I’m implementing a Mishap Management Plan. That means I’m being proactive; I’m preparing for trouble before it happens.

I’m a First Class Girl Scout, the equivalent of an Eagle Boy Scout. “Be Prepared,” was a part of my high school education. I was a Brownie in Kindergarten and worked my way through Juniors, Cadets, and finally to Seniors in my Senior year of high school. I earned over 50 badges, patches, and pins on topics such as: hospitality, sewing, cooking, camping, hiking, and first aid. Earning Girl Scout badges gave me information, skills, tools, and most importantly, confidence.

I was a Brownie in 1966; a Senior in 1980. It’s was a different world, a safer world, in my mind. That’s probably my perspective and age talking, but while I’m writing this, California just experienced another mass shooting at a government agency. Over 20 fatalities…this is so sad. And scary. Even more so today, a girl needs to be prepared.

In 2009, the Girl Scouts addressed that by adding the Emergency Preparedness Patch which they developed in conjunction with FEMA’s Citizen Corps. Their motto: Don’t be scared; be prepared.

Life is unpredictable, but with proper training—the right Girl Scout patch–and the right attitude, I can handle anything with grace, strength, and humor. With that in mind, I’ve created my own Mishap Management Patch so I can travel the country confidently knowing I’ve compiled the information I’ll need if I “trip and fall.”

Here are 8 Mishaps that could ruin a girl’s day—unless she was prepared:

  1. Missed flight
  2. Car accident or break down
  3. Lost or stolen wallet
  4. Lost or stolen phone
  5. Lost or stolen computer or locked out of an account
  6. Got hurt or sick
  7. Pulled over
  8. Someone’s got a gun

Follow along and create your own Mishap Management Plan.

Here is the information you’ll need to gather. Store information in your phone, on your laptop, on a thumb drive, and online. Consider carrying printed copies of the information as well.

 

  1. Missed flight
  • Company Contact (trainer) #:
  • Company Emergency travel #:
  • After hours emergency travel #:
  • Traveler card customer service #:
  • Download company travel app:
  • Download airline apps:

 

  1. Car accident or car break down
  • Driver’s license:
  • Registration: hard copy
  • Proof of insurance: card and app
  • Download insurance app:
  • Insurance: Progressive Report a Claim:
  • Insurance: Progressive Roadside Assist:
  • Traveler card customer service #:
  • Download Car Rental app

 

  1. Lost or stolen wallet
  • $40 in cash stash
  • Copy of driver’s license
  • Report bank and credit cards stolen: numbers in PW doc and home
  • Report to police

 

  1. Lost or stolen phone
  • Trip tickets and itineraries printed
  • Google maps printed
  • Important contacts: #s in PW doc
  • Backup:
  • Facebook as alternative contact method

 

  1. Lost or stolen computer or locked out of important account
  • Dropbox: training files and PW doc
  • Thumb drive: training files and PW doc
  • Email myself PW doc
  • Report to police
  • Serial #:
  • Serial #:
  • Last Pass app

 

  1. Got hurt or sick
  • Insurance:
  • Doctor:
  • Dentist:
  • ICE info on phone
  • Update my will

 

  1. Got pulled over
  • Driver’s license:
  • Registration: hard copy
  • Proof of insurance: card and app
  • Download insurance app:
  • Rental car papers
  • National Car app
  • Attorney #:

 

  1. Someone’s got a gun
  • Drop back; observe
  • Locate nearest exit
  • Locate nearest police or security officer
  • Leave

 

Hopefully I won’t be experiencing ANY of that above situations. But if I do, I’ve thought about it, prepared for it, and should come out unscathed—lookin’ and feelin’ fine.

So, there you have it, an outline for creating your own personal Mishap Management Plan. All you need to do now is fill in the blanks and collect the information.

Motivational speaker Brian Tracy says, “Prepare for the worst and then expect the best.” Basically, figure out the worst case scenario and then do everything within your power to make sure that worst case scenario doesn’t happen. Laying this solid foundation helps me feel capable and comfortable. It allows me to walk forward with faith, knowing I can handle whatever is coming my way.

And now, with all of our business taken care of, let’s look forward to what’s next! But that’s a different list. Stay tuned.

#loquaciouslindee

I find myself worrying about my dad today. He’s 82, in the hospital, and recovering from surgery. This is day 24.

The time for worry should be over. He’s made it through the tough part, the surgery; now, he’s just waiting for all the vital organs to wake-up. He’s on the mend. But I find myself worrying regardless.

Regardless, being the key. Regardless of looking at the situation logically and calmly, I’m looking past the good news and dwelling on the bad. That’s what worry is: a thought of bad things unwanted.

