It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Greetings to you!
Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.
Russ...
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." The Grinch/Dr. Seuss
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
We've been on a journey this year, learning, listening and digging in and now as we come into December let's just PAUSE a little and catch our breath. As the year winds down, it doesn't mean we just stop all that we're doing, but let's change up the pace.
To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.
I'm going to simply share some Christmas Time Quotes this month, and encourage you to reflect, recharge, restore, reconnect, and then restart to the best of your ability!
The other day I was flipping through the channels after watching the Lakers play and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas was on. I watched about 3 minutes of the show (The Original) and it brought back so many memories.
That thought from The Grinch above is so true... "Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
I don't know what it is about the Christmas Season, but it's always a time of reflection. Memories from years and years ago, reminders of traditions that we return to each year and then some time to simply think about what's happened in my life over the past 11 months.
I was on a call with my brother, sister and parents the other day, and it's always interesting how quickly we slide back into our childhood roles. We quickly flash back to 50 years ago, and assume the same roles we played then.
I think the Christmas Season does that as well. Traditions, experiences, memories, relationships... everything comes back as we contemplate the days and weeks before us and as we reflect on every Christmas from our past.
This month I'll share a few quotes, and then will spend some time on each of these words: reflect, recharge, restore, reconnnect & restart.
What does the Christmas Season mean to you today? What has it always meant to you?
DEEPER STILL:
DECEMBER REMINDER: REFLECT
To "reflect" means to "Think deeply or carefully about".
My dad and my brother shared recently that they each had years and years of old journals and schedule books. They didn't know what they were going to do with them. I'm talking hundreds of books!
I have old journals as well, but I've gone through them from time to time to eliminate some.
When I think about reflection, it's not about reading through your old journals. I'm wondering what comes to mind when you sit silently, and just ask yourself to "think back and listen".
This morning I did that. Some memories came up that I hadn't thought about for years. One of them involved filling the car with small bags of candy to toss at children who lined up along the roads in Ecuador at Christmas Time asking for a "Navidad Gift", a small Christmas gift.
Reflection is more about clearing space so that you can remember, and I've learned a couple of thing about how I remember:
I need silence and space. I can't think when I'm distracted, when I'm on my phone, or when I have something pressing to do. I can't force it. It just happens when I create space.
I use pictures as prompts. Often, just scrolling through my photo albums or my digital journal triggers a memory, then as I look at the picture, I let the memories come.
I like to talk about memories with people, and see what they remember vs. how I remember it. It often jogs some things that I've forgotten.
I do write things down in a journal, but I usually don't write things in deep detail, just summaries of something that took place. That prompts the memories and the reflection.
Here's my challenge... This next week, MAKE SOME SPACE FOR REFLECTION. Whatever that looks look. It doesn't have to be long, but circle around the Christmas Season and see what comes to mind.
Isaiah 9:2: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows- light! Sunbursts of light! (MSG)
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
I picked up The PAUSE APP this month simply to take some moments of PAUSE through this season.
One of the best tools I've ever personally used for reflection, and then have facilitated for the past 10 years is The Life Plan. The first day of this deep dive is all about perspective, asking yourself, "How did I get here?"
I use the DAYONE App on my phone/pad/computer as a journal, photo album and note taker. It's been really convenient and easy to use, and in REFLECTION, it's easy to just scroll back through the calendar.
I'm enjoying John Grishams new book out, The Widow. Another great legal thriller!
I've been looking for a small screwdriver tool, and after sorting through all the social media ads, I settled on this little adaptive set. Magnetic Screwdriver Set, and it has an orange case! Yapa!
Leader Mundial just finished our final Leadership Summit of the year, this one held in Burnundi with men and women in leadership gathering for 4 days to form a Leader Mundial Community! What a year it's been as leaders have gathered around the globe for Training, Resourcing, Coaching & Community!