From the category archives:

Simplify Life

It’s All In a Name - Creating More Authentic Expression

It’s all in a name … or is it your sign-off?

Many articles and blog posts have been written about the importance of choosing a great name and having an informative, yet succinct email signature. There is not, however, very much said about the significance of a signature sign-off that really reflects your wishes and desires for your readers.

From the beginning of my days as a blogger, I have ended my posts (and most emails too!) with the simple phrase “Until next time … Take GREAT Care!” During the past several weeks, however, I have realized that I need a change.

Why? - you may ask. Because … I have discovered that this sign-off on mine is too popular (something I have learned since participating in a few online forums and reading lots of new blogs) and that it does not truly express what I want for our readers.

So … light of this season of sharing, reflection and thanksgiving as well as the spirit of great journalist Walter Cronkite (who made famous one of my grandmother’s favorite sayings - “And that’s the way it is”), I’ve decided to bring in 2008 with a new signature sign-off that truly expresses what we at Upward Action Coaching want for you.

Here’s a list of what I’m considering thus far …

Enjoy your life!
To fulfilling success!
To joyful living!
To joyful longevity!
To overflowing abundance!
To enlightened success!
To overflowing joy!
Peace and Prosperity!

I’d love to know which sign-off is your favorite (or if you’d like to suggest one that isn’t listed here). Feel free to contact me via email or by leaving a comment here on the blog. Look for the final decision in our first posting of the new year!

So … enjoy the last days of ….

Until next time … Take GREAT Care!

PS- Know that regardless of what the new signature becomes, I really do want you to take GREAT care!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

{ 0 comments }

3 Secrets for Reaching Peak Productivity

Accelerated success is all about the consistent achievement of daily goals that are in-line with your long-term strategy and vision. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your daily productivity levels.

1. Spend a few minutes at the beginning of each day reviewing your daily goals. Start with your big goals and then design/coordinate your activities for the day around achieving these goals. This activity helps you focus on what is important and ensure that your daily activities are aligned with your goals.

2. Manage your energy levels. Your brain needs care and rejuvenation, just like your body. Recognize that too much work without appropriate recovery time will strain your brain power and cause you to perform at less than your peak. In the book The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz give fabulous advice for managing our energy levels. They advise us to build in recovery time after spending a few hours of intense work by using techniques such as (i) taking a 10-15 minute walk every couple of hours, (ii) changing our diet as necessary and (iii) building in family time at the end of a workday - or at a scheduled evening break in the work-day.

3. Create mini “next step” lists to give yourself a boost. If you find yourself getting stuck or feeling lethargic and unproductive, first … take a mental break. Then, get out a sheet of paper and write a couple of next steps that must be done to reach your daily goal - regardless of how (or not) significant the step. Now, do the next steps listed and check them off your list as they are completed. The state of being active and checking off accomplished actions is a great way to get you going again. Remember, this is just a technique to get you moving. It this technique is overused, it will ultimately decrease your levels of productivity.

Until next time … Take GREAT Care!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

{ 1 comment }

Wisdom of the Heart

We found the following words of wisdom from the 14th Dalai Lama to be inspiring to those of us on the journey of personal development. You will find that developing your personal character and strength will have an amazingly positive impact on professional life. This phenomenon accounts for why a strong personal foundation is one of the first things a great coach will be concerned with helping you strengthen.

Now … onto “The Wisdom of the Heart” from the Dalai Lama

1. Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
2. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
3. Sleep is the best meditation.
4. Spend some time alone every day.
5. We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
6. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
7. We can live without religion and meditation, but … [not] without human affection.
8. Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
9. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
10. The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.