Some of you know that my wife, Lynn, is a General Contractor and that we own a construction company. This year has been one of her best and this Summer completely exploded. As luck would have it, my speaking business falls flat every Summer. Not sure why, but it does. This Summer I have been able to help her quite a bit, which is great because she needed it! Now, you aren’t likely to see me on a job site too too much. I typically work behind the scenes. BUT I am known to cut a nice paint line and I can supervise a clean up like no one’s business.

Here’s what’s so important about this hat. It represents the blood, sweat, and tears of my wife’s hard work. She built it from nothing and I am so very proud of her. She is good at it, she likes it, and people are nuts about working with her. Here’s the other thing. This is not my dream; it’s hers. BUT  this has helped so much more with MY dream than any of you could ever know. It has allowed me to continue pursuing my dream because it affords our family a living.

It took me a while to get that into my thick skull. I was SO into my own dream that I didn’t see what was right in front of me. AND I certainly didn’t appreciate it. This Summer, I realized just how important this hat is and what it means to me.

So, here’s the lesson for you. Sometimes, the things that are most important are not in your main vision. Sometimes, we don’t even want to see them because we are too in our own things and our own heads. I’ll remind you to stop and look at what you have and what it gives you. And then, be grateful for it. I know I am.

When you change your mindset, you change your life.

The post My Trucker Hat Story- KohlerHaus appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

Great question. It goes in there for several reasons:

1. It got your attention, didn’t it? You were reading my bio, looking at my FB page all innocent and stuff and there it was. Made you stop a second, right? You were interested.
2. I want you to know me. People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. You’ll definitely get to know me after hearing the stories of all the trucker hats. You might like me because of them and maybe, even trust me (the jury is still out for that last one).
3. I want you to get a sense of my personality. Some of these stories are sad, most are funny, and some are nice. You’ll get to know what I’m about a little more after reading these stories of all these hats over the next several months.

All of this to say, it DOES tie into my social media philosophy. I think the best use of Social Media is to use it as a relationship tool. It’s not really a sales tool, although sales will likely result from people getting to know you more. That’s the good news.

The other good news? You don’t have to have 30 plus trucker hats in order for you to do it.
Find whatever YOUR thing is and share that.

The post My Trucker Hat Story and What It Has To Do with Social Media appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

Last week I delivered a commencement speech to the 2018 Graduating Class of Bell Creek Academy. As I was reading it for final review, I realized that this was NOT just for these graduates, but for everyone and I decided to share it here with you.

Welcome students, friends, family, and faculty. AND congratulations to the graduates of 2018!

When I was asked to do this speech, I was actually a little worried. I’m no one famous, I haven’t invented the cure for cancer, I haven’t broken any scholastic or athletic records and I’m still trying to make an impact on the world I live in. I’m not like any of those people.

And that’s when it hit me. I don’t need to be any of those. I’m different from all of them and that’s a good thing. Often, I think we try SO hard to be like everyone else and we forget who we really are. Being different is good, being different allows you to distinguish yourself from others, being different helps you stand out from the crowd and being different is where your gift lives.

That said, I do have four guiding principle that I live by and they have always served me well. They are KINDNESS, COMPARISON, RELATIONSHIP, and AUTHENTICITY.

I encourage you to look at your new journey and try these on to see if they might be a fit for you.

