It has been a very trying few weeks.  I’ve been working extraordinarily long days, six and seven days a week, feeling a lot of pressure on a couple of projects I’m on, and consistently finding myself behind the eight ball at the end of the day.  I’m not sleeping well.  OK, I’m exhausted.  And, if that’s not enough, I’m putting a little bit of weight on, because that’s what I do when I’m stressed. 

I struggled to focus on gratitude.

My husband, perhaps trying to give me an “out” from my writers’ cramp (gratitude cramp?), told me to stop trying.  “You don’t have to write something every single Thursday!  Maybe there just isn’t something to be thankful for today.”

Wha-a-a-a-at?

Today, I am thankful that every day there is something to be thankful for.

I started to compile a list of the usual – family, health, home, food, comforts.  But really, every day, it comes down to just one thing:

Simply being alive.  

Introduce the activity to your team : “We are going to play a game that will show us some important things about communication. Pick up your sheet of paper and hold it in front of you. Now, close your eyes and follow the directions I will give you—no peeking! And, you cannot ask questions.”

Give the following directions, while doing the same with your own sheet of paper.  Pause a moment after giving each instruction to give the group time to comply:

“The first thing I want you to do is to fold your sheet of paper in half.  Now tear off the upper right-hand corner.  Fold it in half again and tear off the upper left hand corner of the sheet.  Fold it in half again.  Now tear off the lower corner of the sheet.”  (Do not specify which one.)

After the tearing is complete, say something like “Now open your eyes, and let’s see what you have. If I did a good job of communicating and you did a good job of listening, all of our sheets should look the same!” Hold your sheet up for them to see. It is unlikely any sheet will match yours exactly.

Observe and comment on the differences. There will probably be some laughter.

Ask the group why no one’s paper looks just like yours. (You will probably get responses like “You didn’t let us ask questions!” or “Your directions could be interpreted in different ways.”)

Then, lead into a discussion on the need for clear, concise, two-way communication in the workplace and on your team.

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

My husband called his Dad later in the day to see how he was faring. We were happy to hear that one of Dad’s neighbors came over with a snowblower and cleared his sidewalk and driveway.  At the age of 79 and suffering from emphysema, clearing snow from a corner property is not what Dad should be doing on his own.

Dad’s neighborly “snow angel” reminded me that being of service doesn’t have to be through a non-profit organization,  or a community group, or any other coordinated effort.  Each of us can be of service to our fellow human being, if we open our eyes to see the need and open our hearts to fill it.

Here are simple ways we can all be snow angels.

Shovel a neigbor’s sidewalk, clear their steps, chip away any ice build-up.  If you have children, make it a family affair.  Think of the important lessons you will teach them kindness and compassion through your actions and enthusiasm.

If you are going to the grocery store, check if your neighbor needs anything. While you are talking to them, ask if their heat is working and if they have hot water, especially if your neighbor is elderly or in poor health.  Leave your phone number with them, just in case.

If you see someone struggling to push a shoppping cart through a slushy parking lot, give them a hand.  When you are done shopping, or perhaps when leaving work at the end of the day, you might have to brush or scrape your windshield before driving.  Take a moment to do the same for the car next to you.  It only takes two minutes to make someone’s day.

Imagine the possibilities if there were more snow angels, like my father-in-law’s neighbor.

Stop Online Piracy Act.*

I don’t know enough about it, yet. I do know that bloggers are one population that could be seriously impacted.

You may have noticed yesterday that many tech websites were either blacked out or carried links to information about SOPA. The photo above is what wordpress.com (hosts this blog) looked like.

This post, however, is not just about SOPA.

Today, I am thankful to live in a society that allows, encourages, and embraces protest.

There are many countries around the world that would not tolerate such a protest. People are jailed everyday because they marched against a proposed government action. There are societies that would not allow the sharing of information about the potential impact of a new law. There are places, not too far away, where the government controls not only the law, but the dissemination of information about the law. In some places still today, disagreeing with the government is justification for that body to kill its own citizens.

The internet may have gone dark yesterday, but many were enlightened because of it. How great is that?

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*Interested in learning more about SOPA before it goes back before Congress next week? Click HERE to read the actual text of the bill as registered with the Library of Congress.

For additional opinions… THIS link will take you to an Op-Ed piece from Mashable; one man’s opinion on the dangers of SOPA. CNNMoney explains the pros and cons in THIS article, even though their parent company, Time Warner, supports the bill. Although nearly everyone agrees that content rights need to be protected, it is the possibilities of going too far that many are worried about. in THIS November NY Times editorial, the newspaper explains.

Here’s something to consider…when you are celebrating your 90th birthday, what will people say about working with you?

