Aligning with Your Purpose

Deirdre Dalton Brodeur (a good friend and successful business coach) and I recently had the opportunity to discuss the topic of maximizing one’s true potential. When I asked Deirdre’s expert advice on how to keep peace, balance, and prosperity in your life when challenged with tough economic times and a demanding, never-ending TO-DO list, this is what she had to say:

Throughout all the gloom and doom talk of the economy and taking brisk actions to overcome our financial challenges, it’s easy to forget the matters of the heart. To quote Robert Bolles, ˜Your mission is where the world’s deepest hunger meets your heart’s greatest gladness.” Stephen Covey echoes this sentiment in his book The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, where he talks about what he calls ˜finding your voice.” There is great power in doing what you love for a living, and much greater potential for being richly rewarded.

When you take stock and remember WHY you chose the career or business you are in, can you tell if your actions are in alignment with what you had originally intended? For example, you might be pushing a sale because money is tight, rather than simply offering to solve the prospect’s problem because your true intention is to help. Buyers really notice the difference and typically choose the passionate person with clear intentions.” (more…)

Taking a Leap of Faith in the Darkness

“There once was a woman who lived in hell, she could leave at any time. But she never did! She knew the names of the streets.”~ Elizabeth Ellis

This week I met with Nancy Stubbs, a Certified Breath & Conscious Relationship Coach from the Boulder Center for Conscious Living. We talked about an important issue that plagues most of us at some point in our lives, and that is dealing with the fear of the unknown. Namely, how that fear can keep us from making changes in our lives, even those we know need to occur. This is what Nancy had to say…

“In an Indiana Jones movie from several years ago, Indie stands at the edge of an enormous chasm. He needs to get to the other side to save his father’s life. Someone has given him a map, assuring him there is a path across the dangerous expanse, but he most certainly cannot see it. He looks at the map one more time. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, puts out his foot, and trustingly takes a step, one that surely looks like it will cause him to plummet to his death. Instead, his foot miraculously lands on something solid, though it is still unseen. He takes another step, and then another. He discovers that the mapmaker had been correct and that the path had been there all the while. By trusting the map and its maker, he successfully (and safely) reached the other side and was able to continue his adventure. (more…)

Good Ergonomics in the Workplace

Don’t Just Sit There… Evolve!

Nick McElhiney is an expert on ergonomics. Last week, he told me about the importance of good ergonomics in the workplace. Now this is a topic that I can completely relate to, as in my line of work, proper form (including proper body alignment) is essential for good output. And, the same goes for your work environment. With the increasing number of hours people spend these days in front of their computer, it makes total sense why good ergonomics can make all the difference in how happy and productive each day can be.

During challenging economic times, businesses typically start looking at how to reduce their operational costs. Nick says, “One smart way that has a proven track record, but is mostly overlooked, is the prevention and reduction of Repetitive Motion Illness (RMI) or Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD). When proper ergonomics are not offered to company employees, businesses can expect to experience the following results:

• Lost time and production. An improper ergonomic environment can mean increased RMIs and CTDs, which translate into time and work lost.
• Low employee morale. This often means an increased workload for other employees, leading to lower morale and decreased production.
• Increased workers’ compensation claims. Employees suffering from RMIs and CTDs ultimately mean your workers’ comp claims will increase. (more…)

Exercising, It’s NOT for the Birds!

I recently had a chance to talk with my good friend and author, Carol Frank. You may have seen her on Oprah or NBC News giving advice to struggling entrepreneurs. Her latest book, Do as I Say, Not as I Did: Gaining Wisdom in Business through the Mistakes of Highly Successful People, offers some extremely helpful insight-the kind of information that just may keep you from making mistakes she and others have made, so your learning curve won’t be as steep. I’m all for those kinds of lessons, the kind I learn from others’ painful blunders and not my own.
Fighting, and ultimately surviving, the daily battles of running a successful business can definitely take a toll on a person’s physical and emotional health. So, according to Carol, how does one get through these tough times?

