Today, May 10 would have been my sister-in-law, Nel’s, birthday.

She passed away a little over one year ago from Alzheimer’s.  She was someone that I respected in so many ways … her leadership, her loyalty, her sense of humor, her creativity, her stick-with-it-ness,  her wisdom, her joy and I could go on and on.

Nel is why we moved our life to Richmond, VA.

It was second quarter two years ago when:

• Nel’s early onset Alzheimer’s had reached a scary stage (which we soon learned could get worse very quickly) and my partner/husband was spending a lot of time in Richmond, VA.  We were lucky to meet up in an airport to connect on my way out and his way home.
• The business was growing and we had a strong team in place. Our business numbers were good and we were busy ensuring that our clients and employees were happy.  But, we weren’t.  There were other forces at play that were stressing us out and we couldn’t shake the little voice of the flight attendant telling us “In the unlikely event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the compartment above. Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally. Please put on your own mask before attempting to assist others.”
• And, so, we did what we knew how to do … we embarked on our own personal strategic planning process.  It involved our back porch, a bottle of wine and a cocktail napkin.  And, it went a little something like this:

The Challenge:  We felt incredibly reactive in all aspects of life and it was impacting us both personally and professionally

The Vision: Do the right thing and be one of the greatest couples ever

The What:

1:  Put family first

2: Invest in our relationship

The How:

1. We have to move to Richmond

2. We’re good at what we do, the work stuff will work itself out

The When:

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

We decided to move our life to Richmond, VA.   We knew it was a risky time to up and move a small business and we hoped that it would be a good, long term business decision.  We’d like to say we did good market analysis, but the truth is none of that really would have impacted our decision because we were needed in Richmond.  And, lucky for us, Richmond is a beautiful city and we get to go back to Tallahassee on a regular basis.

It’s been a difficult couple of years.  Our experience with Alzheimer’s changed us forever. Nel’s death had a greater impact than we could have ever imagined.  We assumed primary care giving responsibilities for Tom’s mom (he’s blogging about his journey -http://my91yearoldmom.wordpress.com/) . We had to adjust to the distance and being away from my family and our friends, which has been most difficult when I lost my grandfather who I adored and who adored me and when my sister gave birth to a beautiful little baby girl.

We’ve been tested more than we could have ever imagined.  We’ve experienced some of the highest highs and the lowest lows.  But, we believe in what we’re doing and we’re committed to doing it together.

I think about that planning session on our porch and am proud that we had the courage to follow through.

I’m thankful that Tom and I had the time that we had with Nel and that he has this time now with his mom.

I’m thankful that we have a constant aspirational reminder to “catch our limit” in our company name and a constant reminder of how we want to approach this thing called life in our last name  …. to live on, love on and laugh on.

And, writing this blog has reminded me that it’s been two years.

It’s time to find a good environment (perhaps a campfire in the mountains this weekend), open another bottle and spend some time talking about where we’re at today, our hopes and dreams, our priorities, where we want to be and how we can get there.  We’ll know that the plan will change and have to adapt based on life.  But at least we’ll have done for our relationship what we invest so much time in doing for our business and for others.

And, Happy Birthday, Nel.  We love you.

Learn more about Nel

Learn more about Alzheimer’s – unbelievably powerful video

><(("> Melissa Laughon

Melissa is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a management consulting firm with offices in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

Edo’s Squid.  It’s right on the VCU campus upstairs over Stuffy’s sandwich shop where they give you a free straw with every drink.  The food at Edo’s Squid is good and fresh.  They serve a lot of seafood as you can tell by the picture of the menu I’ve attached.  I snapped the picture because I thought it was an innovative use of a flip chart.  The menu changes frequently and it’s a lot easier to take down the flip chart and create an up to date menu than to stand on a chair, booth or table and deal with a chalk board which is the most common solution I’ve seen to this problem.  Simple and obvious in hind sight, but I applaud whoever thought of the idea and executed it.

