“Not All Readers Are Leaders, But All Leaders Are Readers”-Harry S Truman

I really like this quote from Harry S Truman.

I have not always been a big reader however several years ago, I accepted a personal growth challenge to start reading more and ever since then I have literally been addicted to reading.

I initially started reading books on a Kindle but this past year, I really struggled with not having an actual book in my hand so I retired the Kindle and started ordering the actual book. There is something to say about holding an actual book in your hand and having the ability to highlight information on the pages of that boook.

What is on your reading list? What would you add? Would you drop anything from the above list?

Because People Matter

Kris

What is direction? Dictionary.com defines it as “a course along which someone or something moves.” When I think about direction, I think about a destination. A starting point and an ending point. An end goal in mind.

Dictionary.com defines speed as the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate. Speed does not take into account anything else. You can go very fast without regard to direction or where you are going.

I was talking with a co-worker last week who was discouraged with her weight loss journey. She had not lost the amount of weight that she had wanted within the time frame she wanted. I reminded her that the most important part of meeting her goal was making sure that she was going in the right direction. She was losing weight, maybe not as fast as she wanted but she was in the right direction of losing weight.

Many times we get so focused on something that we get more caught up with the speed rather than the direction. Many people are going nowhere fast because they are more concerned with speed than direction.

Remember that no matter where you are in life, no matter what task you are completing or goal you are meeting, Direction is more important than speed. Getting to the right destination is better than getting to the wrong destination quickly.

Because People Matter

Kris

Are you a night-owl or a morning riser? Let’s be honest, everyone of us is one or the other. We either stay up late at night and are hard to rise in the morning, or we are early to be and early to rise.

For most of my life, aside from my time in the military, I was a night-owl and hated mornings. I kept the snooze button handy and would have 5-6 alarms set so that I could snooze to the very last minute. What i continually faced was unplanned days and unfinished task/goal lists. At the beginning of 2020, I decided that I was going to make a change to be more intentional with my life. I studied some of who I consider the most successful people and I found that all of them had a few things in common, but the most common was that each of them had a regular morning routine.

What is a morning routine? A morning routine is essentially a set of actions you perform in the morning, usually before starting your day’s main activity like going to work or to school. The actions can be anything from drinking a glass of water or brushing your teeth to doing a two-hour workout or running around the block and more. I sat down and wrote out what I wanted to accomplish in my morning before I started work or before it was time to get everyone else in the house up for the day. What tasks, what goals were most important?.

Early on when I first started my morning routine, I was struggling to get up and get it going. What i discovered was that I was setting my self up for failure due to what I was doing each night before. I would stay up late each night. I was going to bed with my phone or ipad and browsing Facebook, Instagram or the internet. I was doing this until I was exhausted and falling asleep with my phone in my hand. Then when the alarm would go off at 5am, I would just continue to hit snooze. I knew that something had to change.

I quickly figured out that in order to have a successful morning routine, I need a nightly routine as well. Once I put a nightly routine in place, I was able to have a successful morning routine.

I will share in more details what my nightly and morning routines look like in a later post. But first, Do you have a morning routine? What does it look like? What have you found to be most helpful in staying on task with you morning routine?

Because People Matter,

Kris

Our day is truly wasted if we did not help someone who can never repay us back.

Do things for others, not because of who they are, but because of who you are.

Because People Matter…

KL

 

When faced with a challenge, overcoming fear, or coming back from a “failure,” successful people are focused on growth more than they fixate on the outcome of failure. (Trick: when feeling letdown, reflect by writing 3 things that went wrong in the process and how you plan to fix them next time.)- Carol Dweck “Mindsets”

Last night we went to see the new JOKER movie. I am not one who likes to frequent the dark movie theater but I was interested in this movie and was actually excited to see it.

Mental Health is a huge problem in our society today. It comes in all shapes and sizes. This movie really brings to light many key points in regards to mental illness. I am going to share a few of my take aways with you.

1. Mental illness is non discriminatory-It does not care about your age, race, sex or social status. It can effect anyone.

2. Mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes- It effects people in different ways.

3. Mental illness is not always visible on the outside-Many times you will never see the mental illness that someone else is struggling with.

4. Those who suffer with mental illness are not freaks or clowns- They are mothers, wives, sons and daughters.

5. Our healthcare systems has failed those with mental illness-Our healthcare systems are actually causing more harm by prescribing all kinds of medications and then kicking them back out on the streets without seeking the root of the mental illness cause.

