Category: Influence Actions

This article is about teaching and speaking in a mask. It is co-authored with my singing teacher Robyn Wells, who is a lecturer in voice at the Conservatorium of NSW (Sydney University). Robyn, wears a mask as she teaches her students, who are behind a large perspex screen. She speaks of many things to consider when speaking and teaching in a mask.

We believe the concepts and exercises discussed in this blog are of value for all of us as we ‘speak’ through a mask. By reading you will learn about the 3 powerful aspects of voice. The exercises we developed will help to reduce the stress and strain on the vocal folds.

We hope you find the exercises and tips useful.

Teaching and Speaking in a ‘Heavenly’ Mask

The vocal folds are the most precious resource you have and therefore they need to be protected…particularly as a teacher.

‘The singer’s entire body is her instrument. We must ensure our body manages our voice breath pressure, to safeguard our vocal folds.’ (Robyn Wells)

We have attempted to summarise our thoughts into three powerful aspects of voice – Breathing, Voice and Vocal Folds. These three aspects are the essence of speaking, teaching and singing well.

1. Breathing

The following points on breathing will provide a simple guide to help you breath safely.

• Do not force or suck breath into your lungs.

• Breath naturally: simply open throat and body for air, releasing low abdominals and pelvic floor.

• No gasps for breath, which will cause the mask into your mouth. Let the natural flow of breath flow into your lungs (science – gases move from areas of high pressure to low pressure. The air in your lungs is at low pressure as you breathed out).

• Do not suck breaths through a mask. This can tighten your throat and your abdominals, reducing air inflow and cause shallow breathing. Shallow breathing will not allow you to project your voice. You may even experience some anxiety. If this happens, go outside, to a window or an open door, take the mask off and breathe fresh air naturally.

• Use the Pelvic Floor muscles, which will automatically activate the deep and very low abdominals. This will feel like trying to stop peeing. These are muscles within the pelvic region that support your breathing – when you use your breath correctly! They can switch on automatically, but for the untrained person you may need to get the brain working – sending a message to the muscles to ‘kick in’ and support the breath. When you do this, there will be no need for the vocal folds to tighten and strain…like a high pitch. It is a ‘long story’, but coming from the pelvic floor/low abdominals, will train your body to manage breath pressure instinctively and accurately.

Now you are ready for the following exercises:

Exercise 1. Practice engaging the pelvic floor by making a gentle internal ‘hiss’ sound and then release. Place the tongue at the back of the lower teeth. Lift the pelvic floor to push the air and make a short ‘hiss – a’ sound for one second. Keep repeating this.

Exercise 2. Take a breath in for 4 seconds then make a ‘sss’ or ‘hiss’ sound breathing out for 4 seconds. Repeat the process of breath in for 4 seconds, and then ‘sss’ or ‘hiss’ out for 8 seconds…then out for 12 seconds and so on for as long as you can go.

But how to do this naturally when speaking or teaching? Here is the how!

1. Before you speak! STOP!
2. Relax your shoulders and stomach muscles and whole body!
3. Open your lips. Let the air flow into your lungs. Do not take a deep breath.
4. Then talk animatedly, as if surprised and delighted, annoyed or excited, while lifting the pelvic floor. To Lift the pelvic floor is the same sensation as when you go to stop ‘peeing.’

2. Voice

‘Feel your voice in the whole of your face and skull.’

(Robyn Wells)

Teaching in a mask has made lifting the pelvic floor an important skill for teachers to develop. It requires you to feel the height and opening of the space in your head. You can get a buzzing sensation in the head as you engage the pelvic floor and notice what it feels like to sense the empty resonating spaces in your head. This sensation is where the volume of your voice should come from. NOT the over stretching and stressing of the vocal folds.

The throat, jaw and neck muscles must remain loose and unengaged as much as possible. So, touch them to help them relax and make them loose. Do not tighten the muscles around the throat. This may place stress on the vocal folds.

3. Vocal Folds

‘As a teacher, the vocal folds, are the most precious resource you have.’

(Vicky McGahey)

The vocal folds are two thin bands of membrane found in the larynx – your voice box. The vocal folds vibrate as air passes over them making the sound of your voice.

The following is a guide for protecting the vocal folds from over stretching and too much stress.

