It's Scary out there!

Halloween is the "scary" holiday. Skeletons & ghosts, black cats, scary masks, carved pumpkin faces that flicker with shadow and light and screeching noises startle us along our path. Of course, Halloween also brings all sorts of costumes on sweet children ringing our doorbell and saying "trick or treat". They smile as they fill their bags with candy, somehow managing to return home with more than mom and dad were able to hand out in the same period of time. It's one of the amazing laws of Halloween!

Have you ever considered that life can be a little like Halloween? It can be scary and sometimes filled with shadows and light. It can be startling and yet, like the "scare", can be exhilarating and fun too. Like our trick-or-treaters, life can be filled with things that look intimidating but are really very sweet inside. And like the Halloween candy that we'll give out, life can give back in abundance as well.

I hope your Halloween is filled with scary, sweet and exhilarating experiences. And, I hope your life is too.

Happy Halloween!

Love & Friendship

"Through love , through friendship, a heart lives more than one life."
-Anais Nin

Life can be full of love and friendship or it can be isolated and lonely. What can you do to today to let the love and friendship in? How can you increase the love and friendship in your life? How can you share it with others?

Here's to an amazing weekend filled with love & friendship for you!

The Heart of Life....

If you pass me driving down the road, odds are pretty darn good that you'll find me belting out the lyrics to whatever song is on the radio. Sometimes I know all the words and if not, I almost always have a teenager handy to correct me. As you know, sometimes these lyrics make sense and sometimes I've just got to scratch my head and wonder, what the writers were smokin' when they wrote that stuff?

But sometimes if you stop and listen carefully, you can hear some really good things that will make you think.

John Mayer in the The Heart of Life:

"Pain throws your heart to the ground,
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
I know the heart of life is good"

And it's true, isn't it? Pain happens and love can make it better. And fear can help us, it can protect us, and it can push us beyond where we think we can go. And oftentimes the outcome makes life better than we ever dreamed it could be.

I hope today you can ponder just how good your life is, with all the experiences that have brought you to where you are today.

The heart of life is good, enjoy it!

Life's Isn't Fair!

Growing up I remember my Dad telling me repeatedly that life isn't fair. Sadly, here's a crystal clear example of him being right.

This is a picture of Robbie Hummel, last year's starting forward for the Purdue Men's Basketball Team. Led by Hummel, then a Junior, and Senior Chris Kramer, last year's team enjoyed win after win and top 10 rankings heading into the NCAA tournament. Then on February 24, Robbie Hummel came down awkwardly on his right leg tearing his ACL and ending his 2009-2010 season. Purdue Basketball fans mourned this loss and while other players stepped up in his absence to finish the season, the Boilers fell short of their NCAA tournament hopes.

Fast forward to the 2010-2011 season where the Boilermakers found themselves with a pre-season ranking of #2 the nation. High hopes surrounding this team and the return of Robbie Hummel, now a Senior with high school teammates E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. That is, until the news broke, on an ESPN scrolling message during a college football game...in the 2nd practice of the season, after blocking a teammates shot, Hummel again came down on the right leg, tearing his ACL for the second time in 8 months.

Whether you are fortunate enough to be a Purdue Boilermaker alumni, fan or follower or even if you've just heard of them through this blog today, the sadness and disappointment for Robbie Hummel alone is tremendous. Why do bad things happen to good people!? Isn't one torn ACL in a lifetime enough? Of course we've all heard or lived similar stories of friends, family and acquaintances whose situations cause us to ask, "How can life be so unfair?" And we all wish we had the answer, as well as a way to make it better.

What we do know is that fair or not, life does go on, and we choose to make it whatever we want it to be. Will we choose to be better or bitter? USA Today reports that Robbie Hummel is attending classes, meeting with study groups and planning for surgery around Thanksgiving so as not to derail his education. Additionally, all Purdue Basketball fans hope that next year Grad School is an option for Robbie with a medical red shirt applied to this year. While none of this is ideal, it IS what it is. And my guess is that somehow, someway, Robbie Hummel will choose to be better. Better as a person, a student and an athlete because of this experience.

Today, whether you pause to appreciate your many blessings, become better due to unfair circumstances and go forward in a healthy way or help others to do the same, I hope you'll be the best YOU that you can be!

Happy Monday!

It's Monday, the beginning of a brand new week! Is your schedule a busy one, filled with appointments, events and commitments?

Hans Christian Anderson said, "Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

What can you do this week, as your go through your days to enjoy living just a little bit more? How can you share sunshine, enjoy freedom and experience every little flower along your path?

I hope YOU will make it an amazing week. You and those around you deserve it!

Choose to Laugh

We've all been there. A day, a situation, a happening so overwhelmingly bizarre you can't help but wonder, should I laugh or should I cry? A moment when you find yourself caught in that place where your emotions have the ability to take you towards either response. For your entertainment, let me provide an example.

We have two sizable dogs, a Weimaraner named Lucky and a Silver Labrador named Cooper. Both dogs are tremendous assets to our crazy family and we love the activity, companionship and entertainment they provide. But of course, some days are better than others. Shortly after acquiring a new dog bed for Cooper (he ate the last one, his punishment = weeks of waiting for a new one), we all left home for a Friday night football game. The dogs and the new bed went into the laundry room and we were off to what turned out to be our first Varsity Football victory of the season. Hip hip hurray! We returned home a few hours later in delightful spirits with friends in tow for some euchre and celebration. Little did we know, the dogs had been having a celebratory evening as well as the kids immediately discovered dozens (okay, hundreds!) of little white foamy balls coming out from under the laundry room door. Being wise (and scared) children, they waited for me to open the dreaded door. With bated breath, I opened the door to an outpouring of more little white foamy balls. Clearly there had been a dog bed explosion! There were little white foamy balls stuck to the walls, covering the floor and under the washer and refrigerator. Nevermind the ones stuck to the dogs as they bolted in little white foamy ball terror!

At that moment, I can honestly say, my first tendency really was anger (that !@&$ dog ate another bed!) and tears. BUT we had won the game! We had friends over to play cards and celebrate! And, I was pretty certain that no amount of anger or tears was going to suck all those little white foamy balls back into that dog bed. So, after a few deep breaths, I laughed. And the best part was that everyone else did too. And really that's what makes laughter, when possible, the best option available. Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is contagious. Laughter is like a mini vacation. In truth, I'd say laughter is one of the little things that makes life worth living.

What can you find to laugh at today? Besides the fact that it will make you feel better, I know your family and friends will love you all the more for it!

YOU Matter!

Recently I read a little book called "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews. I enjoyed this book for several reasons, most notably because it took me less than 30 minutes to read, but has caused me to consider its message for many days since. In the chaos of life, I appreciate books, movies and media that make me pause and think a bit.

In all of the busyness of our days, I occasionally find myself going through the motions. Have you ever caught yourself doing the same? I have questioned whether or not my presence at a meeting really matters, if I really need to finish that book, write that email or have that phone conversation. I have wondered if my family notices that the laundry has been done or that there's a healthy meal on the table. Have you ever asked the question, does it really matter? Do I really matter?

While I don't want to give the message of the book away completely, its meaning is clear. YOU matter! YOU make a difference! This insightful little book illustrates that each of us can make a difference in small ways. And those small things can lead to big and meaningful changes in the lives around us AND the world. And that's the coolest part of the whole concept! It's also the same idea that has prompted me to think about what I do each day and how it can impact the lives of those around me.

If you get a chance, give "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews a quick read. I hope you find it worth your time and it makes you feel great about YOU! And if nothing else, it's just a nice little reminder of how much you matter to those around you and to the world.

Wear the cute shoes!

A few evenings ago, at her volleyball game, Lexi asked me why I was wearing a certain pair of shoes. They were very cute shoes, the new caged style, open-toe, with a mid-sized heel and totally coordinated with my outfit! I had navigated the bleachers in the gym just fine, but had clearly gotten my youngest daughter's attention. I responded by telling her that I really liked these particular shoes, to which she fired back, "But Mom, you're at a volleyball game." True...but since my weekly schedule looks like the list below, what other opportunities might I have to wear my cute shoes?

Mondays = Freshman Football
Tuesdays = Volleyball
Wednesday = 8th Grade Football
Thursday = Volleyball
Friday = Varsity Football
Saturday = Ball State Football
Sunday = Babe Ruth Baseball

I am guessing that at this point, many of you are really feeling fortunate that you're not me. After all, how many hours should one spend sitting in the bleachers or driving to sporting events across East Central Indiana? On the flip side, I know what concession stands serve the best popcorn and I am there to support my kids by being a loud and proud parent in the stands (there will be a future blog dedicated entirely to my "loud and proud"
tendencies). I truly enjoy where I spend my time, in the bleachers, watching my kids compete in sports they love, wearing my cute shoes!

Now the point of this blog isn't that my kids are overcommitted or that everyone should wear cute shoes (though I find myself thinking "why not?" to the latter). The point is that every day we have things we must do and places we must go in order to support those we love. So, why not GO and DO and BE our very best self when we do those things? We can wear a smile and bring a positive attitude. We can encourage and support those we love in major ways & we can be grateful for every opportunity that we have to be there and support them.

Life's just too short to not "show up" for ourselves and those we love. It's too short to take even a single day for granted. And most importantly, life is way too short to not wear the cute shoes!

Memories

Let's talk about memories.

Do yours invoke happy thoughts of past experiences that make you feel good? Or do your reflections leave you feeling sad and filled with regret? Do your memories affect how you live your life today? Maybe they cause you to play "full-out" allowing you to be GREAT in the present, or maybe they cause you to hold back in fear of recreating the mistakes of the past today.

How can your memories serve you best at present? For my 81 year old grandma, her memories provide happiness and comfort. It's her connection to wonderful days gone by that were filled with joys and sadness too. Her memories give her wisdom that the family can appreciate and tap into to make our today's better than they otherwise might be.

A friend remembers a sister she lost too soon, cherishing the times they had together and living her life with greater purpose. The memories serve to keep her sister near regardless of the number of days that pass.

My 4 year old nephew doesn't concern himself with memories as much as the fun to be had today. Though I am certain his memories have taught him that birthdays and Christmas are super cool & that days with Nana = fun, candy and love, he's all about making a new and better memory today. O, I want to live life like that!

The best thing about memories is that they belong to each of us and we can use them in any way we choose. We can revisit the ones that give us peace, joy and happiness and we can forget the ones that aren't necessary for us to be the best we can be today. But the best news of all is that everyday we can make a new one....and really, how cool is that!?!

Find a Little Joy!

How are you approaching today? Ready and raring to go, or wishing you could crawl right back into bed? Isn't it funny how someday's just have their own energy that propels you through them and other days seem to just suck the life right out of you? How does that happen?

Yesterday my "to do" list was long. Filled with menial tasks like dishes & laundry, phone calls & meetings, shuttling kids and a doctors appointment. It was a day that I woke up wishing was over before it had even gotten started. Somebody smack me! That's NO way to go through life.

Sometimes we get so focused on our "to dos" that we drag through the day checking off our tasks, but missing the world around us, while there are many little joys we could find along the way. Maybe it's a song on the radio that we love or taking a time out to flip through a favorite magazine while in the waiting room. Maybe it's a Starbucks fix on your way to/from a practice with a child or quality time helping somebody with their homework (so long as it's not Algebra!). What little joys can be found along your way today?

