Tag Archives: discipline

The Every Day Leader: Mess STRESS

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Have you heard of “mess stress”?  It is that stack of papers and books on the counter or general clutter about. It may not be in the dictionary, but I would wager that we all have felt the effects of it!

It is a term to explain how the messiness around you simply stresses you out.  It happens when the stacks of paper on our desks have grown out of control.  It happens when the house has dust bunnies all over the floors and stacks of mail everywhere  because we have been too busy to care for it.

Some mess cannot be avoided.  Paper accumulates.  Laundry and housework accumulate.  Dishes don’t get done.  Life can get busy. People should come first but balance is VITAL for survival.

There are times the mess gets out of control.  It is at that time we know we need to do something, we have to address the problem, we have to bring balance back, and we know we have to be intentional to make some changes.

5 Things to Do to remove the Mess Stress from your life:

Delegate:  Let others help you! Why do we think we are the only ones that can do it?

Organize:  Take a day off and start fresh.  Clean it out.  Get it organized.

Simplify:  Get rid of what you don’t need.  Donate it to a local charity!

Change your schedule:  Get up earlier; spend some extra minutes at the beginning of the day to take care of things.

Discipline yourself:  File things immediately.  Pick up after yourself.  Be proactive instead of saving things until the last minutes.  Be intentional  in how you spend your time!

Mess stress keeps you from being your best self.  It means that we spend more time cleaning up the messes that are causing us stress than doing what we were wired to do.  It means not having the freedom to spend our time making a difference in the life of another, because we are too preoccupied dealing with our messes.

Every day leaders know what to do.  They KNOW that being disciplined is a way of life that makes us better and gives us more opportunities.  They KNOW that eliminating stress as much as possible – is a key to being our best selves.

Every day leaders long to be their best, KNOWING that when they are at their best, they are better at making a difference in the life of those they lead and are around them!

The Every Day Leader: Cowosophy

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What would a farm be without cows?!   Bunches of them.  The dairy farm I grew up on was no different.  Turns out, cows need tending to daily.  If it rained the cows were muddy.  If they were out in the pasture they had to be herded in for milking.  Regardless, they needed to be cared for.

We were all expected to help.  If there was a blizzard, if it was pouring rain, or 100 plus degrees with a million flies around – the cows still had to be milked twice a day.  It didn’t matter if you wanted to go on vacation,  if there was a wedding, or a big event at school – the cows couldn’t wait.

Cows are like that.

I look back to the days of milking cows.  At the time, I didn’t like it.  Now, I am grateful for that life experience I had as a kid.  I am grateful for the lessons I learned about work ethic and responsibility.  And I am thankful for the lessons about caring for living animals, knowing they were dependent on you.

Life is like that.  The things we think are horrific at the time, don’t seem so terrible when we look back on them.  What we don’t see at the time is how those times are shaping and molding us into the people we are today.  It is during those hard times that our character is being developed.  These things help define who we are deep down.

It is almost as if I can hear my dad saying…”See, it wasn’t so bad!”

He would be right of course.  It wasn’t so bad.  I learned discipline.  I learned responsibility.  I learned the importance of doing what you said you were going to do.  I learned that if I didn’t – things and others suffered.  I learned to work as a team.  I even learned how to laugh together in the midst of the work. Flies and all.

These are life lessons I now cherish.  Memories I often wish I could have given my own children.  These are things I am thankful for.

We all have past experiences.  Have you forgotten?  Are you able to live in such a way to reflect what you have learned?  Those life lessons are a gift, a gift to be thankful for.  

Everyday leaders see and are thankful for life experiences.  Those experiences that were good and those that were difficult.  Everyday leaders intentionally live in such a way that their lives reflect  the gift of the lessons learned.

 

 

 

The Every Day Leader: Determination is YOUR strong Foundation

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Have you ever seen massive tree roots coming out of the ground, roots so big and thick you could almost build your own little fort in them? Tree roots come above the ground looking for moisture, often times of severe drought has brought them originally to the surface. While the tree roots would generally grow down in search of water, it will do what it needs to, It has a natural instinct to find what it needs.  It is determined to survive.

Determination is the runner that gets up each day and trains.  Determination is what the child has as she climbs back on her bicycle without the training wheels for the hundredth time, trying so hard to learn to ride without them.  It is determination that sets us apart from others. 

Our goals are accomplished through constant determination. First, we must know what those goals are. Secondly, we must have a plan and be willing to carry that plan out to meet those goals.  This often requires a discipline and our will to make it happen no matter what.

It is a choice we make.  This choice sets us apart from so many others who would rather just settle for a life of mediocrity. Every day leaders make intentional decisions to make something happen and to are willing to carry it out, this enables them to have an impact on the world they live in.  Just like the tree in the picture.  It is a huge tree that provides shade and has been around a long time.  The roots sought the moisture it needed and did whatever it took for their growth.

What are you determined to do in your life as an everyday leader?  Do you have a goal set before you?  We must know what we are working towards.  We must have the end result in mind and the discipline and determination to carry it out.  This is what produces a lasting impact. 

Know where you are going.  Be intentional.  Have discipline and determination to get there. 

The everyday leader.  Making a difference in the life you lead.