Life Lessons From a Potter’s Wheel

August 8, 2015 By

Balance and harmony are important in all areas of our life. When we talk about balance we tend to think in terms of balancing across each segment of our life but in truth, it matters within each of them as well. We need a balanced approach to health as an example and within our financial profile. Our personal network should be diversified and expose us to perspectives with range and depth. But balance only truly happens when we also have each area of our life in harmony with the rest.

The same is true for learning. We need to have core skill building for our professional endeavors and soft skill development overall. We also need to integrate things into the mix that are perhaps outside our standard fare and develop creative interests as well as skill. This is an area where quite frankly I have not always had the right mix. My professional development always took precedence.

I made a conscience decision to change that and begin incorporating some creativity into my learning mix and enrolled in pottery classes. Why pottery? Most likely because I love that art form and it seemed like something that would completely occupy my attention. That was after all part of the point. I wanted (and needed) a complete departure from business as usual. As a writer, I also felt that it would introduce me into a world of artists where I could also absorb some of that creative energy. And quite frankly, I thought it might be fun to play in some mud! And it has been.

I am about three months into this latest adventure and I am now without question a lifelong enthusiast. The parallels to life are there every time I sit down at the wheel or work with the clay at the table. And the miracle of what happens with glazes and the heat of the kiln are incredible.

My very first piece was a small dish that had a small bird on it since that’s my favorite collectible. It became a Mother’s Day gift for my Mom. Now a grandmother myself, it had been a long time since my gift to her was something made by my own hand. It felt so good to do that. And the gift has a richer meaning for her as well.

What lessons have I learned? Here are my top five:

  1. When we are willing to become a beginner at something, we renew our true love of learning
  2. Even the simplest of materials can and do have the potential for creating beauty
  3. To make things happen we have to be willing to take some risks and get our hands dirty
  4. Pressure and heat create strength and transformation
  5. We all sign our work in one way or another

If you were asked to choose something new to learn, what would you choose? Consider giving yourself, or someone you love that gift. It truly is priceless.

Live (learn) today like you want tomorrow to be. Live (learn) well.

Filed Under: Inspiration & Creativity, Learning & Growth, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Always Start With Yes!

August 3, 2015 By

As a strategist, one of the key areas where I work with clients is on saying no: How to say it, when to say it, why to say it. Michael E. Porter of the Harvard Business Review has even been quoted as saying that “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do”.

The challenge is that there is a growing trend or shift in this direction that has us so focused on saying no, streamlining, simplifying, etc. that in some cases we’ve lost sight of our YES.

True strategy means that we begin with a desired end in mind. That end is our YES. The ONLY reason for NO is to keep us FOCUSED on the YES. Think about that for a moment. Do you know where your yeses are?

This insight from Henry David Thoreau came to mind as I thought about this: “It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?”

For us to be effective and live the lives we truly want to live, we need to always start with yes. What do we want? It really is about choice. What are we choosing to say yes to? That’s how you keep the NO positive. It may sound counter intuitive but it’s true. Your NO is a positive response when you have started with your YES.

Yes is all about intention. It is the absolute key for understanding the power of choice in every area of our life. When we are saying yes to love, happiness, health, balance and ease a momentum will build. We achieve more of what we focus on.

Begin today and start with your YES – keep that end in mind. The very need for no’s will start to fall away as we attract more of our yeses.

Live (say YES!) today to what you want tomorrow to be. Live (say Yes!) well!

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Are You Living in “Grand” Time?

June 30, 2015 By

Female Multl Generation Family Walking Along Autumn PathThe advantages of reaching what I now call my “wisdom years” are many. But without question for me, one of the most delightful of those is being a grandmother.

There is something uniquely gratifying about holding the hand of your child’s child.

There is something profoundly meaningful about creating a value in their lives that no one but you can create.

I’m not sure I ever really thought about or completely embraced the idea of legacy until the moment I first looked into my oldest granddaughter’s face as a newborn. What a startling moment that was! A life circle unfolding right in front of my eyes.

I’m asked often about my company name, Mackenzie Circle. Its true genesis moment was meeting my first granddaughter. I reflected back to my own mother, grandmother and her mother before her, Molly Mackenzie. It was then natural to shift that vision forward to my own daughter; her daughters following her. A circle that is ever growing, widening, deepening, ebbing and flowing. And so Mackenzie Circle was born: a company that celebrates life every day in a way that builds a stronger tomorrow for all.

Over the past 15 years as a grandmother there have been many lessons along the way. Perhaps the most compelling thing I can share is that being a grandmother is the most enriching and the most revealing relationship I believe I have experienced. We see the world differently because of the lens they bring us. And we see ourselves differently because of the lens we are able to bring to them.

I recently met a woman that was about to meet her first grand-child. Her anticipation was palpable as you might expect. There was also some trepidation along with the excitement. She asked me what advice I could offer to her and quite frankly, it gave me pause for a moment. But then I realized how truly simple this is. It comes down to three basic things – our calendar, their causes and a focus on creating memories that will sustain them long after we are no longer physically with them.

