Go to Resources to download simple and effective tools for creating a vision, brainstorming ideas, launching a cool project or simply balancing all that fills your life. If there is a tool you would like to see posted in the Resources page that would assist you in developing and executing creative ideas, let us know and perhaps it will become a KMack Creative Page.
The Bright Lights of The MS Foundation gathered for wine, treats and a “mini” Playful Transformation workshop in Fort Lauderdale on October 15. It was a relaxing and inspiring event.
Kristin will be speaking at the upcoming PA Assoc. of Community Health Centers Conference at Penn State University on October 8th in partnership with ProEdgeSkills Inc.
The Bright Lights of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation invited Kristin to speak at their upcoming event on Oct 15th at the Weise Foundation Townhouse on Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.
Kristin will be delivering FranklinCovey’s Focus; Achieving Your Highest Priorities workshop on October 20th in Norfolk, VA and again on October 22nd in Plantation, FL.
Enjoy article Playful Transformation in 3 Easy Steps by Kristin Mackey on page 40 of Natural Awakenings (May 2009) magazine.
Click top left contents to read.
It is not about service, its about love.
When a team or organization is asked to put their personal feelings aside to deal with the emotions of a irate customer – its about love…
When an organization wants to communicate to the world a vibe of positive energy, quality and service, the root is still love…
When leaders are asked to look at themselves and make the proper changes to be good examples, its not about blame, its about love…
Service Excellence has a root. That root is love.
Every time I am asked to teach, rally, restructure or design an approach to enhance service excellence, there is an awakening of sorts. Skill without heart is empty, and people know it. “Nice” without soul remains transparent to most. All the fancy service skills in the world do not replace the transformative power of love when an organization allows itself to own it.
5 Ways to BRING MORE LOVE INTO WORK:
1. Start with YOURSELF. Seek and repair as many professional relationships in your organization that you can. Disagreements, power struggles and the like can create a separating energy. Forgive others (even if you still choose to avoid negativity) and be accountable for your role in any dramas.
2. Instead of PULLING toward yourself, PUSH out toward others…in terms of attention, energy, support and the like. This does not mean you downplay your skills (true Creators know exactly their power) but it does mean that from a place of power you DO have everything to GIVE, and “taking” is just not necessary. This creates a positive stream of energy that becomes contagious in micro systems (teams) and macro (organizations) alike.
3. Make things simple in operations. Feeling cluttered, overwhelmed and stuck in complicated processes can be a real kill-joy, no matter how evolved we deem ourselves. Target any area in operations that has slow/stuck energy and do what you can to release it to flow better. Transactional processes at work can be simplified with the right attention.
4. PREVENTION is more cost effective then REPAIR. Create a key team in your organization called THE EASY TEAM. Charge them with the task of identifying and upgrading any operational transaction that can be made easier and flow better for others. There will be work to be done, however this team can collaborate, invite feedback and create real solutions. Think of this team like a blood thinner. If there is a clot, they will thin it out and the whole “body” will benefit.
5. QUIT THE FEAR…it only creates more. The earth and its structures are changing. The overall consciousness that created them is experiencing a quantum leap…meaning a new consciousness is flooding in and its more inclusive, loving, supportive and life-affirming then the former. Its all good. Resisting change will not stop it, it just create more stress. Allow yourself to relax in the knowledge that as our economic structures reconfigure, there is a divine purpose to this transformation.
If we keep trying to approach current challenges with the same mentality that created them, we will not get very far. With the current economy challenging many institutions, health care is no exception. With my experience in the industry (and with health care clients) I suggest below a few approaches leaders can take to respond to the many challenges they face today. Leaders can serve as catalysts toward a new paradigm of proactive wellbeing with simple introductions to new ideas transcending our current reactive health care system.
1. Explore and invite alternative healing modalities with salons or events. Create a healing weekend event. Invite interviewed (and credible) reiki healers, color therapists, sound healers and the like to a weekend fun event. Require each specialist to provide brochures and information on their modality. Offer waivers to avoid liability and market appropriately: ”exploring the world’s healing methods to awaken our understanding of what may be possible” sort of thing…. and present it as a way to invite diverse ideas on healing (not just Western conventional medicine).
2. Add a survey question to outpatient and impatient tools to capture patients openness to alternative therapies. Example question: “I am interested in learning about alternative and unconventional healing methods”. Numbers always talk. If numbers are high, create groups and send invitations to interested folks.
3. Create a healing center for staff. Design it to be peaceful with or near nature. Stock it with alternative medicine approaches to wellbeing. Put a sign on the door “only positive loving thoughts allowed here” for fun and as a reminder. Countless scientific studies indicate the impact of daily dialogue.
4. Offer workshops to teach current providers ways to communicate in a healing way. The use of language is very powerful but the way the provider feels (and thinks) while communicating is actually more significant on a vibrational level (see listed resources for scientific reports). Before every seminar, I meditate and clear my own energy, and set the intention to be loving, open and non-judgemental to every single person in my seminar. After countless seminars, I am certain of its influence on outcomes.
