tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83925768871198211172024-02-02T08:59:14.150-08:00Carolina Life CoachingThoughts and ideas from personal and business coach Karen LeeCarolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-70701468562584253122013-12-31T18:02:00.001-08:002013-12-31T18:02:58.557-08:00Farewell 2013, hello 2014First off, I confess to being one of the most boring people you could meet.<div>I am not a party-er or dare devil.</div><div>When I drink alcohol I get horribly sleepy.</div><div>And as an early riser it takes a really good football or basketball game to keep me awake late at night.</div><div>Bottom line? I am not "a blast" on New Year's Eve.</div><div>Besides for some reason I spend more time reflecting on the year gone by than on the year ahead.</div><div>So, 2013.</div><div>Like every year, it was an interesting one.</div><div>Personally I had a roller coaster year. I was in a low as a professional, business was flat, I am too darn honest to 'sell' myself, so I mired in a funk, doing all that presented itself with my absolute most. Upset that we live in a world in which BS is so highly valued, I wasn't really sure of my next move.</div><div>And then out of the blue an opportunity arose, with minor trepidation I jumped on it.</div><div>Life from that point - August 14, 2013- has been a blur.</div><div>I jumped into a firestorm.</div><div>Four and a half months later it is still raging and I am still working ridiculous hours on major projects.</div><div>It has fascinated me that I am physically tired but I am not stressed or 'freaking' out, it is as if someone has thrown down a challenge and I am thrilled to accept it.</div><div>Bring it on baby, I've got this!</div><div>I am energized and excited. And tired :)</div><div>I can't say how long I can do this at this pace or how long they will keep me, but it has been a great experience & opportunity both professionally & financially.</div><div>2013 has been a difficult year for my boy, this time last year I felt hopeless about his front leg injury. </div><div>It got worse. When in a fit of happiness he went three-legged and I learned later he had snapped a piece if his elbow off.</div><div>And then even worse, with a failed surgery and complications.</div><div>And then we found a surgeon who listened and did what he could to help him.</div><div>Rehab went well, but then he didn't get any better.</div><div>I cried. I must say, more than once.</div><div>We were told to have him swim.</div><div>I religiously took him to the lake and he swam next to my kayak.</div><div>At first he was one of the most awkward swimmers you could imagine.</div><div>He got better & better, and stronger & stronger.</div><div>He loved it in a way that filled my heart.</div><div>My elbows however both developed tendinitis but we kept going.</div><div>He swam over a mile and a half but he couldn't comfortably walk two miles.</div><div>I was at a loss.</div><div>Eventually I took him to a rehab specialist and she gave me news that hit me hard. He was in constant pain & was physically compromised. </div><div>I cried.</div><div>Sigh. I felt distraught. I have done all that I could for all his life to keep him healthy and had failed. </div><div>This crazy, hyper, lovable beast needs to run and be active or his brain explodes. Now what?</div><div>So we started some new treatments.</div><div>I think they help but his behavior will never say. He is happy. He is always happy.</div><div>He isn't pleased with my work schedule but golly he is happy when I get home.</div><div>I mean REAL happy.</div><div>2013 had some significant lows and some highs. I can say that I am riding a high as it comes to a close. Nothing super exciting happened but nothing tragic either. Thinking about January 2013 and December 2013 I assure you the latter is a better place.</div><div>So here we are heading into 2014 & Bugsy is still kind of gimpy, some days he's real gimpy but otherwise he is healthy. For that I am very grateful.</div><div>I have my health, as does my husband and all my family members.</div><div>I even have a beautiful new granddaughter to go with three fabulous grandsons.</div><div>I mostly love where I live, I have few worries heading into 2014, I haven't said that moving into most new years.</div><div>I have a few things on my wish lost for 2014 and I intend to be a more generous person this year. If I could fulfill a dream it would be to be a philanthropist, lol, an itty bitty one but you get the idea.</div><div>I hope to have the energy and vision to actively make the world a little bit better for some.</div><div>I am thankful that my personal needs are modest and that instead of 'rewarding' myself for hard work I would rather help the less fortunate, human & canine.</div><div>Well I have rambled on long enough.</div><div>A huge thanks to all the friends & family in my life - I am blessed and I know it.</div><div>Raise your glass, be it filled with water, milk, champagne or koolaid and toast to a new year.</div><div>We each have a blank slate starting tomorrow, make the most of it. </div><div>You are responsible for making your life what you want, don't look to others, grab the reins and enjoy the ride!</div><div>Happy New Year!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-72217587053552711312013-02-28T16:54:00.000-08:002013-02-28T16:54:24.505-08:00The US government and leadershipI desperately try to avoid politics.<br />
I do study leadership from many angles.<br />
The other night I was watching the news and Scott Pelley of CBS was interviewing John Boehner, current Speaker of the House and as Scott Pelley stated, "the highest ranking Republican in government."<br />
The conversation was around the 'sequestering' that will occur after tomorrow if no deal is struck. These 11th hour deals are getting really old for the American public which in some ways is helping, as people are so tired of them, they are mad at all politicians instead of the hatred for the 'other side' that has become too common.<br />
<br />
So Pelley asked him, as "the highest ranking Republican", if he felt an obligation to lead his side (why does it always sound like a bunch of children taking sides?) in coming to a compromise.<br />
Boehner's response was that "we elect a President to lead".<br />
<br />
Hmm so he is supposedly a leader, Boehner that is, which is why he is Speaker of the House - clearly a leadership position - and in a very serious moment, begging for leadership, he's playing games of finger pointing and refusing to a) accept responsibility to lead and b)to work to achieve the compromise the American people want and deserve!<br />
<br />
I can tell you, politics aside, this man is not a leader. And he surely doesn't have the American public's best interest at heart.<br />
He is an appointed leader refusing to lead.<br />
<br />
Many of us fight the good fight day in and day out. We take charge of our family and in the workplace as appropriate, yet the highest ranking Republican flat-out refuses to lead because its hard? its not fair? he doesn't want to play?<br />
<br />
Imagine if our leaders in Afghanistan chose to not lead because they didn't agree with the directions, orders or the war in general.<br />
<br />
Boehner is supposed to lead. Some might argue that by not trying to work things out he is leading. You will never convince me. He is refusing to do the job he is appointed to do and WE the American public are impotent to enact change or create the necessary agreements.<br />
<br />
A leader that refuses to lead just isn't a leader. Think of your worst boss. Think of that time you really needed a decision and you got nothing.<br />
<br />
I will admit that my internal radar has never felt comfortable with Boehner, the crying attacks in public have always felt concerning, but this interview was the final nail in the coffin.<br />
Politics aside the guy isn't a leader and clearly doesn't understand the position he is in.<br />
Sadly it isn't him or any other member of Congress that will suffer. It is you and I.<br />
<br />
Perhaps I should pursue a career in politics, they seem to be the only people that escape the impact of their folly.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-12053158987105269402013-01-17T06:54:00.001-08:002013-01-17T06:54:01.344-08:00It's all about perception, reallyI know you've heard this before and certainly I have been promoting this concept of late because I have vowed to make 2013 a positive year.<br />
To do this, each time I find myself thinking negative thoughts or flat out being negative I do my best to spin it around and come up with some positive thoughts to replace the negative thoughts.<br />
Not always easy, but surprisingly not as difficult as you might imagine.<br />
However, I doubt I will ever be as capable of being positive in my outlook as my crazy mutt. He is permanently happy and positive.<br />
For instance, this morning it is once again gray, dreary, raining and cold.<br />
This weather pattern has been very common of late.<br />
I heard the rain last night and by the time morning arrived I was already depressed that it was another miserable day.<br />
<br />
I was settling into some work when the permanently happy mutt was being a silly nuisance and I realized he hadn't had much activity this week.<br />
Reluctantly I told him we'd go for a SHORT walk.<br />
With a grimace I selected wet weather gear and got dressed, meanwhile the mutt was wiggling and dancing and galloping with excitement.<br />
<br />
When we stepped outside it was even worse than I expected.<br />
The mutt pranced down the street enjoying the exercise and lovely day.<br />
