0

Life as an EKG line

Posted by admin on Sep 2, 2010 in Personal Reflections

Inevitably a client or a workshop participant will ask me about the “ups and downs” of their energy flow.  They may ask if it is “okay” if their energy goes up and down.  Or they may express frustration that they have days where they have experienced the lower levels of energy, thinking that working on energy means no more “low energy days.”  Either way, when the question comes up, I immediately think of my friend, Ruth, who I worked with years ago.  Ruth came into my office one day, excited about an analogy for life that she found.  ”If your life was an EKG line, what would you want your line to look like? Do you want a flat line?  Or would you rather have a line that goes up and down?”  To me, this pretty much sums it up.  A flat line means you are dead – no life at all.  A line that goes up and down means you alive.  I don’t know about you, but I think I am going to opt for the line that goes up and down.

So what does that mean to you and me as we work on mastering our energy?  It means we are human.  And I think if we can remember one simple lesson of life, we would all benefit greatly.  And that lesson is – We are human, and we are designed to go up and down. That is part of the human existence.  The key to happiness is not so much that we go up and down or how often we do.  But rather the key to happiness is the experience we create for ourselves as our lives and our energy ebbs and flows.

Our “EKG’s” show the beating of our hearts –  pushing the vital blood out into our body and pulling the blood in need of nourishment and replenishment back in.  From a physical perspective, we need both functions to live.   From an energy perspective, both functions serve their purpose as well.  When our energy is flowing and filling us up with vitality and passion, we can accomplish great feats and produce amazing results.  When our energy ebbs, it signals a time for nourishment and replenishment – providing opportunities to learn and grow.  And then the next time our energy goes back up, we will be back to achieving and accomplishing in life.  The process sustains us and mastering it enables us to live.

All my best,

Pam

Tags: , , ,

 
1

Sacred Messiness of Relationships

I got to thinking about relationships lately when someone asked me about my relationship with a good friend of mine (who happens to be male).  They wanted to know if we were still “just friends” or a romantic couple.   I always have a hard time with this question.  Because they are only giving me two choices; and their body language suggests which answer they would love to hear.   We are not a romantic couple (which is the answer that disappoints and confuses them).  But that choice is not my answer.  And the other choice, “just friends,” sounds like  a lesser choice, especially since I believe true friendship is one of the most beautiful and fulfilling relationships we have as humans.  And I have a wonderful friendship with this friend that doesn’t seem to justify a “just friends” label.  The relationship does not fit the traditional standards but that is okay with me.  How many of our relationships of any type fit our traditional definitions and expectations?

The truth is relationships are messy.  But yet we often try to neatly place relationships into one nice, all or nothing category.  We tend to deliberate whether a relationship works or not; is it exactly what we want or not; is it romantic or just friends; will this relationship lead to a sale or a job or not.  But this is a big reason why so many relationships don’t work.  When we pick and then stick to one perspective, we are giving ourselves no choice and, therefore, no power in the relationship.  Additionally, we create a great deal of negative energy when we give our relationships two choices – to win or to lose.  We end up forcing ourselves to win at all costs (after all who wants to lose), which ultimately leads to actions, behaviors, and beliefs that destroy or severely damage and limit relationships.   Instead, if we can embrace the “messiness” of relationships, we open ourselves up to a grander set of beliefs, attitudes, and actions that can give ourselves and our relationships a chance to survive and thrive.   This makes us more powerful to take the action and make the choices to build a relationship rather than tear it down.

This is not to say that by embracing the messiness of relationships, we set the course for all relationships to ultimately work out.  Because they don’t.  And that is okay.  But if we can be powerful in relationships, we are in a better position to work within the “messy” area and increase the likelihood of having successful relationships.  We will be more tolerant with disagreements or unsettling conversations.  We will be more patient to let the relationship build over time.  We will tend to be less judgmental, which gives more room within the relationship for people to bring their own talents, desires, and vulnerabilities.  We will look for solutions.  And we may be more willing to let a relationship break, in order for it to be rebuilt in a way that works better for each party.

I cannot write about the messiness of relationships without referencing the book that introduced me to this notion.  The book, Yearnings – Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life, is one of my favorites.  The author, Irwin Kula, writes about the polarities of life, such as a relationship working or not.  My interpretation of his writings suggests that if we hold onto one of the polarities of any aspect of our life, we miss out on the joy and the reward.  The joy, richness, and rewards in life come from the area between the polarities – the messy area.  It may sound contradictorary or paradoxical, but that is the point – life is messy.  And by embracing it, we embrace life more fully and more powerfully.

