It started Sunday morning with bananas. Instead of focusing on the anxiety of all things COVID-19-related, I found inspiration in my next choice. As I entered the kitchen, I noticed the browning bananas sitting on top of the fruit bowl. They looked perfect for baking. The thing is, I haven’t baked in a while. Don't get me wrong. I love to bake, but I’ve been staying away from bread and sweet things these days. However, at that moment, the next thing I felt like doing was to make banana muffins. So I did, and added some dried sour cherries to the batter too (so delicious!)

Baking has always been fun and therapeutic, and this batch of muffins didn’t disappoint. I measured, mashed, mixed, and scooped. My spirits lifted as our home filled with the wafting, delicious scent coming from the oven.  And what fun is baking if you can’t share it? Together, my husband and I enjoyed the warm muffins and berry fruit salad breakfast.  We followed that with a nice long walk in the woods.

If I could, I would give you a banana muffin right now. Instead, I’ll share my recipe with you.

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Linda’s Banana Muffins

Oven: 400° | Yield: 12 muffins | Bake:  20-25 minutes

In a bowl, stir together and set aside:

1-3/4 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground clove

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In another bowl, mix together

1 beaten egg

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup canola oil

In third bowl, mash

2 ripe bananas

Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir. Stir in bananas. If desired, add 1/3 cup of dried sour cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, or chocolate morsels into the batter.

Grease cupcake pans with canola spray or butter. Fill cups one-half or more full. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.

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My impromptu baking made me think about the week of adjustments we’ve all had. With an increase in closures, cancellations, working from home, and staying in place orders, we’ve experienced unprecedented disruptions and change this week. Teachers were getting accustomed to teaching online, restaurants were retooling for curbside pick-up only or closing temporarily, loved ones were getting ill, trying to get tested, or stressing over if they had been infected or infected others. People that had never worked from home were navigating how to do that.

Most of us were figuring out ways to cope and self-soothe in this anxiety-laden time. Collectively we were doing things like walking (a lot) meditating, practicing yoga, crocheting, organizing, puzzling (as in doing jigsaw puzzles) journaling, jogging, watching, reading, gardening, checking in with others, and sleeping.

I also noticed that collectively we got inspired and creative about the new reality. We started experimenting with doing things differently because life changed overnight. It’s been fascinating to observe and partake in. Especially with next being more uncertain than ever, making choices that foster happiness and calm is essential. It’s a crazy, scary time. Yet even with the tumult, we have opportunities to get inspired, be creative, to experiment, examine our priorities, and express gratitude.

Like many of you, I miss the physical presence of being with my family, friends, and clients. Social distancing and isolation have been challenging for many of us. However, there too, people are getting creative about staying socially engaged, despite the distancing. This past week I Face Timed, which I don’t usually do. Using Zoom, I video-chatted with family and friends, had virtual organizing sessions with clients, took yoga classes, had breakfast with a group of girlfriends, and hosted a virtual cocktail party (so much fun!)

What has been different for you this week? Have you felt more creative or been inspired by your next choice? My heart is with each of you as you navigate and find your way during this unprecedented time. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Be well. Stay healthy. I invite you to join the conversation.

The other morning I was walking along one of my favorite meandering paths next to the Hudson River. It was a warm summer day. Since it wasn’t yet a scorcher, people were jogging, conversing, sitting, bicycling, and fishing. Several folks were walking their dogs. I noticed a man at the river’s edge playing fetch with his four-legged friend. I stopped to watch as the pup hyper-focused on the stick, waiting for his person to throw it into the water.

In anticipation of the branch being released, the pooch’s high motivation was clearly visible as he dove enthusiastically into the water to retrieve it. Over and over the dog waited, focused, swam, and fetched. I’m not sure who was having more fun- the dog, his person, or me. 

With a big smile, I finally pulled myself away and continued my walk. Here’s the thing, though. At that moment, my mind made a connection about what I just saw. It occurred to me that motivation becomes almost effortless when the goal is clear. And the more straightforward and better defined the goal is, the easier it is for motivation to flow. 

Let’s look at the stick-fetching example. The pup had one clear goal- retrieve the stick. Nothing else mattered. Birds, fish, or other passersby didn’t distract him. His mission was to return the stick to his friend- over and over again. The pups’ motivation flowed freely with his singular focus to get the stick!

