MaXIMIze - The Maze is in the Mouse

I just finished reading two must-read books this week - Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and Deepak Malhotra's "I Moved Your Cheese."

We all know in our hearts that worry doesn't solve anything. It just robs the present of its pleasures AND our attention. It can also take our health and vitality from us if we let focus on it instead of letting go and living in the present.

If you feel yourself going down the dark path of worry, stop, breathe, and ask yourself what is truly the worst thing that can happen. To get to this determination - what is truly the worst that could happen - focus on the if/then - IF this happens, or better yet, if I do this, THEN this is the likely consequence - the likely REALISTIC consequence.

Then, ask yourself why that potential consequence scares you so much. Worry is a direct relation to Fear, and if we face Fear head on, we lessen its power over us.

Then, turn your focus to the flip side - what is the BEST that can happen from the situation.

And, somewhere in-between the two, is the most likely, most realistic outcome of the situation.

Just for today. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Today - this moment - the present. That is where our focus needs to be.

Yesterday is done and gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. Focus on the here and now, not on the there and then.

These are the lessons I am most strongly reminded of from Dale Carnegie's book.

The second book is a rejoinder, a sort of retort if you will, to the now-classic "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. And, it is where the title of this blog came from - the maze is in the mouse. A very deep thought to ponder indeed, and a strong reminder that we need to be willing to ask those tough questions - Why? being the toughest sometimes - of not only others, but more importantly ourselves - AND to be willing to dig deep for the answers. True change comes from within - within organizations and from within individuals before that.

We as individuals need to acknowledge and accept that our perception of the way things are is likely not REALITY - it may be our reality, but it is not the REALITY - and to be willing to let go of our reality in order to see the REALITY. Only by doing that on an individual level, can we truly effect change at a collective level - whether that be organizationally, societally, or both.

Reading "I Moved Your Cheese" was a Zen moment, a deep AH-HA moment for me.

Couple these with meeting and talking with Joe Ben Jr. and Zach Ben, two artists who create sand paintings and are medicine people from the Dine people (Navajo Nation), about how to truly effect change in ourselves and our communities (HINT: it is not simply by protesting, folks - as Gandhi said, you must be the change you want to see in the world), it was an amazing weekend!

What is the perception you need to acknowledge and let go of in order to be the change you wish to see in the world?

Until next time, NAMASTE!

MaXIMIze - Just for Today

As we are now in April, which is National Poetry Month, and which has a challenge of writing 30 poems in 30 days, for today's coaching post I'm sharing with you what came forth when I focused on the thought "Just for Today."

Just for today - you are enough, you do enough, you have enough
Just for today - believe in yourself, believe in your words, just believe
Just for today - be your dreams, be your prayers, just be
Just for today - whatever you are called to do, do it
Just for today - whatever you are called to be, be it
Just for today - stand in the truth that is you - own that truth, live that truth
Just for today - namaste, namaste, namaste!

I know this is not a usual poetry form, however, it fit the thoughts that came with "Just for Today." As long as we stay in the present, we can do what needs to be done, Just for Today. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, so why not focus on Just for Today?

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - Spring Equinox - Finding Balance

The Spring and Fall Equinoxes are when Day and Night are equal, and the day is balanced rather than tipped toward more or less of daylight or darkness. They are a reminder that there is a cycle of life, and there are times we have it easier and times we have it harder than others.

We have had a lot of discussion about work-life balance in recent months, and I am reminded by the upcoming Equinox that true balance comes rarely. Our focus is usually directed at one or more specific areas in our lives, not evenly at all six at any given time.

Our lives are full of peaks and valleys, not mesas or plateaus. Those come too, but as resting places, not permanent residences.

Whether we spend more time climbing peaks or sliding into the valleys depends on our choices in life. Sometimes life throws us a curveball and knocks us into the valleys, however we can choose to continue the downward slide, or we can choose to grab that branch, break our fall, and being our climb to the peak once more.

So where are you in life - sliding down in a valley or climbing toward that peak?

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - What do You Want, You Really, Really Want?

We sprang forward time-wise this morning, a notice that Spring is just around the corner. And with that, this is a good time to really look at what it is we want to accomplish this year, so we can move forward toward our goals.

In order to do so successfully, we need to figure out what it is we truly want, put it out to the universe, and then work toward it diligently. If we are in alignment and focus, we will get what it is we are truly working toward.

In Suze Orman's book, The Money Class, she says to "stand in your truth." This takes deep work, peeling back the layers until you are seeing things clearly and unflinchingly, acknowledging the truth of your particular present situation and the work and commitment required to move from where you are right here, right now, to where it is you truly want to be.

So, where do you truly want to be in your life, and what are you going to have to commit to and do in order to get there? How are you going to stand in your truth in order to do so?

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - Giving Up Procrastination For Progress

Lent began nearly a week ago now. Lots of people give up seemingly simple things for Lent - food, alcohol, TV. I decided to give up procrastination in order to make progress on my goals for the year.

My goals are also seemingly simple. Lose 20 pounds. Blog more consistently. Put together and publish a book or books based on my blog posts from 2012-2017.

