Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 26th

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. - Jackie Robinson

There is incredible power in the arts to inspire and influence. - Julie Taymor

You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can impact a life forever. – Zig Ziglar

Last week, I recapped my New York City excursion and want to highlight one thing that I did not discuss.  Lynette Lewis did not set out to directly influence my life, but she changed the trajectory of my life because she pursued her purpose in life and her dreams.  What is also interesting is that I have a friend in Texas that heard me speak about personal purpose statements a number of years ago in my small group and she texted me about her personal purpose statement the Sunday I was leaving for New York.  Lynette Lewis has not only impacted my life, but also the many other people that have read my blog and attended the small group I led.   

We live our lives day to day and should strive to accomplish our purpose in life.  Based on my experience, we will not know until later in life or we may never know who we have impacted.  If you need a good movie to remind yourself of this, watch It’s A Wonderful Life.  George Bailey changed so many lives in Bedford Falls, but did not know until Clarence (the angel) revealed it to him. 

Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one. – Brad Paisley

CHALLENGE:  I love the above quote from Brad Paisley because we are about to embark on another year.  2018 is going to be awesome and we have another opportunity to continuing writing our story and impact people’s lives along the way!

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 19th

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. - Friedrich Nietzsche

If you have a strong purpose in life, you don't have to be pushed. Your passion will drive you there. - Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it. - Gautama Buddha

When I moved back to Texas in 2006, I had no dreams, goals or a vision for my life.  A couple months after I moved back, the church I was attending had a lady’s conference and the speaker was Lynette Lewis who had graduated from the same college I did.  During that conference, she told her personal story of waiting until 42 to marry the man of her dreams and how she used her personal purpose statement to remind herself to press forward in life and not “fret” over the fact that she had not met the “right one”.  Listening to her, I was energized.  I read her book Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos: ten strategies for stepping up to success and satisfaction at work and then wrote my own personal purpose statement.  After contemplating the direction I wanted my life to head towards, I started learning about goals and decided I wanted to get involved in politics (look where that took me!).  Through the years, I have continued to follow Lynette Lewis by reading her blog, listening to podcasts, etc.

Fast forward to November 30, 2017.  As I was going through email, I saw one from her announcing a quarterly event in New York City called Love Your Life where the topic was going to be “Turning Your Passion into Your Profession”.  At first, I ignored the email and went on doing various things.  However, I kept seeing this email in my Inbox for a couple days and thought about attending.  After a week of contemplating, I decided to go.  One of my “40 Before 40” ideas had been to see New York at Christmas, so I decided I could two things with one trip.  (I posted my Christmas in New York pictures on Facebook in my 40 Before 40 albums!  I still love Tiffany’s on Fifth Avenue.) 

Back to my story…I drove to New York City on Sunday December 10^th and did sightseeing that Sunday night and on Monday December 11^th.  Around 4pm on Monday, I started questioning my sanity because I drove to New York City to attend an event where I would know absolutely NO ONE!  After receiving a text from my sister, I left my hotel and walked the half mile to the location.  Walking in, I was still questioning myself, but within 10 minutes of arriving, I met the nicest lady named Teri and we had a great conversation.  Additionally, I met a dance student who is originally from Washington, D.C. and is attending school in New York City.  She was fun to talk with because she could completely relate to my frustration with traffic. 

The program consisted of two women who found their passion and incorporated it into their professions.  After the program, I waited to talk to Lynette.  I asked her if she remembered speaking at the church in Austin, Texas and she said she did.  When I told her what an impact on my life she had, she gave me a big hug and was so excited that I had driven up from Washington, D.C. to attend.  Thinking about the evening as I was getting ready for bed, I realized all my fear and anxiety had been for nothing because I learned so much and had a great experience.

CHALLENGE:  If you do not have a personal purpose statement, I highly recommend that you take time to create one.  To learn more about how to create a personal purpose statement, check out Terri’s Tuesday Tip of the Week on December 8, 2015, email me and I can provide a plethora of documentation or check out Lynette Lewis website listed below.

