I happened across an interesting leadership analogy yesterday from WalktheTalk.com. They are currently featuring a book written by Linda Galindo titled, “Way to Grow.” I have ordered the book because I believe it will provide some very useful information – I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, here is an excerpt from the introduction, and my take on this unique leadership perspective thus far.

“Think of your employees as orchids, daisies, and weeds.

Think of yourself as the gardener whose job it is to nurture them to full bloom.

If you could choose the employees you’d most like to work with every day, would you select:

Orchid employees, who need you to stick close enough to ensure they get just the right amount of – but not too much – sunlight, water, and humidity (read that: directions, feedback, and praise), or else they’ll wither and die?

Daisy employees, who can yield voluminous blooms (excellent work) in a wide range of temperatures (situations), but still need you to check in every now and then to make sure they are getting adequate water, sunlight, and circulation (coaching, feedback, and opportunity)?

Or weed employees, who can fend for themselves in almost any situation, leaving you plenty of time to tend to the needier plants in the garden?

When it’s put to them that way, most managers say they would welcome a garden full of weeds.”

Personally, I’ll take an office full of daisies. I know the author is going to try to convince me that I want weeds, but here’s how I feel about it. Weeds are invasive, unwanted annoyances that can be very difficult to get rid of, but it’s not just that.

I like daisies because even though they require a little maintenance every once in a while, they do offer a lot of beauty in the meantime. They perform well, require very little, and are dependable.

While weeds might be able to withstand anything, they also ignore your desires and have no problem over-stepping their bounds.

We’ve had a few weeds – I always pull them!

We’ve had a few orchids, too – they usually quit!

Right now we have an office full of daisies and are looking for a couple more. I have faith that we’ll find them. If only there was a place one could go to find employees as easily as one can find daisies . . .

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

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Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams. You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.” Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book. This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life. Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Posted under Leadership, Motivation, Success

Mommy . . .

Mommy?

Mommy.

Mommy!

Mommmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you know that when you listen to a child intently it causes his or her self-esteem to go up? When you listen intently to another person and it is clear that you genuinely care about what that other person is saying, his or her feeling of personal value increases. He or she feels more worthwhile and important as a human being. You can actually make your child feel terrific about himself or herself by listening in a warm, genuine, caring way to everything he or she has to say.

As someone who has taught in the public education system, I believe that your undivided attention is the best support you can give your child. Children who are given proper attention and respect at home are better behaved and more likely to excel in school. I’m not saying spoil or needlessly cater to your child; there’s a huge difference between smothering a child with attention and telling them they can do no wrong and modeling the respect you’ll want them to give to others by listening to what they have to say.

When I was teaching, I could always tell the children who were given proper attention at home, and it didn’t matter whether one parent was full-time at home, both parents worked, or a single parent was involved – the difference was whether or not that child felt cared for on a basic level. Listening says you genuinely care.

School started today where I live and either has or will be soon where you are. If you get the chance, either with your own child(ren), a niece or nephew, a friend or neighbor’s child, or this weekend at church, take a few minutes to ask them about their day, and then listen intently. Ask follow-up questions. Sure, his or her attention span will probably lapse before yours, but that’s okay. On the other hand, you might find a child who needs to talk and, if so, just listen. Don’t be patronizing and ask him about his day and then brush him off. Also try to not let distractions interrupt her tale.

Sue Atchley Ebaugh said, “The greatest gift we can give one another is rapt attention to one another’s existence.”

If you have children, spend at least 15 minutes each evening with each child individually to just listen to whatever they have to say. You might be surprised at what you hear!

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams. You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.” Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book. This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life. Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Posted under Education, Leadership, Motivation, Success

Every motivational speaker talks about how important it is to constantly be learning something new, but what about when you have to jump back and learn something old – is that even possible?

When I was in college, my work-study program assigned me to the Apple computer lab in the education department.  It was probably the best job on campus!  I was allowed to do my homework (and get paid) when the lab was quiet, and I really only had to “work” when someone had a problem.  Since it was an Apple computer lab, there were rarely any problems, so the job was sweet!

When I graduated and entered the real-world job market, I quickly discovered (in Lexington, Kentucky no less) that I would have to learn IBM-based applications and Windows-based software.

I hated it.

I loathed it.

Say it with me, Microsoft _______________.  (Stinks – to be polite.)

