Masterful Mindsets

“Be your best true you.” ~Michelle Weimer

My youngest daughter will be graduating from high school this weekend so I thought it would be nice to write a special note to her and all those graduating this year. Or for that matter, anyone who might be coming to the end of a chapter in their life and preparing to embark on a new one.

Then as I started to write, my eyes filled with tears… and my mind went blank. I honestly didn’t know where to start. There was so much I wanted to say. And yet, I couldn’t seem to find the words.

Deep feelings of happiness, joy and pride are mixed with sadness, worry and an odd emptiness. I was quickly reminded of the old saying, “I love you so much it hurts.” As my heart aches every time I think about her leaving for college. And yet, it is exactly what we’ve raised her to do… to go off and be a strong, independent young woman.

So I hope you find value in my thoughts this week as I write this post to her. I think you will definitely see that it can ...

“Our habits shape who we become and the results we create in the world.” ~ Lewis Howes

I’ve been writing all month about resolutions and how to create resolutions that work. But when it all boils down to it, keeping your resolutions is really about creating habits in your life that serve you to your highest potential and help you create the results you want.

Think about this…

We all have good and bad habits, right? When you think of habits, you might think of those that are easy to identify – such as good habits like brushing your teeth every day or bad habits like biting your nails. But have you ever thought about the fact that behaviors such as negative self-talk, procrastination, stress eating, hitting the snooze button, and even people pleasing are also habits? Likewise, things like scheduling and planning your day, being fully present with people, keeping a positive mindset or taking intentional breaks to improve your mental and physical energy throughout the day can also b...

"If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice."  ~Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving is always a time when we are reminded to be thankful for the blessings in our lives, so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to begin this week’s Masterful Mindset by telling you how truly grateful I am that you have chosen to allow me to be a part of your life. I value you as part of my community and am so thankful that we are connected.

Now, on to this week's thoughts:

I recently spoke at an event and shared some of the key concepts I live by, that have helped me create a life I can celebrate every day. One of those concepts is to live with gratitude and hope.

So, this week's quote is something that I often refer to in my own life because there are so many times when I am overflowing with how blessed I am, that prayers of gratitude are literally the only prayers I need to make.  And likewise, there are some times when I’m overwhelmed with hardships and worries so sta...

“Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~Don Miguel Ruiz

Would you say you are someone of integrity who practices being positive, honest, truthful, and loving? Do you stick to your promises and keeps your word?

My guess is, you probably want to say yes to these questions BUT, if you were truly being honest with yourself, would that really be your answer? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying anything bad or judging your character. Odds are, you could answer yes to them when thinking about how you interact with others. But what about how you talk to yourself? This is where it becomes so easy to let go of our integrity, our compassion and our love. It’s sad really. What we say to ourselves is often so much more critical than what we say to anyone else. Think about it… if you talked to your friends like you talk to yourself, would you sti...

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi  

Wouldn’t it be great if you could flip a switch and change the world? I’ve often thought about how nice it would be, to be able to rid the world of all negativities.

Of course, I know there’s no magical solution but what I do know is that there are a few simple concepts that, when practiced regularly, could change your life a bit for the better and perhaps the lives of others around you. And quite honestly, I think our world could use some change so why not let it start with each of us?   

Before I go on, please know that this is not a political post, nor is it a declaration of me thinking I have the answers to change the world. It’s simply a viewpoint on a couple fun and simple steps we can all take to be better and be kinder. And no matter what your beliefs are, I would hope you always strive for kindness and to be your best. So please read on…

Be Present – Try being in the now, fully present in the moment, full...

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the energy you bring to every moment." ~ unknown

Throughout this month we’ve been exploring different and perhaps less widely recognized, aspects of energy. Beginning with how releasing negative emotions can increase positive energy. Then we looked at the influence your energetic presence has on other people and on to the power of focused energy. Finally, last week I shared some of the sneaky bad habits that drain your energy.  

Now I want to give you a bonus, as we wrap up this month-long discussion on the power of energy and the pivotal role of energy in achieving high performance and success. Because as I mentioned at the beginning of this series, there are different types of energy that impact our lives, both individually and collectively. And in our fast-paced, demanding world, being able to maintain optimal levels of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy is not just a luxury; it's an absolute necessity.

So, ...

“The energy you radiate has the power to influence everyone you encounter.” - Michelle Weimer

This week’s topic of energy ties in with last month’s series on influence because of the fact that today I want to talk about how your energetic presence affects and influences those you are around.

If you are upbeat and highly energetic both physically and emotionally, people around you can feel that energy. Likewise, if you are putting out negative energy and emotions, the people around you are going to feel that as well. Take that thought in for a minute and think about the energy you’ve been giving off. How do you think it’s affecting those around you?

Now think about this, if you had the power to control the quality of air your family is breathing, would you fill the room with a toxic gas that could ultimately harm them? Of course not! Instead you’d want to pump it full of pure life-giving air. And yet, if you are giving off negative energy all the time, you are letting that energy...

“You don’t have to be a “person of influence” to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they’ve taught me.” ~ Scott Adams

If you were to think about the people who have been role models to you in your life, I would be willing to bet that the majority of them never really knew they were your role model. So now ponder that for a minute… How many people then, have you likely been a role model to that you have no idea you’ve influenced? Kind of gives you chills, right? I mean, think about how you show up every single day of your life. What are you modeling to others? What energy are you giving out that others are absorbing? What habits or behaviors do you model that someone else is likely learning from you? What mindset or beliefs is someone picking up from you that are becoming their own? And maybe the most important question… Is the model you are being worth modeling?

You might think that no one is watching but I ca...

“Don’t adapt to the energy in the room. Influence the energy in the room.”

During difficult or uncertain times, we not only have an opportunity to lead others, but for many, it is our duty to do it. Especially for those who know they have people who look to them for guidance. So how do you really influence people? That’s the topic of this post, as we dive deeper into our series on influence. But first, think about someone in your life that has been highly influential to you. It could be someone in your personal life or your professional life, someone from your past or someone recent. How did they demonstrate influence?

Was the first person that came to mind someone that influenced you in a positive or negative way? Examine that for yourself for a little while. It might have a big impact on how you perceive influence. If the experience was negative, you could see influence as a negative thing. (And it can be for some.) Which might make you shy away from being influential with othe...

“Lead and They Will Follow”

How you choose to show up each day, influences the people around you. Think about that long and hard right now… You may not realize how important it is or how influential you are. But you have the opportunity to influence people in your personal and professional life every single day. That’s powerful and it’s not to be taken lightly. Yet most people never ever stop to think about the fact that their words, energy, and actions are influencing others.

I recently hosted a training for my online community to help them learn how to thrive during uncertain times because the truth is, life is uncertain and none of us are exempt from having to deal with uncertainty in our lives. Through the training I was able to guide and lead others by giving them a new way to think about uncertainty. I also shared tools they could utilize to better navigate through uncertainty when it arises. Then I challenged them to level up and be a strong role models for others in diffi...