Deb's Newsletter
Slow Down! |
January 13th, 2010 |
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EMPOWER YOURSELF SLOW DOWN “No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire today.” Denis Waitley When you or someone else tells you to slow down, what does that mean to you? Does it mean: • Don’t work so hard / too much? • Stop rushing around? • Quit trying to “get it all” done? • Stop and smell the roses? In December, someone close to me suggested that I should slow down a bit. I guess I took that quite literally as this is my first newsletter since the end of Oct. Some days I even feel the breeze of a snail whizzing past me I am going so slow! Then of course there are other days / months when I am lucky to eat or to go to the washroom. Why is it like this? I know that there are natural ebbs and flows in business as there is in life, but some balance would be nice. Funny, a large part of my coaching business is helping people to achieve a satisfying and rewarding work / life balance by, helping them to get clear on what success means to them in all areas of their life, then setting goals to make changes to achieve this success. Hmmm, sounds like a great concept… The trouble all started after I took 3 weeks of holiday’s in Oct. I had such a fantastic vacation with my husband that I never wanted it to end (sound familiar?) Well, most of us have to go back to work after vacation so you know how tough that can be. But this time, I was pumped as I had a plan. You see, during my vacation I had lots of time to talk with my husband and the hot topic was planning for our retirement. We love to travel so we had a lot of fun sharing ideas and dreams. By the time that we got home, we were both excited with our “solid” retirement plans, which of course, included working for a few more years. But, we were focused. Nov. and Dec. came along in the usual busy and chaotic fashion. Last minute business, last minute shopping, last minute socializing. I was worried about getting it all done. It was tough running and growing my business while doing all the other household Holiday extras. But, we had a retirement plan to stick to. I (like most successful entrepreneurs) put a lot of pressure on myself for “doing it all” and “doing it better”, even during the Holiday’s. Here lies the struggle – attend a networking event or go shopping? Market my business or meet friends for drinks? Be disciplined during business hours (i.e. Work), or wrap presents, bake, cook, clean, etc. etc. I worked long and hard to get it all done, and did not really enjoy a lot of it. I did take a few days off between Christmas and New Year and it was great to have that time with family and friends. But, even during this family time my thoughts kept going to my business – planning for the new year, goals, expectations, challenges, barriers, self-limiting beliefs and on and on…..I would challenge myself to push these thoughts away (which worked most of the time), but it was annoying just not being able to be fully present in the moment. But, we had a retirement plan and I had to stay focused. I had to make money for our “Golden years”. A few days after Christmas something happened to stop me in my tracks. My husband’s colleague passed away. He had just celebrated his 50th birthday, was healthy, fit and a relaxed and calm man. He just dropped dead at his house of a massive heart attack. We have all heard similar stories of a life being cut way too short, but this one hit close to home for my husband and I. Here was a good family man (3 kids, the youngest is 17), with a beautiful wife of 25 years, a gorgeous home and was at that age where like us, was probably planning a beautiful retirement with his wife. Then, in an instant, it’s all gone. “Live every day like it’s your last.” We have all heard this before but have we really paid attention to it or incorporated the message into our life? Sure, we have to plan for our future in terms of an education, relationships, a family, a career, finances and retirement. However, what if it wasn’t about the end result but about the journey. What if the only thing that mattered in the end was the legacy that you left with the people’s lives that you touched that really mattered? Well, in the end, that is all that matters. Since this tragedy happened I’ve been in somewhat of a slump in terms of my energy for my business. I have been questioning a lot of things, especially how much time I want to (should) spend on my business. How much time and effort do I want to spend marketing, networking, selling? What is it all for anyways? Why did it matter if I worked hard or worked at all? In the past few days I have thought long and hard about my goals for my life and my business. I have been reminded by kind friends that I do make a difference in the world as I help people live fuller, more successful lives and that’s what is important, not being on Oprah. This allows me the opportunity to give myself permission not to work so hard, but to still have goals. But my goals are shifting from ones that perhaps impress others to goals that only impress myself. How liberating! My business is only one part of me, so I have decided to pay more attention to other areas, like my terrific family. Balance, it’s an interesting concept. Learn to let go. Alone, we are not that important. Together, we can change the world. So, slow down (or in my recent weeks, speed up). Enjoy and be grateful for every day. Smile often. Laugh lots. Keep in touch with family and friends. Tell people you love them. Be kind to all humans and animals. Hug someone once per day. Give generously. Pay it forward. Empower Yourself – Try This: We never know when our journey on Earth will end. What do you want people to remember you for? Write it down. Make this part of your goal setting. With Warm Thoughts and New Year’s Blessings, Deb COACHING WORKSHOPS The Forks Boardroom – One Forks Market Road – 7PM – 9PM Jan. 19, 2010 – Want More in 2010? Achieve focus and clarity on what you want more of and what do you want less of this year. Set goals for making positive changes in your life and / or career. Walk away with an action plan to make the changes. Feb. 16, 2010 – Create Your Own Vision Board Back by popular demand! Create a visual representation of your goals and a vivid picture of what you want in your life. If you can see it you can achieve it. Included are all supplies necessary including a beautiful wooden display board. What a great way to start off the New Year! Investment (must be paid at time of booking by cheque or credit card) Want More in 2010? $39.00 (plus GST) Vision Board - $109.00 (plus GST) To reserve your spot please email Deb Raven at LifeIsWhatYouMakeIt@mts.net or call 257-4240. - Seating is limited so please book early. |
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Past Newsletters:
August 31st, 2010 - Never Say Never
May 5th, 2010 - I Can't
April 8th, 2010 - Let It Go
March 12th, 2010 - Life Is Good
February 8th, 2010 - Don't Miss Out on This One!
More Past Newsletters