7 How-to's to Inspire Dynamic Energy for Extraordinary Results

Have you ever walked into a room, meeting, conference or ... and felt like the air was being sucked out of you? When this feeling happens, thoughts become clouded, ideas stifled and energy is at an all time low.

How do we turn this around? Especially, if we cannot leave the situation.

Here are some how-to's that I have learned and am continuing to learn:

1. Wear something bright. If the day feels dark and dreary and you are going into an environment that is darker and drearier add color - bright tie, shoes, jewelry, socks - if you are more daring - add color to shirt, dress, or whatever makes you think and feel more energy.
2. Walk taller. Yes, square those shoulders and extend your neck. One of the first things I notice is how someone enters a room - is there head down, shoulders hunched and eyes focused on the floor or are holding themselves with confidence, ease and pride. Check yourself out in a mirror and practice walking tall. Always a great energy producer for me.
3. SMILE. Make sure that the smile reaches your eyes. Feel the lines ease out of your face, except for those "laugh lines" which are well earned, around your eyes. People notice a smile and automatically connect in a much more positive manner.
4. Adopt a Positive Attitude. This is easier said than done and yet with mental conditioning we can turn even the worst situation into an adventure and a valuable learning experience.
5. Be prepared. Go into the meeting, conference, day with some information about what you might be getting into. Although this sounds obvious, I am noticing more and more that people sign up and show up without deciding what they want or need to get from the experience. I generally review the team members, agenda or anything else that might impact the me, positively or negatively.
6. Identify 3 benefits that will happen as a result of you attending. The key to getting extraordinary results, is clarifying those results in advance. It always amazed me to find that people have such low expectations of themselves and others. As soon as I have identified the benefits to me, I become galvanized to take get going. Meeting someone new, hearing a new idea, learning something different - powerful and truly inspiring for me.
7. Finally, Give yourself space. If you can't, won't don't need to attend or show up, give yourself permission for quiet time. Become aware of what might be affecting your energy, thoughts and actions - believe me - I'd rather stay home than to drain others or my energy. Also, I want to be a contribution not a detriment.
   

Seven simple ways to inspire dynamic energy. Now go forth and generate dynamic energy.

Capture the Loveliness

A few days ago, the east coast of the United States was beyond dreary and gray. For what seemed like endless hours, the landscape was battered by rain, sleet and snow. Life couldn't have looked or felt more ugly. The next morning traveling was difficult, if not impossible. Meetings canceled, I was faced with the drudgery of playing cleanup in the office.

Fortunately, I received a call and an excited voice on the other end asked, "Are you looking outside? It's glorious. The sun and ice on the trees looks like thousands of diamonds." I could almost see her smile and I definitely felt the joy in her voice. My eyes moved to the window. She was so right - there were diamonds everywhere.

A simple call, a wonderful gesture caused me to stop being upset and negative about having to change my plans for the day. My energy lifted and I found myself cleaning up, clearing up and revamping some of my business plans. The call also brought to mind the poem by Sara Teasdale called Barter.

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things;
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up,
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell;
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And, for the Spirit’s still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Give all you have for loveliness;
Buy it, and never count the cost!
For one white, singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost;
And for a breath of ecstasy,
Give all you have been, or could be.

The call, the poem and taking time to reflect has caused me to re-focus and re-charge my thinking, my attitude and my actions. Wonderful, positive gifts from others and myself to see thousands of diamonds and capture the loveliness of work and life.

One Brick at a Time

"I don't know what my calling is,
but I want to be here for a bigger reason.
I strive to be like the greatest people who have ever lived."
Will Smith.

We are surrounded by limiting factors. Not enough money, costs are on the rise - health costs, fuel costs, life and work costs. It may almost seem better to cut back and limit. I would like to suggest that we change that mental paradigm and see each challenge, whether real or imagined, as an opportunity to find our own greatness
.

One of my favorite videos on You Tube is Will Smith's Wisdom - this is a much watch video -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSK_Likqv24 . One story that Will shares is a story about his father and building a wall. Smith's father instructs Will and his younger brother to build a wall. At first this seems like a daunting task, and then these two children - Will was 12 and his brother younger laid one brick at a time and in 18 months built a wall.

What a gift, Mr. Smith gave to his young sons. This wall stands today because two mere children were given a job and decided to lay one brick at a time. It didn't occur to them that the wall couldn't be built and so they built it.

Now, it only takes one kind word or expression of gratitude to change a relationship for the better. It only takes one dollar at a time to create an investment program. It only one word at a time to write a book. It one brush stroke at a time to paint a masterpiece.

If two small children can build a brick wall in eighteen months,than I certainly can improve my work, my life, my community "one brick at a time." How about you?

"Quiet Desperation" or Contribution, Courage and Committment

If we listen to the news, conversations, or even that little voice in our heads, we may think and even believe that there is not much to hope for. As a result, we often times move into living our lives, as Thoreau would say, in "quiet desperation."

"Quiet desperation" is showing up in work or life in a constant state of panic or apathy. A "what's the use" attitude permeates all the we think and feel and as a result, we barely function. Conversations become superficial. Work and life have no value or purpose. Productivity and effectiveness suffer.

With three small shifts, we can regain control of our lives, our work and our joy and move past this "quiet desperation."

1. Contribution. Appreciate our skills and abilities is absolutely essential. Reviewing our experiences, talents and attributes will help us to evaluate what tools and assets we have in our tools kits. These capabilities are uniquely special for each of us and we have an obligation and an opportunity to share them each and every day. Anthony Robbins has a wonderful quote that says it all “It is not what we get, but who we become, what we contribute, that gives meaning to our lives.”

2. Courage. Owning our abilities and strengths now becomes a responsibility. Stepping out and stepping up can take a tremendous amount of effort and energy and yet if we do not, we have lost total control. As Susan Jeffers says it so eloquently in her book by the same title, Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.

3. Commitment. Being committed to sharing are personal best is the turning point. There is a line from Og Mandino's wonderful book called the Twelfth Angel, "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." If and when we agree to face each, moment, each day, each event with this thought, I believe we can live our lives to the fullest.

"Quiet desperation" or contribute, courage and commitment, it's a choice.

Mind is the Master

"Mind is the Master-power that molds and makes, and Man is Mind, and evermore he takes the Tool of Thought, and shaping what he wills, brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills-He thinks in secret and it comes to pass; Environment is but his looking-glass."

James Allen
As A Man Thinketh

If we start our day with thoughts of disease and desperation, than that is what we will find. Conversely, if we start our day with interest and inspiration, that is what we will find.

Our thoughts will lead us to the highest service to humanity and health or to the greatest depths of dis-service and disease. Our thoughts are powerful things - more powerful than any obstacle or opportunity that shows up in our life.

Be a master of your thoughts. Start with one thought at time. Use your mind power, be positive and constructive, leading your to a richer, more productive life.