THIS MONTH'S Lessons Learned: Appreciative of Another Year on Earth, and Ways to Keep Learning!

Today is a happy birthday, and I am thrilled! Thanks for being a part of this year!

If there were themes for the past 12 months, they'd be Miles & Smiles, Impact & Energy, AND, Declutter & Appreciation.

By covering a lot of miles running, in a car, and on a plane, personally and professionally, certainly, there were many fond memories and a lot of smiles - some of them through some pain and feeling disappointed as well as while really having fun!

LESSON LEARNED: Smile through challenges in order to live and learn, and to get to the parts of life that really matter - making lasting memories with people you care about!

Considering impact and energy, one of my focuses was to very intentionally assess where my energy was being expended, and how/what the impact was.

LESSON LEARNED: It is key to ensure a good return on investment where energy is shared - for others and yourself, so move on when the ROI isn't there and double down when it is!

When I made time for decluttering things physically, that lead to further appreciating space and effort alike, so new donations were made, new groups were joined, existing boards were resigned from or I rolled off them while clear choices were made to spend time and give talent where it would be valued, respected, and appreciated.

LESSON LEARNED: Free yourself of clutter, any clutter in space in your home, business, and especially in your head, as that freeing feeling will allow for a sense of centering...and clear direction for progress!

Thanks for the memories, and cheers to many more as I go into being 54 with a genuine smile on my face, with intent and energy directed toward kindness & growth, and a clear mind and clean office & home - ready to embrace whatever is ahead with gusto and gratitude!

#Birthday #Thanks #LessonsLearned #Gratitude #Kind #kindness #Kindnessmatters #1KindAct #KindnessNeedNotBeQuarantined #Perspective #LifeLongLearner #AgingGracefullyIsEmpowering

THIS MONTH'S LESSONS LEARNED: Hurricane Habitat

For adults, where we live is a choice.

Michael and I choose to live in Tampa, Florida, where we have evacuated many times since settling here in 2004.

Still, each time is an experience and a journey - physically and emotionally!

Lessons learned include:

• Things are things, and people are people - things can be replaced and people cannot be replaced. Be grateful for the people you have around you and/or are in touch with. Reach out to check in on others.
• Having empathy and grace with others is key in life, especially during hurricane preparation, as stress impacts people in its own way!
• Gas is essential for travel, and so are medications, and otherwise, you can likely get what you need where you are going, so hoarding is self-centered, not self-survival.
• Have faith in decisions made prior to the hurricane and trust the process of insurance and other aspects of life, for worry on top of rain and potential spoiled items in a refrigerator is useless (much like that food!)!

While I am not sure what will be remaining after this Lessons Learned is shared, it is certain that it will be an experience, and more lessons will have been learned...hopefully at not too much of a cost!

Lessons Learned: Sweet 16 Four Ways

It is a point of pride and humility to celebrate the Presenting Powerfully Sweet 16! Thanks for whatever you did to contribute to the past 192 months!

Based on the keynotes, strategy, facilitation, emceeing, coaching, and consulting, here are four lessons learned along the way:

1) Know your expertise and your lane. Stay there and get really good at all you do, and resist adding options that supplement yet do not showcase expertise. Get with others to collaborate and/or refer, and you will keep your purpose and integrity intact for you, and importantly, you will serve your clients, patients, and/or customers best!

2) Embrace and honor your value and do not hesitate to share the investment schedule. Know your industry and other rates, and yet be specific about your offerings and ROI. With that, don't discount. While I offer considerations, the word, idea, concept, and application of a discount does not exist, as that would sound like clients are getting less than the full offer since mine is a service business. 

3) Have a process. For each offering, I have learned what and how things work. By documenting this for each, the sharing of the engagement becomes a good flow. Ask questions, confirm, and commit in writing. Rarely does someone say I asked too many questions. Still, over the years, I have asked too few. Keeping a process keeps mistakes to a minimum, and the questions that serve the conversation well at a maximum!

4) Be grateful for each engagement or sale. Stay away from thinking something is small or little, and think of the impact you get to have. I certainly do! 

While there are many good and challenging lessons that have, thankfully, been learned, there are four of them. Keeping those in mind, when you have your expertise, value, a process, and gratitude, know that sweet 16 gets even sweeter on the way to 17, 20, and beyond!

#ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment #Kind #EmotionalIntelligence #PerformanceCoaching #OneBeanerPerformanceCoach #LivingKindly #KindnessIsMyOwnSuperpower #Kindness #CoachsCorner

Debbie@DebbieLundberg.com 813.494.4438 DebbieLundberg.com

Lessons Learned from Ribbon Cuttings!

 Barely a week goes by without me being asked to cut a ribbon somewhere, and I'm usually happy to oblige. Things to do with the Army mostly.

~ Vera Lynn

British Musician

March 20, 1917 - June 18, 2020

When a new business gets started, changes locations, or adds a new location, a celebration often ensues. It's fun to launch, kick off, congratulate, and more...especially if there is a ribbon-cutting to capture it all!

Having served on a local chamber board for 6 years, believe it or not, I only attended one ribbon-cutting, and it was huge...that business is now tremendously successful after much growth and continued pursuit of sales and opportunities. I feel joyfully (perhaps oddly) connected to them and look forward to their updates each month, yet did not really think about the connection to the ribbon-cutting until this week.

Flash forward, and now I have been a member of a different chamber for 6 years, and in that time, have attended 4 ribbon-cuttings until this month when, within less than two weeks, I attended 5 ribbon-cuttings. Because I have the honor and opportunity to serve our community as the Chair-Elect, I want to be present, appreciative, welcoming, and learn as we congratulated the new members and businesses through accomplishment and make them feel the inclusiveness of our community, and here are seven lessons learned:

1. Remember this hour or two-hour time frame is significant, and therefore, a big deal for the business owner and team, likely, and they may be excited, nervous, and emotional, so while this is one aspect of your day, it is THEIR DAY for the team members of the business, so bring enthusiasm for them or stay home

2. There is no standard ribbon-cutting, as most people have either never been to one, or only been to one or two, so this concept has many varied ideas and expectations for the hosts, so let it be what they want, rather than what you expect

3. Some, very few, people attend A LOT of ribbon cuttings, and yet they are not professional ribbon cutters, rather they seek out the free "stuff" such as food and give-aways

4. As a guest, be gracious, appreciative, and inquisitive by ensuring you introduce yourself to those hosting and others and ask the people involved about sharing how they got where they are as well as about their business and business goals/plans

5. As a leader/owner or representative of the organization, have words ready to prepare and a plan for the event/time

6. To have a memorable ribbon-cutting, having a theme, coordinated attire, music, food, drink, and a photographer, along with swag, makes it an event/experience rather than just a photo-op

7. If you post and share about it, include photos of the building and team members and not just yourself so their marketing can get more mileage from the experience/investment

If you are wondering how these lessons learned carry to anything other than ribbon-cuttings, please imagine this for going to someone's home for the first time or a party. People have put in some effort and included you, so graciousness and gratitude can go a long way!

Lessons Learned from Mowing the Lawn!

 The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way. 

~ Keanu Reeves

#QUOTE

Even though nearly all of our street-mates and other neighbors have a lawn service, Michael and I mow our yard each week (or twice a week in the Summer).

That may surprise you or simply not interest you. Either way is understandable, as that is only part of the story...

The rest of the story is that one of us mows it each time. The person who mows is the person who lost to the other at golf that week. Or, another way to look at it is that the person who won, does not mow the lawn that week!

Because golf is a fair game with handicaps and tee that relate to those handicaps, it is a sport for the ages and for nearly all who want to play it. The fairness allows for Michael and me to truly compete through injuries, obstacles, and across the state, the country, and into other countries!

With all the blades cut over the years, much has presented itself, and here are a few lessons from mowing the lawn:

1) Being competitive means winning and losing and that a win or a loss does not make any one person a winner or a loser overall!

2) Being outside, for golf, and for mowing, is a joy in itself, and even if mowing means golf perhaps wasn't stellar, it does mean we got to golf, and for that, we certainly can be grateful.

3) Extra steps are extra steps, and those bonus steps mean health-mindedness can be a way of accepting the time spent paying off a debt!

4) Mowing is growing if we let it be, as that simple time can be a chance to reflect on the round, what went well and what was missed, so the beauty made from mowing can be a byproduct of the reflection, and the insights on the game can be the byproduct of the mowing.

Similar to my lessons learned from lawn mowing, we can learn lessons in life, such as having perspective on wins, enjoying our environment, keeping health a priority, and maintaining personal growth!

#ProfessionalDevemopment #PersonalDevelopment #PerformanceCoaching #Kind #OneBeanerPerformanceCoach #LivingKindly #KindnessIsMyOwnSuperpower #Kindness  #CoachsCorner #WorkdayWakeUp

Lessons Learned: Flying without Earbuds

 "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. All is riddle, and the key to a riddle is another riddle."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

With air travel back in full swing, and many missed 2020 trips rescheduled, I found myself on a plane again, yet out of practice for my typical in-flight packing, meaning there I was with no magazines and without earbuds.

Clearly, that was not devastating, and yet there were unexpected lessons learned by hearing and seeing so much en route to Wisconsin golf, including:

1. "Please" and "thank you" are neither dated nor overrated, and they are best, used over and over sincerely
2. Smiles go a long way in tight quarters
3. Saying "excuse me" is far better than pointing
4. Speak to yourself out loud like your best friend would speak with when you're challenged by something or someone (such as not being able to get your bag in the overhead)
5. Having empathy means giving others grace for their possible nerves and discomfort with flying while remembering you are all wanting to get to the same place safely
6. When you don't have earbuds, you are allowed to sit, sleep, chat calmly and in a low tone, and you are not allowed to watch anything with sound, regardless of how low you turn the sound
7. Whenever you travel, packing your earbuds & magazines are your best bet for enjoyable travel ;)

Cheers to many good miles ahead!

Lessons Learned from Loss

 

On Friday, February 26, 2021, after our 2021 American Heart Association Go Red for Women Lunch-In virtual event, I said hello to my husband as I picked up Michael from Tampa General Hospital after he recovered for a couple of days after his transplant donation surgery. Later that day, a call came through to me that my father's heart rate had dropped into the 20s. While Michael progressed each day, my father received a pacemaker through a cardiologist near where he lived, and unfortunately, did not progress each day, and on Monday, April 12th, at TGH, under excellent, attentive care, we said goodbye to him as he took his last breaths. Over the past year, Michael and I have had two dear friends lose their young sons, we have both lost our fathers, and we both donated kidneys. In attempting to process through these experiences, we hope our friends have found comfort, our dads are in heaven together laughing about how the last time the four of us golfed together at Copperhead, they did, in fact, beat us (and I am talking smoked us on the links) for the first time, and, we hope the two people who now have a new lease on life with their third kidneys make the most of every moment. Life isn't always what we anticipate, and yet life is filled with memories and opportunities to participate in it, and yes, even in challenging times, embrace it.  May all of us feel that way as we recall what was likely a memorable year in its own way for each of us. Some lessons learned from loss include: Be grateful for what we have or had versus hateful for what we don't have or lost. When someone dies, share condolences and yet do NOT ask "What happened?" or if someone shares a loss with you that impacts you, too, be mindful not to dump your grief on that person. If someone is grieving, however that grief happens is theirs, and it is right and best for them. If someone shares a "Sorry for your loss" with you when you have a loved one who passed, and they knew that person, too, say "Thank you, and sorry for your loss, too", as they lost someone as well. It's never too late to share your condolences...not ever...just don't apologize for the timing and make it about you - let it stay about the loss and your support. Whatever you have lost is not the same as what another has lost. You can sympathize and empathize, yet nobody ever understands your loss exactly, and that is okay - just let it be. Every bit of support and love, prayer, flowers, cards, and well-wish or fond memory offered is/are impactful, felt, and appreciated. Love and loss go hand and glove with memories and smiles. Loss is loss, and yet sometimes loss leads to many moments of sharing and recalling good times...on some days, so choose to say hello to this, your next phase after loss...

Lessons Learned: COVID-Safe Hosting

While I was concerned, and (perhaps overly) communicative about the 13th year anniversary of Bubbles, Baubles & Bling, where any/all women are welcome to join in on the post-birthday, pre-holiday Wednesday-before-the-Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving traditional after-hours shopping event held at one of my friend's boutique, it was a huge success because everyone was safe, kind, and part of a group experience that evoked feelings of less disconnected & more hopeful!

Lessons learned personally & through attendee feedback include:

Come from a place of care and safety in the invitation and the overall event experience when you host something for 1-2 hours maximum, as keeping clear and brief in both your plan and the time keeps everyone from a sense of further "fatigue".

Ensure everyone knows the rules of engagement in regards to mask, how masks are worn, whether guests are welcome, and more with clear guidelines and communicate via phone, text and email what is expected ahead of time without apology or a sense of it won't be as good. You can even have a fun mask competition with a prize (we did, and it added to the positivity around the masks).

Greet everyone personally to be certain there is no miscommunication before someone is "in" the event.