><(("> Gayle Turner

Gayle is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” - Ernest Hemingway

Start.

To start with, I am being audacious enough to ask you to do more than just read my blog post, although I am thankful that you have at least read this far and hopefully will stick with me until the very end.

What I am asking you to do is to let the end of my post be the beginning of a new journey for you.

In fact, I am going to make this a short post, shift the task tension to you and simply suggest, if you follow my lead, and add your own egg to the cake mix, it could be a mighty, wonder filled journey of discovery.

How many times have we heard about the power of listening? I am not asking how many times people have said it, I am asking how many times have you not only listened, but done something about it? You know, not just let it go in one ear and out the other.

Listening is more than clearing your ears with Q-tips. Listening is an art.

So, here’s what I want you to do.

Stop.

Stop what you are doing. Take out a sheet of paper and SWOT yourself on listening.

That’s right! Print your first name on the top of the paper (go ahead, humor me) and make it possessive (Tom’s). Follow your name with Listening SWOT (Tom’s Listening SWOT).

Take three deep breaths. Find a quiet place. Free your mind of everything that’s on your plate.

I am asking you to stop doing everything you are doing and put all of your focus and concentration on this short (I promise) exercise.

Next, list three  Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that apply to you under the heading of Listening. That’s right, the challenge is three of each. No more, no less.

Strengths and Weaknesses are self explanatory. Opportunities are things you haven’t done, but if you did, they could have a positive affect for you and those around you when it comes to listening. And, Threats are things beyond your control, but in this case negatively affect your ability to really listen.

Now, with this information at your fingertips for reference, write your first name on another sheet of paper in the possessive and follow it with Listening Action Plan.

List three Objectives  that will make you a better listener, then as many strategies as it will take  to help you accomplish your objectives. Then add a timeline that incorporates your strategies and an end date for you to have accomplished your objectives. In this case, I wouldn’t make it longer than a month. So, in my case, it would be Tom’s 30 Day Listening Action Plan.

Next add resources that you think might help you accomplish your objectives. Maybe it is more Q-tips! Or maybe it’s a book o video on listening or if nothing else comes to mind, challenge Google to search listening for you.

Seek our the people in your organization or friendship circle who are good relaters, caring, empathetic, trustworthy and are designated good listeners. Spend some time with them. Ask good open end questions about how they do what they do. And, by all means listen, probe, clarify and take notes.

Be prepared for these designated listeners to have an “aw shucks” attitude, because they usually come equipped with a great deal of humility. Treat them gently and, you’ve got it, listen up!

My next suggestion is to choose someone to be your mentor. Share your Listening SWOT and Listening Action Plan with them. Let them not only support you, but to allow them to nudge you of your timeline and end date. They should be allowed by you to hold you accountable every step of the way.

Your mentor should also lead a wrap up session to facilitate how you did, what you could have done differently and to discuss next steps.

Look.

Now that you are on your way to becoming a better listener, don’t just expect a line to form at your door with folks begging you to lend them your ears. That takes time.

In the meantime, you should learn how to be proactive and actively look for people and signs that suggest someone is in need of a good listener. Don’t worry, the signs are there. Just look. You’ll see.

Listen.

“So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” - Jiddu Krishnamurti

This is purely my take, but I am asking you to listen.

That’s it. I am asking you to listen.

What I mean is, listen. Don’t fix it. Just listen.

As leaders, we think we were put here on this planet to fix it, no matter what it is.

People who need your ears and undivided attention don’t necessarily want or expect a fix. They may not even want advice or an solution at all.

Here’s my quick list of what they may want or need. It will probably match with what you want or need when you seek out someone to listen.

One, get rid of all barriers to listening, whether it’s a to do list, mobile phone, desk or titles.

Two, find a quiet, safe place that’s well off the beaten path. This could be inside or outside.

