Monthly Archives: July 2012

Monday Gets Confident

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I have been recently evaluating my work related skill level and trying to assess how many things I can attach the word “Proficient” in my Resume.   It is a funny word to me as I think it has many boundaries that are defined personally by each person who uses it.  Defined by Webster, it means well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge.  Synonyms include: accomplished, ace, adept, complete, crackerjack, educated, experienced, expert, good, great, master, practiced, professed, skilled, versed…..which kind of adds to more confusion of how to determine the measurement of someone’s skills that has included the word.  It seems if I say I am proficient in typing that I could be anywhere from just a good typist to a master typist….pretty big gap I think.

What I realized in trying to determine my own skill level as well as determine its meaning is that when it is used, it is really about someone trying to feel and project confidence about what they do.  Let’s talk about what we can do to feel “Proficient” in all the things we do and also helps others feel the same.

Monday Gets Confident

I think our confidence level rules so many things about us.  Our feelings can be elevated to new heights of accomplishment or we can sink to such pits that we don’t feel we are competent at anything.  Sometimes, it even fluctuates in a matter of moments.  We can be feeling really good about a job we completed at work; and suddenly, a co-worker or manager comes in and points out all the negative points and our confidence goes flying out the window!  Words are powerful tools and can sometimes be harmful.  I guess it is one of those human nature things that we sometimes open our mouths without thinking through what we allow to pour out.  I know that constructive criticism is needed at times, but it is important to give an unbiased judgment by indicating all the good stuff too.  It will go a long way in helping a person feel really great about what they contributed to the task at hand.  It also encourages us to make improvements and increase our level of “Proficiency”.

This not only applies in the workplace, but also in our personal lives as well.  Children need lots of guidance in their lives to do things correctly; but they also need to know that they are not doing everything wrong.  Spouses, friends, even our parents need that little bit of applause from time to time for daily routine tasks that might become mundane and also resented if they are not from time to time given at least a few moments of appreciation.

When was the last time you told your child how beautiful they were or maybe how proud you were of them that they could now make their own breakfast or even that you liked the friends they had chosen?  Does your mate make coffee every morning and you stagger to the kitchen to get your caffeine jolt without even acknowledging how delicious it might taste or that it helps you start each day a lot easier?  What about when you go to the grocery store, do you thank the person who bags your groceries?  Many people every day make our lives a little easier and we just become so accustomed to the tasks being done for us that we forget to even thank them.  Wouldn’t it be nice to boost their confidence level and let them know how “proficient” they are at what they do.  It only takes a moment and so little effort to do that!!

Are you ready to make a difference today?

Here’s what you do.

Each person that you come in contact, take a moment to find something about them that you can bestow some praise on them.

It doesn’t have to be anything profound…..and EVERYONE has a special thing about them that deserves some applause.

You will know that you have completed your mission when you see a smile come to their face.  You might even notice a slight change in their posture as the feeling of confidence straightens their spine.

And Hey! Don’t stop with Monday, do it tomorrow and the next day and every day of the rest of your life.

How better to help people during a time of a struggling economy where we are feeling we have somehow done something horrible to be in such difficult times.  We can blame it on the Republicans or the Democrats….whichever party preference you might lean…..but it doesn’t mean we can’t do something to make some changes.

Have a great day!

Let me know what your tally of smiles was today.

Here’s one to start you off.

Thank you for reading my Blog.  It puts a smile on my face every time someone leaves a comment or decides to be added to the list of followers.  I truly appreciate your support.  You Matter!…..and I Matter too!!

Smiles, Nancy

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Monday Gets Prepared

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Most of my life I lived in Florida and….most of my life around this time, we would all start to get a little edgy that the “big one” may hit us this year….I’m talking the nasty “H” word!  Hurricanes!  Each year we would gather supplies, water, extra gas, check the generator, uncover the hurricane shutters, find copies of insurance policies….the list goes on and on…..as we would “Prepare” for the possibility of being the bulls-eye target for Emma, Katrina, Rachel….or whatever alphabet-given name the fierce winds were given at the time. Most seasons, I just remember a lot of cleanup in the yard of branches that should have been trimmed anyway and major window washing afterwards from all the salt spray that would get brought in, returning tumbled items to neighbor’s yards and playing a lot of board games for entertainment until the power was returned to our area.

