Rebrand, Refresh and Renew

I’m happy to say I finally consider myself to be a successful Coach. Yet, looking back, I realize I’ve been hard on myself. I haven’t always recognized the progress I’ve made.

I’ve consistently increased my income for the past few years and grown so much. But in 2020, I achieved a new credential (Professional Certified Coach) from the ICF, as well as a Certification as a Mentor Coach. I stepped solidly into the role of Coach Training Delivery Leader, a goal of mine since 2009! I popped a lot of champagne last year in celebration of my milestones.

Found a new favorite as well.

As a result, I was really busy. So much so that I kept my head down and got stuff done. Lots of stuff. Things I am very proud of.

What I didn’t do yet again was pay much attention to my online presence. You may be shocked to hear that and yet, there are reasons that’s important for me to declare. I don’t get many referrals from my website or my social media presence, at least, not at the moment. So I spent much of my time engaged in activities that moved me forward toward my professional and financial development goals.

And of course, 2020 was the year of COVID19 and world-wide Quarantine, combined with a difficult year of division in many ways across the US. Honestly, I found social media a place I needed to avoid for my own self care. Most of my interactions were on coaching and business groups, creative groups and with my family and close friends.

Yet, at the end of the year, I realized I was longing for something new. A new perspective on marketing for my business. A new way of connecting and belonging again. More human connection, even if it still needs to be mostly online.

And when I looked at my online presence, I definitely felt like some changes needed to be implemented. So I started reflecting on what I really wanted. As I entered into my own business planning process at the end of last year, I wanted to be sure to add a few things:


1) Rebrand my Professional Presence Online and at In-Person events, however that may unfold.
2) Write, Create and Share in whatever way I can
3) Deliver free and paid content again
4) Cultivate opportunities to Speak about topics that I am passionate about
5) Serve in a leadership role as I feel led, especially in my own ICF Chapter
6) Support new and current clients in their professional and personal development plans as a Coach.
7) Organize myself more efficiently and effectively. One area in which this is critical is my digital data. It MUST be tamed.
8) Show up more fully and authentically than ever before.

So I’m off and running on managing Project Rebrand. I’ve redesigned my logo and I’m updating social media sites and this website. As of today, there’s a huge learning curve as Instagram and Canva have both changed a bit since I was a regular user. And I want a whole new look here on WordPress. In December, I thought I would be complete by now. Turns out, it’s going to take a bit more time.

I’m also renewing my commitment to some free content and online events quarterly. I enjoyed delivering my Inspiration series, my Accountability Days and various webinars on topics that I thought were of interest to my clients. I love giving value no matter if the effort yields a new client or just a new connection to support and develop a friendship or collaboration. So I’m in the process of Refreshing that content and talking to clients about how their businesses have changed as a result of what happened in 2020. What I am seeing and hearing is exciting!

It appears as though some of the platforms have calmed down a bit following the January 2021 Inauguration and I’m grateful for that. And though we’ve seen over 500,000 deaths from COVID19, I am also seeing evidence that more and more people have been vaccinated and cases are decreasing in many areas. My hope is Renewed.

And maybe most of all, I miss writing. I did very little writing in 2020, except for a few blog posts for others who requested that support from me. I even signed up for a 30 day writing challenge that I realized quickly I didn’t have the bandwidth for.

Normally, I would have continued to add to that list of things I want this year to get to an “even 10.” Now, I’m good with 8. It’s a lot. And yet, I feel energized and ready to take it all on.

I’m going to need to lean into Diligence on the Tilt Wheel in order to show up for these things fully. And Diligence is absolutely the polar opposite of where I naturally Tilt, which is Ideator through and through. I’m going to need to lean into Architect and create the systems and workflows to make it all happen, while having fun along the way. (if you’d like your own Tilt assessment and debrief, let me know and we can get you scheduled).

Enough about me – what are you showing up for fully this year? What’s on your plan?

Virtual coffee? Happy to get that scheduled too. Just reach out and I’ll put on my favorite brew.

For now, Cheers to all that 2020 was and to all that 2021 has in store.

Laurie

When someone changes your life, you honor them.