Three, create a trusting environment. Don’t rush. Make it a comfort zone. Let the person you are with know that whatever they want to say will be kept between the two of you. Let them know you have all the time in the world for them … and mean it.

Four, when things are shared, don’t interrupt with your take, opinions or quick fix. Repeat what you hear. Ask for clarification. Ask if you have heard it right.  Ask, is there more, until there isn’t. Ask, ask, ask.

Five, body language is a powerful tool that doesn’t require a mouth.

Six, the sound of silence is also an amazing tool.

Seven, never discount the other person’s feelings, even if you don’t feel the same way. Respect that they do.

Eight, thank who you are listening to for sharing. Let that person know that you understand how they feel.

Nine, end with, “Thanks for sharing. I am here whenever you need a good listener.”

Ten, add to my list of things you learn and keep on learning and practicing to lead with your ears.

That’s it. You don’t have to fix it. You just did … simply by using the power of listening.

I will end with a thank you.

Thank you for for stopping, looking and  listening … not to me, but to everyone you commit to listening to from this day fourth.

Just sit back, relax and  listen, learn and lead … with your ears, heart and soul. Too many times our mouth just gets in the way!

PS – One of my best friends and member of our team just stopped by while I was writing this, shared something with me, I nodded and he went on his way.

My confession is that I didn’t hear a word he said. So, I am heading straight to his office to confess my sin, share the irony of it, ask for forgiveness and ask that he repeat what he said. I promise, I will be all ears!

PSS – Share your ideas on listening with me. And, if you ever need someone to listen … reach out to me. I may not be always be the as good a listener as I aspire to be, but I am learning and trying!

><(("> Tom Laughon
Tom is affectionately known as BIG ><(("> at Catch Your Limit

Catch Your Limit
Management Guides & Fish Cleaning Services
><(("> Camps in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia
To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

If your plan isn’t a living document that is part of your routine, at a minimum you should be taking the time on a quarterly basis to put things on pause, review your plan, assess performance, address accountability issues, make adjustments & communicate what’s on the horizon for all hands.

One of the quotes that we all keep posted in and around our offices and reference often is, “Money Matters. Performance Counts. Time is the Enemy.”

One of the advantages of a second quarter check-up is that you still have time  (and you can get some great strategic thinking in and do some great work before summer vacation mindset starts creeping in).

Don’t wait until mid-year to revisit your plan.  In this quarter, it’s time to ask questions such as:

• What had you set out to accomplish during the 1st quarter?
• How did you do?
• Have you communicated your progress with all team members?
• How does performance in Q1 impact expectations/goals for Q2 and beyond?
• How can we strategically utilize second quarter to make significant progress so that we’re not playing catch up in the last six months?
• What adjustments need to be made?
• Does everyone have a clear understanding of what is expected of them going forward?

Assess and plan with gusto.  Go for it.  Leave nothing on the table.  Take full advantage of second quarter and you’ll be on your way to catching your limit.

><(("> Melissa Laughon

Melissa is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a management consulting firm with offices in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

An increase of 12,292 new jobs or 13.8% over 2011.

That’s a very encouraging sign.

Things are looking up.

Somewhere, out there, beyond the lands of Shoulda, Coulda and Woulda  is a place where the living is easy and the challenge is to always catch your limit. (And, there’s more!)

OK,  I’ll admit it …

I’ll share it with you …

I’ll shout it to the world …

I’m in love with our little place and space on this planet!

Even though it’s so little you have to squint to find it on Google Earth, we leave a mighty big footprint!

