Two weeks ago, I shared thoughts about stubbing our toes.

What happens after we stub our toe?

What comes next might require forgiveness, especially forgiveness of self.

A couple of nights ago, I stubbed my toe. Big time.

My negative ego took a huge leap out of the shadows and showed up in all of its ugliness.

Wowza.

Not the first time I've seen the ugly side. I'm grateful this hadn't happened in a while.

When emotions settled down, I felt horrified that it's ugliness appeared so strongly.

There was yelling.

There were tears.

I can come up with all sorts of reasons "why" and they don't change the fact that it happened.

I stumbled.

It was ugly.

I had to first forgive myself. I chose to give myself grace, knowing this is not who I am nor want to be.

Next, I had to seek forgiveness of others impacted by my behavior.

In the aftermath of stubbing our toes, the path forward may likely include forgiveness.

If you've done wrong, make it right.

Be kind to yourself.

Be kind to others.

Create your life.

🍨

A few weeks ago, I asked a former colleague for what amounted to a favor.

He was a collegiate assistant basketball coach and I was a student equipment manager. We worked together 30+ years ago, with our last contact occurring more than 25 years ago.

Bottom line, he's now a collegiate head basketball coach and I wanted my daughter to meet with his trainer because she wants to to be an athletic trainer herself. We were going to be on campus and it seemed like a good time to explore the career by talking to someone doing the work.

With nothing really to lose, I decided to reach out to the coach and ask if we could meet and talk with his trainer.

He could have said no. He said yes - which is as much a testament to him as a person as to me asking the question.

We had an amazing visit with the trainer and a graduate school student in the same program my daughter may some day join.

As an added bonus, we got to watch part of their practice!

All this because I found the courage to just ask.

👍

If you want something and never tell anyone, the odds are quite low that you will get that thing.

Maybe it's a conversation with an old colleague. Or perhaps a conversation with a new colleague.

Maybe you want someone to prepare dinner or wash the dishes.

Maybe you want a job, promotion, or raise.

Maybe you want transparency about current status.

Maybe you want a hug.

🤗

If you at least pose the question, you give yourself a chance.

What do you want?

What if you just ask?

Do it.

Use your voice.

Serve as your own advocate.

Create your life.

🍨

We generally try to walk without trouble. Right? It's something we do consistently and usually without thinking.

What happens when we stub our toe? It usually hurts for a little while, especially right after it happens. We "fail" at walking smoothly.

Similar to walking, in the rest of work and life, we sometimes fail or at least perceive it as a failure.

I recently recalled that I flunked physics my first semester in college (yikes!). Up until that point, I planned to be an attorney (too long of a story about the connection between a math degree, freshman physics and law school). That fateful grade sent me to the business school and down a very different path from when I started the journey.

Stubbing my toe in the classroom stung. I had never experienced such a "failure" in school. Had that not happened, my life would have likely turned out quite different.

When have you stubbed your toe?

Was it losing on the court, field, or pitch?

Or maybe forgetting to fully plug a laptop cord into it's power source?

Or perhaps saying something out loud that you wished you had kept to yourself?

In the split second between when you stub your toe and react, you can make a choice.

When something goes different than you want, perhaps you can laugh at yourself and the situation. That's a choice.

I'm not great at this.

I stub my toe more than I would like.

Check that, I respond different that I would like, more frequently than I would like.

How do you respond when you stub your toe?

I'm getting better at choosing my response. I dare say, my response is sometimes a developed habit, something I do without thinking.

Kinda like walking.

Create your life.

🍨

Give a Hug to Those You Love! 🤗❤️

Especially your partners and kiddos, no matter how young or old. At least call your loved and tell them you love them if you cannot physically show them.

I find it very, very easy to get caught up in the day-to-day busyness of life. I want to share a somber reminder that tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. Let's live our best life and treat others well while we can. My cousin tragically drowned last weekend while fishing. Something he absolutely loved doing. He was only 45. Our families did a lot together growing up. As life evolved, we spent less time doing things. I hadn't talked to him or his family in several years. That's the disconnect that happens, I suppose. Now I can't talk to him.