• KINDNESS- Always be kind. It’s so simple, yet really impactful. Today, it’s really easy to be self absorbed and only consider what’s in it for me. We don’t let people in line in traffic. We don’t hold doors open anymore. We don’t smile as say hello to people we meet daily. What if we did? How many times has a kind word changed your day completely? There have been plenty of times that someone has let me merge in traffic. My attitude after that is always thankfulness and probably a little relief. I’m thankful that someone was actually nice enough to let me in AND I’m relieved that the guy behind me will finally stop creeping up closer and closer to my rear bumper because he’s impatient. When the opposite happens and no one lets me in, I get more irritated, I might mumble some curse words under my breath or loudly and the guy behind me continues to creep closer and closer to my rear bumper which really just makes things even worse. How different of a day will I have now? So please, let if you see, let me in traffic. I have a maroon Durango. Remember- be kind.
• COMPARISON- Comparison can be an ugly and self-destructive thing. AND combine that with social media and it’s even more dangerous. Stop comparing yourself to other people. You will never be them and you shouldn’t want or try to. I started doing CrossFit about 2 years ago and I remember when I first got there, people were lifting WAY more weight than me, getting through their workouts faster than me, and it used to bother me a lot. I’d load up the bar an try SO hard but I couldn’t even budge it in some cases and I’d end up leaving the gym disappointed and feeling defeated. AND the workouts just weren’t effective because I wasn’t using good form or I was trying too hard to keep up. Finally, I realized that the only person I needed to be better than was me. These people had been doing CrossFit way longer than I had and it wasn’t an even comparison. It’s just like that with anything. Your experiences are always going to be different from every one else’s and to compare your self to them would be a disservice to both of you. Always strive to be better than you were yesterday, even if it’s just a little bit. Let that be the bar with which you use to measure your progress, not someone else.
• RELATIONSHIP & CONNECTION- these are two concepts that work together. Have you ever been to a restaurant and seen people sitting together at a table all looking at their phones? That’s not connection; that’s separation. Take that time to be with each other. It’s like sitting together, but alone. I’m half expecting someone to text someone else to pass the salt. Something else I see, too often we are in our own boxes, our own segments whether it be political, religious, beliefs, race, gender and so much more. The one thing we ALL are is human. Strive to be connected with ALL people. The only way we can make a difference is by embracing each other’s differences and creating authentic relationships. You want to be a change agent? Get to know all other people and see all perspectives. You don’t have to agree and it will expand the lens with which you view the world.
• AUTHENTICITY- Always be authentically you. You do not have to fit in anyone else’s mold. God made each and every one of us different for a reason. He knew that we could each bring something different to the planet. Celebrate your uniqueness and see it as your strength. When you try to be something you aren’t, it hurts you and eventually, you’ll be “discovered.” Your beauty and gifts come from your individuality and your mark on the world will be a product of your courage to be truly you.

Almost done…

Here’s my challenge to you. You’re really at the beginning of your journey. You have energy and vision and way more power than you think you do. Each and every one of you can and will make your mark on the world. What it looks like is up to you. Enjoy this milestone, your graduation day. It’s special and important and marks something extraordinary. BUT, don’t get too comfortable, because you all have an impact to make and we’ll be watching.

Sincere congratulations to you all!

The post To All Graduates (And Pretty Much Everyone Else) of the Class of 2018 appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

I invite you to listen today and see what Lee is all about. I know you’ll like him as much as I do.

One more thing: The Undy Run is a run that Lee does every year to help raise money for colon Cancer. I’m running it and if you’re a runner or walker and you’d like to participate, go here for registration!

The post The Small Magic Podcast Episode 10- Interview with Lee Silverstein appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

Jessica Muroff is the CEO and she hit the ground running. In our interview today, you’ll hear some of the new things Girl Scouts are doing and how Jessica and her team are putting their own spin and flavor on the West Central Florida Chapter.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Girl Scouts, click here. They are  SO much more than cookies…but don’t worry, we do talk about cookies too!

For more information on Small Magic or to find out what I’m up to, just visit lisademmi.com or drop me a line at lisa@lisademmi.com

The post The Small Magic Podcast Episode 9- Interview with Jessica Muroff appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

Valerie retired after 21 years in the Army as the U.S Central Command Commandant Headquarters First Sergeant. Her military background and her experience as an entrepreneur has given her a unique perspective on Veteran’s as professionals and as business owners. She is a dynamic leader who works tirelessly to ensure every Veteran (and Veteran Spouse) who wants to become a business owner can accomplish that mission.

