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Treat Each Day Like a Special Occasion

The next paragraph is best read using a soft, breathy, British accent.

When the world closes in on you and your head feels a size too small, apply just two dabs of Origins mind-clearing formula on the back of your neck, temples and earlobes. You’ll feel a tingling sensation as pressure, tension and tightness begin to melt away.

This is the online description for a special sensory therapy lotion I came across in my bathroom cabinet the other morning.  This lotion is so “special” that I have only used about seven “dabs” over the last nine years, when I received it as a gift.  I just discovered the little bottle costs $12 for .5 fluid ounces!  I think it may contain unicorn tears.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why I (we?) have a tendency to save up “the good stuff” for…. for what?  To use for a special occasion, I suppose.  The thing is, the special occasions that I (we) somehow deem worthy of breaking out the “good stuff” don’t seem to present themselves too often, so the “good stuff” remains tucked away unused and unappreciated.

No more!

So, with a NEW and IMPROVED mindset of making every day a “special occasion” day, I grabbed that special bottle of lotion and took it to the office to share!

I spotted a few ladies in the hallway and decided that they would be the lucky ones to experience the “sensory therapy” I had been hording all these years.  First, I dabbed some on my wrists, smiled and headed over to the lucky ladies.  Holding up the bottle, I said, “Y’all want a peace-filled day?  Try this!”

Mind you, these people have learned to trust me over the years, so they threw their wrists out to be dabbed with my special ‘Peace of Mind’ lotion.  As soon as I dabbed each of them, I brought my own wrist back up to my nose to inhale the loveliness.  Ahhh, the aroma of peace… the aroma of…

Cat urine!!

My wrist smelled like cat urine!  Or a meth lab, depending on your experience!

It took about a minute for the full cat/meth effect to grace each of their wrists.

Apparently, “special” lotions don’t smell as advertised after being stored away for nine years!  I figured it might’ve been like good wine and only gotten better.  Not the case.

Don’t worry the horrid smell was easily scrubbed away with soap and warm water.  : )

The lesson?  Don’t wait to use the good stuff.  Treat each day as it should be—as a gift.  A special occasion day.  A day deserving celebration.

I encourage you today to:

Burn the “special” candles while you sip on your morning coffee.
Use your fine china to serve your grilled cheese sandwich on at lunch.
Use the almost expired gift card to get that massage.
Grace your everyday table with the table linens that belonged to your great-grandmother.
Frame or display something that is too delicate to handle, but too special to ignore.
Carry and use the pocketknife that belonged to your granddad.
Write in the pretty journal that you have been saving for just the “right” words.

Can you relate?  What have you tucked away that you would like to bring out and celebrate this special day with?  I’m curious and would love to hear your answers.  Please leave your comments below.

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It’s Never Too Late For a Kind Word

“The word that is heard perishes, but the letter that is written remains.”  Proverb

When is the last time you received a handwritten note that actually arrived in your mailbox?

According to a US Postal Service survey, 650 million personal letters were sent in 2012, down from 850 million in 2010.  That 650 million breaks down to one personal letter per average household every seven weeks.  The downward trend continues as electronic communications have become a preferred method by many.

We are blessed with amazing technology that keeps us connected day to day, but some things deserve more than words pecked out on a screen or keyboard and sent off with the click of a button.

For example, a sympathy note…

I can’t tell you all the opportunities I have missed over the years in sending someone a handwritten note, but let me tell you about the one that has prompted me to write this post.

Last year I found out through a Facebook post that a friend of mine had lost her father.  Along with many others, I sent an electronic message to her immediately in response to the sad news.

This was a close friend who I had lost touch with over the last couple of years, but regardless of the distance in seeing or speaking to one another, I loved her and I knew her heart was aching.

What I didn’t do, what I should have done, what I still haven’t done, was sit down and write her a handwritten note expressing my sympathy.  It wasn’t that I didn’t think about it.  I did!  I worried over not using the right words in the note, so days turned to weeks and weeks to months…still no note.

