by Mike | Feb 12, 2022 | Connection, Gratitude, Inspiration
Ok…so, it’s confession time. I’m a little embarrassed to say, but, I love Tiktok, the social media platform that has taken the world by storm over the last few years. I try to use my time wisely, and in all honesty, watching Tiktok videos might not be the best way to do that. But, every so often, I see a video that hits me hard. A good friend of mine recently sent me one that did just that.
It was a video of a young man who was talking about his Grandma…and her pots and pans of all things. Years and years ago, his Grandma wanted a set of copper pots and pans. She bought them because they were beautiful and she was excited to be able to use them to cook meals for her family for special occasions. Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving dinners, birthdays, anniversaries. She was going to cook food for those that she loved….and she was going to use those beautiful copper pots and pans.
But, they were expensive. They were shiny. They were too good to use. Over the years, those “special occasions” just didn’t feel special enough for her to use them. She didn’t want to discolor the copper. She didn’t want to damage or scratch them. Because, they were after all, copper….and they were beautiful. So, she used other pots and pans. And there they were, hanging like a chandelier in the kitchen collecting dust. For years, and then for decades, and then…she passed away without ever making a special occasion meal with her copper pots and pans.
Thankfully, her grandson took those pots and pans, dusted them off, cleaned them up and brought them to his home where he uses them – for special occasions, for not-so-special occasions, for a Tuesday night dinner all the while knowing his Grandma is right there by his side cooking those meals with him.
I think we all do this far too often. We make promises to ourselves, but for whatever reason, we wait. We let time pass. We tell ourselves that the right time will come. And also far too often, that time never comes.
So, use the good copper, visit that high school friend that you haven’t seen in years, buy the fancy shoes, eat the chocolate cake, take the trip, have the conversation. Because, if you don’t, one day you will have never done it and those promises that you made yourself will only be covered in dust, just like his grandma’s copper pots and pans.
Thankfully, we all have an opportunity to act on the promises we make to ourselves. We don’t have to wait. We don’t have to keep the copper pots and pans beautiful. All it takes is a decision, a decision to experience the beauty of life in the moment.
So, a challenge for all of us – today, tomorrow, this week, this month..use the good copper.
by Mike | Dec 7, 2021 | Compassion, Connection, Gratitude, Inspiration
Merry Christmas everyone. ‘Tis the season! The hustle has started. The bustle has started. The Christmas lights are up, the decorations are out and the sleigh bells are ringing. There is no question that this is a beautiful time of the year.
While this time of the year holds a special place in our hearts for many of us, it can also be a time filled with stress and anxiety. The hustle and bustle of preparations, the chaos of endless crowds, the search for the “perfect” gifts for our loved ones. All too often, we seem to be focused on the “thing” that will bring joy to our friends and family.
But here’s a question for you – have you ever given yourself a gift for the holidays? I know some do and it always cracks me up that they go to the extent of wrapping it and putting it under the tree. I actually kind of love the idea. But what if there was a gift you could give yourself that didn’t require a trip to the store to battle the crowds, one that didn’t need to be wrapped, one that doesn’t cost a single penny – but at the same time, one that could change your life in some pretty amazing ways.
If you’ve read any of these articles, I’m guessing you have an idea of what this magical gift is that I’m talking about. Yup. It’s GRATITUDE. Gratitude is free. It truly doesn’t cost a dime. But the impact it can have on your life can’t be overstated. It’s a game-changing gift and one that will bring joy to you and your life.
Granted, gratitude is meant to be shared with others. But first, it’s important to build your own perspective of gratitude. In fact, doing so is a prerequisite to effectively sharing it with others. Building habits that leverage a grateful perspective, viewing your own life through the lens of gratitude and taking the time out of your day to practice personal gratitude are all required for you to realize the full impact gratitude can have on your life.
So, you might be asking yourself – How do I do it? How do I give “myself” the gift of gratitude? Well, here are some thoughts. First, during this Christmas season try to make an intentional effort to slow down and recognize the things in your life for which you are grateful – suspend the chaos and attend to the now. Take pause – give yourself an opportunity to notice things that you might otherwise take for granted. Said simply…live in the moment.
Second, be aware of your surroundings. Instead of hustling and bustling through the Christmas season, stop and look up. Greet those passing by you. Smile at them. Take the opportunity to make a difference in their day. You never know how grateful a stranger might be from the simplest of gestures…a smile.
Third, look at the people in your life. Look at the things in your life. Notice the good actions of others. Keep your eyes open to things that are often far too easy to overlook. Notice and appreciate the little things because, as I’m convinced, those “little” things in life are really the “big” things in life.
So, as we navigate the craziness of the next few weeks, give yourself the gift of gratitude. Witness the power that can come from it. Remember, it is when we leverage our own personal perspective of gratitude that we will be able to bring joy to the lives of those around us.
