Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement. He was a man of ideals and of action. He knew what he believed in, and he fought for it while keeping his standards high. In our culture today we see clashing ideas about the future of our country. Culturally and politically stark differences are everywhere, on social media, TV, in books, magazines, at the dinner table – everywhere! The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. I encourage you to think today about Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy. Think about what is important to you and what action you can take. I feel it is important now more than at any time in the last 20 years for people to be involved in our society. We can be involved in large or small ways. What is not acceptable, is to withdraw from what is going on. Read, donate, volunteer, and vote. If you can, run for office, get on a board, or support someone who does. Find an organization or cause that is important to you, and add something constructive to that cause. Sign a petition, or put a sign in your yard.
For the last two years I have seen changes in our culture and political structure that confounds me. I have donated, shared information I think is important with people who will (or might) listen, and soon I will be putting at least one sign in my yard in support of a candidate that is running in the November elections. I've never put a candidate’s sign in my yard before. It has never been this important before. In the spirit and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., I cannot sit back and watch. I know that I need to be involved at least in some small way. I will donate, I will vote, and I will look for other opportunities to be involved and make a difference in a peaceful and respectful way. Will you join me?
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Some people say failing to plan is planning to fail. I'm planning some major success in 2018. I love planning. I adore planning and planners. I love the paper, the ink, all of the potential, and getting things done. I feel excited about the possibilities in a new year, the "blank slate" of it all. Every January we get a fresh start and a whole 12 months to accomplish some of our life's dreams. How fun!! When it comes to an actual planner, I’m both fickle and loyal. I change planners a lot, but I never give one away. And I usually come back to a good planner. I love paper systems, and I also like the efficiency of online systems. I tend to bounce around a little bit depending on if I’m working on big projects, or lots of little projects. I love this time of year, because this is when I plan my most ambitious, heartfelt, and visionary goals that are focused on me. That includes my business, my family and also my spirituality, fitness, and more. Right now I’m setting 2018 goals and outlining all the tasks and milestones needed to achieve those goals. The whole idea of wrapping up my future major achievements into a tidy list of “things to do” sets my mind and soul at peace. The dreaming part gives me a chance to be creative. I excitedly get my colored pens and pencils out, pick up a luxurious planner with beautiful, smooth paper and begin writing, planning, and organizing to my heart’s content. Ahhhh…. (click on pics for info) I’ve been a planner aficionado for decades I’ve tried them all - Levenger, Franklin, Filofax, etc. And I’ve used all the sizes. I even put tasks in Outlook for awhile. I never throw a planner out. I develop a love for each one, and I rotate through the refillables. Sometimes I look through my old planners that I’ve filled out for a ride down memory lane. During one year, I might change my planner depending on what I’m working on. I might be working on one very large project and need more of a “big picture”. Or I might be working on many small details and need more task orientation. In that case, I’ll change my format. Right now I am loving the Ink & Volt (I&V) planner and the DragonTree Dream Book (DT). They are both lovely and allow for annual planning that breaks down into chunks. When it comes to then planning daily tasks, I&V transfers to a notepad, while DT has the space for tasks in it. The DT planner incorporates more mystical and “woo-woo” recommendations like yoga and meditation for identifying goals and staying aligned. I like this, but it's not for everyone. This year I have fitness, business, creativity, and specific writing goals that I am outlining in my planner. I am starting with the DT planner which is very comprehensive. It reaches both ends of the “big picture-to-task detail” spectrum very nicely. I may stick with this planner for awhile, or I may transfer some of my daily to do list to either my Filofax or an online system that I like called Todoist. My hope for myself and for you that 2018 is a year of growth, learning, love, and success. I’m convinced that to the degree that we take time now to set our intentions, define a clear path, and prioritize actions along that path, one year from now we will be enjoying the fruits of our planning time. For now, it's important to plan like a frickin' boss. So, let's do this! I'm offering a free 30-minute consult specifically on defining your 2018 goals. Email me at lisa@lovingmylife.us for more info. I look forward to talking with you! If you're not ready for a chat, I’d love to just know what you’re planning, and what tools you use to help you. Please comment on this blog! You'll be helping me and others. Big hugs to you, my friends! Lisa I had back surgery two weeks ago. It was out-patient surgery…micro discectomy and disc decompression surgery. It’s a relatively minor surgery, and yet, I’ve always thought of that term, “minor surgery,” as an oxymoron. I don’t think there is any such thing. This procedure has risks of nerve damage, paralysis, infection, and more.
Two weeks after surgery I feel great. I put this surgery off for four years. I did physical therapy and got cortisone injections. I took lots of Celebrex for the pain. I limited my activities because of pain. Nothing helped. I finally had the surgery, and now I feel great. And I feel a huge sense of relief and pride. This has made me think about why we put things off. Why do I put things off? I see it with my clients. It’s not just me. We put off looking for the job, divorcing the spouse, ending the useless “friendship,” and leaving the town we hate. We procrastinate and hope that things will get better. Or, and this might be even worse, we think we can live with the pain, discomfort, or inconvenience. I often share the story of the frog being put in a pot of water. The story says that when we slowly warm the water, the frog will swim around. When we gradually heat the water to boiling, the frog will boil and die. Whereas, if I dropped a living frog into a pot of boiling water, the frog would jump out immediately and live. That’s how the story goes, anyway. I had gotten so accustomed to my back pain that, to some degree, I was willing to live with it. I accommodated it with changes and adjustments I’d made in my life. I felt I was managing it. I talked to an older woman at my gym one day about 6 months ago. I never talked with her before, and have not seen her since. This was what I call a “God Moment” or a “Divine Intervention”. We talked for about 15 minutes, and got on the topic of my back pain and my two herniated discs. She said, “You’re too young to live with that pain. You need to have that taken care of. You don’t need to have that.” I thought, “She’s right.” I realized I was the frog in the pot of water, and the temperature was rising. I’ve been in that pot of water before. I was raised by a mean and abusive mother who I escaped. I was in a bad marriage for 10 years until I filed for a divorce. I’ve left bad jobs and bad bosses. Sometimes you know it’s time to “do the damn thing” – whatever that damn thing is. Don’t let the water get too warm. When it’s time to “do the damn thing,” take action and move your life forward. You’ll be glad you did. Big hugs, Lisa |
AuthorLisa Liszcz has over 20 years of experience developing leaders and teams in four different global organizations in a variety of industries. In 2014 she became an entrepreneur and is rocking her inner superhero and loving her life like mad. Archives
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