Did you sleep in?

When's the last time you had one of those mornings?  Not the kind where the coffee pot overflows, the basement is soaking wet, you forgot you had a morning appointment and the kids are sick.  Not that kind at all.

When's the last time you slept in without a care in the world?  One of those mornings where you get up and say, "Wow!  I must have been tired!."

We all need those.  Not just with catching up on sleep, but with regrouping in general.  Allow yourself the flexibility to rest and get caught up.  It's okay to sit down and relax for a few minutes.  The mess of toys on the floor will surely be there when you stand back up.

Give yourself permission to rest.  It's not only encouraged, but essential to keep you moving forward efficiently.

What if only one person believed?

Did you dream last night?  I may have, though I never seem to remember mine.  But when I do, there's something really cool about it.  I can tell you and you don't have to believe it.  It can be crazy.  It can be weird.  It can be obnoxious.  You can think anything you want about it.

But here's the coolest thing.  When I have a dream, I'm the only one that has to believe it.

Our real-life dreams are the same way.  You can tell me I'm crazy.  You can tell me that it's never going to happen.  You can laugh.  You can try to dissuade me.  But the thing is, I'm the only one that has to believe in it to make it come true.

Believe in your dreams.  Write them down and hang them on your refrigerator.  Scribble them on the bathroom mirror.  Do whatever you have to do to remember your dreams and remind yourself that you do believe in them.  And remember, it only takes you believing in them to make them come true!

That is ridiculous. It's never going to work.

That's what they'll say anyway.

There will always be naysayers.  There will always be people that don't want you to succeed.  They may even be people that you expected to believe in you.

You see, there is no "bandwagon" when you're just getting started.  People won't want to hop on board because you're not the "next big thing"... yet.

I would suggest two things:

1. Do great things even in the face of naysayers.  They aren't going away.
2. When you succeed, remember those select few that supported you.  They are the ones that truly believe in you.

Just stop already

If the great minds of past generations would have asked permission to make drastic changes in the culture of their time, they would have most certainly been told, "No!"

Make a new product, design a new website, re-think the way your family works, take a new leap at work... and by all means, stop asking permission before you do great work!

Read the label

I had something eye-opening happen a few months ago.

My oldest is in that "he's a 9-year-old boy" stage.  You know, the one where he knows everything and he's totally amazed by snakes, lizards, little boy noises, video games and mean little girls.  He also tends to tell crazy stories, which led to me saying to him on several occasions, "You're goofy."  Well, I didn't realize that I should have just gotten out the Sharpie and written it on his forehead.  He took that label and ran with it.  He became "goofy" and on several occasions his response to, "Why would you do that?" was "Because I'm goofy."

Now "goofy" isn't the worst label you can have, but we tend to run with the label whatever they are (kids and adults alike).  We use labels like:

• "He's a nerd."
• "I have a bad temper."
• "I'm not creative."
• "She's not a morning person."
• "He's so stupid."

These labels range anywhere from funny to life-limiting to scarring.  I simply challenge you to do two things:

1. Stop labeling people (including yourself) unless you really mean it.  We all hang on to those labels more than we realize.
2. Figure out what labels you've already given to yourself and tear them off.  Start fresh and decide what you really are.  Stop letting your labels hold you back.

You can learn from them

By them I mean anyone that you're willing to allow yourself to listen.  I believe it was Ralph Waldo Emerson that said, "Every man I meet is in some way my superior."

Our ego doesn't want us to believe that statement, but it's true.  We're not perfect and when we realize that, we see that we can learn so much from everyone around us.

Put your ego aside and learn from someone today.  Preferably someone that you thought yesterday had nothing at all to teach you.

To multitask or not to multitask. That is the question.

We all multitask.  It's become a way of life.  But, should we?

I think we'd all agree that the ability to focus is a key component in being productive regardless of the situation. By multitasking, we are deliberately unfocused.

Instead of wasting energy changing back and forth between tasks, focus 100% of your attention on one single thing.  Then move on to the next.  You'll be amazed at how much more productive you are.  This rule goes for conversations, work, making dinner, reading, exercising and everything in between.  Try it and let me know how it goes!

There was one thing that Dr. King didn't do

Martin Luther King Jr. was a great example of what a leader should be.  We all know of his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but that was just one piece of the elaborate puzzle that Dr. King put together in his time. From being the youngest person up to that point to win the Nobel Peace Prize (age 35) to leading his "Poor People's Campaign" to start a multicultural movement to provide aid to the less fortunate, Dr. King inarguably made a difference.

There was one thing that Dr. King didn't do.  He didn't wait for someone else to make the changes that were needed.  He didn't make excuses.  He didn't complain that he didn't have enough money or time or resources.  He MADE it happen.

Leaders don't wait around on things to happen.  They make things happen.  Make things happen today in your relationships, your job, your passion.  No one else is going to do the hard work.  Be the one to do it.  Make Dr. King proud.

The toughest part about being a mom

Like I've said in the past, I'm obviously not a mom, but I have the privilege of seeing a great one work every day.

So what's the toughest part about being a mom?  Never ending laundry?  Dirty dishes that seem to multiply?  Being the master scheduler?  Dealing with the emotional tornado that comes with a family?  Keeping your loved ones fed?

Actually, it's none of the above.  The hardest part is showing up every day.

I could be a great mom... for a day.  I could keep the house clean, do the dishes, have the laundry folded and put away, be patient with the kids, have meals prepared, etc.  But can I keep up the hard work tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that?

For so many of us, we give up on our dreams by simply not showing up.  What you do when you get there is not as important as being there every day.

Whether your goals are relational, business-related or spiritual, make sure you show up today.  And tomorrow.  And the day after that...

They are watching

Someone is always watching you.  Whether you like it or not.  They are looking for you to do great things, perform your daily routine or fail miserably.  Regardless of the reason, they are watching.  So I have just one question...

Who are you going to inspire today?