<br />
I spent the first 1/2 mile or so with my head down, wishing I wasn't out in 40* and rain.<br />
The mutt was trotting along unaware that it was awful weather.<br />
He was just doing what he normally does while out. The water was literally rolling off him - physically and emotionally - like water off a duck's back.<br />
<br />
He was splashing through puddles and pretending that the water running in the culvert was the New River (a favorite spot of ours).<br />
<br />
I allowed myself to be sucked in by his joy.<br />
A smile came across my face as I recalled some childhood memories of playing in the rain.<br />
I took in the scent of the rain, the quietness of the morning and that it felt good to be on the move.<br />
<br />
The only thing that changed was my perception of the gray, cool, rainy weather.<br />
My mood went from bah humbug to feeling energized.<br />
<br />
How your perceive things is entirely up to you.<br />
Will you be positive or will you be negative?<br />
<br />
<br />Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-79698983929284003942012-12-30T14:33:00.002-08:002012-12-30T14:33:43.064-08:00Resolve to add something this yearEach year at this time my most frequent request from clients and others is the topic of resolutions.<br />
How to make them, how to keep them, who to tell, etc.<br />
This year I starting thinking about resolutions in November. I was looking at all the stuff going on in the world and watching the media focus on food and drink for the holidays and of course the month-long shopping rush that begins around Thanksgiving. Juxtaposing this eating/drinking/spending with the standard resolutions of losing weight, reducing alcohol consumption, getting finances under control, left me shaking my head.<br />
So I decided to focus on changing the type of resolution rather than rehashing the standard ones.<br />
I propose that this year, when you make your resolution, make it a positive one; one that adds something to your life, rather than focusing on removing something or reducing something.<br />
Here are some of the ideas I had:<br />
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Learn a language<o:p></o:p></div>
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Volunteer work<o:p></o:p></div>
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Take a course, learn something<o:p></o:p></div>
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Start a new family tradition (or re-ignite an old one)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Have a reading hour (or half hour) with the whole family<o:p></o:p></div>
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Try new foods (especially healthy foods!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Reconnect with people you've lost contact with <o:p></o:p></div>
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Re-engage with a passion you've left behind <o:p></o:p></div>
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Pursue a new interest <o:p></o:p></div>
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Set aside time for yourself <o:p></o:p></div>
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Reconnect with your religion or spirituality<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
I am sure you can think of many more. Once you decide on your resolution I do recommend writing it down and making it SMART.<br />
Specific<br />
Measurable<br />
Achievable<br />
Realistic<br />
Time bound<br />
<br />
Here's a short piece I did on the local news the other day. (Three days post flu!)<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/whiqzKjVkG8" width="560"></iframe>Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-90024050253306278582012-11-19T07:37:00.002-08:002012-11-19T07:37:18.727-08:00Conflict, Change and StagnationLast week I asked what people's perception of these three terms were. (I asked my followers on Facebook - join the conversation <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaLifeCoaching?ref=hl" target="_blank">here</a>)<br />
Overwhelmingly the response was that all three: conflict, change, and stagnation, were negative.<br />
I completely understand why the perception is that they are negative but let's delve a bit further.<br />
<br />
Conflict is essentially about opposition. It might be conflict in the Middle East that is war or it might be trying to decide between two apples in the grocery store; which apple is better?<br />
Conflict in the workplace may be as simple as a difference of opinion on what coffee to buy or as complex as what the organization is doing right or wrong.<br />
<br />
Many years ago conflict was presented to me as the motivation for learning.<br />
In these terms conflict is internal for each of us.<br />
What inspires you to go look something up?..........for me I'd say it is because I find it unsettling to not know (this is my conflict), so I go find out. Once I find the indisputable information I can relax - I have no conflict (well about that particular issue).<br />
<br />
In organizations, conflict can be damaging and it can be beneficial. It all depends on how 'conflict' is treated. I know we have all been in tense situations at work because we don't agree with someone or something, but we must remain silent. Disagreeing isn't acceptable/tolerated/or allowed.<br />
Clearly in these settings conflict is a negative. It causes internal stress, angst and has no positive value.<br />
<br />
However if it was OK to safely discuss ideas - even conflicting ideas - perhaps change could occur, positive change.<br />
Great things are typically born of conflict, it leads to discussion, debate, collaboration and invention.<br />
<br />
But wait, you say, everything is just fine as it is.<br />
"Why reinvent the wheel?"<br />
Well because there are new innovations that might be an improvement.<br />
"But it will cause me conflict - I am used to doing things a certain way - I don't want to learn a new way."<br />
We all know people that refuse to move forward, are you one?<br />
<br />
Although he isn't as successful as he once was, I am reminded of Tiger Woods who at the peak of his career decided to make a swing change. This is a huge undertaking for a golfer and one that can derail a career. He was asked why he wanted to make a radical change when he was so successful with his current swing. His response was that he was as good as he could be with THAT swing, however he believed he could be better and to be better he had to adopt a new swing.<br />
His conflict was that he believed he had the ability to be better than he was, he wasn't good enough in his eyes. He realized he had reached a plateau, so he changed. Even though his game did suffer initially and it was really hard work he stuck with it. In the end he did emerge better than he had been before.<br />
<br />
The concepts of conflict and change apply to businesses, individuals, teams, and relationships. Whether it seems that 'everything is just fine' or it is clear that things aren't fine, having an avenue to safely discuss conflict which creates the opportunity for change (improvement) is a very good thing.<br />
<br />
Without conflict there is no change; without change there is stagnation.<br />
<br />
To stagnate is to cease motion, activity, or progress; to come to rest; to cease to advance or change; to become idle or cease to flow. Think stagnant pond.<br />
<br />
No way that's a good thing, so change must be good :)<br />
And since conflict is the precursor of change, it must be a good thing too!<br />
<br />
I hope I have created conflict with regard to your beliefs about conflict and change!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-64512255580095552712012-10-04T10:45:00.003-07:002012-10-04T10:45:52.308-07:00Do you think about the past or the future?This post is aimed toward individuals 40+ but may have some good thoughts for all. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
I was thinking the other day as I was listening to someone talking about events that were 20 years ago, that I rarely hear this person talk about things in the future.<br />
I then started to think about other people in my life that when given an opportunity to take the spotlight or to guide the conversation, they talk about things from decades ago.<br />
I then started to think of people that consistently talk about the things they are going to do. I am not talking about the person who is always 'going to do' something but never does, I mean the person who has lived a full life and has every intention to keep living a full life.<br />
<br />
I can tell you that the people that focused on the past are individuals that one would typically call a pessimist. Often I sense they feel older than they are, they long for the old days, and don't really look forward to or at least talk about the future.<br />
I am not saying they don't want to have a future, I just mean they don't seem to set goals for the future or dream of things they will do down the road.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the people who seem to have goals and dreams to pursue 'in the future' tend to be optimistic and thankful people. These people will look at the past and appreciate those good times but don't have a desire for it to still be 'those days'. These individuals seem to focus more on today but also have desires and dreams they are pursuing for future good times.<br />
<br />