Carol answered with the calm sense of confidence from someone who had obviously weathered some hard storms. “After interviewing dozens of America’s most successful entrepreneurs for my book, I determined that our ability to successfully bounce back depended on some universal ingredients that all business people should have in their lives, one of the most important being a consistent exercise routine.”

It was these words of wisdom that had helped her to survive some trying times in her own business. Before she was an author, Carol was the owner of a birdcage company called Avian Adventures. For Carol, it was what she called her drug of choice, daily exercise, that kept her grounded while her (much larger) competitor sued her and her company for the sole purpose of putting her out of business. “For three years, I battled this lawsuit, watched my sales plunge into oblivion, and lived in daily fear of bankruptcy. When the dust finally settled, and I had my company back on track, I can honestly say that my commitment to fitness was one of the main reasons I kept my sanity intact.” (more…)

Women Can PREVENT and PROTECT

Check out this video of my good friend, executive fitness coach Bonni Doherty, who’s known for her extraordinary “Mental Weight Loss System.” Here she shares a lot of good information in regards to women’s health and well-being, as well as ways to be proactive in preventing health issues down the road.

Here’s 12 Tips for Women to Prevent and Protect:

PREVENTION:
1. Doing 30 minutes of Enjoyable cardiovascular exercise 3x a week.
2. Eating small meals throughout the day that have good fat, fiber, & protein.
3. Avoid simple sugars & carbohydrates like candy, pasta, bread, & alcohol.
4. Take a break every few hours to take 20 diaphragmatic or belly breathes.
5. Drink 96oz plus of clean water a day.
6. Take 10 minutes per day in a quiet location to meditate, or yoga stretches.

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Not Where You Want to Be? Take a Look Around…

As a fitness expert and author, I have come to enjoy the tremendous benefits of living in Boulder, Colorado, not only because it’s considered by Outdoor Magazine to be THE fittest place to live in the U.S., but also because of the diverse number of outdoor activities available, along with great weather and the stunning terrain of the Rockies. What many might not know is that Boulder is also one of the smartest communities in the states. With more people with their Master’s degree per capita than other towns, the community is packed with an abundance of innovative thinkers with a burning passion to help reshape their community.

Living here, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by many of those great minds, which include several amazing authors I now call friends.

I recently spoke with my friend Brian Schwartz, the award-winning author of 50 Interviews: Entrepreneurs Thriving in Uncertain Times, the first in a series of books that taps into lessons of those who have successfully gone before you. Revealing new truths and exploding myths, the series features “in their own words” interviews with role models who inspire us by proving that anything is possible and that we all have the ability to make a unique difference in the world. We discussed some of the distinctions of an entrepreneur mindset. This is what Brian had to say: (more…)

Athletes & Allergies: Increasing Problems

This week I visited with Neil Smith of Allergy Solutions in Boulder, Colorado where Neil explained how serious allergies to food and environmental allergens are becoming increasingly more common in our society. They can manifest in many ways that can be detrimental to an athlete’s health and performance. There was a lot that I didn’t know!

Neil said “In the last twenty years, we have seen an epidemic increase in allergies and asthma, including a 400% increase in food allergies and 300% increase in asthma, with a 56% increase in asthma-related deaths” (1) Neil also commented on some of the great resources available online for those of you who are concerned and want to be a little more proactive. (more…)

Are You Willing to Do the Work?

You may talk a good game about how bad you really want to make some positive changes in your life, but are you honestly mentally prepared to do the necessary work to create those desired outcomes?

I recently spoke with my good friend Dr. TC North, a well-known high-performance coach, consultant, and professional speaker, about this very topic. When I asked TC what, in his experience, is required for success in reaching personal goals, he said, “You want to be more fit? Slimmer? Healthier? If so, the most critical factor is not exercise or nutrition. It’s how much you believe in and are committed to do what it takes to be successful. Ninety-five percent or more of all people fail at achieving and maintaining a lifestyle change because we have complicated minds. To be successful in achieving a lifestyle change, or any goal, you must align your beliefs, thoughts (both conscious and subconscious), and actions. And you must be fueled by lots of desire. If not, your beliefs and/or fears will sabotage your success.”

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