People like us don't do things like that. You should or shouldn't do what you are about to do.

Our culture provides an onslaught of must do's and better not's, but are they really for our good or just a set of guidelines to be considered.

I am a fan of "men being men" and the differentiation between the sexes, but what did the common refrain from the John Wayne era movies, "boys don't cry" actually deliver? Did the fruit of this mindset give rise to the silent veteran forbidden from openly grieving the loss of his brothers in arms?

Does a whole human, that happens to be male, really need to cauterize a segment of his being to walk down the sidewalk as a man?

Must every black woman take on the mantel of the "strong black woman" that will defy any wrong, and refuse to express her emotion without tipping the scales into "angry black woman" territory?

Must every Asian kid be the smartest kid in the class or bring dishonor upon the next two generations.

"Don't tell me that you are going to sing that song to God; he only likes one kind of music."

"This is an underprivileged neighborhood; therefore the kids should only aspire to a nice cozy spot at the State penitentiary."

"We don't marry that kind of people."

Every culture delivers a rich heritage passed through generational stories. This history can be inspiring and uplifting or soul crushing if one is unable to hurdle the high bar of expectations.

You and I grew up with these expectations, breathing the air deep into our being until it became a part of who we are.

Chess master and jujitsu world champion, Josh Waitzkin, said, "the weakness of any martial arts is the dogma of the sport." This quote reveals profound truths about any dogma. If our dogma it is held too closely, it quickly becomes our greatest weakness, and failure is imminent.

The health of your culture needs your input. Embrace the good and challenge the wrong.

What cultural expectations have you adopted?

How have these expectations served you and how have they hurt you?

What cultural norms have you rejected? What was the consequence?

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]]>How have cultural expectations shaped you?Life HackingKenneth WoodwardSun, 23 Apr 2017 20:07:35 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/4/23/how-do-you-fast56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58fd07605016e127e51ec9ee

Fasting is generally received with a sideways glance of disapproval or a beeline for the ice cream cooler. We rarely seek out the uncomfortable and saying no to food is on the list of taboos.

Ten years ago I fasted every Tuesday for a year. Somewhere in there, was a 5-day fast. Tonight I conclude a 72-hour water-only fast (I did cheat at hour 62, with two tsp of coconut oil). The weekly fasts were for spiritual reasons and the last few days have been primarily to understand the physical implications for me.

Compounding scientific studies conclude; fasting from food is a good practice to embrace. Benefits include life extension, cancer cells are sensitized to respond to treatment, and a bit of weight loss.

One of my favorite findings is discovering it is easier to go without food if the schedule gets crazy. I don't have to eat every 4 hours to avoid death, and the time between hangry episodes is extended.

Fasting also quickly reveals if I am eating out of boredom or using food as a way to self-medicate some form of unhappiness.

Major religions assume fasting as a practice. The intentional removal of something we count on every day allows us to see the world in a new way.

The practice of fasting is not limited to food. Establishing a set period to, not touch the smartphone, watch TV, or another self-imposed restriction forces the need to reevaluate what is held dear. Note: fasting from exercise doesn't count.

In Wired to Eat, author, Robb Wolf, recommends starting by eating dinner earlier and the next breakfast later. This practice is an easy way to implement a 16-hour fast. Once established, begin to extend the time between eating, and see how you respond.

Please seek guidance from your healthcare provider before jumping into dietary fasting. Fasting from cat videos does not require the same oversight; just do it.

What do you think about the practice of fasting?

How have you used fasting in the past?

What were your struggles and victories?

What did you learn about yourself during and after you were done?

What non-food fast, would be helpful for you?

Why would you avoid fasting?

What would you hope to gain from a regular fast?

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]]>How do you fast?InspirationKenneth WoodwardSun, 16 Apr 2017 22:20:32 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/4/16/what-are-your-family-memories56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58f3eb1d15d5dbc0b56e79a9

My how times have changed.

I borrowed the family history from a 96-year-old friend. She recorded the stories of her husband and his sisters, in 1996, before they passed away. The story started with a wedding in 1909 and chronicled life growing up on a Maryland farm outside of DC.

