As the end of year arrives, give yourself permission to slow down.

Life moves fast. Every day, go, go, go! Hustling from meeting to meeting, rushing to the store, scurrying around from here to there and back again, dropping kids off at school, picking them up again, going to kid's events. We're all so busy doing things.

Ever notice how quickly everyone wants to get somewhere or do something?

What happens when you slow down?

For me, I notice the craziness around me (and sometimes my part in it). I appreciate leaves still on some trees. I notice someone's smile. I listen to the sounds. I observe the good that exists.

What might you notice? What might you appreciate in a different way?

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Give yourself permission to slow down so that you can:

👉 enjoy the holiday season with family and friends

👉 assess the last 50-ish weeks

👉 just "be" for a minute (or two)

You probably don't want to find yourself "Running on Empty" like Jackson Browne.

So slow down and do something to refill your cup and recharge.

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Here are a few ideas:

👉 take time off from work

👉 shut down the computer 30-60 minutes earlier than normal

👉 take a walk or maybe an extra walk

👉 watch TV or go to a movie

👉 read a book

👉 take a long, intentional breath

Please share what you are doing to slow down this time of year!

Create your life.

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Feedback comes in many forms.

Sometimes we might request it.

Other times, it might be an unsolicited offer.

We might find ourselves providing feedback.

Every time, it is a gift.

Even those times when it's hard to receive in the moment. Or the times we feel challenged to provide what we want to share.

Whether the feedback is positive or constructive, we can always learn from it. That's the gift.

Feedback may indicate that someone (maybe you!) is paying attention and cares.

In cases when no feedback exists, when someone remains quiet, they might not care and you may have already "lost" them or the relationship.

How do you perceive feedback?

Do you rush toward it with open arms?

Or do you hide and hope it doesn't find you?

Do you eagerly look for opportunities to share or do you avoid it altogether, even when positive?

Perhaps you find yourself somewhere in the middle.

Wherever you land on this spectrum, we receive and provide value when we and others share an assessment or observation.

Feedback is a mechanism for us to learn what others are thinking or share what we are thinking. A way to obtain or share an understanding of another's perspective. An approach to convey appreciation.

How do you perceive feedback?

Create your life.

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I want to express my gratitude (feedback!) to Bill for the topic inspiration and Andy for a conversation which was loaded with feedback for me.

Life, that is.

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Life is full of transitions.

Our transitions are often disruptors, sometimes massive change that leads to periods of upheaval, transition, and renewal.

We think our life will be linear and get unnerved when it is not.

Many of us approach life as if there are stages, one followed by another, in some sort of preset order.

Go to college. Get a job. Get a promotion. Get a "better" job. Get married. Have kids. Move to the 'burbs and buy a house. Etc. Etc.

The idea that our lives should be this linear is dead and outdated.

The world around us is filled with chaos and complexity. This much we know.

What about our life? Lots of chaos and complexity exists there, too.

We need to update how we view our life and recognize (accept?) that it's not linear.

The non-linear life includes many transitions, many disruptors.

According to research done by Bruce Feiler, the average person will go through three dozen disruptors in their lifetime and we spend roughly 25 years of our adult lives in some type of transition.

Holy cow!

With so much going on, we must develop the ability to master life's transitions.

The process starts with our ability to notice that we're in a transition.

Transitions come with an ending, a messy middle, and a new beginning.

Which of these areas are you best at handling?

Start there.

Build confidence and then proceed.

Reimagine your transitions.

Create your life.

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Do you want support while navigating transitions? Schedule time for us to chat at https://bit.ly/ms-disc.

I am grateful for family and friends, health, smiles, laughter, sunshine, and family gatherings.

Take a moment today and reflect on those people and things for which you are grateful.

Maybe even take a gratitude walk, 5-10 minutes spent saying thanks for your blessings.

We have much for which to be thankful.

Create your life.

🦃

What do you think?

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"Our life begins twice: the day we are born and the day we accept the challenge that our life is essentially ours to choose."

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This quote comes from Richard Leider, book author and pioneer of the global purpose movement.