So instead of focusing on my feelings or thoughts of my dad’s recovery, I’ve begun thinking about what I’m worried about. “I’m worried” has become “I think.” If I’m free to truly think anything I want—and of course I am—in this case, today, I’ve been thinking about all the bad things that could happen. What would happen if I focused on the good? I wonder.

I wonder when Dad will be released from the hospital? I wonder what his faithful nurse, companion, and wife–aka MOM–are doing right now? I wonder how he’s getting through his Father’s Day in the hospital?

I worry, I think, I wonder. All questions of what will happen in the future. Bad, neutral, good. For me, thinking, focusing-in on my thoughts, expectations and outcomes makes it easier to think positively, optimistically, and hopefully.

We know things in life will go wrong, but why not focus on what could go right?

Why worry when you can wonder?

 

 

I’m in a “universal time-out.” I’m flat on my back, unable to put pressure on my spine due to searing back pain. No more work or play. Time to be still. Time-out.

I didn’t have a lot of things I had left to do this week. I accomplished a lion’s share, a whole pride of lions’ share of activities this week already: rearranging and spring cleaning my small place, two hot power fusion yoga classes, a dozen laps around the lake outside my house. All of that after two hours of hand-snapping fresh asparagus–after a twenty hour car ride to and from Iowa! I like to get things done, and I’d checked more than a few items off the to-do list.

And, I was just thinking last evening how strong I felt. I was trouncing my horseshoes opponent solidly 7 to 1.  Hmmm, could have been the horseshoes that put me over. Those lucky shoes were a bit harder than usual to heave. And in hind-sight, not such a great idea. Just thinking about them sets my back aflame.

So now, it is time to rest, and time to write.

There certainly are benefits from being in a universal time-out. I hadn’t updated my blog in months. I guess those horseshoes were lucky after all. I’m lucky to have this time, time to recover, and time-out.

#LoquaciousLindee

I’m reading Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispernza.

Dr. Joe’s a master at simplifying quantum physics so we can understand HOW energy creates our realities. I’m half-way through the book and I’m excited to get to the “how to” exercises. (There are a few realities I’m planning on creating.)

As Yoda would say, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”Breaking the Habit is teaching me why my heart, mind, and body hang on to past experiences—especially the hurts—and continue a feedback loop of stinkin’ thinkin’ (#stinkingthinking) that cripples my progress forward. Dispernza refers to it as “re-mind”;when your mind plays the same story again and again.

“The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.”Who said that?

Dipernza’s view is that change creates quantum surprises (#quantumsurprises). And quantum surprises are the Universe’s way of honoring your intention. But you can’t be too specific. You have to anticipate in thought and with feeling specifically what you want, but then you have to let the Universe fill the need.

Break the habit of old thoughts, become very clear in your intent, and stand back and let the energy fall together.

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might get what you need.”

That was Mick. 😉

#loquaciouslindee

For more thoughts on moving forward, read Don’t Quit Now; Do It Now.

Let me interrupt this normally scheduled writing session to pass along this message of hope. H-O-P-E.

Hold On Pain Ends.

I’ve never heard this acronym before. I’m seeing it tonight for the first time. Hold On Pain Ends. It stopped me in my tracks. I stumbled on this quote tonight in a random google search. No, I wasn’t searching for hope. And I’m not in a depression or funk. I’m busy as crazy, doing what I love, and loving doing it, crazy as that sounds.

I actually clicked my way to it with a “quotes about Pinterest” search. Mixed in with quotes about the social media platform, Pinterest, were quotes that were also being posted on Pinterest.

There have been times in my life that hope has eluded me. And without hope, I wasn’t able to move forward in love and joy, or at all. I was stuck. Without hope, I was sad and depressed. And in pain.

“The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sun.” We all know that song quote. It’s so popular and relevant that the song is being heard by a whole new generation with the remake of the comic strip, book, broadway musical, and now movie, Annie. It’s such a beautiful message—of hope. Things will get better.

I wrote once that H-O-P-E stands for Hold On People Everywhere. That’s still valid. Hope is a waiting game. A game of patience, where sometimes you think the pain will never end. HOPE knows there are better days ahead. Pain-free days.  Little Orphan Annie says it could be as early as tomorrow!

Let’s HOPE (hold on pain ends) it will be soon; because HOPE (hold on people everywhere) is good for us all. 
 
#LoquaciousLindee
Help Open People’s Eyes. Be part of the State of the Union movement. 

Another perspective…You’re trying too hard.

