Executive Coaching & Organizational Effectiveness For Successful Organizations and Individuals Who Want to Make a Difference Success Tips to Support You     Published Once A Month March 2010: Green Everywhere Audio 2:18 min February 2010: A Time for Love Audio 2:42 min January 2010: What to Do With the Maelstrom Audio 1:56 min Great Success Tips from 2009 Great Success Tips from 2008 Great Success Tips from 2007 Great Success Tips from 2006 Great Success Tips from 2005 Want to hear a Monthly Tip? Click on the word "Audio," found after each Tip title, to download an .mp3 file to your computer's audio player. For notice as soon as a new tip is posted, use your RSS Feed to get new Tips automatically, every month. Green Everywhere March 2010        Hear this tip! Audio 2:18 min Green EVERYwhere!? The coming of Spring reminds us that a fresh start is always an option. We have the chance to begin again. The chance to create. Our ability to do so rests completely within ourselves. So why, instead, are we are trudging along in a job that is o.k., living with relationships that are fine, just getting by? For most of us, it is only once we reach the point at which we feel our pain exceeds our tolerance level that we are willing to make a change. Once we do make the change, we ask ourselves, What took me so long? and swear next time we'll do better. Do we? There is another way. Instead of slowly destroying pieces of our selves, we can live our lives like we drive our cars. As drivers, we get in our car with our destination in mind. We then make minute course corrections as we drive so as to stay on track, rather than driving in a straight line until we run off the road. In life, we can identify the outcomes we want before we take action so we accurately select those actions that lead to our destination. As we take action, we can learn what works for us and apply what we learn to make adjustments as we go and get where we want to be. In this way, we notice earlier when we are headed off track, and make timely changes that keep us on track. We create consistent satisfaction. Want a change partner? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: The Great Unknown Get free excerpts from my new book Live Light: Simple Steps, with 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. Now available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. A Time for Love February 2010        Hear this tip! Audio 2:42 min Arguing with reality? How's that working for ya'?* If I'm lucky, each time I'm tempted to open my mouth and kvetch, complain, or make a statement about how I want something to be different from how it is, this phrase pops in my thoughts. The phrase blesses me with two powerful questions. First question: Am I arguing with reality? If what I am about to say argues with reality, well, that's my problem, not reality's. Reality is what is: neither good nor bad, right nor wrong, personal nor uncaring. It just is. Once I know I am arguing with reality, I can reframe. Instead of thinking, Boy, I wish we didn't have so much snow, I can recognize and accept completely, We have a lot of snow. Then I can decide what, if anything, I want to do or be about that. I can head somewhere warm. Or I can think, So what? or even How beautiful. I can love reality. How is that working? If the first question isn't enough, the second question gives the knockout punch. I have yet to find a situation in which arguing with reality has worked well for me. Being reminded of this, and evaluating how it is working in that specific instance, is a fantastic self-check. Wishing we did not have so much snow is not making us have less snow. Why waste my time and energy on this wish? Instead, I accept reality, identify where I want to be, and take the steps to get me from where I am to where I want to be. I can only identify accurately what those steps are once I know where I am, as well as where I want to go. If I deceive myself about where I am, I am building a house on sand, sure to collapse. With luck, eventually I accept reality consistently and in all areas. Those useless thoughts stop and I am no longer engaged in arguing. I am loving what is. I am living. Want a partner in reality? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Green Everywhere *With thanks to Byron Katie and her book Loving What Is for inspiration. Get free excerpts from my new book Live Light: Simple Steps, with 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. Now available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. What To Do With the Maelstrom January 2010        Hear this tip! Audio 1:56 min So often times it happens That we live our lives in chains And we never even know we have the key. Eagles, Already Gone There are two parts to the maelstrom. When we feel that we are caught up in a storm, banging against the outer walls, being tossed every which way, we have a choice. We can claw our way to the walls and attempt desperately to cling to them. Or we can let go, get pushed to the center, and float in the the eye of the storm where all is calm and time stops. What happens when we allow ourselves to center? When we choose to center, we find ourselves exerting no energy. Rather, we are in flow, carried along by what is. We find ourselves at the top of the funnel. Eventually, we are released completely from the storm. Want a partner in getting in flow? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: A Time for Love Get free excerpts from my new book Live Light: Simple Steps, with 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. Now available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. Great Success Tips from 2009 December 2009: 2 Kinds of Love        Audio 2:16 min November 2009: Open to What the Situation Wants        Audio 2:00 min October 2009: A New Beginning        Audio 2:24 min September 2009: Fruition        Audio 1:58 min August 2009: Restore        Audio 1:18 min July 2009: Balancing Reality and the Everyday        Audio 2:54 min June 2009: The Human Factor        Audio 2:20 min May 2009: 8 Limbs, 1 Body        Audio 2:34 min April 2009: What Does Balance Have to Do With Weight?        Audio 1:52 min March 2009: Harmonizing With Rhythms and Cycles        Audio 2:16 min February 2009: How To Be A Powerful Leader        Audio 2:42 min January 2009: Creating Community        Audio 1:58 min 2 Kinds of Love December 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:16 min We can think about love in two ways. We can think about love in a way in which we expect something in return for loving another. We quote, unquote love someone when they take care of us, give us something, or make us feel a certain way. Some people call this special love. In special love, we usually operate from a quid pro quo mentality. We love the other person only when they meet our needs. There is another kind of love. We can choose to love every person, every time. Some people call this conscious, creative, or divine love. When we access our power to live this kind of love, our interactions with others change because we act without expectation of return. We accept others completely, as they are, even as we believe they have the power to be even better. We recognize our own humanity, see it reflected in every other person, and love every other person. In this way love comes to us a thousand-fold. Want a partner in learning to access unconditional love? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: What To Do With The Maelstrom Get free excerpts from my new book Live Light: Simple Steps, with 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. Now available on Amazon! Open to What the Situation Wants November 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:00 min What do we bring to the situation? In every situation, every day, every moment, we have the ability to choose what we bring to the party. We can come with a desire to direct the situation based on what we want to have happen and then tell ourselves and others what to do. Or, we can choose to be quiet, present, in the moment and to see, feel, and hear what is right for the situation, regardless of what we think should be happening. What happens when we choose to be present? When we choose to be present we allow ourselves to be used for the highest purpose. We flow with what is happening. We accept change. We release ourselves from judging and sit in neutrality. We open space for others to be who they are and to contribute their gifts as they see, feel, and hear what the situation wants. We open to the world. We move closer to reality. Want a partner in learning to be open to the situation? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Two Kinds of Love Available now! Excerpts from Live Light: Simple Steps. 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. If you are ready to take the journey to spend quality time with yourself, focusing on listening to your deepest desires, meeting your true and authentic needs, and discovering along the way the gift of inner peace, Leanne's book is the adventure you are looking for. You'll discover how to breathe and be centered in this hectic-pace world we live in and awake to a newfound belief in your own abilities, self-worth and well-being. Teresa Brazzel Pernini, Esq., Counsel, Bryan Cave, LLP and mother of three A New Beginning October 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:24 min Push. Pull. Stop. Start.A new beginning can be a time of mixed emotion. We may be eager to start and consciously welcome change. At the same time, we have old patterns, habits, and emotions that have worn grooves in our mind, body and spirit. These grooves may pull us back towards what was, back to the known, to the places we understand. We work gently to create new grooves, to smooth over old patterns, to embrace the yet-to-be-known. Help? As we immerse ourselves in the unknown, we may get conflicting signals from those around us. Some may say that our new beginning should be a time of joy. We may be told that our perceptions are wrong, or misguided, or crazy. Some ignore that birthing is a messy, painful p r o c e s s rather than an instantaneous change. How can we help ourselves? Trust. Trust that our perceptions are accurate, regardless of what others say. Trust that the pain has a purpose, and be open to its message. Trust that all comes out perfectly. Emerge. Bit by bit, step by step, just as the phoenix comes through the fire to be reborn, we too pass through our new beginning to our new self. We find that our strength, tempered by the fire, has grown. We find we are ready. Want a partner in a new beginning? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Open to What the Situation Wants Pre-Publication Discount Available Now! Pre-order my new book Live Light: Simple Steps now! 52 weekly meditations and accompanying daily inquiries to apply the meditations immediately. Leanne describes how to take practical little steps toward a brighter future, cultivating an attitude that fosters a conscious awareness of each moment. Shelly Greenberg, author of The More Yoga Game and Director, Evergreen Yoga Studio. Fruition September 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 1:58 min Fruition - bearing fruit - has three parts. Letting go. Celebrating. Planning. Let go. Something in our life is ready to stand on its own. We have been diligently growing it, preparing it for its public debut, creating what we want. Now it is time to release it. Each year, with the Fall and the harvest, we are reminded that our job is to give freely that which we grow, to reap what we sow rather than leave it in the field to whither. A book. A degree. A child. A project. A painting. A song. Now is the time to let go. Celebrate. We acknowledge our work and enjoy the fact that we have had a hand in creation. We invite others to share our joy. Through celebration, we enable ourselves to end who we were and open space to become who we will be. Plan. With our open space, we plan where to head. We choose our next destination so that we begin our coming phase with a clear mind and a centered heart. Want a partner in fruition? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: A New Beginning Restore August 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 1:18 min Re. Store. It is time again to replenish our stores of rest, of energy, of self. How hard have we been pushing ourselves? What are we feeling now? How is our energy? August calls us to rest and slows us down to give us the time to rest. It invites us to care for ourselves. We know the work of the harvest is to come. We stop now so that we can move into the next cycle with anticipation and joy. Heed the call. Stop. Rest. Relax. Put it on your calendar now as a repeating occurrence for the next 50 years. Enjoy. Want a partner in re-storing? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Fruition Balancing Reality and the Everyday July 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:54 min What is the difference between reality and the everyday? In the everyday we get caught up in the things we believe we have to do, running here and going there, and seeing only that which confirms our existing worldview. When we glimpse reality, we realize what is most important to us. Have you ever spun and swung on a tire swing? When we do, we think the earth is spinning and the only stable place is the swing. This is us in the everyday. What happens when we are able to get off the swing? At first, we feel dizzy, and believe the earth continues to move. It takes time for us to realize the earth is stable. Our perspective finally shifts, and we notice the people on the swing and the swing are the ones moving, and we are stable. This is us experiencing reality. How do we live in the everyday and reality at the same time? We all have the innate ability to remain part of the everyday and to simultaneously see, feel, and hear reality. We can eliminate the effect on us of the insanity of the everyday by taking refuge in reality. Reality never changes. It is true day after day, life after life, generation after generation. How do we take refuge in reality? Everyone on the swing is calling to us and encouraging us to get back on the swing. At first, we continue to think swinging looks like fun, and we may jump back on. Then we remember reality, and get ourselves back on firm ground. We work to see, feel, and hear more reality. We help keep ourselves on firm ground by: connecting with other people who are on the ground, keeping close to us objects, sayings, and pictures that remind of us reality, and feeling compassion for those who remain on the swing Want a partner in reality? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Restore The Human Factor June 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:20 min What is the human factor? The human factor is the lens through which we view humans. We can choose a worldview that sees every human as essentially the same as us while acknowledging with gratitude our degrees of difference. We can choose a worldview that acknowledges that a normal part of being human is being wrong sometimes, and that what is important is what we do once we know we are wrong. What happens when we choose to see every human as like us? We interact with the people around us as individuals, rather than objects. We feel with our hearts, as well as think with our heads. In all we do, we have a heart at peace. What happens when we acknowledge humans are sometimes wrong? We have compassion for ourselves and others. If we see that our actions fall short of our standards, we are compassionate for ourselves, seek ways to see reality, learn what we are ready to learn, and apply our learning to do and be better. When puzzled by another's actions, we remember the times we have been wrong, confused, or rushed, and allow for the person to be human and experience learning. How can we remember the human factor? Since we are all human, the human factor operates whether we acknowledge it or not. We can better remember the human factor if we have a reminder. We can choose a word or phrase, such as Oneness, or We are All connected. We can choose a picture, such as the view of Earth from space. We can choose a 3D model of a human who sits on our desk or in our car. We pick what works for us. When we remember the human factor, we can choose how we treat others and how we treat ourselves. We can increase our well-being. Want a partner in learning to remember the human factor? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Balancing Reality and the Everyday 8 Limbs, 1 Body May 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:34 min How can we transform ourselves? We transform ourselves in 3 steps: 1) by noticing how we are acting and being, 2) by identifying which of our actions and states of being bring us the most well-being, and 3) by taking conscious steps to increase our well-being. What steps increase our well-being? We learn what steps increase our well-being from following the transformation steps and writing down what makes us successful. As we do, we may notice that steps we identify focus on: how we act with other people how we treat ourselves, internally and externally caring for our physical body understanding and developing the connection between our body and our emotions disciplining our senses rather than having our senses direct our actions focusing our attention in a particular direction feeling a connection with that upon which we are focused merging with that upon which we are focused We learn that when we create habits around these 8 limbs, we see Reality and are able to be the One we really are.* How do we create the habits that enable our transformation? We create our good habits with time, patience, and understanding. We use time to repeat our actions often enough that we come to act the way we want without thinking. We use patience to to allow the time to create our good habits. We use understanding to feel compassion for ourselves as we learn. Want a partner in transformation? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *For an in-depth discussion of these 8 limbs from the yogic tradition, read The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice by T. K. V. Desikachar. Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: The Human Factor What Does Balance Have to Do With Weight? April 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 1:52 min What is balance? Someone once said to me that You can't have it all. I thought about it and replied, We may not be able to have it all, but we can have what is most important for us. Balance is having what is right for us, in the right amount. What is the perfect weight? We know we are at our perfect weight when we have a feeling of being completely alive. We are not so heavy that we feel slow or experience discomfort as we pick out our clothes. We are not so slight that we are dizzy or over-revved up. We are simply comfortable in our skin, and our body works in a way that supports our well-being. What does balance have to do with weight? Balance and weight are intimately linked. When we live a life that is in balance for us we reach and maintain our perfect weight easily. We find ourselves able to disconnect from the emotional associations we have for certain foods or drinks. We eat when we are hungry, and no more. We hear what our bodies say is healthy for us to consume, and we choose to consume it. Notice the link, and choose what is right for you. Want a partner in creating balance? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: 8 Limbs, 1 Body Harmonizing With Rhythms and Cycles March 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:16 min How do rhythms and cycles affect us? The rhythms and cycles found in nature, society, and ourselves affect our well-being. When we have brilliant sunshine, we can feel energized. When we have days of rain on end, we can feel sleepy. When winter comes in, we can feel like hibernating. When the fall comes, as a time of harvest, we can feel very active. Conditioned by society's standard school year, we can feel that summer is a time to play, and fall a time to get back to work. Our internal cycles, of age, of sleep, of fertility, can affect how we feel and what we feel like accomplishing. What choices do we have about rhythms and cycles? When we experience a rhythm or cycle, we have at least 3 choices. We can choose to ignore it and press on with whatever we are doing. We can choose to acknowledge it and the effect it has on us, yet take action to change how we feel. We can choose to acknowledge it and the effect it has on us, and act in accordance with the way we feel. How can our choices benefit us? Any of our choices can create harmony and beautiful music with the rhythm or cycle we are experiencing. It is up to us to hear the music we are creating as we make our conscious choices, and to make the choices that create harmony for us, in turn supporting our well-being. Want a partner in creating harmony? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: What Does Balance Have to Do With Weight? How To Be A Powerful Leader February 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 2:42 min What makes a Powerful Leader? 1) Passion 2) Openness 3) Will. A leader who embodies these 3 principles puts the P*O*W in Powerful Leadership. How does Passion make a Powerful Leader? Passion makes a Powerful Leader because the leader who cares about what s/he is doing feels continuously renewed by what s/he is doing and inspires others to care. Without passion, a leader can be competent. With passion, a leader can take self and others to a higher level of accomplishment. How does Openness make a Powerful Leader? Openness makes a Powerful Leader by allowing the benefits of group decision-making, new people, new options, new information, and creativity to play a role in choosing action. A leader who is not open can stay stuck in a particular world view, which, as the world changes, can be self-destructive for the leader and for the leader's organization. The leader who stays open in the heart and the mind is in a continuous state of change in which s/he scans and selects the best in the moment, understanding and acting on the fact that the best changes from moment to moment. How does Will make a Powerful Leader? Will makes a Powerful Leader because through will, a leader sees to it that ideas become reality. Without will, a leader can generate many good ideas but lose sight of what s/he wants to accomplish. With will, a leader takes responsibility for making ideas come to fruition so as to accomplish a specific objective. How does a Powerful Leader combine Passion, Openness and Will? A Powerful Leader uses these 3 states of being, Passion, Openness, and Will, the P*O*W in Powerful Leadership, to select what is most important and direct action to accomplish it. Want a partner in being a Powerful Leader? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Harmonizing With Rhythms and Cycles Creating Community January 2009        Hear this tip! Audio 1:58 min How can we create the community we want? We have the power to surround ourselves with people who support our positive beliefs. We also have the power to support others in their beliefs. We can create a community that makes it easier to live the life we want. To do this, we simply A.S.K. - Add, Subtract, Keep. Identify the people in your life nowadays. In what areas of your life do they provide support? In each area, do you want to Add additional people to support you? Do you want to Subtract some people who are providing other than positive support? Do you want to take action to ensure you Keep certain people in your life? How do we benefit from community? We get tremendous benefits from surrounding ourselves with the community that supports us. You may have seen the studies. When we have friends who are at a perfect weight, we are more likely to be at our own perfect weight. When we tell people what we want to accomplish, we are more likely to accomplish it. When we want to persuade others to take action, having others speak up on our behalf helps convince them. Through community, we are powerful in accomplishing what we want. Want a partner in identifying the actions to take to create the community you want? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Powerful Leadership Great Tips From 2008 December 2008: Money, Part 3: The Belief. Audio 2:18 min November 2008: Money, Part 2: The Formula. Audio 2:40 min October 2008: Money, Part 1: The Question. Audio 2:28 min September 2008: Doing, With Confidence. Audio 3:08 min August 2008: Is It Personal? Audio 2:34 min July 2008: Competition and Competence. Audio 3:06 min June 2008: Living Compassion.    Audio 3:00 min May 2008: Find the Stillness.    Audio 2:34 min April 2008: What Everybody Wants.    Audio 2:54 min March 2008: Who Says?    Audio 2:48 min February 2008: What's In A Name?    Audio 2:21 min January 2008: Why Monitor Well-Being?    Audio 1:52 min Money, Part 3 The Belief December 2008        Hear this tip! Audio 2:18 min What is the state of being we want when we think about money? Now that we are doing what is most important to us, what do we focus on when we do not know what comes next? What if we want to accomplish something and have no idea how to obtain the resources? In these cases, there is nothing to do. There is only something to be. We take a leap of faith, trusting that, for what is on purpose for us, the resources appear. Anne Wilson Schaef talks about the sensation of stepping off a cliff, then realizing that our own clothing has become our parachute. The more we live on purpose, the more we notice the perfect synchronicities that appear in our lives. We want someone who can produce a video? We meet someone in an unlikely place. We want someone who does metalwork? A friend knows someone. The more our creativity flows, the more we are who we are, the more we connect with our power, the more we find ourselves accomplishing easily what we want. How can we affirm the beliefs we want to have about money? We affirm the beliefs we want to have about money by having a short statement that we use again and again as we live. That statement can be personal to us, or something we have read. One person might say, "I trust in my higher power." Another might use as a source of inspiration Matthew 6:26,* which states that we are taken care of whenever we do the work for which we are created. Another might say "Whatever is on purpose for me, it all works out." What statement do you choose to use to support your positive beliefs about money? Want a partner in supporting your money beliefs? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *Behold the fowls of the air. God feeds the birds without their sowing or reaping, but they do the work for which they were created, and God takes care of them. So, too, he will take care of us--not in idleness or improvidence--but if we do the work for which God created us. Matthew 6:26, People's New Testament. Also available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Creating Community. Money, Part 2 The Formula November 2008        Hear this tip! Audio 2:40 min Money is simply the most generally used counter for measuring the time invested in doing or making something. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Finding Flow at 8. What is the formula that gets us the money we want? The money formula is simply Money = Life Energy. Let's say that we spend 40 hours a week working. We are using our life energy during those 40 hours. How much money are we getting in return for our life energy? Now that we have that money, what are we doing with it? Is what we are spending money on worth the amount of life energy we used to get the money we spent? Joe Dominguez points out in Your Money or Your Life, we can figure out how much we are really earning for each hour of our life. Once we know this, we can make intelligent choices about how to spend our time. What happens when we flip the formula? The formula works equally well as Life Energy = Money. How do we want to spend our life energy? If what we want is to spend a month in a foreign country, and we wonder how we can do it with our existing money, we can shift our perspective to ask instead how we can do it with our life energy. Yes, we could spend several thousand dollars renting a house. This requires money. What could we accomplish using our life energy in place of money? Might our company send us, expenses paid? Could we arrange a homestay or home swap; teach our language; or get a scholarship? These options require mainly life energy, which replaces what would otherwise be accomplished by using money. Timothy Ferris offers more ideas for how to transform our life energy into money. Once we shift perspective, the options are endless, and we find the door open for accomplishing what is on purpose for us. Want a partner in running the numbers? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Monthly Success Tips are now available as an ITunes Podcast! Next month: Money, Part 3: The Belief Money, Part 1 The Question October 2008        Hear this tip! Audio 2:28 min What is the real money question? Have you ever been asked what you would do if you had all the money in the world? A nice question, but one that most of us do not perceive as our likely reality. What if we shifted our perspective to one of belief that all the money in the world is available to us to accomplish what is most on purpose for us? From this perspective, we then get to our real, relevant, money question. Our question is, What would I do if I were not thinking about money? This question is useful to us because in asking it, we focus on what we really want. What would I do if I were not thinking about money? This question is a shortcut to identifying accurately what we want. We can use it in all kinds of circumstances. When considering a purchase, we ask, Would I buy this if I were not thinking about money? In deciding whether to spend our time a certain way or to accept certain kinds of work, we ask Would I do this if I were not thinking about money? When we choose with whom to spend our time, we ask Would I spend time with this person if I were not thinking about money? We even use this question in making choices about money. We ask, What would my hourly rate be if I were not thinking about money? And, If I were not thinking about money, would I want all the money in the world? Want a partner in asking the real money question? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Money, Part 2: The Formula Doing, With Confidence September 2008        Hear this tip! Audio 3:08 min Are we open or directing? We sometimes perceive that, to be successful, we must make things happen. So, we set up appointments, network, generate new programs, contact people, and generally do what we think we should to make occur something on which we have set our minds and hearts. What happens when, despite our efforts, we run into only dead ends or walls? This is the opportunity to consider our options. Option 1: Is the universe telling me something? Sometimes, those multiple instances of walls and dead ends are clear signs that it is time for us to select a different path. Of course, since persistence is the number one predictor of success, we are persistent first. Once our persistence has been answered only with some form of No, it is time to open our hearts and minds to the possibility that we are being asked to take a different path. Option 2: Does something else need to happen first? Another possibility is that our persistence is being met only with some form of No because there is something else that needs to happen first. We might identify what that is by asking: Is there a lesson here? Am I missing something? Perhaps it is time to release our attachment to outcome. Perhaps it is time to examine our motivation in selecting a particular path. Perhaps it is time to take care of ourselves, first. Or perhaps there is another lesson, designed just for us. What's the solution? Dance. Our solution is to simply dance in the moment. Sometimes, to be successful, we do want to take that next step. Sometimes, to be successful, we do want to be in stillness and see what comes to us. This constant flow of pushing, pulling, and being still is best ridden with our attention on what is really happening, rather than on what we think should be happening. When we accurately perceive reality, then we can do what is appropriate, with confidence. Want support in dancing? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Money, Part 1: The Question Is It Personal? August 2008        Hear this tip! Audio 2:34 min How can we notice when we are taking something personally? We can notice when we think what is happening is personal because we have emotion around the event. If we feel the event is negative - that person cut ME off - we may have anger or indignation. If we feel the event is positive - I got this award - we may have pride or satisfaction. Now that we have noticed, is our perception accurate? Is what is happening personal to us? Nothing is personal. Everything is personal. Nothing is personal because whatever is happening out there in no way controls what happens inside us. We are always in a position to respond to whatever is happening in whatever way we want. We have the power to choose. For this reason, Everything is personal, since every opportunity to notice our emotion and choose our response is an individual, personalized learning experience, designed just for us. What learning? To identify the learning available to us, we ask: If I were writing a novel, what lesson would I want my character to learn here? In answering our question about our own experience, we can remember Albert Einstein's quote: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. What are we doing consistently nowadays that is not yielding the results we want? What options do we have? What steps do we commit to take? Want a partner in getting different results? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Doing, With Confidence. Now open: Registration for Executive Group Gold Coaching and Couples Group Gold Coaching. Now available: LinkedIn Profile for Leanne. Competition and Competence July 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 3:06 min What is the purpose of competition? We have all experienced the sense that either we are in competition with someone or someone is in competition with us. Some of us experience this sensation on a daily basis. Can this sense of competition support us in accomplishing what is most important to us? Yes, when we acknowledge the true purpose of competition. The true purpose of competition is to enable us to find our capacity and to grow beyond what we currently think and feel is possible. Thus, the only competition that matters is the competition we set for ourselves. We are grateful to those who challenge us directly to identify what more we can accomplish, as well as those who show the way forward by demonstrating through their own capabilities how much more is possible. How are competition and competence related? At times, we respond to competition, or any perceived challenge, from a desire to be viewed as competent. Some of us like to be competent all the time, in all arenas. It is important for us to recognize when we are acting from a desire to be viewed as competent, and then to ask whether engaging in competition in this particular arena is likely to bring us satisfaction, fulfillment, and growth. If the answer to our question is Yes, we then have the opportunity to determine whether we want to base our actions on a desire to be seen as competent, or to build on some other foundation. We are all worthy. As we continue our daily journey, we can remind ourselves consistently that, no matter what, We are all worthy. Just as each of us has some skills that far surpass the skills of others, there are some arenas in which someone else has skills that far surpass ours. It is o.k. We each have our own lessons to learn, and our own, unique journey. Our job is to shift our perception to realize that, no matter what, We are all worthy. Want a partner in growing beyond what you currently think and feel is possible? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Is It Personal? Living Compassion June 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 3:00 min What is compassion? Compassion is sympathetic consciousness of another's distress, together with a desire to alleviate it.