Beverly D. Flaxington's Blog, page 12
April 2, 2012
The Haggard Generation
As many of you know who read my blogs, I love country music. Montgomery Gentry has a song called “Hell Yeah” where they talk about being “a product of the Haggard Generation.” Now, they may be talking about Merle Haggard and people who grew up listening to his music, but whenever I hear the line I conjure up a picture of many of us who are “haggard” due to running from work to school to sports to events for our children to work again. Many days we feel haggard and run down.
March 15, 2012
You Can SHIFT It!
This week, I traveled out of town to work with a group of eight people who are struggling in their relationships with one another. Before the meeting I had talked to some of the attendees individually, and I heard people in so much pain. They had reached a point where they sincerely disliked one another, and this was making “going to work” a less than enjoyable experience – to say the least!
March 5, 2012
The Power of Connection
I was reminded today, at a meeting I was facilitating with a client and their team, about the power of connection. The person in charge of the company was commenting on how lonely they sometimes feel – dealing with all of the issues, responding to everyone’s needs and problems, and trying to keep a game face on during times of trial. The colleagues sitting there were shocked at this comment – “I thought you just wanted us to keep our heads down and focus on results,” said one person.
February 28, 2012
Comfortable Zones
Sometimes, when we strive to make a difference in our relationships, it means stepping outside of our well-worn comfort zones. We all get into a groove – no different than a marble stuck inside a groove in a piece of wood. We roll from side to side, looking like we are making changes and moving, but in reality we stay stuck where we are. We want to roll out and try something new, but we keep rolling back to the same center point.
February 13, 2012
Standing in the Tornado
“I’m in a rut.” “Life is a rat race and the rats are winning.” “There is never anytime to do what I want to do.” “If only I had more hours in the day.” “I go to bed tired and I get up tired.”
Planning to Care
Lately I have so many close friends dealing with difficult situations – losing a family member, illness, divorce, children in trouble and the list goes on. Not a day goes by that I don’t have a conversation where I feel I am comforting someone in their time of trouble. Thankfully, at this moment in my life, I am not experiencing a major issue. I have the energy and focus to devote to others who are in need.
January 30, 2012
Now You're Getting Somewhere!
In my roles as corporate consultant, executive coach and college professor, and as a friend to many, I often see people struggling to move out of painful patterns and reach a more satisfying place in their lives. It could be relationship issues, career issues, health issues or the general “blah” of life, but oftentimes there is something that someone wants to change – but they just can’t seem to get out of the rut.
Be Kind
These two simple words are on one of my favorite T-shirts. It’s from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (www.bestfriends.org), and it has a cartoon drawing of a dog and a cat together with these two words underneath. It is so simple and yet so powerful. I was wearing this T-shirt at the workout club the other day and a woman said to me, “So easy to say, but not so easy to do.”
January 25, 2012
Today is the Day!
Do you think about changes that you’d like to make? Do you have days where you vow you will never do (or say) something to someone again, like you did today? Do you wish you could change your outlook or your attitude?
Most of us do. We do the things we don’t want to do, and don’t often do the things we know we should (and want to!) do. How come? Why does each day go by when we set out with the best of intentions but end up frustrated that we haven’t met our desired state?
January 19, 2012
Could YOU Do It?
I released my newest book this week – it was an exciting time. I had over 90 expert partners who participated in the launch with me, and the book successfully hit the bestseller list. In the midst of it, I kept receiving notes from friends and colleagues saying, “How do you do it?” They were asking how do I raise a family, work my full-time consultant job, teach, travel and write books. I do it because it matters to me to be able to help others. My passion is to bring ideas and resources to other people so they can be all they want to be.