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that you will do things differently. – Warren Buffett

A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well. – Jeff Bezos

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

While doing some research for this week’s Sunday Service, I came across an article that was published last year in USA Today’s Kindness forum.  There are several service organizations highlighted, so I thought I would share the article with you.  Click HERE to read the interview with Michelle Nunn, CEO of the Points of Light Institute and co-founder of the HandsOn Network, the largest volunteer network in the nation.

Opportunities to serve on Monday and everyday are plenty.  Click on the links above for ideas and resources.  Call your local community government, schools, or churches for how you can help in your neighborhood.  You can make a difference.  Imagine the possibilities!

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others. –  Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love (1963)

What is even more impressive than what Dr. King preached, was how he lived.  He did not just talk about his ideals; his every action was rooted in them. Dr. King was not all talk.  He was action.  Peaceful action, but definite action.

Today, I am thankful for everyday people who demonstrate these same convictions through their daily lives. 

Chances are, we all know someone who, every day, stands in integrity, acts out of compassionate conviction, and lives to serve others.  Most of them are not famous. They are teachers, mail carriers, and truck drivers.   They are stay-at-home parents, entrepreneurs, and artists.  They are white collar and blue collar; light-skinned and dark-skinned.  They can be wealthy, they can be homeless.  Young or old, male or female, conservative or liberal; we can all choose to stand up for the right thing.

None of us will be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  However, we can strive to live our lives in the same way.  We can choose to act with the courage of our convictions.  We can lead change peacefully.  We can serve.  We can have a dream.  We can make a difference.

We must, now.

I like to collect sayings on different topics.  You never know when a little extra inspiration might be needed!  Below are a few of the items I’ve pinned to my “Positivity” board.  Enjoy!  (Then, go set up your own Pinterest account and start pinning!)

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

A safe place to learn and grow…

Ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals…

Life-enhancing programs and character development experiences…

Hope and opportunity.

For many of us, the above describes a happy home.  Children need a safe place to learn and grow.  They need ongoing relationships with caring adults.  They need experiences to enhance their quality of life and develop their personal character, the need hope and opportunity.  I would dare say not only do they need these things, but children deserve these things.

For many children, the only way they have these exeriences is through the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).  The core beliefs listed above support the organization’s mission:

To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

This week’s Sunday Service opportunity is to help the BGCA make their mission a reality.  Volunteers, donations, and general community support is critical.  You can help.

Nearly four thousand clubs provide a safe place for over four million children, 43% of whom are between the ages of six and ten years old.  The population is diverse; Caucasian – 36%, African-American – 28%, Hispanic/Latino – 23%.  The BGCA website shares these remarkable statistics about kids in crisis: across America, three out of ten high school students will not graduate, yet 90% of BGCA members do.  From 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., juvenile crime sharply increases as 15.1 million kids are left unsupervised, but clubs are open every day after school, providing a safe and productive environment for kids.

BGCA provides help with homework, a safe place to play, leadership development, community involvement, and mentoring.  Children learn about health, fitness, the arts, life skills and programs customiuzed for specific community needs.

How can you get involved?  Click HERE to donate to a local club, to the national organization, or to support community partners. To find a club near you, click HERE and enter your zip code. Stop and visit, ask how you can volunteer.  Stay informed and share news about BGCA; follow them on Twitter, ‘like’ them on Facebook, or sign up for their newsletter.  And, of course, donations are needed and welcome.  Click HERE for a variety of ways that you can financially support the work of Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Imagine the possibilities you can open up for these children!

This past weekend, thanks to a great last minute airfare deal, my husband and I traveled to spend New Year’s with our families.  Included in our weekend was a visit with Mom. 

Today, I am thankful that for nearly our entire visit, Mom sang a happy song!

One of these days, I know that my last visit with Mom will truly end up being my last visit ever with her.

Each time is difficult, and this one was no different.  She does not recognize me.  She doesn’t recognize my husband.  She occasionally mutters something in her native German, but any realistic communication is long past.  She spends her time in  her own world, lost to the rest of us; sitting in a wheelchair or laying in bed.  In several of our more recent visits, she didn’t even seem to see us.  This time though, she clearly made eye contact with my husband and I.  She did not know who we were, but she at least knew we were there.

And, how she sang!

My husband thought she was singing “hallelujah, hallelujah.”  It did sound a lot like that.  Perhaps influenced by recent Christmas carolers?  Maybe she was recalling the carols that she sang so joyously years ago?  I do not know.

What I do know, however, is that whatever prompted it, she was definitely singing a happy song!  I left with tears rolling down my cheeks, but grateful that somewhere deep inside, she still has a song in her heart and was sharing it with those around her.

That’s actually a lot like the Mom I remember.