Perspective

Hi everyone,

Today's word has so many "perspectives," doesn't it??

So many things happen in our lives every day that can affect our perspective. Maybe we're worried about that huge unexpected car repair bill, then we remember that there are those who can't afford bus fare.

We are irritated about waiting too long in the doctor's office for our yearly appointment, then talk to a friend who was just diagnosed with cancer.

We complain about the heat (don't we always, fellow Floridians??) then hear about the horrible mudslides in Colorado, typhoons in the Philippines, or even the awful sinkhole that just swallowed an apartment building only an hour away!

We fuss about friends and relatives who don't make the effort to stay in touch, then we read about Tripp Halstead who continues to fight every day to overcome a traumatic brain injury. That family is thankful he's alive, even though he can't communicate with them.

We complain about too much work, then read yet another story about the thousands of people who can't find a job.

We bemoan the fact that we need to go to the gym to exercise, then realize how fortunate we are that we are healthy enough to do so.

We wince when we think about all the home repairs and chores that need done, then realize how wonderful it is to have a place to call home.

Last night, I stretched out on the bed with the lights off, just to take a deep breath. It was DARK - and quiet. In that nearly totally darkened room, I couldn't help thinking about how precious my sight is. I pondered how thankful I am to be able to hear the faint sound of the air conditioning unit (thankful for the hearing AND the a/c!).

So...the next time you realize your perspective might be a bit off-kilter, stop and think about what someone else's perspective might be of your situation. You might just find yourself thankful for your particular "lot in life." Let me know if you do!

Blessings,

Linda

www.LindasWorkshops.com

Linda@LindasWorkshops.com  

Patience



Brody - still "worried," but home at last

 Hi everyone,
Yes, I do take my own advice from time to time ;-)

Last time, we talked about using caution when making decisions in life or using caution about letting certain aspects of our lives affect our self-worth (such as our jobs).

I also mentioned that we would soon be driving 2 hours to see some rescued dogs and we wanted to use caution in deciding if it really is time and who should be chosen.

When we arrived at the event, there were several dogs - but only 3 of them were adoptable...and 2 were chihuahuas. Cutest little things! But at 5 months old, they were quite fidgety. We didn't feel ready to take on a couple of "tiny toddlers." And we're really "big dog" people. So I sat and petted the only other option available. I was pretty sure HE wasn't the one, because we were looking for a girl, with the beautiful merle coloring of a typical Aussie. But as I watched how patient he was with everyone and everything happening around him, it started to dawn on me that his was the type of calm personality that we needed if we were to add a dog to our family of 2 kitties. We stayed for 90 minutes and during that time he never snapped, growled, or even frowned at any of the other dogs - even blind and deaf Rose, who was crawling all over him, or the chihuahuas who were always prancing around somewhere near him.

But we left. We wanted to make sure we were thinking it through logically. Well, logically, he is very calm. Logically, he may be difficult to adopt out because he doesn't have the flashy colors or blue eyes of a lot of Australian shepherds - so we may be his best bet. Logically, he's already probably 3 years old and most people want puppies or "juveniles." Logically...the timing seemed right after 3 unsuccessful attempts to adopt in the past five months.

When we found out his background - living at the end of a chain for most of his life, turned in to a high-kill shelter, rescued from there but placed with 3 different foster families in 5 months...well, logically - this boy needed us ;-). So after I returned home from a business trip last Saturday night, we made the decision to drive to Tampa again on Sunday to adopt Brody.
Best. Decision. Ever.

I am happy to say that our caution and patience were rewarded with what seems to be the perfect fit for us. He is gentle and huggable. He's still a bit "worried" about whether or not this is his forever home, but after seeing his new toys, balls, cookies, treats, and TWO large dog beds, I think he's figuring out that he's here to stay.

I wish I could say I use that kind of caution in all of my important decisions. Sometimes I THINK I'm using caution when really I'm just taking time to talk myself into or out of something. But this has taught me that even when we rightly proceed with caution, sometimes we have to take a leap of faith. Is there an area in which you need to proceed with caution? Or are you holding back so much so that you'll never make the decision? Is it time to take a leap of faith?

And PATIENCE - oh my! This is definitely not my strong suit, as evidenced by trying to adopt 3 other dogs in  the past 5 months. And I struggle particularly with being patient with people - and sometimes with being patient with myself! Do you need to become more patient? In what areas do you struggle with that? Your boss? Spouse? Kids? Friends? Pets? Neighbors? Parents? Employees? Strangers????  The list can get quite long, can't it? How about we make a pact to practice patience for the next couple of weeks? I suspect we'll all find that our lives are calmer and more enjoyable...and I'll vote for that!

Drop me a note and let me know how you're being tested in the areas of caution or patience. The need for either or both of those in our lives can pop up quite frequently...we might as well pay attention!

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

Caution...go slowly!



Beautiful flower against that old wooden fence!