* When we feel compassion, we move beyond simply recognizing that another is having trouble, and into a desire to act to help the person. We have infinite opportunities to use our compassion, every day. When is it time to tune into our compassion? Sometimes, the signal for us to tune into our compassion is recognition of our own sense of frustration, anxiety, or fear. If we are in a situation in which we are experiencing one of these emotions, and we attribute our experience to actions taken by another, this is an opportunity for us to shift our view from what we are experiencing and ask ourselves what the other person is experiencing. Is what the other person is experiencing the cause of their actions? For example, if we are cut off by another car, we can use our compassion to think that perhaps the other person is on the way to a sick child, is feeling overwhelmed, or simply unaware. We can recognize that only a person in distress would act so. Then, we can do whatever is in our power to alleviate their distress. Sometimes, all we can do is disengage or acknowledge the person' distress. Other times, we can take more direct action. How does using compassion contribute to our success? Using our compassion contributes to our success by connecting us to others in a state of calm. We are able to see that whatever is happening, it has little if anything to do with us personally. Then, we can choose what action to take, and do so confident that our actions are appropriate. Want a partner in living compassion? Use this compassion meditation, call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *From Merriam-Webster online. Next month: Competition and Competence Find the Stillness May 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 2:34 min What is stillness? Stand with your legs directly under your hips, hips under your shoulders, spine straight, arms gently hanging at your sides, weight spread evenly on your feet and eyes looking straight ahead. Stand in this position until you feel completely still. Now lift one leg, keeping the same even weight distribution, stillness, and breathing. Imagine standing in this place while all around appears to you, and only you, as if it is moving in slow motion. You are the calm in the eye of the storm. This is the experience of stillness. What is the advantage of being in stillness? In stillness, we have the capacity and the time to take in what is happening, notice, and adjust our own reactions. If we notice we are wobbling, we adjust our position to return to center. We feel we have all the time in the world to make this adjustment, and can do so long before we are in any danger of falling over. We clearly see what is happening around us and within us, and manage ourselves so as to flow with the circumstances. We ask What is perfect for the situation?, rather than What do we want to make the situation? How can we find stillness? We grow our capacity for stillness by having a routine habit of being first physically, then mentally, then spiritually still. Our stillness practice is a relaxed practice. Simply sitting in quiet for a few moments each day can support us in finding our stillness. Want a partner in finding the stillness? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Living Compassion What Everybody Wants April 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 2:54 min What do we all want? What is it we all really crave? Money? Success? A big house? A vacation in an exotic location? Sure, many of those things are nice. At the same time, they are usually symbols for something else. Something we all want. Love. Respect. Happily, there is an abundant supply of both. Where can we get ours? We are our own best source of love and respect. By focusing on ourselves first, we create an infinite supply. We can ask ourselves some questions to identify whether we treat our bodies, minds, and spirits, with respect and love: Do I eat food that makes my body feel good? Do I sleep when I am tired? Do I read books and watch videos that support my well-being? Is what I am putting in my mind helping me to act the way I want? Do I have an accurate perception of myself? Am I able to use my accurate self-perception to act the way I want? Do I say things to myself that are respectful? Loving? Do I set aside time to grow my connection to my spirit? By focusing our attention and actions to be able to answer Yes to as many of these questions as possible, we love and respect ourselves. Our self-aware, accurate love and respect for ourselves provides an abundant, ever-flowing source on which we can count. How can we create an endless feedback loop? As we treat ourselves with love and respect, we become aware that what everyone around us wants distills to the same two items: love and respect. Of course, we are each different, and so the Golden Rule of Do unto others as we would have them do unto us means that we find out what is perfect for them, and act accordingly. For example, if we invite a guest for dinner who tells us she prefers not to eat mushrooms, we prepare a dish that contains some other food, even if we love mushrooms. In focusing on others, we treat them with love and respect, and we find others returning the same love and respect to us. Want a partner in tapping your abundant supply of love and respect? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Find the Stillness Who Says? March 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 2:54 min When do we ask ourselves Who Says? We can ask ourselves the question Who Says? anytime we have identified something to accomplish but are not yet accomplishing it. There are at least two kinds of answers to the question Who Says? The Outsider Answer. The first type of who in Who Says? is identified when we notice a thought that begins with the statement I need to . . ., I should . . ., I really ought to . . ., or I have to . . .. In these cases, we often have taken action to accomplish what we have identified, but find that we are not accomplishing it. When we notice ourselves using the words need to, should, ought to, have to we can use this as a trigger to ask ourselves Who Says? In our response, we may find that we have a refrain running through our minds that directs us to take the action. When we examine where that refrain originated, many times we find that the who in the Who Says? question is a person outside of ourselves. This is the perfect opportunity for us to step back and ask ourselves, What do I want to do? Once we know what we want to do, we can choose how to proceed, creating clarity in intention and action, and accomplishing what we want. The Insider Answer. The second type of who in Who Says? is identified when we notice a thought that begins with the statement I cannot . . ., I could never . . ., There is no way . . ., or No one could . . .. In these cases, we have identified something we want to accomplish, but often have taken little or no action to accomplish it. These words, too, can serve as a trigger for us to ask ourselves Who Says? In our response, we may find that we are the only person saying what we want to accomplish is impossible. The root of our statement can often be traced to fear. Once we have named the true obstacle of our fear as being what stands between us and what we want, we can proceed with clarity in intention and action, accomplishing what we want. Want a partner in asking Who Says? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: What Everybody Wants What's In A Name? February 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 2:21 min What is in a name? Our brain begins naming as soon as our senses perceive something. This, then, is what is in a name: our entire perception. What is our entire perception? Our reality. The moment we apply a name to something, anything, we have categorized it. When we categorize by naming, we often bring to our categorization our beliefs. For example, if we call something green and we like the color green, we may feel good about the item. If we do not like the color green, we may feel negatively towards the item. Our beliefs, conscious, subconscious, and unconscious, then influence our actions. Thus, if we see something green, and feel good about the color green, we are more likely to act in a positive, friendly manner. If we do not like the color green, we are more likely to act in a reserved, possibly negative manner. The trick is, we do this even when we are unaware of the effect of our naming. How can I create awareness around my naming? We can create awareness around our naming by taking time to notice our naming. Look around the room right now. What are the names you give to the things you see? What other possible names are there for the same items? What feelings are present as you name items? Once we create awareness around our naming, we can create awareness around our beliefs associated with particular naming, and then we can choose how to act. Want a partner in choosing the actions you want? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Who says? Why Monitor Well-Being? January 2008     Hear this tip! Audio 1:52 min What is well-being? Well-being is what we experience or feel as we are doing. Think about what you are feeling or experiencing right now. What words describe your experience? If the first word that pops to mind is good, think about whether other words describe your experience. Add to your well-being vocabulary. How can we enhance our well-being? We can enhance our well-being by naming those qualities that describe us in a state of well-being, identifying how we create our experience of those qualities, and then consciously choosing to create more well-being. For example, if one of our well-being states is Relaxed, and we know that we get relaxed when we work out and when we set aside time to rest, we can increase our well-being by scheduling time to work out and to relax, and then doing so. What is the value of monitoring well-being? The value of monitoring well-being is that being and doing are a constant feedback loop. The way we feel affects what we do. What we do affects how we feel. By monitoring well-being and applying what we observe for better self-management, we can consistently move ourselves in the direction of making real our vision of who we are. Want a partner in learning to monitor well-being? Call me at 703-348-7788, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: What's in a Name? Great Tips From 2007 December 2007: What Does My Second Brain Say?    Audio 1:55 min November 2007: Get Paid to Do What You Enjoy    Audio 1:57 min October 2007: You Did It! Celebrate!    Audio 1:51 min September 2007: What To Do With The Flip Side    Audio 2:50 min August 2007: Cultivating Generosity in Spirit    Audio 2:16 min July 2007: The Power of Community    Audio 2:47 min June 2007: Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!    Audio 2:33 min May 2007: Silence or Speech?    Audio 2:05 min April 2007: Need Little, Want Less.    Audio 2:50 min March 2007: How Does My Body Support Me in Relaxation?    Audio 2:48 min February 2007: How Do I Create Fearlessness in the Face of Death?    Audio 4:09 min January 2007: How Do I Move From Resolution to Reality?    