June 2024

This week’s challenge is about how we are living our day to day lives. So many of us are focused on crossing off all the items on our to do list that we forget sometimes why we are even doing it.

I know I am guilty of this. I make my plan for the day and just get it done. I sometimes get annoyed that I have to small talk with a co-worker or even when the kids get home and I’m still getting stuff crossed off the list and that is when they want to talk. It’s those times that you have to take a step back and reflect on why we put so much importance on getting it done. Now I am not saying that you shouldn’t be productive and kick butt, but it’s finding the balance.

That’s where this challenge comes in. I want you to think about how you want to be or how you want to show up in life. When people think of you what do they think? Are you too busy for them? Are you grumpy and they want to avoid you? Do you bring energy into a room or suck the energy out of it? Do you show genuine interest in the person or just doing enough small talk to cross it off the list? Do people smile when they see you and do you smile back?

Life isn’t about how much stuff you get done. No one is going to remember what you did. People will remember how you made them feel. They will remember that you were intentional with your time with them. They will remember the memories you made with them.

Did you know the Grand Canyon didn’t start out like the huge massive structure it is today? It started out as a brook and just kept pushing and digging until it became what it is today. That’s the challenge I have for you this week.

I want you to think about your ambitions. Dream Big! What do you want to accomplish in this life? What will outlast you?

Dreaming big can be scary! It makes you feel like you have butterflies in your stomach. That’s what makes it good. It also makes us want to play ding dong ditch when we hit the doorbell (aka go for it)….

We need to go for it and wait for who or what is at the door. It’s those small movements forward that get us to where we want to be.

So what is your secret ambition?

What will light a fire inside your heart?

Think of going for it like making a paper airplane. Usually the more complicated you make it, the shorter distance it will fly. Simple creases or steps get you moving faster. The best thing about a paper airplane is that you know that it is going to fail sometime and hit the ground. You will fail too. It’s what you do after that. Do you pick it up and study what went wrong and what to do differently or do you wad it up and throw it away (aka stop). See the potential in the creases.

Wowsa…it’s June already!! This year is flying by so quickly.

I want to challenge you this week to think about those goals you made New Year’s Eve. What did you want to accomplish this year? How was this year going to be different than last year? Maybe you didn’t make any goals….well now is as good as time as ever!

Reflect back on these back 5 months:

• What is working for you right now?
• What isn’t working for you right now?
• What distractions are you letting get in your way?
• What support do you need?
• Who are the 5 people you surround yourself with most? Are they helping or hurting you in life?

Looking back is hard sometimes when you are absolutely brutally honest with yourself. You can fluff through those questions pretty easy, but that doesn’t get you anywhere. That gets you stuck in the same place you are now.

Take time to answer those questions now…. I’ll wait….

You didn’t think I would make this challenge that easy did you?

Now it’s time to take action. Action is where the magic happens. You can read and reflect all you want, but it won’t matter unless you DO something about it.

Dec 31, 2024 – What would need to happen to feel like this year was a success? What goals do you want to accomplish? What are the gaps between where you are now and the goal you want to meet? What actions can you take to achieve that goal?

Now the power of reflection meets action:

• What do you need to stop (what’s not working) to achieve your goal?
• What do you need to continue doing (what’s working) to achieve your goal?
• How are you going to handle those distractions that keep getting in the way of your goal?
• Who or where are you going to go for support? Accountability is key here. Tell people your goal and what you are doing. Help them hold you accountable if you start picking back up on those distractions or bad habits. You are not on an island by yourself. Surround yourself with like minded people.

Be a goal getter! It’s never too late to just go for it!