I’M SUCH A FLAKE. OH. SO ARE YOU

I heard something yesterday that got me thinking. It does actually happen occasionally. It was about snowflakes. I am not sure that I remember what snowflakes are. I am in Houston, it’s November 16th and it is in the 80’s today. But I digress. Snowflakes. They are all, each and every one of them, unique. Different. Dare I say rare. There is no way that any two will be the same.

Each of us is too. There is not one tiny detail about any of us that is the same as another person. Whether talking about character flourishes or flaws, challenges or strengths, we are all very different. One falling snowflake is insignificant. You could miss seeing it as it falls slowly to the ground. Yet, if you have ever stood on the top of a mountain in Colorado and been in the middle of a beautiful, slow, steady falling snow, you would be very hard pressed to experience anything more incredible or amazing.

I thought about the similarities of Team Inspiration Texas and snow. Individually, we are insignificant. Small. If you examined any one of us, you could find our imperfections and weaknesses. And individually, we are indeed weak. But together, we are awesome. Beautiful. Like snow falling, when we are together, our individual imperfections disappear and the beauty of the entire group is striking and powerful. I am made more significant by being a mere flake in this falling snow. I may not be the strongest or most durable flake but I am privileged to be a part of the incredible beauty.

Okay. That was one of my more abstract moments. I hope that you get my point. I guess I am dreaming it was snowing!

Keep dreaming out loud!

-Trace

WOW! THIS REALLY WORKS!!!

Mushahid (Mush) Khan, President and COO of O'Rourke Petroleum, liked our idea of dreaming out loud so much that he asked his employees to dream out loud at their team meeting this morning. The results were astounding. One person had a dream for him and his family to get food to needy families for Thanksgiving. On the spot, the decision was made to make it happen. The company will buy the food and several employees volunteered to help with the deliveries. Another person said that his out loud dream was to "always be a positive influence in someone's life, to stay healthy and to retire and really start living on his own terms." And it goes on and on.

If there is any doubt about the positive influence that Team Inspiration Texas is having on others, there can be none now. I have never met Mush, we did not know him at the time of the triathlon, and he just started following our message.

Life is good!

KEEP DREAMING OUT LOUD!

-Trace

WHEN AN EPIDEMIC IS GOOD

Have you ever noticed how when someone smiles at you, you can't help but to feel better? I am talking about a genuine, comes-from-the-soul warm smile. The kind that just wraps you up like a warm blanket on a cold day. It is magical the effect that kind of smile has on you. If you add laughter to the equation, the result is astounding. Conversely, when we are around people that are terminally grumpy or in a bad mood, the pall that is cast has an even greater affect on folks. It brings everyone way, way down. The other day I was having "an issue". Trying to practice what I preach, I was trying to find a way to positively deal with the situation. A friend sent me a text message that made me laugh. My mood immediately brightened. My response to my friend? LOL!!! Then it hit me. I just got a smile and laugh through a text message. A real, heart-warming smile. We have talked about this before. Our attitude has the ability to profoundly affect everyone around us, whether in person or through as basic a form of communication as a text or an email. That, in turn, affects everyone around them and so on and so on.

So, since smiling and laughter are good and because they are contagious, your simple smile today can have the effect of brightening someone’s day half way across the world in a month or more. Wild, isn’t it?

Let's start an epidemic. Don't worry. The flushed face, feeling of giddiness and uncontrollable feelings of joy are a good thing. And it is contagious.

DREAMING OUT LOUD

A friend and I were chatting the other day and he made a comment, the importance of which I did not realize at the time.  He said "I was just dreaming out loud." The true meaning escaped me because, at the time, we were just being silly.  "I was just dreaming out loud."  What a marvelous concept. Dreaming out loud Is a good thing in so many ways.  You see, it allows others to know and share in and encourage your dreams.  For example, when I accepted the challenge to do the triathlon, I shared the dream with many. Look at the result! About 50 people did the triathlon with me, many walking with me through the finish line after completing their own races. By dreaming out loud, Team Inspiration Texas was formed.  By dreaming out loud, I have been given the opportunity to speak to folks, either through this blog or in person, whose dreams might otherwise have been lost.  By dreaming out loud, many have been encouraged to start their own out loud dreaming, creating an environment founded in supporting and encouraging what? DREAMS!