• Keep the vocal folds moist. To do this you need to drink plenty of water before you start to speak and/or teach. For example, approximately 10-20 minutes before you speak, drink at least 300-600mls of water. The standard practice for one hour singing is 600mls of water (like a Mass or concert).
• When you go to speak across a room try to feel the high open space in your mouth and throat. This is your resonating space. Talk in this space. Use the spaciousness and breath energy to resonate your sound, not pushing it. This will help to kick in the pelvic floor and reduce the stress on the vocal folds.
• Never yell by tightening neck, jaw, and throat muscles. This will add stress to vocal folds and can lead to lose of voice. Instead, use managed breath energy from your pelvis.

There is a simple two page PDF of the tips and exercises. Just click the here and it will be sent directly to your email…

We hope you find the exercises and tips useful. There are a couple of good articles for additional reading in the Resources section below.

To conclude, we wish you well as you engage in your speaking and teaching while wearing a ‘heavenly’ mask. Remember, none of us need be alone nor fearful as we walk this necessary journey. However, we must protect our most precious resource which is our voice.

Good luck!

Writers:

Robyn Wells – Lecturer in Voice, Conservatorium of NSW, Australia (University of Sydney)

Vicky McGahey – Private student of Robyn’s and friend (vickymcgahey.com)

Regards and Blessings,

Vicky

Lead with Soul to Succeed in Life

Teaching and Speaking in a ‘Heavenly’ Mask

Teaching and Speaking in a ‘Heavenly’ Mask: 3 Powerful Aspects of Voice

Photographs from Unsplash

The rationale

We all have the same number of hours in a week – 168 hours. No more and no less. What we do with those hours can difference between winning at work and succeeding in life. Batching will enable you to take control of your precious time and use it with wisdom.

Batching is setting aside a block of time to complete a task. It may be one task or the grouping of similar tasks. Batching requires deep work. It encourages you to focus on one task, which can improve the quality of work and productivity. Batching can make large projects more appealing to tackle. However, it is not time specific. You can do some of the best batching in as little as 10 minutes time slots over a period of blocked out time.

I have designed a simple ‘Cheat Sheet’ on batching. It is a clickable link near the end of this article.

Quality is the new rage

Remember the multitasking craze? Multitasking was a failure. It may have increased the quantity of things you did, but often at the sacrifice of quality which is not good.

Multitasking as a failure – Quantity at the sacrifice of Quality.

Quality is the new rage … it is the precious gem we look for and hunt for. It is what we desire in most facets of life.

As previously mentioned, to produce quality in work, you often need to do deep work. Deep work requires the gift of time…not more time! Remember, you only have 168 hours in a week. It is using the time you have with wisdom and learning how to manage it. With the added benefit of freeing up hours of your working week for more pleasurable stuff!

How to “Batch” as a busy person

There are heaps of websites, books and blogs on batching – google it! There are colourful templates and infographics to help those ‘solopreneurs’ who have the luxury of planning their own time and daily work and life schedules.

As a teacher I do not have that luxury…the bells, the bells, those ‘?’ bells!

Teachers work to a timetable and much of our work time is planned for us by others. We need to eat, attend meetings, fill out forms, kitchen duty, playground duty, clean up our email box, drive to work & home. Once at home, a whole new set of time-consuming, but life-giving family items, begin to fall at our feet.

Does some of this sound familiar? I bet it does?

Finding time to batch can mean working outside the ‘set’ timetable we are given or we make for ourselves. However, better still, we can make the time within our timetable work for us in simple ways. NOT we work for/to the timetable.

But how do we do this? When can we create the space in our busy routine to do the quality work we need to do to achieve the outcomes in work and life we desire?

So as we can ‘win at work and succeed at life.’ This is described as the ‘double win!’ (Michael Hyatt).

There are several things you need to do.

1. Diary – Planner

From my perspective, one way is to block out sections of time in my diary before the day or the week begins. This time I will guard as sacrosanct.

For example, one day a fortnight, I only teach the first two periods in the classroom. I ensure I set the remaining 3 periods and the breaks with ‘batchable’ work. This can be one item requiring the gift of time for deep work. On go the Sony noise reduction headphones with deep brain music and I am ‘out of the office’ till I get my batching done. Studies show that with each interruption to deep work, it can take between 10-20 minutes to get back into the flow.

