Monthly Archives: January 2009

Making things happen…


There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen,
those who watch things happen
and those who wonder what happened.
We all have a choice.
You can decide which type of person you want to be.
I have always chosen to be in the first group. Mary Kay Ash

Good morning! I have always loved the wisdom of entrepreneur and visionary Mary Kay Ash. Today I thought I would give you a little quiz in conjunction with her quote. Mary Kay lists 3 types of people.

• Those who make things happen
• Those who watch things happen
• Those who wonder what happened

Which of these three groups do you think is the happiest? Which do you think is the most unhappy, often feeling they are a “victim” of life? Which group do you think goes through life without experiencing much joy or sadness?

Now, try this one. Which of these groups do you think is the most successful? Which do you think is most resentful? Which do you think never realizes their potential because they never explore it?

While I am sure you guessed right, here are the answers:

• Those who make things happen – happiest and most successful
• Those who watch things happen – most unhappy and resentful
• Those who wonder what happened – doesn’t experience much joy or sadness or realize potential

Those who watch things happen or wonder what happened haven’t taken the wheel to steer their life. Instead, their days are left to be blown around by external winds. There is a quote about how if you don’t take the wheel of life, don’t complain about where you end up!

Those in group one, like Mary Kay Ash, are subject to the same external winds, but they make things happen in spite of them. Those in group one have a vision bigger than any obstacle and that vision will always get them through the storm.

Your Turn:
Which group do you fall into? Think about your last month and what category the majority of your actions (or non-actions) fell into. If you aren’t in group A, why not join? Great things are happening there!

Your Affirmation:
I make things happen. Continue reading

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Standing Tall

Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, “I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.” Ann Landers

Good morning! When Ann Landers was asked to give advice about successful living, she shared the above quote. I hadn’t heard this quote until this past week, when I read it in a book I had received for Christmas. Interestingly, that same day, Judy sent the quote through to me. I figured that was a sign to put it at the top of the list for Good Mornings!

When I read Ann’s words, I was filled with a feeling of “Yes!! That is what it takes to live our best life. We don’t shy from trouble, we stare it down.” As a business owner and an Entrepreneur, I have lived this quote over and over. There is nothing more rewarding than the day you realize that within you have everything you need and are perfectly capable of overcoming whatever life throws your way. When we get to the place where we can welcome all of life–the good, the bad and the ugly–with confidence, we know a peace beyond measure.

Your Turn:

Realize that we cannot run from trouble, it is an inevitable part of life. However we can learn to rise above it. Welcome all of life’s experiences–the good, the bad and the ugly. Challenge yourself to look these experiences in the eye and use them as a catalyst to become the “very best” you can be.

Your Affirmation:

I am bigger than any troubles. Continue reading

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Weekly Challenge Facing Fear

Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive — the risk to be alive and express what we really are. Don Miguel

When I was in my late teens I read Susan Jeffers book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. The book changed my life and the title became one of my personal guidelines for living. I knew that to get from point A to point B, I would have to learn to love fear. Fear would have to be my friend and something that would propel me forward and encourage me to challenge myself, instead of something that would make me cower in a corner… Continue reading

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Creating A Goal Map



Identifying goals
and priorities is vital to a successfully balanced life. Once when presenting a
keynote in Washington at the state mental health conference, I asked a room of
professionals the following question and gave them 30 seconds to respond.


 


What are the three
driving motivators (priorities) for this season of your life? Amazingly, only
several of the 300 hundred attendees were able to complete the task.


 


Most people have been
asked to set goals at one point or another. In a newly
released survey of 1012 Americans, only 45% of Americans now say they write up
New Year’s Resolutions down from 88% of Americans who did so in the past. Fear
of setting goals too high, fear of commitment, and not knowing what
course to chart are just a few reasons people shudder at the concept of goals.


 


"If you do not change
directions, you may end up where you are heading," write Lao-Tsu.


 


To change directions
deliberately, we need goals. I define goals as: The process of deliberately
setting our sight, attention and intention on a destination, and staying true to
the process until we arrive.


 


Imagine leaving Los
Angeles with instructions to go to New York. Obviously, it would be easier to
accomplish this with a map. Without a map, the trip would be nearly impossible,
or require much more time and effort than the simple process of purchasing a
map. Goals work the same way. Clearly defined goals identify a starting point
and the most efficient path to a desired point.


 


When goals are
recorded and then set aside, this is as useful as putting a map in your glove
box, yet expecting to know which road to take without ever looking at it. Goals
need to be consulted regularly, just like a map, and if you get off course, you
need to re-evaluate and make a new plan. To design a goal map, first identify an
area of your life where you seek advancement. Use that area to work through the
goal process that follows. For this example, I’ll use the goal of starting a
part-time business for extra income.


 


Here are the basic
steps to create a goal map:

 


Identify the exact goal
.
In one sentence, clarify the goal you are aiming to accomplish as specifically
as possible. Example: To open a part-time tax business that brings in $300 a
month in extra income (gross).


Identify a completion date
.
My business will be established in eighteen months.


Identify the evolution of the goal.
 What
major points and steps happen during this time period?

A. The
basics of establishing a business, permits, licensing, updating certification,
financial.

B. The
marketing and announcement of the business.

C. The
grand opening of the business. Using this evolution assign each major step a
date.


Fill in the blanks.

Now take an in-depth look at what is needed to get to point A, from point A to
point B, etc. Write these steps down in specific detail and assign each a date.

The basic
template construction of your goal is complete. Type this up, print it out, and
keep a copy in your planner. Check your progress against this goal regularly. If
you get off track, don’t give up, just sit down and retrace your steps,
adjusting the plan as necessary. Remember, if you were driving and got lost, you
wouldn’t likely just abandon your car and walk home. Instead you would get out a
map, or ask for help, to find out how to get back toward the destination you are
pursuing. Do the same thing with your goals and you will take steps toward
making them a reality in the year to come.


Goals should be
exciting enough to compel us forward to take action. When seeking a balance and
fulfilled year, one strategy is to identify the areas in your life that are most
important right now. For example, career, finance, family, friends,
spirituality, health, philanthropy… what areas are most important to you
at this
season of your life?
Remember, we cannot fix everything all at once
so it is important to prioritize and choose just a few areas to work with –
three at most. That doesn’t mean you will ignore or neglect the other areas, but
it does mean that you will focus
more

on the selected areas by following a specific plan of action.


 


Your Weekly
Challenge
:
What areas of
life are calling you to create goals? Create a goal plan using these steps. Keep
your goals in a place where you will see them often. Each day, take a step
forward toward at least one of your goals. Careful planning matched by action
equals goals transformed to reality.


 


When Times Get Tough
….


Count your
blessings:

When an obstacle or situation brings us down it can be easy to count the many
things wrong with our situation. Switch perspective. Find something positive to
focus on. Can’t find something? Create it. Like attracts like. Count how many
things are wrong with your life and surely the list will multiply. Count the
positives and they will multiply instead.


 


Take a break:
When we are
tired (either emotionally or physically) discipline is an uphill battle likely
to leave us frustrated. Instead of feeling guilty for going off track (which
ultimately leads to staying off track)  Give yourself a one-day "Goal Break."
Forget the guilt and enjoy the time off. Then come back fresh the next day. What
is better–putting goals off for another year or a day?


 


Get a cheerleader:
A
community of like-minded positive women can be the tipping point toward success
during challenging times! Check out our new




Make Today Matter Life System
for
an ongoing, positive, action and accountability community.

 


What’s On Your List?


Resolutions, Goals
and Plans for 2009



Set a Little
Resolution:

What is one "little
goal" you could set that would make a big difference? Here are a few on my list

1. Give careful thought to the name I give a computer file before saving it to
make it easier to find later

2. Never click "submit" for any new service without first writing down all my
details, including user name and password in the internet section of my notebook
… Often a small change requiring very little time can yield a big difference!


Your Challenge:

Set one Little Resolution for the year ahead.


