Day Right Quote #45: It's Not Nature OR Nurture - It's Nature AND Nurture

My energy was a little flat yesterday and I wondered why. All of a sudden, it came to me. I had "inside-itus."

I had spent hours looking down at my laptop, working online, answering emails and writing a blog post.

Spending too much time indoors - and keeping our head down - is a prescription for feeling down.

So, I headed outside and LOOKED UP.

I didn't see this magnificent waterfall, but I DID see spacious blue skies, golden foothills and a serene lake park trilling with the sounds of songbirds.

Nature nourished me and lifted my spirits in minutes.

Are you overdue for some nature and nurture?

Thinks will be looking up as soon as YOU get outside and LOOK UP.

Day Right Quote #44: The Grass Is Green Enough

One of the most important epiphanies from my Year by the Water? “Sometimes, the grass is green enough.”

This may seem to fly in the face of being an adventurer, someone who revels in new places, people and experiences.

However, it’s not a contradiction.

NOW and NEW are opposite sides of the same coin.

There are times we’re eager to evolve and explore – and times we look around and think, “This is enough. I am enough.”

Sometimes the grass IS greener elsewhere – sometimes the grass is green enough right here, right now.

I took the picture below while exploring a new lake park near my home here in Boulder.

As I strolled through the lush grass, I laughed out loud as I realized. "I'm literally walking in clover."

It was a tangible reminder that being wealthy in what matters is not having or feeling one thing OR the other; it is a sublime blend of feeling and having BOTH.

Sometimes, we're walking in clover and loving every minute of it.

Sometimes we're seeking and appreciating new fields of clover.

They are not mutually exclusive; they are the yin-yang balance of a fulfilling life.

Day Right Quote #43: Being a Good Writer is 20% Hard Work and 80% Not Getting Distracted by the Internet

I laughed out loud at the irony of reading this quote online - "Being a good writer is 20% hard work and 80% not getting distracted by the Internet" - while I was supposed to be working on my book. Thanks for calling me out, Internet.

These days, the key to being a good ANYTHING is 20% paying attention to what really matters and working towards it - and 80% not getting distracted by the Internet.

That includes being a good parent, being a good boss, being a good entrepreneur, being a good person, and yes being a good artist.

It's important to ask ourselves, "Will this matter in the long run? What will?" and that we focus on that instead of on clickbait.

Chase meaning, not clicks.

So, it's back to writing for me.

How about you? What are you going to return your attention to and work towards that matters more than this?

Day Right Quote #42: My Happiness Depends On Me; So You're Off the Hook

This quote from Esther Hicks is one of THE most important lessons of my #life. When I told my adult sons I was embarking on My Year by the Water, they were thrilled. They told me, "We've got this. The best thing you can do for us is to be HAPPY."

In other words, "We can take care of ourselves. It's time to start taking care of YOU."

When are we going to understand that one of the greatest gifts we can give our loved ones is to be happy and healthy and have the light on in our eyes?

Albert Schweitzer said, "In influencing others, example is not the main thing. It is the ONLY thing."

It's not selfish to do what fills you with joy, you are setting an example for others that THIS is how life is supposed to look.

When we go first and lead a life we love, it gives others permission to do the same.

Day Right Quote #41: It Will Never Be Ready

Have you been working on a project for a long time - and it's not better, it's just different? Chances are you're second-guessing yourself ... and the critical voice kills the creative voice.

Or, chances are you're trying to get it perfect.

It will never be perfect. Our bestselling authors at the Maui Writers Conference didn't agree about much (one would say, "You HAVE to work with an outline" and the next would say, "I NEVER work with an outline.")

They did agree on two things. "Ink it when you think it" and they would STILL be working on their manuscripts if it weren't for their publisher's deadline.

Understand this. Your work will NEVER be ready.

But it's not doing anyone any good sitting on your computer.

Stop waiting until it's right. Stop trying to get it right. The right time is NOW.

There is no present like the time - and no time like the present - to get your work out of your head, into the world and into people's hands.