As time went on, I became embarrassed that I had not properly acknowledged this huge loss in her life, so that became the reason I didn’t send the note.

Guess what?

I am 274 days late, but I am sending my friend a proper sympathy note today.  There are no statute of limitations on kind words, right?!

Here’s what I’ve learned:

There are no perfect words.  It is especially hard to write to someone who has suffered a loss.  My best advice is to write from your heart and keep it simple.  The words matter, but the effort matters more.  Don’t be afraid of white space on a page…it’s the quality of your words that matter, not the quantity.

If you get stuck and are at a loss for words, click here for some wording suggestions that you can use for sympathy notes as well as a variety of other occasions.

Act quickly.  Oftentimes we don’t take action because we aren’t prepared.  Keep a stock of notecards/stationery and stamps handy so that when an occasion arises in which a handwritten note is necessary, you are ready.  If you don’t have anything on hand, a plain piece of computer paper will do.

You may want to print out some of those phrases or messages that we discussed earlier and have them right there with your stationery.

Write the note and get it sent out within a few days of the announcement or notice.

It’s never too late.  Don’t wait 274 days like I did, but if you do, don’t let your shame or embarrassment stop you from taking action.  You will never regret showing kindness.

Do you have a note that needs to be written?  Whether it’s acknowledging someone’s loss, the birth of a baby, a new marriage, the breakup of a marriage, or any other major life event, remember that written words are powerful and yours will mean more than you know.

Headed off to the mailbox now!  Have a great day!

Jill xx

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Dreams Can Come True

Last week we talked about dreaming big and why many of us do not.

The main reasons I see dreams dashed are: fear, procrastination, and listening to negative talk–either from yourself or others.

Did you notice I didn’t say the main reason people don’t fulfill their dreams is because they don’t have an MBA or gobs of money in the bank?

Following are 8 steps that anyone can use to begin the process of making their dream become a reality.  

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” ~ Colin Powell

  1.  Find your passion. Sounds easy doesn’t it? For some people it is.  For the rest of us, it can be a life-time struggle and endless search.

Merriam-Webster defines passion as:  A strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.

With this definition in mind, here are a few questions for you to ponder:

  • What is so exciting that it keeps you up at night?
    Writing, cooking, knitting, opening a restaurant, wanting to help others, drawing, etc.?  You fill in the “blank”.
    NOTE: If you read my last post, you may have already worked on this list.  If not, grab a notepad or journal and jot down some ideas now.
  • Here’s another way to look at it.  What do you get supercharged about?  In conversation, what topic pops up that you just can’t get enough of?  For me, it’s talking to someone about their dreams and goals in life and helping them to figure out a game plan to make it all a reality.
  • What are you curious about?
  • What is most important to you in life?  Stability, adventure, comfort, helping others, tons of money, early retirement, etc.?

What sticks out on your list?  Did something in particular rise to the surface?  Yes?  If so, move on to the next step.

If you didn’t come up with anything earthshaking today, don’t worry.  These questions are good ones to get you thinking and exploring ideas.  Put your list down and come back to it later.  For now, let’s move on to the next step.

  1.  Dreams can come true. Have you admitted to yourself that the ideas and excitement that keep you up at night are part of a dream that could actually become your reality? Sometimes we keep our dreams in a little box that we only allow ourselves to take quick peeks inside before closing it up again.

I dreamed about starting this blog three years before I actually did.  I came up with every imaginable excuse of why it wouldn’t work… you don’t know how to write, who wants to hear what you have to say, stick with helping others figure out how to achieve their dreams–not your own, you don’t have time for any “side” projects.  Want to know the turning point for making my dream of creating this blog come true?  Long story short, I had a neck injury that had me lying flat on my back in pain for several days.  Besides praying for relief, I reflected on what’s important in life.  I realized that writing this blog was something I felt I was meant to do, even if that meant me stepping out of my comfort zone.

