Ascension

Personal demons. Managing anxiety. Family demands. Professional pressure. Community expectations. Imposter syndrome.

How do you rise above it all? Perhaps rising above is not the right phrase…maybe it’s just managing it all? Even that feels like a stretch sometimes…at least it does for me.

Just getting through can be a victory.

How do you find your way? Is it faith, family, friends, colleagues, or others? Maybe it’s just making the time for solitude and peace?

All of those work for me at different times for different reasons.

No one ever said the journey would be easy, but with the right tools to keep moving forward it can be far more positive than we sometimes allow ourselves to believe. In fact, it can be quite beautiful. Use the resources around you to help find your way.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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The To Do List Battle

Honestly, my To Do list has become unwieldy. While the thinking that we should have three or four key action items each day makes sense, it seems to be out of touch with my reality of my workload. I’m blessed to have a job with heavy organizational responsibilities; and what comes with that is a long list of things that need to be accomplished.

This isn’t another “whoa is me, I’m so busy” post…rather…I’d like to examine how I organize my work, and hopefully, to learn how you’ve resolved this dilemma.

The List

I use Microsoft’s To Do as my app of choice. It’s the former Wunderlist tool which I loved. It meets my needs, is fairly flexible, and helps me at least understand all of the things I need to get accomplished both personally and professionally. A bonus is that I have access regardless of device (iPad, iPhone, MacBook.) I don’t use paper anymore…haven’t for nearly twenty years.

Do you use an app? If so, which one? What’s good / bad about it? What have you learned?

The Quantity of To Dos

What makes your list? Do you collapse items under an umbrella category (I do a LOT of this); or, does each action item get its own unique place (which can be rewarding when they are completed and ‘disappear’)? 

Shared To Dos

Last category…do you share To Do lists with your colleagues? I do not…and candidly not for any particular reason. With slack, Teams and other tools I’m not sure a separate and shared To Do list makes sense.

Thoughts?

Enough for now…I have to get back to my list.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Becoming ‘Vincible’

It’s been a pretty rough week. We all go through them; but for me, this one has been particularly difficult. No need for details here…just know I hope none of you have to travel the road I am on.

One of my biggest takeaways, and candidly a bit humbling for me, is that no one is invincible. Of course I know that on an intellectual level. But we humans don’t necessarily operate on an intellectual level all the time.

A simple note…when life seems to be moving smoothly in a certain direction remember that the universe can throw a curve ball when we least expect it.

I’m incredibly appreciative for the love and support around me…and I hope you know I am here for you too if you ever need someone.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Ruined

Does a hard day or series of hard days at work ruin you?

Does a challenging period of time with your relationships ruin you?

Do the social media posts from others ‘living their best lives’ 24/7/365 ruin you?

Have your bad choices in life ruined you?

I have good news.

No, they haven’t ruined you. None of it has. Of course bad days and bad choices are stressful, and sometimes as we process those circumstances in our heads we become overwhelmed. 

That’s normal.

What other people choose to share publicly has nothing to do with you. 

The one truth to focus on through it all is that you are absolutely not ruined. 

If you need to talk, reach out at anytime. I’m a good listener.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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The One Good Thing

What is the one good thing you’re going to do today for someone else? 

Not out of responsibility.

Not out of obligation.

Simply…being intentional, going out of your way, and showing kindness to someone else.

Yes, I know you’re busy. I am as well.

But there is always time to do one good thing.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Saboteur

Someone is always to blame. We thrive on the idea of finding the scapegoat, the one at fault, or the messed up cultures that derail what would otherwise be achieved if only ‘those people’ would do the right things.

It’s easy to be critical. Plenty of blame to go around…never to us, of course. We have a clear vision of what life and work and society and corporate cultures are supposed to be. We have keen insight, leadership vision, passion for what we do, and a clear sense of how life should flow.

But it doesn’t flow. Life isn’t smooth every day. And candidly, sometimes it can be a bit too much. It’s as if we aren’t deserving of the good things each day brings…rather, just the bad. 

Somehow, we shouldn’t be allowed to have things move forward. Instead, a life of punishment is what we actually deserve. So, the self-talk machine in our heads manifests this mindset…feeds it…pushes it into our line of sight…and it becomes real.

It’s a battle that candidly, I suffer from time to time. Does that surprise you? Mr. Positivity struggles too? We all do, right? And when it comes to sabotage…

…it turns out, sometimes the saboteur is me.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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7 Days

A simple post with a simple request.

Each day for the next seven days reach out and check in on someone. Seven different people, one each day.

Call, text, direct message…it doesn’t matter how. Let them know you are thinking about them.

There is so much hidden pain in our world. Even our strong friends ‘who have it all together’ actually have stuff they’re dealing with too. Remember, people don’t fake depression, they fake being ‘fine.’ 

You’ll be surprised at how it makes you feel.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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