The next year, the same ritual would begin….and mostly, it was just a lot of waiting for the infamous Cantore to let us know where he thought (actually it was just a guess because Hurricanes seem to have a mind of their own) the storm would make landfall.  What I remember vividly is how I would push myself to “Be Prepared”.  Even when I tried to convince myself that I was fully stocked,  the uncertainty would creep into my mind and I would find myself rushing out to the local store for more of those non-perishable snack foods, buying one more bag or two of ice and stopping at the gas station on the way home to ‘top off my tank’.  My personal compulsive ritual was to make sure everything was filed and put away in my home office and multiple copies were made of my computer back up disc to be locked away in a water-tight safe.

Funny how things get imbedded in your psyche……last week at work, I was compulsively cleaning off my desk and making sure everything was filed away.  Has L.A. ever had a hurricane?!!   Interesting weather trivia question….anyone know the answer??  Needless to say, there are other disasters that L.A. has experienced.  In fact, I probably should make filing an hourly chore just in case the ground starts to….shhhhush!  I just can’t repeat that nasty ‘E’ word!

What I keep thinking is why don’t we take other things in life more seriously?  Why don’t we “Get Prepared” for good things too?  Why does it always have to be about something disastrous?  So Today, I’m declaring that….

Monday Gets Prepared

That’s right!  We’re going to be prepared for whatever comes our way.  But instead of disasters, we’re going to prepare for something good!  What is it going to be?  Well, that’s your homework!  I know what I’m going to do.  I believe something really exciting is going to happen in my life.  I’m not sure what it is yet, but I believe Life brings us great joy only if we are willing to open our heart to receive the good stuff and to be open to change and opportunities.  Some people actually get lots of good stuff showered on them; but they haven’t opened their heart, so they don’t even know what has arrived at their front door!  It just passes them by without even an acknowledgement.  How sad!

So here’s the ‘how to prepare’ directions that I’m using.   I would love for you to join me in this Preparedness Extravaganza.

  • I’m going to make a list (I know…I know, you’re tired of these….but humor me for now) of things that I would like to accomplish this week, in the next month and then each month after that for the next several months.
  • I’m going to focus on eating good and healthy food and getting more exercise (my good buddy, Tramp, will love that part) and getting plenty of rest.
  • I will NOT let ‘roadblocks’ stop me when I feel I just can’t make the next hurdle.
  • I will do more things that make me happy and make me smile.
  • I will make difficult choices by listening to what my heart tells me is the right thing to do.
  • I will truly understand and appreciate the gifts I have been given and use that feeling of gratefulness to be able to live in the moment instead of pushing life along too quickly.
  • I will continue to do my part to make a difference in this world.   I will become a model for the ‘lead by example’ role.
  • But the most important thing is that I will love and appreciate and be grateful for whatever Life brings me.  My heart will be wide open!

So, how about you?  Want to be a good girl/boy scout and attest to your motto.

I wonder what’s around the corner for you?

I hope you will ‘stock up on supplies’ so you will “Be Prepared”.

But, more importantly, I hope you will have an open heart so you can feel the joy that is bestowed on you.

I hope Monday is the beginning of something exciting in YOUR life.

Be ready for the ‘gifts’ that arrive on your doorstep!

You Matter!

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Healthy

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I have been taking some medical tests in the last month or so to get caught up on some preventative healthcare that I had been putting off.  It has not been a pleasant experience some times and it is very time-consuming.  I am sick of being questioned and stuck and poked and well….you know the usual routine.  I have always hoped that they would some day come up with a process where you could just go through a walk thru or even better a drive thru type set up.  All your tests, scans, etc., could be taken care of in less than five minutes and your diagnosis and results would be printed out at an ATM kind of machine.   I just really don’t see why that is not a possibility??!!  Of course, mentioning to doctors about thoughts like this sets their hair on end….probably thinking of the multiple thousands of dollars they would lose if this ever happen.  George Jetson World where are you?

Despite the annoyance and my consumed time, all my test results came back within a pretty normal range and the end of the story is basically that I am pretty healthy.  With that knowledge, I am very relieved and thankful for such a good report.  I would like to offer some encouragement to others that might be putting off scheduling their routine checkups like I have been doing.  So, today……..

Monday Gets Healthy

In such a fast-paced world, we need to do everything we can to counteract some of the stresses that are all around us that are just impossible to avoid…..traffic, financial strains, national news and despair, kids….sometimes I even reach a point of over-abundance of stress that dealing with junk mail is even an annoyance for me.  If we moved to a deserted island, we could eliminate the majority of our daily stresses, but that’s not on my option possibilities right now.  I am envious if it might be on yours.  For those of us who must ‘keep marching on’, I would like to offer some encouraging words for you to take note of your current lifestyle and access what changes you might need to make to be a bit more healthy and balance your daily stresses.

