Stewardship, Self-Care, and...Multi-Tasking?

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/ooyoo

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

--Maya Angelou

Stewardship is perhaps the highest level of self-care there is.  That may sound surprising at first, but look at the area that comes to mind first for many of us.  When we're working toward a cleaner environment, we're serving the Earth and all its present and future inhabitants, including ourselves!

Stewardship is a great example of "what goes around comes around."  Receiving is just as much a part of stewardship as serving is.

Have you ever noticed what a deflating feeling it is when someone refuses your act of kindness?  Giving is very rewarding, and so is graciously receiving from others.  Acts of stewardship are the multi-taskers of life!

Below is a list of several things we do in everyday life that help others and ourselves (multi-tasking), often without thinking about their value as acts of stewardship:

• Caring for your personal environment, including your physical well-being.
• Working in the helping professions and/or the non-profit sector.
• Volunteering.
• Sharing your knowledge and wisdom.
• Cooperating and collaborating with others.
• Letting it be known when you need help.
• Taking responsibility for your roles in your family.
• Developing compassionate and effective leadership skills.
• Being a great role model.
• Being responsible with money.
• Adopting a pet from a shelter.
• Helping people in need with compassion and respect.
• Envisioning the potential of the person you're helping.
• Teaching others how to help themselves over the long term.

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Brian Jackson

One of the best books I've seen on the possible frustrations of trying to help others is Do It Anyway, by Kent M. Keith.  He has a list of ten "Paradoxical Commandments," such as "If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.  Do good anyway."  Another of my favorites is, "Honesty and frankness make you vunerable.  Be honest and frank anyway."

Please don't give up on your stewardship efforts without reading Keith's book!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Ivan Bajic

 

Handling your money wisely and teaching your children to do so is great role modeling.  And the kids will be more likely to teach their own children this skill when they're ready for it.  Now that's multitaking at its best!

I want to finish this post with a quote from David Heller's book, Children on Happiness.

"The secret of happiness is kindness...not just toward other people but being kind to yourself too."  --Michael Y., at the age of ten

Your comments are welcome,

Susan

Mind Spa Coaching & Reiki

with Susan Cleaver

scleaver@dejazzd.com

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration

If you live in the greater Philadelphia or Reading, PA, area....

The Boyertown Health Fair will be on Saturday, March 31, 2012.  It's organized by the Boyertown Area Community Wellness Council, and it's very family oriented.  In fact, it's grandson-tested.  We took ours three years in a row, and he loved it.  This year, in January, he asked us if he could come with us this year.  This kid really plans ahead!

The fair takes place at the Boyertown Area Senior High School.  Please contact me for details at scleaver@dejazzd.com.  The fair is complimentary, and I'll be giving free samples of Reiki and Life Coaching plus lots of resources!

P.S. to kids planning to attend:  Feel welcome to bring along parents, grandparents, etc.  They'll love it, too! 

If you live ANYWHERE....

I'm offering special pricing of 25% off ALL of my services.  And remember, Life Coaching can be done by phone or in person!  The special pricing is subject to change after June 30, 2012.

**All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.**

**Member of the TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org.**



Check out my post from April 1, 2008...it has been in the #1 spot for a while now as my most popular post!  It's called, "When Opportunity Knocks....".  Happy reading, and thanks for your support!

   

Leadership: Walking Our Talk

Some of you may remember my theme from 2011, which was "Audacious Self-Care."  Well, I guess I teach what I need to learn...when I need to learn it!

The last quarter of 2010 (when I picked the topic) and all of 2011 offered some very difficult challenges for my family and me, so putting reminders about self-care in this blog throughout the year was helpful to me.  Then things caught up with me, and I had to stop blogging for a while in favor of my self-care.  The irony was not lost on me!

I apologize for disappearing, and I will finish covering all the sub-topics of self-care that I promised my readers a year ago. Thank you for your patience.

Before we move on to talking about leadership, I would also like to announce that I've expanded my business name from the same as my name to...(drum roll please)...

Mind Spa Coaching and Reiki

with Susan Cleaver

******************************************

Now for today's topic:

Leadership: Walking our Talk





Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Mats Persson



Last spring, on 6/3/11, I wrote a post about the value of personal leadership in preparation for this one on walking our talk as leaders.  Long-term success in leading others is based on how you manage yourself.

In the photo above, one of the components is "Lead by Example."  That would be problem if the "example," or role model, had the basics of his own life in disarray!  Poor role models either forget this, or they think it won't show.

For example, the poor role model may think it doesn't matter if their home office is messy and disorganized, because his followers never see it.  Well, they do see it...in the role model's stress level, even if his desk at work looks great.  What's more is that they can feel it on an energetic level, and they won't feel motivated by the leader.

This concept also applies to the leader's stewardship in these areas:

*integrity

*health

*finances

*lifestyle

*relationships

Think of this as if it were a pillow sham.  It looks great on the outside.  But if the pillow inside is filled with stones, it's useless to followers and leaders alike.  No wonder so many people come home from work with a headache!

Here's to great leadership,

Susan

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

**Written material in all posts of this blog is (c) Susan Cleaver**

**Member of TCN, a local non-profit organization at www.tcnetwork.org**  

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration

Stop by my Exhibit for a Coaching or Reiki Sample!

Here are the three local Health Fairs where I'll be exhibiting:

Saturday, 3/31/12, The Boyertown Health Fair

Wednesday, 4/4/12, Health, Fitness, and Safety Fair, Blue Bell, PA

Friday, 4/20/12, Healthy Lifestyles Expo, Pottstown, PA

To the best of my knowledge, there will be NO entry fee for any of these three events.  For more information, contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com.