Tag Archives: Demp Coaching

I’ve been afraid of people playing their life away with too many toys

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“I’ve been afraid of people playing their life away with too many toys.”

—Ray Bradbury, late American author and screenwriter

Image of two toddlers playing with a computer

Image from Unsplash by Jelleke Vanooteghem

Take a trip down Memory Lane and look at the toys you played with as a child. For me, the top three were a used sled for winter, a banana-seat bike for the rest of the year, and of course, a pimple ball for all sorts of games we would invent.

I vividly recall that before the age when I could venture out with friends, my mom would give me a bucket of water and an old paint brush. I would express my artistic talents on the sidewalk before the summer sun erased all traces of my work. It was like an Etch-a-Sketch without the cost!

Fast forward to today and look at the toys you and your children or grandchildren play with. How many are digital? How many can be and are often used alone, instead of with friends or family?

EXERCISE:

Where would taking more of a “The Best Things in Life are not Things” approach help you lead a simpler and more satisfying life?

Don’t close the book when bad things happen

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“Don’t close the book when bad things happen in your life. Just turn the page and begin a new chapter.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a page-turning book

Image from Unsplash by socialcut

Did you know that the average Social Security payout for retirees is just 29 months?

Although most of us think of retirement as our “Golden Years,” and while we continue to hear of all sorts of fantastic new medical breakthroughs to extend the quality and length of life, this statistic is shocking. But it improves considerably when three critical factors are present:

  • Friends, family, community
  • Financial stability – a nest egg
  • A future-oriented mindset

The level of engagement and overall life purpose can diminish with retirement. Retirees  often find much less meaning in life and a reason to get up in the morning when their vocational years are over.

EXERCISE:

What relational, financial, and mindset factors can and will you put in place to keep writing each new exciting chapter in your life for many more healthy, and happy years to come?

when we step back from a single brushstroke

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“It’s when we step back from a single brushstroke, that we can see the whole painting.”

—Tamara Levitt, Author and Mindfulness Instructor

Image of Barry and Rachel at Hamilton

Barry and Rachel at Hamilton

When was the last time you attended a concert, a major sporting event, or perhaps a Broadway play? Where were you seated in the theater or stadium? Were you up front practically on the field or stage, back in the bleachers, or up in the balcony?

Recently I had the opportunity to see the touring group of Hamilton, with my wonderful daughter Rachel, who came to Michigan with our grandson Weston.

Our seats were in the balcony section. Surprisingly, we enjoyed both the show and this particular vantage point, which gave us the opportunity to take in the show’s entire spectacle. In some moments, we chose to zoom in on certain scenes with a pair of binoculars.

EXERCISE:

Where in your personal or professional life would there be great value in stepping back from the daily brushstrokes of life and take in more of the painting of your entire world?

If you see someone without a smile

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“If you see someone without a smile today, give them one of yours.”

—Dolly Parton, American singer, songwriter, and actress

Image of the book Be the Sun not the Salt

Image from Amazon

How much time each day do you spend reading for enjoyment and personal growth? For many people the answer may be, “Not much,” with the add-on phrase, “Who has the time?”

If this is the case for you, or even if reading is a significant part of your daily routine, I suggest a wonderful smile-inducing book called, Be the Sun Not the Salt by Dr. Harry D. Cohen.

A key concept he shares is the idea of being heliotropic, which is the tendency for all living systems to be drawn to the energy that sustains its life. Throughout the 71 pages of this book, I hope you will find yourself nodding and smiling at its many nuggets of wisdom.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you be more heliotropic and a more positive influence on others in your life?

Consider sharing a big genuine smile with others as a good place to start.

Friday Review: Sharing

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FRIDAY REVIEW: SHARING

How often do you share what you have and what you know? Here are a few sharing-related posts you may have missed. Click the link to read the full message.

 

“Leave a little behind.”

 

 

 

 

“All who joy would win must share it. Happiness was born a twin.”

 

 

 

“A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you.”

 

 

 

Your attitude reflects your past

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“Your Attitude… Reflects your Past, Describes your Present, and Predicts your Future.”

—Julie Davis-Colan, Author of Getting the Best from Yourself and Others

Image from Unsplash by Kate Joie

Take a few minutes to conduct two personal assessments.

The first pertains to your past:
What has your life been like up to this point, personally and professionally? Describe your efforts, accomplishments, and most importantly, your relationships.

The second pertains to your present:
Explore the same aspects of your life as they exist today. How satisfied and fulfilled are you? What areas delight you, and which disappoint?

EXERCISE:

Consider the idea that your attitude is similar to the purity of the air you breath, or the water you drink. What small – or large – changes can and will you make in your attitude to have an even more wonderful future?

Some of my favorite books you may wish to consider are:
Wayne Dyer’s The Power of Intention
Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist
Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking
Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich
Benjamin Zander’s The Art of Possibility
Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements
Richard Carlson’s Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

 

No one wants to hear everything that’s in your head

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“No one wants to hear everything that’s in your head. They just want you to live up to what comes out of your mouth.”

—Adam Grant, American psychologist and author

Image of a person holding a megaphone

Image from Unsplash by Clem Onojeghuo

Who are the blabbermouths in your life? Who are the people who go on and on about their ideas, beliefs, and opinions, and never seem to take a breath? How do you feel around them?

To what degree might people in your world place you on their list of those who are more focused on being interesting rather than interested?

What makes these individuals even more troublesome is that on many, if not most, occasions, they appear to be all talk and very little action.

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life who are impeccable with their words? How would your life be enhanced if you and others lived up to what comes out of your mouth more often?

Consider reading or re-reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz for some added wisdom on this topic.

Being a giver is not good for a 100-yard dash

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“Being a giver is not good for a 100-yard dash, but it’s valuable in a marathon.”

—Adam Grant, in Give and Take

How familiar are you with the difference between a finite and infinite game?

In his book, Finite and Infinite Games, author James P. Carse describes finite games – such as sports – as activities in which participants obey rules, recognize boundaries, and announce winners and losers.

Infinite games, on the other hand, can have known and unknown players, and a key objective is having the will and resources to keep the game going.

To what degree do you play the long game by being a giver within your various communities? If all people stopped keeping score and playing only to win, how might the world be a far kinder and richly abundant place?

EXERCISE:

Consider watching Simon Sinek’s video The Infinite Game, to explore how this concept might apply to your personal and professional worlds.

Also consider reading Sinek’s article titled, The Finite and Infinite Game in Work and Life

Things do not necessarily happen for the best

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“Things do not necessarily happen for the best, but I can choose to make the best of things that happen.”

—Tal Ben-Shahar, Israeli-American Author/Lecturer

Image of a sailboat on rough waters

Image from Unsplash by Alan Meceanu

Take a few minutes to reflect on your day if it is evening, or on yesterday’s events if you are reading this in the morning. To what degree did everything go as planned, and work out exactly as you hoped?

If things did not work out for the best for whatever reason, what consequences did you experience?

How did you react or respond, and what emotions or feelings came up?

EXERCISE:

Consider the metaphor of a sailboat. How might you adjust your sails and rudders of mindfulness and adaptability to the sometime stormy seas of life?

Feel free to reply to this post to share the approaches you take on a daily basis to make the best of things that happen.

Friday Review of Posts on Confidence

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FRIDAY REVIEW: CONFIDENCE

How much confidence do you have in yourself and those around you? Here are a few confidence-related posts you may have missed. Click the link to read the full message.

 

“Inhale confidence, exhale doubt.”

 

 

 

 

 

“What would an optimistic, confident person do?”

 

 

 

 

“Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.”