Audio 2:33 min What Does My Second Brain Say? December 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 1:55 min Where is my second brain? We have a large collection of nerves in our gut, called the enteric nervous system. Why do we care? Because our second brain gives us signals regarding stress, affects when we eat and how the food we eat is digested, and is an indicator for how balanced our life is. How can I tune in to my second brain? Our second brain is located in our midsection, above our waist and below our heart. Focus on this area. How does it feel right now? Is it tight? Relaxed? Tune in to how it feels. If it is tight, consciously relax. Once relaxed, we can let that relaxation flow through our bodies. How can I use my connection with my second brain to live the life I want? When we listen to our second brain, we can check out what we are feeling and make a conscious choice about what to do. For example, at times when our second brain is tight, we think we are hungry or that we want something to eat. By consciously distinguishing the feeling of our second brain from the feeling of our stomach, we can accurately distinguish when we are hungry from when we are stressed. Then, we can choose what to do next. We can choose whether to eat. We can choose whether to take steps that we know relax us. Want a partner in learning to tune in to your second brain? Call me at 703-348-7788, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Why Monitor Well-Being? Get Paid to Do What You Enjoy! November 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 1:57 min What do you get paid for nowadays? Many of us are successful as society defines success. We hold a steady, well-paying job and live in physical comfort. The question is, are we spending large amounts of our energy marking time to accumulate material wealth, or are we working in an arena that we enjoy, and getting paid for our work? Are we sensible people? "Sensible people get paid to do what they enjoy doing."* I am a sensible person. Therefore, I get paid to do what I enjoy doing. This is the way this "proof," like a mathematical proof, is supposed to work. Sometimes, we get one part of the proof, but miss the whole. We might be sensible and get paid, but not enjoy what we are doing. We might be sensible and do what we enjoy doing, but not get paid. When we remember that the "proof" works together, we meet our own definition of success. What does getting paid have to do with it? Money represents energy. Therefore, when we get paid for how we choose to contribute our energy in this world, we receive appreciation and validation from the outside world, and enable ourselves to then choose how we translate our unique energy of "one" into the common denomination of money, which in turn allows us to express our appreciation of other individuals' unique energies. Want a partner in being sensible? Call me at 703-348-7788, email me, or contact me using my online form! *Zencast 92 - What Is by Alan Watts Next month: What Does My Second Brain Say? You Did It! Celebrate! October 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 1:51 min What is the Cycle of Creation? The Cycle of Creation has 5 parts. First, we have an idea. Then, we act. Then, we evaluate what we have done. Many of us move straight from evaluation back to ideas. There is a better way. I accomplished what I want. Now what? From evaluation, move to celebration! Create a list of possible ways to celebrate. Use the list to identify the next celebration, first as a promise, and then as acknowledgment. In this way, we maintain our well-being, make ourselves consciously aware of what we accomplish, and see how we are making progress on the path we have chosen. Celebration was great! Now it's time to act again, right? As we accomplish what we want, we can get in the habit of being a body in motion. Instead, move from celebration to rest. Rest provides us with the energy to move forward, and with the perspective to accurately identify our next steps. Then, having completed the Cycle of Creation, we maintain our well-being and are ready to explore new ideas and take new actions. Want a partner in creating the habits to consistently live the Cycle of Creation? Call me at 703-348-7788, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Get Paid for What You Enjoy What To Do With the Flip Side September 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:50 min There is always a flip side. You know, that voice in our heads saying something about what we are doing that is pushing us away from accomplishing what we have identified as a priority. The question is, is that voice pushing us onto our path or away from our path? There are two kinds of flip side. In the first kind of flip side, the voice in our head is saying, You know, I am really not enjoying myself. In fact, I hate doing this. Why am I doing this? If we hear this voice and can answer, I am doing this because I understand how it fits into my vision for my life, then we are likely still on track. An example of this is the parent who changes diapers. Does anyone enjoy changing diapers? Perhaps not, but the parent understands how changing diapers is congruent with showing love for the child, and so keeps right on doing the changing. If instead, we have no good answer to Why am I doing this?, we can stop and consider whether what we are doing is on purpose for us, or if we want to expend our energy in another way. Then there is the other kind of flip side. With the other kind of flip side, the voice in our head says things like, You'll never accomplish that. Or possibly, People will never buy that from you. This flip side shows us we are on our path, but there is a storm cloud called fear obscuring our view and making the way a bit harder. Some call this lack of self-realization. What to do with this voice? First, identify the voice. Listen to it. Acknowledge it. Ask how it does serve us. Thank it for being present. Then make a conscious choice about whether to move forward. Many times, this voice simply wants to be heard and recognized as fear trying to protect us. Once we do that, we often find our path lit as if by bright sunshine. Want a partner in identifying what type of flip side is speaking? Call me at 703-348-7788, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: You Did It! Celebrate! Cultivating Generosity in Spirit August 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:16 min What does it mean to be generous in spirit? Being generous in spirit means giving to others of our time, resources, money, energy, knowledge, or love, freely, without obligation to do so or expectation of return. It is an almost reflexive action in which we give of ourselves in the moment without thought of the effect, good or bad, on ourselves. When is it easy to be generous in spirit? It is easiest to be generous in spirit when we are secure in ourselves and in our place in the world. When our perception says that we have enough time, resources, money, energy, knowledge, or love, we easily share what we have. Our perception has little to do with absolute standards and much to do with what we feel inside. Generosity in spirit is particularly easy when we are present in the moment and tuned-in to the person with whom we are interacting, rather than caught up in our own story of what we think is happening. What happens when we are generous in spirit? When we are generous in spirit, we focus on the generous spirit of those around us. When what we see is generosity, we receive that generosity personally, every day of our lives. For those with whom we connect, we create the possibility of passing on generosity. Many a successful networking group is based on this premise. Generosity in spirit is the foundation, the rock, of every successful personal relationship. Cultivate your generosity in spirit with your significant other, and throughout your life. See what happens. Want to try it out? Write out your desired result. For example, you could write down, Give freely at least one time between today and September 9. Notice what happens. Want a partner in cultivating generosity in spirit? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: What To Do With the Flip Side The Power of Community July 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:47 min Our communities form who we are. We have all heard the saying Birds of a feather flock together. One can take this to mean that we tend to associate with people who are like us. One can also take this to mean that we become like the people with whom we associate. Thus, the old joke about married people coming to look like each other. The power of knowing that our communities form who we are is that we can then make a conscious choice about the communities in which we take part, thereby consciously moving ourselves in the direction of becoming the type of person we want to be. Our communities support us in accomplishing what is most important to us. In surrounding ourselves with people who support our objectives, we make it easier to reach our objectives. If we hit a slow spot, we have people who tell us, Keep going, it gets better. When we need a mastermind group to brainstorm with us, we have a ready-made group. When we can use a helping hand, we have people with experience to lead the way. When others tell us we are crazy, we have people who affirm that what we want is good and healthy. Our community tells us and shows us that We can do it. The support of our community increases our belief in ourselves, and since belief in ourselves is the single greatest predictor of success*, we make it more likely we succeed when we take part in community. In the give and take of community, we can find the best of ourselves. The support we get from our communities makes us grateful, which in turn makes us want to extend support to others in our community. We keep our communities strong, to the benefit of ourselves and others. In supporting the right communities for us, we simply become better people. Identify the communities of which you are a part. Choose whether to remain a part of those communities. Identify other communities that can support you in accomplishing what you want. Choose whether to become part of those communities. Enjoy the power of community. Want a partner in identifying the communities that support your success? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *See, e.g., Kelly Spors April 11, 2007 SmallTalk column, Can A Test Really Predict Entrepreneurial Success? Next month: Cultivating Generosity of Spirit Oh, What A Beautiful Morning! June 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:33 min Did I notice? We live in awe-inspiring surroundings every moment. When we take the time to notice, be fully present, and appreciate where we are, we bring that awe to the front and center of our lives, instantly creating joy and connection. How can I notice more often? We can experience awe more often by practicing our noticing. For example, without taking in new information now, recall as much as you can about the weather. What is the temperature? Is it windy? If so, what does the wind feel like? Is the sun shining? What is the exact color of the sky? Are there clouds? If so, what color are they? Is there precipitation? If so, what type and how much? What is the smell in the air? Write down as much as you can. When you are finished, stop, turn your complete attention to your outside environment, and focus on what you experience. What do you see, feel, and hear now that adds to what you have already written? Practice this for many days. Soon, noticing will be a habit. Every morning is beautiful. There may be some things we notice that we might not place in the category of pleasant. For example, we might prefer warmer or colder temperatures. If we prefer warmer weather, it is still possible to emerge into a day that we consider too cold and shift our perspective to one of pleasure at the crispness in the air, the clarity of the light, the crystal quality of sound in the still air. It all depends on how we choose to focus our attention. When we consciously choose to see the beauty in the day, the already present beauty becomes part of our lives. Want a partner in creating a sense of awe? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *See, e.g., Kelly Spors April 10, 2007 Small Talk column in The Wall Street Journal, stating the only real distinguishing trait [of successful entrepreneurs] ... is belief that you can build a successful business. available here. Next month: The Power of Community Silence or Speech? May 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:05 min What is the impact of our words? There is a nifty saying: Watch your thoughts, they become words, Watch your words, they become actions, Watch your actions, they become habits, Watch your habits, they become your character, Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. In a nutshell, our words create our reality. When should we speak? One way we can decide whether to speak or stay silent is to ask ourselves before we speak whether what we are about to say is better than silence. One measure of whether our words are better than silence is whether our words will create connection and unity between us and those around us. If so, speak! How can we create the time to think before we speak? There are any number of ways to create the time to think before we speak. In situations where we think we might speak too quickly, we can place our hand over our mouth as a physical reminder to stop and think. We can get in the habit of repeating back what is said to us so as to allow ourselves more time to process what we have heard. In general, we can create more calm for ourselves, so that we act more deliberately, in all our actions, including speaking. What works for you? Find out and keep on doing it until you find yourself comfortable with when you speak and when you choose silence. Want a partner in creating speech or silence in the way that is right for you? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Oh, What A Beautiful Morning! Need Little, Want Less.* April 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:50 min What do we need? Need has two parts: a doing component, and a being component. When we need, need, need, our doing is a constant grasping for something. When we need, need, need, our doing is a constant state of desire. When we need less, our doing is a state of rest. When we need less, we feel contentment with what we have. Need is interesting for another reason. Whenever I hear myself or another use the word need, I wonder, Who has created that need? Is the need a want that is congruent with my center? Or is it a need that has been introduced externally, by a superior, a parent, or Madison Avenue? To find out, I ask, What do you want? What do we want? Want also has the two parts of doing and being. When we want less, our doing is one of actively seeking to simplify our lives. Gil Fronsdal, in one of his Zencasts, tells the story of a monk who went from town to town with just his begging bowl, happy that he had so little, until the day he met another monk who used only his hands to eat. The first monk then said, Here I've been, lugging around this silly bowl, when I could have been without burden! When we want less, we feel clarity. What happens when we need little and want less? We can need little and want less of people, places, and things. When we focus on enjoying what comes to us, we recognize that the people, places, and things in our lives are part of the whole, each existing in its own unique way for the benefit of all. We appreciate what is without seeking to hold it. We appreciate what is without feeling sorrow when it is removed from our lives. We increase our satisfaction with our lives. Want a partner in needing little and wanting less? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *Thanks to Ursula K. LeGuin for her inspiring version of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, also available in a different translation here. Next month: Silence or Speech? How Does My Body Support Me in Relaxation? March 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:48 min How does the back of your neck feel right now? Where is your tongue hanging out in your mouth? How is your breathing? Checking in on these three aspects of our physical presence can tell us a lot about how we feel. When we are relaxed, the back of our neck feels smooth, like a sheet of paper. We can imagine skiing down it gracefully. When we are relaxed, our tongue is somewhere in the middle of our mouth, rather than glued to the top or bottom of our mouth. When we are relaxed, our breathing is easy, rhythmic, and with approximately equal inhales and exhales. By checking in on how these three parts of our body feel, we can consciously relax. Our body reflects our state of mind and creates it! Interestingly, our body serves a two-way function. When we check in with our body, it provides us with physical signs that we are either relaxed or tense. However, our body also sends signals to our mind about how to feel. When we consciously relax our body, our body tells our mind, OK, everything is alright, feel relaxed. Try it out. Next time you are anxious, angry, or working hard physically, check in with your neck, tongue, and breath. Relax your neck and tongue and calm your breath. Focus your energy only on the part of your body that is actually doing the work, and relax all other parts. How do you feel? What other parts of our bodies give us signals? Each of us has a unique answer to this question. Check in with your body and see what it says to you. For example, I have discovered that my collar bone is a good indicator of how relaxed I am. If it is in a straight line, I am fairly relaxed. If it curves up, it means that my shoulders and I are tense. Find out for yourself what signs your body gives to you, and tune in to create the state of being you want. Want a partner in creating relaxation? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Need little, want less. How Can I Create Fearlessness in the Face of Death? February 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 4:09 min We are all on a path, and we have the option to live a life of love. Creating fearlessness supports us in love. In asking ourselves these 3 questions, we move in the direction we want. (1) Am I living or deferring? How are we spending our time, energy, and money nowadays? Are we using these resources in the way that permits us to say, If I die today, I am alright with that, because I am on the path I want to be on? Or are we living a deferred life plan,* doing what we think we need to do so that someday we can do what we want to do? Is it any easier to accomplish what we think we need to do rather than what we want? We live by choosing to accomplish that which gives us the feeling that what we are doing in this life is perfect, that our time here has been meaningful, and that we have directed that which is within our control. (2) Have I accepted what I do not control? The end point of life as we know it is something we use the word death to identify. Numerous disciplines have crafted answers to the question of what happens after this life. We have no empirical evidence of what the answer to this question is. We also have no control over what happens after this life. It simply is what it is. Thus for death, our own and others, there is only acceptance, even as we strive to learn. It is what it is. (3) Have I prepared my Mind? Mind is very powerful, and we are grateful to it for supporting our survival. Now our job is to recognize that Mind thinks only in the short term, and to let Intelligence, that part of us that knows what is best for us in the long term, direct our choices. Part of this is learning to hear Mind while separating what Mind says from self. To do this, we engage in any activity that allows us to notice what Mind says while letting Mind's thoughts go. Let's say the thought I'll never accomplish this pops up in Mind. When we are aware, we hear Mind, let that thought go, and ask Intelligence what to do to create our future. Yoga, meditation, sitting still, knitting, and any activity that takes us off autopilot and creates awareness of our thoughts helps. To learn to listen to Mind and act by Intelligence, pick an activity in which you hear Mind. Start with one minute. When that seems too short, go to 2 minutes. Work up to 40 minutes a day. Eventually, we hear what Mind says and then choose what action to take, using Intelligence, rather than moving directly from what Mind says to action. With the knowledge that we are using our resources in the way that is right for us, the ability to accept what we do not control, and the skill to separate Mind from self, we can choose what reaction to have when faced with our own or others' death. We can choose to be fearless. Want a partner in creating fearlessness? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! *For a description of the distinction between deferring life and living, see Randy Komisar's book The Monk and the Riddle. Next month: How does my body support me in relaxation? How Do I Move From Resolution to Reality? January 2007     Hear this tip! Audio 2:33 min There is no one in the world quite like you. This means that the resolutions that are the right resolutions for you are unique to you, and that the way to successfully accomplish those resolutions is unique to you, too. So, to move from resolution to reality, use these three steps: keep your channel open; identify what makes you successful at accomplishing what you want in other life areas; and apply what makes you successful to accomplish your resolution. Keep your channel open. Martha Graham says: There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time this expression is unique. ... It is your business to keep it yours Clearly and directly to stay open and aware to the urges that motivate you. By paying attention to and listening to yourself, you make it possible to accurately identify what is most important to you. Once you have accurately identified the right resolution for you, move to step 2. What makes you successful in other life areas? There are many areas of your life in which you are successful. Write down what it is that enables you to accomplish what you want in those life areas. Create macro and micro guidelines. Be specific to yourself, based on your experiences, because no one else is quite like you. Apply your guidelines to your resolution. Now that you know your guidelines, apply those guidelines to make your resolution reality. Evaluate your progress and acknowledge your accomplishments. Want a partner in moving from resolution to reality? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: How do I create fearlessness in the face of death? In loving memory of my sister-in-law Maia, d. 1/16/2007, so wonderfully unique. Great Tips From 2006 December 2006: The Power of Your Abundance Mentality    Audio 2:46 min November 2006: How do I keep even keeled?    Audio 2:33 min October 2006: How come not much happens when I try?    Audio 2:31 min September 2006: Is it time to rest?    Audio 3:03 min August 2006: What does your intuition say?    Audio 2:54 min July 2006: Are you connected?    Audio 3:00 min June 2006: Are you in a dip?    Audio 2:43 min May 2006: Are you present, now?    Audio 3:00 min April 2006: What are your limits?    Audio 3:28 min March 2006: Everything is perfect.    Audio 2:26 min February 2006: Is my life balanced?    Audio 3:51 min January 2006: How can I achieve my goals?    Audio 4:39 min The Power of Your Abundance Mentality December 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:46 min Abundance. What do you think of when you say or hear the word abundance? How do you feel? We all experience abundance. Think about the times in your life when you landed the perfect job, found the parking spot in a crowded area, laid hands on the perfect gift one minute after walking into the first store you visited, met the perfect mate in a series of events that when recounted seem highly improbable, stumbled across the perfect place to live, obtained the money to do what you wanted. How do these perfect events happen? They happen because there is plenty in the universe for all of us. We can make it easier for abundance to come to us. Abundance is all around us. Our job is to be clear about what we want, ask for what we want, and then put ourselves in a state of receptivity that allows us to notice and attract opportunities for abundance. We are receptive when we believe there is plenty of time, money, energy, space, and everything else for us to accomplish what we want. Being receptive allows us to: function at a high level of mental, physical, and spiritual attention to what is going on around us, make connections between what is happening around us and what it is we want, and access the abundance that is already all around us, waiting for us to notice it, to accomplish what we want. How do we remain receptive? We remember that it is all a game. We play the game with skill, joy, purpose, gratitude, and compassion, for the highest good. We feel patience for what we do not control directly. We remember that as long as we are mindfully moving closer to what is most important for us, at whatever speed, we are journeying well. Want a partner in having an abundance mentality? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: How do I move from resolution to reality? How do I keep even keeled? November 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:33 min We all know what we're supposed to do. Eat right. Exercise. Get plenty of rest. So how come that does not translate into action for us? Because this advice is too generic for us. We need to know what works for us, as individuals. And for each of us, it will be something a little different, because we are each unique. How do I identify what works for me, uniquely? The first step in identifying what works for you is noticing. Once you notice, you can bring yourself to the point of choice. What should you notice? Notice correlations between what you do and how you feel. Eating foods with minimal processing, drinking water, getting enough sleep, doing yoga - these are some items I have noticed support me in staying centered. Identify for yourself what moves you toward center and what takes you off keel. You can use this chart to assist you in your noticing. Print it out now. Add other factors you want to pay attention to in the blanks. Put the chart where you can use it easily. Add completing the chart to your Results Game or high priority list. Use as many copies of the chart as you want for as many days as it takes to notice what you want. Once you notice, you can choose. Once you spend some days completing the chart, identify any trends. If you notice that you tend to be more patient on days when you have had enough sleep, choose what you will do. If you notice you tend to remain calm even in high stress situations when you eat minimally processed foods, choose what you will do. Write your choices in the positive, personal, and present tense. Add your choices to your Results Game or high priority list. Want a partner in staying even keeled? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: The Power of Your Abundance Mentality How come not much happens when I try? October 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:31 min What's wrong with trying? When we use or hear the word try, we allow ourselves the possibility of failure. Our conscious mind hears the word try and our subconscious mind says Well, it doesn't much matter if I actually do it. I only have to try. If you really want to accomplish something, or if there is something you want those around you to accomplish, eliminate the word try from your vocabulary. Make your statements positive, personal, and present tense. By making your statements positive, personal, and present tense, you increase the probability of accomplishing what you want. For example, let's say you weigh 130 pounds now and want to weigh 125 pounds. You could say I will try to lose 5 pounds. What if you lost 5 pounds and gained 10? Would you be pleased? Probably not! Instead, say I weigh 125 pounds. By changing your statement, you focus on what you want so you can move towards it, you personally commit to accomplish what you want, and you align your conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind to make it easier to accomplish your objective. Language is powerful. Yes, you are playing with words! Since you can choose your words, why not choose the words that support your thoughts and direct your actions in the way you want? By doing so, you use for your benefit one of the most powerful games available to you. As you work with others, by keeping your statements positive, personal, and present tense, you send the people around you the message that you believe they can accomplish what you are asking. Show yourself the same courtesy. Want a partner in accomplishing your objectives? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: How do I keep even keeled? Is it time to rest? September 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 3:03 min Rest? But it's September! September is a time of new beginnings and high energy. We have imprinted in our brain the traditional school cycle, and some of us have family members who are in fact headed back to school. We have the historic rhythm of harvest and preparation for winter in our genes. So, September might seem an odd time to consider resting. In fact, it is the perfect time. How does resting affect productivity? In the Action Cycle I've been using with my clients, I identify the four stages of productivity as Create, Act, Reflect, Appreciate. I am adding a fifth stage to this cycle: Rest. The world of exercise provides many great examples of why we should choose to include rest in our productivity cycle. In yoga, we stand or lie still between postures. Our purpose is to relax and receive the benefits of our practice. In weightlifting, we take a break between sets. Our purpose is to give our muscles a chance to recover. If we fail to rest, we increase our risk of injury, and actually make ourselves weaker. When we rest, we increase our strength and our ability to lift more weights or improve our yoga. The same is true for our other life areas. In resting, we recover and rejuvenate, coming to our next task with greater creativity, energy and strength. How can I rest? I'm so busy! First, decide for yourself whether rest is important for you. Experiment with what happens to your productivity and well-being when you rest. If you decide rest is important for you, determine how you will ensure that you rest. How do you accomplish what is important to you nowadays? Do you schedule the items in your calendar? Include them on your Results Game? Journal them? Use whatever method works for you to ensure you rest. Get your rest. Come to your next creation refreshed and stronger than ever. Want a partner in incorporating all parts of the Action Cycle, including rest, in your life? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: How come not much happens when I try? What does your intuition say? August 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:54 min Did you ever get a feeling you should or should not do something - and ignore it? Then wonder why on earth you ignored it? How is it that your intuition knew more than your conscious mind? Because you are connected, your intuition knows more than you can consciously or logically articulate. Your power to hear your intuition, accept it, and make choices based on your intuition supports you in living on purpose, doing and being what is perfect for you. How can you listen to your intuition? First, identify how it is your body feels when you are in tune with your intuition. If you know your physical place of purpose, focus on that area as you tune in. Next, practice hearing your intuition. Hear that voice that says, Go 495, not 50; Don't get gas here, there is a better place, keep your eyes open; or This person is supportive; that person is not. Observe what happens when you follow your intuition. Once you have learned how to hear your intuition, you can choose to get input from it. Ask simple Yes/No questions. The answer that feels more on purpose is the answer your intuition has for you. Let go of WHY. Intuition is a bit of an odd concept in our Western, logical, rational world. Many of us very much want to know WHY. Intuition does not usually have much to say about WHY. And so, with intuition, we let go of needing to know WHY. Rather, we accept what intuition says, and believe that intuition guides us to what is perfect for us. As our life shows us that intuition supports us in making our visions real, we find it easier to accept intuition. Want a partner in increasing your ability to hear your intuition? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me using my online form! Next month: Is it time to rest? Are you connected? July 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 3:00 min What are you touching right now? Your chair? The floor? Your desk? The computer? In addition to whatever you can see physically, you are also connected to all of the air molecules around your body. Those molecules are connected to the molecules next to them. And so on. And so on. And so on. You are, literally, connected to everything. What does it mean to be connected? Because you are connected to everything, you have the ability to affect the world around you. If you choose to smile, to let that car in, to say a kind word, you directly affect the person with whom you interact. You also increase the possibility that the person with whom you interact will pass on what they receive from you. This is why our world is full of sayings like: One good deed deserves another. What goes around comes around. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Beyond the direct effect you have on the people around you, you create incalculable indirect effects. By focusing your thoughts, words, and deeds positively, you have the power to create positive in the world. How can you use your connections? First, identify a way to remind yourself that you are connected. Second, stop and choose what effect you want to have on your connections. Third, do and be what you choose. Start with whatever frequency is manageable for you: once a week, once a day, whatever works for you. Enjoy the sense of awe you create for yourself. Want a partner in being connected? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me! Next month: What does your intuition say? Are you in a dip? June 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:43 min Do you feel like everything you touch is turning to chaos? Does it seem that nothing you start is reaching a conclusion? Not a thing is going the way you want? Congratulations! You are in a dip. What is a dip? A dip is part of the natural process of change. The universal law that describes the dip is Chaos before order. Think about organizing something in your office or home. What do you do first? Take everything out, spread it all over the floor, and make a big mess. This, of course, enables you to see everything you have, identify what you want to keep, decide whether you need anything else, and determine how to organize it. Mentally, you are doing the same things each time you make a change. During the dip you have, mentally if not yet physically, left the old, but not yet fully integrated the new. You may have doubts about whether you really want to stay on the path you're on, whether you want to move forward, or whether really it might be easier to just go back to the old way. Remember, You are Close. Because the dip is a time of confusion, you may be tempted to turn around. Think instead about what your life will look like, sound like, and feel like when you accomplish your objective. Draw energy from your vision. Remember how much you have accomplished already. List it all. Acknowledge yourself. Remember that chances are good you are very close to accomplishing what you want, even if you cannot yet see the light at the end of the tunnel. Accept the dip. Simply accept that you are in a dip. Be grateful for the time to mentally and physically adjust to the change you have chosen. Relax and know that the dip will pass. Want a partner in making your vision real? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me! Next month: Are you connected? Are you present, now? May 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 3:00 min How many things are you doing right now? Are you reading while listening to music? Looking at the folks passing your window? Thinking about dinner tonight? Wondering what that smell in the hall is? Checking your voice mail? Glancing through your email? Constant distraction and multi-tasking can be a habit in our busy society. There is a better way. Be present, now. What are the benefits of being present? Being present means focus for yourself and connection to those around you. As contradictory as it might feel at first, by focusing on the moment, the person, the task, at hand, you are more productive. You accomplish what you want at a higher quality and in a faster time. As you focus, you enhance your well-being. Those around you know you are focusing on them and connect with you. Their needs met, they actually require less time from you. How can you learn to be present in the moment? Being present in the moment is a skill, like any other. Practice, and your skill grows. Start slow. Be gentle with yourself. Grow at your own pace. Some ways to practice include: Set a timer for a minute. Sit still, eyes open. Relax your mind. Increase your time as your skill grows. In your office, set up your computer so you turn away from it and toward the person who enters your office. Attend only to the person. At home, stop what you are doing and focus on your spouse or child. Listen. When you feel overwhelmed, stop, go for a walk, and identify 10 items physically present in your environment. Meditate. Stretch your body physically in whatever way is fun for you and requires your complete attention. Identify when you are present, now. Do more. Want a partner in enhancing your ability to be present, now? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me! Next month: Are you in a dip? What are your limits? April 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 3:28 min Are you allowing your surroundings to set limits on you, rather than setting your own limits? For example, do you want better projects at work but feel your boss has you stereotyped? Do you want conversation during dinner but your family says they want the television on? Do you wish you could get away, but say you can't? Who sets the limits that affect your life? Take four steps to consciously set your own limits. 1. Get clarity. First, determine what you want. When you know what you want, and know that what you want is right for you, you focus on it and use your energy to get it. 2. Tell others. Once you know what you want, tell the people around you. People, consciously or subconsciously, accept what you say. Enlist the support of anyone who can help you implement your limit. 3. Examine opportunities. When opportunities come, explicitly consider whether the opportunity supports or detracts from your limit. Confidently say "No" to any that are not right for you or don't lead where you want to go. Focus your time, energy, and resources on what is important for you. 4. Stick to your limit. Once you know your limit, stick to it. Your consistency enables others to support you. If they do not, you know exactly where the problem lies, and can choose whether to change your limit or your situation. If you want better projects at work, identify clearly for your boss what you want and how your efforts benefit your organization. What is the worst that can happen? Your boss says no. You find another job. What is so bad about that? If you want conversation at dinner, tell everyone in your household. Then, turn off the television. What is the worst that can happen? A few groans? A little screaming from the kids? What is so bad about that? If you want to get away, set a date. Tell everyone you know. Ask for what you need - a babysitter, a home exchange, flight coupons. What is the worst that can happen? You end up pitching a tent. What is so bad about that? The danger in choosing not to set limits is that our bodies know when we are at the very end of our rope. Our bodies then react in unfavorable ways. Illness. Anger. Withdrawal. Unconstructive, possibly even destructive, ways of getting what we know, even if just subconsciously, is right for us. Want a partner in identifying and sticking to your limits? Call me at 703-297-2224, email me, or contact me! Next month: Are you present, now? Everything is perfect. March 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 2:26 min Everything is perfect. Does reading, hearing, or saying this phrase make you breathe a deep sigh of contentment? If doing this once brings you contentment, imagine the power of saying and thinking this phrase often. Everything is perfect. Now, I am not talking about taking a Polyannaish view of the world. Not everything is easy. We don't understand everything that happens. But what if, in a moment of frustration, you shift your perspective and say, Everything is perfect. What effect does your new perspective have on your well-being? Try it out. Next time the traffic light turns red when you are late, instead of becoming frustrated, acknowledge the possibility that the red light may have saved you from an accident, allowed you to avoid a traffic ticket, or had some other connection to the world of which you are simply unaware, but which is just right. Think to yourself, Everything is perfect. What is your well-being, once you say that Everything is perfect? Have you shifted yourself from stress to calm? From frustration to gratitude? From rushed to centered? What did this shift in your perspective cost you? What did you gain? You freed yourself from your negative thoughts. You empowered yourself to feel control over your life. Try it out. Let me know about your experiences! Call me at 703-297-2224 or email me. Let me know how your use of the phrase Everything is perfect affects your well-being and your life. Want a partner to support you in creating your well-being? Contact me! Next month: What are your limits? Is my life balanced? February 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 3:51 min How can you tell if your life is balanced? What is this mysterious balance that everyone says we should have in our lives, anyway? I am certain different people mean different things when they say balance. What I mean is spending the right amount of time in each life area for you, according to what is most important for you. Therefore, your balance will look, sound, and feel different from another person's balance because, quite simply, there is no one in the world quite like you. You can find some indicators about how balanced your life is in your daily life. If you find: You are not at your perfect weight; You get irritated over little things; You cannot possibly wait the 2 minutes it takes the traffic arrow to turn green; You cannot remember the last time you had fun; You have not felt gratitude recently; or any other triggers that you know are your personal indicators that you are not living your life according to what is most important for you, ask yourself: Is my life balanced? One exercise to help you identify whether your life is balanced is to compare the amount of time you spend on each Life Area nowadays to the importance of each Life Area to you. To do this, place each of the following Life Areas on a set of index cards: Relationship Home Money Spiritual Health Family Personal Growth Career Fun Appearance Friends Service First, order the Life Areas according to what is most important for you. Write down the order on the left hand column of a sheet of paper. Title the column Importance. Then, put the cards in order according to how much time you spend on each Life Area nowadays. Write down the order on the right hand column of the same sheet of paper. Title the column Time Now. Identify the Life Areas which are far apart in the two lists. What do you choose to do about the differences? Choose what is right for you. Balance is brought into sharp focus by the world of work. Career is one of the 12 life areas. Do you spend the right amount of time on your career, for you? Do you spend the right amount of time on your other life areas, for you? The rise of work-life programs - how funny that work is considered a different category from life - indicates that this is a thought on the minds of many. Once you know the amount of time you spend on your career, and know how important career is to you, what percentage of your time do you choose to spend working, and what percentage in other life areas, to achieve the right balance for you? Identify the next action step, the one that you can do or be right this minute, that keeps you moving in the direction of accomplishing what you want. Take that next action step. Keep identifying and taking those next action steps. Want a partner to support you in accomplishing what you want? Contact me! Next month: Everything is perfect. How can I achieve my goals? January 2006     Hear this tip! Audio 4:39 min How is it that with all of the good advice you have taken in about how to get what you want, you still are not accomplishing what you want? As a coach, I read constantly about goal setting to ensure I provide the best possible support for my clients. Some of what I read I do not believe is helpful. However, quite a bit of what I read is right on track. So why is it that people do not accomplish their goals? Two reasons. Reason 1: No accurate way to identify what is important. Most time management and goal setting advice tells us to handle what is most important first. One classic example is the box divided into four quadrants: In the upper left quadrant, place those items that are important and time sensitive. In the upper right quadrant, place those items that are unimportant but still time sensitive. In the lower left quadrant, place those items that are important but not time sensitive. In the lower right quadrant, place those items that are unimportant and not time sensitive. Handle everything that it important and time sensitive first. Then handle what is unimportant and time sensitive. Next, handle what is important but not time sensitive. Finally, get rid of everything you can that falls in the unimportant and not time sensitive quadrant. This is a good model, and I do use it, as appropriate, with my clients, who find it effective. So why doesn't this model work for everyone? Because most people do not have the criteria to identify what is important for them. Some people use external criteria, such as their boss' deadlines, their spouse's desires, or their children's needs, to place items in the important quadrant. Then, when they do not accomplish the items in the quadrant or do accomplish the items but still feel they have accomplished little to nothing, they either abandon the model or berate themselves for being inefficient. In truth, the fault lies neither with the model or the person. How can you use this model effectively? Solution 1: Learn your Life Purpose and use it to choose what you spend your time, energy, and resources on. You can identify what is important for you by learning your Life Purpose and using it as the framework for your decisions. When making a decision, you use the elements of your Life Purpose to evaluate your choices and choose the path that is most on purpose for you. By acting on your purpose, you achieve satisfaction and fulfillment. Now, you know what is important for you, and you set your priorities accordingly. Reason 2: Failure to get support. Once you know what is important for you, how do you stay on track? Many people go it alone, not even telling a spouse or trusted friend that they want to weigh a certain amount by a certain date. This makes it less likely that the person will succeed. What can you do? Solution 2: Get a partner. Robert Cialdini, in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion discusses how we are much more likely to keep a commitment if it is known to others. So go out and tell people you respect what you are doing. If you want the strongest form of support possible, get yourself a great coach. As your coach, I accept you for who you are, where you are in the present, and what your vision is for your future. I provide the time, space, and means for you to use your energy to learn how to and to accomplish what you want. Review your resolutions. Are these the most important items for you? How do you know? Who will you engage to support you in your commitment? Make this the year you accomplish what is important for you. If you want support in identifying what is most important for you and a partner in achieving your success Contact me! Next month: Is my life balanced? Tips for Living Brought to you by Leanne Cusumano Roque, Success Coach The Third Week of Every Month To subscribe, unsubscribe, or request permission to reprint this material, contact me! © 2004-2008 CRC Consulting, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 CRC Consulting, Inc.   ~   Leanne Cusumano Roque   ~   Reston, Virginia   ~   703.297.2224   ~   email