What Is A Lollipop Moment

Lollipop Store: How One Store Turned Lollipop Moments Into A Motivational Store Front

Here'due south a great story nigh how a gift store in S Africa turned Lollipop Moments into a month-long result, seeking to inspire their customers.

In June last year, KIN on Kloof (a South African souvenir store) set up inviting, giant lollipops in one of its windows, and a small wooden writing desk with bare give thanks-y'all notes in the other, and launched a Lollipop Campaign. Featured in several media articles, the initiative encouraged customers and curious passers by to have a moment from their day to write a give thanks you note to someone who had changed the course of their lives with a small moment of simple kindness. Throughout the month KIN provided the materials and space for the cards to be written, then stamped and posted every card.

The entrada was launched in celebration of KIN's second year every bit a permanent shop on Greatcoat Town'south trendy Kloof Street. Chantal Louw, owner of KIN, was moved when a friend shared Drew Dudley'south TEDTalk on the concept of a "lollipop moment" and how he had connected two strangers with a humble lollipop and unknowingly changed their lives. She immediately resonated with the idea as her Kloof Street shop was launched in just such a way when one of the artists, with whom she worked, took the fourth dimension to mention a space on Kloof Street that she knew had simply become available. The timing was impeccable and within a month, before it had even been advertised, the space was booked to become the inspiring local design shop that it is today. Equally Chantal heard Drew's words, she immediately wanted to grab a slice of newspaper and pen, and write to the person who had given her and then much without realising the enormous impact of her activeness. Chantal then idea of others she wished to thank, and realised if anybody she knew took a moment to call up, gratitude would begin to hum in hundreds of hands, minds and hearts.

Deciding to act and enthusiastically forward the message, KIN shared the TEDTalk with friends and customers. Each day generated a buzz of positivity and ended with batches of thank-you postcards ready to be sent all over the world - thanking strangers, employees, students, friends, sisters, mentors, fathers, colleagues, grandparents and all sorts of others. As every year Cape Town hosts thousands of international
visitors, KIN on Kloof and KIN at V&A saw notes being written in many unlike languages but knew the essential message was the same: thank you. For those who didn't have the proper name or address of the person they wished to give thanks, KIN encouraged them to write the notes anyhow because it is the act of beingness grateful that is as important.

Chantal's idea backside the window exhibition, and the "pay it forward" arroyo, was to foster a truthful sense of self-sensation within the community. "It's almost redefining leadership," she says, "Being a good person through acknowledging the little serendipitous moments in your life. Everybody has a life-defining moment that came almost every bit a outcome of someone doing something actually tiny. Sometimes that person might not even know the ultimate effect of this one little thing that they did. Something simple like smiling at a consummate stranger, for example. That smile could be exactly what that person needed at that verbal moment."

Drew's inspiration has stayed with Chantal, KIN and all those who surround, connect with and support the KIN stores. Even when the bright lollipops made way for the next exhibition; the month's sweetness stayed behind - fused into the very structure of KIN and what it hopes to give back to the globe.

Today's Lollipop Moment - Be Each Others' Heroes

Has your life been impacted by someone without them even knowing it? Or accept you done something that may have seemed pocket-size to yous, but made a big departure to someone else? Share your Lollipop Moments with the states, and each month ane submission volition earn $100 to the charity of your pick! Email your submission to info@nuanceleadership.com.

Today'due south submission is from Mike Derricott.

It was mid-winter of my grade five yr in Southern Alberta Canada. It started off equally a normal day but things took a dramatic turn for the worse at the end of the lunch break. For some reason a classmate of mine, Jeremy*, had decided I needed a good beating (I honestly have no recollection of what had caused the discord). Being similar in stature to each other I wasn't likewise worried about the situation. Information technology was then that Jeremy was joined past his cousin who was in grade seven. He might as well have had Conan the Destroyer equally a side kick. Class 7!?!?! Those guys are huge! I mean they must have weighed in at similar 90 lbs, which seems like a lot when you lot're a 65lbs soaking wet kinda 5^thursday grader.

