Tuesday, March 15, 2011

4 Steps to a Clear Vision


Which way are you going?
Do you have a clear vision....can you see in your mind's eye, the steps along the way to success?
If not, here are a few things to try:
  1. take a moment to write out your goal and how you will feel when you reach it
  2. write out the steps to your goal - what are the incremental steps, that when put together will get you to your end result
  3. write out your obstacles - anything that you think could get in the way of success and plan how you will overcome this - that way when it hits (if it hits) you are prepared and will not be thrown off course
  4. write out exactly what success would look like so that you will recognize it when you get there
You can also do this while driving - not the writing part, just the list-making in your head.
It also helps to share this with someone who can give you an objective point of view, providing more insight and ideas.

Let me know how it goes!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

What Does Your Voice Say?


Your voice is all about you.  It is how you come across to the world. 
What you say and how you say it  - the words + the tone + facial expression + action = YOU!

What does your voice say?  Is it positive or negative? Is it happy or sad?  Is it full of energy or quiet and mournful?  Does your voice reflect what you are saying ....like, you are saying you are happy but your voice has no tone?

What about your body language?  Are you saying you are so upset while looking like you are jumping for joy?

There are many things to think about when we put our voice at the centre of our image of ourselves, at the centre of what others receive from us.  To learn more about your voice and how you are projecting yourself to the world, click here for a FREE e-book called 'Find Your Voice'.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

I Want My Life Back

This is the moment that you want to climb on the chair and scream! You have just realized that everything you do is for someone else. You are running from work tasks to home tasks and chores without stopping to take 5 minutes for yourself. You have realized that not one single task actually benefits or develops you. It is time to take your life back!


Yes, life is full of challenges. Yes, family, partners, kids, community commitments all are part of life. What you choose to do versus what you actually are two completely different things. Is life thrust at you and you simply take it? Or does life throw things at you and you choose what you will catch and work with today?

Take 5 minutes, right now, and make a list of everything that you did yesterday. Put an ‘M’ next to everything from which you personally benefited. That includes driving the carpool for soccer letting you spend time with your son and his friends – that is a personal benefit.

How many made the ‘M’ list? How can you re-evaluate the ones that did not to see if an ‘M’ could be applied? Waiting for your spouse at the grocery store, while it felt like a waste of time, gave you 20 minutes to sit and think, reflect and recharge. Did you use the time that way or were you drumming your fingers on the steering wheel impatiently, getting more bothered by the minute.

I am taking the long-winded way to say something ---perhaps is not that we ‘want our lives back’, it’s that we need to look at the activity in our lives and recognize them for the positive impact they offer, not just the time they take up. Can you do that?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

What is Soul?


Do you have one or is it an 'it'?  Can you feel it? Can you lose it?  Interesting questions that I am sure many philosophers have attempted to answer.  It is not a physical state, so hard to prove or disprove.  What is your soul?  Is it powerful, passionate and why you exist?  Is it the love you have for those around you?  Is it how you fill up your heart?  Or is it in your mind?  Or is it found in all the spaces in between?
A little something to think about today!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

What are Your Rules?

We have rules in the world to keep order. People develop rules in their lives to keep order as well.


□ Some rules could be meant to control things, like – you can only have 1 sugary snack per day.

□ Some rules could be made to avoid difficult situations, like – we invite our parents to separate events because they argue too much when they are in the same room.

□ Some rules are made and then re-worked, like – we will go to church every Sunday; we will go to church every Sunday that we don’t have baseball that day; we will go to church when we can.

Rules evolve and change with the way our lives work. When we add kids to mix, rules change or new rules are made up. We use rules to help guide and direct learning and living a positive and healthy life.

Look at your rules. What are they? Have they evolved along with you, or are you holding on to some rules and continuously breaking them instead of letting them evolve?

Friday, February 18, 2011

Window of Opportunity


You have heard that expression – the window of opportunity – and usually there is something about it only opening for a short while. I am a non-believer in that statement.


I believe that the window of opportunity is yours to create. What you do with the openings, or chances, or opportunities that come your way, create your window of opportunity – and you get to choose what you would like to do at that moment in time.

Rarely, windows are provided to you, or described as such moments before they arrive. The opportunity is what you make out of what you see in time.

Go ahead – make more windows!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Flight Cancelled

SOOOOO much is involved in getting ready for a trip.
  • passports
  • tickets
  • packing, how much does my luggage weigh, can I bring a carry-on at no charge
  • organizing at work, deadlines, follow up, key contacts
  • organizing at home, kids, newspaper, mail delivery etc
  • books to read, movie to watch
It is exhausting.  But eventually, you get there!
And then, they cancel the flight.  It is enough to make you lose your mind.
Well, don't!
This is the epitome of what you can 'control' versus what you 'cannot control'.
It happened to us, we arrived at the airport in time to check in and the flight was cancelled because they did not have a pilot.  You would think, that being a regularly scheduled flight, not a charter, that people would be assigned...not so much with this airline I guess.
We were able to get onto the next flight and they even bumped us up to first class at  no charge.
Key to this:  we all kept our cool, when asked how they could help - we honestly told them how, we smiled and said thank you and were polite.  No causing a scene or creating mayhem.  Kindness and patience comes back to you.
Do you have a story like this one?
Tell it here!