Kerry Alison Wekelo Blog

Why Consistency Matters

2/19/2019

In what aspects of your life do you have consistency? Have you noticed that the areas in which you have consistent behaviors, life is easier? As I was preparing for a Leadership training class, I came across Simon Sinek's video on why consistency matters. He mentions how we have to consistently do the same actions over and over to create results. This is true for all areas of life, especially in leadership. We have to consistently care about our people and lead by example. I consistently reach out to our team members and do my best to show them I care about them personally and professionally.

At Actualize, in 2010, we consistently started focusing on our people with our programs and actions centered around our people from how we communicate to how we set our goals and review performance. I did not even realize our turnover was at 33% until in 2016 we had zero turnover with average tenure at 8 years. We have consistently held our turnover to less than 1% for the last three years. This is a testament to why consistently focusing on your people matters. What can you do to consistently lead by example?

For more inspiration, watch Sinek's video:

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Spread Love and Make a Great Day!

2/5/2019

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Do you ever felt there is too much pressure on the one day of Valentine’s Day? I decided years ago, to declare February a month to be mindful of sharing more love with myself and others. As Maya Angelou said, "love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

The video shows 5 ways you can spread love in February or any day for that matter. One of the examples is to share your favorite memory with a loved one. I sent my grandfather with dementia a picture of us making meatballs. His aid said he has been reading it over and over for days. It is the simple acts of love that make the most impact.

A summary image is below, feel free to download and share.

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Moving with Gratitude a Wellness Challenge

1/28/2019

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Getting together as a firm helps to reduce stress and build closer relationships, which in turn promotes better teamwork and greater work satisfaction. In the video below, we share our interactive wellness challenge titled "Moving with Gratitude."

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Organize to Save Time

1/22/2019

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Do you feel a sense of joy or anxiety when you step into a space in your house or office?

In today's world, we tend to think more is more. We become attached to our material goods and often find it hard to part with our excess clutter.

Since watching Marie Kondo's Netflix show, Tidying Up, I decided to spend time cleaning out my closet using her method, "Does It Spark Joy?"

This video delves into the before and after of my closet, some tips, and how decluttering has benefited my life - not just in the ways you might think.

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Easy Conversation Starters

1/15/2019

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Have you ever found yourself struggling with connecting and having meaningful conversations. Personally, I find it challenging to engage in small talk. In this video, I share a few ideas for easy and effective conversation starters.

I created the Zendoway cubes initially to introduce mindful breathing to my child's classroom (school). Now I have 14 soft squeezable cubes that have prompts on each side. To learn more about these cubes click here or watch the video below.

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New Year's Resolutions - Add, Don't Subtract

1/7/2019

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Do New Year's Resolutions work for you? I struggled with the negativity of resolutions until I found that by adding instead of subtracting, I could create a positive fortifying energy that was sustainable. In this video, I share why adding versus subtracting works and how it can support your best self.

When my acupuncturist suggested I “add” better nutrition to my life I felt inspired and motivated. Since I wasn’t being asked to “subtract” anything it felt obtainable and worth a try.

He suggested that I try adding Wheatgrass juice to my routine and pointed me to me Dynamic Greens, an online company that ships a frozen fresh supply directly to my door. "Wheatgrass juice is perhaps the most powerful and safest healing aid there is. Not because it can attack and destroy bacteria or malignant cells, like some drugs, but because it has the ability to strengthen the whole body by bolstering its immune system." For more details, download the PDF by The WellSpring School.This small addition is making a difference for me.

What is one small “add” you can try for 2019?

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Listen and the Dead Will Speak

12/30/2018

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My Dad Al Wekelo made this videos series, take a look for inspiration. Our shared humanity gives us Life and gives Death. What we choose to do with it is our Free Will. How we celebrate it is our Creativity. The Video Series "Listen and the Dead will Speak ..Open your Heart and the Doors Open to the Other Side " gives us another perspective on how not only to celebrate life but to embrace Death as a natural course of our Evolution...and many thanks to my special guest Medium J.Marie...her inspiring dialogue will uplift your spirit.

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The Importance of Being Grateful + a New Year's Gratefulness Activity

12/30/2018

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Gratitude helps keep life in perspective - we can always find the good if we choose to look for it. In 2019, I challenge you to find something to be thankful for each and every day. Check out our annual tradition of a gratitude box and this year's addition of a happy box to see how we stay grateful.

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Self-Care for the Holidays

12/11/2018

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Our culture thrives on being busy, applauding those who are the busiest and don’t slow down for anything or anyone -- especially themselves. It has taken years for me to learn to allow myself to take time to care for and love myself. I want my kids, friends, family, colleagues to know a different way, and to feel fully supported in their needs to maintain daily balance. For instance, to regroup after a long day at school, my son needs time outside, while my daughter needs to draw or read. I encourage them both to take the time they each need for those activities each day.
The most effective way to teach is to lead by example. Below are self-care and self-love tips for you, your family members, and friends to implement during this holiday season and into the New Year.