Have a kind, professional, swift plan for if someone rejects or disrespects the guidelines.

Do not serve food and drink (I served mini bottles of water and champagne with straws to place under masks, and now do not recommend any food or drink to avoid confusion on keeping masks on).

Do not be disappointed, mad, or disrespectful when someone chooses not to participate from the start, or even close to last-minute (normally there is a 5-day cancellation consideration), if something happens regarding the pandemic cases and/or their comfort.

Be clear in any and all sharing of the event (before, during, after) that all guidelines were followed, without additional apology or explanation so the message is clear, concise and focused on positivity and gratitude.

Missing out fully may be your choice. Having a virtual option may be best. If you decide to host an in-person event, please consider safety over tradition and health over the desire to be unencumbered. No matter what you do, here's to health and happiness without any complications!

Lesson Learned during COVID-19 Performance Coaching

In the end, it's about the teaching, and what I always loved about coaching was the practices. Not the games, not the tournaments, not the alumni stuff. But teaching the players during practice was what coaching was all about to me.

~ John Wooden

While I have delivered over 45 complimentary sessions on working remotely, presenting in a virtual environment, communication and service when at a distance, and more, the coaching sessions conducted on the phone and via Zoom have provided many wonderful opportunities to serve and assist leaders all over the country these past months.

Having used Zoom for over 4 years, I felt at an advantage of sorts - very confident in a video setting, and ready to "talk in the box" of the laptop.

Clients have been wonderful. Still, during their wonderful sharing, there have been some common themes I will share these next few months with tips and lessons learned.

The first, which is so powerful, is that when people, all of us, learn the difference in obligation and commitment, we grow personally and professionally.

I am not talking definitions, rather this is about purpose, energy, and emotions with obligatory actions versus committed efforts.

Professionally, the difference in obligation and commitment is the difference in feeling managed and feeling led. People who are managed sense they "have to" do things, where when we are working with and for a leader, we feel committed to getting to results.

Similarly, obligation is to the minimum as commitment is to the maximum. Effort follows the feeling!
Personally, the difference in feeling like someone "needs to call so-and-so" versus wishing they could visit that person is the difference in a relative and family. With relatives, many feel obliged to attend, participate and even accept, where with family, we want to be there, experience moments together, and learn from similarities and differences.

Finally, the difference in obligation and commitment is clear when someone has a relationship with someone versus being in love or a loving relationship with someone. Obligation in a couple leads to resentment and distance, where commitment grows the love and therefore, the trust, respect, and lasting love.

Sometimes coaching, especially the performance coaching I get to do, has a lot more to do with people and the way we interact than simply the presentation or the business decision at hand.

Please strive for commitment over obligation to grow your leadership, family and love!

A Lesson from 10,000 Steps to Sunrise

At the time of writing this, it was day 40 of what I am calling 10,000 Steps to Sunrise. Getting in 10,000 steps each day has been part of my day for quite a while.

Being the Chair of The American Heart Association's Circle of Red, being active, and simply being my own health advocate, I find the tracking a challenge and sense of success to know I am doing something good for my body (and mind) each day.

Since I am "Grounded" and most of my typical business is outside my home location, it was my decision to drive up the goal and get to 10,000 steps before sunrise Monday through Saturday and 10,000 steps before sunset each Sunday.

Throughout this longer-than-expected journey on foot, my mind, and my heart gained perspective and many ideas.

The lessons learned from this (still continuing) experiment include:

1) There is a calm in the morning where ideas flow without resistance
2) People who work out at the same time each day (I have worked out between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM since 1992) appreciate their personal space and yet have a connectivity to others who enjoy that same time to feed their movement needs/desires
3) Speaking up and out in the morning with a friendly "Hello" can make someone's day start positively (even if they don't acknowledge you back)
4) Focusing on those who engage versus wondering the reasons people do not means having joy ready and waiting each day

So, even if you do or don't strive for the 10,000 step accomplishment, please think about how your goals and activities can impact and or include others in subtle and grand ways.

I'll continue to make the 10,000 Steps to Sunrise a priority while in this new temporary time with gratitude for my walking and running partners, Lynn, Supna, and Michael, and even when we move forward without being "grounded", I'll certainly continue to embrace these lessons learned!

#PresentingPowerfully
#LearnWithAndThroughOthers
#LifeLongLearning
#ComplementaryThoughts
#BeInspired
#LearnWithAndThroughOthers