Since hearing the news, I've tried to shower my wife and kids with more lovin' than usual. I've shed a LOT more tears than usual, too. I'm vowing, at least until the busyness takes over again, to pause, reflect, and connect with others, especially the ones I love.

Who is one person you can reach out to and touch either in person or on the phone? Start with one and see where it takes you.

Like Cody Johnson sings, let's do "the things" — 'til you can't.

Create your life.

❤️

What do you feed your brain?

Feeding your brain with positive thoughts will create positivity for you and those around you.

Feeding your brain with your strengths will help you demonstrate your strengths every day.

Feeding your brain with all the kindness you can gather will result in treating yourself and others kindly.

Our brain is a machine which creates our reality.

What reality are you creating? What do you feed your brain?

Create your life.

🍨

It's like 1, 2, 3, just as simple as can be.

Before we started hearing these lyrics from Florida Georgia Line in June, 2018, this phrase, and others like it, was around for a long time.

We might need to be careful of things that seem too simple, too easy.

When it comes to our own actions and thoughts, we might benefit if we don't make things too complicated.

By keeping things simple, we can avoid over-analyzing.

By keeping things simple, we open up more possibilities.

Keep it simple.

No need to complicate it.

Create your life.

🍨

What story are you telling yourself about a situation?

What story *could* you tell yourself? What's an alternative story?

If you take a victim's stance, the situation is happening *to* you.

Nothing you can do about it.

If you take a creator's stance, you're in the driver's seat.

Consider for a moment, what is it that you want?

How would you *like* to respond?

What would have to be different?

You get to choose how you look at things.

You can change how you view the situation.

You can change your perspective.

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." (Wayne Dyer)

Create your life.

🍨

Who inspires you? 💡

For me, my father-in-law is a source of inspiration.

In the days and weeks since his wife of 60+ years passed away, he has shown amazing resiliency and desire to thrive. At almost 93 years old, he is mentally present most days and impresses with what he can recall and keep track of. He even attended a few strength and stretching activities in the place he lives.

Even before his wife died, I was impressed with his ability to laugh at himself and not take himself or others too seriously. He tells jokes better than many others. He enjoys his sweets without remorse, especially ice cream, fruit pie, and chocolate covered peanuts.

I feel inspired to follow his example.

I feel inspired to laugh more, especially at the little things.

I feel inspired to live a little more light-heartedly.

I feel inspired to enjoy the sweet things in life.

Who inspires you?

Who do you inspire?

Create your life.

🍨

When we get better ourselves, those around us get better too.

When we "do something" there is an impact on ourselves and those in our sphere of influence.

There is a by-product of our action.

When you take action, notice the impact and influence on those around you.

It will start with your closest relationships.

Then it will extend to their relationships.

And then to theirs and so on.

When you take action, your impact and influence can extend well beyond your sight.

When you take action, notice the ripple effect.

Create your life.

🍨

Yesterday we received one of the few snowfalls of this winter season. As I looked out at my backyard, I was struck by the newly fallen snow.

❄️

The view was pristine, a white blanket covering the ground and hanging from the trees.

There was a crispness in the air.

I felt a sense of new beginnings and potential. A fresh start waiting to spring.

🌳🌷

This week, I took a group of 30+ colleagues through an exercise to choose One Word to be in 2023.

They came up with words like light, present, health, growth, patience, ripples, and connection.

Their words seem a bit like the newly fallen snow, full of the promise of new beginnings.

Each person's word will help them to live intentionally this year, not by accident.

What is your word for who you want to be in 2023?

Create your life.

🍨

The pandemic has led many of us into a habit of isolation. A habit that we desperately need to break.

As human beings, we are wired for connection. That's the opposite of what's been happening for me and so many other people.

Even when in office space together, we seem stuck and merely coexisting in the same space.