So think about your relationships, where can you open yourself up to the “messy area” to experience more of your power and find more joy and reward?

To you at your best!

Pam

Tags: , , , ,

 
0

Oh, SH*T!!!!

Posted by admin on Aug 19, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Personal Reflections

Thursday is the day I always say, “OH, SH*T!!!”  Not because something unexpected or unwanted happens.  But because it is my favorite day of the week!!!  I know that it may sound weird that I utter a profanity on my favorite day of the week, but let me explain.

I have a phrase that I think I learned way back in high school that I love:

Sure

Happy

It’s

Thursday!!!

Now you see where “OH, SH*T!!” comes from.

I love Thursdays because of the anticipation that the next day is Friday.  When I was in the corporate world (and in my “I am not happy” stage  of my career), Thursday was a day I felt relief.  It was when I would let myself consider that I only had one more day to get up and go to the office.  Otherwise, I kept my head down and got through my work so I could survive.  I am so happy that I have moved beyond that part of my professional life!

Today, I still love Thursday because the next day is Friday.  But the relief that I once felt in the corporate world knowing the week was almost over is replaced with the magic of anticipation that the weekend is upon me and it is mine to create however I want.  Sometimes I set the intention to experience the weekend as spontaneously as possible.  Other times I plan ahead and make arrangements to visit friends and family.  Or I may make it a creative time for my business and focus my efforts on developing new content and programs for my clients.  So Thursday is fun, because I know I have days ahead that will be filled with fun, adventure, accomplishment, rest, and relaxation. My energy soars when Thursday arrives!  Whenever I think of the weekend, I am filled with positive energy.  Even when my plans go awry and I don’t spend the weekend the way I intended or it is filled with “obligations”, it doesn’t bother me.  I know that it is a temporary situation, and I will be back in my groove shortly.

And then Thursdays are great because I just plain love Thursdays.  As I reflect on why, I am reminded I love this day of the week because I designed my Thursdays to be a day that I love.  It is the day in the week that I designate as my “office day.”  I keep client appointments to a minimum.  And knowing that I have large blocks of “open space” on my calendar, I plan Thursdays to be a day of creative business pursuits.  Thursday is my blogging day for that reason.  It is also a day that I can work on large projects that require significant amounts of concentration and focus.  I keep everything simple during Thursdays – no logistics to deal with.  If I need to run an errand or leave my office, I go by foot.  It saves wear and tear on my body and my energy.  And it gets me outside, where I can be invigorated by nature and by the sights and sounds of all of the dogs in my neighborhood (I love dogs).  So you see, Thursday is a day that allows me to focus my energy and be productive but also a day that allows me to do things to recover the energy I have expended during the beginning of the week.  All is good on Thursdays!

In fact, I like the pace of my entire week.  I like that there are days where I am working with clients and making things happen in my business.  I love the “creative” day I established on Thursdays.  And I get excited about the days I have set aside for my fun and enjoyment.  It is a pace and flow that inspires me and keeps me satisfied and energized.  That is not to say my weeks always have a great pace and flow.  But because I have been very deliberate on designing my weeks, a tough and unenjoyable week is the exception not the rule.

I share all of this with you because being cognizant of the pace and content of your week is an important energy strategy.  Here is what I have learned as I have designed my week to work for me:

  • Making sure that your week contains the activities and pursuits that satisfy and fulfill you builds positive energy.
  • Setting a pace that challenges you and your energy will expand your capacity but only if you also set times to rest and to recover your expended energy.
  • Knowing your priorities and finding the best time to work on them contributes to your productivity and effectiveness. (As opposed to exclaiming, “I got time, hurry what can I get done?”)
  • Learning to say “no, not right now” to interruptions and distractions keeps potential negative energy at bay.
  • Knowing your signals that warn when your pace is getting “out of whack” and heeding them keeps you sane and prevents you from running out of gas.
  • Having some “wiggle room” in your schedule is a great “insurance policy” for being able to take care of the unexpected and to being able to say “yes” to any fun that spontaneously arises.

So set your pace and enjoy!

Pam

Tags: , , , ,

 
0

Experiencing Your Power

Posted by admin on Aug 5, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Fitness, Personal Power & Leadership

There are moments in people’s lives where they experience their power – the ability to perform effectively and produce amazing results.  These moments transform people.  They may not know it at first but if they are paying attention, they will understand that they learned something about themselves, something that they will want to experience again. The trick is learning how to connect with their power at will.

