Looking for Arrows Over Answers

I just love the RIGHT answer.  It's being able to check the box.  It's the decisive 'now-I-know' message my brain wants to hear. How many times do we tell ourselves "If I just knew what the right thing was to do here, I would do it". We find comfort in knowing how it all plays out before making decisions. But since we can't nail it down, we ignore, procrastinate, and sometimes get downright paralyzed and just not do anything at all because we let fear of the unknown or uncertainty have the final say. Sometimes waiting is wise, but sometimes it is just an excuse to stay comfortable.

"Consider your waiting...are you in a scared pause or a sacred pause?  One letter makes a big difference." (Emily P. Freeman) That is more than a clever phase to me.  It is a light shining out of the shadows of indecision because I know I am called to create.

The truth is we don't always know how the future will pan out and that can keep us from living in the present.  I have been challenged with this truth recently. If you've read very many of my blog posts, you have figured out that I believe joy is found in creating. No matter the style of creativity that is called for, I get pretty excited when whatever I set my mind to create results in a product that meets the need I focused on. But what about dealing with a compelling to create without having clarity on the exact results?  What if the final goal is murky?  What if the answer seems uncertain? What if I put all of my effort into this and it is rejected?

I really have two choices:
1) I can let fear of the unknown put life on hold 
or
2) I can create without needing clarity

The latter flies in the face of my goal setting personality. And yet, the act of creating is what breathes life into my soul.  Faith to do what I feel called to do can still thrive even when fear is whispering in my ear.  Because there will always be unknowns. The 'what-ifs' abound.

As a teacher for twenty-one years, I have a deep desire to help fellow teachers succeed both professionally and personally. I have some ideas of programs and resources to develop that I believe can bridge the gap between the demands of the job and the realities of limited time and energy. Stuff that no one teaches you in college, but can make or break one's teaching experience. My talents and burdens are colliding in such a way that I know this is my calling. But even in the midst of my calling, the 'what-ifs' can get in the way of taking action. "What if no one takes me up on what I offer?"  "What if people don't understand how this can help?"  Since I automatically seek comfort in knowing the details, the 'how' questions get to me also: "How will this look when it's done?"  "How can I get this to the teachers that need it?" or "Who specifically is going to use this?" 

Often it is the most simple advice responsible for breakthroughs. The following is a phrase I adopted from Emily P. Freeman and her podcast The Next Right Thing that is helping me conquer decision paralysis: "Stop rushing clarity. Start creating."

It is powerful in its simplicity and profound in its impact. On the heels of this nugget of wisdom is another great thought from Emily's newest book also entitled The Next Right Thing: "Look for arrows over answers." My arrow is pointing toward the path of equipping fellow teachers with strategies for fulfilling their purpose to make a difference in kids' lives while also creating space for self-care margins that develop their own mind, body, and spirit. I don't know exactly what form communicating those strategies will ultimately take. I don't know exactly which teachers this help will connect with. But I do know that I am compelled to create and share.

So I start asking a different question. "What can I do living in this moment without knowing the future?"  And I start seeing arrows pointing out the next steps in my journey. I can offer my time and listening ear to a discouraged colleague. Be vulnerable in sharing my story of how I learned the importance of self-care the hard way. Write encouraging words. Set up my online store. Reach out to administrators that have a heart for caring for teachers at a deeper level. These are steps I can take right now, but I'll be honest. Some of these things SCARE ME. But instead of stubbornly expecting to know all of the answers, I can rest in the peace and purpose of following my arrows. I am free to create without needing the clarity of every detail. I want to extend that hope to all of my friends in whatever place of decision in which they find themselves. Even when clarity alludes us, you and I can still create the joy.

The Day After Perfect

As a recovering perfectionist, this excerpt from a recent podcast I listened to made SO MUCH SENSE.  Jon Acuff hit the nail on the head with his description of  'the day after perfect.'

"We think, This will be the year we do a perfect streak and go 365 for 365. Maybe it's that we don't talk about it enough.
The day after perfect is the day after the thing didn't work. It's the day after you skipped the gym, you ate the cheesecake, you smoked another cigarette, whatever it is the thing you're trying to do. It's the day after that. I think, one, we don't talk about it enough. Two, we never come up with a plan for it. So what happens is you get stuck with streak thinking.
 I just met so many people myself included over and over that would say, "I went to the gym 11 days in a row and then on day 12, I messed up and I never went back again."
That idea of I really think that matters is the day after perfect is where you go, Yeah, yesterday didn't go how I wanted, it just didn't. Guess what? Today is a new day, and I'm going to start my thing. I'm not starting over. I'm starting on day 13. I had the good 12 days.