The final luncheon bell was like the executioner's gong and I was the intended victim. Jeremy'southward 7^th grade cousin slammed me up against the locker and assured me the afternoon Linguistic communication Arts class would exist the final of my earthly experiences. I spent the afternoon dreading the dismissal bell every bit no young person always should. Mrs. Milne could have gone on almost comma apply for years and I would have thankful for it. An afternoon period that ordinarily seemed to last for days elapsed in mere seconds to my increasingly panicky mind. My survival instinct kicked in just prior to the class ending. Even though it was mid-winter, freezing cold and snowy exterior I would abandon my winter gear and make a intermission directly for my bus. Forget mittens and toques and boots–a little frostbite was preferable to my ultimate destruction. When the bong rang I sprung from desk and ran to the door exiting the school. As I sprinted up to the door my escape plan quickly evaporated. By virtue of some sort of breach to the space fourth dimension continuum, Jeremy and his massive pugilistic cousin already stood waiting for me outside the doors. A grim realization fix in: I was about to take a beating.

I slowly trudged back to my locker figuring I might as well be warm if I am to be left laying bloody on the schoolhouse one thousand. Equally I stood staring blankly into my locker, unable to think of whatever other mode to filibuster or avoid the inevitable confrontation with the two angry eye schoolers waiting just outside for me, one of my good friends walked upwardly having noticed my distress. He inquired every bit to why I looked so upset (I suppose due to my resembling a man with his neck in the noose). I shared my plight with my friend and offered him my favorite possessions following my sure demise. My friend and so suggested an idea so generous and daring that it bordered on lunacy. He told me to give him my coat and I would wear his. We both had full ski masks which covered our faces due to the wintertime common cold. "They won't know it's me and you can escape while they chase me" he said. Information technology was as though he had offered to have a bullet in the chest for me. But as he went on the plan began to seem similar it had a run a risk. My friend was the fastest and hardest person to capture during our schoolyard games. Maybe he could escape what would be certain death for me! Seeing his confidence in his ability to escape and due to the fact that he only had to brand it well-nigh half a cake from the school to his business firm I agreed. Nosotros switched snowfall gear and fabricated our way to the get out.

Equally we approached I was struck with apprehension. They volition see right through this ruse and perhaps we will both be in for information technology. My friend did not even ho-hum down as he pushed open the door to confront the waiting assailants. I had no choice simply to follow half a step backside. I paused just briefly as I realized they did non announced interested in me at all. They were glaring menacingly at my friend. Could they really be deceived? In a flurry of action my friend broke out into a dart into the school g and Jeremy and his cousin bolted after him. I made a mad dash to my bus and scrambled inside chop-chop turning to see my friend brand a quick change of management which caused the seven^thursday form enforcer to stumble to his knees. Jeremy continued his pursuit of my friend, who he idea was me all forth. A few moments later, when he realized his henchman was not nevertheless with him, he gave up the hunt. My friend continued running safely to his firm.

I was in awe at my friend's courage, his willingness to put himself on the line for me, and without a dubiousness his elusiveness in the open field. A characteristic which had e'er frustrated me every bit a competitor now seemed the most glorious display I had ever witnessed. My friend did not perceive the same level of danger in the state of affairs as I did and so in taking my place he might non have recognized that to me it was quite literally every bit though he saved my life. I concede that my life was not in actual jeopardy, just to a young boy this human action was such a display of true friendship that I have yet to experience a moment I would consider its equal. That moment inverse me. It continues to empower me and impress me to this solar day. My friend, through what was a relatively uncomplicated escape for him, had profoundly impacted my young heart and mind. I have reflected on this again and again.

My conclusion is this: we can exist each others' heroes. Regular people doing regular things for each other has a power that can modify the hearts and minds of the earth. The greatest role of this is that nosotros are already doing such acts for each other. You may have offered to cover a portion of a grade presentation for a college schoolmate who is terrified of public speaking when getting upwards in forepart of a class doesn't carp you at all. You made a divergence. You may accept encouraged ane of your daughter friends to stand up up for herself to a enervating and degrading boy and as such empowered her to escape what was for her a terribly oppressive relationship that was slowly crushing her self-esteem. These simple acts oftentimes go unnoticed by the doer but Non by the receiver. My encouragement to us all is to let these people, who take ifluenced u.s. in simple but profound ways, know that because of their interest in your life you are a better person. In that location is a beautiful vulnerability in this acknowledgement which tin can quickly give style to a realization that we are all each others' heroes.