Resources

http://www.lynettelewis.com/

Lewis, Lynette. (2006). Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos: ten strategies for stepping up to success and satisfaction at work. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 12th

Create a vision of who you want to be, and then live into that picture as if it were already true. - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Over the last couple of weeks, Terri’s Tuesday Tip has discussed how to conduct a personal year-end review and challenged readers to find something good out of every “disappointment”.  Now that we have completed those thought provoking activities, it is a great time to start thinking about what to accomplish in 2018.

As we are all busy with Christmas shopping, traveling, finishing tasks to complete our 2017 goals, it is important to take time to think.  John Maxwell said:  

Thinking is hard; that’s why so few do it.

Taking time to think provides the opportunity to clear our minds of the craziness around us, forget our accomplishments and disappointments of 2017 and only focus on what we desire to do next year and the rest of our lives.  A great place to start is to do what Diana Ross suggested:

Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.

I started this process a couple weeks ago and have taken a lot of time to think.  It has not been an easy process because there are so many uncertainties in my life right now.  However, this process has allowed me to think about the “what ifs” and dream about a future that is not on the path I had originally planned.

CHALLENGE: Take 90 minutes over the next week to think about where you want to be in twenty years.  Write it down.  Start thinking about what goals you will need to create for next year to accomplish that dream in twenty years. 

40 Before 40 Update: I accomplished #25 and #26 and am currently in the middle of working on the next few.  To view pictures of my different activities, here is the second Facebook photo album I created: https://www.facebook.com/terri.flow.3/media_set?set=a.10154855339932294.1073741853.598657293&type=3&pnref=story

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 5th

There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers. - Teresa of Avila

Some unanswered prayers are only because God doesn't want to do something for us. He wants to do something through us. – Bill Johnson

Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. - Rick Warren

Last week, I provided a template for completing a personal review of 2017.  As I was writing that blog post, I reminisced back to a Tip I wrote on January 17, 2017 (https://tuesdaytipoftheweek.blogspot.com/2017/01/terris-tuesday-tip-of-week-january-17th.html), which discussed how we should have some type of memory or reminder when things occur in our lives that move us toward our dreams.  By having these reminders, it provides us encouragement to keep pressing toward our dreams.  When I wrote that blog post, I remember calling my mom and asking her what I would do if my dream was not fulfilled by that event/milestone in my life.  At that time, she said I had no idea how that dream would be fulfilled and that the concept of having reminders was beneficial.  She told me I would deal with the outcome when it happened. 

The outcome came about three weeks later when that situation fizzled.  HOWEVER, I learned a great deal from that circumstance, which agrees with this quote:

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.  You live and you learn. – Unknown

Pain and tears are never easy, but I can assure you that other opportunities have come along.  That reminder was helpful in encouraging me to keep pushing towards my dreams and goals.  

Our deepest life message often comes out of our deepest pain. – Rick Warren

CHALLENGE: Even though my dream was not fulfilled the way I thought I wanted it to be in January 2017, I learned so much from that experience. 

As you are reviewing the “disappointments” of 2017, find something good that came out of each one. 

40 Before 40 Update: I accomplished #24 over the weekend.  To view pictures of my different activities, here is the second Facebook photo album I created: https://www.facebook.com/terri.flow.3/media_set?set=a.10154855339932294.1073741853.598657293&type=3&pnref=story

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 28th

The journey is the reward. – Steve Jobs

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. – Unknown

WOW, this year has gone fast!  We are about 33 days away from 2018. 

As we are preparing to end one year and go into the next, it is a great time to review the year, learn from experiences and decide what changes to make going into the next year.  Hal Borland summarized the transition from one year to the next by saying:

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

As most of us are usually busy and move from one thing to the next throughout a year, we often forget to take time to learn from our experiences.  Now is a great time to start reviewing 2017 and gain knowledge from the year.  Below are some questions to help review 2017. 

1.       Review what happened in your life this year.

2.       What accomplishments or milestones did you have in 2017?

3.       What lessons did you learn this year?

4.       What do you want to change going into 2018?

CHALLENGE: Write down answers to questions 2, 3 and 4 to help review 2017.

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 21st

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. – Melody Beattie

The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.  – Robert Holden

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

-         Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Happy Thanksgiving!

To learn some interesting insights about the history of Thanksgiving, check out history.com: http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving.

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 14th

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. – William Arthur Ward

Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life. - Jack Canfield

A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. – Unknown

As we are approaching Thanksgiving, I hope many people have started thinking about what they are thankful for.  Researching gratitude, I discovered that the University of California, Davis has conducted a ten (10) year study on gratitude journals.  According to Dr. Robert Emmons, people that regularly write down what they are grateful for in their gratitude journals have improved health (emotional and physical) and better relationships and communities.

2017 has not been the year I expected.  A habit I have continued is daily finding something to be thankful for.  There have been times that I write something down when it immediately happens and other times I will recap my day before I go to bed and write in my gratitude journal.  By creating a gratitude mindset, this unexpected year has had me finding the good things in life instead of looking at my current circumstances negatively.   

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. – Oprah Winfrey

CHALLENGE: For the next 45 days, finish out the year daily writing down at least one thing you are grateful for.  Once you daily start looking for one thing to be grateful for, you will discover that it becomes easier to daily find many things to be thankful for. 

To read more about gratitude journals, review the resources listed below:

http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/gratitude_journal

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal

https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives/expanding_gratitude

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 7th

Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day.   - Charles B. Rangel

Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem. – Ronald Reagan

Our veterans accepted the responsibility to defend America and uphold our values when duty called. – Bill Shuster

On Friday, we will celebrate the amazing men and women that have served our great country on Veterans Day.  Living about a mile from the Pentagon, I have had the opportunity to interact with many military personnel that currently serve and those who have served our country and my respect for our military has grown.  My deep respect for our military came from my amazing and ornery grandfather, which served in the United States Army Air Corps, and a grandmother who was very patriotic. 

As I have been trying to determine what I will be doing on Friday to honor these great men and women, I decided to do a little research to discover why we celebrate these individuals who have served our country on November 11^th.

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11^th as Armistice Day, which commemorated the end of World War I.  In 1954, the country had been through World II and the Korean and the 83^rd Congress amended the legislation that had been passed in 1938 declaring November 11^th “Armistice Day” to “Veterans Day” allowing the country to honor all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

CHALLENGE: On Friday, find an opportunity to thank a veteran for their service to our country.

We are the 'Home of the Free' because of the Brave! - Unknown

Resource:

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=9511

http://www.military.com/veterans-day/history-of-veterans-day.html

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 31st

Surround yourself with only people who are going to take you higher. – Oprah Winfrey

It occurs to me that our survival may depend upon our talking to one another. - Dan Simmons, Hyperion

There are various types of mentoring.  An individual can have a mentor that develops them by meeting weekly or monthly.  Others may be mentored by successful people through reading or listening to biographies.  Rick Warren said in one of his recent podcasts that he recommends his staff read biographies of individuals that have passed away because one can review the person’s full life to see the ups and downs to determine how they lived.  He believes that anyone that is alive is still a work in progress and they can still have a downfall. 

Recently, I was reading an email where I saw that the author of an article lived in Washington, D.C.  Based on her experience, I emailed her and asked if she would meet me for coffee to discuss her industry and how she handles being a female in a male dominated industry.  Last week, we meet for an hour conversation.  During that conversation, we discovered we attend the same church.  She answered my questions and it was a great opportunity for me to learn and grow.  Through this experience, we discussed Terri’s Tuesday Tip of the Week and she provided me the name of an individual that works with writers to help them be published.  I emailed the individual and I am waiting to see if there might be any potential opportunities to write more. 

The best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people. John C. Maxwell

When we take chances to meet with new people, we will have the opportunity to network and be mentored.  We have no idea where those opportunities will lead!

CHALLENGE: Identify one industry you would like to learn more about.  Research contacts and email an individual to ask them to spend 30 minutes discussing the industry. 

