“You really don’t have to be concerned with choosing your reality. Your fears will choose it for you.”  People either make choices from fear or love. Those who make choices from fear are victims in life, waiting until things happen to them, and because they wait, they remain defensive to life. Victims also make choices out of avoidance, the lesser of two evils, in many cases. People who choose from love are those who are proactive, consciously making decisions based on what they want, not on what they want to avoid. They are the leaders of their world and, more importantly, of their lives.

This week, when faced with a choice, clear your mind, relax, and choose from love.

—Bruce D Schneider, MCC,
Founder, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
www.ipeccoaching.com

Recently I met a new business owner. He, like many solopreneurs and free agents, had been working for an employer while building his own business on the side. After his employer laid him off, he was free to succeed on his own. I asked him how business was and he said “I’m looking forward to working in my new business full time.”

I asked him if he had a business plan and goals. He said he did.  I then asked him if he had written them down. He pointed to is head and said “it’s all up here.”

That’s not unusual. Most solopreneurs and free agents “carry” their business plans and goals in their heads, never bothering to write them down. But I often wonder how that is working for them. It’s a widely known fact that when you write down your goals, you tend to succeed at reaching them.

Imagine if, as a solopreneur and business owner, you wrote down your goals for your business. You’d effectively be developing a road map or plan to follow, making adjustments as your business evolved. What would be the result? The odds are that business success would be the end result.

And how did my conversation with the new business owner end? I shared with him what I’ve just shared with you. He looked at me, shrugged, and moved on to the next networking opportunity.

A friend of mine just officially announced her retirement from teaching. She was, and still is, a great teacher and taught me an immense amount about photography. But she also inspired me in other ways.  She’s the ultimate free agent and solopreneuer. She followed her dream of creating art, never wavered from it, and is very successful on many levels.  She’s still going strong as she moves onto the next chapter of her life.

In “Free Agent Nation,” Daniel Pink writes that free agents “are free from the bonds of a large institution, and are agents of their own futures. They are the new archetypes of work in America.”  This describes my friend exactly. She fashioned her work life to suit her own needs and desires instead of accepting the values, structure and rules of a traditional job. She was a pioneer in the free agent field, probably weathering some heavy criticism early on in her career for striking out on her own.

Today things are a bit different. Many of us become solopreneurs and free agents after experiencing a stifling traditional job, or deciding we’ve had enough. It’s more common to meet people like my friend.

So as a solopreneur and free agent, what kind of life – work and personal – are you creating? Where are you getting your inspiration? Are you feeding your soul?  And the ultimate question – Are you happy?  If not, what will you choose to do about it?

I’ve been practicing Bikram Yoga for 4 months now. A type of yoga in a 105 degree heated room with some ungodly amount of humidity.  It’s hot and it’s humid – no doubt about it.

“What am I doing here? Can I do this?” was my first thought when I walked into this heated room for the 90 minute session.  I knew my goal was to just stay in the room and finish the class without passing out. I met my goal, stayed in the room, didn’t pass out and it felt great!.

I’ve always been attracted to yoga. For many years I practiced a different type of yoga and enjoyed it immensely. My life got busier and yoga dropped by the wayside. But always I had this little thought whispering in my head “You’ve got to get back to yoga. Where is your yoga practice?” Finally, I listened and re-engaged my yoga practice.

It is often this way with solopreneurs and free-agents. They’ve got a great idea that they’ve been kicking around for months, even years. A vision that taps their passion and will give them great joy.  And they have that little thought that keeps whispering to them “You’re really good at this and you love it! Strike out on your own. You can do it!” So often though, they don’t listen and don’t pay attention. They continue being unhappy and unfulfilled, living a life they think they should be. They’re afraid to take that first step, set that first goal that sets them firmly on the path to success and living the life they dream of.

But you can do it!

So often after we finally pay attention to the whisper, we’re overwhelmed and become stuck. This is where a good coach, such as See Change Now Coaching,  can help you.

A coach inspires, guides, and champions you to succeed your way. A coach will help you cut through the “noise” of negative self-talk, transform problems into possibilities, create action steps and plans necessary to achieve your vision, and help you feel empowered to surge forward with clarity and confidence.  Drop me a line, I’d be happy to help.

As for my yoga practice, I love every minute of it and can bend like a Japanese ham sandwich.   I am doing it!

Do you have a Plan B?  Not many people do. I find that surprising.

A large number of people that I have encountered are worried about the economy, and their jobs and income. And rightly so – it’s still a nerve racking – stress producing economy.

I don’t blame them for being worried, but what I wonder about is why don’t they have a Plan B.  By Plan B , I mean another potential  source of income that touches upon your passions and dreams. A back-up plan that you can turn to if the worse happens and your primary income shrinks.  Something that brings you joy, and an income.

So many people are waiting passively for the economy to change, and are not playing an active role in their career  and professional development. And as they wait, they worry, become anxious and stressed out.

Which one are you? Waiting and worrying or actively building your Plan B, and reaching towards your dreams?

There’s some great resources out there. Try  reading Free to Succeed by Barbara Reinhold, Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields or The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. All of these books will tap into your dreams and get you thinking about what’s next for you.

See Change Now Coaching can help you design and develop your Plan B as well.  Give me a call and let’s uncover your Plan B.

I’m amazed at the amount of energy people expend in complaining about something they don’t like.

Does this complaining make the task easier? Does complaining make it go away? What exactly does it accomplish?

What would happen if you channeled your energy into more positive thoughts and actions?on a constant basis?

What could you really accomplish – and how would you feel?

The possibilities are endless.  Try it – you might like it.

I just celebrated my birthday in December and another year has gone by. My sister sent me a birthday card that said ” A birthday is the start of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the ride.”

Wow – a 365 day journey! I never thought about a year in this way. I love to travel and have been a good number of places on this globe, and have many more to go – but a 365 day journey!  Now that’s one heck of a trip.

So what’s it going to look like – this 365 day journey? Some of it I can plan – like international and domestic traveling ; professional and business development; and increasing my business.  You get the idea.

But what about the things I can’t plan for?  Am I ready for those life changing events that ” reset my clock” ?  What about the possibilities?

Sure – life goes on around us, some of it good and not so good (and at one point in my life it felt like I had more than my fair share of not so good.)  How we choose to navigate this journey, this adventure,  is one measure of  our success.  They way we choose to think about all that we experience guides us in our success.

This year, more than others,  I’m excited about this journey, this adventure. I can feel the change in the air -  like a breeze that’s just softly beginning to arise.  Can you?

What about your 365 journey? Got any plans? Any dreams? Are you open to the exciting possibilities around you  or are you feeling stuck and just trying to make it through another year?

A couple of great resources to get you started on your journey are The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Zander and Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields. Both are great books.

See Change Now Coaching can help us well.  Give me a call and let’s discuss the possibility of  getting your Journey started.

It’s been snowing here in New England for the last 3 days or so. It’s the typical New England winter storm that’s just enough to make you want to stay in and curl up with a good book or movie.  And I ‘ve done just that – catching up on my reading, movie watching and of course napping while it snows outside.

But I’ve also had the opportunity to think about what the new year holds for me.   To ask myself ” How do I choose to experience my life this year? ”

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” – William Jennings Bryan

We always have a choice in our lives – in everything that we do.  If you think you don’t, then you’ll fallen victim to life’s circumstances.  Choice is the freedom to see things as we desire,  feel what we want and live as we create our lives.

Make a conscious choice this year in how you live your life–to create the life you want, do the things you’ve always wanted.   Go ahead and  choose the life you want this year, you won’t regret it.

How often have you found  yourself worrying about the future or fretting about the past?  And has this worrying about the future changed anything except to ratchet up your anxiety level?

Now is all there ever is.

The only time we have control over is the present. It is in the present, and only the present, where we can be.  To live life to the fullest means to consciously express who we truly are in every present moment. We are human beings – not human doings.

How often have you stopped to see the beauty that surrounds your everyday? How often have you brought your true and authentic self to a conversation?

Make time to “be present” this holiday season.  I guarantee this will be the best gift you give yourself, and those around you.

” You can have the life you want, you just have to take your foot of the brake. “   This statement evolved from a discussion I was having with one of my clients about what was holding her back.  She said she felt like she had her foot on the brake.

And so I ask you ” Is your foot on the brake holding you back from living the life you want and desire? “  What’s it going to take to step on the gas and go?