  1.  Realize if your dream is just that–a dream (best left on the pillow). If you are 50 years old, have never ice skated, but have decided that you are going to make your Olympic ice skating career a reality, it may be in your best interest to come up with a dream that’s a bit more realistic. The next step (#4) will help reel you in with this one.  You may come to realize that some things are better enjoyed as hobbies.
  2.  Take action. Ok, so now you’ve got a great idea and you are convinced it’s not just a pipe dream. Time to get moving! If you don’t start, you’re not going to get anywhere, are ya? I suggest you define and evaluate your goals by using the S.M.A.R.T goal setting method.

Here’s how to break down the S.M.A.R.T. acronym:

  • SPECIFIC – What do you want to accomplish?  Break it down.  Be very specific.
    Not specific: I will write a book.
    Specific: I will write 2 chapters in my book every week.
  • MEASURABLE – Figure out how to quantifiably measure your goal.  Put some concrete numbers down here.
    Not measureable: I will earn a ton of money when my book is published.
    Measureable: I will earn $175,000 in profit after publishing my first book.
  • ATTAINABLE – Is your goal something that can be achieved within the framework of what you can commit to?
    Not attainable: I will write 14 hours per day while holding down my full-time day job, too.
    Yes: I will spend 2 hours per night devoted to writing.
  • REALISTIC – This goes back to the Olympic figure skating example earlier.  Is your goal realistic within your abilities, experience, etc.?
    Not realistic: I will skate in the next Winter Olympics at the age of 51.
    Realistic: I will take ice skating lessons and join an over 50 ice skating club.
  • TIME BOUND – Every goal should have a deadline.  I have found that when I don’t assign a deadline, the goal will be pushed back to the end of the line time and again.
    Not time bound: I will write two books.
    Time bound: I will write my first book by the end of the year and complete my second book within 18 months following.

I have created a form to help you organize your S.M.A.R.T. goals.  Click here to download your free S.M.A.R.T. goal tracker.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”  ~ Conrad Hilton

  1.  Let it evolve.  Now that you’ve got your S.M.A.R.T. goals written down, don’t let how you think the plan should play out overrule the organic evolution of “the dream”. Often times we try to control the outcome so much that we miss out on the beauty of the natural creative flow that takes place. Yes, it’s important to write down goals and have a plan of action, but there may be opportunities that present themselves along the way that change the course a bit.  How you get there may change, just keep the end goal in focus!
  2.  Don’t get distracted. Do you tend to have the “shiny object” problem? At times I will be steadily working on a project and decide to stop and check my emails.  The “I’ll just check real quick,” does not work.  The next thing I know, I have responded to several emails, checked Facebook, and it’s an hour later.  Don’t allow yourself to be caught in a time-suck that throws you off your game!  Stay focused!
  3.  Visualize your dreams coming true.  This part is fun! Who hasn’t had the, “What would you do if you won the lottery conversation?” When we visualize a desired outcome, our brains can sense that motivation and new ideas will begin to materialize.  My husband visualized hitting a softball solidly out of the park when we were on an amateur league at my office years ago.  You know what?  Almost every single time he stepped up to bat, he hit it out of the park!  A large part of training takes place when you close your eyes.  Visualizing creates muscle memory.  The same idea can work to help you see your dreams come to fruition.
  4.  Celebrate your successes (even the ones that some people call failures). Cue the Kool & The Gang song… ♪ ♪ Celebrate good times, come on! ♪ ♪  Determine “success milestones” and celebrate your accomplishments. The process of realizing your dreams can be hard work! Go ahead and pat yourself on the back…treat yourself to a large pepperoni pizza…get that mani/pedi—and then get back to work.

On the other hand, learn from your mistakes. Consider your mistakes a gift.  A gift that is used wisely will bring you much success in the future.  The key is to avoid making the same mistakes again and again.

Ok, so now you have 8 steps to get you moving in the right direction to making your dreams come true.

Hold on!  I’m going to add one more important step.  Let’s call it THE GOLDEN BONUS STEP.  This one will take some courage but will pay off.

