It took a village to get there- and now you’re stuck on an island. Or so the story goes.

Sound familiar? Feel familiar? As strong business men and women grow into, move up to and take on higher leadership positions, it seems that the pool of go-to people for ideas, comfort, sound-boarding, compassion, encouragement and collaborating starts to dry up. Reasons being numerous- perhaps info that can’t be shared, a reputation to maintain, boundaries to establish or keep in place, even just not enough time or incongruent schedules

Truth be told- it’s seemingly worse for men. As I have observed and learned through countless interviews of executives, burgeoning entrepreneurs, executive assistants and spouses, the greater the role of influence …the greater the virtual force field a man perceives is surrounding him. Fewer peers and pals to share info with, vent to and ask questions- let alone help or advice about the roller coaster of life.

What’s ironic is that the men who admit to this… the men who feel this way… are truly feeling LONELY… even when they are clearly NOT ALONE. If I’m connecting to you right now- think about it. At work, you’re constantly surrounded by coworkers and team members; your assistant is attached to your hip and probably in in your face all the time; when you’re not in meetings you’re in airports or at chock-full conferences; if you’re an entrepreneur, you’re surrounded by clients or prospects, plunked down in coffee shops and coworking spaces, and filling any open timeslots with networking event. On top of that, you may have a sweetheart and family, neighbors and friends, you’re plugged into leadership groups and on boards of charities or platforms for the arts, maybe you even help with your kid’s sports team or are on a softball league yourself. AND YET… and yet… you feel lonely. Because something’s missing.

And I get it. But let’s not look at your current reality as just part and parcel of your job, and technology is adding in its own fail factor. That loneliness is just part of the deal and thus something to deal with… so slap on a smile, chant a few affirmations, and find the joy in being in solitude! That shit just doesn’t work for me- nor you. I don’t subscribe to Band-Aid therapy bullshit. So, assuming you’re sick and tired of being a “party of 1”, it’s time to assess your whole state of affairs, address the root issues, and then act with the intent to change.

Loneliness is rarely ALONE
Loneliness is a symptom that something else is out of whack. It’s the signal which a person, place, thing, event, environment, habit, etc. is giving off that is telling you “Hey, Buddy, this moat is getting a little too big. Things are going to get dark in here if you don’t do something.” But let’s be honest about ALL you’re feeling. After all, the countless choices you’ve made to net this sense of un-attachment and abandonment stir up effects in all areas of your life. So, do any of these resonate with you?

Feeling un-encouraged or low morale? Are you uninterested in your social life but absorbed with social media? Disconnected to your spouse, kids, friends or family? Seeing irritability and an inability to relax? Are you constantly needing to prove yourself, feeling dissatisfied and not at peace with the pace of life? Have you hit a workout plateau or feeling a loss of energy and focus?

Once you investigate and analyze the label of LONELY, the accompanying feelings reveal much of the story as to WHY you’re feeling like an island.

If you want things to change, own your part.

Oftentimes, loneliness (and its shadows) are rooted in one big cause- or a few. As hard as it is to hear, I have to tell you: Disconnection from others is a 2-way street. In one case, folks either retreat from you, never approach you, or act as floaters- not contributing, not asking much, not curious to make a connection. On the other hand, solitude can also bloom from YOU. Meaning, YOU pull away from folks, never engage them, or never really try to connect.

For example, let’s say you move into a higher leadership position or gain more prestige, responsibility, and visibility. You assume that coworker relationships have to change to keep the playing field in its correct “order” shall we say. So you follow corporate influence and set rules of privacy and interaction without realizing it or without realizing the potential downfall. And by default you pull back from the company’s kickball team or put in more hours to prove you’ve definitely earned your title of influence, and you skip the Happy Hour gatherings too. The trend then becomes: employees are apprehensive to approach you for help like they used or take up your time… and perhaps they assume they have to be more careful around you now. Then it spills over into your personal life. Fewer date nights, art openings, and sharing your day details with your spouse. Less time with the kids or taking time on the weekend for pals, neighborhood BBQs or sports. Eventually, that moat you thought was needed for the company’s sake has eroded your energy and sense of humor; your marriage isn’t as open and your buddies do poker nights without you, and you don’t know the names of your new hires, new neighbors, or your son’s latest girlfriend.

Clearly the separation and solitude has an evidence trail. Regardless where it started, you need to acknowledge YOUR part in planting the weeds. Pointing fingers never gets you anywhere.

