Don’t let fear drive

This is a great statement.

I believe that fear holds so many people back from achieving their dreams. As I wrote in my book, Purposely Positive, How to Live an Intentional and Inspired Life (I don’t really love quoting from my own book, but I’ll make an exception because it applies to this quote as well)

“The flip-side of inspiration is fear, and fear keeps you stuck right where you are. I’m not bad-mouthing fear here. Fear (like all emotions) is vitally important to your survival. If you didn’t have fear, plain and simple… you’d be fertilizer by now. A healthy fear of picking a fight with a honey badger is a good thing. Don’t lose that survival fear. The key is knowing the difference between that and the nonsense voices that fear puts into your head. Fear is about withdrawing (and with good reason), but it should never lead you.”

Fear is vitally important, but is should never drive you toward improvement.
Fear is almost always about the very-short-term. Fear does not create long-term success.

Fear should not be your chauffer on the drive to realizing your dreams.

Let fear have it’s say, but focus on your heart.

Focus on your why.

Focus on achieving your dreams that have rooted in your heart and soul.

Let your love drive you.

Have a fantastic Wednesday!

-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

You matter more than you know

I read “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” by Mitch Albom last weekend. It was a great, quick, and impactful read.

The premise is that a man (who doesn’t think too highly of himself) dies and when he gets to heaven, he meets 5 people.

Some he expected to meet there.

Some he most certainly did not.

Each person’s life intertwined with the main character’s at some point in a way that was much more profound than he thought.

In the end, Eddie (the main character), looks back and realizes his life impacted so many more people than he could fathom.

We are all connected, in some way. And what we do (our actions, our jobs, our attitudes, who we are) affects A LOT of other people.

The great news is that when you DECIDE to lean more toward the positive, you infect others with that positivity.

When you try to look at solutions rather than focus on the problems, others will do the same.

When you smile at a stranger, more than likely they smile back (and then they pass it on).

When you are INTENTIONAL about living your best self, you cannot help but make the world a bit better as well.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of writing by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

So go have a SUCCESSFUL Day!

Happy Tuesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Everything around you…

“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

TRUTH!

When we strive to improve ourselves, the AMAZING “side effect” is that we will improve those around us as well.

When you shine your light, you brighten everyone else’s day.

Don’t make the (all to common) mistake of thinking that moving toward your goals, your successes, somehow lessens those around us. That is a HUGE falsehood, and unfortunately, stifles so many people from achieving their goals.

Abundance is not limited.

If you are working toward improvement, and you do so with compassion, love, grit and not by stepping on those around you, you will help, not hinder others. On that note: If you achieve any success by pushing others down so that you may gain ground, that success will most definitely be short lived and shallow. (Most people do not fall into this category. I truly believe most people want to improve their lives, and not hurt others in the process).

So, today, work toward achievement, and take comfort in the FACT, your success only HELPS those around you.

Happy Thursday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Better Man

I have a real fond-ness for Judah and the Lion.

Their music always seems as if it comes directly from their souls.

Many songs are uplifting, and all of them seem to tug at heart strings (at least a little bit).

One song I have recently discovered is “Better Man.”

I love this stanza:

“Oh my hands to serve and love
My eyes to see and not to judge
My spirit now to rise within
And reign over my carnal skin“

As a chiropractor, any song that alludes to my hands serving already has me listening, but this stanza to me could be a meditation phrase, or a prayer for life.

And the chorus:

“And oh I just want to be a better man
And oh I just want to be a better man, yeah
And oh I just want to be a better man
And oh I just want to be a better man
As I go“

The chorus is pretty great too! I like to change the last line though from “As I go” to “As I GROW.” (I don’t think Judah nor his lion would mind me singing that to myself in my car).

As a business owner, especially as a chiropractor, I can tend to think of growth in #s, volume, etc. But this song reminds me that the true GROWTH I am looking for is growth from within. I want to grow as a person, father, husband, doctor, friend. I want to improve in all aspects, and the pacing of the song reminds me that growth is not meant to happen RIGHT AWAY.

I truly do want to grow to be a better man, and that growth feels best (and lasts) when it comes from my desire to serve, love, see and not judge, and when all of that combined comes from my spirit. So that is what I am going to work on daily…

So happy growth (from within) today people!

Happy Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

The dance of life

Success in life is a bumpy slope.

It is full of ups and downs (just like life in general).

The key is to realize a “step backwards” isn’t a failure.

It’s necessary.

Diving boards have to dip before you can launch.

You have to fall down in order to get up.

You need to have those bike pedals crack you in the shin every once in a while in order to learn to be a bit more careful with those nasty things.

The point is, you can look at dips any way you want, but the truly successful people realize that the set-backs are actually just ways to change the narrative in order to create a truly successful story.

Don’t let the steps back stop you from dancing to success.

Happy Tuesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Listen to improve

I love what Jon Gordon is conveying here.

I believe, too often, we (myself included) have a tendency to listen to others in order to respond.

We really should listen to learn.

It is harder than it sounds.

In order to listen to learn, we must be connected, intentionally hearing what others have to say. We must also silence our thoughts as they naturally attempt to formulate a rebuttal or an application to ourselves.

When we truly “lend an ear” to those we are with, we grow in compassion, connection and improve.

Happy listening today!

Happy Monday

-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

Focused or stressed?

I had the privilege of listening to some amazing speakers tonight on a zoom call (yeah, that’s a thing now, didn’t know if you heard). Dr Cody Elledge spoke to my soul about stress vs focus. And low and behold, sticking to my wife’s computer was the above image.

She is so smart!

At first glance, the words “focused” and stressed are similar.

Even our good pal Webster and his Dictionary state they are synonyms.

However, the difference is that when you are stressed about or over something (or in today’s realities, many things), you tend to be obsessive about the PROBLEM, and not looking or working toward the SOLUTION.

When you are stressed, your body is flooded with negative chemicals. Your heart rate increases, your digestion slows down, your adrenals are taxed, you become fatigued, yet you can’t sleep. Your reproductive system is sluggish, your blood pressure elevates, and your ability to think clearly actually decreases as well.

So you obsess over the problem, make your self LITERALLY sick, and you arrive no closer to the solution.

On the other hand, if instead you are focused, you are actively searching for ways to improve your situation and to escape whatever 💩storm you find yourself in.

When you flip the script from stress to focus, you are finely tuned. Your heart rate may increase, but only at first. When you focus, your brain secretes chemicals that help you achieve a goal, rather than stay put in the endless spiral of stress-worry-stress-worry. When you focus, your cortical thinking improves and you ACHIEVE results.

So stressed and focused are similar , but the end results are MONUMENTALLY different.

So acknowledge the stressors in your life today, but choose what you want to FOCUS on, work toward the solutions, and get busy living your best life!

-Dr Lindeman

LEAD

You may have a “title” that infers leadership.

Manager, Shift-lead, Owner, President, Teacher, etc…

You also may not have such a title.

The title doesn’t make the leader.

Anyone can (and should) lead.

The world sorely needs people to lead with grace, courage, love, empathy, compassion, integrity, inspiration, and by example.

I (like MANY others) would gladly step in to follow people that embody the above virtues.

So, don’t look around for someone to do so.

Don’t wait until some magical title is bestowed upon you.

BE a leader by being your best self.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman