If you haven’t heard of choosing a word for the year, I highly recommend reading Christine Kane’s blog post to get a better understanding of it. She does a great job of describing what it is & how to get started right here: http://bit.ly/s6oR

In 2009, a client told me about the concept of choosing a word for the year instead of making a resolution. I loved this concept because of its simplicity & focusing on growth instead of criticism (which most resolutions are based on).

My first word was reciprocal. In 2010 it was enamor. And in 2011, it was unleash.

Reflecting on Unleash

During this past week or so, I’ve thought about unleash. How did it show up? Where could I have done better? What journeys have I taken that I could not have predicted? How did focusing on this word help me grow and change?

I won’t bore you with all the details of my life, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that unleash was the perfect word for me this year. I worked with brilliant clients who were amazingly successful. I began writing in a more authentic voice. I took on new projects I’d never done before. I managed my kitchen renovation. I traveled to new places.

One of the biggest surprises this year was a new role in the IAM Learning Community – an online community I co-created with Karen Tax. For the past 3 years, I have invested my time, money and passion into this community. Then around October, I found myself being led in a different direction. After much thought & prayer, I decided to focus on coaching & consulting – my passions.

My New Word for 2012

During the time I’ve been thinking about unleash, I kept coming back to the feeling that I just got started. And the word that kept coming to my mind was “adventure.” So I looked it up in Webster’s, and here’s the definition: “an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks” and “an exciting or remarkable experience.”

So, I asked myself, “Can anyone live their life without danger … without risk”?

Then I found this quote by Helen Keller: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

I recognize the times in my life where I haven’t been courageous … where I have played it safe or blamed someone else for my circumstances. I’ve experienced times where I’ve been afraid because I don’t know what the future will bring.

What I know for sure is if you don’t choose to do something about it, you will have a “nothing life.” Choosing adventure for my word in 2012 gives me something inspiring to focus on which gives me a much better shot at creating opportunities for myself and others.

Are you choosing a word for 2012? If so, tell me about it. I’d love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

Stress seems to be a big topic these days! I watched a Dr. Oz episode where one of his guests (a doctor) said that 75-90% of doctor visits have some stress-related component & that stress is a major complication of health for all of us.

So, of course I did a Google search and discovered that there are over 6 million global searches a month for the word, “stress.”

I read about good stress, bad stress, chronic stress, work stress, relationship stress, physical stress, stress management, emotional stress, stress relief, acute stress, hyperstress, hypostress, eustress, distress, teenage stress, and even entrepreneur stress. Whew! I’m getting stressed out just writing about stress.

Lots of people & organizations give advice about how to get stress relief; some good & some not so good. The advice I read were mostly temporary fixes; they simply don’t get at the source of what’s driving people’s stress symptoms.  It’s no wonder people are confused, frustrated, give up trying, or resort to drugs.

Here’s an example: Many people suggested that healthy eating is a good solution for reducing stress. Healthy eating is something that is important to me because it supports what I want for my life. Although please understand that very, very occasionally a Krispy Kreme doughnut puts me in a zen-like trance of sheer bliss … and I don’t want to feel bad about it.

Stress relief begins with knowing who you really are

In my personal life and coaching practice, I’ve found that when you get to the real truth of your stress, you can transform it into opportunities for growth & healing … you’ll actually create sustainable stress relief. One of the best ways I know of to get to the truth is to know who you really are, not what other people think of you or how you think you “should be.”

Chinese proverb: Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.

Stress relief lies in the expansion of your imagination

Who do you imagine yourself to be … a stressed out, overwhelmed, ugly, stupid, unloved, fat, underappreciated, angry, resentful person? Or do you imagine yourself to be a happy, brilliant, loved, appreciated, valuable, generous person leading your work & life like an entrepreneur leads his/her business?

Your imagination is likely what’s creating or alleviating the stress in your life. Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Try using your imagination to get back to the real you, not the stressed out version of you.

A stress relief tool that helps create sustainable strategies

As a coach, it’s important for me to have a wide variety of tools to use with clients. One of my favorite tools is the IAM Essence Map, created by Karen Tax (my first coach, great friend & business partner), as she searched for stress relief in her life. Karen started using the map with her clients & discovered people were getting excellent results.

I have used the IAM Essence Map in my work (and personally) & have found it to be extremely helpful for creating sustainable stress relief. Just like the Chinese proverb above suggests, I use the IAM Essence Map to help my clients shift out of drama (not you) into the essence of who they really are.

For example, I recently used the IAM Essence Map with one of my clients (Sara-not her real name) when she wanted some help with how she handled a situation at work. During a meeting Sara became very angry because she was the only one prepared. After the meeting, she received some negative feedback about the way she handled herself.

So, I introduced the IAM Essence Map to her & we discussed how she could use it as a guide before & throughout her meeting as a kind of compass to ground her in her essential best. What Sara discovered is that when Drama happens (and it usually does), she can use the IAM Essence Map to help her remember who she is at her best & engage others from that space … not Drama.

Sustainable stress relief results from making peace with drama

When you make peace with the drama in your life (not ignoring it or pretending it isn’t there), and relax into your essential best, the results you’ll experience are unlimited: high-performing teams, self-confidence, greater self-awareness, clear communication, healthy relationships, healthy bodies, and so much more.

If you’re interested in learning more about the IAM Essence Map, join as a Free Member in the IAM Learning Community where I am a co-founder with Karen. You can download a copy (and a bunch of other goodies) from our Resources area.

What ideas, suggestions, questions do you have about making peace with stress & finding stress relief that’s sustainable – not just a temporary fix?

Mentor + helpful career advice = Exponential Growth

One of the best ways to become a better version of yourself is to find a mentor. In my career, I’ve been fortunate to be guided by some great people I consider to be mentors. Whether it’s a new career or one you’ve been in awhile, having a mentor will teach you things you may not have ever been exposed to. It’s kind of like, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

Mentor: A wise and trusted counselor; typical role is to advance the person’s career

I’ve been privileged to be guided by some excellent mentors, so I thought I would share with you some of the tips I learned from them. Whew! This is a tall order. I don’t want to leave anyone out, so if you’ve been a mentor to me and I didn’t include you in this list, feel free to remind me of your brilliance.

Mentor tip #1: You have to learn to give feedback if you want career growth. This one came from my former boss, Tim. During one of our feedback sessions, Tim said, “You don’t just avoid feedback; you run from it.” True – I could take feedback all day long, but giving it was another story. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings, so I just wouldn’t say anything … of course that kept everyone stuck.

Tim so does not let anything stay under the table, so he started mentoring me on how to provide feedback in a way that felt right to me (kind, caring, respectful … and honest). Tim invited me (haha- made me) to go to a meeting with him and give my feedback ~ during a conflict between 2 team members.

Providing that feedback was one of the toughest things I’ve done in my career, but I did it, and I did a good job. Through Tim’s mentoring, I developed the confidence I needed to have difficult conversations throughout my career, especially when I starting managing people.

Mentor tip #2: Working hard does not a guarantee a successful career path. I can’t remember the guy’s name who said this, but he served as a valuable mentor to me early in my career. My parents told me that the way to success was to get a good education, get a good job & work hard. Done!

Only, here I was working my buns off, frustrated because I wasn’t getting ahead, and someone changed the rules of the game!

This guy wasn’t saying I should slack off; his point was that working hard is only one factor that helps create success. I’m glad I learned that lesson early in my career. It saved me a lot of frustration & directed me towards seeking additional or even alternative ways of creating success.

Mentor tip #3: If you’re in a room with 10 people, you need to talk 10% of the time. In the early 90’s, this advice came to me from my colleague & mentor, Debbie, and it was news to me. Growing up my friends & family loved to hear me talk; I could keep them entertained for hours. Imagine my surprise when Debbie tells me I talk too much.

I’m an extrovert, so that means I’m a verbal processor. Unfortunately verbal processors with limited filters may offend, confuse, frustrate, and drown out others.

So I embarked on a path of being more observant, thinking before speaking, and enhancing my listening skills. Debbie’s advice has served me well on my career path (leading, recruiting, business development, customer service, and in my current role as a coach, consultant, trainer, facilitator … and mentor).

Mentor tip #4: No one is better than you, and you are no better than anyone else. This advice came from my wonderful mentor, Mom! The last part of her advice was easy; the first part is what I struggled with from time to time in my career. Intellectually, I agreed with my Mom – we are all equal. Unfortunately, at times I forgot her mentoring and put people on a pedestal with me far below them.

Here’s what putting people on a pedestal has looked like for me: pleasing too much, over-explaining, giving away my power, seeing myself as a victim, not trusting my instincts, or not speaking up. Mom’s advice is deceptively simple.

Think about how ingrained we are in our society to put celebrities, CEOs, parents, teachers, politicians, doctors and the like on a pedestal. When we see everyone as our peer, we become powerful leaders of ourselves and lives.

Mentor tip #5: Ask for what you want. This advice came from my business partner & trusted friend, Karen Tax. When I was a child my Mom frequently told me my middle name was “I want,” but when I got older, at times I thought I couldn’t get what I want, or I thought asking for what I wanted was selfish, so I compromised.

I began working through what Karen’s mentoring means in my career and life, and something I’ve found very useful is to ask for what I want … along with context & an invitation. This means that when I ask for what I want, I provide some context, background, data that explains (not over explains) what I want. Then after my request, I invite the other person’s perspective & we work together to get what we both want. This strategy has worked brilliantly in creating collaborative & meaningful relationships.

Mentor tip #6: Keep your network active and authentic. This advice came from 2 former colleagues & mentors, Hurt & Jim. When we started working together, our cubicles were side by side, and I noticed something very significant – they both had a large network _and_ their relationships were genuine.

So, I started observing them & asking questions about their philosophies & approaches because networking seemed like a skill I needed to develop. Both of them were very gracious in mentoring me so that I could develop into an effective networker. Now, people tell me all the time what a great networker I am.

There’s always more to learn, but from their mentoring, I really connected with the essence of networking which I see as a blend of giving and receiving. Here’s a quick synopsis of what I learned from these great mentors about networking: a) use a system to ensure no one falls through the cracks – be consistent & disciplined, b) network with people you genuinely like & care about, c) connecting with people is easy – a short email or phone call is typically sufficient, d) people appreciate connecting, and e) asking people for help who barely know you feels like spam – don’t do it.

Mentor tip #7: No one will respect your time more than you. This advice is from my favorite mentor & person in the whole world, my husband – Jeff. At times in my career, I’ve been out of balance. I allow work to consume me … too much on my plate, canceling my plans when I don’t want to, not delegating effectively, or being a perfectionist. In essence, Jeff is talking about boundaries.

How do you manage being committed to a project, client, or team while at the same time take care of yourself? Each situation comes with its own complexities, so I won’t make a trivial suggestion.

I know there are times when you need to invest the time and energy in something important. What puts me in the “danger zone” is when I start feeling frustrated and don’t speak up.

Recently a friend of mine received a text during the weekend from his manager informing him of an impromptu conference call. He was at his child’s event and wanted to be with his family. So he simply texted his manager back what was going on & when he could get on the call (no drama). His manager was fine with it. That’s respecting your time AND finding a win-win for everyone.

♥A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself. ~Oprah ♥

My mentors have challenged me, inspired me, motivated me, helped me set better career goals, become a better leader, build stronger relationships, and easily navigate tricky situations. Mentors are everywhere if we simply look for them.

Have you had a great mentor? Share your mentoring tips or questions below. I’d be honored to hear from you!

You don't have to be stressed and confused!

The stress of making the right decision!

Career choices are common causes for high stress! Imagine this: You get a job offer, but it pays less than what you want. Do you take the job or wait for something better? There are pros and cons to each situation, but how do you decide when you don’t know what to do?

Here’s are 2 similar stories with 2 very different outcomes. They are true stories from working with my clients as a career coach (edited for confidentiality).

Andrew’s dilemma…

Andrew was laid off 9 months ago from his job in graphics design at the State. He has been searching for full-time work, but he’s having a hard time finding something that pays close to what he was making. Andrew is a hard worker and a talented designer; being out of work has been very stressful for him.

Eventually Andrew gets an interview with Smart Company. The interview goes well, the environment appears to be a good fit, and he likes the short commute. Everything about this job looks wonderful! Then Andrew gets the job offer … only the pay is lower than what he wants. On one hand, Andrew is excited about getting back to work & being creative. On the other hand, he’s feeling the stress of having to slice & dice his budget. After thoughtful consideration and planning, Andrew takes the job.

Stress lifting … and look what happens

After a few weeks, Andrew’s can feel his stress level decreasing. He feels better about himself because he’s making a contribution and feels a sense of purpose. His energy is higher & he’s finding creative inspiration he thought he lost. It isn’t long before he is making an significant impact. After 3 months on the job, the GM is so impressed with Andrew’s motivation and creative ideas, he offers him a promotion with a bonus. Now he’s making more money than he did in the job he lost. Life is good! Stress? Gone!

Contrast Andrew with Brandy…

Brandy has been out of work for 10 months, and she’s feeling the stress big time! As a technical project manager, she thought she would have an easy time finding a job, so she played while she was on severance. The last month of severance she kicks her job search into high gear only to find there aren’t that many jobs and the jobs she’s applying for aren’t paying what she wants. Brandy decides she’ll just wait it out, only while she’s waiting, and she’s about to lose her house. She’s depressed and angry – her confidence is at an all time low.

Some of you may be experiencing this dilemma right now, or you may encounter it in the future. It’s a stressful thing to have to deal with, but you can easily work through the situation and make a wise decision without all that drama. Use the tips below to help you think through your situation:

5 Tips to Help You Lower Your Stress & Make Better Decisions About Whether to Take the Job or Wait

1. One of the biggest factors for success is knowing yourself and having the courage to be yourself. Look for situations where you have high potential for being your best. Money is a factor, but it’s not the only one.
2. Today’s world is less stable & secure. We’re going to have to be more agile and flexible than ever because jobs don’t come with a lifetime guarantee like many used to. Whether or not you take the job, do your homework. What is the potential for advancement? Are your personal values, mission & goals aligned with the company’s – if they are your chances for success are much higher. What is the fiscal health of the company/organization? It pays to do your research. Make sure you are driving YOUR strategy for getting what you want.
3. Talk the situation through with someone … be curious and open. You may not have considered all the options available to you. Getting help means you are strong, not weak. You’ll also find that simply talking through your options will decrease your stress & help you think more creatively.
4. Every situation carries an element of risk to it. It’s important to weigh your options, but get some help if you have “decision constipation.” There are numerous tools available to help with your decision. Mind Tools has some great resources to help you make better decisions. Click here for a link to their decision-making tools section.
5. Sometimes people are in a situation where they have to take a job they don’t really want – completely understandable these days. Just remember, there is a big difference between taking a job that pays the bills temporarily and denying your talents.

BONUS TIP: Join the IAM Learning Community as a Free Member! Once you receive your user id & password, you can download the IAM Essence Map Tool. This tool helps you focus your attention on the best of who you really are and not the drama you’re in. Use the map to help you easily work through the stress and get clear about what’s right for you.

Please share your tips for reducing career stress! Are you, or have you been, in a situation where you’ve experienced this dilemma? What are some things you’ve done to help you make a good decision?

I have had a word for the year for the past two years, and I love how it helps me to focus on what I really want to be doing and who I want to be. I have also used it as a kind of gut check to make sure I’m staying on track.

It’s been a great adventure this year with my word beside me. I’ll share a few of my random awakenings with you below. And, at the end of this blog, I’ll tell you my word for 2011! Read on…

» Anyone who knows me knows that I adore my 13 nieces and nephews. Since I don’t have children, I strive to be an aunt who’s interested in & spends time with them. One day my 11-year old niece and I were chatting over email, and I sent her a picture of her with my dog. Her response was, “Oh, I am sooooo adorable.” Children are so brilliant. Why do we disconnect from our inner child when we get older and believe the lies that we are stupid, ugly, or bad? It’s ridiculous! That conversation with my niece reminded me to tap into my “adorableness” as often as possible.

» Creating a partnership with someone can be tricky. I’ve heard horror stories where people start a business together and wind up enemies or, at worst, in a legal battle. I’m really proud of Karen and me for making our relationship a priority as business partners in the IAM Learning Community. When conflict arises (and it will), we don’t get into much drama at all. We talk it through & get on the same page very quickly. Having a healthy partnership allows us to focus on our clients and become better at what we do.

» I did a great job this year of creating quiet mornings as I have really grown to appreciate the time to be still and reflect. I used to think I had to be moving at warp speed, juggling a lot priorities, and using the television or radio to drown out the quiet. By creating my quiet time, I’m much more present, focused, and proactive … and I’m a lot more productive.

» I want everyone to go to work every day doing what they love, being really good at it, and getting paid what they want. It breaks my heart to see people go to work stressed out, burned out, disengaged, even angry or hurt. I am so inspired by people who have the courage to get help and get on with creating a life they love.

» It’s official! At the end of 2010, I became enamored with technology. Karen is likely laughing because most of the year technology has not been my friend. Most of my new thinking has come from getting the right technology and the right technology partners. We finally have a system that’s robust, user friendly, and easy for us to manage & use. Ah … finally!

» One of the greatest blessings in my work and life is working with amazing, brilliant clients. I’m consistently blown away by their dreams, courage, and wisdom. They teach me so much. I am truly, truly enamored with them!

Did you have a word this year … or words, a guiding principle, a mantra? If so, I’d love to hear about it. I hope you’ll consider claiming a word for yourself in 2011 and use it purposefully to guide your work and life. I’d be delighted to stay in touch about our words!

Drum roll: My word for 2011 is “unleashed!” The word didn’t come to me in a dream or while I was sitting on a cloud, it came from a conversation I was having with Karen. As soon as she said it, I said, “I think that’s my word.” So, there it is … unleashed … sweet!

I recently read a great blog post from Navi Radjou, Executive Director of the Centre for India & Global Business at the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. The post is on the website of  Conscious Capitalism Institute “Why Are Creative Leaders So Rare”? Please click here for the whole post.

Radjou’s blog centers on a talk given by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India. Dr. Kalam suggests that corporations and nations need a new breed of leader – the creative leader. So what is a creative leader? Dr. Kalam’s 8 principles for creative leaders are:

1. Vision for the organization
2. Passion to transform vision into action
3. Travel into an unexplored path
4. Know how to manage both success & failure
5. Courage to make decisions
6. Nobility in management
7. Every action should be transparent
8. Work with integrity & succeed with integrity

Radjou describes how he and other audience members are baffled at how few leaders they know who actually embody these attributes. He targets CEOs of Fortune 500 firms, financial institutions, and politicians who are stark reminders of leaders lacking integrity. He dreams that business schools will begin cultivating leaders with a moral compass filled with integrity. I couldn’t agree more. My experience and observation is that 1-5 is somewhat the norm, but the going gets tough at 6, 7, and then 8.

What is it going to take for this to happen? How can  our small voices effect such radical change from what we have now? Below are some ideas I’m kicking around:

1. You first. Take a look at the 8 tenets and see where you’re succeeding and where you need work. Be the leader of you!
2. If your leader is not a “creative leader,”  encourage, inspire, challenge, coach him/her to make the change. Leadership can start anywhere.
3. Start your own business and stop participating in something you don’t agree with.
4. Look around & identify people who are “creative leaders” and join them. Help them grow so they become the standard for success.
5. Stop blaming “the man.” You step up! Even something significant as standing up for the right thing is needed.
6. Pull together a group of like-minded people and brainstorm ways you can make a difference.
7. Students: Insist that your curriculum include training that centers on conscious capitalism.
8. If you are a leader who has been part of the problem, be a part of the solution. It’s never too late to change. In fact, if you don’t change, you won’t make it. There are too many people who are tired of the status quo. It’s going to get a lot harder for you to be successful.
9. Creative Leaders that we don’t know about – we need to know you. We need to hear from you. We are counting on you to demonstrate that success and integrity do go hand in hand.

I’d love to hear from you about how you are being a creative leader, what other ideas you have to help folks take a stand for creative leadership, what challenges you have for this model, and anything else you care to share.

U.S. Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale

I cleaned out my office today & ran across an index card with the Stockdale Paradox on it. In case you’re not familiar with the Stockdale Paradox, Jim Collins describes it in his book, “Good to Great” as:

“Retain the faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties AND confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.”

I highly recommend reading about Jim Stockdale in this wiki to learn more about his experience as a Vietnam POW & how he was able to survive when many others didn’t: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale.

Surviving a POW camp is in no way comparable to conducting a job search or developing your career, but there are important lessons we can learn from Jim Stockdale’s experience.

Got Faith?

Stockdale said he never doubted he would prevail and turn this horrific experience into a defining event in his life. He never lost faith.

I think about a time when I was in a job that felt like a prison to me. I felt victimized, like I had no choices. But that wasn’t true. I did have choices. I hired a coach and started working on a plan to not just get me out of there but to really envision a future for myself. I read somewhere that faith is passionate trust. I trusted myself to know what I really wanted, and I trusted God to show me the way.

The Brutal Facts

Stockdale says we must have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of our current reality. There are two important points here – defining reality and discipline.

What is reality? I heard someone say, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Well, just like Stockdale, I believe the facts DO count.

There are certain facts about you that should be a factor in your career development. This is the brutal reality of YOU – the brilliant you, and it’s important that you know what it is and can sufficiently describe it to others.

And then there’s the other side of reality such as the people who show up on American Idol who can’t carry a tune and can’t understand why they aren’t chosen. Or the person who doesn’t want to learn anything new and thinks they can coast to retirement. Or the person who knows their performance has been lagging but thinks people won’t notice. This is our blind spot, and it is essential to make that spot as small as possible.

After you have a good idea of your reality, it’s time for discipline. Discipline might conjure up some images as being grounded or a drill sergeant commanding you to take 100 pushups in the freezing rain, but consider another definition of discipline: “self-control, training for improvement, and a systematic method.”  It seems to me that discipline is at the heart of leadership, so when it comes to determining our careers, it is essential to have a system in place to help us reach our dreams (strategies, intentions, goals). I hired a coach, increased my knowledge, and put a system in place to be more accountable so that I could expand my choices.

So, CAN be anything you want?  Maybe! Use these tips to guide you in deciding what you really, really want:

• Take a look at the brutal reality of you. Who are you, and what are your strengths (skills, knowledge, abilities)? What is important to you? What would make you want to go work every day full of energy and passion?
• Have the discipline to do what it takes to get you what you want. Invest in yourself by hiring a coach, going back to school, updating your resume, networking, etc. Stop doing those things that are getting in the way of what you want.
• Have faith that you will prevail despite difficult circumstances.
• Allow yourself to be surprised. Don’t wrap up your life so tightly that you miss some amazing detours off your path.

Do you have something else to add to this discussion? If so, I’d love to hear from you!

Happy 2010! Last year was a year of laying the foundation for our movement of transforming work and life so everyone can be their best. I learned a lot about myself last year and this year promises to stretch me even further. I’m super excited about that!

I have been wondering about you and your intentions for 2010, specifically how you’ll anchor in more deeply to being your best. Last year a client told me she had selected a word of the year to guide her throughout the year. She got the idea from Christine Kane (www.christinekane.com). Today I read a blog by Chris Brogan who chooses 3 words each year. Read his blog here: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/my-3-words-for-2010/#comment-27738450.

Last year my word was recriprocal, and it served me very well. When I began thinking about my word for 2010, I decided to let go of trying to figure it out and just trust God for my word. The strangest thing happened. I had a dream and the word, enamor, came to me in my sleep – someone said this is your gift – enamor. I can’t remember the details, but when I woke up, the word was firmly in my mind.

Now, mind you, I have vivid, sometimes strange dreams, and I have never had a dream where a word was given to me. And, as I get older, I find that my memory fails me when I try to remember certain words, but I easily recall this word throughout the day.  Also, not surprisingly, enamor is not part of my normal conversations. 

So, although I don’t know if I will add more words to my word of the year, I am definitely keeping enamor. I look forward to playing with my word of the year, peeling it back like an onion, to help me be my best and help others do the same.

What do you think about choosing a word or words for 2010? Take a look at Christine’s video on her blog and/or read Chris Brogan’s blog post and see if choosing a word(s) is something you might want to participate in this year. And be sure to let me know. I’m planning to write about my word at least monthly if not more often throughout the year. I’d love to support you in your word choice.

Many blessings to you and those you love in 2010! May you feel love in a big way (enamor)…

In the tv special, Rudolph wasn’t allowed to play in the reindeer games because of his bright, shiny, red nose. It seemed that everywhere he looked, he just didn’t fit in. He and Hermie, the elf who wanted to be a dentist, didn’t fit in either and so they head out on their own. In one of their songs, they sing, “Why am I such a misfit? I am not just a nitwit … seems I don’t fit in.”

Boy oh boy, have I been in situations like Rudolph and Hermie. At times I felt like I was on the island of misfit toys. I knew I wasn’t a nitwit and neither were those other folks; it just wasn’t a good fit. That’s when I decided to be the leader of me and find/create a tribe that fits me. With a wonderful community of support, I charted my own course. If others want to laugh and tease me, so be it.

Seth Godin, in his book, Tribes, says what Karen & I have been saying all along – that everyone is a leader and we need you to lead – yourself first. I feel very strongly that when you determine what you want, you’ll be in a much better position to help others get what they want, and then you’ll create something extraordinary together as leaders.

Maybe you’ve been excluded from the proverbial “reindeer games,” or felt like you don’t fit in, or have encountered some monsters on your path. If you choose to, you can return back to your brilliant essence, shine brightly, and lead – with noses of all different colors, shapes and sizes. With a community cheering you on and supporting you, there’s no telling what you’ll accomplish – in your business, your organization,  your home, your school … everywhere!

It’s a quote by Jack Kerouac in an Apple Computer ad, 1997.

Here’s to the Crazy Ones

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits. The rebels.
The troublemakers. The round
pegs in the square holes – the
ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules and
they have no respect for
the status quo. You can praise
them, disagree with them,
quote them, disbelieve them,
glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing that you
can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.

Cheers to us! Cheers to you! … All the crazy ones who are tired of the status quo!