Years ago, I vowed never to waste my energy on New Year’s resolutions again.

I’ve just never had much success with making resolutions — typically they felt like an external goal I was trying to reach, sometimes realistic and sometimes not. Usually it felt more like a “should” than something I was truly excited about.  So, each year… after months (if I was super committed), weeks, sometimes only days, my resolve to change faded.  Ugh, a broken promise to myself. This is about the worst form of self degredation!

Several years ago, I tried something new. I decided to set up a new way of defining the year ahead. There is, after all, a sort of “clean slate” feeling to a fresh new year.  Being one who believes in setting intentions and visioning, I wanted to set forth some kind of goal or mission for myself.

So I proclaimed that it would be the year of “Opposite.” I decided that every chance I got, I would examine my routines, habits and reactions to life in terms of “What would the opposite routine/habit/reaction be?” Wow, it was so powerful! I turned many habits upside down, formed new ways of seeing myself, and moved ahead on a few challenges I had previously thought too scary (a new business, a challenging certification process, for starters!).  I didn’t do every single thing in an opposite way — I didn’t dye my brown hair blonde or trade in my car for a motorcycle — but I gave myself the option to consider the opposite way, even if just to stretch my imagination further. It certainly helped me stretch my view of my own life.

A Theme Reminder

Since that time, I’ve set a theme for each new year. And I always create a little laminated card that visually represents my theme – I make several and place them strategically around in office, my house, and my laptop bag, so that I have a constant and compelling reminder. Usually it has a picture that I’m in love with. Often, it’s something in nature. A few years ago, my “Trust” theme featured a sea otter floating peacefully — and trustfully — just allowing the water to provide a safe, nurturing support. I wanted to learn to trust myself and my world like that otter trusts the water!

And guess what? That year of “Trust” opened up a lot of new opportunities for me. I tried many new ideas out, wrote more, relaxed more.

2012: Awake!

My theme for this year is all about staying awake to life, being conscious of everything I’m experiencing. In other words… not sleep walking through my days, later wondering… where did the time go? My intention for 2012 is to fully, really, no kidding: experience every morsel of it! I haven’t created my theme card yet, but I think it will be a fun design.

What is YOUR theme for 2012?

And how can you use it to support your year, to be the backdrop to your dreams, goals and vision? And what structure (like my laminated card) might you create to keep this theme front and center, a reminder when the chips are down?

Almost every Thursday I announce that it’s “Recalibration Thursday!” on my BrilliantVisions Facebook page.

Some folks have asked me, “What the heck is Recalibration Thursday, and what the heck do you actually do to recalibrate?” Well, here is everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

Recalibration Thursday = A Mindset, a Habit and an Action

First, a little background: I had gotten in a rut where it was “suddenly” Friday afternoon and I had not accomplished enough of my to-do list to feel good about the week. I landed on Friday feeling defeated about my week. Mondays started out great — a blank page, full of possibilities! But even though I’m a pretty realistic planner, I would sometimes underestimate the interruptions, snafus and worm holes that could eat up time. Not to mention new opportunities that pop up and rich conversations with folks that take longer than expected. And then there’s the surprise element of feeling low energy on a day I had planned big things – do I force yourself through it or do I honor your body’s wisdom and take a slower pace that day?

I had begun to hate Thursdays. I was feeling tired (from the “forcing through” bit) and overwhelmed. I was dreading a weekend of catch-up work. No one likes to feel like they failed to reach their goals week after week — this can really drain your enthusiasm. So I decided to turn it around. I started honestly evaluating what was happening on these grumpy Thursdays. I stepped back, and took note of what was missing in my week, what was overly present, and what needed to happen to honor both my business goals and my physical/spiritual self.

Hence, “Recalibration Thursday” was born. It’s on Thursday because enough of the week has gone by for me to know how things are really going. And there is still enough time to regroup, revisit my plans and end the week on a high note. Here are some specific ways I recalibrate (see if anything here works for your recalibration style):

• On Thursday, sometime before Noon, I stop and jot down all the accomplishments I’ve had for the week – coaching calls, writing assignments, marketing actions completed, networking, powerful conversations, new clients signed on, lessons learned, etc. I include personal accomplishments too.
• I put a star next to the activities that I consider “high payoff,” meaning – they had a direct positive impact on building my revenues, increasing my reputation/visibility, or deepening a relationship. I notice if my week had zero or few high-payoff activities and I immediately plan to complete at least one by the end of the day Friday. (Your “high-payoffs activities” may be different, so design accordingly.)
• I also say a little statement of gratitude for what I have accomplished – and more importantly, the impact that I’ve had on my clients, colleagues, family, friends… and most definitely, on myself. I celebrate!
• And, I look at my actual schedule for the rest of Thursday and Friday and determine what is realistically possible to accomplish, given existing appointments, promises made and my energy level.  For example, as I write this, I know that I have two hour-long phone calls this afternoon, and a 4-hour meeting on Friday. I cannot accomplish the 50 to-do items on my list! (As the “Scrubs” theme song, written by Lazlo Bane, goes, “I’m No Superman”.)  Instead, I pick out the one or two highest-payoff activities and set a 100% intention to do those. Often, they are sales calls or other activities I’ve been, ummmmm, well… avoiding.
• If I have to renegotiate a promise I made to someone else — I do it! Some promises are ironclad, others are truly negotiable — don’t get locked in just because you made a promise. If you can renegotiate it, you’ll probably do a better job of it anyway.
• I actually write a clean, new, shorter action list for the rest of Thursday and Friday – and punt the other activities into the bin to consider for next week (which I plan out either on Friday afternoon or on Sunday). Just this one part of the process brings HUGE relief! Look Ma! I can DO this! Instant confidence and energy. Now I’m lovin’ Thursday!

Recalibration Thursday gives me a breather at the end of the week and I can release that awful old punishing feeling of, “Well, I didn’t get it all done this week so now I will have to work all weekend to catch up.” The truth is – the kind of work I do is infinite in nature. There IS no such thing as “catching up.” When I remember this and allow myself to recalibrate realistically… I actually get the more important stuff done and enjoy my life and work a whole lot more.

So… Happy Recalibration Thursday! I invite you to join me today and every Thursday.

When my friend told her 8-year-old nephew, Sam, that I am an entrepreneur, he took a few guesses about what that strange word means.

“Does it mean that she is a funny person?”  “Is she a puppeteer?”  Does it mean she’s sophisticated?” Does it mean that she makes entrees?”

Great guesses, Sam! Other than “sophisticated,” I think he came pretty close!

Some business owners I’ve encountered seem to believe that being an entrepreneur means flying by the seat of the pants: jumping at last-minute opportunities, changing course on a dime, winging it. Well, certainly a entrepreneurs must be nimble, and a small business can change course more easily than a large, bureaucratic organization. But that’s not the definition.

My American Heritage College Dictionary tells me that an entrepreneur is “a person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.” No argument from me that entrepreneurs take risks!

Entrepreneurs may be all of these things. But mostly, I see entrepreneurs as world changers. We see a problem and push through to a solution. We redefine possible. We invent from a blank sheet of paper.

If you are an entrepreneur – or want to be – give yourself the gift of watching this 2-minute video. It will remind you why the way of the entrepreneur called to you in the first place. (Note: at the end, you’ll see that this is an ad for a digital phone system. This in no way takes away from the power of the message.)

Did you know that having regular massage can improve your business? It can, and there is even scientific proof!

A study by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami compared workers who received massage with workers who were asked to relax and close their eyes for the same period of time. Those receiving the massage showed lower stress hormones, were more alert, and completed math problems faster and with fewer errors than before they were massaged. (Click here to read an abstract of the study.)

Your business puts a heap of demands on your mind, body and spirit. Massage is an excellent way to refuel so that your brilliance can fully surge forth for your business. It’s a no-brainer that this will only improve your bottom line!

The Business Case for Massage

Two Atlanta companies seem to grasp the business case for massage. Each of these businesses has retained – on an ongoing basis – the services of Betsey Brogan, a licensed massage therapist. One company is a top tier law firm, the other is a successful car dealership.

The law firm offers Betsey’s massage services to its employees. The employees pay directly, but the firm encourages them to take advantage of the service, which is so popular that years ago, the firm provided Betsey with an office and a phone extension at their Atlanta location. Having the opportunity to go for a chair massage on site has been a great boost for employees – which ultimately benefits the firm.

Over the 15 years that Betsey has provided chair massage to the firm’s employees, she has seen many benefits:

• Fewer sick days taken – No one wants to miss their massage day! Plus, receiving a massage often triggers an increased desire to adopt other healthy habits in general. “Often, people tell me that after a massage, they are more mindful of getting good sleep, drinking water instead of soda, and just treating their bodies better,” says Betsey.
• Appreciation and camaraderie building – Employees give each other massage gift certificates as a reward or thank you, and the firm gives massage time as part of their recognition of employee anniversary dates. Betsey tells one story about a partner who, after completing a particularly grueling marathon case, rewarded his team of 6 paralegals with an hour of massage each. What a great way to raise positivity in the workplace!
• Spirit lifting – One employee gifted her boss with a 20-minute massage. Not only did it get him out of her hair for a while, but she knew it would lift his spirits and make him easier to work with. “Even after just a 15-minute chair massage, people go back to work more bright-eyed and bushy tailed and with a better attitude,” Betsey notes.

She likes to quote her Mom, who once said about Betsey’s massage practice, “Bets, you are creating world peace, one person at a time.”

A large car dealer hired Betsey to provide 15-minute chair massages for customers waiting on their cars to be serviced. “Even when they began cutting costs because of the economy, they kept me on at a reduced rate,” says Betsey. Clearly this customer-focused dealership sees that the benefits of the chair massage service ripples out to a positive impact on the business.

Betsey agrees that regular massage improves your resilience in the face of life’s trying circumstances, whether you’re forking over money for an unexpected car repair or covered up with a stressful workload. And when we create this kind of healthy self-care regimen for ourselves, we are more fit to care for our clients and our business.

Says Betsey, “I love my job because people are excited to see me, they feel better and are better off when they leave.”

Feel free to contact Betsey to schedule a massage. Even if you are not in the Atlanta area, she would still be happy to talk with you if you have any questions about the benefits of massage. Contact: Betsey Brogan, LMT, betseycmt@comcast.net.

You know coaching has made it to the “mainstream” when comedians are poking fun at it. I got a big kick out of this clip from The Daily Show from a few years back. Some separate Executive Coaching from Business Coaching from Life Coaching. I believe the lines are blurred — anyone with a life (ahem…) can use a coach to develop strengths, grow personally and professionally, and get unstuck. “Executive Coaching” is, in fact, simply life coaching in a particular environment.

Nevertheless! Enjoy the video — let me know what you think.