…“tough-minded optimism” – is a blend of creativity in ideas, strong convictions about what works and about doing things for the “common good”, and resilience, especially when it comes to the need for change.  To quote, “The future is not shaped by people who don’t really believe in the future,”…

How are you moving forward this and next week?

This is, most likely, your last push before the holiday crush and then it’s the holiday break.

So, how do you decide what is most important, next important, etc.

Do you know which activities bring you the most clients/customers, or financial turnover? Do those activities.

The rest of your to-dos can fall away till January.

Make sure your WHY is in the decision-making process, too.

What you do and say is important – for life, for your company, and work

It’s amazing how important it is to be what you (and your company, your company’s product, and its ramifications in life) present yourself as.

As a client of mine says, “It you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you have said. It makes life much easier.” She is so spot-on! I’ve been quoting her ever since she said this in a group supervision I was leading. I used the quote this past weekend with a friend who wants to encourage her son to be transparent at work.

I thought about it when a friend shared some of the struggles, she had been having with her (not truthful) spouse and how most everything comes down to being who you say you are. The inside and the outside match- no hiding.

I thought about it when sharing my own struggles with a few friends regarding the upcoming months and what is “on my plate” for work and life, and other things that cause me to pause and take note.

Be honest, I told myself, and I did. It’s about our integrity, one of the points on Goleman’s EQ list.

Integrity

If you are a person of integrity you are like this…

PAST: Remember the past and be grateful, PRESENT: savor what we have in the present and FUTURE: anticipate the good things the future holds with hope.

A slash is someone who has more than one career and usually at the same time, and who perhaps has made a second career out of a hobby or passion.

A slash can transition you from one stage in life to another or it can accompany your other career through most of your life.

Networking can get you referrals.

Your best referrals will mostly come from people you know and I basically work from referrals. (former clients and present onew, remember to refer me, please)

To find more people who will refer you, will have to grow your network.

A web presence is nice, but, that’s where your referrals go to “check you out” after your name has come up. A website is not usually used by clients and customers to” find” you. They get referred, instead.

Thus, you need these ten tips for good networking practice.

Ury’s 6-Step Model:

1. Put yourself in your own shoes

2. Develop your inner BATNA

3. Reframe your picture of the situation

4. Stay in the Zone

5. Respect them, even if…

6. Give and Receive

Our values are important and following them is one of the keys to success (and even happiness).

When our actions (and words) come into alignment with our core values, life is generally good, and we feel content, confident and satisfied. But when our behaviors don’t match up with our values, we soon begin to experience a sense of uneasiness and discomfort in our soul (mind and emotions). We are not living out of authenticity. We are not full of integrity. We need to know our whys, as Simon Sinek says so well.

Making a deliberate and conscious attempt to identify which of our core values are of greatest importance to us, is crucial if we are to keep your anxiety levels low and our sense of self-awareness high.

I am reading a book called, “Useful Delusions”, which talks about how our mind plays tricks on ourselves to help us be more resilient. One of the research-based sections is on optimism and how optimists live longer. Sorry for those of you who don’t use your rose colored glasses very much. Dust them off and try to remember the positives in life and be grateful for them. Here some ideas: Be grateful, stand like Wonder Woman and smile more often.

The four qualities, AUTHENTICITY, INTEGRITY, AUTHORITY, and EMPATHY are key in making decisions when to hire someone, when to partner with someone and when, in my view, to add someone to your very small “close friend” or personal partner list.

How can I deal with tension this week? The answer: Choose to hold the conflicting emotions and thoughts and let the tension just be; allow the issues that contradict each other to come into your conscious and pay attention to it all.

When you reflect on your situation, really accept it for what it is, then you can use your reflections to change what is do-able.

When it comes to self-development, books are a great choice. What are you reading? This is what I have been reading for growth, for reaching my goals and for success..

When you remember the past with gratefulness as I do with a client, and you savor the present moments, and you anticipate a positive future activity, you can avoid burnout and reduce stress. Learn to do the PPFs.

How do we grow? First self-discovery of strengths and them work on weaknesses. Use the strengths in crisis and learn to move in the direction of weaknesses for growth.

Here is a list of things to do to thrive during this extraordinary time of social-distancing and home office with COVID-19. It is also helpful for the future.

What can you do when working at home, for yourself and for others.

When you challenge your assumptions and look at WOOP and the pillars of resilience you are on your way to success.

When you know your values and your why you are more likely to succeed - and it keeps you optimistic and grateful.

When you have an opportunity, do you waffle, or do you seize the opportunity - it’s the first step to success.