Here it is…THE GOLDEN BONUS STEP!  Tell me (in the comment section below) what two steps you will take in the next 24 hours to work toward your dream.  Don’t let this step intimidate you.  Maybe your two steps will be to print out the goal setting sheet and spend 15 minutes each day over the next week working on completing the sheet.  That’s awesome!!  As a matter of fact, you can just copy what I just wrote and paste it in the comment section below.  Sometimes just publicly saying you are going to do something, will keep you motivated (and held accountable) when you feel like giving up.

Remember, I am here to offer you direction and encouragement along the way.  If you have questions on anything I have written about here, just ask.  I would love to help you work toward making your dreams come true!

If you found this post helpful, inspiring, or just plain awesome, please be kind and share with others.

Jill xx

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Dream Big!

Is there something really exciting that you would like to do, but have been putting off?  Something you dream about “one day” doing?  You know, something like: writing a book, taking a year off to sail around the world, going back to school for a career change, learning how to play the piano, opening a restaurant, starting a non-profit?

What’s holding you back?

Lack of time?  Lack of resources?  Feeling unqualified?  Fear?

Oftentimes, taking the steps necessary to make our dreams come true are postponed until…the timing is better, there’s more money, it feels less scary, etc.

Have you noticed how time flies when we use these excuses?

Three years ago I had a strong desire to start writing a blog.  Did I do it?  No.  The two main excuses that rattled around in my head were: 1. “I really don’t have time to write with my busy schedule,” and 2. “I’m not a writer.”  First of all, somehow I always found time to watch House Hunters International, so time was not the issue!  Secondly, did I think that writers came out of the womb with a pen in hand writing beautiful prose about their experience in the amniotic sac??

For me, it all boiled down to a dirty four-letter word.

FEAR.

I allowed fear to keep me from doing something I felt passionate about.  I allowed fear to take captive my rational thoughts.  I allowed fear to bully me into thinking I wasn’t worthy to express my ideas through writing.

Well, it took me three years to finally start writing my blog, but I did it!  The operative word here is START.  I know I might look back in a couple years and blush with embarrassment at some of my earliest writing attempts.  You know what?  I’m ok with that, because at least I will have something to look back at.  You know the old saying, if you don’t start somewhere, you’ll get nowhere really fast!

So, what have you been putting off?  Has fear crept in and pushed your dream into a corner?  Are you tired of making excuses of why your dream isn’t possible?

Taking action can be really overwhelming at times.  It helps to have someone (this is where I come in!) walking alongside you offering encouragement and actionable steps as you move closer to your dream.

So today, right now, I encourage you to take the first step.  Don’t worry, this part will be fun!

Over the next several days, set aside time to reflect on what you are passionate about, what gets you excited, what inspires you.  Another way to think about this is what or who do you want to be when you “grow up”?

I suggest you write some things down in a journal or notebook.  Write down words, sentences, ideas, maybe even quotes that inspire you.  Don’t get caught up in the details of “the hows,” just let your imagination run wild!  Dream big!

“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” – Gloria Steinem

Next week I will have some specific actionable steps for you to begin working towards making your dream a reality.

So you don’t miss next week’s post, make sure to sign up to receive my blog posts via email.

Don’t let your friends and family miss out on working toward making their dreams come true!  Please share the love by sharing this post with them.

Super excited to see you next week!

Jill xx

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Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Think about a typical, let’s call it “ordinary” day.  You get up, make the coffee, shower, eat breakfast, go to work, return home, make dinner, do some laundry, watch tv, and go to bed.

Just another ordinary day, right?

Think again.  There’s something extraordinary right in front of you, you just need to know how to find it.

Merriam-Webster defines ordinary in this way:

Ordinary definition

On the other hand, they define extraordinary like this:

extraordinary defintion

I think the folks at Merriam-Webster should add a footnote with both these definitions that says it’s possible to experience the extraordinary in the ordinary.  It’s just a matter of awareness, perception and gratitude.

Let’s take a look at the “ordinary” day I described earlier.  How might we uncover the extraordinary there?

Have another cup of joe: Did you know that coffee beans are actually a fruit called a coffee cherry harvested from coffee trees?  The process from planting the seed, to harvesting (often hand-picked) the cherries three to five years later is only the beginning.  A very detailed process then takes place over the next several months that includes processing, drying, milling and exporting the green beans to a roaster.  The beans are finally packaged and available for sale in your local store or coffee house.  So, as you sip on your delicious coffee each morning, consider the extraordinary efforts that took place to create it.  Enjoy!

Rub-a-dub-dub:  Did you know that 85% of the world population lives in the driest half of the planet? 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation.  As you turn on the warm water each morning and lather up with a wonderful scented soap, give thanks for the extraordinary gift that your bathing experience is.

Take the “scenic” route: Most of us spend a good deal of time in our cars, but this works for those of us on a bus or a bike too.  Take a look around.  Note the beautiful leaf color on the trees, the interesting architecture of a house or building, and the way the clouds billow high up in the sky. These things we pass by each day, sometimes without a thought–when seen through a lens of awareness, their extraordinary qualities are revealed.

Just another day at the office: I use lots of technology throughout my day at work–how is it that I become impatient when the internet (the world at my fingertips!) goes down for 5 minutes?  Remember the day when we had to go to the library and utilize the Dewey Decimal system to look something up?  That wasn’t that long ago!  We are in an age in which we are witnessing never before seen technological advances.  These tools we utilize every day, at times taken for granted, are extraordinary.

You get the point.  It’s up to each of us to find the extraordinary in these “ordinary” experiences.  I would argue that we can find the extraordinary in almost anything.

Have an extraordinary day!

I’d love to hear from you.  Look around right now, using your new eyes of awareness, what is the first extraordinary thing you notice?  Please leave your comments below.

Jill xx

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and you’ll automatically receive each new post in your email inbox each week.

 

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Losing The Moment When Taking Pictures

The other morning I stood at my kitchen window and the most glorious scene appeared before my eyes…a bright, beautiful sunrise over the mountains.

Here it is!

FullSizeRender

What did I do?  I grabbed my phone to capture the moment.  I snapped the photo, reviewed the image, cropped out part of the neighbor’s roof, and ran down the hall to show my husband.  Darn, he was still asleep!  What did I do next?  Posted it to Facebook, of course!

What is wrong with this picture?

In attempting to capture the moment, I totally became detached from the moment.  I physically walked away from the beautiful scene that was taking place right before my eyes.  When I returned a few minutes later, the moment I was so intent on capturing was gone…forever.

How often have you found yourself so caught up in capturing a moment, that you lost the moment altogether?

I love the fact that I can easily take quality pictures with my phone.  What I don’t love, is that some of my experiences are losing their essence because I’m choosing to view them, in part, through a screen.

It’s estimated that as many as 880 billion photos will be taken worldwide in 2014, with over 200,000 uploaded to Facebook every minute.  EVERY minute!

Our obsession with over-documenting everything is adversely affecting our lives.  Here’s how:

Losing a moment you can’t get back…
Here’s a question to pose to ourselves: Is it worth losing part of the experience in order to better remember it in the future?  Hmm….chew on that for a minute.

Obviously each situation is different and we all have photos that we cherish and wouldn’t want to part with for anything.

I think the key take away here is to practice intentionality and moderation.

Adverse Health Effects…
Experts have warned that the obsession with recording and sharing every moment could have an adverse effect on our memories.

We need to allow our brains to properly process our experiences to fully retain the memory.  I don’t know about you, but I have a problem retaining things even when I’m really trying!  How much worse can it be when our attention is divided by fiddling with a camera?

Relationships suffer…
Relationships can suffer when constantly documenting our lives.  When we become so intent on getting just the right shot, we miss out on just being together and allowing the moments to come and go naturally.

Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of Alone Together, warns us not to confuse over-documenting and sharing our lives online as authentic connection.  “It’s hard to settle into serious conversations with ourselves and with other people because emotionally, we keep ourselves available to be taken away from everything.”

So…next time you are headed out, consider leaving your camera behind.  Enjoy the freedom and richness of experience this allows.

Live fully in each moment — you’ll never have another one just like it.

