It’s Not About Change…

It’s about adapting to change.

Change is the norm. Always has been. Covid-19 has been a big change for sure and it’s effects are likely to continue for some time to come. So, the key is adapting and doing our best to adapt well for the long term. Here are a few key points for adapting to change

The Three P’s

Be Positive – As much as possible, keep it optimistic. Our tendency is to initially fear the sky is falling but that rarely happens. Think about worst case and be prepared as best you can but hope for the best.

“Optimism, when applied to your life, develops strength and peace within you.”

– Norman Vincent Peale

Be proactive – Sudden change will give rise to fear and put us in a reactive mode, i.e. fight or flight. Self-directed change or change we prepare for allows us to respond in a more logical manner for better results. Develop contingency plans and robust systems so when the need arises, you are ready to go.

“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.

– George Eliot

Be Purposeful – Set your goals, both short term and long term, based on your core values. Doing so allows you to go after them and move with purpose. That purpose gets you out of bed in the morning, it helps you dispel any doubts, and it helps you to be ready for any storm that may come.

“Occupy your thoughts with purpose and you will be so busy pursuing a meaningful future there will be no time for doubt, chaos and disappointment.

– Carlos Wallace

Do your best to be positive, proactive and purposeful and you will weather the storm.

Let me know…how are you handling the change?

Rock on!

Covid-19 Anxiety, Find Your One Thing…

Covid-19 and social distancing for the last couple of weeks has been stressing me to my limit as it probably has for you too.  Being off my routine, in lockdown mode (I know, safe at home) worrying about business stuff and family stuff and with a lot fewer warm hugs has really knocked me off my game.  Can’t sleep, stress eating, not getting out to run (worsens everything) and a low level anxiety from everywhere have been the new norm…the negativity creeps on you and before you know it, it’s hitting you hard.  Thankfully, my friend Tim Cole sent me a link to an insightful article by Mitch Albom in the Detroit Free Press which I really needed today.  Mitch writes about Knox who has an incredible story…a blessed ray of sunshine all the way from Haiti that helped Mitch find his one thing.BikeRideJoy

My one thing…this weekend, my 9 year old son finally learned to ride his bike overcoming a ton of anxiety.  He’s been putting it off for years.  There was a super stress moment and some tears but he pushed through and of course, once he got the hang of it he didn’t want to stop.  He rode about 8 miles before the day was done and he didn’t let me help in any of it except to cheer him from a distance and adjust the seat and the brakes a few times.  This win was all him!  I got a long warm hug for the assist and then he let go but came back and gave me a second long warm hug, bonus!  :)

In writing this I also realize for the umpteenth time, that we have rays of sunshine all around us all day every day.  We just have to get out of our funk and look for them.  Life’s best things are the littlest things right under our noses.

As these next days and weeks come and go, find your one thing(s), your rays of sunshine, and count your blessings.  And if you can, help someone else find theirs because we are all of us everywhere on quite the rollercoaster.  Thank you Mitch and thank you Tim!

What is your one thing?

 

The Fundamentals Translate…

OilCreek2012achieveIt’s the fundamentals that make the difference in business, in running, and in life…and they are pretty much the same!

1. Don’t Take it Too Seriously:  It may be important but if it stresses you out, your performance will suffer…laugh often!
Runners: Leave your Garmin at home on occassion.  :-)

2. Ask:  Ask for the sale, ask for help…from the heart, for the right reasons!  No one really wants to do it alone.
Runners:  Run with buddies…to speed you up or slow you down.

3. Stay in the Moment:  What you DO right now is all that matters…not yesterday, not tomorrow.  Right now.
Runners:  Run the mile you are in!

4. Be Generous:  If you want something, give something first.  Trust that it will come back to you.  Givers gain.
Runners:  High five fellow runners, congratulate the winner, volunteer.

5. Use Your Time:  We all have the same amount of time available to us.  You can choose to use it or not.  The keyword is “USE.”
Runners:  Go run!

6. Reflect:  Take some time to slow down, look around, breathe.  Find some quiet time.  You may see something new in that mirror.
Runners:  On occasion, stop and enjoy the view, the quiet, the moment.

7. Feed the Fire Within: …to live with joy and passion but make choices with your head.
Runners:  Do what you love whether fast or slow, short or long, but listen to your body.

8. Find Balance: Work, family, faith, health…the tree that leans too far will fall.
Runners:  Mix it up, cross train, rest!

9. Find the Positive:  In winning and in losing. In Everything.
Runners:  It hurts but it’s a good hurt!

10. Face your fear:  That which we are most afraid of is exactly the thing we need to go after.
Runners:  Sign up for that race already!

11. Choose…to be successful, to be happy, to be you…then ACT on it.
Runners:  Run Steady, Run Strong!

Fear is a question…

“Fear is a question: What are you afraid of, and why? Just as the seed of health is in illness, because illness contains information, your fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if you explore them.” – Marilyn Ferguson

Fear is the signal…nightrunning
to ask a question
to focus
that there may be walls
that there may be opportunity
to change
to step in and explore

Whether one mile or a hundred miles, face your fear!

Awareness…

Awareness is the birthplace of possibility. Everything you want to
do, everything you want to be, starts here. To be a successful visionary, you
must be as aware as possible. At every moment, many paths lead forward.
Awareness tells you which is the right one to take.” – Deepak Chopra

It’s key to…
– good leadership
– good followership
– your team
– your customers
– your work
– your future
– your legacy.

When You Are Ready…

blog2When you are ready to see the whole picture, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place…

Business will be good.

Your relationships will grow.

You will be strong.

Take a step back to see what you do not see…

Step Back

Rock on! – E

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