A Bit of Inspiration
Are you looking for something that sparks your interest or ignites a fire in you? Perhaps an idea, a thought, or a book that fuels your passion?
I offer you a Bit of Inspiration. These “bits” are meaningful to me and people with whom I work. Perhaps something here will arouse you, motivate you to leap forward, or help you find your way.
Thursday Thoughts are thoughts I have about life’s blessings, challenges, and everything in between. Inspired by what I read, listen to, observe, or somehow experience. Published on Thursdays! (usually)
My Thursday Thoughts began as text messages to my family. I wanted to get my voice out into the world and they were “willing” participants. A friend said, “I want ‘my’ Thursday Thoughts, too!” and my mother (yay for our moms!) wanted to receive “hers” as well. When I launched my website, I expanded my “audience” by posting here and sending via email. Sign up to receive yours below!
I’m a Beeliever!
Wisdom.
🦉
That's what do you get when you combine knowledge and experience.
During the last several years, wisdom has helped me become a believer that most things happen for a reason. There are few coincidences in life.
Why did I go back to check the track team tent a few years ago when a storm was coming? Why did I change employers? Why did I stay up waaaay late into the morning preparing for my recent webinars?
Whether it's choosing a particular job, school, or friends, these choices are what we're supposed to do, where we're supposed to be.
And the people that show up are the right people.
🐝
There is also a pun here - I'm a Beeliever! That's not a misspelling.
This is a nod to my son who is graduating from college this weekend. 🎉
His school is known as the Fighting Bees.
The love any and ALL "bee" puns, including "I'm a Beeliever" which is imprinted on t-shirts we wear in support of his college marching band.
My wife and I are so proud of him and who he is becoming as a young man in our world.
🐝
What have you come to believe in your life? What choices did you make that may have appeared inconsequential at the time that you later realized were what you were supposed to do or where you were supposed to be.
The reason may not always be clear. The reason often takes time to fully evolve. Know that God has a reason and trust his plan.
Create your life.
Patience
All we need is just a little patience.
Thursday morning, I had not yet written or published this week's version of #ThursdayThoughts.
As I sat waiting for the train to take me downtown for a day in the office instead of my basement, these song lyrics popped into my head, complete with Axl Rose's "soothing" voice.
I had not taken the train or gone to the office in roughly two months.
An in-person event at work motivated me to head to the office and venture away from the relative comfort of my basement.
The minutes waiting became over an hour before a train arrived.
All we need is a little patience.
When a train did arrive, it was already over-flowing with people wanting to head downtown for work.
I could not fit on the train and was told it would be another hour until the next train might arrive.
All we need is a little patience.
I ended up walking back home and working from . . . my basement.
Later in the afternoon, determined to attend the in-person event and see my colleagues in 3D, I decided to drive downtown.
After a 75 minute car ride, I arrived at my destination (the return trip that evening took me 35 minutes).
All we need is a little patience.
The day on Friday was rather busy and as much as I wanted to write and publish what is becoming my "Saturday" Thoughts, I could not make the time for it.
All we need is a little patience.
A different Mark from my not-so-distant past would have gotten incredibly frustrated at each of these occasions, my blood pressure would have risen, and my stress level would have escalated.
Several proud moments transpired as I leaned into the patience inside me.
I say this not to boast but rather to say that with a little patience, I enjoyed my entire day, even embraced the adversity that presented itself.
I say this as confirmation that people can grow, we can evolve and choose to respond differently to unplanned events.
Does it happen this way for me all of the time? Not at all. I'm still human and get frustrated.
And yet I am grateful for my ability to show a little patience.
What about you?
When you need a little patience, notice what's going on, pause, maybe take a deep breath, then choose how you want to respond, and enjoy a little more peace.
Patience and peace.
Those are worth waiting for.
Create your life.
Notice the Good
During a recent stint visiting college campuses, we stopped at one for which we did not have an official tour scheduled. As we arrived on campus and stared at a map, a current student approached us and asked if we wanted directions.
This act of kindness reminded me that there is goodness all around us.
Similar to a time I walked down the train platform and a person was moving slowly up the steps of the train next to mine. A person just ahead of me stopped and asked if they needed help.
At a time when so many people only seem interested in themselves, notice the good.
Notice the kindness that exists.
Be the kindness.
Hold the door open, yield in traffic, offer help, smile.
Create your life.
Rest
I've heard it (and said it) a "million" times - get some rest!
What is "rest" anyway?
Last week, rest for me meant disconnecting from the digital world. No email, limited text messages, only purposeful Internet use (e.g., getting directions).
This week, rest means sleep, including sleep during the day and going to bed when many tasks remain incomplete.
I offer up that rest means taking care of yourself.
That can be a really hard thing to do when we have deadlines to meet, research to finish, presentations to prepare, soccer games to attend, studying to do, papers to write, maybe even dinner to cook.
I'm reminded this week, in particular, that we need to take care of ourselves.
We need to rest.
Taking rest:
👍 Makes the challenges easier
👍 Helps prepare you for what's next (whatever that might be)
👍 Gives you a fresh perspective
👍 Recharges your battery and gives you energy
👍 Promotes healing
What does "rest" look like for you?
When is the last time you took rest?
