KEEPING LEVEL BLOG
1 billion happier people
Why gratitude?
This has been a question I’ve asked myself many times over the past 12 years because I’ve always known it would be easier to have a business that focused on helping people succeed at sales, time management, or having stronger marriages. At least it would have been easier <more>
The leadership cycle of influence
Leadership is about influencing people towards positive action.
Throughout my career I’ve noticed that, at the extremes, there are two possible outcomes to leadership behaviour, which you can characterize as either positive or negative. I’ve since discovered that <more>
What brushing your teeth and gratitude have in common
Ask a dentist and they’ll tell you the best predictor of good oral health is brushing your teeth. That’s why parents train their children to make teeth brushing a habit, including all the tips and tricks to make it as easy as possible so that the habit will stick.
Think back to when you last brushed your teeth. Where was your toothbrush? Was it <more>
The 4 Mindsets of Leadership
Everyone has a dominant mindset. When I say mindset, I’m referring to how you interpret the world around you which ultimately manifests in how you show up in the world. So, as a leader, having the right mindset is critical to your success and to your overall well-being as a human being.
I’ve identified four mindsets that span the spectrum from surviving to thriving. Here’s a brief description of each <more>
How to have a thriving September
As I write this, you are probably enjoying the last week or two of summer… at least if you’re in the northern hemisphere. Whether you were creating memories with your family, being awed by the beauty of nature, or relaxing on a patio, we all need time to rejuvenate.
September is here, so now it’s time to make the most of that rejuvenation and translate it into how you want to contribute to and serve the world.
While it is so easy to get dragged into wishing for more time off or mourn that <more>
How to beat the unrelenting force that keeps most people in survival mode
I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t want to thrive, yet so many people feel stuck in survival mode dealing with an endless cycle of not having enough. While there are many reasons for this, some individual, some complex, and some understood, I believe the biggest reason is the lack of awareness of the unrelenting force that is constantly trying to revert you to survival mode. In fact, it’s the prehistoric evolutionary state of survival and the force is as unrelenting as gravity.
Our brains have evolved significantly over the course of human history however, <more>
Spend more time thriving and less time surviving - how gratitude flipped my switch
We live in a world where far too many people find themselves far too often caught in the endless struggle of survival and never having enough. I was no different, and I often found myself in a similar place, frustrated that I didn’t have enough and wanting more. The most visceral example for me is how I dealt with various stages of life. When I was in high school, all I wanted was to graduate so I could be in university. When I was in university, I envied <more>
How gratitude stands apart from shame, guilt, envy and pride
How is gratitude different than the typical tools (i.e. powerful emotions) used to motivate staff, volunteers, family, friends or colleagues? Quite significantly <more>
Women are 3 times more likely to use this success habit
We've known for a while that women are more grateful than men, but I was somewhat surprised last week while I was reading through gratitudes posted on The Daily Gratitudes. I wasn't sure if I was just perceiving something or <more>
There's good in every problem
We're back after a summer video blog break.
Why do some see the world as a glass half empty while others see it half full? It comes down to <more>
Misleading signs
I was driving across town and saw something I had never seen before. It was a sign that grabbed my attention. As I thought about what the sign was saying, it made me realize how guarded <more>
Gratitude, indebtedness and compound interest
A recent research paper tweaked an extremely important distinction between gratitude and indebtedness that is absolutely critical in terms of building positive, productive relationships and workplace <more>
Why we need to return to the old economy
This is more than another etymology lesson. Words have power and if you think of the hold the economy has on you and your company, you might be surprised and <more>
Power privilege and parking
I was downtown for an important client meeting last week and something happened that triggered this video. It may upset you (especially if you live in Halifax) but if <more>
What I realized about gratitude... from dandelions
Do you have weeds in your mind?
With the May long weekend behind us, we're well into spring and the outside yard activities for those of us who enjoy it. Not sure if it's a coincidence but there seemed to be a lot more dandelion talk this year... and while I was cleaning up the yard the other day, something struck me <more>
3 minutes to a better world
Thanks to two colleagues (and gratitude breeders), Neil Stephen and Linda Daley, who tipped me off to a new feature released last week on Facebook.
It is going to help us breed more gratitude and <more>
I hate to call it war but...
I prefer to stand for something rather than fight against something... but in this case we have to call it what it is... war.
In this video, we begin on Ralph Devlin Dr (the street I grew up on), visit Westmount School (my wife's <more>
Use the true essence of "company" to grow your company
Words have incredible power and when you understand the roots of a word it usually opens the door to eye-opening learning, new understanding and growth.
The word "company" is no exception... and when you capture the essence of the word "company" in your company... you create the environment for growth <more>
Crappy days
Do you ever wake up and think, "This is going to be a crappy day."?
Here's a quick perspective on my response when this thought runs through my mind. No doubt your response will look <more>
The BS way to better sales conversations
If you want better sales conversations then you better have the right mindset. Gratitude offers a BS approach that you can't afford <more>