Category: Uncategorized (Page 3 of 6)

The internet is riddled with stagnant blogs and I’d allowed this to become one of them. The best laid plans and all that….

I’ll be cleaning this up a bit as I get restarted (nothing really ever gets erased from the internet anyway – right?). In the meantime, I’m working on new content and looking forward to making new connections.

Over the years, I’ve found a tremendous sense of fulfillment in helping others discuss and solve their professional and personal development challenges. One of the new things you’ll see here is formalizing that into a Coaching and Consulting practice. The aim is to avoid buzzwords and smooth cliches (please forgive me in advance if I slip into a few) – but rather helping real people achieve real goals.

The longest journey begins with a single…..oh wait, no cliches…..

See you out there.

Friends of mine were recently impacted by flooding in Houston.  They lost many important possessions, but fortunately all humans and pets made it out unharmed.   As they started the daunting task of cleaning up debris – it seemed incomprehensible to find a starting place.   Not knowing where to begin, they grabbed towels to clear mud from the floor where they were standing.  “it’s going to be a long process – we should at least have a place to sit”.

It occurred to me that most of us could use help clearing a space in our lives.    We run from task to task, event to event, without giving thought to our own mental housekeeping.    We read piles of self improvement books knowing neither where we are starting nor the destination.  By creating a clear space, you can not only find peace where you are, but also have room to lay out a vision of where you want to be.

The list below is hardly revolutionary.  They are mostly reminders for myself, but I hope that others find them useful too.   The goal is to find time each week – even if it’s only a few minutes – to reflect on where you are and where you are going.  Maybe it’s over Sunday morning coffee, maybe it’s the commute to work, or maybe it’s out on the trails.  Here are a few reminders from my friends’ experience that relate to everyday life:

1.  Accept the space you occupy.   That’s not to say you have to just “live with it”,  but being angry or ignoring it will not change where you are today.   Only by accepting your current situation can you clearly chart a path to where you want to be.

2.  Take inventory and don’t be afraid to discard the junk.   What was important to you 5 years ago may be different than what’s important today.  Don’t hold on to things (either material or mental) that are no longer relevant to your current mission.

3.  Celebrate the little successes along the way.   Big wins are great, but are almost always comprised of many small steps.   No team has ever won a championship without putting in months of hard work.  Recognize that even though your journey may be incomplete – you are making progress.   And if you aren’t making progress, celebrate by taking that first scary step in a new direction.

4. Remember that most “stuff” is replaceable.  People are not.    If an appliance breaks, you buy a new one.  Not so with fiends.  The only choice is to constantly nurture and maintain them.    Relationships are difficult to fix once they are damaged.   And once they are broken are often irreplaceable.

5. You are stronger than you think you are.   I’m constantly amazed at the resilience of the human spirit (including my own).   Don’t believe that little voice in your head that says “you can’t”.    The obstacles are real and you can’t ignore them, but by focusing on the things that are within your control you can chart a course around – or through – them.

So, clear your spot and identify what’s important.   Just don’t sit there too long – after all, you have work to do!

For me,  writing down my thoughts provides a clear spot to see beyond the horizon.   I’d love to hear about yours.

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few” – Shunryu Suzuki

The first time I read that saying, it gave me pause.  We spend a lot of time becoming experts.   That’s a good thing right?  I don’t want my airline pilot looking for a new and creative way to land the plane.

The expression came to mind when I was out for a Sunday walk on a beautiful winter day after a stretch of cold weather.  It seemed like everyone was outside and happy to see the sun.  In the park, I came across a woman that looked to be in her 50’s.   She apologized as her wobbling bicycle headed toward me.   “I’m sorry” she said with her face full of concentration, “I’m trying to learn an old trick”.   My guess is perhaps via Christmas gift or New Year’s resolution, she was back on a bicycle after a long absence.   Her face gave away her nervousness, but she also chuckled a little bit as she wobbled by.   It made me smile that she was not afraid to get back on the literal bicycle.   Which in turn made me think about the proverbial one that we all face regularly.

As we get older, we become expert in many things.  It can become more difficult to venture outside of that comfort zone.   At home and at work, it’s important to make the best choices for ourselves and families.  Equally important though is taking a few chances and looking at the world from the beginners eye – wonderful and full of possibilities.

I didn’t get a chance to ask the lady on the bike any questions, but suspect she would have told me something like this:

Be mindful of the risks, but don’t be afraid to succeed.

It’s alright to fall down, but get back up….quickly.

Laugh a little.

I visited Bastrop State Park this weekend for the first time since the fires in 2011.  I’ve driven past on the highway, but there is something different about walking on the trails through fallen trees and the others that are charred, but still standing.  Too stubborn to heed the call of gravity.

If the view toward the sky is a window to the past, then the floor underfoot is a peak into tomorrow.   Life literally springing from the ashes.   A new crop of flowers casting a hopeful reach through the open canopy.

There is certainly no such thing as good news stemming from an event like the one that ripped through the heart of Bastrop taking life and property along in its rampage.   The rebirth is simply a sign of the enduring spirit of both man and nature.

May the circle be unbroken.

Unplugged at the Grove.  It’s quintessential Austin and kicks off each spring and runs through the fall on Thursday evenings.  A legendary combination of social scene and live music.

The crowd represents eclectic Austin at its best.   Families inhabit the grass, the professional crowd settle into the chairs by the stage, and the Unplugged regulars hold court at the bar.   The bands are a Who’s Who of Austin music and would normally garner a line and a cover charge.  The 2014 season kicked off with What Made Milwaukee Famous.

Austin is an outdoor city and a music city – so it’s no surprise that we try to combine the two as often as possible.  KGSR and Shady Grove pull it all together in a way that reflects so many things that make Austin a special place.   So if it’s Thursday and you are looking for your friends, chances are you’ll meet them at the Grove.

When I first moved to Austin I was young and it was a different town.   As the city and I have grown – we don’t always see each other as often as I’d like.  Sure, I make it pretty regularly to Town….I mean “Lady Bird”…..Lake.   And I still make the live music rounds when time permits, but Austin is the poster child for the FOMO syndrome.  So many places, so little time.

When I’m feeling a little out of touch – there are a couple stand-by itineraries that I pull out of the bag to reconnect myself.   One of those touchstone places would most certainly be an afternoon on South Congress.  It’s sums up so much of Austin – both old and new – within a couple miles of road.

Old standby restaurants like Guero’s hold court next to the hotspots like Hopdoddy and both compete with the new trailer sensations.  Austin music venues have come and gone, but Continental Club connects Austin past and present.  So, whether you’ve lived in Austin since Willie had red hair, just moved here, or are merely passing through – give “SoCo” a bit of your time and you’re bound to walk away smiling.

Post Script – I realized as I was publishing this that I just wrote about a couple places in SoCo earlier this year.  I really do go to other parts of town, I promise.  Next time, I’ll talk about Rainey, East Sixth, North Loop, or one of the many other great places around town.