Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 26, 2023

 Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you. - Jeffrey Gitomer

You can conquer almost any fear if you will make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind. - Dale Carnegie

Has the reader told someone a dream or goal and was made fun of for it? Maybe the reader has told someone a goal they want to accomplish in 2024 and the acquaintance laughed or said it was impossible or that the reader was not competent to accomplish it.

Over the last couple of months, the author had a couple situations where she was told that she would not complete tasks.  When negative words were spoken to her, she immediately was offended. Then she decided that she was not going to let that stop her.  She took the tasks on and completed them.  They were not easy, but she decided she was not going to let people tell her what she could accomplish. 

After completing the tasks, the author was in another situation where she was told that she would never accomplish a dream.  At first, the author felt betrayed, but then she decided that she was not going to let one person stop her from dreaming.  The author is aware that there are many circumstances that could affect the dream and for now she is going to keep working towards it.   

Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. If you aren't sure which way to do something, do it both ways and see which works better. - John Carmack

ACTION: As 2024 is less than 7 days away, what thoughts or who do you need to remove from your life to move forward in your dreams?

Resource

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/achieving-goals-quotes#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFocused%2C%20hard%20work%20is%20the%20real%20key%20to,it%20both%20ways%20and%20see%20which%20works%20better.%E2%80%9D

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 19, 2023

 Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. If you aren't sure which way to do something, do it both ways and see which works better. - John Carmack

I don't care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don't harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you're never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants. - Zig Ziglar

Communication was a serious focus for the author this year. With the additional responsibilities at her job, she was communicating with senior leaders and had to be clear and concise with her words. During the author’s performance review, she was told that her communication was excellent and consistent. The author was told that her communication in the weekly meeting with senior leaders was slow predictable, which was a very good thing.

The last area the author focused on in 2023 was energy. As she is writing this blog post, she is tired from a sleepless night. The author took time to evaluate the reason for her sleepless night and realized part of it was due to stress and concern of too many tasks to complete. Additionally, the author runs and lifts weights daily, but may not eat enough food to provide the energy she needs for all of the exercising she does. For the author, she learned that she cannot schedule something every night of the week as she does need an occasional night to stay in and she needs to reduce the number of miles she runs. The author yet again surpassed the number of miles she had as her goal. Being an overachiever and goal-oriented, the author likes to surpass her goals, but she has to learn in 2024 that she does not have to surpass goals if she wants other parts of her life to take occur.   

ACTION: What do you need to stop in 2024 to get what you want?

Resource

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/achieving-goals-quotes#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFocused%2C%20hard%20work%20is%20the%20real%20key%20to,it%20both%20ways%20and%20see%20which%20works%20better.%E2%80%9D

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 12, 2023

 One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves. - Karen Casey

Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you. - Jeffrey Gitomer

Amazingly enough, we are 19 days from 2024.  Wow this has been a year!  As the author has mentioned, she has had an extremely busy year at work.  When she started planning for 2024, she reviewed her goals for 2023 to see how she did and plan for 2024.  To her own amazement, she has exceeded her goals, and she is very proud of herself.  These goals include attending events, traveling to new places, listening to podcasts and reading.

This year, the author focused on four areas in her life and will discuss what she learned about prioritizing and solitude this week. 

Prioritizing is how the author worked both jobs and met her goals.  She learned that at certain times you have to put work first and at other times one has to focus on personal priorities.  Over the years, there has been a phenomenon about work/life balance, which the author believed for a while.  However, she believes that prioritization in life is probably the more reasonable way.    

Solitude is difficult for the author as she works from home and is often lonely.  She has stepped out a lot in the second half of the year to meet new people, help others and has learned that one must balance their need for solitude for growth and evaluation.  Recently, the author realized that her solitude often comes through her morning runs, hiking in nature, etc.   

