How To Be Awesome At Everything

Latest Episodes:

305. How To Be Awesome At Planning The Most Magical Cakes Oct 04, 2024

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Today we're talking about party cakes! And all the ways you can make them magical. From cakes you make yourself at home, to store or bakery bought cakes that you jazz up to custom made cakes, I have ideas for you for all of them! From simple to extravagant and ways to make the party cake so magical and perfect for the occasion. My goal in this episode is to give you lots of ideas so next time you have a cake to plan, it's the most special. We're talking about the center of the party today… the cake! What's our top priority? Taste, design, price. Get a Pinterest board going and a folder on your phone. If doing for someone else - show them inspiration and tell you which they like! Treats vs a big cake or a few cakes Ways to make your cake magical -Surprise inside cake - have bakery fill or you fill if baking -Custom topper - Etsy -Tons of toppers - Amazon + candy -Cake to match the theme A cake is a great "thank you for having us" gift! Or to bring to a party! My cake creators info: Brooke- bangpopshop@gmail.com My sign & cake topper creator: Anh- anh@bldahlia.com Custom cookie designer: Megan- cousincookie@yahoo.com Tag me on IG when you create magical cakes!! @LindsaysCloud XOX

304. How To Be Awesome At Making Honesty Your Superpower Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

It may sound obvious, but honest, like real saying what you think, I'm obsessed with being honest and direct because it does so much for you. If you need to tell someone how you really feel or cancel on some thing or decline an invitation, be honest. Be kind and considerate and compassionate and have empathy… all those things. But just be honest. Even if it stings for a second people will respect your honesty and It's hard to be mad at the truth. Honesty is a superpower because it allows you to go to sleep without crumbs! You sleep well knowing you don't have little stories to make sure you keep up with or the pressure of doing something that you really don't want to do because you weren't honest from the beginning. Oh my gosh how much less complicated things are when you are direct and honest. Rather than calling a friend or thinking about something for days- you know how you feel - be direct and honest and move on to the next. Most things aren't actually as big of a deal as we make them out to be. You don't have little white lies to keep track of, and you don't hold on to the burden of things. Think about how much more effective it is to talk to someone directly about something that is bothering you rather than not talk to them and talk to other people who can't do anything about it and it just makes the problem bigger and stirs up complication. Often times, when you go straight to the source and you are honest, you can clear up miscommunications really quickly. Being honest doesn't mean just saying the first thing that comes to mind and bulldozing other peoples feelings. To me it's completely the opposite. When I think about what's the best solution or the best way to handle a situation, it's simple. Just be honest. If someone asked me to invest in a company, and it's not a good fit, I tell them that rather than making up an excuse, that's not true Examples! At work! Direct approach: "Your report had a lot of valuable information, but the formatting and structure made it difficult to follow. We need it to be more organized to ensure clarity." With empathy and compassion: "I can see how much effort you put into this report, and that's really appreciated. I know making adjustments might feel like extra work, but a clearer structure will help showcase the quality of your insights even more." With kids! Direct approach: "You can't stay up past your bedtime. It's not allowed." With empathy and compassion: "I know you really want to stay up longer and finish your game, but you need rest to feel good tomorrow. Let's set a time to finish it tomorrow after you've slept well." Direct approach: "You didn't clean your room, so you can't go to the party." With empathy and compassion: "I can see that cleaning your room wasn't fun or easy, but it's important to follow through on your responsibilities. Since you didn't finish, you won't be able to go to the party today, but we can plan something fun when you finish it later." Direct approach: "You hit your brother, and that's not acceptable." With empathy and compassion: "I saw you hit your brother, and that's not okay. I understand you were upset, but hurting others is not how we solve problems. Let's talk about why you were angry, and we can figure out better ways to handle those feelings next time." With spouse! Direct approach: "I don't feel like you're meeting my emotional needs." With empathy and compassion: "Lately, I've been feeling like I need more emotional connection between us. I know we've both been busy, but I really miss the deeper conversations we used to have. Can we find some time to reconnect and share more with each other?" Direct approach: "You're not doing your share of the housework." With empathy and compassion: "I've been feeling overwhelmed with the housework lately, and it seems like I've been taking on more of the load. I know we both have busy schedules, but could we figure out a way to balance things better? It would really help me out." With friends! Direct approach: "You're always late, and it's frustrating." With empathy and compassion: "I really value our time together, but it's been tough when you're often late. I understand things come up, but it would mean a lot if we could make more of an effort to start on time. Is there something I can do to help?" CHEERS to being your most awesome direct and honest self!!