40 Before 40 Update: I accomplished #14 (Pumpkin Chunkin’) and #15 (Diplomatic Room tour at the State Department).   Check out pictures via my Facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/terri.flow.3/media_set?set=a.10154744247462294.1073741851.598657293&type=3&pnref=story

Resource:

http://pastorrick.com/listen#dailyhopeplayer#dailyhopeplayer

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 24th

Wasting time is robbing oneself. – Estonian Proverb

There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want. - Bill Watterson

Wasting time is robbing oneself. – Estonian Proverb

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. – Charles Darwin

I do not want to waste any time.  And if you are not working on important things, you are wasting time.  – Dean Kamen

How was your morning?  Did you misplace anything?  Did you spend time looking for an item before you left for work? 

According to Newsweek, a Boston marketing firm conducted research in 2004 and discovered people spend 55 minutes a day looking for items such as keys, phones, files, etc.  That is about 12 weeks a year and I bet we can all find something else fun and exciting to do instead of searching for items in our homes.  Think about all the goals that could be accomplished in that time!

A motivational speaker I listen to, Terri Savelle Foy (terri.com), recently released her new book Declutter Your Way to Success.  In the book, she talks about how she was challenged to organize her house about 9 months before promotion came for her.  She challenges others to declutter, so they have the freedom to go after their dreams. 

You may think this is overwhelming and do not know where to start.  Terri started this huge task in 20-minute increments.  She knew she could do anything for 20 minutes at a time.  In just a few months, her home was cleaned out and reorganized. 

CHALLENGE: What areas of your home do you need to spend 20 minutes a day on to change your life and free up more time to accomplish your goals and dreams?

40 Before 40 Update: I accomplished #12 and #13 this past weekend. After talking with my mom, she believes that #13 may be my favorite of all my activities, which was attending the White House Fall Garden Tour.  Check out pictures via my Facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/terri.flow.3/media_set?set=a.10154744247462294.1073741851.598657293&type=3&pnref=story

Resource:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117987/Lost-today-Misplaced-items-cost-minutes-day.html

Foy, Terri Savelle. Declutter Your Way to Success. Terri Savelle Foy Ministries. 2017.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/how-much-time-do-you-spend-looking-for-lost-possessions-0

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/why-good-cleaning-habits-can-help-you-become-more-successful-0

http://simplyorderly.com/surprising-statistics/

“Clean Freaks.” Newsweek, 4 June 2004 Published. http://www.newsweek.com/clean-freaks-129009. 23 October 2017 Accessed.

https://www.thespruce.com/decluttering-your-entire-home-2648002

http://organizedhome.com/cut-clutter/declutter-101-cut-clutter-at-home

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 17th

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. - Eleanor Roosevelt

A life isn’t made from one thing, one big moment, or one huge success.  It’s created moment by moment. – Melanie Shankle

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. - Dr. Seuss

Ever wonder why your free time feels draining and exhausting? 

According to success.com, happiness comes from using our unique gifts and talents through engaging our mind and pursing our goals.  Oftentimes, our jobs are more fun, exciting and fulfilling than our free time because we use our unique skills and talents to accomplish goals established for us in our jobs and we are couch potatoes in our free time. 

Last week, I introduced “40 Before 40” and I said I am doing this because I wanted a different perspective going into my 40^th birthday.  I also agree with the article “Why Your Free Time is so Draining” because I am one that can sit on the couch on weekends and still fell drained when Monday rolls around.  With my goal of “40 Before 40”, I am finding it to be the motivator to accomplish different activities and establish new friendships.  According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this motivation is “activation energy”, which is the initial spark that triggers me to get out of my apartment on the weekends. 

Purpose provides activation energy for living. -  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

CHALLENGE: What “activation energy” do you have or you need to create to help you enjoy your free time to feel refreshed and invigorated on Monday mornings?  

40 Before 40 Update: I accomplished #11 this past weekend by attending a Diwali celebration at a friend’s home.  The food was amazing!  To learn more about what a Diwali celebration is, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali.

