Many times, our lives become so busy that we forget or don’t make the time to reflect on what is going on, the good and the bad. With the stay at home order, we now have had the time made for us. There is only so much organizing, cleaning, and home renovation projects you can do until you are left with your own personal thoughts. Maybe with the extra time, you picked up a new hobby, or you learned something about a family member or spouse that you did not know before, or you discovered a new interest that you did not know you had. I am going to list 3 things that I have learned since the stay home order was placed.
 

1. SLOW DOWN! Sometimes I find myself trying to do everything on my list before a certain time, or before the end of the day that as a result my quality of work may suffer. It’s easy to wear the “I’m too busy” badge with honor, however, being “too busy” means we are not simplifying focus. If your goal is to clean out the garage, make sure you sweep, organize, recycle, replace broken items, etc. All of this takes TIME to do a good job. If your goal is to get done as fast as you can rather than to have a spectacularly clean garage, then it will not result in the greatest end product. Slowing down allows us to focus on one thing at a time.
2. OUR ENVIRONMENT IS BEAUTIFUL. When something that we take for granted is taken away from us, we realize how much it meant to us. Extended family gatherings, going out to eat, taking kids to the park, concerts, graduation parties, hanging out with friends, watching sporting events, exercising at the gym; all of this is important to us but we take it for granted. We are social beings; human interaction is necessary to our existence. Even self-proclaimed introverts agree they miss being out and about. I hope that (eventually) when the coronavirus is a distant memory, that we still feel this desire to get outside, help each other, support small business, interact with one another, and join in on new experiences. Our natural environment as well as our social environment is a beautiful thing, and we can’t waste it.
3. YOUR MINDSET MATTERS. There are two kinds of people going through 'self-isolation' right now. People who will sleep in all day, eat what they want and take a vacation from their health. Then there are people who are going to use this time to become a better version of themselves. They will eat right, exercise now that they have the time, etc. Your mindset matters. After all of this is over, seek to come out of it being a better person.

As many of you know, we have been posting weekly about our #LivingTheValues Campaign. This campaign aims to explain our company values: Commitment, Continuous Improvement, Character, and Optimism, as well as demonstrate where we see those values in our employees every day. Anyone and any company can say, “The values that mean the most to us our _____, ______, and ______.” However, the actions of the individual or of the company could be different and the values fall by the waist-side. There is a common saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” That is why we feel it is important to share specific instances, big and small, where our staff, children, and community members share our values.

Core values are the things that you believe are most important in the way you live and work.  Core values should determine your priorities and the priorities of your company. Core values are what support the vision of your company and help shape its culture. They are the essence of the company’s identity – their principles, beliefs and philosophies.  Many companies focus mostly on the technical competencies but often forget the underlying competencies that make their companies run smoothly.

Having clear core values makes decision-making a lot more simple. Making value-based choices may not always be easy. However, making a choice that you know is right is a lot less difficult in the long run.  And if you empower your employees to make decisions, there is no better way than to have them make those decisions then basing those decisions on the core values of your company.

Lastly, always reinforce your core values. Remind yourself of them, and their importance. This will strengthen your relationships, as well as help as a reminder to make decisions in a fair and ethical manner.
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So, what values mean most to you? Do you live by those values? Do your actions correspond with what you believe? How important are they to you? 

​Being charitable is another word for having gratitude and compassion for others, specifically those in need. To be charitable to others, I believe you first must be gracious for your own life. Gracious people are happier, more sociable, less depressed and neurotic, and have higher levels of satisfaction within their own lives. If you express gratitude to the people around you, you are recognizing that they are a positive impact on your life. Many times, the people around us do not even realize how important they are in our lives. I have always wondered why we don’t stop more often and be grateful and recognize that the people that need you, you may also need them.
 
Having compassion is the concern and willingness to help someone who is suffering. Identifying with another person – identifying with their pain, is hard-wired in us as human beings. Everyone’s resources are different when it comes to giving back and paying it forward. Maybe you can donate clothes, money, furniture, toys, and maybe most importantly your time. However, a common phrase is, “Be aware of the naked man, who offers you his shirt.” You cannot give, what you do not have. You do not need all the answers to help someone. Just be yourself and take time to be with them. Your presence can be more powerful than you think.
 
