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IDEAS
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INSPIRATION
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INSIGHTS

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Fresh Eyes, New Stories

July 19, 2020

“There is nothing for you to go back and live over, or fix, or feel regret about now. Every part of your life has unfolded just right.” – Abraham Hicks

We all have stories. Where we came from, what we believe, who and what influence our actions or inactions. What are your stories saying to you? Are you hearing a cheerleader or a naysayer? Are they telling to expand or contract? Too old or too young? Not good enough? Not worthy?

The narratives, the thought loop in our mind determines if we grow or remain fixed in our patterns, expectations and held back in the past. Each of us is the author of our own story so we can rewrite the narrative to prompt new action that results in different outcomes.

Old stories and limiting beliefs keep us living small and watching repeats of the same show. Our narratives need to be “fact-checked” and challenged. Critical thinking, optimism, focused work and intentional play break those old thought patterns and create new ones that serve us better.

As a part of my writing practice, I am always on the hunt for fresh insights, connections and constructs to push me into new thinking and ultimately into optimal doing. Podcasts have been a great addition to my running schedule.

Sheri Salata and Nancy Hala from the Sheri and Nancy Show podcast were interviewed on the Don’t Keep Your Day Job podcast this week. After listening, I wanted to learn more about them so I listened to a few of their podcasts and instantly subscribed.

After remarkable and successful careers, they started a business and podcast together in their late 50s. Sheri is 60 and just wrote the book The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence, and Transformation. Rather than talking about retiring, getting out of the “game” and slowing down, they are dreaming new dreams, pursuing new pursuits, exploring purpose work that leads to transformation.

Their website The Pillar Life focuses on the 8 pillars of a happy life:

  1. Health + Wellness

  2. Spirituality + Happiness

  3. Romance + Sex

  4. Friends + Family

  5. Creativity + Innovation

  6. Adventure + Discovery

  7. Sanctuary + Beauty

  8. Money + Abundance

In their spring episodes, they have been interviewing Jack Canfield on his The Success Principles Workbook: An Action Plan for Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be as they work their way through this process themselves. When we approach life with a beginner’s mindset and growth mindset, we change, evolve and expand our whole being - mind, heart and spirit, at any age.

Challenge your assumptions, stories and expectations. When you hear limiting voices in your head, excavate them and build a new foundation. Break old patterns, shape new stories and enjoy each day, exploring, discovering, dreaming and doing the next right thing.

“When you scratch the surface, every one of us has something that we deeply want to contribute to the world. All we have to do is step up and do it.” – Jack Canfield

In Insights Tags limiting beliefs, success, motivation, growth mindset, beginner's mindset

“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.”
— Gertrude S. Wister

— Gertrude S. Wister

A Call to Starting, NOW!

April 2, 2020

“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Our “views” about things have certainly changed, flipped upside down to say the least. Now, right now is the precise time to abandon old thinking, move through the grieving of change and pursue revelation. The media messages of “uncertainty,” “unprecedented times” and “we’re in this together” are obvious, hollow and stale. We must go deeper, beyond and farther to pursue the #otherside with vigor, resolve and rigor.

Economic and health uncertainty is very real and daunting, but not impossible. The 24/7 news cycle reminds us that we will never be the same and promotes fear of the future. If we buy into it, we will miss out on this “seed-planting” time. This rare, unfamiliar and expansive space is prime time to create, re-imagine and innovate. Together, let’s release fear and get to work bolstered with a new energy, enthusiasm and fresh eyes to see new connections, patterns and paths through to the other side filled with hope and possibility.

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In Ideas Tags beginner's mindset, starting, motivation, Spring, fruition

Dare to Look Stupid and Embrace a Beginner’s Mindset

August 24, 2019

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it,
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” - Goethe

Worrying about what others think, fear of failure and imperfection, not knowing how to do something are key ingredients that stop us from starting. We trod along, accepting the inevitable, which is only made inevitable by our own mindset and preconceived notions that are embedded in our stories. The past. The future is always a clean slate if we choose and the past has had its turn. And the future is a result of what you do today.

We can change the stories, those narratives that don’t serve us well. In Redirect, Changing the Stories We Live By, Timothy D. Wilson defines strategies to change up those stories through story editing approaches including the Pennebaker Writing Exercise and The Step-Back-and-Ask Why Approach. When we identify and examine those defining moments that we carry with us that create boundaries, we can understand them, gain perspective, let go and move on.

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In Insights Tags beginner's mindset, daring greatly, Brene Brown

Get in touch with Kathie of Start 3 Things at kathiep@start3things.com