P.S. And if you'd like another way to get back into the "flow of thinks," click here.

Day Right Quote #40: Life Doesn't Come With a Manual, It Comes With a Mother

In honor of Mothers Day, what did your mother model for you? My mom - Ruth Reed - modeled unconditional love. She never criticized my brother Dave, sister Cheri or me. She believed in us from the beginning and was our biggest supporter.

She helped put the light on in our eyes at an early age by giving us the freedom to head out and ride horses. Instead of cautioning us about what could go wrong and worrying about us, she and my dad trusted we could handle whatever came up.

That belief in our ability to figure things out evolved into a confidence, independence and trust in the world that has led to a life of SerenDestiny filled with adventure, love, joy and fulfillment.

She's been gone now for thirty years - however her enduring influence is for life. Sending up heartfelt thanks, Mom.

What is - or did - your mom model for you? What is - or did - she teach you? How has she impacted you?

Day Right Quote #39: I Have Found If You Love Life, Life Will Love You Back

For the past twenty years, I have started almost every presentation with Arthur Rubenstein's quote, "I have found if you love life, life will love you back." I do that for several reasons.

First, I've found it to be true.

We go first. If we're aware and appreciative of life's marvels - if we SEE the world as a blessed place - than that's our experience of it.

Secondly, I do it and then segue into, “I love this program. To help you love it back, I promise NOT to waste your valuable time, mind and dime on ivory tower theories that aren’t relevant to your world. Instead we’re going to focus on real-life ideas you can use immediately to improve your effectiveness on and off the job. Sound good? Let’s go.”

This is a quick way to let the audience know I care about THEIR priorities and I'm going to do my best to honor them. It also lets them know that I know the clock starts ticking the second I start talking and I better quickly prove this is going to be worth their while.

How about you? Would you say you love life? And how do you start your presentations and meetings?

Day Right Quote #38: We All Have Stories We're Living and Telling Ourselves

I think this is one of the most important epiphanies we can have - that the stories we tell ourselves determine the quality of our life. So, what are we saying to ourselves? That we don't have time, that life is "hard," that no one appreciates us, that the world is going downhill fast?"

Or, that we have all the time we need, that life is a blessing, that I appreciate my loved ones, and that every day is an opportunity to create a positive difference?

Next time you tell yourself something negative, ask, "Is that true or is that just a story I'm telling myself?

What story do I WANT to tell that will help create the world I WANT to see and be?"

Day Right Quote #37: There is a Voice That Doesn't Use Words. Listen.

One of the great joys of my Year By The Water was having the time and space to notice the "nudges" - those intuitive urges to "turn here, do this." Every time I honored the "voice that doesn't use words," as Rumi calls it .... magic unfolded.

I met aligned people and experienced rewarding adventures I wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

This post is an example of the delights that waited on the other side of leaving room for whims and following those intuitive nudges - which I'm convinced are our best future meeting use halfway.

http://serendestiny.com/want-to-jump-start-serendipity-act…/

Day Right Quote #36: There Will Never Be a Right Time. Jump In.

What are you waiting to do? Write a book? Start your own business? Ask someone out for a date?

Do you feel there will be a better time - a right time - later?

Wrong.

The right time is NOW.

You'll never have more time than you have right NOW.

Day Right Quote #35: I Like To Get Myself In Over My Head

This is the sign of an entrepreneur, someone who sees life as the adventure it's meant to be. Someone who, like Marissa Mayer of Yahoo, likes to get in over your head because you welcome challenges, love being stretched, and even when things are upside down-inside out, you're confident you can figure them out.

Is that you?

BTW - this is an example of an insight-image you can create with SparkPost. If you know me, you know I believe it's important to INK IT WHEN YOU THINK IT.

Well, these days, capturing and communicating WORDS isn't enough. By matching in-the-moment INSIGHTS and attributed QUOTES with an IMAGE, you can create on-brand messages that connect with people and take your work viral.

Want to know how to do that? I'm be sharing that - AND answering your questions - in our monthly ASK SAM call (no charge) on May 17th.