5. Believe it or not, I did a variation of this back in high school and it worked in the most amazing way. Ask the entire organization to offer a “love hour”. Each person offers one hour of their personal/unpaid time to contribute something to the hospital out of love. Whether it is to clean up, organize a closet, create art, make the healing center, move through the units and assist – its on their time. Have them wear red t-shirts with a big heart on it (LOVE HOUR). As they wear the red shirt, they feel acknowledged for their service, it inspires patients and generates true positive goodwill and energy on a routine basis. Its an identifiable act, creates synergy and boots morale and togetherness. It also generates contributions and solutions that do not require funding.
Transformation and change takes time. As Steven Covey’s talks about in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, it is most effective to focus on our Circle of Influence even with the many things in the Circle of Concern. The Circle of Influence is the area we CAN influence and should. The more we focus on what we can do to heal systems, create solutions and introduce new models (that encourage healing and love not tear people apart with fear) the more the problems will dissipate with ease and simplicity.
What we think and feel, we create on the micro and macro levels of life (people, teams, systems).
The more we believe in the magic of that which is not always immediately measurable, the more the evidence of its presence can be found. As Einstein stated – Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.
I say – If what “has been” is no longer giving us the ideal and best outcomes, why do we defend and continue them? It is time to change the paradigm.
With the economy being the way it is, we are all getting more practical. Few folks are moving and many are cutting back. That said, your environment plays a key role in your wellbeing and success. It is not easy to be productive when you cannot find anything. Its even harder to feel peace and contentment in a pile of clutter (if you like things orderly).
This post is about creating an easy home over an impressive one. The cluttered house that sucks our energy can be simplified and made easy – but serious inner work needs to be part of that process. Letting stuff go can be tricky. All change can stir emotions.
Ask yourself the following questions and then add the tips to your new year “to do” list:
Detox Your Home
1. Do I LOVE this item in my home and has it been useful in the last 2 years?
2. Can someone else benefit more from this item? Is it just taking up space?
3. Do these knicknacks really give love or is love in my heart? Do I NEED all of them? Can I reduce?
4. Does my home support my daily routine? Is it set up to make good habits easy for me?
5. Do I feel calm, centered and peaceful when I enter my home? If not, why? What can I change?
Tips
1. Decide what you would like to accomplish in 2009 and create an environment that supports it. I am a vegetarian. I also need protein. I have a canister of protein powder, flax seed powder (fiber) and vitamins on my kitchen counter to easily supplement my diet. I shop each week and have tubs of fresh, colorful veggies in the frig. and keep dark chocolate bars (many) in a drawer for a mini dessert (sweet and has benefits). Having things handy and plenty cuts the planning, guess work and bald spots in my diet. I set it up to be an effortless way to be healthy.
2. Create rooms that support you. Our downstairs needs to “flow”. For me, keeping everything neutral created a peaceful and open feeling. Keeping clutter at bay (having a basket for mail right by the door) and other “catch alls” allows us to find what we need, when we need it in a easy and fast way. On the other hand, my office is colorful (my work space needs to be festive, yet professional and highly organized since most of the time I am on the go). The place I sleep needs to be cozy and warm. How can the spaces in your life better support your goals and ease your life?
3. Plan ahead. Think of an action you take over and over again and plan ahead. I love to run here in Florida so I keep my shoes, mp3 player and single house key by the door. This keeps me running. I need lots of energy to conduct workshops so I have a basket of high protein bars so that I can grab and go. I am often presenting so clothing needs to be right. I have a “uniform” I wear that I change up. This takes the guesswork out and prevents wardrobe bloopers that distract participants.
4. Make choices that say “easy” over “impressive”. I grew up in an Italian home. My adorable grandmother had plastic on her white couches. She worked at Saks Fifth Avenue and it showed. To this day, I still think she was the most stylish lady I knew and I wear her pins with love (and sometimes tears at her memory) quite proudly. BUT, you will not find plastic on anything in my home today. It is very easy to get caught up in what is impressive over what works, is useful and more comfortable. It is more comfortable to have a savings account then expensive stuff keeping you in debt. It creates more ease and simplicity to have a home with simple lines that take 2 minutes to wipe then 50 ornaments you have to take a Q-tip out to clean. Oh, I have my treasures, but if they start taking away from the people I love, exercise time, work time (I love my work) and anything of value – it become a silly move and a poor investment. Time is valuable.
Making your home easy and beautiful is a good way to begin the new year!
We each came to this planet with a choice on how we were going to live our lives. Some of us followed a common route while others responded to a hunch. In all cases, we chose. If you love who you are and how you are living your life, then good for you! Congratulations. If you do not like what you see show up in your life, change it.
You do not “paint” a life masterpiece running around copying other artist’s work. Just because a lifestyle works for one does not mean it is suited for all. Know you have the power to decide exactly what you want your life to be.
I had many advisors, recruiters and opportunites on my path. And everytime I had to make a hard decision on that track. Sometimes, I could forsee where a direction would ultimately take me, so I turned around. Other times I went right into an experience, caution aside to pay the price of abandon. What is most important about the painting of your life’s masterpiece is that you always have in your minds’ eye, what the end result will look like. You may change shades, add a “happy little bush” but a sunset it still is. True life artists know that their thoughts and their feelings create their health, wealth and life. If you do not like what is on YOUR canvas, change how you see it and the “matrix” will adjust to meet your new perception.