The first description to capture my imagination was from a rare trip to West Virginia to visit family. "There were no surfaced roads in the mountains, just wagon trails. The kids would get out of the car, and stand on the running boards, on the upper side of the car to keep it from upsetting."

How do you celebrate your history and marvel at how things have changed?

I neglect to retell my personal stories as I don't think my kids are interested. Failing to recount our common stories is to the detriment of our shared lives.

We make memories when plans go wrong, and serendipity arrives on a white horse. No one remembers the hours in the garden until the rabbits eat the crop, the snake appears, or Dennis the Menace ravages the flowers with a lawn mower.

Life tends to get caught in the slipstream of the mundane and get quickly swept away. Better is to embrace the ordinary and recognize the interruptions as opportunities to make memories.

In the postcard, the eyes of the young man crossing the 1930's street haunt me. Who was he and where was he going? What remarkable girl made him smile? What anxieties kept him awake? Whatever happened to him? Did he even notice his picture being taken? For him it was just another ordinary day, yet preserved. Leaving me wondering 80 years later.

How do I treat my mundane moments? Do I see this as a moment in my life never to be repeated? Moving the paper from the inbox to the outbox, or filling the toddler's cereal bowl again; this is where life is lived. Would we treat it any different if it was to show up on a postcard in 80 years?

It is possible to appreciate grandpa sleeping in the recliner every Sunday afternoon and fireflies in pickle jars each late summer evening.

How can you celebrate the moments in your life together?

What experiences are waiting to be shared and laughed at?

What are your equivalent "kids on the running board" stories?

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]]>What are your family memories?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardMon, 10 Apr 2017 01:38:16 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/4/9/how-are-others-showing-love-to-you56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58eae155ff7c506ca53c2560

A review of our social media highlight reel makes it easy to recognize how lovable we are. After all, look at all the selfies in just the right light, with the perfect smile. We have curated just the right online profile that shows us at our best.

We may be working on being generous to ourselves, but at least we know how we give and receive love.

What happens when we think we deserve love from those around us and it doesn't materialize; anger, resentment, withdrawal, withholding love?

We are quick to make a list of how we have extended ourselves to show love to those around us. We do the laundry, work late, cook meals, give gifts, say encouraging words, don't spend too much, and yet, not enough in return.

If you have a running list of ways you are showing love, might your partner or children have their own list? If we peek at their list, we may be surprised at how long it is, and how oblivious we have been.

What would be the result if you said, "I may be unaware of how you have expressed your love to me over the last month, and I want to make sure I recognize your care for me. Would you tell me or make a list of things I may have missed?" 

The color may have drained from your face as you read the last question. I am willing to break all protocol and jump straight to the double-dog-dare. Give it a go, and see if you have missed some items on their list. If you knew them all, I will award some fake Internet points, and acknowledge your relational prowess.

I have missed many on my wife's list, and need to be asking similar questions on a regular basis.

What questions do you regularly ask those you love, to ensure you are paying attention?

What is a question you know you need to ask that will ultimately improve your relationships this week?

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]]>How are others showing love to you?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardMon, 03 Apr 2017 01:25:38 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/4/2/how-do-you-know-your-commitment-will-last56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58e1a36329687f5bed1f2538

I have read a lot of books and attended countless conferences. My emotions carry me away with each turn of the page or charismatic speaker. I make grandiose plans to stop doing some things and start others. The resulting commitment lasts about as long as a New Years resolution.

The newest lifestyle decision I made that stuck, had a notable characteristic. I have dabbled with the gluten-free choice for several years. Two months ago, I decided to move forward and restrict gluten from my diet. The notable feature was the lack of fanfare. It was just a recognition this was the new normal. This restriction was a welcomed positive constraint during two weeks of travel with an abundance of incredible food.

Upon reflection, I have made my major decisions without a parade or hoopla. An internal reckoning occurred. The commitment to undergird the foundation of the decision had already solidified.

Author Seth Godin produced a beautiful and massive volume (17 lbs. worth) of his blog posts over the last four years. The title is, What Does it Sound Like When You Change Your Mind?

My answer to the question asked in the book's title is, quiet.