Continue reading

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TV Clip: The Morning Blend – Milwaukee

Here is an interview clip from the Morning Blend in Milwaukee, from 1/26/09 The Morning Blend – Interview with Brook Noel

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Free Workshop and Workbook

A New Year, A New You!

When: Monday, January 26 through February 1, 2009
Where: 7 Day Challenge Group on Facebook
For full details visit: http://www.maketodaymatter.net/tour.htm
Who: Anyone! Tell your friends!
What: A completely free week-long interactive workshop with bestselling author Brook Noel

Join bestselling author Brook Noel for a free week-long interactive workshop to help you manage time, hone in on your goals, live by your priorities, reclaim energy, and create contentment.

rook Noel shares how simple change can be with six proven and practical strategies to help women manage time effectively, get organized, decrease stress, live by their priorities, and get 2009 off to a balanced and exciting start.

HOW IT WORKS:
Attendees will receive a free downloadable workbook that Brook will guide participants through during the week long workshop. Each day, Monday through Saturday, participants can login and view the day’s video or audio challenge. These targeted segments average five minutes in length and end with an Action Step to apply. An optional support forum is available for participants to post progress. Participants can also post questions to Brook which she will answer on Sunday, the final day of the workshop, via teleconference.

DAY 1: THE CHALLENGE JOURNEY
Brook shares how her personal journey for a better life became a journey shared by over 100,000 women in two years and how the Change Your Life Challenge can help you.

DAY 2: SEIZE THE DAY
Brook shares how the simple practice of a Three-Step Action List can revolutionize your life and help you accomplish over 1,000 actions to enrich your life this year.

DAY 3: TIME & LIFE MANAGEMENT 101
One of the biggest myths of managing time, tasks, thoughts, reminders, and daily life is the belief that because our lives are complicated our systems must be complicated. In this segment Brook will teach you how to create and use a Catch-All Notebook to streamline time and life management.

DAY 4: SOUL FOOD
Studies have shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It affects our energy level, metabolism, focus ability, and health. Undoubtedly the first fuel of the day for the body is very important. Equally important is the first emotional fuel for the mind. Brook shares how to get your day off to a great start with a Good Morning routine.

DAY 5: CREATE A POWER HOUR
Prevent the pile-up of to-dos and overcome procrastination with a planned Power Hour. In this segment Brook will help you complete the Power Hour Worksheet to process items on your todo list effectively and efficiently.

DAY 6: TAKE A NEW PICTURE
Learn how to use Brook’s Snapshot Tool to continue making positive changes, while also evaluating and planning the priorities that will guide you in 2009.

DAY 7: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
At any time during the week submit your question about the daily challenges, or questions on money management, time management, organization, household management, and menu planning. Then listen in to hear Brook answer the questions of the week. Continue reading

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Interview: Challenges of Single Parenting

Podcast for Single Parents
Brook Noel on The Parents Journal with Bobbi Connor
http://www.parentsjournal.com/podcast/077/BrookNoel.mp3 Continue reading

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Interview: Single Parenting Challenges

Interview with Brook Noel on Chat with Women
Listen anytime
Discussing Single Parenting
http://www.chatwithwomen.com/podcast/?p=342 Continue reading

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Interview: The Process of Grieving

Say It By Heart – Topic:
Grieving: Say It By Heart hosted by Teresa Caldwell
Interview with Brook Noel

Nobody wants to lose someone they care about, especially if it’s a shockingly sudden loss. But odds are you will, or someone around you will. How will you cope? How will you help your friend, neighbor or colleague live with the loss? Theresa asked Brook Noel for advice. Brooke is co-author of I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One.
http://qtradio.net/qtradio/images/SAY_IT_BY_HEART-SIBH-08-028.mp3 Continue reading

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Interview: How to Cope After the Sudden Death of a Loved One

How to Cope After the Sudden Death of a Loved One
Interview with Brook Noel
The Dr. Pat Show – September 08
KKNW/WWPR
1 hour – follow the link to listen in
http://www.thedrpatshow.com/shows/drp-080911-noel.mp3 Continue reading

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