I attended a workshop in Chicago yesterday with intuitive and best-selling author, Colette Baron-Reid. The workshop was based on her most recent book, The Map. In it, Colette guides you through the landscapes of our lives. The quest is to answer – or give light – to three fundamental questions:

Who are we? Where are we? Who are you listening to?

The workshop was a highlight of these three questions and a few of the exercises from her book. The first exercise took us to a place to create a landscape of our Sanctuary. This is the place in our life we feel most secure, alive and (for me) comforted. As people stood up to share and ask questions – what the conversation kept coming back to was the ‘value’ of something. We make up, or assign, a value – good/bad, right/wrong – to our experiences.

When we attach ourselves to these experiences, we start to clutter the mind. Lose ourselves in a spiral of emotions and get all “caught up” in it. It’s the story that we start to tell ourselves – and then, at times, we seem to forgot the facts and start to believe all of the things we have made up about that moment. That’s Our Story. For example, if I send an email to my mom and she types back, “Fine.” Tailspin happens. 40+ years of history, memories, images all give meaning to the four letters and the period that appears on my screen. And then I get caught up in it. Colette’s approach of creating different Landscapes in my Map allow me to access – and create – many different perspectives on the situation.

One technique to use when you find yourself getting caught up in it all – is to be able to call upon The Observer. This is you; taking a step back and noticing what is going on. For my email example, it could just be “Yep, my mom absolutely agrees with me – fine.” It could be, that she really wishes I wouldn’t, but fine. Or it just might be she’s in a hurry and those four letters and a period ended up on the page and she hit send. I don’t really know which one it is. But, I sure can make up the Story about it – and I start to collapse my story (and emotions!) with the Facts (the four letters and a period) and believe my story. This can throw anyone into that dismal spin of being all caught up in it.

Just notice today what other perspectives might you take on the events or conversation that get you all “caught up” in it. What else might it mean? What else could you make it mean? Moreover, what do you WANT to make it mean?

The more we can summons The Observer in our life, the more we can detach and not take everything so personally.

Last night I watched The Voice with a jaw-dropping smile and grin as I rooted for The Judges – CeLo, Christina, Adam and Blake – to hit the button.

What I love about this show demonstrates a way of being that we can Champion others in pursuit of their dreams. It’s not another reality show where the point is to watch someone be humiliated publicly – or ridiculed in front of others.

There’s much to learn from this show:
1. Start with Really Good People. Whether you are a leader in your organization, a hiring manager, or someone putting together a group – get really good people to want to be with you.

2. Find your Coach. Who in your life can support and champion your passion, energy and effort? We all need a Christina or CeLo in our life who can help us see the future, nudge us along and support our needs in getting just that – the success you desire.

3. Starting Seeing the Success in Others. It’s amazing how differently I felt watching this show than other Reality TV. When you can approach a conversation with someone from the point of view of Success vs. Problems or Obstacles you get to notice people can actually rise up to that. When we shift our patterns of language to something we want – vs. something we want to avoid; again notice the energy and engagement of others in this. It also has an amazing ability to spark us to action. Driving us to the results we desire.

I’m hoping this is a positive shift in Reality TV. I’m hoping these 3 easy lessons are something more of us can put into practice so that we, too, can find our Voice and champion ourselves and others to new heights of success.

Ever wish you could create a life worth living?  A life that is full of joy?

A life that is best described:  Juicy?

Create Your Juicy Life is a practical, hands-on approach to creating just that – a life that is full, ripe and delicious!

For a limited time, I am offering the first section of this new book online to you FREE.  Simply complete the contact form with your name and email and I’ll gladly send it your way.  I can’t wait for you to start designing YOUR juicy life.

In this book, you will be provided with exercises to create your juicy life.  Take stock of your current reality – and then CHOOSE.  Notice. and Act.

This book is great if you are feeling stuck, need a nudge, or just want to experience more joy in your life.

If you could get more JOY in your life – what might that be like?  Well, now you have some practical tools to use to answer the question – and EXPERIENCE the answer.

Today, I had a day long conversation with other coaches and higher ed administrators on what it means to coach people to their strengths.  I really like what Marcus Buckingham is talking about in his book, The Truth About You.  Even in this economy we can still focus our energies around what makes us great  - our Strengths.  What are your unique qualities that you bring to the table?

We all have some natural talents.  Combine those with Skills and Knowledge – and watch out world!  We can leverage our Strengths.

To start unearthing your strengths answer the following questions:

• What would you love to be doing more of at work?
• What’s been a BIG DEAL accomplishment for you?
• How were you able to achieve this”
• And how did you know what the right action was to take to do this?

These simple questions will help you discover your unique talents and passions. By working with a coach to combine your strengths with the skills + knowledge you can have a chance to be challenged just the way you like to be challenged, recognized and rewarded for doing your best.   Put your strengths to work and start achieving the success you desire.

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Working with a Coach from Orange Slice Training can help you start playing to your strengths.  Contact us today for more information.

I have been doing quite a bit of coaching lately.  And really enjoying it!  As a coach, there are many rewards and benefits from this profession.  As someone who has worked with a coach myself, there are TREMENDOUS benefits I have been able to experience as well. (check out the section on my site where I am writing a book!)

Coaching is different than therapy.  Therapy focuses on the past and strives to answer the question “why.”  Whether you or I know an answer to why doesn’t necessarily change NOW.

Coaching on the other hand looks at “how?”  It’s also FUTURE focused.  Wrapping the HOW in the FUTURE creates inspiration. It creates action.  Action that produces results.

What you get:

• A future orientation
• A chance to unearth a Dream
• Specific, identifiable action steps that get you closer to your dream
• A partner in your accountabilities
• And someone who wants to see the best you have to offer yourself and the world
• The inspiration, nudge or kick towards helping you get what you want

Working with a coach you get to Design (yes, notice the choice of word here) a life worth living.  Something I love to call a Juicy Life.  It’s in that design phase goals are set.  Actions are identified.  And, yes…results start to occur.

So, what is it you’d love to be creating?

Working with a Coach helps you explore this question.  It’s not one that we regularly let ourselves entertain.  It’s one your coach persists on driving towards. It might be uncomfortable.  And when it is, you know your getting closer to the edge of a breakthrough.

Let me ask you these three questions:

• What is it that would be such a HUGE DEAL for you to accomplish or achieve?
• If you got that or achieved that, how would that make you feel? What might be different in your life as a result?
• How valuable would it be for you to achieve that?

(I’m guessing it would mean a lot to you, and be pretty valuable.)

So, if you could have a partner to help you get just that, what’s stopping you?

Experience Coaching today.  Many coaches will provide you a free sample session.  It’s a great way to experience what they have to offer, and it will give you a chance to taste what your Juicy Life has to offer.

What’s it like when you get to talk about your passion? You interests? Your loves?

SHINY EYES.

Ben Zander created a TED video talking to an audience about leadership. The true essence for leaders in developing “shiny eyes.” A curiosity in their staff, an investment, an interest.

We all get shiny eyes when we have a chance to speak about our Passions or Interests. What to really engage someone in a conversation and see them sparkle with excitement, belief and hope? Ask them, “So what would you love to being doing right now?” or “What did you love most about that?”

It’s not just a great coaching question – it’s a great relationship building tool.

What would you love doing right now?

What is a juicy life anyway?

It’s one that is full of energy and emotion, ideas and challenge, and it’s one in which we have decided to live with both feet in.  You know, some people approach the pool and dip a toe in – testing the waters of sorts.  I’ve seen very few people actually take the plunge after just testing it with a big toe.  It seems like the water is always too cold and there is something better to be doing than getting in a cold pool.   Now, the two feet in approach usually starts with a run or leap and blop – two feet in, followed by your entire body.  Shocking. Freezing. Invigorating.

And you spring to life! You soon realize, maybe it’s not as cold as you thought and you hang out a bit.  Or realize how refreshing and reinvigorating taking the plunge really was.  You’ve woken up!  A juicy life is one where you’re awake – free to choose, free to be, and free to take the plunge.

We are currently offering a NEW CLIENT program that includes 3-months of coaching, action and results.  Do you have something you’d like to achieve?  Just haven’t gotten to it yet?   A Coach helps you see results and develop skills to create your JUICY life.

Complete our contact form for a FREE worksheet and more information and you too can start living the Juicy Life.

Does what you are talking about matter to the quality of your life. One study by researchers suggest YES! what we talk about is related to the amount of happiness that we experience. In a recent NY Times article, Dr. Mehl, used a technique to get an “acoustic diary of their day” from his subjects. He recorded snipets of conversations at intervals throughout a four day period.

The happiest people in his study were those that engaged in meaningful, deep conversations. Nearly 2/3 of their conversation that was measured was substantive and 1/3 was considered small talk.

In the day in age when blogs, twitter and facebook shoot information our way – how much of this is truly adding to our happiness factor?

Challenge for the day: Engage in a conversation that allows you to go beyond just surface issues.  Get to know someone. Rekindle a connection.  Share a passion. Dream. Or Joy. Engage in this conversation and post a comment.

Much has been written about goal setting and success.  From all that I have read I’ve come up with a simple form to help each of us achieve the success we desire.  There are 3 elements critical to goal setting and success:

1. Clarity. Being able to set you aim and focus on something specific helps you to achieve your result.  The more specific, the more likely you are to be successful with achieving your result.  First, What do you want? Get yourself really clear on what this is.  A deeper question that might be helpful to explore is Why do I want it?
2. Chunk it down. Now, I don’t need any study to show me that being able to take bite sized bites of something is easier to swallow than taking one large bite.  When a project is too big, too hairy, to scary – I don’t do anything.  Chunk your goal down into bite sized pieces.  What are you doing every day that gets you closer to your goal?
3. Action. To achieve your results, there needs to be action not just thoughts, not just “try’s”  (i.e. I’m going to try to do it) – but deliberate actions.  What are you doing?

Use the 2Day 2Achieve Worksheet to move you closer to your goal.  Action by action, day by day you will start to see what you are doing to create your own success. You can use this form at the beginning of each day to plan out what actions you will take.  Or, you can use the form at the end of the day and reflect on what two actions did you take today?  Either way you can’t go wrong when you are using this tool.

Just 2 a day.  What do you choose?

More importantly, what are you getting from the actions you’ve taken?

Do you ever find yourself needing that break in the day?  Or wanting to take that long weekend away and for a number of reasons don’t find a chance to do that.  Here’s a 5 minute getaway that will give you the peace of mind of being on vacation – even if it’s just for five minutes.

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The benefits of regular mediation are endless.  It can come in these short burst, too.  You don’t need to set aside 30-minutes everyday to practice – but, what if you could?  Here are three other ways to get that relaxation and benefit from meditation in your day:

• Close your eyes for 30 seconds. This allows you brain to release the stimulus overload we take in visually.  Better yet, close your eyes and cup your hands over them. Then release after a short break.
• Use a Mindfulness Bell.  It can be a Tibetan Singing bowl, meditation chimes, or a website.  The Washington Mindfulness Community has this page where you can activate a bell when you need the pull to presence.
• Office Yoga.  Get a brief stretch with these simple Yoga techniques you can do at your desk. Opening up your chest and shoulders at work will take away some of the stress you carry at work.

Do what you can to bring a little vacation to each day.

Namaste.