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People – we, all of us – are trigger-happy, and many of us don’t even know it. Simply by virtue of living, our triggers have accumulated and taken up residence in our lives. Triggers are specific experiences, events, and feelings around people and relationships or situations in our lives that ignite specific and consistent feelings…

The past couple weeks, for many of us, have been smattered with cold and snowy weather.  The heart of winter is here and it is a season of driving slower, trying to stay warm, and dealing with delays. During the winter season especially, I feel like I need to look for the joy – in…

One of my friends sent me an e-mail the other day entitled “Fresh starts are in the air…”  I love this time of year and the buzz of creating goals, starting new challenges, and the focus on physical well-being.  But a conversation with another friend prompted an interesting question: Isn’t every day a chance for…

Remembering to take time for yourself is the best gift you can give yourself and others. That time includes not only caring for your physical health, but your emotional and mental health as well. People often wonder why they feel tense or stressed or just off balance; I believe it is because we do not…

We have all heard the phrase “slow down and take time to smell the roses”. In our busy lives many of us would like to slow down, and make time to develop and focus on ourselves, nurture our relationships and enjoy life. I think generally we all look back on the week and say to ourselves,…

This week we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.  It’s a tradition in my family, as in many, to share what we are most grateful for and what makes us happy.  On Gratitude. Gratefulness expands every aspect of our lives:  family, friends, work, health, and our spirituality. This quote by best-selling author, Melody Beattie, resonated with me on the power…

I will never forget my first promotion, moving from sales representative to team leader, supporting a team of three inside-sales representatives. It was an exciting time, and I couldn’t wait to dive right in. After the first week in my new role, my excitement was replaced with doubt and my dive-right-in attitude turned into hesitation.…

Life can move at a very fast pace, and studies have shown that although we say we do not have enough time, we actually have much more free time than any other generation before us.  The difference is we have more activities to fill our time than ever before.  We feel pressured to do everything…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Periodically throughout the day, pause for a few seconds to observe the flow of your breath.  Become aware of a silent but powerful sense of presence. This exercise can help you relax and open up.  It will bring new insights and choices to the challenges of the day.  It will bring a sense…

Recently I was on my way to a lunch appointment with a client and didn’t realize until it was too late that a major route that I usually take was shut down.  Being average at best with directions (although I do ask!), my initial thought was “oh great – now I’m going to be late.”…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Rationale: Journaling is an important practice to your leadership development. Research shows that taking just a few minutes each day to make a short journal entry greatly increases your chances of moving beyond just knowing what you would like to do, and actually start doing what you know. Journaling is a tool to…

Emotional Intelligence consists of a dynamic and interdependent relationship between Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management. It can be developed. But its true effectiveness is tested in present moment application.  Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize our own feelings and those of others, motivating ourselves, managing emotions well in ourselves and…

What makes a leader? If you find yourself pondering this question from time to time, you are not alone. Leaders evolve, and as such, are continuously trying to figure this one out. It’s not the definition of a leader that stumps us, as much as defining who we want to be as a leader and…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Begin this practice of breaking patterns by experimenting with doing some common everyday things, differently. For Example: Take a different route to work or other destinations that you usually travel to. Position your body differently when sitting or standing Use the opposite ear while speaking on the phone Order Chinese take-out and eat…

In an article published in the June issue of More Magazine, Sharon Cotliar interviewed author Laura Vanderkam on how to earn more and still have time for yourself.  Sounds fantastical, doesn’t it?  When Vanderkam researched her latest book, I Know How She Does It, she discovered some great tips to help achieve this. Make time for regular exercise.…

BREAKING PATTERNS When I was training in the martial arts several years ago, I was asked to help out with black belt candidates who were having trouble running three miles in under 24 minutes. It was often the last and most frustrating hurdle for many, the only thing keeping them from achieving their goal of…

Are you looking for a good read? Try Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg the current COO of Facebook.  I would highly recommend this book to all men and women in a leadership role as well as all wives, husbands, fathers, and mothers.  I thought I would share a couple of ideas mentioned in the book that really…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Take some time this week to truly imagine what it would be like to live the life of someone on your team. Choose someone who lives a different lifestyle than you do (has kids; doesn’t have kids; has a second job; has a disability; takes care of an ailing parent; just started with…

When something is not working for you or proves to be unresouceful, trying harder doesn’t always work, especially if you are just trying the same thing – that already didn’t work – with more intensity.   “Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.”  – Albert Einstein This is when “reframing the game” can be…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Gauge your leadership effectiveness, by rating your employees’ willingness on a scale of always, sometimes, never to the following: My employees willingly embrace our organization’s vision, mission, and values. My employees willingly accept changes in the team or organization. My employees willingly “go the extra mile” for me or for our organization. My…

Years ago I was struck by Bruce Lee’s philosophy regarding the martial arts, which was to flow like water. He described limitations of any single style of martial art and trained himself and his students to be extremely adaptable and to utilize whatever works. This philosophy or principle can work well for us in the…

LEADERSHIP PRACTICE Your personal mission statement, core values, and intentions help you determine your direction. Use these high-level concepts to help you choose the activities and responsibilities that are best aligned with the direction you want to take. Your mission statement should be 1-2 sentences that describe your purpose as it relates to your career…

IT IS NOT THE SPEED, BUT THE DIRECTION How many things can help us move faster? Faster internet, faster planes, fast cars, faster products to help us clean, study, and lose weight. But with all of the things that are taking us places faster, are we even going in the right direction? Life can move at…