Catch Your Limit is our call to arms and the place where we work …

Play…

Guide …

Team …

Respect …

Challenge …

Question …

Cajole  …

Celebrate …

Create …

Listen …

Learn …

We practice what we do with our minds, hearts and souls …

When we fail, we are forgiving, and encouraged to try again, with knowledge gained and lessons learned …

It’s about the folks who are, or have been, a part of our team …

We have all contributed to creating our culture and our values over the past 12 years …

It’s about our clients …

They give us as much or more back as we give them …

We have learned so much from them and we are grateful …

It’s about the people, teams and organizations we have met along the way …

It’s about our purpose, our reason for being …

It’s about what we are passionate about and best at …

It’s about our quest to guide leaders on how to grow to be better leaders …

How to initiate change …

How to sustain change …

And how to grow more leaders …

It’s a place that requires us to not just talk the talk (blah, blah, blah), but walk the walk …

To step out of our comfort zones …

To see things differently …

To stop, look and listen to others no matter how different their thoughts are …

To care …

To have compassion …

To love one another …

To trust …

To respect …

To dream …

To convince others that audacious dreams do come true …

To get out there and guide ourselves and others to catch your limit …

Damn the torpedoes …

Full steam ahead …

We are Catch Your Limit …

Catch Your Limit HQ is the epicenter of our universe where all good things seem to converge. Where the search for meaning, purpose and relevance takes place every day.

It is a happy place, a challenging place, an innovative place.

It is a place that makes us and the people who become a part of it happy.

We constantly remind ourselves that what comes out of here is limited only by our own self imposed boundaries, because there are no limits to what we can do and where we can go when we muster the courage, creativity and leadership it takes to let ourselves go for it, full tilt.

The only thing off limits at Catch Your Limit is making excuses.

Our Credo reminds of of this and more. We not only have it posted on our wall, but in our minds, and we say it out loud, in unison, on a regular basis.

And, I love it! I love the whole thing! I just love it!

So, let me stop here and ask …

IS IT SO WRONG?

The question is, do you, could you or should you really give your heart and pledge everlasting love to a place?

Particularly a place called work?

My rational for why I feel the way I do is simple.

We fall in love with places all the time.

Melissa and I got married in Cinque Terre, Italy. We love it!

I have spent lots of my allotted hours on earth on the Gulf of Mexico off the “Forgotten Coast” of Florida attempting to catch my limit. I love it!

The James River is within walking distance from ><((“> HQ, and believe me, we go there with or without our clients all the time.

“Virginia’s Main Stream” has class 4-5 rapids rip roaring right through downtown and is filled with small mouth bass, stripers, catfish, shad, sturgeon and more. Ducks, geese, blue herons and eagles are everywhere!

One of our “secret places” is the Pipeline Rapids. We love to take our team and/or our clients there. The turbulence, the energy, the stimulation, the wonder and the power of nature is guaranteed to take your head out of the weeds. Some of our best conversations and insights occur right here, down by the riverside. We love it! Our clients love it!

I love Richmond, Virginia and Tallahassee, Florida and Paris, France and New Orleans, Louisiana. I love the good old US of A (been to every state, but Alaska) and, most recently, I love Southwest Canada!

I know I have lots of nods going as you add your own places to my short list. And why do we love them? Because they transcend places.

They become vessels that hold way more than things physical. And they grow exponentially and take on a life of their own.

It’s why Virginia is for lovers. When you spread the past, present and future of Virginia out on the table and allow people to pick what they love, it’s like making that one-of-a-kind salad only you can make at a salad bar. What’s not to love?

It’s why Catch Your Limit is for leaders and lovers.

“Great leaders genuinely care for and love the people they lead more than they love leading itself. Leadership without love degenerates into self-serving manipulation.”
- Rick Warren, Ladies’ Home Journal

But, like I said, this is my rationale. This is my perspective. I love this place and I want to share it.

At the same time, I question it, because if it were this simple to grasp, why don’t more leaders and organisations create places they love?  Places they love to share?

I am really interested in what all of this looks and feels like from your point of view.

Tina Turner would frame it and belt it out this way:

What’s love got to do, got to do with it
What’s love but a sweet old fashioned notion
What’s love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken

What’s love got to do with business, anyway?

How many of you are in love, I mean deeply in love with where you work, the work you do, the people you do it with and the people you do it for?

