Mom Cafe: A New Year, A New You – Getting Real About Our Bodies

The New Year is here and that often sparks new energy and motivation to tackle lofty goals and aspirations.  For many, on the top of the list is some kind of weight loss, get in to iron man (or woman) shape by Feb 1st, eat clean – which is fair enough considering the holiday parties, gingerbread cookies and eggnog that’s likely been overly consumed.  But let’s get real – these goals never stick, the gyms are empty come February and the same body concerns show up next year.  So if you’re ready to hear some NEW information, if you’re tired of setting yourself up only to let yourself down – you won’t want to miss this talk.

Click this link to be taken to registration – yay!

Thank You! Nature Speaks for my 30th

Ask for more time

One of the biggest challenges, with regards to time management, is trying to fit too many things into our day.  We have great intentions, planning to spend 8 productive hours on our professional life, eat three healthy meals with five servings of fruits and veggies, work-out for an hour, mediate, read or study in an area we are working on, spend quality time with family and friends, oh yeah – we’re supposed to sleep too – when, you scream?  Then on top of all the things that are important to you, we are constantly being asked to volunteer our time to help a good cause, a friend in need, a child’s school, or whatever it may be.  Some of us (I’m working on it) have developed a very dangerous three-letter word default as a response to these queries – “yes”.

Have you ever had a friend ask you for help on something to which you quickly replied “yes” and less than 24 hours later dreaded the task that lay ahead?  Aha!  If you’re anything like me the word yes came out of your mouth long before you actually consciously processed what you already had on your plate, whether you really want to do whatever it may be and what would actually happen if you said no.  

For the next week, I challenge you to an experiment.  Anytime someone asks of you something that isn’t already in your schedule, respond with “let me check my calendar and I’ll let you know”.  By asking for more time you will have the ability to objectively (not in front of the person) think about whether or not you want to do whatever it is and whether you honestly and realistically have the time to do it.  

Let me know how it goes.

Breathe Deeply

It’s no coincidence that we enter this life with our first breath and leave it with our last.  However, if you’re anything like me, breathing has often taken a subconscious back seat in the day to day busyness of life.  Lately though, I’ve become much more conscious of breathing and it’s ability to ground me in my physical body and allow me to focus and regroup.  Too often I find myself stuck in my head, carrying on conversations that often have an element of ego and subsequently contain some kind of negative chatter.  Breathing is an easy and effective way to get out of your head and back into your body.

Athletics, Public Speaking, Performing, Meditation and most of the holistic and spiritual healing methods all emphasize the effect of our breathing – coincidence? – I think not.

I remember as a kid any time I got hurt my Mum would say “take a deep breath” – amazingly, usually within about 3 big breaths I was calmed right down and the hysteria of whatever fall I’d just had disappeared.

Over the next week my challenge to you is: first, start to notice when you feel anxious, worried, in doubt, in fear, or have any seemingly negative thoughts or emotions. Then stop, and take 3 big breaths.  Notice how you feel at that point – if you need to take a few more – do so.  I know it sounds simple, but, in my experience the simple techniques are usually the most effective. I’m curiously excited to hear your feedback.

Write in with your comments!

Have a great week!!!

Heather

Collaboration is the Key

I was recently interviewed for an upcoming article about female entrepreneurship, here’s one of their stellar questions and my response. I’d love to use this as a starting off point for a much needed conversation. Add your thoughts and comments please!

What is the best way for women to support each other?

My response:

Stop competing and start collaborating.  Throw age, race, looks, experience etc. out the window – it doesn’t matter. The most important way to support each other is show up as your whole self, look to add value in an enthusiastic and passionate way and synergize with the other women (and men) in your life.  Gone are the days of having to ‘know it all’ (not that I’m sure that ever existed) and now we must be clear on what we have to offer and find others who offer complimentary knowledge, skill and service.  This is how we will grow to the next level. No more one upping each other, it’s about joining forces.

Thanks to Lizzy Karp,Campus CEO and YWIB for this great question!!

Expect The Best

“It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best you very often get it.”- Somerset Maugham

I love this quote and it’s so true.  Sometimes we get caught up in the “worry” game which unfortunately is nothing more than a bad habit.  We’ve usually been exposed to worry by someone in our life and picked up the habit without even realizing it.  Worry is really just wasted energy.  Can you imagine if you used the time you spent worrying to brainstorm or creatively think of different ways of doing things?  For example, a lot of people worry about their financial situation.  I don’t think the media really helps.  Recently, much to my chagrin, I caught a couple of minutes of the evening news, and though I wasn’t surprised, I almost couldn’t help but get caught up in the worrisome messages they were passing out.  It was just after Christmas and the “story” was basically covering how much money Canadians spend today versus 30 years ago.  Well, duh, no kidding.  There is more to buy, we earn more money today, in many families there is a double income, and quite frankly wouldn’t you say things have changed a bit over the past 30 years???  The funny thing is though, many people watch the News over dinner or while folding laundry etc. and therefore may not be engaged in critical thinking while viewing.  Subsequently the messages creep into our subconscious mind and before we know it we are caught in this worry game that sucks us dry of our creative energy and resources.

Expecting the best in every situation can become a habit much in the same way as worry.  As you drive into the parking lot, expecting to find a spot right in front more often than not yields you exactly that.  I can say that with confidence because after a few years as a sales rep on the road I caught wind of this positive expectation idea and started applying it. I went from frantically swearing and banging my steering wheel when I couldn’t find a spot and saying things like “I knew there wouldn’t be a spot down here” to the expectation that there would always be a spot right when I needed it.  Let’s put it this way, for the last year of my sales rep life my territory was downtown Vancouver and I didn’t own an umbrella, nor did I ever find the need for one.  Why, you ask?  Because I always found a parking spot right in front of where I needed to be and I am honestly not exaggerating.

I challenge all of you – expect the best, always in every situation.  Make a habit out of it.  What’s it going to hurt?

New Year, New Plan

There’s something special about the beginning of a New Year. Although some would argue – it’s just another day – no big deal, I tend to disagree. It’s a line in the sand that creates instant accountability and has built in to it, a measurable. It’s easy to think back to January 2009 to see where you were, what you were up to, what was important to you at that time and compare it to today. It’s also nice to have a clear starting point to make significant changes in your life. Here’s some questions to ponder as you build your 2010 action plan:

1. If I knew 2010 was my last year on Earth, what are absolute musts this year? READ MORE

10 Deadly Sins of Business Development (Canadian Society for Marketing Professional Services)

Personal Professional Goal Setting (Wired Woman)

10 Deadly Sins of Business Development (Canadian Society for Marketing Professional Services)

10 Deadly Sins of Business Development