 Hi everyone!
Well, today seems like a good day to talk about "caution" - the first day of summer and the living is easy, right? :-)

Actually, here in Florida, the living is more dangerous this time of year - partly because the sun is becoming stronger and stronger and partly because it's hurricane season. In either case, Floridians are constantly reminded to take precautions to stay safe physically.

Sometimes we need to take precautions to stay emotionally safe too, don't we? Maybe we are being treated unfairly at work and we begin to believe our worth is lessened by that. CAUTION! Your work does not equal your self-worth (although I'm a firm believer in always giving 111%).

Maybe we've gotten entangled in a relationship that we know isn't good for us - whether it's romantic, a friendship, online, at work, or whatever. CAUTION! Relationships are wonderful parts of our lives, but some can be toxic and we need to protect ourselves from those.

Sometimes we get carried away and spend money foolishly in the heat of the moment. Oh, but that antique is so beautiful! Oh, but it's only one big splurge on that cool pair of shoes. Oh, but I really need to start investing and this seems like a stock that will skyrocket. CAUTION! A stock that "seems" like a steal may well steal your peace when it plummets after some talking head in Washington tells us that grass isn't really supposed to be green! :-)  That antique will gather dust just like the piece of furniture it's replacing. Those shoes will sit in your closet most of the time. And you'll be left with a smaller bank account and a whole new set of worries over that money that just went down the drain. Not to say that treating yourself to something you love or investing in stock is bad...but caution is definitely GOOD in this area!

And of course, we need to be careful about other everyday decisions we make. You all know I've been pining away for a doggie - we've tried 3 times to adopt and none of them have been successful. Tomorrow we'll be taking a trip to Tampa to see some rescued Australian shepherds and see if one of them belongs in our family. I need to remind myself to proceed with...CAUTION! Cute does not necessarily mean compatible with the rest of our four-legged family. As much as I want another dog, I don't want to bring extra stress into our lives!

So what do YOU need to be more cautious about?  We shouldn't move through life afraid of our own shadows - but there's no need to permanently throw caution to the wind, either! Let me know where you need to proceed with caution - or where you just need to have your eyes wide open ;-)

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

Anticipation...

Greetings, everyone! Today's word can have so many meanings, can't it? I instantly think of "looking forward to something." For example, I have been patiently awaiting installation of our new fence and landscaping and ... ta da! Here it is :-)  It's not as high as we would prefer (community restrictions), but we love the look of it, the openness of it, and the way it highlights the beautiful flowers...

On the other hand...we filled out doggie adoption papers on May 21, but it appears our anticipation is misguided. It seems the doggie we were trying to adopt may no longer be available. I really felt this was "the" one for us. I could actually picture her following me around the house. Alas, it was apparently not meant to be.

BUT, I am anticipating some really fun things coming up in my work in the next few months - one is the Servant Leadership workshop in Chicago in June for the ALA conference (sponsored by ASCLA). That will be jam-packed with great information to help the participants learn and grow in their leadership styles. I hope they're anticipating it as much as I am! And while I'm there, I'll be meeting up with some of my favorite clients - a very good reason to anticipate a visit to the Windy City!

And this week, I found out I'll be "touring" the state (Florida), conducting some mini-workshops on refreshing and renewing yourself at work. That should be lots of fun and I'm really looking forward to it. I've teased potential participants by hinting about a special surprise I'll have for them. Shhhhhhhhhhh, I can't tell anyone - then they wouldn't have as much to anticipate, would they?

Whether it's a special get-together over the summer with friends or family, a good book you've been looking forward to reading, trying out some new recipes on the grill, a new project you've been dying to delve into, or a relaxing vacation (that's coming in October!),anticipation is good for the soul.

What are you looking forward to? Think about it and drop me a note - I love hearing from you!

Blessings,

Linda

Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

www.LindasWorkshops.com

Serve!

Greetings everyone! Today's word is brought to you courtesy of one of my new workshops ;-)... "Servant Leadership."

Today's picture is brought to you by a good friend who kindly helped me celebrate my graduation by hosting a dinner for me. Yes, that is a "cupcake tower" and yes, those cupcakes were as good as they look (and really cute, too, in UF's orange and blue colors!). Sandy is the epitome of a great hostess - she has such a willingness to serve others and seems to thoroughly enjoy creating an "experience" for everyone - and as you can see, she is quite successful!

As I thought about today's word, I thought about how many different ways there are to serve - and how all of us can find our "serving" niche if we look around us. Perhaps you heard about the server at a Steak 'n' Shake this week who received a $446 tip. One of her regular customers witnessed other customers giving her a hard time, so the regular customer decided to make her day by leaving a huge (make that enormous!) tip. So...who was doing the real "serving" here? I think the customer actually served in a more memorable and meaningful way - not because of the amount she left, but because of the thought behind it. The server made the statement to an interviewer that "I didn't think I was worth $400, but apparently she does."  WOW.