My friend who saved me that twenty-four hours has been my best friend for xx years. My children telephone call him and his wife uncle and auntie and he knows how much that one moment means to me.

Today's "Edge of the Bed Communication" - You Gotta Eat If You're Gonna Drinkable

If you were sitting on the border of the bed of your son or girl the night earlier they left home for good, what communication would you lot give them? What are the most important lessons life has taught yous then far? Ultimately, what perspectives, actions, or ideas have played the biggest function in your happiness?

That is the "Border of the Bed Question". I've decided to pose it to as many people as I can, and share their insights here.

Ian Brodie researches and teaches courses in folklore and popular culture at Cape Breton University. He is the author of A Vulgar Fine art: A New Approach to Stand up-Upward One-act, coming from University of Mississippi Printing in December 2014. He is also the editor of Gimmicky Legend: the Periodical of the International Order for Contemporary Fable Research, and has served as President of the Folklore Studies Association of Canada.

I actually do spend a lot of fourth dimension on the edge of my son'south bed, giving advice. He's almost to turn six, then it might not be smoothly transferable to this audition: much of it is of the "Try not to fart in public: not everyone finds it funny" kind. (For the record: that's still skilful advice. You're welcome.)

I alive in a metaphorically modest corner of the universe: academics, within a discipline that everyone thinks must exist kind of cool only no one quite understands (Folklore). I also alive in a literally minor corner of the universe: Greatcoat Breton, whose strengths and challenges are as well attested. And through my office door, yr after year, come up immature people (that makes me audio so old) who are trying to reconcile the expectations placed upon them past a host of differing parties.

My professional person obligation, on one mercenary level, is to convince them of the inherent value in pursuing Sociology, or at least a Liberal Arts degree, or at least least a university caste. I can wax eloquently on all iii if demand be. But I can't in good conscience press them too hard towards following a model that worked for me, if just because my modicum of success in information technology has come past as much through luck and circumstance then past any innate gifts. Pedagogy should be emancipatory, but when information technology is from the very real bondage of economic want and abased opportunities within a post-industrial context, the abstractions of liberty of the mind remain abstractions. I had the advantage of coming from amend economic circumstances with a safety net that allowed my indulgences: it has taken me a long time to unlearn the naiveté privilege permits without wholly dismantling the sense of optimism required for motivation.

Tim Russert, the former host of NBC's Run into the Press, used his male parent's adage as a motto: "You gotta eat." The obviously voice communication worked: how could it not? Late in life he told his begetter virtually that as a motivator (it was the name of a affiliate in his memoir), and his father informed him that he had missed the second half of the proverb: "Yous gotta eat if you're going to drinkable." (http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2004/06/10/tim_russert) This is the crux of the communication I give students (who may accept wished information technology had been relayed to them on the edge of a bed prior to their adult lives commencing).

So: you gotta eat. There are firsthand needs that must be met that are practical and vital. Let u.s.a. piece of work towards the solar day when there are no obstacles to personal liberty and realizing potential: in the meantime, in that location are, and y'all must deal with them. There is prioritizing you must do, in the present and in the long term. How, right now, do yous meet these bones needs for yourself and for others, and what plan do you take to meet these needs in the future so that, hopefully, your every waking moment will not be spent in their pursuit?

If you are paying for post-secondary, practice you lot mortgage your future now through loans, practise you work in the wage economy in your precious spare time, or practice you demonstrate to some benefactor (parents and family, the establishment, a third party) that there will be a return on investment and become them to pay for it? (Likely information technology is two or three of these in combination.) If something intervenes to change the delicate rest (a child, a loss, a move) how exercise you recoup? Tin you? Ought you to? If you are non pursuing postal service-secondary, no problem: some course of post-secondary schooling is more or less a minimal criterion for entry to a pay-scale approaching a modicum of comfort, but it is neither a guarantee nor the only path.

But you gotta swallow: advice that forgets this is elitist. Career needs to be based in pragmatics. If your needs are few, congratulations: many others do not have that liberty, as their responsibilities are many and complex.

But you wanna drink likewise. As creatures we have basic needs, non much dissimilar from those of nature. We tin can practise so much more, and – most importantly – we have the realm of play. We have the capacity to exert our energies in means that might non serve an obvious purpose merely that let us apply the physical and intellectual abilities we have honed for survival – in the gimmicky wporld equally much as in nature – to new and abstruse questions. Play shouldn't be understood as mere frivolity: information technology is the recombination of our capacities and knowledge in innovative and creative ways. It is the pursuit of the question "What if…?"

What if the floor were made of lava? What if William Shakespeare had worked with people of color prior to writing "The Tempest"? What if a redistribution of wealth could be ameliorated through a different conception of the market economy?

The universe moves forward when we observe new possibilities: we discover those possibilities through playing with what nosotros know. And to play with what we know, we accept to know it.

So be every bit curious as you can, about the manner things are and nigh how things could be (or ought to be, if we desire to impose an club on things). Get your stuff settled, then engage with the globe as much as you can because you can. And, although the world is open to you, you don't have to engage all of it: curiosity focussed by passion is the all-time kind.

It doesn't have to be big, or thousand, or epoch-changing. You lot don't have to get to a library or slog through the internet (the latter can be counter-productive and the former tin be gruelling). Simply ask someone a question: conversation and friendly are the nifty arenas for verbal play, where facts and ideas can exist bantered back and forth. Simply beingness open to new ideas is the manner forward.

Let me put my university professor cap back on to cease this, although the advice still works if treated metaphorically. The student is in the office, unsure of what to do next, and I am advising her on the courses needed to complete the program.

Practise the required courses: spread them out rather than do them in a overabundance. Balance them in your schedule. Then choose electives. What looks interesting? What are your friends in? What works around your required courses? Here at that place is flexibility. If you hate it, well, you've only got to endure it for a few hours a week for a few months, and so you never have to run into it once again. But information technology might be fun, or it might bend back on your current programme and bring new insights to information technology, or it might alter your life entirely.

Finally, things are not only nigh the program. The i slice of physical advice I wish I had before heading to university is to get to everything: every guest lecture, kinesthesia lecture, volume launch, briefing, whatever. Hearing people talk about their ideas is cool. And they're almost always catered.

Because yous gotta consume.

Follow Ian on Twitter @AVulgarArt.

Today'southward Lollipop Moment - Friends For Life

Has your life been impacted by someone without them fifty-fifty knowing it? Or take yous done something that may have seemed pocket-size to yous, only made a large difference to someone else? Share your Lollipop Moments with us, and each month ane submission volition earn $100 to the charity of your choice! Electronic mail your submission to info@nuanceleadership.com.

Today's submission comes to us from Chantelle Foreman-Meadows.

While coordinating the 2002 Shinerama campaign I had spoken with a mom of a child living with cystic fibrosis. While discussing my plans with her virtually the campaign she told me her daughter has cystic fibrosis, at the time I was unsure if she said had or has, and I wasn't going to enquire her to clarify. I carried on with the campaign until I required her assistance equally the local volunteer contact. She had given me her personal and work contact but I was unable to go a agree of her for weeks.

Finally on July 23, 2002 I made another telephone call that would change my life forever. I had called the home of our volunteer Vicki and someone answered. I asked for Vicki, and they had told me she was unavailable, only they would take a bulletin. As they were taking the message, Vicki ran to the phone. She told me how her 19 year erstwhile daughter, Renee had just passed away because of cystic fibrosis simply four hours agone. I was in shock and cried, I joined Shinerama because I wanted to help the sick kids breathe.

A few days subsequently, I paid my respects to Renee and her family. I was told that my phone call gave the family promise that they would 1 day find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Near 13 years afterwards, my commitment for the children and adults living with cystic fibrosis is my career, my passion and my entire family unit'southward' commitment to discover a cure and control for cystic fibrosis.

