Tag Archives: motivation

The Power of Money

I finally got my daughter’s old IPod to work and I’ve been using it while pounding along on the trend mill at the gym these past few mornings.  Just by chance, I uploaded the keynote address of author Lynne Twist, The Soul of Money from the International Coach Federation (ICF) conference in St. Louis, MN 2006.

I closed my eyes and remembered what an incredible presence Twist was on that stage in front of 1,400 coaches from around the world.  And she was talking about this funny subject of money.  It’s a subject near and dear to the hearts of all us entrepreneur coaches but Twist put a whole different perspective to it.

Money Was Invented

Money doesn’t grow in our natural world.  It is an human invention and was originally created to facilitate the sharing of goods and services.  But somewhere along the way we started to give immense power to money – even over human life.  People will go to the extreme all in the name of money – damaging personal relationships; destroying natural resources and always their own soul, values, time, energy and spirit.

Now, rather than relating to money as simply a tool that was invented to make life easier we have come to assume that money is everything –  it has control over our lives and happiness.  Interesting . . .

A Coach’s Perspective

Recently, I met an accomplished young woman executive that was looking to fast track her career into an area that really didn’t interest her.  “Why?” I asked.  “To make more money”.  She gave many reasons around having more material possessions but more happiness?  This conversation was a powerful confirmation of what Twist was talking about.  The power we give money . . . do we really want to give away our heart and soul?

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Decluttering Your Office Space

It’s a challenge!  Stuff just accumulates.  When work is busy and I’m moving fast from developing training to working with my wonderful coaching clients, time just gallops by.  Yes, things get done, projects organized, papers filed . . . most of the time.  But in the whirlwind of daily work life,  it’s tough to keep up with it all especially the paper follow-up and those technology glitches that can stop me cold.

And I’m not the only one that struggles with “stuff” overload . . . even my corporate attorney Dad, who at age 93 still works, has been talking for weeks about not being able to find anything on his desk.  I tried to help him yesterday and even I couldn’t find anything on his desk.

Is it hopeless?  Is it worth the effort?  Yes, but it takes real determination ’cause frankly it’s not much fun to unload the office and start reorganizing from scratch.  But “decluttering” is the best thing you can do for your psychological health, your work productivity and your pocketbook.

Here’s How to Start . . .

These three steps work well for me – modify for what works well for you.  As my twin sister would say “Don’t over think it.  Just keep moving”.

First, set the timer for 45 – 50 minutes so you have an end in sight (or go by project).

Second, identify one small area – the top of your desk, a supply cabinet, a bookcase – just one area that feels doable.  Now literally walk over and pick up everything in that space and carry it into another room.  Yes, just pick it up (don’t sort it) and just carry it into an empty room and put it down on a table in three rough piles:  Keep, Maybe, Toss.  Later you’ll go in and do a quick sort of those piles.  Warning . . . don’t put it on the floor because you’ll never get back to it.

Third, once you’ve cleared out this area stand back and look at it.  It looks different doesn’t it?  And I bet it feels different as well.  Clutter drains energy.  So when you create this physical space you are also creating even a more powerful psychological space.  Give yourself a pat on the back – you did it – and now the ball is rolling.

Keep up the momentum by decluttering another small area each day.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised how one success builds on the next.  You’ll find that there is an optimum time to do this.  A time that you don’t mind doing something kind of mundane and mindless like decluttering.

Putting Things Back

But now you need to bring some things back.  Decide how you what your office space to look.  Be bold.  You may decide to move your furniture around, switch up the pictures, change the decorations or maybe just bring in some fresh flowers each week.  Make it yours and make it good for your soul.

Now go back to that room where you have your three piles.  Touch each item first and decide if you really need it to do your best work.  Is it really necessary?  Is it functional?  Does it contribute to making your office space “feel good”?  Keep it simple and don’t over think it.  But just bring back about 1/3 or less of what you took out.  Remember, more is better!

Now, tomorrow (Saturday) my twin sister and I will head down to my office to continue the momentum of decluttering.  With her help and a bit of nagging we’ll knock out a couple of hours and then hubby Wally will come in on Sunday to help with rearranging the furniture.  That’s before the Super Bowl game!

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Fire & Ice Again in Northern Nevada

I’ve been writing about resiliency, hope and optimism in this blog weaving in real life stories.  Here is another example of how our routine lives can suddenly be changed forever.  Here’s what happened.

Fire . . . just when we thought Northern Nevada was through with its share of community crises another huge wild fire hit Reno last Thursday afternoon, January 19th. The winds were blowing at 80 miles an hour with gusts of over 100 miles an hour – not terribly unusual for our upper desert.  But one accidental spark over in Washoe Valley was enough to begin a fire that burned 3,700 acres of rugged sagebrush; ranch land, horse pastures and 20+ houses.

As a wall of fire crested the ridge right above our local high school and just down from our house my husband and I zipped over to help our good friend, Yvonna Estep, evacuate her home.  Within minutes Yvonna, along with all her neighbors, was packing up her dog, cats and personal belongings into her car as the police were going door to door enforcing the mandatory evacuation.  We left a hastily scribbled note on the door saying the house had been evacuated – important for the final sweep.  As for us there was no time to waste . . .

Ice . . . the irony was that it was snowing so hard on the Donner Summit that it was difficult for the California Interstate Fire Services to make it over the mountains to help Reno.  After all, fire trucks usually don’t carry snow chains.  I never heard the end of the story but I’m sure they finally made it – they always do.

So later that night, over a glass of wine, we huddled around the news to learn that temperatures had dropped and with the beginning of a snowstorm down here in the valley the fire was being contained.  It took another full 24 hours for the highway between Reno and Carson City to be reopened up for local residents to return to their homes.  When I drove through on Sunday morning the rebuilding had already begun.

This is our 5th major community crisis for Northern Nevada in as many months.  We’ve been on national news too many times.  But no doubt Nevada is resilient and will rebuild.  That’s hope and optimism.  And there’s truly never a dull moment in Northern Nevada.

 

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New Choices in the New Year

I caught the newspaper headline just as I was zipping out of the gym early this morning . . . “New Choices in the New Year”.  I like it!  That headline captures the spirit, hope and energy that as a professional coach I hope to bring to all my coaching and training clients.  It speaks to recognizing our own personal power in creating a future that we truly want at this time in our lives.

And that’s what we’re all thinking about this first week of January as the new year gets underway.  It may be a renewed commitment to a regular exercise schedule; healthier eating; more sleep; better time and energy management or a different career path.  This is a natural time to look back over the past year to see what has worked well and what hasn’t; what changes need to be made to move forward and then to use that wisdom to proactively plan for a “prosperous new year”.

The Power of Choice 

Let’s be honest and recognize that it’s all about choices . . . and it’s all within our personal power.  Everyday we make multiple choices – some move us closer to our positive year-long goals but other choices are made when we are hurried and stressed.  These are the choices that often distract or even derail us from what we really want in our lives.  It can be tempting to blame these poor choices on other people or outside circumstances but in all honesty we always have control over how we respond to these situations – even though we may not want to admit it.

Slow Down to Make Good Choices

So what’s the secret to making good choices for ourselves?  Bottom line . . . slow down and think about your choice before you commit yourself.  Make it a habit.  Push the pause button and think about how this choice may support or distract you from a higher priority goal.  That brief pause gives you a chance to think before acting.

But since daily life does move fast, don’t be too hard on yourself for making a few snap choices that you later find yourself regretting . . . it happens to all of us.   The good news is that as we get older and wiser that pause button gets much easier to push!

 

 

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Employee Fatigue!

Recently, I have been writing about Job Search Fatigue (for those bone weary job seekers) and Small Business Fatigue (for those business owners struggling to keep their doors open).  But there is another group equally fatigued that is easily overlooked.  I call these folks the “Last Ones Standing”.  The employees that didn’t get laid off but were either shuffled into new positions or left holding down several job responsibilities. They don’t get much empathy or attention. No one is really interested in their stories because, after all, they still have a job.

But maybe many of these employees are more tired that anyone.  Everything has changed including losing familiar colleagues and work identities.  And they have far less control over their daily work priorities and schedules that the business owners or the job seekers. Would anyone like to switch positions? Maybe not but the feeling of fatigue is epidemic for all three groups.

7 Strategies to Manage the Fatigue

So how do you manage the fatigue, stay optimistic and motivated day after day?  Here are 7 strategies to do just that – and these work equally well for the job seeker, small business owner and that last employee standing.

  • Take care of yourself physically & emotionally (sleep, diet, exercise and positive relationships).
  •  Ask yourself “What do I want for myself at this time in my life?” Ask yourself again.
  • Rethink your expectations of yourself especially ones that bring stress into your life
  • Set intermediate goals for yourself & celebrate when you achieve them
  • Decide what your priorities are – what is negotiable and nonnegotiable
  • Be willing to change, change and change again
  • Stay active, engaged and focused!

Be patient with yourself.  You know what works for you and what you need to do to manage the fatigue factor for yourself.  If you get stuck, reach out to others.  Lots of others are feeling the same and also have good answers.

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