Resource:

https://www.success.com/article/why-your-free-time-is-so-draining?utm_term=daily-quote&utm_source=Maropost&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=daily-quote&mpweb=574-4294870-742513902

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 10th

I don’t want easy.  I want crazy. – Hunter Hayes

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. That's how you break the plateau and reach the next level.  - Chalene Johnson

Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive. – Elbert Hubbard

If you know me, you know I dread my birthday.  I dread that I am getting older because I am not where I expected to be in life.  However, my birthday in 2017 was the best birthday experience I have ever had.  Leading up to that day, I played the song “I Want Crazy” by Hunter Hayes.  It is a love song, but that was not the reason.  I just wanted to have fun the evening I went out with a friend and we definitely did! 

The day after my birthday I was talking to my aunt and I started the dread countdown to my next birthday, which will be 40! 

Recently, I was out with a friend at Opera at the Ballpark, which is where the Kennedy Center broadcast a live opera on the jumbotron at the Nationals baseball stadium.  My friend was quite surprised that I said yes to her when she invited me so as I listened to the opera I started thinking about my life.  I have very big dreams and am very goal-driven, but I decided that night I was going to do something crazy since I WANT CRAZY!  As Benjamin Franklin said:

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

No matter how much I detested getting older there is nothing I can do because it is just part of life.  So that night at the opera I came up with “40 Before 40”.  I am determined to do 40 crazy/unique things before I turn 40, which at the writing of this blog post is 304 days away.  As of right now, I have accomplished 10 of my 40 activities.  Today, I created a Facebook album that I will regularly update with pictures of the different activities I do to accomplish my “40 Before 40”.

Even though I have only accomplished 10 activities, I do agree with Neale Donald Walsch when he said:

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

CHALLENGE: What new and crazy activities can you do before the end of 2017?

Facebook Album: https://www.facebook.com/terri.flow.3/media_set?set=a.10154744247462294.1073741851.598657293&type=3&pnref=story

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 3rd

Never a failure, always a learner.  – Rihanna

If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. – Ignacio Estrada

ü  Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln conducted some shady accounting while she resided in the White House with the President?  She had a spending problem! 

ü  Did you know that President Woodrow Wilson conducted the first presidential press conference in 1913?

ü  Did you know that each president has a social secretary that plans various public events at the White House daily?

I love to learn and I love to read.  However, I recently discovered podcasts and audio books.  Yes, I know they have been around for a long time, but I was not convinced I could learn from them. 

I tend to be more of an auditory learner because I often repeat words/phrases verbally or silently in my head to grasp a concept, but I still had the mindset that I had to read something to truly learn.  Additionally, as a lady that constantly wants to be doing something just listening to something is hard for me.  I questioned if I would learn from listening to something while doing something else (multitasking).  Research has shown that multitasking is not beneficial and it takes longer to complete the various tasks because going between two tasks actually delays completion and learning. 

My quest to determine if I could do a task and learn from a podcast/audiobook at the same time began.  If I am going to do both tasks, I want to benefit from both of them!  

After researching and my own personal experience, I believe that it depends on the tasks being completed.  For me, I know I can listen to a podcast or an audiobook while running and I will learn.  Running is a habit, very simple for me and it does not compete for any mental resources that I would use to listen to a podcast.  Furthermore, I believe while multitasking (listening to a podcast and doing another task) a learner will grasp broad concepts, but remembering the small intricate details of something such as dates in history will be more difficult. 

CHALLENGE: What new idea or habit can you incorporate into your life before 2017 ends?

Resources:

 http://www.elearninglearning.com/multitasking/music/?open-article-id=4545673&article-title=maximizing-productivity-through-music&blog-domain=opensesame.com&blog-title=opensesame

https://www.unicorntraining.com/blog/the-great-multitasking-myth

https://amedicaleducation.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/the-myths-of-the-digital-native-and-the-multitasker/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2014/06/25/summer-reading-listening-to-audiobooks-while-you-do-something-else-is-the-ultimate-in-multitasking/#218adde072aa

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/whistlestop/2017/03/whistlestop_explores_104_years_of_messy_presidential_press_conferences.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/whistlestop/2017/06/mary_todd_lincoln_s_shady_accounting.html