Merry Christmas everyone!
by Mike | Nov 2, 2021 | Connection, Gratitude, Inspiration, Routines
It’s November. It’s the month of “Thanksgiving”!!! The month we are supposed to be thankful for all of the blessings life has provided. But, I’ll be honest, over the last several years, this month has become a bit of a challenging time of year for me personally. It has been during this month that I’ve lost some incredibly special people, people that have quite literally changed the course of my life. It has now become a month, no longer for necessarily “making” memories with these amazing people, but for appreciating the beautiful memories and connections that shaped our lives together. It has become a month for reframing my perspective and for finding gratitude and thankfulness for the opportunity to create amazing moments with each of them.
There truly is so much to be thankful for in our lives. While sometimes it might be difficult to see it, it’s there. It just might take a little more focus once in a while. For me, I’m thankful for time, time to create memories with those that I love. I’m thankful for those memories. I’m thankful for my family and friends. I’m thankful for medical teams that keep families safe and whole. I’m thankful for the unconditional love I receive from my dogs. I’m thankful for the connections I have made with others and for those that I will make each day moving forward. I’m thankful for the way those connections change my life in such amazing ways. I’m thankful for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (yup…I love them!). I’m thankful for so many things. But, most of all, I’m just thankful for life – for the opportunities I am given every day to experience our beautiful world. The best part – the list could go on and on.
Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been easy. As anyone who has lost a loved one knows, getting to a point of appreciation and thankfulness can be a long and arduous journey. At the same time, there are reasons to be thankful. So many reasons. They are all around us — every day and in every moment. To be honest, it might be that even a little bit of focus on these things might make that journey a little less long and arduous.
What are you thankful for? I challenge you – take time to reflect, to look around and to notice all of the goodness that has brought you to this point in your life. There is much for all of us to be thankful for. In fact, the goodness in our lives is undoubtedly overflowing. Sometimes it just takes a few moments of pause and reflection to notice it.
So, here’s an idea! Let’s do it! Right now! Grab a pen and paper. Start writing. I’m pretty sure you’ll be surprised at how much goodness will end up on that piece of paper.
Ready – Set – GO!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
by Mike | Oct 12, 2021 | Connection, Gratitude, Inspiration
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller
In life, we often strive to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves. We join together with others in a common cause. We find others that we believe in and those that believe in us. We surround ourselves with those that we can lean on. We push each other to a level of greatness that can only be achieved when we all work together as a collective unit.
Collective determination. The desire to create change together. The drive to accomplish a goal as part of a group of like-minded individuals. There is something incredibly powerful in it. This is the way we create impact.
In thinking about determination and how powerful a collective can be, it brought me back to an experience I had when I was a coach for my daughter’s traveling softball team several years ago. It was a “10 and under” team, so, many of the girls were pretty new to the game. In the beginning of the year they had their typical struggles – not only on the diamond, but, also trying to relate to each other as a team. The “team” concept was kind of new to many of the girls.
I don’t know that there was anything “magical” about this season other than the fact that they went from an “ordinary team” to an “extraordinary team” when it counted. They had been playing well throughout the season, each player improving individually and the team improving as a whole. However, in the state tournament I noticed a change in each girl. That change was a focus and determination that was almost palpable.
The thing that was impressive to me is that when I think of big games or series, there is usually someone who would be worthy of the MVP. That wasn’t the case for this team in the state tournament. Yes, there were girls that played their typical high level of softball, but, there were game-changing plays by every single one of the 13 girls on that team throughout the tournament. At the start of the tournament, the changed I noticed was that girls, as a whole, were more determined than ever. Together they decided that now was the time that they would peak and that it was time for 13 girls to come together as 1 team. That was their common theme throughout the tournament – 13 for 1… 13 girls for 1 win, 13 girls for 1 championship, 13 girls for 1 team. It was really a spectacular thing to watch and a sight to behold. The older girls made huge plays…the younger girls made huge plays. In the end, their motto really held true – 13 for 1.
They did, in fact, win the State Championship going 5-0 in the tournament and went on to finish 13th in the national tournament. While winning the tournament was nice, the impact for these girls came in the form of lessons they learned about determination. It is those lessons that have staying power. It is those lessons that they will lean on to create amazing change in our world as they move through life.
So the next time you’re see a true example of determination, whether that’s a group of young girls coming together to achieve a common goal or the mom who works three jobs simply to feed her family, take pause, look closer, and feel grateful for what you are witnessing.
by Mike | Sep 15, 2021 | Gratitude, Inspiration
Welcome to September. We all know what that means for us Minnesotans…endings and new beginnings. As the Great Minnesota Get “Back” Together wraps up this year on Labor Day we come to the unofficial end of summer. With that, it also brings many of us to a new beginning – the start of a new school year.
As we venture into this new school year, there is no better time to express gratitude for those that inspire and encourage our youth – teachers. If you think back over the course of the last year, it’s hard to express enough gratitude for those that educate our children. Their normal routines and approaches were totally disrupted due to the pandemic. They had to find novel ways to deliver material and to find different ways to bond with their children in this new world of distance learning. But, for the most part, kids and teachers are back in the classroom this year…fingers crossed, it stays that way.