With Christmas 2015 around the corner, I can’t wait to see what the folks at Westjet have in store. It’ll be hard to beat last year’s heart-moving, hope-igniting story, but can’t wait to see them try. Click this link for five minutes of cheer: Westjet Christmas Miracle.

Oh, and if Santa asks me what I want for Christmas? College tuition for the kids. And world peace. 🙂

I want this to be a joke. An impractical joke on us. But it’s not. …

Or…maybe it is?

What if Robin Williams knew more than us?

He was certainly more talented than most of us. And those who knew him can’t speak highly enough of his compassionate heart. Maybe he really did come from another planet, and his mission here is up? He’s like Truman who just walked out of one world and into the next. In sports vernacular, he got called-up by the Majors.

Just maybe, then, the joke would be on us.

“Comedy is acting out optimism,” he said. And quite often tragedy proceeds comedy. It’s one harsh reality of this world.

But, maybe Robin Williams is waiting on the other side; waiting for the day we arrive. Robin Williams, now an angel, welcoming each of us at the pearly gates in a character and voice improvised on the spot, with a punchline we never saw coming.

That’s how I prefer to see it. The joke’s on us. And the punchline is yet to come.

Oh Captain, my Captain. Your spirit lives on. Thank you for your brilliance.

#RIPRobbinWilliams

I’ve been writing a book. For almost two years now. Entangled in the Eiffel. It’s a romance novel—and a psychological thriller.

I think about it, I talk about it, I write little snippets of dialogue on scrap paper everywhere. I have word doc after word doc full of story ideas and conversations.

I even took a trip to Paris, to the Eiffel Tower, the scene of 80% of the book. But there is no deadline in site, no timeline, and therefore, it never seems like I’m getting closer to those magic words, “the end.”

But what I fail to give myself credit for is: I’m writing the book!!

Some days I do research; other days I storyboard, or work on character development. Then other days the main character forces me to my keyboard so I can let the story out. The story writes itself, and there’s no peace in my head until I’m writing.

And that’s the key. Find the motivation from within–like this simple sentence! Don’t quit now. Do it now.

When you do, it’s amazing how the right words pour out and stand out.

Give It Your All

Give up, give in, or give it your all. There is power in all three. The challenge is knowing when to do what.

Giving up doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We’ve all been taught: Winners never quit and quitters never win. Well, sometimes winners make the decision to stop. Stop pursing a course of action that’s getting them no where. There is nothing wrong with re-evaluating a situation and deciding it’s time to try a different tactic, angle, or path. Give up. See what happens when you stop pushing so hard.

Giving in can also be a good thing. “Pick your battles” is a popular phrase used when imparting wisdom to people in relationships. Sure, there will be times to stand your ground, but giving in, letting someone else have their way, is one way you can honor, respect, and accept their wishes. If that helps strengthen the relationship, why not give in? Perhaps your partner will be more willing to compromise next time, when you show them how.

Giving it your all…. Now, that’s a good thing. No matter what the outcome, win or lose, when you give a task, or a person, 100% of your focus–your undivided attention–you win. On some level, you both win. (Even though some win-win scenarios don’t make themselves known for years down the road. And they might appear as win-lose in the present.) Some projects and people are worth striving for and fighting for. For giving your all.

As for knowing when to do what? That’s a bit trickier. After all, onlyyou can say “enough is enough.””

Let your heart, mind, body, and spirit be your guide. When all four parts of you are in agreement–give up, give in, or give it your all–that’s the time to take action.

They all begin with “giving.”

 

 

A Woman of Words and Action            

               I’m not a woman of very few words; my personal hashtag is #loquaciouslindee. Loquacious, meaning, very talkative. I make my living talking; I’m a trainer and motivational speaker. I’m not EF Hutton, but when I talk, people listen. (Except for my kids. And my sweetheart on occasion.)

 

            Most people say there is a time for talk and a time for action. Is the trick knowing when to stop talking and start taking action? Or is talking part of the taking action?

 

                I like to think so.

 

           Words have power; they carry energy. They are the starting point to any good plan. Although they can be the starting point for bad plans as well. Whether clever and well-executed or lame and hair-brained, don’t all plans start with words?

 

            Eleanor Roosevelt said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” The difference between a wish and a plan is the talk used to define that plan. But when it’s truly time to get something done, take a page from a Mae West script; be a woman of few words but lots of action.

 

            Take that talk and channel it in to tasks; specific, step-by-step items you can check off a list. Take the time to plan it. Talk it out.Keep talking until it becomes a reality, one action at a time.

 

             Eleanor and Mae both had it right.