Tag: focus

Focus, Finish, Follow-Up: My Three Words for 2016

Perhaps Pablo Picasso said it best: “What one does counts. Not what one had the intention of doing.” I would hasten to add, however, that our dreams are much more likely to happen if we set and state our intentions.

Start to FinishIt seems that clean slates, fresh starts, and big dreams are the buzz as we enter the New Year filled with hope and high expectations. I’ve set resolutions in the past – broken them quite quickly – and moved on without hesitation.

So…why am I devoting my first blog post of 2016 to something akin to publicly announcing New Year’s resolutions? It’s all Chris Brogan’s fault. Brogan has set his three words for the year each January 1 since 2006 and encourages the rest of us to join him. It’s easy enough. (Easy meaning it’s a logical approach. Choosing words that fit my life and following through are up to me.) Here’s how it works:

Pick any three words that will guide you in the choices you intend to make for 2016. They should be words that let you challenge yourself as to motives and decisions. They should be words that help you guide your actions.

This seems a much better fit for me than resolutions. Semantics? Maybe, but the way I see it, selecting three words allows for missteps, pivots, and life in general throughout the year. The three words are chosen to guide activity through the year to meet goals. I’ve set intentions for the year in a number of areas of my life. Here is how I see My Three Words moving me forward in both my personal and professional lives this year.

Focus. I never have a shortage of ideas bouncing around in my head. The issue for me is which idea(s) to take action on. Then, of course, once action has been set into motion, there are sooo many shiny objects vying for my attention. It’s easy enough to stay on task: shut down social media windows (what?!?!?), turn off that phone, avoid those pesky distractions, and identify short-term tasks to be completed in support of long-term goals.

Finish. Once I select an idea to act on, I’ll outline what the finished product will look like. No stopping mid-way through project. Eye on the prize of completion. Since I’ve identified the areas I want to concentrate on, it’s easy to say no to proposals that won’t move me forward in reaching my goals. I’m looking forward to doing the happy dance in celebration of project milestones and completion!

Follow-Up.  Input along the way can also open up a variety of possibilities that can be incorporated into a project or put on hold for a later date. When a project / idea reaches the finish phase, follow-up on opportunities that have been presented (versus those distractions that have been kicked to the curb).

Since I’m writing this post on January 4, we’re four days into 2016; and, yes, I’ve begun to put these three words into practice. I’ve identified some goals for 2016 and have accountability partners to help keep me on track. I’ve moved the needle a bit in each of these areas over these four days:

  • Shifting business to health coaching
  • Publishing my book
  • Fitness

What’s your plan for 2016? What’s moving you forward this year? It’s not too late to choose three words to help you have a happy, productive 2016. What do you say?

Focus, Finish, Follow-Up: My Three Words for 2016 was last modified: January 4th, 2016 by Deb Nelson

Five Reasons Listening to Podcasts is NOT a Waste of Time

I know, I know. We’ve already got sooo many social channels vying for our time, and then there’s traditional media still keeping us entertained. So why add podcasts to the mix? Trust me, you’ll thank me for giving you a few excuses reasons to tune in to the podcast of your choice.

5 reasons to listen to podcastsPodcasts have been around for quite a while, and I’ve listened to a handful of interviews over the past couple of years. Recently, though, I’ve been making it a point to listen to podcasts regularly; and I’m glad I did. Here are five reasons to incorporate podcasts into your world.