Power is a tricky thing.  It feels like something you can just go get, but you can’t.  I don’t believe you can go find your power; it takes patience to wait for it to arrive.  It is almost like you have to slip into your power, like slipping into a great fitting suit of clothing or those soft leather seats in a sports car.  Once you are there, you feel it and then can direct it to achieve and excel at amazing levels. While we may not be able to go get our power, I believe we create the environment in which our power is likely present.  And we do that through training.

Experiencing your power is an exercise in training your body, your mind, and yourself. As you train these aspects of you and your life, you create the environment that will produce your power and increase the likelihood of being able to experience it.  And once you experience it, you will be better able to recreate the environment in which your power is summoned.  It requires training, and it takes practice.

Training your body is fitness – challenging your body so it can develop the capacity to operate at its most efficient and effective levels.  Fitness is a fantastic place to experience your power.  There is something significantly satisfying in completing a physical challenge.  I think you learn what you are made of.  I see it in working with clients in the gym.  I know instantly when they have connected with their power – I can see it physically.  Their coordination increases, they recruit more muscles for a particular movement, their technique improves, and most likely – a smile is plastered on their face.  They may not get it immediately, but they do know they just had an “experience” – one that shifted their belief in themselves and in what they are able to accomplish.

Training your mind is energy.  I have written about energy before, defining it as the web of thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions that drive your behaviors and actions.  But I arrived at another definition that defines energy even more clearly.  Energy is the vitality and impact of your expression.  Training your mind or your energy is about developing the awareness of what energy is at play in your actions and in your views of your circumstances.  It is then about deciphering what energy best suits you and your situation, and shifting to and engaging with that energy.  And then finally, it means taking action that aligns with the intended vitality and impact.

The third training area is yourself.  Developing your capability to sustain and expand your power while your physical and mental energy ebbs and flows.  Staying powerful within the normal fluctuations of energy keeps you inspired and moving forward.  It puts you in a position of flexibility, adaptability, and strength.  You have options when you stay powerful.  When you succumb, your options are limited and you become the effect of your life circumstances rather than the influencer.

Make a commitment to yourself to train to develop your power.  And then take action to experience it.  I think you will like the results you get.

Experience your power; master your life!

Enjoy!

Pam

Tags: , , , ,

 
1

Learning to Lose

I have been pondering lately what makes a champion a champion and what makes powerful people powerful.  I was reminded of something my swim coach said, “You have to learn how to lose.”  He was referencing a tough World Cup match played by his country’s team.  They did not play well, and they lost. While he was commenting on the team’s outcome and future, he was also commenting on what it takes to play at an elite level.  You have to learn how to lose.

When I think about the difference between people who are successful and those who are truly champions, the champions, in my mind, are those who know how to lose.  They have many talents and abilities but one that stands out is their ability to lose with grace, humility, and power.  They don’t tuck their proverbial tail between their legs and slink away, sulking and telling themselves how badly they performed.  Nor do they fly off the handle and defiantly place blame with others or point to “unfair” advantage.  And they don’t get impatient – or at least don’t show it.

They accept the loss.  Don’t get me wrong; they don’t like losing.  But they keep it in perspective.  They know a loss does not demean them, making them less than they are.  They know that a loss is just a loss.  It is an event or a situation where someone else crossed the finish line before them.  They don’t let that distract or sway them off their own pursuit of excellence.  The loss is simply an event.  They do not make it any more than that.  They know a loss is what they make of it.  They could let it take them out of the race indefinitely.  But they don’t.  They learn to use the loss to their advantage – Taking a short break, focusing objectively on what they could have done differently (if anything),  and then moving on.

To learn to lose is to be able to put a loss into perspective,

  • A loss does not demean you ( you do that to yourself, usually through a whole lot of negative self talk).
  • A loss doesn’t say you are a loser (again, that is probably something you tell yourself).
  • A loss doesn’t mean you can’t try again (that is your gremlin telling you it is not safe to try again).
  • A loss could be a wake up call to point to where you could better focus, clarify, develop new skills or talents, push yourself out of your comfort zone.
  • A loss could be a simple event that has no meaning other than some days you are going to win and other days you will likely lose.

So learning to lose is finding your way to experience a loss.  The choice is yours.  Will a loss knock you off your path?  Or will it motivate and inspire you to work harder?  Or will it simply be the standings at that particular moment, holding no other meaning other than only one person can cross the finish line first in any particular race.  The next race may be yours to win!

