Cured: The Power of Forgiveness

I'd thought about titling this post "Just Passing Through" but somehow that didn't fit.  Or maybe it did.  In any case, I'm writing because my cousin, Carl Ray, created a play, A Killing in Choctaw, which he would now like to make into a documentary film, Cured:  The Power of Forgiveness.  I've seen and enjoyed the play some time ago.  It was a bit intense but also inspiring.   To learn more about Cured, you can click here or click the link below.

Below is a copy of the e-mail request:

Hello,

I need your help. Film maker, David Fisher is shooting documentary film about my life to be released later this year. We have posted a 2 minute trailer on Youtube. Our goal is to get 10,000 views in 30 days to promote the film. I would appreciate it if you would encourage your friends on email, facebook, Linkedin and other social media to watch and share with their friends. Click the Youtube “Like” Button. Thanks.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SVTpXxWRU0

Be sure to have a look at the trailer for Cured: The Power of Forgiveness. Also, 'cause I can't help myself, who can you forgive today?

Ciao!

Business/Life Lessons from Angelina Jolie



source:  infoinn.blogspot.com


Back in October, I came across a Vanity Fair article  "Direct from Angelina" about Angelina Jolie.  The article gave the reader a peek into the life of Ms. Jolie and her combo screenwriting/directorial debut for In the Land of Blood and Honey.  Within the article were some indirect lessons that one could apply to business/life.  Here goes...
"I've noticed that you don't play a lot of girl-next-door types." (reporter)

"Yeah," she said laughing..."I went on a few of those auditions when I was younger and they told me I should just quit."

Know your brand...and if you don't know it, discover it.  While Jolie may not have had much success with being the wholesome girl-next-door, she has had more success in roles that require adventure, daring and moxy. 

Keep persisting until you find the formula/product/career/relationship that works for you.  Had Jolie gotten stuck with auditioning for the girl-next-door roles and attempted to mold herself into that, she probably wouldn't be as successful as she is today.  By auditioning for other roles, Jolie was able to discover a brand which felt more aligned to her personality.



"There's a famous quote," she said.  "If it doesn't scare you, it's not worth doing.'  I think there's truth to that.  I love being home with my kids.  I love simple things and wonder why I can't just enjoy them and live that kind of life.  But I wouldn't be happy.  I wouldn't feel my life is of much worth."

Take risks.  Granted we all don't have to get our pilots licenses or become ambassadors for the UNHCR but with growing a business there are risks required.  If you're like me and prefer a moneyback guarantee to life, then you can strengthen your risk muscle by taking small steps into uncertainty by trying a new food, handing someone your business card, getting feedback on a new business concept.  Who knows?  the person you hand your card to may be your next client.



"I've never valued somebody's opinion of me over my own sense of right and wrong." 

Trust yourself:  Just as Jolie, had to believe in herself in spite of being rejected on auditions.  Remember to trust your inner wisdom.  Is this always easy?  Nope, at times, it can make you the object of ridicule and set you apart from the majority of people.  Whether people catch up with your or you go back to the drawing board with your idea, at least you'll know that you followed your gut.

Which of these concepts are you already living? 

Which quality do you wish to strengthen?

How can you apply one of these lessons to your life/business?

Whether you're in business or not, how would you define your unique "brand"?


Hope you've enjoyed this post.  As an update, my life coaching business has transformed and is now called A Singular Life.  If you're an overwhelmed single women, you can visit my website or blog to learn more.

An 11-11-11 Query

Over the last couple of weeks, I've received e-mails from people in the self development industry reminding me of this approaching day.  To be honest with you, I don't fully get it.  Yes, I understand the numerical significance but the numerological not so much.  Nonetheless, if you're a fan of numbers or you don't wish to wait another century to observe such a quirk, here are some tips on memorializing this day:

1.  Write a check.  Pay your bills, make a donation.  You're taking care of business and observing the day at the same time.  : )

2.  Mail a friend.  Get that precious postage-mark on your envelope.

3.  E-mail a friend.  OK, not quite the same thing but you'll be saving on postage and paper.

4.  Make a Top 11 List of your accomplishments for 2011, your goals for the next year, your favorite quotes, favorite celebrities, places to visit, foods to try.

5.  Blog.  Maximize your Top 11 List and blog it or blog on another topic.

6.  Journal.  My personal favorite and probably the one that I'll implement in addition to having blogged.
OK, a Happy 11-11-11 to you all and a Happy Veteran's Day!  If you can provide a brief comment about the numerological significance of this day it'd be appreciated!

Self Care for Life Coaches

"footprints on the beach sand and sun"  source unknown

I've recently created a new blog and Meetup group Self Care for Life Coaches for coaches who crave a supportive community to boost their self care practices.  If you're a wonderful coach who needs support with getting more sleep or improving your eating habits feel free to have a look at the group here.  In conjunction with this group there's also a Self Care for Life Coaches blog which I've started.

What does self care mean to you?

In what areas do you wish to strengthen your self care:  nutrition, relaxation, relationships, sleep, fitness?

How would your coaching business, career or relationships benefit from improved self care?

Fitting It In

Originally when I thought of doing this post about a month ago, my idea was to share what I'd learned about fitness over the last 6 months or so.  I was going to explain how I was going to the gym more and doing more daily push-ups.  Now, that it's been almost a month since I've visited the gym, I realized I'd better rethink this post to fit my current fitness activities.