ACTION: What did you learn about yourself from your 2023 goals?  What will you change next year based on how you did with your 2023 goals?

https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/articles/8602-reaching-your-goals-quotes

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - December 5, 2023

 

Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing at all. - Helen Keller

Opportunities don't happen. You create them. - Chris Grosser

What does the reader’s life hold in 2024?  Over the last couple of weeks, the author has received emails from various motivational speakers talking about how they are planning for 2024.  Most of us would think, “Wait.  We have 25 days before we have to start thinking about that.”  However if we want a different 2024 from 2023, we have to create the new year we want.

For the author, she created a 2024 spreadsheet with columns for volunteering, donations, travel, events.  Through this process, the author learned a few things:

1.      This process made the author plan and think about what she wanted to do in 2024.  The author is a planner, but often makes decisions at the last minute for travel, etc.

2.      For donations and travel the author wants to make in 2024, she now has a dollar amount allowing her to save for those events/activities.   

3.      The author wants to travel in 2024 and this process has started the author thinking about where she wants to go.  At this point, she is looking at one big trip and small little trips, which will also cause her to save for what she wants.

4.      By preparing for 2024, the author had to review 2023 to see what she accomplished.  Looking back at the year, she has done more than she remembered and accomplished many of her goals. 

Read next week to learn more about what the author accomplished in 2023.

ACTION: How will you start planning for 2024 so that it is the year you want it to be?   

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 28, 2023

 Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give. -Ben Carson

We make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give. – Winston S. Churchill

You will not be great-full because everything is good, but you will be great-full if you see good in everything. – Keith Craft

As the month of thanksgiving is coming to a close, the author wanted to give an update on how she did for her “gratitude moments” challenge.  Well the author had a hard time.  The author is extremely blessed to live in the United States, have a job, a sister, friends and many other things.  However, she became frustrated during November as she felt taken advantage of and not valued in different areas.   Below are some of the greatest times she had in November that helped her find gratitude and remove the negativity.    

Last Friday will most likely be the craziest shopping day of the year.  As one that does not have a family to buy gifts for, the author adopted a family for Christmas.  When the author first started shopping, she searched for Toys “R” Us online.  Little did she know that the store no longer exists and the author had to find the next place to shop!  While shopping, the author went to different stores and had a wonderful time purchasing baby girl clothes and toddler toys for a little boy.  As the little boy loves spiderman, the author found the most adorable tennis shoes outfitted in spiderman that light up. 

Another opportunity the author embarked on was distributing food to military personnel at the local military base.  As the organizer of the event said, it was a hurry up and wait exercise.  Once the food distribution started, immense joy was felt by the author as she was helping others.

Through both of these experiences, the author saw how it is impossible to be grateful and negative at the same time.  For the author, she determined that 2024 has to have more volunteering and helping other people in her life so that she can take the focus off herself and put that energy toward showing love to others.

Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege. – John D. Rockefeller Jr.

ACTION: What ideas do you have to help others to have gratitude in your own life and overcome any negativity/sadness?   

Resources

•        https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 21, 2023

 Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow

Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead

Walk beside me… just be my friend - Albert Camus

 

There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature. - Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

 

There are big ships and small ships. But the best ship of all is friendship. - Unknown

What is a friend?  According to Cambridge dictionary, a friend is “a person who you know well and who you like a lot, but who is usually not a member of your family”.  For the author, friends and friendships are very important to her and she is greatly blessed and grateful to have her friends.  Some of the author’s friends are located in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas and some are located across the country. 

In the past year, the author has been blessed to visit California to visit a friend and received phone calls from friends unexpectedly just when the author needed a friend.  These friends are all great encouragers.  For the author, she has built these friendships by being an encourager to them, which included sending cards and text messages.

The author is extremely grateful for her “old” friends and her new ones. 

ACTION:  What ideas do you have to develop stronger friendships?  As has been said before, it does not take big gestures, but simply acts of kindness.  

Resources

•        https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 14, 2023

 Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw

Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant. - Anthony D’Angelo

Sunday is the two-year anniversary of the author flying back to Texas to return home. As another year has passed, the author took time to see what has changed in her life over the last year.

