The surprising connection between shoe laces and wins

The morning rush was in full swing
Lunches packed…. tick,
Teeth brushed….tick,
Library bags ……tick.
Money for petrol or I might not make it back…..tick.

Then drop the kids, head home and get cracking on my own list for the day.

As I quickly wiped the bench I noticed both kids sprawled on the floor tying their laces. Nothing unusual and yet somehow the magnitude of this had escaped me previously.

I stood still, holding onto my breath, fearing time would shift and the moment would be lost.

I indulged in a quick mental slideshow filled with glorious memories of the past nine years.

The first time I squeezed chubby little baby’s feet into their tiny pair of shoes. The countless array of colourful and often sparkly runners.  The gumboots and the puddles they jumped in.

Then finally that momentous occasion when I began to teach them to tie their own shoelaces.

The endless mornings that followed filled with tears, tantrums and encouragement.  The hours spent practicing and the look of determination on their young faces.

The patience required to hold back, to give them an opportunity and to finally stop doing it for them.

Today I stood in my kitchen, watching my children both effortlessly tie their shoes and I could not remember when this started happening.

I was now finally celebrating the win.

Tell me about your wins.

This is the very first and most favourite thing I ask my clients each time I see them.

Tell me about your wins;  What went well?  What felt good?  What are you proud of?

Work with me long enough and you come to expect this question and yet it continues to be one many people struggle to answer.

They are ready to tell me what is going wrong, what is not right, what they want to change.

No wonder.  In such a noisy world bombarding us with information on how to eat, live, love and parent better it is easy to fixate on what is not right.

We gaze at our screens comparing our behind the scenes to the highlight reel prancing before us.

In a week when you have not seen the bottom of the laundry hamper, your inbox is never empty and you are desperate to finish a cup of tea while it is still hot, WINS are the furthest thing from your mind.

Instead of deciding what needs to improve, change or cease let’s decide what one thing you can do that matters to you.

Let’s set you up for a big, delicious WIN.

Now when I say big and delicious I do not mean hang gliding this weekend or running in the next Melbourne Marathon.  I am talking an important everyday WIN, something you want to do because it adds value to your life.

Something that will have you giving yourself a satisfied wink in the rear vision mirror.

Let me get you started, could it be:

• Mailing a handwritten letter to a friend because you miss them
• Helping change a life by loaning money through Kiva
• Eating a healthy breakfast
• Replanting that pot of dead flowers lingering at the front door
• Using that free pass for the gym
• Getting up early and watching the dawn break
• Baking a cake and inviting a friend over for giggles

Okay now over to you

This week I will___________________________________________________

because I secretly love to ___________________________________________

I will do this ______________________________ (when, c’mon book this baby in) 

And afterwards I will celebrate by ______________(winking at myself in the mirror)

Now make a commitment and let me know in comments what you plan to do this week that matters to you.

This is your one great life, Lead it Fabulously.