This is our way of staying connected with our community and sharing some of the gee-whiz stuff we're doing and want to share so you can run with it in your own business, career and life.

Contact Cheri@IntrigueAgency - at 805 528-4351 - for details and to register.

Day Right Quote #34: Nearly All The Best Things That Came to Me in Life Have Been Unexpected, Unplanned by Me

After an intense and rewarding week of consults, I pronounced yesterday ADVENTURE FRIDAY and decided to go to Estes Park, 30 miles away, because I'd never been there. As I drove into that stunning mountain valley, I saw a white lodge high on a hill. I didn't know what it was, but it looked intriguing, so I started taking roads that led UP until I arrived HERE.

This is the famous Stanley Hotel. You may have seen it in the movie The Shining​. Remember Jack Nicholson's immortal words, "I'll be b-a-c-k."

As I strolled the grounds, marveled at the "didn't know that" history of this grand hotel, and gazed at the majestic snow-capped mountains, I was reminded all over again that SECURITY is not the spice of life, DISCOVERY is.

Do you do same-old, same-old, day in and day out? Do you feel locked into routines?

This week, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Change things up. Follow an intuitive nudge to go here, do this. Re-experience the power curiosity and discovery have to put the light on in your eyes. Set something in motion and see what unfolds

Your SerenDestiny is on the other side of routine.

Carl Sandburg is right. Nearly all the best things that come to us in life are unexpected, unplanned

Day Right Quote #33: Change Before You Have To

I've been SITTING a lot these days working on my book "Someday is Not a Day in the Week." I know that's a problem.

Sitting has been called the cigarette smoking of our generation, yet I've been spending 10+ hours every day at my desk.

Then, I saw this quote from Jack Welch and thought, "He's right. I want to do this differently NOW instead of waiting until something goes wrong and I WISH I'd gotten up out of my chair, gone outside and been more active while I had the chance."

So, here I am enjoying Coot Lake's water, songbirds, spacious blue skies and Boulder's majestic mountains ... changing because I WANT to instead of waiting until I HAVE to.

What's one thing you want to change NOW?

Day Right Quote #32: Receive, Receive, Receive

My friend Mary LoVerde, Hall of Fame speaker and author of I Used To Have a Handle On Life, But It Broke has changed my life - for good. She came to my home several years ago to"feng shui" it.

We didn't just clear out clutter, we also cleared out a lot of locked-in beliefs that were driving behavior that didn't serve me or the people around me.

For example, have you been told, "It's better to give than receive."

Not always. Mary opened my eyes to the fact that our strength taken to an extreme can become our Achilles Heel. We can over-give.

She suggested I repeat these words every day, "Receive, receive, receive."

This mantra has resulted in a heightened awareness and appreciation of the blessings and abundance in my life.

Try it and you'll see. Repeat those three words "Receive, receive, receive" as a daily habit ... and watch what happens.

Day Right Quote #31: Celebrate Someone's Who's Always Been There for You

Taylor Swift says, "People haven't always been there for me; but music has." Who and what have always BEEN THERE for you?

My sister Cheri Grimm of Virtual Asset Office Management has run my business for 20 years.

One of the great joys of my life is having the privilege of working with someone I trust completely who always has my back and front.

I am enormously grateful to her for the countless ways she supports and inspires me and delivers above-and-beyond service to our clients. Thanks, sis, for ALWAYS being there.

Part of putting and keeping the light on in our eyes and leading a life of SerenDestiny is intentionally aligning with people we trust who are always there for us ... and being there for THEM by letting them know how much their support and constancy means to us.

Why not give a shout-out today to someone who's always been there for you? There is no present like the time - and no time like the present - to acknowledge and appreciate someone who contributes to your quality of life.

Day Right Quote #30: Money Doesn't Guarantee Happiness; It Guarantees OPTIONS

When I worked in the tennis industry on Hilton Head Island, SC early in my career, I met many unhappy rich people. I learned that money is not the Holy Grail. Money is welcome of course, but as Chris Rock points out, to give us OPTIONS, not to guarantee we'll love our life.

What makes us happy is to DO what puts the light on in our eyes and to align and spend time with people WHO put the light on in our eyes.

That's the purpose of this site. For you to have a place you can always find quotes, stories and fresh insights on how to put and keep the light on in your eyes.

In other words, how to be wealthy in what REALLY matters.

No spam. No selling. No ulterior motive. Just a site that focuses on what's right on in the world to help us lead a proactive, generous, grateful, abundant life that creates a "rising tide" impact that adds meaning and value for us and everyone around us.

Hope you find this SerenDestiny site inspiring. If so, you're welcome to share it with your friends. It makes my day when people are thoughtful enough to "spread the wealth."

Day Right Quote #29: You Can Fail At What You Don't Want; So You Might As Well Take a Chance Doing What You LOVE

Have you seen Jim Carrey's commencement speech for Maharishi University of Management? In it, he talks about his dad always wanting to be a comedian, but instead he took a SAFE job as an accountant to be "responsible" and support his family.

Then, his dad got let go and their family fell into financial hard times.

Jim's lesson from that?

"You can fail at what you DON'T want; so you might as well take a chance on doing what you LOVE."

Do you know someone who is making a career choice? Have they been told it's unrealistic to expect to make a living doing work they love? Are they about to make a "safe, responsible" decision to take a job that will pay the bills but that will kill the light in their eyes?

Share Jim Carrey's quote with them. They will never regret betting on themselves and choosing to do work they're good at that adds value and that lights them up.

Day Right Quote #28: The Faster I Go; The More I Miss

A friend just shared on Facebook that her plane was cancelled and the next one is overbooked so she'll be in the airport for hours. Instead of getting upset or stressed, she relaxed into it and welcomed the opportunity to read and get some work done. She settled into the fact that she'll get there when she gets there.

Smart woman.

So many of us jet through our days, always on the go, racing here and there, impatiently thinking ahead to what's next. That's a prescription for missing our life.

Slow down, look around, imprint what's right with your life right NOW.

It's one of the quickest ways to put the light on in your eyes - and it works every single time.

Day Right Quote #27: Imprint

I reconnected with friends in DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) last week. It was wonderful getting caught up and finding out what's going on in each other's lives. One asked, "What's it like having a new grand baby?" I smiled and said, "There are moments when she's gazing into my eyes or cuddled on my chest that I am FILLED with what a blessing she is. I IMPRINT those special moments so I can re-visit them whenever I want, as often as I want."

I also had an opportunity to co-present a workshop with my son, Andrew, for the Institute for Excellence in Sales.

There were moments I looked at him all grown up, (it seems like it wasn't that long ago he was in his jolly jumper) sharing insights and stories with the audience with them hanging onto every word ... and I imprinted what a GIFT it is to do work I love that matters WITH my son, watching him shine and add value.

So many of us are juggling so many responsibilities, rushing from one appointment to the next, racing through our days. That's a prescription for missing our life.

It's important to PAUSE in the midst of special moments and imprint them.

If you imprint special moments, they are there waiting for you to re-experience whenever you want, as often as you want. It's a way to truly and more deeply experience the blessings of our life instead of rushing right past them.

Day Right Quote #26: What Is True For You?

Oprah Winfrey wraps up every O Magazine with, "What I Know For Sure." What do you know for sure?

What are 3 of your non-negotiables? 3 things you stand for - or won't stand for? 3 crystal clear lessons-learned that determine how you show up every day?

What I've learned is getting crystal clear about this - and keeping this in our life - is key to keeping the light on in our eyes (the definition of SerenDestiny).

One non-negotiable for me is the importance of staying connected with friends and family.

Another is receiving and reveling in the blessing of abundance, being wealthy in what matters and the privilege of doing creative work I love that matters.

Another is how grateful I am for my health and for getting out in nature - every single day - and breathing in its nourishing energy.

What are 3 things that are true for you?