Perhaps a parade, a convention, or severe diagnosis has characterized your decision process. It can be different for each of us. Being self-aware allows us to use this knowledge to be intentional when we decide to move in a chosen direction. If walking over a bed of hot coals is your trigger, then compile your list of decisions and schedule your walk for this year.

My decision about gluten is a couple of months old but the quiet decision to marry my wife 24 years ago is holding fast. Time will determine if the trend sticks.

How do you know you are committed to the resolutions you make?

What patterns indicate a greater likelihood your promise will be kept?

How much information is required for you to stick to a decision?

How do you reinforce your decision and reenergize your pledge?

What derails your commitment to a decision?

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]]>How do you know your commitment will last?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardMon, 27 Mar 2017 03:30:04 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/3/26/when-do-you-expand-your-vocabulary56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58d88594b8a79bb89e77a608

Every new job comes with a new round of acronyms and the secret language of the existing culture. The new love interest is different than the last and leaves one yearning for King Ptolemy V to commission another Rosetta stone and share the cryptic expressions of love. Learning a foreign language is well, like learning a foreign language. We listen intently to piece together the unknown and known.

A friend was reflecting on her relationship with her daughter and wanted to take decisive steps to improve this connection. She decided to start with communication; more specifically her use of encouraging words. This successful professional recognized she didn't have a sufficient vocabulary to be specific. I was inspired when she quired the Google oracle and found 62 different ways to express her appreciation and affection for her 11-year-old.

Over the past two years, I have been broadening my reading diet, and one of the most exciting elements is learning new words. New words expand my understanding of the familiar. These new terms push into the nuances of the material and drive further questions and learning. I now draw a rectangle around any new word and look it up to understand the authors intent.

Most of my life I would depend on the context of the sentence to fill in the gaps for an unknown word. No longer. Taking the additional step to understand why the author chose this particular word, over all others, has reinvigorated my appetite to learn.

In his monthly newsletter, The Journal, tech builder, and investor, Kevin Rose, introduced readers to Japanese words that do not have an English equivalent. My favorite was “Kintsukuroi." This term describes, "the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver joining the pieces and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken."

If the Sami people can have hundreds of words for reindeer and the Inuit have dozens of words for snow, then surely we will enhance our experience if we poke into the corners of the hidden meaning of world's we didn't know existed.

Adventure, fortune, and encouraged 11-year-olds await.

What prompts you to learn new words?

What words did you discover in the last month?

How do you increase your vocabulary?

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]]>When do you expand your vocabulary?InspirationKenneth WoodwardMon, 20 Mar 2017 02:21:11 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/3/19/how-do-you-forage-for-positivity56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58cf3b23e3df28b242b156b5

Buried treasure was just waiting to be found. I knew it had to be true. Inside the back cover of my comic book shined a full-color advertisement, of the perfect metal detector. Dials, lights, and gauges decorated the shiny control panel. The muscle-bound treasure hunter, walked down the beach, with the prized metal detector in one hand and a bag of riches in the other. The surprised expression of his bikini-clad girlfriend squealed another discovery was imminent.

The possibilities were endless, and I knew the beach would reveal its buried treasure. However, my beachcombing dreams were dashed. My father rejected my cries for the magical device, and I lived 400 miles from the beach.

We search for the valuable and dismiss the worthless. We upend the house and bark at those we love when hunting for misplaced car keys. The dog will pursue the bone under the couch until success is achieved or the sofa is trashed.

How much effort do you expend to find the positive?

During a podcast conversation with Tim Ferriss, world weightlifting champion and poet, Jerzy Gregorek discussed the need to explore for positivity. Our ability to find the negative preserved our lives, however, this ability overwhelms our daily outlook.

What is one thing positive about your pesky neighbor, the school outcast, the snarky co-worker, the old or new administration, your child, your spouse?

How are you going to choose to expend your limited resources of time and attention?

Finding the downsize and negative aspect of anything is easy. Heavy lifting is achieved when pushing back against the temptation to criticize. Positivity promises the gain of a happier outlook on life. Carefully consider your perceived gains of the negative choice. Examine the countenance of the embittered old man; the negative choice promises the same reflection.

You are going to choose.

The good news is you don't need to send away for fancy gizmos with flashy lights or six-pack abs to choose a new direction. Opportunities will abound tomorrow to exercise your choice.