As always, I appreciate your input.  Can you relate to the compulsion to over-documenting life with your camera?  Please leave your comments below.

Jill xx

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and you will automatically receive each new post in your email box each week.

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Reboot Your Life

We’ve all been there.  Our computer locks up or we get some weird error that pops up.  The IT guy tells us to “reboot”.  In most cases, the reboot works like a charm.

Ever felt like you need a reboot in life?

Does one of these scenarios sound familiar?

  • You had a conversation where you stuck your foot in your mouth and wished you could hit the rewind button.
  • You started off your day stubbing your toe when getting out of bed and ended that same day with breaking your favorite lamp.
  • A bad decision you made has gotten worse. ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ is a cute phrase thrown around, but the reality is that some of our decisions can be a nightmare that we don’t wake up from.
  • A bad mood sets in for no apparent reason, and you just feel down.
  • You are totally overwhelmed with your busy schedule.

If a reboot works for our computers, how much more could a reboot work for our minds, our bodies, and our souls?

Here are some reboot suggestions that can be implemented immediately:

  • Take a walk.
    Research shows increased health benefits with a 30-minute walk per day. It can cut the risk of heart disease, the #1 cause of death of men and women, by 40%!Don’t think you can fit in a consecutive 30-minute walk each day?  Break up your exercise time into three 10-minute walks per day–breaking it up like this is actually more effective for blood pressure control!  After you read this, plan to take a 10-minute walk within the next two hours.  After you take that walk, set up a time for your next.  Make this a habit.  You won’t be sorry.
  • Take a deep breath…or two…or three.
    Deep breathing is a definite stress reliever and you don’t need any special gear or a club membership to do it. Deep breathing gives you more energy (bringing in more oxygen to your body), more focus (especially when you are very intentional with your breathing–you quiet your mind, giving it a break and a reboot!), and deep breathing also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is critical to your body’s healing and digestion processes.  Try it now.  Breathe in for five seconds and out for five.  Do this three or four times.  Good job!
  • Make a change in your diet.
    It’s no fun feeling sluggish, especially when your sluggishness is caused by the things we choose to ingest.  One quick and easy change to your diet is to incorporate some foods that are not only good sources of magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids and protein, but are also known to boost brain power!  Some good options are: salmon, avocado, nuts, berries, spinach, and dark chocolate.Now, we all know the types of foods that drag us down.  For me it’s too many carbs!!  I LOVE carbs!  It’s not until I limit (NOTE:  I didn’t say cut out completely) my carb intake that I feel and see the effects.  Here’s an idea.  Make a decision to lay off one or two of the foods that you think might make you feel sluggish and see how you feel after a couple weeks.
  • Just Say “Maybe”
    Are you a “yes” woman or man? I admit, I am a recovering “yes” woman.  For most of my life I would say yes to almost everything asked of me.  I wouldn’t consult my calendar, my already packed schedule, or my husband.  THIS is NOT a good habit.  Remember, a well thought through yes, is 100-times better than 100 knee-jerk yes’s.  My recommendation is to never commit yourself to something without sleeping on it first.By the way, some of us (women mostly) somehow decided that our worth was based on how much we were doing or what people thought of what we were doing.  The sooner we can get that line of thinking in-check the better!
  • Hang out with a friend or two.
    Friendships enrich our lives.  As a matter of fact, having a network of friends is tied to living longer.  Something to remember is that there are different types of friendships and one is not necessarily better than the other.  You may have friends that are there for the good and bad times — priceless.  Some friends have you in stiches all the time, but they may not be the “call in the middle of the night if you need help” type of friend.  You know what “they” say, laughter is sometimes the best medicine.  Other friends may be with you for a season and move on – enjoy the time you have with one another.
  • Take a technology break.
    This day and age, many of us are more connected to our virtual reality than we are to our REAL reality.  Do yourself and those around you a favor and set aside time when you truly unplug from ALL the technology in your life.  We haven’t always had the information and capabilities at our fingertips like we do today, and believe it or not, you WILL NOT die if you take a break!  As a matter of fact, you may live longer.  That’s right!  Our brain is an organ—the CENTER of your nervous system– and it needs rest in order to grow and perform to its potential.
  • Give thanks. Last but definitely not least, give thanks.  I firmly believe this is the most important on our list.  When you stop and take a moment to realize all that you have to be thankful for, your entire perspective on life changes.  Some days it might be hard to dredge up something that you are thankful for.  Start with the things that many of us take for granted, like the breath you just took or the food you ate for lunch…each of us will have a different list, but all of us can find things to be grateful for.Go ahead, grab a pen and write down five things you are thankful for right now.  If you choose to spend 1 minute per day doing this, you will be amazed at how fast your list will grow AND how much more you will feel thankful.

If you are an over-achiever, here’s the instant-reboot-implementation-plan for you:

Take a walk with a funny friend and practice your deep breathing exercises together (this will undoubtedly provide extra bouts of laughter).  After your walk, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a delicious spinach, walnut and salmon salad.  Don’t forget to give thanks for your friendship and the food before you eat!  As you part ways, tell your friend you will have to sleep on it before making a decision as to whether you will join her in volunteering to clean the local park the following weekend.

Did you notice that this entire experience was technology free?  You and your friend did not check your Facebook status once during your time together, and you lived to tell about it.

All kidding aside, what type of things do you do to reboot?  Is there something that I haven’t listed that works best for you?  Please add your suggestions in the comments section.  Your idea may be the one that helps someone who is in need of a reboot today.

As always, I appreciate you taking time to read my blog.  If you have found value in something you read here today, please share.

Jill xx

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5 Lessons We Can Learn About Life From Appollos Hester

Have you seen the awesome video of the high school football player that has gone viral this week?

I hope you haven’t and this is your first time.  You are in for a real treat!  (Confession: I have watched a dozen times now and it never gets old).

Every bit of the 2 minutes and 28 seconds of this video is superb.  This video is G rated, so gather any youngsters wandering around to watch with you.

Ok, first of all, DO YOU NOT LOVE THIS KID!  I just want to hug and high five him!

Every second of this video is filled with goodness, but here are the TOP 5 lessons we can learn about life from Appollos Hester:

1. NEVER LOSE YOUR CHILD-LIKE ENTHUSIASM
Appollos is in high school, so he’s still officially a “child,” but somewhere along the line most of us lose our zeal and excitement for life.  Did life become less exciting?  No.  Our perspectives change, but that doesn’t mean we lose the ability to twirl and jump around when we are excited about something.  Right?

Challenge: Next time you get your mail, skip to the mailbox.  Don’t worry about the neighbors staring at you.  Maybe you will encourage them to live out random acts of joy.  Believe me, skipping makes you feel ALIVE!

2. LISTEN TO YOUR MENTORS
Appollos recounts what his coach told the team in the locker room huddle, “It’s gonna be tough, it’s gonna be hard, you’re gonna go out there, you’re gonna batter, you’re gonna fight, you’re gonna do it for one another…”  He took the advice and encouragement the coach gave and BELIEVED his team could do it.

If you are lucky enough to have a mentor/coach/counselor in your life, listen to them and apply the wisdom they have to impart.  If you don’t have someone like this in your life, I encourage you to find someone who can speak into your life in a positive way.  For those encouragers out there, you have a gift to share, become a mentor to a child or adult today.  Click here for some organizations that need you.

3. BE GRATEFUL
Appollos is grateful.  He’s grateful to God.  He’s grateful to his parents.  He’s grateful to his friends and teammates.  He’s grateful for everything!  Research shows that people who practice gratitude consistently are physically, emotionally, and socially better off.  No matter what your circumstances are, there is always something to be grateful for, it just takes a conscious decision to choose to live a life of gratitude.  As Appollos reminds us in the video, “It’s a mindset!”

4. POSITIVE PEOPLE MOTIVATE THOSE AROUND THEM
I love it when the desk reporters at the end are discussing the interview and one says, “I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to run through a brick wall!”  This guy was pumped! Positive people inspire others and breed positive change.  Positive people also attract positive life experiences.  You know motivational speaker Tony Robbins is going to be all over offering a job to our dear Appollos!