What makes you love it, like it, tolerate it or hate it?

What’s love got to do with recruiting, retaining and growing the best and the brightest, if anything?

What’s love got to do with making a successful, profitable, on-the-go, on-the-grow business?

What’s love got to do with making a successful, profitable, on-the-go, on-the-grow you?

Do our employees or customers really give a damn about our love stories, if we even have any?

What’s love got to do with what leaders do re: initiating and sustaining change and growing as leaders and growing more leaders?

Is love just a pipe dream, a diversion, or a second hand emotion, when it comes to work, or worse, a concept that shouldn’t even be in the same sentence with the work side of life?

Even if you buy into this whole idea of love, do your fellow employees, clients and customers feel the same way?

Have you asked them?

Have you listened?

What are you doing, going to continue to do, or do differently?

What have I missed? Maybe I am just too in love to see the real picture. We all know love is blind.

That’s why I would love your take!

Share your insights and thanks for your investment in time to be here and to contribute to the conversation.

Now, go out and catch your limit.

If you need some help along the way … we’d love to be your guide.

><((“><”))><

PS – Here’s a bonus. Click here to find a really good blog post about leadership and love. The only thing I ask is share and share alike.

><(("> Tom Laughon
Tom is affectionately known as BIG ><(("> at Catch Your Limit

Catch Your Limit
Management Guides & Fish Cleaning Services
><(("> Camps in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia
To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“> ><((“>

I boarded a flight from Charlotte to Melbourne.  The lady in front of me was very chatty and probably interesting and may have been an angel, but she smelled. So, when I noticed that there were some empty seats and that I could move and have a row to myself, I jumped at the opportunity.

As I settled in, the pilot announced that there would be delays.  During the hour that we spent sitting on the tarmac before take-off, the guy across the aisle began to talk, and talk and talk some more.  And, rather than zone out and focus on reading, I accepted the fact that I was meant to sit next to a talker and I took the cue that perhaps I was meant to be a listener.  And, so I did just that … I listened and listened some more.  And, this is what I heard …

This guy’s trade was plumbing.  He was traveling with his mom.  But as I listened and watched him interact with his mom and a mom and her two kids (and one on the way) sitting in front of us, it was as clear as day that he had a passion for family and kids.  I listened to this 32 year old talk about his life … the good, the bad and the ugly.  He talked about the way he made choices in the past, who had influenced him and the kind of person that he has been trying to be and hopes to be.

And, as I listened to him, I realized that the stories he was sharing were about leadership … about the lack of leadership that he had experienced and the void of leadership he was trying to fill for others.  He genuinely believed in the importance of people having imperfect role models.  His thoughts about that alone were blog worthy.

In his work, he was driven to lead and provide leadership opportunities for those around him.  In his community, he was driven to create opportunities for people to learn leadership skills –one step at a time.  And, he was comfortable with the idea of failure and if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.  And, most importantly, he felt that one of his gifts was giving people a non-threatening environment to be vulnerable and talk about their mistakes.

One idea he had was to form a teen maintenance committee at his church and teach a volunteer group of teens basic maintenance skills so that the kids could learn handy skills and learn the power of doing good, of lending a helping hand and not expecting anything in return.  This project would encourage some of the “grown ups” who knew plumbing, carpentry, electrical, gardening, etc. to get involved, mentor the kids and build real relationships with the teens.  He felt that many of these men and women who were excellent at their trades had so much to offer the kids in terms of leadership, values and work ethic but were uncomfortable in a “Sunday school” format, so it would be a win-win for both the teens & the adults. And, the church could call on the kids for basic maintenance needs  and projects which would instill pride in the kids (and the mentors) and could potentially even save the church money.

I asked him how the project was coming along and he shared that he hadn’t even been able to get this dream off the ground.  He’d shared the idea with a few people.  He’d suggested that it could start small and he’d volunteer and share his plumbing skills to start.  But, he said that he hadn’t expected so much “red tape”.

