In Carve Your Own Road, one of the things we mention is the importance of writing out a vision statement for your life and your career.  I started doing this two years ago and here’s an excerpt of mine from the book about something that has been very important to me:

I see myself taking time off between December 15 and February 1, and again from July 1 to August 15 to regenerate, relax, and have fun with family and friends in exotic locations. 

This was always something we wished we could do, but never thought it was possible.  After writing it down and looking at it regularly I recently realized we could already do this, it was just a matter of deciding to do it.  So, this year we’re going away from December 25 to January 6 to Thailand and then next summer we’re renting a place on Lake Como in Italy for a month and inviting family and friends to join us. We’re planning now and setting expectations that we will be gone next summer for a month and I’m so excited about it!

It’s wonderful to see some of the vision statement coming true even if it isn’t exactly what I wrote down.  The key is beginning to move in that direction and setting a clear picture for what you want to do.  A lot of people right now are talking about the reality of the tough circumstances of our economy and they believe they have to just endure and put their nose to the grindstone.   I agree that you have to focus on what’s in front of you, but it’s so important to create a vision for the your future so that you can have something that you’re working towards that gives you energy.

When I first started my company, I wasn’t doing exactly what I wanted to do but I knew that I was working towards what I wanted so it helped by reframing my current circumstances and gave me the energy and motivation to get up every day and build momentum towards my goals.  I’m hearing from a lot of people about how tough it is right now and I’ve been there before as well. If you can take the time to put a plan in place and being working towards it you will feel much better about your current circumstances because you can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Many of us find it hard to say no.  Often times when we do say no to something we feel the need to give reasons for it.  In one of my workshops recently a woman made the statement that she felt free when she realized that the word “no” is a complete sentence.  I love that!  We don’t have to justify our decisions to others when we are choosing what’s best for us. I’m not saying to be belligerent about it, but you don’t always have to justify your decisions.

In the last 5 years I’ve learned to recognize when I’m in a situation with a client that isn’t good for me and to put a transition plan in place so that I can focus on the things I want to focus on. It’s not always easy to do it, but when you can say no to a situation that isn’t serving you it creates a space for new opportunities to come in.

The other thing I’ve learned to do is to say no to social events, dinners and other things I get invited to that I really don’t want to participate in.  I used to go because I felt like needed to (not sure why?) and then once I got there I couldn’t wait to head for the door.  Now, I spend my time doing the things I want to do and with the people I want to be with.  Time is so precious these days, I only want to spend it doing the things I want to do and I don’t have room any longer for those other things.  Some people may think that’s selfish, but I’m okay with that

This morning I was re-reading a book today by Gregg Braden called The Spontaneous Healing of Belief , there is a section in his book that I think is particularly powerful as it relates to clarity and the power of emotion and thought:

Emotion is the power source that drives us forward in life.  Love or fear is the driving force that propels us through the walls of resistance and catapults us beyond the barriers that keep us from our goals, dreams, and desires.   Just as the power of an engine needs to be harnessed for it to be useful, the power of emotion must be channeled and focused for it to serves us in our lives.  When we don’t have clear direction, our emotions can become scattered and chaotic.  We’ve all known the drama and chaos that often accompanies people who deal with life purely on this basis.

Our emotions can serve us, or they can destroy us.  Which experience we have is determined by our ability to harness them and give them direction.  That’s where the power of thought comes in. 

What I’ve found particularly useful in my life is to get clarity and then connect to it emotionally every day, it helps propel me forward to take action in the right direction.  When I don’t have clarity I feel like I’m just taking action and running around on a hamster wheel making no progress at all!

I really love Gregg Braden’s work, check out his books if you find this type of  information intriguing:)

I’ve recently found myself craving a new adventure and after talking to Joe about it we’ve decided to plan a trip to Thailand.  In the last two weeks  we’ve been researching places to stay and what to do and it occurs to me that part of the fun of a trip for me is the planning and anticipation of it.  That part of it also lasts a lot longer too!  I love researching places to stay, things to see, where to eat and imagining myself there.

The process of planning and anticipating a trip can be applied to just about anything you want to do.  If you can find a goal or something to focus on in life that you’re really excited about, it gives you the energy and motivation to research it, plan it and then do it.

I would love to hear from any of you who’ve been to Thailand and have tips or recommended places you think we shouldn’t miss!

One of the tools I use to stay centered, focused and sane is meditation.  I’ve noticed that when I mention the world “meditation” to most people their eyes glaze over and they’re like…”I can’t do that.”  I think most people think meditation is this unattainable thing that is only for the very spiritual. They see a zen monk sitting on a mountain top contemplating life for hours and hours.  That’s one avenue but there’s also some relatively easy ways to integrate this practice into your life by downloading guided meditations from iTunes onto your iPod. The truth is it’s relatively easy for anyone to do with guided meditations and the benefits are tremendous!

Here are just a few of the documented benefits of doing meditation:

1.) Increased relaxation and peace of mind.

2.) Reduces anxiety and stress.

3.) Increases your ability to concentrate and solve problems.

4.) Improved learning ability and memory.

5.) Helps cure insomnia.

6.) Decreases restless thinking and your tendency to worry.

7.) Enhances your ability to be creative.

I’ve noticed big changes in myself from doing this practice and as I mentioned I used a guided meditation.  I really like Kelly Howell’s meditation tracks and you can easily download them from iTunes and give it a try. When I finish one of the meditation tracks I feel much more clear and focused plus calmer and more relaxed about everything.

There is so much going on in our daily lives and the world right now, we all need a little “retreat” from it.  This is a great way to spend 30 minutes and to feel refreshed and relaxed as well as more clear and focused.  If you’re trying to find a job, start a new company or just increase your performance at work this is a fantastic tool.  I guarantee if you replace watching the news for 30 minutes with this, you will feel much better!