Refill the moat
Just like losing your hair, forgetting your passwords, or your marriage netting sex only twice a month… loneliness doesn’t sneak attack. It’s a slow slide. But if you take actions with the honest intent to change your side of the equation, things can indeed turn around and perhaps even grow those relationships you’d thought were dead.

1. REBUILD YOUR VILLAGE
Indeed, there’s no such thing as a self-made man. Leaders who make it a priority to surround themselves with a solid village are much more successful and fulfilled in all veins of life than solo artists. Make a consistent, concerted effort to tackle the island effect by talking to those people you still want around. What relationships are you not contributing towards on a regular basis where you are needed? What work peers should you connect with? Find the gaps for friends, a mentor or coach, sweetheart, whatever… and fill them in

2. SHIFT YOUR SCHEDULE
Look at your life as a sum of 5 Key Pillars: Body, Mind, Career, Family, Society. Now that it’s evident where you’ve unplugged, give your schedule a shake-out and cut the fat of things that waste time. Choose to consistently embark on activities that re-engage you with both strangers and familiar faces. New experiences will net new relationships, fresh perspectives, higher energy and killer opportunities.

3. BE A LITTLE FUNNY
Corporate Culture hasn’t taught men how to be approachable let alone how to approach others. If you want to cut through the anxiety in the air with peers and other principles, loosen the tie and crack a joke for God’s sake. Famed musician & comedian Victor Borge said it best: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” Folks, funny begets funny; funny begets friendships. Once you show folks your sense of humor has not been totally obliterated, they realize you both have a pulse, fears, hopes, embarrassing moments, a yearning to belong, a love of life. And they’ll like you even more.

KEEP PRACTICING
No matter what level you’ve achieved in your career, loneliness does not have to be part of the job description. Relationships are forever changing; the ebb and flow of your life will not always line up with those you work with and care about. But you can’t treat them like random pick-up games; you’ve got to keep practicing. Accept that connections with coworkers, pals, and family members need to have room to breathe at times; just promise to keep your eyes open for shaky bridges and growing gaps, and you’ll never be too far out of reach.

Never Stop EVOLVING.  ~ KD

©2016 Kimberlie Dykeman

Sponsored by Kimberlie Dykeman Enterprises– Executive Performance Coaching, Retreats & Wingman Support for Gentlemen.  Subscribe on iTunes    

This is also featured on the global platform The Good Men Project where Dykeman is a regular contributing writer.

Today’s SOAPBOX® shot in the arm is wrapped around a famous quote by Ambrose Redmoon, aka James Neil Hollingworth, a beatnik, hippie and writer.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”

The operative notion here is a four-letter word named Fear—that universal imp that can wheedle its way into the hearts of tycoon and street urchin alike. Undoubtedly, it has devilishly danced on shoulders and nestled pillows and furtively frolicked in boardroom and bedroom without fatigue. It sits at attention with laptop at arms, tapping abundance to the list of terrors and trepidations.

Certainly the immeasurable frights of worldly plight confetti our radar screens- we halt for a moment in an attempt to comprehend the pervasive dilemmas, yet our noggins have little space for the woes of the world.  But then we come right back to our own little spaces- mesmerized and manipulated by the effervescent horrors that chase behind our own footsteps… mountain and molehill-sized alike.

So, may I ask… What do you fear? What perpetually tattoos the deer-in-the-headlights look upon your brow? What scares the bejeezus out of you day or night? Death? Age? Marriage? Divorce? Love? Taxes? Unemployment? Uncle Sam? Silence? God? The Boogie Man? Solitude? Public speaking? Kids? No money? Failure? War? Not being happy? Not making a difference? Never becoming famous? Never finding true love?

Born out of ignorance or avoidance, maybe even genetic disposition, it breathes and breeds. And try as you diligently may to avoid its arrival in your filing-system’s frontal lobe, fear still creeps in like funk. It clenches you when you know there are great things at stake, great memories being made, great people sharing the fruits of your life. Oh, but circumstance offers but one determinant of how inflated any imminence of danger will grow. Luckily the size of the battle within you has the power to belittle these assumed omnipotent challenges. Trust in the idea that you are hardwired with the power to diminish the battalion of dreads and demons, equipping you to see the forest and the trees, and protect that which makes your life full of JOY and PEACE. You need only feed and fuel that fire of bravery to bore through and stand triumphant with love and loyalty, faith and fervor. So go forth with courage in heart, mind, and spirit that leaves little room for fear.