For one, no one seemed to have the energy or the capacity to take on the project.  He couldn’t understand why if they didn’t have the energy or the time, why didn’t they give him the green light to take the lead.  And, for folks who seemed tapped out, they sure invested a lot of time and energy into slowing or stopping the idea.  One influential person focused on the cost of time that the project would take and decided that the maintenance costs of the church really were not that high and just couldn’t grasp the intangible benefits of such a program.

I understand that I only heard one side of this story.  And, I don’t really know this man at all.  Perhaps there are good reasons to have concerns about him or the ideas that he was proffering.  Or, perhaps the guy is a leader, has initiative and has an innovative, low risk, low cost idea of how to be a positive role model and give back to the community he knows.  And, maybe rather than being a victim of having a leadership void, he’s trying to proactively provide an opportunity for others that he wished he could have had.  I sensed that he wasn’t giving up and that he had a sense of realistic expectations and had accepted the time that it might take to get this idea off the ground and the challenges that he would face.

Regardless, it was a reminder to me to assume the role of listener more often.  This guy’s story prompted me to think of so many questions.  I was curious to know the other perspectives, what was stopping this proposed project, why, what fears and concerns were motivating both sides, etc.  Was apathy at play? Did this “leader” come from an unlikely place in their world? I think we can all think of a similar situation in our work or our community.  What side are we on?  Why?  Can we put ourselves in the other person’s shoes?  Who’s leading?  Who’s following?  What obstacles are we putting up or helping to take down?

It’s still early in the year.  As leaders, one of our key roles is to grow more leaders.  Make it a goal to encourage all people within our teams who are demonstrating leadership skills … not just the ones with the anointed titles.  And, be on the lookout for those who have the courage to proffer ideas.  Make it a personal goal to be a champion vs. an obstacle and sooner than later you’ll be catching your limit of leadership potential in your organization.

><(("> Melissa Laughon

Melissa is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a management consulting firm with offices in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

Organic Thanks must be planted and grown with pure intentions.

Organic Thanks is all natural. It has no preservatives, additives, hidden agendas or qualifiers.

Organic Thanks is healthy for you as well as those you choose to share it with. The science of appreciation is teaching us more about this every day!

Organic Thanks has no bad side effects, and best of all, it makes those on the receiving end feel as good about getting it as you do giving it.

Organic Thanks is like a boomerang. You will, more often than not, get one in return just for tossing one out there.

And, best of all, Organic Thanks costs nothing but a little time, and frankly, not that much effort once you get the hang of it. It develops a rhyme, rhythm and reason all its own.

Organic Thanks is easy to grow in your own back yard.  Anybody with good intentions, selflessness and humility can do it.

Organic Thanks is nothing more than simple, unadulterated gratitude, but there is nothing simple about what it produces.

It can lead to feelings of love, appreciation, generosity and compassion, which further opens our hearts and helps rewire our brains to fire in more positive ways.

It even contributes to giddiness over the feelings it gives all who come in contact with it.

You just can’t give or get enough of this crazy stuff. It is addictive in the best sense of the word.

As leaders, we need to search for opportunities to serve up heaping helpings of Organic Thanks to everyone and everything that has earned it … each and every day … in each and every way.

Don’t save your Organic Thanks for the big things. Little things mean a lot, so recognize those little things with big appreciation.

”I forgot to say thank you,” should not be a part of your vocabulary. Never forget.

And, counting your blessings alone or keeping them to yourself and not giving credit where credit is due is a No No.

So, when and where do you start growing, cultivating and sharing your very own Organic Thanks?

I say right here! Right now! Here’s how.

“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” –  William James

Tom’s Official One Day Organic Thanks Challenge

Instructions: Take three deep breaths. Don’t let the 20 challenges intimidate you. You don’t have to do them all, but try to do at least 10. And, by all means pick and choose, or substitute your own. So, what are you waiting for? It’s meaningful exercise for the heart, mind, and soul!