Something to think about.  And while losing is many times considered a negative event, I believe learning to lose is a characteristic that builds positive energy in your life and in the lives of those who watch you lose with power!

Pam

Tags: , , , , ,

 
1

The Energy Factory!!

Posted by admin on Jul 20, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Personal Power & Leadership

Each month at Flourish Studios in Chicago, IL, I hold an event called, The Energy Factory.  It is an “energy workout” – a place for people to come to learn how to master their energy and use it to excel in life and at work!  Tonight’s topic was “Ignite the Leader in You!  Getting into the Driver’s Seat of Your Life!”

We don’t get many choices in life.  But one we do have is choosing whether we are going to lead our life or have our life lead us.  I call it (self)leadership – the willingness and ability to move yourself forward no matter what comes your way!  Here’s what I think being in the driver’s seat of your life means:

1. Taking ownership of your life!

Accountability is a big piece of this.  Being willing and able to account for what you have in life, what you will get, and how you respond.  It doesn’t mean we control everything that happens to us.  Nor does it mean that we like everything that happens.  Accountability means that we are willing and able to account for the experiences we create for ourselves based upon our responses to the events and circumstances of our lives.  When we choose to be accountable, we bring the events and our responses to them into our realm of influence – and we are able to shape our lives and lead ourselves towards what we desire.

Commitment to ourselves and our life is another huge piece of ownership.  I remember one of my clients sharing that he finally realized that no one is going to be more concerned about and invested in his success than himself.  I believe this is one of the cornerstones of committing to ourselves.  If we want successful lives, than being fully vested and engaged in that cause increases our likelihood of success.

2. Being our best “driver”

This second piece of self-leadership is creating a vision of the leader we want to be.  Detailing the ideal characteristics, traits, or skills, and then taking the necessary steps to develop these capabilities.  Many of my clients wish, for example, they were risk takers – even going so far to say all of their lives they wanted to be a risk taker and it never happened.  ”All of your life” is a long time to wait!  Being in the driver’s seat of your life means taking the initiative to develop the leadership qualities you desire.  Back to that comment from my client, “no one is going to be more interested in your development than you.”  What are you waiting for?!?!

3.  Leading your energy

Energy is the web of thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions that drive you to do what you do.  Continuing with this analogy of being in the driver’s seat of your life (or business, or career)…Are you wishing someone else would drive, or filled with “road rage” and out to dominate the road?  Are you simply coping with being the driver, kind of wishing someone else took over? Or do you happily take the wheel, content and even passionate about the journey and your destination? All are valid levels of energy, but each have a different impact on you and your ultimate success.

4.  Taking action

(self)Leadership is about moving yourself forward, no matter what!  It is the final step of the process, where the rubber meets the road.  Taking the steering wheel and taking positive action brings you closer to the success you desire!

Happy driving!!!

Pam

Tags: , , ,

 
0

Self-Doubt

“There is no room for self-doubt in a full life.”  That was the “message” on my mind when I woke up this morning.  Has that ever happened to you in the first moments as you wake up?  Right before you are fully conscious and aware of your surroundings, there is a thought greeting you as you move into your day?  I have come to call these thoughts “messages,” and I have learned to pay attention to them.  In fact it is hard not to pay attention to them since they typically stay with me –  an imprint on my morning. I like to think that these messages come from deep inside me, an important part of my soul and part of the innate wisdom inside us all that we many times fail to listen to and tend to bury. So I remain curious about them and watch how they evolve over the course of my morning.  I don’t give them a huge amount of thought or analysis; I just let them grow or drift away – whatever suits them.

This morning’s message came with a fuller dialogue than normal, and I stayed relaxed and kept my eyes closed so I could watch the message a little longer and see what else was there.   I noticed that I nodded in agreement with the message.  I also noticed an image of myself stepping in front of my self-doubts, putting them behind me.  Instead of analyzing the doubts and working on eliminating the source, in this image I simply chose not to have the doubts any more.  I felt strong, capable, motivated, and peaceful.  In my semi-conscious state, I made a note of what this image felt like, including the blue sweater I was wearing, so I could come back to it and use the energy of this moment in my waking hours.

Self doubts are those thoughts which have us questioning if we are enough – are we smart enough, pretty enough, strong enough, working hard enough?  They can be seemingly small like “Can I stay focused long enough to get through my to do list today?”  Or they can carry more weight, “No one is going to ask me to join their company, I don’t have anything unique to offer.”  When we doubt ourselves, we give away our power.  We are less than we truly are, and our lives are less than they can be.

