Tag: books

inspire

OLW for 2024

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It’s January, which means it’s One Little Word time. In past years, I’ve chosen a variety of words for a variety of reasons to guide me through a year. Some words seem to stick as the year progresses, others aren’t quite as durable.

This year’s choice was not too hard to zero in on: Venture.

I have a lot of travel planned. Ventures.

I am craving new things and stretching myself. Adventure.

I’ve also been thinking (and mulling) about business and trying to develop several of the businesses I am involved in / owner of. I have sort of shirked my responsibilities in this area. Whether writing or creativity or sharing ideas broadly, there are several ventures I need to work on. In fact, one of my businesses actually has Venture in the name.

It’s a spirit of extension. Of growth. Of embracing the new and stretching myself.

In addition, I am trying something new at the beginning of the year. I made a “24 in 24” list instead of a single resolution. They are tasks large and small, fun and tedious, that I hope to get taken care of this year. This is a practice from Gretchen Rubin. You’ll hear about these as the year goes on. 

What did you take on for reframing, refocusing, and refreshing at the beginning of 2024? 

Uncategorized

Wavelength

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“Let’s play wavelength.”

A two-hour road trip with two of my favorite teens. Passing the time with music and games and giggles. I had no idea what this game was but I was all in from my perch in the back seat.

“You pick a number from 1-10 and then the person tries to figure it out. They can ask for 5 descriptions then they have to guess.”

There were three of us. The odd girl out played the role of the confirmation person, making sure that the numbers didn’t lie. Meaning, the two non-guessers had to actually share the number in advance to be sure it was all on the up and up.

The first example was pretty easy. She flashed her fingers behind the head rest.

Then the guesser started firing questions:

-office supply

-trip itinerary

-fast food order

-ski resort

-school subject

For school subject, one description was “PE class, but first period of the day.” The guesser said aloud…”PE is awesome, but first period means you’re sweaty all day so that takes it down a bit. That’s about a 6.”

For trip itinerary, I said “a road trip to the beach on a 3-day weekend.” The guesser then reasoned aloud again: ”I love the beach, but a road trip means it’s a closeby beach I’ve probably been to before and a 3-day weekend means I won’t be there long. That’s a 5.” 

After 5 clues, the guesser chooses the number.

These two teens and I have known each other for more than a handful of years. Still, I was surprised how often they guessed each other’s numbers. Even with time passing and a couple of years in age and experience separating them, they are still on each other’s wavelength. 

Me in the mix was a little different. For example, when I asked for “school supply” one of the girls said a mechanical pencil with a certain type of lead. I immediately guessed 2 since I hate mechanical pencils. Then the clue giver changed her clue to a colorful flair pen, which moved my guess up to an 8, which was much closer to the target number. It really is about knowing each other and being on a similar wavelength. 

As we enter this time of family, road trips, and togetherness, it might be fun to see who is on your wavelength.

–

inspire

Daydreaming

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I love it when I find somebody or something that inspires me. Today it was Spanx. Not the pants, although they are amazing it was their founder.

The one, the only Sara Blakely. A bad ass boss woman who supports others with her posts, her generosity, her wisdom, her experience and so much more.

I saw this first hand this year when she hired an up-and-coming local college graduate at her firm. Next time was when COVID hit and she directed funds to her Red Backpack grant program. I saw it again today with the post above on LinkedIn. What an influencer. What a shining example for women in business.

In today’s world when so much is crazy and uncertain she points to herself. She uses herself as an example. She talks about the non-traditional path she traveled to get where she is today.

She talks about hard work, challenging times and starting with her own daydream. She chipped away at her daydream until she could sustain herself and others.

What a beautiful thing. Success is a great but those who share their successes, experience and know-how with others is equally beautiful.

Keeping with the name of the post, what is your daydream? What are you doing to make that dream a reality?

Don’t have a daydream? Starting dreaming know. You will at least enjoy the dreaming process even if you are not ready to take flight yourself.

Dream big.

dare to be different, inspire

Sally Said

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I’m kind of a big deal.

All my friends want to be around me.

At the park.

At school.

At the mall.

Being a big deal can get crazy at times.

Sometimes one of my friends will get really mad if I don’t spend enough time with just them!

I also have to make sure I don’t leave anyone out when I make plans to play after school.

Sometimes picking teams on the playground can be hard work!

I have to make sure I don’t hurt any of my friends’ feelings when I pick teams.

Who I pick first or last can be a really big deal to my friends.

Being a big deal can be hard work.

I have to be extra nice to everyone all time time.

I mean I try to be nice to people all the time but I might mess up and hurt my friends’ feelings.

I don’t know why I am a big deal.

I get up the same way each morning.

I even have crazy hair in the morning.

I brush my teeth just like my friends do.

I am not rich.

I am not famous but I might be famous one day.

