Growing with the Encouragement of Friends

I will forever be grateful to Christine and Janet for encouraging me to blog!   What an exciting journey this has been! I vividly remember their first prompts to post.  As I quickly reported to both of my advocates that I'd posted, my next question was, "Now what?". 

I wanted to know how frequently I "had" to post to be a real blogger.  Once per week was the agreed upon frequency.  That seemed possible.  And, I've definitely exceeded that objective with almost daily posts since the end of May.  I would never have imagined that I'd have anything to post in 300 blog entries.  I still wonder frequently, if I'll have anything more to say.  As I greet each new day with a chance to learn and grow, I think I'll make it to 365.

The discipline and challenge of daily posts have helped me think, observe and grow. 

I encourage you to seriously consider whatever you are being encouraged to do (by well-meaning friends).  Just like my friends, they may prompt you to expand your horizons if you're willing to grow with their encouragement.

Busyness or Business

How often one letter makes a tremendous difference in meaning, approach and impact!  We often equate busyness as a necessity to achieve our business objectives.  And to a large degree this is accurate.  In focusing on the many things required to meet our business goals, we do find ourselves perpetually busy.  However, we need to frequently assess whether our busyness is appropriately focused on our business.

Are You Carrying Too Much?

For many years, I was a terrible packer.  Because I didn't take time to plan what I would actually want and need to wear during a particular trip, I packed far too many items.  In recent years, as I've taken time to anticipate my wardrobe requirements, I've lightened my load and simplified my life. 

Planning streamlines nearly all aspects of our lives.  We can get caught up in such extreme busyness that we don't think we have time to plan.  I find that is when I most need to invest the time to accurately assess all that needs to be done and develop a plan to successfully execute.  When I don't stop to plan, my mind becomes like my formerly over-burdened luggage - full of way too much disorganized stuff.

Weekend Adventures

Our precious lacrosse playing son has created exciting new options for our weekends.  Because our daughter is in college, our only other at home dependent to care for is our furry cat-child Tiger.  And because Tiger is easily accommodated, we cheerily hit the Texas freeways to cheer Gar and the Falcons to victory across the metro areas of Texas.

We would happily endure roadtrips across Texas to support Gar, without additional benefits.  Fortunately, we also have the chance to share meals, games and stories with other lovely parents.  In comparing everyone's other extra-curricular support activities, we realize that we won the lottery with this extraordinary group of parents and players.

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is critical for relevance.  It's easy to embrace in concept.  What does it look like in daily life?

Obvious ways to embrace continuous learning include formal training programs, college courses and degree programs.

Less obvious, but other very important ways include:

• active listening sessions with anyone else (regardless of our similarities or differences, we all have tips to share from the different ways that we've succeeded, failed and overcome obstacles)
• embracing the opportunities that change brings (It's easy to recount how many things will be uncomfortably different from the way they were.  It's more productive, progressive and healthful to focus on the positive options afforded.)
• reading!
• speaking
• coaching
• mentoring
• volunteering
• parenting
• friending

Should I ever cease to embrace opportunities to experience new things, ideas and experiences, I will begin the journey to insignificance. My goal is to forever remain vibrant in heart, mind and body.

Thankfully, I've continued to learn today!

Creativity

Everything is blooming!  Flowers are abundantly available at reasonable prices all over town. What a marvelous way to brighten our homes and express our creativity!  I love getting bunches of roses perfectly tinted for our decor and arranging them in a variety of individual and grouped vases throughout our living areas. In addition to our beautiful vases, I love finding unexpected containers and filling them with blooms that we grow and acquire.  Spring vividly reminds us of the beauty of life!

Who's in Charge?

There's nothing like spring cleaning to make us assess our blessings and the required care and feeding of our possessions. I finally understand why some older friends choose to downsize.  The daily, weekly, monthly and annual maintenance required for things we own can feel like these objects own us.  We need to ask ourselves, at least annually, if we still derive enjoyment from high maintenance things in our lives.

We need to keep things that give us pleasure, benefit or positive expectation.  If we can't anticipate any of these positive possibilities, why keep these possessions?

I know that my continual recycling of things I no longer need creates benefits for others who will enjoy them and will give new life to these items.

I choose to be in charge!