At Discovery Days & Kids Connection Childcare, we are always thinking of ways to pay it forward to our communities. Over the course of 20+ years we have organized countless toy drives, school supplies drives, 5k fundraising walks for Alzheimer’s or Brain Cancer or Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Food drives, Fundraising car washes, sponsoring local youth sports teams, and countless other events. We relate with the idea that there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.
 
So, go ahead! Lift the world up around you and pay it forward! It could be big or small like holding a door open for a stranger. Just whatever you do, make a positive difference in the lives around you!

Oh, the holidays. What a magical time of the year. Christmas is right around the corner, joy and glee are in the air, and family from all around are coming together! You find yourself responding to the same “what are you doing for the holidays?” question over and over, as well as seeing thousands of picturesque photos of people’s family’s, trees, homes, lights, etc. This can be a bit overwhelming with all the activities we may still have to complete!
So…ENOUGH already…this holiday season (because it’ll be here any second), let’s be a little kinder to ourselves—as in, give ourselves a break!
   
1. Avoid Competition—At All Costs


Remember that scene in How the Grinch Stole Christmas when Betty Lou Who was competing with Martha May Whovier for the best lights in Whoville? This is the equivalent to comparing your Christmas cards, trees, lights, homes, etc. to everyone else’s you see on social media. Step away from that comparison and focus on the people you love and the private memories you make—not the ones everyone sees you make. Those are fleeting; the real ones last a lifetime.

2. Saying No is fine!
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The holidays are an inherently busy time of year with parties, school wrapping up, concerts and plays, shopping and wrapping, decadent meal planning…the whole nine yards. You can only be in so many places at once, and complete so many tasks. If you have the energy and the desire, go for it. But if you find you’re saying yes to too many things in a week (or a day), slow down. There’s no shame in only being able to do so much, and you’ll enjoy what you DO complete so much more. Simplify in your focus. What you focus on grows,

 3. Remember What Who the Holidays Are About

With that overwhelming feeling, you may feel pulled in a thousand different directions: the kitchen, mall, work, the secret room in your house where you do the gift wrapping. We need to remember that we MAKE time the to have those precious memories with your family and dearest friends. These are the memories that your kids will remember when they have families of their own. Setting that standard that family is the most important thing is crucial. So, bring the kids to the mall with you (when you can); bake cookies with them, not just for them; snuggle up and read a Christmas book or watch a holiday movie together and leave your phone on the charger. Take time to be PRESENT this holiday season. It’s truly the greatest gift you can give, not just to those around you, but equally as importantly, to yourself.

Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
 
It is starting to get to that time of the year that in order to go outside, a process of bundling up to stay warm occurs. Although this is a time-consuming, it is still crucially important to spend some time outside. Nature provides serious benefits to our bodies and minds. Unplug and let the body and mind wander. Below are 5 reasons why it is still important to get outside – even when it is cold.

1. Walking outside boosts creativity and increases concentration: Walking not only increases physical activity but has shown that it promotes the flow of ideas. Backpackers have been shown to score 50% higher on creativity tests after 4 days without electronics.
2. Being outdoors can improve your mood: Its no secret that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can be brought on by Winter. Symptoms of SAD can include anxiety, exhaustion, and overwhelming sadness. Many believe SAD comes on from shorter winter days and more time inside and having less sunlight. So a simple solution is more time outside.
3. Increased time outside allows our bodies to soak up more Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps ward off heart attacks, improve conditions in osteoporosis and some types of cancer. We receive 80-90% of Vitamin D from the sun.
4. Recharge exercise routine: Its much more difficult to find the motivation to go outside and exercise when it is windy, snowy, or cold. However, working out in these conditions provides a better workout, burns more calories, and makes physical activity more enjoyable. Being active in these conditions can provide solitude as there are just not as many people outside.
5. Nature is healing: Seventy-year-olds who spent time outdoors daily reported fewer bouts of pain and had less trouble sleeping. They also seemed to show less of a decline in day-to-day activities. In other words, the outdoors may help us stay healthy later in life.

Spending time outside and giving your body and mind a chance to unwind, relax, or exercise, is still as important, and potentially more effective – even when it is cold outside. MAKE time to get outside and enjoy nature this Fall/Winter, do not just try to FIND time.