2. Create the ‘space time’ needed for batching

There are ways to create the ‘space time’ needed for batching.

But there is one rule! You should strive to get 7-8 hours of regular sleep at night. You cannot do deep work when you are tired. But how to find the time? Simple? Go to bed early and then get up earlier. An hour added onto the start of a workday 3-4 days a week can be a game changer. If you are a night owl, do it the other way! It still works!

Remember, batching is not time specific (short, concentrated batches are as good as long batches).

And do reward yourself. If you get a job done in one day instead of taking two days, then it will allow you to do other more pleasurable things. For example, like batch and binge on Netflix, play with the kiddies, read a book.

We all have 168 hours in a week. You be the one to dictate how you used it or others will do that for you!

I have designed a ‘Cheat Sheet’ to batching. This should help!

‘Setting the Scene for Deep Work with Batching’

To conclude…

Batching is great for individual work and for any group work you might do. You need to ensure the team is on the same page. Do step one in ‘Setting the Scene for Deep Work with Batching.’

What is the target? Line it up? And let the arrow fly!

Just give it a go! Start with a small parcel of time. Watch out for procrastination, which can sneak in as you attempt to batch.

Stay off the devices and social media… bury or switch off the phone.

Here are some recommended sites. Just do a google search for lots of great material.

Outstanding Book:

“Win at Work and Succeed at Life” by Michael Hyatt & Megan Hyatt Miller. More strategies to increase your productivity and make better use of your time…at work, in the home and in living life.

Disclaimer: I receive no commission nor any favours for promoting the good work of others! However, I love to share the work of my friends and others because they have blessed my work and life is so many ways.

Batching: The Ultimate Gift & Quentessential Freedom of Time

The skill of “Batching” is one productivity technique (hack) that can help you use time to improve quality and productivity at work.

‘Setting the Scene for Deep Work with Batching’

vickymcgahey.com

Question for Comment BELOW –

Have a go at Batching! Share your success or non-success below.

The Northern Beaches of Sydney has become a ‘hot spot’ for Christmas 2020. Not quite the hot spot we are used to living in, unfortunately, a COVID Hot Spot. Strict quarantine measures are in place for residents of the Northern Beaches community. We must stay at home unless for shopping, exercise and other essential activity. We are in lock down now and more than likely for Christmas and New Year and even into January. The timing sucks!

Reality

For me and my Mum it means a quiet Christmas at home with the turkey, plum pudding and champagne… Hmm! That sounds Ok! Actually! On a sad note, I cannot recall a Christmas that I have not sung at carols or Mass.

It is difficult explaining COVID and the need for restrictions to Mum. As she states ‘Heaven forbid! We never allowed the blitz in London stop us from attending Mass. Midnight Mass was important.’ She grasps the concept of a virus as she is a nurse. But at 97 years of age, the idea that it is world wide and an unseen foe is a too much to comprehend. We will win this war by ensuring we ourselves, as individuals, do not become infected.

We are on track to have a wonderful Christmas together. That includes communicating with family and friends via phone, Skype or other. What have you got planned in the way of communication with family and friends?

I am grateful to live on the Northern Beaches and call Sydney home.

Sincerely, gratitude is felt in the heart and found within a simple truth. Here are some facts I regularly share with students and friends who are residents of the Northern Beaches and Sydney. The lottery is a simple mathematical excercise on awareness of place. It knocks the ball out of the park and beyond Mother earth in so many levels of life.

The Lottery

The world’s population is near to 7.8 billion people.

• Australia, a country claimed to be one of the best to live in, has 25.5 million people which is 0.03% of the world’s population living as citizens.
• New South Wales, the state that per head of payable taxes keeps every other Australian state afloat, has 8.1 million people and is 0.001% of the world’s population.
• Sydney, arguably the most beautiful capital city in Australia has almost 5 million people. This represents 0.0006% of the worlds population.
• The Northern Beaches Local Government population is 275,000. And, as anyone who lives on the Northern Beaches will tell you, ‘this is God’s country.’ Only 0.00003% of the world’s population live on the Northern Beaches.

