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Want to Tell a Great Story? Try Reading a Few.

Reading is one of the best ways you can learn to be a better writer. Grab a book – fiction, nonfiction – whatever suits your fancy, and see what you learn.

My love of reading and fascination with books dates back to my childhood. Olaf Reads is a favorite from my childhood, and my current library includes a copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon. I’ve got shelves of books that relate to current interests, and am weeding out a few books that have been gathering dust.

My favorite road trips include a visit to a bookstore. I’ll plan a day or weekend’s activities around the bookstores in the area. I love roaming the aisles and reading the names of books and looking at the design of the covers of books – children’s books, business, art, medical.

These books have provided inspiration for me to write and share stories. When I need a new perspective about a topic or if I’m not sure how to write a story, I’ll have conversations with people, research online, and head to a bookstore. Bookstores continue to change as the publishing industry evolves; one constant that remains, however, is the variety of genres at our disposal. Drink in the creativity of these authors and watch your writing and storytelling improve.

Want to Tell a Great Story? Try Reading a Few. was last modified: January 24th, 2015 by Deb Nelson

January’s Clean Slate: Take Advantage of the Opportunity to Recharge, Restart, and Reboot

Thanks to the Your Turn Blog Challenge, I’m on a roll. This is day four of the seven-day challenge. I’ve completed four blog posts, joined two blogging communities, and put an end to my drought in the blog-o-sphere.

Like many people, I’m using the start of the new year as an opportunity to set some goals, reassess what’s important to me, and get down to work. How lucky am I that Winnie Kao and Seth Godin are using the new year to motivate bloggers to put their thoughts in print. Brilliant for them; inspiring for me.

Creating quite a buzz online, this group of hundreds is burning up the interwebs with thoughts that otherwise would not have been shared. I’ve read some amazing posts; take a look at this post by Heather Parady. It by far my favorite: Intense. Real. Thought-Provoking. Head on over to twitter and search #YourTurnChallenge. Set your timer; this is a seemingly endless rabbit hole – all good stuff that will keep you here past your bedtime.

Now take a look at your plans for 2015. Use this challenge to move the needle on your goals. What small steps can you take today to move forward? And then tomorrow? Remember, you’ve got that clean slate. No labels. No negative self-talk. No excuses.

2015 appears to be the year for shipping. I’d love to know what you’re shipping.

January’s Clean Slate: Take Advantage of the Opportunity to Recharge, Restart, and Reboot was last modified: January 22nd, 2015 by Deb Nelson

Get Your Social On: Keeping the Social in Social Media

Are you being social or have you slipped into the habit of constant selling, rather than engaging, on social media channels? If you’re constantly asking, selling, telling, are you engaging with your audience? Or have you alienated your tribe? If you’re not engaging, you might just be transferring traditional media tactics to social settings. You might be lonely.

Give the L E A R N theory of being social a try:

Listen. Put your ear to the social scene and listen to your audience. Where are they spending their time? What do they expect to get from social media? What are they asking questions about? What are their pain points? How can you solve their problems?

Earn. You need to earn the trust of your audience. Show up: be present, be consistent, be thoughtful.

Answer. Now that you know the questions your audience is asking, offer up some answers. Be a superhero and share your knowledge.

Respect. There are lots of differing opinions being served up on social media. Respect those opinions; and while you’re at it, don’t engage with the trolls

Nurture. Developing relations is a process. Nurture these relationships: share posts, comment on posts, be an all-around nice person.

We all love a good conversation. Go out and be social. Let me know how
the L E A R N theory works for you.

Get Your Social On: Keeping the Social in Social Media was last modified: January 21st, 2015 by Deb Nelson

The Road to Success is Paved with a Strong Team

You can benefit from the input of others whether you work alone, in a small organization, or a large company. The best of teams, however, will do you little good unless you take the time to know each member of the team.

Sports teams – professional and amateur – underscore the importance of knowing team members every time they set foot on the field, ice, court, etc. Teammates practice together, train together, travel together, and socialize together. They learn a lot about the reaction, recovery, and pivot capabilities. For sports, success depends on how well team members work together.