When we are young, the vast majority of us have clear goals and exciting dreams to fulfill, as we age I believe this can slip away as we are busy dealing with life day in and day out. I can't help but believe that having dreams to pursue, regardless of your age, and focusing on future achievements will serve you better than reliving your 'glory days' over and over.<br />
<br />
The next time you are in a social gathering with friends or family, think about what you share or talk about.<br />
Is it memories from decades or years ago that you have likely shared before, with the same folks?<br />
Or is the conversation driven by things you hope to do down the road?Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-44013960022059927132012-06-25T08:10:00.000-07:002012-06-25T08:10:20.056-07:00Google search tips, that really will help!<div>
<div id="area-article-first-block">
<div class="mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext" id="mod-a-body-first-para" style="margin-right: 0px;">
Think
you're a Google Search power user?<br />
<br />
You might not know all the ways to
get faster, more focused search results. Here are five tips:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Exclude
terms. If you're looking for information on Vikings, the old Norse
explorers, you don't want pages on football's Minnesota Vikings. Use a
minus sign to tell Google to exclude pages that contain a certain word,
like this: </span><em style="background-color: white;">Vikings - Minnesota</em></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Site search. Limit your search to a single website or a specific group of sites, by using </span><em style="background-color: white;">site:</em><span style="background-color: white;"> followed by a Web address or ending. For example, type </span><em style="background-color: white;">site:latimes.com</em><span style="background-color: white;">
in your search and you'll get results only from the Los Angeles Times
website. To get results only from U.S. government sites — which have Web
addresses ending in ".gov" — add </span><em style="background-color: white;">site:gov</em><span style="background-color: white;"> to your search. Use </span><em style="background-color: white;">site:edu</em><span style="background-color: white;"> for colleges or </span><em style="background-color: white;">site:mil</em><span style="background-color: white;"> forU.S. military sites.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Wildcard
search. Use the asterisk to substitute for any word in a phrase. This
can be handy for identifying a particular fact or finding a missing word
in a song lyric. Put phrases in quotes. For instance, </span><em style="background-color: white;">"Perris is in * county"</em><span style="background-color: white;"> or </span><em style="background-color: white;">"in Penny Lane there is a * showing photographs."</em></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Math
and conversions. Enter a math problem into Google Search and it will
give you the answer (use * for multiplication and / for division). It
will also convert currencies and temperatures. Enter, for example, </span><em style="background-color: white;">$100 in euros</em><span style="background-color: white;"> or </span><em style="background-color: white;">72 Fahrenheit in Celsius</em><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">More shortcuts. Put "define" before any word (for example, </span><em style="background-color: white;">define photobomb</em><span style="background-color: white;">),
and Google will give you a definition at the top of the results.
Similarly, entering "movies" or "weather" before a ZIP Code or a city
name will produce a list of films playing nearby or a weather forecast
for that area.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext" id="mod-a-body-after-first-para">
<em><a href="mailto:scott.wilson@latimes.com">scott.wilson@latimes.com</a></em><br />
<br />
originally printed on<br />
<br />
<div class="mod-latarticlesarticlebyline mod-articlebyline" id="mod-article-byline" style="margin-right: 0px;">
<span class="pubdate"><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/27">April 27, 2012</a></span><span class="separator">|</span>By Scott J. Wilson, Los Angeles Times</div>
</div>
</div>Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-20416370334007842822012-06-15T08:30:00.000-07:002012-06-15T08:30:07.365-07:00Are you an inspiring leader?I was working with a client the other day who consistently complains about the lack of energy in their workplace. It is an organization that has its problems and lack of energy is definitely one of them, however, I did start wondering what this person was doing - in their leadership opportunities - to motivate people.<br />
If tasked with standing in front of a group of disengaged people how do you respond?<br />
Do you see it as hopeless?<br />
Do you go through the motions with no expectation that anyone will become engaged or be interested?<br />
Or do you take a deep breath, hitch up your pants (figuratively if not literally) and set out to connect, engage and motivate the group in front of you?<br />
<br />
Having been a trainer for adults, a middle school and high school teacher and a counselor for troubled teens I have many years of experience of standing in front of disengaged and disinterested 'learners'.<br />
Without question there have been days that I looked at the slump-shouldered people in front of me and thought, "forget it, nothing will happen today". But then I would remind myself that my 'job' was to get my message across.<br />
I would recall successful training sessions where the room was buzzing and light bulbs were popping on the entire time. I can feel that energy just thinking about those times.<br />
Bottom line is that I change my mindset from feeling defeated by the dark cloud in front of me to seeing it as a challenge.<br />
Sometimes its a really, really big challenge.<br />
For me a challenge is really motivating, it energizes me and starts my wheels spinning to find ways to use my energy to ignite my audience.<br />
<br />
In my mind I am trying to inspire. I am trying to move the disinterested to be interested. I want to motivate those that have stopped caring about the quality of their work and their contribution to the organization to start caring again.<br />
Because if the fifteen people in front of me become inspired and motivated they take that positive energy back to their teams and that offers potential for others to become more caring and motivated.<br />
<br />
So how do you inspire the uninspired?<br />
<br />Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-75323566356823327422012-06-08T13:35:00.002-07:002012-06-08T13:35:49.359-07:00Why you and your team should know your DiSCSince becoming an Inscape Publishing Distributor I have been asked many times what Everything DiSC is and what it can do for you or your team/workplace.<br />
I've been told 'we did this assessment or that assessment and its a fun thing to know but it didn't change anything.'<br />
Many people have done the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator at some point (or used a knock-off assessment) to determine your 'type'. Learning type is fabulously interesting and CAN be very useful in the workplace but applying it in the workplace is a long process. As a certified MBTI practitioner I fully support the usefulness of the tool WHEN the organization dedicates appropriate time and money to the process.<br />
<br />
The Everything DiSC products are different. First of all they aren't assessing 'type'; they are assessing how you process/operate/communicate in the workplace, they call it your 'style'.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZo2kOS1cgjG2WqQ-e9FTOy8lWXbDcJRdVCl4BAXntIypzoE-F4vXO-n5jC6gjTd0dU0ROQVpTtipUh06ZolI65QIZPPIEfpPym-vPu7lr9_xM4nvLNIj21NOPcAzri-iNp9lx6n_GDA/s1600/Everything+DiSC+Workplace+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZo2kOS1cgjG2WqQ-e9FTOy8lWXbDcJRdVCl4BAXntIypzoE-F4vXO-n5jC6gjTd0dU0ROQVpTtipUh06ZolI65QIZPPIEfpPym-vPu7lr9_xM4nvLNIj21NOPcAzri-iNp9lx6n_GDA/s320/Everything+DiSC+Workplace+Map.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<br />
Unlike the MBTI you answer the questions relative to how you are at work.<br />
The assessment is short and sweet and the profile you receive offers an abundance of information on each style enabling you to get a picture of others as well as yourself.<br />
In fact, it will describe how best to interact with each 'style', how you may perceive other styles, what motivates you, and what you find stressful.<br />
<br />
Ideally having taken the assessment you receive the results from a qualified and experienced DiSC professional, HOWEVER, the report is so thorough that you can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge by reading it closely.<br />
Taking the assessment in isolation - meaning you take it but others in your workplace don't - is a very valuable experience. You will increase your ability to successfully communicate. I guarantee that, if you allow me to facilitate your report.<br />
Successful communication is the key to success in life.<br />
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In team settings, the reports are facilitated and the discussions are always lively. People always seem to have 'aha' moments when they discover more about their own style but especially about other people's style.<br />
Once you learn that team member A is a 'D' and thus prefers to make decisions swiftly and to work independently you will spend less time giving them a host of options and debating the positives and negatives of each option. Usually when you do this with someone who has a 'D' style you can actually watch them begin to boil or get so turned off by the task that they do a poor job or don't do it at all. <br />