And there are times I blaze along on these goals. Other times, I seem to fall off the path and wander about lost in the haze of other temptations, mainly binge-watching TV or being caught in the trap of scrolling an internet feed.

So, I am recommitting to giving up procrastination for progress.

One of today's goals is writing and posting this blog post. Another one is clearing a space to do yoga and pilates. A third is to actually do either yoga, pilates, or Qi Gong (all of which I have videos for - and equipment).

What are you giving up to make progress on your goals? Or should I ask what are you willing to give up to make that progress?

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - Intentions and Goals

In our office safety meeting last month, I gave a presentation that included the following information:

Recognizing your sphere of control, your sphere of influence, and those things outside of both that you can do nothing about. Once you realize the only person you can truly control is yourself - and that is where you should put your energy, and you can make the distinctions of control and influence, you can let go of that which you can't control and focus on that which you can.

This will help with setting intentions and being able to achieve your goals.

Another thing that helps with doing this is being able to set realistic goals. Realistic goals follow the SMART model:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Results-Focused
Time-Bound

Examples I gave included losing weight, saving money, posting to this blog, and publishing a book or several books based on the my posts from 2012 to 2017. Each of those is broad enough to be considered an intention, until you apply the SMART model to it. We'll use losing weight as an example:

Intention: Lose Weight

Specific - how much weight? 20 pounds

Measurable - Did you meet your goal at the end? Are there milestones you can set/track?

Achievable - is this achievable during the timeframe set?

Results-Focused - Are you making progress toward your goal in the timeframe set? If not, what do you need to do to get back on track and move forward? Or, do you need to readjust your target?

Time-Bound - By when? December 2018

Once you've laid out your intention, and turned it into a goal (or goals, depending), then you can focus on the actions you need to take in order to work toward the desired result. Those are the concrete, measurable steps you can take and track in order to meet your goals. One foot in front of the other, as the saying goes!

Also, in order to reach your goals, you want to focus on reward, not punishment. You want to recognize your milestones along the way, and celebrate those successes. And, if you fall behind, you want to simply start again by getting back up and taking it one day at a time. If need be, reassess your goals and adjust them.

I will close this post with something I found on Twitter today, posted by Mindfulness Wellness (@HealingMB):

S - see your goal
U - understand the obstacles
C - create a positive mental picture
C - clear your mind of self-doubt
E - embrace all challenges
S - sacrifice free time
S - show the world you can do it
F - feed your focus
U - utilize all opportunities
L - learn from all failures

Coming up in future posts, we will talk about Manifesting Your Vision!

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - New Year - Values Assessment

If you are not living in alignment with your core values, your life may feel out of sync, you may feel unsettled, uneasy, and on edge, but you can't put your finger on why you feel that way.

An exercise I learned first with a group of women where I used to live, and have since run across in slight variations, is about identifying your core values.

Take a few moments and write down 10 values you feel strongly connected to.

Let that list simmer for a couple of days, and then refine it to five values.

Then to three.

Then to one.

Then, look at your life through the lens of your core values. Take the six areas we discussed in the last post, and see if you are living your life in alignment with these values.

My top core value is freedom - others are honesty, loyalty, fidelity, and responsibility. I'd say these are my five core values. So, how do these jibe with my goals for 2018?

Finances - freedom and responsibility - getting out of debt gives me the freedom to really plan for retirement from my current day job. I am eligible to retire in 2020, and being both eligible and financially able to will be a weight off my shoulders. I like my job, and I may not retire in 2020, however just knowing I have the freedom to do so is enough.

Getting out of debt is the responsible thing to do. I have enough in my retirement account to pay off my current debt and leave my children with a tidy sum of money - and being more responsible with my finances will give me the freedom to enjoy my retirement.

The same is true of my health - and getting my blog books published may enhance my financial freedom and give me a second career.

So yes, all my goals for 2018 jibe with my core values.

Do yours? If not, what do you need to change in your life right here, right now, to move toward living your best life now - in alignment with your core values?

In future posts, we will discuss setting intentions, goals setting, and Manifestation Boards.

Until next time, Namaste!

MaXIMIze - New Year - Time to Reassess

There is an an exercise I like to do at least annually called the Circle of Perception.

To do this exercise, take a piece of paper and draw a large circle in the center of it. Then divide the circle into six equal sections, like pieces of pie or pizza. Label each of the sections as follows:

Career
Relationships
Finances
Physical Well Being
Spiritual Well Being
Overall Well Being

Then, rate each of these areas from 1 to 10, and show that in each section. A rating of 10 would be the edge of the circle,  1 would be in the center of the circle (where all the pieces meet), and 5 would be at the midpoint of the section/circle.

Once each section is rated, look at the circle. Are all of the sections rated equally or are some rated higher than others? What sections are rated below an 8?

For the ones rated below an 8, what would it take for each of them to be an 8?

Think about that for the next week.

Next week, we'll do an exercise aimed at determining your core values, and then look at what you've thought about for this exercise to see if what you said would cause those areas rated below an 8 to become an 8 really fit your core values.

Later in the month we will discuss setting intentions and goal settings.

Until next time, Namaste!