​Being an optimist can mean many things. Bert Jacobs in the book “Life is Good” describes optimism as, “A powerful and pragmatic strategy for accomplishing goals and living a meaningful life.” Optimism is broad in the sense that it means to be positive, cheerful, strong-willed, believable, and open-minded. Being an optimist means you are experiencing the world around you with open arms and an eye towards growth and progress. Pessimism is corrosive, realism lacks creativity, and optimism is boundless. Below I list the 2nd and 3rd superpowers to be an optimist:
Superpower #8 Creativity:
You can light the way of creativity by feeding your childlike curiosity, daring to explore new ideas, and sharing those ideas collaboratively. The only requirement is an adventurous spirit.
We adults tend to fear the judgment of our peers far more than kids do. Were more sensitive to opinions. Whereas healthy children can scribble out a drawing and flash it proudly, adults tend to self-censor ideas, tapping the delete key all too early and often.
Creativity wants out, so let it go and let it flow.
Your own positive impact multiplies when you're able to sync your creative pursuits with your existing values and passions. For example, a teacher out at Kids Connection Rivercrest had the idea for having a Facebook group where you share your artwork, activity, or goals, etc. with all other teachers at all the centers. Use your passion for taking care of children to get creative with new activities.
By admitting you don’t know the answer, that frees you to ask openly, engage, and listen so we can co-create the answer instead of butting heads or defending our own fraction of a solution.
Connection with those around you, talk and collaborate about a solution, and finally create the solution. A PB and J sandwich is much greater than the sum of its parts.
There is inspiration all around you, especially when you dial your mind in on a subject of love. Not all who wander are lost, this applies to your mind as much as your body.  In the end, creativity is like a muscle, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
Superpower #9 Authenticity:
We want to stay true to ourselves, feel comfortable in our skin, and express ourselves, naturally. We also want to live consistently in sync with our strongest values. However, I understand it can be a real challenge when external influences pressure us to be someone we’re not. In the end, know who you are, and act like it.
We are all drawn to the real deal. Folks who walk the talk and are comfortable in their own skin are people we like to be around. How can all of us stay grounded in our core beliefs while we all continue to change and evolve?
To deepen self-knowledge and stay true to yourself, it’s invaluable to have people close by who know you well enough to tell you the truth. For example, my brother Blake and I have no problem calling each other out and keeping each other honest. Familiarity and trust make directness – straight talk – easier to give and take. People tend to be more forgiving when they know you’re listening, you’re trying, and your aim is true.
Authenticity that creates deep trust includes exposing vulnerability, acting with humility, and admitting when we drop the ball.
For humans, staying true in the moment is tough for us, and it’s a lifelong quest. Perfection is not achievable on this quest, but improvement always is. On one hand, it takes strong determination to openly acknowledge our flaws and keep striving to improve. On the other hand, trusting your instincts, pure introspection, and always doing what we love can be the ultimate form of expression of our best self.
Superpower #10 Love:
Love can be expressed authentically in words- from a sincere “How are you?” or “How can I help?” all the way to a phrase my mom uses “What the heck were you thinking?” that’s considered tough love, but love nonetheless. However, sometimes love needs no words.
Love is action. Deeds, selfless acts, following through on something. It’s being there when your asked, but also when you're not asked. We are wise to remember that our actions – and often, our mere presence – can speak even louder.
Humans beings are social creatures. We need love to reinforce deep connection to each other. When we receive a good hug, a warm smile, even a heartfelt high five or fist bump from someone we love, the positive result bolts right past our brains and goes straight to the heart. It makes us feel one with humanity. And providing that positive charge to others can be even more rewarding.
Do what you love, love what you do. “Do what you love.” It says “Do” and not “Say” for a reason. Because love is action. Don’t think so much all the time. Relax the mind and do what feels good. Your body is wise. Listen to your body. If your body wants to run, then run! “Love what you do.” This is about pride in one’s actions – in other words, living in such a way that when you look back on your actions, you feel satisfaction. This is about a fulfilling life, a life with a purpose.
The more you share your love, the more you connect with people you love – and the more you connect with the people you love, the richer your life is. This is a recipe tested, and it will never change, so spread love. Don’t keep it in a jar, spread it like peanut butter, because life is good.
 

​Being an optimist can mean many things. Bert Jacobs in the book “Life is Good” describes optimism as, “A powerful and pragmatic strategy for accomplishing goals and living a meaningful life.” Optimism is broad in the sense that it means to be positive, cheerful, strong-willed, believable, and open-minded. Being an optimist means you are experiencing the world around you with open arms and an eye towards growth and progress. Pessimism is corrosive, realism lacks creativity, and optimism is boundless. Below I list the 2nd and 3rd superpowers to be an optimist:
 
Superpower #6 Fun: Like I said before, optimism takes courage, and sometimes recharging that optimism demands we seek out our own simple fun.
The great thing about fun is that it doesn’t require much beyond a playful, open mind. But sometimes a ball helps too. My college soccer teammates and I would always pass the ball around on the quad. Sometimes random people, or friends a-like would run through calling for a pass, and we would kick it to them and if they played soccer they would try to control it, but if they like football they would try to catch it. The connection was childlike and somewhat doglike. Kick. Catch. Connect.
Even when our calendars seem jam packed, maintaining a youthful enthusiasm is worth making time for fun, rather than just finding time for fun.
Having Fun at work is not a diversion from productivity. In fact, it’s an essential ingredient to stay loose, open, creative, and solution orientated. Fun makes for easy lifting. Fun is an effective means to attract, unite, and propel people toward achieving common goals.
Everyone has different stresses in life, however, bursts of fun throughout the day help keep your mind and spirit strong.
 
Superpower #7 Compassion: Compassion is the concern for and willingness to help someone who is suffering. Identifying with another person – including identifying with their pain – is hardwired in us.
How can we care for all the tragedies in a 24/7 news cycle? We can’t. But we can care for the people around us in our circle. Everyone’s resources are different, maybe donating clothes, money, furniture, or most importantly your time is how you give. Everyone's resources are different. Beware the naked man who offers you his shirt. You cannot give, what you don’t have.
Focus on self-care. Tending to our own joy and well-being is crucial. Breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, play, exercise, scheduling down time, are ways to achieve this.
Social support is also important. Spending time with those who bring positive energy and build you up, are very important to help you see the glass as half full. By lifting others up we can lower the shields many of us raise against the outside world as we grow older.
You can cultivate your compassion with that simple phrase, “Just like me…” Just like you, everyone is fighting some battle, big or small. Just like you, others want to be happy and free of suffering.
Lastly, you do not need all the answers to help someone who is hurting. Just be yourself and take time to be with them. Presence can be much more powerful than you think. 

​Being an optimist can mean many things. Bert Jacobs in the book “Life is Good” describes optimism as, “A powerful and pragmatic strategy for accomplishing goals and living a meaningful life.” Optimism is broad in the sense that it means to be positive, cheerful, strong-willed, believable, and open-minded. Being an optimist means you are experiencing the world around you with open arms and an eye towards growth and progress. Pessimism is corrosive, realism lacks creativity, and optimism is boundless. Below I list the 2nd and 3rd superpowers to be an optimist:
 
Superpower #4 Humor:
Humor is most potent and effective when morale is low. A funny joke, line, phrase, or face can raise spirits. It can break tension, reset the table, and refocus people on opportunities that are ahead. It is easy to form trust and bond through laughter.
Humor leads to more unity and productivity in the workplace. Laughter relaxes us, enables us to think more clearly as well as communicate and solve problems more effectively. Ron Burgandy in the movie Anchorman once said, “For just one night, let’s not be co-workers, let’s be co-people.” Laugh, smile, jump up and down.
Teams that laugh together build greater trust and unity, and teams with greater trust and unity perform better. So, laugh at work together, your job will be even more enjoyable, and productivity will increase.
 
Superpower #5 Gratitude:
It’s nice to stop and reflect on the positives in life. Taking stock of the many people, experience, and things that are good, right, and working well in our lives has an uncanny way of attracting more good. What we focus on grows. Focusing on simple pleasures – on the good we are experiencing here, now, today – can do wonders.
If we don’t do this, we can spend our time defining happiness in terms of “Someday.” Saying things like, “I’ll be happy and grateful when (fill in the blank)” or, “Someday I am going to take the kids to pick pumpkins.” As the saying goes, someday is not a day of the week.
It’s easy to look at the news and think the world is getting worse day by day. There are so many trauma centers across the country, and not one, zero, joy centers. By elevating our awareness of what’s right with the world, instead of focusing on what’s wrong, we come to realize that the keys to happiness are all around us. Being gracious for what we have and not focusing on what frustrates you.
Live life with a “get to” mindset rather than a “have to.” I “get to” go to work today, I “get to” pick my kids up from school, I “get to” cook dinner tonight and fold the laundry. This is a consistent reminder to be grateful. Some people may feel burdened by daily tasks and commitments “have tos.” it’s possible to change your mental mind set and turn them into “get tos.” Once again, the choice is ours.
Grateful people are happier, more open and sociable, less depressed and neurotic, and express higher levels of satisfaction with their lives and relationships. Grateful people have higher levels of personal growth and self-acceptance, and they have stronger coping skills for the challenges and setbacks they experience. They are more willing to seek out help from others and demonstrate the ability to interpret challenging events in ways that help them grow.
Thanksgiving should be celebrated every day. Young and old, everyone gets it: we gather to give thanks. There is nothing confusing about it, or gifts or excessive hype that can weigh it down. Everyone comes together to give thanks. After times of tragedy which there is so much of, it is okay to mourn what we've lost, but we can also cherish what we still have.