  1. You’ll gain new perspective and focus. Pick a few personalities you like to follow and check out their interview list. I’ve learned things about myself and my business from people I’d never heard of before. I always benefit from taking a break from whatever project I’m working on and listening to a podcast. I return to the project with a renewed sense of urgency and focus.
  2. Opportunity to multitask. I’m not a big fan of multitasking. I find that doing one thing at a time suits me well. Like chewing gum while walking, though, I can handle listening to a podcast while walking. Gain some knowledge, get some exercise: SCORE!
  3. Expand your network. Connect with podcast hosts and their guests on social channels. Share your new-found knowledge with your social media audiences.
  4. Take a break from the 24/7 news world. I tend to get caught up in the breaking news. Unplugging from news that the media chooses to send my way and listening to a podcast I choose gives me control over what I’m paying attention to. AND – those stories that were breaking before my podcast began are still kicking around when the podcast ends.
  5. Learn from others before starting your own podcast. If you’re thinking of starting your own podcast, listening to a variety of podcasts is one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself before you come face to face with the microphone. Listen and learn: What kind of questions work well? What questions fall flat? What type of format appeals to you? How do you want your intro / outro to sound?

Here are a few podcasts I carry with me:

Being Boss, a podcast for Creative Entrepreneurs hosted by Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon.
Emily and Kathleen will help you get sh*t done! One element they add to the podcast world is brief podcast covering a specific topic: minisode. (Yes, they also offer lengthy interviews that are chock full of valuable info).

The Owner’s Mind with Chris Brogan. Grow your business by improving your capabilities and connections. Learn from business pros and owners just like you.
Chris is the kind of sharing and connecting. He shares his network and knowledge, with a great sense of humor mixed in for good measure. Not a business owner? No problem. You’ll still love this podcast.

Women Taking the Lead. Led by Jodi Flynn, this podcast features interviews with highly successful women who want to share their journeys of success with others.
Jodi’s interviews with women (and occasionally men) encourage women to trust themselves and move their careers forward. Need that inner critic silenced? This is the place for you. You’ll feel like you’ve found your tribe in no time at all.

What podcasts do you listen to that help move your business forward?

Five Reasons Listening to Podcasts is NOT a Waste of Time was last modified: July 7th, 2015 by Deb Nelson

Choosing Abundance

We make choices every day. And every day, I choose to live in a world of abundance.

Sometimes it seems that we make our lives more complicated than we need to. How many small treats do we fail to notice / acknowledge when we focus on something larger than life?

Get real. Life is a series of little moments. Make the most of your moments by having some lighthearted fun.

In The Art of Abundance, Candy Paull suggests that we if we actually focus on these small joys, we’ll realize what a world of abundance we have surrounding us:

Abundance is . . . a wiggling tail-wagging puppy.

Abundance is . . . learning how to ride a bike.

Abundance is . . . air-conditioning in a hot climate.

Abundance is . . . a pure white seashell you discover on the beach.

Paull also proposes that we spend entirely too much time “waiting for tomorrow.” Lessons here? Open your eyes, appreciate what’s right in front of you, do not become paralyzed by fear. In this world where we have so many choices, the only wrong choice is making no choice at all.

So…get out there, play while you’re at work, and write the story of your life that suits you best.

Choosing Abundance was last modified: December 1st, 2016 by Deb Nelson

The Sky’s the Limit When Your Board Has the Tools to Give You the Help You Need

Entering the new year is the perfect opportunity to press the reset button and recharge your nonprofit’s board of directors. By letting each hot-air-balloon-67816_640member of your board know exactly what action they can take to help you reach your goals in 2014, you can put your plan into motion and make this year a successful one for your nonprofit.

Your board of directors should include your most powerful advocates; give them the tools to support your organization and you’ll all be better for it. Here are five easy-to-implement tactics to move your board to action early in 2014:

  1. Give your board of directors a printed list of your organization’s goals for 2014. (You’ve set your goals, right?) While sharing goals with your board sounds obvious enough, it’s amazing how many board members are banging their heads against the wall in frustration as they try to figure out what they can do to move your nonprofit forward. 
  2. Keep board members updated as you move toward your goals and celebrate small victories. Monthly updates at a board meeting can cover this: a brief recap at the meeting itself and a visual in your board packet. Include a graphic element for those who need images to get the full meaning of progress toward goals. Continued focus on your goals will keep both board and staff energized throughout the year.
  3. Help board members spread the news about your organization’s good work. Have a mission moment at every board meeting: bring in someone who’s benefited from your organization to share how his/her life has changed thanks to your organization. This is a powerful way to engage your board – making them proud to be associated with your organization AND providing them with a great story to share with friends, family, and colleagues.
  4. Ask each board member to call four donors to say thank you. If they get voicemail, simply leave a message and this job is done. If they get to talk to the donor, make sure you’ve provided them with talking points so they can speak to how the donor’s funds will be / have been put to use (see points 1 and 3).
  5. Ask five board members to visit with three donors to say thank you and to update them about your organization’s work. (What’s that, you don’t have five board members? That’s a whole other issue.) This will help strengthen the relationships with supportive donors and board members. 

Bonus tip number 6: schedule a coffee meeting with any board member who isn’t able to make a board meeting to keep them current with board activities. If a board member doesn’t have time to chat about your organization’s goals, have that tough conversation to find out whether being on the board is a good fit for you both.

You can see that these tactics are certainly not rocket science – you’ve probably had these ideas in the past. The difference this year is that you’re going to make sure they actually happen. Put the plan in motion, follow up, and follow through. You’ll be amazed by the number 0f new stories these simple actions can generate. Enjoy the ride and share your successes below or connect with me directly!

The Sky’s the Limit When Your Board Has the Tools to Give You the Help You Need was last modified: January 6th, 2014 by Deb Nelson

Mom Was Right: Chew Your Food

Okay, so if your mother is anything like mine, maybe Mom was sort of right. My mother’s intention was for my siblings and me to chew our food long enough not to choke on it – a couple of quick chews and down the hatch. According to Jessica Porter, though, we should aim to chew each mouthful of food 50 – 100 times before sending it down that hatch.

What?!?!? No, I’m not kidding. And – you in the corner – cradling your bloated, gurgling, gaseous stomach – stop laughing and listen up. I had to suppress a couple of laughs listening to Porter; mostly, though, I just giggled along with the other 25 people soaking up her stories. I even silenced that inner critic I know so well and learned a few things.

Why in the world would we want to chew each mouthful of food 50 – 100 times?

  • Chew your food 50 – 100 times and you’ll be swallowing food in liquid form, rather than as a solid. This will save the rest of your digestive system a LOT of work.
  • Chewing releases the power of our saliva. Saliva is alkaline and contains some mighty powerful enzymes that break down our food. As it mixes with saliva, our food becomes more alkaline.
  • Drinking a smoothie – swish it around in your mouth, mixing it with saliva. You want the smoothie to experience the benefit of spending some time with powerful saliva.
  • When the rest of your body doesn’t have to work so hard to digest your food, you’ll experience some great results:
    • Say good-bye to that bloated, gurgling, gaseous stomach!
    • Reduce inflammation, which helps heal a host of chronic illnesses.
    • Say hello to increased energy and the ability to focus and think clearly.

How in the world do you chew each mouthful of food 50 – 100 times?

  • Pretend your food is mouthwash and close off your throat as you chew your food.
  • Start small – eat the first 2/3 of your meal as you normally would. Chew the last 1/3 of your meal 50 times.
  • Once you’ve mastered this, chew 100% of every meal for one day 50 times.
  • Next – try it for a week and see how you feel. Call it a chew-a-thon as Porter does; making it fun helps!!
  • Never count higher than 10 – after the first count of 10, up goes the thumb. Second count, index finger, and so on.
  • Chew as fast as you want; yes, you can dance while you chew if that helps! Want to park yourself in front of the television while you eat? Go right ahead. Just chew, and chew and chew.

Never one to shy away from the uncomfortable, Porter also let us know how to handle eating with friends who will not be engaging in your chew-a-thon: Just tell them you’re going to do this weird chewing thing. No problem!

Big thanks to Lisa Silverman and Five Seasons Cooking School for hosting this evening with Jessica Porter.

Mom Was Right: Chew Your Food was last modified: December 1st, 2016 by Deb Nelson