What if we really did have a second life-giving moment?

Or perhaps even more scenarios over the course of our lifetime?

I wrote a few weeks ago about choices.

We each have a choice about how we live our life, how we engage with others, who we decide we want to be.

If we don't make the decision(s), then someone else will decide for us.

In my judgement, living life "by default" is a poor choice.

Yet so many of us choose this route, myself included for different situations during my life.

As an alternative, I suggest that we intentionally consider our values and then take action that aligns with those values.

When I work with coaching clients, one of the first things we do is identify their top values.

That's a good choice, one that leads to a life well-lived, a life of fulfillment, a life of purpose.

What choices have you made?

Remember, choosing not to decide is still making a choice.

Take charge of your life.

Make choices to get more of what you want.

Feel like you were born again.

Accept the challenge.

Create your life.

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"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Peter Drucker, business/management expert

(This quote gets attributed to Abraham Lincoln, too.)

Too bad the 🎱 and a 🔮 cannot really help you to predict the future.

Bummer, right?! 🤪

This quote continues to resonate with me after many years.

How do you create your future?

I offer that it's all about being intentional.

👍 the choices you make

👍 the media you consume

👍 the small steps you take

👍 who you aspire to be

It's a never-ending journey.

What are you doing to predict your future?

Choose to create it.

No "magic 8-ball" needed.

Be intentional.

You cover a lot of ground by taking one step at a time.

Create your life.

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This world is messed up. And yet, there is also a lot of good in the world.

We can all help to make our world a good place or at least a better place. A kind place.

We can all spread kindness.

World Kindness Day is celebrated each year on November 13th. Add it to your calendar!

✅

Two of my favorite ways to infuse kindness into someone's day:

🙂 Smile

🚪 Hold the door open

A few additional ways to #inspirekindness:

❤️ Write a note and leave it for someone to find

❤️ Practice gratitude

❤️ Tell someone you love them

❤️ Give someone a hug

❤️ Buy coffee for a stranger

❤️ Help a classmate with their homework

There are SO many ways! How do YOU #spreadkindness? Do you have a favorite? Please share!

Create your world. Make it one based on kindness.

Create your life.

Be kind.

❤️

"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

These lyrics from the song "Freewill" by Rush speak to a lot of different scenarios.

Today, I want to consider them in the context of the next U.S. general election.

Please get out and vote. ✅

As election cycles come and go, we have more and more access that makes it easier to cast your ballot.

Please don't let busyness be your excuse.

There are early voting options (including Saturday in many places) and there are absentee options (I believe Oct 31st is the deadline to request mail-in ballots).

Of course, there is always Election Day voting. 👍

Life is full of choices. We make them multiple times each day.

Please make an intentional and conscious choice to exercise this important civic duty. Vote.

Create your life.

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We were on the hunt for a souvenir.

An ornament for our Christmas tree, actually.

On a recent journey, a gift shop had a plaque with an inspirational phrase:

Never leave the house without:

a KISS, a HUG, and a NICE WORD

They sound to me like words to live by!

And they don't cost a thing!

These actions might not occur every time I or others leave the house.

When they do occur, it creates or adds to the foundation and feels powerful.

People also feel respected, valued, and loved.

Let's produce more of that.

Create your life.

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Do you enjoy the movie The Shawshank Redemption?

There are some movies that whenever they show up when scrolling through the channels, I always stop and watch. The Shawshank Redemption is one of those for me and one of my personal favorite movies - ever. The film contains memorable lines and serves as a spectacular story about the power of friendship and even the importance of integrity, resilience, and hope.

If you have not seen it, I recommend adding to your watch list. 👍

One of my favorite lines from the movie is, "get busy living or get busy dying."

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I see this as a call to action, to actively embrace life with purpose and intention, rather than passively going through the motions or avoiding growth.

It means making deliberate choices that align with my values and goals and seizing opportunities for fulfillment and growth.

This applies to the day-to-day as well as the long-term.

It especially applies today on #WorldValuesDay (Thursday, 17th October 2024).

I yearn for all of us to get busy living, to put our values into action.

