Ok..I know some of you think I've got everything figured out and that I'm never stressed. I do have a lot of strategies that get me through tough times and even mundane times but I sure have been tested lately!! Why? Two words - technology and winter!
These past 2 weeks have been fraught (sp?) with cold and snow up here in New England. My car has slipped and slid all over the place and I never seem to warm up. It's not as bad as other places to be sure and it's nothing compared to the fact that technology has waged war on me!! I've lost internet at home, then on my wireless and to top it off, all my web sites (about 20 of them counting mine and the people I make them for) went down in the last 2 weeks!
Ok...that's it for complaining! Here are some random things I've learned lately in no particular order that I hope you will find helpful:
* There's a great site to teach you info about your computer programs. Stuck on Excel or PowerPoint or any other program? Just go to www.lynda.com. Some of it is free and the rest you have to pay for. They actually show you how each thing works with video. It's relatively inexpensive compared to going back to school which I had been contemplating but didn't want to spend the bucks or the time. Search for a coupon online if you decide to buy the training. I got $50 off the $250 year fee.
* An Allstate commercial said that they began their business in the middle of the depression in 1932. They have survived 12 recessions and noticed that once the fear subsides, people notice that a funny thing happens - people start enjoying the small things in life. It's back to basics and the basics are good and worth protecting. Yes, the basics ARE good. They are part of the reason why I created my leadership/success course - common sense, civility, ethics, leadership, team building... Thanks All State for reminding us of what's important
* So much tough news. When they say that's it's the worst...or the coldest...or the snowiest...since whatever year...take that in stride. If we got through it years ago.. and we did...then we will again.
* If you're a business owner, be sure your company goes back to the basics. Treat your customers right! I went to a baby shower Sunday that had free coffee, free food, free dessert. But if you wanted a cup of tea, you had to pay $2.50!! What??? Is that good business? Why would a tea bag cost $2.50??? A simple little decision is going to hurt their business because the women there thought the 'pay for tea' policy made no sense. And when things don't go right, we tell EVERYONE!!
* If you're an employee, this goes for you too. You are the face of the company and a company that does not do well in this business climate fails. No company - no job. How you perform even the simplest job matters. As one of my mentors T Harv Eker says, "How you do anything is how you do everything!"
* How are those changes coming along for the new year? Have you tried the one small thing a month strategy? I've added on morning exercise which I have always hated. I started REALLY small. But I add one additional rep/stretch/crunch/minute a week and already feel the need to do it every morning. Even I'm shocked and I know how well this 'one small change a month' works! Even if you haven't started changing something you've always wanted to change, why not start something small for February? You deserve the results!! And what better time than the love month...love yourself and start creating a change that will make you happy and proud of yourself.
Ok..that's it for this week. Panera is going to kick me out if I stay much longer!!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Working with that 'one thing' and a free 2009 financial book
Hi Everyone!
How are those resolutions coming along? If you're trying my 'one thing' concept, then you are working on making small changes on one goal right now.
The idea of doing one goal a month for last year was not a planned event. I just wanted to get my house to be neater and began to work on it. I noticed that by the end of the month, the house was staying much more organized than it ever had and all I had done was to put things back every time I used something and resisted putting something down 'just for now.' The good old 28 days makes a habit rule had kicked in.
As I went along during the month, I used a phrase over and over again until it was as stuck in my head as "It's a Small World" does at Disney (sorry if I just stuck that song in again!). I just said "pick it up, pick it up, pick it up...or put it back, put it back, put it back." I said it often in a kind of sing-song way...and it worked. It's still tucked away in my brain when I go to put something down that i should put away.
Sound too simple?? It is...most strategies that work are very simple. And that's a good thing. Who needs one more complicated, worrisome thing on our plate? It's the same repetition strategy that advertisers use to get their product stuck in our heads.
Give this a try...it's relatively easy and it works. Find a simple phrase to say to yourself as you begin to change that one thing you want to change this January...it could be as simple as "breathe" or "eat slowly" or "stretch" or "smile"....and start to reap the benefits of getting your life to reflect who you really want to be.
PS...Here is a great financial tool for this troubled year. Financial guru Suze Orman has written a book to help us navigate tough times and she is offering it for free on Oprah.com. Click here to download it.
How are those resolutions coming along? If you're trying my 'one thing' concept, then you are working on making small changes on one goal right now.
The idea of doing one goal a month for last year was not a planned event. I just wanted to get my house to be neater and began to work on it. I noticed that by the end of the month, the house was staying much more organized than it ever had and all I had done was to put things back every time I used something and resisted putting something down 'just for now.' The good old 28 days makes a habit rule had kicked in.
As I went along during the month, I used a phrase over and over again until it was as stuck in my head as "It's a Small World" does at Disney (sorry if I just stuck that song in again!). I just said "pick it up, pick it up, pick it up...or put it back, put it back, put it back." I said it often in a kind of sing-song way...and it worked. It's still tucked away in my brain when I go to put something down that i should put away.
Sound too simple?? It is...most strategies that work are very simple. And that's a good thing. Who needs one more complicated, worrisome thing on our plate? It's the same repetition strategy that advertisers use to get their product stuck in our heads.
Give this a try...it's relatively easy and it works. Find a simple phrase to say to yourself as you begin to change that one thing you want to change this January...it could be as simple as "breathe" or "eat slowly" or "stretch" or "smile"....and start to reap the benefits of getting your life to reflect who you really want to be.
PS...Here is a great financial tool for this troubled year. Financial guru Suze Orman has written a book to help us navigate tough times and she is offering it for free on Oprah.com. Click here to download it.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Do you make New Year's resolutions?
Happy New Year!!
I hope the holidays were wonderful for you - even the tricky parts dealing with relatives and maybe not having as much money to spend as in previous times. Mine was crazy and hectic and fun especially the time when all the generations in my family play board games after Christmas.
So here it is January again and if you're like most people, you're resolving to make 2009 better than '08. Seems especially tough to do despite our best intentions. So many things pull us away from our goals - well intentioned friends and family members, busy schedules, overwhelming negative news (shut it off please or at least limit it!!) and worst of all, our own brains that don't really want us to change at all.
So what to do? Here's what I did last year. I didn't make any resolutions per se. I decided to change one thing per month. Just one. By doing that, I changed 8 big areas of my life (Ok, I know there are 12 months but I'm really OK with 8 big changes!)
By focusing on only one thing at a time, I wasn't overwhelmed with the huge list of changes. I could deal with one issue slowly and master it. As many of you know, it takes 28 repetitions or days to build a habit. With a month being 30 days, it was perfect. After a month, the new behaviors was a part of me..and they still are.
Here's what changed for me in 2008:
* I now have a much neater house
* I have a much better handle on my finances
* I increased my business income 100%
* I got my singing voice back and went back to theatre
* I dropped my cholesterol 50 points
* I either renewed or began several new friendships/relationships
If I can do this, without a doubt, so can you. If you'd like to try this technique,this week, pick one thing you want to change and start slowly to work on just that.
Check next week's newsletter for tips on working with that one thing (and don't beat yourself up if you're not perfect at changing...I certainly wasn't!!)
Here's to a fabulous 2009!
I hope the holidays were wonderful for you - even the tricky parts dealing with relatives and maybe not having as much money to spend as in previous times. Mine was crazy and hectic and fun especially the time when all the generations in my family play board games after Christmas.
So here it is January again and if you're like most people, you're resolving to make 2009 better than '08. Seems especially tough to do despite our best intentions. So many things pull us away from our goals - well intentioned friends and family members, busy schedules, overwhelming negative news (shut it off please or at least limit it!!) and worst of all, our own brains that don't really want us to change at all.
So what to do? Here's what I did last year. I didn't make any resolutions per se. I decided to change one thing per month. Just one. By doing that, I changed 8 big areas of my life (Ok, I know there are 12 months but I'm really OK with 8 big changes!)
By focusing on only one thing at a time, I wasn't overwhelmed with the huge list of changes. I could deal with one issue slowly and master it. As many of you know, it takes 28 repetitions or days to build a habit. With a month being 30 days, it was perfect. After a month, the new behaviors was a part of me..and they still are.
Here's what changed for me in 2008:
* I now have a much neater house
* I have a much better handle on my finances
* I increased my business income 100%
* I got my singing voice back and went back to theatre
* I dropped my cholesterol 50 points
* I either renewed or began several new friendships/relationships
If I can do this, without a doubt, so can you. If you'd like to try this technique,this week, pick one thing you want to change and start slowly to work on just that.
Check next week's newsletter for tips on working with that one thing (and don't beat yourself up if you're not perfect at changing...I certainly wasn't!!)
Here's to a fabulous 2009!
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