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FFP 038: The Importance of Mindfulness

Unthink Before Bed

In this 38th episode of The Future Focused Podcast, I discuss the importance of inaction, stillness, and mindfulness in relation to leadership and living a dynamic life.

We live in a fast-paced culture where multitasking, overwhelm and frustration are not only the norm but are often spoken of as virtues and badges of honor. I challenge this notion in this episode and remind listeners that like muscles, our brains need rest, and like devices, we often need a reset.

Listen to this episode by clicking here.

Knowing about the importance of stillness and mindfulness is not enough; it must be scheduled and practiced. Too many people don’t start because they feel they must study it and learn more. Nonsense! I’ll share everything you need to know to get started NOW and share a couple of helpful resources too.

This episode is an important episode that I hope you will really put into action. If you want great ideas, and the end to anxiety, then this is the episode for you.

Unthink Before Bed is my newest book and it has made a tremendous debut across the globe by helping families teach their children (and themself while they’re at it) to learn the art of mindfulness. How do you expect children to become mindful, reduce worry, anxiety, and stress if you don’t teach it or provide the tools? Well, that is what my book does in a really fun way! Unthink Before Bed is the perfect bedtime book with over forty, beautifully colored illustrations and a whimsical rhyme reminiscent of Dr. Seuss. Follow the bedtime adventure of a young boy and his dog as they learn how to prepare their mind for bedtime. Written and illustrated by a veteran educator of thirty years and a father of four. This is Kelly Croy’s second book. Unthink Before Bed teaches children (and adults) how to slow down, build a routine, get to bed, and fall asleep. Woven into every stanza and illustration are the ten, secret lessons of mindfulness. Reduce anxiety, worry, and stress. Fall asleep happily. Get a peaceful night’s rest. It’s also two books in one…. There’s a QR code in the back which takes you to the audiobook of me reading it. Order your copy on Amazon today. 

Please let me know your thoughts.

Have a great week.

Kelly

Mentioned in this podcast: 

Ryan Holiday’s book Stillness is the Key

My new book Unthink Before Bed.

A great resource of them importance of breathing titled, Breath by Belisa Vranich

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 176 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader a book on personal and professional leadership, and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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My New Book: Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness

I Wrote and Illustrated a Children's Book on Mindfulness Titled Unthink Before Bed

I just published a new book titled Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness. It is available on the world’s largest bookstore, Amazon, now. You can get your copy here.

II am very excited to share this book with families. It is a fun bedtime story with incredible artwork. This is exactly what children need to hear right now. (Parents too.)

We are living in uncertain times and children (and adults) need the strategies to prepare their minds for the challenges in today’s world. Unthink Before bed teaches children how to relax, reduce stress, and give themselves an advantage to get the rest they need a prepare for a new day. You are going to love it.

I had so much fun writing this book and illustrating every page. There are over forty, beautiful pages of illustrations. This book has a fun rhyme. I have even built a free audiobook inside the book. I’m not kidding. Wait until you see how I did it!

There are so many great surprises inside this book. Kids are going to love it. Parents are going to love it.

The book hit #2 in bedtime stories yesterday and was featured as one of Amazon’s “Hot New Releases” and one of their Best Sellers. I am so excited.

I will be sharing more about the book, but I just wanted to share my excitement with you!

Thanks for your continued support and encouragement.

Let me know what you think about the new book.

Order your copy of Unthink Before Bed today.

Thanks!

Kelly

Here is more about the book:

Unthink Before Bed is the perfect bedtime book with over forty, beautifully colored illustrations and a whimsical rhyme reminiscent of Dr. Seuss. 

 Written and illustrated by a veteran educator of thirty years and a father of four. This is Kelly Croy’s second book.

Unthink Before Bed teaches children (and adults) how to slow down, build routine, get to bed, and sleep. 

Woven into every stanza and illustration are the ten, secret lessons of mindfulness. 

Reduce anxiety, worry and stress. Fall asleep happily. Get a peaceful night’s rest. 

Enjoy this fun and relaxing bedtime story. 

Readers are leaders. 

