Can you believe we’re in the third week of March?  April 15th is quickly approaching, dandelions and crabgrass are taking root and planning a healthy launch, and the first 1/4 of the year is soon to be history!  So how are you doing on your New Year’s intentions, goals, and resolutions?

Every quarter my 5th grade son, Gary, brings home his report card which lets me see how he’s progressing with his grade appropriate learning objectives.  I can see where he’s really on top of his game (math, science, and social studies), and where he may need to exert a little extra effort (reading and language arts).  Rather than wait until just days before the end of the school year to ‘check in’ with his progress, I can work with him in a very timely manner to help strengthen and reenforce his study habits (behaviors) as well as look at what distractions we need to manage differently (TV, Wii gaming, etc.).  If I waited until the end (of the school year) there would not be enough time to affect the outcome.  (On a side note: I’m very proud to say Gary is a strong student in all of his subjects!)

Let’s bring this a little closer to home.  With the first quarter of 2011 quickly coming to a close, is it time for each of us to reflect and self-assess how we’re doing?  How would you grade yourself so far this year on the progress of your New Year’s goals, resolutions, and ‘commitments’?

Have you been successful in taking deliberate, focused, and intentional action towards accomplishment of your 2011 goals?  Do you feel like you’re on track?  Yes?  Terrific!  Keep up the great work!  If, on the other hand, you’ve made little if any progress, what’s up with that?   Now is a great time to really check-in witht where you are, what you aim to achieve, and what you want to do to deliver on your goals.  We’re 25% into the year, there is still time to take (corrective) action and make things happen.  Here are 3 steps to get you back on track!

1.) Validate. 

Validate the goals, resolutions, and  commitments you made at the first of the year still fit, make sense, they’re relevant, and you own them 110%.  If you’re not fully completely, absolutely 110%  enrolled into the possibility these goals hold for you, then you need to really assess: 1) How did they end up on your list?  If they’re NOT rocking your world, whose world/agenda are they designed to rock? (In other words, are they there to please or satisfy someone else?)  2)  What goals do you REALLY want to continue to pursue?  Which are truly most important, to you?  Which do you absolutely, positively, without a doubt own 110%?

2.) Critique. 

Critique how well you apply yourself towards the progress and accomplishment of your goals.  Score yourself on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high).  What would it take, who would you have to be, to score at an 8, 9, or 10?  Ask yourself (and answer!) these questions:

1. What and Who am I allowing to get in the way?
2. What am I making more important (than my own progress towards these goals)?
3. What/Who do I need to say NO to more often?
4. What/Who do I need to say YES to more often?
5. What difference will it make, to me and to those I care about, when I do (or if don’t) accomplish these goals?

3.) Design, Build, Commit.
Design specific action steps to achieve your goals.
Build a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule and allocation of resources to support your progress and accomplishment.
Commit to living in integrity - where your thoughts, choices, and behavior align with and support positive, empowering, and inspired action (toward your goals).

3.5)  Hire a Life and Personal Transition Coach
Working with someone who is as committed and passionate about you achieving your goals as you are is a powerful advantage.
Hiring an accountability partner, as well as someone who will help you navigate the speed bumps, road blocks, and inevitable crossroads you are likely to encounter can make all the difference.

Wishing you the very best in the rest of 2011!  Make this a year of inspired action!

Live your best life,

-- Todd

1. Approaching (recently passing) a major life crossroads - career, empty nest, retirement
2. Beginning again after a divorce
3. Deciding to embark upon and live a ‘life-long dream’

There are certain life situations AND there are also 3 Life Scenarios “primed” to work with a life transition coach.  Often, as I explain each of these scenarios, someone I’m talking to will say... “Yeah, that sounds really familiar, I think that’s me.”  Do any of these sound familiar to you?

1. Our Own Worst Enemy: Keeping our own dreams at bay

This type knows what they want. They know what their goals, dreams or aspirations are. They have a pretty good idea what they’re destined to do or become, but for any number of reasons they haven’t done anything to achieve or realize them. They’re stalled. Stuck. Blocked from moving forward. This is no way to live. It’s wasted potential.  Their goal, dream or aspiration has been parked in a “wishful thinking garage” which is out of sight but often top of mind. This type is too busy, too tired, too distracted or too committed to other “priorities.” They are in that most useless of places “The Waiting Place,” (according to Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go). Such wasted time; time that if spent with the right coach could be turned into something so much more productive and meaningful.

1. Typical Characteristics: No clear action plan. Multiple communication barriers acting as resistance to the dream.
2. Common Obstacles: Fear/anxiety of what the possible outcomes, responses, changes in status quo might be. Fear of failure. A lack of a high degree of accountability. The design of WHAT they want and WHY they want it is not clear enough or bold enough to compel them to act.