‘You have one’

The Northern Beaches residents of Sydney, NSW, Australia have won the ‘Lottery of Life.’ This hot spot issue is a blip which we will overcome. So please, just do the right thing.

If you have the resources and knowledge to read this blog post, then you can do the same Math for your home situation anywhere in the world and come up with a similar figure.

So please, no complaints from any of you! Particularly, my Australian friends. We have been blessed and spared much suffering during this year of COVID compared to the rest of the world.

It is up to us as individuals to remain hope-filled with the spirit of Christmas joy deep within our hearts. In this way, we can give the best Christmas gift of all… the gift of Christ as we smile and greet each other.

Beautiful Northern Beaches: Unexpected Hot Spot for Christmas

7 Things to do during a lock down and a ‘Christmas Staycation’

On a lighter note, I have some good ideas to help you through this period even if you are not in a lock down. I believe this list may help.

1. WAKE UP! Get up! Preferably in the morning.
2. PLAN YOR DAY. Make the beverage of choice and sit down to reflect, read for 15 minutes or more and PLAN YOUR DAY! This could mean that you get up before the kiddies wake up! Do it!
3. SCHEDULE A WALK – what gets schedules gets done… or others will fill up your day with their wants and needs.
4. RING A FRIEND(s). Go pat on the head a member of your household and hug a pet.
5. HOBBY TIME. Start or get back on track with a hobby (s). Mine is fountain pen restoration and writing music.
6. SLEEP. Get 7-8 hours every night. Avoid late Netflix Binges. Begin a binge early afternoon.
7. Go back to step 1. Wake up!

Any other ideas to add to the lock down Christmas list? Please share in the comments section below.

2021 – ?

Good luck with 2021. None of us can really predict what the new year holds for humanity. But we can know and create what the year holds for us as individuals. Set some “SMARTER” goals as my mentor and friend Michael Hyatt promotes.

Do not wait for the future – go create it!

Have a Holy and Merry Christmas where ever you are. We are planning too!

Mum sends her love.

Love and Blessings,
Vicky

Beautiful Northern Beaches: Unexpected Hot Spot for Christmas

Beautiful Northern Beaches: Unexpected Hot Spot

We wait patiently for scientists to find a vaccine for COVID and the pharmaceutical organisations to produce it. During this time, I have come to notice a lesser known quality developing within the general population. There is a growing acceptance for the predicament we find ourselves in, along with a quiet resolve – to keep moving on. This resolve is a key feature of a trait we call resilience. I believe acceptance and resilience are the hallmarks of patience. Patience is a virtue to develop within the self during times of crisis. For many, 2020 is a time of crisis unlike non other experienced in the modern world. There are 5 authentic reasons for patience as we head into 2021.

Patience

Patience is the ability to wait, to continue on doing something under duress. It can mean to suffer and endure without complaint. “Remain calm” is a term used to incite patience. As a teacher, I will strive to be patience when a student struggles with a concept or a piece of knowledge. Less so as the daughter of a mother who is getting younger as she grows older.

It was Picasso who said, “It takes a long time to grow young again.”

In case you are wondering, my mother is 96 years of age going on 4 years of age.

And, to a lesser extent, I will try to be patient with myself.

Patience is a virtue

Many see patience as a virtue and an admirable quality to possess. But what does this mean? What does “Patience is a virtue” mean? 

I believe it is the ability to wait without complaint or disquiet. Patience is an admirable quality to gain and nurture. It allows you to share a very special commodity – time. 

“The gift of your time is a most precious gift. So give it in silence and listen with your soul.”

Vicky Mcgahey, 2020

There are 5 authentic reasons why it is important to develop the virtue of patience within yourself. Being patient:

As my grandmother would say to my mother as a child…

“Patience is a virtue, a virtue is a grace, and those who have it will have a pretty face.”

My mother would take it one step further with me as a child… “and that is why you do not have a pretty face.”

Questions?

1. Do you agree with my reasons? Are there any other reasons you could add to the list?
2. Reflect on a past situation(s) were you practiced or witnessed patience in action?
3. What ‘potential’ difficult situation/argument/space can you see on the horizon?

Please write your answers in the comment section below.

