Lessons: Life, Learning & Leadership
AT-AT in the Yard
#AT-AT #StarWars #BlusteryDay #PointOfView #Awareness #WishISawThat #Perspective #Lesson #Learn #Life #Laugh by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman I thought for sure we were about to be under attack from one of those Star Wars AT-AT Walkers when I walked out my front door...
Not So Welcome
#tolerance #diversity #dunedin #Mindset #SmallTown #MakingADifference #NotSoWelcome #Lesson #Learn #Life #Change by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman This sign is on the front door of a restaurant just over a mile from where we lived in FL. 4 years ago we moved to a...
F.E.A.R.less
#Fear #FEARless #Stress #Mindset #Anxiety #Options #Dance #Cooking #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman What FEARs do you have? I mean, real FEAR? Fear is natural and is critical for survival. Fear keeps us alive as it promulgates action and...
Infringement 101
#FiveSenses #ThreeOptions #Infringement101 #SeeHearSmellTasteTouch #Connect #Divide #Choices #Lesson #Dance #Partner #Connection #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman Can you make sense of this? Any one (1) of the five (5) main senses has the...
Grading on a Curve
#GradingOnACurve #RealLife #Success #Mindset #Awareness #Options #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman What would life be like if we were graded on a curve? Would the room where we painted 3 of the 4 walls yesterday suddenly be complete?...
Who is That in the Mirror
#Self-Image #Reflection #Stress #Mindset #Awareness #Like-Point #Strong #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see your own beauty or do you immediately look for flaws? Do you see and own the...
People are Like Golf Balls
#GolfBall #GolfWisdom #Diversity #Mindset #Awareness #Inclusion #PerfectShot #Lesson #Learn #Life by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman People are like golf balls. Different colors. Different styles. Different brands. Different strengths. Different flaws. The more you...
The Birthday Gift
#BuildingThings #BirthdayGift #SoManyLessons #Mindset #Teamwork #Options #HomeSchool #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman This one’s worth the read (and the video’s good too, but don’t do one without the other). --- --- Versions 12.6 and...
Self-Love… Taking Care of YOU
#SelfLove #Stress #Mindset #SelfWorth #SelfEsteem #SelfCare #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health #OxygenMask #Confidence #InputOutput by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman An interesting discussion yesterday about self-love took place in our house. It started with me basically...
Masks and Critical Thinking
#CriticalThinking #Research #Mask #Mindset #Awareness #Options #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman Wait, what?? I spent the last 6 hours today at a college campus. I observed students, by the hundreds, and watched as they walked to and from...
Getting What You Paid For
#GettingWhatYouPaidFor #DeliveringOnPromises #BirthdayEarrings #Tenacity #Awareness #Options #Balance #Lesson #Learn #Life #Parenting by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Here’s a story about getting what you paid for (getting what you want), delivering on promises...
Job Well Done
#JobWellDone #CheckYourWork #AsLongAsItTakes #Mindset #Awareness #Homeschool #LearnToLearn #Lesson #Learn #Life #CleanKitchen by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Y’all have no idea how big this moment was for me. “What’s going on?” you say. Well, this is my youngest,...
Tackling Big Projects
#BigProjects #GettingItDone #KidPower #CrownMolding #GoodbyeAvocado #ItsGoingToBeHuge #ElbowGrease #Lesson #Learn #Life #TeamWork by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman For the first time in nearly 4 years we actually enjoy looking out this set of windows! Over the...
Customer Satisfaction
#JustForLaughs #SomeAssemblyRequired #WinterFun #SnowDay #Balance #IKEAAdventures #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman We got a notification from UPS that our Igloo, Snowmen & Snowballs were all delivered from IKEA. This is NOT what we...
Is Seeing Actually Believing?
#SeeingIsntAlwaysBelieving #Truth #FakeNews #Mindset #Awareness #TrustButVerify #ChallengeBeliefs #Lesson #Learn #Life #ReadTheFinePrint by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman I believe what I believe is, for the most part, correct. You believe what you believe is, for...
Moment of Silence
#PowerfulSilence #TooMuchNoise #Stress #Mindset #Awareness #QuietThoughts #Resilience #Lesson #Learn #Life #Creativity by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman A moment of silence. Perhaps for our nation? For our current leaders or future administration? Perhaps on two...
Participation at Its Finest
#ParticipationAward #PresentToWin #PresentNotPresent #ParticipationFail #DistanceLearning #HomeSchool #RealLife #Lesson #Learn #Life #ProudPapa by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman We had a first yesterday. And, before I share the story, let me say I’m not a fan of...