When in my company's office this week, it took me until late afternoon to say hi to the person sitting in the chair next to me.

Sure, I extended greetings to others around me. I did not connect to the person right next to me.

I was busy.

So were they.

I noticed that many others were not connecting the way I remember when, well, before.

What if I never said hi?

What if nobody said hi to each other?

What a lonely world this would be.

Each connection, big and small, results in feeling a little more meaning in what we do, a bit better health, and perhaps even enjoying a satisfying relationship.

To break the isolation habit, we can consider taking the initiative, giving others the benefit of the doubt (they really are interested in hearing from us), and giving off a positive and inviting vibe.

We can learn to simply reach out and say hi to the people around us and to pick up the phone and make a call.

We can also work to be available for others when they reach out.

When we stop isolating, we connect to something greater than ourselves. We connect to others.

That feels good.

Create your life.

🍨

When we goof up, it's important to say we're sorry.

When we recognize we made a mistake, it can take courage to admit it to ourselves and might be even harder to admit it to someone else.

We all make mistakes sometimes.

I made not only one, but two mistakes last night.

One was me over-reacting to a family situation and raising my voice.

Another was me not communicating very well with a friend.

In both situations, I recognized right away that I wanted to apologize and I did.

Apologies might be the first step toward repairing the relationship.

Apologies are definitely a step toward forgiveness.

Create your life.

☮️

The start of a new year brings a sense of freshness and chance for new beginnings.

At this time of year, I like to reflect on the song lyrics from "Everything is Possible Now" by Clouds and Thorns.

As this new year gets rolling, these words seem particularly appropriate.

This song's upbeat tempo feels good and the words energize my soul.

Everything IS possible now.

👍

"As time rolls on, I won't let life leave me behind

I can see the future coming

And man it's such a sight

But time will waste me

if I don't stop wasting time

Let's dream out loud

'Cause all we know

Has been turned upside down

Everything is possible now"

🎶

What possibilities exist for you today, this week, this year?

Create your life.

🍨

P.S. As promised last week, my word for 2023 is INTIMACY. Not what you think of in the bedroom (although that's okay, too). It's expansive intimacy. I seek deeper relationships at work, home, play, and with myself. I want more connection and closeness, to journey with others and not alone, to touch people's lives and in turn have them touch mine. I desire more richness in my life.

☝️

For anyone who asks, I will help you to identify YOUR one word.

What will your word be in 2023?

❓

Happy New Year!

🎉

I have an invitation for thee in 2023.

I invite you to start the new year by choosing just One Word that will provide you with clarity, meaning, purpose, and focus throughout the next year. Skip the resolutions that become forgotten within days or weeks (80% of them gone by February). One Word is simple and powerful.

🎆 You will become more aware of your word in everything you do.

🎆 You will benefit personally, professionally, and even while playing.

🎆 You will build new habits focused around your word.

Resolve to live 2023 on purpose, not by accident!

Choose One Word that will stick the entire year!

My word in 2022 was playful. I wanted to live more free-spirited and enjoy life more fully. I wanted to shake myself free from default behaviors and unleash more creativity. I wanted to be less serious, have more fun and enjoy the ride.

Next week, I will share my word for the new year.

What will YOUR word be in 2023?

Create your life.

🍨

As you celebrate the holidays this time of year, and (hopefully) slow down a little, what are you doing for yourself?

Earlier this week, I completed my first strength training session in, um, much, much too long.

Today will be my second strength training session.

I'm taking next week off from work and look forward to:

👍 more strength workouts

👍 reading a book

👍 mediation time

👍 going for a walk (or three)

My goal is to put self-care into my schedule and want to use this holiday time to start some habits.

I'm starting with one small thing.

It will grow into another small thing.

Then perhaps another.

What I know, and have not always taken action to do, is that I need to care for myself before I can care for others.

Just like the airlines suggest, I need to put my mask on before putting a mask on others.

What are you doing to take care of yourself?

Create your life.

🍨