Choose Your Power Word(s) for 2020

Choose your words tiles

Welcome to 2020 and Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope have some plans to ring in the new year and that they include time with family and friends. How you end the year can determine how your year plays out. Starting with a good mindset is key to moving your forward and keeping the motivation high

As I’ve done in the past, it is time to choose a word to set the tone and direction for how I want my year to go; I have to admit that this year was a bit harder for some reason.

In the past, these are words I have had:

  • Determined – as opposed to intentions, I am determined to work on the goals I’ve set, both personally and professionally. Being determined is way more powerful than intending to do something so I want to send the ‘right’ message to my brain; this way, it will act on what I’ve chosen to focus on much more powerfully.
  •  Inspire – my mission is to inspire individuals to choose to be the best they can be; I see so many of my clients (and my students) who have no idea how awesome they are and that is why I want to bring their self-awareness into clarity so they can go after everything they want in their lives.
  • Believe – I’ve written on this before, which is the concept of self-efficacy; if you don’t truly believe that you can accomplish all that you say you want and desire then you have no chance of fully getting them done in the way you intended. Having full belief impels you taken action.

A few others include Carpe Diem and Do It Now! I actually have little whiteboard easels that I write on and have near my computer so I can be inspired while I work.

This year, as I mentioned, was a struggle but I’ve decided on the work ‘Emerge’ which, to me, means coming out from under any shadows I’ve hidden behind; this means doing videos (which scare me), starting a podcast, and upscaling my business.

Emerge means “to move of or away from something and come into view; to become apparent, important, or prominent” (Oxford Dictionary). I want to be all of those descriptions.

One other I would add is ‘Be a Disruptor,’ meaning to shake things up and do things differently. My desire is to reformulate how work is done  – moving away from the traditional ways and going more towards happier and higher performing workplaces. Considering engagement levels are still low, around 34% (Gallup, 2019), something needs to be done.

So those are my words for this year – now it’s time for you to set yours (if you haven’t done so). Doing this exercise will really ramp-up your motivation and effort so let’s get started!

Your Weekly Action Plan

If you haven’t, take time to sit and reflect on a word, several words, or a phrase that has deep meaning and that you would like to reflect how you live your days in this new year. Some examples include: “no excuses;’ ‘Carpe Diem (Seize the Day);” “Truth;” and “Monetize.” Once you determine your word(s) and direction write and post it where you can focus on it daily as a reminder. Keep focus on them by saying or writing them loudly every day – soon, you will have them embedded in your brain and they will become a positive habit you won’t have to think about. But your results will be extraordinary. In life, mindset matters. Be safe out there tonight!

If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, or in developing your action plan, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you build the career and business of your dreams!

 

8 Little Changes to Make You Feel More Energetic and Productive

Here Are 8 Great Little Changes to Make You Instantly Feel Healthier,  More Energetic, and Productive

What does optimal performance feel like? How do you feel when you’re performing ‘at your best’?

For many of us the answer would be a combination of energy, focus and good mood. If you’re interested in being healthier then you should focus on these things because not only will you feel healthier immediately, but you’ll also then have more energy and drive to stick to whatever other health programs or objectives you’re setting yourself.

In fact, a new study by Rand and Vitality, a nonprofit research company, activity is correlated with productivity, which leads to higher performance; it reduces absenteeism from health issues, in addition to improving sleep and mental health.

To achieve these kinds of small improvements, the best strategy to take is to focus on making small, cumulative changes that will build up over time. By gradually improving yourself with smaller goals you will find each change is easier to make and that you experience less resistance. These small changes then add up and provide you with more large scale success.

So what are some little changes you can make to start enjoying more energy, drive and health right now? Here are just a few:

  • Swap your coffee for a health drink – Do you drink coffee every morning on the way to work? Not only is this likely to cause tolerance and dependence for caffeine (making you groggier in the mornings) but it also means you’ll be missing out on the opportunity to get some health drinks in you. Try swapping this for a vegetable juice and see how much better you feel for all those vitamins and minerals.
  • Remove the sugar from your tea – This will not only reduce your calories and carbohydrate intake, it will also help you to get rid of your sweet tooth.
  • Set the alarm forward 10 minutes – Ten minutes more sleep makes all the difference in the world. It’s hard to convince yourself to go to bed earlier, but giving yourself an extra ten minutes in the morning can make all the difference.
  • Sit at the table when you eat – Sit at the sofa when you eat and you’ll feel lethargic and not want to get up.
  • Swap your socks – It sounds funny, but swap your socks for fresh ones halfway through the day and you feel energized!
  • Take calls outside – If you’re on your mobile why not use this opportunity to pace around a little and get some fresh air? Just a little fresh air makes a huge difference.
  • Wear brighter colors – Bright colors make others see you as more energetic, which means they treat you as more energetic, which makes you more energetic. That’s the law of attraction in process…
  • Breathe – even taking small, deep breaths will give you an instant energy booster as it calms your mind and body

Taking time to implement some of these changes will change your life overall. Not only will you have more energy but will be more accomplished as you tick off tasks on that ‘to-do’ list. I would add in there an added benefit and that is living longer – what more do you need!

The Two Most Important Words You Can Ever Say

The Most Powerful Two Words You Can Ever Say

Has anybody said something to you in your life that has really changed the direction of your life? Has that ever happened to you? I’m sure it has.

 

I’m sure that when somebody that you cared and respected in your life said “I love you,” that changed your life for the better. On the other hand, if somebody who you trusted ended up betraying you by saying hurtful things or, worse yet, stabbing you in the back by saying negative things about you, that can put your life in a tailspin as well.

 

Words matter. They can cut as much as they can heal. Of all the words that people can say to you that can have a tremendous life-changing impact, there are two words that you have to wrap your mind around. These two words can help you change your life for the better.

 

In fact, the impact of these two words are so powerful that they can continue to have reverberations or a cascading effect throughout the rest of your life. You just have to say these words very clearly, very intently, and very purposefully. If you’re able to do that, then these words will carry you through because they seek to reprogram your mind.

 

Too many of us are walking around with invisible shackles or handcuffs. Nobody’s pointing a gun to our heads and saying, “Be miserable. Say to yourself that you can’t do certain things. Assume that you can’t do certain things. Act like a victim.”

 

Nobody’s doing that. Nobody has that kind of power over you. You’re doing it to yourself. That’s what those invisible shackles are. These are assumptions that limit us and reduce us. We don’t live the kind of unlimited powerful life that we’re other waste capable of living. We all have this potential in us but the problem is it remains potential and, before we know it, we forget about it.

 

Instead, we define ourselves based on our limitations. We say to ourselves, “I was born poor. My parents were abusive and were addicts or alcoholics and this is what I deserve. This is who I am. This is what I am capable of. I am behind hope.”

 

Most people will not consciously say things this way. However, they’re doing it in their minds – the subconscious thoughts that live there that direct thoughts and beliefs. You can see it in their actions. You can see it in how they live their lives. It’s as if they’re walking around in this invisible prison. They will never step over the lines delineating their comfort zone. Pretty sad, right? It’s very easy to dismiss those types of people but you’re doing it yourself.

 

If you are in any way feeling stuck, weak, underappreciated, or somehow oppressed in any area of your life, this is what’s happening to you. So, do yourself a big favor and say the two most powerful words you ever say to yourself. Say “I am.” When you do that, you define yourself.

 

More importantly, you take ownership of yourself. When you say “I am,” you are defining your life. So, be careful what words you choose to put after “I am.” If you say, “I am dumb. I am weak. I am a loser. I am poor. I am done,” then you just have condemned yourself.

 

Nobody can say those words to yourself and make them produce reality except you. Take ownership of this power. Be conscious of this tremendous responsibility and choose a better reality for yourself and it all begins with the words after the two words “I am.”

 

When you repeat those words “I am, I am, I am,” you say to the universe that you exist. You reclaim your voice. You are already there by being born. You were born with power.

 

It doesn’t matter what you look like. It doesn’t matter how much money your parents have. It doesn’t matter what your physical abilities are. None of that matters because you have that tremendous potential locked within you yet to choose to live like an ant. That is the tragedy behind all of this. That’s why you need to reclaim your power by being more mindful about what you say after “I am.”

 

Changing your self-talk and story will help you live life in a different way. It will help you achieve your dreams, and it all begins with a simple proclamation of “I am.”

 

 

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