I have much for which to be thankful! I find gratitude for my life, my health, my wife, my son, my daughter, my friends, flowers beginning to bloom, rain, sunshine, being able to go outside for a walk, having food to eat, ice cream, and so much more.

I'm especially grateful for ice cream. 🍦

For what are you grateful? We wrestle with challenges, loss, and pain almost every day. What possibilities arise when you start with gratitude?

Create your life.

🍨

Big actions show quick results that often fade over time.

Sometimes they become completely forgotten.

Little things done over and over, day after day, add up and become big things over time.

It takes time to make a change, to transition from one juncture to another.

Whether it's your diet, working out, running, drinking more water, or smiling more.

Focus on doing the little things consistently over time to produce meaningful results.

Keep track, even, and notice when you "catch" yourself doing the little things.

Pay attention as the little things become big.

Create your life.

🍨

This week I get to enjoy in-person visits with family!

It began with visiting my daughter and enjoying her mid-week band concert (she plays trumpet in her school's wind ensemble).

There's a certain amount of excitement when stepping foot on a college campus. It's a vibrant atmosphere with youthful energy.

Her music ensemble sounded wonderful.

The best part? The HUGE hugs she gave my wife and I after her performance! Big, strong, energetic, bear hugs. 🐻 Those hugs made it all worthwhile to take the day off and drive almost eight hours to see and hear her play.

In a couple of days, we will spend time visiting family as we make our way back home.

Yep, more hugs! 🤗

These are all moments to cherish.

Opportunities to reconnect, share stories from the past, and create new stories to tell in the future.

Hugs are a magnificent way to give and receive. You cannot give a hug without receiving one and the reverse is also true.

Visiting family is also about giving and receiving.

I feel blessed to have family that we like to spend time with and who presumably like to spend time with us, too!

And I feel immense gratitude to have a daughter who's eager to give us hugs.

Big hugs.

Create your life.

🍨

Music provides SO many inspirational moments for me.

Continuing with musical connections and last week's theme about dreams, this week's inspiration comes from a song by Emerson Drive.

They sing, "Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there's footprints on the moon" (from the song "Footprints On The Moon" by Emerson Drive).

To me, this speaks to bypassing barriers or perhaps what we "perceive" as barriers.

These lyrics speak to recognizing the factors that limit us from making progress toward our dreams and pushing beyond those limits of what is considered possible.

It might require a willingness to push beyond your comfort zone and embrace a growth mindset.

A mindset that sees challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles (is the sky really the limit?).

It might also help to clearly define what you want to achieve and why it's important to you.

What are your values?

Set ambitious yet realistic goals that stretch your capabilities and inspire you to push beyond your current limits.

How do your goals align with your values?

Bypassing barriers might also involve a commitment to lifelong learning and skill development.

A commitment to expanding your knowledge, expertise, and capabilities.

Do this by staying curious, seeking out new experiences, and being open to exploring unfamiliar territory.

Break through the sky and reach for the moon.

Increase your comfort level with bypassing barriers.

Push beyond your limits and realize your dreams.

Create your life.

🍨

Today's inspiration comes from ELO.

In their 1981 hit song, Electric Light Orchestra sings about holding on tight to your dream.

"When you see your ship go sailing. When you feel your heart is breaking. Hold on tight to your dream."

A little later, they continue:

"When you need a shoulder to cry on. When you get so sick of trying. Just hold on tight to your dream."

"And you want so much, but you're all out of luck. When you're so downhearted and misunderstood. Yeah, hold on tight to your dream, yeah."

When this song streamed as part of a recent daily mix, it resonated with me and served as a good reminder to indeed hold on tight to my dream(s).

Do the lyrics resonate with you, too?

I'm also reminded of a quote from Lou Holtz, former head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, "A dream is only impossible if all you do about it is dream."

The connection in my mind is to hold on tight AND take action to make the dream become reality.

💡

What is your dream?

What action are you taking to make it come true?

In my experience, our dreams often take time for us to realize them. They require patience and persistence.

We need to keep taking small steps and making progress.

Hold on tight to your dream.

Create your life.

