This last Friday, I found myself in a less-than-therapeutic mood. Knowing that simply removing myself from the tasks at hand, and making a quick coffee run, would provide just the mental re-set that I required. It is an old trick I learned as a therapist. Physically removing oneself from a situation in which you feel stuck or overwhelmed, and performing an easily completed task (one that provides instantaneous gratification), can be a phenomenal mental re-set!

Knowing that I would imminently be on the receiving end of just such gratification, I was led immediately to my sense of gratitude. That mental re-set was already in motion!! This revised focus had already taken my mind from ‘stuck’ to service. As I rolled down the window to pay for my coffee and croissant, I prepared for the big tab of nine dollars and change. But, already my mindset was in gratitude mode. I happily proclaimed that I wished to pay for the vehicle behind me, as a #payitforwardfriday. I was really feeling the good stuff now. As the beaming young lady said, ‘that will be twenty two dollars…’, I had a moment of disbelief, and then disgust. My simple kindness had taken me from the feeling of giving, to one of disgust. My mind screamed out, “well, how nice for THEM’. In that moment, the same sweet ray of light said to me, ‘That was so nice. You’re going to have some great KARMA coming your way today!’ And, in that same moment, I felt so ashamed.

You see, I learned a valuable lesson on my little mental re-set run. It was a reminder of sorts. An admonishment. I was raised with the philosophy that you never (forgive the language) ‘half-ass’ on effort. If you give your time/effort/energy to something, then give it your full and undivided attention, 100%. For, if you give something ‘half-ass effort’, the return on your investment will be equal. If our time/effort/energy can be so easily ‘monetized’ in our own mindset, why would our kindness? Why would we only ‘half-ass’ our kindness?? Seems ludicrous, no??

The quote often attributed to Gandhi, so wisely stated that we should ‘Be the change we wish to see in the world.’ To become an effective agent for change, we must be willing to (unflinchingly & unwaveringly):

1. Take an honest look in the proverbial mirror
2. Be willing to both see and address our own ‘ugly’ (the internal ugly that resides in each of us)
3. Make a conscious decision to CHANGE OUR OWN BEHAVIOR
4. ACT (and don’t ‘half-ass’ on the effort)
5. Always be open to LEARN. Not one of us is a finished product.
6. Enjoy and Appreciate the Return on Your Investment of Kindness – TRUE HAPPINESS

And, so here we are, Monday morning. Here is what I will be working on…..

#mondaymotivation #leadershiplessons #leadwithkindness #donthalfassoneffort