All things happen for a reason, I made that call at that time considering it was needed. Now I am truly lucky to take plant a crusade I am truly committed to likewise as, the blessing to encounter and then many fabulous people across Canada. Friends for life they say.

Today'southward "Edge of the Bed Advice" - Learning From Risking Failure

If you were sitting on the edge of the bed of your son or daughter the night earlier they left dwelling for good, what communication would y'all give them? What are the most important lessons life has taught you and then far? Ultimately, what perspectives, actions, or ideas have played the biggest part in your happiness?

That is the "Edge of the Bed Question". I've decided to pose it to as many people as I can, and share their insights here.

Today, Salima Hirji talks nigh how stepping out of our condolement zone and risking failure is worth doing.

It's cliché and something you'll hear fourth dimension and fourth dimension over again, but become outside of your comfort zone. That little scrap of discomfort can make all the departure when it comes to your personal growth. More important than that is knowingwhento seek out these uncomfortable moments. The world volition often try and shelter you from the biggest learning opportunities, only considering it (including us, your friends and family) will want to protect you. Heck, I've probably been doing it to you your whole life. But this is where you accept charge. Getting communication from people who'due south opinions you value should never be discounted (if you don't seek my stance I'll exist a bit upset), but you need to know when to step back from information technology all, and make the right decision for yourself.

When I was deciding between moving to Toronto and London right after graduating from university, the people closest to me encouraged me to choose Toronto. It offered many things including a professional person network, friends, and family. Information technology was likely to be a relatively smooth transition from Vancouver. I appreciated all of their thoughts and communication but was still torn between the two cities. It wasn't until I unplugged for a week (no telephone, laptop or iPad) that I gained clarity and knew I wanted to move to London. My friends and family unit saw Toronto as the obvious option considering they wanted to protect me. To them, London was on the other side of the world and I'd be headed at that place without a job, network or support system. However, part of me knew information technology was a claiming I desperately wanted and ane that I was fix to take on.

Frequently the fear of rejection and failure stops us from tiptoeing exterior of the world we're used to and trying something different. I want you to stop viewing these potential downfalls equally negative outcomes and instead run across them as lessons. Most of your growth volition come from these moments when you're incredibly uncomfortable or 'failing'.

Salima recently moved to the United kingdom and at present innovates retail at TrueStart (truestart.co.uk). You tin usually find her people watching, brainstorming business ideas or painting. Almost of all, she loves helping others carve out their unique niche in the world. Go far impact through LinkedIn, salimahirji.com or Twitter @salimahirji.

Today'southward Lollipop Moment - Glasses

Has your life been impacted by someone without them even knowing it? Or have you washed something that may have seemed small to you, but made a big difference to someone else? Share your Lollipop Moments with us, and each month one submission will earn $100 to the charity of your option! E-mail your submission to info@nuanceleadership.com.

Today's submission comes from Rick Franzosa, who shared this post from his web log with the states.

I was listening to a podcast the other day, TED Radio Hour. The topic was Confusing Leadership, but the one talk that stood out for me was a discussion byDrew Dudley entitled "Have Y'all Changed Someone's Life Without Realizing It?"

In this talk, Mr. Dudley relates a story of how HE changed someone'due south life. Information technology is a GREAT story. A lollipop figures into the story ( yous can google 'lollipop moment' and get to the same talk).

This got me thinking about my own "lollipop moments". In the 6th grade, I was having difficulty seeing the blackboard at school. My parents took me to the middle doctor and had me fitted with glasses. Now, at Bentley Schoolhouse in Manchester, CT, there were only two male teachers. One of these teachers was my 6th grade teacher, Mr. Ewald. When I went to school my kickoff day with glasses, he stopped me in the playground, looked down at me and said, "Richard, you look handsome in those spectacles".