🍨

Ask questions.

Show people you care about them.

Don't worry about sharing a "better" story or "better" experience.

Be you.

Create your life.

What is your favorite way to relax and unwind?

This became an icebreaker question at the start of a recent meeting.

In addition to pondering my response, this question made me consider the reason we might want to relax and unwind in the first place.

Certainly I feel it helpful to relax and unwind after a busy day filled with meetings as well as after a stressful week.

I got to thinking that it's helpful even after a "regular" day or week, not only on those days when I feel a need to decompress.

There are times I need to simply transition from one mindset to another.

It can serve as a way to prep for the weekend or even get ready for the upcoming work week.

For me, my favorite way to relax and unwind includes exercise and/or music.

Exercise is all about the movement and could be anything that gets me sweating.

Music depends on the mood I'm in and what I need. Sometimes it's loud and upbeat, other times quiet and slow. It might be with words or instrumental.

Exercise and music do it for me.

Others in my recent meeting reported that what works for them includes book reading a book, meditation, movement, yoga, getting outdoors, taking a bath, and watching a movie.

When do you feel the desire to relax and unwind?

What is your favorite way to do it?

Create your life.

🍨

I was acutely aware and this awareness felt different to me somehow.

During a walk to the office this week I heard only ONE car honk its horn the entire 25 minute walk!

And that occurred with roughly 5 minutes left in my walk.

My office is located in Chicago and hearing car horns honking is quite common.

Perhaps even too common.

Which is why this car horn caught my attention and made me notice that I had not heard the sound of car horns until that moment.

Lots of possible reasons exist for why this might be the case.

Had I tuned out the other car horns that morning?

That thought got me wondering, what other "car horns" do we hear around us every day or maybe do not hear because we tune them out?

What else becomes part of our environment, blending in with all the other noise and goings-on?

I want to pay more attention to the things that might be blending in.

Like car horns.

Create your life.

🍨

"That feeling in your bones."

Listen to what your body tells you.

Your body, including the emotion you might feel, provides a lot of guidance.

Your body knows way more than your mind might want to accept.

Your mind is the source of logic.

Your body is the source of wisdom.

The challenge is to tap into the depth of wisdom your body holds.

What if you were to pay attention to it?

Pay attention to the:

👉 tightness that arises in your throat when you are about to embark on something big

👉 warmth in your core when you flash your smile to a friend or perhaps even a stranger

👉 warmth in your core when you help someone or someone helps you

👉 tingling in your fingers or toes when you experience excitement

Trust yourself and the wisdom your body stows.

Listen to your body, not your mind.

Your body knows what's important.

Create your life.

🍨

P.S. Do you have your One Word chosen for this year? If not, send me a message. I want to help you get more in 2024! My word is Acceptance. What's yours?

🙌

P.P.S. I recently had the honor of being a podcast guest on Expansive Intimacy with Jim Young. If you want simple, day-to-day ideas to increase connection and intimacy with yourself and those around you, give it a listen and maybe even try an idea yourself! You can find the link in the comments of this LinkedIn post:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thecenteredcoach_newyearnewyou-worryless-expansiveintimacy-activity-7146544854481715202-WEhM

☝️

A recent "adventure" required a bit of self-awareness.

And my desire for saying I'm sorry.

And maybe a little acceptance, too (my one word to live by for this year).

🙏

As the song by the music group Chicago says, "it's hard for me to say I'm sorry."

I find that's often true and yet saying I'm sorry often provides freedom.

It might even provide more freedom for the person saying those words than the one hearing them.

The "lighter mental load" was at least part of my motivation to apologize.

I wanted to stop thinking and worrying about what happened. I wanted to move on and enjoy the rest of my day.

I apologized and I believe we both received the grace to leave it behind.

Yes, it is sometimes hard for me to say I'm sorry.

When I do, it feels liberating.

How do you feel when saying I'm sorry?

Create your life.

🍨

P.S. Do you have your One Word chosen that will give you more in 2024? If not, send me a message and I can help you!