So what is it going to be?

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]]>How do you forage for positivity?InspirationKenneth WoodwardMon, 13 Mar 2017 00:30:24 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/3/12/what-are-you-encouraged-about56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58c5e65ccd0f68690f073dc7

The world presses in with news of pending doom. The evening news can only afford 30 seconds to the uplifting because there is too much bad news to tell you before bed. The Internet trolls somehow know the precise words to get you riled up. The month seems to have more days than the account has funds. The tendrils of darkness are too strong to resist, and you sense the slide down the slippery slope is inevitable.

With all the rust, decay, brokenness and messed up circumstances swarming around us each day; what breaks through the gloom?

What are you encouraged about?

Potential new talent to your favorite sports franchise.
The flower emerges through the concrete crevasse.
Celebrating a milestone with your spouse or child.
Your teen made his bed without a reminder.
The familiar nuzzle of your dog's cold nose.
The promise of the new job opportunity.
Excited about a new relationship.
You are pursuing your passion.
The first sip of morning coffee.
Goals are being achieved.
Your art is improving.
The season turns.
A child laughs.

The book shop had the translation of Rainer Maria Rilke's, Letters to a Young Poet I was pursuing. As I placed the copy on the counter, the cashier gushed her approval for the small text. I queried about the reason for such a remarkable endorsement. She described how the 100-year-old words spoke to her during a trial and gave her hope for a new tomorrow. I left ready to tear into the book and encountered writing that lived up to the hype.

I was blind-sided by encouragement, and it was fantastic!

What was the last serendipity that encouraged you?

What simple observations encourage you?

How would you like to be encouraged?

How can you encourage those around you?

Who or what is your greatest source of encouragement?

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]]>What are you encouraged about?InspirationKenneth WoodwardSun, 05 Mar 2017 23:55:34 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/3/5/how-can-you-use-your-constraints-as-an-advantage56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58bca438b3db2b0887a74d0c

The professor asked us about our working environment. We spent five minutes outlining all our challenges. The constrained budget, compressed timelines, suppliers failing to deliver on the requirements, and a myriad of other problems.

This discussion was during the first class of an executive crash course at a top-tier business school. It felt good to get this off our collective chest, as we shared the common difficulties. Knowing the school's reputation, we were counting on the answers to all our problems.

The professor paused and asked, "how can you use these constraints to your advantage?"

The question stripped us of our victimhood claim. 

We were a class of big boys and girls. If our laundry list of issues is part of our everyday lives, then we should expect these disruptions and find creative ways to use the boundaries to our advantage.

Entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuck encourages us to own our shortcomings because only then can we go on the offense. These weaknesses include both our own and our sub-optimal circumstances.

I have been experimenting with a gluten-free diet to troubleshoot health issues. The constraint has been helpful. When tempted with a slice of delectable coffee cake after breakfast or a chocolate eclair after dinner, I refuse. I don't want to compromise the experiment and default to an external source of willpower. This limitation helps my pants to fit.

If the budgets are perpetually short, kids never get up on time, and management always pushes for the overly optimistic schedule, own the circumstance, and seize the offensive position.

Our greatest human strength is our capacity to think. We contribute value through our ability to create and innovate. These are precisely the reasons we have the eight pound mass between our ears. Thinking is hard and will cause your brain to sweat, but your contribution is needed.

What time do you set aside to think?

How can you flip a defensive situation into an offensive circumstance?

What struggle has bogged you down and what is a creative way to break the cycle? Who can you reach out to for help?

How can you energize your team to engage in finding a new solution?

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]]>How can you use your constraints as an advantage?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardMon, 27 Feb 2017 03:34:11 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/2/26/what-sales-job-do-you-dread56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58b39cc029687f881c80aa78

Every day we sell our ideas. Mom sells her five-year-old on the need to finish his brussel sprouts, the awkward teenager pitches attending the prom to a love interest, and we lobby for our favorite restaurant on date night.

The confident sales rep knows her product will genuinely change the client's life for the better. This pitch is easy.

What about the other circumstances?

The anticipation can feel like you swallowed a millstone for a mid-afternoon snack.