I hope your day holds many little joys and that you will share one or two with me and the readers here at Excellence Through Action. Let's find some little joys in every day...and let's use that energy to propel us to wherever it is we need/want to go!

Please Don't Hurt My Baby!

From the moment our children are born, it is our job to protect them. All of a sudden we become armed guards looking for all potential dangers! We work hard to keep them safe, warm, dry and fed. We baby proof our homes and purchase the most up-to-date car seats, cribs and toys to insure that no harm can come to our babies.

As our children grow, our instinct to protect remains. We may put bumpers on the coffee table to prevent new walker falls, we make them wear a helmet when they bike, roller skate or skateboard. Extracurricular activities are assessed by potential danger (Xtreme sports & football, really?!) and somewhere along the way parents like me realize they had better pray a whole lot more. You see, kids are kids and of the 99 things we work our tails off to protect them from, it's the 1 we didn't think about that will get us every time.

In our lives, with our kids and with us, bad things are going to happen. Things we don't prepare for but things that make us stronger and better than we were the day, week or month before. It's that strength, that learning that can allow us to develop and grow as great individuals with respect for what we've been through.

On Monday, my son Michael will play his first Freshman football game, hopefully starting at the quarterback position. Did I try to protect him from this sport, YES! Is his passion for the sport greater than my fear? YES! You see, in 6th grade Michael suffered a broken shoulder in a scrimmage. After surgery and rehab he played his 7th & 8th Grade season to then have elbow surgery less than 2 months ago. Someone without love or passion for this sport most likely would have given up, and as a parent/protector I sort of hoped he might. Instead, his determination to get back in the game, to earn a quarterback position and be stronger after the whole experience was the choice he made. A choice that I can't help but support 110%.

I know there are amazing stories of fears that have been overcome and character built because of the experience. I hope you have a story of your own that ends with your growth and perseverance. As for me, I'll be watching my son play football on Monday night in full support of him doing what he loves to do. And secretly I'll be praying that the other team's Defensive Line isn't very big and doesn't hit very hard. Inside I'll be screaming "Please don't hurt my baby!!!!"

The Value of Accountability

Have you ever noticed how we get the things done that either we or someone important to us deems a priority?

I know that I tend to grease the squeaky wheel, if you know what I mean. But what I've found is that the "squeaky wheel" is often an impatient teenager who needs school supplies, a hungry husband or my mother who just keeps calling and calling until I answer (love you, mom).

What doesn't typically squeak, but is no less important are things like exercise, keeping up with my reading, blogging and eating healthier. And this is where my Life/Business Coach is a tremendous asset to me. He asks me each week what I accomplished based on what I committed to do on our call the prior week. And each week he tracks my progress. I won't lie and tell you that I always accomplish what I set out to do from week to week, but the beautiful thing is that even my short-term failures are met with encouragement and a positive attitude.

My Coach makes me a better me, because he helps me stay on track, do things I'd never dreamed of doing and helps me see things from new perspectives. It's truly one of the healthiest experiences of my life and I'm grateful.

As I begin my journey as a Life & Business Coach, I am excited to help others as my Coach is helping me. Thank you & here's to many great accomplishments.

Change...

Change is hard! And yet I firmly believe that change is GOOD! Change can force you from your comfort zone and allow you to grow in ways you never dreamed possible. Change also allows you to see things in ways that you have possibly never seen them before. Enlightening! Frightening! Exhilarating! Change is all that and then some.

As humans, we can choose to embrace change and the challenge that comes along with, or we can head for the hills filled with fear. What do you choose? Are you comfortable being the person you are today, forever? Or do you want to grow, learn and develop to be the person you were meant to be? You get to choose!

Change is constant. We grow older, children grow up, seasons merge beautifully from one to the next. In life, we go with that, one day at a time. I challenge you to acknowledge the change that is happening around you, then choose to embrace change, seeing the potential for growth it holds. When you focus on the good that change can bring, you can open up your world to some amazingly wonderful things!