Enough is Enough

Consider for a moment the idea that "enough is enough." The concept ties tightly into the attitude of gratitude and that you have all that you need. It is being thankful for what you have and not miserable for what you don't have.

Melody Beattie said, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Spend some time today being grateful for what you have and for the "performers in your circus." And as you show your gratitude this holiday season, consider giving the gift of time and not just the gifts that come in a box.

Stop! Enjoy!!

The holiday season is in full swing and there are plenty of additional "Acts" in your already busy circus. It is so easy to get caught up in the madness and not take pleasure in all that can be good about this time of year.

Force yourself to stop and take a break. Here are some ideas of activities that my family enjoys doing during the busy holidays:

• Bundle up (if it is cold outside), go for a walk and look at the Christmas lights at night
• Attend a choir or bell ringer concert
• Turn off the TV, make some hot chocolate and sit by a fire in the fireplace and just talk
• Pop some popcorn, gather your family and watch your favorite holiday movie. (Our favorites are "A Pocket Full of Miracles" and "White Christmas" - oldies but goodies)
• Sit around the piano and sing
• Read Christmas and holiday stories together

You might have to actually schedule times in your calendar to force yourself to "STOP" and "ENJOY". It is well worth it and you will find your stress level will decrease at the same time.

An Important Word For Successful Ringmasters

After a recent Juggling Elephants training program, a participant said, “Your focus on being a good ringmaster is like the difference between ‘have and make.’” With my curiosity aroused, I said, “How so?” She continued. “Think about the phrase ‘Have a great day’ versus ‘Make it a great day.’ One implies taking things as they come to you while the other suggests a need to take more responsibility in lining up your acts to accomplish your purpose.” What a superb insight!

When I pondered her perspective, I had to laugh at how often I hear the word “have” versus “make.” While I am sure people aren’t encouraging us to be passive when they say things like, “Have a great trip” or “I hope you have a great weekend,” those comments should be a quick reminder to all of us that we are the ringmasters of our circus and we have to line up the right acts to get the standing ovations we want from our performance.

So the next time you catch yourself saying or thinking, “I hope I have…” change “have” to “make”… it could just MAKE all the difference in your circus today!

"Johnny, It is Time to Practice"

You rushed home after a long day of school. You were thinking about all the fun things that you were going to do or the TV show that you wanted to watch. You pulled open the door, threw your books on the couch and were headed for your room when you heard the voice of your Mother from the kitchen, "Johnny, it's time to practice the piano." Oh no, not the piano!

It is an interesting fact that the best way to learn to play the piano is practice, practice, practice. It takes repetition to learn and improve. It is the same with a number of other skills; it takes time, practice and repetition. The challenge becomes finding the time and that you no longer have Mom there to remind/force you to practice.

If you want to learn a new skill, try blocking out 15-30 minutes a day, at a specific time, to learn and practice. Actually schedule it in your planner or electronic device so that you are reminded that it is time to focus on that talent. Protect that time. When others ask you if you are available, tell them that you already have something scheduled at that time. Whether it is learning to play the piano, writing a book, learning a new language, starting a home business or learning how to create your own website - block out the time and get started.

Being the Ringmaster of Your Traveling Circus

USA Today recently had an article entitled Tips to Take Stress Out of Big City Trips. While the focus was on business travel to big cities, it had some good strategies for anyone who has to travel out of town for business. They include (with the correlating ideas from Juggling Elephants):

• The bigger the city, the more you have to think through every step of the trip. (The more complex your circus performance, the more you need to pay attention to every detail)
• When traveling by car in a big city, hire a driver or use the same taxi driver each time. (Delegate a less critical task to someone so you can focus on a more critical task)
• Reduce pre-trip stress while at home. (Take an intermission before you get ready for your "next-half" so you can be more focused and prepared).

The article offers other suggestions-all leading to a traveling circus that gets more standing ovations from your clients... and yourself.