I think that's really important. Just part of beating perfectionism is admitting you're going to have a day after perfect. When you think about it logically, it's insane that we think, "No, I'm not. From here until death, I'm probably going to knock it out. It's going to be pretty good."
You go, "No, it's more about giving yourself permission to fail, forgiving yourself, being kind to yourself." Those are not popular things to talk about in goal setting. I think we think we have to be perfect in order to sell the book or sell the thing. But then that doesn't really help people." -Jon Acuff

I love this! Let's be kind to ourselves. It is freeing to admit we're not perfect.  I am understanding the power of progress over perfection and it is changing my life. Celebrate your progress and keep going even when you fail. 

Here's to day 13!    

How to Welcome the Day

Have you ever heard that the tone for the day is set before you ever leave the house?  It gives me pause to think about how impactful those first sixty minutes after waking up really are when I frame it as the starting point of what I want the next fifteen HOURS to be like! What I have discovered is that when I kindly open the door to a new day, I approach my day with more peace, motivation, productivity, and clear thinking.

I love that phrase- kindly opening a new day.  Isn't that just a breath of fresh air? It is directly opposite of my former ways of waiting until the last possible minute and doing everything at warp speed to get myself and everyone else out the door on time in the morning. That way was filled with turmoil and angst, with no room for margin in case of "emergencies". That means when I got to work, I was already battling uphill trying to get over the frustration of the morning...and it wasn't even 7:30 am yet! Not setting a good tone for the day at all.

 And then I was introduced to the life-giving concept of an intentional personal morning routine. I'll be honest. I am not a big fan of the word routine. I kind of equate it with the idea of being in a boring rut. It's really not. It helps me to think of routine in terms of getting in a rhythm.  Now that is an idea I can get on board with! Who doesn't like to feel that they are in a rhythm?

My source responsible for convincing me that a morning routine is THE way to welcome the day with a peaceful mindset was a podcast The Lazy Genius Morning Routine. It was a true awakening. Kendra (The Lazy Genius) explained how empowering "kindly opening the day" (her phrase, btw) could be and I instantly knew I had to do this. I was even more energized after reading her blog, The Universal Path to Life-Giving Routine. After embracing the daily small step and starting ridiculously small, I have found myself building on my routine and enjoying the rhythm that centers around who I really want to be.

Starting small was very foreign to me at first. I am more of a go-big-or-go-home type of girl, but what happened when I tried to make and sustain the sudden "big change"? I crashed and burned after three days and felt like a failure. Example - I wanted more time to myself in the morning to meditate and have devotions, enjoy breakfast and drink my first cup (don't judge) of coffee. So big-or-go-home tells me to wake up a half an hour earlier, journal, make a fresh breakfast and coffee, and sit down by myself to eat, drink, and meditate until it is time to make sure the kids are up. Why in the world did I set myself up to fail like that? It was like magically expecting that I am going to need thirty minutes less of sleep every night just because I want to eat/drink/be merry by myself in the morning. The idea is awesome, but the instant execution was unrealistic.

However, starting ridiculously small gave me a way to succeed and build from there. My daily small step was setting out my coffee cup on the kitchen counter with the K pod the night before. As Kendra would say, "Start with something so small, you can't NOT do it." So instead of changing my schedule for thirty minutes earlier in the morning, I actually just started with something that took less that thirty SECONDS the night before. The next morning it was RIGHT THERE, and so I added the water, and pressed the button. So easy, I couldn't NOT do it, right? Each day I could progress a little further toward my goal. That lead to actually sitting down for a few sips. Then I traded checking Facebook right away, to checking my inbox for my daily Christine Caine devo and reading that for one minute while drinking my coffee. I moved to making an egg with my coffee and finishing the cup. Within two weeks I had a sustainable new habit that centered my thoughts and helped me start the day in a peaceful manner. I love the domino effect of routines!