The most important update is that the author still has the most adorable 10lb dog that she inherited from her father and shares joint custody with her sister. Everyone loves him. Chevy took a couple trips to Railhead (the local barbeque joint) for ribs and for Halloween he dressed up as a sheriff and attended an event at the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.    

This last year included volunteering for the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Fort Worth A&M Club again. In mid-2023, the author asked a simply question of an acquaintance and the author found many new military volunteer opportunities.  With the author’s adventures spirit, she visited another fifty new places including many in Texas, which allowed her the opportunity to learn more about the great state she returned to. 

Over the summer, the author had brunch with a couple friends from DC that encouraged her to continue trying new things as it takes a couple years to get established and find new friends. As the author has started planning for 2024, she has already been asked to join and assist with new opportunities that will take her closer to her dreams.

As the author continues to get more involved, she is finding new opportunities and stepping outside her comfort zone to come into her own in Fort Worth, Texas. The author is doing what she is passionate about and how she wants to impact the world.

The things that make me different are the things that make me. - Winnie The Pooh

ACTION:  What changes do you need to incorporate to make progress on your goals and let you be you?

Resources

•        https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - November 7, 2023

 We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. -Cynthia Ozick

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. -Mark Twain

As we are creating “gratitude moments” in November, the author will be discussing various things that she is grateful for. 

The author’s grandmother instilled in her a passion for the United States military.  When the author sees a serviceman/servicewoman, she feels gratitude in her heart for the freedom’s she has.  In 2023, the author found five new opportunities to volunteer to help our military.  Not only is the author grateful, but she is also giving back to the men and women that she is grateful to.  When we serve another person, our gratitude outshines negative feelings as we are putting others above ourselves. 

On Saturday, we will honor the men and women that are still alive that have served our great country. 

ACTION:  How will you thank the military this Saturday for the amazing freedom and protection they have given you?

Resources

•        https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 31, 2023

 Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. – Proverb

Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

As we begin the “gratitude month” tomorrow, the author wanted to start the month explaining how gratitude impacts our lives. It is impossible to be grateful and negative at the same time. According to “The Neuroscience of Gratitude and Effects on the Brain”, the benefits of gratitude include psychological, physical and social. Psychologically, gratitude provides the reader with a positive outlook on life. Physically, gratitude provides a fitter persona. And socially, gratitude provides an overall better self, including stronger communication, empathy and better relationships.

What does it take to have these benefits of gratitude? There is no grand gesture needed to have these benefits. If we say thank you to someone or we receive the same feedback from an individual, our feeling is of joy and encouragement. Simple expressions of thankfulness help develop relationships, handle difficulties and overcome discouragement with gratitude and motivation.  

For the author, she often tells her boss that she is the pessimist and her boss is the optimist. For the month of November, the author is challenging herself to turn negative emotions into gratitude moments where she finds some aspect of gratitude to change her perspective. When the author came up with this idea, she had a hard week, but the morning she wrote this blog post she wrote at least three things in her gratitude journal after returning from her morning run. Her gratitude included the rain stopping while she ran, finding her trash can that ended up at the end of the street after a bad storm the night before and Fort Worth receiving four inches of rain that was desperately needed.  The whole day the author’s perspective was grateful instead of negative.   

ACTION:  As tomorrow is November 1^st, how will you change your habits to have gratitude moments instead of negative emotions to receive the many benefits that gratitude bestows on us? 

Resource

•       Chowdhury, M. R. (2019, April 9).   The Neuroscience of Gratitude and Effects on the Brain. PositivePsychology.com.  https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 24, 2023

 Good character is the single most important attribute of a successful and worthy life. - Michael Josephson

Character is more important than intelligence for success. – Gilberte Beaux

When the author thinks of character, she thinks of various words, so she decided to see what Merriam-Webster defined it as.  Character is “one of the attributes (see ATTRIBUTE entry 1 sense 1) or features that make up and distinguish an individual”.

In last week’s tip, the story of John Stephen Akhwari was discussed.  Akhwari had setbacks when he was running the marathon, but his character was strong, and he finished the marathon no matter what challenges he encountered.