303. How To Be Awesome At Making One Change That Will Make You 10X More Productive Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

If you struggle with getting things done and being productive - I have one strategy, one change that will make you 10 times more productive. I love working with and studying high achievers and this one skill is something they all have. We're going through how most people tackle tasks and make decisions and how high achievers do. And then, how you can start doing things this way right away. It's one shift in how you do every thing, that changes the game. We are learning into the power of undivided attention, leading to more effective, efficient, and high-quality outcomes. Focus on one thing at a time - do it the very best you can, then move on. It's mono-tasking at it's finest. On the daily...

Improved Quality of Work: When you dedicate your full attention to a single project, you can dive deeper into the details and nuances. This focused effort often leads to higher-quality results. For instance, a writer working on a novel without distractions is more likely to produce a well-crafted manuscript compared to if they were juggling multiple writing projects.
Faster Completion Time: By concentrating on one task, you minimize the time lost to context-switching. For example, a software developer who focuses solely on debugging a specific piece of code can resolve issues faster than if they were constantly shifting between debugging and feature development.
Enhanced Problem-Solving: Monotasking allows you to immerse yourself fully in a problem, which often leads to more creative and effective solutions. Consider an architect working on a building design; uninterrupted focus enables them to explore innovative solutions and address potential issues more thoroughly.
Reduced Stress and Burnout: Handling multiple tasks simultaneously can be overwhelming and lead to stress. Monotasking reduces this strain by simplifying your workload. For instance, a project manager who tackles one project at a time can manage deadlines and expectations more effectively, reducing the risk of burnout.
Increased Mastery and Expertise: Focusing on a single project allows you to gain deeper expertise and mastery in that area. For example, a researcher concentrating on one scientific study can develop a more nuanced understanding and contribute more significant findings than if they were dividing their attention among several studies.

In the big picture, in the words of Alex Hormuz…

"The only way to achieve extraordinary results is to focus on one thing at a time and become obsessed with it."
"Your ability to focus on one thing for an extended period of time is directly correlated with your success."
"Success comes from the ability to concentrate your energy and efforts on a single goal until it's achieved."

302. How To Be Awesome At Having Strategic Reactions Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we are talking about having strategic reactions instead of emotional ones. All day every day we are faced with situations in which we have opinions and emotions. But that doesn't mean we have to act on them. It may seem so foreign at first put overtime, it's the most empowering thing, because your energy is not wasted, and you don't have unnecessary headaches. Asking yourself two things - is this worth my energy and what is the end result I want? It takes training to not act on your emotions but it's crazy powerful. You keep so much more of control of your life and the situations you are in. This episode will save you heartache, stress and will certainly get you more of what you want. Before you send the text or the email - sleep on it and decide in the morning. Emotions don't require actions! Thinking through- what happens AFTER this … is so helpful!

What is the end result that I want? If you go nuclear on someone - We should think of the end goal in mind. I want them to not do that again. I don't want them to retaliate. If you are trying to avoid retaliation, then it's better not to throw the rock. Often times I just want to get the F out of the conversation. So how about just agree and move on. Examples: Someone says to you.. "You're fit because you're lucky. You have good genetics so it comes easy to you." You say, Ya, it's nice. Maybe something triggers you politically. Maybe someone says something uncalled for or inappropriate. You should probably learn how to do ___ before trying it. Like what do you even know about it? You don't always have to set them straight or stand up for yourself. Control what you can control. THINK 2 steps ahead. Often times it's honesty. Just tell the truth. It's just so powerful for all stages of life. You have to separate you feeling something and you acting on something. You may feel angry at your co-worker but jabbing at them will only make your work life miserable. You have to resist things that might make you feel better in the moment. Create space and time! When you feel something and have the desire to act on it - since we want to make as logical of decisions as we can. If we make more logical decisions, we want to create space from when we feel and when we act. Just because you feel something doesn't mean to act on it. You're most likely to regret decisions that you make immediately after something - your instant reaction. CHEERS to your super power of controlling your emotions and having strategic reactions!