6. Telling someone to “get over it” actually causes more harm then good. It’s not as easy as just “putting on a happy face.”

There are several more take aways that I could share from this movie. I would encourage you to go and watch it. I will say this movie is not okay for children. Once you watch it, feel free to share your thoughts.

Because People Matter.

Kris

I am currently reading “Visioneering: God’s Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision” by Andy Stanley.  This book is packed full of principles and practical “how to’s”  that will help you develop and maintain a personal vision.  I am excited to get to the end of the book and then apply the principles to my personal and family vision.

What are you reading this month?  What do you recommend?

Helping People Pursue Jesus!!!

KL

I believe that we are better when we are together. I believe this so strongly that we are building it into the DNA of our family vision. I challenge and encourage everyone to join a Home Group—a gathering of friends centered around fellowship, Bible study and discussion, and focused prayer. A wise man once said,  “People aren’t looking for a friendly church; they are looking for friends.” I believe that’s true, and I encourage you to be a part of a home group.  If you desire authentic community, I encourage you to contact me and find out how you can connect through our Home Groups, each person in our community can engage in stimulating conversations as they fall into a circle of friends.

Helping People Pursue Jesus!

KL

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17, NIV)

Already mourning lost sleep from this morning? Most people will sleep about 40 minutes less on Sunday night after daylight saving time returns, bad news for the 47 million American who are already sleep-deprived. But those aren’t the only impacts it can have on your health.

You’re more likely to have a heart attack
In the three days after we spring forward, we’re five percent more likely to have a heart attack, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine. Another study found a jump as big as 25 percent. One possible explanation is that sleep deprivation releases stress hormones that increase inflammation, causing complications in those already at higher risk of having a heart attack. The good news? Our risk falls by 21 percent when daylight saving time ends in November.

Your performance suffers
It can be tough enough to guzzle enough coffee to function at the office on Monday mornings, and you can expect tomorrow morning to be even harder. A 2012 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that we spend more time online on non-work related websites the first Monday after daylight saving time starts than on the Mondays before or after it. There’s also over a five percent jump in workplace accidents that Monday.

Your sleep efficiency is lower
The impact of daylight saving time on our sleep quality goes beyond a lost hour. Researchers say that sleep efficiency—the ratio of time you spend actually sleeping compared to the amount of time you spend in bed—is disrupted for as long as a week or more after we spring forward. One study found that sleep time is reduced by up to an hour a day for five days following the change—and it’s especially tough on night owls.

 How to Deal:

Adjusting to the time change is different for everyone. Some people adjust in a few days; for others, it takes more time.

Wake up early. Exposing yourself to the bright light in the morning will help you adjust. After a dark winter season, the sun may seem harsh at first.

Don’t Take Naps. Avoiding naps is key for adjusting to the time change. Try not to take naps, If you have to take them, take them early and for no longer than 20 minutes.

Long naps are a sign of sleep deprivation and other underlying health issues. Research says short naps improve brain function, leaving you refreshed afterward.

Avoid Coffee and Caffeinated Drinks. Avoid coffee and caffeinated beverages four to six hours before bedtime.

It’s also important to follow good sleep hygiene habits

Turn off the House of Cards marathon. Power down distractions like the TV, cell phone, and laptop well before bedtime—the blue light they emit suppress melatonin secretion, disrupting sleep.

What are you doing to help adjust to daylight savings time and springing forward one hour?

Because People Matter

KL

I have always enjoyed reading.  I actually have a pretty large library of books.   However, my time management has not really allowed much room for reading.  Reading was always the first thing to go when the schedule got crammed.

I enjoy reading books on my iPad via the Kindle app.  I usually have my iPad or phone with me anywhere I am which allows for reading pretty much at any time.  Also, If I read on my iPad and then later read on my iPhone, the Kindle app keeps up where I was at across all my devices.

I am including my reading list for March below!!

SOUL DETOX by Craig Groeschel

As standards of conduct continue to erode in our shock-proof world, we must fight the soul pollution threatening our health, our faith, and our witness to others. Without even knowing it, people willingly inhale second-hand toxins poisoning their relationship with God and stunting their spiritual growth.Soul Detox examines the toxins that assault us daily including: toxic influences, toxic emotions, and toxic behaviors.

By examining the toxins that assault us daily, this book offers the ultimate spiritual intervention with ways to remain clean, pure, and focused on the standard of God’s holiness.

What are you reading this month?  What are you planning to read next month?

Share your thoughts!!

Because People Matter,

KL