2. The Fog: Substance surrounded by a lack of clarity and inaction
This type has a pretty good idea of what they don’t want, but aren’t real clear about what they do want. There are a lot of things they’re capable of and many things they’d like to experience. They are too distracted by all the choices and options that exist beyond just knowing what it is they don’t want. 

1. Typical Characteristics: Too many ideas, possibilities, or considerations to choose from; no clear priority or preference
2. Common Obstacles: Lack of self discovery, self assessment, self interrogation to define life’s purpose, passion, or vision. Other demands for time and life responsibilities seemingly prevent any real commitment to self.

3. The Robot: Existing merely to serve one routine purpose
These types find themselves living an almost mechanical routine doing the same thing again, and again and again. They have forgotten how to dream. They simply cannot imagine living their lives with great passion, enthusiasm or spark for life.

1. Typical Characteristics: Too many reasons why things don’t or can’t work the way they want them to, not enough reasons why they can. Too many negative attitudes, negative forces, negative influencers have squelched their spark and spirit for dreaming and believing in the possibility of something better than what they live today.
2. Common Obstacles: Their “reality” of today is fixed, they can’t see their own ability to affect and change their reality; their experience in the moment doesn’t have to last all the moments of their lives. They’ve been living the same story, telling the same story over and over and over that it ‘s the only story they know and they don’t know how to begin telling another one!

If you or someone you know fits one of these 3 Life Scenarios, please encourage them to get in touch with me.  I’d be happy to have a short conversation with them to explore whether working with a Life Transition Coach is something they feel could benefit them.  Thank you for your referral in advance!

Live your very best life!
-- Todd

I’m not a painter, but when I saw this image of different paint colors, brushes, and the intriguing shapes/textures each was creating, it occurred to me there’s a metaphor in there somewhere! Looking with a little more curiosity, what struck me was how great each brush painted a very unique line!  And while the lines they painted seem to fit the brush quite naturally, like they make sense - almost predictable, it’s also quite apparent each brush could easily paint a very different line, or shape, or whatever we might imagine.  Each brush has an amazing depth and breadth of possible expression - very much like yourselves!  Do you find yourself painting the predictable or unpredictable? Single color or eclectic mix of color and texture?  How do you imagine and ‘paint’ different possibilities of self expression?  You are the artist, the painter, the creator of your own life’s canvas!   The paints or brushes you choose to work with might reflect your sense of spirituality, relationship, profession, health and wellness, or financial security.  What are the paints and brushes you work with?  While you likely have a ‘favorite brush’ and preferred palette of colors, what can you do to add greater depth and breadth to your life’s self expression?

How often do we explore and embrace our full range of human expression for who we are? And how fun would it be to start painting your life different than what you and those around you are so familiar with?  Does it ever occur to you whether or not you use all the different paints, colors, and brushes you have available to create the most vibrant expression of you?

Have you limited who you are, and who you may become by the limits you place on how you express yourself...

1. Color only within the lines
2. Color by numbers
3. Paint only through the perspective of “realism” vs. exploring the art of an impressionist
4. Only mix these colors and certainly don’t mix “those” colors

Here are 5 thoughts to consider as you rethink and hopefully broaden the depth and breadth of your life’s expression...

1. Appreciative Inquiry

 what works well and what do you truly value in the current rendition of your life’s self expression?  What are you certain you want to include and continue to carry forward?  What do you consider ‘hallmark‘ parts of you?  What values will you always honor through your authentic self expression?

2. Play “I Spy”

 I spy travel, I spy quite time & meditation, I spy dance and play, I spy....  something completely new.  Or maybe you spy so much more of something you only express in very small ways today. By paying attention to what’s different, to what you want to BE different, you’ll be inspired to include these new paints, brushes, and designs as part of your expanded self expression.

3. Be Creative

Be Creative with what you have.  How can you blend colors, use some of the same brushes as before to create a completely refreshed or maybe an altogether new look?  Do you have friends or family you might ask to get their ideas?  What if you actually bought some paints and brushes and just let your creative juices flow?  Paint something unpredictable and then explore the possibility of meaning in it.

4. Try Something On

 Try something on for an hour, a day, or a week.  You don’t have to keep this new color or stroke of a brush, but what will it hurt to give it short test drive to see what it’s like?

5. Accept Yourself

 Accept yourself with the greatest degree of love and appreciation for who you are!  After all is said and done, you are you!  Own your amazing greatness, acknowledge your incredible sense of self and how you express yourself to the world.  Behold in your eyes the splendor of the masterpiece... of YOU!

Here’s to the many different strokes we all have within our reach!

Warmly,

Todd

The cost of keeping my doors of self storage locked and secure were great. 

It required a great deal of energy to maintain the image I felt was necessary to succeed within these corporate environments.  How much of this perspective was real, how much imagined?  I acted is they were real, real to me anyway.  The costs were high indeed, both to what (more) I could have contributed to these organizations, as well as to myself in terms of living into my greatest potential and lifelong aspiration, to living with authentic self expression and honoring my values.

Show up 100%  - no self storage!

In October of last year I attended the International Coach Federation Conference in Ft. Worth, TX.  What an amazing experience!  To show up 100%  - no self storage!  It was easy, liberating, expansive, empowering!  Giddy Up!  Not only were there no ‘costs’ associated with self storage, to the contrary, there were amazing returns!  The relationships I formed, the learning I experienced, the contribution I made to others, my voice spoken with resonance, passion, and purpose!  There were no ‘molds,’ no ‘blue suit’  expectations to conform to.  What opened up for me was (and is) an expansive possibility within the coaching profession, amazing connections with powerful people, coaches from around the world, creating relationships committed to making a positive and profound difference in the world and to humanity.  What opened up was the reality of a dream - come true!

How well does your environment nurture your values, beliefs, and true potential?

For me a big part of opening up my self-storage had to do with placing myself in an environment that nurtured my own values, beliefs, and potential.  How well does your environment nurture your values, beliefs, and true potential?  Are there ways to have your current environment welcome, embrace, and appreciate more of you?  Maybe our self-storage has as much to do with our environment and the relationships we create, as it does with each of us embracing our own magnificence and vulnerability - all at the same time.  Maybe how far we open the door has something to do with how much risk we’re willing to take?  Perhaps it depends on how strong of a personal and professional platform we have designed and built for our truest selves to stand upon?  How amazing it is to stand on our own platform of self, open and exposed to the dynamic and diverse elements of our lives, BEing our most authentic self, and at the same time our most vulnerable?

Roll up the doors!  Unlock the possibility!  Live BIG!  Be BOLD!  BE YOU!

Declare an end to self storage!

Looking forward to seeing you, 100%!

-- Todd

1. What are the costs associated with your ‘self’ storage?
2. How much energy and effort does it take to keep the door down, locked and secure?
3. What are you hiding?
4. What are you afraid of?

The most powerful lock on most self storage is fear.  Fear of rejection.  Fear of judgement.  Fear of failure.  Fear of not ‘fitting in.’  Believe it or not, even fear of success.  And so what?  What if some of these fears came true?  What would you learn about yourself, and about your relationship with others who don’t ‘approve’ or ‘accept’ the whole of you?  What does it tell you about those who do approve and accept?

Here’s a powerful question I encourage you to explore... What are you making more important than your own authentic self expression?

Not ready to open that door up all the way; maybe you have more than you care to share all at once and you’d rather open up a little at a time?  No worries.  But let me ask you to simply imagine...

1. What’s possible for you?
2. What’s possible for others and your relationships with them?
3. What will ‘open up’ in your life when you share more of you with the world?
4. What would your life look like, feel like, BE like if you abandoned all ‘self’ storage and simply rolled up the door and put all of YOU out there?

Do a little work with the questions and ideas we’ve explored so far.  Next week I’ll pick up on this notion of self storage and give you a personal example of where I’ve unlocked parts of my own self storage.

Until then - here’s to you, all of you, 100%!

Todd

In my last blog posting I wrote about the choices we make, moment by moment, by... well you get the picture.  So it occurred to me why not challenge you, (my hopefully loyal readers) much like I do with my coaching clients, to actually track and measure their choices around a specific goal.   When we have a specific goal, there are choices we make which either move us closer towards accomplishment of our goals, or further away from (accomplishing them).  If we think about it over the course of a day, we might be able to remember when we made a choice that leaned one way or the other.  But if we had to assess how well our choices (and respective actions) moved us closer towards or further away from our goal over the course of a week, two weeks, or a month we’d be hard pressed to know just how well we scored.  Not only could we not remember about the past day, week, or month, but our lives move at such a fast pace it’s hard to even think about it in the very moment!  We need a way to interrupt our unconscious way of behaving and instead, behave in ways with much greater intention and deliberate design.

30 day ‘Be In Choice - Challenge.’

So I’ve come up with a 30 day ‘Be In Choice - Challenge.’  It’s simple in design and execution, but exceptional in results and outcome.  You have a choice (go figure!) in how you want to take on the challenge...

 Pennies in your pocket...

 Get a roll of pennies, put them in a small ziplock bag and keep them handy.  Each time you’re about to choose - STOP!  Consider the bag of pennies and what choice best serves you reaching your goal.  Now make a choice, put a penny in either your left or hopefully your right pocket.  The penny goes in the right pocket when your choice and action supports and moves you closer towards achieving your desired goal.  The penny goes in your left pocket when your choice/action moves you further away from your desired goal.  At the end of the day, take a tally and record your ‘count’ in the scoresheet.


Scoresheet in hand...
Print up the worksheet, fold it so it fits in your pocket. Keep it with you throughout the day.  Each time you’re about to choose - STOP!  Consider the scoresheet and what choice best serves you reaching your goal.  Now make a choice, pull out your scoresheet and keep a tally each day, either on the left side or hopefully on the right.  When your choice and action supports and moves you closer towards achieving your desired goal you’ll tally the right side (of the worksheet).  When your choice and action moves you further away from your desired goal you’ll tally the left.  At the end of the day, take an account of your choices. Download the Score Card here --> Be In Choice - Score Card

End Results...

At the end of the month you will clearly see just how the choices you make and the actions you take either move you closer towards or further away from you desired goals.  I hope you’ll be celebrating the success of moving so much closer toward accomplishing your goal (if you didn’t accomplish it completely).

Though Provoking Questions (TPQx2)
What goal are you going to challenge yourself with?
How will you play the game - Pennies in Your Pocket or Scoresheet in Hand?
How would you like your scoresheet to look at the end of the month?
Are there choices you know will be harder to make on a day-to-day basis?
What do you think about the idea to STOP!  Then choose!  To interrupt your fast paced processing of life?
Will you tell anyone about the challenge you’re taking?  What would happen if you did, and you actually shared your results daily, weekly, at the end of the month?
I’d say good luck, but It’s really up to you - it’s your CHOICE!

Live your best life!

--Todd

Like this Challenge?

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Chance - Good Luck!

May the winds of favor and good fortune find their way to your sails!

Choice you say!  Splendid! 

I’m a HUGE believer in CHOICE!  What do you choose for 2011? 

So often we look at our list of wants, dreams, desires and we ‘resolve’ to do it all... at once! 

We’re going to:

1. Lose the weight, exercise, and get ‘in shape’
2. Improve our finances, pay off our debt, curb our spending, save more
3. Get ‘right’ with God and live a more spiritually enhanced life
4. ‘Make time’ for ourselves
5. Communicate more compassionately with our family and friends
6. Redecorate our room, our home, our office - make them more inviting
7. Perform better at work, get a promotion, land that ‘perfect’ job
8. Vacation, play, dance, and experience all life has to offer with wild abandon

.....And the list goes on.  We want to do it all! This is a new year, a new beginning!  This is just the time to make it all happen.  We simply have to choose!  Well, yes, and no.  Yes, we do have to choose. AND, we have to act, behave, and execute in ways which support our choices.

First, I don’t believe it’s a good idea to resolve to ‘do it all‘ - at least not all at once. 

While I do believe in setting ambitious goals, I also believe we’re more effective when we focus and prioritize.  Choose one or two aspects of your life you’d really like to be different in 2011.  If you really work and succeed at affecting positive change in those one or two areas, you will certainly see a ripple effect of positive influence in all other areas of your life.

It’s important to set ourselves up for success.  While I don’t claim to have the perfect recipe for success, I do believe there are important ingredients we should all consider:

1. Vision - where our purpose, passion, and desire connect
2. Moment by Moment - where real choice and action live.. in the moment!
3. Big Rocks (with space for the Pebbles & Sand)
4. Mindset Matters - Understanding Our Motive(s)
5. Attitude / Gratitude / The Story We Tell
6. 1+1=3 (The power of YOU and your relationships)

For this blog we’re going to explore ‘Moment by Moment’ and ‘Big Rocks with Pebbles and Sand.’  I’ll work with the other ingredients as we move into the new year.  For now...

Moment by Moment

If you were to look at a stream of water coming out of your faucet, at first glance you see a steady stream, a continuous flow of water.  If you were to slow that stream down, really slow it down and take a much closer look, what you would see are millions, maybe trillions of tiny water droplets each following the other.  Now imagine each one of those tiny water droplets as moments in time.  Well, that’s where real CHOICE and ACTION live, in each and every moment.  We have the freedom and responsibility to CHOOSE!  Do the choices we make and the actions we take align with and support our desires?  Our wants?  Our resolutions?  In each and every moment we choose, and our choices either move us closer towards that which we aspire to achieve, or (our choices) move us further away.  Moment by moment by moment... we are in CHOICE and IN ACTION!  BE IN CHOICE and choose those actions and behaviors which move you closer to your wants, dreams, desires, and life aspirations!

