Archive for the 'Outside of the Box' Category
How To Be Laid Back - A Twin Cities Realtor’s Quest!
July 6th, 2009 Categories: Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
It’s summer and here, in the Twin Cities, it’s very short. I have decided to pretend that I am on vacation all summer and will sprinkle in my wonderful Realtor job during this time. My clients are extremely important to me, however, I know that they want to be relaxed, too. We have a good time together and it doesn’t seem like work to me! Here is a great article from wikiHow, one of my favorite bookmarked sites. I aim to follow these steps!
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Whether you’re a worrywart, a perfectionist, an overachiever, or a workaholic, you’ve probably envied people who seem to float through life gracefully, never concerned (like you are) about what might happen if they don’t do this or don’t do that. Perhaps they’re not the most motivated or accomplished people you’ve met, but they always seem content. If you’re on the opposite end of the spectrum–always doing, never satisfied–here’s how to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride that is your life.
Steps
- Do one thing at a time. The world’s greatest achievements were made by people who gave the task in front of them their undivided attention. Tackling multiple activities at once might feel efficient, but is it really productive? Is giving each task 30% of your attention for three hours as effective as giving each task 100% of your attention for one hour each? If something doesn’t deserve your undivided attention, maybe it’s not worth doing at all.
- Slow down. Why the rush? If what you’re doing is important enough to warrant your time, you might as well enjoy it. Cleaning the house for an hour with your favourite music playing and your bottom shaking is better than cleaning the house in half that time but in a frantic state of mind. Plus, if you’re having fun with your chores, maybe other people will be tempted to join. Don’t just “get it over with”–find a way to make every activity something that you look forward to doing.
- Stop being a perfectionist. High standards have their place–when performing surgery, for example, or designing a building–but when applied to other areas of your life (your appearance, your home’s appearance, your hobbies, your handwriting, whatever) you’re practically inviting anxiety into your life. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have any standards at all; it’s when you start stressing out about the details that you need to ask yourself: “Will doing this right now make me truly happy? Will it make me a better person? Will it make the world a better place?” Usually, the answer is no. Don’t allow perfectionism to become the enemy of your potential.
- Step aside. When you close your eyes and imagine your role in the world, do you see yourself as Atlas, the mythological Titan, holding the weight of the world on your shoulders? Do you feel like you want to relax, but worry that if you do, everything will fall apart? If so, you need to delegate some responsibility. You might think other people won’t do as good a job, but that’s the thing: they’ll never do it just like you do. So give them responsibility, give them advice, and pass the reins. Don’t be surprised if they make mistakes; just be there to support them, and let them fix (and learn from) their mistakes. Not only will this take some weight off of your shoulders, but it can be very fulfilling to watch someone grow and mature as a result of your guidance.
- Remember that it’s not the end of the world. Many people spend their entire lives trying to prevent bad things from happening. But guess what? They happen anyway. And life goes on. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take any kinds of precautions in life, but if the majority of your thoughts are consumed in contingency planning, you’re not enjoying life. You’re preventing it. When you’re feeling threatened by things that haven’t happened yet, remember these words by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Some of your hurts you have cured,
And the sharpest you still have survived,
But what torments of grief you endured
From the evil which never arrived. - Focus on what you have, not what you have to do. Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking I have to straighten this up.. I have to correct him.. I have to stop her..” but truthfully, we don’t have to do anything. You can walk away from any task, at any time. Try replacing every “have to” with a “want to” and see if the statement still holds. Meaning, is it something that you’ll look back on when you’re in your deathbed and be happy you did? Most likely not. So appreciate what you have, while you have it.
- Learn meditation. Some systems may be quite involved, but most are relatively simple, and all of them will help you achieve all of the above.
Tips
- When bad things happen (and they will, no matter what) shrug and smile. Remind yourself that:
- Life goes on.
- Don’t let things make you upset or angry. Remember it’s your choice to get bent out of shape. Learn from the experience. Focus on the big picture.
- You win some, you lose some.
- This too will pass.
- You can’t please everybody.
- We live and learn.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff.
- Remember that sometimes bad things lead to the best things.
- Shift your mindset so that you concentrate on what makes you feel happy, not on what makes you feel safe.
- If it seems like something is bothering you, just convince yourself that you don’t find it annoying at all. Although hard to get into straight away, when you put yourself into this mindset it’s amazing what you can live with.
- Don’t worry if you can’t follow these instructions perfectly at first! It takes time to learn to let go.
Warnings
- Don’t confuse being laid-back with being lazy. The goal is to be happy.
- Showing a laid-back attitude in the workplace can have risks. Many employers may confuse “laid-back” with “lazy” and think one does not take the job seriously. It is important to show that this attitude can actually be very productive, often even more so than others which demand greater stress.
- Many environments prefer a cool, calm demeanor over an extreme results driven approach. Be sure to identify your role and pick your battles very carefully.
Related wikiHows
- How to Be Optimistic
- How to Be Patient
- How to Live a Simple and Peaceful Life
- How to Create a Calmer Household
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be Laid Back. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
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How to Build a Fire Pit In Your Own Backyard In Plymouth. It’s So Minnesotan!
May 6th, 2009 Categories: Local Ordinances, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News
Living in the Twin Cities can be a wonderful thing. We Minnesotans like to be outdoors all of the seasons of the year. Having a fire pit in your yard is just like being up north all of the time.