Hockey players shoot the puck to the area their teammate is supposed to be covering; a basketball player makes a bounce pass to the spot his or her teammate can reach. Seeing achievements of teammates at practice spurs others to reach a little deeper. Athletes communicate during competition with words when possible, gestures when necessary, and screams when appropriate. Your business might not be so different from a sports team.

If you’re successful in your profession, chances are you’ve got a good team behind you. If you’re not as successful as you’d like to be, chances are you need to shore up your team. Here are a few tips to get your team lined up to support you.

Identify your teammates. Coworkers, colleagues, committee members, volunteers, supervisors, trusted friends and advisors, mentors. You might be surprised how many people are committed to your success.
Clarify the roles of every member of your team. Clear expectations are key to having a successful outcome. You’ll make the most of your team’s talents when everyone knows what’s expected of them, and what they can expect from you in return.
Provide and receive feedback. Things didn’t work out the way you expected? Find out why – while a conversation or two might result in identifying the need for a major overhaul to your plans, you might also unearth minor changes that will result in the results you seek.
Ask for input. When you’re stuck and are sitting in the funky chair of analysis paralysis, check in with someone on your team and ask for some help. Sometimes hashing an idea out with someone can save hours of hemming and hawing on your part.
Say thank you. No two words are more appreciated than thank you. Make the time to thank all of those who lend a hand to you on your path to success.

Lace up your skates (or laptop), get in the game, and give it your all. Let me know how you and your team meet and beat the challenges you face.

The Road to Success is Paved with a Strong Team was last modified: January 20th, 2015 by Deb Nelson

Have You Skipped Today?

Spend a day with a kid, and you’ll undoubtedly learn a thing or two.
You know what else will happen? You just might find yourself skipping.

What kind of question is that? Have you skipped today? Maybe a better question is: Why do we stop skipping? Is it because we reach a certain age? Or attain a certain social status?

Spend a day with young kids and you’ll find yourself giggling and skipping along with a big grin on your face. Pressure melts away, perspective changes, new insight is realized. Young kids haven’t been taught not to laugh or not to skip. Without limitations or restrictions having been imposed, kids are unstoppable. They do what comes naturally, and happiness prevails.

Do something that makes you skip every day. You’ll change your story. And you just might change the world.

Let me know how you’re changing the world – comment below, or connect with me directly.

Have You Skipped Today? was last modified: January 19th, 2015 by Deb Nelson

Are You All About the Sunset, No Moonrise?

While focusing on one thing – all about that bass, no treble – might work really well for Meghan Trainor, tunnel vision could land you and your business in a very vulnerable place.

My husband and I were watching a sunset over the harbor along with a group of adults and one young boy. All of the adults zeroed in as the ball of fire began its descent from the sky: cameras ready to go, oohs and ahhs, exclamations of delight as though this were the first time any of us had witnessed a sunset.

Suddenly and quietly, the young boy chimed in with his thoughts: “Hey, what about the moon?” We all turned to the left and saw the much simpler, yet equally impressive moonrise. Lucky for us, this boy had no qualms about letting a bunch of adults know that Mother Nature had more than one sight for us to take in on the horizon.

Perhaps you’re wondering how the heck this relates to your business. Here are a few things I learned from our young friend. Make sure:

You’re inviting people with different perspectives to be part of your team.
You allow all voices on your team to be comfortable sharing how they view the progress of your project.
You don’t become so enamored with a shiny, beautiful idea that you forget look at whether there’s a simpler way to achieve the same results.
To remove blinders; they’re quite dangerous.

Sometimes we learn things when least expect to; be open to hearing and responding to those quiet voices that sometimes teach us the most.

Let’s stay connected. Sign up to receive notification of blog posts, and let me know about the lessons you’re learning.