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If it turns out your team has a preponderance of 'C's' you will no longer wonder why every task takes so long - they are done to perfection, but things are falling behind. A team that is heavy with C's will need someone else monitoring deadlines and pushing things along.<br />
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And a team heavy in 'D', 'S' or 'i' will need some C influence to ensure that steps weren't skipped or information processed too swiftly/inaccurately.<br />
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My belief is that the Everything DiSC assessments provide practical knowledge that, once applied, will increase communication; awareness and delivery of information will be done with more skill and that will lead to greater success.<br />
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And a lot more pleasant workplace!<br />
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Call (919)336-2324 or <a href="mailto:karen@whatsyourdisc.com" target="_blank">email</a> today for more information!<br />
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<br />Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-55404531495148383702012-05-29T07:32:00.001-07:002012-05-29T07:32:31.417-07:00a new trend in therapy - crybabies be gone!This was published in the Wall Street Journal on May 15, 2012. I thought it was an interesting read and that these tips may be useful for all when faced with 'whiners'<br />
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Often, people don't realize they are whining. the trick: Raise their self-awareness without using accusatory or sarcastic language.<br />
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<b>Go gently:</b> Even therapists say this conversation sometimes ends with the client walking out. Start by telling the person who is whining how much you appreciate him or her.<br />
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<b>Use a tone of genuine curiosity</b>. You want to get to the bottom of the problem together. You may want to mirror the negative communication. 'I don't know if you hear yourself, but listen to what you just said.'<br />
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<b>Point out there's a pattern.</b> Say, 'Do you realize it's the fifth night in a row you've talked about this?' Offer to tape future conversations so the person can hear for him or herself.<br />
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<b>Open up the conversation.</b> A person whining about work may be feeling unwell, or stuck in his career. Ask, 'Is there something else that's wrong?' Explain that it is hard for you to hear the real issue because the person's tone and attitude are getting in the way.<br />
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<b>Ask the person what he or she plans to do about the problem.</b> Hold them accountable.<br />
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<b>Suggest alternatives.</b> The person might want to write down a list of complaints and leave it in a drawer. Or keep a journal and circle repeated complaints in red pen. Or spend an hour at the gym, or do something outdoors with you.<br />
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<b>Set a time limit.</b> For 10 minutes a day the person can whine unfettered - and you will listen. Then time is up. Do this once a day, once a week - or challenge the person to a 'whine-free day'.<br />
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<b>Give positive reinforcement.</b> Say, 'I love to hear good things about your job.' praise each increment toward healthy communication.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-57095634866760057992012-05-15T12:08:00.001-07:002012-05-15T12:09:17.763-07:00Is your team performing at its best?One of the services Carolina Life Coaching offers is Team Development. We use a variety of tools to ensure a customized training solution that will take your team to the next level.<br />
Optimally we start with each member of the team completing a MBTI Form Q or Step II assessment. Each member then has a personalized feedback session, facilitated by a certified MBTI practitioner, to ensure they choose their own best-fit type and also have an understanding of type as defined by the MBTI.<br />
Another option to set the table for the team discussion and development is to use the Everything DiSC Workplace assessment.<br />
Similar to the application of the MBTI, each individual would complete an assessment, followed by a coached feedback session to ensure they understand the instrument and their assessed type.<br />
After each member of the team has been assessed and had a personal session it's time to work on TEAM.<br />
I believe that Patrick Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" offers an excellent model for development and scrutiny, however, I do prefer to put a positive spin on the title and say we'll work on the 'Five keys for a successful team'.<br />
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I have a very effective group of activities that help teams explore, debate and grow as they work through this model.<br />
All in all with a better understanding of themselves, a better understanding of other members of the team and a better understanding of effective and successful teamwork; team production increases substantively.<br />
Call (919-336-2324) or <a href="mailto:carolinalifecoaching@gmail.com" target="_blank">email us</a> today to learn more and to get the process of improving your team's production started now!Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-51014861508505586482012-05-04T09:02:00.001-07:002012-05-04T09:50:48.096-07:00Our first contest! Winner receives a free Everything DiSC profile ($50 value)I'm working on <a href="http://www.whatsyourdisc.com/">www.whatsyourdisc.com</a> and want to replace the photo of the building with something that has: more color and is relevant to the assessment tool - which focuses on communication styles and workplace behaviors.<br />
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The Everything DiSC products use this <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/57001591/Everything%20DiSC%20Workplace%20Map.jpg">image</a> to represent the concept that underpins their products.<br />
I am thinking it would be good to incorporate this image into a background to replace the 'skyscraper' but am not beholden to this concept.<br />
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Please send entries to:<br />
<a href="mailto:karen@whatsyourdisc.com">karen@whatsyourdisc.com</a><br />
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Contest will end on Tuesday May 8, 2012<br />
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If you don't want to formally submit an entry I would still love to hear your ideas, which you can post on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaLifeCoaching">Facebook</a> page or in a response to this blog post.<br />
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Thanks!<br />
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Here is a <a href="http://whatsyourdisc.com/files/sampleworkplace.pdf">sample profile</a> so you can see what it is you can win!Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-71043862844656342192012-04-06T07:59:00.000-07:002012-04-06T07:59:02.040-07:00What criteria do YOU think are important before you take advice from these marketing, management, advertising, personal development consultants/coaches/specialists?This question was posed in one of the groups I belong to on LinkedIn. I found it an excellent question and posted this response.<br />
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I am a business and personal coach. My background is in education, counseling, training and development, change management and coaching. I have helped companies and individuals in fields and areas completely outside my areas of experience. As a coach I am not an expert in your specific field (as mentioned mentors are!) I am an expert in people. Motivating, communicating, questioning, strategizing, facilitating, etc. My clients have come to me for a vast array of issues and from a variety of fields/organizations. <br />
My point is that at least from the perspective of what to look for in a coach, it isn't their knowledge of your specific area, it is their track record of helping individuals, teams and organizations perform better. There are also different areas of coaching to consider too and what tools they are authorized to use to facilitate their coaching. What I mean here is say with a sales team I like to use the Everything DiSC Sales assessment and facilitation, someone else may use other tools. <br />
Bottom line is if you hired a coach, mentor or other consultant what would you want them to 'fix' or improve? Then decide which discipline offers the tools to help you with your chosen area of improvement.<br />
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How would you answer this question?Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-82820271351498230452012-03-22T13:41:00.000-07:002012-03-22T13:41:16.181-07:00Coaching and mentoring: what's the difference?Ask this question and you will get a different answer from each person who gives you an answer. How can this be?<br />
There is much talk in the workplace about both of these disciplines yet no consensus; therefore this post is not to define them but to offer my understanding/application/and personal definitions.<br />