Before we grow up and start doing this “adulting” thing, our “job” is to go to school. From the time we are 3 or 4 years old, this “job” takes us from preschool to high school and beyond for some. Over the course of this journey we are greatly influenced by our educational system. Education is at the very root of our society and something for which we should all be grateful. But at the core of the education system is teachers. Teachers have an undeniable impact on today’s youth and play a huge role in their mental, physical and emotional development. Teachers help to raise children into functioning members of society and provide them with the skills and abilities to be successful as they transition this phase of “adulting”.
Of course, teachers educate their students about facts in subjects like English, Math, Science and History; however, so many teachers do so much more. They teach us about life. When many adults look back on their childhood and educational experience, they seldom remember the teacher who simply taught them the facts. Rather, they remember the teacher who taught them the intangibles of life like respect, kindness, compassion and gratitude.
I think we all have had a teacher in our lives that is “that” teacher – the teacher who sticks out in your mind as the one who really “taught” their students. For me, it was an English teacher by the name of Mr. Ayers. You might be familiar with Mr. Ayers as he was a teacher at Waseca High School for many years. But all of us had (or have) teachers who fill each day with gratitude and positivity. That teacher who fosters a classroom environment that welcomes each student and makes them feel comfortable. That teacher who conveys information in a way that a student can relate to, but more importantly, who focuses on helping each student become their best version of themselves. That teacher who teaches that honesty is important, respect is necessary and appreciation and gratitude for the little things in life are just as important, if not more important, than the facts.
Who is that teacher for you? Who is that teacher who taught you about the intangibles like grace and compassion, empathy and gratitude in addition to the facts they were “supposed” to teach you? It is important to reflect on these teachers, because they helped us to develop into the people we are today. But, it’s not just about looking back. It is important to recognize and be grateful for the impact current teachers have on today’s youth – and appreciate the life lessons they are teaching them as it is our youth that will shape our society moving forward.
So, given the impact teachers make on us and on our children every day, perhaps we can use this as an opportunity to express our gratitude back to the teaching community. But how? There are lots of ways. Consider simply saying “thank you” the next time you see a teacher. Consider a small gift card to a local coffee shop. Or take a moment out of your day to write a quick “thank you” card to “that” teacher – the one that impacted your life in so many beautiful ways. And with that, I’m off to try to find the mailing address to get a thank you card in the mail for him!!!
by Mike | Aug 10, 2021 | Gratitude, Inspiration, Regrets
Imagine, for a moment, an older gentleman sitting on his porch. It’s dusk with the sun slowly setting in the distance. The only sounds are the bird chirping, the wind gently blowing through the trees and the squeak from his rocking chair. He is alone, with his thoughts, contemplating life. As we all approach the latter stages of life, it’s not uncommon to contemplate and wonder, to consider our “what if’s”, to think about the regrets we might have, to wonder about how our life might look had we done some things differently.
If I were a betting man, I’d bet money that this gentleman wasn’t sitting on his porch thinking about how much he regretted not spending more time at work or how he wished he had spent more weekends away from his family as he worked toward that next promotion. However, according to Bronnie Ware in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, it would be far more likely that our friend on the porch might be contemplating on one of the following:
- “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
- “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
- “I wish I had the courage to express my feelings.”
- “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
- “I wish I had let myself be happier.”
Pretty deep topics huh? I might suggest that it’s not only in the latter stages of our lives that we might contemplate these types of thoughts. In fact, I’ve had several of these thoughts over the course of my life. However, the beauty of all this is that no matter how old you are, whether you’re a teenager, whether you’re middle aged, or whether you’re in the latter stages of life, we all have the opportunity to live our lives in a way such that we can avoid these types of thoughts. Perhaps all we have to do is approach life a little differently and look at things through a certain lens. Perhaps that lens could be the “lens of gratitude”.
So, work through this with me. What if we took time to be grateful for our own dreams and the pursuit of them? Perhaps then we might find a path that aligns perfectly with our life purpose. What if we were grateful for the opportunity to work, but more grateful for the opportunities that came outside of work? Perhaps then a completely new life path might open for us, one that is consistent with our true passions. What if we took the time to express gratitude and appreciation for our own feelings? Perhaps then we may be able to express them easier. What if we were present and grateful for every interaction with our friends? Perhaps then those friendships could turn into life-changing relationships. And finally, what if we really lived in the moment and noticed, appreciated and were truly grateful for the little things in life? Perhaps then we could find true joy and happiness.
Don’t get me wrong, gratitude isn’t necessarily the cure-all. It doesn’t protect us from wondering about the what-ifs or possible regrets we might experience over the course of our life. But that being said, incorporating gratitude into your life certainly doesn’t hurt. A life lived with a grateful mindset can provide us with a blanket of contentment, a unique perspective that can help us focus on and emphasize the goodness in our lives.
So, won’t you join me in viewing life through the lens of gratitude? That way, instead of sitting on the porch contemplating a life full of what-ifs and regrets, perhaps we can be sitting on the porch with smiles on our faces as we look back over our lives with a sense of contentment, joy and happiness.