Friends, I've seen pictures of myself in sixth grade, and let me tell you lot, I looked DORKY in those glasses…. But to this mean solar day, I can see him. towering over me, almost as tall as the basketball pole behind him. I've rarely considered contact lenses, and never thought seriously near laser eye surgery. Five decades out of sixth grade, I all the same wear those glasses.

Even in my adult life, I tin remember an executive at a visitor I worked for back in the fourscore′south telling me "Y'all'd make a groovy salesperson!" I followed his advice, though I had ever been an engineer, and never felt that sales was for me.

On the giving end of 'lollipop moments, my girl, on more than than ane occasion, has said, "You know, Dad. I always recollect you telling me ______" and the 'fill in the blank' is something wise and thoughtful that I haveno recollection of ever saying to her.

Go on in mind this cuts both ways. A careless derogatory annotate has equally long a life as a quick compliment. Then, be nice. You never know when what yous say will be that 'lollipop moment' for someone else.

Today's "Edge of the Bed Advice" - Ain Your Decisions

If y'all were sitting on the edge of the bed of your son or daughter the night before they left home for skilful, what advice would y'all requite them? What are the most important lessons life has taught yous and so far? Ultimately, what perspectives, deportment, or ideas take played the biggest function in your happiness?

That is the "Edge of the Bed Question". I've decided to pose it to every bit many people every bit I can, and share their insights here.

I met today'due south contributor the same way I've met so many of the about extraordinary people in my life: through "Shinerama – Students Fighting Cystic Fibrosis". She'due south inspired me through her own battle with CF, about every bit much as she has with her ability to truly accept people as they are. Today'due south contribution comes from my just friend who "retired" earlier xxx: Lindsey Thompson.

At that place are so many things I would desire to say to my daughter or niece earlier they left dwelling. A lot of them would be things non to do in gild to avoid existence hurt or feeling pain. Trying to pass on the wisdom that I have lived through. However, annihilation I would say would come downward to ane fundamental piece of communication: to alive with no regrets and to own your decisions.

Life is full of decisions and always stressing or regretting the decisions you make will do zip for yous. Even if you are unhappy with an outcome, worrying and fixating over it will not aid. Information technology is better just to have the course that you followed and where y'all are now and move on from information technology.

All your decisions, adept and bad, are life lessons that assistance mold you lot into the person you lot are today. Everyone is different partially because they have had to make different decisions for themselves. These choices have made you into who you are. I am sure I am not the only one that did not mind to all the advice my parents gave me and looked back thinking "yeah, they were right, that was stupid", or "why did I do that?"

By making my own decisions and therefore my ain mistakes I have grown as a person and learned my own rules, not just those of my parents. For example, I at present know that spiced rum is horrible and should be avoided at all costs, or that going out with friends three to 4 times a week does not equal great grades in University.

I can honestly say I don't regret annihilation I have ever done in my life. Some life lessons I would have gladly gone without, but then I would not accept that knowledge now. Without those experiences I may make the same mistakes in the future because I do not know any improve.

When we actually are not pleased with our lives and the decisions we made all we need to do is make a decision to change it. If nothing changes, nix changes. Being upset and complaining near an outcome does zilch for you except cause more stress and unhappiness. Do something near it and modify your situation. change your circumstances, learn from past decisions and make better ones.

That would exist my advice, live your life then that y'all do non accept regrets and you lot learn all the life lessons y'all tin can.

Today's "Edge of the Bed Advice" - Lose Your Ego

If you were sitting on the border of the bed of your son or daughter the nighttime before they left domicile for expert, what advice would you give them? What are the about important lessons life has taught yous so far? Ultimately, what perspectives, actions, or ideas have played the biggest role in your happiness?

That is the "Edge of the Bed Question". I've decided to pose it to as many people every bit I tin can, and share their insights hither.

Paul Warner is a marketing a communications professional in Spokane, Washington with a One thousand.S. degree in communications and a B.A. in journalism. Paul is an avid runner, lifter, and music, Television series, and movie fan.

I pretty much freeze whenever I'thousand put on the spot to call back anything of value. I have what the French call "l'esprit d'escalier" or "staircase wit." Meaning, I will think of the perfect thing to write the minute afterward I press ship.