🙌

P.P.S. I recently had the honor of being a podcast guest on Expansive Intimacy with Jim Young. If you want simple, day-to-day ideas to increase connection and intimacy with yourself and those around you, give it a listen and maybe even try an idea yourself! You can find the link in the comments of this LinkedIn post:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thecenteredcoach_newyearnewyou-worryless-expansiveintimacy-activity-7146544854481715202-WEhM

☝️

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

As promised last week, my word for 2024 is ACCEPTANCE. I want more acceptance of myself as a perfectly imperfect being. I also want more acceptance of those around me. With more acceptance will come more grace, more understanding, more compassion, and more love, for myself and others.

At this time of year, in addition to choosing my word, 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.

🍨

Do you want help to identify YOUR one word? Send me a message! Everything is possible for those who ask.

What word will give you more in 2024?

☝️

What if you could have more in 2024?

💡

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 this year on purpose, not by accident!

Choose One Word that will stick the entire year!

My word in 2023 was intimacy. I wanted an expanded version of intimacy, not what you think of in the bedroom (although that's okay, too). I sought deeper relationships at work, home, play, and with myself. I wanted more connection and closeness, to journey with others and not alone, to touch people's lives and in turn have them touch mine. I desired more richness in my life.

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

What will YOUR word be that will give you more in 2024?

Create your life.

🍨

What did you concoct during the last 12 months?

As the year winds down, consider taking a few moments to reflect.

What have you created this year?

👍

Please allow me to share some of what my #creativity included:

🎵 Investing in myself and beginning to go to the fitness center an average of four days a week

🎵 Cooking new dinner recipes and preparing food in different ways

🎵 Earning by ICF PCC coaching credential (500+ coaching hours)

🎵 Sharing #gratitude with my wife at the end of each day

🎵 Posting a sign on my desk when in the office that includes my name, asks who they are, and suggests a conversation starter card if they have time

🎵 Continuing to write #ThursdayThoughts every week (this is #243)

This "year in review" always reminds me that life's what you make it.

Check out these lyrics sung by Graham Colton:

🎵

"You can test the water, You might as well jump in.

And we don't know where we'll end up, So you might as well begin.

Memories you're making, You frame inside in your heart.

In the middle of a nowhere, Is a somewhere you can start.

So go and write your song, The world will sing along.

Oh a-oh a-oh, Life's what you make it.

Oh a-oh a-oh, It's yours for the taking.”

🎶

What are you making with your life?

Are you living a life that aligns with your values and gives you fulfillment?

Do you make intentional choices about where to spend your time and energy?

What does your life balance look and feel like?

⚖️

Perhaps more important than looking back is to look toward the next 12 months.

What song are you writing?

What are you ready to start?

Create your life.

🍨

This is quickly becoming one of the more overused phrases of our current day.

People have said it to me, especially in a "see you later" sort of way as we part company.

I hear many people say it to others.

What sparked my #thursdaythoughts for this week? I heard a person near me say this phrase after they were handed their order over the counter. I even heard it in the street from a complete stranger to two others passing by.

I generally like this phrase as a substitute for the oft overused "thank you."

I don't like that the meaning of "I appreciate you" is getting watered down, similar to "thank you" getting watered down because of it's overuse.

My plea is that we start to convey our appreciation using different, more descriptive words. Perhaps share what it is we appreciate about the other person. "I appreciate you for your thoughtfulness" or "I appreciate you for fulfilling my order" or "I appreciate you for <give your reason>."

Be intentional with your words. Make it meaningful to the other person. This will carry more value for the one you appreciate and for you.

I appreciate you for reading my Thursday Thought this week. ❤️

Create your life.

🍨

Go ahead! Talk to yourself instead of listening to yourself.

This one is hard for me, especially on days when negativity is all around. If we listen, we get caught up in the negativity and doubt ourselves. We let our inner critic's voice get louder and might even believe what it says is true. It's all lies.

When we talk to ourselves, we get to focus on the positive and act with courage instead of fear. We talk from our inner authority, the part of us most connected to what we want, who we are, and who we want to be. We connect to our sage.

So, go ahead and tell yourself how great you are and the great things you will accomplish! That will become your truth. You will make that happen.

Create your life.