Remember learning the song as a child, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one….”? If you are like me, you will now be humming this song and will have it in your head for the rest of the day. In this Season of Thanksgiving, it is a great time for us all to be reminded to count our many blessings. My daughter spent time a few years ago serving in a local orphanage in Guatemala, and came back with an entirely new outlook on her own life and the world. Children who have been sheltered may not understand how good we have it here in the United States, however as adults we have no excuse. Even so, don’t we still find ourselves complaining at time about things that are insignificant? Take a review of the last 24 hours. How often did you speak with an attitude of complaint versus an attitude of gratitude? Were you looking back with regret or forward with eager anticipation for positive things in your future? Let’s face it, we are human and can be prone to be negative, so it is important to check ourselves from time to time and self- correct as needed. Here is some further perspective: “If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of the world. If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering. If you can read this message you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read it at all.” Author unknown This season, choose to live gratefully. It requires active practice each day to focus on your blessings instead of your troubles. This is not always easy in this difficult world we live in. When things don’t always go your way, evaluate and take action where possible, and let go of what you can’t control. Trust that everything will work together for good. Count your many blessings, name them one by one.

Thanksgiving is a great time of year. Time with family. Time to watch Basketball. Many do turkey trots or play flag football with friends (be careful you could twist a knee or rupture your Achilles tendon as you get older). I wanted to think of things I was grateful for and came up with the standard: Live in America, Family, etc. Then I decided. What am I grateful for that I can share or that is about others or just plain fun? Dodgeball: Remember dodgeball? I loved it. Even played it at the Y as an adult. What a great sport. Chuck a ball at your friend’s head as hard as you can. Too bad we can’t play it anymore. I miss dodgeball. That reminded me of Joe Duffy. One of the greatest dodgeball players of all time. At least in 5th grade. Joe could knock you over if he hit you. It hurt. It left a mark. Joe passed away way too young. Joe had a huge heart and a great sense of humor. I miss Joe. That reminded me, I am so grateful for health and humor. Health. We often take it for granted until its too late. Look around. We all know someone or many people going through a tough time with their health. Often it is self inflicted. Don’t let that happen. Joes’s wasn’t but others have been. Eat clean. Exercise even if it’s a walk to the mailbox. Get outside. Your heart and family will thank you. Humor. We all need a good belly laugh. If the entire world could enjoy a belly laugh on a daily basis for a month think about how much better we would all feel. No matter where you are or what’s going on. Try it. Try and find the humor in the situation. In the darkest times and most stressful situations, there is humor, but you need to look for it. Remember morphine is illegal so stick with the endorphins. Endorphins will change your outlook. Thanksgiving is about celebrating the harvest and enjoying family. It is celebrated around the world not just here in the US but in Vietnam and China too, I doubt they cook a turkey but maybe. They likely play soccer instead of American Football too. But it’s about time together and the harvest as we head into winter. Go make someone laugh. Keep someone accountable at the gym. Play dodgeball with the family. Wouldn’t that make December and the end of the year all that much more fun? I double dare you to try. Look for the humor and spread the joy. Even if it is making fun of someone eating too much turkey and getting sick or your buddy rupturing his Achilles pretending to be 18 and in the NFL. Go enjoy the turkey and endorphins.

Leader vs. Finisher By Graham Youtsey Soccer is loved by millions, yet detested by almost as many. Kind of like the POTUS now that I think of it. A huge soccer fan myself, I have joined the more than 3 billion viewers of the World Cup. Clint Dempsey is one of the top players in the US and one of the best American players ever. He has played in the Premier League in Europe, USMNT, World Cup, and Major League Soccer here in the US. Currently, he plays and is team captain for the Seattle Sounders. He is truly talented and skilled, he can flat out score. That said, I rank him low in regards to best ever. Why? He is a finisher versus a leader. Dempsey has everything you would want from a goal scorer: focus, fitness, skill, and ego. You need a little selfishness in that position. Get him the ball and he will score. He is my pick to score, but not to wear the armband (team captain). Captain of a sports team or any team must lead in three vital ways: Attitude : Do you want to be here? He walks on the pitch and you can instantly tell what kind of day it is going to be. His posture gives it away. If his shoulders sag down on his elbows and he doesn’t smile it is going to be a long day. Best not even let him out to hold hands with the kids to start the match. His negativity will ruin the joy for the young lad. Leaders show up with a positive attitude knowing they are an example to everyone around them. Desire : Do you care? Would you rather be at home playing with the kids or on a date with your beautiful wife? Are you playing the whole game or just going to stand around until the ball lands at your feet? Those are not exactly the thoughts you want the rest of the team to think. 10.5 against 11 is tough for 90 minutes. Leaders care deeply and will keep their head in the game for their team. Emotion : Will you stay on the pitch? I get the bookings - red cards, yellows, elbows, etc., but get them in the flow of the game. Go up strong and as Pele says ‘Bumpers out’; If you hit my bumper that’s your problem. Personal emotion takes over way too often. Leaders are self-aware and keep their emotions in check. I don’t want to sound like I don’t like him. Technically I don’t know him. Never met him. Dempsey is incredibly talented; skilled at the sport of soccer. But if I could pick someone to start my team it would be someone that exhibits leadership skills above talent. Imagine how good a team you would have with people 75% as talented but play hard all 90 minutes. Whistle to whistle each and every game. Here is proof: The Seattle Sounders won the 2016 MLS Cup. Dempsey did not play due to injury. The team rallied around each other. Support. Hard work. Belief in the system. Teamwork. Everyone left their ego on the bench and played whistle to whistle. Were there let downs? Yes. Others stepped up in the leadership void. The negative voice was overpowered with positivity. Everyone had the same desire and goal. Crush whoever is on the other side of the pitch. You may still not appreciate the grace and beauty of soccer. I may still draft Dempsey on my fantasy team. You can substitute your team or leader. That’s OK. Recognize that the right attitude, desire, and emotion are critical to sustainable success. The bottom line is, to win everyone needs to be on the same page and the leader needs to lead. Go Sounders! www.Legacy-Leader.com

It’s 8 a.m. on Monday morning and you have settled in at your desk to prioritize your day. With your top three important tasks clearly outlined, you dive into the first project. Before you even realize it has happened your mind has wandered away from what you are working on. You find yourself thinking about the school function you need to attend this evening and you can’t forget to leave work on time. You remember the promise you made to a co-worker to get them a report yesterday. You wonder how your Mom is doing as you haven’t called her yet this week...and this is just in the first few minutes of your day. So, now I ask you: Do you have a busy mind? As a mother, wife, and business owner I struggle with what I like to call “Monkey Brain.” My head is so full of thoughts, feelings, and to-do lists similar to a monkey the way that it jumps around in my head from one thing to another and back again. Research on brain science estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000-80,000 thoughts a day. That’s an average of 2500-3000 thoughts per hour. That’s incredible! These thoughts are happening automatically, yet we do have the ability to slow them down. I would like to share with you how I intentionally quiet my mind for more peace, better focus, and the ability to be present. First, you simply need to make the time to stop and take a break. This is the only way to train the mind to quiet down. You may think, as I used to, that you are too busy to do this. You are behind; you have a pressing deadline; you feel overwhelmed. In times of extreme pressure it is even more important to stop. Try this simple exercise to calm your mind: Find a Quiet Spot . Go where you won’t be interrupted for 10 minutes. Be assured these 10 minutes will not be wasted - in fact you will triple them in productivity. Make Yourself Comfortable . Take a comfortable position - you can be sitting up or lying down. Close your eyes. Breathe . Start with three deep cleansing breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Are you breathing properly? When you breathe in you should feel your chest and abdomen expanding, and when you breathe out expel all of the air out like a collapsed balloon. If this is difficult, place you hand on your stomach and you should feel the stomach rise with your in breath and flatten with your exhale. It helps me to count the breaths - in for a count of 4, hold for 2, out for a count of 8. Open your senses to the sounds around you . Listen, differentiate and name to yourself three different sounds that you hear. Take your time. Now open your physical senses. Feel your body where it touches the surface you are sitting on - your seat heavy on the chair, your arms resting on your lap. Do the same process with all five senses, taking your time to thoughtfully focus on each one. Let Go . Now simply let go and let your brain rest for a moment, doing whatever it wants to do. Then bring your focus back to your breathing, ending the exercise with three more cleansing breaths. Though we can’t eliminate the thousands of thoughts that go through our head each day, we do have the power to train our brain to rest and focus. By taking time to calm your mind, you can eliminate your monkey brain and get back to the task at hand. Train your mind to be calm and you will increase your focus and productivity . “To the mind that is still the whole universe surrenders.” - Lao Tuzla

Uncategorized | Legacy Leader

23 01, 2020

3 Ways to Be More Hopeful This Year
3 Ways to Be More Hopeful This Year

3 Ways to Be More Hopeful This Year

Leadership2020-01-23T14:28:18-08:00January 23rd, 2020|

Each January I have the privilege of attending an industry CEO conference in a warm, tropical place. This year it was in Aruba, a fabulous weather reprieve from the frigid 20-degree temperatures we left at home. One morning I opened up the curtains to the beautiful scene of a double rainbow. A brief shower had passed through and as the sun peaked out behind the clouds, the rainbow showed a Read more »

18 12, 2018

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Leadership2018-12-19T10:42:25-08:00December 18th, 2018|

The cold winter winds have blown the grey skies away to beautiful blue this week, giving us a new look at the majestic mountains that surround us. I am once again awestruck by the beauty of the place in which we have the privilege to live. As we move toward the holidays, I love to watch the homes and streets light up with decorations; it’s a sign of life, and Read more »

4 12, 2018

Top 5 things to do in December
Top 5 things to do in December

Top 5 things to do in December

Leadership2018-12-05T15:41:31-08:00December 4th, 2018|

December is a crazy time of year. Year end at work, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and food. Food and more food. Personally, I workout more this month so I can eat more. It’s the time of year I am willing put extended time in the gym so I can eat and drink whatever I want. The other top 5 things I do in December that you can too: 1. Birthdays. Read more »

21 11, 2018

Count Your Blessings
Count Your Blessings

Count Your Blessings

Leadership2018-11-21T13:13:55-08:00November 21st, 2018|

Remember learning the song as a child, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one….”? If you are like me, you will now be humming this song and will have it in your head for the rest of the day. In this Season of Thanksgiving, it is a great time for us all to be reminded to count our many blessings. My daughter spent time a few years ago Read more »

15 11, 2018

Gratefulness
Gratefulness

Gratefulness

Leadership2018-11-15T10:28:03-08:00November 15th, 2018|

Thanksgiving is a great time of year. Time with family. Time to watch Basketball. Many do turkey trots or play flag football with friends (be careful you could twist a knee or rupture your Achilles tendon as you get older). I wanted to think of things I was grateful for and came up with the standard: Live in America, Family, etc. Then I decided. What am I grateful for that Read more »

23 10, 2018

What Do You Need to Let Go?
What Do You Need to Let Go?

What Do You Need to Let Go?

Leadership2018-10-24T16:27:10-07:00October 23rd, 2018|

Fall is here in the Northwest and with it crisp temperatures with a bit of morning mist giving way to warm sunny days. Though I love the change of seasons I must admit I am mourning the end of summer just a bit. Out on the golf course yesterday the deep green of the fir trees against the bright changing colors of red and gold on the stately maples created Read more »

6 09, 2018

25 Days to a Half-Marathon
25 Days to a Half-Marathon

25 Days to a Half-Marathon

Leadership2018-09-06T18:07:31-07:00September 6th, 2018|

Bellingham Bay Marathon is September 30, 2018 and I just signed up. It should be glorious. Fall color on the leaves, slight chill in the air; high energy and I will run with a great friend. He asked me to hold him accountable, so I decided to reciprocate. Why not? I mentioned it to my wife and she said “It’s only a half, you should. You have done Ironman, 2-day Read more »

13 07, 2018

Leader vs. Finisher
Leader vs. Finisher

Leader vs. Finisher

leadership2018-08-14T16:11:10-07:00July 13th, 2018|

Leader vs. Finisher By Graham Youtsey Soccer is loved by millions, yet detested by almost as many. Kind of like the POTUS now that I think of it. A huge soccer fan myself, I have joined the more than 3 billion viewers of the World Cup. Clint Dempsey is one of the top players in the US and one of the best American players ever. He has played in Read more »

21 06, 2018

Calm Your Busy Mind
Calm Your Busy Mind

Calm Your Busy Mind

leadership2018-06-21T14:45:32-07:00June 21st, 2018|

It’s 8 a.m. on Monday morning and you have settled in at your desk to prioritize your day. With your top three important tasks clearly outlined, you dive into the first project. Before you even realize it has happened your mind has wandered away from what you are working on. You find yourself thinking about the school function you need to attend this evening and you can’t forget to leave Read more »