Years ago, a girl who worked with me introduced me to the work of a woman named Louise Hay. Linda was leaving our company and I remember going to Barnes and Noble to buy her a going away gift of some of Louise’s books, because she often talked about how much her work had helped her. Even after that endorsement, I wouldn’t take a real look at anything Louise had written for years.

I can’t exactly recall how it happened, but I was reminded of her again just before or just after I discovered the idea that coaching might be a way for me to move forward after Katrina.  First, someone else I knew said, “Have you read anything by Louise Hay?” And then a few weeks later, my first coach quoted Louise in a session. She then told me that Louise had an online radio station called Hay House Radio and it featured a coach whose work I also admired, Cheryl Richardson, and a guy whose work I had discovered in college named Wayne Dyer. She said, “If you’re willing to take a look at this, let’s talk about it next week and how it might speak to your current dissatisfaction with what you’re doing.”

To say I looked is an understatement. I devoured Hay House Radio and ordered one of her books. I downloaded podcasts featuring all of them and listened whenever I was in the car. They all said things I had no doubt heard before, but that at a time that I wasn’t really listening the way I was then. I was ready. It was time to change my thoughts and to change my life.

Where I am today in my work and in my beliefs about myself are like night and day. My thoughts aren’t perfectly positive every day – in fact, far from it! I’m just more aware of them most days. Some days are still crumple and cry days for sure. But I’m always moving forward…always equipped with this one key to success. Thoughts are things. What you think about comes about. Because when you change your thoughts, you change the way you feel. And when you change the way you feel, your level of self love, happiness, presence, and belief and hope changes the way everything else unfolds for you.

I’d heard these concepts in church when I was a child, but the way these teachers described these concepts made it all connect for me. It wasn’t woo woo or metaphysical to me, but a practical application of the same principles that had been written and practiced by thought leaders, disciples, priests and kings.

I began gratitude journaling daily. I repeated daily affirmations as a way of taking what I used to think of as prayer into a whole new level. I learned that believing something could happen was the first step, followed by actions, and then miracles would follow. And they have.

Wayne died two years ago yesterday, leaving behind a legacy of written and spoken words.

Louise died yesterday at the age of 90. Exactly two years to the day after we lost Wayne. They were colleagues, friends, and faithful supporters of each other’s work. I can’t imagine their joy at being reunited again.

If you’ve never picked up one of Louise’s books (or Wayne’s)  or listened to one of her audio or video presentations, I encourage you to do so. Her life story is incredible to hear.

But today, I just want to take a moment to use my words to honor a woman I never met and to be grateful for all that she was to me. To say that she changed my life is also an understatement. My 4 Elements for Success are based on these principles that I learned and used to create my business. I wouldn’t be where I am today, sitting on my couch in a home that is perfect for me doing work that I love more than anything I’ve ever done, without the wisdom this woman shared with me and with the world.

 

Summer of Self Care – Day 30

4 Elements of Success for Self Care

If you are familiar with my work at all, you know that I have created what I believe are 4 Elements for Success in almost every area of life. While this generally applies to work, family or specific goals people have set, it can absolutely apply to self care as well.

So my first question is – do you have a goal for your self care practice? Many people tell me that they want self care to be a daily activity for them, rather than being the first thing that gets tossed off their plate.

Perhaps you want to improve your health, your energy or create more time for exercise?

Some of you may be looking at ways in which you can practice daily self care while caregiving for an older parent, children or family members.

Maybe you want more balance in your life – to feel as though you’re connecting more to things you love to do when you’ve felt as though you’re working a great deal of the time.

Whatever the issue is, you can apply the 4 Elements to your Self Care Plan. Here they are, as applied to self care:

  • Create a Vision – Begin by creating an idea of what your ideal self care plan would look like. What would you be doing regularly that you are not doing now? What do you look like or feel like after you have put this plan into practice for 3 months, 6 months and beyond? What will you have that you don’t have now? Spend a few moments journaling about this so that you have a clear idea of what your regular self care practice will bring to you. Fill in the blank – “This is important to me because ______________________________.”
  • Belief – Develop a mindset that you can do this, rather than saying, “This never works…I always ____.” Yes, you may have some setbacks and yes, your self care may get put onto the back burner. But reinforcing the language you use with yourself will begin to create a belief or mindset that you can do it. Commit. Write down Affirmations for yourself. Use statements about your belief that are rooted in the present moment, not in the way you’ve behaved in the past. Be kind to yourself and believe in yourself the way you believe in others.
  • Make a Plan – I believe in the value of a carefully thought out plan, written down somewhere you can see it often. It doesn’t have to be complex; it can be as simple as writing down your 10 daily habits and posting them somewhere you can see them. You can add self care basics when you are traveling and can’t do those things you do in your daily routine. You might add strategies for self care when you’re sick or in the middle of big changes that cause added stress. From simple to complex, your written self care plan will help you stay on track.
  • Finally, consistent, focused Action on your vision and plan. The more you create routine self care action, the more likely you are to stick with it and feel as though you are coming from a place of centered, wholeness and wellness. That’s the goal, after all – to allow self care to create reserves in your life so that you show up with your best self.

Again, recognize that we all have difficult days and we may not always be where we want to be. But when we have a vision, belief, committed plan and we work that plan, we’re more likely to succeed in all areas of our life, even self care.

Self Care is Work Life Balance, if there is such a thing. Self care makes sure that your day doesn’t feel like a grind and that your reserves are full.

Make some time to incorporate these 4 Elements into your Self Care Plan today.

When is the best time to start your strategic plan?

You’re probably inundated with news articles and television interviews about how the President-elect will begin his first 100 days, or how the current President is helping with the transition. Maybe you’ve also been getting emails from companies  you subscribe to about what they will be offering at their best end of the year prices or what’s in store for 2017.

That’s because it’s that time again! The time when leaders, business owners and nonprofit executives begin their review of the past year and begin to carve out a plan for the year ahead.

The best time to start your strategic plan is today. 

Those of you who follow me regularly know that a strategic plan is one of my 4 Elements for Success. I think it’s pretty difficult to move forward if you don’t have a plan or roadmap for what you will do to accomplish your goals. It’s helps to keep you focused on what’s most important and eliminates your tendency to follow every bright, shiny object that will max out your time or capacity.

There are a couple of ways I suggest you begin to craft your plan and I wanted to share them with you today.

1) Assess what worked so far:

Take some time to really look back at your income, expenses, return on those investments of time and money, programs, services, human capacity and customer or client satisfaction with your company or nonprofit. It takes some time, but it’s critical that you get feedback. Easy ways to accomplish this are free surveys online, meetings with key stakeholders or a random sampling of your client base, employee reviews or evaluations, meetings with bookkeeper or treasurer, etc. Think of all the information you need to make decisions next year and figure out a way to compile that information in the next couple of weeks.

2) The Best and the Rest:

Ask yourself these questions –

What worked best last year?

What do you wish you would have done but didn’t get around to implementing?

What would you do differently?

What do you want or need to let go of?

Use the answers to these questions and others that come up along the introspective process to formulate the list of things you want to make sure you do next year.

3) Connect to your core values

Do the things you accomplished this year fall within your core values? Are you aligned with what matters most to you? (If you haven’t had a values assessment, reach out and let me know. I can walk you through a process that will really help.)

4) Time and talents – Do you have all the human and financial resources you need to do what you want to do next year? If not, how can you put them in place at the right time in your plan?

5) Personal capacity and efficiency – Were you able to delegate appropriately and manage your time efficiently this year? What would you do differently? As you think about the coming year, are there areas or aspects of your work that you can delegate to someone this year? Or is there someone you can begin to develop to receive more of the share of the workload so you can focus on growth or more self care?  Who will take on each piece of the plan?

These are just a few ways in which you can get ready to create your actual plan.

Part two of this process is figuring out what buckets you need to put into your plan. We’ll talk about that in another post coming soon.

I’d like to share with you a recent webinar training I facilitated on strategic planning, which goes more in depth about how to create an effective plan and what accountability measures you can build in to your plan. Subscribe to my list on Facebook by clicking the “Sign Up” button or fill out the contact us form on this website. Once we get you signed up, I’ll send you a link that will bring you to this important webinar! It’s free and you can listen whenever you have the time!

As always, I am ready and willing to help you in whatever way I can. Some of my clients hire me to help them facilitate their initial plan, while some have me come periodically during the year to keep them on track. Whatever your needs, reach out if you’re ready to take the next step and create a strategic plan that ensures your most successful year yet!