Never Stop EVOLVING.  ~ KD

Sponsored by Kimberlie Dykeman Enterprises– Lifestyle & Ultra-Performance Coaching, Mini-Retreats & Wingman Support for Gentlemen.

© Kimberlie Dykeman. SOAPBOX® is a registered trademark of Kimberlie Dykeman.

In today’s EVOLVE or Decay episode, Kimberlie Dykeman continues a 4-part series on this concept of what characteristics help a guy become a better man, sharper leader, more communicative spouse, more compassionate friend, more inspiring father and more courageous human being. Adding on discipline to do your best work, always and rest to reboot your body, mind and spirit.

So, if you’re just jumping into the mix- this is Part 3 of the 4 part series, Building Blocks to Becoming a Better Man.  What do you mean, Dykeman??  I’m hitting on perspective-shifting topics that equip you to reassess your life and define what truly matters to you as a man today; and offer and guide you through a re-building process to becoming a better man- however you choose to line-item that.

Today we’re taking on the topics of DISCIPLINE and REST.

But let’s first remember we’re building on the foundation we’ve begun laying down. Clearing your mindset for a revival of self –authentic to the world you interact with and true to your core beliefs and values… and practicing the work of forgiving your past choices, mess-ups and judgments in order to create a better present and future. Ultimately when you’re more in-tune with yourself, your interest and capability to connect and communicate is more positive, productive and preserving. And with stronger more genuine communication comes improved confidence, which yields a resurgence in courage to leap, learn and love with greater intensity and gratification.

Our next set of building blocks calls for Discipline to do your best work, always and its counterpart of Rest to reboot your body, mind and spirit.

To become a better man, you must be embrace DISCIPLINE.    I’ll always default to my favorite quote by Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski who said “Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do in the best possible manner the time you are supposed to do it.   And that’s not such a bad thing.”

The old adages from mentors to grandfathers stand the test of time because they are universally true: lasting, worthwhile success only comes from hard & smart work, planning, asking for help, hustling with integrity, and sticking to plumbline rules of engagement. Being disciplined means digging in for the battle ahead, doing more than what’s expected with what you’re given, and focusing your efforts on achievement of whatever your sights are set on.

Anyone who glamorizes the life of being an executive, growing business owner or  entrepreneur needs to hear the grass is always greener line a few more times… because power and self-assigned freedom appears as 16-hour workdays, microwave dinners, endless networking, skipped workouts, missed parties, and caffeine by-the-gallon.

But discipline goes beyond hours of career and job responsibilities.  It also means self-control to keep with promises to yourself and others- be it for better health, more money in your pocket, or messes to clean up. And it serves as a tuning fork to ensure your well of resources stays full and healthy. And when those resources of time, funds, family and friends are thriving it’s vital that you make time for Rest, Retreat and Reward.

To become a better man, you must be embrace REST. What comes to mind when I say that? In my initial intake questions I always clients to outline and color in what rest from work and discipline looks like… and what it COULD look like.

All attempts to ­over-fill your saturated days, week after week, will undeniably negatively impact your end results and create a nerve-racking situation for your body, mind and spirit –literally.  Too many overachievers blur this mentality into all other areas of their lives- and strategy, goals, leading makes it so there is never a separation between work and home life. A BETTER man is a balanced man… and peace of mind, joy in your heart comes when you step back from the office.

Rest comes in two forms:

1. STOPPING WORK… Learning to Sit Still… Leaving the building, Elvis, and laying down.

Indeed pushing pause and pacing yourself, as contradictory as it sounds, pays off royally time and time again.  Down-time separates those leaders who thrive, from those who hit burnout time and time again… and playing catchup with weekend marathon naps is proven to be of little or no benefit.  IT’S like taking studying for a test after you’ve already gotten an F.  Having a not to do list for a few hours to a few weeks can improve your decision-making , productivity, and own morale; it can also save your heart, save your marriage, save your future.  Remember, when you compromise yourself…and all other priorities are jeopardized.

2. Rest can also mean RECESS- meaning PLAY and Release the Kid in You!

The counterbalance of work is PLAY!  Creativity and passion for all parts of life need to be fueled by celebration and delightfully pointless activities in order to blossom. Life is too short to not carve out fun, non-competitive activities, experiences where you can make an ass out of yourself, chase your dreams, and tap the joy of nostalgia.  And the longer you shut out laughter, the lamer your sense of humor becomes. Net-net- If the real you is dying to laugh, then loosen your tie, let down your hair, and have some damn fun.