301. How To Be Awesome At Creating Special Moments Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

Let's explore how we can transform ordinary experiences into extraordinary ones by leaning into the elements that make moments memorable. I've been trying to do this in my own life - making long drives that would otherwise be sort of boring - fun in some way. And setting up a little family game or activity during the day while the kids are at school for us to all play after dinner. I'm on this quest to make more lasting memories and have more connections with my people. Not get too caught up in routine and distractions that we forget to celebrate little wins and create more peak moments each week. I just read the book The Power of Moments by Dan & Chip Heath and this could not have come at a better time. Today we are talking about how you can inject elements of surprise and excitement and newness into everyday tasks. By breaking away from routine, amplifying high points, and focusing on emotional impact, we can turn the mundane into the meaningful and forge lasting memories that enrich both personal and professional experiences.

Defining Moments: Moments that stand out in our lives are often characterized by their emotional intensity. They break from routine and are memorable.
Four Key Elements: To create powerful moments, focus on these elements:

Elevation: Moments that rise above the ordinary and create a sense of wonder or excitement.
Insight: Moments that lead to a profound realization or understanding.
Pride: Moments that highlight achievements and strengths, often marking milestones.
Connection: Moments that deepen relationships and foster a sense of belonging.

Elevate Ordinary Experiences: Inject elements of surprise, excitement, or novelty into routine activities. This could mean adding unexpected touches, celebrating small wins, or introducing fun elements to everyday tasks.
Break the Script: Deviate from the norm to create memorable experiences. By breaking away from routine and introducing something unique or unexpected, you can make an ordinary moment stand out. Break the script - this is doing something that defies the expectation in the moment.
To create more peaks! It can't happen so often that it becomes the normal

The Power of Small Moments: Even small, intentional actions can create meaningful moments, like personalized gestures or thoughtful acknowledgments.
Celebrations: celebrating milestones can help create lasting positive memories and reinforce values.
Designing Moments for Others: Think about how you can intentionally craft moments that will impact others positively, whether in personal relationships or in professional settings.
The Role of Storytelling: Crafting moments often involves effective storytelling, whether in personal experiences or in shaping the culture of an organization.
Leveraging Moments for Growth: Use impactful moments as opportunities for learning and growth, both personally and within organizations.

Focus on Peaks: Identify and amplify the high points of an experience. Whether it's a significant achievement or a joyful event, emphasizing these peak moments helps make them more memorable.
Create Moments of Pride: Highlight achievements and milestones to foster a sense of pride. Celebrating successes, no matter how small, can turn an ordinary occasion into a meaningful one.
Foster Connection: Strengthen relationships by creating moments that deepen connections. This can be achieved through meaningful interactions, shared experiences, or personalized gestures.
Use Rituals and Traditions: Establishing rituals or traditions can transform routine events into special moments. These practices provide structure and meaning, enhancing the significance of ordinary experiences.
Design for Emotional Impact: Consider the emotional journey of the moment and aim to design experiences that resonate deeply. Whether it's through storytelling, thoughtful gestures, or creating a sense of awe, focusing on emotional impact can elevate ordinary moments.

How to plan for these moments!!

Calendar out your life and picture yourself doing the things! What would make it more special?

A birthday- a massive poster card or game to celebrate the bday person. When planning, don't fall back on how you do things - for everything. Keep some things the same - the ones that work best - then find new ideas for the rest.

ASK your people and listen!

By applying these strategies, you can transform everyday activities into memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Items mentioned in this episode... Darts- https://amzn.to/4cUESDX Cookies- cousincookie@yahoo.com Book- https://amzn.to/3TmgK6f CHEERS to focusing on emotional impact to elevate ordinary moments!!