You guys, the key is the ridiculously small step, I'm telling you! Having a morning routine helped me determine what my evening routine needed to be. I am currently on the path to having a healthier body. So I started thinking...How can I build on my morning rhythm to take better care of my body? I am basically allergic to exercise (don't laugh), so I am going major baby steps on this one. Get this - I started with laying a soft pillow on top of the stationary bike seat. I sound like a diva, but, I swear, that bike seat practically cuts me in half and I am NOT adding a bruised booty to my morning rhythm! 😃 It doesn't get any smaller or more ridiculous than that! I get so bored riding that thing, so my time is only up to three minutes right now. Because that is how long it takes to watch a Jimmy Fallon hashtags clip while I go at it - NOT KIDDING. At least I can laugh while I pedal! Pro tip: Laughing primes you to feel more positive about whatever is coming next in your day. So it's win-win, even if it is a small step. I feel good about my chances of building on this because I have been successful in my new way of welcoming the day with daily small steps. But I finally feel like I am winning at mornings.

Is every morning my perfect ideal?  NO. Because I am a normal person that has to stay up late sometimes... and sometimes that is going to bite me in the butt the next day. Since those times are the exception and not the rule, I know my morning routine is a secure habit. If you need to find a positive rhythm, start with the tiniest step that is so easy, you can't skip it. Don't make excuses about why you can't possibly have a peaceful morning. It comes down to this. It really is up to you and me to create the joy in our mornings.  No one else is responsible for my attitude, my motivation, my productivity, or my peace. I know what helps me set the tone. I bet you can already think of a place to start a new habit, too. I am looking forward to learning more ways I can adapt, execute, and enjoy a rhythm that makes me come alive, embrace my identity, and be who I need to be for the people in my life.

Moving Forward

Fresh start. Clean slate. Dawn of a new day.

Whatever phrase you like to use, the transition to a new year holds the promise of moving forward. One of the best ways to create the capacity to do just that is taking life inventory in the form of honest self-evaluation by looking at the year we just lived. That single act allows us to learn from our mistakes/losses and capitalize on our wins. Honesty is admitting it is better to face it than fake it. It doesn't have to be complicated.  In fact, the hack I use is just answering two questions:

What worked?  

What didn't work?

 
It didn't take me long to come up with my two lists for evaluating 2018. When I shine the light on those things, it generates momentum for progress. Progress = moving forward!

DIDN'T WORK:
-Ignoring what my body tells me it needs
-Squeezing too many life changes into one summer
-Procrastinating on paperwork, doctor's appointments, housecleaning (basically everything I put off)
-Comparing myself to others
-Holding on to unrealistic expectations

WHAT WORKED:
-Implementing new habits by taking small steps
-Moving to a different house that better fits our family's lifestyle
-Delegating more household tasks to the boys
-Establishing purposeful morning and evening routines
-Taking risks professionally
-Using select podcasts as resources for self-improvement

As it stands, my reflection on those answers is hugely helpful in creating awareness and setting goals. But I can still take it to another level by sharing what I've learned... the positive and the negative  (what I want to see a repeat of and what I want to let go). There is something about being authentic in the realities of our lives that frees us to take the next steps. Our authenticity can then lead to accountability.  It is truly amazing the forward movement that can happen when we have the understanding and support of others. That only comes with making ourselves accountable.

I recently heard Emily P. Freeman encourage the idea of seasonal reflection in her podcast "The Next Right Thing" and I am totally on board with this.  I mean, why wait until 2020 rolls around to be honest about what's working and what's not, right?   I love this idea! In just three months I can do a winter reflection and be that much further along in my journey. There's nothing to lose in an honest reflection no matter what time of year it is!

As we welcome the new year in all its glorious potential, I hope we can all follow through on our plans for moving forward and are able to say that we truly enjoyed progress in our journey to create some joy. Best wishes in 2019!

Let Nature Take Its Course at Christmas

I often underestimate nature when I start decorating for the holidays.  I get sidetracked by glitz and glimmer, and so when the next year comes around and the glamour theme has changed, I feel like my decor is outdated and I start down a new rabbit trail.  Not to mention, I quickly run out of places to store it because I tell myself, "I spent all this money, so I don't want to get rid of it." It can get a little frustrating and exhausting.