Has your motivation ever been compromised? Has this made it challenging for you to activate? This can happen for many reasons, which include:

• Having too many goals

• Having a lack of clarity around your purpose

• Being overwhelmed by too many steps

• Being unsure of where to begin

• Being unclear about what to do next

• Lacking information needed to continue

• Feeling conflicted with competing priorities

• Being exhausted

• Lacking confidence

The next time you’re struggling with getting motivated, think about the dog-fetching story. How can you simplify your goal, and reduce it to that one thing? After you distill the goal, your motivation will quickly rise from within and propel you forward. So whether you are trying to get organized, planning your next vacation, or preparing to host a big event, think small. Think simply. Think about breaking the big thing into a tiny, more manageable goal. Watch what happens.

What helps you unleash your motivation? What resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

We’ve all heard of, and some of us actually use to-do lists. They help us focus on our daily priorities, better manage our time, and increase our productivity.  Using these lists gives us an added benefit. We experience an endorphin rush, a ping of happy hormones when we cross off a completed task.

To-do lists are great, but have you considered making a to-don’t  list? In the article, 12 Things to Put on Your “To-Don’t” list Today, Marina Khidekel, editorial director at Thrive Global suggests adding to this list, “what you don’t actually need in your life, and which areas you can scale back on. The items on your to-don’t list are the tasks you should avoid for the sake of your focus, performance, and well-being.” Below are several to-don’ts Marina shared from the Thrive Global community:

Thrive Global Community’s To-Don’t List

• Don’t finish a book or movie you don’t enjoy

• Don’t do tasks that can be delegated

• Don’t work late all of the time

• Don’t go to every social event you’re invited to

• Don’t spend time with negative people

While my to-don’ts still reside in my brain, there are time management and productivity to-don’ts in addition to the ones mentioned above that I have on my internal list. 

Linda’s To-Don’t List:

• Don’t check my email when I first wake up

• Don’t let my priorities always come last

• Don’t show up late without letting the person know I’m running behind schedule

• Don’t automatically say “yes” to a request without considering if it’s feasible given my current schedule and commitments

• Don’t make an appointment without entering it on my calendar

• Don’t return from vacation, shopping, or the day and not put away my things

• Don’t leave the house without my watch unless it’s a no-watch-day

• Don’t worry about things that may never happen

• Don’t work continuously without taking water, bio, nature, or snack breaks

• Don’t wish away time

• Don’t rush through life

As I develop my to-don’t list, I’ll continue to add ideas. Do you have a to-don’t list? Do you see a value to creating one? Even if you haven’t made a list yet, what single item would you include? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!

One of the greatest joys in life is spending time with your loved ones. At least it is for me. There’s nothing quite like having shared experiences and some good old human, face-to-face interaction to strengthen our relationships and understanding of each other.  I had the chance to do just that on a recent a road trip with my husband, daughter and her friend. Car time is wonderful for conversing, sharing music, and enjoying each other’s company.

On this particular trip, aside from actively participating in the conversations, I was also the driver. While I was paying attention to the speed limit, traffic patterns, and road signs, I neglected to notice the gas gauge. I was so focused on dialoguing and driving, that I ignored a very important sign until it was too late…well, almost too late.

At one point my attention shifted when I noticed the yellow “out of gas” indicator light and the “zero miles remaining before the gas ran out” gauge. Fortunately, I saw the warnings right before an exit. Despite the fact that the highway exit sign didn’t indicate gas stations available, I opted to get off the highway. I thought, as did my passengers, that it would be better to run out of gas on the exit ramp than on the highway. As the story goes, there was a gas station located at the bottom of the exit. Phew! We pulled up just in time and filled the tank.

I felt stupid and embarrassed. This could have been inconvenient, not to mention dangerous. After berating myself, I had to let it go and move on. Mistakes happen. Focus shifts. No one got hurt. Our gas tank was now full. This experience left me thinking about distractions…as in in how many things can we effectively focus on at once? As it turns out, we can’t handle too many.

The moral of the story: If you have too many distractions and competing priorities, you may find yourself running on empty.

What distractions surprise you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!