Small example: If you want to lose weight and you’re in the check out line at Target, you will be faced with a choice:  your favorite candy bars will be conveniently in front of you, calling out to you... (mine are Twix & Milky Way).  For only .69 cents you can be enjoying the short lived pleasure of these treats... OR you can go back to the produce section and pick up an apple!  (Maybe you already have one in your cart.)  But right there and then, in the very moment of ‘checking out’ - you are in choice!  Which will you choose?  Which (choice) moves you closer to your desired outcome and which moves your further away?  Slow down, and then choose.

Big rocks (with space for the pebbles and sand).

Many of us have either heard or seen the example of how to fit a few large rocks, a lot of pebbles and even more sand into a medium sized jar.  At first glance you might think ‘it can’t all fit.‘  A child will often pour in the sand and the pebbles only to find there’s no room for the big rocks. The jar in this example is 2011 - a new year.  The big rocks are those one or two aspects of your life you absolutely want to affect positive change in.  What are they?  It’s up to you, but you need to make them a priority - put them in first!  Focus on these one or two areas with everything you’ve got.  When you’re forced to choose between making them happen, or not, make them happen!  Once you have these one or two big rocks in (your jar) you can pour in the smaller pebbles - these are your other life matters that while still very important don’t take the same kind of deliberate intention or focus as the rocks.  Lastly, pour in the sand.  The sand are all the small issues and ‘to do’s’ that easily take up the rest of the space in the jar, the sand quickly and easily fills up all the space between the big rocks and the smaller pebbles.  There you go, you have your most important priorities and new year’s goals contained within your jar of 2011!

 

New Year’s... Choice or Chance?  You decide!

Always my best,
--Todd

I especially love the time when I give myself permission to slow down and truly appreciate, even honor, the moment(s) of BEing with her.  These moments go a long way to strengthen the fabric of our relationship - it’s a good thing.

“Yes Dad, can you put on Kiss & Tell by Selena Gomez, and can you play song # 13.”

The other day we were driving to Sunday school and listening to some music from my iPhone.  I ask Rebecca if there’s something specific she’d like to listen to.  “Yes Dad, can you put on Kiss & Tell by Selena Gomez, and can you play song # 13.”  OK then, she knows exactly what she’d like to listen to!  Sure sweetheart...

Pleasantly surprised!  I can’t speak for the entire album, but song # 13, Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, rocks!  We played that song 6 or more times on our drive (it’s 45 minutes one-way to our synagogue so we had plenty of time).  We both were singing at the top of our lungs, shaking our heads, body, and arms to the beat of the song, not caring what anyone driving next to us might think - we were having a blast, being in the moment together!  You’ve probably driven by a car and witnessed the same sort of craziness!  After the second or third listen I started to appreciate the insight and wisdom this song shares with the world.  The lyrics tell a such great story - a great life lesson about believing in your dreams and holding onto those dreams regardless of what other people say or think!  We all know achieving our dreams isn’t always easy, but there’s really no value in listening to all the negative talk, all the neigh sayers, all the dream busters who don’t see it like we do.  It speaks of how we need to ‘tune into’ something far more positive, upbeat, and encouraging.

“Yeah Dad, it’s a lot like your business of Inspired Action"

In between one of our ‘jam session’ replays I take a minute or two to ask Rebecca if she knows/appreciates what the words in this song are saying?.  She says, “yeah Dad, it’s a lot like your business of Inspired Action - you have to believe in you first, you have to listen to yourself and not let other people tell you what you can or can’t do - right?”  I was floored!  Not only does my daughter have a healthy appreciation for part of what I do as an executive life coach, but she can also hear the real value and message from a pop song.  At 7 years old Rebecca has an incredible appreciation for the value of beliefs, for believing in herself, for KNOWing she’s capable of all she aims and aspires to achieve, AND what others think or say about her doesn’t have to influence or affect who she is and what she wants for herself!  I can only hope and pray that I’m able to help Rebecca hang on to those values and beliefs for herself as she grows up and the pressures of becoming a teenager don’t dampen her belief in her own dreams and aspirations.  You go girl!  Rebecca - YOU ROCK!

Where are there opportunities for you to live more in the moment, in the now? 

 What opportunities exist for you to slow down and really BE with someone you love, someone very special to you - son or daughter, husband or wife, Mom or Dad, sibling or best friend?  What could you learn?  What song can you share? Isn’t it interesting, and I think certainly unfortunate, that as we ‘grow up’ we let the thoughts and opinions of others influence our own goals, dreams, and aspirations way too much?  We let the world shape our thinking much more towards why something can’t happen instead of embracing our own ability to see how something CAN (happen).  Does it have to be like that?

Where are you letting others influence your own beliefs by what they think or say about your dreams and aspirations? 

Are they talking you out of what you know to be TRUE for you?  Are they neigh sayers - dream busters - convinced you don’t deserve what you want for yourself (likely because they don’t know very clearly what they want or dream of for themselves)?  And if they can’t see themselves achieving ‘success’ then they’ll do what they can to keep you from achieving success as well.  How well (or not) are their thoughts and ideas serving your pursuit and belief in your own dreams and aspirations?

Maybe you want to download song #13 from Selena Gomez’s Kiss & Tell CD, plan a short road trip, turn up the volume, and drive/dance like it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks! 

I suggest everyone read the Lyrics to this song here --> Tell Me Somthing I Don't Know Lyrics

Happy travels!
- Todd

You’re not pregnant you say? Simply can’t be! You’re a male? Celibate? A virgin? Self-satisfying? Married?

Ok, I could go on but won’t, maybe I’ve gone too far already!   The point is... ‘We are all giving birth to something!’  Each new day we are unfolding something of ourselves.  A warm smile, a sincere ‘know you’re there’ hug (vs. the kind of hugs you get and wonder where the other person is because they’re afraid to wrinkle their shirt).  Perhaps you’ve incubated a really great idea and now is the time to bring it to the world, or possibly its an ‘in your face’ challenge to someone (maybe to yourself), a new you, a new idea, a new perspective, an old perspective that’s one day dustier than before, a hope, wish, dream, or DESIRE!  What are you giving birth to... today? 

In the spirit of full disclosure, my wife’s a labor and delivery nurse and I’ve experienced the delivery of my own two children (albeit from a different perspective than her - thank God!). 

While my language is somewhat real life, my challenge to you is to take the figurative equivalent to what you’re giving birth to and ask yourself these questions:

1. Where are you in the birthing process?
2. How serious are the contractions?
3. Are you committed to going the distance and really bring this ‘thing’ into the world?  Or, are you all too comfortable in your current surroundings?  Does the status quo have a controlling hold of you and what’s possible?
4. Fearful of the impending pain and fear of not knowing how the world will respond?
5. Do you feel the pain?  Are you going to fight the pain, or succumb/surrender to the pain and let it work its magic?
6. Do you want an epidural or is it too late?
7. Do you have help or are you going it alone?
8. How’s your breathing? (Don’t forget to breath!)
9. Too tired to push or can you give it one more go?
10. Is what’s on the other side compelling enough for you to fight the fight?

Let me share my Birthing Process with you:
 I’m giving birth... to a really cool ‘Inspired Action Journal’ - it’s an idea I’ve been incubating for quite some time and it has officially gone to print and ships on December 17th!  I am thrilled! And nervous!  And inspired!  What will others think?  How it will it be received?  Will it have the kind of impact I hope for?  Will it make a difference in someone’s life?   I know the answer to that already - it makes a world of difference to me, in MY life.   I’m ‘delivering’ on a dream, desire, and aspiration of my own.  I’m embracing my own authenticity of who I am and the difference I want to make in this world.  I’ve had my moments of doubt, I’ve felt at times that I was all on my own, that it would be easier to just ‘give up’ and park this  idea back in the virtual garage of good ideas.  I’m am SOOOO glad I didn’t.  The feeling I have of accomplishment is amazing (I love those words - amazing accomplishment!).  The journal really embodies my love of great quotes and asking powerful questions as a life coach.  This journey of giving birth to an Inspired Action Journal has and continues to presence myself in an incredible place of truly knowing AND not knowing all at the same time!  (I’ll Write 4 Life about that idea another day).  Enough of me, let’s get back to you.

So, I assert we’re all pregnant in one way or another, we all have something we want to let out, to unfold and introduce into the world, to manifest as our own amazing accomplishment.  What is it for you?  What are you giving birth to?

May your labor be blessed in amazing accomplishment!

- Todd

Think about how much we're broadcast to... by the TV, Radio, Billboard, Internet, YouTube, Twitter, Blogs, RSS feeds, iPods, friends, family, spouse, children, at work - your boss, coworkers,... all vying for your time, your attention, wanting (not necessarily needing) to be 'listened to' and be 'heard'. Sounds a bit overwhelming! What do you think they want you to hear? Whose agenda are they promoting? Whose truest interests do they have at heart? Who else really needs to be heard? Who else should you absolutely tune into? Curious?

Does it ever make you wonder just how much time you commit (or not) to listening... to you? To yourself? Not to the self defeating voices, saboteurs, or gremlins that doubt and discount your greatness, but to the voice, your voice, of (your) higher self?

1. your voice of reason and especially wonder
2. your voice of passion and purpose
3. your voice of dreams and aspirations
4. your voice of possibility

It begs the question, how do you construct a personal practice and commit the time to listen to yourself?

1. Do you journal?
2. Meditate?
3. Work with a life or executive coach? (I know a really good one!)
4. Do you evaluate your own life's balance sheet?
5. Do you check the direction and desired destination of the path you're traveling?

What would be different in your life if you actually took the time to really listen... to you? Not sure what questions to ask?

Listen a little closer - you'll hear the questions. Tune in without all the noise from the outside. What if you hear silence? What if? Every great painting began with a blank canvas - listen to the silence - you'll likely hear something amazing (I expect).

Take some time and tune in... to YOU! Enjoy!

--Todd

Where are you looking? 

So many of us ask some of life’s most important questions looking through a window, as if the answers are ‘out there’ somewhere.  And while we certainly may find inspiration and insight from looking outside, from the beauty of nature like a magnificent maple tree in full Fall colors, or the beauty and stillness of a snowfall onto that same tree a month or two later.  Asking important life questions looking through a window suggest the answers are ‘out there somewhere.’  They’re not, they’re inside, inside you!  If you really want answers to life questions that matter, that make a difference, that affect the quality and fulfillment of your life, don’t look for the answers ‘out there,’  look inside - you’ll be impressed with what you find.

To whom are you asking these important life questions? 

Are you asking others for the answers, for what they think is ‘right’ for you?    Yes, without a doubt, there can be great value in getting input, perspective, and ideas from others.  And, the true answers for yourself come from yourself.  So who you should you ask?  Yourself, of course.  No, it’s not always easy.  Rather than looking through a window, take a good long look in the mirror!  The longer you look, the deeper you get... into you... into who you are, who you want to be, what you want, what you want to do, the difference you want to make, the contributions you want to make.  The answers to these questions aren’t something anyone else can answer for you, and the answers won’t be found ‘on the surface’ of your personal exploration.  You’re going to have to invest some time looking in, looking deeper into a mirror which reflects your purpose, your passions, values, dreams, and aspirations that compel you to both stand for these things, as well as take action for them.  In need of a few answers?  Do you wish or hope someone else would make the decision, tell you what you need to do?  Maybe you could hire a ‘consultant’ who would sell you the answers?  Come on... get real.  If you’re living someone else’s life, or you’re letting someone else live yours, STOP!  This is your one shot, this isn’t a dress rehearsal, take the bull by the horns and go for it!  Live the life you imagine!  Live into the highest expectations you set for yourself!  Looking for Answers?  Look within!

The power of your questions can make all the difference! 

Do you know what to ask yourself?  Are there one or two questions you’ve been wrestling with for the longest time and still don’t seem to be making much progress towards an answer?  Are you asking the really hard questions which will yield the juiciest and most compelling answers for living your most fulfilled life?  Do the questions you’re asking open up an incredible space for you to explore, discover, and find the best answers for you?  Here is where working with professional life coach can really make a difference.  A professional life coach will ask powerful questions to help you open up a space of exploration, discovery, and yes, finding answers.  Your answers, found from within yourself, answered by yourself.  Interested in a test drive?  Most importantly, keep asking the questions of yourself, you’ll be amazed at how the answers can truly affect the quality of your life’s experience!  Live your very best life!

--Todd

Here are a few ideas you might want to put on your own ‘wish’ list of ‘MY GIFTS to ME’ and try on the idea of unwrapping...

1. A gift of... Time
2. A gift of... Gratitude
3. A gift of... Voice
4. A gift of... Truth
5. A gift of... Values Clarification
6. A gift of... Goals
7. A gift of... Forgiveness
8. A gift of... Saying No
9. A gift of... Saying YES!
10. A gift of... The Moment
11. A gift of... Attitude
12. A gift of... Choice
13. A gift of... Song & Dance
14. A gift of... Play
15. A gift of... Peace
16. A gift of... Love & Joy
17. A gift of... Acceptance
18. A gift of... Passion & Purpose Fulfilled!
19. A gift of... No Regrets

What gift do you want to add to the list? 

What gift to yourself would you like to open up? 

What difference will it make for you (and those around you)? 

Happy shopping!

--Todd

Things you feel you’ve swept under the rug, but eventually find yourself tripping over? 

Do you start your day, or end your day, or even consume your day with the desire for change? 

Do you seek small, subtle change or BIG, BOLD, transformational change?  When does your desire for change outweigh your hold on the status quo?

At what point do YOU say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!?

It’s certainly different for each person.  How or when you choose to ‘put a stake in the ground’ certainly depends, in part, upon the particular situation, circumstance, significance, and potential or possible outcomes of your declaration - “Enough, is enough!”  How does an individual define or set their own limits?  How do you know you’ve reached the tipping point where you can no longer tolerate the status quo and must make a change?  How long do you explore, consider, and ponder the many implications of possible choices... and subsequent actions that must follow? 

Here are a few scenarios when it’s likely time to make the call of “Enough, is Enough!” for you...

1. When you feel the loss of self is imminent.
2. When you pray for a gust of wind to re-ignite (oxygenate) the slow burning embers that once were a raging fire of passion and life purpose.
3. When the weight of a smothering blanket flirts with extinguishing the last of your hopes, dreams, passions, and aspirations.
4. When you look in the mirror wondering who the stranger is in its reflection.
5. When the song in your voice and the dance in your step are but a faint memory of better times before.
6. When the struggle for life’s breath is more a struggle for the breath of one’s life.

So how do you know when the balloon is about to burst, when the rubber band has been stretched to its limit?  Do you have to hit the wall crashing in at full speed, or can you see the wall quickly approaching, aware of time and choice, and choose to do something different, to alter your course?

It helps to know what your values are, what brings purpose to your BEing! 

Here are just a few of mine:

1. I love to dance and sing, I’m committed to doing so much more of both.
2. I have a burning passion for executive, life, and life transition coaching (and it doesn’t hurt that I’m pretty damn good at it).
3. I am a Jew and a parent who believes strongly in living by example, setting an example for others and most importantly for my children.  I aspire to set an even better example tomorrow than I do today; I want my life, my choices and actions, and who I’m being to set the best example for my children.  Certainly Gary and Rebecca will make their own choices, BE their own selves.  The examples we set for our children act as an incredible foundation for them to build upon. My parents set an incredible example for me, for the foundation of my life experiences and choices, and how very grateful I am (that they did)!  Thank you so much Mom and Dad!
4. I’m reminded of the saying, and I don’t recall who said it, ‘It’s not what we leave for our children, but what we leave IN them that matters most!’
5. I absolutely believe in abundance and not scarcity.
6. I believe lifelong education and the perspectives of curiosity and wonder are fundamental to who I am and to who I am becoming!
7. I believe what you give is what you get.
8. I believe family and friends are the truest riches of the world.
9. I choose to live life on my terms, on what fulfills my soul.
10. I choose to respect my own needs, my own integrity to self, my voice, my choice.
11. I choose to act.

Something interesting to consider when asking, When is ‘Enough, Enough’?

Are the most important or significant things, issues, circumstances I’m tolerating really born from someone else, or from myself?  What am I tolerating from me?  From who I’m BEing?  From my own fears or rationalizations?  What behaviors of myself, what stories, what limiting beliefs, what gremlins or saboteurs?  What inaction, patience, silence?  While it may seem what we’re tolerating is born from outside ourselves, I would argue that what we find and feel as our most frustrating and limiting ‘circumstances‘ of life are born from what we tolerate of our selves.  Is it time to say... ‘Enough Is Enough!’?

As I have shared my list above, I would love for you to share YOUR list with me!

Comment Below with YOUR list:

What are your values?

What brings purpose to your BEing!

--Todd

"We cannot lower the mountain – We CAN only elevate ourselves"
- Todd Skinner

Can!... is about:

1. Inspired action!  About the doing of “can do” and “will do.” It’s about finding the inspiration, motivation, power of your purpose, and clarity of your vision that moves you, compels you to act.

1. Applied knowledge - applying what you know.  It’s about the tactical, and at times strategic, application and execution of what you know it takes, what has to be done, to reach your goals, dreams, and aspirations.  Frequent, persistent, and consistent action is what makes things happen, action is what separates “good” intention from accomplishment.

1. Establishing forward momentum, moving toward your vision with a spirit of determination and resolve to make it happen.  It’s about rising above resistance, tuning out the neigh sayers, and leveraging your fear in constructive pursuit of your dream.

1. Motive, purpose, vision - resilient, determined, focused, unwavering, committed... these mind and body forces are what fuel and sustain the unstoppable action required to achieve what you know you CAN!  It’s about creating the reality you’ve set forth from your thought, choice, and yes, ACTION.

1. Commitment to committed action.  Withstanding the pressures, the doubt, the insecurity from yourself and others.  Understanding the investment of time, money, soul, blood, sweat and tears, as well as the inevitable sacrifice, to some degree, that must be made to achieve anything worth the effort.  There will be sacrifice, doubt, insecurity, and yes a great deal of investment in many ways.  CAN is about staying the course, staying true to you, your dreams and vision.  CAN is about taking the action to make it happen in the face of (and in the moment of) all you will have to endure!

There you go!  Yes You Can! - an affirmation I turn to on a daily basis; maybe after reading through what is now the beginning of my Write 4 Life blog, my hope is you have found a little inspired action for yourself.

Yes - attitude
You - honoring your most authentic, passionate self
Can! - making it happen (with inspired action)

What a great journey we’re on - thanks for sharing the road together!

--Todd

*Image from http://www.techprosinc.com