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Mentoring, to me, is something a senior worker offers a junior worker. <br />
Many years ago as I was leaving a post I was tasked with mentoring my replacement for a few weeks so that they could step in to the role fully upon my departure.<br />
I have recently worked with a client who was formally asked to mentor a new hire - ensuring he understood the software, projects, hierarchy of tasks and other parameters of his new post. <br />
Mentors offer support and guidance and advice. They will help you learn your job or specific tasks better. They often act as a role model.<br />
I see mentors as being experts in specific skills related to performance, being experienced in an area with established networks.<br />
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So what is coaching? (For clarification I am discussing business or executive coaching.)<br />
Coaching is about increasing performance, improving soft skills, and upping efficiency.<br />
A coach is an expert listener and questioner but may not be an expert in a specific field or task: as a mentor often is. A coach should be an expert in adult learning, communication, motivation, psychology/human dynamics and generally understanding what makes a person tick.<br />
Coaching will include self-evaluation and self-discovery. Guided, yes, but not so much directed.<br />
A coach will have a targeted outcome related to optimization of potential. <br />
In a coaching relationship the 'answers' should come from the client whereas in mentoring the mentor will usually provide the 'answers'. <br />
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These definitions were provided on another forum:<br />
Coaching is a facilitated, reflective learning process involving semi-structured, focused interaction with an individual (or group) aimed at promoting sustainable change for the benefit of the individual and potentially other stakeholders.<br />
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Mentoring is a method of guidance whereby one person shares their knowledge, skills and experience to assist another to make progress in their own lives and careers. <br />
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I think those are excellent functional definitions that match my practical understanding of mentoring and coaching.<br />
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I would love to hear more about your understanding and applications of these techniques and what you think about what I've said.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-75478419247857663842012-03-09T12:47:00.000-08:002012-03-09T12:47:15.575-08:00Introductory offer: Everything DiSC® Workplace profile $39.95!As a newly authorized Inscape Publishing distributor I have decided to offer the Everything DiSC® Workplace profile for $39.95 (RRP $50.25) for a limited time.<br />
You may be wondering what this profile is, what it can do for you or why it should be of interest to you.<br />
Everything DiSC® Workplace profile is an assessment of your manner of connecting to people; how do you process the world, what are your strengths, what can you contribute to a team effort and how can you maximize your ability to have productive interactions with others.<br />
The Workplace profile is the basic profile in the suite of assessments (there are separate profiles for Sales, Management and Leaders); the information from it can be used in many areas of one's life. I believe that it offers the individual a greater understanding of how they operate, offers suggestions on using your strengths and perhaps most beneficial is the part of the report that indicates how you (with your style of communicating) will best get along with individuals with different communication styles than your own.<br />
After completion of the questions (which takes about 20 minutes) a 20 page report is generated that provides a tremendous amount of information. This report includes some basic information about the four main styles (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) discusses your style in greater detail, shows strengths and weaknesses of your style, how your style interacts with other styles, and much more!<br />
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Having used the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator I feel that the Everything DiSC® Workplace profile is a more useful profile, has at least as much depth but presents it in a less complex manner. Both the MBTI and the DiSC profiles have a unique purpose, however I see the DiSC as having a more immediate upside by increasing your productivity and communication skills through providing the information it does. <br />
Here is a link to a <a href="http://whatsyourdisc.com/files/sampleworkplace.pdf">sample profile report</a><br />
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If you want to take advantage of this price you need to click through this blog post! <br />
If you want to purchase other Inscape products please see <a href="www.whatsyourdisc.com">www.whatsyourdisc.com</a><br />
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<input name="item_description_1" type="hidden" value="After your purchase an email with a link to your profile and your unique code will be sent to the email you use to make the purchase"/><br />
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</form>Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-83871524741414415392012-03-04T13:27:00.001-08:002012-03-04T13:27:45.610-08:00Everything DiSC® - our new endeavorCarolina Life Coaching is now an authorized Inscape Publishing distributor for all DiSC® products (and several other products).<br />
DiSC® is an assessment tool that looks at how you interact with the world and provides an informative 20 page report that will help you to improve your interactions with others. That is a VERY simple description, way too simple but its a start. Here's a bit more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DISC_assessment">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DISC_assessment</a><br />
Further information can be found here <a href="www.whatsyourdisc.com">www.whatsyourdisc.com</a> <br />
That site is under construction but will be updated every other day until completed.<br />
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I am super excited to integrate this tool into my coaching and training as I have been extremely impressed with the results of the profiles I seen. <br />
Individuals can start with the Everything Workplace DiSC® or one of the targeted profiles such as Everything Workplace DiSC® Management, Everything Workplace DiSC® Sales, or Everything Workplace DiSC® Work of Leaders.<br />
The profiles work wonderfully when used with groups and facilitated to help individuals to better understand how to communicate more efficiently with their group members. <br />
I want to keep this entry short and sweet so will leave it here for now. But in time I will dedicate space here to provide additional information.<br />
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Please visit <a href="www.whatsyourdisc.com">www.whatsyourdisc.com</a> and send an email or call to find out more.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-85781157234014320192012-03-04T11:30:00.003-08:002012-03-05T05:02:30.721-08:00Spring Cleaning<p>Spring cleaning our home typically means doing a complete top to bottom clean including all the things we don't normally do. <br />
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Where does one start? How do I find the time? What about motivation? How many cleaning products to I need? Some of those are pricey, how can I keep costs down? I HATE cleaning! Why do it, it will be a mess soon enough! <br />
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Not knowing where to start is probably the biggest barrier to actually starting. I recommend setting a date and time that you WILL start and in the room you feel best prepared to conquer. For some of us that might be the room that needs it the most and for others it may be the room that needs it the least.<br />
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Or you may start with a specific task. Cleaning baseboards or dusting picture frames or sorting through the coat closet. I am reminded of a line from the movie The Patriot – "aim small, miss small" <br />
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Create a very specific target – and you have a much better chance of hitting it.<br />
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I am going to deep clean the entire house! I am going to organize the linen closet. <br />
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Which is more manageable? Which is less daunting? Which are you more likely to complete?<br />
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This chart may help you determine your start point. List the tasks that you want to achieve in the appropriate boxes. Then start with the Urgent box.<br />
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<div><table border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><colgroup><col style="width: 399px;"></col><col style="width: 399px;"></col></colgroup><tbody valign="top">
<tr><td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid 0.5pt; border-left: solid 0.5pt; border-right: solid 0.5pt; border-top: solid 0.5pt; padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><b>PRIORITIES</b></strong></span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: solid 0.5pt; border-left: solid 0.5pt; border-right: solid 0.5pt; border-top: none; padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;">Urgent:<br />
