Inspiration

The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky. I was scheduled to speak that evening to 1,500 school principals, but I was a little "down in the dumps." My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero and I found one for the ages.

When you have to make a choice, often all you need is a good set of questions to guide you, save you time, maintain peace of mind, and come up smiling! Learn how to ask the right ones with the help of Dial It Down, Live It Up by Jeff Davidson.

This Presidents Day, get inspired by the timeless wisdom of the first commander-in-chief of the United States, George Washington.

Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate those who support us during life's triumphs, and especially during its challenges. Read on to learn how Linda Ellis used her dash to help a grieving mother find peace after loss.

Here's a post from Lisa Hammond, author of Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me!

I have a quote hanging up that says, "At worst a house unkept cannot be so distressing as a life unlived." Rose Macaulay already had that figured out back in 1881. She was way ahead of her time!

Summer seems like the perfect time to follow Rose's lead and really start living your life. When was the last time you went off to play hooky? If you can't remember, I suggest you carve out some playtime for yourself immediately. The work can wait, skip the meeting, let the laundry pile up, and take a break.

I have a friend who used to say he wouldn't take a day off because he was sure the company couldn't function without him. He told everyone he was the guy holding up the sun. Well, it turns out, after he retired the sun still managed to come up every single day without him.

I think a lot of us are convinced we are the ones "holding up the sun." News flash, we aren't. The sun is okay without our help.

The world—yes even your own company—will get along just fine without you for a few days, even weeks. In fact, I truly believe it will even benefit from your absence if you take some time off to recharge your batteries. As Larry Eisenberg said, "For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe."

Women especially seem to have forgotten the being part of human being. We somehow bought into the human doing theory. It is easy to forget that we are multidimensional women, and we need to nurture all aspects of our lives. And that includes pleasure.

You are the only one who can schedule down time for yourself. Make it a priority and enjoy the blissful summer sunshine—because it turns out you aren't the one holding it up!

Lisa Hammond

The Barefoot CEO ®