Archive for September, 2008

Have you ever seriously thought about what you would do with your life if you won the lottery? If your answer is no, then I must ask you, WHY NOT? My prescription for you is to devote some quality time to this question and write a press release about yourself as if you won enough money to live the life of your dreams. I know some of you naysayers are shaking your heads and saying, “Why would I ever waste time working on something I know is unachievable? I’ll do that if and when I actually win”. Well, with that kind of attitude. It likely IS unachievable. But, if you can change you paradigm a bit and work with me here a little, we can have a little fun and develop a plan. Your mission is to visualize your dream life and then work backwords. You just might get closer than you think to your dream life. For example, my highlevel dream if financial resources were unconstrained consists of the following:

Because there is hurricane remains blowing into upstate New York where I’m vacationing, there is a constant breeze.  It’s a fabulously beautiful morning.  I got straight out of bed and went outside and went for a walk around my mother-in-law’s property.  (Even before coffee…I must be delirious).  She lives on top of a hill so you can see green, rolling hillsides everywhere you look.  It’s like looking at a 360 degree postcard.  Again, the trees are there whispering with their branches.  Just walking around this property is better than being at the Four Seasons Spa.  You just don’t get this stuff in the city.  But maybe that’s just me because I’m a small town girl who grew up in southern Ohio.  I don’t think so though.  As an executive coach, I see so many of my clients in overwhelm because they just can’t seem to make themselves take a break and slow down a bit.  If they could, they’d be better off.  In fact, if I could bring them here, to my mother-in-law’s house, they likely wouldn’t need me anymore (hmmm…reengineering myself out of a job again…I have a reputation for that.  Here we go again.).  But I digress.  There is so much research on the link between taking a break and improved creativity and the things that have been invented, created, written, all kinds of greatness due to sabbaticals, career changes, vacations that I’m always amazed at how many people don’t take advantage of them.  If you are feeling stuck, then you must think seriously about this.  The power of the personal reboot is magnificent.  I think I’ve recommended this book before but it’s so good I’m going to mention it again.  It’s older but still worth a look.  Check out Six Months Off:  The Sabbatical Book for some ideas about a Reboot.  Just read it ok?  There’s no harm in reading.  It might even spark your creativity about how you can affect a reboot while still working.

Some of you readers might remember from my Staycation post that I’m not a fan of staying home for summer vacation, so now I’ve embarked on quite the opposite, an 18 day marathon trip.  I’ll do my best to bring you along if you’re interested.  My posts will likely be more personal in nature over the next three weeks so that’s what you’re in for if you’re planning to play along.

Do you have a personal barometer that gives you a sign when you’re off kilter? If yes, are you able to call on it in time to actually affect a change in your behavior? So, you ask, what do you mean, Angie? Let me explain. For years, in times of extreme stress or unhappiness, my personal barometers have been working perfectly. I just wasn’t paying attention. I often didn’t notice until the difficult time had passed. Now, I’m quite a bit more mindful and if I pay attention, I can catch myself and affect a change before I go down a negative path. Ok, Ok, I know. What in the world am I talking about?

I was talking with a friend today who posed an interesting question. She said, “Ah, Labor Day, just like New Years.” I must have had a puzzled tone in my voice so she explained. “Don’t you remember that Labor Day was really like New Year’s Day when you were a kid and going back to school? Didn’t it signify the end of summer and the beginning of something new?”. Excellent point. She’s right. Labor Day is the start of a new era. The end of care free summer and the beginning of school days, responsibility, joyous holidays and family celebrations. In fact, I was swimming with a friend’s nine year old son the other day and he kept asking me if I wanted to hear what he had sent to Santa on his Christmas list. “Pierce!”, I said, “Your killing me, we’re swimming in the pool and all you can think about is Christmas and school hasn’t even started?”. I guess for him, Labor Day is certainly the start of a new era…the count down to St. Nick.