Influence

At the leadership conference I attended last week, I heard of a book to read. "Influencer" by the same authors of "Crucial Conversations." I bought the book on Sunday and spent the rest of the day reading it.

Before I continue, let me say that I have a lot of self-help books dealing with weight loss; improving relationships at home and work; and those proverbial what-do-I-want-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life? books! So many of them I have started reading and never finished. I either get through half of it and I understand the concept, therefore I can do it or I decide it's too complicated and time consuming. Then I stop reading and the book sits on my bookcase shelf collecting dust. This book, I kept reading. I wanted to make sure that I did not miss a step in the process. The book "Influencer" addresses CHANGE. How can we influence change in our own lives or in the lives of others (personal or work)?

There are two key questions that have to be answered by the person making the change.
1. Is it (the change, process, procedure) worth it to me?
2. Can I do it (the change, process, procedure)?
The first question address our motivation and the second question addresses our ability.

Take for example that our employees at our company are required to give every customer a smile. Every customer, every interaction, every time, every, every, every! Now that's easy for me. However, I may have a member of my team that may answer these questions by saying her ability to smile is hard. She has braces and when she moves her mouth to smile, it creates friction on the inside of her mouth and it hurts and causes irritation. Is she motivated to smile? She may know that others will often smile back at her and she's a friendly person. But, her mouth hurts a lot by the end of the day and right now, it may not be worth it. She may also feel embarrassed by her braces as the customers may point out her braces. It may not be worth it and she may not be able to do it (smile).

My job as her manager is to help her find ways to be able to "smile." It may involve finding out if there is something to put on the braces to lessen the irritation. I may have to help her find a opening script to tell the customer apologizing for not smiling widely. I may help her find a way to put in "smile" in her voice, if not on her face. My job may be to help her keep her irritated mouth from becoming an irritated personality. My job as her manager is to help her find ways to understand and grasp the worth of the smile and make that worth her own.

I have had a busy work week, implementing changes within myself and my management style. It's exciting that you really can teach an old dog new tricks! Yes, I have to find out for myself what the worth is to make changes in my job. Yes, this job is worth four more years of salary to pay off car and build up retirement funds. But more importantly the job is worth it when our department is "show-cased" as the department to watch as we're "going to the top." It's important to help team see their worth. It's important for me to smooth the path for them, give them the tools and training so they are able to do the job. I can do it and it's worth it!

My younger sister started blogging a year ago and then I took a chance and started too, as I like to write. I write to "hear myself think." I don't know if that makes sense or not, but it does to me. Anyway, once in awhile someone will write or say something to me that I know they have read my blog. Tonight hubby and I were at the American Legion with some neighbors and we won the 50-50 raffle.... $101. Yahoo! One of our neighbors said something like that now I won't have to walk as many miles. She was speaking of my $10/mile walking commitment towards paying for my trips.

A week ago, another neighbor saw me and said, "I see that you're walking again." I asked her if she saw my blog about $10/mile. She replied, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul." I guess that I don't want to think of it quite that way, but basically that IS what I'm doing. Except that every mile I walk, I'm "paying" myself with better health, whereas if I don't walk, I'm "robbing" myself of good health.

On Thursday, I get my regular pay check so I look forward to transferring money to my savings account for my TRIPS! It doesn't matter if I'm "robbing to pay," it's a matter of what motivates me to get something done towards better health!

Motivation

A lot of people buy magazines that front cover lists articles upon articles, months after months of ways to lose pounds and inches. Yes, I have bought them too. Some of the more serious articles have mentioned that even losing 10 percent of your body weight is a vast improvement on your health. I like that figure, it's a attainable!

In fact, today is Wednesday and that means weigh-in day. No, I have not cheated and looked at the scale in the last week, although tempting! I have lost 5 percent of my body weight, I'm halfway there, to 10 percent that is! I know that I need to lose 30 percent, but I'm breaking it into portions. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep on going.

Inspiration

"Inspiration" has always been a word that I've liked, it sounds so fulfilling and calming to me. Upon looking up the word in trusty, dusty 10 pound dictionary, I find that first listed meaning of inspiration is "stimulation of the faculties to a high level of feeling or activity." I guess when I feel "fulfilled" that fits in, but "calming"? Oh well, the "high level of feeling or activity" fits in with changing and balancing my lifestyle.

I made the decision to change my lifestyle about a week ago and on Saturday when I started my food plan, my husband asked. "What's different this time? What's motivating you to do this?" My initial response was, "I don't know, it's just time." But his questions have hovered in my mind all week... What is different? What is motivating me?

If you look up the word "motivate" the meaning is "to stimulate to action." Gee, seems I've seen those words before! Another meaning for inspiration is "an agency, such as a person or work of art that moves the intellect or emotions."

SIDE NOTE: You will find if you read this blog long enough that I'm a "word" junkie, I love looking in the dictionary for words and their meanings.

Who or what is inspiring me? Who or what is motivating me? Let me tell you.

Last night I was talking with my husband about this subject and when he questioned me, I told him I didn't think he inspired me. Then I saw a slightly dejected look on his face and I realized that he HAS truly inspired me by accepting me as I am, overweight and under-shaped. To be accepted by your loved-ones is a source of inspiration, maybe not the kind that moves a person to action, but truly moves the emotions. Thank God for those people in our lives!

I live in a neighborhood that every day from early morning hours to late evening hours, you will see a neighbor out walking. These people inspire me, especially the 90 year-old lady out there walking at a good pace! I was beginning to think that I would never live to 90, much less walk like she does unless I changed.

Victor is a weekly columnist in our local paper and his article are so inspiring and thought-provoking. He is a wheel-chair bound college freshman that was not expected to live beyond his tenth birthday. He must be fed & bathed by care-givers, yet he is bound only physically as his mind knows no boundaries. He is free to dream and encourage us all. After reading his articles, I am truly inspired by the choices that I have.... to walk when I want and to put food into my own mouth. Here's his website if interested www.victoralvarezweb.com

I love photography! My photos are my own work-of-art and they inspire me. I enjoy being outside and trying to improve my pictures and techniques. The challenge of "improving" can be transferred to other areas of my life. I think that my photography helps balance me in the areas of emotions and spiritual.

Diana H. is a long-time friend of mine and such a wholesome person! Wholesome.... "sound health and well-being." She exercises, eats wholesome, healthy foods, and has spiritual feelings deeper than most professional theologians that I know. To me, she is the epitome of balance, physical, emotional and spiritual. Thanks Diana & keep on truckin'! Now if she could only find a job! :)

Robyn is my long-time (39 years today) sister. She makes me proud and humble that I'm her sister. She's creative and she inspired me to start this blog. She is, day-by-day, finding and holding on to balance in her life. Way to go!

Last, but not least, is you, the reader of this blog. You keep me inspired to walk, eat appropriately and share my feelings and thoughts. You keep me honest! You are my "accountant," without you I would not have accountability and probably give up!

What is inspiring you? What is motivating you? Ponder on those questions, you may be surprised at what will be your answer.