Our journey of life is about progress, not perfection. It's not about doing one thing 100% better - it's a matter of doing 100 things, 1% better each day. Progress is evolutionary not revolutionary, and most days we measure our progress in inches, not miles. What matters most is showing up for your life whether you feel like it or not. Ask yourself, "What two or three little things can I do today that would move me forward?" You'll be amazed at how much distance you can cover by taking it in increments. The little things add up; the inches turn to miles; and we string together our efforts like so many pearls. Before long, look what you have - a whole strand!
The Heart of our Teachers!
I am constantly amazed by our teachers. Our childrens lives are affected each and every day by these fabulous individuals who are dedicated to their lives and futures. Stop and take just a few moments to watch this video and remind ourselves of what happens after the bell rings!
Success -
I love this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"To laugh often and much
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded"
Want to design a joyful 2010? Here’s a couple of tips....
I am thrilled to have a wonderful friend and colleague like Michele Lando! I often refer to her as "the most articulate person I have ever met"! She is an expert in so many areas, and has helped me numerous times with my branding and communications. So, I am most excited to share with all of you her latest article on getting a head start on 2010! I know we're all caught up in the holidays, but remember 2010 is only a few weeks away. No matter if you're a student or adult, these handy hints are for all of us! Tish
After the decorations, celebrations and communion with family and friends, Monday morning will reappear.
My holiday gift to each of you: a few tips from the IndiBrand™ Individual Branding Workshop series.
Even in this economy. There is much to be grateful for:
The future is the present moving forward constantly. This means that whatever you envision for your future is being impacted by your choices right now—this very minute—and the next, and the next, and the next.
The future is connected to your present (which has just this instant become your past). As you consider what you want 2010 to be like for you, engage all of your senses. What do you want it to smell like? Taste like? Look like? Sound like? And feel like? The more visceral your imagination of your future, the more real it becomes and the easier it is to make choices in this instant and the next that truly support your goals for your future!
When I am considering my future I make sure I am specific and engage each of my senses across multiple areas of my life. Like good marketing, the more targeted I am in my focus on each area of my life, the more impactful my connection to it is! The more likely I will actually create it, and the more joy I experience in all areas of my life as a result. Following are some of the focus areas for my future. What are yours?
- Social: Relationships with family, friends, organizations
- Spiritual: Practicing faith, prayer, self-exploration and development, awareness of others.
- Romance: Husband, travel, celebrations
- Creative: Writing, music, ideation
- Health: Exercise, yoga, quiet time, food prep, breathing
- Professional: Contribution, self-growth, mentoring, learning
- Financial: Abundance, philanthropy, saving, planning, insurances, spending
- Play: Silliness, laughter, light-heartedness, outings, new experiences
There is always room for changing one’s vision. Don’t let your fear of commitment or your belief that you cannot control what the future holds, or anything else, get in your way. It’s the distinction between making choices that lead to something that fulfills you or not.
Author: Michele Lando, president of Skilset Communications, Inc., and author of the internationally acclaimed IndiBrand™ Individual Branding workshop series. To reproduce any portion of this article, you may write or phone 626-792-0032.
Inspiration is only the beginning!
Thought for the week - 12/7/09
Find an image of something that you really love: flowers, a rainbow, a special song, a sport that you love.
Let that be the image that you use every time you start to scare yourself!
Thanksgiving – One of my favorite holidays!
Gratitude – this is the common thread that runs through Americans this week. As I was taking my morning walk this morning at 7:30 along the beach, the town was just waking up. The famous Venice boardwalk which is usually populated with strange and wacky people and shops was locked up tight. Just a few café’s were open for early breakfast customers. The ocean was blue and sparkled as the sun was shining brightly on the water. As I walked along the boardwalk, breathing in the fresh air, I began to think about how much gratitude I have for life. As other’s do this week, I started to make a mental list of things I appreciate and try not to take for granted. There are simple things such as good health, family, love, and friends. There is a roof over my head, and food in my kitchen. My little dog Laci, rubs up against my leg with affection, knowing that she is unconditionally loved, and loves back the same way. Love - the emotion that is most expensive, yet most gratifying. I’m so fortunate to have found love with my husband of 32 years. We’ve shared so many journeys. Some wonderful, and other’s painful. Each journey has offered timeless lessons and layers to our life. My husband has cheered me on, comforted me in sorrow, and taken care of me when I was ill. He has supported my activities and several careers throughout the years. We’ve shared some really tough times, and come through as better individuals and a stronger couple. Yes, we’ve used the “sickness and in health” commitment, and the “for better or worse”, too. If I had it to do over, I would do it in a heartbeat!
Family – can extend to anyone you want to include. Some of my closest family are my friends. When I was a young girl, I was told that if you could count your true friends on one hand you were truly blessed. Well, that’s me. I’m so fortunate to have the most wonderful friends. They have offered such loyalty over the years. No matter what, my friends have been there when I needed them, as I am for them. There is a circle of life and what goes around DOES come around. My sister, although living thousands of miles away, is as close as my cell phone. When we're together, it's as if we've never been apart. If I need her, or vice versa, we're there for each other. Our children mean the world to us, and we love the appreciation that goes both ways as they are now adults. Our children have given us angst and pride over the years. More lessons! All in all, we’re blessed. Our 3 kids, their spouses and children are tremendous blessings.
Health - We don’t take this for granted. We’ve both had some pretty serious health issues and as a result, don’t take anything for granted here. Gratitude for getting through these challenges and what we’ve learned as a result is a given.
So, I have a lot to be grateful for, and this is just a small list. Take some quiet time this week, and just contemplate your blessings. When you sit at your Thanksgiving table, grab hands and say a blessing of gratitude. We all have much to be thankful for. What are you grateful for this week?
Comments to this post are welcome!
Life is a classroom....
Looking back over my life, remembering various leaders, teachers and coaches I’ve worked with, I think about which one could be the “one” who has had the most influence on me. Many of us long to find a teacher, mentor or guru. We may feel unsure of how to proceed on our life’s journey without one, or we may long for someone who has attained a higher level of insight to lead the way for us. The good news is that the greatest teacher you could ever want is always with you—that is your life. Life is a classroom. When we are open to receiving wisdom from the people and situations we encounter every day, let’s recognize how much they teach us when we are open to receiving their wisdom. How about the lessons we learn about the things we don’t want to do. Situations that occur in our lives, from the smallest and most insignificant to the largest and most important, have the ability to teach us exactly what we need to learn at any given time. A friend and associate of mine came up with what we call the “6 C’s”. Commitment, Conviction, Consistency, Courage, Confidence, and Connected. Pay close attention to these things as they occur in the classroom that is your life. Stop and think about each of these words and how they might guide your day-to-day lifestyle. Are you committed to whatever you are doing right now, today, tomorrow or even next year? Do you have conviction in your beliefs? Are you consistent with your actions and words? Do you have the courage and confidence to take the necessary action to accomplish your goals? Are you connected to your life and your path?
I’ve found that affirmations can help me to remember this perfect teacher each day with a few simple words. Affirmations are a powerful tool and when consistently utilized can make a huge difference in your mindset and therefore your life:
I acknowledge and honor the teacher that is my life.
I am wise enough to recognize the teachers and lessons that I encounter today.
I am open to the wisdom I receive.
I appreciate what life is teaching me today.
I trust my intuition on the nature of the lesson at hand.
Guess what - Your life has all the answers. Your life is a movie and the cool thing is; it is written only up until today. Visualize the end. You get to finish the movie however you choose. So, recognize that your thoughts lead to your feelings, which lead to your actions which create your results.
Start today on the completion of your movie.