This week brought interesting challenges and could have derailed my progress, both in my professional career and my personal life.  I’d made excellent plans (imagine that) and nothing turned out like I’d planned.  But it all turned out just fine, and that helped reinforce my understanding of the right perspective in any situation can make the difference. 

Solid Relationships Matter.  Connecting with others helps to broaden your perspective and can make an enormous difference in your health and well-being.  Make it a priority to invest in relationships with others. You’ll be better for it. I’m fortunate to have a strong network of friends and family who can help me when I’m down and out.

Effective Communication Matters. Regardless of how you feel, you need to be able to communicate professionally, appropriately and to help reach a solution.  Many top executives credit effective communication skills as the talent that got them to the top. My challenge this week: I’m planning an important event and I’m suddenly out with the flu. For three days! Talk about stressful. I’m sick, I’m stressed and the event must go on.  By sending a few key messages, I was able to delegate appropriate tasks to co-workers and the event happened without a hitch.  Everything worked out just like it should.

Every Experience is a Learning Experience. I’ve learned I can’t do it all – collaborating with others helps them understand your perspective and it helps you understand how much you need others in your life.  Whether it’s a negative experience or a positive one, realize that everything is a learning experience.

How you treat others Matters. Realized this week that there are many things I can’t control.  I assisted with a big event on campus, speaker changed, weather sabotaged the building and unclear responsibilities made me rush at the last-minute to get my job done .  But it all worked out – the event was fine and enjoyable.  I could have let the roadblocks derail my progress – but I rolled with the changes and let it be what it was – fine.

Commit to Cultivate. Everything in your life is going to change, cultivate a perspective within your life where you can sort between what is important, what is necessary and what is essential.  If you achieve the end result, you have the ability to be flexible about your methods.

An organized life includes understanding what you are doing and being mindful of where you are.