Out loud dreaming also keeps you accountable. To yourself and to others.  When others know your dreams, you are encouraged to keep fighting for them.  If I missed a day in the gym, I almost felt guilty that I was letting not only myself down, but those sharing in my dream.  I became accountable to my dream. How cool is that?

So start just dreaming out loud.  Ignore those who aren't able to see your dreams as you do.  They'll eventually come around and hopefully start dreaming out loud themselves.  See the amazing places it takes you!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best.

-Trace

FEAR, HOPE, GOALS ... AND PLAN B!

Sorry that I haven't written for a while. I really haven't had anything "blog worthy" to say.  That changed yesterday. My sweet sister, Kimberly, and her business partner, Spencer, invited me to The UP Experience, a seminar with "unique perspectives from unique people." It was amazing.  The diverse group of people that spoke each had amazing stories to share.  There was a neuroscientist, a chef, and a technology expert, to name a few.  Each had an amazing uplifting message that really made you think.  One speaker, Alison Levine, a business consultant , talked about she has climbed a peak on every continent and has skied across both the North and South Poles.  From her talk, several things became clear and are especially poignant to our work.  Fear is okay. It is complacency that will kill you.  We talk a lot about how things scare us.  Sitting around not fighting our challenges does us no good.  In fact, it only hurts us more.  Combine that with the lessons learned from Brene Brown, and a powerful observation is realized.  Brene reminded us that we CAN do hard things. She told us about Emily Dickenson's view of hope which is that "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul."   Hope  is a function of struggle.  Goals are achieved by fighting  your fears through struggles.  Just keep telling yourself that you have a goal, it IS reachable, and  that you will get there, even if you have to Plan B it.

I am happy to report that since keeping track of my bike mileage on 7/23, I have now logged about 1400 miles on my bike.  You see, I am not being complacent with my fears. I have a goal. I WILL reach it, even if I have to Plan B it! And I have great HOPE that my goals will be realized.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING, and my best,

Trace

SELFISHNESS

There are times when I question whether my time at the gym or on the bike is selfish. Let’s face it. I am spending a LOT of time training these days. Am I neglecting others in doing those things? Am I making them too much of a priority?

There is a HUGE difference between selfishness and SELF-PRESERVATION. Without taking care of myself, I am absolutely worthless to others. If I take care of myself, mentally, physically, spiritually, the things that I can do for others increases exponentially. For example, before I started on this great adventure, I would frequently go to bed extremely early. I really did not have the energy to engage myself in the task of reaching out to others. Now, the opposite is true. I now have a strong desire to reach out and I have the energy to do so. By getting rid of the negatives in my life and finding a way to turn necessary negatives into positives, I can focus on what is important. Helping others. That is not selfishness. That is self-preservation. Big difference.

I would write more but I have to get on the bike!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

YOUR WILDEST DREAMS

Never when I started this great adventure did I have a clue that Team Inspiration would reach out to so many, especially our youth. Last year, I was invited to speak to a group of young leaders at a local high school. This morning, the Blessing continued as I was invited to speak to a group of high school students training for triathlons with Mindy Reich’s SelecTRI the Woodlands. Team Inspiration Texas has been fortunate enough to be in the position to loan three of its bikes to up and coming triathletes.

The message has been the same. First, be and remain active. We never know when we will be afflicted with any illness or disease and being active certainly helps one fight off those challenges. Second, encourage those who, like me, need the support and love of those around us to know that we CAN do anything, even in the face of adversity. Once again, seeing these great young people gives me tremendous hope for our future!

What an amazing group of young people and, like our Super Jocks, I know they will continue to not only better themselves, but better those around them. Good luck to the young triathletes of SelecTRI the Woodlands. You CAN do anything!

Please remember that Team Inspiration Texas now has its own Facebook page. www.facebook.com/teaminspiration. We invite you to “like” us and we especially encourage you to post on our wall and tell us how you have been helped by us! You do not have to have a Facebook page to do this.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace