Joanne Victoria: Recent Episodes
Joanne Victoria
Facing a workplace situation that feels more like a never-ending marathon than a fulfilling career? Sounds like you’re stuck in the “24/7 rule” circus, where the company’s demands are juggling you around like a reluctant clown! But fear not, it’s time to add a dash of humor to lighten the mood and find your way out of this job jamboree. Imagine this: you’re the star performer in a workplace drama titled “The Great Escape from 24/7 Land.” Cue the dramatic music as you dramatically roll out of bed after hitting the snooze button more times than you can count. Your reluctance to face the day rivals that of a cat avoiding a bath – and trust me, that’s some serious reluctance! But wait, there’s more! Your inner circle knows all about your workplace woes, making you feel like the lead character in a soap opera where everyone’s in on the juicy gossip. And as for having fun? Well, it’s become as elusive as finding a unicorn at a corporate retreat. Now, let’s sprinkle in some wit and wisdom. Picture yourself sitting down with a trusted confidant, pouring your heart out over a cup of coffee. You lay out your grievances, and they respond with a quip so sharp, it could cut through the corporate red tape like a hot knife through butter. Together, you brainstorm a plan so ingenious, it would make even Sherlock Holmes proud. As you jot down your thoughts on paper, you realize something profound: it’s time to reclaim your power and put yourself first. You’re not just a cog in the corporate machine – you’re a force to be reckoned with! So, armed with humor, wit, and a newfound sense of determination, you set out on your journey to find greener pastures. Who knows? Maybe your next adventure will involve writing that book you’ve always dreamed of or embarking on a spontaneous trip to Singapore – because life’s too short to be stuck in a job that feels like a never-ending sitcom rerun! Remember, laughter is the best medicine, especially when dealing with workplace woes. So, chin up, my friend, and let’s add a little humor to this chapter of your life story! ~Joanne Victoria
Never dismiss how you feel; always tap into the power behind these feelings and thoughts. They are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next appropriate step. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. It begins and ends with being in the moment, Constant adjustments are part of any successful journey. Each instance comprises the basic building blocks for your abundant life. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in you no matter what outside influences exist. ~Joanne Victoria
Function is what something does. The purpose is why you are doing something. The function of life is to feel. Well, the reason is up to you. Feel what you like. You can’t avoid it, but you can choose how you feel. Emotions are energy. Energy is a magnet that attracts life energy. How you feel about something is a component of how you experience life. Everything you do is done out of emotion, either to achieve a certain emotion or to avoid a certain emotion. Children (and perhaps you) are born innocent and vulnerable to abusive behavior from the adults around them. Parents manipulate their children to meet their own unresolved needs, and children idealize their parents. No refusal goes unpunished. For example, a woman despises her father for some reason. She will try to exonerate herself by humiliating her son. Her son grows up idealizing his mother and tries to take revenge on other women. Let’s break the vicious cycle. It’s still everywhere. Look around you. Forgiveness is a means. Emotions are like the soul. We can deal with any emotion just by being ourselves. We have blocked our emotions out of fear of what we judge to be “bad”. A Master is someone who communicates the emotions he wants to feel and makes those emotions come true. Salvation is forgiveness. Your job is to be happy. You just give to yourself. ~Joanne Victoria
Are you not having the success you desire? Is your relationship on the rocks? Then it’s time to forgive. Forgiveness is the key to everything and is the key to success in all areas of life. Forgiveness is a strength, not a weakness. So if you’re feeling stuck in your personal life, start forgiving others at work (anything! We all have someone in our lives who has problems, so join the Club of Forgiveness. Sarah’s financial life was terrible. She was hoping to earn this promotion with a significant raise and the attention of The Powers That Be of her at the company. Things weren’t going in Sarah’s favor, so she turned to her closest friends who recommended she see a counselor. Finally, Sarah’s counselor spoke to her about the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or forgiving the person you want to forgive. Forgiveness releases resentment within yourself, resentment that may be preventing you from being successful at work, making more money than you imagined, and having a successful personal life on every level. You cannot live a life filled with grudges and revenge. Forgiveness is for you, not others. Forgiveness frees the soul. Forgiveness also – Increases self-confidence Increases creativity Increaseds productivity Provides more time Exposes you to less fear Makes you more money Is it time to make peace? Forgiving yourself and others is the reason for healing. Without forgiveness, our lives become chained and we end up repeating the sufferings of the past without relief. Without forgiveness, we continue to have the illusion that hatred will heal our pain and that of others. It may require commitment from you, but what can you do other than hit a wall and feel constantly dissatisfied with life? Try it. Need help with forgiveness? Ask us how. Joanne Victoria
When a challenge occurs, immediately ask yourself what’s the intent behind the next action you’ll take. Do you want more information? Do you want to move the process forward? Do you need additional resources? Clarity of purpose makes it easier to choose your next relevant action No matter how prepared we are or how often we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. You are what you do, not what you say or think; what will you do next to get what you want? It would be best if you had a plan and all plans need to be in writing. I like to start on paper, then go on the computer. On paper, you squiggle, and make notes, until something cohesive comes into your thoughts. Let these thoughts prevail. It may be different than what you originally wanted, yet these new thoughts are concurrent with your heart’s desire. Your heart’s desire rather than your logical mind is important to pay attention to. You may have negative thoughts from the gremlin on your shoulder, however, maintain your clarity and focus on what you want, not what your brain says to do. You will then design the plan that will get you there, all from your heart. ~Joanne Victoria
Loving kindness is a powerful tool. Use it with your breath and uncover how you feel about yourself. Are you worthy of loving-kindness? Yes, you are and so are the people in your life. Loving-kindness and compassion are close relatives. You deserve love. We all deserve love, especially you. The first and best person to love you is yourself. Weird, huh? You cannot love someone or anything else well unless you love yourself extremely well. Extend loving kindness to yourself at all times. This act will travel and encompass anyone you want, especially those close to you at home or work. What would happen at work if you had a circle of love and kindness around you? It’s catching and others will feel that energy. Whether they recognize whether or not this energy comes from you doesn’t matter. Imagine how productive you will be when you are loved and when you are cherished just for being yourself. Imagine the success you can achieve if you are loved, not wandering the desert seeking attention from others. Imagine how easy your life will be when you are loved, especially by yourself. Start now because you never know when you will need the feeling of love. ~Joanne Victoria http://rb.gy/8xnbjt
Habits are both good and bad. Taking care of your personal needs, brushing your teeth, showering, eating healthy foods are good habits. Excessive drinking is not a good habit. Yet many workers today, as well as business owners and leaders, indulge themselves to the point that they cannot function properly. They say it helps them get through their day. We do many thinks on automatic – driving to work, that brushing your teeth activity, things you do not need to think about that allow you time to devote to creative thinking. There is a reason you do anything you do including bad habits. Mindless eating, especially that pizza at work every day; drinking too much so you can be more friendly to people after work. These are just coverups for the pain that is eating you up. You need to replace any bad habit you have with something that will benefit you and the people around you. You cannot continue to numb your pain with food or drink. You need to deal with your feelings, deal with the underlying problem before you can effectively replace an old negative habit with one that will work for you. Write down what you think the reason is that you overeat, over-exercise, over drink and spend too much time alone playing video games. You are hiding from something and that is what you need to identify. Ending bad habits will help you have more time for creativity. Creativity is part of life, both personal and professional. You need to be able to see an image in your mind and translate either to words, action plans or both. The harder you try to be creative, the fewer results will be achieved. Many of us have multiple thoughts, ideas and worries in our minds, however, if stressed or worried, you will block creativity. You can find a quiet space and let your subconscious mind develop ideas. Invite your intuition to help you with this project or plan. Always ask the question, ‘What is my next step?’ Take a walk and ignore thoughts that may be rummaging around in your brain. Then, after about 15-20 minutes, take out your pen a paper and write down all the thoughts that then come into your consciousness after some time for clarity.. The less stress you are in, the less pizza you eat; this will make it easier for ideas to flow. You may have more information than you wanted – just keep track of all these thoughts. They may come in handy at a later time. This can be a magical process. If you want to talk, contact me here: https://askjoannevictoria.com/chat/ Joanne Victoria
Things change all the time. You may not change, but the world of you and the greater world is in constant motion. What does this mean for you? How are you adapting to this world around you? Does it make you angry or sad? Is it time for you to do something new with your life to encompass all your skills or sit back and enjoy this ride you have created? Everything changes and you have to adapt. You’ve heard the words “Adapt or die.’ They are true words although the death it refers to is not only a physical death but a death of expectations: expectations you had of yourself, your small world, and the big world. Let go of expectations while you are on this path. Expectations, especially high expectations, which may or may not be achievable, can disappoint you especially if they are not achieved. Do not be attached to any expectations and make yours as reasonable as possible especially if you have a low threshold to change and achievement. Stop resisting change. It will be easier for you if you do this. If your expectations are high, and you have been fighting change, you will be disappointed. It’s a set-up, so pay attention. Accept change. It will make you feel calmer instead of fighting change and other complicated issues all the time. Embrace the wisdom of change because, first of all, there is nothing you can do to stop it. If you stop resisting change and see what you can learn from it and how it can or cannot affect you, you will feel more in charge of your life. How you react to change is a bigger issue than change itself. -Joanne Victoria
Finding inner peace in a stressful and fast-paced world can be a challenging but essential pursuit for your overall well-being. The suggestions mentioned are valuable steps toward achieving inner peace. Here are some additional strategies and tips that can help: Mindfulness Meditation: Practice mindfulness meditation regularly. This involves paying focused attention to the present moment without judgment. It can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, ultimately reducing stress and promoting inner calm. Set Boundaries: Learn to say no when you need to. Setting healthy boundaries at work and in your personal life can help prevent overwhelm and create space for inner peace. Prioritize Self-Care: Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. This can include getting enough sleep, eating nourishing foods, exercising regularly, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Simplify Your Life: As you mentioned, decluttering your physical space is essential, but simplifying your life in general can also be beneficial. Cut down on unnecessary commitments, simplify your daily routines, and focus on what truly matters to you. Practice Gratitude: Regularly reflect on the things you’re grateful for in your life. This can shift your perspective towards positivity and contentment. Disconnect from Technology: Set aside specific times each day to disconnect from your devices and social media. Constant connectivity can contribute to stress and restlessness. Nature and Outdoor Time: Spending time in nature can have a calming and grounding effect. Go for a walk, hike, or simply sit in a park and connect with the natural world. Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends, family, or a mental health professional if you’re struggling with stress or anxiety. Talking about your feelings and concerns can provide emotional relief. Deep Breathing: Practice deep breathing exercises when you feel overwhelmed. Deep, slow breaths can help calm your nervous system and reduce stress. Accept Imperfection: Understand that no one is perfect, and it’s okay to make mistakes or have moments of chaos. Accepting imperfection, both in yourself and others, can reduce unnecessary stress. Remember that finding inner peace is an ongoing journey, and it may take time and effort. It’s about creating a lifestyle that supports your well-being and aligns with your values. Be patient with yourself and make these practices a part of your daily life to cultivate inner peace in a busy world. ~Joanne Victoria
Self-awareness is about paying attention to yourself, your habits and patterns, and your thoughts. Most of us are stuck in the story of our lives, not the truth about the story or ourselves. It is a step not worth missing, this self-awareness experience. There are several steps in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that support you in attaining self-awareness. I’m sticking with this one for now. Self-awareness occurs in our brains and thoughts; self-actualization blossoms in our hearts and souls. Potential used to be a trigger word for me. I thought (see!) it was an insult when someone said I had or you have potential. I was feeling guilty that I wasn’t living up to others’ perspective of what my life should be. I have overcome the stigma I placed on this word, potential, and hope others will do the same if indeed it is an issue. I look at the word kindly now, with great scrutiny on who says it to me. When others see potential in you, they are probably seeing the innate talents and abilities that could be developed. That has happened to me on several occasions, although only a few stand out. I am sure that others have seen potential in you when they hired you for a job or chose you to be in a relationship. I think this is a question to add to the bilateral interviews job seekers have, a question to be presented to the person who might be your direct report. ‘Do you see potential in me and in what specific regard?’ may help you find someone who can be your mentor. It is a great short-cut through all the minutiae that gets in everyone’s way when making a decision. You are still on the path of self- awareness, on your way to self- actualization, with a side trip to potentiality. All is good! ~Joanne Victoria #potential #shortcut #minutiae #mentor 3
Everyone around you is a part of your success. I have had many mentors in my life and their generosity towards me, without asking anything in return except my success, was received with much appreciation and love. As the leader in your own life as well as at work, if you provide the authority along with the responsibility for your workers’ ideas, you have then given them your generosity of spirit, and generosity of your heart. To be generous is not about giving others money nor is it about charity. Generosity is about giving of yourself, your heart, your talent, and your willingness to help someone who needs it from you. If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, at work or home, this is an act of generosity. How many times lately have you backed off of someone’s actions and done just that? You do not know all of how others feel and act, so it is in your and the other’s best interest to give them the benefits of your doubt. Time is a great part of generosity. The time you give others is precious, whether it be at work or with your family. Spending time with yourself is a gift you give yourself as well. Who knew that if someone supports you with knowledge, this is a form of generosity? It is and we should, yes, should, do it on a more consistent basis. Being accountable to others for what we do and how we do it is also a gift. Have you been generous with others lately? Maybe it’s time to be generous and it will come back to you. The more you give, the more you get. ~Joanne Victoria #generous #knowledge #time
Do you surf the web and spend too much time on Facebook wondering why you are not making the millions of dollars touted by numerous Platinum-level consultants?? Are your thoughts scattered? Do you have a lengthy to-do list? Are any of your projects completed on time? The only way to truly get what you want is to have tunnel vision. I’m talking about healthy tunnel vision where you spend time focusing on what you want to achieve. Ignore those who are promoting Million Dollar Sales possibilities or multi-million-dollar online opportunities. These are distractions that will fill you with doubt. Doubt makes you uncertain and then you start questioning yourself. Stop fixating on things you can do nothing about, which is almost everything. Let it go and stop trying to control anything. You’ll destroy the spontaneity and the miracles that come with it. Do not concern yourself with not only the opinions of others but also what others are doing in the world. To not concern yourself you would have to be aware of who you are and what you want. It is time to focus on who you are, what you want, and how to get it. To know who you are and what you want you would have to make choices about your life. To make these choices you would have to not concern yourself with the opinion of others or what others are doing. You would then be fearless. Being fearless is to be truly free. Focus on your greatness, radiance, and joy and you will then be able to acknowledge and recognize it in others. You will then attract brilliant, wonderful, happy people and situations to you. Focus is an easy way to attract success. Try one or more of the following strategies that will help you focus on what you want: Answer your email in the afternoon only. Use the morning time for high-level tasks. If any message requires an immediate response, wait until the next day to attend to it. Review your clients and friends and eliminate those who do not support you. Write down what you want done. Determine what does not inspire you and stop doing it. If it is not the highest and best use of your time, forget about it. Create a team that will support your success. Hire a Virtual Assistant for all your needs. Hire more than one if needed, as they each have their specialty. Work with a mentor or coach who can support your dreams and tell you the truth. Focus on your world and what you want. Stop surfing the web looking for some magic. It’s not there because it is in you. The definition of success is to have the freedom to be yourself. Be yourself and focus on what you want. ~Joanne Victoria
Never dismiss how you feel; always tap into the power behind these feelings and thoughts that come up. They are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bears powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next appropriate step. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. It begins and ends with being in the moment, Constant adjustments are part of any successful journey. Each instance comprises the basic building blocks for your abundant life. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in you no matter what outside influences exist. Need help with your confidence? Check here and let’s move forward! Joanne Victoria
If someone I know keeps disappointing me repeatedly – they get three chances unless they’re family – I can’t trust them anymore. It’s that straightforward for me. I don’t want to be taken advantage of by anyone, especially not by someone whose promises mean nothing now. And I don’t want my clients to be treated unfairly either. Some can handle it, but others get upset when they’re let down. Both sides, the giving, and the receiving, need to act like adults. It’s important to be honest with yourself. What’s the deal with people who don’t keep their word? Is it a widespread issue or something? Where I grew up on the East Coast, if you committed, you stuck to it, no matter what. If someone said they’d meet you at a certain place and time, they’d be there, even if it was way in the future. You didn’t even consider double-checking – it was a definite thing. They gave their word and you could always rely on it. But now, not so much. People told me they’d do something, and it never happened. Podcast guests have stood me up. A recent client was told that a well-connected person would review her resume. He didn’t. He even volunteered for it. Should she have reminded them or not? It’s disrespectful to commit to something and then back out. If you don’t have the time, just don’t commit. ~Joanne Victoria
Your focus does not only determine your reality, it determines your greatness. What is it with us people that we cannot focus on just one thing? Just ONE thing?!! It’s that lack of focus that prevents us from being great. By age seven, some say four, our patterns and beliefs have found their rut in our brains. SEVEN!! Does that mean that there are a bunch of seven-year-olds running the country, mega companies, and corporations? Yes! Would it be worse if they were four-year-old’s? That’s what some scientists believe, that our patterns and beliefs are in our rutted brain at the age of four. Along the way, you may have picked up other habits and beliefs, however, they must serve and support the ones your parents and caregivers gave you when you were young. They must or you will go insane. That’s right insane. We function on automatic and once we see something shiny and new, we go ‘I like that. I want that. Give that to me.’ This is our unconscious brain, NOT our subconscious brain. Let me also say that for the most part, you are unaware of those beliefs that you are holding on to. I now make the rash decision that if you knew what was screwing up your life, you would change it. How are these brain ruts screwing up your life? Because they are not your beliefs, just those handed down from generation to generation. ‘That’s the way we do it.’ Is a statement almost every one of us has heard more than once in our lives. This is the formula that you cannot break, a pattern given to you by all your grands. You will fail if you don’t give up the patterns and beliefs. You will work hard, strive to achieve, yet fail. If you know the other side of the coin, failure can be good. Failure teaches us; success not so much. However, how can you learn from failure if your existing debilitating patterns are still at the forefront of your mind? The upside of this is you CAN change your thinking. First, acknowledge that YOU are in charge of your life. Know that this is not personal, no one has a grudge against you. These existing habits and beliefs that you want to transform have been with you for a very long time. You (yes YOU!) planted a seed in the furrow of your brain, fed the seed with repetition and thoughts, kept the rut clean of weeds (other beliefs), and followed the path to where you are right now. It is time to plant new seeds. Once you plant new seeds into a new rut, you will need to water, feed, weed, and follow this new path to a belief that YOU designed and created that is beneficial to you! Know that beliefs overrule desires and get moving. Feed the new rut, starve the old rut. Focus on the new thing that will make you great. ~Joanne Victoria
Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach new breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. No fear here, as long as you remember that everything changes and that transition is with us 24/7; you will be able to readjust yourself and enjoy this great adventure – again. Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Unforeseen circumstances occur. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feeling. Logic can tell you superficially where a path might lead to, but it cannot judge whether your heart will be in it. Trust your instincts at all times. It’s okay to ask for clarification about the task at hand. Demonstrate your appreciation for others’ knowledge and experience by being pushy; then listen to what they share. If you don’t receive accurate information, simply further explore the ideas presented. Thank the person for their help and implement what you believe is the next right step. Remember…seek discovery, not answers! Go out and have some fun today! ~Joanne Victoria
Many people think you have to have to be stressed out to be creative. That is not the truth. The more relaxed you are the greater possibility that you will have creative and other breakthroughs even though AI is looking to be the next thing (or current thing) as far as creativity is concerned. AI may be good for taking over the data-heavy load, however, creativity is still in the human wheelhouse. This means we, as humans, unless a robot is reading this, have to step up and BE creative!! Creativity supposedly comes from many aspects of the brain; those who know will argue for this perspective. I think creativity comes when you (and I!!) are more relaxed and we stare out a window or walk in the park or put our feet in the ocean. Creativity under stress is when the owner/boss/workshop leader asks you and several other employees to get in a room with the boss or a consultant and are given ‘creativity’ exercises. These exercises are good for only one person and not you. Some tactics will work for you and your creativity. One, take a very long shower and try not to think about anything. Have a paper & pencil or your phone handy after you get out. Then capture all those thoughts that will come pouring out of you. Write them all down, no matter how weird they may sound to your sensible brain. Second, read a book, preferably a mystery; and focus on who the antagonist is and how he/she gets away with all they do. You will find that many mystery/thriller/spy writers know the human brain and mind enough to be amazingly duplicitous and extremely creative. Thirdly, adapt. Move a bit to the left or right and view old thoughts and ideas in a new and different way. Take a few steps either way and explore. Determine what is wrong with your original thoughts and ideas and see how they now work in the world. ~Joanne Victoria
Self-awareness is about paying attention to yourself, to your habits and patterns, and your thoughts. Most of us are stuck in the story of our lives, not the truth about the story or ourselves. It is a step not worth missing, this self-awareness experience. Several steps in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs support you in attaining self-awareness. I’m sticking with this one for now. Self-awareness occurs in our brains and thoughts; self-actualization blossoms in our hearts and souls. Potential used to be a trigger word for me. I thought (see!) it was an insult when someone said I had or you have potential. I was feeling guilty that I wasn’t living up to others’ perspective of what my life should be. I have overcome the stigma I placed on this word, potential, and hope others will do the same if indeed it is an issue. I look at the word kindly now, with great scrutiny on who says it to me. When others see potential in you, they are probably seeing the innate talents and abilities that could be developed. That has happened to me several times, although only a few stand out. I am sure that others have seen potential in you when they hired you for a job or chose you to be in a relationship. I think this is a question to add to the bilateral interviews job seekers have, a question to be presented to the person who might be your direct report. ‘Do you see potential in me and in what specific regard?’ may help you find someone who can be your mentor. It is a great shortcut through all the minutiae that get in everyone’s way when making a decision. You are still on the path of self-awareness, on your way to self-actualization, with a side trip to potentiality. All is good! ~Joanne Victoria
Have you ever found yourself juggling multiple tasks at once, thinking you’re being productive, only to realize that you’re not accomplishing anything effectively? Well, you’re not alone! Multitasking has become a common practice in our fast-paced world, but did you know that it’s not good for you? When you attempt to multitask, your brain is divided between different tasks, and it can go and on one thing at a time. So, while you may think you’re being efficient by doing multiple things simultaneously, your brain is struggling to switch back and forth between tasks, leading to decreased productivity and quality of work. Imagine trying to listen to a television show and read the scroll at the bottom of the screen at the same time. It sounds challenging, right? That’s because these tasks require different parts of your brain. One part is responsible for processing auditory information, while another is processing. So, when you try to do both at once, your brain gets overwhelmed and can’t fully concentrate on either task. I recently experienced the consequences of multitasking firsthand. I was on the phone, trying to have a conversation while preparing dinner. The result? A stressful and chaotic experience that ended with me having to throw away the food I was cooking. Every time I went to taste the food, my attention was divided, and the phone call interfered with my ability to fully enjoy the meal. Lesson learned: multitasking can ruin even the simplest of pleasures! But why does multitasking slow us down? Well, switching from one task to another takes time and mental effort. It’s like constantly hitting the pause button on one task and then trying to resume it later. This constant switching not only wastes time but also hampers our ability to focus and pay attention to detail. Interestingly, studies have shown that heavy multitaskers have less efficient brains even when doing a single task. It’s as if their brains have become accustomed to constant distraction and struggle to fully engage in any one activity. So, if you find yourself constantly multitasking, it might be time to reevaluate your habits and strive for more focused and mindful work. Now, I know some of you might argue that you can listen to music and eat at the same time. While it may seem like a harmless combination, listening to music is not a task that requires active engagement. Eating, on the other hand, is mostly a habitual activity that doesn’t demand much cognitive effort. So, it’s not multitasking in the true sense. In the business world, multitasking can also have negative consequences. It can signal low self-awareness and lack of focus, which are crucial for success. Imagine being in a meeting and trying to multitask by checking emails or browsing the internet. Not only does this show a lack of respect for others, but it also hinders your ability to actively participate and contribute to the discussion. So, what can we do to break free from the multitasking trap? It’s all about planning and prioritizing. Instead of trying to do everything at once, focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention. This way, you can complete each task more efficiently and effectively. So, let’s all strive to simplify our lives, prioritize our tasks, and give our brains the chance to fully engage in what we’re doing. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at the results! ~Joanne Victoria
In a world filled with complexities and challenges, honesty is a powerful virtue that can shape our lives and relationships. This article delves into the significance of honesty, emphasizing its role in fostering authenticity, trust, and meaningful connections. By embracing honesty as a way of life, we can navigate the intricacies of decision-making and cultivate healthier relationships with ourselves and others. The Essence of Honesty: Understanding honesty as more than just abstaining from lies Embracing authenticity and seeing the world as it truly is Recognizing the impact of honesty on personal growth and character Honesty and Authenticity: The connection between honesty and being true to oneself Avoiding self-deception and embracing personal truth Breaking free from societal expectations and judgments Nurturing Trust and Building Relationships: The role of honesty in fostering trust and loyalty Establishing open communication and vulnerability Repairing broken trust through honest conversations Honesty in Decision-Making: Cutting through confusion and frustration with honesty Honoring personal values and principles in decision-making Balancing honesty with sensitivity and empathy The Dangers of Dishonesty: Recognizing the consequences of dishonesty in relationships The internal conflict caused by lying to oneself The erosion of trust and the long-term negative effects Honesty and Personal Growth: The liberating power of self-honesty Embracing personal strengths and weaknesses Using honesty as a catalyst for self-improvement The Art of Honesty in Relationships: Fostering open and honest communication with loved ones Creating safe spaces for sharing thoughts and feelings Handling conflicts with honesty and respect Honesty as a Way of Life: Cultivating honesty as a daily practice Overcoming fear and embracing vulnerability Experiencing personal freedom and peace through honesty In a world where deception and manipulation can be prevalent, choosing honesty becomes a transformative act. We build a solid foundation for meaningful relationships and personal growth by being true to ourselves and others. Embrace the power of honesty, and let it guide you on a journey of authenticity, trust, and self-discovery. Remember, honesty is not just a word; it’s a way of life that can bring about profound positive change. ~Joanne Victoria
Having a clear Life Vision is like having a guiding light that illuminates your path, fuels your aspirations, and keeps your spirit alive. Without it, you may find yourself trapped in the monotony of the daily grind, feeling drained and unfulfilled. By crafting a compelling Life Vision, you can proactively shape your future, stay resilient in the face of challenges, and live a life of purpose. Let’s embark on the journey of envisioning your ideal life and begin making it a reality. The Significance of a Life Vision: A Life Vision provides you with a sense of direction and purpose. It is the beacon that inspires you to transcend the ordinary and strive for the extraordinary. Without a clear vision, you might find yourself reacting to life’s challenges instead of actively creating the life you desire. The Power of Imagination: Your Life Vision emerges from the depths of your imagination. It enables you to visualize possibilities beyond what may seem impossible at present. Your vision empowers you to dream big, setting the stage for transformative actions to bring those dreams to life. Aligning Your Decisions: A Life Vision serves as a compass for decision-making. When your decisions are in harmony with your vision, you experience a deep sense of alignment and fulfillment. By clarifying your Life Vision, you gain clarity on what truly matters to you, making decisions more effortless and purpose-driven. Crafting Your Life Vision: To begin the process of shaping your Life Vision, consider various aspects of your life. Ask yourself questions such as where you see yourself living, how you provide for yourself and your loved ones, what brings you joy and fulfillment, how you contribute to your community, and who you surround yourself with. A Dynamic Life Vision: Your Life Vision is not set in stone; it can evolve and adapt as you grow and change. It is essential to regularly revisit and redefine your vision to ensure that it continues to align with your values, aspirations, and evolving circumstances. Taking the First Steps: Why wait to create your Life Vision? Start now by setting aside dedicated time for reflection and exploration. Write down your thoughts, dreams, and aspirations. Allow your imagination to soar and envision the life you desire. A Life Vision is the fuel that ignites your journey toward a purposeful and fulfilling life. By clearly defining your vision, aligning your decisions, and regularly revisiting and refining it, you can unleash your potential and create a life that resonates with your deepest aspirations. Take the first steps towards crafting your Life Vision today and embark on a transformative path of self-discovery and growth. Need help now? Click here and let’s discuss. Joanne Victoria
It sounds like you’re going through a busy and challenging time in your life, and you’re recognizing the need to slow down and find peace and harmony. Here are some suggestions to guide you in that direction: Self-reflection: Take some time to reflect on your current situation and the patterns that have led to rushing and feeling overwhelmed in the past. Understand the reasons behind your tendency to push yourself too hard and the negative consequences it has had on your well-being. Prioritize self-care: Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. Dedicate time to activities that promote relaxation, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or spending time in nature. Nurturing your physical, mental, and emotional well-being will help you find inner peace and balance. Set boundaries: Learn to set boundaries and say “no” when necessary. It’s important to recognize your limitations and not take on more than you can handle. Delegate tasks or hire help when possible to lighten your workload and free up time for yourself. Seek support: Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, or mentors who understand your goals and can provide guidance. Share your struggles and ask for help when needed. Collaborating with others can alleviate the pressure and help you stay accountable to your commitment to slow down. Create a balanced schedule: Take a step back and evaluate your schedule. Prioritize your tasks, and make sure to include regular breaks, leisure time, and activities that bring you joy. Strive for a healthy work-life balance that allows you to recharge and rejuvenate regularly. Practice mindfulness: Cultivate mindfulness in your daily life by staying present in the moment. Engage fully in each task you undertake, focusing on the quality of your actions rather than rushing through them. Mindfulness can help you appreciate the journey and reduce stress. Learn from past experiences: Reflect on the lessons you’ve learned from previous business ventures and the impact rushing had on your well-being. Apply those lessons to your current situation and remind yourself of the importance of pacing yourself for long-term success. Remember, finding peace and harmony requires a conscious effort to slow down, prioritize self-care, and make intentional choices. By taking care of yourself, setting boundaries, seeking support, and creating balance, you can navigate your new business venture with greater well-being and success. Need personal help? Contact me here. Joanne Victoria
Welcome to a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, where we’ll explore the transformative concept of personal power. In this article, we’ll delve into the essence of personal empowerment, emphasizing the importance of taking charge of our lives, making conscious choices, and embracing our true potential. Join us as we unlock the key to unleashing your personal power! Personal power is the cornerstone of a fulfilling and meaningful life, granting us mastery and control over our own destinies. It is about recognizing that we hold the reins of our lives, with the ability to shape our experiences and outcomes. When we tap into our personal power, we unlock a wellspring of possibilities, enabling us to live authentically and on our own terms. Embracing personal power starts with an unwavering commitment to authenticity. It means honoring our true selves, embracing our unique qualities, and living in alignment with our values. By staying true to who we are, we radiate confidence and attract opportunities that resonate with our authentic selves. Setting healthy boundaries is another vital aspect of personal power. It involves asserting our needs and priorities, saying “no” when necessary, and preserving our time and energy for what truly matters. Boundaries empower us to make choices that serve our best interests, allowing us to live with integrity and purpose. Taking ownership of our lives is a crucial step towards reclaiming our power. It means recognizing that we are the architects of our destinies, responsible for the choices we make and the paths we take. By embracing responsibility, we empower ourselves to make intentional decisions, steer our lives in the direction of our dreams, and embrace the growth that comes with it. Nurturing personal power also requires practicing self-care. Taking care of our physical, emotional, and mental well-being is not selfish but essential for sustaining personal power. Prioritizing self-care replenishes our energy, enhances our resilience, and allows us to show up fully for ourselves and others. Personal power is an innate and transformative force that resides within each of us. By embracing authenticity, setting boundaries, taking ownership of our lives, and practicing self-care, we unleash our true potential and create a life filled with purpose and fulfillment. Remember, you have the power to shape your story and embrace the extraordinary person you were meant to be. So, take the first step, believe in your power, and let it guide you toward a life of joy, abundance, and limitless possibilities. Embrace your personal power and unlock the extraordinary life that awaits you. If you need help with Unleashing Your Personal Power, contact me here. Joanne Victoria
Keeping your word is crucial for personal and professional relationships. It builds trust, showcases integrity, and creates expectations. This article explores the importance of honoring commitments and provides practical strategies to do so. Understanding the power of your word is essential. It can inspire and assure others, while failing to fulfill promises leads to disappointment and a loss of trust. Respecting others and yourself is an integral part of keeping your word. Before committing, evaluate the feasibility of the task. Avoid impulsive promises and overcommitting to prevent stress and ensure realistic expectations. Only commit to what you can deliver. Making false promises damages relationships. Be honest about your abilities and intentions. Communicate clearly when making commitments. Specify actions, timelines, and potential challenges to minimize misunderstandings. Plan, prioritize, and create a systematic approach to manage commitments. Develop schedules or to-do lists to fulfill promises effectively. Be accountable and follow through on your commitments, even in challenging situations. Communicate promptly and honestly if circumstances change. Cultivate self-discipline through realistic goals, effective time management, and maintaining focus on commitments. Value integrity by acting with honesty, consistency, and reliability. Trust and strong relationships are built on integrity. Keeping your word is essential for personal growth and trust-building. Understand the power of your word, be mindful of commitments, communicate clearly, plan effectively, value integrity, and fulfill promises for meaningful connections with others.
If you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur, or business owner, it is time to get back to basics and start to think of yourself as a beginner in many ways. Now is a great time to review your Vision, or as I would say, your Vision with a Capital V. After all that has gone on in the past several few years, to get to your New Regular, you may need to look backward to move forward towards your life Vision, Mission, Goals, and Values. When was the last time you reviewed your business? You may say that you don’t need to review, it’s all in the dumper and I am going to close, or, my business is good the way it is, no need to spend time there. Either way, you are wasting time and energy. How do you know you need to close your business? If you operate your business from home, you have fewer problems or challenges than most. If you work out of an office, have employees, and need to see customers, it is time to adjust. Most important is to either rebuild or redefine the foundation of your business. Who are you, what do you do, how do you do it and who do you do it for? What or who do you want your business to contribute to in your community? If you have been successful before you know what it feels like. If you have not been successful before, you may have to be more specific in answering the questions above. The more specific you are, the more detail you incorporate in your response, and the easier it will be to move forward to the level of success you desire. ~Joanne Victoria
Have you ever wondered why your efforts to create a better lifestyle or build a more sustainable business are not working? You may have experienced: Being too tired to get out of bed. No real reason to get out of bed! Emotions that prevent you from being as successful as you want. Roadblocks that defy all sensibilities. Do any of these seem familiar? These incidents are called “tolerations”. Discover the difference between toleration and coping. Learn how to overcome energy drainers and solve your problems. When you eliminate tolerations, you constantly produce improvements in both your business and personal life. Tolerations are the little aggravations that waste your time and use your energy. Let’s say you have a habit or relationship that doesn’t work for you; each time you become aware of this, you waste energy feeling guilty about not handling it. This drains your energy. Each of us experiences at least 100 of these Energy Drainers at least once per week. While a small toleration may seem insignificant, the cumulative effect of 30 or 40 of these is huge. To eliminate the detrimental impact of tolerations, simply eliminate one toleration each day. Where do you start? It makes no difference where or how you start. It’s the cumulative effect you want to reduce. Just handling a single toleration per day can produce extraordinary positive change. Create a list of at least ten (10) things you are tolerating right now. Choose your Top Five. Joanne’s Vision Gem: To write anything and everything down is what makes the challenge clear and real. It should take you less time to write tolerations down, which is very important, versus just thinking about them. Recall which worries clutter up your mind and gegetsn your way. Coping with tolerations is usually a way to rationalize why you have to put up with these roadblocks, i.e., ’It’s not so bad;’ I have to work hard to be a success; ‘We all have to suffer for success’. Wrong! We tolerate things in our life because we don’t think we can change them. We ignore the broken window screen, even though we could hire someone to fix it for a nominal fee. The emotional drain that this ignorance places upon us can be distressing. It is time to remove all stressors, starting with tolerations. Plan on eliminating 5 tolerations during the next 30 days. Eliminate the easy ones first. If you’re having a good day, you may try and take on a hard one first. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, this creates the opportunity for the easy ones to fall away too! Remember, this is your list. No one else needs to see it. Just do it for you. Start now. ~Joanne Victoria
The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. Be calm and peaceful for a bit and see how that works for you. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want and need. How does one find Inner Peace in a stressful, busy, fast-moving world? One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversations are about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. Another way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. Declutter your desk, closets as well as your garage. Throw away any piece of paper you don’t need. Sell your clothes on eBay or give them away to Good Will. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your work requirements easier and you will have a better home life because you will be there in total, without distractions. ~Joanne Victoria
Everyone counts or no one counts and you count! Do you count? If so, decide how you count, what you contribute, and what you want in this world. Do you want fame? Do you want more money in your life? Do you want a family? Do you want to sail the ocean blue? For all these and other questions you may have, the next step is to ask why? Why do you want famous? How will it affect your life and what would you change about your life if you were famous? Does fame fit in with your values? Anything you do, be, or have must, to succeed, be in alignment with your values. What does your intuition say about fame? Does it feel comfortable? Feelings count as part of your awareness of all that is around you. If you have aligned your values with fame, and your intuition sends messages that fame is OK for you, what is your plan? You will not get anything in your life, along your path to fame, fortune, or family, unless you make a plan. Follow these steps: Choose what you want. Check if what you want aligns with your values. Check-in with your intuitive self and see if it aligns with your values and choice. Make a plan. Without a plan, you may not achieve what you want. God provides the gifts, you provide the work. That’s it. ~Joanne victoria
Values are the principles, standards, and qualities that are important to us. They are the foundation of our lives and guide our big and small decisions. They define who we are and who we want to be. They provide us with a sense of direction and purpose. Values come in many forms. We have values that are deeply rooted in our beliefs, culture, and upbringing. We also have values that we adopt from our friends, family, and others in our lives. We may even have values that we create ourselves. No matter where our values come from, they shape our lives and the way we interact with the world. Values can be divided into two main categories: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic values are those that are personal, like kindness, honesty, loyalty, and respect. These are the values that we hold most dear and that we strive to live by. We may not always succeed but strive to live up to our intrinsic values. Extrinsic values, on the other hand, are values that are external to us. These are values that are motivated by a desire for success, recognition, and material gain. No matter what our values are, they should never be taken lightly. Values can provide us with a moral compass and help us to make decisions about our lives. They can also help us to stay focused on what is important and to prioritize our actions. Our values define us and can help us become our best version. ~Joanne Victoria
Are you ready to experiment with what you want? I say experiment as in test, so you can go through the process to see if YOU work with this new information. First, stop worrying. Worrying will only reinforce what your non-conscious mind already knows. Decide what you want in the next thirty days. Write this outcome down by hand! in your notebook and on many 3 x 5 cards. Writing gets the connection between your brain and your mind and the synapse lights up and there is a link. But first…a little Imagineering. At some time or another, you have seen a corn patch, either in person or on TV, in the movies or you have walked through or driven by one. I want you to take a moment and call that image forth from your brain. Picture all the rows of corn, neatly growing, with space in between for the farmer to feed, water, and pick the grown corn. These rows of corn represent your current beliefs, patterns, and habits that your automatic non-conscious mind currently brings forth. Now look a little to your left. Do you notice a field overgrown with weeds? This may be last year’s corn crop or just earth meant to go fallow. For purposes of this exercise, we will call it Your New Land to Plow for New Beliefs You Want to Plant. You can imagine it might take some effort to plow those weeds; you are so right! I will provide you with tools to help knock those weeds down and implant a new pattern. First, be clear about what you want in thirty days. Second, write some affirmations about this ‘want’ or goal. Examples: a) I have absolute certainty in my ability to (your want here). b) I attract all the right resources and people. c) I am confident d) I am calm. Add as many affirmations as you can handle. Repeat these affirmations in the morning before getting out of bed, midday, and in the evening after you are in bed. Third, write a list of how this goal will affect your life. It is important to align emotions with the goal so there is a heart connection. Read this list at least three times per day. Fourth, get a photo of what you want and keep it with you at all times. When you look at this photo, imagine how you feel now, this minute, about this want or belief. Fifth, visualize your new want, pattern, belief, or habit plowing down the weeds and making a new cornrow. Do this at least three times per day; more if you want to. You are now on your way to your True Self, controlling your thoughts and replacing an old belief with a new one. Need help with this? Ask your questions here:http://askjoannevictoria.com/chat/ ~Joanne Victora
Stop judging anything. Once you judge anything as good or bad, you own it. And, you get to carry your judgments with you all the time. Judgments define you as this or that. Are you willing to limit your identity to ‘this or that’? These judgments become a burden; you are left without the energy to go for what you want. You don’t want to be the person everyone is talking about, and not in a good way. ‘There goes Sherri. You can go to for any gossip in the company.’ Not a prize distinction. Is Sherri all about gossip? Even if she is not, it does not matter because her label has been established. She has to live with it or change others’ perspectives of her. Of course, Sherri has always judged others. That’s how others see Sherri – the Gossip Who Judges. Life comes rolling back on you when you start to judge others. Sherri is now in the This or That Club. Watch how the world is. Choose to participate or not, however, the best thing to do is be detached from what is going on ‘out there’. It takes practice, so start practicing right away. Instead, be here now. Pay attention to what is occurring right now in your life. This very second, your life is all about options, so choose wisely. Deal with what is in front of you. Stay in the ‘Now’ as much as you can. Your stress levels will lower. Your work will be better. Your home life will thrive. You will be better. ~Joanne Victoria
Office politics, workplace politics, organizational politics – I call it high school. Nothing much has changed since the cliques of high school – although today’s clique categories are a bit different, they still include what you recall from your high school, just with different labels. In high school, cliques are part of social development. In the office or your office, your job and your reputation can be at stake. Yes, I know that many are now working their job from alternate spaces, however, this information is the same as if you were in an office. All workplaces are political because we are human beings who bring all our baggage, good and bad, into the workplace. What does one do if you are either new to the game of large offices or still working in that environment? Set clear boundaries. Start by staying out of it. Whatever game you do not join, you do not have to play. Be nice, at all times; be as nice as possible. Be fair to all you speak to. When someone attempts to engage you in a Gossip Round, simple, non-committal replies are best. Use lots of ‘Ohs?’ and ‘Ahs’! and ‘Unhuhs’. Really – no one will care and they will move on to the next person who will agree or disagree, therefore getting snagged into a revolt, big or small. Don’t gossip about anyone in your office, building, or company. It may hurt you on the way up the ladder and send you spinning down quickly. The best players have the same respect for the receptionists as they have for the CEO, VPs, and other C Suite categories. You never know who’s watching or listening or who is anxious to pass on your words to someone else. Don’t let anything you say bite you in the butt. Establish your office ‘line in the sand’ and do not engage anyone who wants to play the game of gossip, bullying, or other not-so-nice means. Be yourself at all times and enjoy yourself as much as possible while you contribute your skills – the ones they pay you for – to your company. Just so you know, all this craziness can be shared using social media. Be yourself, be kind, and stop playing games. ~Joanne Victoria
Many people wait for the right time, the right day to decide their lives. If life is truly impermanent, you may not be able to take the time to do things later. Later is now. Call whom you want NOW, and make those decisions NOW. You could always change your mind, yet it behooves you to be in the NOW, not the later. Who you are right now is what matters. What you do right now is what matters. The Buddha says everything exists in a state of transition. Nothing stays still, either negative or positive. We all do our best to hold on to the good and reject the bad. Both the good and both will arise again and dissolve, yet again. The challenge is that when we try to hold on to the good, which is impermanent, we are disappointed. We think there is something wrong with us, others, or the process. “All conditioned things are impermanent’ — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.” – The Buddha Everything has a life cycle. It comes into being, grows, ages weakens, and decays. Plants do this, people do this, everything does this. All these things and people are impermanent. If you accept that endings are natural and beginnings are accepted as well, you will also agree that what happiness and joy you achieved today may be different tomorrow. If you find yourself in a place of joy right now, extend that to others in your work and home life now. No waiting for the right moment because it is at hand right now. Each day, each moment is different from another and will only cause us suffering if we choose to hold tight to the now. If you do, you will suffer. Suffering is attachment. Stop holding onto things and people as they are unimportant and this action defines you as being attached. When you hold on to things and people, you hold on to pain. You must release the pain and if someone or something is a part of that attachment, you may need to let that person or thing go, in the spiritual sense. Once you do that, your life will change. Want help? Connect with Joanne here. Joanne Victoria
You are incorrect if you think you are the same person all the time. If you do not acknowledge that you have at least one other persona, you will not understand how to blend these images. How many personas do you have? Do you have one for work, one for your family, yet another for friends, and then another for the parents of your kids? This persona, this mask that you wear can be beneficial or not. If you have a work persona that is different from your home mask, what is it and how does it help you with your peers and your boss, if you have one? Or do you have a separate persona you wear when you are in direct contact with your boss? This may sound frivolous, however, we all have different personas. And yes, it can be confusing to others if they catch on. It can also be confusing to you, the one who holds the power over these masks. Who are you and who are you pretending to be? It must be exhausting to carry all these personas with you day after day. What if you could be only YOU every day? This act of masking is what many do to feel safe in different situations, mostly social. “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” — Kurt Vonnegut We’ve all seen it, the pretenders. They certainly run rampant on Facebook. You see people wearing these masks and then you speak to them, if you are lucky, and discover they are illusions of themselves. They are not real, they are following others’ paths, allowing us to think or imagine that they’re very, very successful or equally as powerful. The truth then appears at a break in their persona. A word, a gesture, appears and you go ‘Whoa! What was that?’ – not what you expected. And I do say the word expected because people who attempt to force their personas or masks onto you for their benefit, know that this is the persona you expect to see. And they gave exactly that to you. Bosses and leaders carry many personas. If only they could afford to be more authentic, we would appreciate their skills more so we say. However, in many cases, we EXPECT them to have many masks and personas. It is expected in the society we have created. And when the supposed truth about who they truly come out is, we are shocked, and surprised, and yet, we are part of the game in supporting their personas. Any of us can be kind, strong, sad, and cranky without a persona. We can be genuine humans and stop wearing personas or masks to enjoy our lives. The fewer masks we wear, the closer we are to having more peace in our lives. Wouldn’t you like to live a life of truth and openness? Along your path toward truth and peace, check this out. Joanne Victoria
Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Unforeseen circumstances occur. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: Practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feelings. Logic can tell you superficially where a path might lead to, but it cannot judge whether your heart will be in it. Trust your instincts at all times. It’s okay to ask for clarification about the task at hand. Demonstrate your appreciation for others’ knowledge and experience by being pushy; then listen to what they share. If you don’t receive accurate information, simply further explore the ideas presented. Thank the person for their help and implement what you believe is the next right step. Remember… Go out and have some fun today! Joanne Victoria
Live every day with energy, love, and gratitude. At the same time, save some room for yourself. Love yourself first. Be grateful to yourself first. Give all energies to yourself first. You are truly the only person that can put YOU first. If you don’t do this, you will be coming from an empty well. You deserve to take it easy anytime, yet probably more now when it’s more about others, not yourself. When your work day is done, walk away. When your playtime is done, walk away. When it is home or family time and you are done, walk away. Let all your stresses from multiple parts of your life go before attempting your next step. Start each day by letting go of yesterday. Everyday. Joanne Victoria
Keep the faith no matter what you are doing. The first person you can and should trust is yourself. Why do you not have any faith in yourself to complete a project, have a relationship, and be happy and satisfied? A Life Vision is like a light showing you the way toward what could be. Your Life Vision is truly a guide. Do not become attached to the Life Vision you first design; things always change and you have to be ready to adapt. Belief is a different thing; sometimes people do not believe their Life Vison will come to fruition. They do not understand how their dreams could possibly become a reality. It is not about understanding; it is about faith and trust. Once you complete listing your wants and needs, which could include releasing old wounds and negative patterns, determining what you are passionate about, and deciding where you want to live, it can be very enlightening. Make it the biggest Life Vision possible. If you shoot for the Moon in designing your Life Vision, you may hit a star. The star is the light. You help shine a light onto what you truly want your life to be and along the way, miracles may occur. As long as you have the Life Vision planning process, you have the opportunity to achieve magic on your path. If you resist doing anything to help yourself, you will receive only what others offer you, without knowing if this will work for you. Your Life Vision is owned by you and may change over time, especially if you pay attention to developing patterns yet it can also be magical. Create your Life Vision, follow the path it takes you, make adjustments along the way, and always look for the light to guide you. If you need help with your Life Vision, contact me here. Joanne Victoria
You always see your life Vision in your mind, or at least you should! Without a Life Vision, you will have nothing to aspire to except the daily grind. You will dry up, burn out and your spirit will die. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges. You go up and down the emotional scale, from joy to fear, just by reading the newspaper. Your Life Vision gives you a focus to help your imagination make possible what you thought was impossible. Vision helps you create a plan of action to achieve what you really want. You have a Vision for whatever business, practice, or service you provide. You just don’t know it yet, or maybe you do. Either way, you must redefine your original vision or imagine a new one. With a true-Life Vision, all your decisions are easily made, because all your decisions are in alignment with your Life Vision. It is not so much about a good enough Life Vision, but a Life Vision that is clearly visionary. Add these to your ingredient list as part of Your Life Vision: ~ Where are you living? ~ How do you provide for yourself and your family? ~ What do you do for fun? ~ How do you contribute to your community? ~ Who do you spend your time with and why? These questions are just a few that need to be answered in your Life Vision process. Why not get a head start now? Joanne Victoria
What we all need now during these interesting times as well as the Holidays is patience. Your family wants to go look at all the Holiday lights on houses, you want to sleep. Do your Mom and Dad wonder when they are going to see you again, maybe at Christmas? Your friends (mostly the single ones) want you to come out and play. Your partner wants your help with wrapping presents, putting up the tree, and spending time with them; you still need that nap. Your manager wants your part of the project done, now! The traffic has gotten worse if that was even possible. The weather is dark and gloomy or even filled with loads of snow. Everyone is in a bad mood; rushing at the last minute to get others’ gifts. You still need that nap. It is time to practice patience. Forego anger or petulance; it will do you no good. Find a bit of quiet space (car? bathroom?) and breathe deeply. Know that everyone appreciates you; they are just following the holiday chaos. Breathe, look yourself in the mirror, and resolve to do your best. After all, times like these only happen once a year. Or do they? Call here if you want some help! Joanne Victoria
Aside from Christmas being the day that celebrates the birth of Christ, the Son of God, it is also about many other important things. Christmas is about celebration, gifts, joy, happiness, spending time with loving friends and family, food feasts, and celebrations. Christmas starts as soon as the Thanksgiving celebration is over. This means you have about thirty days to be kind and loving to strangers as well as those you know. We are nicer people at this time of the year, even if there are bouts of bah-humbug floating around. When someone bumps into us at the grocery store, we say, Oh, it’s Christmas! As if this is an excuse to be rude. Yet we are nicer around this time and more forgiving of anyone (mostly!) who seemingly offends us. We chalk it up to ‘It’s Christmas!’. If we can be nice, kind, and forgiving these days or so around Christmas, why can’t we expand this generous feeling to more days, weeks, and months of the year? There is no one stopping you from being loving and caring for the remainder of the year except you. You can let someone get in front of you in line at the department store, you can put a smile on your face, and you can treat people you know and those you don’t with loving kindness. So, start doing this now. Accept the fact that that driver is going to pass you and don’t rant and rave about it as you usually do. You can say, with heartfelt truth, ‘Have a great day! To friends and strangers. Yes, you can be kind and aware, and happy on days other than the thirty or so days that come between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can give the best parts of yourself to others anytime you want to. Start wanting to now. Joanne Victoria
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to live the life you want? Do you know what kind of lifestyle you want? As high school graduates, the decision may have been to go to college, or maybe work for a year to learn about the real world. What did you do? If you lived in the real world, were you able to go back to school, or did you continue to work? Maybe you traveled the world, in hopes of discovering more about yourself. In discussions with several people, most followed the path of least resistance: went to school, got married, got jobs, traveled, had babies, whatever was in front of them. With the only thought being, no one will tell me what to do. What was/is the price for this arrogance? Most people never think about what they want until it is almost too late. What does too late mean? Too late can mean that when your energy has dissipated, you look out the window and ask why bother? What is the state of your energy? Are you ready for a new adventure? Think about it. What have you always wanted to do, yet have not even researched? Start your research now. The only impediments to what you truly want to do are your thoughts. Who put them there? Society, mostly. Stop paying attention to what others think, say, or do. Remember, your dreams must be greater than your ability. Need help? Contact me here. Joanne Victoria
Years ago, when I was working as a seminar leader, one person who wanted to work with me, as a team member, had a yellow pad filled with goals. Each page had his handwriting on it. My first task was to tell him to shred the yellow pad. He could take three top goals to complete from the list, and work on those. I advised him that all his dreams could be reached with only these three goals and that most of what he wrote was just ‘stuff’. Of course, he was in shock and denial as he had meticulously written his life on a yellow pad. He did follow my directions and returned the completely shredded yellow pad to me in a large envelope. Over time, he completed his goals, discovered what he really wanted to accomplish in life, and proceeded to be a great success. Writing a huge goal list is something many people do. People do not realize that each goal requires its own to-do task list that can consume you. When you write your goals down, then write your to-do task list, you need to keep this as simple and easy as possible. Each day look at your task list and choose three items of High Value that you will accomplish on that day. Include on your High-Value list time spent on you. If you need a massage, add this to your High-Value list. If you have a doctor’s visit, add this to your High-Value list. If you go to the gym, add this to your list. Yet the bottom line is you only have three items on that list, no more, no less. The simpler you keep your life, the easier it will be to accomplish what you want. Some support for everyone is right here. Joanne Victoria
By now you know that I have produced many many podcasts with the title- The Sanity Project Podcast One piece of direction I provide to my listeners is to re-listen to the podcast with paper & pen and take notes. We miss a lot in a 25-minute podcast or a one-hour TV show or documentary. A second listen always helps. You may ask why a pen & paper? When you write something, you own the words. When you type, something, not so much. When you read, even less. and when you listen, hardly at all. Neurons are connecting from the hand to the brain and they work to reduce stress when you write by hand(pen!!) You will understand more and better. Why not!? Click here to listen to the podcast of your choice. Enjoy and talk soon! Joanne Victoria
If you want something, be it a raise at your job, a partner, better health, to be more spiritual, to start your own business, to be a better manager, be a better friend – the list is almost endless, you need a plan. If you want to end negative thought patterns, you are on the right track because you already are aware of what you are having! negative thoughts. You still need a plan. Awareness and focus are the first two steps. First be aware of what you want to change, make a step-by-step plan, then focus on those steps until you reach a place of satisfaction. Being aware is the first hurdle. If you don’t know what the hurdle is, you cannot jump over it. Sit quietly and think about what you want – it is always about what you want. Once you have thoughts, write them down, not on a computer or phone, but on a piece of paper inside of a notebook with dated pages. Date everything you write down in your notebook, so you can look at these early pages and track your growth. What I want is…fill in the blank. Write several of these in a list. Choose the least important item and focus on that. Once you achieve success, focus on the next least important, then upwards towards your biggest ‘want’. Enjoy the ride and write down your experiences along the way. Use these experiences as lessons learned. Be consistent. Find time every day to follow this path. Need help with your plan? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
Now is the time, if there ever was a perfect time, to design or redesign your Life Vision. Many of you have the time available to devote to this. Things change and now is a great time for your change to be defined. Without a Life Vision, you will have nothing to aspire to except the daily grind. You will dry up, burn out and your spirit will die. It is happening to many as I write this. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges. You go up and down the emotional scale, from joy to fear, just by reading the newspaper or watching the news online. Your Life Vision gives you a focus to help your imagination make possible what you thought was impossible. Vision helps you create a plan of action to achieve what you really want. You can also have a Vision for whatever business, practice, or service you provide. You just don’t know it yet, or maybe you do. Either way, you must redefine your original vision or imagine a new one. With a True-Life Vision, all your decisions are easily made, because all your decisions are in alignment with your Life Vision. It is not so much about a good enough Life Vision, but a Life Vision that is clearly visionary. Add these to your ingredient list as part of Your New Life Vision: ~ Where are you living? ~ How do you provide for yourself and your family? ~ What do you do for fun? ~ How do you contribute to your community? ~ Who do you spend your time with and why? These questions are just a few that need to be answered in your Life Vision process. Why not get a head start now? Need help? Contact me and set up an appointment here. Joanne Victoria
Learning comes from the strangest places and fear may stand in the way, however, courage is something we all have, even if only halfway. Partial courage is better than no courage at all. I learned many things from this adventure of courage; this is one reason I am here today. Learn from everything in your life, good and bad. Everything takes courage. Are you afraid of taking the next step in your life? As current times are shaky, to say the least, we may require a new direction to move towards. Fear, however, gets in the way of accomplishing many things from moving out of your home at a tender age to removing yourself from situations that may harm you to starting something brand spanking new. I recall an incident many years ago when, at the follow-up to a weekend retreat I was a part of, the workshop leaders asked for an Area Manager (MY area!) to be in charge of a new group. I was instantly excited, about what I am not sure of, but probably of doing something new and stimulating. I stood up in this large group and volunteered to be the Area Manager. But my fear took over and I invited another person to be my co-manager. Well, this was a shock to her and a bit to me as well. My fear kicked in and I didn’t think I could handle the unknown responsibilities involved. All this was in my head in a nanosecond. The person I chose accepted the co-manager position with me and yet never did a scrap of work during our tenure. I was afraid I could not handle the responsibility and live up to the standards exemplified by the workshop leaders. God had other plans and, as stated, I was the sole manager of this group, at least in actions, but not on paper. ‘Courage is moving forward even if you feel afraid.’ -Joyce Meyer Several months down the road, when it was time to replace myself as Area Manager, and after a surprisingly successful run, the powers that be of the workshop asked if both my co-manager and I were in sync about replacing ourselves. They generously reminded me that as co-managers, we were as one. I needed this other person’s permission to replace myself in this adventure! Wow! Did I just learn something about relationships and partnerships? I sure did. Suffice it to say all was handled well and we both moved forward, although in different directions. Keep on keeping on and take a breath the next time someone asks you to Volunteer! Have any leadership questions? Check here and let’s move forward. Joanne Victoria
I make homemade soup every week, especially during the Fall and Winter months. My soups vary, from chicken soup to lentil, pea, sweet potato, and a variety of other types of soup. What type of soup I create depends on my mood and what I have on hand. I always have vegetable and chicken stock, unsalted of course, as I add salt as I like not as others like. I usually buy organic carrots and celery as these ingredients are part of almost every soup recipe. I always have garlic and onions in the pantry and sometimes buy whole mushrooms that will go into certain soup recipes. Putting these recipes together does require focus – the chopping and slicing of veggies, for example as opposed to the slicing of one of my fingers! I add spices and they vary as well: very little if any salt, lots of black pepper, and the other choices could include cumin, thyme, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I also consider other additional vegetables to add in at the end after the soup has found its best taste – baby spinach or kale leaves for example. After cooking in either a crockpot or a top of the stove stockpot until done, which is very personal, I have to consider if I add cooking sherry or apple cider vinegar or just plain white vinegar to add the final pop of acid flavor. I do taste my soup as I add each ingredient, just to make sure the new ingredient works or maybe more needs to be added. If it is too much of one thing, I can always add more stock, probably vegetable stock, as this is relatively benign and will not change the base of the soup. My clients vary as well. Some require more salt than others; some need no salt at all. Each one is different and must be treated as so. That is my job, to discern the difference in personalities and what they need. The basics are there for every client, yet not everyone likes kale, so I have to keep that in mind! My soups are custom-made. My client’s recipes are different for a reason; everyone is different from one another. If a client likes canned soup, they can go to someone else who uses materials, thoughts, and ideas from other coaches. I don’t; that is why people come to me, to get that special, personal recipe just for them. Want to talk about your favorite soup? Click here. Joanne Victoria
The function is what a thing does. The purpose is why it does it. The function of life is to feel. Then the why is up to you. You can feel whatever you want; you cannot avoid this- however, you can choose the feeling. Feelings are energy. Energy is a magnet for life energy. How you feel about anything is a factor in the way you experience life (sometimes called perception). Everything you do, you do for feelings, either to achieve a certain feeling or to avoid certain feelings. Children (you, maybe) are born innocent, and vulnerable to abusive adults around them. Parents manipulate children to meet their own unresolved needs and children idealize their parents. No rejection ever goes unavenged. For example- a woman despises her father for whatever reason. She will seek to unburden herself by humiliating her son. The son grows up idealizing his mother – he then seeks revenge on other women Break the cycle. It is still pervasive. Look around. Forgiveness is a tool. Feelings are like the soul. We can handle any feelings we want to simply by being them. We have blocked our feelings because we are afraid of what we judge as ‘bad’. A Master channels the feeling he/she wants to have and then, has that feeling. Salvation is forgiveness. Your part is to be happy. You give but to yourself. Want to work with Joanne? Email her here and get real. Joanne Victoria
What is sacrifice? Definition: an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. People do not like to think they sacrifice one thing for another; they usually call it a trade-off; you seemingly are willing to trade off one thing for another. Every commitment requires some sacrifice, especially if you want to be successful. The types of sacrifice I am talking about are your pride and your security. In this instance, sacrifice means to give up something for something else you appear to want more. When you get that new job that you have been striving for, you may have to give up time with your family or commute long hours to get to that job. Time may be a sacrifice; time to go to the gym, hang out with friends, or even time to be alone with yourself. When you give up your personal and family time, your safety and security are affected. However, what can occur, is bitterness from a place you never knew existed because you are now out of your comfort zone. You may not have been aware that this is called sacrifice – a strong word – but the results will hit you in the face because you do not know where this pain is coming from. The pain as a result of your choices to better your life is because you never realized how important it is to do an inventory o your feelings before you make these decisions regarding changes in your life. Ask yourself how you feel when presented with this new opportunity. Ask yourself what must change in your life because of this opportunity. Be aware of your feelings and thoughts. Now you can move on without feeling bitter and afraid. ‘No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.’-Buddha Need help in determining what is a sacrifice? Joanne Victoria
Are you working more now and enjoying it less? Are you running out of time every day to complete your projects? Has your search for success become more meaningless and less rewarding financially? Have you stopped caring? You are in a stage of burnout. Acknowledge it and own it. You need help or at least to be able to help yourself. To simplify this conversation, burnout is about you and your work. Other uses of the word may represent precursors to burnout such as having a foggy brain, being angry, detachment in personal relationships, or even getting fat. Many studies say burnout is a thing. We ignore work burnout at our own risk. Some of my entrepreneurial clients work just as hard to avoid burnout as to stay in the fire and flames. Removing yourself from the burnout slide is a different type of work. If you are an entrant into the Field of Burnout, you need better than good coping skills. You must put yourself first, last, and always. Accept responsibility for who you are and what you do. Maintain your positive energy levels and remain optimistic. Create a strong foundation. As stress starts its way into your body, heart, and mind, another plan is about to go into effect. It all starts with you. When you find yourself tired all the time, then turning into a fire-eating dragon on the way to physical illness, it is time to just stop. Regroup yet do not quit. Quitting is way too easy. Stop if you catch yourself packing your suitcase and looking for a new place to live. When you have constant headaches, seek to isolate yourself (as if we need more reasons to quarantine) and feel empty inside, again, it is time to stop.
We’ve all seen it, the pretenders. They certainly run rampant on Social Media. You see people wearing these masks and then you speak to them, if you are lucky, and discover they are illusions of themselves. They are not real, they are following in others’ paths, allowing us to think or imagine that they’re very, very successful or equally as powerful. The truth then appears at a break in their persona. A word, a gesture, appears and you go ‘Whoa! What was that?’ – not what you expected. And I do say the word expected because people who attempt to force their personas or masks onto you for their own benefit, know that this is the persona you expect to see. And they gave exactly that to you. Bosses and leaders carry many personas. If only they could afford to be more authentic, we would appreciate their skills more. However, in many cases, we EXPECT them to have many masks and personas. It is expected in the society we have created. And when the supposed truth about who they really, truly are comes out, we are shocked, and yet, we are part of the game in supporting their personas. Any of us can be kind, strong, sad, and cranky without a persona. We can be genuine human beings and stop wearing any personas or masks to enjoy our lives. If you think you are the same person all the time, you are incorrect. If you do not acknowledge that you have at least one other persona, you will not understand how to blend these images. How many personas do you have? Do you have one for work, one for your family, yet another for friends, and then another for the parents of your kids? Who are you and who are you pretending to be? This persona, this mask that you wear may be beneficial or not. If you have a work persona that is different from your home mask, what is it and how does it help you with your peers and your boss? Or do you have a separate persona you wear when you are in direct contact with your boss? This may sound frivolous, however, we all have different personas. And yes, it can be confusing to others if they catch on. It can also be confusing to you, the one who holds the power over these masks. It must be exhausting to carry all these personas with you day after day. What if you could be only YOU each and every day? This act of masking is what many do to feel safe in different situations, mostly social. “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” — Kurt Vonnegut The fewer masks we wear, the closer we are to having more peace in our lives. Wouldn’t you like to live a life of truth and openness? Contact me here for some advice. Joanne
Spring is here (in most places) and you are still doing a lot – at your office, at home, and in your community. You are giving back to the world with as much energy as you can. Yet you still feel as if you are not worthy of all your efforts, not worthy of even being alive; you are ready to get back in bed and pull the covers over yourself. Why? Because you are completing these actions of giving back by rote, not from your heart. It is time to take note of who you are in this big wide world of ours. It’s back to listmaking. Create a list that includes how important you are to others at your business. What would they miss about you if you were not there? I believe you do not recognize the difference you make in peoples’ lives. You have a great sense of humor, you know your job and you have great relationships with these people. What is the real reason you feel uncomfortable? Do you not appreciate yourself? Are you comparing yourself to others? What about your home life? You continue to question what you bring to this part of your life. Do others in your family care about you? Do you care about yourself anymore? What can you do now? It’s back to basics here. Get a pad of paper, and a pen and find a quiet place. Now is time to write down your values and note what is important to you other than contributing to those at work and home. Personal values are fundamental and will support you as long as you believe in them. One of these values needs to be, must be, that you are worth it. It should be your first value, at least for now. Because it is true – you are worthy. Keep reminding yourself of this, with all your heart. Want to talk about your self-worth? Click here and let’s go! Joanne Victoria #blogpost #selfworth #values #work #owner #selfimportance #truth #padofpaper #fundamental #support
Your health and well-being are important to connect with others positively. You want a social network that you can depend on – people who will be there for you as you will be for them. If you feel burnt out from work, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and free yourself from the shackles. Do something good for yourself then focus on the work. Focus On Your Breathing – By focusing on your breathing, you allow the parasympathetic nervous system to relax. This will help to decrease your stress level and better manage your stress. Set Boundaries – When it comes to your work and home life, it’s okay to have boundaries. There’s no reason to bring your home with you and your home with you to work. Sometimes, it’s okay to have two distinct lives that don’t overlap. Your work fits into your life; your work is NOT your life! Take Breaks Often – It’s good to take five-minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes to clear your head, especially if you’re focused on one particular task. I also recommend changing tasks after the 45-minute mark. Ergonomic Setting– Create an ergonomic setting that includes a sit/stand atmosphere with your desk and chair. You can also add plants to the room to create a relaxing ambiance. Go for a walk – no membership required. No special apparel is required. You can walk as long as you want, however, to start, 20 minutes out and 20 minutes back. Find a quiet space that will soothe your nerves. Know that you are strong enough to have boundaries and your wisdom will prevail. Or we could chat here and discover new ways for you to handle your burnout. Joanne Victoria #walk #space #quite #joannevictoria #nomembership #boundaries #breathe
My instincts are always to persevere especially when I work with my clients. We sometimes hold space in the conversation and I have to wiggle my way through to find out what is being withheld, why it is being withheld, and help my clients move through it. In my wiggle room which can sometimes be very small, I see a ray of light. That ray of light most likely is focused on a long-held resentment or two. When I look at this withholding of resentment and discover they are angry with and resentful of it, the issue becomes clear; they barely know nor can they recall the story behind the resentment. I help them dig and dig and together, we find the source which is usually multi-layered. It can be amazing and frightening at the same time. There is a solution, there is always a solution, and in the above instances, the solution is forgiveness. Sometimes people don’t know what the solution means or represents because they do not know the source of forgiveness, the power of forgiveness, and the value of forgiveness I can tell you it has been proven universally that forgiveness works, forgiveness heals, and that healing brings happiness, joy, and peace. Inner peace. Copyright 2022 Excerpt from Joanne Victoria’s latest book, THE FORGIVENESS EXPERIENCE® Want help with your forgiveness plan? Contact me here and let’s talk about it. #forgiveness #solutions #perservance #heal #innerpeace #inneerpeace #joannevictoria #heal #happiness #joy #peace Joanne Victoria
The first person you can and should trust is yourself. Why do you not have any faith in yourself to complete a project, have a relationship, and be happy and satisfied? The sources of lack of trust are plentiful. The only solution is to start with yourself. You must take a leap of faith in this regard. Without trust in others, you may feel hopeless. Without trust in yourself, you may be hopeless. People who cannot trust are overworked, under-loved, and sad. If you do not trust your employees, your partners, your team members, your clients – what kind of a life are you living? You may be in constant stress and overload, waiting for nothing because, to have something change or improve, you have to trust someone. Give up the thought that someone is trying to harm you in any way, whether at work or in your personal life. This may be difficult, however, please try to look at others as you want to be seen; as a trustworthy individuals. Start asking questions of the people you have lost trust in. This can be the first step toward learning how to trust again. Ask them for advice on a specific topic, then follow it. Go back to that individual and say ‘Thank you!’ so the communication cycle is complete. This is a new beginning. Focus on what is working, not on any negatives. You cannot have any relationships without a sense of trust. In marriage or other personal relationships, if you do not trust your partner, the relationship may be doomed to failure. On your road to trust, always say ‘Thank You.’ A good many thank yous will take you a long way to success and trust. Celebrate your successes along the way and practice trusting yourself first, then others. If you have lost faith and trust in yourself, let’s chat and find a solution. Joanne Victoria #celebrate #faith #trust #focus #success #solutions #hopeless #thank you #communicate
Loving-kindness is a powerful tool. Use it with your breath and uncover how you feel about yourself. Are you worthy of loving-kindness? Yes, you are and so are the people in your life. Loving-kindness and compassion are close relatives. You deserve love. We all deserve love, especially you. The first and best person to love you is yourself. Weird, huh? You cannot love someone or anything else well unless you love yourself extremely well. Extend loving kindness to yourself at all times. This act will travel and encompass anyone you want, especially those close to you at home or work. What would happen in your life if you had a circle of love and kindness around you? It’s catching and others will feel that energy. Whether they recognize whether or not this energy comes from you doesn’t matter. Imagine how productive you will be when you are loved when you are cherished just for being yourself. Imagine the success you can achieve if you are loved, not wandering the desert seeking attention from others. Imagine how easy your life will be when you are loved, especially by yourself. Start now because you never know when you will need the feeling of love. Want help in loving yourself? Joanne Victoria #kindness #lovingkindness #loveyourself #cherishyourself #beproductive #circleoflove
If you say you are going to do something, then do it. If you say you will be there at a specific time, be there. A statement is a promise, especially if it is clear, that you will complete a task such as heading that meeting, bringing new information to the table, or taking your kid skiing. Many people seem to think that their word is fluid, flexible and that if they do change their mind, only to themselves, others will forgive them. Others may let it go by, but as in most things, three times and you are out. Out of the work meetings, out of the family dynamics, and out for that promotion. Don’t be the person others cannot count on. Your reputation will be tarnished, and no one will trust you. If someone says, ‘I’ll call you back at 3 PM.”, you expect that call at 3 PM. When you finally get together, the other person has loads of excuses as to why they were not available at the time they stated. Traffic, weather – the list gets longer each time they disappoint you. When people lose trust in you, you are by yourself, floating in the Universe, because no one will believe you when you next attempt to set up a time, date, or some commitment. They will not trust you. To avoid excuses, be accountable for what you say; get yourself a datebook or use any online app to keep notes, and be very, very humble the next time you break your word. To build trust is a step-by-step mountain climb, to maintain trust is to stay on top of that mountain. Want assistance in keeping your word? Click here and let’s talk Joanne Victoria #trust #keepyourword #commitment #disappoint #reputation #disappoint
I believe in forgiveness. I believe forgiveness will heal your body, your relationships, your issues at your job as well as your brain. Yes, your brain. Your frontal lobe, the cognitive area of your brain, is also the area of the brain responsible for problem-solving and morality, as well as higher functions of thinking and reasoning. When you are in a forgiving mood, this area lights up and is highly active. What could you do if this important part of your brain was working at top speed? You could solve problems efficiently, reason, make judgments, make plans and choices, take action, and generally control your living environment. A healthy frontal lobe allows you to be the human being that others want to be around; one without grudges and resentments. The frontal lobe also controls your voluntary muscles, muscles that allow you to throw a baseball, ride a bike, and jog. Your frontal lobe helps you in most social interactions. It helps you to figure out how to respond to others, how to understand what people are saying to you, allowing for critical thinking. All this from forgiveness. I think it’s worth it to forgive others, from your heart, to help your brain. Just so you know, I am not talking about Joe telling all of us that he tried to forgive Lorraine and she would not accept his apology. I am talking about quietly forgiving yourself..for whatever you did that may have hurt Lorraine and in turn, yourself. There is a distinction. Want help with forgiveness? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria #forgiveness #heart #brain #power #apology #morality #frontallobe #distinction #socialinteractions
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to live the life you want? Do you know what you want? As a high school graduate, your decision may have been to go to college, or maybe work for a gap year to learn about the real world. What did you do? If you lived in the real world, were you able to go back to school, or did you continue to work? Maybe you traveled the world, in hopes of discovering more about yourself. In discussions with several men and women, most followed the path of least resistance: went to school, got married, got jobs, traveled, had babies, whatever was in front of them. With the only thought being, no one will tell me what to do. What was/is the price for this arrogance? Most people never think about what they want until it is almost too late. What does too late mean? Too late can mean when your energy has dissipated, you look out the window and say why bother? Or you look out the window and see others doing similar work and you again you say, so why bother? I’m talking to YOU! Did you give up or give in? It’s that time to move forward and take the bull by the horns and move forward, yet again. Are you ready for a new adventure? You’re still alive, right?! Think about it. What have you always wanted to do, yet have not even researched? Start your research now. The only impediments to what you truly want to do are the thoughts in your head. Who put them there? Society, mostly; your family, most likely. Stop paying attention to what others think, say, or do. Release the patterns that are holding you back. Remember, your dreams must be greater than your ability; create some huge dreams. Then see how your life can change for the betterment of you and yours. Want help with your life changes? Click here and let’s chat. Joanne Victoria #dreams #newadventure #arrogance #toolate #society #family
You thought you could do this alone. It is possible, but it will use up all your skills, talent, and strengths. You will never have a good night’s sleep if you go it alone. You are about to start your own business. You need help and the time for help is at the beginning, if not before starting a business. You need a team of people to support your dreams. I will call this your Outer Vision Team. The Outer Vision Team is where real-world action takes place. Results come from this real-world action. Many experts will be grateful to be on your Outer Vision Team. What you have to do is determine who they are and if they are a good fit. First, you need a Mentor, someone who will ‘hold’ the dream for you. Second, everyone on your team must have values that are in alignment with your values and the values of this business. Third, know that you can have as few as three or four other people on your team. Too many cooks can spoil the broth, so keep it small and simple. However, I have expanded this list to possibly include one more member. Fourth, this is when you need the ability to trust others. How Do You Choose Your Outer Vision Team? Choosing team members is vital to manifest your Vision with a Capital V™. With the right Vision Team, you can implement the strategies necessary to stay on track. You also need someone to Challenge your ideas. As an entrepreneur, you think you know it all. The truth is, as the idea person, you may never question your idea or discuss how you can implement it. If you allow yourself to be challenged ever so slightly, you may be better able to reframe your idea, so it will become a powerful result. You may also require a Technical person, one who is more familiar with the web and internet than you are. It will save time. I know, you think you know as much as you need to about tech, however, you don’t. You are the Entrepreneur, not the tech person. I am adding a new member to your Outer Vision Team. This member is a genius in finance, negotiating prices and fees as well as what and how to charge for any services rendered by your business. I will call this person the Financial Genius! Again, your Mentor is key to not only holding your Vision but also to being objective as to the outcomes. You are in charge of your life. You can rewrite your life script any way you want. Your future will result from your imagination, from your desires, from your Vision with a Capital V™. Wrap your head and heart around this Vision. Believe that you deserve this great life. Take this opportunity to share it with others. Shout it out! You have successfully created your Vision with a Capital V™. Want assistance with this project? Click here and let’s chat. Joanne Victoria #challenger #outervisionteam #entrepreneur #financialgenius #mentor #IT #technical
We make countless decisions every day to move forward in our personal and business lives. Unfortunately, the need to make the correct decision often stops us in our tracks because of the many ‘What ifs’ that arise. 😲‘What if people get angry when I ask for a decision?’ 🥺‘What will people think of me?’ We all want to achieve success in our lives and in our work but are often uncertain of the best first step. We want certainty, which does not exist. When you encounter a new decision point in your daily routine, you can instantly evaluate it. Your instincts immediately trigger a response to your past experiences, education, or other lessons. This moment, if captured without your mind censoring it, becomes ☀️ your next right step. 😇This instant blip, what many labels as a hunch or feeling, instead reveals what’s real. People who experience this blip frequently recognize this feeling as the reality of the situation. Your ability to move through a situation as it occurs leads you to your next right step, and to achieve the task at hand. 💫Rather than quickly dismissing what you feel, tap into the power behind these strong thoughts. These thoughts are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bears powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next best step. Another step could be- this...click here… Joanne Victoria
We don’t know how to do everything easily and effortlessly, at least I don’t. There are times when I have to pay so much attention to details that the effort has wiped me out. Details are not my strong suit so it takes extra time for me to get them taken care of. When you are dealing with the side of your brain that requires a different kind of attention, not your strongest lead, it takes 100 times more energy from you. If you find yourself doing something that is not in your daily wheelhouse and you wonder why you are tired, you know what I mean. As a business owner, you probably have weaknesses. Maybe you don’t like to delegate anything to anybody. Or you have very little patience and like taking very big risks. Or you hate details and need someone to take responsibility for that part of your business. I am the Big Picture Creative, so I need someone on my Team who loves the details which is my opposite. That’s OK with me as it saves me loads of grief and tiredness trying to corral all the cats and kittens. Let me take responsibility for the crazy part, the Big Pictures where others may cringe in fear. I don’t cringe much especially if it is my idea! What about you? What are your weaknesses? As entrepreneurs we cannot do whatever we want to do in a vacuum. We need help, truly. Yes, there are some who choose to go it alone, however, they use up all their skills and strength. You also need someone who will Challenge your ideas; at least this tactic works with me. We all need someone who will look for the flaws in the ideas. The Challenger wants to know each and every reason to say No! The Challenger checks out all the weakness and flaws in the Creator’s ideas. The Creator will not do that as they think once the idea is mentioned, that’s the end. This is only the beginning. It is also good to get all the negatives out of the way upfront and we can be grateful to the Challenger for that. Do you have negatives in your Big Picture idea? Click here and let’s talk! Joanne Victoria
Humans can use their words if they want to. When a person does not feel well, sometimes they get grumpy and shrug their shoulders, and walk away. Humans can speak out about anything. Yet they don’t always do this. Humans could speak out about how they want more money, how they feel, what is bothering them, what their thoughts are, and many more things. The problem is, humans have this capability and do not always use it. One is left to wonder ‘What the heck is going on with Jane? Cause Jane is not talking. As long as we are more capable than cats and dogs in the speaking area, why don’t we speak up more, in a legitimate fashion? Not to whine about what is outside themselves, i.e., politics, gossip, and so on but who they are and why they are, and how they are feeling. Household animals, cats, and dogs specifically, cannot speak using verbal hints, but people can. It’s about time they asked for what they want. Want something and need help? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
Anger does some good in your life. It lets you know that you are alive. Long-term anger affects your nervous system, your liver, and your brain. You can become hypertensive, depressed, volatile, even forgetful. People become mean-spirited bullies and descend into disturbing acts. Not depressed, not laying around in bed all day, but alive. It is a beginning. A reminder – anger has a spectrum, going from irritability to rage. To create a plan to move away from angry people is the best tactic to take to save yourself. Rage does no one any good but being irritated or frustrated or dismissive or critical is still a sign that life is within. What can you do if you are feeling cranky, judgmental or anxious? Change your routine. People do not change; the outside circumstances do. Decide to change your patterns and habits to get out of the cranky rut. Get up in the morning at a different time each day for a week. This will help break the cranky groove in your brain. Eat lunch for breakfast and vice versa. Again, you want to create new, safe grooves in your brain, and in your body. Stay away from people who rub you the wrong way. If there is someone in your life that comes close to enraging you, end that relationship. If you can handle being polite and respectful, you are home free. You can do this. No one says (and who cares if they do) that you had to accept rage in your life. Need support in your rage discussions? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving, profitable life and business. A simple method to create this foundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning, and Benchmarking, the four cornerstones of your life as well as your business. Discovery is defined as examining where are you now and where are you going. It helps to look at everything as if you were a beginner. Always know why you are in the business of your choice. If your strategy is not clear, you won’t recognize the destination when you get there. This is the time to bring in your outside Vision Team. Vision is who you are about and what your life is about. This is where you determine values you need to experience on a continuing basis. Vision is also where you become an expert in your field and decide the purpose of your business. Remember, the smaller the niche, the larger the reward. Abandon any preconceived beliefs you have about this or any other business. They can restrict your thinking. Live out of this new vision, not your past comfort. Planning creates strategies that help you arrive at your destination. A simple system is to – Show Up, Be on Time, Keep Your Word and Tell The Truth. It’s like riding on that train, sometimes there are hills to climb; sometimes there are curves, and other times you’re flying rapidly down the mountain to your destination. In any instance, you must remain focused on what you want and where you are going. Benchmarking helps you stay on track. Once focused, you set up a system for accountability, self-management, and self-renewal. You can create goals or optimum wants that may be on the outer edge of possibilities or a goal that is far bigger than you think is attainable. Going into new territory can unlock your potential and increase your development. When goals or optimum results are achieved, you can acknowledge success and learn to be satisfied. Again, put it in writing; the goals, the results, and the acknowledgment. Rules require exceptions, so even if you follow the above and create a strong foundation, you must be prepared for chaos. Chaos can aid in your personal and business development if you have eliminated all toxic people or commitments from your life. Chaos can then become the opportunity to progress rapidly into new territory. You can be the architect of your own life. Build a strong foundation and you can always remodel. Joanne Victoria
You know how it goes. You put your heart and soul, maybe too much so, into a situation, and then the doubt sets in. Were you good enough? Should you have done more or even less? Who knows? Okay, maybe some people are just rude; chalk it up to that. But when they don’t even say Thank You! you begin to wonder. Well, stop the wondering. It is not up to them, it is up to you to decide you are worth it and if they don’t say Thank You!, the heck with them! The lack of a thank you is a road to Doubtville, right next to Whoville. The only way to avoid doubt is to have this absolute faith and trust in yourself. So, whatever someone does for you, even the slightest assistance, say Thank You! It is free for you yet makes the other person’s day. Every Thank You is your personal angel in the sky. We can always use more angels looking out for us. Believe and you can do anything. Trust is the key and I guess we all need to practice belief in ourselves. It worked for Bill Tapia. Despite his long life, Tapia did not record any music until 2004 when he put out his first CD at the age of 96. Bill had been playing the ukulele since World War One with people such as Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Elvis Presley. Bill drove his car until he was 100 years old when his eyesight started going. Bill died in his sleep at the age of 103, one month short of turning 104. Bill Tapia had great trust in himself and his skills. Hang in there! Need support in hanging in there? Click here. Joanne Victoria
Everything that happens to you happens in pursuit of your TRUE SELF calling. Instead of locking yourself up in your cage of fears and crying over past heartaches, embarrassment and failures, treat them as your teachers and they will become tools for your TRUE SELF Success. “A happy heart is good medicine”. Proverbs 17:22 TRUE SELF success is accomplished in many ways and I have chosen the simplest methods possible for you. First is a Sense of Humor. A great sense of humor will help heal your heart and put you on the path to your TRUE SELF Success. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Then take a break and laugh a little! Is success out of reach, at least for now? When you push too hard you place your body and mind under stress and strain. Start laughing now! Your TRUE SELF shows up when your endorphins are at an all time high. Once you learn to laugh, your nervous system allows your heart to relax and become happy, if just for a moment. Find things to keep you laughing and connect all these moments together. So, when does your TRUE SELF become synonymous with success? Where do you start? Review these tips: • Avoid thoughts of failure, because you’re not. How can others accept you if you can’t accept yourself? Self – acceptance is the key to finding your TRUE SELF. • It’s never about the money. Many very wealthy people are very unhappy. Self-acceptance is not just being skinny or earning enormous amounts of money. It’s about what is inside. • When others are down about themselves, help them move up. Don’t go down with them. They’ll pull you down further and both of you will end up feeling inferior. You cannot help people who do not want help. Always surround yourself with people who support your personal growth and your TRUE SELF journey. • The world is a classroom for lessons. Don’t feel stupid and doomed forever just because you failed on a school test or did not get that job. There’s always a next time. Make room for your True Self! Joanne Victoria
Do you sometimes feel that you are alone in your pursuit of business and personal success? How do you attract others to help you on your path to work and personal success? You’re not alone anymore and you probably never were. You did not reach out in a way that was successful. You can change that now. The Pushy for a Moment attitude discovers what works. Venture into the world and allow reality to support your efforts now. Move forward and cut frustration and time by opening up to new possibilities to uncover the requisite resources and information. People love to contribute to dreams; you just have to tell them how. Success develops when you inspire others to walk into your vision and provide the insight required to achieve what may seem impossible. How to inspire people to cooperate in your Pushy Moments: Communicate specific requests. If you don’t specifically ask for what you want, no one will ever know how to assist you. To motivate people, always respect their time and acknowledge their busy lives. In addition, when you respect a person’s time, they become more willing to collaborate in the future. Clarify your objectives, so they don’t have to think too much about how they can lend a hand. Stay focused with silent reminders that the objective is to discover how to accomplish the task. Create purposeful conversations around a specific task to accomplish right now. Choose the most pressing issue and ask support for only that specific need. As you take action, you’ll decipher the next action to complete. This provides clarity and specific support for your efforts from the person you asked backing from. Ask questions to deepen your knowledge. It’s okay to ask for clarification about the task at hand. Demonstrate your appreciation for others’ knowledge and experience by being pushy; then listen to what they share. If you don’t receive accurate information, simply further explore the ideas presented. Thank the person for their help and implement what you believe is the next right step. Allow everyone to freely contribute ideas and opinions. Recognize that it’s not important what others think of you or your task; it only matters what information they provide to you. Be mindful of any reactions by others, but do not judge them or defend your position. During Pushy for a Moment times, you don’t need others to like you, but merely to provide useful ideas and strategies to propel you forward. Follow your intuition about go-ahead signals. Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach new breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. Remove your obsession over ‘what ifs’. Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Unforeseen circumstances occur. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: Practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. We need not stand alone as entrepreneurs, business owners, authors or leaders in our pursuit of success. Learning to ask for help and support is vital in our lives. We need others to be there for us. Need help? Click here and let’s chat. Joanne Victoria
Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk and founder of the Engaged Buddhism movement, died today in his home country of Vietnam. He was 95. In his book, At Home in the World, published in 2016, Nhat Hanh addressed his inevitable death. He wrote: “This body of mine will disintegrate, but my actions will continue me… If you think I am only this body, then you have not truly seen me. When you look at my friends, you see my continuation. When you see someone walking with mindfulness and compassion, you know he is my continuation. I don’t see why we have to say “I will die,” because I can already see myself in you, in other people, and in future generations. Even when the cloud is not there, it continues as snow or rain. It is impossible for the cloud to die. It can become rain or ice, but it cannot become nothing. The cloud does not need to have a soul in order to continue. There’s no beginning and no end. I will never die. There will be a dissolution of this body, but that does not mean my death. I will continue, always.”
Is your life the way you want it to be? Have you ever spent the time to determine what your Life Vision is? Do you even care? If you do not care, that is very sad because over time you will become bored, boring and possibly depressed. If you have an outline of your Life Vision, you can follow it or do research that will take you to where you want to be. A Life Vision helps determine who you really are or who you want to be when you grow up. A very large Life Vision will expand your view of the world. Without a Life Vision, you will be in a very small stifled environment. The larger Life Vision you have for your life, the more opportunities will be presented to you. If you do not have a vision, you will accept what comes across your path. What comes in front of you, without any input or insights, may not work for you. This would be you settling for what life has to offer without accessing any of your dreams. A large Life Vison will inspire and motivate you to eliminate anything standing in the way of what you want, either professionally or personally. If you want to make the seemingly impossible happen, then you need a powerful Life Vision. Everyone needs a Life Vision – or else others, including bosses, co-workers, family, friends – will take control of your life. A Life Vision describes what you want your life to look and feel like, both personally and professionally, and how you can make this Life Vision come alive! Your Vision needs to be inspirational and energizing and in alignment with your Values. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges at home and at work. A great Life Vision gives you focus to help your imagination make possiblewhat you thought was impossible. What if you already have a Life Vision? If it is working for you, great. If not, think about redefining your Vision. Real Vision is about the dream – the Life Dream and the Work Dream. It is about the relationship you have with yourself, of how you see yourself. Time to start now! Joanne Victoria
How does one find Inner Peace in a stressful, busy, fast-moving world? 🙌 Be calm and peaceful for a bit and see how that works for you. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want and need. The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversation is about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. 🎀Another way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. Stop thinking all the time. Let nuances come forth from your feelings. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. ⌛️Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your life requirements easier and you will have a better home and work life because you will be there in total, without distractions. If you want more focus and clarity, please click here. Joanne Victoria
Your True Calling isn’t just your next career move or trying to figure out what you want to do as a hungry entrepreneur. Sure, these all may be pieces of the overall puzzle, but your True Calling goes much deeper… 🙌 It’s all about discovering why you exist. Your main purpose in life. Your reason for getting up in the morning. Once you can tap into this creative and inspiring state of being, you’ll quickly find that opportunities will open up for you in a number of unexpected ways. I’m living proof that someone can leave an entire life behind and create an even better life (and career) from scratch. 😍All that’s necessary is the right mix of passion, desire, faith, action, and a little help. But trust me, my journey hasn’t been a perfect one by any means. I’ve had my fair share of self-doubts, disappointments, setbacks and feelings of failure. Not even the latest and greatest self-improvement books helped me (and there are some great ones). 👆What I figured out along my path to success was that success isn’t a straight and narrow path. But when you can discover your own True Calling – not only is it a huge release and a fantastic feeling of freedom – but it’ll allow you to prosper in just about every area of your life. Never ever give up because you don’t know who will fall back and lose. Want more clarity and focus? Let’s talk here. Joanne Victoria #True Calling #livingproof #pathtosuccess #passion #faith #action #help
Are you willing to say you did the best you could in this past year? Even if you are not, do it anyway. To go into another day, month, or year without acknowledging and accepting that you did your best will leave you with untold pain. Determine what you learned in this past year, good or bad, and decide what you will carry with you as lessons newly learned or those relearned. Accept yourself as you are right now. This action will only make your journey into the New Year easier to travel. Life can be difficult all by itself; it does not need you harboring negative thoughts from the past, let alone this past year. Do your best right now because that is all you can do. Your best is good enough. Lift a glass and retire 2021 with all its good and bad experiences. Onto the next! Happy New Year! Joanne Victoria
Reflect on where you’ve been and what you have accomplished this past year. – Harvest the lessons from the past – Complete any loose ends – Celebrate your successes It is time to take inventory of this past year of your life. To take inventory is to confirm what you have accomplished, what needs doing, and what requires completion. You may not want to go back and review 2021, however, in order to maintain your sanity and move forward, this is a vital step. First, what did you learn this past year? I mean truly learn. I will bet you discovered new strengths about yourself and have been able to maintain a new sense of purpose in your life. I will also state that you achieved new successes this past year. What were they? Make a list of them and refer to them if you ever feel yourself dissembling!! This list of successes is now part of your DNA, part of a new way of thinking and acting. Want some help saying good bye to 2021? Click here and let’s talk! Joanne Victoria
You know you have much to be thankful for today. If you are reading this, you have some sort of electronic device that allows you to do so. Be thankful for that device. Be thankful for the eyes and ears to read this Christmas message. Whether you are walking or sitting in a chair, you are healthy enough to be thankful for your life. Show appreciation for others in your life and how you each contribute to these relationships. Keep it a simple, stress-free day as much as possible. Merry Christmas! Joanne Victoria
The Pacific Northwest greets the Winter Solstice!! This is the time when I start adding one minute per day to the clock of daylight! More light, less aggravation – even if it is gray! Welcome Winter solstice! Click on the link below to learn its story. Thanks, Joanne Victoria https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/2021/12/19/61bf57dc46163f7e1a8b45bc.html
Do you sometimes, when all your doubts, fears, and insecurities wrap you up, always come up with the idea of “I wish I was somebody else.”? More often than not, you think and believe that someone, or rather, most people are better than you – when in reality most people are more scared than you! You spot a totally well-dressed beautiful woman sitting by herself at a party, casually sipping on a glass of champagne. You think to yourself, “Wow! She looks so calm and confident. She seems to have it all together.” But if you could read her thoughts you might just be amazed that she’s thinking, “Are people talking about why I am seated here alone? Maybe I should have stayed home. Do I look OK? Do I fit in?” You look at a successful business entrepreneur and say, “Wow…what else could he ask for?” He stares at himself in the mirror and murmurs, “I don’t have enough money … I wonder why my friends won’t talk to me… Is this how I really want my life to be? Isn’t it peculiar? You look at other people, envy them for looking so outrageously perfect and wish you could trade places with them, while they look at us and think the same thing. You may suffer from low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and lose hope in finding your TRUE SELF because you are surrounded in quiet desperation. I know someone (don’t we all) who never gets tired of talking. In most conversations, she is the only one who seems to be interested in the things she has to say. So all of your other friends tend to avoid the circles whenever she’s around, and she doesn’t notices how badly she became socially handicapped – gradually affecting the people in her environment. Maybe she needs a little help. One key to finding your TRUE SELF is to listen and talk to a trusted friend or Life Coach. Find someone who you feel comfortable in opening up to with even about the most gentle topics you want to discuss. Be ready to open up your mind and heart in order to improve your TRUE SELF. If you even think you want to work with me, please click here and let’s move forward. Joanne Victoria
Be calm and peaceful for a bit and see how that works for you. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want and need. The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. How does one find Inner Peace in a stressful, busy, fast-moving world? One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversation is about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. Another way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. Declutter your desk, closets as well as your garage. Throw away any piece of paper you don’t need. Sell your clothes on eBay or give them away to Good Will. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your life requirements easier and you will have a better home life because you will be there in total, without distractions. Joanne Victoria
What we all need now during these interesting times as well as the Holidays is patience. Your family wants to go look at all the Holiday lights on houses, you want to sleep. Your Mom and Dad wonder when they are going to see you again, maybe at Christmas? Your friends (mostly the single ones) want you to come out and play. Your partner wants your help with wrapping presents, putting up the tree, and spending time with them; you still need that nap. Your client wants your project done, now! The traffic has gotten worse if that was even possible. The weather is dark and gloomy; or even filled with unforeseen snow. Everyone is in a bad mood; rushing at the last minute to get others’ gifts. You still need that nap. It is time to practice patience. Forego anger or petulance; it will do you no good. Find a bit of quiet space (car? bathroom?) and breathe deeply. Know that everyone appreciates you; they are just following the holiday chaos. Breathe, look yourself in the mirror and resolve to do your best. After all, times like these only happen once a year. Or do they? Spend some sane tiem with me here. Joanne Victoria
To reinvent any part of your life means you need freedom. This freedom only works if you have the time and space to stop. In order to reinvent yourself, you need to know who you are now. You also need space to create your future self. A while back, after I fired a client, I found I was exhausted. This depletion of energy was nothing I had ever experienced before. I checked in with myself and decided I needed a break, time off to heal from my experiences with this past client. Clarity came after I slept, prayed, and wrote in a journal. My tiredness was all my responsibility, not the clients. Bottom line was, I realized I was more concerned with the client’s business than the client was. I do not make these mistakes anymore. What about you? Do you take on another’s work along with your own? You need relief from the ordinary, unpleasant tasks life includes. You need time. You need focus, You need to determine what you are doing that is no longer relevant or rewarding. Decide what you no longer want to do, what takes up your precious time. You need a plan to help you choose what no longer works in your life and decide what it is you truly want to do. So, it goes. Freedom and independence to choose, time to make changes, and room for all these changes to grow. This is part of what it takes to reinvent yourself. Need help with this reinvention? Click here, follow the directions, and then contact me. Joanne Victoria
Running a profitable business is like having major surgery, you can’t do it alone. You cannot do whatever you do in a vacuum. It is easier to define, create, and implement if you have someone else on your team. If you were having major surgery, you would have the surgeon, anesthetist, nurses, and hopefully your family on your team. How to Choose Your Team To begin with, choose someone who thinks the way you do, has a big vision as you do, and can bring their expertise to the table. You and your business will move further and faster. If you are interested in joining a Master Mind group, start your own group. Just don’t do it alone, anymore. Choose wisely! You are the average of the people you spend time with the most; you know this. Love your friends and if you want to think big, you need to spend time with people who take risks and talk big and implement big ideas. Work with a mentor, hire a coach, and network only with people who are in alignment with your way of thinking. If you do create a Master Mind group, create one that meets once a week. We all need an outside, objective resource who is as passionate as you are about your work. There are many ways to Master Mind. You could join social networking groups, chat briefly with someone once per week or per month, have coffee with peers, or attend networking groups. In any event, spend time with people you admire and trust. You will never be alone if you choose your peers wisely. Want help in choosing team members? Click here and let’s have a chat. Joanne Victoria
As a business owner, any day can bring surprises, not all of them are good or even great. There may be days that you just want to pull the blanket over your head or fly to a sunny location. You may feel trapped by your busy schedule, your beliefs, and your own business . What can you do that will inspire and motivate you to get up and look forward to your day? One is to have your Vision with a Capital V. A Vision with a Capital V is bigger than a goal. A Vision can be as big as you want it to be. It is about your impact on the world and your community at large. The other is to have a system. If you have a plan you will have results. If you do not have a plan, nothing may happen. Most successful small business and professional practice owners and business leaders have a system. In fact, they may have several systems. A system helps keep you focused, moves you forward, and enables you to achieve outcomes. Daily Dream Business System Systems are vital to help keep you focused and organized. The Daily Dream Business System is probably the number one focal point to help keep your eye on the prize. For those of you who may have long to-do lists, completing only three tasks per day may seem insufficient-give it a try anyway. Why only three tasks per day, you ask. What you are doing with three tasks is to leverage your information. You get to choose three daily tasks of High Value, principally wrapped around time, money, and energy. Daily Dream Business System activity examples: What three tasks of High Value will you do each and every day to help you achieve your business dream? Every Morning- Ask yourself the following: What am I doing today to move me towards my Dream Business? Morning Example of HIgh-Value Activities: >I will write a new article. >I will create a list of 10 tweets to post this week. Spoke with 2 new prospects. >Attended Zoom networking meeting. >Outlined one new article. These extraneous completed tasks may not be what you wanted to do; however, you did complete them. As a reminder, start each day as a new day. Do not carry your other tasks forward to the next day unless you want to! Consistency over time is the key. Apply these principles and you will improve in your business and your life. Need some clarity? Contact me here and let’s talk! Joanne Victoria
Many people think you have to have to be stressed out to be creative. That is not the truth. The more relaxed you are the greater possibility that you will have creative and other breakthroughs even though Artificial Intelligence is looking to be the next thing (or current thing) as far as creativity is concerned. AI may be good for taking over the data-heavy load, however, creativity is still in the human wheelhouse. This means we, as humans, unless a robot is reading this, have to step up and BE creative!! Creativity supposedly comes from many aspects of the brain; those who know will argue for this perspective. I think creativity comes when you (and I!!) are more relaxed and we stare out a window or walk in the park or put our feet in the ocean. Creativity under stress is when the owner/boss asks you and several other employees to get in a room, either with the boss or a consultant and are given ‘creativity’ exercises. These exercises are good for one person only and that person is not you. There are some tactics that will work for you and your creativity. One, take a very long shower and try not to think about anything. Have a paper & pencil or your phone handy after you get out. Then capture all those thoughts that will come pouring out of you. Write them all down, no matter how weird they may sound to your sensible brain. Second, read a book, preferably a mystery. Focus on who the antagonist is and how he/she gets away with all they do. You will find that many mystery/thriller/spy writers know the human brain and mind enough to be amazingly duplicitous and extremely creative. Third, adapt. Move a bit to the left or right and view old thoughts and ideas in a new and different way. Literally, take a few steps either way and explore. Determine what is wrong with your original thoughts and ideas and see how they now work in the world. Get your free gift here and be even more creative! Joanne Victoria
Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving, profitable life and business. A simple method to create this foundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning, and Benchmarking, the four cornerstones of your life as well as your business. Discovery is defined as examining where are you now and where are you going. It helps to look at everything as if you were a beginner. Always know why you are in the business of your choice. If your strategy is not clear, you won’t recognize the destination when you get there. This is the time to bring in your outside Vision Team. Vision is who you are about and what your life is about. This is where you determine values you need to experience on a continuing basis. Vision is also where you become an expert in your field and decide the purpose of your business. Remember, the smaller the niche, the larger the reward. Abandon any preconceived beliefs you have about this or any other business. They can restrict your thinking. Live out of this new vision, not your past comfort. Planning creates strategies that help you arrive at your destination. A simple system is to – Show Up, Be on Time, Keep Your Word and Tell The Truth. It’s like riding on that train, sometimes there are hills to climb; sometimes there are curves, and other times you’re flying rapidly down the mountain to your destination. In any instance, you must remain focused on what you want and where you are going. Benchmarking helps you stay on track. Once focused, you set up a system for accountability, self-management, and self-renewal. You can create goals or optimum wants that may be on the outer edge of possibilities or a goal that is far bigger than you think is attainable. Going into new territory can unlock your potential and increase your development. When goals or optimum results are achieved, you can acknowledge success and learn to be satisfied. Again, put it in writing; the goals, the results, and the acknowledgment. Rules require exceptions, so even if you follow the above and create a strong foundation, you must be prepared for chaos. Chaos can aid in your personal and business development if you have eliminated all toxic people or commitments from your life. Chaos can then become the opportunity to progress rapidly into new territory. You can be the architect of your own life. Build a strong foundation and you can always remodel. Get your fr^ee copy of 5 Steps to Achieve Life-Work Harmony, an important aspect of a great Vision and supports your Foundation Steps. Joanne Victoria
Confidence is about how you think and is more important than you may believe. Confidence is not based on the ability to succeed at something; confidence is based on your thoughts and beliefs. Confidence is based on the beliefs that you now have. If you believe in your abilities to accomplish something, that is confidence. Your beliefs determine what actions you take. If you believe you are NOT confident, this can be changed by using tools and techniques that reopen another groove in your brain; the scientists call this neuroplasticity. You can make yourself confident. Really. Let’s look at the power of confidence. We never know when this power – confidence – will pop up. And confidence is a powerful tool and a blessing. If you are committed to something happening and it concerns your actions, of course you will be confident. You may not appear confident with your business if you kowtow to what everyone else wants instead of speaking your mind. An ingredient of confidence is taking a stand about your beliefs. Of course, only the beliefs you are willing to share. As a matter of fact, acting on your beliefs could be sufficient; you do not necessarily need to announce your beliefs. You know what I mean. What about making mistakes? We all make mistakes; however, it is the confident person that can own up to it. Do you accept compliments gracefully? If you do, you are confident. If you dismiss the compliment and say it was no big deal, you are denying your confidence. In order to be consistently confident, you may need a little focus. Click here for further insights. Start with yourself, first and always. Joanne
It is obvious that your sanity is at risk; you are not alone. Sanity in this context refers to sound mental health; to behave in a normal and reasonable manner. You know who you are. Sit down for a minute or two or ten, take a breath, be calm and peaceful, and see how that works for you. This peacefulness you experience can be with you throughout any day. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want, and need. Even and especially during these challenging times. The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. How does one find Inner Peace in a stressful, busy, fast-moving world? One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversations are about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. Another way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. De-clutter your desk, closets as well as your garage. Throw away any piece of paper you don’t need. Sell your clothes on eBay or give them away to Good Will. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your work requirements easier and you will have a better home life because you will be there in total, without distractions. I have some thoughts about Inner Peace and sanity. If you want to discuss them, chat with me here. Joanne
Ignore when you hear this phrase: ‘Forgive and Forget’. I do not think that forgetting is about forgiveness; remembering, from time to time, what you experienced, can be turned into a lesson. The lesson is a way of learning if you are in school; life is your current MBA. This happened and now I can learn from it. Not this happened, now I can take revenge on that person and make their life miserable. It is time to look at the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is about not holding on to righteousness, not wishing the other harm. It has nothing really to do with the other individual or event, the one you need to forgive, the one you need to let go of. It’s all about compassion, for yourself and everyone else. In Buddhism, compassion is about not wanting the other person to suffer. However, you have to look to yourself first. “According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone — but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and loving-kindness.” With this being said, compassion for yourself is tantamount to your inner and outer peace. Are you bitter about someone or something that happened in your life? Forgive the person or persons involved, forgive yourself for participating in the event, and move on. Take yourself out of the prison you have created by holding on to a grudge; forgive them over and over again until all the energy on this individual and event is neutralized. Still having a difficult time forgiving? Let’s talk for a bit here. Joanne
It is difficult to be at peace if you are suffering which means you are in a negative space. Negative emotions are the result of labeling. It goes directly to your fears. Your fears are both real and not real. Real because you are attached to them, are holding on tight; not real, because you made them up. If you have a desire that your life today is not like your life ten or more years ago, you suffer. You are clinging to the past which incurs more suffering. Your past is gone. Your life is today and your life tomorrow will be different yet again. Don’t cling to what might have been, how you may have looked better twenty years ago; this part of your life is over. You are you today. Enjoy your life, your work, just as it is today. Life-Work Harmony is about peace. When you are at peace with yourself, you will make choices that easily work for you. You sometimes think if you get a different job, choose a different partner, lose weight, your life will change. All you are doing is thinking that if you get rid of or change something about yourself, you will be happier or more at peace. This will not work. Listen to these thoughts as they come up, briefly, without judgment, then let them go. Let go of holding on to thoughts that will never change your life. It is the holding on, the grasping, the huge desires you have that will interfere with your sense of peace, therefore you will not have any life/work harmony. If you would like more clarity on your choices, please click here. Joanne Victoria
Even though you work hard all day whether you are an entrepreneur, contractor, executive, or business owner, you still need to take care of yourself. You need to get your haircut, eat and wear clothes and spend time buying, preparing, and driving to different locations to get this done. More hours on the freeway of your choice. Of course, this all depends on where you live and restrictions you may be limited by; however, you know what I mean. You do have options. If you like to cook, you need to shop for groceries. Or you can have groceries delivered to your home or pick them up in the parking lot of the store. Or you can have someone make your meals weekly in advance, store them in your refrigerator, and you are set. Or you can have meals in a box delivered to your home two or three times a week and handle it that way. This all takes a great deal of time, the time you can use for other things, such as yourself. As for buying new clothes, you can order clothes in boxes from various companies, choose and pay a reasonable price for what you want to keep and return the rest. You can also purchase multiples of clothes you do like because sometimes what you like today will not be there tomorrow. Multiples of jackets, leisurewear, blouses, shirts, slacks, sweaters; all available online. You can have someone come in and clean your home or apartment once per week to keep up appearances and keep your mind clear. Yes, you are spending money. The money you are spending is not much more than you would normally spend on food and clothing and now you have time which is not purchasable. Time to spend on yourself, your friends, your family. Time to meditate, to walk to exercise, to go within and find peace. Time for some harmony in your life. Need more peace in your life? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
You are what you do, not what you say or what you think; what will you do next to get what you want? You need a plan and all plans need to be in writing. I like to start on paper, then go on the computer. On paper, you squiggle, make notes, until something cohesive comes into your thoughts. Let these thoughts prevail. It may be different than what you originally wanted, yet these new thoughts are concurrent with your heart’s desire. Your heart’s desire rather than your logical mind is important to pay attention to. You may have negative thoughts from the gremlin on your shoulder, however, maintain your clarity and focus on what you want, not what your brain says to do. You will then design the plan that will get you there, all from your heart. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. When a challenge occurs, immediately ask yourself what’s the intent behind the next action you’ll take. Do you want more information? Do you want to move the process forward? Do you need additional resources? Clarity of purpose makes it easier to choose your next relevant action. Need a little help clarifying your heart’s desire? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
Most people are under the mistaken impression that workplace burnout is a natural part of the work/life relationship. They feel it’s normal to be stressed out and overextended on a regular basis. In fact, a nationwide survey looking at American society’s behaviors and attitudes noted that half of the respondents were always tired because of being overworked. 20 years ago, it was just 18 percent; now, after a pandemic, 54% of workers and business owners are reaching burnout. It would appear that most people see the attainment of harmony in the work/life relationship as nearly impossible. Nearly, but not totally, impossible. In the past, the word “burnout” only applied to people in certain fields – police officers, firefighters, social workers, paramedics, and healthcare workers. Today, the term has been expanded and now encompasses most occupations especially those that are hyperactive, connected, and overcompensate for whatever reason. Occasional burnouts are normal – everybody feels burned out by their job. A writer may feel burned out with writing articles after they’ve been doing it for hours upon hours with no substantial break. It’s a major health problem. People have succumbed to the notion that always moving means being productive but it’s a dangerous fallacy. It’s not easy to recognize signs of burnout, which many see as a failure of doing everything. It’s not a failure; it’s a chronic disease. What Are The Common Burnout Signs To Watch For? When a person is stressed out, they may become easily angry or violent toward their loved ones and co-workers. They may not have the appetite to eat or care for themselves. They may not have any motivation to do the things they used to do. Constantly being stressed out is hard on the body – not just physically, but emotionally too. What are some burnout signs you need to be mindful of? You’re constantly feeling sick or drained of energy, are nauseous, and have little appetite. Your boss, business partner, or colleagues don’t appreciate your efforts, or you feel withdrawn from them. You’re always calling into work or are on unnecessary Zoom calls. People who are overworked will frequently not pay careful attention to their job. They have a lot of problems seeing eye-to-eye with co-workers and business partners and may even exhibit aggressive tendencies toward them. Anyone who complains they’re burned out from their job or business is deemed as being weak and unable to hack it. Since America is bad about glorifying stress and anxiety, people tend to stay silent and do the job despite the stress they face. They don’t want to be seen as less than the best. How You Can Recover from A Work Burnout If you can take some time away, then do it. However, if it’s just not possible, consider the following: Focus On Your Breathing – By focusing on your breathing, you allow the parasympathetic nervous system to relax. This will help to decrease your stress level and better manage your stress. Set Boundaries – When it comes to your work and home life, it’s okay to have boundaries. There’s no reason to bring your home with you to work. Sometimes, it’s okay to have two distinct lives that don’t overlap. Take Breaks Often – It’s good to take five-minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes to clear your head, especially if you’re focused on one particular task. Ergonomic Setting– Move! Create an ergonomic setting that includes a sit/stand atmosphere with your desk and chair. You can also add plants to the room to create a relaxing ambiance. Another way to reduce your work stress is to work remotely. Getting out of the office and working somewhere quiet for a time will often spark your creativity. You could also spend time outdoors, enjoying nature. Or, you could break away from it altogether and just spend some quality time with someone you care about or who cares about you. This is the most effective treatment for burnout. Your health and well-being are necessary to connect with others in a positive way. You want a social network that you can depend on – people who will be there for you as you will be for them. If you feel burnt out from work, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and free yourself from the shackles. Do something good for yourself, then focus on the work. Need help with your burnout issues? I have some thoughts that may help you. Click here and let’s chat. Joanne Victoria
In order to work successfully with others and their varying degrees of emotions and life dramas, you would be wise to have harmony in your own life. When you have a balanced harmony of body, mind, and spirit, others’ issues will roll off your back. You will have no need to become engaged in others’ dramas except to offer your mindful and quiet support. In order to act on your compassion, which in my view is not wanting others to suffer, you need to derail your own suffering. More inner balance and harmony are the best and easiest ways to do this. You can treat your body to good eating, healthy walks or exercise, and read good books to boost your confidence. If you are in personal harmony, you will be stronger than those around you and able to give more to theirs, if only to give an example of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. Your mind will be in harmony if you meditate, or just take quiet time for at least twenty minutes per day; more if you can. Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. As long as this leads to body, mind, and spirit harmony, you will be able to sidestep any big drama at work on your team, and with clients. Give it a try. Harmony implies peace, cooperation, and understanding. Start with yourself, first and always. You can always ask me a question or two here. Joanne
Being normal. What’s that all about? I did the good girl two-step for a long time. Husband, children, house, then…a divorce. Everyone was mystified. “Wasn’t he a good provider?” “My goodness, no one else in the family has ever had a divorce!” Truth be known, I was stifled (and abused, but that’s another story). I tried to fit in with my parents, in school with friends, but it never worked. Getting married was my way out. Well, I went from the frying pan into the fire. I was not normal, obviously, if I couldn’t follow the plan, the one laid out by someone else. I was called “dramatic,” yet no one could tell me what that really meant. No one could tell me anything about my spirit, my so-called “dramatic” moments, and myself. I was different, and not in a good way. I was left out of many adventures because people could not label me (other than the drama!) nor could they be comfortable with my points of view. I solved the problem by leaving. It was difficult, to say the least; however, I did everything I could under the eyes of an extremely watchful husband and parents to get out! And I got out. About two miles away. It took a little more time to move three thousand miles away. Since I was emotionally bankrupt and had never been taught how to deal with issues such as these, I was not really stunned, just shut down. However, my motherly instincts and my trusty intuition prevailed (although I did not know what intuition was at that time); and with God’s angels watching over me, I left on the continuing adventure of finding out what being normal was. I moved to a place where I knew no one, had very little money, no car, no job, no place to live, no furniture, and three kids, one cat, twelve pieces of luggage, and the strength and courage only God could provide. The dilemma was that old saying so aptly describes: “Wherever you go, there you are.” Although my emotional abandonment issues still prevailed, my need to provide for my children was overriding. Lo and behold, even these new people thought I was “different”! What was this all about? The label followed me wherever I went. I hit many bumps and boulders along the way. I had to be strong to take care of my kids. Yet there was no real joy for me. Moments of happiness filtered in, or so I thought. I still wondered what was going to happen to me. Notice the word, happen. I did not even have the ability to think I was in charge of anything. I was a workaholic. This working habit kept me occupied so I could not see the truth. However, no one ever trained me to see anything, let alone what was true for me. So I blundered along and events occurred that made me feel a wee bit powerful. A friend invited me to present a seminar appropriately title: “The Anger Workshop.” I discovered I liked being in front of the room and helping people overcome limiting beliefs. I was unaware that I was experiencing many of these same symptoms. I continued for years designing and presenting seminars to large and small groups. All my presentations were well thought out and pragmatic, although they elicited quite an array of emotions from the participants. Some events failed. The failure was not in the content but in no-shows. I figured it was something I did wrong. I had no one to turn to because to do so would let people know I was probably incompetent. Whatever was going wrong had to be my fault. These adventures took their toll and I stopped helping people in this manner. I turned back to business, which I thought I knew well. I combined both my interpersonal teaching skills and my business skills, thinking this has to work for me as well as them. Again, success and failure, failure and success. No joy there either, just momentary sparks of laughter. I now know it was a lack of confidence. Then I was introduced to a new way of thinking to discover who I really, truly am. The event was close by and I was immediately in the thrall of not only the event but also the presenter I sat in the back of the room vibrating in my chair. I discovered why people called me dramatic or different. It wasn’t drama; it was creativity! Well, maybe a little drama there as well. My family of origin had no creativity that I can recall. That is why I was looked upon as different. Thank the powers that be! I discovered so much about myself—how I had sublimated my creativity and emotions, why I was tired all the time (staying too long in the sometimes exhausting side of my brain), and why there was very little joy in my life. Soon after completing this seminar, I was called out of the blue by the local newspaper to write a business article! I had never written before even though others thought I should. I had little confidence in my ability and less in my writing skills. The next thing I knew, I was asked to write an article a week for publication in a local newspaper every Friday. I sat down every Wednesday and wrote an article. My first article still stands as an ‘evergreen article’, good for a very long time. Next, I decided to write a book. I was lucky (another angel?) to find the right book coach for this huge step. I just kept moving, writing articles, letting my folders pile up on the floor and on my desk. I was happy. I was a creative person! I went on to write six more books, numerous articles, as well as content for my new website and business. Now I work with leaders, entrepreneurs if you will, who also need to know their True Calling to unleash the power of their minds in order to make a greater global impact, have more fun, and be more successful. My business, The Joanne Victoria Group, is built on a foundation of strategic business thinking and intuitive guidance, along with an integrated whole-brain approach. I now know that being normal is what I am, a creative person with a different point of view. I do not need anyone else’s approval for my distinct approach. I just trust and have faith that I am on my path and the angels will show up to support me.
Everyone around you is a part of your success. I have had many mentors in my life and their generosity towards me, without asking anything in return except my own success, was received with much appreciation and love. As the leader in your own life as well as at work, if you provide the authority along with the responsibility for your workers’ ideas, you have then given them your generosity of spirit, generosity of your heart. To be generous is not about giving others money nor is it about charity. Generosity is about the giving of yourself, your heart, your talent, your willingness to help someone who needs if from you. If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, at work or at home, this is an act of generosity. How many times lately have you backed off of someone’s actions and done just that? You do not know all of how others feel and act, so it is in your and other’s best interest to give them the benefits of your doubt. Time is a great part of generosity. The time you give others is precious, whether it be at work or with your family. Spending time with yourself is a gift you give yourself as well. Who knew that if someone supports you with knowledge, that this is a form of generosity? It is and we should, yes, should, do it on a more consistent basis. Being accountable to others for what we do and how we do it is also a gift. Have you been generous with others lately? Maybe it’s time to be generous and it will come back to you. The more you give, the more you get. Want to talk about generosity from the heart a bit more? Contact me here and let’s go. Joanne Victoria
With what is going on in most of your lives, worry is part of the mix. However, worry itself is not as difficult to overcome as you may think. It has been established that 85 percent of what people worry about never happens. Never happens!!! And the other 15 percent that did happen, about 80 percent of those individuals discovered that they could handle whatever came up or they learned a lesson they otherwise would not even be aware of. The numbers then go this way: 97 percent of what you worry about is not much more than your fearful mind punishing you!!! That’s why there is a saying that goes something like this: 99 percent of what you worry about never happens. Your mindset is fractured. Your worrying, your exaggerations about things, your misperceptions are crushing you. Is this decision to worry about any and everything your first choice, your go-to? Then you have a problem that needs a solution and it is to not worry. When you spend your time worrying, the stress hormones shrink your brain, lower your IQ, make you prone to heart disease, and cancer as well as premature aging. There’s more, but why worry about it. When you find that your worrying leads to no outcomes, plus or minus, then you get angry. Anger at least has some basis in reality. How does anger work for you? Does anger help you get what you want? If you want to live a happier and healthier life, find something else to fill your time, just don’t choose to worry. There is no payoff, no benefit to worrying. Make that decision to stop worrying. Create a new road in your brain. Neuroplasticity is real and you can change your brain. Or not Want help in getting rid of what you are worried about? Click here and let’s chat. Joanne Victoria
No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. Clarity of purpose makes it easier to choose your next relevant action. When a challenge occurs, immediately ask yourself what’s the intent behind the next action you’ll take. Do you want more information? Do you want to move the process forward? Do you need additional resources? Stop – take a breath – it will all come to you, but first what you are looking for is flow. The flow of your life, your ideas, your mind. How can you create flow? You have to learn to listen. In order to listen, you have to be quiet. You need to take time each and every day and be quiet. You can write and be quiet. You can listen to music and be quiet. You can sit in silence and be quiet. It’s vital to be calm and tranquil so your own mind can provide you with ideas unique to you. Not somebody else’s way, but your own. This is doing something differently than you’ve done it before. Take the time, ten percent of a twenty-four-hour day, and be quiet. It takes practice, but the ideas will flow and you’ll find that change is not just changing, but transformation. All you have to do is listen. Just listen. Need help in learning how to listen to your inner thoughts? Click here. Joanne Victoria
Are you ready to experiment with what you want? I say experiment as in test, so you can go through the process to see if YOU work with this new information. First, stop worrying. Worrying will only reinforce what your non-conscious mind already knows. Decide what you want in the next thirty days. Write this outcome down by hand! in your notebook and on many 3 x 5 cards. Writing gets the connection between your brain and your mind and the synapse lights up and there is a linking. But first…a little Imagineering. At some time or another, you have seen a corn patch, either in person or on TV, in the movies or you have walked through or driven by one. I want you to take a moment and call that image forth from your brain. Picture all the rows of corn, neatly growing, with space in between for the farmer to feed, water, and pick the grown corn. These rows of corn represent your current beliefs, patterns, and habits that your automatic non-conscious mind currently brings forth. Now look a little to your left. Do you notice a field overgrown with weeds? This may be last year’s corn crop or just earth meant to go fallow. For purposes of this exercise, we will call it Your New Land to Plow for New Beliefs You Want to Plant. You can imagine it might take some effort to plow those weeds; you are so right! I will provide you with tools to help knock those weeds down and implant a new pattern. First, be clear about what you want in thirty days’ time. Second, write some affirmations about this outcome, ‘want’ or goal. Examples: a) I have absolute certainty in my ability to (your want here). b) I attract all the right resources and people. c) I am confident. d) I am calm. Add as many affirmations as you can handle. Repeat these affirmations in the morning prior to getting out of bed, midday, and in the evening after you are in bed. Third, write a list of how this goal will affect your life. It is important to align emotions with the goal so there is a heart connection. Read this list at least three times per day. Fourth, get a photo of what you want and keep it with you at all times. When you look at this photo, imagine how you feel now, this minute, about this want or belief. Fifth, visualize your new want, pattern, belief, or habit plowing down the weeds and making a new cornrow. Do this at least three times per day; more if you want to. You are now on your way to your True Self, controlling your own thoughts and replacing an old belief with a new one. Need help with this? Ask your questions here. Joanne
Everything is in transition; nothing stays fixed or permanent. This includes your moods, the clouds, and cars traveling on the freeway. Transition is about stopping something and then choosing something else, yet again. It is a cycle that never stops, yet sometimes it is very disturbing as well as stimulating. If you start a business, your life changes. If you end your relationship, your life changes. Transition is really about change – we just choose bigger words to define it. If you can work within the confines of change, you will be fine. If you can’t, you will have problems. If you get that new job, along with that sought-after raise, or your business takes off when you find numerous investors, you may be in a better place – for now. Just know that all things change all the time, no matter how much you try to control the outcomes. Once you change one thing, nothing will be the same, you cannot go back to the way it was. Did you ever go on vacation to a special place, to return some time later and it feels different? It feels different because you are different. You are not the same person you were the first time you were there, so it is no surprise that you may be a bit disappointed. There is nothing wrong here, just that your perspective has changed; you have had numerous experiences since your first visit and you have changed. No fear, as long as you remember that everything changes and that transition is with us 24/7; you will be able to readjust yourself and enjoy this great vacation – again, just from a different point of view. Need help with change? Contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
You have a big wad of money burning a hole in your pocket in your, you are bored and you want to go shopping. What do you want to shop for? A new car? A new wardrobe? Some new tools? A new phone? New furniture? Another house? The good thing is you can afford to shop for anything you want. The other side of the coin is what will you do with what you already have? You have a car, you have clothes, you already have tools, your phone works fine, and buying new furniture is not really your strong suit as you had an interior designer purchase furniture the last time. And where will you put all this new stuff that you say you want? Say you do want something brand new: still, what will you do with what you already have? Maybe it is time to get rid of things to create the space for something new. Make a list of everything you want to get rid of or release from your life. Figure out where you will take your old car; have someone help you empty out your closets and your garage, and reconsider buying new furniture today. You can keep your old and new tools, just in different boxes for identification. Tools barely go out of style so you are good here. If your new phone is an upgrade, OK, buy it. If not, put your money to use elsewhere. Maybe donate it some to a great cause. Then you can also have a tax deduction. Everything you are replacing can be sold, given away, or shared with friends. Stop spending your money unwisely just because you can. Want to release your pain about stuff? Click here and let’s go. Joanne Victoria
Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach new breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Unforeseen circumstances occur. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: Practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feelings. Logic can tell you superficially where a path might lead to, but it cannot judge whether your heart will be in it. Trust your instincts at all times. It’s okay to ask for clarification about the task at hand. Demonstrate your appreciation for others’ knowledge and experience by being pushy; then listen to what they share. If you don’t receive accurate information, simply further explore the ideas presented. Thank the person for their help and implement what you believe is the next right step. Remember… Go out and have some fun today! BTW, my books are now available on Kindle at $3.99 each here. Joanne Victoria
Your impatience doesn’t move others to faster action. Patience is what is required to live your life in a new, different way. If your life suddenly became pure and perfect, you might not be able to handle it. Where’s the fun in perfection? You need that information and you want it now. How can you possibly complete the project if you don’t have that data that is already one week overdue? You find yourself agitated, sweaty, and thinking all sorts of nasty thoughts. An impatient person is not looked upon kindly by their peers. You can be seen as impulsive, rude, and arrogant. Others will do their best to stay out of your impatient way. What’s the next step to tame your impatience? Before you attempt to unfold the reasons for your impatience, take a breath. A deep, slow breath. Do this as many times as necessary to calm your heart rate and slow down your blood pressure. Do things more slowly than usual. The slower you work, the easier to get out of this dangerous mood. Act ‘as if’ you are a patient person. The more you act it, the easier to be it. What you need to avoid is becoming angry at team members and clients. Impatience can easily turn into anger if not monitored. You are now at a place where you can choose – choose to be patient or impatient. Have a chat with the person who is late getting you the important data you need. Be calm and determine if they need more help; or are they just afraid of you? Remember, your impatience doesn’t move others to faster action. BTW, my books are now available in Kindle format for $3.99 each here. Joanne Victoria
Let’s say you have an outline for your Life Vision. Let’s also say you have some clarity about what outcomes you want in your life. Now comes another challenge – how do you focus on how to get what you want? Once you have your strategy in place, decide to break it down into digestible bites. As small as possible. This way, you will achieve small success rapidly and then be more inclined to stick with your plan. Once you have your digestible bites, plan on completing them in the morning. Our brain gets tired after working it, so don’t choose to place these bites into the afternoon. The morning is the best time for most people; some people are very good at this late at night. You are now in the brain muscle-building process, where you retrain your brain to focus on one thing at a time. Ignore any distractions by practicing your focus on these bites which I will call High-Value Activities. Why High Value? Because this process will support your Life Vision as well as the plan you have in place. Complete no more than 3 High-Value Activities per day. Allocating a specific amount of time to complete these activities allows you to finish the other parts of your work, i. e. responding/deleting emails; returning phone calls, for example. The best method to use in starting your day is to take a few minutes for quiet time and clear your mind. You need a calm mind for your workday. Take anywhere from five to twenty minutes for some peace. You can breathe deeply as part of this morning strategy; just do whatever it takes to keep you calm. No drama, no email first thing – just peace. Want to add High-Value activities to your schedule? Contact me here for easy ways to identify and complete these activities. Joanne Victoria
You are doing a lot – at work, at home, and in your community. You are giving back to the world with as much energy as you can. Yet you still feel as if you are not worthy – not worthy of all your efforts, not worthy of even being alive; you find yourself ready to get back in bed and pull the covers over yourself. You are completing these actions by rote, not from your heart. It is time to take note of who you are in this big wide world of ours. Create a list that includes how important you are to others at your business. What would they miss about you if you were not there? I believe you do not recognize the difference you make in peoples’ lives. You have a great sense of humor, you know your job and you have great relationships with these people. What is the real reason you feel uncomfortable? Do you not appreciate yourself? Are you comparing yourself to others? What about your home life? You continue to question what you bring to this part of your life. Do others in your family care about you? Do you care about yourself anymore? What can you do now? It’s back to basics here. Get a pad of paper, a pen, and find a quiet place. It is time to write down your personal values; to note what is important to you other than contributing to those at work and at home. One of these values needs to be, must be, that you are worth it. It should be your first value, at least for now. Because it is true – you are worthy. Keep reminding yourself of this, with all your heart. Want help in discovering your value? Click here and let’s go! Joanne Victoria
Oh, for just a bit of peace and quiet! The dog won’t stop barking, you can’t sleep, your partner is ignoring you, your work team just wants to play computer games and your client is waiting for you to finish your end of the deal about the latest project. And you? You want to run and hide just for an hour. Maybe even half an hour, just to get some peace and quiet! Obviously, you have not carved out any time for yourself, the most important person in your life. If you are not the most important person in your life, you will never have the energy to be with others and contribute at home or at work. So, what now? First, just leave from wherever you are. Right now. If you are at work, go out to lunch alone. If you are at home, go for a walk. Or lunch, or something. Just so you are alone. Make that decision now. Private time should be the first thing you put in your schedule. Notify your family what this is and that you need some peace, that it is not personal, that this is important to you. If they do not understand its importance to you, over time this will get it as they will see you taking action on it. Your attitude will change as well. Need some help in finding that peace and privacy? Click here and let’s chat! Joanne Victoria
Patience is what is required to live your life in a new, different way. If your life suddenly became pure and perfect, you might not be able to handle it. Where’s the fun in perfection? Peter had a tough time in life, both personally and in his work life. He was anxious to make huge changes; I advised a small step to start along with a system to follow. Peter dismissed my recommendations and did what he wanted until he discovered his blood pressure was very high, even though he was on hypertension medication. He was pushing and pushing and made himself very sick. Not only did he become ill, but he also did not complete any of the tasks he decided to add to the Plan. His way was not working. I believe that slow and steady with a few leaps along the way wins the race and we can become excited with some intermittent ‘wins’. Peter had no wins, was in pain and suffering. It was time for a change. There is no need for you to continue to suffer. You do have the ability to move through what else is going on in your life in order to achieve the outcomes you want. This new journey must be enjoyed. So be patient with yourself as your days unfold with new adventures, new possibilities, all in a mindful way. In order not to forget anything, consider writing about it in a journal of your choosing. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in yourself no matter what outside influences exist. Even hypertension. Patience is a key to making it. Want help? Let’s have a conversation. Joanne Victoria
Confusion is sometimes used as an excuse for why we are not successful. Confusion about your income, expenses, and your reason for being in business in the first place leads to increased frustration. Frustration leads to depression. Depression is one of the leading causes of business failure and deteriorating health. Telling the truth about the current state of your business will help eliminate your confusion. To transform or redefine your business, you need to know where you are now, the current truth; and where you want to go, your vision. So, take the ‘Tell the Truth about the Current State of Your Business’ Quiz now. Then take this quiz again, especially after you have created and implemented your Vision with a Capital V™. You will notice the difference. Rate the following from One to Five, with One being the lowest rating and Five being the highest. 1. I am satisfied with my financial income. 1 2 3 4 5 2. I am excited each and every day. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I am surrounded by great people. 1 2 3 4 5 4. I have all the resources I need. 1 2 3 4 5 5. My marketing is working. 1 2 3 4 5 6. I have all the clients I want. 1 2 3 4 5 7. My clients are a perfect fit for my business.1 2 3 4 5 8. My business provides money for investing.1 2 3 4 5 9. I go on vacation anytime I want. 1 2 3 4 5 10. I have free time to be with my family. 1 2 3 4 5 11. I have hobbies that I enjoy. 1 2 3 4 5 12. I am spiritually satisfied. 1 2 3 4 5 Total Score __ __ __ __ __ Total the score for each column; then, add the score across the bottom. How did you do? If you totaled forty-five points or more, you are probably on the right track, yet may still need a bigger vision. If you totaled less than forty-five points, contact me, and let’s get moving forward! Joanne Victoria Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved – this quiz is an excerpt from my book- there are many more quizzes to help your success. Vision With a Capital V™ – Create the Business of Your Dreams
Kyle Busch wins the race at the Pocono Raceway, The Tricky Triangle, while in fourth gear and running out of gas. 50 laps to go, stuck in fourth gear, running out of gas, team member jumps in the passenger side of the car to (hopefully) fix the clutch. Didn’t work. Nothing changes. And he still wins the race. With no clutch. Perseverance will win in the end. Along with a bit of music to make it less stressful. Kyle was singing Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band during some of these shenanigans. He sure slipped into the future with this one! For those who wonder why I am referring to Kyle Busch, my (only) all-time favorite NASCAR driver ever, it is because he epitomizes how an entrepreneur functions. >Sticking it out till the end. >Overcoming obstacles. >Maintaining a sense of humor. >Asking for help when needed. >Holding that spiritual outlook. >Never giving up although others may give up on him (or you) He has courage, hutzpah, a sense of humor, and is a great leader and coach not only of his family but also his own truck race team and probably loads of other successes I don’t know about. Kyle Busch was not expected to win this race. Announcers and other sideliners ( you may have a few of your own) said, oh, poor Kyle! He will just have to hang in there until the end of the race. Wrong. Again. As others were running out of gas all around him and he was holding on to his shifter (stuck in fourth gear and no clutch, remember?) he outwaited everyone until the very end. Kyle saved just enough fuel to win this race. That’s what it’s all about people. Never ever give up because you don’t know who else will fall back and lose. This is what I am talking about. If you want to win and have the courage to hang on when all around you are failing and flailing, contact me here. Joanne Victoria
Kyle Busch, two-time NASCAR Series Cup Champion, joined NASCAR royalty as the driver recently won his 100th Xfinity race, becoming the only driver in this century to reach this achievement in the series. For the uninitiated in NASCAR racing, the Cup series is the top and Xfinity is right below it, with a few other series below these as a driver must go through each series to make it to the top. Two other drivers that won triple-digit Busch/Xfinity races, NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and David Pearson, did so in the last century. Busch’s first Xfinity Series win came in 2004 at Richmond Raceway, and he now has 51 more victories than the next closest driver on the Xfinity wins list, which is Hall of Famer Mark Martin at 49, who no longer drives in NASCAR. At 36-years-old, Kyle Busch is already one of the most decorated NASCAR drivers with the most all-time wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (61) and the most wins across NASCAR national series history (219). How did Kyle Busch accomplish this and other feats? He had a huge vision for his life; some would say a Vision with a Capital V! Within that vision included the goals of winning at least 100 Xfinity trophies as well as 100 Truck series trophies. No others created such a goal; if they won, they won. Kyle Bush made a declaration about his goal. Kyle Busch may have won his 100th race sooner, however, NASCAR limited his and some other Cup series drivers from driving in the Xfinity series..he was winning too many races, and the powers that be did not like it. His winning filled seats, however, there is always some impediment in our way to Super Success. You know who or what they are in your life. This is where patience enters your life. Kyle Busch formed the Kyle Busch Foundation early in his career. He and his family have also created much press and success with the “Kyle and Samantha Busch Bundle of Joy Fund,” which benefits in-need families struggling with infertility. So why should you care about this race car driver? Because if he can do all that he has done, so can you. Kyle comes from humble beginnings and still remains humble; he created a huge Vision that many others could join. What is your Life Vision? How big is it? I always say, the bigger the better, so others can engage and play with you. If you want help in creating your Vision with a Capital V, check in with me here. Think really really big! Joanne Victoria
It is time to take inventory of this past year of your life. To take inventory is to confirm what you have accomplished, what needs doing, and what requires completion. You may not want to go back and review 2020, however, in order to maintain your sanity and move forward, this is a vital step. First, what did you learn about yourself this past year? I mean truly learn. I will bet you discovered new strengths about yourself and have been able to maintain a new sense of purpose in your life. I will also state that you achieved new successes this past year. What were they? Make a list of them and refer to them if you ever feel yourself dissembling!! Success #1- Success #2- Success #3- and so on… This list of successes is now part of your DNA, part of a new way of thinking and acting even if you cannot recall all of them yet. You are truly a warrior and still defining and redefining your business and personal life. No one else can do this for you. No one else should even try. Do this for yourself first, then your loved ones, and onward to your business. You will surprise yourself with your new skills, attitudes, and emotions. Good luck and let me know how this works for you. Joanne Victoria
Patience is a virtue. We have heard this for a long time, yet what does it truly mean? In fact, the significance of this statement goes back to the 1300s where the line was – ‘Patience is the greatest virtue’. If you have patience, you will not be rolled over by frustration when you have to stay late and finish a project that is not yet complete to the customer’s satisfaction. You take a deep breath, calm down, and off you go. Until the next time. Impatience or frustrations stands in the way of your intuition as well. When you are clouded with thoughts of anger, your intuition is not able to connect with you. When patient, your intuition will guide you to completion of whatever you are working on. Frustration along with anger prevents you from being healthy, both mentally and physically. If you develop patience at work, you will be more capable to work with others and complete your tasks. Impatience will bring frustration and with that, the inability to either listen to others or direct others to follow your lead. When you are impatient, you may procrastinate. Impatience is an idea killer. Let it go. Let things that usually bother you, not affect you. When you procrastinate your creativity is lost. Patience is underrated as a value or virtue yet it shouldn’t be. You are in this life for the long haul. Make it easier on yourself and start practicing patience. When one says ‘Hang in there.’, this is what they mean. Be patient. It will come to you. Joanne Victoria
Confidence indicates that you trust yourself and your ability to live a productive life. A confident person is capable of new challenges and is willing to take responsibility for all their actions. Your confidence is increased as you work and live your life to reach success or failure. Each time you succeed, you reinforce your confidence. If you fail, you also reinforce your capability to move forward and hopefully not look back as if failure was a negative thing, just a learning tool. To be confident also implies that you have courage, which comes from the heart. Your heart and your mind together support your self-confidence. Courage and confidence are close cousins. One will help you get the other. Tell yourself the truth as often as you can and you will be more confident. Tell yourself lies and you will not move forward towards confidence. Self-esteem is about how you judge yourself. You can have loads of self-confidence until your inner judge says ‘You could have done that better’. You then may ask ‘Am I worthy?’ If you get an inner response that ‘Yes, you are worthy.’, you will dismiss your inner judge; your esteem is intact. Confidence enables you to go after what you want even if you think you are not good enough. Go after what you want, without stopping to consider how well you will succeed. That aspect is what moves you back to low self-esteem and will prevent you from taking any scarier journeys. Joanne Victoria
Do you feel special in that very special way? The way that says you are better than anyone else? Or that you are not better than anyone else? Either way, this is about your ego. The ego does not have to be arrogant and showy; it can also be small and hide in the shadows. Either way, you are being run by your ego; many of us are. Do you have to win every argument in your life? That’s your ego talking. Do you feel jealous of others and their accomplishments? That’s your ego again. If you are about where you live, what you have and what you do and are concerned with what others think of you, this is your ego. All of the above separates you from the rest of humanity. But you are not separate from others. A healthy ego is built on core beliefs that are based in love. An unhealthy ego is built on core beliefs that are based on fear. You cannot avoid, escape or destroy your ego. However, you can understand ego as something that you can work with, live with or just stay a smart-ass of righteousness. Ego impedes happiness as it gets in the way of realization by your need to compare yourself to others as relates to education, location, acquisitions, and things that are not who you truly are. Your True Self is filled with possibilities. Your ego-self is limited to your thoughts. These thoughts are yours or a consensus of the people you spend time with and identify with. The transcendence of ego is what brings you to the path of consciousness. The thoughts you think are not worthy of you, especially if they are negative thoughts and limit you from feeling the love. Joanne Victoria
Everyone around you is a part of your success. I have had many mentors in my life and their generosity towards me, without asking anything in return except my own success, was received with much appreciation and love. As the leader in your own life as well as in your business, especially if you provide the authority along with the responsibility for your team’s ideas, you have given them your generosity of spirit, the generosity of your heart. To be generous is not about giving others money nor is it about charity. Generosity is about the giving of yourself, your heart, your talent, your willingness to help someone who needs it from you. If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, at work or at home, this is an act of generosity. How many times lately have you backed off of someone’s actions and done just that? You do not know all of how others feel and act, so it is in your and the others’ best interest to give them the benefits of your doubt. Time is a great part of generosity. The time you give others is precious, whether it be at work or with your family. Spending time with yourself is a gift you give yourself as well. Who knew that if someone supports you with knowledge, that this is a form of generosity? It is and we should, yes, should, do it on a more consistent basis. Being accountable to others for what we do and how we do it is also a gift. Have you been generous with others lately? Maybe it’s time to be generous and it will come back to you. The more you give, the more you get. Joanne Victoria
All you want is a little more. More money, more love, more fun, more friends. So what happens when we don’t get what we want when the flow slows down or even stops? You get mad, sad, and unhappy. You blame the president, the country, the war, your mother, father, husband, wife, child, co-worker, anyone we can think of, even the driver of that car who passed you on the freeway. You find yourself stuck. Stuck in the anger, stuck in the resentment, stuck in the fear of what will happen now. You are stuck because there is no flow. As soon as you get angry or resentful or critical, the flow shuts down. So you attract more stuckness. Then you start defending your stuckness. Stop. Stop defending your stuckness. The reason you defend your stuckness position is that you want to be right about who you are and what you do. Being right then becomes resistance. Being in resistance puts you in that rut of stuckness. A vicious circle. The only way out of the rut, the only way to increase the flow of anything is to forgive. Forgiveness is the process that opens the flow. Forgiveness lets your guard down from defending your position. To let your guard down is the best place to be if you want more of anything in your life. If you are stuck, there is no flow, and you are someplace you do not want to be, there is something you can do. If you want to be in another place or feel another feeling or act another action, I have a secret. The secret is forgiveness – really. Forgiveness gets you off your position of being right. Because your stuckness is really about being right. When you are right about something, you think you are in total absolute control. When others defy your position by criticizing you or not giving you that contract you worked so hard to get and think you deserve, you become stuck. This stuckness, this resistance, stops the flow of anything, good or bad, from coming to you. You are so stuck that you cannot think of a way out or a new direction. Forgiveness stops you for a minute. This stop allows the flow of activity, of something other than righteous resistance. Here is a simple, effective, clear way to get unstuck. Start by making a list of all the people you have any issues with, or a feeling about, or a criticism of. Maybe they did cut you off on the freeway. Maybe they didn’t keep their word to you. Maybe they lied. Maybe they didn’t hire you for that job. The more often you forgive everyone who you think has lied to you, ignored you, stood you up, or did not keep their word to you, the flow will begin. Keep that journal out and continue to forgive everyone on that list. Take the time for this exercise each and every day until the flow begins. Let forgiveness keep you on your path of unstuckness. Let the flow of more money, more love, more fun, and more friends begin. Want some help with your stuckness? Click here now. Joanne Victoria
Things are changing and you have some space in your day. There are many things you can do; you can sleep, read, go for a run, play indoor tennis, so many things to do. How about an adventure? This is how it goes. Plan a minimum of two weeks plus vacation time within the next eighteen months. No worries about money or time off. Just do the planning. Decide how long you will be gone. Determine how many will be traveling with you, if anyone! Consider the level of hotel and travel you want, i.e., low, middle, or high end. Renew your passport. You never know when you will need it! Remember this is your adventure, your trip, so plan accordingly. I am sure that your mind is full of ideas from days past when you wished you could go somewhere, anywhere. Now it is time. Back to your adventure. Plan this down to the nth degree; where will you go, how will you live, how you will travel, will it be at a hotel or are you renting a house on the Mediterranean? What sites do you want to see? Are you going to just one place for the duration or multiple locales? How are you doing so far? If you are resisting, ask yourself why. Is resistance how you deal in the real world? If you are following the yellow brick road, how goes it? Creative thinking is great for right now. Get ahead of the pack. No need to book anything right now. This is just the planning. Want som ehelp planning? Click here for a chat with me. Joanne
There is no Plan B in life, you get only one chance to live the life that you want, the life that provides you with what you want. So what are you going to do? Find a buffet! Life is like a buffet – but first, you have to make sure that the buffet you choose is the one with the most choices. If you choose a buffet with only six items, that is it. Your limit has been predetermined. However, if you choose a limitless buffet (they really exist, or close to it) you can choose a different item each and every day. How does a limitless buffet help you live the life you want? If you go to that six-item buffet, you can only choose what is on that table. It may have love, grief, success, family, clothes, and cars. If this is enough for you, great. However, that limitless buffet may have those six items and more: Sunshine, darkness, power, spirit, playfulness, wisdom, wealth, abundance, water, creativity – and the list goes on. Some people go through life thinking they are at a dead-end, that their choices are limited. Some of you even wait for a choice, only one, to be delivered to you as if you are not entitled to the breadth of a huge buffet. You wait and wait, become depressed, yet do not know that there is a place with a limitless buffet, yours for the choosing. Go there, now, because as I said before, there is no Plan B. There is only one opportunity to get your life the way you want it. That time is now. If you could design a Limitless Buffet for your life, what would be on that table for you to choose from? Want help? Connect with me here. Joanne Victoria
Do you compromise about what you want? Do you figure, oh, well, I’ll just take what I get? Or do you really and truly believe you deserve the best? Remember, you are worth it. Questions to ask yourself: 1. What do I want? 2. Why do I want it? 3. How would my life change if I had it? 4. What would I be willing to do to get it? When I ask people what they want, they start by telling me what they don’t want. This type of clarity is important, but only valuable if you go to the other side of the page. Clarity about what you want is tantamount to getting it. If you are unclear, nothing will happen. Correction, something will happen; however, it may not be what you want. You are free to choose what is in front of you. Or, you could create what you want to see. It is up to you. Be very clear about why you want it. If you ask for Ten Million dollars, what would you do with it? Build a school? Start a non-profit foundation? Or just hoard it? If you started a non-profit, how would it make you feel? If you decide you would feel generous, be that now. What would you feel if you hoarded the money? Fear? You get to choose your feelings and you get to choose what you want.
Telling the truth is like riding a bicycle. No matter how out of practice you are, it’ll come back to you. We are missing out on truth-telling. We lie to ourselves over and over again, not willing to look at who we truly are. We complain about others, in most instances where we have no power. The truth I am talking about is about you, not someone else. To think you are telling the truth when you tell a friend that they are fat, or they do not look good today, is not truth-telling, it is criticism. Criticism is covert and comes from anger. Being passive/aggressive is not what I am talking about. What I am talking about is you, yes you! The only world we have power over is our own entity. Now may be the time for you to take care of your health instead of waiting for someone else to pay for your health care. It is time to take care of your financial life instead of living in a welfare state. It is time to center yourself, any way you can, so that you are powerful and intact. Who are you spiritually, emotionally, and financially? Learn to tell the truth about these things and leave the criticism of others, to those who have nothing better to do than follow the path to self-destruction. “Faith is taking the first step even though you can’t see the staircase.” As a colleague of mine says, it doesn’t matter how well you walk the path if it’s not your path. Finding your own path and walking it in light is a gift you give yourself. No one else can do it for you. Unfortunately, not everyone chooses this gift. Fortunately, you can! If you need some help with this, connect with me here. Joanne Victoria
In order to improve the way you live your life, you must acknowledge that you are in charge of your life, that anything you think can become a reality, and that this is not personal in the sense that you do not have what it takes. With a little bit of playfulness, loads of patience, and trust in the Universe (really) you have what it takes to transform your life and create new habits or beliefs. Just so you know, the existing habits that you want to change or transform have been there a long time. You planted a seed in the furrow of your brain, fed the seed with repetition and thoughts, kept the rut clean of weeds (other beliefs), and followed the path to where you are now. This is where patience comes in handy. Once you plant new seeds, you will need to water, feed, weed, and follow this new path to a belief that you designed and created that is beneficial to you. Just so you know, beliefs overrule desires. To add or create a new belief you have to first make a decision. What do you want? This is a bottom-line question. First, declare what you want. If possible, find a picture of what this looks like. An emotional relationship to what you want your new belief to provide you is vital. Start getting excited now! Clarity of Intent Focus on the end result or outcome and action taken with the expectation to realize that what you want is the way to go. Do not give up, ever. If you want help, contact me here for a free, brief chat. Joanne Victoria
What you think matters. When I was facilitating workshops about releasing negative habits, many were concerned about the self-described ’empty space’ that would linger after they eliminated a significant negative habit. I provided then and still do, steps to replace these beliefs or habits with new habits and patterns that will serve you. The words habits, patterns, or beliefs are interchangeable. The most important piece of advice to remember is that these beliefs can be changed or transformed by you. Only you. First, let’s talk a bit about where these beliefs came from. These beliefs that become patterns are learned from our parents, society, or the media. The more we repeat a pattern or belief, the more ingrained it is in your life (you know what I mean) it is because the beliefs are so ingrained that unless you take a specific action, your brain will continue to stop and not move forward into new territory. This also means that what you focus on will become real in your life. If your life is not going the way you think it should be going, that is because you have beliefs, many of which you are unaware of, as well as thoughts that support these beliefs. This is why it is important to control your thinking, especially if you want to get on and achieve more in your life. You are in charge of your life. If you find yourself walking into the same wall over and over again, it is because you have a pattern so ingrained in your brain that no matter how much you wish or desire something new and different, until you change this old belief, which continues to prove itself clearly as you meet that wall over and over again – there will be no changes or transformations in your life. The pattern has been established; the rut is miles deep and you wonder if you can create a new pattern. Yes, you can. It is time to change your thinking. Want help? Click here for a free laser session. Joanne Victoria
Want to know why most people are not living lives of success, happiness, and abundance? There are only three reasons: They are ignorant. They are lazy. They don’t give a damn. I dare you to come up with a reason other than those. Let me explain. Few people are actually ignorant. Everyone knows enough to be successful at something. So it is rare that someone is really too ignorant to be successful. The problem is not that we don’t know, the problem is that we don’t do what we already know . . . which means we are lazy. How sad to know how to be successful and be too lazy to do it. It must mean you don’t care enough to be successful – in other words, you don’t really give a damn! How do you explain that to your family? How can you look yourself in the eye? Was that Netflix binge really all that important? Could you really afford to take that nap? Don’t you care enough to do all you can? Face it. You could do more. Stop telling yourself how busy you are. Stop the excuses. Just admit to yourself that you could do more than you are doing. You could turn off the TV, ignore your texts, shut off your devices, and work a little harder. The issue is not can you but will you? Do not give up. Ever. If you want help, click here for a free laser session. Joanne Victoria
Either everyone counts or no one counts and you count! Do you think you count? If so, decide how you count, what you contribute, and decide on what you want in this world. Do you want fame? Do you want more money in your life? Do you want a family? Do you want to sail the ocean blue? For all these and other questions you may have, the next step is to ask yourself why? Why do you want fame? How will it affect your life and what would you change about your life if you were famous? Does fame fit in with your Personal Values? Anything you chose to do, be, or have must, in order for you to succeed, be in alignment with your values. What does your intuition say to you about wanting to be famous? Does it feel good? Feelings count as part of your awareness of all that is around you. If you have aligned your values with fame, and your intuition sends messages that fame is OK for you, what is your plan? You will not get anything in your life, along your path to fame, fortune, or family, unless you make a plan. Follow these steps: Choose what you want. Check to see if what you want is in alignment with your values. Check-in with your intuitive self and see if it is in alignment with your values and your choice. Then, make a plan. Without a plan, you may not achieve what you want. God provides the gifts, you provide the work. That’s it. Want some help with this? Book a chat here. Joanne
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 4 ounces to one pound. The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” He continued – ‘And that’s the way it is with stress management.’ If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.” “As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.” So, before you return to your kitchen or zoom room tonight, put the burden of work down. Don’t carry it anymore. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Take a while to just simply relax. Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don’t pick it up again until after you’ve rested a while. Life is short. Enjoy it! Want help? Click here. Joanne Victoria
Too bad no one is having as much fun as they did in the past, especially at work!! I have great memories of having fun on the job; here is just one example. I opened a branch of a large real estate company where I used to live in California, near my home. This came in handy as I raised my children a lot by telephone. This office was filled with new agents as experienced agents did not want to work in this geographical location nor at a new office for a first-time manager. All newbie agents were referred to me, by many of the best in the business. These established realtors trusted me although some real estate people were wary of another real estate company entering into their !! territory. This new company was growing rapidly and I had somewhat of a lock on this geo-location as I had successfully sold real estate there for a few years. The office was typical of most real estate offices and included a large conference room. This large conference room was supposed to be my office. One of the many things that did not work for me was I would be separated from the agents by glass windows and a door. No way. These new agents needed me there, with them, in order to help them in their daily work, if nothing else but to be available to them. So off I went and I decided the glassed-in room will perform as double duty: as a conference room and a champagne room. I decided we had to have fun and that fun would bring in the sales and profits. We had weekly parties; I know, no one does that anymore, certainly in real estate but fun was high on my list. It still is. I decided that if people had more fun, they would feel better; if they felt better, they would have greater success. On Monday mornings, before the start of the day, we would have dance lessons. Yes, dance lessons. We would be led by our receptionist/admin/secretary using what she had learned over the prior weekend when she was out having fun…his of course is before all the political and health dramas came our way. It sounds different and it was. Eventually, other agents from other non-competing and competing offices showed up for a taste of fun. Why not as the door was always open. And then we had Champagne Tuesdays. Champagne and Pizza, provided by me and held in the conference room. My area managers and owners were prone to make surprise visits and the agents asked what would happen if they showed up on a Tuesday? I said they would be invited to join us and they did. All was well and you know why? Because this office was in profit from Day One! Profits from hard work and fun! Imagine! I functioned as a Manager yet I was a Leader as well. Who knew this was to be my first foray into leadership. Alas, as time went by, one agent needed to be fired and I had to do the firing – my first one! As I was told, I hired her, I had to fire her. One can learn a lot from firing someone, no matter where or who you are. I did my job, we all made money, most were happy and satisfied and the company continued on to become what it is now, a global presence where the owners made loads of money. You are most welcome! This was one step on my path to leadership. I stayed for a few months and moved forward into construction. And we had fun there as well. So, you get what I’m saying, right? Fun is vital to success and if you add fun as an ingredient, you will help others succeed as well. If you want to talk about fun and other deliciousness, go here. Joanne Victoria
Learn to stop doing what no longer works for you; heal yourself to create your desires. To reinvent any part of your life you need freedom. This freedom only works when you have time and space to stop. You need relief from the ordinary unpleasant task that life thrusts upon you. You need to determine what you are doing that is no longer relevant or rewarding. You know what I am talking about. What I am talking about is that first thought that just came into your head. Remember, automate or delegate. To determine what no longer works, you need time and a plan to decide what to delete from your life. Ask yourself the following: Do you find yourself too tired to get out of bed? Do you find yourself drinking loads of coffee or energy drinks to get through the day? Do you start the day unhappy and depressed? Do you find yourself complaining all the time? These are but a few factors that determine if you are burned out. Are you burned out or overwhelmed about your life, both professional and personal? I understand. I have been there more than once! I can provide a solution or two for you. Click here and let’s talk. Joanne
When I speak about change it is about transformation. When I use the word evolve, it is about growth. When I use the word control, in its positive form, it is about guidance. In its most popular usage, it is about domination. Control can also be about influence. When I use the word ‘charge’, as in ‘You are in charge of your decisions.” I am talking about ‘responsibility and ‘choice’, as “You are at choice and responsible for your life.” This is called free will. Recognize the words as they are meant to be and observe the words as you have been using them. Notice if there is a distinction. Support your own free will. If you want a clarity conversation, click here. Joanne Victoria
Personal power is about the mastery and control you have over your own life, period. If someone else has command over your life that means you are not in control, that you have no choice. That means if someone gives you gifts, let’s say money, you are in their sandbox and not in charge of your choices. I will give you this if you will give me that is not a gift. It is an exchange of favors. So if they manipulate you in any manner shape or form, they have the power. Your personal power. Got it? Good. Let’s move on. Personal power is something you lose if you spend time getting permission, asking for favors, whining really, and putting yourself in the position of being less than who you truly are. Stop this right now. When you ask for permission, that means you are not responsible. You are responsible. Take back your personal power, the power to choose, the power to distinguish, the power to be accountable and responsible for your choices. Consider how much power you give away when you are so busy trying to do something be it a useless task or helping others as opposed to living the life you were meant to live. You give up authority over your own life, you are at the will of others who call you or make demands on you. Off you go to help someone else before you help yourself! ‘It is wise to be wisely selfish. ‘ ~Dalai Lama Need help in being a bit selfish and putting yourself first? Click here for a chat. You deserve to be that powerful person you truly are. Joanne Victoria
In my book, Vision With a Capital V – Create the Business of Your Dreams, one of the tools I designed is the Outer Vision Team. This team consists of experienced individuals to support you especially if you are a Creative entrepreneur. An important member of this team is the Challenger. As creatives, you need to be challenged so you put forth a product or service that not only makes money but also has a place in the world of Commerce. The Challenger checks out all the flaws of the product or service and looks for weaknesses. The challenger presents as a gift to the team so all negativity gets out front which will hopefully eliminate any surprises down the road. The world is filled with great ideas, however, follow-through is the key. You must have an action plan. Your Outer Vision Team is your resource for results. If you allow yourself to be challenged ever so slightly, you will be better able to reframe your idea so it will become a result. Learn more about who you are and how to let others know here. Joanne Victoria
by William Arthur Ward…I couldn’t have said it better yet it bears repeating as often as possible. “To laugh is to risk appearing a fool, To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement, To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return, To hope is to risk despair, To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing has nothing is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live. Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom. Only a person who risks is free.”
Change is normal in our lives. It cannot be helped unless you lived in a cave or something similar, with stringent routines. Even then there would be change as each day would continue to move forward and you would most likely age. You may have heard the story about the lobster, how the lobster grows. At a certain point in the growth of lobsters, the lobster discards its outer protective shell. During this time the lobster is vulnerable to its enemies. Yet the lobster regrows whatever it has lost in the past but better. With every change – which happens more than once in the life of a lobster – there is the unfamiliar and the unexpected. It is time for regeneration for you. How about you discarding what you no longer need in your life? Make that list of what you need to let go of and do it now. Instead of going into a shell, become vulnerable, take that risk right now. And regrow any part of your life that will work for you at this time. You could repeat this process as many times as you need to. You will still age, yet you will continue to be in charge – it is all up to you. Joanne Victoria
The function is what a thing does. The purpose is why it does it. The function of life is to feel. Then the why is up to you. You can feel whatever you want; you cannot avoid this- however, you can choose the feeling. Feelings are energy. Energy is a magnet for life energy. How you feel about anything is a factor in the way you experience life (sometimes called perception). Everything you do, you do for feelings, either to achieve a certain feeling or to avoid certain feelings. Children (you, maybe) are born innocent, vulnerable to abusive adults around them. Parents manipulate children to meet their own unresolved needs and children idealize their parents. No rejection ever goes unavenged. For example- a woman despises her father for whatever reason. She will seek to unburden herself by humiliating her son. The son grows up idealizing his mother – he then seeks revenge on other women Break the cycle. It is still pervasive. Look around. Forgiveness is a tool. Feelings are like the soul. We can handle any feelings we want to simply by being it. We have blocked our feelings because we are afraid of what we judge as ‘bad’. A Master is one who channels the feeling he/she wants to have and then, has that feeling. Salvation is forgiveness. Your part is to be happy. You give but to yourself. Taken from The Forgiveness Experience, Ⓒ All Rights Reserved WorldWide 2021 Joanne Victoria
When we speak with others be it as a client, coach, consultant, guest, parent, associate, partner, and so on, we know we need to establish rapport with others. This perspective is about us being aware. Some forget this. Rapport is a sense of trust amongst each other- we need rapport to be successful. However, the most important thing about rapport is that we have it with ourselves, first. Everything always comes back to this place, to ourselves, first. Do we have a rapport with ourselves before we pick up a phone to make a sale? Are we in harmony with our inner selves? We must be in harmony, in rapport with ourselves first, last, and always. How to do this is the key to better relationships and greater success with most anyone. First, accept yourself in the moment-you could even say, ‘I accept myself exactly as I am right now.’ Then, acknowledge that your Inner or Higher Self is always, yes always, trying to serve you, even if it causes you to be sad, upset, or depressed. Create a better relationship with your Higher or Inner Self. Decide how you are going to be with yourself and others. Get support here; smarter people than you are always saying to be comfortable with others, especially when you are trying to sell or heal. This is time to accept your inner reality and be in rapport with your Inner Self before you attempt to have any type of relationship with others. This does not take much time; it requires commitment. You are now creating a sense of joy within yourself. Be willing to move forward and support others in their success by allowing them to be who they are right now. Be willing to be comfortable with others even if they are uncomfortable, angry, or depressed. You can do this because you are in alignment with your Inner Self and that is where your personal power comes from. Our personal power is on the inside, not the outside. It is inside of you where always has been. If you get stuck with this, contact me here to talk about a Breakthru. Joanne Victoria
What is your next step in the world? Are you expanding your business? Starting a new business? going into partnership with someone else on a new or existing business? The need to make the right decision sometimes stops you in your tracks because of the many ‘What ifs’ that arise. You make numerous decisions every day to move forward in your life even if you are stuck at home. You want to achieve success in your life and in your work but are often uncertain of the best first step. You want certainty, which does not exist as we are certainly seeing in these extra stressful times. When you encounter a new decision point in your daily routine, you can instantly evaluate it. Your instincts immediately trigger a response to past experiences, education, or other lessons. This moment, if captured without your mind censoring it, becomes your next right step. This instant blip, what you may label as a hunch or feeling, instead reveals what’s real and authentic. People who experience this blip frequently recognize this feeling as the reality of the situation. Your ability to move through a situation as it occurs leads you to your next right step, and to achieve the task at hand. Rather than quickly dismissing what you feel, tap into the power behind these strong thoughts. These thoughts are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next best step. Trust your insights, yourself, and trust your intuition. Bring it back and be alive, again, especially now. Want help with trust? Click here to talk to me. Joanne Victoria
“We must be willing to be completely ordinary people, which means accepting ourselves as we are without trying to become greater, purer, more spiritual, more insightful. If we can accept our imperfections as they are, quite ordinarily, then we can use them as part of the path. But if we try to get rid of our imperfections, then they will be enemies, obstacles on the road to our ‘self-improvement.'” ~Chögyam Trungpa, ‘The Myth of Freedom’ and the ‘Way of Meditation’ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Someone you know or maybe work with has decided that your stubbornness gets in the way of everyone’s success. The statement by Chogyam Trungpa is important in that we are who we are and a supposed imperfection such as stubbornness, for example, may help us achieve anything faster or deeper. You can turn stubbornness into an advantage which will be a shorter journey than trying to eliminate it from your life. You can use stubbornness to further your teachings and learning and be stubborn enough to do the work in front of you no matter how difficult it may be. Being stubborn, you will not walk away or give up. We should not wish to be a neutered individual, but to express our truth, our reality along with our alleged imperfections. A stubborn person is determined to do what he/she wants to do even if others do not see the need for it. So what if others judge you as pertains to your stubbornness? Who said it was bad to be stubborn? Stubbornness or any other supposed imperfection can be used for good. If we try to be less stubborn, where will that energy go? It may dissipate and you may become lethargic. Much better to be stubborn, complete the project, gain more strength and move forward with purpose to the next adventure. Joanne Victoria
Stop something for one day. Just one day..or for one hour, You know what I mean.No phone, no computer, no tablet. Stop something new every day. Create more space for yourself to observe, meditate, walk. Stop talking for one day; for one hour. Do this now and as often as possible. Look all around yourself. See how other people live their lives. Watch how people hurry along. Look at how others work. Do they bring their soul to work? Are they having any fun along the way? What do you see when you look at your life? Listen to your thoughts; to what others are saying. Listen to what you are really hearing. Listen to the silence. Listen to your critical voice that says you ‘should’. Listen with your heart. Get ready. Make a list of what you want. Make a list of your personal dreams. Regroup. Is your personal/business life the way you want it to be? Can you reinvent your work? Get ready for the journey. Who will you play with now? Get set. Plan; prepare. Check-in with your family. Do they want to play in your sandbox? Set your life up the way you want it to be. Go! Action is required. Do it now, no matter how much prep is still to be done. better done than perfect. The time to fly is NOW! Conditions will never be better. Go for it. Want help? Click here. Joanne
It’s time for a change. The only thing you can truly change is yourself. You can transform your life from who you are now to who you want to be. To reinvent yourself means to bring your dreams and desires to life, to be able to tap into all the shutdown areas of your life. Reinvention is a word that sounds smart and responsible! Yay, I’m going to reinvent myself. Sometimes better to use this word instead of saying ‘I’m going to change.’ To reinvent any part of your life means you need freedom. This freedom only works if you have the time and space to stop. In order to reinvent yourself, you need to know who you are now. You also need space to create your future self. A while back, after I fired a client, I found I was exhausted. This depletion of energy was nothing I had ever experienced before. I checked in with myself and decided I needed a break, time off to heal from my experiences with this past client. Clarity came after I slept, prayed, and wrote in a journal. My tiredness was all my responsibility, not the client. Bottom line was, I realized I was more concerned with the client’s business than the client was. I do not make these mistakes anymore. I have gentle methods of informing upcoming clients of my way of being with them. What about you? Do you take on another’s work along with your own? You need relief from the ordinary, unpleasant tasks life includes. You need time. You need to determine what you are doing that is no longer relevant or rewarding. Decide what you no longer want to do, what takes up your precious time. You need a plan to help you choose what no longer works in your life and decide what it is you truly want to do. Make a list of what works for you and know if you are living your True Calling. Freedom and independence to choose, time to make changes, and room for all these changes to grow. This is part of what it takes to reinvent yourself. Focus on your world and what you want. Stop surfing the web looking for some magic. It’s not there because it is in you. The definition of success is to have the freedom to be yourself. Be yourself and focus on what you really want. Joanne Victoria
As an entrepreneur or small business owner, it’s important to make plans and it’s also important to have the time to let things happen. Only you can decide what is to happen in your life. Herein lies a method that may work for you. Try it. You have nothing to lose and endless opportunity to create harmony in your life. Start with that yellow pad; you can transfer it to the computer later on. Tear out eight pieces of paper and label each as follows: Finance, Health, Professional, Community Service, Personal/Fun, Spiritual, Relationships (All), and Education. If you have other titles that you prefer, use them. Don’t be attached to what I have suggested; it’s just that, a suggestion. It’s a manageable breakdown of all life’s topics. Before you create your plan, ask yourself a few questions: · How will I do things differently than I’ve done them before? · What am I holding onto that I no longer need or want? · What are my values? Are my business values the same? Part of your plan, before the goals, is to eliminate any toxic or draining person, activity, commitment, or prior goal that is no longer working. No need to do anything that no longer serves you. This just creates resentment and will affect your entire life. Prospective clients can always tell an unhappy, unfulfilled, and dissatisfied person and you will not attract what you need. For at least a month, ask yourself, “Is this what I really want to do?” As the responses come, you will see what and who has been depleting your energy. Take care of yourself, first. Be totally responsible for what happens in your life that you touch, contact, or handle. These topics can include business and personal goals, so keep that in mind. Let’s choose “Financial” as a topic. First, determine what you need. When all your needs are met, your wants will be easier to tackle. You may need to be debt-free, purchase new equipment, have a larger profit, get a specific income, buy a car or house or save money for that long-sought vacation or for investments or to quit work, sell your business, and have a child. You get the picture. This is a project and requires a little time. The energy is yours to direct where you want. Another guide to goals; keep them SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and True. If you want a car, make sure that goal says “Platinum, 2021, 750i BMW car,” not “I want a BMW.” You may wind up with a motorcycle! Measurable; how will you know it when you get it? Attainable; is it at all possible? Goals should be at the outer edge, not out of reach. Realistic and true for you, not anyone else. This is your life. Remember not to include other individuals in your goal; they have to make their own. Even when it pertains to your business, it’s still your goal. Goals must be consistent with your values. Write your goals in the present time; “I am wealthy,” not, ” I will be rich next year.” Feel it and act it. Write down every task and idea that will help fulfill these goals. After you have created all your goals, take several 3 x 5 cards and write them down. Carry these cards with you and keep a copy in your car, at the office, in your home. Now, give up control, go with the flow, and enjoy your rewards! And yes, these notes can be kept on your phone as well as a reminder. Joanne
I was interviewed by Eileen Bild for this previously posted piece in 2016. Eileen and I have since become friends and we support each other’s dreams. Our interview still stands as solid information and education for others to learn from. I thought it was time to bring it back for all to read. Enjoy! EB: You are a Transformational Leader. Tell me more about what this means. JV: I am able to see and share the Big Picture and the Big Vision. As a result, the minds of individuals expand so they can see a different reality. As observation determines reality, their minds expand and most individuals are able to see things differently. This is the path to transformation. EB: What would you say is your brand of thinking that has helped you to achieve your level of success? JV: My brand of thinking is that all things are possible. We are here on this planet to be of service of others. If one can do that, we are doing well. I follow my instincts and in most instances, they have proved to be the right way. EB: You had a vision for what you wanted in life. How did you go through the process in order to manifest this vision? JV: My life vision has changed over the years. First, I was a married mother of three. Then I was a divorced mother of three. In these instances, my vision was survival. When I moved from New York to California, I witnessed different and more possibilities. I was in survival for a while; I used my past work experiences to get my first solid job in California. I was able to improve my skills (bookkeeping, administrative services, communication, management) to the point that I upgraded my life considerably to CFO of an investment company and more. My vision then became purchasing a home for my children and providing a legacy for them. As I upgraded my positions, my vision also expanded. I knew I was meant to directly help people live a life of success, joy, and happiness. EB: How do you maintain a positive attitude through potential roadblocks? JV: I reframe any roadblocks as opportunities. I ask what’s possible, what’s missing, and what is my next step. I also slow down and back away from any roadblock for a while in order to see it clearly. EB: What has been the most defining moment in your life that steered you in the direction to find your passion and purpose? JV: I met an interesting person a long time ago that predicted I would help people and use my intuition to do so. Then, I met another person who said the same thing. I barely knew what intuition was! So I researched, studied, and discovered how intuition worked and how I could integrate this with my soft and hard skills. This moment in time changed everything. EB: Is there something you know now that you wish you knew then that could have made the path towards success just a little easier or smoother? JV: What I know now that I wish I knew then was to trust myself completely. If I had trusted myself, my path, my skills, my choices, entirely, without hesitation, my journey towards success would have been much easier. EB: You specialize in building a foundation in innovative, creative, and intuitive thinking. Tell me more about this. JV: Learn what you can, and then learn more. The more you learn about what you choose to do in this world, the further insights your intuition will provide. First, build the four walls of your foundation, and then you can build what you like – or even redesign as you move forward. EB: What is your favorite quote? JV: “Never give up.” EB: What has been the biggest challenge to overcome and how has it made you stronger and maybe even a little bit wiser? JV: I don’t know if one challenge has been any bigger than the next. Every challenge makes me stronger, wiser, and more inclined to step back rather than charge ahead. Sometimes stepping back, or even out of the challenge, opens doors to new opportunities. EB: Any words of wisdom for those who have the drive and desire to achieve their highest potential but maybe struggling a little? JV: Struggling is OK if it is not wrapped up too tightly with stress. However, the struggle may never be necessary. It comes down to choice. What do you really want? How can you get there? There is more than one path to what you want. Find others or talk to people you trust who will help open a door and let in some light on the subject. Note: Eileen Bild, CEO, Ordinary to Extraordinary Life, OTEL productions/KNOB TV, OTEL TALK, OTEL MUSIC VIDEOS- ROKU, ROKU Channel Developer www.KNOB-TV.com, Founder of The Core Thinking Blueprint Method, Business Transition Strategist Thank you, Joanne Victoria
