start.8. Remember that your diet affects your moods so eat like an athlete.9. Spend an hour a day without stimulation (no phone+no FaceBook+no noise).10. Release the energy vampires from your life. They are destroying your performance.11. Write in a journal every morning. And record gratitude every night.12. Do work that scares you (if you’re not uncomfortable often, you’re not growing very much).13. Make the choice to let go of your past. It’s dusty history. And polluting your future.14. Commit to being “Mozart-Level Good” at your work.15. Smile more (and tell your face).16. Do a collage filled with images of your ideal life. Look at it once a day for focus and inspiration.17. Plan your week on a schedule (clarity is the DNA of mastery).18. Stop gossiping (average people love gossip; exceptional people adore ideas).19. Read “As You Think”.20. Read “The Go-Getter”.21. Don’t just parent your kids–develop them.22. Remember that victims are frightened by change. And leaders grow inspired by it.23. Start taking daily supplements to stay in peak health.24. Clean out any form of “victimspeak” in your vocabulary and start running the language of leadership and possibility.25. Do a nature walk at least once a week. It’ll renew you (you can’t inspire others if you’re depleted yourself).26. Take on projects no one else will take on. Set goals no one else will do.27. Do something that makes you feel uncomfortable at least once every 7 days.28. Say “sorry” when you know you should say “sorry”.29. Say “please” and “thank you” a lot.30. Remember that to double your income, triple your investment in learning, coaching and self-education.31. Dream big but start now.32. Achieve 5 little goals each day (“The Daily 5 Concept” I shared in “The Leader Who Had No Title” that has transformed the lives of so many). In 12 months this habit will produce 1850 little goals–which will amount to a massive transformation.33. Write handwritten thank you notes to your customers, teammates and family members.34. Be slow to criticize and fast to praise.35. Read Walter Isaacson’s amazing biography on Steve Jobs.36. Give your customers 10X the value they pay for (“The 10X Value Obsession”).37. Use the first 90 minutes of your work day only on value-creating activities (versus checking email or surfing the Net).38. Breathe.39. Keep your promises.40. Remember that ordinary people talk about their goals. Leaders get them done. With speed.41. Watch the inspirational documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.42. Know that a problem only becomes a problem when you choose to see it as a problem.43. Brain tattoo the fact that all work is a chance to change the world.44. Watch the amazing movie “The Intouchables”.45. Remember that every person you meet has a story to tell, a lesson to teach and a dream to do.46. Risk being rejected. All of the great ones do.47. Spend more time in art galleries. Art inspires, stimulates creativity and pushes boundaries.48. Read a book a week, invest in a course every month and attend a workshop every quarter.49. Remember that you empower what you complain about.50. Get to know yourself. The main reason we procrastinate on our goals is not because of external conditions; we procrastinate due to our internal beliefs. And the thing is they are stuck so deep that we don’t even know they exist. But once you do, everything changes.51. Read “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.52. Know your values. And then have the guts to live them–no matter what the crowd thinks and how the herd lives.53. Become the fittest person you know.54. Become the strongest person you know.55. Become the kindest person you know.56. Know your “Big 5″–the 5 goals you absolutely must achieve by December 31 to make this year your best yet (I teach my entire goal-achieving process, my advanced techniques on unleashing confidence and how to go from being stuck to living a life you adore in my online program “Your Absolute Best Year Yet”).57. Know that potential unexpressed turns to pain.58. Build a strong family foundation while you grow your ideal career.59. Stop being selfish.60. Give your life to a project bigger than yourself.61. Be thankful for your talents.62. Stand for iconic. Go for legendary. And make history.
I needed this today, more than I knew. I'm digging into the negative side rather than the positive side. I am projecting negativity towards the relationships, so no wonder I think that they are ending. If they are ending, well then this is the moment that they are supposed to. I can't keep hold of the past, especially when I want a future that is pure and good and clean.
So today I share this wonderful positive list. It's helping me out of my funk!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Grateful and thankful
This morning I decided to head out to work a little early. I had a number of things I wanted to get done, and I also thought I could get some gas in the car. Little did I know that fate was playing her hand this morning.
As I headed out and made it less than a mile from home, I was shown how grateful, blessed, fortunate I am. I have eyes that I can see with, ears that I can hear with, a heart that beats and feels, and a desire to help others, especially when they are in danger.
You must be wondering how less than a mile into a trip all of this self realization can occur. The answer, a blind man walking across a busy, four lane street, not at an intersection.
This man was older, and he was alone. The car in front of me stopped before I even saw the man. We were in the left lane headed west so many cars just kept going around me and the other car in the right lane going around the man. Once I saw the man I didn't know what to do. He seemed to be yelling...no, he was yelling "HELLO?" The car in front of me yelled from her window, "You can cross, we stopped". The old man just stayed in the middle of our lane yelling "HELLO?" One woman on the sidewalk watched and had the same quizzical look on her face as I must have had. That was it, this man needed help.
I jumped out of my car and went up to the man (my car is still in the left hand lane of a busy street). I went up to the man to let him know it was safe to cross. "HELLO?" now I was worried that I had gotten myself into a bigger situation than I knew. "WHERE IS IT?"
"Where is what sir?" I replied, not knowing what to do besides try to help him cross the street.
"I NEED THE MARKET, WHERE IS THE MARKET? I NEED TO GO WEST!"
"Sir, you're in the middle of the street, let me get you to the median at least"
"NO I NEED TO GO"
"Sir, I don't know what to do"
"TAKE MY ARM"
"I'm sorry?"
"TAKE MY ARM!"
I understood he did want my help, so I took his arm and we headed back to the sidewalk. The woman who was on the sidewalk helped me get him safely out of the street. The car that was in front of my sped away, leaving my car just there in the middle of the street. It didn't matter, that was just a thing, not a person, and people could see the car was there.
"Sir we are at the sidewalk"
"I CAN'T USE MY LEGS"
"Ok sir, but we need to get you out of the street."
"I CAN'T USE MY LEGS!"
He pulled away from me and started walking west. Luckily, the woman on the sidewalk was there to help me guide him away from the street. She was able to figure out what market he wanted to go to and we slowly turned him around. I asked her if she was ok to handle him and she confirmed she was.
I went back to my car and jumped in and in an instant, I realized how lucky, fortunate, grateful, blessed, and 50 million other positive words I am. I have the ability to see things, and not only to see but to hear and speak and feel. I have the strength to see that someone needs help and I do my best to help.
There are so many things that we complain about in this world. I try to stay positive all the time but I whine quite a bit. It takes a moment like this sometimes to smack me upside the head and remind me how great I have it. I love and care and was able to help someone, I didn't just pass them by. Yes I helped him, but he and the woman on the sidewalk helped me so much more. Compassion, there are still people who care and will help a stranger...and there are strangers that help us more than we knew we needed helping.
As I headed out and made it less than a mile from home, I was shown how grateful, blessed, fortunate I am. I have eyes that I can see with, ears that I can hear with, a heart that beats and feels, and a desire to help others, especially when they are in danger.
You must be wondering how less than a mile into a trip all of this self realization can occur. The answer, a blind man walking across a busy, four lane street, not at an intersection.
This man was older, and he was alone. The car in front of me stopped before I even saw the man. We were in the left lane headed west so many cars just kept going around me and the other car in the right lane going around the man. Once I saw the man I didn't know what to do. He seemed to be yelling...no, he was yelling "HELLO?" The car in front of me yelled from her window, "You can cross, we stopped". The old man just stayed in the middle of our lane yelling "HELLO?" One woman on the sidewalk watched and had the same quizzical look on her face as I must have had. That was it, this man needed help.
I jumped out of my car and went up to the man (my car is still in the left hand lane of a busy street). I went up to the man to let him know it was safe to cross. "HELLO?" now I was worried that I had gotten myself into a bigger situation than I knew. "WHERE IS IT?"
"Where is what sir?" I replied, not knowing what to do besides try to help him cross the street.
"I NEED THE MARKET, WHERE IS THE MARKET? I NEED TO GO WEST!"
"Sir, you're in the middle of the street, let me get you to the median at least"
"NO I NEED TO GO"
"Sir, I don't know what to do"
"TAKE MY ARM"
"I'm sorry?"
"TAKE MY ARM!"
I understood he did want my help, so I took his arm and we headed back to the sidewalk. The woman who was on the sidewalk helped me get him safely out of the street. The car that was in front of my sped away, leaving my car just there in the middle of the street. It didn't matter, that was just a thing, not a person, and people could see the car was there.
"Sir we are at the sidewalk"
"I CAN'T USE MY LEGS"
"Ok sir, but we need to get you out of the street."
"I CAN'T USE MY LEGS!"
He pulled away from me and started walking west. Luckily, the woman on the sidewalk was there to help me guide him away from the street. She was able to figure out what market he wanted to go to and we slowly turned him around. I asked her if she was ok to handle him and she confirmed she was.
I went back to my car and jumped in and in an instant, I realized how lucky, fortunate, grateful, blessed, and 50 million other positive words I am. I have the ability to see things, and not only to see but to hear and speak and feel. I have the strength to see that someone needs help and I do my best to help.
There are so many things that we complain about in this world. I try to stay positive all the time but I whine quite a bit. It takes a moment like this sometimes to smack me upside the head and remind me how great I have it. I love and care and was able to help someone, I didn't just pass them by. Yes I helped him, but he and the woman on the sidewalk helped me so much more. Compassion, there are still people who care and will help a stranger...and there are strangers that help us more than we knew we needed helping.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
It's ok to mess up
It's ok to mess up every once and a while. When you do your best and mean well, and you try to make an effort for things to go smoothly, it's ok that things will get messed up every once and a while.
In fact, I think when we mess up we learn more!
This may seem like kindergarten stuff, but it's a good thing to be reminded of. I am one who is very hard on herself when things aren't perfect. I'm re-learning that it's ok though. Regardless of how small of an imperfection, it's nothing to get upset about.
So your fact of the day, it's ok to mess up...and the side fact...don't be so hard on yourself.
In fact, I think when we mess up we learn more!
This may seem like kindergarten stuff, but it's a good thing to be reminded of. I am one who is very hard on herself when things aren't perfect. I'm re-learning that it's ok though. Regardless of how small of an imperfection, it's nothing to get upset about.
So your fact of the day, it's ok to mess up...and the side fact...don't be so hard on yourself.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Staying positive in a negative world
A student of mine once asked me to look at a website that provided definitions of words and asked me if I noticed a trend with what the first definition was. I looked up a number of words and saw what he was seeing, each of the initial definitions was negative. All of the words I looked up had a negative connotation to it even if that was the least used definition of a word. Look at the synonyms and it was the same thing. The first synonym given for "try" was "inconvenience". in fact the 7 synonyms given all had somewhat negative connotations to them, and the word "attempt" was not listed. A primary definition for endeavor was about exerting oneself...it wasn't until the 3rd definition that it was more positive and about gaining.
I reflected on this today, mostly after the reflections I've been making this week in regards to focusing on me. I try to be a positive person and believe that positivity reeds positivity. That is not always what I seem to be experiencing though. I made another step to increase my positive attitude and outlook on life by taking a break from something that has become quite a drain on me...facebook. That's right, I said it...the fb has become a drain on me. I took a break starting Monday morning, and already I can feel it's positive affect on me. What was funny was I went on there today to turn off a notification filter (didn't want my phone lighting up anymore) and scrolled through for a moment, not to comment, just to observe. I found that with a few exceptions, most posts were negative. The people I have showing up on my feed were all complaining about something or another.
It's no wonder it's hard to stay so positive...we've created a world in which it's so easy to gripe to everyone, it's hard to know what's really going on in people's lives. We're also incredibly connected to one another, but in a voyeuristic type of way...and we only get to see the part that people are willing to share, which honestly seems to be quite negative. I admit that I was doing this too...it's so easy to just complain a one liner on there and try to let it go...the problem is, the more we do that, the more we spread that negative energy around and can affect others.
I want to try to take a stand against this negativity and work on spreading my positivity! Though I'm going to remain off the fb I am going to in my real life spread positivity. I'm going to say kind words and mean them to people that I see. I am going to believe in the kind words that others say to me. I am going to shield myself from the negative stuff and encourage and spread the positive stuff.
I do wonder what other correlations I might be able to find...and perhaps even be able to make a difference. So have a wonderful day reader of this blog. Remember that even in your darkest moments, there is always a happy memory that you can grasp at. For those of you with four-legged kids, just look at your dog or cat or turtle...I know that my four-legged kids always can get a smile. For those of you with the two-legged kids, look at all the goodness you have been able to bring up into the world!
So enjoy my lil guys and bring a smile to your face!
I reflected on this today, mostly after the reflections I've been making this week in regards to focusing on me. I try to be a positive person and believe that positivity reeds positivity. That is not always what I seem to be experiencing though. I made another step to increase my positive attitude and outlook on life by taking a break from something that has become quite a drain on me...facebook. That's right, I said it...the fb has become a drain on me. I took a break starting Monday morning, and already I can feel it's positive affect on me. What was funny was I went on there today to turn off a notification filter (didn't want my phone lighting up anymore) and scrolled through for a moment, not to comment, just to observe. I found that with a few exceptions, most posts were negative. The people I have showing up on my feed were all complaining about something or another.
It's no wonder it's hard to stay so positive...we've created a world in which it's so easy to gripe to everyone, it's hard to know what's really going on in people's lives. We're also incredibly connected to one another, but in a voyeuristic type of way...and we only get to see the part that people are willing to share, which honestly seems to be quite negative. I admit that I was doing this too...it's so easy to just complain a one liner on there and try to let it go...the problem is, the more we do that, the more we spread that negative energy around and can affect others.
I want to try to take a stand against this negativity and work on spreading my positivity! Though I'm going to remain off the fb I am going to in my real life spread positivity. I'm going to say kind words and mean them to people that I see. I am going to believe in the kind words that others say to me. I am going to shield myself from the negative stuff and encourage and spread the positive stuff.
I do wonder what other correlations I might be able to find...and perhaps even be able to make a difference. So have a wonderful day reader of this blog. Remember that even in your darkest moments, there is always a happy memory that you can grasp at. For those of you with four-legged kids, just look at your dog or cat or turtle...I know that my four-legged kids always can get a smile. For those of you with the two-legged kids, look at all the goodness you have been able to bring up into the world!
So enjoy my lil guys and bring a smile to your face!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Flashbacks of high school
Not the good flashbacks either. I was a part of something recently that made me wonder how it is we survived high school. This situation also brought up that how some times high school type things just seem to slap you in a the face randomly and it sucks. High school was rough, some times were great and other times sucked...but once you get through high school you shouldn't have to go back to it.
Crazy how certain situations bring it back. The misunderstandings, the blame, the "I hate you" attitude...yet how when you are an adult and these situations happen and you try to understand the situation, it makes no sense. You need to go back and think like a high schooler...and that's when it hits you...I have no desire to spend time with people who resort that type of behavior...and as an adult, I get to make that decision with much less backlash. Since in high school you can get black listed for this behavior and acceptance is so key...as an adult if I'm blacklisted from a group, I think that I would laugh about it.
It also helps me to understand why as we get older you have fewer friends. I happen to have great relationships with the fewer friends that I have. Those are the people I like to spend time with...and not the acquaintances that make me feel like crap...even if those acquaintances are friends with some other friends...I have the right to say, "no thanks...we'll grab coffee/lunch together alone, I'm not feeling the big group thing" and as an adult to another adult, it won't really upset anyone. If it does, again, I think I would laugh.
I still wonder how we all survived high school.
Crazy how certain situations bring it back. The misunderstandings, the blame, the "I hate you" attitude...yet how when you are an adult and these situations happen and you try to understand the situation, it makes no sense. You need to go back and think like a high schooler...and that's when it hits you...I have no desire to spend time with people who resort that type of behavior...and as an adult, I get to make that decision with much less backlash. Since in high school you can get black listed for this behavior and acceptance is so key...as an adult if I'm blacklisted from a group, I think that I would laugh about it.
It also helps me to understand why as we get older you have fewer friends. I happen to have great relationships with the fewer friends that I have. Those are the people I like to spend time with...and not the acquaintances that make me feel like crap...even if those acquaintances are friends with some other friends...I have the right to say, "no thanks...we'll grab coffee/lunch together alone, I'm not feeling the big group thing" and as an adult to another adult, it won't really upset anyone. If it does, again, I think I would laugh.
I still wonder how we all survived high school.
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