(Read to the bottom for four gifts you can give to yourself and others!)
Some days we need a little more help getting out of bed. This morning I woke up with a head cold, which is always more of an incentive to roll over and go back to sleep. But then a few things caught my eye that totally changed my perspective.
Across the room on the dresser I saw the participant’s medal I received from Sunday morning’s Cooper Norcross “Run The Bridge” event. It’s a 10k race (6.2 miles) over the Ben Franklin Bridge between New Jersey and Philadelphia, benefitting the Larc School, a beautiful community that serves children and adults with special needs, as their website says, to “provide opportunities for growth, development, and independence with dignity and respect.”
But let’s get a few things straight: I am not a natural runner, and I hate cold weather. My goal was not to “win” the race, but to merely cross the finish line on my own two feet instead of on a stretcher.
Nevertheless, I sign up for the Bridge Run almost every year because – standing there in 30-degree weather at 7am on a Sunday morning, knowing my knees will start hurting by mile 4 – it reinforces my gratitude that I can run the bridge, that my family is healthy, and that I truly am blessed in many ways, so I am glad to raise awareness for them.
And watching members of the Larc School community running in teams, even pushing wheelchairs over the bridge and back for 10 kilometers inspired me even more.
Now, I’m not usually a proponent of the “everyone gets a trophy” school of thought, but I’m proud of that participant’s medal because I worked for it and I earned it, and seeing it reminds me of that inspiration and gratitude.
After I reminisced about the run for a moment this morning, I reached for my phone to check the calendar to see how much leeway I had before I had to get up, and I saw that today’s podcast guest is Daina Trout, Co-Founder and Chief Mission Officer of Health-Ade Kombucha.
Daina was a lot of fun, and shared not only how her passion for “real food” and the core importance of “gut health” drove her to launch her line of Health Ade drinks, but also the unique challenges of her decision to go from CEO – the most powerful position in the company – to her newly created role of “Chief Mission Officer” – which has no official power!
How do you influence people throughout the company and beyond to make your recommended choices to drive the company toward your vision when they don’t technically report to you? Listen here or watch here to find out!
Oh – and be sure to read to the bottom for Daina’s generous pre-Thanksgiving gift to all of us!
One more item on the calendar today is World Adoption Day. (Actually, November is National Adoption Month overall.) Many of you know I’m a big supporter of The Adoption Center whose mission is to help children in the foster care system find their forever homes, and this year the Adoption Center celebrates its 50th Anniversary!
One of my favorite singers, Sia, adopted two teenage boys who were aging out of the foster care system. She said, “Just because my sons didn’t come out of me 19 years ago doesn’t mean they’re not my children.”
While my own 19-year-old is technically my stepson, that’s exactly how I feel about him. Both of my boys inspire me every day.
Does someone in your life have room in their home and hearts for a little more love? Check out The Adoption Center for more info or go back to listen to Executive Director Christine Jacob's Speaking to Influence interview about influence in this space. After all, there are no unwanted children – just unfound families!
Again, love and gratitude serve as powerful inspiration and motivators.
And lastly, looking ahead, Thursday is Veterans Day. To all the service members out there, past and present:
For a little extra Veteran’s Day inspiration and gratitude, check out some earlier Speaking to Influence episodes with amazing guests like Ralph Galati who spoke about veteran resources and communications, or Tracy Flanagan, co-founder of J-Dog Brands, a veteran-owned and operated cleaning and junk-hauling franchise company.
So with all of that in my mind, the head cold didn’t seem so much of an issue anymore. Armed with some decongestant, tissues and a cup of tea, but a very light heart, I started my day!
I hope some of my inspiration has touched you in some way today. Inspiration and gratitude make all the difference.
PS: Here are four ways you can feel GREAT about yourself by doing something good for others:
Check out the Larc School’s Amazon Wish List and send a gift today.
Daina is giving a generous 15% off discount on any Health-Ade products on their website exclusive to my subscribers and listeners. Use the promo code SpeakingToInfluence15 upon checkout and is valid until December 31,2021.
Can’t adopt, but want to make a difference in the life of a child? See all the ways you can support children through the Adoption Center HERE.
Are you a veteran who needs a bit of support? Or know a veteran who does? Go to JDog Foundation for more information on how to get the services you have earned and deserve.