Much of my life I spent in a fast-paced haze, with big dreams of doing and so-called important, glamorous work. When I started out, I worked at a wonderful, supportive place that I enjoyed very much and cherished my co-workers. My girlfriend (who had a highly image-conscious chore) pressured me that I could do better - that I should take more prestigious piece of work. So I complied and took a task that took up a lot more than hours with people I didn't like every bit much. But the chore appeared illustrious to folks and my girlfriend could proudly say, "Oh, my young man is a ________!" I was miserable, and did it simply to keep up appearances, much longer than I should accept.

After 5 years, I had to reassess what I was doing and why I was doing it. My life was a stagnated and frustrating mess, but I didn't desire to try something different.

And why was that? For ane reason simply - ego. I had a cocky-paradigm I needed to maintain to go along up appearances. I lived that mode for far as well long. Well-nigh have heard the definition of insanity: doing the aforementioned thing over and over over again expecting dissimilar results. Fortunately, I finally learned it was OK to be incorrect. Information technology was OK to change my mind. I take since learned to adapt and change, and NEVER let my ego decide the next class of action. It unremarkably steers me incorrect.

The people I have been most impressed with in life are humble, unassuming leaders who seem to not allow their ego to dictate what they should say, practise or act upon. With ego out of the way, in that location is nix to prove and life's decisions can be fabricated calmly and clearly. One tin can no longer be hurt or frightened that their ideas won't work. We tin listen to each other and recollect that nosotros don't need to always "win" or prove a betoken. We have all met those who believe that their way is the only right manner and cannot believe their airs is harming others. Ofttimes, ego is a response to injure feelings or an, "Oh yeah, I'll show them" response. There is never a time or identify for information technology. Information technology has no reason to play a major function of our lives and we are better off without it. Spend fourth dimension proving you can build a coalition of friends and co-workers rather than just proving yourself. You volition be in a much better identify in your personal and professional life.

Next time y'all are making a decision, ask yourself; "Is this best for me, or my ego? Yous might be surprised by the honest answer only you can know. You lot have heard, "To thy ain self be truthful." Trust your gut. Do what you know in your heart is right for y'all. Never choose to do something based on what y'all think will impress people. There is nothing incorrect with believing in yourself, only that is different from being ego-driven. Learn to own -and learn from- failure, it'south the only mode to improve. Embrace your mistakes and lose your ego. Exist humble and respect others. Inspiration and help may come from where yous least expect it.

Follow Paul on Twitter pmwarner or transport him a tweet; he'll likely respond in between new episodes of House of Cards!

Share Your Lollipop Moment and Support Your Favourite Charity!

Take you been inspired past someone whose deportment made a divergence in your life without them even knowing it? Or has someone told you about a style in which yous impacted them through a gesture or action that you may not have idea much of at the fourth dimension? These are Lollipop Moments: small actions that can have a big impact on someone'due south life or the way they view the world around them, and while they may seem small, they are true acts of leadership.

Nosotros experience that Lollipop Moments are of import and that they should be shared then that those responsible can be enlightened of the impact their actions take fabricated, and then others can exist inspired and strive to create more of these moments. By realizing the touch on each of u.s. can have on others, we can be come powerful and effective agents for change.

That's the goal of The Lollipop Challenge: to share our Lollipop Moments and inspire others to realize the power of their actions and inspire them to exist a positive influence on others. To practise this, nosotros'll exist asking those who have a Lollipop Moment to share to send information technology to the states, and we'll mail them here. Each month we'll selection the best i and donate $100 to the clemency of that person'south choice!

Accept a Lollipop Moment to share? Email it to use at info@nuanceleadership.com and you lot could be making a divergence to not only those who read information technology, but your favourite clemency too!

-The Nuance Leadership Squad

Today's "Edge of the Bed Advice" - The Storytelling Principle

If y'all were sitting on the edge of the bed of your son or daughter the nighttime earlier they left habitation for adept, what communication would you requite them? What are the well-nigh of import lessons life has taught y'all and then far? Ultimately, what perspectives, deportment, or ideas take played the biggest role in your happiness?

That is the "Border of the Bed Question". I've decided to pose it to as many people as I can, and share their insights here.

Jay McNeil is a human of many talents who has inspired countless people with his public weight loss. Jay is a news director, radio personality, author, and genuinely swell person.

When I was a kid one of my favorite books was an old gyre-jump re-create of Allistair MacGillvary's Songs of Cape Breton - a collection of definitive island music. I couldn't read the notes just nighttime after night I studied the lyrics to every vocal. I spent hours singing them to anyone who would listen, sometimes just to the stuffed animals propped upward along my sleeping accommodation wall.

It didn't accept me long to realize my fascination with music was fuelled more by the stories the songs were telling than any appreciation I had for the music itself. I tin can't play a single instrument but I'm still obsessed with lyrics - even working in Top forty radio where the lyrics sometimes seem to be nil more than than a collection of asunder autotuned syllables sampled with synthed-up beats originally recorded by an creative person long since expressionless.

Even so, those Cape Breton songs of industry and struggle, those odes to coal and steel, they told the stories of my dwelling house. They connected me to men and women I didn't know, to a way of life unlike from the ane I was living. Those songs taught me I didn't have to wait halfway across the world to run across that people were living life a different way. Those lyrics showed me that people merely a few houses down were growing up with a completely different perspective of their community and the earth. Information technology wasn't the music that gave me this perspective - it was the stories told in the lyrics.

That's how I became a storyteller. I've worked as a writer, a reporter, a talk-bear witness host on local-tv and radio, and somewhen became a radio News Director and author not simply because I savor hearing bang-up stories, only because I dear the process of helping people realize they accept a story worth telling.

I'm my most passionate self when I'1000 talking with people almost where their passion lies. Nothing is as thrilling to me equally helping someone gain perspective on their own unique story just by showing an involvement and request questions that go beyond the obvious because sometimes - most of the fourth dimension - people have no idea how unique their story is, or how footling perspective they have on their ain life. Most people foolishly believe they're living the same as everyone else - and that is very rarely truthful. We all tick forth in a slightly dissimilar fashion.

My life is richer for seeking out those stories. I've filled my life with these characters that easily could have been but one more interview on some uneventful Tuesday - simply instead I collect them similar they're Happy Repast toys. Social Media has taken on new importance in this quest for stories because now we are all writing out own - ane status at a time, showing the earth who we are (or want to exist), and where we invest our thoughts.

Then, as I sit down hither on the edge of your bed I wonder about the incredible story you'll tell with your life, my advice is to ignore the cliché that life is a book you write chapter by chapter. Your life isn't a book. It'southward a collection of essays and character sketches. There will be moments - gaps, sometimes years - where you lot'll feel similar it'south all but been a monologue. There volition certainly exist moments where you realize you've overwritten the plot or brought in some characters that added little to the story except cursory interludes of excitement and heartbreak. Life will be more chaotic than whatever volume that's ever been published and certainly lacks the clarity of a second-draft or the the skill of a good editor.

But wherever that anarchy takes you as yous alive your live filled with stories worth being told, know that all of your stories are richer if you help others tell their stories too.

At the highest and lowest points of my life I've turned to strangers to hear their stories, and in them find the words I needed to hear to move my own story forth.

When I lost my Dad, when I lost 200 pounds, when I struggled to live an honest life, when I was launching my ain business, or moving in to morning radio, or even when I was publishing my ain volume - each of those experiences moved me to meet people with stories I could larn from, and hopefully my showing up in their life like that helped them in someway.

I hope my life has showed you that it'south merely equally important to exist a character in someone else'south story as it to be the author of your own. You lose purpose when y'all're only a character for someone else, and yous lose perspective when you lot're merely the author of your own.

And so son, whatever yous do, make sure a part of you lot is ever a storyteller, because if yous collect them like I have, you'll never feel alone in this globe.

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Jay McNeil is the author of Fatty Homo Walking - Lessons in Loss, a book most his journey from 460-pounds. Yous can hear him weekday mornings on The New Hot 92.3 in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Twitter: @jaymcneil