Bye for now
Regards and Blessings,
Vicky (vickymcgahey.com)

vickymcgahey.com (2020)

Photo: Pexels

COVID 19 is the first ‘crisis event’ in the history of humankind, to have affected every human being upon this planet. And, in such a brief period, catastrophically. We stand on the edge of a precipice – The precipice of COVID-19.

In the distance is the safety of the other side.  We need to get to the other side. But How?

What to do at the Edge of a COVID-19 Precipice?

Depending on one’s perspective, the space in-between us and the other side is day or night.

For some who look downward, it is a dark, empty, bottomless abyss. For me, I am gazing down into a deep ravine, watching the water crash over the rapids far below.

Whatever!!!

Safety is on the other side and there is no way to get there.

I look around hoping to find a bridge, a rope, anything to get across. But nothing!

Breathing deeply awakens an even deeper knowing from within. It’s time for a leap of faith. I once read:

‘Living at risk is jumping off a cliff and building your wings on the way down.’ (Ray Bradbury)

Hence, I realise that staring at the rapids below is not enough. I need to step out and take a single step in faith, in the hope I have enough within me to ‘grow wings.’ 

So I step out! Off the precipice. Then, as I plummet toward oblivion, I stretch out miraculous wings and instantly feel a lift. I see that the lift is from the love and compassion of those around us. My family, friends and companions have become the ‘Wind beneath my wings.’ *

The Dalai Lama once said:

‘Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.’

It is humanities wind of compassion and love that lifts me from the abyss high into the sky as I soar toward the other side of the precipice. The landing is so sweet! I will never look back! I take another step forward and move on – but I never forget!

Questions:

1. Are you standing on the edge of a precipice now?
2. Are you ready to take your leap of faith?
3. Who are the people who will be the ‘wind beneath your wings?’
4. Are you prepared to be the wind beneath someone else’s wings?
5. Who are the people you need to lift?

It is time to step out and grow those wings. Then to reach out and become a breath of uplifting air for others.

Will you come with me?

Good Luck!

Please leave your thoughts in the comments below on standing on the edge of the precipice.

Regards and Blessings,

Vicky

Resources:

* Wind Beneath My Wings – by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar. Sung by Bette Midler.

Image: John Gibbons – unsplashed – man standing on a precipice

Vicky McGahey links:

Here is a link to one of my past posts:

The beautiful flowers of tomorrow are the vibrant seeds of today

Link to ABOUT page and HOME page for Vicky.

How to Best Stand on the Edge of the Precipice.

The precipice of COVID-19

The love found in a Christmas card can be underestimated by many of us. Hence, many are never sent. The gift of time given in the writing, stamping and posting expresses friendship, respect and enduring connection filled with the hope that we will meet again one day.

Christmas cards – my salvation

Christmas cards were my salvation as an entertainer working overseas. Whether I was singing on a luxurious yacht or upon the moors of Devon (UK), at the Stag Hunters Inn where a helicopter dropped food supplies during a week long snow blizzard. Sincerely, the Chrissy cards that arrive over Christmas were a blessing and salvation because someone remembered me… I was not forgotten… I was not alone. 

I agree that Christmas cards are not the only form of communication with people you regularly see. However, there are old friends and acquaintances who you can reach out to through a card. Who knows? Your card could be a saving grace which fills their hearts with love as they reflect upon fond memories realising they are not forgotten and not alone. 

Connection and reconnection are serious buzz words to celebrate over the festive season. 

Your Mission…

Try to think of someone who has fallen off your radar? Can you reconnection through a Christmas card? Could you spare the gift of time to deliver it personally? 

One year, as the festive season approached, I was so grateful for the cards received, so I wrote the words to the following song. Yes! You guessed it… on the moors of Devon in the middle of a blizzard. 

Have a Holy Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love and Blessings
Vicky

Song of Christmas Spirit (Vicky McGahey 1986)  

Ch
For to me Christmas opens the friendship door
and I find myself a-reaching through the years
To grasp the hand of someone very dear to me
it’s something I would not forget.

V.1 
Christmas lights Christmas nights   
Christmas toys and Christmas joy 
The thrill of a Santa riding high in the sky  
The grace in the giving the joy in the receiving  
And to me Christmas means so much more…  

For to me Christmas opens the friendship door   
and I find myself a-reaching through the years  
To grasp the hand of someone very dear to me  
it’s something I would not forget.  

