When one door closes...

Other doors always open up.

Yet some of us don't see the other doors opening, because our focus
stays on the door that has closed.

That's the key to "Spinning it and Winning it".

When we face a challenge, like a door closing, we "spin it" into a
positive, lesson, or an opportunity...that way, our focus doesn't stay
on the door that has closed, our focus is directed to looking around
for the doors that have opened.

Yours in "Focus" - Coach

Having a challenge...

Slowing down? Maybe we just need to change our focus a bit.

The world keeps on going around and around, so it's up to us to find
the places where we can take a break from it all and "get whole".

What most consider a waste of time, could be our perfect haven.

Lines, airports, flying, driving, and waiting for the doctor can be
excellent times for all of us to breathe a little deeper, think about
what we want to think about...and just be ourselves.

There's no need to hurry up those situations - it just gets us back in
the fast pace of life, sooner...so maybe we need to focus on relaxing
instead of being anxious - because one will help...and the other one
won't.

Yours in "Creating Your Own Haven" - Coach

There would be almost...

Nothing worse than having no competition.

We would get lazy, by having nothing to challenge us.

We would grow bored, by things coming easily.

We would become complacent, by never facing a challenge.

We would become weak, by not having to use, what we were blessed with.

We would never reach our potential, as we would never face resistance.

What's with that? Nothing...that's why we embrace competition.

Yours in "Competition" - Coach

If you are in a Hole...

Stop digging.

We all get into a hole, once in a while, but hashing and re-hashing why
we got into it, or how bad it feels to be in it, gets us nowhere.

We need to change our thoughts into...how to get out of our Hole.
Simple as
that...just "spin" our thoughts and focus towards the solution and not
the challenge.

And soon enough, with a bit pf persistence, the dirt starts to fly back
in, and we start to rise out of our hole.

Remember - you dug it, you need to fill it back in.

Yours in "Shovel time" - Coach

Ever known someone...

Who is 4 feet of stubborn and 2 feet of love?

They can be a bit of a challenge to get through to...sometimes.

Not to worry, if they are a tad more stubborn to changing their ways
or views, than the norm, it just makes them that much more stubborn not
to go back, once
they turn the corner.

So don't give up on the stubborn ones, because once they "get it", they
got it.

Yours in "Trust" - Coach

What happened?

I was "Fresh" this morning?

Yes, straight out of bed and into the shower, clean clothes and your
battery fully charged to meet the day with considerable relish!

Then as the day goes on, things start to drag a bit, and at bedtime,
you are fully shot?

Just the way things go. It would be better if we could run full speed
all day long and feel as fresh at bedtime as we did when we walked out
the door in the morning.

Well, we can take steps to combat this challenge.

Maybe take short rests during the day to keep the batteries charged, or
eating better - not to put an excess load on our body or digestive
system, or taking exercise breaks to rev us up.

It is what it is, but we can also help to make it what it isn't.

Yours in "Choice" - Coach

Maybe the most under rated system...

In our body is the Lymph system? Could be.

Not a lot of people know that is is as big as our circulatory system -
but since it has no pump, like the heart, it doesn't get much
recognition.

But it sure is important. There are so many organs and systems in our
body that produce waste and by-products and they don't just
evaporate - they are carried away by the lymph system.

The only challenge, since there is no pump, this system can only work
through movement of the body and muscles to help carry things away - so
if we don't move or exercise - the waste and by-products, stay
put...backing up our bodies and creating a "toxic situation" that can
breed other challenges.

Cats don't move much - but they stretch a lot...so if we aren't moving
the way we need to - maybe do what cats do...it's the next best things
to get things moving;

Yours in "Move it" - Coach

We all know...

The folks in our lives, where a discussion tends to end up in a
disagreement...when we have an opposing opinion.

We often forget and disagree with that person, which virtually always
ends up in a "spat".

We don't have that challenge with others - so we must remember that the
challenge is part of "their game" and only becomes "our game" if we
allow it.