A couple of must do’s and you’re on your way. You must adhere to the city’s code that you live in. Here’s all you have to do to build a fire pit in Plymouth: Read the rest of this entry »
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My #1 Reason to be Thankful ~ Secret Weapon Revealed!
November 26th, 2008 Categories: Cool Guys, Keller Williams, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
There’s plenty to be thankful for at Thanksgiving. I have Keller Williams Realty to thank for helping me power through the rough spots. A Realtor can’t get a better education or a more solid foundation. So, thank you, Keller Williams…especially, my market center at Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest in Maple Grove! We are having a record month and have been continually adding agents to our wonderful market center. Yes, even through all of the doom and gloom…we’re growing!
But here’s my secret weapon that I rarely talk about. It’s probably not a secret to some. I don’t speak about my husband, Tony Hoholik, very often. He most likely wouldn’t want me to. I’m actually not real big on talking about myself and my personal life. But after reflecting on this past year and all of its events, one thing stands out for me.
My husband.
He is not a warm, fuzzy kind of guy. He doesn’t Read the rest of this entry »
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And Now, A Brief Intermission From All This Stuff…Thomas Shakin’ It Before School!
November 12th, 2008 Categories: Cool Guys, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
Here’s Thomas Shakin’ It Before School…
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Milwaukee’s Finest - A Get-away Spot With a Big View
March 22nd, 2008 Categories: Cool Guys, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
I miss the big lake.
Lake Michigan, that is.
To be land-locked is like living in a cage, of sorts. Always having lived in an area where I can go at the most 5 miles to reach a shore with a view, well, it’s the toughest part about living in the Twin Cities.
Don’t get me wrong! I love the Twin Cities! Everybody knows that!
Here’s a beautiful spot to resort to if you can swing it. This guy, Jim Colella of Garrison Partners, knows what he’s talking about. He’s lived in Detroit, Chicago and Milwaukee. All beautiful lake towns. Yes, even Detroit.
Here’s his latest gig…
http://www.thinkdandb.com/HomesPlus/Garrison/
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Ahhh…Finally, a Day Off! Cooking Up a Storm…The Day in the Life of a Busy Realtor
March 22nd, 2008 Categories: Home Style, Keller Williams, Maple Grove Stuff, My Listings, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, Taste Minnesota, The Good Life, Twin City Sellers
After six weeks of sitting the Parade of Homes and taking care of my sellers, it’s finally Easter weekend.
OK, I spent four hours in the office today (ask Jen Crockett at my Keller Williams Market Center…I was there!) but I still felt like it was a bit of a vacation. I haven’t figured out why I feel that way. Maybe no appointments. Maybe I figured no one would call me. Maybe I figured everyone else was busy with their families for the Easter holiday weekend.
Here’s what I did when I got home at 3ish… Read the rest of this entry »
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Having a Cold, Being Cold and Maintaining a Sense of Humor
February 27th, 2008 Categories: Keller Williams, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
I left for Atlanta to do the Keller Williams Family Reunion thing a week and a half ago, which is a lifetime ago for most of us. However, I got the groovy distinction of having this icky cold hang on for over a week. I feel like a rock star, but I sound like a fool.
Usually, I would not mention such a trivial thing. This time, I will. I usually don’t start sentences with “I”. I will do that, too. I am a big baby when it comes to being sick. A huge baby. Isn’t that terrible?
It’s about time the weather changes. The last couple of days have been like heaven.
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The Demise of Dave…Delving into a Deep, Deep Diversion
February 7th, 2008 Categories: BNI Full Circle Chapter, Home Style, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life
Dave.
Who names anybody Dave? My grandkids do. They’re just little kids who have friends who’s names are Kennedy and Austin and Walker and McKenzie. You get the picture.
For whatever reason, they named a little duck that I sent them, Dave.
Dave got lost. Like, really lost. He was flushed down the toilet by sweet little Caroline, my four year old granddaughter and it was a huge, catastrophic loss to the children. He’s now stuck out in the backyard in the septic system.
Caroline called me in tears wanting me to get Dave back for her. I’m working on it!
I actually spent two hours on the internet last Sunday night searching for what I thought might be Dave.
I had sent them an Easter Basket that I ordered online and I have no idea what the thing looked like. They gave me a description and I just started searching. I finally found something that seemed like Dave and sent them an email with the link.
It was Dave!
So, I have my wonderful promotional product salesperson in my BNI Full Circle Chapter in Plymouth, MN working on getting it for me from a supplier. Her name is Karen Bateman, owner of Windstar Promotions. She works very hard to find just the right items for companies.
Caroline, don’t you flush Dave again!
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Minneapolis 2nd Tier Suburbs - Always On the Fringe
January 28th, 2008 Categories: Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, The Good Life, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin City Sellers, Wayzata Public Schools
My husband, Tony, and I live in Plymouth, Minnesota and there isn’t anyone who will say that we have unique restaurants. That’s so sad! What’s up with that? Well, it’s because Read the rest of this entry »
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Minneapolis Foreclosure Boom - Everybody Get Off the Bus!
January 26th, 2008 Categories: Minnetonka Real Estate Statistics, Mortgage Stuff, North Minneapolis, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, St. Louis Park Current Housing Statistics, St. Paul Current Housing Statistics, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy, Twin City Sellers
There will be an end to the “foreclosure boom”. Foreclosure boom. That’s a funny term. Boom. Bummer. Blame. Yeah, that’s right, blame. I end it there. Have at it. Blame who and what you want.
Let’s just say… Read the rest of this entry »
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