Work and play- they’re like peanut butter and jelly; Bogie and Bacall, beer and ballgames.  Neither reaches its true potential without the other!  Point being, those who don’t let deadlines ruin their timeline… get a helluvalot more life out of their years.  The closer you get to the true humble you, the more communicative and courageous you become, and the wisdom of just how to balance labor with leisure shows up in spades.

Never Stop EVOLVING.  ~ KD

©2016 Kimberlie Dykeman

Sponsored by Kimberlie Dykeman Enterprises– Executive Performance Coaching, Retreats & Wingman Support for Gentlemen.  

This is also featured on the global platform The Good Men Project where Dykeman is a regular contributing writer.

3 ways to understand WHY & HOW stress fills your stocking with coal

 THEY SAY it’s the season for peace on Earth, generosity to those in need, focus on family, time off from work to reboot, home-cooked meals with friends and in-laws, and outpouring of love to all mankind. And of course, Big Boxes marketing and media alike start shunting these messages into our brains even before the last lame Halloween costume has been tucked away for next year. Painted in that rose-colored prescription, what’s not to LOVE about the holidays?

Picture perfect is a crock.

 Tell me if this line (or something like it) doesn’t ring a bell:

“Honey, would you please turn off the damn football game and hang the lights?! I ask you to do ONE thing during the holidays and you always take forever.”

Even if some of you don’t have a lovely wife who bugs you about the whole twinkling lights task, fifty bucks says someone nags you to attack some dreaded list of responsibilities during the holidays… and it snowballs into a festering bout that neither of you drop until you’re finally swigging champagne on NYE. Point being, year-end holidays can become a force-feeding of extra duties—shopping, cleaning, decorating, packing, prepping for company, cooking, blah, blah, blah.  And often these lead up to overspending, travel catastrophes, overeating, rerun parties, never getting enough real rest, cramming for end of year deadlines, putting up with that ONE obnoxious, know-it-all relative, and perhaps a small Christmas tree fire.

Maybe any other time of year you’d be a little more appeasing or less chapped about hanging the damn lights (or whatever)… but for many men, the holidays create a pressure cooker situation that starts around Thanksgiving and doesn’t end until they apologize for not becoming the perfect version of Bobby Flay meets Bobby Trendy meets Frank Sinatra and for over-celebrating when the team they don’t hate that much wins the Superbowl. We may say and do things for (what we think are) the right reasons; but confetti a few layers of seasonal stress over the whole scene and we end up saying and doing things in all the wrong ways. Certainly both genders are on the hook for it… but somehow men get the short end of the stick.

FYI: Men are STRESSED too

Go ahead and Google “holiday stress women men” and see what even the first few pages reveal. Beneath the countless regurgitated, idiotic Band-Aid therapy tips to counter seasonal anxiety—just focus on the good, try forgiving and dive into meditation—are pages of stats and stories of the pressures of high anticipations, Christmas shopping brawls, couple meltdowns, corporate party indiscretions, suicides and depressive acts of desperation.

Embarrassingly for the publishers of plenty of these articles—even the most recent ones—is the fact that some of the data repeatedly referenced are as old as 2006. But the worse crime is the emphasis on concern for women’s health and sanity over men’s, asserting that women face impossible guidelines and expectations to create the perfect holiday celebrations and top last year’s family experiences; thus, features from HuffPost to the CDC and every therapist and talk show in between create a case that women shoulder much more stress than men- downplaying the roles and responsibilities guys bear as well as overlooking the emotional roller coaster they experience.

Additionally, these incomplete articles shed little light on the stressors that work and career finances place on employees and CEOs alike; and this further skews the argument because there are still more men in the workforce than women, and, even during the holidays, career/job/income stress outweighs all other categories of pressure. All that said, I am not a huge fan of memorizing and tossing out statistics… because I can safely assume none of us enjoy being shuffled into a stack of nameless, faceless numbers; but I am not pitting men against women- suggesting you keep on with your procrastination, inauthentic one-sided apologies, and overfilling of your favorite highball glass. So let’s focus on real solutions- without the lame re-gifted “eat more veggies and try focusing on the power of giving” pacifiers.

3 ways to understand WHY & HOW stress fills your stocking with coal

 Amidst the smorgasbord of seasonal articles and other year-round research I do as a Performance Coach for businessmen, I ultimately see three blatant truths, gentlemen:

• It’s YOUR holiday too, so you should do what YOU enjoy.
• You’re not emotionless minion robots, so you should EXPRESS what’s on your mind.
• It’s your responsibility to investigate the WHY behind what’s really taking the air out of your sails- holiday OR NOT.

To fulfill these though, you gotta do some of the heavy lifting—3 simple (though not entirely easy) strategies. But know they’re the gifts that will keep on giving throughout the year.

1. Write down what you don’t enjoy doing and tell someone. I’ve heard from clients that, yes, the light-hanging things is a pain-in-the-ass. They hate doing it and will find everything else under the sun to distract themselves with BEFORE detangling a hot mess of a climbing a dodgy ladder and leaning precariously over a gutter or 15’ treetop. If you never tell your wife, in-law, brother or coworker what stresses you out and what you agonize over having to do (to take one for the team, again) then you’ll be stuck in the rut you’ve dug for yourself. They can’t read your mind- only react to your attitude and actions.  So, SPEAK UP about what you DON’T like and also what you DO LIKE. 

2. Design a gameplan, delegate tasks, and stop procrastinating.  It’s amazing to see folks who live and die by strategy, spreadsheet and support… to shit-can it during this supersaturated window of time. The holidays layer on more agenda items, crowd us with even more traffic jams, and suffocate us with expectations that invariably gnaw at our nerves if we choose not to prepare. So huddle in, agree on a strategy of tasks and activities, and apply a little teamwork.

3. Go to the damn doctor and get some bloodwork.  Want to know WHY you’re getting agitated more easily, unable to stay asleep, arguing nonstop with your sweetheart, losing your libido, or struggling to push yourself through a tough workout or workday?  Your body has got the answers, because your physiology dictates your psychology—and vice versa. Do the simple math: headache = irritability; back pain = loss of confidence; loss of holiday bonus = chest pains. I know that going to the doctor is not on any guy’s holiday list, let alone To Do List any other time of year, but grow up, suck it up, and get some labs done. Check the levels of components like testosterone, DHEA, Vitamin D, blood count, iron, thyroid function, even heavy metals that might be hanging out in your bloodstream. Your own specific evidence of things off-kilter will gift you with relief in seeing that you’re not going crazy and confidence that some tweaks in taking care of your physical health will reduce your mental stress in spades.

Happ-ier Holidays mean being proactive

Getting a handle on how you can better thrive through the season might help you to smooth things out for future holidays… you know, the ones you dream about—with more football games and fewer musical specials; more NORMAL food, less fancy unidentifiable little bites; more quiet time and simple gatherings, and fewer over-hyped, overdressed affairs with strangers.

If you still need a hand and a solid wingman, give me a shout. Cheers and Happy Holidays, boys.  ~KD

Are you living cage-free? Sounds like a silly question, right? But think about it. After all, we are all divinely blessed with sovereignty over our choices. And yet so very many of us invest our time, energy, efforts and emotions in obsolete, inconsequential “things” and unknowingly impound and chain ourselves to their immovable, valueless positions.

As men grow into leadership positions, their pockets are filled with more responsibility, more visibility, more accountability and more power. The same stress that drives men to be high achievers, leaders and influencers is the very same that can and does bring them to their knees. The weight often becomes burdensome and the restrictions erode integrity, erupt physical and mental health, and often derail personal and professional relationships. The crusade of evolving into a “better man” asks for constant mindfulness and honest self-assessments –so if you’re feeling a little restricted, let the digging begin.

Here are 6 heavy chains that may be keeping you caged-in.

1. PRIDE.
When pride is your shadow, your steps are followed by a funk that linger. You get used the smell and it becomes tough to recognize when your ego is running your life, ruining your reputation, alienating folks from your space. We all know your coworkers and buddies aren’t quick to call you out on your chest-thumping… because it’s pretty boisterous to knock the ego of one of your own. Net-net: as delicate as your ego may be —and in constant need of applause— remember the humble man is always remembered and lauded for his character; his achievements take second fiddle.

Q: If you are not free of PRIDE, have you lost your sense of humility?

2. CONFLICT.
Both arguments and full-blown battles are the result one basic action gone terribly wrong: communication. And I don’t just mean TALKING or NOT TALKING… I mean the manifestation of aerobic efforts and in all formats- thinking, speaking, asking, listening, responding, gesturing, body language, voice levels, inflections, texting, emailing, reading, writing. Your investment in any kind of exchange is rooted in your world assessment of a cornucopia of considerations- from psychological, physical and sociological to political, educational and financial. Your thoughts breed words that breed actions based on your perspective, assumptions, fears, ignorance and agenda… just like your target’s. Net-net: Appreciate the need for space, pace, permission and patience if you want communication without confrontation.

Q: If you are not free of conflict, have you lost your ability to properly communicate?

3. WORRY.
The great distorter of the mind, worry is not just a pastime of moms and helicopter parents –and for a man the concern of molehills morphing into mountains is just part of the mindgame. The other part is assuming his audience will brand him a warrior with weak knees, forecasting worst-case-scenarios. At the core is an ego that refuses to relent to trust- and that make any person, thing or situation look precarious or problematic. Net-net: Anxiety can be trumped time and time again with your investment of belief in yourself, in others, in the momentum of change, or in God.

Q: If you are not free of worry, have you lost your faith?

4. FEAR.
Love is the great creator… of connections, of healing, of joy, of creativity, of adventure, of enthusiasm…you name it. It is as strong or weak as you allow it to grow and takes vulnerability of the soul to be released and multiply. Alas, its greatest antagonist is the pervasive power of fear, which sprouts countless other reactions. In recognizing the terror of feelings like instability or rejection or failure, men tend to strap on another layer of armor and lead with a shield. Too often the expanding and expressive experience of feeling or showing love is deflected- and both sides lose out on creation. Net-net: Cut short the life of fear in your thoughts and the size of your heart just might grow past Grinch-size.

Q: If you are not free of fear, have you lost your ability to love?

5. REGRET.
There’s not a man in this earth that can’t admit to feelings of regret, guilt or shame for having done or NOT done something. To mess up, misstep or be misguided is part of learning; but if you’re making a conscious effort to outweigh crappy decisions and costly instant gratification with actions that ripple positive results, then let the past go, mister. Replaying all the woulda, should, coulda’s that invade your sights set on the future may end up limiting just how far you think you deserve to go. Net-net: It takes hustle to stay the path of your own constitution, but just like anyone you admire, respect or love… remember that you’re human too.

Q: If you are not free of regret, have you lost your faith in the future?

6. GRUDGES.
They say, “To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by a bee.” Somebody did you wrong and you’re ticked and keeping score. To err may be human, but this one’s inexcusable and your inner Alpha fires up guns of revenge. In one fell swoop, spite invades your body and mind with fury, resentment and ego and an unyielding agenda for self-preservation. Ironically your choice to neither forgive nor forget conveniently blurs out all the times the proverbial shoe was on the other foot. A grudge is upsettingly divisive for a man and just as he may hold on to one for years, it will erase years from his very lifeline. Net-net: When you aim to crucify another for wrongdoing, ironically, the bigger wrong is done by you. Wipe the scoreboard and offer absolution to save both face and friendship.

Q: If you are not free of a grudge, have you lost your ability to forgive?

A “yes” to any of these doesn’t forever fence you in. If anything, a confession of self-containment might just smack you upside the head and prompt you to fly the coop to pursue your own “survival of the fittest” plan. But a facejam of truth doesn’t always move intention into action. Sometimes you need to have more of a WHY… so here it is:
Think about how your own chains affect those you care about.

When you’ve lost your aligned values or loving faith, revered discipline or truthful communication, the negative effects ripple in a thousand directions. Your sweetheart, kids, siblings and pals are affected; as are your peers, employees, church and community. In answering these key questions about your own need for emancipation, the impact on those you care about may become the greater force to your decision to break these chains.

Living cage-free takes honest self-assessment and addressing of root problems… something that every man can always keep learning from- and if you’re a leader, all the more to lead by example. The first step is choosing to change both for the benefit of yourself and your own mini-society. And when you kick it in gear and begin to shed, you’ll immediately notice how much “lighter” living can feel, for more than just you. So start busting through the barricades and embrace the vitality and relief that may go on to inspire another’s proclamation for freedom.

Never Stop EVOLVING.  ~ KD

©2016 Kimberlie Dykeman

Sponsored by Kimberlie Dykeman Enterprises– Executive Performance Coaching, Retreats & Wingman Support for Gentlemen.