The broadCAST™ is a new monthly weigh in by members of The CAST™ of Epic Engage™.  Experts in their own right, we ask members of The CAST™ to answer a question of simple but possibly profound nature.  For August 1 (not halfway through Summer), the question was:

What is one thing you would recommend others do to both enjoy and grow this summer?

RAY HOLLISTER SAYS…

Smile! Sound simple? You bet it is – and it’s even easier than it sounds. As much as I’d like to write something of immense profundity, the simple fact is that this one simple ‘thing’ will make magnificent strides in one’s growth and joy over the summer. And here’s a fun little twist; it can change your life! Seriously!

Here’s the ‘what’: Deliberately, without warning, and with warmth, smile with at least 10 people every day. Oh, there’s one catch; these 10 people need to be OUTSIDE your daily sphere of connection. They can be strangers or people you haven’t spent time with in the past week.

Here’s the ‘why’: Smiling is a voluntary act that immediately creates an ‘obligation vacuum’ to the receiver of the smile. When you freely give a smile, the most common reaction is to ‘return the favor’. That is what you are after, the return smile.

Here’s the ‘how’: Smiling creates muscular reactions in your face that in turn create various chemicals in your brain to fire off. Without getting technical and scientificy (it’s a word!), your brain starts firing off ‘feel good’ chemicals and your body begins a process of being in a ‘happier’ state. Sooner or later, your face will get the message and your smile will go from ‘Consciously Created’ to ‘Unconsciously There’ – and the feel good endorphins and chemicals still fire off into your brain and body!

What is the result? Others will assume you are friendly (and smart!) and give you credit for being a nice person with no evidence to support that ‘feeling’ other than they smiled back and unintentionally fired off the ‘feel good’ chemicals into their brain as they were looking at you! WIN!! Not only will you enjoy your summer more, but you cannot help but have personal growth when you find yourself responsible for putting smiles on the faces of others. I know it sounds simplistic (it is). I know it sounds way too easy (it is). I also know that works (it will)!

Ciao, Ray Hollister

Ray Hollister is all about resilience and potential. He works with organizations to reveal extraordinary resilience and unlimited potential in everyone.   His powerful presentations will not only energize and inspire you, but also reveal how YOU can make radical, immediate changes to how you perceive, handle, and experience adversity resulting in experiencing life in a new and thrilling way.  www.rayhollister.net

JOEL SWEENEY SAYS….

Summer is the perfect time to relax and ‘chill’. Given the weather we have had so far, this may have an additional meaning. But that is not the type of chill I am referring to. Everything seems to take on a more relaxed pace this time of year, so it is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this time to do something for ourselves. That may be spending more quality time with family and friends, reading a good book, starting a project that you have been putting off because you didn’t have time OR just use the opportunity to simply relax and be.

For many of us this is the lease stressful time of year. It is the perfect time to do something for ourselves, whatever that may be, and recharge our batteries. I see this time of year as a gift. What are you going to do with your gift?

Joel Sweeney is all about effective communications. He is a professional speaker, trainer, facilitator, personal coach and author of The Wedding MC Handbook and Little Helpings of Food for Thought with his third book, The Speaker’s Tool Box, just released in the Fall of 2014. Through his focus on communications training and his keynote speeches, Joel helps individuals and organizations maximize their potential. His messages are thought provoking, entertaining and laced with connection, humor and enthusiasm. www.JoelSweeney.com

SHEENA GROBB SAYS…

One thing I would recommend others do to both grow and enjoy this summer… is actually quite simple. Try starting off every morning for the next 30 days drinking a large mason jar full of distilled water with a full lemon squeezed into it…. and see how your life changes. I sometimes add a few drops of Stevia to sweeten if I need it that day.

Many of us go through our days dehydrated, and if you’re like me – a love of that morning coffee (or two) can make you feel like you’ve had all the hydrating you need… when it’s quite the opposite.  When I started making the conscious effort to drink lemon water (and a lot of it) first thing in the morning before anything else, I felt like a new person. My mind was clearer, my energy level sky rocketed, my digestive system thanked me… even my skin felt softer.  I would venture to say the rest of my day was positively affected by this choice every morning… especially in the heat of the warmer months.  So if you’re looking to grow and enjoy this summer… start it off by hydrating and refreshing yourself with lemon water.  See how the rest takes care of itself.

