Points of Leverage: 4th Edition

The intention of C-lever Points of Leverage is to support you in your own development and growth as a leader and a human by sharing my journey of the same.  I hope you find it useful.

What I’m trying –
The Math Behind Successful Relationships –  Of the myriad of topics that can burden the mind of the entrepreneur, their marriage and their relationship with their spouse/partner is among the most common.  How we attend to and acknowledge our spouse makes an enormous difference in the quality of our relationship.   The good news is that if we honor the golden 5-1 ratio, affirming/acknowledging our spouse 5 times more than we criticize/negatively acknowledge them, our relationship will get better. While it’s not a magic bullet, it’s pretty awesome.  I’ve been trying it myself and all I can say is that things are softer/easier now.  I was talking to my husband on the phone during a recent Uber ride and when I hung up the driver said “It was nice how you thanked your husband for what he did.  Really nice!”.  I think he was wishing he got a little more of that. Who wouldn’t?
Jazz Dance Basics –  A few months ago, I developed a “move it or lose it” philosophy and convinced a female colleague in my CEO group to join me for a weekly dance class.  Since I really wanted to her to join me, I let her pick the type of dance.   So, we are doing Bob Fosse-style Jazz Dance. It’s hysterical.  We are AWFUL and having SO much fun.  For an hour every Sunday, we can’t worry or focus or plan on anything else.  We are completely present, in the moment, performing some really hideous dance moves. So fun!

What I’m reading –
Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself –  I listened to this book as I walked my dog and my neighbors must have thought I was nuts as I shouted “YES!” every few steps.  This book was mind-expanding, mind-blowing and affirming, all at the same time.  While I’m normally quite able to synthesize the meaning of books, I’m stealing this one because I’m still reeling from what it all means.  In short, the premise of the book is: “There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind—you are the one who hears it.”   I’ve known this and yet the author’s simple illustration of it made it come alive in ways it hasn’t for me before.  It’s a must read for anyone into self-development.
North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail –  I loved this book by ultra-runner legend Scott Jurek.  It’s a testament to what the body can endure when the mind is unwavering.  Without much of a plan or many resources, Scott determined to set the speed record for running the 2,189 miles of the Appalachian Trial.   And just to keep it interesting, he decided to run it South to North, instead of the easier and more common, North to South.   To set the record, Scott would have to run 50+ miles every day for 7 weeks.  It’s crazy and so good! (I’m not going to spoil it!)

What I’m consuming –
Mizzen and Main =  I learned of these athletically cut, insanely resilient men’s shirts from Tim Ferriss, bought them for my husband and now he wears almost nothing else.  They look like dress shirts but behave like high-end athletic gear.   They travel amazingly well, can be thrown into the washer and they come out looking great.  No dry cleaning.   You’ve got to get one to believe it.
P90X3 –  A few years ago, my son’s schedule changed and mine with it.  His school started earlier and he began having breakfast at 6:30 am (prime workout time for me) and I wanted to be there to start the day with him.  So, I changed my workout routine to doing 30-minute workouts at home.  Tony Horton (as puffed up as he is) and P90X3 made this challenging transition a bit easier and helped me retain (most of) my fitness level, while shortening my workouts.  I still do Insanity Max 30 when I want to do a “cough up a lung” cardio workout, but the Core workout in P90X3 is one I swear by and do every week.    My sense is that if I can have a strong core, it’ll make everything else better and easier.   So far so good.
Door-Dash =  Some weekends, I don’t want to cook and the family is too tired to go out and we have next to nothing in the frig.  So, we Door-Dash.  Door Dash is well established in the DMV area and using their app, I can order lunch or dinner from almost any restaurant in town and it’ll arrive at my door in 30-45 minutes.  Sure, there’s a delivery fee and a Dasher Tip, etc, but, we don’t care.  It’s worth it to us to cocoon at home and eat well.

Quotes I’m pondering –
The fault we see in the face of another is the fault we hide within us.  We want the other to change so we’ll feel better.  But, that’s like looking in the mirror when we have dirt on our face and rubbing the mirror to get it off.”   – paraphrased from Kelly Lynn Gitter

If you liked this (or not), let me know and feel free to forward it to someone who might benefit.   They can subscribe to C-lever POL here.  If you’d have a thought or comment, I’d love to hear it!

Take care,
Alison

Share Button

Author Bio

Alison Whitmire

CEO and Executive Leadership Coach, Advisor and Consultant, “Deeply Committed, Helping CEOs See Clearer, Do More”

Leave a reply

Follow
Get every new post delivered to your inbox!
Thank you for your time!
Powered By WPFruits.com