Your Calendar

If you want to know what you truly value, check your calendar. It was easier when we were the parent. Having our children on our calendar was a matter of routine. We had physical responsibilities that mandated time. As a grandparent, we need to reflect time with our children and grandchildren as a choice. Isn’t it wonderful when you know someone is choosing time with you? And that doesn’t always have to be in person or even voice to voice. Video cards are great. And so is that old stand-by: personal mail. Those hand-written cards and letters are memory box items they will treasure. The key is that they know they are valued because they are on your calendar by choice.

Their Causes

Another area where as grandparents we play a crucial role is by hearing our grandchildren and championing their causes and ideas. Those first fresh personal insights one day grow into their own belief system. These are often borne in the conversations and early reflections we are privileged to share. As we learn to hear them clearly and accept them without judgment (or fear of their judgment of us!), we can grow together by caring together. We are able to help them see beyond themselves to a greater purpose and good by sharing our own causes and introducing them to those ideas. My granddaughter and I take particular delight in sharing books and even music with each other that we’ve found knowing they will appeal to the other. We feel heard and seen when someone reflects back to us what we are projecting to the world in a positive way.

Shared Creations

And last but of course never least is the creation of memories. The best way to create memories for and with each other is to create with each other. Whether that is art, music or even learning something together. Having a reference point for the relationship is what allows them to carry our light with them long after the torch is passed. It is so important to remember that we do not leave a legacy; we live it every day with every encounter.

So here is to those next generations providing us the opportunity (and privilege) to truly live “grand”!

It gives new meaning to living today like you want tomorrow to be.

Within this light, we live today like we want their tomorrow to be.

And that will always be to live well.

 

Filed Under: Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Welcome Distinguished Guests – A message for us all!

June 7, 2015 By

graduates hatThis is the season. A season mixed with endings and beginnings.

Our institutions of learning around the world, and perhaps more importantly within each of our neighborhoods are sending out groups of fresh faces and minds ready to tackle what is next in their young lives.

When the graduation is from college, or perhaps even high school, part of the exercise is also that a new group of parents or grandparents and other people that support them are also recognizing a shift in their own horizons. They have in many respects, just become unemployed. A variety of emotions and thoughts swirl around us.

One of my nephews graduated from high school this weekend. He will begin college in the fall. For my brother, his Dad, there is a touch of sadness at this growing which is also a going. His love for his son mandates he celebrate. He would have it no other way. He feels (and rightly so) tremendous pride. His love for his son also mandates his tears and exacts that price as well. While genuinely happy for his son there is also sadness. As I watched his emotions I flashed back to when it was my daughter’s milestones. The emotions were the same for me.

What I have learned over my own life at these milestone moments is that what we need to express to those that leave and those that remain is essentially the same. Our words to our graduates are the same admonitions that are true for those that have loved them and nurtured them to this point in their lives. These moments are not endings. They are beginnings. For everyone involved. Orrin Hatch said it well when he said that there is a good reason the very occasions themselves are called commencement exercises. It is a time of beginnings. And that is the real reason to celebrate. It is a time of beginnings for all of us.

As I thought about that and did some research into what we say at these events I found some words of wisdom that crossed the aisles of those in attendance. Here are five quotes that can speak to every person in the room. And perhaps even especially to those that may not understand that the beginnings are as much for them as those in caps and gowns.

“As you start your journey, the first thing you should do is throw away that store-bought map and begin to draw your own.” Michael Dell, CEO, Dell Computers, University of Texas at Austin, 2003

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary…Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005

“Use your life in the service somehow to others and give back what you have been given. That’s how you keep it. That’s how you get it. That’s how you grow it.” Oprah Winfrey, Howard University, 2007

“There’s no there. That elusive ‘there’ with the job, the beach house, the dream, it’s not out there. There is here. It’s in you, right now.” Brian Kenny, Ohio Northern University, 2007

“Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.” Mia Hamm, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2014

We are all starting a new season. And we are all on some level, somewhat afraid of what that means. When I come to these places in life I am reminded of the words of Marianne Williamson in her book: A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Live today like you want tomorrow to be. Live well.

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

List, List, Who’s Got a List?

May 31, 2015 By

If I were to ask you if you have a “To Do List”, there is a high probability that you would say yes.

It might be on paper, on your smart phone or be a mental check list but most of us operate day to day based on what we think we need to get done.

And somewhere in there, we usually have a list!

First let’s agree that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a to-do list. In fact it’s an effective tool. All of the studies on productivity stand by the importance of being organized for strategic action.

And frankly there is satisfaction in working from a list. I’ve even been known to add things to my list after they were done just so I can cross them off! We like being able to see what we’re getting done.

It may be time, however to consider some strategies beyond just what we’re going to do. Here is a list (pun intended) of four other lists that can create a marked difference in staying on track for reaching our goals:

  1. To Be List – After all, it’s not about where we’re going that is the real point. For example, when talking about financial goals, Jim Rohn taught that becoming wealthy wasn’t the true reward. The true reward for anything we accomplish of significance is the person we have to become in order to get there that really matters. When we define that, we are in fact creating our “to be” list. Who do we want to be? Just by claiming those values and personal attributes changes our perspective and as a result, our day and ultimately our life is also changed.
  2. To Learn List – It’s important to recognize where we have a knowledge gap in any area where we will be making critical decisions or our personal performance has a crucial influence on our outcomes. And sometimes it’s just about acknowledging where we have curiosity and interest. Both are important factors in our personal development. It’s also crucial as leaders to remain active students. I recently had the privilege of hearing Jeffrey Gitomer speak and he had this to share: “If you want to stay the best at what you do, you have to stay a student of what you do.” In the curiosity department, this can and should extend beyond skills for our work. Here is where we need to step outside of our comfort zone and move into some adventure! I’ve been doing that of late and it has added a depth and dimension to my life I did not anticipate that has been immensely satisfying.
  3. To Know List – The building of an effective personal network, a core inner circle of influence is perhaps the strategy that has proven most invaluable for me. Going back to Jim Rohn’s teachings for a moment, he proposed that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with in any area of our life. That has proven true time and time again. It becomes clear where our circles may need to evolve. When we are intentional with the wisdom and depth we are bringing into our lives, the results are nothing short of life-changing.
  4. Not To Do List – Oh yes! This one is at times the hardest! And yes, for me it addresses some “not to do behaviors” like eating sugars or drinking Diet Coke. But it goes well beyond health practices. This list forces an acknowledgement that some things on the “To Do List” need to be moved to the “To Delegate” and even “To Delete” lists. Michael E. Porter (Harvard Business Review) our modern day father of strategy had this to offer when he was asked to define strategy: “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” I find that extraordinarily insightful. Being strategic requires a filter for what we are not going to do to hold the space we need for what we must do! We have to keep life clutter at bay in order to keep the path clear.

These four lists are making a marked difference in my life. Perhaps they will for you, too. Why are they important? Because with each of them we are required to think about what it is we want something to be in the end. It forces us to reach ahead in our vision to see the person we want to become and think about what it’s going to take to achieve that outcome in our lives.

Live (list) today what you want tomorrow to be. Then live (list) well!

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What do you take with you?

May 24, 2015 By

Moving This is a time of transition for many in my closest circle of family and friends. We have young adults that were just children a blink ago now graduating from high school and heading off to college. Others are planning weddings and baby showers. My own grand-girl is moving into high school. My daughter is looking to move into a house more suited to her growing family.  And those are just a few.

Transition. Even when it’s organic or by choice, it’s still a time of change and can be bittersweet; especially when it involves that place we call home.

My first home on my own was a small frame house in Grand Rapids, Michigan that I shared with a friend. It was in the early 1970’s and we were college students, heady with that first taste of independence. The house was on Walnut Street. I still remember how “grownup” we felt having our own place to live.

But all these years later, other than a few books and photographs, only memories remain of that time and place.

Over the years, there would be other homes in other cities. I would share those places and spaces with other people or live alone. Books and photographs continued to travel with me. At some point in my life, other things began to also make the sojourn to the next address.  Artwork, collectibles, even a few furniture pieces have been with me now for many decades. They stay with me because they have come to represent a part of my life in a meaningful way.

Recently I chronicled all of the places I have called home. While I have clear memories of some of them, it’s a bit sketchy for others. I was somewhat surprised to realize how many addresses there have been over the past 60 years that at some point had my name attached to them. Each of them is part of the imprint of my life. When thinking about this, here is what I know to be true: every time I have moved I have in reality also left parts of my life behind and carried parts with me.

If you have ever gone through a move you will understand this. There is no better time to streamline than when you move.  We toss things, give them away, perhaps even have a garage sale or two and recycle! Some things we carry with us out of need but will later replace with something more suited to our new home. The rest continues on and is put in a new place where we can see it in a new light even as we remember its former glow.

This is how I am beginning to understand life overall. With each time and season of my life I feel the call to let parts of the old season remain where they are. There is no need to carry them forward. Even who I serve and how I serve them. Going into my new (next) means leaving some of my past (now) behind. It also means taking some things with me, even if only for awhile. And it means some things will remain. I find that very comforting and hopeful all at the same time. Every time and season has its purpose.  And another season always follows. What genius God displays in giving us this gift of life to experience as we grow and change.

If you are coming into one of those time junctures in your life, even if the biggest change is for someone else, it is a perfect opportunity to think about this for yourself. What will stay behind? What will remain? Good questions for all of us always. Even day by day.

Choose today what you want tomorrow to be.

Keep that. Live that. Live well.

Filed Under: Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , ,
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