You read in my last post about how I started clearing my back garden of weeds. And not plain ordinary weeds that are like 4- inches high that pull up easily. Nope. 6 feet tall with vines and thorns, (and bears, oh my!).
Reclaiming the Garden – Where to Start?
I finally did it. After weeks of looking at my back garden, I decided to tackle clearing it out. Reclaiming it as a garden, rather than just give it over to the weeds. And what weeds there are. I don’t even know what most of them are. I just know they’re nasty. Tall, matted root structure, and aggressive. Some even have huge thorns, and other are vines that twist around branches of what would otherwise be lovely bushes, choking the life out of them.
Episode #119: Built With Love – Your Product
My brother-on-law made me an Irish whistle holder that was work of art. What made it different? It was built with love. You know it feels when you buy or are given something that’s made with love? It’s completely different from something that was made to be purely useful – or cost effective. Today we’re talking about why it’s important and how to build what you make with love.
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| Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in StitcherIs it Time to Clean Out?
I’m preparing for a cooking marathon. Doing something with produce in the fridge that will go bad if I don’t use it today. Baking something grain-free. Now I’m looking in the pantry for the almond flour. Ugh! The shelf where I keep that stuff is so jammed that I can’t get to where I know the flour is.
Sometimes the Best is Hiding in Plain Sight
I’ve been slowly reclaiming garden beds that have been (ahem) a bit neglected. Last year I did a huge overhaul of the one between my house and the patio. But it was a bit hard to tell because tons of weeds had grown and hidden many of the plants.
Episode #118: Built With Love – Your Culture
Culture isn’t what you say, but rather the total of what each one who’s part of the culture actually does. Many cultures are built with fear, or without intention. It just sort of happens, based on how everyone chooses to engage with the others. To build a culture with love takes intention, practice, and diligence. Not only that, but five practices that we’ll talk about in today’s episode.
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| Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in StitcherSometimes You Simply Hit a Wall
Have you ever been going along, thinking you're fine, and suddenly hit a wall? That's what happened to me. Maybe it's sudden. Or maybe it creeps up on you and you don't notice it until – WHAM! Smack into that wall.
I was pretty flat out last week, including birthday celebrations, early morning meetings late night song-writing sessions, and tackling some long-deferred yard work. While I was working outside, I slept pretty well. Until I didn't.
Suddenly, 3 nights of poor sleep left me feeling like I was sleep-walking through the day. And then I went for a treatment I regularly have and it threw me off even more. That doesn't often happen, but it can.
So much for the plans I had to finish my podcast and get it out for Tuesday, as I normally do. I barely had the energy to brush my teeth. I even considered skipping the flossing, I was so tired.
As much as I felt bad that I was missing my commitment, I also knew that there was no point in trying to keep it. I'd feel awful and struggle my way through it, and you wouldn't like the results. They might not even make any sense. So I did the right thing – even as it pained me. I rested.
Are there times when you hit a wall? Not a wall of argument or push-back, but a physical or emotional wall? Where you know you can't just push through? Maybe like me, you really need to stop for a time. A minute. An hour. A night. Or longer. Maybe you need to rest.
I felt so much better today. Instead of sleep-walking, I had a spring in my step. I got so much more accomplished – and with joy. My podcast isn't quite done, but it will be done in the morning.
And you know what? The sun came up today. The world didn't end. No one emailed me to ask where my podcast or blog post was today. Resting was definitely the right thing to do. Even though it felt uncomfortable.
So, if you're at a place that looks a lot like a wall, you might want to rest too. Not forever. Just for a while. For however long it takes to get your juice back. The light in your eyes. Your gumption.
Go ahead. The world will go on without your for a time. Not because you don't matter. But because you do.
Do you feel like you could use a rest? What might that rest look like for you? Leave a comment.
I Saw This Sculpture, and Thought “Oh no!”
Last weekend my family celebrated my birthday in Newport, RI. We had lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in the harbor. A table right next to the dock on a day that turned out pretty nice, despite the forecast. As we walked toward the restaurant, we passed a sculpture. I’ve noticed it as we walked by it before. But this time I saw something different.
All I could think was, “Oh no!”
Episode 117: Built With Love – Your Team
In Episode 116, we asked the question: “What would it feel like to go to work every day where people treated one another with love?” On today’s episode we’ll talk about what that looks like, and some principles to build a team with love.
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| Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in StitcherWhere Do You Go to Claim Your Power?
I’ve been hearing people say this so often lately: “It’s time to claim your power.” Or, “It’s time to step into your power.” So what is that exactly? Do you have a claim ticket, like when you check your coat and ask for it back at the end of the evening? Or is it something like a circle that you can step in and suddenly be like Wonder Woman or Superman?
Somehow I don’t think so.