Contribute to your own greatness!

I live moment to moment and see greatness all around me, especially in others. When asked about my greatest achievement I am stifled. Greatest? Really? Are they asking me to nail down a particular life accomplishment like childbirth, writing a best selling book or climbing a mountain? If that were the case I simply couldn't choose.

If asked "What would you say contributed greatest toward your success?" I could easily answer: learning to live in the now. It allows me see and enjoy the wonders around me. It allows me to see the beauty in the person beside me.

Sound corny or 'earthy'? Consider the person who has had a near death experience. They have a greater or even new appreciation for every moment in life. They live each day as if it were their last. You too can have the same exhilaration for life without the near death experience.

Try it... it is GREAT!

Journal the Way

My daughter recently asked me what I write about in my diary. Grinning, I realized that my journal is the equivalent to her diary. I told her that I mostly write about my personal thoughts as they relate to me ( i.e. what I think, I believe, I desire and I feel). And yes, I write about boys too: my husband and son. I feel journaling is great start to figuring out "what's up?" when things don't feel right .

I confess, I am an on again off again journal writer. Daily journal entries do not exist in my book. Whew, I'm glad that's off my chest. Many people are reluctant to start a journal because it might add to their mental failure list. The usual statement is, "I don't want to start a journal because I wont keep it up." Well what does "keep it up" mean? Nobody writes the rules for your journal use but you. Let the leader in you decide when you will write.

Beware, your decision to express free-will does lead to inner and outer greatness. Others may notice your personal growth and see you as leader in your own life. You are constantly modeling the way for everyone around you - no pressure.

My actions are modeling the way for the next generation. My daughter feels no pressure to write daily. I did not ask her what she writes in her "diary." Again, model the way and respect what the personal thoughts of others. I believe she has greater ownership in her thoughts by simply writing them down.

Check out this link: http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2008/12/10/5-kick-ass-reasons-to-use-a-journal-and-how-to-do-it/

Coping with Holiday Stress

Would you believe it is not so much money, family or time that stresses me out this time of year? Instead I am tormented by all the edible goodies. Everywhere I look there is some yummy morsel calling my name. I swear I hear the truffles using both my first and middle name to get my attention. As if the smell alone wasn’t enough.

Coping skills that actually address the problem are considered most effective for relieving stress. Actions taken toward removing obstacles, restraint and self-control are just some examples.

I ask my husband to keep the cookies at work and hide any treats he may bring home. The kids have Advent Calendars and would know if I snuck (stole) a precious itsy bitsy piece of chocolate. So, I’m pretty safe at home. Action to remove the cause of my stress effective! “Out of sight out of mind.”

Then I went to my book club and the coffee table was piled high with cookies, cake and chocolate candy. I swiftly switched to restraint mode! But the act of restraining was causing me more stress – this coping skill was proving ineffective. I would have to switch to an emotion based coping method before I could take effective action.

Coping skills that do not necessarily address the problem but reduce the stress are considered emotion based. I could distract myself by actually being fully present to the book discussion. I could also find some humor in the situation. Or I could completely deny my weakness as well as my adrenalin rush.

I t was easier than you might think. I leaned over to my friends and declared the chocolate sitting in front of me was talking louder than all the rest of them put together. We all laughed. I ate one and in my best Scarlett O’Hara impersonation said, “Please, take them away.” As I sighed with relief I was joined by a chorus of sighs. What do you know, I wasn’t the only one stressing out about that darn chocolate.

Have you ever considered how many different coping mechanisms you use in any given day? There are many causes of stress and many ways to cope. Some more effective than others. The same ones don’t work every time. Knowing varying forms of healthy coping mechanisms can save you unwanted wrinkles and possibly your life. Even the sharing of learned coping skills with others is often beneficial.

Seminar Satisfaction

I admit that as a speaker I expect a lot from other presenters. I want them to engage me and educate me. Before I register for a seminar or luncheon I:

1. Check out the scheduled speaker’s bio or website.
2. Review the marketing materials to see if it is designed to present the information I want.
3. The location; professional focus.

Homework completed, there is not a lot more we can do to insure we get what we want. Still I’ve been stuck in a room with a presenter that misses the mark and delivers some kind of incoherent unorganized message. What do you do when you attend and pay for a seminar that doesn’t deliver? Here are some answers:

1. Ask for your money back.
2. You deserve to obtain the knowledge you expected. Contact the speaker directly and kindly ask them the questions you wanted answered at the seminar. Hopefully they are excellent communicators one on one.
3. Go home and pour yourself a glass of wine. You deserve a treat for politely sitting through a disappointing presentation.
4. Stay positive that the next seminar will deliver a top notch program and speaker.
   
   I encourage you to comment and let us know what you do to get results.

Outside of The Box

The meaning of Outside the Box:

Think creatively, unimpeded by orthodox or conventional constraints.

For more than a decade I studied and taught rote methods for communication and business management. Generic models for success were developed and learned for greater leadership. The single thought was if it works for him it must work for me. I know that is simply not true. Fortunately, with experience comes wisdom.

Not a week goes by that a client doesn't ask me what everyone else is doing. My response is generally, "First tell me what YOU want to do and how." Which leads to the answer, "I don't know." While there are certain business practices that are just plain good business, who YOU are and what YOU do is entirely up to you.

Deep down you do KNOW what you want. Giving yourself permission to think outside of the box is the first step in believing its possible to achieve. Let your heart lead you and your mind will catch up. Blend passion, possibilities and practicality to achieve your personal and professional best. You wont find that in a box!

I know that simply said, does not mean simply done. That is why I help women uncover their desires, guide them to their own solutions and provide support to help them achieve a certain outcome. I start by getting them out of the box.

Time IS Money

My father-in-law is a stickler for excellent service and not object to paying for it. When we go to a restaurant he places a large sum of money on the table. He then tells the server deductions will only be made when he feels their service distracting to him. Whether it was an insult or incentive to a server I don't know. What caught my attention was the method of deduction. Look at the dollar amount right in front of you then decide if you will earn it or loose it.

Apply the same principals with your own income. Say that you aim to earn $20,000 a month (dare to dream). That means that if you work four 30 hour weeks you're worth $166.66 per hour. If you drive to meet a client 1 hour away and dedicate an hour of unpaid time you experience a loss of $500 from your overall income. Quite honestly, it better be a potential gain of greater to accept this meeting during your business hours.

When you look at it this way are you driven to avoid time wasters? When you recognize them you can to shift your focus to activities that will generate income. This also helps to consider your worth when setting your rates or fees. If that same meeting was a speaking engagement at a luncheon you would need to consider the expense of time related to that presentation to set those fees. Three prep hours (new or custom presentations usually take up to 10 hours or more) plus travel time and the actual event equals roughly $1,000. If you accept this opportunity to speak for free it costs you $1,000.

So how much did this blog entry cost me? About $55.33. Is it worth it? When it promotes client retention and new business, yes. When I fail to get the word out about my services and ask for your business, no.

I am dedicated to energizing women to discover their personal best and become leaders in their lives by empowering the personal and professional CEO within. All women deserve to happily live life to the fullest. I want the opportunity to do just that for you.

What Is Your Business Parenting Style?

I published a tips article titled "When Your Business is Your Baby" to help women develop a professional mindset to match any parenting guide. I myself have been known to say I have three children; Hayden, Will and Divinitatis Consulting.

As our babies grow we can resist change or embrace it. Ladies, embrace it! The question is how do you respond to your growing and changing business? Your answer defines just what kind of parent you are.

One of my clients has a product that just isn't selling at the speed she expected. She put her heart and soul into the development of this product and it's fabulous. Unfortunately it is collecting dust as she waits for something to happen. This passive approach to parenting isn't working. If she grabbed a parenting book and looked up teenage behaviors? What do you think she might read?

When kids reach their teens some parents tend to take a back seat to guidance. They have the impression that since they have developed an independent child, its time to back off. Wrong. Passive parents will find themselves frustrated because their child just hangs out all day. Now is the time to teach them new skills: Focus and Direction. Help them develop goals and create opportunities for them to succeed.

If she sits back now her product will continue to just hang out. No product, no matter how great, sells itself. Nor should a teenager be expected to raise himself. She needs to transition from frustrated passive parent to active parent. She can decide and define exactly where she wants her product to go (your business wont backtalk). She can actively create opportunities for her product to fly off the shelves. As an entrepreneur she needs to transition from product developer to marketer. Until her product is out of her hands her job is not done.

Whether or not our job as parents is ever done - well... our roles may change in life but we'll never forget our baby.