V.2   
Have you ever wondered why I send you a card   
every year at this joyous season  
It’s not because it seems the right thing to do  
No to me it means so much more  

V.3  
I wonder through the years meeting many people  
A new face seems to greet me every day on my way  
I feel so blessed I could shout from the highest steeple  
To be sure you all hear just what I say  

V.4  
The Christmas bells all ring through the hills they are a ringing  
The choirs all sound with one a-chord to our Lord  
A child will be born, a king in the making and  
His reign will be one with our God.  

The Love found in a Christmas card from you.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Visit my blog page for the latest posts

Link to ABOUT page and HOME page for Vicky.

There are various versions of the title of this post that all mean the same thing. We reap the flowers of tomorrow with the seeds we sow today. Therefore, ensure you have strong vibrant seeds planted in the right conditions – The Beautiful Flowers of Tomorrow are the Vibrant Seeds of Today.

As a teacher I can relate to this saying for it speaks of the purpose of teaching: The formation and nurture of the children we teach.

It reminds me of the fact I teach more than just a subject; I teach and model a way of life to be lived to its fullest. However, this teaching should not be restricted to the classroom or school setting. It needs to be visible in the whole of society – The school, workplace, community and the birthplace of learning, which is the home.

The flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today

Here are two questions to consider…

  1. Once planted how do the vibrant seeds grow? 

Science teaches us that a seed will need a medium in which to grow, water and light. What nurturing medium – a place and a space, life-giving water – the gift of your time and energising light – the words of compassion, encouragement and motivation do you give to help sow the seeds of the flowers of tomorrow? 

  2. What type of seeds do we plant?

From my perspective I believe the singular most important seed to plant within ourselves and each other is the seed of hope. 

We can exist without love – physical, spiritual or other. We can also exist without faith in ourselves, others or God.

We cannot exist without hope… a hope that we will find love and the faith that exists within each of us will reveal itself and grow.

We need to plant the seeds of hope within ourselves and each other for the benefit of humankind.

And remember – The Beautiful Flowers of Tomorrow are the Vibrant Seeds of Today!

Now go! Plant those seeds…

Regards and Blessings, Vicky

Back to the top of the blogs – blog page 

Link to ABOUT page and HOME page for Vicky.

Visit the following site for more flower and seed quotes

Here are a few of my past posts – short snipets of thoughts!

• https://vickymcgahey.com/the-love-found-in-a-christmas-card-from-you/
• https://vickymcgahey.com/christchurch-new-zealand-there-are-no-words/
• https://vickymcgahey.com/international-womens-day-7-quick-ways-to-celebrate/

Photograph: Vicky McGahey, Wallnut Grove, California – cousin Robert’s Garden

Vicky McGahey, Beautiful Flowers, Vibrant Seeds.

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Grace is a powerful word. Yet it can evoke within us a sense of softness and calmness. Grace is more often seen in action as a movement or a simple act – usually one of kindness and graciousness. The in-depth meaning of grace has historical and cultural significance. Grace is as complex as it is simple.

The poem below is an attempt to present the mystery, purpose and meaning to the word ‘grace’. It is the first words I wrote in contemplation upon grace.

Lead with Grace

Grace is not seen, but is felt
Often not spoken, but is heard in the silence.
Not always found in an act, but through inaction.
Divine but also human – a gift we can pass on to others.

Grace is all around me as I place you at the centre of my thoughts.
It is both a presence and a place.
A connection to something bigger than ourselves.

Grace seeks wisdom and wisdom seeks grace.
Grace can be found in a great temple and in a grain of sand.
On the breath of the wind and in the charism of a good person.

Grace is life-giving, it calls us to serve.
Grace is in the present, past and future as it will be in the end.
Grace is but a moment in time.

Grace lives within us –
In all of us.

****At the end of this blog is a link to a free poster designed using the poem.

A person of Grace

There is one significant person in my life who was grace personified. Her name was Claire Poole. She was my singing teacher, mentor and lifelong friend. Sadly, Claire passed away a few years ago.

Claire was the most elegant and eloquent person I ever met. You knew when she was in the room and hence her presence brought smiles of warmth and joy. Claire spoke thoughtfully upon what she shared in conversation. She would make you feel as if you were the most important person in the world. Claire gave you her full attention and really listened as you spoke.