And then, lo and behold, I heard someone (I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit!) recommend using an article from nature in every room in the house when you decorate.  It automatically makes you come alive when there is even an illusion of nature and living things. And since I have natural decor already, I can spruce it up for the holidays and keep it classic. So much easier. (Side note: Faux nature counts, so don't be hating on silk flowers, lifelike evergreens and scented potpourri just because I didn't pick them out of my backyard. They stay pretty for.ev.er.)

Love me some scented candles on a woven tray. Christmas
is in the air.

Now, I am not going to say I haven't purchased anything new, because that would make me a horrible liar- LOL!.  But, I AM getting really intentional about incorporating nature and not starting completely over every year with a new theme.  My husband has converted me to upcycling whenever possible and that gets my creative juices practically overflowing. Another cool thing I am getting brave about is mixing styles.  I love modern farmhouse, but I also love peacocks.  Modern farmhouse is very neutral. Peacocks are bright with jewel tones.  I wouldn't have thought that my flashy peacock ornaments would work with my new love of simple and rustic, but kudos to my sister for saying to try it- because when I look at my peacock inspired Christmas tree in the middle of my white, ivory, and gray living room, it truly rises up to meet me!

The tree is all decked out and winter throws in place for getting cozy on Christmas morning.

  So I challenged myself to see if I could tie together kitchen, dining room, living room and entryway with something from nature while at the same time being holiday festive and I landed on... PINE CONES.  Stay with me now.  I have proof that it works! I have posted some photos of my PCL (pine cone love... I just made it a thing). Just so you know, photography is not my expertise, (how DO you photograph a mirror anyway?), but if I waited until I learned everything about photography, then I would never take risks by inserting pictures in a post! Without further ado, are you ready to play "I Spy the Pine Cones"?!

My upcycled white door is always there, but
add a rustic sign, snowflakes, and a throw, and
it is winterized!

Entryway- doesn't have to be fancy to be welcoming.

Love this windmill Mike picked up at an auction!
All I had to do was top the crate with some festive greenery
and faux snow balls- let's go!

This was an old wreath that had seen better days with cracked ornaments I found
in the garage when we moved.  I just glued some cotton picks
I had in another display with some lights and and a new bow and it's back in the game now!

My favorite accessory in the kitchen is this scale.  Never underestimate the power
of fresh cranberries to inject some holiday spirit anywhere you have a container to hold them.

For the first time, I have room for a kitchen tree- yay!

More is not always better, you know.
One big bowl on the coffee table is easier to style than a bunch of little knick-knacks.

This view calms me like nothing else.  The magnolia wreath is always there, but
I stuck a few evergreen picks and pine cones in between the leaves so it looks Christmas-y
without buying a new one.

I am in no way a professional decorator, but I thrive on creating environments with purpose. Letting nature take its course in decorating for Christmas has taken me to a new level of peace and joy this season. (Remember that "what makes you come alive" thing?) I hope you can grab hold of the fact that you don't have to be perfect or a professional in whatever you value to be inspired.  And it is not self-promoting to share inspiration.  The world needs people like you adding to its beauty, not taking away from it.  Sometimes I wonder...what if the people that have inspired me had decided they weren't good enough to have a voice?  I have drawn huge amounts of encouragement and wisdom that improved my life from the most surprising people and places.  I am glad they didn't allow self-doubt or fear of the opinions of others keep them from sharing! We all benefit from dispensing ideas, opportunities, and life-giving experiences along this journey. I wish you a blessed time preparing for Christmas as well as an extra measure of inspiration. Remember, you create the joy that makes your life better!

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Good Intentions

Why is that first bite of a warm, homemade chocolate chip cookie just so delicious? Truly a simple pleasure I never get tired of. I always have the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies on hand, but my good intentions to follow through on actually baking them doesn't happen as often as I'd like.  Turns out that having the right ingredients does not necessarily translate into having my favorite dessert on any given day. Because good intentions and being intentional about doing it are not the same. 

Isn't it amazing how two words so closely related mean completely different things? We've all probably said something like "I had good intentions with that, but I ran out of time/money/space/motivation/energy..." etc. Gah! It is soooo frustrating when good intentions don't become reality.  How does that happen? It all comes down to a simple truth. What we intend is never realized unless we are purposeful in our actions to that end. In other words, being intentional.

Being intentional starts with a strategy, design, approach, blueprint... whatever you want to call it, but it doesn't end there. You have to put your ideas into actionable steps that will lead to the place you want to be. You might be thinking "This is simple- everyone knows that!" I got you. But is that how you and I really live?

See if you can relate to this example- I intend to enjoy a peaceful and meaningful holiday season. I intend that every year, don't you? But how many times in the past did I let my schedule be dictated by ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS without being purposeful in what that would look like and how I would achieve it? Too many. And what happened to my good intentions? Not so much peace, more stress, little patience, and (this is so sad), breathing a sigh of relief when it was over. That is NOT what it was supposed to be. Something had to change!

My first step was to begin with a game plan. (Because when you live in a majority male household, the fantasy football talk and sports lingo become a second language.) I want my family to experience a meaningful and joyful holiday. I owe a big thank you to Kendra at TheLazyGeniusCollective.com for her encouragement in choosing three words that describe my hopes for the holidays. They are the things that make me come alive. Lest that sounds selfish, consider this: coming alive personally is what allows me to share life with others...my dear family, my wonderful friends, my precious students, the harried retail workers, the tired grocery store clerks, frantic fellow shoppers, the less fortunate that need compassion...you get my point. If I have no joy, how can I share it with those around me?

My game plan this year is to create an atmosphere of joy, welcome, and peace for those in my circle of influence. That's the what. Now for the how. That's where the playbook comes in. (Long live sports metaphors!) My playbook is simply identifying opportunities to intentionally put joy, welcome, and peace into action. My joy play is listening to music that lifts my heart and decorating where I live and work for the season. It is amazing how something as simple as decking the halls lights me up inside. I have a new house to decorate this year and it is taking extra time and I. Am. Having. It. 😁
My welcome play is inviting people to share in the spirit of celebration at my home and sharing gifts with those that I sense may need extra love and blessing this time of year. Welcome extends to my students by showing ways we can all be more kind and thoughtful to others.
The peace play takes the most time and thought, but is so worth it!  I plan the family calendar for November and December taking into account holiday events plus the normal winter activities and schedule margins (little breaks for rest and reflection) and set boundaries so that background hustle and bustle does not encroach on what is precious to me and the most important. *Setting boundaries allows you to take care of your family and yourself. So set those boundaries without apology!* If I am saying YES to joy, welcome, and peace, then that means I am saying NO to comparison, fear of rejection, and stressful business (read: busy-ness).  And that, my friends, is the ultimate WIN!  (My last football analogy- you're welcome.)

The results of being intentional versus just having good intentions have been life-changing for me. And not just at Christmas time.  There is a purpose and depth of meaning in daily living that was lacking before.  It is like leveraging an advantage to make the most of the moments I have been given and I am so glad to have realized what a difference being intentional makes before any more time passed by. You create the joy that makes your life better. I hope all of my friends reading this enjoy the fresh outlook and fulfillment of an intentional journey.  For some reason, I now feel the urge to go bake some chocolate chip cookies. 😉

LAUNCHing into Learning

Have you ever watched a rocket launch?  It really is one of the coolest, most awe-inspiring events I've witnessed. The whole idea of streaking off into space and experiencing the universe in such a unique way boggles the mind.  But catapulting into the cosmos isn't the only exciting kind of launching happening these days.
I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of third graders as they engaged in the LAUNCH process this year.  As you might guess this has nothing to do with space travel in our elementary school! Rather, it is a framework they followed in design thinking that allowed them to use their choice, voice, curiosity, and creativity to learn and develop skills that ultimately led them to share with an authentic audience.

Reaching out to an authentic audience adds so much more meaning to the learning process because there is a purpose behind the project.

 I love teaching through project-based learning (PBL) and had a great experience in using the framework during enrichment last summer with students this age, so I was really grateful when third grade teachers Ms. Hayes and Mrs. Cole shared their classes with me during the spring semester.  These teachers also worked with groups on PBL dealing with other topics, but for this article, I'm sharing specifically from the experience of the students in my group as they are the reason for this blog and the contributors for this post!

Meet the Fluffy Slimers: Scott S. , Phoebe Z. , Lily H., and Myleah G .

Meet the Slippery Slimers: Josh H., Dominik V., Kyle J., and Morgan S.

The group of students I worked with shared the interest of learning about blogging.  So our project/product was creating a blog post.  But where to begin? That's where the LAUNCH cycle comes into play.  It's an acronym created by educators John Spencer and A.J. Juliani from their book LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student help guide students as they delve into design thinking. 

L- Look, Listen, and Learn

A- Ask Tons of Questions

U- Understand the Problem or Process

N- Navigate Ideas

C- Create a Prototype

H- Highlight and Fix

LAUNCH your project!

Through their research, the third graders discovered there is much to be learned before becoming a blogger. I mean, it was a big deal just coming to a decision of what to blog about!  As they engaged in the steps of the LAUNCH cycle, new skills were learned and new concepts were explored.  

"I liked having a choice about what project to do because you got to pick what you want to do instead of what everyone else is doing. I learned that when you research on the internet, you need to have three sources that say the same thing so you know what you read is true." -Madysen E.

These creative souls came to a unanimous decision to conduct slime experiments as their topic because that was one thing they all agreed was "awesome". When thinking about who could benefit from their experiments, I offered to let them lead science centers in my pre-k class.  We learn about liquids and solids in preschool, but what if the bloggers got to introduce them to a substance that doesn't fit the rule of normal solids or normal liquids?  They decided that would be a fun win-win experience for a blog topic!

"My favorite part was working with the kids." -Lily H.
"I liked doing the research and then having fun with what we learned." - Phoebe Z.

"Playing with the kids with the slime was really fun." -Scott S.
(I can't help but grin every time I see the above picture!  This has to be one of the best expressions of enjoying a learning experience and teaching someone something new that I've ever seen!)

 Both groups executed their experiments with the skill of  'slime experts' and enjoyed different aspects of leading the science demonstration. They had to exercise their organizational skills in finding the ingredients, their math skills in measuring, their reading skills in following the recipe, and their communication skills in explaining their experiments. They learned about chemical reactions and the how and why of what makes these fluids unique. PBL is a great way to integrate all of the concepts and skills we want our students to understand and show mastery in as they perform.

The third graders learned that creativity is a key in engaging your audience.  The Fluffy Slimers'  idea to hook their audience's attention was coloring it a pastel pink and giving each one a plastic Easter egg to keep their slime inside so they could take it home. That idea was a big hit! The Slippery Slimers went above and beyond just conducting an experiment when they found out the preschoolers were learning about farms.They decided to connect their demonstration to what would be relevant to their audience by hiding little plastic farm animals inside the slime as they passed it out so the students had to find and name the animals. So clever!

Another takeaway the LAUNCH groups mentioned was that it takes a lot of time to research and choose what will make the best experience for the audience.  They were impressed with how curious the preschoolers were to try out the slime and how many questions they asked about the process. It's a good thing they did their research so they could answer those questions!  

Each time I lead a group in PBL, I end up learning just as much as the students.  I love the quote Spencer and Juliani write in their LAUNCH book about the role of the teacher in this process.  They call it being "the guide on the side".  It's so true!  As I work alongside the students and allow them to make decisions, I become better equipped to act as a guide in the next design thinking project.  During this particular project, I learned that establishing a fully functioning student-created website blog takes more time than I allotted.  So we had to go with plan B and use my blog platform with the third grade students as contributors instead of the primary authors.  The next time I undertake a project like this, I will know to budget more time for brainstorming and developing the presentation. I also found out that designing a blog in a school setting has to be done differently than a blog I design myself in order to manage it within the technical parameters of the school district. It ended up being a good example of persevering through difficulties to get to the end product (even if it looks different than you planned) without giving up!

Finally, our LAUNCH project was the perfect way for us to practice the seven habits and the skills we learn from The Leader in Me. There were many opportunities for the third graders to begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, and find their voice. Even the preschoolers noticed how well the students worked together showing habit #6 during their presentations. I was happy to hear one prekinder say, "Look Mrs. E!  They're synergizing, aren't they!?"  It was genuine confidence-building and leadership practice at its best. 

I still think it is great to watch a rocket launch into space, but my favorite kind of LAUNCH is watching kids blast off into an authentic learning experience that allows them to use their creativity and benefits others in the process!

*If you want to learn more about the LAUNCH cycle, please visit this website <<LAUNCH>> for more information on design thinking.  You'll be glad you did!