Growth not accolades

In his book, The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek discusses the ideas of constant improvement.

Too often, businesses (and individuals) look at this constant improvement in the form of procedures, policies, accolades, awards, etc.

There is absolutely nothing wrong woth all of that.

However, the true idea of constant improvement should come in the forms of improving teamwork, mindset, skills, connection with others, compassion and leadership.

These traits are more important because they drive us to create a better now, and to leave a better legacy fo the sake of our family, friends, customers, loved ones and communities. The accolades are achieved as a result of these things.

The great (and sometimes frustrating, depending on how you choose to look at it) thing about these intrinsic improvements (as opposed to accolades and awards) is that there is no “finish line.” The goal is to constantly improve, not to “arrive.”

So today, envision your life improving for the sake of improvement and any awards, goals or et cetera are just mile markers along the infinite game of life.

Have an amazing Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

Toxic positivity

I recently discovered the term “toxic positivity.”

Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. It’s a “good vibes only” approach. (Taken from http://www.verywellmind.com)

I choose to be positive, and I write about positivity not because I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but because I decide to realize the world is a beautiful place.

I whole-heartedly believe that when circumstances are awful, we should recognize that, allow ourselves to grieve, mourn, cry, get frustrated, angry and lash out some even.

It is always ok to not be ok.

However, I also believe that it is up to ourselves to change our situation for the future. It is up to us to learn from any challenge and apply it toward a growth mindset.

The only way positivity can be toxic is in the absence of empathy. If someone (even if it is yourself) is going through some horrible situations, I don’t believe we should talk to them (ourselves) about maintaining positivity without acknowledging THE SUCK of the situation. First and foremost, be kind, listen, hug, comfort.

Also realize that part of the comfort is the belief/faith that all things pass and life will move on and in fact can become better, eventually.

Have a blessed Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

Fulfillment > Achievement

Thank you for this reminder, Simon Sinek.

The true joy in life comes not from the accolades, finish lines or etc.

True joy is found on the journey toward our goals.

We may not realize it at the time, because putting in the work to get to where we want to go, is hard.

However, without the “struggle”, our achievements would be far less meaningful.

The award you win for completing a 10k would be a glorified paperweight if it was easy to achieve.

Even an Olympic medal would be just another shiny object if winning it was easy.

So, no matter how hard the struggle is now, realize that in the end, this time, this toil and this work you are putting in will truly lead to a more fulfilling life.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

Friendly reminder

You are NEVER given anything you can’t handle.

Proof? You are reading this right now.

You will always presented with obstacles, or as my brother likes to call them “hurdles” in life.

They key is to just keep jumping. (Or in some cases, if that hurdle is meant for a giant, find another way around, under or through)

I truly hope you are not in the middle a huge tumultuous storm in your life right now, but if you are, I also hope you realize you have exactly what it takes to overcome, and to get to the calm on the other side.

You are THE ONLY person capable of living your amazing, exciting and challenging life.

Have an amazing 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

Today…

I Read this today: “No matter what, you’ll never get today back”.
Truth.

But I also think we can read that and think “we better make today amazing” and that’s not the best policy either.

I think the key is to know today whether an amazing day at work or a mediocre one at best, a day of sunshine, birds singing or stormy and cold. Today cannot be saved.

It must be savored.

So the best policy is to be fully IN it today. Be present, appreciate today for being today. Connect with others, give and receive some love and appreciate the fact that today is finite.

You will never get today back.

-Happy Tuesday!

Dr Lindeman

Time and Patience

“Speed is about time, but it’s also closely related to endurance and effort. The faster the speed, the thinking goes, the less endurance or effort required. Patience, on the other hand, requires endurance and effort.”- Taken from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb

Later, in the same book (about a page later), she quotes the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm: “Modern man thinks he loses something-time- when he does not do things quickly; yet he does not know what to do with the time he gains except kill it.”

Our world is filled with a lot of hurry, hurry, now, now.

We want results/things/growth/success/our haircut/our food/our dose of dopamine (social media, I’m looking at you)/our purchases/our everything as soon as we give even the thoughts our energy.

Patience is not modern human’s virtue.

The conundrum is that the time spent waiting, the time spent in patience, the time spent just BE-ing bears more fruit for the soul than the actual “getting.”

Spend some time in a cam state today. Revel in the patience, it will bring much better dividends than the pressure-filled moments do.

Happy Thursday!

-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