Quality Time Worth Remembering
#QualityTime #Mindfulness #LovedOnes #Mindset #Awareness #SharedExperience #SharedGoals #Lesson #Learn #Life #TeachingKids by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Spending time versus spending quality time. This looks like it could be me just tuning out, but It’s merely me...
A Neat little story about cards
#ThankYou #NeatStory #CustomerAppreciation #ArtBiz #LifeLessons #LearningTheRopes #Lesson #Learn #Life by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Here’s a neat little story... I watched, on-and-off, as my two eldest girls spent nearly 20 hours hand writing Christmas wishes...
Searching for a Support System
It’s not as easy for humans to find, tap into and use strong foundational pieces in other humans. You can’t just buy a tool…
What does it matter?
#Reaction #Decision #Stress #Mindset #Check #Checkmate #Awareness #Options #Rebound #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman “What does it matter?” “What’s the point?” Twice this week I’ve had these questions hurled at me with solemn contempt as...
CHECK! What’s Your Move…
#Check #Checkmate #Stress #Mindset #Awareness #Options #Rebound #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman What’s the right move? Sometimes we’re in situations where there’s not a good solution. A no-win scenario, of sorts. All options seem like bad...
Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way
#Lead #Follow #Balance #Leadership #Lesson #Role #Dance #Life #Team #Family #Disaffiliate by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman A leader cannot lead followers who won’t follow. Think about it. But, first, what is a leader? What is a follower? What about those who are...
Fighting Gravity is a Losing Game
#Gravity #Posture #Stress #Mindset #Problems #Progress #Attitude #BabySteps #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Fighting gravity is a losing game. Naturally, we all fight it from the day we’re born. The longer we live, the greater the pull towards the...
What is a bad word and why?
“Different strokes for different folks” - I’m using this picture to illustrate differences of opinion on a single topic. The story that accompanies this was not between Joanna and I, it was a guest we had for Christmas. Please read and share your thoughts... Have you...
The Balancing of Life
#Balance #Worry #Stress #Cortisol #Dopamine #Serotonin #Endorphins #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman Ebb & flow, yin & yang, give & take, plus & minus, positive & negative, left & right, increase & decrease, see...
What do you learn from others?
What do you learn from others? In other words, where do you get your stories? Stories that are worth telling others. Meaningful encounters are so much more than small talk. Talk. Ask questions. Real questions. Not “how’s it going?” with no real intent to find out. Go...
The Law of Unintended Consequences
The Law of Unintended Consequences Ever heard of it? In simple terms, a single change in a complex system will have a ripple effect, or consequences, downstream. The changes can be both positive or negative and the ones that we didn’t anticipate are considered...
The Agony of da Feet!
Do you have back pain? A lot of people do. Mine wasn’t as bad 3 weeks ago as it is today. I’ve done a LOT of walking (probably 4 to 5 miles a day) as I’m in the process of building my legs back up after a couple of weeks of being on the road and driving a lot. The...
You can’t win ’em all
Playing the hand you’re dealt doesn’t mean you’ll win. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you have a really good hand and get beat by someone with a better hand. Sometimes you win with a hand you shouldn’t have. It all depends on how you play what you’re...
It’s all about perspective
Well, which is it? 1/2 full or 1/2 empty? The answer is all about perspective. Recently, I poured a 1/2 of glass of orange juice for my youngest daughter and she completely threw a fit. She was in no frame of mind to be short-changed as her heart wanted a full glass!...
Why is he going so slow?
My daughter pulled out and onto a highway the other day as we had about a 15 minute drive to get back home. She quickly accelerated only to find herself hitting the brakes within seconds as the car directly in front of her got super close, super quick. “Yo! Let’s go!...
The Growth Spiral
What if the proverbial ladder of success wasn’t really a ladder at all?And, that we all have our own? I’m starting to think the ladder of success as a ladder of growth and man, it’s quite the sight.
What’s the point of Christmas?
Okay, I'd love some input. We got into a heated discussion the other night about Christmas . "What is the point of Christmas?" I asked . "It's about Jesus!" one of them said . "Can't have Christmas without Christ!" another said . "Great marketing spin", I said,...
The perfect coffee cup
I now have the perfect coffee cup! This morning, for no reason at all, our black cat (the mischievous one) walked by my coffee on the counter, looked at it, tilted his head back and forth, and then proceeded to “help it get over it’s fear of heights.” Although I was...
Were things better when things were worse?
“Everything was better when everything was worse” I heard this in a Ted talk once (the paradox of choice) and it stuck with me... so here’s my take. The reason things were better when things were worse was that when things were worse, we expected that they were bad...