Just think how each of US can serve others through our words and deeds - and it doesn't have to cost a cent. Yet we can make them feel so much better about their own worth. The next time you eat out - or go to a retail store - or a bank - or just about anywhere where someone is serving YOU, take notice of their name badge, look them in the eye, use their name, and comment on the good service (or pleasant smile or...). You will see a visible difference in the way they respond to you after that brief interaction.

Please don't take this to mean we are to be manipulative to get people to respond differently. That's not my intent at all. My intent is to help YOU see how you can serve in lots of different ways.

So...how can you serve this week?

• Look at a "server" as a human being?
• Pick up someone's mail while they're out of town?
• Take someone the extra serving of lasagna you prepared?
• Stop and wait while someone crosses in front of you?
• Let someone go ahead of you in the grocery line?
• Pick up something that has fallen onto the floor at the department store?
• Drop someone an email to let them know you are thinking of them?
• Pick up that old-fashioned phone and actually CALL them?  ;-)
• Do a family member's chore for them today?
• Offer to help a co-worker finish up a project?
• Blow the leaves off of your neighbor's front porch?
• Bring the newspaper from their driveway to their front door?

I know you'll find lots of ways to serve others this week - and I know you'll find that it brings a bit of sunshine into your day, too! Drop me a note and let me know what you come up with!

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

Knowledge

Hi everyone! You might think the title of this post relates to the picture (graduation day, April 14, 2013 - YIPPEEEE!!!) and I guess it could certainly pertain to that. I hope I gained some knowledge over these many months of school work, team meetings, and class time!

But the reason the word "knowledge" came to mind is that I spent some time with a friend yesterday who is a wealth of knowledge (actually, he has a lot of knowledge about wealth, too - he's a wealth management consultant! Alas, I have no need for his services, lol). Whenever I speak with him, we always get into some really interesting discussions and I walk away having learned something new - or at least affirming something I already have strong feelings about. Don't you love it when that happens??

Yesterday we talked about leadership. Since Bryan studies words, he mentioned that leader comes from "lea" = path and "der" = finder. So a leader is a pathfinder. How cool to know that what I've been telling people for years as my own opinion is also traceable back to the roots of the word "leader!"

Something I think people can miss, though, is that you don't have to have a corner office, a gaggle of employees, or a fancy-schmancy title to be a leader. You don't even have to have a job. People in all walks of life, at every level, and those who are not technically employed, can still be leaders.

You can lead people to have a good attitude - by exhibiting one yourself.

You can lead people to take a good look at their negativity by being the person who keeps a positive outlook on things.

You can lead people to act with integrity - because you set the example.

You can lead people to feel good about themselves by being an encourager.

You can lead others to be accountable for their own actions by not allowing them to make excuses for bad behavior.

So...you now have new knowledge of yourself as a leader. What will you do with this knowledge? How can you show your leadership in the next 30 days? Let me know!

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

R-E-L-I-E-F!!

Relief! That's what I felt Sunday, April 14, as I walked across the stage at University Auditorium at the University of Florida in Gainesville to receive my Master of Business Administration degree (MBA). People kept saying, "Are you excited??" And of course, I was excited - but what I felt down to my very bones was relief :-)

The funky, not-very-pretty picture in this post is a calendar I made for myself last September when I really started doubting whether or not I could actually complete the program. I needed a way to "see the light at the end of the tunnel" before I could actually see that light. Every Monday morning, I took great pleasure in crossing off another week - you'll notice the lines of my "exes" were getting thicker as the weeks wore on...and on and on and on!

But it's over. And it made me think about how many things can drain our energy, our attention, even our fun and how relieved we are when we get "through" those things. Sometimes it's a financial hardship. Sometimes it's a health crisis...or a job situation...or a relationship problem...or a HUGE project that seems it will never end.

Whatever the tunnel is that you're going through, allow yourself to really feel the relief when you finally get to the other side. So many times we just jump right into another tunnel, but have you ever seen one of those tunnels through the mountains? Even when it's a pretty wide mountain, the engineers usually found a way to provide "light" between tunnels - a space where you could sort of get your bearings again before entering another tunnel.

That's what we all need to make sure we do between "tunnels" in our lives - take some time to get our bearings - to reflect on how we grew because of our trip through that tunnel. And take a deep breath before we immediately jump into another.

I know that "life" happens and we can't always control the speed at which we arrive at the next tunnel. Maybe we don't get that short break where we can see the light. Maybe those are the times we have to make our own "light" and focus on the good. That may be a flower, a sunny sky, a furry friend nearby, or even the dime you found in the parking lot!

Focusing on the small "shafts of light" that come our way can also remind us to really feel the relief when the tunnel finally comes to an end.

Drop me a note and let me know what your tunnel is right now...are you approaching the end? Can you see some rays of light filtering through?

Blessings,

Linda

www.LindasWorkshops.com

Linda@LindasWorkshops.com