Now, Valerie’s new mission is with Operation Startup, showing other former military and entrepreneurs the ropes when it comes to business.

Her motto: Serving those who served.

Valerie is a gift to Tampa and we are truly grateful for not only her service to our country but also her continued service to our community!

The post The Small Magic Podcast Episode 8- Interview with Valerie Ellis Lavin appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

Jodi is not a special needs teacher. She does not have an organization backing her other than the elementary school she teaches at. What Jodi does have is heart and love and respect for other humans. Jodi has given her time to these kids and likely always will.

She’s made a difference in their lives and they will be forever changed because of it. If I had a child in elementary school. I’d want Jodi to be his or her teacher.

She is what Small magic is all about. She didn’t like the way something was so she just took it upon herself to make things better.

Mission accomplished, Jodi. AND thank you for making a difference.

The post The Small Magic Podcast- Episode 7- Interview with Jodi Pelletier appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

We were talking about all kinds of things and then she said two words to me: “thank you.” She also said a bunch of other words but those two were the most important of the conversation. She went on to say that so often we forget to thank people and acknowledge them. She’s right and I’m totally guilty of that.

Now, how good do you think I felt when Krayl thanked me? I felt great! Here’s what’s really cool. You have the POWER to make someone feel great just by saying “thank you.” I know I always say this but this requires no preparation or special equipment. You don’t have to get ready to thank anyone- you just do it!

Here’s my challenge to you:
I want you to thank at least one person every day for the next week, seven days. You can thank someone who holds the door open, your best friend for checking in on you, your significant other for making you a nice dinner, and so on. Notice how it makes them feel. AND also, see how it makes YOU feel.

I bet you both feel amazing. So, thank YOU for reading this post!

Have a great day and be Magic!

The post The Small Magic of Thank You appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

That’s ok. I decided this year I’d do the holidays on my own schedule.

This year has already flown by and I’d like to savor my favorite three months( you know, November, December and January- my birth month!)

I cherish this time of year. People are generally in better spirits and maybe, even a little nicer to each other. Ok, the exception is Black Friday when people are beating the crap out of each other to get a $45 74-inch flat screen at Walmart.

Think about it. We volunteer this time of year. We donate food, money, time. AND that’s all great! BUT, and it’s a big but, why now? Why not all year long? Don’t people need a little help at other times of the year? Isn’t kindness a gift you can give to anyone any day? I’m pretty sure I’d accept it anytime.

The way I see it? I’m WAY more fortunate than most people and if there’s something I can do to help someone, put a smile on their face or make things just a little bit easier, then why not do it?

Guess who wins? We all do.

So don’t save all your kindness for this time of the year. Do something every month, every day. AND it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can be as small as saying “thank you,” holding a door open or smiling at someone.

Sometimes, that’s all people need. I promise you won’t be sorry.

The post Small Magic and Halloween appeared first on Lisa Demmi.

I know, I know – most people don’t want to be thought of as a quitter. AND quitting has a really negative connotation.

I want you to look at it a bit differently. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Have you ever stayed in a relationship longer than it was healthy?
2. Have you ever stayed at a job that you knew was it suited for you any longer?
3. Have you ever tried to get a cat to listen to you?

OK, I think you can see where I’m going here. Sometimes, quitting just makes sense. For me, I can get so caught up in the “doing” that I forget to look at the big picture. When you’re so close to something, it’s hard to see that the effort and the time invested in it isn’t going to make it work.

I’m not a huge fan of the phrase “cut your losses” but it seems appropriate here. When I look back at all the times I just should have “quit” I can see that there was a lot of time and work put into something that wasn’t serving me anymore. Instead of quitting, I kept trying to make it happen.

via GIPHY

If I haven’t spent all that time on those things what could I have actually done that may have helped me grow, feed my development, or just plain made me happy. All this said, I’m not looking at those times I should’ve quit as a fail or loss but as a learning opportunity.

Delatorro McNeal always says “win or learn.” That’s something I said to myself every day.

So, what have we learned today?

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