The true reflection of one’s self
To see the true reflection of one’s self (oneself?), one must have a calmness equal to that in nature. Only when the conditions are right can we clearly see a mirrored image of the true reality to be seen. It’s these truths that bring inner peace and, often,...
Thanksgiving Thoughts
Quiet introspection may just be one of my most utilized self-examination tools of 2020. Come to think of it, I’m not sure what other self-examination tools I use. Maybe a bathroom mirror? A looking glass? Photos? Yeah, no, it’s the introspection that wins. I...
This could have ended so differently
This was the exact moment we got home yesterday and, while taking a deep breath, I realized just how fortunate we’d been. I shared a small part of the story yesterday, but it really didn’t capture the whole story and what made it a good one. And, it’s a worthwhile...
Fog vs. Clarity in our lives
I’m impressed with how clear this picture is compared to what I just saw with a naked eye. I could barely make out the telephone pole and, though I probably should wear glasses when reading, I don’t have any trouble seeing things at a distance. I took this picture...
Struggles we don’t understand…
This was quite the turn of events... 34 minutes before my eldest daughter’s tee-time in the opening round of the High School State Championship... I had just finished working with her at the range and we were about to head to the putting green as we had a lot to...
Lessons Learned
I had a lengthy conversation with my family the other day about keeping track of lessons in all we do. You see, I was fortunate enough to be a part of some fascinating teams at Raytheon, EDS & the VA and also in some of the small businesses I've been a part of. One of...
Intent matters (be careful out there)
Rarely do I have an empty back seat. I carry a lot of people and drive a LOT. Yesterday, I made a quick trip, alone, to the nearest gas station and I had my windows down. It’s a small 4 pump BP station and I just wanted to fill up a 5-gallon gas can that I had with...
A problem worth solving
“Now that’s a problem worth solving!” Solving problems is how I spend most of my time so it’s no surprise that a picture like this (with my ‘analyze then solve’ face) surfaces. And, it’s where I get the most satisfaction. Truth is, we all have problems. Like, everyone...
Random Acts of Kindness
This guy completely caught me off-guard today at a Wal-Mart. At first, I thought he was mad. He looked angry and his eyes were glossy. He walked up to my youngest daughter and said something that thoroughly confused me. She didn’t know what to do as this was not...
-Lessons-
Dance, Music & INSTRUCTION
F.E.A.R.less
#Fear #FEARless #Stress #Mindset #Anxiety #Options #Dance #Cooking #Lesson #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman What FEARs do you have? I mean, real FEAR? Fear is natural and is critical for survival. Fear keeps us alive as it promulgates action and...
Infringement 101
#FiveSenses #ThreeOptions #Infringement101 #SeeHearSmellTasteTouch #Connect #Divide #Choices #Lesson #Dance #Partner #Connection #Learn #Life #Health by SHAWN TRAUTMAN@shawntrautman Can you make sense of this? Any one (1) of the five (5) main senses has the...
Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way
#Lead #Follow #Balance #Leadership #Lesson #Role #Dance #Life #Team #Family #Disaffiliate by SHAWN TRAUTMAN @shawntrautman A leader cannot lead followers who won’t follow. Think about it. But, first, what is a leader? What is a follower? What about those who are...
Etiquette (Dance Partner / Dance Floor)
Partner Etiquette When you are dancing, the two most important people on the dance floor are yourself and your dance partner. The following rules will make your joint dancing experience, especially during the learning period, much more enjoyable. Do Not Give...
What kind of person are you?
As those that know me know, I am passionate about helping people learn new things and dancing has been a huge part of my life…. but it’s because I love the social ends of dance and helping others, not because I love “dancing”, as a standalone activity. This is...
Rhythm & Music for beginner dancers
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to know much about music to be a great dancer. Assuming you know very little about music, I'll get you started here with the essentials that will have you feeling like a pro in no time. I’ll briefly describe what you...
Introduction to Social Dancing
Social dancing is the bomb-diggity. Social dancing, in and of itself, though, encompasses a wide variety of couples dances, as well as various styles of dancing. So what all is it? In general terms, social dancing includes everything from the salsa to the two-step to...
How & Why these videos rock
1) The layout is a perfect setup for *****
2) We include ***** that make learning SIMPLE
3) Unique ******* format allows you to dance along with instructors
4) Includes ***** unlike “Date night” programs designed for quick “Show off” moves…
Why Trust Me? (Shawn Trautman)
Learning to dance should be easy, but most instructors make it hard. Shawn Trautman removes barriers and makes lessons fast, simple & fun.