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/1600-sessions/social-secretaries

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art172800.asp

http://www.hawaii.edu/behavior/306/downloads/Multitasking%20-%20Dzubak.pdf

http://www.elearninglearning.com/lesson/multitasking/?open-article-id=2696498&article-title=four-ways-technology-is-changing-how-people-learn--infographic-&blog-domain=shiftelearning.com&blog-title=shift-elearning

http://www.ilsa-learning-styles.com/Learning+Styles/Multi-Sensory+Approaches+to+Learning/Auditory+Learning+Strategies.html

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 26th

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, I’m possible. – Audrey Hepburn

Success doesn’t happen overnight.  Keep your eye on the prize and don’t look back. – Erin Andrews

Setting a goal is not the main thing.  It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. – Tom Landry

Do you know who Paul Wittgenstein is?  Neither did I when I heard his name on an episode of M*A*S*H called “Morale Victory”.  Wittgenstein was an Austrian concert pianist who lost his right arm via amputation during World War I.  During his time as a POW in a Siberian internment camp, he determined in his mind to make a career for himself as a one-armed (left) pianist.  He found an overturned crate in the camp and drew the lines of piano keys on the crate.  Daily he would “practice” his piano.  When a visiting dignitary saw Wittgenstein “practicing” on his crate, he was overcome with emotion and had him transferred to a camp that had an old piano, which Wittgenstein used to learn to play with only his left hand.  In 1915, Wittgenstein was released through a Russian/Austrian POW exchange program.  With defiant determination, he relaunched his career and became a success. 

As the third quarter of 2017 ends, I am reminded via Wittgenstein’s story that life does not always go as we plan.  However, we should never give up and push even harder to accomplish our goals and dreams. 

It’s always too early to quit. – Norman Vincent Peale

CHALLENGE: Review your 2017 goals.  How are you doing?  What changes do you need to make to accomplish your 2017 goals and finish the year strong?

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wittgenstein

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3WX6QVVc7wtQRCCKJzNHPJ0/paul-wittgenstein-the-one-armed-piano-maestro-of-ww1

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 19th

I think maybe my attention span is too long to tweet. – Nick Rhodes

Being close to nature, in general, helps boost a child’s attention span. – Richard Louv

A short attention span makes all of your perceptions and relationships shallow and unsatisfying. – Eckhart Tolle

According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the U.S. National Library of Medicine, goldfish have surpassed humans with longer attention spans.  The study stated that goldfish have a 9 second attention span; whereas, adults are now at an all-time low of 8.25 seconds. 

In Leon Watson’s article titled “Humans have shorter attention span than goldfish, thanks to smartphones”, he says the digital lifestyle has created this decline.  However, Bruce Morton, a researcher at the University of Western Ontario’s Brain and Mind Institute, believes that the shorter attention span is due to humans craving information.  With so much information, people quickly review information and then move on to the next source of data.

With only about two months left to work on goals in 2017 (December is all about family and parties so I am not counting that month), this is a great time to remove hindrances and help increase the attention span to help finish strong in 2017!

If you want to take some time away from technology and work on accomplishing a few goals without hearing “dings” while working on task, here are a couple ideas:

1.       Conduct a social media detox for a couple days allowing your mind to refocus on daily tasks.

2.       When working on the “ONE BIG THING” for the day, remove distractions such as phones, television, etc. allowing yourself to focus that one objective.

3.       Set a stop watch for a certain amount of time to work on a task.  With a set end time, it will be easier to focus on the task. 

A quick disclaimer…I love technology, use it daily and it makes my life so much better.  However, I occasionally need to remove myself from it. 

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. - Jack London

CHALLENGE: What changes do you need to make to have a better attention span than the goldfish?

Resources:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/12/humans-have-shorter-attention-span-than-goldfish-thanks-to-smart/

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/7-tips-improve-your-attention-span-and-focus-instantly.html

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 12th

Wake up every day and look forward to learning something new. – Richard Branson

I’m an early riser and feel that some of the best ideas come to you between 5 and 6am. – Jonathan Weeks

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. - William H. McRaven

Life is getting back to “normal” as summer has ended and we are heading into fall.  As we are getting back into a rhythm, we will all encounter days that craziness happens and we feel like nothing gets accomplished.    