Naturally in working with and teaching these computer-based systems day in and day out for several years, I gradually got used to them – even all the kinks.  I was able to “grin and bear it,” and “focus on the positive;” until recently.

As my regular readers know, I’ve wanted to upgrade my website for over one year now.  Problem is, every time I get started, I get stuck.  Something doesn’t work or I need some new gadget that my system can’t handle, etc.  I just keep running into roadblocks.  For a long time, I blamed my busy-ness and inability to really focus on web design, but in truth, I just kept running into obstacles at every turn and then I did run out of time for the day or week and everything just kept getting shelved.

So what’s a pro-blogger to do?

Buy a new MacBook Pro.

Specifically, a 17-inch widescreen with a 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 2 GB memory and a 250 GB 7200-rpm hard drive.  Naturally, it comes with many other advanced features like a built-in iSight camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and much more.  The graphics capabilities are amazing and I spent a little extra for a matte screen and 1920 x 1200 resolution.

I wanted something that would work; dependably, reliably, and without fail.

I got it.

I love it!

It’s going to mean un-learning several habits and keyboard shortcuts, and learning to let the system do the work for me – like a computer should – which is how the Apples (and Mac’s) of 20 years ago worked as well.

If I can get over my strong propensity to make things more difficult than they need to be, I’ll have a new site designed by the end of this week.  Wish me luck!  (Obviously, you’ll get to see – and read about – how it goes.)

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Posted under Motivation

I spend a lot of time on this site talking about cleaning and de-cluttering; two things I firmly believe in.  But a couple of things happened this week that brought to light an important life lesson and that’s what I want to share with you today.

Earlier this week I drove to a local farmer’s produce stand.  This family has a beautiful garden with fresh corn, tomatoes, carrots, onions, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.  I was actually able to give up my vegetable garden this year because their produce is so wonderful and very dependable.

Not wanting to use their plastic bags, I took my own regular shopping bags that I’ve been using since going paperless.  (I’m also trying to reduce my use of plastic, as well as just overall what I put into landfills – but that’s another post.)

When I told the woman to just start putting what I was picking out into my bag, she exclaimed, “Oh, don’t get that bag dirty – it’s so pretty and clean!”

I tried to explain that I bought it to be used, that I always take it to the grocery store, and that it can be washed if necessary, but nothing was going to stop her – I came home with 5 plastic bags!  She just could not stand the thought of getting that beautiful bag dirty.

Earlier today, I had to fire someone.  He just wasn’t working out and in the exit interview we discussed how we both went into this knowing it might not work out, but we wanted to give it a try.  We tried.  Things didn’t click.  We bailed.  The employee was really good about it.  It’s the only time I’ve ever gotten to the end of a termination and received a hug!  (Yeah – he was that glad to be let go!)

Both of these experiences have reminded me of a paradigm I’ve held for a long time:  You learn by doing.  You live by getting the bag dirty and enjoying every minute of it.  Children get it – they have the most fun when they’re getting really good and dirty!   We adults need to re-learn that lesson.  Don’t buy something new just to save it for special occasions.  The dust mites don’t deserve it – you do!  Don’t be afraid to try a job you’d like to go after for whatever reason.  Even if things don’t work out you’ll learn some valuable lessons that will propel your life forward.

Sure, you might have some cleaning up to do, in fact, you probably will have a lot of cleaning up to do, but isn’t that what this journey is all about?

So, go ahead – get that bag dirty!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Motivation, Success

Have you ever wondered if you were adopted?  I have!   I am so unlike either of my parents it makes me wonder to this day – was I (adopted)?  I also have very little in common with my brother.

I can sometimes see evidence of a congenital relationship to my grandmothers:  I am sometimes dictatorial like my paternal grandmother and a cleaning fanatic like my maternal grandmother.  Other than that, zip – zilch - nada. 

I saw an ad yesterday for a website that helps you trace your genealogy.  At first I was intrigued, falling for the “find out who you really are,” scheme.  Thankfully I quickly remembered that we determine who we are and what we become through our choices and our decisions.  While we might share traits with our ancestors like red hair and blue eyes, we are always in control of our actions.  (As difficult as that might be sometimes to accept.)

Alexander Graham Bell had it figured out a long time ago:

“A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with – a man is what he makes of himself.”

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

I am very excited to announce the debut of a project I’ve been working on for some time now with my husband:  WebDMD.info.

It’s a blog about dental issues from all angles, clinical to financial.  We’re hoping it will become an educational resource for patients all over the globe, as well as help us connect with our local community.

Eventually, we’ll offer the products that we sell in our office online, so that patients can order and have them delivered to their home.  We have many patients that drive from up to 3 hours away so ordering online would be a tremendous time and money-saving feature for them.  We also have seniors who don’t drive and have a difficult time finding a ride, as well as patients who work in a neighboring town who would enjoy the convenience of online ordering.

As you can probably imagine, we get many of the same questions from different patients over and over again, every single day.  Not that that bothers us by any means – don’t get me wrong – in fact, when I was answering the phone, I was relieved when someone asked a question I already had the answer for – it was a relief!  But after 27 years in dentistry and of answering those same questions day in and day out, my husband decided it was time for someone to make the answers available online.

Although we’ve had a website for Flemingsburg Dental Care and an in-house e-mail newsletter for a few years now, this is the first time we will be offering articles like this to the public-at-large.  Our answers will naturally be limited to our experience and the laws in Kentucky.

Like my blog, WebDMD.info will be positive on all fronts and solution-oriented.  Comments are and will remain turned off to avoid too many solicitations and keep my editing requirements to a minimum.  We currently have a list of over 225 blog titles to write, and are adding more every day.  We will add titles as questions come in that inspire us to cover a particular area.

As for this blog, I plan to continue to write 2-3 times per week, re-design the site (in the works), as well as continue my speaking and consulting schedules.  Lots to do!

I hope you’ll check out WebDMD.info and refer to it whenever you have a dental question.

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Dental Practice Management

There is a magnet on my refrigerator that reads, “Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.”  I look at it frequently and laugh.  My mother-in-law was just commenting the other day about how she wishes more people would do like she does and diet “when they need to,” and before it gets out of hand.  When she notices that she’s added a few pounds or her clothing feels tight, she cuts back on her food portions for a few days until she’s back down to the weight she wants.

My husband and I do the same thing.  In fact, this seems to be a common strategy among every thin person I know.  (There you have it; the diet secret over half of America is looking for – here’s another one.)

This morning I looked at that magnet and realized that the same concept could really be applied to nearly any aspect of self-discipline.  Whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish, you’ll probably have to “give up” something else in order to get it.  The longer you’ve been struggling with trying to achieve something, the more likely this is to be true.

For example, if you’ve been trying to become an early riser, but nearly every morning the feel of your bed is just too comfortable to overcome, you might need a phrase such as, “Nothing feels as good as getting an early start to my day.”  Think of all the reasons you want to become an early riser and develop a phrase for each of them.  When you go to bed at night, program your mind to think of one of them as soon as you awaken.  You might find that one of them works better than the others, or perhaps a rotation of all of them provide the jump-start you need to get going.  Before long, likely by 21 days, you’ll be an early riser.

You can do this with any goal.  List all of the reasons that you want something.  List all of the perceived obstacles that are keeping you from it.  Then create a phrase that puts the emphasis on doing the thing you really want to do.  Here’s another one.  I want a spotless, clean, sparkling home.  The only thing that keeps me from it is that I like to have time to sit, relax and read.  I use the excuse that I need that time and that it helps with my writing.  (Which is true, but there’s a balance in there somewhere.)  So a phrase such as, “Nothing is more relaxing than sitting down to read in a clean, spotless, sparkling home.”

The great part about this process is that it’s not just an affirmation – which are great, don’t get me wrong – but a phrase like this, especially if you’ve written it yourself, gets right to your motivation, and your true desire.

I have a client who used the “Nothing tastes as good . . .” phrase to lose weight.  I told her she could use that same concept to achieve all of her goals.  Not believing me, but wanting it to be true, we worked together on one of her other goals, which was to save more money.  She knew she was constantly spending money she didn’t need to, making impulse purchases.  When I asked her why she did that, she responded, “Because it makes me feel rich, I guess – I really don’t know.”

Ah, but that was it.  So I had her try this:  “Nothing feels as rich as having money in the bank.”  She loved it!  Every time she was tempted to spend frivolously, she remembered that phrase.  (We printed a card for her to carry in her wallet, but she never needed it. It is, however, a good idea to put the phrase where you’ll see it at the opportune time.)  The result was a large bank account which she eventually invested and is now on her way to financial independence.

Now it’s your turn.  What’s keeping you from creating the life of your dreams?  Only a phrase, really – just one little motivational phrase.  If you need help, just post a comment below or e-mail me.