When the author heard this story, she thought about her own life.  It has not been an easy year and she has had some difficult times.  Through the challenges, the author hopes that her character has been strong and showed through. 

Many things will come and go, but one’s character will last forever.

ACTION: Through difficult times, how does your character hold up?  What can you do to work on that going forward?

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 17, 2023

 Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently. - Maya Angelou

I never thought of stopping. – John Stephen Akhwari

John Stephen Akhwari…a name most readers have not heard of; however, he is a man that we all should remember and challenge ourselves to be like. Akhwari ran the marathon in the 1968 Olympics for Tanzania. He did not win a medal, but taught the world a great lesson.  

John Stephen Akhwari never expected to win the marathon, but his dreams were devastated when the high altitude affected him, and cramps slowed him down. Additionally, while jockeying for a position, Akhwari toppled to the ground and slit and dislocated his knee. When he fell, his shoulder hit the pavement causing another injury. The spectators thought he would withdraw from the marathon, but instead he received medical attention and returned to the race.

With a few thousand spectators in the stands, Akhwari finally crossed the finish line limping, in last place with the bandage from his leg flying in the wind. By the time he finished, all of the medals had been awarded. Akhwari was asked why he continued after so many setbacks while running, his response was “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race,” he said. “They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

In 1970, Akhwari competed again and finished fifth in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games and also competed in the 10,000m. Making it to the Olympics showed that Akhwari was a great runner, but his passion and determination to finish the race even when he had to overcome so much adversity showed his character.

As we move closer to the end of the year, Akhwari is a great reminder of how we need to “stick with it” as we push toward the end of the year.

ACTION: What lessons did you learn from Akhwari’s story?

Resources

•       https://olympics.com/ioc/news/-i-never-thought-of-stopping-marathon-man-akhwari-on-his-epic-effort-at-the-68-games/

•       https://olympics.com/en/news/marathon-man-akhwari-demonstrates-superhuman-spirit

•       https://www.lyrahealth.com/resources/guide/managers-guide-to-preventing-employee-burnout/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=pa-2022-q3-search-bing-managers-guide-preventing-burnout-2022&utm_content=preventing-burnout-managers-guide-2022&utm_term=reduce%20burnout&campaignid=424270955&adgroupid=1364495321297599&adid=&msclkid=69dde5d482651c5fe1c580f79f8ffd2e

•       https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-to-be-yourself/202105/7-ways-to-recover-from-burnout

•       https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout

•       https://thestrive.co/quotes-about-focus/

•       Foy, Terri Savelle.(Executive Producer). (2023). Live Your Dreams [TV Series]. Victory Television.

•       https://wisdomquotes.com/goals-quotes/#:~:text=Review%20your%20goals%20twice%20every%20day%20in%20order,and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20be%20more%20motivated%20on%20tough%20days

•       https://www.success.com/18-motivational-quotes-about-successful-goal-setting/

•       https://www.govictory.com/episode/live-your-dreams/

•       https://www.christywright.com/e/BAh7BjoWZW1haWxfZGVsaXZlcnlfaWRsKwhzE%2FyRAgA=--d3f4c547c69fe49039fbb4f14ebed8ebab970779?cid=3fdceb97-8044-4840-b7ad-edbd62ddd668&skip_click_tracking=true

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 10, 2023

 Burnout happens when you avoid being human for too long. – theblissfulmind.com

If you do not pick a day to relax, then your body will pick it for you. – Jim Rohn

Burn out is not an indication of how much work someone has. Burn out is a failure to schedule recovery. – Brendon Burchard

As the author discussed last week, she hit burnout this year. It has not been an easy year and she has struggled with many things. To help prevent and overcome burnout, here are some ideas the author is implementing in her life:

Volunteer – When we serve others, our perspective changes and our joy and energy are renewed by serving others.

Energy – As the author has discussed throughout the year, she has focused on her sleep and clean eating. To help recover and be ready for the next day, our energy needs to be renewed daily.