Claire was always there.

Hence, she still is for those of us blessed to have known her. Claire remains in our hearts for she is always there.

Some questions for you to consider.

Reflect upon these and share your thoughts below if you wish…

• Do you have a ‘Claire’ in your life? Can you name a person who personifies grace?
• Why have you chosen them? List the reasons?
• Reflect upon the reason why is it important to strive for grace within the person we are?
• What attributes/qualities do you need to lead with grace?
• List the steps can you take towards becoming a person who is grace-filled/graceful?
• How will you become a person who personifies grace and so, begin to ‘lead with grace in all you do?’

In the ‘Amazon Best Selling’ book Lead with Grace: Leading Community in Disruptive Times, I describe the concept of ‘lead with grace.’ The book briefly describes the words and actions of past and present leaders who led with grace. They were blessed with a graceful vision that led to a grace-filled mission that was a call to action. Hopefully, the stories should evoke a ‘sense of the spirit’ of what it is to lead with grace.

The ebook version is Perma – free at Amazon and likewise with other distributors for a period of time.

You can buy a soft-copy of the ebook from AMAZON

As an added bonus I have designed a FREE POSTER using the poem. This is available at ‘Poster.’

If you want a FREE PDF of the book sent to your email address click here ‘Lead with Grace PDF.’

Bye for now
Regards and Blessings,
Vicky (vickymcgahey.com)

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Link to ABOUT page and HOME page for Vicky.

Related Post Christmas Card

Photograph credit: Kirill Pershin at unsplashed.

Gratitude is a crucial component to living happier and longer lives. Research has revealed that a lack of gratitude or appreciation can have a negative impact on your wellbeing (Watkins et al.). Actually, this makes sense. 

Recently I had arthritis in my big toe removed. This was after a year of pain and I discovered it could be removed through surgery. I went through a phase of why me! I found it hard to be grateful for anything and was a real grump at home and at school (I am a teacher – poor students you say!).

The turning point…

It took eight weeks of not walking on the foot for it to heal. The pain gradually left. It was fantastic! I notice a change in my feelings about life! It is now easier to listen to others and the world.

I am able to walk my dog ‘Faith’ along Long Reef Headland, the golf course and beach. I feel gratitude for being able to walk without pain.

Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller in Lead to Win a weekly Podcast dedicated an episode to the topic of gratitude. They describe four reasons why you should practice gratitude.

1.    Improved health  … for me… (yep!)
2.    Greater happiness… (yep!)
3.    Career advancement…  (a career in retirement…)
4.    Accomplishing your goals… (enjoy being in the classroom, write more books, speak, sing and a movie deal for my non-fiction book series)

They asked us to focus on abundance rather than scarcity in our lives.

For each of us to find ways to develop a gratitude consciousness within oneself through reflective journaling, sharing of success stories and finding gratitude for the smallest of things.

Gratitude has the humblest of beginnings. It can grow through a profound understanding of the meaning of life – which is unique for each one of us.

Amy Morin (2014) in her article 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude that Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round lists enhanced empathy, reduced aggression, more relationships, improved self-esteem and better sleep as substantial benefits of being grateful – a gratitude disposition.

Now here is the challenge!

Find an object (small toy, dice, stone) you can place in your pocket. Make it your memory spike to be grateful. As you touch the object try to feel gratitude at that moment and make this reach to those you are with in some way. This can be in word and action.

Good Luck!

Bye for now.
Regards and Blessings
Vicky

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Related post – Flowers of Tomorrow

Graditude: Your Ultimate Path to Happiness

Reference – Research
1.    Michael Hyatt (2017). The Gratitude Advantage. Lead to Win podcast.
2.    Watkins, McLaughlin and Parker (2018). Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being: Cultivating Gratitude for a Harvest of Happiness. 
Full name of authors: Philip Charles Watkins (Eastern Washington University, USA), Trese McLaughlin (Eastern Washington University, USA) and Jhenifa P. Parker (Eastern Washington University, USA)
3.    Amy Morin (2014). 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude that Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round. Forbes Magazine.

Question for Comment BELOW – Why is gratitude important in daily life within the home, workplace and community. Let me know if the memory spike works? Share your story in the comments below.