While I do like the gym, I have been an infrequent visitor to my local fitness center.  So in place of going to the gym, I continue to find other opportunities to fit in exercise.

Whether you have a gym membership or not, here are some ideas to hold you over  between gym lapses:

1.  Walk/take the stairs when possible.  While I'm not equating walking to a 30 minute bout on the Stairmaster, it is that "something" which is better than that "nothing" of sitting around all day.  Some movement is better than none.  Walking is free, low-impact and a cool way to see the neighborhood.

2.  Dance.  Music, movement, convenience. 

3.  Workout video.  You can buy, borrow or watch workouts on youtube.com.  Other sites such as fitnessmagazine.com, sparkpeople.com have workout clips that you can also be inspired by.

4.  Adjust your eating.  If you're doing less cardio, adjust your eating to fit your less strenuous lifestyle.  In other words, you may want to eat less fried foods and more green vegetables.  As with exercise, moderation is key.  I'm definitely not advocating starving or extreme dieting here.

5.  Staying calm.  Exercise is not only great for burning calories but also for releasing stress.  So if you've recently decreased your workouts, find another way to release stress via deep breathing, meditating, journaling.

By doing at least a few of the above tips, your body will be better equipped to support you when you do make that visit to the gym.

Turn to Your Neighbor on Your Right and...

Self-growth seminars, have you been?  Around May, I went to my first self-growth training which was led by the wunderkind Jonathan Budd.  This was my first self-growth training and I was unsure of what to expect.  Thankfully, the training did surpass my expectations and I still have some lessons from it which I continue to use in my day-to-day life.

If you've been to a self-growth training, you're probably familiar with what happens at such events.  If, however, you missed out on the latest self-growth seminar or if you'd like to attend one in the future, here are some suggestions of making the best of your seminar experience:

1.  Rest up ahead of time.  Seminars are not for the faint-of-heart.  Trainings can last from 12-14 hours a day.  There are breaks and the time usually goes by fast.  Nonetheless, get your sleep before attending a seminar so you can maintain your energy.

2.  Bring water, pens and paper, business cards.  You probably already know this one.

3.  As best as you can, clean your home/bedroom/office before leaving.  Ah, this is an ideal one...and one which I didn't fully achieve so I understand if this tip is a "challenge." Credit goes to coach and speaker Jim Bunch who shared this tip as part of Jonathan Budd's Unstoppable Entrepreneur training.
 
4.  Take what you can from the training and adapt it to your life.  Originally, when I attended the Millionaire Mind training, there were about 6 new daily habits which I enthusiastically did for the first week.  Around week 2, though, my 6 habits began to feel like too much so I gradually trimmed it down to just one--reading my wealth affirmations..  Do what's manageable and doable.  Appreciate that you invested the time and possibly money to attend the training. 

How about for you?  What trainings have you attended or would you like to attend?  How did the training affect your personal life or business?

Lessons Learned While Traveling

As I shared in the last post, I've had the opportunity to do some traveling over the past 6 months.  I figured that with all of the teleseminars, reading and concepts I'd absorbed that traveling would be a cool gentle breeze.  That I could shift my perspective, adjust to challenges, and overall, be a fairly decent traveler.  Indeed, this was not quite the case. 

Here are some lessons that I learned while traveling:
Social
1.  When traveling, keep in mind the purpose of the trip.  If it's a family gathering, think family time.  For a more sociable trip, think "hanging out with friends" time.  In other words, if you're used to being a solo traveler, like me, shift your expectations for group oriented trips.  Yes, I'm sure this is obvious for most travelers but for some reason, I was maintaining a solo traveler mindset on instead of a group traveler one.
2.  Best to travel with friends and family members that are patient with you in case you haven't quite mastered lesson 1.

Packing
1.  Use a standard list for packing.  Instead of re-writing your packing list, create a basic one for essential travel items. 
2.  Bring clothes that are versatile.  For a 4 day trip, I prefer to pack 2 pants and 4 shirts since people rarely notice if you wear the same pants twice.
3.  Wear something comfortable while traveling. 

Getting There
1.  Booking a flight and hotel at the last minute can feel slightly exhilarating but can also be expensive and stressful for you.
2.  If you're using transit, find out in advance how to go from the airport/train station to your destination.  Google Maps proved to be a handy option for me.
3.  If you're traveling as a group, see if you all can pack your "liquids" into one bag and split the baggage cost.

Being There
1.  Enjoy eating...but at the same time aim to stay on track with your health values.  Every now and then, aim to get some fresh vegetables along with whatever local cuisine you're enjoying.
2.  Doing 15 push ups or sit ups will at least make you feel somewhat on track with fitness.  : )  Make whatever effort you can, to support your health.
3.  Be calm about your purchases.  Does your friend really need a bulky, singing key chain?

When it's over...
1.  If you can, unpack your bags within 2 days of returning.  Seeing your unpacked bags in the corner can be draining and a bit of a nuisance.
2.  Give yourself a chance to rest before you swing back into everyday living.  Sleep in, do some journaling, have "me" time.
3.  Ah, and if a trip doesn't go as planned, see if you can find something positive about the trip.  What did you learn about yourself?  How well do you manage flight delays, lost items, too much rich food?

Have I mastered all of the lessons that I've shared?  Nope, am working on some of these myself.  However, a couple of positives about my experience is that it taught me to be patient with myself and also to appreciate the humor and patience of my friends and family members.