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</td><td style="border-bottom: solid 0.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid 0.5pt; border-top: none; padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;">Important:</td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: solid 0.5pt; border-left: solid 0.5pt; border-right: solid 0.5pt; border-top: none; padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;">Can wait:<br />
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</td><td style="border-bottom: solid 0.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid 0.5pt; border-top: none; padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;">Unlikely:</td></tr>
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So…………..<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Pick a start time , pick a start location and pick a task - then schedule it!</b></em></strong></span><br />
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Decide how much time you are going to spend on any given day on your spring cleaning? Are you going to try and tackle it all or are you going to go room by room? Task by task?<br />
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Most of us will be trying to find the time to do this extra deep clean and therefore can't get lost in the process. A few may be in a position to start on a Saturday morning and work right through, my hat is off to those you who can do that! For the rest of us look at your schedule and literally pencil in time to clean. Try to accomplish three tasks each time you clean.<br />
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Scheduling appointments for the mundane, for fun and for stuff we keep saying we want to do but don't do, is a common recommendation from me. If we put an appointment on our calendar you are much more likely to make sure it happens.<br />
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How often will you ignore an appointment that is on your calendar? I hope not too often!!<br />
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Back to the cleaning….<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Get everyone involved</b><br />
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Recruit family members……………all of them that reside in the home. There is no reason that Spring Cleaning should fall on one set of shoulders, ask the kids to clean their room, organize their dresser and closets, go through their toys and consider giving some to a charity. Sure you may have to review what they have done but they are capable of the first pass!<br />
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Same goes for your spouse or partner – I ask my husband to start with the garage since that contains mostly his stuff.<br />
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Another tip is to set an egg timer for 15 minutes and spend those 15 minutes in a chosen room. Better yet get everyone to spend 15 minutes in a different room. Bit by bit, step by step.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Add a little fun</b></em></strong></span> – put music on, have a little competition (who can have the tidiest room, who can have the neatest closet, etc.) order some pizzas! Do something to make it more enjoyable.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>Keep <b>track of your progress – make a list of the things that are DONE</b> <br />
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We so often have a to- do list but how often do we keep track of the things we've done? It will give you a sense of accomplishment to see how much you have completed.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Consider additional reasons why spring cleaning is a good thing.</b><br />
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It is all well and good to have a wonderfully clean and organized home but that may not be enough motivation for you. <br />
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<ul><li>A clean home can positively impact allergies, <br />
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<li>you may find things that need repair <em>before</em> they are a disaster, <br />
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<li>you may find plenty to donate to a charity and therefore create a tax deduction, <br />
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<li>your kitchen cupboard will be free of crumbs (which can attract ants and other insects) and out of date foods. <br />
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<li>A clean frig is less likely to house harmful bacteria. <br />
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<li>The clear dryer vent is less likely to cause fire issues. <br />
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<li>Less clutter means more living space.<br />
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</ul>I am sure you can think of others.<br />
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<b>To recap:</b><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Pick a start time, pick a start location, pick a task - then schedule it!</b></em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Get everyone involved, don't try and do it all yourself</b><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Add a little fun; music, take out food, competitions</b><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Keep track of your progress – make a list of the things that are DONE</b> <br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><b>Consider the additional benefits of spring cleaning</b><br />
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How many have fallen and given up?<br />
And how many are still trying to get started?<br />
Those of you who are going strong, congrats!! You obviously have a successful strategy for achieving your goal and I encourage you to keep on keeping on. Also I recommend considering long term motivational techniques to help keep you going when you feel things slowing down.<br />
I don’t want to slight those of you who are making good progress however I am going to focus on the people that either haven’t gotten started or who slipped up and threw in the towel.<br />
First of all there is approximately 92% of the year left. So there is plenty of time!<br />
Review the goal you originally set: was it really something you wanted to achieve? Or was it something you felt you should achieve due to external pressure? If it isn’t something you really want, choose something you do want to achieve. Then define that goal in positive terms, create a SMART* framework for it, share it with others and reinforce it where and whenever you can. If it is a large goal break it up into smaller steps and acknowledge your successes as you move along<br />
Slip-ups happen, but slip-ups should not equal the end of your resolution. Think of them as a bump in the road or an obstacle, dust yourself off and get back on track!<br />
Re-write your goal(s) if necessary – make them more realistic, tone them down a bit so as to ensure they don’t intimidate you. Then as you achieve this more realistic goal you can create a subsequent one that gets you further along. Repeat as necessary to achieve your ultimate goal!<br />
Create a whole new target (goal, resolution) – start from scratch, perhaps the goalposts have changed.<br />
Make a short-term and/or small resolution – <br />
I am going to reduce my soda/coffee/alcohol intake this week.<br />
I will spend 15 minutes a day relaxing and clearing my mind<br />
I will do something positive for my partner/children/parents/friends each day<br />
Every Sunday morning I will pay my bills<br />
We all get focused on New Year resolutions but there is no reason to limit them to the 1st of January. <br />
Any day is the best day to resolve to lose weight, repair relationships, clean out clutter, volunteer with a charity, become more active, be more patient, …..this list can go on and on. <br />
Choose something, commit to it, make a plan to achieve it and go to it! Every single one of us has it in us to improve ourselves. Believe in yourself.<br />
*SMART = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and TimeboundCarolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-46541639722075401182012-01-02T12:32:00.000-08:002012-01-02T12:32:25.057-08:00Resolve to be more thankfulI read a short piece the other day that talked about increasing your gratitude. So many of us spend a lot of our energy considering what we don't have or what we aren't and what others aren't. <br />
Instead use that energy to look around you and be grateful for what you have and are.<br />
Say thank you to people that make a difference in your life or who make a simple transaction pleasant. Better yet, right a personal thank you note. Nothing long just a personal message. Make it specific. Send a note of thanks for a gift you may have received during the holidays.<br />
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I realized a while back that customer service employees must get a lot of disgruntled customers so I try to keep that in mind when I phone them up. When I get one that is particularly helpful or who makes my transaction/correction/interaction simple and painless, I make a point to say thank you for helping me get a resolution so easily and simply. The reaction I get lets me know that not many people bother to say thanks.<br />