Are You All About the Sunset, No Moonrise? was last modified: October 21st, 2014 by Deb Nelson

Three Reasons to Read Chris Guillebeau’s Latest Book, The Happiness of Pursuit

Yes, there are WAY more than three reasons to read The Happiness of Pursuit. I’m choosing to limit my list to three reasons that will more than illustrate why you should hop on over to your favorite local bookstore or power up your favorite piece of technology to order this gem.

One copy just isn't enough — One copy just isn’t enough

The subtitle of the book provides a bit more clarity of what the book is all about: Finding the quest that will bring purpose to your life. How, you ask, can a mere book steer anyone to identifying their quest? Great storytelling, that’s how. Guillebeau is a master at weaving stories together to move his readers around the world from the comfort of their home as he shares a variety of quests focused on the happiness of pursuit.

Do we all have a quest? Maybe, maybe not. Are you happy in your everyday life? Do you go to work with a smile on your face? Or are you trudging through each day waiting for something to happen to bring a spark into your world? If the latter speaks to you and your humdrum life is getting you down, it just might be that your inner self (your gut feeling) knows there’s something you’re meant to do. A few hours reading this book. At a minimum, it will get you thinking; at a maximum, it’ll change your life.

Here are my top three reasons for reading The Happiness of Pursuit:

Inspiration Meets Action. Guillebeau shares numerous stories of people’s quests. Some resonated with me in a big way; others, not quite as much. Each story, however, illustrated that small steps matter. Quests (which Guillebeau defines for the reader) are not accomplished overnight AND must have deadlines. This keeps the inner perfectionist from endlessly fine-tuning the quest rather than moving forward. As Seth Godin says: “Stop polishing andship Polished perfect isn’t better than perfect, it’s merely shinier.”
Assistance Identifying Quest. Guillebeau outlines a few steps to put readers on the path to identifying their quests. Putting the brakes on, set aside some time to honestly assess your life, and see what happens. Use this book as a guide, not a crutch. That’s the beauty of Guillebeau’s approach: this book can’t (and shouldn’t) tell you how to find purpose in your life. What it will do, though, is lend a hand as you figure out just what the heck it is you’re meant to do with your life.
Happiness is Important. Happiness means something different to each one of us. We go around once in this life. Our choices can make that ride a wildly fantastic experience, a yawn fest, or worse. Following someone else’s path to happiness isn’t going to work for you. What matters to someone else may not matter to you. Listen to that inner voice as you take time to figure out what happiness means and looks like to you: This is the difference for many of us between leading a life of drudgery and leading a life that counts.

Flipping the pursuit of happiness on its head, you can’t help but take a step back and rethink your approach to life as you read Guillebeau’s The Happiness of Pursuit. Discontent is a big motivator. As Guillebeau noted: “Dissatisfaction + Big Idea + Willingness to Take Action = New Adventure.” Take advantage of that discontent and find your quest.

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Three Reasons to Read Chris Guillebeau’s Latest Book, The Happiness of Pursuit was last modified: September 30th, 2014 by Deb Nelson

Oxymoron or Smart Strategy: Planning for Spontaneity

I don’t use the word oxymoron every day, and that’s probably a good thing! While the concept of planning to be spontaneous sounds a bit odd, let’s see how these two concepts might work together in your business.

You know where you want your business to go. You know where you want to be in three years, five years, and beyond. And yet, you’ve got no plan. This raises many questions, including:

Mapping out your approach can pay off in a number of ways for your company — Mapping out your approach pays off for your company

How will you know which tactics have been successful, or not-so successful?
How will you know what to repeat, what to tweak, and what to promise NEVER to do again?
And, of course, what was the ROI?
One of the questions I always ask, though, is How will you know when to do the sweet happy dance of success?

All of these questions also lead to another valuable question to ask yourself: What did you miss out on because you didn’t have a plan?

If you’ve got a plan – well, you actually need a number of plans: business plan, marketing plan, fundraising plan, event plan, etc. – AND you’re working the plan(s), and an unexpected opportunity knocks on your door, no problem – you assess your current situation and decide whether or not this opportunity is worth pursuing.

If you’ve got no plan, it’s really hard to determine whether this “opportunity” is actually (1) a worthwhile opportunity for you to pursue, or (2) just one more distraction that will help you continue to spin your wheels without moving forward.

Make a plan. Work the plan. Celebrate your results.

Oxymoron or Smart Strategy: Planning for Spontaneity was last modified: September 23rd, 2014 by Deb Nelson

Attitude of Gratitude: There’s a Lot to be Grateful for in my Life

A favorite lunch spot along Maine's rocky coast in Bar Harbor. Uninvited seagulls never fail to join us. — A favorite lunch spot along Maine’s rocky coast in Bar Harbor. Uninvited seagulls never fail to join us.

Faceboook is overflowing with gratitude challenges. People are challenging their friends, family, and colleagues to identify those things in their lives for which they’re grateful. My friend, Maura Halkiotis, challenged me to identify and post three things I’m grateful for each day for five days. I altered the challenge a bit: here’s my list – all 15 in one day, no particular order except for number 15 (no skipping ahead).

Laughter. Listening to a child’s infectious giggle or an adult’s belly laugh stops me in my tracks and immediately puts a smile on my face.
Coffee Shops. Working out of my home as a consultant has given me a great appreciation of coffee shops – even though I’ve ditched coffee for green tea. These satellite offices provide a place for me to meet with clients; allow me to be in a room with people when I’ve spent too much time alone; and, of course, there’s always a great cup of tea or snack awaiting.
Friends and Family. There is nothing like sharing successes and setbacks with people I love and respect. I’m blessed to have family and friends who open their hearts and homes to my husband and me; and I’m especially grateful for those of you who share your children’s worlds with us.
My preferred mode of travel takes me through the marshes of Cape Cod.
My Bike. My pink bike has taken me places I never imagined I’d travel. And, yes, I’m grateful each of those 30 gears to power me over hills and through trails.
Water, Water Everywhere. Beaches, marshes, lakes are mesmerizing. I feel lucky every day to live in the beautiful State of Maine. The rocky coast is a stunning backdrop for a good life.
Second Chances. We can all use a do-over every now and again.
Living in a Country Where Disagreements / Debate Take Place. While our country certainly has its issues, there’s no place in the world I’d rather live. Disagreements can be debated publicly; political change takes place seamlessly; in spite of disagreements, there is a sense of compassion (most of the time) that transcends politics.
Generosity and Philanthropy. Working in the nonprofit sector allowed me to see on a daily basis how dedicated people are to helping those in need. The generosity of people to share their time, talent, and financial resources is truly heart-warming.
Public Spaces. Imagine a world without public beaches, parks, or museums. No thank you.
Pioneers. I’m so grateful for those bold pioneers who turn a deaf ear to the naysayers and forge a new path.
My Health. I’ve been researching the relationship(s) surrounding lifestyle and cancer for close to three years now. I’m grateful every day to be healthy, sometimes in spite of my choices, and sometimes because of my choices.
Loud Music. Whether I’m cooking in my kitchen or driving my car, a loud blast of music can change the shape of the day.
Artists. Creativity provided by artists – photographers, painters, singers, musicians, etc. – opens our eyes to new possibilities and perspectives.
Social Media. The power and ease of connecting has never been greater since social media entered our world. Personal and professional lives collide, multi-generational conversations bloom, and the world is a better place for it.
John Nelson. I saved the best for last. I’m grateful every minute of every day that John is in my life. Lucky me to have a husband who is my best cheerleader, sounding board, and friend.

This was a valuable exercise for me to complete. While it may sound a bit contrived, developing an attitude of gratitude can change the way you see the world AND the way the world sees you. So give it a shot: I encourage (or should I say challenge) you to take a few minutes and think about those people / places / things that make you smile even when you’re trying your hardest to be cranky. Don’t let anyone else write your story; it’s yours to tell.

Attitude of Gratitude: There’s a Lot to be Grateful for in my Life was last modified: September 18th, 2014 by Deb Nelson

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