Are You All About the Sunset, No Moonrise?

While focusing on one thing – all about that bass, no treble – might work really well for Meghan Trainor, tunnel vision could land you and your business in a very vulnerable place.

My husband and I were watching a sunset over the harbor along with a group of adults and one young boy. All of the adults zeroed in as the ball of fire began its descent from the sky: cameras ready to go, oohs and ahhs, exclamations of delight as though this were the first time any of us had witnessed a sunset.Sunset-Moon Rise for Deb

Suddenly and quietly, the young boy chimed in with his thoughts: “Hey, what about the moon?” We all turned to the left and saw the much simpler, yet equally impressive moonrise. Lucky for us, this boy had no qualms about letting a bunch of adults know that Mother Nature had more than one sight for us to take in on the horizon.

Perhaps you’re wondering how the heck this relates to your business. Here are a few things I learned from our young friend. Make sure:

  • You’re inviting people with different perspectives to be part of your team.
  • You allow all voices on your team to be comfortable sharing how they view the progress of your project.
  • You don’t become so enamored with a shiny, beautiful idea that you forget look at whether there’s a simpler way to achieve the same results.
  • To remove blinders; they’re quite dangerous.

Sometimes we learn things when least expect to; be open to hearing and responding to those quiet voices that sometimes teach us the most.

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Are You All About the Sunset, No Moonrise? was last modified: October 21st, 2014 by Deb Nelson

Running for Good: Good for the Community and Good for You

This Sunday, get off the couch and hit the pavement. Stretch your legs and support an organization helping people who are facing health challenges.

 If you’re in Maine this Sunday, lace up your running shoes and hit the road for a 5K filled with fun in Brewer or Sanford. Each run will support a nonprofit lending a hand to those in treatment for cancer. Here are the details:

Brewer:
The Purple Iris Foundation will host its 2nd Annual Pound the Pavement 5K FUN Color Run. The race starts at 9:30 at the Brewer Auditorium. Chris Parrish founded the organization after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer: “The Purple Iris Foundation…..It’s my dream. I want to raise money for people who have pancreatic cancer that can’t afford treatment.” ~ Chris Parrish

Sanford:

Grahamtastic Connection hosts its 4th Annual 5K Run & Walk. Registration and packet pickup begin in 8:00 a.m. Leslie Morissette is the founder of this organization to honor her son, Graham, after he lost his life to cancer. Grahamtastic Connection provides laptops, tablets, and internet access to seriously ill children.

Caroline and me at last year's Grahamtastic 5K Run & Walk
Caroline and me at last year’s Grahamtastic 5K Run & Walk

While running or walking in these 5Ks will support the nonprofit community and the people they serve, these 5Ks are also good for participants. Whether it’s your first 5K or your 100th 5K, the exercise you’re getting will help you stay healthy and fend off illness. If it is your first 5K, use this as a benchmark and train throughout the winter months. You’ll be surprised at the progress you can make running three time a week. I was able to participate in last year’s Grahamtastic Connection 5k with my husband, my Goddaughter Caroline, and her mother. It was Caroline’s first 5K; since then, we’ve followed a plan to run three times a week. The results: we’ve run a 5-mile race and a 10-mile race together!

So…support those in need with your registration fees and donations; support your own health by moving those feet!

Let’s stay connected: Sign up for blog posts, and drop me an email to let me know about the good work of nonprofits in your community.

 

Running for Good: Good for the Community and Good for You was last modified: October 14th, 2014 by Deb Nelson