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 173 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

 

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WEP 037: Repetition is a Strength, Not a Weakness

Level up Your Leadership, Design a Dynamic Life

Repetition is a strength, not a weakness.

You don’t need a pandemic to start building good habits. You just need to start. 

Repetition is a gift when it is intentional and skillful. Any successful person is so because of one factor, consistency. What is consistency? Consistency is a disciplined repetition. 

This episode of The Future of Podcast is about how to look at the pandemic differently and positively.

When all is lost, repetition offers us hope. Routines serve us, not imprison us. They free us. 

I do hope you are safe and well. Thank you for listening to this episode. 

Level up Your Leadership, Design a Dynamic Life

~Kelly

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 170 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

 

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FFP 036: Patience and Tenacity in Leadership

In this episode of The Future Focused Podcast I breakdown how patience is not a force of opposition to tenacity but rather fuels it. You’ll learn how to build patience to fuel, better execute actions with tenacity to become a better leader at home, at your job, and in life.

Tenacity is one of the six core elements of leadership, but it is fueled by patience. Patience is a skill that can be acquired and built. I’ll show you how in this episode.

Patience is one of the greatest skills we can learn as a leader.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. Thank you for being a leader. I hope you will share this out and reach out to me.

Stay safe and healthy friends.

You are a leader. This is our time. Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us.

Kelly

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Future Focused Podcast.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 160 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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5 Things You Need to Lead Your Team in Uncharted Territory

Every day I hear people use words like ‘unprecedented’ and ‘uncharted territory’ to describe our current global pandemic and the crisis it has created. I do not question the accuracy of these descriptors, but we cannot allow them to become excuses for inaction. While we may truly not know ‘exactly what to do,’ we know we must provide leadership, whether in our home, of our self, our organization, or community.

This must be a time of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness, both in others and of ourselves. The challenges upon us are real, varied and dire. We need to assume everyone is doing their best. We must empathize and realize every person’s challenge, situation, mindset, ability to cope, and resources are all different.

This is not a time to be selfish; be selfless. This is not a time to seek profit; serve. This is not a time to hustle; help.

While the 6 core elements I wrote about in my book, Along Came a Leader, have served me well in life: Attitude, Wisdom, Communication, Tenacity, Vision, and Authenticity, I wanted to provide leaders some insight on how to help their team during this tough time. Here are the 5 things I believe leaders NEED to lead their team in uncharted territory:

1. Vision: Leaders need to provide their team with a compelling vision of what the outcome could be if everyone does their part. The vision needs to be realistically optimistic, but a bit grand in some ways too. Everyone needs something to look forward to in a crisis. Everyone needs clarity and direction. Everyone needs a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Without a vision, a team meanders, stalls and becomes lost in the crisis.

2. A Good Crew: Hopefully you have built a great team but during a crisis even the best need coaching and professional learning. Clarify your expectations. Deliver accurate feedback. Provide opportunities and resources to help them to continue to grow and improve. Columbus could not hire a new crew in the middle of the ocean during the many trials on his exploration to discover the New World; he had to coach them up each and every day.

3. Flexibility: You have to roll with the punches. You have to get back up after getting knocked down. You have to adjust and adapt your plans and procedures. The way you did things before a crisis worked for that time and situation; they may not be appropriate now. Reflect, evaluate, test, execute, and continually adjust.

4. Tenacity: Have you ever seen someone freeze or just shut down in a time of crisis? Tenacity is not something we are born with, but rather something we build. A crisis demands tenacity and so does leadership. I live in a state of permanent beta. I am always trying to improve myself. It is something I admire in others. I not only expect to make mistakes, I understand they are paramount on the journey to success. They are the feedback we need to achieve. Be relentless. Celebrate failures. Keep getting back up and trying.

5. Attitude: Without the right attitude in a time of crisis you are lost and helpless. It is the single most important quality of a leader. It is the single greatest characteristic of success. It is the antidote to a crisis. Your attitude is contagious. Those you lead become infected with the way you approach the crisis. An awesome attitude is one of the most impressive and admired traits of exceptional leaders.

