“Everyone needs help from everyone else.”

“Everyone needs help from everyone else.”

– Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev,  19th century Russian novelist

Photo from Flickr by Michael Hawkins

Photo from Flickr by Michael Hawkins

In late January southeast Michigan was hit with a major snow storm. My neighborhood got its fair share, with drifts close to two feet in some areas.

At first light the next morning people were out in force with their shovels and snow blowers, beginning to free themselves from their snow-bound driveways.

My neighbor Steve, who drives a modest sedan—not an truck or 4WD SUV—was stuck at the bottom of my driveway, spinning his wheels and unable to move forward or backward.

In an instant, a number of neighbors—including yours truly—came to his aid, releasing his vehicle from its snowy prison.

EXERCISE:

One of my best coaching clients has a mission and purpose statement asserting, “We Help” in all they do. How would an “I / We Help” attitude impact your professional and personal communities for the better?

“Be there for others but never leave yourself behind.”

“Be there for others but never leave yourself behind.”

-Author unknown

Examine all the roles you currently hold in your personal and professional worlds. If you are like many people, you may have to use toes as well as your fingers to count everything.

In what percent of these roles are you serving and supporting others? If you find the number approaching 80, 90, or even 100 percent, consider how much energy you have at days end for the most important person in your life – YOU!

There is wisdom in the flight attendant pre-flight instruction:
 Please put on your own oxygen mask before you assist others.

EXERCISE:

Take some time today to be a bit more “Self-ISH” (not selfish) by taking care of your own well-being and not leaving yourself behind, so that you can be your very best as you serve the people and organizations in your community.

“To strengthen the muscle of your heart the best exercise is lifting someone else’s spirit when you can.”

“To strengthen the muscle of your heart the best exercise is lifting someone else’s spirit when you can.”

—Author unknown

Photo from Flickr by tiff_ku1

Photo from Flickr by tiff_ku1

Did you know that your heart beats over 100,000 times in one day, and over 35 million times in a year? If you live an average lifetime, your heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.

Each beat of your heart has about the same force as giving a tennis ball a hard squeeze. This force circulates approximately 5.9 quarts of blood through your body, three times every minute.

Through this constant effort the heart pumps the equivalent of about one million barrels of blood during an average lifetime, which is enough to fill more than three super tankers.

EXERCISE:

How can you exercise your heart today by being a coach, mentor, or friend to others, and lift their spirits higher?