Sheena Grobb Singer/Songwriter and Speaker… is humbly amazing. “It is without a doubt a masterpiece of songwriting and soundscape. Really incredible, soulful music. She will definitely get a huge audience in time, trust me.” Alex Wharton, Abbey Road Studios. A songbird from the age of two, songwriter at ten, with 3 albums under her belt, a nomination for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and over 500 tour dates across Canada, the US, and the UK, Sheena Grobb (one of Canada’s best kept secrets) is spilling over. With the release of her newest album, The Breakless Heart, mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, and a life changing music video created by Lindsey Nelko (past choreographer with So You Think You Can Dance), Sheena is embarking on her most meaningful project yet – The Living Compassion Project™ – inviting others to “unlock their lives” through sharing their stories… as she begins to share hers. www.sheenagrobb.com

WILLIAM MURRAY SAYS…

I frequently think about the enormous garden that was my grandfather’s pride and joy. Like those who worked with the earth, he knew the best time to prepare and plant his seeds was in the spring. However, it was during the summer months when you had to invest time out in the sun tending to your crops in order to develop a rich and bountiful harvest.

Summer is also the perfect time to tend to your own personal ‘crops’. At this time of year, most of us take a little vacation, breaking from our normal routines and living a little bit slower – what a perfect time to grow!

One activity that I have taken up this summer is keeping a journal. I use a little pocket notebook and write down my thoughts and ideas as they travel through my head. Some days, I have little to write; other days, I fill pages with personal musings and, more often now, reflections about what I want my life to look like. This isn’t writing to be shared with another else, so I can write, scribble, and sketch whatever I like! It’s for my eyes only.

Journaling is a fantastic way to grow. There are many important skills that we all need to develop in today’s fast paced world. One is self-awareness. Another is authenticity. The simple act of keeping a journal, of writing out your ideas, feelings, and perspectives, is an easy way to increase your own personal awareness and speak with a voice that is authentically yours.

If we believe that our thoughts shape our actions and our actions shape our lives, then the investment of time to capture and explore our own thoughts can bring immeasurable returns.

William C. Murray is all about humanizing our business in two core ways: providing amazing service and building strong relationships. His passion for service excellence comes from years of hands-on experience in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors. William is an author, story teller, an occasional painter, and a full time teacher with over 15 years of experience. He holds a PhD in management with a focus around meaning creation, language, and sensemaking.  www.williamcmurray.ca

BARRY LEWIS GREEN SAYS…

I can’t believe I am saying this.  Walk.  I cannot say for anyone else, but I had found myself becoming that guy who hops in the car to run to the store.  I find myself busy, even and especially in Summer.  Though I am away from the classroom, I am face and eyes and heart into my work and joy with Epic Engage™.  We are now walking daily and  it is making the difference… fresh air, great conversation and fun.  Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t “break the rules” and go with a second.  I started Reikki this month.  I am not a cynic. But I have a healthy skepticism, while remaining open.  I consider myself spiritually inclined.  It has been a great experience, but one piece of advice given me was to stand on the grass bare foot and let that feeling rise up through.  It is freakin’ refreshing.  So, ultimately, my advice comes down to finding some part of the rebel gypsy in you.  It inspires connection and creativity.  Peace.  🙂

Barry Lewis Green is an educator.  He is a dynamic motivator.  Yes, he is a motivational speaker of substance.  He is an expert who speaks.  Barry is The Unity Guy™. EPIC Engage™ is an extension of The Unity Guy™. It is a team with a mission born of Barry’s work.  He is about epic and noble leadership and wholehearted communities at work, school and everywhere; advancing together in thought, will and action. He is about uniting diverse talent to create cultures of growth. www.epicengage.com and www.theunityconnection.com

Until September, enjoy August; it means “majestic”!