Make the hard decision to take some rest.
You will be grateful that you did!
Create your life.
Milestones
We measure many things by milestones.
I'm amazed, really. A three year milestone!
Today marks the 156th time I've shared a Thursday Thought message.
Three years of weekly messages about life’s blessings, challenges, and everything in between. Inspired by what I read, listen to, observe, or somehow experience. Published on Thursdays! (usually)
I started with sending text messages to my family. God bless them for their support! They enabled me to start sharing my voice.
After adding a few friends and my mother (God bless our mothers!), I eventually expanded beyond text messages and started sending them via email and publishing them on my website and LinkedIn.
What are you waiting to start?
What's holding you back?
Take a small step. Ignore the fear (it's a liar).
With each little step, you get closer to your own milestones.
Know that the best is yet to come.
Just get started.
Create your life.
Commitment
When we commit, we agree to do something fully, not just picking and choosing the easy bits.
We cannot predict nor control the complexities that might arise or obstacles we may face.
We CAN commit to taking action and adjusting our behavior based on what we learn.
Commit to small things and bigger things will follow.
Commitment is about dedication to doing our best.
Commitment is about dedication to becoming the best version of ourselves.
What is your commitment today and this week?
Create your life.
Openness
Are you willing to open your mind? Are you open to the possibilities that might exist?
Be open to:
🌷 other perspectives, especially opposing perspectives.
🌷 ideas regardless of their source.
🌷 other ways of doing things.
🌷 working with others.
🌷 sharing your challenges and asking for help.
🌷 changing direction based on new information.
Allow yourself to be surprised by what you may discover from your openness.
Create your life.
Focus
What does focus mean in your life today or this week?
Perhaps focus means:
👉 splitting what you have to do into small pieces so you can complete each in a short amount of time.
👉 giving all of your attention to only one thing at a time.
👉 removing distractions so you can finish what needs to be done.
👉 creating more clarity in your perception of a problem to solve.
Whatever it might mean to you right here and now, give focus to something and see how much you can accomplish.
You might delight yourself!
Create your life.
Values First
🍀
Have you ever taken a day off from work to attend your child's activity?
I wish I did more of it when my kids were younger.
Sure, I attended their events and carved out an hour or two here and there. I rarely took a full day off.
Work was "too important" and I could not "afford the time."
This translated to me missing out on some of life's happenings.
Thankfully, my perspective has changed over the last several years.
What changed?
I became more aware of what's important to me.
I became aware of how much I value my family and spending time with them.
I chose to put my values first. I chose to put my family first.
In the past (and sometimes in the present) I would "say" family was important and yet my actions did not always align.
This week, I had the pleasure of witnessing my daughter's excellence (like her brother's before her).
She created a documentary for her high school history class and was one of a handful of students in her class to qualify for the city-wide history fair.
I took the day off to provide encouragement and support.
Of course, she didn't need it!
Did I miss out on "stuff" at work? Maybe. Most likely not.
Did I enjoy a day with my daughter and my wife (who also took the day off)? Absolutely!
I did not want to miss out on sharing the adventure.
I made an intentional choice to take the day off. This aligned with my values.
What's important to you?
Do you make intentional choices based on your values?
When you align your choices with your values, when you put your values first, you get more fulfillment out of your time on earth.
Don't miss out. Make the choice to enjoy what's important while you can.
Create your life.
🍀
Respect
We show respect for others when we listen to understand, not reply, and without interrupting to say what's on our mind. We show respect for ourselves when we honor our values and exercise self care. We show respect when we value other people's opinions and perspectives. Respect builds relationships and fosters trust.
Where and how do you want to show more respect?
Create your life.
Be That Person
What can we learn from the Olympics about chasing and realizing dreams? Over the previous two-ish weeks, I found myself captivated by this once-every-four-year sporting event spectacular.
As an American, several events only come across my consciousness thanks to these multi-national athletic games.
The stories abound about these athletes from all parts of the world who wait four years.
They all have the dream to compete against the world's best.
They train and train and train some more.
They do what they need to do in order to be the Olympian of their dreams.
👣
I am no Olympian. I do have dreams. I dream of being a great leader, to help others grow and become great leaders themselves, to be a great colleague and friend, to be a great husband and father. I dream of being someone who makes a difference in our world.
Who do you want to be? What's your dream?
The blessing of our human condition is that we get to decide. You get to decide.
You get to decide who you want to become.
Like the Olympians pursuing their dreams, we must also take action to realize our dreams. We must take small steps.
Who will you be?
What is it that you need to do in order to be that person?
Create your life.
👣
Between Your Ears
From the moment you wake up, you make decisions. It all begins between your ears.
Do I get up now or lay in bed a little longer?
What clothes to wear? Does this shirt go with my pants?
What and when do I want to eat?
Do I listen to music while getting ready? Which playlist? Do I listen to a podcast? Which one?
Each day continues with decisions, decisions, and more decisions. Some conscious and others less so.
Truth is . . .
You get to choose.
You get to choose how you act.
You get to choose how you react.
You get to choose how you interact.
You get to choose what you feed your mind, body, and soul.
You get to choose who you want to become and what steps to take to get there.
You get to choose.
What's going on between your ears?
What choices are you making today?
Create your life.