My top values include family, health, connection, integrity, and kindness.

What choices or actions align with my values?

👉 Investing in meaningful relationships by connecting with friends regularly and being present with family

👉 Prioritizing my health by committing to a regular fitness routine, eating a healthy diet, and dedicating time to mental well-being

👉 Deciding to shift my career path to align with my true interests, even though it feels risky and uncomfortable

👉 Pursuing a hobby (see my Thought from last Thursday) that brings me fun and joy

What are your top values?

What choices do you make that align with your values?

My invitation to you is to get busy living.

Choose to embody a proactive, intentional approach to living.

Create your life.

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My hobbies include an interest in the "world's most social beverage."

Beer!

🍺

I get to make beer and I also get to serve as a judge of the beer that others make.

Great hobbies, these activities related to a beverage containing (mostly) four simple ingredients: barley, hops, water, and yeast.

Last weekend, I participated as a beer judge in a local homebrew competition.

I got to spend the day doing something completely different from the rest of the week (and most other days of the year, too).

I also got to meet some judges and reconnect with other judges who I only see while judging at competitions. It's a community.

What hobby have you enjoyed recently?

Was it sport related? Gardening? Crafting? Reading? Writing?

Having a hobby can enrich both your personal and professional life, and enhance your creativity, resilience, and overall well-being.

Hobbies might provide a break from the daily grind and allow you to decompress and reduce stress, perhaps giving your mind a chance to rest and recharge.

Many hobbies also offer opportunities to meet new people and build social connections, which can foster a sense of community and support for similar interests.

👍

I look forward to playing "paddle" or platform tennis soon.

What hobby will you enjoy next?

Create your life.

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Sometimes we get to let love in.

I wrote last week about taking a chance to reach out to others.

The flow can go in both directions. We also get to experience others reaching out to us.

When we celebrate special events in our lives, like a birthday, we get to feel the love from others.

We get to soak it up.

We get to relish the enthusiasm that other people have for us.

It can be hard to sit with the admiration.

When we do, it can warm our soul.

We get to appreciate the kind regard and care directed our way.

With big open arms, decide to let love in.

Create your life.

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I took a chance.

As I was leaving the stadium after a football game at my alma mater (#GoIrish), I saw a man that reminded me of a college professor from undergrad. That was more than three, ahem, decades ago.

I decided to approach him and ask if he was who I thought.

My intuition was correct!

I found out that he only recently retired (2019) after 50-ish years in the classroom. Wowza!

As one of hundreds (thousands?) of students in his past, I did not expect him to remember me (he didn't).

However, as we strolled down memory lane together, he did recall some of the then-groundbreaking things he was teaching - spreadsheets!

As a marketing professor, he recalled the accounting profs asking him what he was teaching because they had not yet begun using the tool in their classes.

He recalled the project we helped him build, including writing macros to help create and automate what we were building.

He took great pride in knowing that I started my career using the knowledge I learned in his classes.

He also took pride in knowing that his project laid a foundation for a lot more technology and software development work throughout my career.

He was blown away that I remembered him.

My intuition said that I probably made his day (my wife said the same thing).

My takeaway from this encounter is to reach out to others.

Take a chance at being wrong.

More important, take a chance getting it right.

Say "hello" and share why you remember them.

Share a little about their significance in your life.

You never know the impact you might have on them when you reach out and share their impact on you, whether it was decades ago or just yesterday.

Create your life.

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A smile. 🙂

We recently spent two-ish weeks traveling outside the United States (across Europe, in fact).

Everywhere we went, one thing consistently presented itself.

Yup. A smile.

🙂

The consistency served as a reminder and reassurance that smiles are universal.

No matter what sounds might get uttered from mouths, we all understand when lips curve upward, teeth become visible, and eyes crinkle.

👍

I challenge you, wherever you find yourself today, share a smile.

Be sure to include the person in the mirror. (Maybe especially that person!)

Sharing a smile does your heart good.

It might brighten someone's else's day, too.

Demonstrate a universal symbol that is warm, bright, uplifting, and contagious.

Choose to smile. 🙂

Create your life.

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