Fun – The author has taken a couple trips, but the author has stopped doing weekend adventures. For the author, she needs to continue her adventures as they bring her joy and help her disconnect from work.

End the day – The author is a morning person and should be done with work around 4:00pm. Her coworkers are not early birds and continue to work after the author should be done. To ensure she is fast to respond, the author leaves her computer on and regularly checks it. This past weekend, the author turned off her computer and phone, which indicated an end to her day and had a fun filled weekend. Everyone needs a daily shut down routine to move from work to family no matter if they work from home or travel to an office.

ACTION:  What ideas are you implementing in your life to help prevent burnout in your life?

Resources

•       https://www.lyrahealth.com/resources/guide/managers-guide-to-preventing-employee-burnout/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=pa-2022-q3-search-bing-managers-guide-preventing-burnout-2022&utm_content=preventing-burnout-managers-guide-2022&utm_term=reduce%20burnout&campaignid=424270955&adgroupid=1364495321297599&adid=&msclkid=69dde5d482651c5fe1c580f79f8ffd2e

•       https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-to-be-yourself/202105/7-ways-to-recover-from-burnout

•       https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout

•       https://thestrive.co/quotes-about-focus/

•       Foy, Terri Savelle.(Executive Producer). (2023). Live Your Dreams [TV Series]. Victory Television.

•       https://wisdomquotes.com/goals-quotes/#:~:text=Review%20your%20goals%20twice%20every%20day%20in%20order,and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20be%20more%20motivated%20on%20tough%20days

•       https://www.success.com/18-motivational-quotes-about-successful-goal-setting/

•       https://www.govictory.com/episode/live-your-dreams/

• https://www.christywright.com/e/BAh7BjoWZW1haWxfZGVsaXZlcnlfaWRsKwhzE%2FyRAgA=--d3f4c547c69fe49039fbb4f14ebed8ebab970779?cid=3fdceb97-8044-4840-b7ad-edbd62ddd668&skip_click_tracking=true

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 3, 2023

 Tough times never last. Tough people do. – Robert Schuller

 Burnout, occurs because we’re trying to solve the same problem over and over. – Susan Scott

Happy October! As the author is writing this blog post, she is sitting on an airplane on her way to beautiful, cool San Diego, California. This will be the first consecutive days off this year the author has had.

Over the months, the author has mentioned that she has been covering for a coworker at work. This started in February and due to unforeseen circumstances, it ended up being 8 months as of the writing of this blog post. To say the author is worn out is an understatement.

The author talks about goal-achievement, and she is an overachiever pushing herself to help others and usually forgets to take care of herself. Sleep is usually the indicator for the author that her life is out of whack when she wakes up at 1, 2 or 3am remembering things that she needs to do.

Throughout this time, the author researched burnout and believes she hit it. According to Psychology Today, “Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Though it’s most often caused by problems at work, it can also appear in other areas of life, such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships.”

Additionally, through this process, the author has learned she has a pride issue that she needs to work on. She is having to work through not always being the best at everything and focusing on those areas where she can make a difference.

ACTION: Have you ever experienced burnout? If so, what actions have you implemented in your life to not end up there again? If the reader has not reached burnout, what can you do now to help prevent this from happening to you in the future?

Resources

•       https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout

•       https://thestrive.co/quotes-about-focus/

•       Foy, Terri Savelle.(Executive Producer). (2023). Live Your Dreams [TV Series]. Victory Television.

•       https://wisdomquotes.com/goals-quotes/#:~:text=Review%20your%20goals%20twice%20every%20day%20in%20order,and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20be%20more%20motivated%20on%20tough%20days

•       https://www.success.com/18-motivational-quotes-about-successful-goal-setting/

•       https://www.govictory.com/episode/live-your-dreams/

•       https://www.christywright.com/e/BAh7BjoWZW1haWxfZGVsaXZlcnlfaWRsKwhzE%2FyRAgA=--d3f4c547c69fe49039fbb4f14ebed8ebab970779?cid=3fdceb97-8044-4840-b7ad-edbd62ddd668&skip_click_tracking=true