We're not saying we must kowtow to them, just let them play "their
game" - it's theirs, and not ours.

After all "Why poke the bear"?

Yours in "A Solid Plan" - Coach

Do you have an albatross...

Hanging around your neck?

Some of us do - it's that thing that we can't shake, get better or get
rid of.

It can be that nagging challenge that we have been not addressing with
current health condition or that bothersome item that has not been
dealt with. It may even be our inability to get out of that rut.

Whatever our albatross is - it needs to go.

So make a plan, focus and that albatross may as well keep the tens on,
because a beat down is coming, and the feathers will fly!

Yours in "Taking Control"- Coach

Thanksgiving?

It sure is a day to Give Thanks for all that we have, and Everyone in
our lives.

Tradition usually dictates that we spend time with family, which can be
wonderful, but in some cases, can be a bit challenging. We pick our
friends, but not our family, and that can be the "rub".

If we anticipate a challenge with a family member, we can "Spin it and
win it" for the future.

We had Uncle Jack...at the dinner table, he would periodically give a
good lean to the side, and release any gas that was building up, and
continue eating like nothing happened. And then there was
Aunt Mary Pat...she usually got over served and passed out by mid
afternoon.

At first, everyone was appalled and upset, but after a while we just
took it in stride and actually enjoyed the shows...making side bets, on
how many times Uncle Jack would do it, and what time Aunt Mary Pat
would hit the floor.

So have a Happy Thanksgiving, and if you have to, "Spin it and Win it"
with any relative that you didn't pick.

None of us are around forever, but fond memories are.

Yours in "Just be Thankful" - Coach

Focus on Frustrations?

You bet!

We face challenges everyday, and some we like to tackle, if they are
presenting a challenge to us that we don't mind tackling.

But some challenges, we don't like to tackle...and can be frustrating -
that's the boil.

All we have to do in those instances, is "Spin it and Win it" -
figuring out how to turn those challenges into something we don't mind
doing, or imagine the great feelings we will get after we do it.

No matter what the frustration is, let's face it' some things just need
to be done...and we might as well have fun doing them.

Your is "Spin and Win Frustrations" - Coach

I was stopped last night...

On my way out, by 3 of our Zappos Athletic Performance team members - Peake, Lauren and Josh.

They challenged me to write today's blog about rainbows, a donkey and
Tom Jones singing in the background? Sometimes we need to accept the challenge, so...

When warm rain has subsided as you are riding on your donkey, and the
beautiful rainbow has appeared overhead, just think of Tom Jones
belting out some sweet tunes as you arrive at the base of the Temple.
Your minions then lift you effortlessly off your donkey and put you on
their shoulders and glide you up the steps of the Temple and set you up
like the Royalty you are - for eternity.

And sometimes when we accept a challenge, it may not turn out a
masterpiece - but the point is, sometimes we just need to accept the
challenge.

Yours in "Accept the Challenge" - Coach

Leadership

The world is in need of Leaders to demonstrate Leadership, and virtually
everyone can rise to the occasion - and stay there.

"Demonstrating" Leadership skills is the key factor.

One cannot be a Leader without demonstrating leadership skills...and
being a Leader means you are "in the process". A leader cannot be
outside what's going on, and tell people what to do - that's management.

A good litmus test in our ability to Lead is to ask this question - "
Does our Leadership meet resistance or greet persistence"? - If it
meets resistance - we are not involved enough, and all the dictating,
reprimanding and raising our voice will not solve the challenge.

Be a Leader and get involved in the process, and be the role model you
were meant to be.

Yours in Leadership - Coach

When we make a Blame Sandwich...

We have to be prepared to eat it ourselves.

Yes, blame is our effort to put our perceptions of a situation
directly on another, but the real deal is that blame always comes from
us, and always boomerangs back at some point.

You see, blame is part of a problem or challenge and it simply perpetuates it, instead of helping to be part of the solution.

We all make mistakes, we know it, and so do they.

So forget blame and remember solution, for the solution is all that
counts.

Yours in Solutions - Coach