I do not write these words with ease nor approach our crisis lightly. My heart is full of admiration for our nurses, doctors, first responders, and all of the many essential workers providing all we need to keep the world running. My heart aches for the sick and all that is yet to come.

I fully understand that what lies ahead will be tough, trying and at times bleak, but I know that leadership, personal and professional, is the requirement of all, as we stand in the shadow of a crisis. It is leadership that will get us, and those we love and care for, through it.

Neither a book, a course, nor a title makes you a leader; action does!

I hope this post provides you with some assistance during these tough times.

Wishing you great health & happiness, peace & prosperity, and love & laughter.

Stay safe and healthy.

Stay away from one another.

Kelly

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 035: Leading in a Time of Crisis

“Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.” Wise words by American novelist, James Lane Allen, and words each of us should reflect on deeply during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, more than any other time in our lifetime, we need leadership. We not only need leadership; we need more leaders. We need more people to stand up, speak up, and take action.

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast is a live recording of a Facebook Live presentation I did earlier in the week. I focus on how to lead in a time of crisis. I review the six core elements of leadership as they apply to a crisis. I reflect on the importance of both our circle of focus and mindfulness. I offer my advice on how to lead yourself, your home, your business, and your community.

This recording has already made an impact when it went live. The comments I received immediately told me I needed to share it out in podcast form, so people could listen while they drive, do chores, and workout.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. Thank you for being a leader. I hope you will share this out and reach out to me.

Stay safe and healthy friends.

You are a leader. This is our time. Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us.

Kelly

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Future Focused Podcast.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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The Importance of Fiction. Especially Now!

The importance of fiction. I’ve met some people in my life who have told me that they don’t read fiction; that they find no value in it. Well, let me tell you a couple of reasons why you should be reading a novel right now.

First of all, everyone needs a story bouncing around in their head. If you don’t feed yourself a story in the form of a novel, your brain will create a story of its own. Do you know what stories your brain likes to create? It loves to create stories that are dark and void of hope. So feed your brain a story.

Second, fiction inspires mankind to attempt things that aren’t considered possible. Fiction pushes the envelope. Fiction motivates, inspires and sparks innovation. One of my favorite quotes of Jules Verne is, “What one man can dream, another can achieve.” Scientists and engineers know how to make things, but it’s the writers who dream up what needs to be made.

Last, a novel is a perfect diversion because it cannot be consumed in one sitting. Unlike movies, television and other forms of media, novels take time. In between those moments of ingesting brilliantly crafted phrasings from a wordsmith, we, the reader, think. What do we think about? Solutions! Choices! Possibilities! What is our hero or heroine going to do? How will they get out of this situation? What if they do x? What if they choose y? What about z? Our brains love to figure things out, and quite frankly… they need the practice. From time to time my brain thinks about some stories I read decades ago and wonders, “What if they had done this instead?”

So, pick up a novel. Take your time. I think the perfect read at this exact moment is Andy Weir’s The Martian, but truly any novel will do. I use to consume Tom Clancy novels like Doritos while others scolded me and waved the classics at me. It doesn’t matter. Find a good story. Entertain yourself. Work your brain. Mark Twain brilliantly pointed out, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

I was blessed to grow up in a house with lots of books, paper, and writing utensils. Always keep a good book near. Most don’t.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 034: Innovation’s Greatest Challenge

Leaders are Innovators! What is innovation? How to Overcome Innovation's Greatest Challenge!

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast was recorded before most COVID-19 restrictions. I have been unable to post it due to work and family obligations from the COVID-19 pandemic. I am excited to share it with you now. I believe it is timely, but the intro oddly does not reference the current state of our global situation well.

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast is all about innovation. Innovation is a buzz word that quite often gets misused or tossed around without people fully understanding it. The purpose of this episode is to define what innovation really is, how it plays an important role in leadership, and I’ll identify innovation’s greatest challenge. By the end of the episode, you will fully understand what innovation is and will be excited to make it a part of your leadership style.

People admire innovators. People want to hire innovators. People want to become innovators.

Listen to this episode and learn what true innovation is, why it escapes so many, and what a leader can do to make innovation part of their organization’s culture.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Future Focused Podcast.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram