The horror we face in Australia this week has been called our “worst ever peace-time disaster.”

I truly don’t know what to make of it all. There are stories of heroism and sacrificial love emerging, along with tragic stories that seem beyond belief. People have made some outstanding choices, which make a difference. The choice to stay and fight the fires, the choice to go there to help, even from other countries. People have made choices to give - their time and resources - and to let others know how we can give. This afternoon a truck leaves our city of Dubbo with our clothes and blankets, the blood banks await our donations for those whose lives hang in the balance, and I know that so many ways to donate are being made available, not only across Australia, but also internationally.

Amongst all the beautiful stories of love, generosity, and bravery there is the truly awful thought that less-thoughtful people have actually started some of this whole mess! How could one be so clueless! Or calculating? I don’t know what’s worse - but the effects are the same. Hundreds of people have died and the fight still continues to get the blazes under control.

When I first started seeing the death toll rise from 50 to 75, then to over 100, it occurred to me that this, while horrifying, would be considered a small number to people who have endured years of living in fear of riots, epidemics and wars that wipe out thousands, even millions of precious people. The declaration that I read on a news channel this morning, that this is our “worst-ever peace-time disaster” was a powerful reminder that we do live in relative peace in this nation. We have much to be thankful for. I’m sure there are many thankful souls in Victoria now, thankful to have escaped, thankful for the support of friends, colleagues and complete strangers.

As the headlines change, I continually see this all from different perspectives - I hardly know what to write. But write I must, and you may love one paragraph and hate the next. Tomorrow I may wish I’d written this differently, but I’ve written, and I hope to encourage some people, and highlight the wonderful moments that emerge through tragedy.

You only need to search online to read latest news stories and watch videos of what is going on, so I won’t link this to any particular stories, but there is one that is worth sharing that you may not have seen, unless you subscribe to my friend Lisa Rubintein’s blog. Here’s a beautiful perspective we need to consider as we give, grieve, and love. http://www.lisarubinstein.net/2009/02/laughing-in-dark.html

Keep looking for the opportunities to give, even if only a word of encouragement and a smile. I have more to say on the impact of that – but let’s keep that for another blog or I’ll be here all day writing topic after topic!

Cheering you on, through all kinds of days,

Love Kerrie

We’ve been Creating the Life we want for a number of years now, and one thing that we’re celebrating today is that we have the flexibility to attend Ethan’s first ever swimming carnival. I always loved our school swimming carnivals - the pool was always fun and refreshing, unlike days on the sports field…

Rather than reminisce about school days, I want to share something I discovered recently, which is truly amazing, and which has completely changed the way I swim. It may not sound like a big deal, but it has it’s significance…

Can you imagine being 31 years old, terrified of the water… but learning to swim with ease, to the point of competing in an ocean swimming race - in only 10 days?

Tim Ferriss shares on this video how he overcame his struggles in the pool in such an astoundingly short period of time, and in a way that you can go to the pool after watching his five minute explanation and try it yourself.

He explained it so simply, I had to go and try it out straight away. I got to the end of the pool, turned around and swam back, and was shocked at how I was not puffed… at all! Very strange… it almost felt wrong! How did I get there so easily? I did it again and again, wondering how a change in technique could yield such stunning results.

I showed Ethan - this is where it became really fun.

Last week we were swimming and I finished a lap 5 seconds before him. He was not happy about that at all. Although I explained that I had 30+ years of swimming behind me, and he’s just starting out he told me he “couldn’t really imagine” being faster than me in a year or two. He insisted on only swimming backstroke (his, and my favourite) or the occasional breaststroke, because he was “rubbish” at freestyle, managing only 10 metres. After showing Ethan the short video of Tim Ferriss explaining this technique, he swam an entire lap without stopping, and the sheer delight (and no small amount of surprise) on his face was just priceless. His later comments to my mother were quite memorable too… “I usually swim a little bit and can hardly breathe, but now I swim a lap and it’s like I’ve just been sitting in a comfortable rocking chair!”

There’s so much I could share on this, and maybe later I will - but for now - enjoy this video and consider what can happen when you make small changes in the right direction.

To see Tim’s blog and read more click here

Tim Ferriss Swimming

This is a great article about leaders. One of our own Create the Life Club resource contributors, John Maxwell goes through five truths that leaders understand about problems.

1. They’re unavoidable.

For the aspiring leader, problems may be the most faithful companions of all. The road to success is seldom paved smoothly, and is often times under construction. Potholes and barricades abound. At every bend in the journey, a leader’s vision must peer around obstacles and through formidable walls to foresee a positive future. Leaders who sidestep problems stunt their growth - they end up shallow and debilitated. The successful leader stares down problems and resourcefully addresses them.

2. Perspective on the problem, rather than the problem itself, determines success or failure.

We see problems, not as they are, but as we are. That’s why attitude plays such a crucial role in separating those who lead from those who follow. Alfred Armand Montapert said, “The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former.” Leaders look at problems from a healthy, self-confident vantage point.

A Wrong Perspective

Problems are unsolvable
Problems are permanent
Problems are not normal
Problems make us bitter
Problems control us
Problems stop us

A Right Perspective
Problems are solvable
Problems will pass
Problems are natural
Problems make us better
Problems challenge us
Problems stretch us

3. There’s a big difference between problem spotting and problem solving.

Anyone, even the fairly imperceptive, can identify problems, but few people have the initiative to tackle them. As novelist John Galsworthy observed, “Idealism increases in direct proportion to one’s distance from the problem.” As rule, don’t voice complaint about a problem until you’re 1) able to put forth a recommendation for solving it, and 2) willing to take an action to solve it.

4. The size of the person is more important than the size of the problem.

You can tell the calibre of a person by the amount of opposition it takes to discourage him or her. Joke writer Robert Orben says that he once saw an ad from an entertainer that read, “Lion tamer - wants tamer lion.” Clearly, this performer wasn’t looking for greatness but merely for something manageable. To lead at the highest level requires wrestling with problems seemingly beyond our ability to apprehend.

5. Problems, responded to correctly, can propel us forward.

Leaders are not discovered in the limelight; rather they are forged in the darkness under heat and pressure. Leaders gain respect on difficult terrain, after taking a few blows and being shaped by the problems they encounter. As a matter of fact, courage and valor go undetected until seen through the lens of adversity.

Did you enjoy this article? If so CLICK HERE to view more of our Create the Life Club resources also by John Maxwell