I don’t have super powers.

I am just me.

I really like being just me.

I like to smile and have fun.

I like to laugh at funny jokes.

I like to make funny jokes.

I like to play sports and have fun outside.

I like to play with my dogs.

I like to be around people especially my friends.

My friends say I am goofy sometimes.

I make my friends giggle a lot.

I always have fun playing with my friends.

My dad says I am his sunshine every morning.

My dad makes me feel good when he tells me that.

My mom told me once that he calls me sunshine because I can brighten up any room full of people.

Maybe my mom and dad make me believe I am a big deal.

My sister says I can fall in a bucket of doggie doo doo but still smell like roses.

I never really understood what my sister said but my mom explained it to me.

My brother just says I am annoying.

My mom said you are special.

Your smile is infectious.

You can can make people feel better about themselves even when they can’t see for themselves.

I still don’t understand why my sister said doggie doo doo smells like roses but my mom said one day I will know when I grow up.

My family makes me rich I guess.

I love my family.

I guess I love being a big deal, too.

Being a big deal helps others.

I hope you can be a big deal, too.

If lots and lots of people believe is being a big deal then the world will be a much happier place.

I hope somebody reads this story in China or maybe even Russia. And maybe I will write more stories and become famous one day.

In today’s world we need more Sallies. What Sally says is important. In world of crazy corona challenges we all need to be kind and channel our inner Sally. We can all be a big deal. Today, tomorrow and the next day.

Because Sally said so!

dare to be different

Mundane

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The word mundane may be used more often during corona times than in the year before when people look at their lives.

Living in the confines of your home 24:7 for an extended period of time with limited access to other humans, socializing, touch and so much more. I’m sure many can relate.

However, there are some who live a mundane lifestyle year-round. They never bend or flex. They don’t seek change and they exist within the normalcy of their mundane life.

The perfectly manicured lawn. The impeccably made bed. The spotless sink. The routine. The regimen. The mundane life.

Is growth possible when all is predictable? Is it possible to chase perfection in the mundane lifestyle or will you wait forever to reach perfection?

If I view my life from a distance I’m more gypsy-driven compared to mundane. I’m eager to chase change. I love a messy bed or a more lived-in look. If I was to mow the lawn I wouldn’t follow the perfect pattern, rather I’d chart my own path. I’d opt for a paper plate and utensils to save dish clutter. I don’t travel in a gypsy pack but I enjoy the carefree lifestyle over rigid and mundane.

Work tasks on my mundane list are mostly accounting tasks or repetitive duties that require little or no independent thought. I could make widgets but I wouldn’t enjoy being a widget maker. I can post accounting transactions but for the love of God I could not be a full time accountant.

When I had time to sit back in corona and evaluate my own circumstances I looked at my Crossfit regimen. Definitely mundane from a schedule or routine perspective but I always defended the choice noting the constantly varied workouts of the day. But then I looked closer and Mondays were leg days, Tuesdays were chest and back and so on. I had to shake up my life and challenge myself.

Enter running. I’m not a runner by design. I’m a thick fit but I am opting for trail runs with switch backs and diversity a couple days a week. I’m opting to use my bike. A road bike some days and erg another. Body weight exercises at home some days and some strength activities in between. It’s not perfect but it’s me stretching. It’s me breaking the mundane cycle. I don’t think I’m alone here. I think many have shifted their workouts to take advantage of online training options and variety within their environment.

I may circle back in time but to be true to myself I need to evoke change. Even if minimal it’s required for me. Variety is my spice of life. When I glance at the last 10 years of life I can say I have been evolving. Mastering the chaos in my world. Charting my path toward my golden years with freedom and variety to not only reduce the mundane in my life but to seek pleasures that stimulate my mind.

Some people just can’t be overly routine. Take a partitioned Murph routine in Crossfit. 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats for 20 rounds. Talk about a hamster wheel. Every time I try to partition that workout I have to change it up at the end. 15 pull-ups, 30 pushups and 45 squats. I just can’t mentally push through the redundancy of the same pattern for 20 rounds. This is crazy to me and a mundane task I will try to overcome in time but it’s a noticeable trait I have. Change is my normal. It feeds my soul.

We have one life to live. It’s important to live our best life while continuing to grow as individuals. Growth doesn’t happen inside your comfort zone. It happens when you test the water or temperature just outside of your proverbial box. This was my recent view when I opted to step outside.

I am not a word wizard by any means however word usage can be fascinating due to the depth of their usage. I write as a constant form of change and exploration of life. Thanks for coming along for my ride/journey.

As I wrapped up this post the mail came. In comes a what seemed like barrel full of affirmative words on a tiny postcard sent by a dear friend. I was born to be an original. I couldn’t have said it better myself. No copies allowed. No mundane for this girl.

 

Until next time.