What does it look like to:
Build a case for full partnership
Approach the boss about a raise
Convince dad it is time for assisted living
Sell your spouse on the job opportunity on the other coast
Notify parents of your alternate college or the impromptu wedding plans
Pitch management on a radical new direction, you are confident the customer is ready to embrace

We are all grown-up and can't hide under the couch cushions or bed sheets. But it doesn't mean we don't want to try or find other ingenious ways to postpone the discussion.

We all want the benefits of closing the sale but struggle with the final sales pitch to close the deal.

Where do you struggle with selling you ideas?

I stayed busy with a network marketing business for several years. I would read the books, go to the functions and even signed up a few people. You know, I was busy moving, but too busy being scared of what others thought of me, and not moving the business forward. I never achieved any measure of success for all my busyness.

What is your current sales struggle?

What are your previous sales successes?

What value are you delivering to the other party?

What is your process for moving your ideas forward?

What is the story you are telling yourself about this particular case?

How can you take one step closer to closing the deal?

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]]>What sales job do you dread?InspirationKenneth WoodwardSun, 12 Feb 2017 22:50:52 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/2/12/how-do-you-notice-the-invisible56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58a0e510725e25197ec36eb1

The food court kebob joint was backed up. After placing my order, I was immersed in the impatient, receipt looking, foot tapping vibe, radiating from those awaiting their meal. The food looked good and smelled wonderful, but we struggled as the nearby burger, salad, and taco joints quickly delivered their bounty, in mere seconds.

We waited as the flames slowly cooked the skewers of protein. The staff hustled to prepare the plates of salad and rice while avoiding eye contact with the restless customers.

A reluctant mother dodged glaring looks and pressed her way to the front of the pickup line. Her young daughter recognized the young woman behind the counter, from her neighborhood and wanted to say "hi." This pint-sized, etiquette-breaking little girl, was oblivious to the building anxiety and was determined to acknowledge her grownup friend.

The tension evaporated.

Laughter and hand waving spread through the staff in response to the little visitor. Her smile and enthusiastic greeting reminded the gallery of hungry witnesses that those behind the counter are fellow friends, neighbors, and humans.

How quickly we forget our equality with others when separated by a laminate counter top or thin telephone line.

We celebrate the baristas rise to stardom on American Idol, yet unaware of the humanity of those preparing our latte at the corner coffee shop. The odds of meeting the next Idol are slim, but greeting those that serve us every day are guaranteed.

I told the cashier and helper at Costco that I was grateful for their speed and dedication to keep the line moving amid the daily chaos. The assistant beamed. She mentioned she is rarely acknowledged or thanked for her work, and appreciated my encouragement.

How have we arrived at a day when time-saving conveniences abound, yet we fail to reinvest a fraction of our savings into a sincere connection with those we meet?

My default is to ignore those around me during my daily activity. It is time to adjust my system settings and enable awareness.

When do you sincerely engage with those that serve you?

What is the name of the person that hands you your dry cleaning, morning coffee, or evening Uber? What do you know about them?

What stories have surprised you as you engage with others?

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]]>How do you notice the invisible?InspirationKenneth WoodwardTue, 07 Feb 2017 04:08:26 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/2/6/why-do-you-stop-short-of-the-hard-question56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58994737725e25f6562abc82

The conversation flows between you.

The dialogue bubbles as smooth as a leaf dancing down a swift current.

As the exchange deepens, the navigation gets tougher to dodge the whirlpools.

You hear a statement, and the pivotal question springs to your mind. It is the obvious question that will lay bare the situation. Your eyes lock, and you both know the inquiry must be asked. The answer will bring insight at the expense of embarrassment, discomfort or pain.

Do you choose to ask the difficult question and engage, or do you ignore the divine prompting?

Insight and the opportunity for change emerge when we ask the hard questions and wrestle with the answers.

I have been on the receiving end of these questions, and the results have been seismic. My friend started our conversations by asking "do you know I am for you?" If I answered "no," the conversation would meander through insignificant topics. If my reply was affirmative, I had readied myself for the tough question by a caring friend.

The discussions with a child, spouse, co-worker or friend deepen when the conversation is of substance. The power of vulnerability shines bright, and shame is weakened. We must embrace the opportunity to engage with the difficult questions. If this measured chaos is not pursued by those that are willing to bring a life preserver, then the outcome can be grim.

