Come Upwards with Us™

Unlikely Things You Can Do to Get Moving Again When people feel stuck, they usually search for obvious solutions. Get motivated.Set goals.Read a book.Listen to a podcast.Make a plan. Those are all worthwhile. But sometimes the fastest way to regain momentum is by doing something that doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the problem at all. Only a first step leads to effective action.  . Here are a…

After a few discussions prompted by some thoughts I shared last week “Flying Through Life’s Ups and Downs”, another “take from on high” became really relevant.  Take a flight during a busy travel season, and you’ll probably hear some variation of the same announcement. “Please be mindful of how you stow your luggage. We have a full flight today.” Sometimes it’s:“We have a very full flight.” Or:“We have a completely…

Sleep Matters We spend a great deal of time trying to improve our lives by changing what happens during the day. We focus on better decisions, better habits, better conversations, and better productivity. Yet one of the greatest opportunities for improvement begins the night before. Sleep matters.Not just because it helps us feel rested, but because the quality of our sleep influences nearly everything that follows.  Better sleep improves focus,…

We’ll See About That There are two kinds of people when they encounter an obstacle.The first hears, “It can’t be done,” and quietly accepts it.The second smiles and says,“We’ll see about that.” Those four words have built companies, won championships, discovered medicines, crossed oceans, climbed mountains, and changed lives. “We’ll see about that” isn’t arrogance.It isn’t denial.It isn’t pretending obstacles don’t exist.It’s simply a refusal to let someone else write…

Best Proof of Living - MondayYou Are a Work in Progress Most people think of themselves as they are.  That often leads to judgement and an uneasy, dissatisfying complacency.   It’s much more practical, productive and purposeful to think about the person you’ve decided to become and the life with which you’ll reward yourself.  Today’s Proof of Living exercise is one of the most fun and enjoyable activities we’ve created.…

Preparing for Personal Turbulence “This is your captain speaking. We’ve reviewed the latest weather reports, and we expect moderate turbulence during the first thirty minutes of our flight. For your safety, please remain seated with your seatbelt securely fastened. Our flight attendants will remain seated until conditions improve.” Most of us have heard an announcement like that.Some passengers barely notice.Others grip the armrests.A few wonder if they should have taken…

When we hear the word hype, we usually think of sports, entertainment, or social media.  The rookie everyone says will become a superstar.  The singer with a chart-topping album before anyone has heard the second song. The CEO expected to transform an entire company. Hype often carries a negative connotation. We assume it means exaggerated expectations that someone probably won’t meet. But what if we’ve misunderstood it?What if the real problem…

Freedom Is Yours. Are You Claiming It?   One of the statements from my most recent No Cry Zone podcast generated far more conversation than I expected: Reluctance is relentless. It does not respect your goals. No one really argued with it.In fact, one longtime listener replied, “I just wish it wasn’t so.” I understand that reaction. We all wish our good intentions counted for more. We wish our dreams…

You Gotta Bring More Than That to Knock Me Off My Peg Back when I was growing up, we played baseball a lot. Most of the time it was actually softball, but we simply called it baseball. If someone wanted to play with a hardball, we’d do that, too.  It sort of depended on who brought what that day.   We were anywhere from nine to fifteen years old, and…

Several (now convincingly UnReluctant) readers who celebrated the 1st Annual UnReluctant Day contacted me, wondering “What of the document?  What have you done with the document?” The document, of course, is The Declaration of UnReluctance.”  I, as they used to speak back in someone’s day, enclose it herewith:  (It’s pretty cool, and refreshingly powerful.) The Declaration of UnReluctance In this, my Year of Bold Intent, and the Pursuit of my…