We all have self-doubts, and how we deal with them is key. We can judge them and let the doubts belittle us.  Or we can look at them, see what there is to learn, and then take the lesson and move on. There is a risk of staying with the doubt too long – analysis paralysis can kick in.  When this happens, the doubt can become a deep-rooted self belief and generate toxic energy in our lives.  We can end up out of trust with ourselves and put ourselves on a path that can destroy our self-confidence.   We live a less full life by carrying these self-doubts with us longer than they serve their purpose.

I don’t have a silver bullet for dealing with self doubts.  As I work with my clients (and in my own journey), it seems to me that dealing with these doubts becomes an art form.  We can master an awareness to know which doubts are on a true path of self-discovery and growth and which are mindless internal chatter.  And we can build our toolkit of techniques to learn from them and to release ourselves from their hold.  And above all, it takes practice, patience, and objectivity to move the doubts out of our lives and make room for what we truly desire!

All my best,

Pam

Tags: , , ,

 
0

Why do you do what you do?

Posted by admin on Jul 13, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Personal Power & Leadership

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself why you do what you do?  I am speaking mostly of your career or if you run a business, why you are in business.  Is it a belief of yours?  Is it a dedication to a value or a vision of changing the world in some way? To solve a problem? Or maybe it is a desire to prove yourself capable or right about something?

In my work I see many “why’s” in action.  Some are positive and change the world in a powerful way.  And others definitely create action and movement, but I wonder how inspiring the “why” is. Sometimes I see a person driven by something that is draining and toxic to their well being. From my perspective, being aware of the “why you are driven to do what you do” is a key element to living and working in a way that will sustain you and enable you to grow and thrive!

A great friend of mine sent me the link below to a short presentation on inspirational leadership.  He knew it would resonate with me.  And it did!  I completely identified with the notion that understanding and communicating the “why” behind what you do inspires others and ignites the passion in you and those who want to be on your “team.” The “why” holds us together, challenges us to create new ways of doing things, and ensures integrity and consistency in our actions.  Knowing your “why” not only enables you to grow and thrive, but it inspires others too!

I am going to leave it at that.  Please listen and be inspired!!

Click here for video: How great leaders inspire action

Pam

Tags: , , , ,

 
0

Commit to yourself!!!

Posted by admin on Jul 8, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Personal Power & Leadership

You are probably the person most interested in your success, so why not commit to yourself and your power to make a positive difference in your life!  It is kind of fun, and it is certainly rewarding!

I know, it may sound, eeekkk, arrogant and self-centered to commit to yourself and your success.  But I say go for it!  There is nothing wrong with committing to your own success.  At least that is what I believe. For when you are at your best, the better you are going to be in all of your roles in life and at work!  And, in the end, that means the rest of us benefit from such a commitment. By the rest of us, I mean your children, your co-workers, your spouse, your boss, your friends, your fellow human beings.  If this does not make sense to you, call me and we can discuss it further.  But if it does, read on!  If it doesn’t, still read on!

I was taught by Bruce Schneider, founder of iPEC Coaching, that success in life or at any activity or project can be predicted by your range of engagement – the way in which you commit to the activity or effort and the amount of yourself you have committed to the outcome.  The more fully one “is in,” the greater likelihood of their success.  The chart below depicts this concept more fully.

Range of Engagement

Type

Won’t

Have to

Need to

Want to

% “In”

0%-25%

25%-50%

50%-75%

75%-100%

Motivation

Can’t make me

Avoid Consequences

Get Benefits

Make Choice

Likelihood of Success

None

Sporadic

Probable

Very Likely

Energy Impact

Toxic

Draining

Neutral/Depleting

Build/Sustain

Based upon Energy Leadership,. Range of Engagement model, copyright @ iPEC Coaching

Let’s look at this more closely.

If one’s commitment to an activity is “I won’t” commit, it is likely that the motivation is one of defiance – “you can’t make me do it if I don’t want to!” The likelihood of success is none and energetically, it is toxic for the person and those around them.  This type of commitment (or lack thereof) pulls everyone down. It is not successful over the long term.

Committing on a “I have to” basis is motivated by avoiding the consequences, not wanting to lose.  I am sure you have heard yourself many times say, “I have to go to this event so my boss doesn’t get mad or so my friend doesn’t think I don’t care.” You most likely will have one foot in and one foot out the door. And the success experienced at such an event with this perspective may or may not be successful but the overall event will be draining to your energy.