Our lives are not perfect and skirting the edge of the whirlpool, dodging the turmoil of the significant does not deliver wholeness. With the right questions, the leaf succumbs to the pull of the vortex of truth. The chaos is short-lived, and the leaf quickly surfaces to continue the journey.

You and I live this intimate conversation within the community. This community is weaker when evading the opportunity to courageously and graciously pursue the unasked questions. We attend to each other as we grow into a new tomorrow.

What needed conversations come to mind? When will you care for those around you by initiating the needed discussion?

How will you ensure they know you are "for them" at the outset?

Do you avoid asking difficult questions because you don't want to be asked the same questions?

Who do you count on to ask you the tough questions?

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]]>Why do you stop short of the hard question?InspirationLife HackingKenneth WoodwardMon, 30 Jan 2017 02:38:15 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/29/how-do-you-test-extremes56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:588ea616d482e988fc11c6d5

You live better than anyone in human history. Your chances of living out a full life are very high compared to your ancestors.

A mobile phone in your pocket that displays all information of the known world. A market nearby that contains a selection of fresh foods from around the world during every season. Your risk of being sold into slavery or a violent death are small. The A/C works in the summer and the heater in the winter. The hardships of today, pale in comparison to our forefathers.

With all this goodness, how do you push your comfort boundaries?

The popularity of Obstacle Course Races reveals our collective desire to challenge our physical and mental capabilities beyond sitting in a cubical writing code for days on end.

CEO and co-founder of AngelList, Naval Ravikant, stated, "All greatness comes from suffering." How are you suffering in the pursuit of greatness?

Intentionally submitting ourselves to incremental suffering can build a tolerance for discomfort and willingness to push through difficult times.

How do you dabble with suffering?
Fasting (weekly or sustained)
Cold exposure (cryotherapy or ice baths)
Heat exposure
Intense workouts
Sleep deprivation
Late night studies
Caloric restriction (sustained)
Long hours at work

Other examples challenge the senses without the physical strain:
Sensory deprivation (float tanks)
Retreat (silent or meditation)

I land somewhere in the middle with barefoot walks in the woods. The gravel and stones are uncomfortable, but waking-up the 7,000 nerve endings in each foot is invigorating. Suffering happens if I don't wash my feet before climbing into clean sheets.

Author, Tim Ferriss implements a recommendation, Seneca wrote to his student Lucilius, "Set aside a certain number of days, during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare... saying to yourself the while: "Is this the condition that I feared?" Tim regularly submits himself to distress and has concluded, "Suffer a little regularly, and you often cease to suffer."

How do you push back against your preferences to embrace discomfort?

What current inconvenience can you reframe and embrace as a tool for "suffering?"

Where do you expect to grow from this experience?

Revisit this question after your experience to determine how you were right; it may have taught you more than you expected.

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]]>How do you test extremes?Kenneth WoodwardFri, 27 Jan 2017 03:37:53 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/26/gratitude56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:588ac03b197aea204297dc17

Your attention and readership have been an invaluable gift of encouragement.

Thank-you.

In person or written comments and emoji love, have been a significant means of inspiration over the last nine months of daily writing.

You have suffered through my steep learning curve of how crafting a cohesive thought and overcoming dreadful grammar. I have not reached the pinnacle, but rather a resting spot where I adjust my gear for the next phase of the journey.

My format has been a daily inquiry limited to 400 words. I am ready for the next step and graduating to longer pieces. I ended many of the topics and postings with much to explore. Using questions to poke around in the dusty corners of our minds will increase our self-awareness and understanding our worldview.

I am shifting from a daily format to a weekly format. The primary places to interact with the work will be on the IOTD365.com site and Medium.

My writing speed and schedule prevent this growth while maintaining the daily format. I mourn the loss of feedback every day.

I enjoy the thrill of starting with a blank page and knowing I will only be done when my art has shipped. Seth Godin is my inspiration for creating and posting each day. Time has been the boot on my neck, and I have grown to appreciate the process. Sitting and doing the work every day, has produced the equivalent of a 300-page book.