300. How To Be Awesome At Planning Life Adventures With Your Tribe! Aug 31, 2024

Show notes

The goal of this episode is to get you thinking about planning more newness in your life. New experiences and adventures. Because we know- If you don't put stuff on your calendar that you really want to do - life will take over. Work will happen, chores will be there and before you know it, we're running life in reactive mode. All of the other life stuff will fill in anyway. Today we are focusing on planning things ahead of time that feel exciting and that you can do with your favorite people on the planet. We're going through lots of ideas and getting rid of any hurdles you might have in your way as we go. Let's map it all out then all we have to do is follow the script.

Braindump things you'd love to do! See who wants to do it with you! figure out what's stopping you and what are you believing that isnt actually true? Ideas of what to do! *Get a group together for a cooking class followed by dinner with wine pairing

*Visit a local farm and book an apple picking experience

Find a local path and plan a hike

*Go camping for the weekend at a local spot

Take a photography workshop class with friends

*Set-up a volunteering event to help people in need in your area

*Plan a day or weekend filled with local museums and art galleries

*Learn to kayak at a local river

*Road trip to a nearby city and plan shops and cafes to visit

*Plan a day long bike ride with a fun stop for lunch

*Plan a ride in a hot air balloon

*Get a group to go indoor rock climbing

*Book a rental cabin for the weekend

*Take the train on an adventure

*Run a non-profit project with a friend

*Learn a new skill

*Take a new class with family and friends.

299. 15 Awesome Messages To Say To Our Kids Constantly Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

I realized I wanted to have a few key things that I say to my kids all the time, that they will remember their whole lives. You know how special it is when someone says, oh growing up my mom always told me this… or my dad made sure I knew this… Parenting can be overwhelming and a lot just keeping up with the day-to-day. I sat down last week to write out the things that I've learned along the way that I think are the most important to help them be confident and strong and kind and grow up to be really awesome people. My goal in this podcast episode is to you give you lots of ideas of things to say to your kids over and over so it really sinks in. Here we go! 15 Awesome Messages To Say To Our Kids Constantly... 1 Make decisions and pursue passions based on what feels best to you. You define what success means to you. 2. Comparing yourself to other people will always steal your joy. 3 If you never speak unkindly of people, you never have to worry about it coming back to you. 4. The best way to make good decisions is to not put yourself in a bad situations. 5. Call me the second something goes sideways - I've got your back always. 6 Follow the rules and always be kind, but also live boldly and push limits. 7 Embrace all of your emotions and don't label any as good or bad. 8 The more you fail, the more you are trying. Collect as many fails as you can and learn the lessons along the way. 9 Never say a word about your body that you wouldn't say to your best friend about hers. 10 Give full effort to everything you do. 11 Family first, always take care of each other. 12 Don't let little things that don't matter in the big picture, get you too upset. 13 Make it your mission to be the one that helps someone who needs it. Sit by someone who is alone, volunteer and dedicate time to others. (The way to never feel entitled and see how most of the world lives) 14 You can become good at literally anything you want to be - you just have to be willing to work hard for it. Hard work, consistently can get you anywhere you want. 15 You are so incredibly loved 🤍🤍

298. How To Be Awesome At Becoming A 34 Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

Ok let's do it - what's a 34? It's the percentage of people who are happy and feel fulfilled in their lives. Leaving 66% of people- unhappy and unfulfilled. I love putting a number to it because it's the best push when you're scared. When it's hard to start something new and risk failing… When it's hard to say no to an event you don't want to go to but everyone else is going… We know that what most people are doing isn't working because the majority of people aren't happy. They don't feel joy and fulfillment and progress in their lives on the daily and in the big picture. We know a life that makes us feel excited and inspired isn't just going to happen to us - we have to work for it and plan for it and design it. Today, we're making a plan for becoming a forever 34. Getting out of our own way and out of our head, and doing more of things we love and less of things we hate. We're making a plan to be the happy minority today. HOW I BECAME A 34… I started designing my days with intention. Realizing that it wasn't just going to happen, nobody was going to do it for me and nothing was going to change if my habits didn't change. I needed an actual SYSTEM to help bridge the gap between the life I wanted and the life I was living. A way to get super clear on my goals and then design a life based on those priorities. I needed a way to organize the habits I knew I needed to be doing and a way to avoid distractions, celebrate small wins and focus on consistency. I tried calendar books, habits apps, charts, notes on mirrors, lol basically everything. There wasn't an actual habits system that helps you get crazy clear on your priorities and set big goals, then charge towards them daily. So I created one. And it's awesome. It's called 2.0 and it's this awesome gift box filled with deep dive sheets, calendar books (one for each week) and other fun supplies to get you going and keep you on track. It's a clear path to becoming a 34🚀❤️ This link takes you directly to a layout of how it all works📝✨ https://lindsay-dickhout-7734.mykajabi.com/ultimatecourse