Approaching an aspect of life or work from a “I need to” perspective puts the motivation on the perceived benefits – the potentially positive outcomes.  The likelihood of success increases because your engagement has increased, the focus is on winning. And the overall affect on your energy is neutral to potentially depleting – partly because chasing perceived or actual benefits can be tiring over the long run.

The commitment level that maximizes the potential of success is “I want to.”  The motivation here is the desire to choose your course of action because you want to.  The motivation is internally generated and, therefore, the most powerful.  As you learn to shift your commitment to “want to,” your likelihood of success is very likely.  You will also experience a naturally sustaining level of energy.  You may find people commenting on your “never-ending” supply of energy, and you will experience new levels of confidence, focus, and clarity.  Helpful ingredients on the road to success!

Listening to your self talk and how you communicate your commitments to others holds the clues to your range of engagement and commitment.  Whatever range you are in, ask yourself how you can shift to the next range.  If you hear yourself say “I won’t” (and it is something important to you), ask yourself how you can shift to “I have to,” then to “I need to’” and then finally to “I want to.”

I am continually intrigued and amazed at the power of commitment.  It is difficult to see what commitment and engagement level may be at play in your life.  That is why, I believe, tools such as this are so crucial. They are mirrors to help us see the difficult.  And I see lightbulbs go off in the audience when presenting this information.   People tell me that understanding their “lack of engagement” was the spark that turned their transition around and put them on the path towards growth and fulfillment.

If anything I wrote in this post resonates with you and understanding it more fully would be helpful to you, please be in touch. I am happy to spend some time with you to explore how this tool can help you grow and thrive!

Pam

Tags: , , , , ,

 
0

Ownership of your life!

Posted by admin on Jul 6, 2010 in Energy & Energy Strategies, Personal Power & Leadership

A favorite speaking topic of mine is “putting yourself in the center of your life.”  I happen to believe that this is a cornerstone to being successful, influential, and fulfilled.  In my work, I see many people exhausted and frustrated because they are leading a life others want them to lead or because of circumstances beyond their control.  They question why they are not happy, why they are frayed at the edges, and why they are not getting what they want out of life. Many times I find myself asking them, “Why are you a backseat driver of your life? Wouldn’t it be easier to be in the driver’s seat and be in control of the steering wheel and gas pedal?

I realize that it is not always easy to say “no” to a new assignment, take full responsibility for your actions in a relationship, or accept that the quart of ice cream you regularly “sneak” may be the culprit behind your weight gain.  But if we truly want what we desire in our lives, I believe that we have to be willing to account for what we have, what we will get, and how we respond in life.  Anything less than 100% willingness is something less than 100% ownership.  The result of which is something less than fully enjoying and embracing our lives.

I am talking about “accountability.”  A key phase to gaining traction in life.

My definition of accountability is being “…willing and able to account for what you have in life, what you will get, and how you will respond now and in the future.”

This doesn’t mean that we have to “like” everything that happens to us. And I am not suggesting that we are in control of everything that happens to us.  But if we don’t account for our actions in working with what does come our way, we are less likely to experience what we seek – in our work, in our personal lives, and how we experience life.

So where does one start in being more fully accountable for their life.  I have three “tests” for full accountability.  Let’s try them out!

Think about what you don’t have in life but truly desire.  Then ask yourself these questions.

Am I denying that I am where I am, suspended in a disbelief that this happened to me? Or am I grounded in the fact that it did happen and I am accepting that I am the one to take the action to get myself into a different situation?

Do I blame the economy, my boss, or some act of nature for my current situation or am I owning up to the fact that my responses and reactions to what came my way got me where I am right now?

And finally, am I spending time judging and rendering an opinion of which “loser” is responsible? Or am I focused on making sense of the outcomes (even what seems to be unexplainable), seeing how my actions got me here, and using my reflections to move forward?

The more you can shift yourself from denying to accepting, from blaming to owning, and from judging to reconciling – the more accountable you are being for your life.

As you make these shifts, you may notice more confidence, more focus, and more clarity in the direction you are taking your life.  Congrats – you are in the driver’s seat!!!

Vaaarooooommmmm!

Pam


Tags: , , , , ,

Copyright © 2010 Performance U All rights reserved.
Desk Mess Mirrored v1.4.3.1 theme from BuyNowShop.com.