While on my road trip to Pennsylvania, I read retired Admiral William McRaven’s book, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World”.  The former Navy Seal provides 10 ideas to incorporate into life to help individuals change.  The first idea that he talks about is making your bed every morning.  He believes that if you get up every morning and make your bed you are accomplishing the first task for the day.  By accomplishing that task, you will gain a sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task.  Additionally, he believes that if you have a bad day you will see the made bed when you return home and will be encouraged that you accomplished something today and tomorrow will be better.

There are various articles about what successful people do in the morning (a few are listed below in the resources section).  Successful people say they read, workout, meditate, do their one BIG task for the day, etc.  early in the morning.

I have tasks that I want to complete every day; however, after reading McRaven’s book, I changed my mindset.  My goal is to complete those 5 tasks every day before 8am.  With this new mindset, I go throughout my day knowing I accomplished “something” and I am ready to tackle whatever the world brings me next.   

CHALLENGE:  If you do not have a list of daily tasks you want to accomplish, create the list.  Then create your morning routine to accomplish them before you proceed with the rest of the day. 

Resources:

Retired Admiral McRaven’s Commencement Speech at the University of Texas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-morning-habits-highly-successful-people-that-make-them-extraordinary.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2014/11/26/10-morning-habits-successful-people-swear-by/#6a1564b36778

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/01/29/the-morning-habits-of-highly-successful-people/#56060169b63c

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - Septmeber 5th

I’ll stake everything on chocolate. – Milton Snavely Hershey

I started with ambition and intention of making the best chocolate that money or skill could make, regardless of the cost of manufacture. – Milton Snavely Hershey

My best advice to you is - when you tackle a job stick to it until you have mastered it. - Milton Snavely Hershey

My success is the result of not being satisfied with mediocrity, and in making the most of my opportunities. - Milton Snavely Hershey

CHOCOLATE is the most amazing thing ever put on this earth in my opinion and to think Hershey’s chocolate was almost never created! 

Over Labor Day weekend, I traveled to Hershey, Pennsylvania (and a few other places that provided some great stories!) and visited Hershey’s Chocolate World to learn how they make chocolate.  When I started the tour, there was a sign that read:

A Tale of

Determination

Delicious Chocolate

and

Lasting Goodness.

Milton Hershey was born in Derry Township, Pennsylvania and had a hard childhood.  At 13, he dropped out of school and at 14 he became an apprentice for a master confectioner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Four years later, he borrowed money from his aunt and set up a candy shop in Philadelphia.  He had no success at his candy shop so he closed the business and reunited with his father in Denver.  While there, he worked as a confectioner and discovered caramel and how they used fresh milk to make it.  With an entrepreneur spirit, he decided to try his hand at his own business again in Chicago and New York.  Both businesses failed.  Determined he could own a successful candy company, he returned to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and started the Lancaster Caramel Company.  Soon he was shipping caramel candy all over the United States.   

In 1893, he was at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago when he became intrigued with the art of making chocolate and a few years later he opened the Hershey Chocolate Company.  With his new fascination with chocolate, he became determined to create a formula that would allow him to batch produce and bulk distribute milk chocolate candy.

He sold the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1900 and in a few years his expectations for his chocolate venture had far exceeded anything he thought.  In 1907, he created the Hershey Kiss and in 1924 the foil wrapper was added.

CHALLENGE:  If not for the failure of 3 candy companies owned by Milton Hershey, we would not have the Hershey Kiss.  During the hard times of life when you are confused and frustrated, eat a Hershey Kiss and remember the determination and resolve Milton Hershey went through for you to enjoy the sweat, amazing pleasure!

Resources:

http://www.evancarmichael.com/library/milton-hershey/Milton-Hershey-Quotes.html

https://www.biography.com/people/milton-hershey-9337133?_escaped_fragment_=