Imagine, a book of inquiries for you to peruse and dwell with the topic. If mid-week rolls around and you are looking for an inquiry fix, check out the previous posts and spend some time. You are a different person today than you were when you first read the post. Take time to dwell with the inquiries. Use an inquiry with your journaling or meditation practice.

You made it!

It must be time to reiterate my appreciation for your attention and investment into yourself. As Warren Buffet stated, "The best investment you can make is in yourself." I am pleased that IOTD365 is part of your investment plan.

See you Sunday!

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]]>GratitudeInspirationKenneth WoodwardThu, 26 Jan 2017 04:53:03 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/25/who-doesnt-deserve-your-unity56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58897fedc534a5a85e495b86

The soldier's life ebbed into the foreign soil.

She knew the risks, but the siren call to dedicate her life in service to the United States was the call she answered. The fabric of her country is diverse in color, texture, strength, density, and weave; no swatch is the same.

She loved her republic in spite of the stains, wear patterns, snags, and tears which strain the seams. The inner beauty of her people's shared purpose, freedoms, independence, and charity amplified the physical beauty of the land.

Under the armor, her heart pulsed with hope. The possibility of giving these same freedoms to hurting people and preventing evil from coming home, was enough to validate her decision.

But, the medic couldn't overcome the explosions determination. Blood stained the dirt. The flagged draped casket arrived to determined salutes and tear-stained family.

Our fabric is ripped.

You and I are the fabric the soldier remembered before her sacrifice. We are the hodgepodge of diverse humans that grasp hands when hurricanes strike and towers fall.

When the crisis fades, we are no longer humans. We are bankers or homeless, Democrat or Republican, or primarily aware of gender, orientation, religion, or a million other fragments. The bits morph beyond a convenient way to gather our tribe and become lines drawn for battle.

Our dogma chisels the boundary of unity.

Who doesn't deserve your unity?

What gorge is too broad for unity to bridge?

Who committed the unpardonable sin?

But then.

Who did the impossible and exemplified unity for you?

How are they different than you?

How can you be like them?

Our investment displays the value we place on an object. If unity is cheap and easy, then it is worthless and fails under stress. The soldier sacrifices everything to preserve our unity. We express our gratitude through action.

What are you investing in unity? Are you willing to overlook an offense, set aside rights, or grant a charitable judgment and believe the best?

What does unity cost you?

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]]>Who doesn't deserve your unity?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardWed, 25 Jan 2017 04:10:40 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/24/how-do-you-display-unity56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:588824c420099eb1dbbd315d

Age
Cars
Rings
Money
T-shirts
Mission
Country
Uniform
Language
Safety pin
Fight song
Brand name
Greek letters
Team jerseys
School colors
Political party
Holding hands
Bumper sticker
Care for another
Share worldview
Motorcycle wave
Secret handshake
Knitted pink cat hat

What is on your list of unity indicators?

Hearing English spoken in the crowded market when I am far from home brings a sense of comfort. Seeing a Washington Redskins jersey while visiting my daughter in Texas prompts a high-five with a stranger.

Ties that bind are often stronger than blood. Soldiers form deep bonds during battle and return to family and friends that cannot relate to the intimacy forged by war.

We thrive in a community because we have a common unity. The core beliefs are the foundation of the group, but the magic of connection happens on the fringes. The ideas and experiences that are not common elicit eruptions of new creativity and concepts into the community.

Who are you in unity with?

What emotions do you experience when you think of these groups?

How has this unity enriched your life?

How do you inject diversity into your groups to keep them growing?

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]]>How do you display unity?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardTue, 24 Jan 2017 03:59:39 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/23/how-do-you-define-unity56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:5886d029893fc03ef0e57fe6

I snapped a picture of the flyer because the words were overflowing with irony. The coffee shop flyer announced a get-together celebrating "unity" and a bulleted list of those to whom it applied.

The list did not include my demographic.

Thankfully, my love cup was not chipped.

If I crashed the party, were welcoming arms awaiting me, or would I have been the lone guy in the corner receiving sideways glances?

Our words matter. Google defines unity as, "the state of being united or joined as a whole." The definition indicates the whole whole. The word was at the height of popularity in the 1960's, and it has fallen out of favor, returning to its 1880's usage levels. Perhaps now we just intend unity within our piece of the whole.

