You life is what you carry

Taken from “Maybe You Should Talk To Someone” by Lori Gottlieb

The other day, I was driving with my son. It had been one of those days where I was lost in thought, thinking of what I needed to get done before Christmas.

He interrupted my thoughts to point out a house that was wonderfully decorated and lit up with Christmas lights.

It was an amazing sight. (Well, maybe not as amazing as our very own Christmas Llama on our front lawn, but still…)

The point is, our world at any given moment is what we choose to observe.

Our world is made up of what we bring with us.

If we are negative because of a crappy morning, the world is going to be dulled, less beautiful.

If we are in a soaring mood, we will notice the beauty all around.

The good news is we can choose what we bring with us.

We can decide to imbibe all the craziness that is social media, relish in nasty comments.

We can decide to fume over some slight that happened to us yesterday.

We can decide to listen to music that only makes us cry more.

We can decide to switch the playlist and listen to joy.

We can read beautiful poetry.

We can fuel our souls with good food, good company and positivity.

We can decide how beautiful our world will be today by bringing whatever amount of beauty we want with us on today’s journey.

Have a BEAUTIFUL Monday!

-Dr Lindeman

…Love wins…

“Because at the end of the day, love wins.” (Taken from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb).

If you’ve had any bad days lately (pretty sure most of us have), the key to not carrying it over to the next day is to realize that one day doesn’t create a month or year or etc.

The key is to resize that after the 24 hours, that day is done.

Over-with.

Kaput.

The sun comes up again in the morning ($100 you are hearing Annie’s voice in your head now, bet your bottom dollar) and you get another chance at another day.

One way to push toward a better mañana is to end the day with love.

Stop and breathe. Be grateful that you had a day (even if it was “a day”), and find something to love about the day. Even if it is something incredibly small.

Then, take some time to tell someone you love them.

Finally, take some time to tell yourself that you are loved.

End the day with love, because the truth is LOVE AWAYS WINS.

Happy Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

The space that allows choice

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms- to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances”- Viktor Frankl, from Man’s Search for Meaning

If you haven’t read the above mentioned book by Viktor Frankl, I highly recommend that you do.

It is a wonderful book. Viktor Frankl was a doctor/psychologist who was also Jewish and because of that second fact, he was placed in a concentration camp by the Nazis. His family was murdered while he was in captivity.

His stance is that a human being’s number one motivation is not to seek pleasure (as Freud and many others postulated), but to seek MEANING.

When we can find meaning in any situation, we will overcome any obstacle.

The good news is almost 100% of the time, if we look hard enough, there is meaning to be found either within the struggle or on the other side of it.

So today, when facing a hurdle, large or small, look for meaning within and you will overcome.

Happy Thursday!

-Dr Lindeman

What do you see??

Your life is determined by which lens you choose to peer through.

Obstacles are a constant.

This year, you’ve probably had to navigate a course filled with them.

Number 1: realize that you’ve passed the test so far, you are still here 🙂

Number 2: look at every obstacle as an opportunity, because that is what an obstacle truly is: an opportunity for change/growth/different thinking/discomfort/improvement.

We can look at the obstacles placed in front of us and bemoan them to our (pessimist) heart’s content…

Or we can change our view point, switch out our lens and see the opportunities that lie hidden within.

Choose your view wisely!

Happy Monday!

-Dr Lindeman

Lasting fulfillment

This is so true!

We have a much bigger IMPACT on the world when we help others.

And (if you’ve read any of my other blog posts you know) when we help others we also have a larger, longer lasting impact on our own happiness as well.

The good news is that we are all in a position that we can help others.

Some of us can donate to charities.

Some of us can help our neighbors by bringing in their mail, taking their leaves, etc if they are unable to do so themselves.

Some of us can go grocery shopping for a friend who is ill.

Some of us can lend a helping hand or even a smile to a stranger.

Some us us can send thank you cards to the people that have helped us in our lives.

No matter the method, we can all help someone and I fact lots of someone’s.

So we can all achieve fulfillment.

Have a fulfilling Monday!

-Dr Lindeman

Never a victim

Just a friendly reminder: we are NEVER victims of circumstance. We are only victims of our decisions/what we do/think/feel in any circumstance.

Life can throw some pretty crazy curveballs at you.

I think a lot of us would agree that 2020 has been one giant spitball/curveball.

The fact remains though, our lives are not created by circumstances, but rather how we CHOOSE to react to those circumstances.

We always have numerous choices in any situation and those decisions are what pave the way to a thriving, vibrant existence (or not).

So today, regardless of what the world has set out in front of you, take some time to notice all your options.

And then choose wisely.

Happy Wednesday!

-Dr Lindeman

Break those chains

“The chains of habit are too light to be felt, until they are too heavy to be broken.”🤔
Warren Buffet

We cannot grow into whom we want to be until we break some habits/anchors keeping us right where we are.

Break old habits, create new wonderful ones.

Examine your day today and find 1 or more habits that you know are keeping you down. Think of habits you would like to employ and create a vacuum to fill with those habits by cutting ties with the old ones.

-Happy Habit Hunting Thursday!

Dr Lindeman

The great divide

The divide is real.

One huge thing I dislike about elections (especially this one) is the way they tend to AMPLIFY our differences and erode our common ground.

I truly believe we should all support who we want to support.

We should back ballot measures that align with our personal philosophies for our lives, our families, our communities and our futures.

What I dislike is the way that people can stand on their “side of the voting line” and cut off the other side completely.

We are entitled to our views and we are allowed to express those views.

It is disheartening that those views can break friendships, end conversations and erode our peace.

No matter where you put your stake into the ground on the issues, realize we all share that ground, even if where I plant my stake is far removed from where you plant yours.

I am hopeful, that regardless of the voting results, we can start focusing on the commonalities we all share and work toward lessening the divide between humanity rather than increasing it.

Regardless,

I hope you have a wonderful day today (as well as the vast majority of days moving forward 🙂

Happy Monday!

-Dr Lindeman

Together we rise

“One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards of everyone around them.”

So step one: be that 1 person today.

March toward a better future by putting effort in today.

That effort should be rooted in your soul, and your passion and purpose are the much needed nourishment.

When you can connect those with your desire to improve, even just a little bit, each day, the you are unstoppable.

When you do that, you help everyone around you, including me 🙂

When you do that, together we rise!

(The link above will take you to Rise, a song by a The Flobots:)

Happy Thursday my friends!

-Dr Lindeman

Your passion

Simon Sinek is spot on!

I truly hope you all have a job that you love. I truly hope you are passionate about your vocation, hobbies, lifestyle, etc.

But don’t let what you DO define WHO you are.

If you love your job, it is because it resonates with your soul.

Your satisfaction comes from the combining your purpose with your activities.

Your vocation doesn’t fuel you.

Your soul is your inspiration. Your purpose precedes your vocation.

If you are struggling at work or in some area of your life right now, get back to your source, your passion, your why.

Take some time to explore that, to stoke those fires and you will see that all else improves as well 🙂

Have an amazing Thursday!

-Dr Lindeman