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Archives For November 30, 1999

How to fearlessly experience a mission-driven life of service

November 26, 2012

“When we are fearlessly who we are, we don’t need external validation, just an opportunity to express ourselves, live fully, and serve the world.” – Arianna Huffington, Founder of the Huffington Post.

I read this quote, re-read it, paused to ponder, then compared it to another quote I stumbled upon from Aaron Levie, CEO at Box, Inc.:

“A great (company) mission will attract like-minded individuals that want to go on the same journey…Be on a mission that doesn’t suck.”

The combined essence of those two statements basically sum up how revitalized I felt following a trip I recently took for work.

I documented my leap of faith earlier this summer when I decided to finally leave my old job. I’m happy to say I’ve gone through the awkward and exciting acclimation period with a new company, new coworkers, and new mission.

I’m not sure if what I’m doing today will be the same job I’m doing 10 years down the road, but today, well today it simply feels right.

One week ago, I was sitting in a room full of marketing professionals and realized it was the first time in my professional career that I was surrounded by people who didn’t generally look or think like me. Even better…despite our variances…the notion of serving others over ourselves was a unifying belief we all held close to our hearts.

Near the end of a jam-packed multi-day session of strategy development and information sharing on how to help each other move our company forward, our group leader asked us to pause.

To close our eyes and place our hands at our sides.

To breathe deeply and imagine being in a room with family and friends.

To come to a startling realization that everyone around us in grieving deeply.

To imagine that our life has ended and we are watching our own funeral unfold before our very eyes.

To see the person we love most dearly attempt to collect themselves as they pull out a piece of paper to address the crowd.

To imagine the words we would want them to say to describe how we lived our lives.

Were we there for them? Or did we shove them behind other priorities like work, drugs, possessions, power, etc.? Did we use our life to build more than our bank account? Did we falsely assume there would always be time to not only achieve our own dreams, but also help others fulfill theirs?

This simple exercise forced me to think about my own mortality. I share it with you so that you may do the same.

Created by Heidi Woodard

In Awareness, Belonging, Inspiration, Reflection, Service, Support , , , , , , , , ,
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H.E.L.P.

November 1, 2012

If there’s one thing I learned while working over a decade in health insurance, it’s that you can never use enough random acronyms. So H.E.L.P. today is not a cry for assistance, but rather a declaration about Honoring Every Little Piece of one’s self.

When’s the last time you took the time to slow down and look at the person staring back at you in the mirror?

As a mom, I am constantly second guessing everything I do…every…single…second.

Did I wake up early enough to help my kids get ready or did I fall into the pattern of yelling at them to hurry up? Did I kiss my husband goodbye or choose to rattle off a laundry list of activities we need to get done instead? Did I put my best foot forward at work and feel like I contributed to the company’s goals or did I mentally wander off and struggle to remain focused? Did I call my parents to remind them how much I love them? Did I tell my friends how much they mean to me? Did I forget to schedule doctor appointments AGAIN?

I am willing to bet that everyone who reads this post can relate to the feeling of being pulled in many directions.

I can also guarantee I’m not the only one who feels a sense of guilt anytime I slow down and concentrate on only myself.

Yet this time of self-absorbency is so needed.

When you fail to recognize and cherish what you individually bring to the world, it is easy to be soaked up by the needs of others. It is not a purely selfish motive to concentrate on yourself; it is an essential practice to be the best you can be for those whom rely on you.

This idea to Honor Every Little Piece of yourself and recognize what it is that makes you YOU is not new, nor is it easy.

I made my list yesterday. I challenge you to start yours today. It may take minutes. It may take days. Trust me…you’ll be happy you did it.

My H.E.L.P. List (who I am)…

believer  animal lover  fitness enthusiast  caregiver  my dog’s best friend  leader  follower  role model  emotional  life of the party  someone who rarely parties  unbiased  loud  sleep lover  imperfect  yearning to learn  second-guesser  afraid  fearless  writer  challenge seeker easily annoyed  faithful  reliable  random  beautiful  plain  determined  hopeful  struggling goal setter  grateful  confident  strong  weak  predictable  devoted  fueled by others  dreamer

Created by Heidi Woodard

In Awareness, Brain dump, Inspiration, Reflection, Stress release , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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How dare my son grows up without permission

October 25, 2012

I started a tradition when my boys were very young. We would pack lunches on the weekend and walk a trail together at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue.

This trail led us through a canopy of trees, across railroad tracks, and ended along the riverside where we would spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic and random conversation. Once we were done eating and solving worldly issues, we would retrace our steps before collapsing exhausted back into our car and heading home.

Over the next several years, the trail was the only thing that stayed the same. The two boys matured and welcomed a little sister to the mix. The car became a minivan. The mom became less stressed (well, technically, the mom shifted her stress to a whole new batch of stuff).

Life was good.

But as the famous book Love you forever by Robert Munsch so eloquantly describes, “That little boy grew. And he grew and he grew and he grew.”

And in my oldest’s son’s case, that little boy grew monster feet and an even bigger attitude.

After listening to nonstop complaining about his heat-induced headache, how he didn’t like the bugs, and how he couldn’t suffer one more step, I looked at my oldest and threatened that this would be the last time he made the trek with us. His response hit me like a ton of bricks…

“Good!”

He is stubborn like his father and thinks he’s right all the time like me.

So what’s a mom to do but allow him to be him? To change with the seasons and float wherever the wind takes him?

I still have two more children who generally think the Earth revolves around me. They enjoy doing activities with me and with each other.

So why is it so hard to swallow the fact that I can no longer force HIM to enjoy what I do? He is becoming his own man before my very eyes and I am both proud and mournful.

He said to all of us that day, “I would rather be different than like everyone else.”

And I knew exactly what he meant.

I just wanted HIM to be like ME for a little while longer.

Is that too much to ask?

IS GETTING ME A DAMN KLEENEX TOO MUCH TO ASK?!

Created by Heidi Woodard

In Awareness, Family, Kids, Love, Memories, Reflection , , , , , , , , ,
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