​Being an optimist can mean many things. Bert Jacobs in the book “Life is Good” describes optimism as, “A powerful and pragmatic strategy for accomplishing goals and living a meaningful life.” Optimism is broad in the sense that it means to be positive, cheerful, strong-willed, believable, and open-minded. Being an optimist means you are experiencing the world around you with open arms and an eye towards growth and progress. Pessimism is corrosive, realism lacks creativity, and optimism is boundless. Below I list the 2nd and 3rd superpowers to be an optimist:
 
Superpower #2 Courage: The first thing you need to decide starting at the beginning of the day is if you are going to believe in yourself. You don’t think you can do a lot of things until you are faced with choices. What are my choices today, smile or frown? Why would you choose to frown and not smile? Is smiling easy? Hardly. Courageous? For sure.
Courageous people have an extra reservoir of optimism within them. When things are crazy, and a tough day only seems to get tougher, courageous people have the ability to dig down and find a little positivity.
Every day, we can choose to define our day with Discouraging or Encouraging frames. Are we building people up or tearing them down? Are we contributing positively or are we a negative influence? It takes more effort to be encouraging, which is also why it is harder. How do you want to reflect on your day? The courageous thing is to always try because you either succeed or you learn. Both scenarios you win. If you don’t try you cant learn, and if you don’t learn, you can grow.
Sometimes the most courageous thing you can do is admitting your licked for the day and it got the best of you – only for the day. Because tomorrow is a new day, and you need to believe it will be better.
Lastly, making the courageous choices isn’t always the easy choice, however it opens doors for new opportunity. There will be moments of self-doubt, skeptics in our path, and external forces inviting us to focus on what is wrong with the world. But we need to be courageous and open the doors of opportunity.
 
Superpower #3 Simplicity: Make life and work simple. Not to be confused with a work – life balance. Which there is no such thing as work – life balance because what you are saying is your work and life are working against each other, when really your work should just be a subcategory of your life. However, I digress. Making complex things simple is the highest form of sophistication. Why work harder, and not smarter?
When we are “too busy” we don’t do anything well. Our relationships suffer, our performance at work suffers, and we don’t enjoy our lives. Yet, being “Crazy Busy” is a badge of honor for some people. The adrenaline rush of multi-tasking and trying to speed through a million things at once can reinforce an illusion that we are in high demand and moving towards something grand. When really multi-tasking to me just seems like another phrase for not doing anything well. When you are multi-tasking it means part of your attention is in one spot, and in another, and another. If you focus all your attention on one thing, the finished product should be completed faster and in higher quality.
How can we make things simple then? Well by being selective in what we focus on. If your focus is to do laundry right when you get home, then do it right when you get home. Don’t first take the garbage out, then change, then exercise, etc.
Unplug. Yes, the 23-year-old millennial is telling you to unplug from your phones, and social media, and email, and games, etc. There is one simple question to ask yourself, what do you give it and what does it give back to you? Is it worth it? Do you get some type of intrinsic value by using it? I'm not saying to completely stop using it, I still use it. However, I have cut completely down on it by setting time limits on it and deleting different applications. You have to figure out what feeds your good wolf.
Each of us have a “Good Wolf” and a “Bad Wolf” Fighting inside of us. The question is, “Which wolf will win?” Well, the wolf you feed. You feed your good wolf by living life with good intention and focusing on the important things. You feed your bad wolf by focusing on extraneous stuff and external distractions. Feed your good wolf.