From the Publisher

We are living in a world of important challenges that need people with more than technical fixes. We need to move from having all the answers, to listening to others, accepting the unknown and working together. We need to be innovative as well as compassionate to find new ways of doing business and building our community.

Because these challenges lie within the hearts of the people we are working with as well as our own, we must pause, to listen and understand as best possible, so that we can provide support, confidence and solutions that move us forward together.

We must know ourselves, be vulnerable and understand our own triggers. Triggers cause us to be jaded in how we perceive a situation or cause us to be angered or emotional. Triggers also cause us to be a part of the problem as we become unable to move into a working space that can help make change and progress.

The beauty of each day is that we get to make choices that impact and shape the people and the world around us. Here are a few simple choices:

BE THE LIGHT.

We have the choice between love and hate—choose love. Be a light. Make someone smile. And be committed to serving as a positive impact in the world and the people around you every day. Have hope that today is the best day ever and then make it as good as it can be with your attitude, your behaviors and your words.

LISTEN.

Two of the most powerful experiences is to be heard and to learn from another. When you hear yourself talking or thinking about the next thing you want to say, stop and just listen. Then ask questions and invest in the relationship.

EXPAND YOUR BANDWIDTH.

Whether you think of it as getting outside of your box or stretching yourself like a rubber band, you can only grow from learning. One of the easiest ways to learn is to engage with people outside your circle of friends, to hear their story and see through their eyes. With all the world at our fingertips, pick a podcast or read an article that has a different viewpoint. You don’t have to agree, but you can’t allow yourself to stay stagnant by surrounding yourself with likeness. Grow wider, grow deeper and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

LET IT END SO YOU CAN BEGIN AGAIN.

This is a more recent concept for me and one that a colleague gifted me with. Each day we give it our all—some days go better than others—and when it is all over, we must walk away, trust that we have grown and give it a new fresh effort tomorrow. There will be times you knock it out of the park with your navigation of a difficult situation and then literally the next day you will fall flat. But there are two things for certain that will happen—the day will begin, and the day will end—give it all you have between those two points.