1. Start by thanking the first person you see after reading my post and accepting my challenge.
2. After you share a sample of Organic Thanks and get a feel for how it works, ask that person to do the same. Don’t explain why; just ask them to do it as a favor to you. Just say, now go thank the first person you see. And pass it on.
3. Type a thank you note and email it to at least 20 people. Add specifics to personalize it or just thank folks for being themselves. Don’t try to sell or tell any more than that.
4. Thank your Facebook, and LinkedIn Friends while you are at it. Don’t ask them to pass it on, they just will.  What the heck, Tweet the world with a heartfelt thanks, too, while you’re at it.
5. See if you get any responses from your emails or social media contacts. That’s not the objective, but it does happen. Remember the boomerang principal.
6. Tell your team how much you are thankful for them as a team and as individuals on the team (sharing one reason why is an added bonus).
7. Hand write at least three Organic Thank You notes and make sure they are delivered without fanfare.
8. Pick three people at work and three people on the other side of work that you know and give them personal thanks for something meaningful to you. This is face to face.
9. Thank an unsung hero for being an unsung hero.
10. Go out of your way to thank a stranger for something you saw them do. If they are in uniform, you know exactly what to thank them for.
11. Thank loved ones in your family. Yep, a family pet could be included.
12. Thank a sales clerk, the newspaper delivery person or mail person for their help.
13. Thank the new kid on the block.
14. Surprise someone out of your past with an Organic Thank You.
15. Add Organic Thanks to your agendas. At Catch Your Limit, we call them Celebrations! We kick off every Monday morning all-hands powwow with them. We even give Standing Os (Standing Ovations) for people or things that we are thankful for!
16. Throw in one wild card, maybe even wild and crazy … in terms of who you thank and how. Make this one creative and unforgettable. Hint, a kazoo, sparklers or a rubber ducky might be good props to choose from.
17. Celebrate something, not just someone.
18. Take a break and read this short article  that was published this past Thanksgiving.
19. Don’t just stock pile your Organic Thanks to serve only on big T Day … Thanksgiving. Make every day little t day. It will increase the feelings you give and get 365 fold by serving it daily. You don’t have to serve with the traditional trapping and trimmings. And, turkeys will love you.
20. Say a silent Organic Thanks before dozing off and dream about who and what you will give Organic Thanks to tomorrow.

Before going to bed, bullet thoughts on how your day went, how my challenge made you feel and what, expected or otherwise, happened to those you connected with and to yourself.

Here’s a big Organic Thanks shout out to you for doing any of the following: reading my post, sharing it with others, sharing your thoughts and ideas with me, accepting my challenge, continuing to be a conscientious Organic Thanks gardener.

Now, take the lead! Go out there and be the Johnny Appleseed of gratitude and catch your limit!

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”  - Melody Beattie

><(("> Tom Laughon
Tom is affectionately known as BIG ><(("> at Catch Your Limit

Catch Your Limit
Management Guides & Fish Cleaning Services
><(("> Camps in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia
To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

><(("> Gayle Turner

Gayle is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.

If you work this back I think you measure what you value and what you value is tied to your values.

In my experience people’s values are mostly held subconsciously.

We go along day by day with our values operating in the background and they only move into our consciousness when something happens to offend them.

Even then most of us don’t seem to be conscious of what our particular values are or why we have them.

On the other hand when something happens that runs contrary to our values (consciously held or otherwise) we’re very clear we have been violated.

All of this ruminating is to encourage people to bring their values out into the light of day and explore them.

Why do you feel the way you do about certain things?

How do your feeling impact the things you value and as such measure and as such reward and do?

I’m going to write about some of mine.

I’d be interested to hear about some of yours.

><(("> Gayle Turner

Gayle is a ><(("> Team Member at Catch Your Limit, a consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.