297. How to Be Awesome At Asking The Right Healthy Questions At Restaurants Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

Let's talk about how to order healthy at any restaurant and what are the right questions to ask, to get a delish but also good for you meal. Now, up front I want to be clear that I am all about loving what you eat, and having the special experiences and endulging- for sure! But for the majority of the time - I think we all feel the best when we fuel our bodys with whole foods and limit sugars, refined carbs and seeds oils. I'm going to give you tips if you are an easy order-er when you're out- and also if you're like me and have no problems being the person with the complicated order - so many tips for you too. In fact, if there's ever a viral video of someone with like their wildly complicated order, 5 different friends will send me the same video. I laugh too because it's accurate but hey I've learned what makes me body feel crappy and what makes it feel great and if my order has a few turns to get there, it's worth it. TIPS! Research where you're going ahead of time - pick places with healthier options. As you get into doing this, call and ask the questions before you go- that way you can order easier when you get there. Tips for the… Easy order-er -focus on protein -sauce on the side -extra veggies instead of a starch -lettece wrapped instead of a bun Complicated order-er -Cook with olive oil or avocado oil -Drinks - no refined sugar- ask for what fresh fruits they have -Fish - wild caught -Chicken - organic -Beef - grass fed beef or steak For dessert - bowl of berries - anything on top on the side please See if you can get something from breakfast menu like greek yogurt and fruit with granola on the side. And if you're at a place that isn't an experience- bring your own glass container! No shame in bringing your own yummy food if they don't have the right thing for you! CHEERS to loving the healthy foods you are ordering out!

296. How To Be Awesome At Exercise To Live Longer & Function Better Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

Let's plan your weekly workout schedule in a way that helps you to be your strongest and most functional self now, and also train for longevity and healthspan. The concepts I'm sharing today are from the book, Outlive, by Peter Attia. He takes this complicated topic- what forms of exercise are best for us… and makes it super clear. We are going through the 4 pillars and exact types of exercises you can do for them. I believe that there are so many ways to get to what you want in life- you have options so pick one that sounds fun. So giving you lots of choices and I'm also giving you exact examples of classes to take- if you want to use my favorite online platform - OBE fitness. Using Peter Attia's 4 pillars as our guide to fitness will help us delay the onset of chronic disease, while also maintaining health span for as long as possible. Peter Attia outlines 4 different types of exercise: 1. Stability- the foundation of everything. It's what allows you to pick-up 50 pounds off the floor without getting injured. It's focusing on core strength (pilates), balance exercises (balance board or stability ball), functional movements (lunges and squats), progressive overload (challenging muscles through duration or resistance) and injury prevention (strengthen muscles around joints). 2. Strength- muscle mass and strength training. Lifting weights! A fall that will barely bruise you as a 30 year old can kill you as an 80 year old because you aren't strong enough to survive it. 3. ZONE 2 cardio- aerobic efficiency - this is a steady state where you are cruising along at a sustainable pace. You should be able to maintain a conversation comfortably while exercising at this pace. 4. ZONE 5 cardio - VO2 MAX - an Aerobic peak, a short burst of energy like a HIIT workout. Attia says that all 4 pillars must be in your routine if you are exercising for longevity. Here are the types of classes to use on OBE for each type of exercise: 1. Stability- Sculpt 2. Strength- Strength & Power 3. Zone 2 Cardio- Low Impact HIIT & Dance Cardio 4. Zone 5 Cardio- HIIT & Boxing & Endurance As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone mineral density. Lifting weights prevents this which makes it an essential part of our longevity plan. Here is a link to Attia's book: https://amzn.to/3SvaKYb And to Lindsay's 2.0 Master Course: https://howtobeawesomeateverything.com/pages/the-courses Cheers to moving in the best way now… to plan for a long and healthy life!

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