A Few Thoughts About Our World

Time to read: 1 minute, 10 seconds

Cute photo of our puppy

People reach out to me regularly about what I think about things happening in the world and what to do about it. It seems like everything everywhere has turned upside down all at once.

Honestly, I have days when I have a hard time keeping the faith. When I wonder if anything I teach and live matters.

Then I pull myself out of that pit of despair and remember that, of course, it matters. I matter. You matter. We all matter. It matters what you think because what you think leads to what you believe. And what you believe leads to what you do. And what you do, day in and day out, big and small, matters a lot.

Every act of violence is a choice. Every act of love is a choice. Every dehumanization of another person is a choice. Respect and kindness are choices. How you show up every day, in every situation, is a choice. You don't have to look very far to see the power of one individual to make choices that impact other people in positive and horrific ways.

So you see, you matter. A lot.

If you feel stuck, unappreciated, confused, and wonder what to do about it, let's talk. My signature group coaching program, Clarity U, starts on September 25, and there is still a spot for you.

One Clarity U graduate said, "It's better than 25 years of therapy!"

I know you get marketed to all the time, so if you're like, "not for me," ignore this email. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled missives in a week. If you're thinking, "I want things to be different, and I don't know how to get there," let's talk. Just email me , and we'll set up a time.

Clarity U starts on September 25. That's plenty of time, and it's coming fast.

P.S. If you're curious about a cohort coaching program, email me , and we'll set up a time to chat!

 

Summer Fun Week 14 - Where Is Your Focus?

Time to read: 25 seconds

I think about food. A lot.

It's Week 14! This is the last week we're talking about fun. I hope this series, though, sets you up for a lifetime of more fun.

Today, consider where you put your focus?

  • What do you think about?
  • What do you talk about?
  • How do you spend your time and energy?

The things you think about, talk about, and do are the ways you spend your days. And the way you spend your days is how you spend your life.

If you want to have more fun and joy, consider how to have more joy in your thoughts … about other people and yourself.

If you want more fun and joy, drop complaining and pick up topics that are fun for you. (Anyone want to talk non-stop about vintage housewares and charm bracelets?)

If you want more fun and joy, choose to do things you find fun or to find the fun in the things you do.

And (shameless self-promotion), if you have difficulty changing the things you think, talk about, and do, a group coaching program might be just the ticket. Like…I don't know…hmmmm…maybe CLARITY U!

Intrigued? Email me to find a time to chat. Think a friend might be interested? Forward this newsletter to them. Clarity U starts on September 18, so let's talk!

I look forward to connecting with you!

 

Summer Fun Week 2 -Use This Simple Trick

Time to read: 35 seconds

Gorgeous 1960s vintage! So fun!

It's week 2 of fun, pleasure, and ease. Ahhh…summer!

When there is conflict or you want something and feel like you are not getting it, often the issue is your focus, not the thing.

Here's a concept: Focus on the function, not the form.

In last week's vacation example, the form was beach or mountains. When the form is the focus, there's irreconcilable conflict. Instead, look for the function…spending time together or physical activity or going off the grid for two weeks to recharge. When you shift your focus to the function, infinite possibilities open for the form.

I love examples, so let's play with a work-related one. You want a promotion, and it hasn't happened. The promotion is the form and keeps your lens on one narrow option. When you shift your focus to the function of what you want in the promotion…like more responsibility, supervising and mentoring employees, or a more strategic role, you have lots of ways to create those experiences both at work and outside work.

To have more fun, look to satisfy the function you want, rather than focus narrowly on the form. More possibilities = more fun.

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Lessons I Live By. #3

Time to read: 36 seconds

Happy winter in the US!

Today's lesson: Nothing is urgent.

For years, I behaved as if everything, every day was urgent. Homework! Cooking dinner! Scheduling! Planning! Coaching! I drove myself and my family crazy.

The truth is, I was uncomfortable with uncertainty and lose ends. I operated as if urgency ensured everything would get done. I believed it was possible to force life to be certain if I just tried hard enough.

This lesson took me a long time to learn, and I'm still learning. Nothing is urgent. (OK. A broken arm is urgent. A natural disaster is urgent.) In daily life, very little is urgent. However many things are important. We often sacrifice the truly important under the falsehood of urgency.

Homework is not urgent. Your email is not urgent. Your relationship with your children and employees is important. I found that I confused the two and focused on the wrong things. Take a good look at what is actually important in your life and figure out how to focus on that. Drop the urgency.

Your life and work will get a lot easier!

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