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized! Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

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Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Probably the most commonly overlooked problem in the workplace is nutrition.  In fact, if our public schools were to serve children what many of us eat every day, we’d be screaming, “cruel and unusual punishment!” 

If your child showed symptoms of poor concentration, making mistakes out-of-the-ordinary for his/her intellect, and/or moodiness, s/he would surely be examined for some type of disorder.  (And probably put on some kind of medication.)

But how often do you make mistakes and then ask yourself, “What was I thinking,” or, “How did that happen; I know better than that?”  If you have difficulty concentrating on the task at hand, make frequent mistakes, or feel, (or have been accused of), being moody, it’s time to take a look at your diet.

I used to be one of those people who couldn’t stand the thought of breakfast.  Nowadays, I can’t live without it.  Why?  Because the earlier I eat, the sooner I feel good.  Not only does eating wake me up physically, but it gets me going emotionally and spiritually as well.  You know how hard it is to maintain the proper attitude when you’re physically hurting?  It’s really the same thing.

The biggest grievance I see in employee break rooms both in small businesses and corporations alike is the overabundance of products containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  In addition to being blamed for the growing obesity problem in America, HFCS has been linked to diabetes, heart and liver problems, among other physical abnormalities, not so much because of the product itself, (that’s still up in the air), but because sugar, in all forms, robs the body of necessary nutrients that can be difficult to replace, especially if you’re unaware that there’s a problem.  (Until it’s too late.)  But I’m not going to debate the “side effects” of HFCS today – that’s another post!  Let’s just look at the effects of sugar on the body and brain.

When you eat something containing a high amount of sugar, your body’s digestive system goes to work, producing glucose that gets deposited into your bloodstream.  When your blood glucose level is increased rapidly, it stimulates your pancreas to secrete insulin in order to counteract and drop your blood sugar levels.  When that happens, you start to feel lethargic, lose ability to concentrate, feel like you’re in a fog, and start craving something sweet again to “keep you going.”  If you’re too busy to eat at that time, you’ll end up feeling depressed or be in a bad mood of some kind.  It’s a vicious cycle, because not concentrating well causes poor performance which leads to mistakes which causes your boss to yell at you making your mood worse, craving more sugar, causing another spike – you get the drift.

Various studies over the past 30 years have shown that sugar overloading can even lead to job dissatisfaction, even in offices that are relatively stress-free.  Think about that for a moment!

So what do you need to avoid?  Just about everything processed and sweet – your moon pies, jams and jellies, soft drinks, and most of those “health bars” you believe are so good for you.  Especially, don’t make a complete meal on them!!!  My point is this:  Anything can be okay in moderation; it’s overindulgence and addiction that interferes with your concentration, performance, and mood.  A processed oat bar is fine for a snack (although not my first choice) if you know you’re going to be eating in an hour, but it’s not lunch.  You need protein, carbs, and good fat at every meal.  Personally, I still follow the Zone diet as much as possible – not exactly – just closely.  I don’t believe in going overboard on anything.  I just stay balanced, paying attention to how I feel after I eat, and adjust if necessary.  I eat as many whole and raw foods as possible, (very possible during the summer months here in Kentucky), and keep my sugar intake to the old fashioned granulated kind – for my tea – thank you very much!  (If I gain a couple of pounds – it’s the first to go.  I just drink more water until I’m back down to my ideal weight – this trick works so quickly.)

I’ve also noticed that a light lunch works best also – perhaps because I’ve had a rather substantial breakfast – but I’m lighter and have more energy when I eat a salad with some leftover grilled chicken on it.  Half a sandwich with some fruit works well also.

One of my favorite snacks for the afternoon “pick me up,” is fruit.  It satisfies my craving for sugar if I have one, but it also quenches my thirst.  If I have a strong sugar craving, I realize that that means I had too many carbs for lunch, so I’ll add a handful of nuts to my snack and within a half hour, I’m ready to go again.

Be Good to Yourself
Since your diet has such an impact on your level of physical energy, and through it your levels of mental and emotional energy, the more fastidious you are about what you put into your mouth, the better you will feel, the more productive you will be, and the more joyously you can live – and that is so worth the effort!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: Time Management, Personal Development, Conscious Creation, Coach, Success, Quit Smoking, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Organize, Law of Attraction, Dental Practice Management, Consultant, Motivational Book, Self Help

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss