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Thanksgiving doesn’t feel anything like it did when I was a child. It has evolved over nearly 400 years since it was first celebrated. In the last 35 years alone, our society has greatly impacted how this holiday is celebrated. Three factors with a large influence are the increase of splintered families, the increase of commercialization, and the decrease in people regularly attending a church.

Thanksgiving has transitioned to be a weekend of shopping madness. Many stores are opening now on Thanksgiving to capture your dollars. In a few more decades, I would guess all the stores would be open, just like on Veterans Day or Memorial Day.

Regardless of what your plans may be for Thanksgiving, I recommend a few basics to fully enjoy the holiday.

1. Reflection: For most people giving thanks would be number one, but I think reflection must come first. Reflection gives you a chance to put in perspective all the blessings received in the previous year.

2. Giving Thanks: Giving thanks is something we need to do intentionally, and all the year. However on Thanksgiving Day we take the opportunity as a special time. The word giving means we must express our thanks, not just be thankful. Here is a great blog about being intentional this Thanksgiving. http://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/giving-intentional-thanks

3. Rejuvenation of Spirit: This Thanksgiving let yourself be rejuvenated by the holiday. Take time for yourself. Don’t spend your entire weekend working, shopping, eating, and sleeping. Take a few moments just for yourself and rejuvenate your spirit, and your attitude.

I wish you a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time, and save a little for yourself.

Stuart Wilde said, “Our life’s journey of self-discovery is not a straight-line rise from one level of consciousness to another. Instead, it is a series of steep climbs and flat plateaus, then further climbs. Even though we all approach the journey from different directions, certain of the journey’s characteristics are common to all of us.” It is true that we may share characteristics related to self-discovery, the journey is difficult. In fact, the hardest work you will do is self-discovery.

Some people are probably thinking, “Really, you must be joking? I have done much harder work.” It is true that most work is physically harder work, but there is no more mentally challenging work than self discovery. Some people find physical work enjoyable because they can tune out mental stress and other challenges.

When I think of self-discovery, I think about a couple of books by John C. Maxwell that have really made me stop, think, and learn more about myself. These books have made me change my actions, and my daily agenda so that I can continue my journey of self-discovery. The two books that I reference the most in this regard are Today Matters, and The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.

Today Matters define 12 daily practices related to 12 areas of life that you should consider, and make decisions on how you wish to live. Chapter by chapter it takes you through these 12 areas, such as attitude, priorities, health, family, thinking, commitments, and finances. Each chapter becomes an area of reflection and self-discovery.

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth is focused on being a lifetime learner, and growing your capability. The path of personal growth and the path of self-discovery overlap in many instances. Lets examine the first three laws of growth and see how they relate to self-discovery.

1. The Law of Intentionality: Growth Doesn’t Just Happen Very seldom do significant results occur without intentional action. Both personal growth and self-discovery require intentionality.

2. The Law of Awareness: You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself Self-discovery is a process that happens in stages. It is a continuous journey. When you become aware on one level, it opens the door to additional levels. Whatever area you decide to develop, works the same. A nuclear scientist started out learning addition and subtraction just like you and I. They just continued down a different path, achieving much higher levels of awareness and knowledge.

3. The Law of the Mirror: You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Yourself This is a great law linked to both personal growth and self-discovery. If you do not value yourself, you are not going to spend time with yourself. Because it is work, you need to see the value of that work. If you look for it, you will always see value that will lead you to a next step.

The work of self-discovery is hard work, because it requires us to be intentional in our actions. No one else is going to hold us accountable minute by minute. It is so easy to sit in front of the computer or a television and waste hours of your day.

It is hard work. Are you making the effort?

If it is only in your head it does not count! Turning thoughts and ideas into action is one of the barriers we all face in achieving personal success. Just having a great idea or vision will not make us successful. We need to implement it.

Let’s review three areas where we could improve our ability to take ideas and put them into action:

1. Think big, start small. You want big ideas. You need big ideas to be motivated, to channel your passion, and to excite others. However, you don’t want your big idea to get in the way of the small steps you need to take to get started. Don’t let that big idea be a mountain you can never climb. Define the first steps, no matter how small, and take them.

2. Be consistent. If you take one swing with an axe at a giant oak tree every day, eventually it will fall. Being consistent means taking action every day. What do I mean by every day? I mean EVERY day. Small actions over time add up to big results. How long did it take to build the first transcontinental railroad in the United States? The railroad was proposed in 1845, but construction did not start until 1863. Once started it took just over 6 years to complete. It took over 6800 days to get from the idea to action, then only 2200 days to build. It was built rail by rail, a little each day.

3. Be accountable. We are accountable for our actions, but being accountable for putting our ideas into actions is different. We can’t be accountable for our ideas until we express them. So we need to develop skills and habits that allow us to be accountable to ourselves. This development is greatly accelerated by working with a coach. Great athletes, actors, and business leaders use coaches not only to improve their skills, but to help themselves be accountable for their own success.

Al Batt has said, “It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.” This is the ultimate challenge. It is what separates fantasy from fact. You can turn your dreams into reality. It only takes defining the actions, and taking them, little by little. Remember if it is only in your head, it doesn’t count!

If you are ready to grow your accountability, you may want to join a mastermind group, or engage a coach. You can do either with New Roads Leadership, you just have to take the first step.

 

Why be only average? Wouldn’t your life be different if everything you did was extraordinary? You can be an extraordinary person.

If you wish to make your life special, think about the following four ideas:

1. Set High Standards. You must set high standards, to reach excellence. To be extraordinary, you must set high standards all the time. Forget about just getting by. It won’t work.

2. Everyone Deserves an Extraordinary Experience. If you want to help motivate yourself to providing extraordinary experiences, create a mindset where you know everyone deserves all that you can do for them. Eliminate any thoughts where people you meet are not deserving.

3. Always Bring a Positive Attitude. Step one in creating a great experience is the attitude you carry with you. If you want people to see you as positive, be positive. Lift their spirits with your positive outlook.

4. See It from Their Perspective. If you can get to the point where you always see experiences from the viewpoint of the participants, then you will be filled with ideas on how to make it better for them. This takes the merely special interaction to an extraordinary event.

Making these changes in every aspect of your life is truly a monumental task. It can become a life long challenge. Start small and let it build. You will see a huge difference in how people view you. But don’t let that get in the way of making the change for them. It is not about you, it is about them.

“Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.” – Anonymous

If you are excited about making change in your life, and want to continue to grow, check out our mastermind groups. Sign up for a chance to meet with other people just like you.