First, I would definitely encourage you to take advantage of any insurance-covered preventative care that might be available to you.  Often, catching something in its early stages can make a world of difference for the end results.  It’s not the most appealing thing to do; but it is the smartest thing to do for yourself and your family too.  If you don’t have healthcare, there are still affordable options out there if you do a little digging that you can take advantage of for yourself and your family.

Next, and I think probably the most important, is to assess your general lifestyle choices.  Do you get enough rest and sleep?  Do you eat a proper diet?  Do you have habits like smoking or over-indulging in alcohol that could be changed or at least reduced?  Do you get enough exercise?  All of these questions or a personal thing and can only be answered by you……truthfully that is!!  You can tell your doctor anything that you would like them to hear; but you need to be accountable for the truth for yourself.

Are you now….Overwhelmed?!!  Depressed?!!  Frustrated?!!  Okay, it’s time for another one of those infamous lists.  Make a list starting with what you think is the most important thing to change.  For me, it is diet.  I have been trying to lose a few pounds and also eat healthier.  It’s not easy to change just that little bit; but if you keep making little changes slowly, you will start to see the positive results of your efforts.  It feels good too.  I have set very small goals for myself and when I meet that goal, I pat myself on the back and then I set another one.

So…..today is a wonderful day to start your new life.

Let me hear it…..what day is it?…..It’s Monday Gets Healthy!!

All you have to do is JUST START WITH MONDAY.

The rest of the week, you just repeat Monday’s efforts.

So….don’t you want to be healthy?  Don’t you want to feel better?

And most importantly, don’t you owe that to yourself?

You’re special!  You’re important!  You Matter!

Many hopes sent your way that you will believe this and realize that it is worth all the effort that you put forth.

Have a great day.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Pet Friendly

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I love my dog, Tramp, and each day I realize what a good friend he is to me.  This morning, we went on our usual walk. Often,  I take him on the same path each day; however, this morning I decided to let him decide where we would go.  As we stopped at each corner and I let him take the reins of what direction we would go, it seemed that he would get very excited that he was on a new adventure and could hardly wait to cross the road to see what new things he might encounter.  It was a bit warm this morning and he even seemed to choose the shady side of the street to roam.  As his gait started to slow down a bit, it seemed that he somehow knew when to start taking the turn back to home.  We probably walked about three times what we normally do and neither of us seemed to notice the extended range.

When we got home, I realized that I was very appreciative that he had motivated me to ‘change my course’ and enjoy a new view today….not to mention to get more exercise as well.  Having a pet is an amazing addition to our life.  I feel very thankful to have someone who loves me so unconditionally and always seems to enjoy my company…..So Today, in honor of my good friend, Tramp……

.

Monday Gets Pet Friendly

I got Tramp from a shelter when he was a little less than a year old and he has been with me for about seven years now.  We have gone through some difficult times together and he seems to offer the same amount of love day in and day out…no more what life’s agenda has been dealt to us.  It is very sad to think how many poor animals are stuck in shelters that just want to be able to offer the same thing as Tramp.  I wish pet owners would be serious about the responsibility of getting a pet and commit fully to what it takes to care for them.  They often give back much more than they are given.

This is one of Tramp’s very best buddies…Juneau.  He is a Siberian Husky  and has been with his master since he was just a little puppy.  Juneau has done a great job of training his master too!!   He demands long walks and somehow has the ability to convince his owner that BarBQ spareribs are really good for him…..despite the later emergency 3 a.m. walk when he gets so sick.

Another sweet dog we pass most mornings is this sweet ole yellow lab.  She just celebrated her 13th birthday.  Happy Birthday Zora….Amazing!

She seems to me to hold years of wisdom and understanding about life.  She sometimes looks at you as if she is waiting for you to catch up with her knowledge.  She is a bit slow now, but she still knows what she wants and likes and will fight to the end to maintain her ruling throne.  13 is supposedly 91 in dog years; so guess she deserves the respect she demands.  Keep on tickin’ Zora!!  We like your style! 🙂

So dear animal lovers, here is what I want you to do today.

