Mission Statement

I am living my vision

I had the fortunate opportunity a few weeks ago to present at a leadership conference. I was excited about the theme of the conference which focused on the potential everyone has to be a leader. The only thing all leaders have in common is that they have followers. Leadership is not something that is possessed or appointed, it is what naturally happens when what you do and who you are is in alignment and inspires others. Although I had planned something else to present, I found the discussion moving towards what unique strengths each person has and asking questions about how they could utilize those strengths in pursuing their passions and helping others to find and develop their own. I began facilitating the process of having each of them develop a mission statement.

One of the first affirmations I ever wrote was about the importance of envisioning my future. Knowing what I want for myself gives purpose and meaning to what I do each day. It is impossible for me to achieve growth and reach my full potential if I do not know what that looks like. It has taken time for me to articulate that vision but I am beginning to see it take shape. I am certain that it will go through multiple iterations as I continue to grow and change, but I would like to share with you what it is today. 

My mission is to make this world a better, safer, and more loving place.

I will accomplish this by walking my own path of growth 

with courage and conviction.

I will create safe places for myself and others to learn and practice 

vulnerability, authenticity, and exploration.

With patience and compassion I will meet others where they are 

and invite them to courageously discover their own path.

I believe in possibilities, hope, and that the only failure is in giving up.

I acknowledge with gratitude all who have helped me along this journey and continue to lead and inspire me to pursue my passions and purpose in life. I invite you to envision what your mission statement is and to share them here if you choose.

Running on Empty

My energy is focused on making

a positive difference for myself and others

After very little sleep last night, an early start with class at 7:30, and compounded by my infernal cold I was reminded how everything in my life requires energy. Sometime early this afternoon I ran out of it. I was ready to take a nap but circumstances and my youngest daughter conspired against it. 

I was fortunate to get a nice boost of energy through connecting with a couple of good friends over the phone. Having my energy start so low today, feeling myself get depleted, then getting a boost reminded me how important it is for me to focus my energy in the places that matter.

Huge amounts of energy can be spent worrying, holding a grudge, trying to maintain a certain image, or trying to control others. Those things sap my energy into a black-hole where it is lost. I can only imagine what I would be capable of if I stopped wasting it in those ways. I would have plenty of energy to listen, reach out, commit fully to my goals, do self-care, to be authentic and whatever else is needed when facing the challenges encountered as I walk my path. 

What areas in your life are wasting energy?
What do you need to charge your batteries?

One step at a time

All of my energy is focused in the now

Life is complex. There are no easy fixes in my relationships, in the personal problems I face, and even things I take for granted can trip me up if I move too quickly.

My children's knees are rarely without scrapes or bruises. I sometimes wonder how it is that they seem to be constantly falling down? Walking and running is actually an intricately complex process. From the balance mechanism in the inner ear, to a multitude of muscle groups in the body working together, each step is essentially the process of falling forward and then catching and regaining balance. My children know how to walk, but it is when they lose focus that they fall. Usually it involves getting somewhere too quickly, not noticing what is around them, or watching where they have been instead of where they are going.  I have also had plenty of personal experiences of not paying attention to what I am doing.  I have frequently tripped trying to walk up stairs or I run into things as I walk by.  

I can not reach my goals or get where I want to go in one step, by looking behind me, losing focus, or gazing too far ahead. I take each step grounded in the moment.

List is not a 4 letter word

I follow through with what I plan

 

 

I think everyone has certain gifts, planning is not one of mine.  I think what makes me anxious about making lists is that it feels like I am setting myself up for failure.  I do not get a sense of relief when I cross something off the list, usually I am just focused on what is still left to do. 

 

I decided yesterday that because I had experienced a couple of rough Mondays in a row,(http://canffirmations.blogspot.com/2013/02/case-of-mondays.html) I was going to do something different.  I took drastic measures and made a plan.  Not a plan to reach all my wildest dreams or to take over the world, but to have what I considered a successful day. 

 

I reflected on what would make a good day for me based on my current needs and then tried to figure out how to accomplish it.  The plan was essentially to connect with myself, my Higher Power, and others.  I did that through scheduling time for meditation, prayer, lunch with a friend, challenging myself, exercising, and expressing gratitude. 

 

I am still stalling a little bit on the exercise portion, but following through with the plans I make for myself gives me focus and a sense of accomplishment.  Staying focused on becoming my best possible self takes attention and planning.  With that I am off to the gym.

 

What plans do you need for tomorrow to make it the kind of day you want it to be?  



Heads up!

I am looking up

This past summer I took a motorcycle safety course where I learned the basics of how to operate a motorcycle. During the classroom portion I learned about proper riding technique. I learned that the majority of accidents that are caused by rider error occur during turning maneuvers.

 

When I got on the bike and started to ride the instructors constantly reinforced "looking through the turn." It isn't enough to shift your gaze towards your destination, you have to turn your face and whole head. As I practiced this I discovered that wherever I turned my head my body and the bike would follow. It felt exaggerated at first but it was necessary if I wanted to make it through a tight turn.

 

If I am going to make it where I want to go in life I must do more than hope to get there. I must go beyond occasionally glancing in that direction. I must turn my eyes, my face, my whole head towards my goals.  Today I am looking up towards my Higher Power and my chosen path. 

The road more travelled...

I am blazing new pathways and consciously traveling a new road

Last week I was driving my daughter to tumbling when I got a phone call. I had only been talking for a moment when my daughter started hollering at me from the back seat.  I semi-politely told her that I was talking on the phone and that I couldn't hear.  She became more insistent and when it was clear that she was not going to let me talk I asked her less politely what she needed.

"Dad, you're going the wrong way!"

Indeed I was.  I had turned on the road that I typically use to get to the freeway and is one of the most frequent routes I drive.  I sheepishly turned the car around and started in the right direction to get her to the class.

When I am not focused on where I want to go, I end up in the place I've always been.  The pull to walk all of the old pathways in my life is strong.  Even when I'm paying attention I might find myself being pulled to engage in the same old patterns I'm used to.  I've developed patterns in the way I interact with others, how I handle stress, or deal with conflict. In all aspects of my life I've created well worn trails and without thinking I can travel them over and over again.  The pathway to healing or change is not well worn and requires daily effort. Today I will consciously travel the new road that leads me to the destination I want for myself.