Affirmations. The Zendoway “I Love Me Affirmations” cube has prompts that ask you to write down why you love yourself, to create a love dance or song, to repeat “I love me” 10 times, and other similar activities. The self-love affirmation is a powerful tool as we all need that daily reminder that we are awesome, no matter what. Using the cubes at the dinner table is an interactive way to spark new conversations and learn about each other. The first time I gave my daughter this cube to roll at the dinner table, she said, “I don’t love anything about myself.” I was baffled, since she shows a consistent front of self-confidence and happiness. With further conversation, I was able to figure out that she just had a bad day and was temporarily feeling down on herself, which we can all relate to. I was so grateful that the cube facilitated that conversation, so I could support her! What do you love about yourself?
Do something you love daily. Ask yourself, “what brings me joy?” We get so caught up in the day to day of being tugged in so many different directions, it can come to the end of the day and we have forgotten all about our own needs. Let’s give ourselves love, attention, that one special treat that will make us smile, and brings us ultimate joy. What brings you joy?
Spend time alone. We all require downtime to process our busy lives. Mindful time alone allows us to decompress, tap into our creative nature, solve a problem, and discover what to say to nurture our family or team members. Time alone can be in meditation, a walk, a run, or even driving in our cars. I love to have the first hour when I wake up to myself to spend in various ways; if I don’t take that time, I find I feel all out of sorts. How do you spend your alone time?
Nurture your body. Eat healthy food, use organic lotion/oils on your skin, and practice self-massage. An easy self-practice I do each night is to massage sesame (warming) or coconut (cooling) oil on my feet before I go to bed. It not only keeps my feet well moisturized, it promotes sound sleep and is an effective way to give back to my body at the end of each day. How do you nurture your body?
Check in with your feelings. Many times, we think we should feel or act a certain way. When was the last time you checked in with how you were truly feeling? When I started this “check-in” practice daily, I was amazed at my own personal insights throughout each day. When you are feeling stressed, check in with yourself. How are you really feeling right now?
Gauge your mental chatter. What is going on in our minds can be mind-boggling. My meditation teacher Rolf Gates taught me how to release these thoughts by putting them into an imaginary boat, giving it a label, and letting it go. Do you have a boat that is full of to-do items or filled with worry? Either way, it is okay; just label it, and set it off to sea. What is your mental chatter?

Remember, small daily doses of self-care will keep us mentally, physically, and emotionally sound. Once you determine which self-care rituals/routines work best you will notice that your mindful practice will become contagious and you will want to do more for yourself. We all have a desire to be cared for and we are the only ones that truly know what feels good to us each day. The daily commitment to self-care is what will set us apart from others – help us have more energy in all facets of our daily life. We deserve the best!

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Don’t Forget Yourself This Holiday Season

12/11/2018

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The saying “It is better to give than to receive” is a universal truth. But we often forget that we can give back to ourselves, too. Around the holiday season, our schedules are busy with events and buying presents for others. Many times, we drain our own energy by feeling obligated to go to the parties and match gifts we receive. However, that’s not the true meaning of the season; this time of year, is all about giving back and spending time with our loved ones. Imagine being fully relaxed and in the moment of smelling our favorite cookies baking in the oven, listening to laughter and music and allowing time to fully settle into the sights, smells and sounds of this beautiful time of year.

Giving and receiving are two parts of the same cycle. This season let’s take time to evaluate how we give to others, ourselves and our community. Let’s vow to give ourselves gifts this year and move into next year with a sense of renewal and intentions for the best year ever.

Here’s some things you can do to give back to others and yourself this holiday season:

OTHERS
Take the advice of Leonardo da Vinci: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Suggest that family and friends substitute hand written letters to each other instead of giving presents. This is a gift where we can take the opportunity to share our gratitude for those that mean the most.
Take time to truly connect at gatherings by spearheading a way to share success and gratitude stories as a group. Ask everyone to write down an accomplishment and area of appreciation on a piece of paper and put in a basket. Have each person pick one and read someone’s experience. Focusing on all the good will only bring more.

COMMUNITY
Give gifts to a child in need or donate to a local organization such as Toys for Tots or Cornerstones. Enlist friends and family to volunteer as a group in place of having a holiday party. Giving back together can create strong and lasting bonds.

OURSELVES

Say no to one obligation to allow for free time to do whatever you please.
Schedule a date of self-pampering. Do all the things you never have time for: read, watch a movie, take a bath, order take-out, cook dinner or sit by the fire. The idea is to recharge and relax.
Determine what you can let go of from your past that is holding you back. Write it down and throw it in the fire to release.
Evaluate travel plans to determine if there are any alternatives. For instance, do you drive three hours to visit with one side of the family, and then two hours another day to visit the other side of your family? Could you only make one of those trips? Schedule a visit for a later date when things are not so busy.
Evaluate your daily routine. Are there things you could simplify next year, such as limiting the kid’s winter activities or hiring a cleaning service? Ask yourself if there are things you can delegate or minimize. Make a list. Writing it down allows you visualize all that you juggle.
Practice gratitude, not complaining. Write, imagine and speak those elements about which you are truly grateful.
Throw away the New Year’s resolutions and decide to bring awareness to your daily habits. What emotions are driving decisions? Ask yourself which ones you would like to change and which ones are positive. Commit to improving one at a time. Simple awareness can lead to better and easier choices.
Hire a personal coach to help you create a crystal clear vision for “ultimate success” so you know exactly what you want, where you’re headed, and what you need to do to make it happen. Click here for a free session.

The more we take time to nurture that which we desire and take quality time for our personal needs, the more capacity we have to give back to others. Let’s make a decision to move forward with our best interests at heart. As Lao Tzu said:
“Those who value their own wellbeing equally with the rest of the world can be trusted with the world. Those who love their life as if it were the whole world will be trusted with all things under heaven.”

Originally published: https://www.poshseven.com/giving-receiving.html

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<<Previous

Why Consistency Matters

Spread Love and Make a Great Day!

Moving with Gratitude a Wellness Challenge

Organize to Save Time

Easy Conversation Starters

New Year's Resolutions - Add, Don't Subtract

Listen and the Dead Will Speak

The Importance of Being Grateful + a New Year's Gratefulness Activity

Self-Care for the Holidays

Don’t Forget Yourself This Holiday Season

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