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A great read on this topic is by John Kralik, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Act-Gratitude-Learning-Changed/dp/1401310710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325535760&sr=8-1">"A Simple Act of Gratitude"</a> <br />
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Hey and thanks for reading my blog :)Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-4913909127974687352011-12-27T07:33:00.000-08:002011-12-27T07:33:31.416-08:00Need help ensuring your resolutions stick?Each year many people make New year’s resolutions, unfortunately only a small percentage of people are successful in achieving them. Hopefully these tips can help you become successful at achieving your goals.<br />
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There are various keys to making successful resolutions:<br />
1. First and foremost, is it something you really want to achieve? or is it something you feel you ‘should’ do or worse is it something someone else feels you ‘should’ do? Only commit to resolutions you are passionate about and that align with your values. Make sure it is something you don’t need to rely on other people to achieve, it is your resolution, no one else’s.<br />
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2. State your resolution in positive terms – I ‘will’ … not I ‘must’ or I ‘hope’ – vow to eat healthier and exercise more not to go on a diet: I am going to look better, feel better and be healthier, not “I will only eat 800kcals a day.”<br />
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3. Keep the number of resolutions to a minimum – if you have several things you’d like to achieve, set about achieving one at a time, you’ll need a hierarchy, which change comes first? If you attempt to make multiple changes simultaneously, you make success very unlikely. Focus on one change then move on to another after the first one is integrated into your life.<br />
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4. Write your resolutions down and share them with people. Both increase your accountability and investment. <br />
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5. I recommend creating a mantra or motto for your goal and posting it on your bathroom mirror, at your workstation and/or on the fridge. Highly visible places that you will see every day. “I will exercise today” or “get moving”<br />
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6. Download a mobile app that supports your goal. I wrote a short blog post mentioning some apps that are useful for becoming healthier, saving money, or getting financially organized. Truly whatever your resolution, there will be a mobile app that can help, use one for reinforcement.<br />
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7. Slip ups happen – it doesn’t mean the resolution has failed and that you can scrap it. Recognize the slip, correct it and get back to your plan. A habit takes at least 21 days to be established and 6 or more months to be fully ingrained. Focus on the new habit instead of the old one. <br />
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8. The most important part of a successful resolution is the plan you create to achieve it. Your plan should break your goal down into small steps, as small as they have to be to allow you to be successful. If your goal is to lose 30lbs, have weekly goals that lead you to the 30lb loss. <br />
Make sure the goals are <b>Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic and are Time-bound.</b> It isn’t realistic to lose 30lbs in a month so what is realistic for you? Perhaps 6 months? Set a certain time each week when you’ll weigh-in, meet your weekly goal as it will lead you to the ultimate goal and emotionally it is less taxing to lose 2lbs this week than have a constant focus on the 30lbs. <br />
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Have some ideas for what you will do when it gets difficult to stick to your resolution. One should consider potential ‘trouble spots’ and have ideas on how to avoid those spots or slips. If you find it really difficult to go for a run when you get home from work do it before work or stop at the gym on your way home. Create strategies to usurp your unhelpful tendencies. <br />
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<b>And remember, lasting change is most often a marathon not a sprint.</b><br />
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Lastly so many of us focus on ‘us’ in creating our resolutions. We want to lose weight, reduce our debt, quit smoking, get a better job, drink less, etc. It would be wonderful if we also considered making a resolution that helps others – volunteering, charitable work, being neighborly, donating unused clothing and other items to appropriate charities, and do a good deed each week. <br />
Wouldn't it be wonderful if each of us made a commitment to a resolution that benefited others?Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-59908378505152817122011-12-26T11:47:00.000-08:002011-12-26T11:47:38.828-08:00mobile apps to help with New Year resolutionsI, by no means, am an expert on what mobile apps are available but here are a few that are helpful in supporting our resolutions.<br />
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First looking at weight loss and healthy eating:<br />
<a href="http://dailyburn.com/">The Daily Burn</a> has several apps that provide a daily fitness plan, a tracker that keeps a day to day health profile, and two iOS apps that make use of the iPhone camera; <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meal-snap-calorie-counting/id425203142?mt=8&ls=1">Meal Snap (.99) </a> (you take a picture of your plate and it tells you what food is on your plate and a rough estimate of calories, and a Food Scanner app.<br />
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A very highly rated calorie counter made by <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">MyFitness Pal</a> (free) has superlative reviews<br />
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Other strong apps in the health & wellness category are the Nike+ GPS and Fooducate (free calorie and nutritional value program). <br />
There are so many excellent exercise apps - pedometers, Couch to 5k (a program to help you run your first 5k),the popular P90x exercise program, yoga, and personalized training programs that a short search on iTunes or the Android Market will get you what you need for your specific goals.<br />
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Want to quit smoking? <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quitter/id284944935?mt=8">Quitter</a> or <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quit-smoking-pro/id409605521?mt=8">Quit Smoking Pro (.99)</a> may help. <br />
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Another popular area for resolutions is around finance. Once again there are apps that can help you save money, such as <a href="http://gasbuddy.com/">Gas Buddy</a> which locates the cheapest gas in a designated area, and barcode scanners that identify the best price for an item (online and locally) One of my favorites of the latter is an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200235960">Amazon.com app</a>, I can scan the barcode and it tells me the cost and options at Amazon as well as product reviews.<br />
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There is <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/billminder-for-iphone/id407262212?mt=8">BillMinder</a> BillMinder simplifies your life by bringing all your bills into one manageable place. You will know at a glance which bills need your attention. You can also track your expenses with comprehensive charts and graphs.<br />
BillMinder works in collaboration with DebtMinder. Simply link your accounts and any payment you add in either app will be mirrored in the other.<br />
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I could go on and on about individual apps but the real point is that if you are trying to lose weight, quit smoking, reduce debt, learn a language, run a marathon, get organized, etc., there is a multitude of apps that can support you in what you choose to do.<br />
The best part of any of these apps is that they work as a personal reminder to stick with it. They help you to improve your performance by keeping track of your best times or distances in running, they offer information on what foods are healthy and which are not, help you count calories, they send alerts when to pay your bills so you eliminate late fees, and much more.<br />
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So choose your goals, write them down, plan for achieving them, get an app to support you in your journey to success.<br />
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If you know of others that you highly recommend I would appreciate it if you let me know about them!Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-85388741977242874002011-12-19T07:48:00.000-08:002011-12-19T07:48:04.364-08:00Random acts of kindness"Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty"<br />
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Have you ever been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness? Don't you feel just wonderful, makes your day or afternoon or what have you, doesn't it?<br />
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Have you ever practiced random acts of kindness? I have and its amazing how a SIMPLE gesture can bring so much pleasure to someone.<br />
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Perhaps a simple gift of putting a little more money in the parking meter as you are leaving so the next person pulls up and has 'free time'<br />
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Or leaving a sleeve of new golf balls on the first tee<br />
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In "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" (a great read) by Richard Carlson he mentions someone that paid the toll for the car behind them when paying theirs. Imagine how happy you'd be if you pulled into the toll booth and the toll collector said, "It's already paid"<br />
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Recently there has been the <a href="http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/9504967-417/secret-santas-pay-strangers-layaway-balances-at-2-area-kmarts.html">K-Mart Secret Santa</a> who pays random lay-a-way balances.<br />
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Also there is a man visiting shops in Reading, PA and handing out $100 bills. This was the story that I saw <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57344495/inspiring-christmas-miracle-from-secret-santa/">LINK</a><br />
Here's a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/anonymous-good-samaritan-secret-santa-video_n_1123869.html?ref=impact">synopsis</a> of his intent and deeds. <br />
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Hopefully you can think of some original simple acts of kindness and throw a little kindness around<br />
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The world could certainly use it!!Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-11828658283057857122011-12-12T11:29:00.000-08:002011-12-12T11:29:01.284-08:00A season for shopping?Don't know about where you are but around these parts things are chaotic. The usual friendliness seems gone and everyone is in a rush. <br />
There's a constant struggle highlighted in the news about using the word Christmas or holiday. It appears that everyone is in a shopping, present-buying frenzy. <br />
I'm sure that some are carefully selecting and thinking about a personized gift, but it sure looks like many people are buying for the sake of buying. Surely you've seen the news footage of people stampeding into the shops for the "ultra-deal". Is this truly the spirit of the season.? Is this really what it is all about?<br />
I sure hope not.<br />
Personally this has been a year of loss. And I am haunted by those who have gone as in each case they were people that were genuine, had strong beliefs which they lived by and in doing so inspired those around them. The loved ones they have left behind are lost. Slowly they try to put their lives together and at the same time take care of the young ones left in their charge.<br />
There are no words to say. But if you could, you might say to them that the tremendous loss they feel is a reminder of the tremendous love they had and the true greatness of their now deceased loved one.<br />
Their loss is a reminder to the rest of us that it isn't about being able to snag that XBox 360 on the day its released, it is not what we give from our wallet but what we give of our heart. It is the example we set by the way we act, behave and treat others AND ourself.<br />
Actions really do speak louder than words.<br />
So during this crazed time of celebration and excess - try to slow down, be polite and generous, show kindness and appreciate all that you have; family, relationships, work, home, children, dog etc.<br />
If your life isn't what you want, take stock and consider what you can do to move in the right direction.<br />
Give your time to someone who needs it. Love. Be grateful.<br />
You'll reap the rewards.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-11692989436252366012011-11-18T12:46:00.000-08:002011-11-18T12:46:17.637-08:00K-12 Education via the internet?I read this article the other day <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577030600066250144.html?KEYWORDS=STEPHANIE+BANCHERO">LINK</a> and the idea has been running through my head since.<br />
I truly can't see that young students - pre-college students - will gain all that they should from this type of education. And yes I know that home schooling has also been gaining momentum and I have similar issues with that which I will discuss later in this entry.<br />
This article highlights that the test scores of online schooled students are lower in every category (quoted from a study of 2010 test scores in Colorado) than students that attend traditional schools. This doesn't surprise me nor should it surprise anyone who has 'attended' a webinar or taken online courses.<br />
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The academic aspect though isn't what most concerns me. It is the isolation and lack of development of social skills. It is removing the mingling with all different kids, it is removing teams and music groups and activities.<br />
It is removing the need for communication skills and it is removing 'penmanship' skills completely. And yes I know, NOBODY can write in cursive any longer but when you start cyber-schooling as a 5 year old, when do you learn to hold a pen and write? I am sure many of you know that skill is a developer of fine motor skills.<br />
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I understand that bullying is worse than ever - well I don't know that - what I do know is that the consequences of bullying are worse than ever. And I honestly have wondered what factors are at play in these consequences becoming more severe. Those thoughts are for another entry I suppose.<br />
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Back to this one on cyber-education - I am deadset against it. I can't see how the students will learn as well and the isolation factor is not something I can see them overcoming.<br />
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I believe strongly that children LEARN social skills, communication, and emotionally and cognitively develop better with interaction. And learning to deal with the fact that one child may excel at math, another at languages, another at soccer while others find those tasks challenging. They learn the ins and outs of social communication and they deal with varying levels of competition. Not to mention the fun of the playground!<br />
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So count me out for cyber-learning as an exclusive schooling methodCarolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392576887119821117.post-61646541700414215872011-06-03T12:22:00.000-07:002011-06-03T12:24:33.318-07:00Race for a Cure 2011In one week I will be competing (more like completing) my third Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure 5k.<br />
I've written about this race before in other blogs but I'll iterate here saying, it is far and away the most awesome 5k you could ever enter.<br />
It is tremendously powerful to line up with so many others whose lives have been impacted by cancer; everyone is there because someone they love has been affected. <br />
You can feel the emotional power of the crowds.<br />
The race is superbly organized, incredibly well funded by sponsors and of course the attendance is beyond words. Add in the community support, the people that line the streets and spray the hoses and hold signs and cheer you on. It is all just...something.<br />
It is beyond words for me.<br />
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Each year I cry at some point. Or several.<br />
I cry for my personal losses to cancer, some as recent as September 2010.<br />
I cry because so many are crying and there because of their personal losses.<br />
Children running for their mom, who is gone.<br />
And I cry because I am overwhelmed by the community that turns out and pulls together on this always steamy, hot morning in June. <br />
From the survivors, runners, media, course attendees, sponsors, musicians, Meredith College, City of Raleigh, bus companies and the volunteers that drive the shuttles and every heart, hand and soul that does something to make this race what it is, there is a unified spirit.<br />
We are all here to support finding a cure for cancer. We are all here because we hate cancer.<br />
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So even though my time will be worse than last year because my fitness isn't as good, I will run and no doubt walk a bit, but I will run.<br />
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I will sprint to the finish to honor all those who have battled cancer, surely my burning chest and heavy legs are no match for the fight they put up.<br />
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And I will cry when I finish and look at all the survivors wearing their pink tee shirts.<br />
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And I will cry when I see handicapped individuals being pushed in wheelchairs, handicapped individuals on their own, children, elderly and everyone in between, all crossing the finish line in however long it takes on this steamy June morning.<br />
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Everyone that is there on Saturday June 11th is a hero. <br />
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PS it is not too late to sign up, <a href="http://nctriangle.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DUR_NCTriangleAffiliate?team_id=163556&pg=team&fr_id=2137">sponsor me</a>, sponsor someone else, turn up to cheer others on. I do think you will never forget or regret being involved in this event.Carolina Life Coachinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231418671764835561noreply@blogger.com0