Our monthly one-on-one conversation

Stop and smell the roses. No one knows where that phrase or sentence comes from. If you know, please leave me a comment below. I like discovering the origin story of some of our popular phrases and words.

I found that golfer Walter Hagen used the phrase frequently in my research. It makes sense that Walter is credited with helping Bobby Jones learn to control or deal with the stress of big-time golf.

For me, stopping and smelling the roses is a good reminder to slow down and appreciate where you are, where you have come from, and even where you are going. Too many times, grandpas and many other people have developed a kind of momentum where it is hard for us to hit pause. Even when you think you are relaxing and taking a minute, are you?

All of us need to learn to smell the roses. That pause we take is the best way I can think of truly allowing ourselves to appreciate the accomplishments in our lives. For most of us, our accomplishments are hidden and not celebrated in the way that maybe they should be public. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t need a special card for every little thing we do, but often there is no one around to congratulate us for our hard work.

Our spouses, friends, and other family members may occasionally acknowledge us, but do they know that you have been taking the stairs at work lately? Do they see you cutting out sugar or spending time each day writing that screenplay or novel? They may or may not. If you are like me, chances are you mention some of the things you are doing, but our little accomplishments get lost in the daily shuffle.

Let’s face it; sometimes, we don’t know how to communicate what might be a small victory from the outside is a massive win for us inside.

If you slow down once or twice a week to smell the roses, you need to use that time to celebrate your wins in your mind, no matter the size. This celebration helps set you up to keep moving forward toward your goals and your desired state of being, no matter what that is.

The other part of slowing down and smelling the roses is that it allows you to focus strategically on the challenges and opportunities in front of you. You may have started with a clear vision of how your week, month, and year would progress, but let’s face it, life happens.

Life happens. We know this, but if we don’t allow for course correction, ad hoc planning, or rallying tired troops (ourselves), we are on too tight a plan. Hitting the pause button lets us have a chance to check-in and think strategically about where we are and where we need to go next.

Others might have a different opinion, but I say using the pause button or smelling the roses is the perfect time to think and visualize what needs to happen next. There is plenty of time to write out goals, plans, action items, etc. but do this AFTER you stop and smell the roses. From that place of calm and positive energy, you WILL have a better frame of mind to create a winning plan.

How do you stop and smell the roses? What do you do to slow down and celebrate YOUR WINs and think about your next accomplishments? Leave me a comment below. I would love to learn what you are doing.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend. I want to share the good news about how everyone can grow and develop meaningful relationships.

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