A bit off topic here, but didn’t the desk reporter look and sound just like Vince Vaughn when he made that comment?  Just a note for the future movie producer of Appollos’ life story. : )

5. SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS
There is so much good in this world.  Unfortunately, the ugly stories the media has a tendency to share get the high ratings, so those stories aren’t going anywhere.  The reason this video has gone viral is because it makes us happy to watch it.  It inspires us!  It motivates us!  The lesson here is, when you have good news to share, share it.  Spread JOY and HAPPINESS!

“You can do anything you put your mind to. Never give up on your dreams. Keep smiling.” – Appollos Hester

What was your favorite part of the video?  Do you have something awesome that you would like to share with us today?

Include your comments below, I would really love to hear from you!

In an effort to make your friends and family smile, please consider sharing this post with them.

Jill xx

P.S. If you haven’t subscribed to my blog already, don’t wait!. You might miss an encouraging and helpful post.

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Gratitude in a Virtual World

There are 829 million daily active users on Facebook today.

What are we all doing there?

We are either sharing, watching others share, snooping, or a  little of each.

We share milestones: Births. Deaths. Job changes. Relationship status updates. The list goes on.

We share beautiful sunsets, what we ate for lunch, funny memes, how many goals our awesome kids scored, and ALS bucket dousing videos. The list goes on.

What do we tend to steer away from sharing? The awful fight we got in with our spouse or best friend, the ginormous zit on our chin, the failed test, the feelings of despair after you get “the call” from the doctor’s office. The list goes on.

Seven days ago, I was challenged on Facebook to list out things I was grateful for each day, for seven consecutive days.

While I don’t often share much about myself on Facebook, this has been a fun exercise.

What have I been most grateful for this past week? Family and friends. The sound of children laughing. My relationship with God. Being flawed, yet still fabulous. Music that rocks my soul. Quality time with my boy before he leaves for college. People who smile. Life-saving blood cells from an umbilical cord that saved my best friend’s life.

Today is the last day of sharing my heart on this seven-day gratitude challenge.

Here were the words I shared on Facebook today:

Today I am super grateful, proud and nervous to announce the birth of…

…MY BLOG.

For those of you that know me, I hope I didn’t dash your expectations for a moment that I might be birthing another human-being! Are you kidding?! I’ve got my only offspring headed to college any minute. What will this empty nester have time for now?

Writing… HERE .

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway

I have imagined starting a personal and business development (think life-coach/teacher) website for several years. Like many of us tend to do, I pushed that idea back in the dusty corner that doesn’t receive much attention.

Until now. My dream has officially been dusted off, semi-polished and I’m throwing glitter in the air!

My goal in writing this blog is to provide a virtual space that will be a place of inspiration, encouragement and education. A place to ask questions and share ideas. (To gain a sense of why I might like to provide such a place, click here to read a little about my personal and professional background.)

I should let you know…

THIS post wasn’t the post I planned to launch my blog with. I actually wrote an extensive article on living a life of purpose and passion. I even created a printable goal sheet to go with that post! (The geek in me will tend to rear its head from time to time here—no apologies.) I hope you will find that particular post very helpful in the future. HINT: Subscribe to this blog and it will magically arrive in your inbox each week.

With this being the last day of my gratitude challenge and the launch of this website, how could I NOT write about gratitude and the effect it has on our lives.

Whether you choose to share in a public format or simply write in a journal each day, I encourage you to express your gratitude daily. It will change your life.

Choosing gratitude each day is not always easy, but with practice you will find that it is possible to be grateful even in the most difficult of circumstances.

John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Express Gratitude Today

If you choose to subscribe to this blog, you will hear from me once (maybe twice) per week. I will try to bring value to your life with the thoughts and information I share. I hope you, in turn, will contribute your thoughts and ask questions for us to ponder in the comment section below each post.

I would be honored if you would put your name and email in the subscription box and see where this journey takes us.  Jill xo

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