All creatures matter!  Take the time to do something nice for your pet today.  Maybe they need a new bed or toy or a nice brushing or bath would be great too.  Perhaps, you might also enjoy an extra long walk.

If you don’t have a pet, there are lots of pet shelter organizations in your own neighborhood that need supplies.  Most of them post the lists on their websites or a quick call can get you the information you need.  Sometimes, I know it is not possible for everyone to adopt a pet; but animals in shelters still need a little extra TLC.  Maybe you could volunteer to help bathe or walk some of the animals.  They need to know that they matter too.  They are innocent creatures who need to know they are loved.

So…..have you hugged your pet today?!!  It’s a moment I never let slip by each day.  A quick hug goes a long way for them….not to mention that it makes me feel good too.

You Matter……and so do all creatures on this earth.  Take the time to make a difference in their life too.

Have a great Monday.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Challenged to ‘Pay It Forward’

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I have received many, many really sweet messages here on WordPress from bloggers who appreciated hearing even just a few little sincere words about their thought-provoking or interesting posts.  It makes me realize more and more how important it is to take the time out of each day to express what one often feels but doesn’t always take the time to express to others.  We rush through our day trying to check off things on our own lists; but don’t take the moment to think how important it is to realize we need to look beyond ourselves.  So today…….

Monday Gets Challenged to ‘Pay It Forward’

How many times have you been in an elevator with other people and find yourself looking at the ground?  Or maybe walking out of your house and don’t acknowledge your neighbor coming out at the same time?  Did you ever think that someone that is right there in front of you might need a sincere smile or a ‘how are you doing?’  Perhaps, a neighbor or friend has done something really nice for you and you keep thinking you will also do something nice for them.  But…what happens?  It keeps getting pushed further and further down on the priority list.  Soon, it is so low that you’re now embarrassed that you have not done something to return the favor.  Ever walked past someone on the street who is ‘down and out’ and you try to erase them from not only your view; but also from your mind?  The attitude of not acknowledging that they exist helps us to not feel guilty that we might have a much better life than some others.  We seem to “choose” who we want to share with and are not good at ‘on the spot’ giving.

The ironic truth is that when we do, in fact, take the time to help others, we feel so great about our deed.  It makes us feel, in a small but effective way, we have made a difference in someone else’s life.  We may even ‘swear’ that it’s going to become a habit and we’ll continue on our path of goodness for a long time.  But….something often gets in the way of continuing on this path; and we yet again, find ourselves back in our little cocoon.   We forget quickly how awesome it felt to not just think of ourselves and to give back.

So….this Monday’s request is going to be a very enjoyable moment for you.  I promise you will feel especially good at the end of the day….and so will others!  With all the social media outlets, voice mail, text messages and even here on WordPress, this task should be a fairly simple one for you.  I challenge you to “Pay It Forward”.  Make a list of five people that you know that deserves to hear some kind words from you.  Send them some kind of message or better yet give them a call or tell them in person.  Tell them how much you appreciate them and how they have made a difference during difficult moments in your life.  Your mind is already working, right?  I bet you already have number 1 and 2 ready to add to your list.

After you have accomplished this and if you feel you’ve just gotten warmed up, make another list of five people that you can do something special for them.  It doesn’t have to be a spectacular moment.  Just something simple will work just fine!  Maybe you have some extra fruit that you just bought and you could offer part of it to your neighbor.  Maybe someone at work has a huge project to complete and you could offer to help or pick up lunch for them while they are so bogged down.  How about walking someone’s dog for them that has not been feeling very good?  Maybe even give the ole pooch a nice brushing before you return them.  It’s not about the huge drama of the task, it’s about the simple spirit of giving.

Today is YOUR day to help Monday Get Challenged to ‘Pay It Forward’!!!!

You are going to go to bed tonight with a smile on your face knowing that you have made a difference in this, sometimes, crazy and hectic world.

And…..here’s high hopes that you wake up tomorrow wanting to continue with your recent good feeling and start Tuesday with the same plan.

A fellow blogger told me that it takes 21 days to change a habit…..Can you IMAGINE what this world would be like if everyone took the 21 day challenge to ‘Pay It Forward’ !!!!

Are you ready to be a part of that possibility?!!

I’d love to hear what was on your list….or maybe how you’re feeling at the end of today.

Oh yeah….don’t forget your four-legged friends too.  Pets give lots of love and don’t ask much in return.

I’ve made MY list…….I’ve got to get busy.

You Matter!

Smiles,  Nancy