Technology has delivered our tribe to our fingertips. This accessibility is exciting. We can now find like-minded left-handed turquoise bolo tie aficionados. It is easier than ever to despise my neighbor that sees the world from a different perspective, after all; my posse is just a text away.

100% alignment is a myth. We have never all been the same. We are just short of courage to speak up within our little unity circle. By virtue of our humanity, our interests are too diverse to fit into a tidy box. You have more in common with your crotchety opponent than you realize.

The hard part is approaching with a simple curiosity. Not just to hear, but to listen. To resist the temptation to formulate a response.

With all the noise, we are startled when someone truly listens. Everyone has something to teach you and me.

The solution may be as easy as an upgrade to your questions, to zip your lip, and crank up the hearing aid.

Do you see your opponents as fellow humans that have hopes, dreams, and read bedtime stories? When did they shift from human to enemy? What nuances of dissenting opinions do you dismiss? When do you seek first to understand, vice to be understood? Who is someone you could reach out to in an effort to expand your circle of unity?

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]]>How do you define unity?InspirationKenneth WoodwardMon, 23 Jan 2017 01:40:24 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/22/how-do-you-prepare-for-trials56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58855e2837c581fc6ae763b4

The U.S. spent $100B to ensure the swing of a second hand turning the millennium, did not crash the modern computer infrastructure during the run-up to Y2K. Pending hurricanes quickly clear store shelves of plywood, batteries, bottled water, milk, bread, and toilet paper. Insurance and financial advisers pitch solutions to mitigate catastrophe and reach personal goals.

How do you prepare for the storms of life during times of calm?

The teenage years are tumultuous for families; no one gets out unscathed. How do you invest in your children to reduce potential conflicts? Do you have a duck and run mindset or are you intentional about discussions today to build inroads for tomorrow?

The human body can suffer nearly boundless abuse, but time and the rigor of living take its toll. The complex system of systems strives to compensate for the weakest link in the system and overcome the exploitation we introduce. Decisions about sleep, diet, movement, exercise, stress, pollution and a myriad of other stressors badger us daily, What choices do you put on auto-pilot to reduce decision fatigue? How are you investing in your body and mind to prepare for tomorrow's challenges?

My tendency is to withdraw from relationships during struggles. Intellectually, I know this intimacy is a primary benefit of relationships, and yet I succumb to the temptation to retreat to my man cave and fight the battles on my own. We realize the benefits of friendships through transparency and vulnerability, yet ego and shame rail against the pursuit. How do you invest in relationships? What trials do you resist outside help to endure? What do you gain by not reaching out for help?

Other trails include young children, finances, career, kid's college, retirement, and relationships. What other struggles are close to you? What challenges do you see on the horizon in 1, 5, 10, or 30 years? How are you making decisions today to lessen the magnitude tomorrow? How did you successfully prepare for a trial in the past? How do your results encourage your preparations?

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]]>How do you prepare for trials?Life Operating SystemKenneth WoodwardSun, 22 Jan 2017 03:50:05 +0000http://www.iotd365.com/blog/2017/1/21/how-is-your-dash56cba1958a65e24ba870662c:56cbccf320c647ad15b45eb2:58842a81414fb5b1b2e1579d

Humanity expends considerable resources to cancel the effects of aging and fighting death. To date, there is not a remedy. Dwelling on death provides motivation for today.

You and I choose every moment how to use the minutes that comprise the dash between our dates of birth and death.

Picking out a handsome headstone this weekend will calibrate our thoughts about the time invested in replying to the click-bait opposing political comment on social media. The anger infused passionate argument is justified at the moment.

You click "submit" and your time is gone.

Is it worth investing your precious life on this post that will be buried in tomorrow's deluge of bickering? Your dash isn't big enough to include a cut and paste of your carefully crafted witty comment.

When was the last time you walked through a cemetery and considered the shortness of life? Where are you wasting your life? What changes need to be made to make the most of your time?

Soon, you will exhale, and the stone cutter's hammer will rest with the dash complete.

How can you create beauty that will outlast you and me?

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]]>How is your dash?