Do you sometimes find that when you want something, be it money, clients, products, new jobs or relationships, that you appear to be traveling down a congested highway? Well, that problem can be easily solved. Yes, easily. Actually easily and effortlessly. People make too big of a thing about doing something. Just do it. But, before you do it, clear your mind, therefore the highway. How about removing the obstacles? OK, you may not be able to move the actual autos on the freeway physically, but I can attest to the fact that you can ease the flow of traffic just by thinking about it. Calmly. What would be an easy way to receive more money or clients? Think about it coming to you! What would be the effortless way of creating new ideas or business? Create some space and time, you don’t need much, and ask for what you want. Then, write it down and ask your friends to help. You don’t have to do this alone. No friends? Send an e-mail to everyone you know, and ask for help. No e-mail addresses? Use your Social Media; use somebody else’s’ social media! Get into a chat room. Start connecting. There is an easier way where there are no obstacles. You have a choice. Do you want to do it the easy way or the hard way? Let’s look at why some choose the hard way. If they don’t get what they want, they can be righteous in not deserving what they want and continue to complain about how badly the world and everyone in it treat them. They persist in not taking responsibility for their lives. They become an emotional drain to be around so they start losing all their friends and associates, then money and jobs. Maybe they no longer go forward in life. Bottom line is, they stagnate. If you try easy, even saying the words will change how your body and mind integrate this new method. Take a deep breath. Say it; “Try easy.” Now, this does not mean taking the easy way out by giving up on your values. Try easy means you are willing to give up suffering and the battle of the wills. Your wills, your dark and light sides. Try easy. What could it hurt? You could get what you really want. Joanne
What are Essential Steps for Entrepreneurs? When you start your own business, this challenge requires work, most times hard work, especially at the beginning. Are you ready for hard work? Do you have a passion for your ideas? You need to show up and do the work, whatever it may be. If you need help, at least on a temporary basis, you must be discerning not only in what you are looking for but also in your ability to give up taking care of all the details of this new adventure. Now is the time to let go; to let go of all the tasks required to make you a success, again, and not burn out before you have even driven to 55 MPH! Many entrepreneurs think they can do it all, and maybe they can, but should they? I don’t think so. What part of you requires reinvention? Is it your controlling part or your detail-oriented part? You are the dreamer, the thinker, the one who sees the Big Picture! Stay with that, just that, yet know the other parts that require attention. If you are still trying to take all the parts in the play, it is time to go back to the drawing board. Rewrite your Vision, Mission, and Goals of your business. Decide what takes need doing in at least the first year of your business. Write job descriptions for each of them. If you are properly funded, go to Craigslist or any local temp agency or an online agency, including Fiverr. Look for what you want keeping in mind that those you hire may be temporary. Also, check at your local high schools for interns. Students love to add a variety of positions, paid and unpaid, to enhance college entry. You always have choices. The first thing you need to understand is to do the work. Do the work required of a business owner. Plan, plan, plan, and then plan again. A plan is like a recipe. You need to confirm that you have all the correct ingredients in your recipe/plan so, when completed, you have the right product or service for the right buyers. Need help in designing your plan? Click here for a free Laser Session Joanne
Holding on to anger and resentment creates a bond between you and what or who you are angry with. The more we hold on the more difficult it is to forgive the situation or individual. The more you hold on the more unpleasant you get; you become unpleasant in thoughts, words, and deeds. Give it up..give up your righteousness and forgive yourself first. Forgiveness does not mean you forget the instance- the situation that made you angry. Love of course disperses all the anger. However, on the way to love’s delights and a happy life, you need to forgive. Just that- forgive. Your anger paralyzes you. It stops you from being successful, honest, and happy. Forgiveness heals those parts of you. To hold on to your righteousness is just plain silly. You think it is good to do so, yet you will not realize how silly it is until you shift your mind and forgive. First, forgive yourself. Work on this daily for a while and see how your anger starts to fade. Make this a project as it is about you, at least for now. Once you have healed yourself, forgive the person or situation that you are growling at, the reason you are angry. This forgiving action is a solo endeavor. You do not have to forgive the issue or individual in person!! Many use this as an excuse not to forgive others. With forgiveness comes diminished grief. With forgiveness comes healing. Want help? Contact me here for a free laser session on forgiveness. Joanne
Well-being is at the least the presence of positive and the absence of negative emotions. Personal well-being is vital to each and every one of us, yet we do not make a practice of learning what it is and how we can have it. There are many aspects to well-being, including but not limited to: physical well-being, emotional well-being, social well-being, economic well-being, and appealing activities and work. In some ways, it is aligned with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, needs that motivate human behavior. These needs start from the bottom and continue to build, one after the other: physiological, safety, love, and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. To increase your confidence, attain more inner peace, discover your authenticity, understand your purpose and determine your values, this is Personal Well-Being. If you could even communicate your desire for these needs, you are ahead of the game, and it is a game. There are times of confusion and doubt that may stand in your way. You must be ready, willing, and able to commit to yourself, to put yourself first. You might want to manage your stress better. This is quite possible; however, you need to acknowledge your life warrants that help. Do you know what is missing in your life? Look at what is missing instead of what you label as ‘wrong’. Check out your personal and work life; do they fulfill if not exceed your expectations? What is your story? Get your free copy of The True Self Handbook – A Guide to Transform Your Life here- Joanne
You avoid your tasks that support your goals and vision and you get nothing done. Just do what is in front of you. Each and every day, choose at least three High-Value activities to support your business vision. These high-value activities are where you invest your time, energy, and resources. Once you complete these tasks, reward yourself. Have a virtual lunch with friends or clients. Get creative – each person describes the dish they are eating. Make it a special occasion because it is. Have balloons..balloons are always part of a celebration. This will take your mind off whatever troubles you think you have. Congratulate yourself on a job well done. Be positive. Smile – a smile will change your outlook immediately. You need to reframe what you do in a way that does not require great effort. Many of you seem to be trying way too hard. Just do what is in front of you. Joanne
Burnout. What’s it really all about and how does it affect you and those around you. The real problem stems from the stigma tied to work-related burnout whether you are an employee, entrepreneur, independent professional, or contractor. “Anybody who complains they’re burned out from their job or career or life is deemed as being weak and unable to hack it. Since America is bad about glorifying stress and anxiety, people tend to stay silent and do the job despite the stress they face. They don’t want to be seen as less than the best.” What Are The Typical Work-Related Stressors? Unable to understand a new process, software, or a change in the workplace setting (Zoom anyone?) Impractical deadlines – still Random schedules – of course! Constant scheduling conflicts – an ongoing issue Adding more to one’s duties that go beyond the role and no compensation for added responsibilities – for everyone! Personal demands (interactions with contractors, customers, management, or co-workers) – life can sometimes be very very stressful Do you see any of the above symptoms in yourself? If so, then you’ll be glad to know that you don’t have to “get away” to alleviate the work burnout symptoms. If you can take some time away, then do it. However, if it’s just not possible, consider the following: Focus On Your Breathing – By focusing on your breathing, you allow the parasympathetic nervous system to relax. This will help to decrease your stress level and better manage your stress. This works people! Set Boundaries – When it comes to your work and home life, it’s okay to have boundaries; in fact, I say it is a must to have boundaries. There’s no reason to bring your home with you and your home with you to work. Sometimes, it’s okay to have two distinct lives that don’t overlap. Take Frequent Breaks – It’s good to take five-minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes to clear your head, especially if you’re focused on one particular task. Your brain needs a break! Ergonomic Setting– Create an ergonomic setting that includes a sit/stand atmosphere with your desk and chair. You can also add plants to the room to create a relaxing ambiance. The right equipment for the job. Work Mentor – Sometimes, the best thing you can do is have a work confidant/master class of 2 – someone you can bounce ideas off of or who will let you vent when you have a problem. This approach comes in handy and prevents migraines! Non-Work-Related Hobby – Participate in some kind of after-work hobby that allows you to de-stress and think about something other than work. For example, you can sign up for a gym membership and exercise. You don’t have to lift weights; just walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical can be enough to relax your body. Or walk outdoors! Need help? I provide a complimentary Laser Coaching Session to all who read my posts. Joanne
The word burnout is a scary word, especially for entrepreneurs, independent professionals, and contractors. Certainly, employees seek their space in the burnout hell world as well. However, burnout is a word that has been co-opted for many things other than work – which is how the WHO – classifies this word. “‘The World Health Organization (WHO) says that burnout is included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon. It is not classified as a medical condition. It is described in the chapter: ‘Factors influencing health status or contact with health services’ – which includes reasons for which people contact health services but that are not classed as illnesses or health conditions. Burn-out is defined as follows: “Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy. ‘Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.’” To simplify this conversation, burnout is about you and your work. Other uses of the word may represent precursors to burnout such as having a foggy brain, being angry, detachment in personal relationships or even getting fat. Some things to ask yourself are: Are you working more now and enjoying it less? Are you running out of time each and every day to complete your projects? Is your search for success not only become more meaningless but also less rewarding financially? Have you stopped caring? There are many studies that say burnout is a thing (see above re WHO). We ignore work burnout at our own risk. Some of my entrepreneurial clients work just as hard to avoid burnout as to stay in the fire and flames. It’s a different type of work to remove yourself from the burnout slide. If you are an entrant into the Field of Burnout, you need better than good coping skills. You must put yourself first, last, and always. Accept responsibility for who you are and what you do. Maintain your positive energy levels and remain optimistic. Create a strong foundation. As stress starts its way into your body, heart, and mind, another plan is about to go into effect. It all starts with you. When you find yourself tired all the time, then turning into a fire-eating dragon on the way to physical illness, it is time to just stop. Regroup yet do not quit. Quitting is way too easy. If you catch yourself packing your suitcase and looking for a new place to live, stop. When you have constant headaches, seek to isolate yourself (as if we need more reasons to quarantine)) and feel empty inside, again, it is time to stop. You need a plan. Contact me if you want a complimentary Laser Session. If not, create your own plan, mail it to me and I will provide feedback. Take care, Joanne
Viola Davis, Emmy, Tony, and Academy Award winner, was a guest on The Graham Norton Show a few weeks ago. As most of his guests are wont to do, Viola Davis was promoting a recent project as well as a future project. Her most recent project is Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a film now on Netflix. An important lesson I took away from this interview was Viola Davis’ appreciation of Ma Rainey that is not well known – the fact that Ma had her own autonomy, knew her worth, and was comfortable with all of this success. And Ma owned all of this. This was over 100 years ago. Even as a top talent for her record label, Ma as a Black woman had no choice but to demand what she deserved, whether it was a requested Coca Cola or adequate pay. No one else would do it for her. I understand this as do several of you reading this right now. “The fact that she contributed so much to the music business, she’s called the Mother of the Blues, she influenced all the artists who came after her … yet no one knows who she is,” Viola Davis said of Rainey. “Her contribution, in my opinion, is her work and her level of understanding her worth.” What affected me personally is that women today, over 100 years later, are still questioned about their fees, their work, and their audacity to place themselves at the forefront of whatever categories they use to define themselves. I do know of some who are proud and put themselves out there to attract the right clients, the right fees that work for them and they sure do understand and accept their worth and value. These women are self-employed or entrepreneurs. Employees have a different perspective. There are numerous women – with equivalent education and experience – who are still paid less than their male compatriots at some of the largest companies in the world. In the world! Yet, one is afraid to complain as the women know they will not fare well in the long run. This is yet another reason to become an entrepreneur which is not necessarily an easy path. What is the next step? First – own your worth. Second – do not defend yourself. Third – do not compare yourself to others. Fourth – change your story to where you become the hero. If you want to talk about this, sign up here for a Complimentary Session It is up to you to step forward. There is no one else. Joanne
Action is the key to everything. We want, we desire, we crave, yet do we ask for what we want? Not often enough. We wait for it to happen. We think about it. We wonder if we really deserve what we say we want. Yet, in most instances, be it about a job, a move, a relationship, we wait. It is time to stop waiting and start acting on the hunches, that flow into our brains. Yes, it may appear to be a risk to verbalize your hunches, but so what? Give yourself a chance for new possibilities to occur in your life. What are you waiting for? With Intuitive Moments you have the power to get what you want in an easy and effortless way. Everything is a muscle, be it in the body or mind, whether writing or building a house, they all require strong muscles. Take a stand for what you believe, for what you want. If you don’t take this stand for yourself, who will take it for you? Trust your instincts, trust the intelligence inside of you that you have gathered over your lifetime, trust that now is the time for you to express yourself. Act even if…even if you are afraid of losing whatever is in front of you. Even if…you do not think you deserve what you are asking for. Even if…there is a smidge of doubt inside of you. Even if…you do not think you really deserved what you want to ask for. Even if. If you want a brief, free Laser Session, contact me here. Take care of yourself! Joanne
Another new year for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and independent professionals, so why not start it off right. What needs to be determined is how you will spend your time; earning, learning, yearning, or a combination of all three. The first item is Time Alone. Take your calendar and, at least for the first quarter of the year, select one weekday, and designate it for yourself. This is in addition to any weekends that you have designated for other activities. Use this time for yourself; go to the movies, a museum, volunteer, or take up tap dancing. Create the time for peace, joy, and the pleasure of just taking care of yourself. Remember, you come first and if you are not fulfilled, satisfied and content, the business won’t come to you anyway. Clients are attracted to enjoyment not worry. Each day, say “I am satisfied and successful.” Next, the Bigger Financial Picture. First, determine the amount of income you want to receive this year. Then determine how many days you want to market your business and how many days you want to “do the work.” The marketing can be in the form of networking meetings, free talks, mailings, and organizational meetings. The work would be the actual consulting, writing, product design, and development, programming, and training performed in your area of expertise. Write it down. Write the amount on an annual, monthly, and daily basis. Each day, make a statement similar to, “Everything I do today supports my financial goals.” Keep in mind, you do not need to work every day to generate the income you want. If you determine you want to work only six months per year, say it. It may take a little time for your subconscious to hear your truth, but there is no rule that you have to work a particular number of days per week or per year. This is your life, your business, and your rules. Another note, Be Healthy. Your body and your mind take you through the work and the play and need to be in the best shape possible. That means eating healthily, sleep healthy, play healthy, and work healthy. Get rid of anything in your life that does not support who you are or want to be. That means inappropriate and unnecessary food, relationships, clothes, business associates, clients, subscriptions, debts, and so on. No need to carry any burden that you don’t want. Make a list of everything that needs to go. Keep this list, note the dates things change, and applaud. Every day, say “I am healthy.” It works. Start learning, then earning and you will no longer need to yearn. You now have the beginnings of a plan. Want help in setting up your New Business Year? Click here and let’s talk. Happy New Year!!! Joanne
Never dismiss how you feel; always tap into the power behind these feelings and thoughts. They are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen for them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next appropriate step. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grow from releasing the power of your thoughts. It begins and ends with being in the moment, Constant adjustments are part of any successful journey. Each instance comprises the basic building blocks for your abundant life. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in you no matter what outside influences exist. Ignore anything outside of yourself in order to make better decisions. Do not be swayed or distracted by anything. Want help? Click here to set up a complimentary session. Joanne
Are you ready and willing to say you did the best you could in this past year? Even if you are not, do it anyway. To go into another day, month year without acknowledging and accepting that you did your best will leave you with untold pain. Determine what you learned in this past year, good or bad, and decide what you will carry with you as lessons newly learned or those relearned. Accept yourself as you are right now. This action will only make your journey into the New Year easier to travel. Life can be difficult all by itself; it does not need you to harbor negative thoughts from the past, let alone this past year. Do your best right now because that is all you can do. Your best is good enough. Lift a glass and retire 2020 with all its good and bad experiences. Onto the next! Happy New Year 2021!! Joanne
When you feel bad do something good for others. Who can you help this time of year? Will you provide a holiday feast to someone you love? Will you clean out your closet and take items to Good Will or Value Village or your or someone’s local church? Will you forgive someone who you hold a grudge against? Will you forgive yourself for not being perfect? This day is a good day to give thought to how you present yourself to people in the world. How relatable are you to others? Would it benefit you if you were more relatable? Being kind makes one more relatable. Lots of questions and only you can provide the answers – if you want to. This is only for you. Merry Christmas Eve! Joanne
What’s your story? What’s your story for 2020? What did you accomplish or not accomplish this past year? Take the time to make notes of all your experiences, starting with January 2020. Do you remember what happened then? Write it down. Did you have some ‘fails’? What did you learn from these ‘fails’? You have probably had more ‘wins’ than you expected. Acknowledge them and again, what did you learn from these wins? You may not be aware of this – we all learn more from failure than from winning. Hard to believe, yet true. This is about you today. Writing out Your Year in Review will open your eyes to all the things you can recognize as accomplishments. If you want you can grade yourself. Was 2020 a 10 out of 10 for you? If not, why not? What can you do to make 2021 easier and better? Are you ready? Need help? Joanne
Love yourself first. Be grateful to yourself first. Give all energies to yourself first. You are truly the only person that can put YOU first. Live every day with energy, love, and gratitude. At the same time, save some room for yourself. If you don’t do this, you will be coming from an empty well, with nothing to give others. You deserve to take it easy anytime, yet probably more now during the holidays when it’s more about others, not yourself. When your workday is done, let it go and walk away. When your playtime is done, let it go and walk away. Whether it is home or family time and you are done, let it go and walk away. Let all your stresses from multiple parts of your life go before attempting your next step. Start each day by letting go of yesterday. Want help in letting go? Let’s have a brief chat here. Joanne
Many miss the opportunity to hug their loved ones right now. Those of you, especially into the touchy-feely part of relationships, are missing friends big time; to hold a hand, touch their face, and enjoy their company How can you express love to all you cherish? This holiday time is a perfect, usual time to focus on your loved ones. You look and look for the right gift for the people you love; you send them these gifts. Yet many of you are not in the same room with them when these gifts are opened. Adapting is necessary today. And what about other times of the year? I believe anytime is a good time to show others you love and cherish them. Anytime at all; you can adapt to show your love to others. You can express love in many ways. It is not necessary to buy gifts to let others know how you feel about them. You can call (yes use the telephone) to check on a loved one. You can send a loved one a greeting card or a letter. You can offer to have dinner delivered to someone you care about. You can take a walk with someone you care about; even today. You can have a walk and talk with a friend who lives far away; your phone has many useful options! You can share a favorite book with someone who you think would love it. There are many ways to express love to those you care for. How would you express love other than Holiday gifts? Tell me here how you would do this. Joanne
Our life is so filled with work and family and what is going on outside of ourselves, especially now during this pandemic, that often we become overwhelmed. Hence, it is very important to slow down, pause a bit, and take a break to reflect before you continue with the journey forward. Taking a small break or a pause is often considered unproductive, but a brief break of at least 10 minutes in the midst of a busy day gives you the opportunity to assess whether you are making the best use of your time and energy. Fill your bucket list with fun activities If you are running your life of a marathon or a sprint, you have to understand that taking a short break is absolutely necessary, or else you will burn out very easily. It is necessary to take some time to slow down, unwind, and relax so that you can feel more relaxed and refreshed to fulfill your bucket wish lists. In order to enjoy your life to the fullest, it is important that you include those activities that give you immense joy and pleasure in life. Make time for yourself It is very important to take out time for yourself. It gives you the opportunity to create more personal time. With work pressure, family responsibilities, and a seeming lack of personal social interactions, we seem to be juggling different responsibilities every day. Take out time to accomplish your passion and goals and get involved where you can be relaxed, happier, and healthier at the end of the day. The “I” time will allow you to de-stress and rejuvenate yourself. Taking mini-breaks in between is important Taking mini-breaks in life can bring all the difference. The heavy work pressure, the outside influences that may not be ignored, family responsibilities affect your physical health, and the mental potential to stay a contented and happy life. Taking small amounts of time out can help both your body and mind to relax, rejuvenate, and recover from your tension and stress-laden life. With bigger challenges, more self-care time is needed When was the last time you took a break from everything and spend some “I” time? Can you recall the time when you appreciated yourself? Well, we give a lot of time and focus on everything around us, but very little to ourselves. This is the reason behind the cause of imbalance. We forget our dreams, aspirations, and desires and start neglecting ourselves. Such an attitude is a very big no. It is important to spend more self-care time when there are bigger challenges in life because it gives us the chance to unwind and evaluate our actions and identify the right and the wrong. From the above analysis, it becomes clear that self-care time is necessary to maintain a balance in your physical and mental health. Need help in designing self-care time? Contact me here and let’s talk! Joanne
You can’t sleep, your partner is ignoring you, your work team just wants to play computer games (Fortnite anyone?) and your manager does not care about covid, zoom, or anything else except for you to finish your end of the deal about the latest project. And you? You want to run and hide just for an hour. Maybe even half an hour, just to get some peace and quiet! Obviously, you have not carved out any time for you, the most important person in your life. If you are not the most important person in your life, you will never have the energy to be with others and contribute at home or at work. So, what now? First, just leave from wherever you are. Right now. If you are working from home, just walk out the door. Don’t forget your mask!! Go for a walk or grocery shopping. Just so you are alone. Make that decision now. Private time should be the first thing you put in your schedule. Notify your family what this is and that you need some peace, that it is not personal, that this is important to you. If they do not understand its importance to you, over time this will get it as they will see you taking action on it. Your attitude will change as well. Need some support along the way? Book yourself for a Complimentary Laser Session today. Joanne
It is time to feel some joy in your life. Joy is experienced through selflessness; which makes joy different from happiness. Happiness has a range, joy stands alone. Joy is a cause. Joy is the cause of how we feel after we have experienced reaching out to others and finding peace and solace in these experiences. Joy happens in our life because we let it in. Our mindful approach to life allows all our experiences to be touched with. Joy is beyond happiness, yet how can we access joy and incorporate joy into our daily life? Give this a try – be it your personal or business life. Let’s say you have a goal or an outcome you want to achieve, yet you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Your overwhelm makes you frightened and unclear about the efficacy of your plan to reach this goal. I suggest you consider the best in your field, man or woman, and determine what they would do if they were in your shoes. Then do that thing that will help you reach your goal. Act as if they were doing it. Once you reach your goal, you may (I hope) feel some joy. If you are not accustomed to joy, help this joy grow by paying attention to it. Once you feel this slice of joy, you will have reached beyond your limitations. You have jumped off the ledge and are still flying towards more success. Enjoy! Joanne Want some joy in your life? Click here for a complimentary Laser Session. Her’s to your joy! Joanne
With what is going on in most of your lives, worry is part of the mix. However, worry itself is not as difficult to overcome as you may think. It has been established that 85 percent of what people worry about never happens. Never happens!!! And the other 15 percent that did happen, about 80 percent of those individuals discovered that they could handle whatever came up or they learned a lesson they otherwise would not even be aware of. The numbers then go this way: 97 percent of what you worry about is not much more than your fearful mind punishing you!!! That’s why there is a saying that goes something like this: 99 percent of what you worry about never happens. Your mindset is fractured. Your worrying, your exaggerations about things, your misperceptions are crushing you. Is this decision to worry about any and everything your first choice, your go-to place? Then you have a problem that needs a solution and it is not about worrying. When you spend your time worrying, the stress hormones shrink your brain, lower your IQ, make you prone to heart disease, and cancer as well as premature aging. There’s more, but why worry about it. When you find that your worrying leads to no outcomes, plus or minus, then you get angry. Anger at least has some basis in reality. How does anger work for you? Does anger help you get what you want? If you want to live a happier and healthier life, find something else to fill your time, just don’t choose worry. There is no payoff, no benefit to worrying. Make that decision to stop worrying. Create a new road in your brain. Neuroplasticity is real and you can change your brain. Or not. Have a question or concern about how worrying affects you? Click here for a 10 minute or so Laser-Focused session. Have a good day! Joanne
My gratitude to each and every one of you who have taken the time to read and forward my posts. Enjoy this Thanksgiving Day!!
What happens when we don’t get what we want when the flow slows down or even stops? You get mad, sad, and unhappy. You blame the pandemic, the president, the country, the war, your mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, child, co-worker, anyone we can think of, even the driver of that car who passed you on the freeway. All you want is a little more; more money, more love, more fun, more time with friends and family, more time for yourself. You find yourself stuck. Stuck in the anger, stuck in the resentment, stuck in the fear of what will happen now. You are stuck because there is no flow. As soon as you get angry or resentful or critical, the flow shuts down. So you attract more stuckness. Then you start defending your stuckness. Stop. Stop defending your stuckness. The reason you defend your stuckness position is that you want to be right about who you are and what you do. Being right then becomes resistance. Being in resistance puts you in that rut of stuckness. A vicious circle. The only way out of the rut, the only way to increase the flow of anything is to forgive. Forgiveness is a process that opens the flow. Forgiveness lets your guard down from defending your position. To let your guard down is the best place to be if you want more of anything in your life. If you are stuck, there is no flow, and you are someplace you do not want to be, there is something you can not do. If you want to be in another place or feel another feeling or act another action, I have a secret. The secret is forgiveness – really. Forgiveness gets you off your position of being right. Because your stuckness is really about being right. When you are right about something, you think you are in total absolute control. When others defy your position by criticizing you or not giving you that contract you worked so hard to get and think you deserve, you become stuck. This stuckness, this resistance, stops the flow of anything, good or bad, from coming to you. You are so stuck that you cannot think of a way out or a new direction. Forgiveness stops you for a minute. This stop allows the flow of activity, of something other than righteous resistance. Here is a simple, effective, clear way to get unstuck. Start by making a list of all the people you have any issues with, or a feeling about, or a criticism of. Maybe they did cut you off on the freeway. Maybe they didn’t keep their word to you. Maybe they lied. Maybe they didn’t hire you for that job. Check out the following example. Trudy was supposed to meet you for lunch. She often canceled on previous occasions. You hoped this time would be different. It wasn’t. She not only didn’t show up, she called at the very last minute to say she was still an hour away. No real regret, just sorry. So, what did you do? Let us say you became resentful and argued with her and told her off. What did this accomplish? You really didn’t feel better. All this argument did was remind you of all the other times she stood you up. This reminder created more memories of when others kept you waiting. You now go back in time to recall numerous similar situations. Again, you are stuck, you get angry and upset with almost every little perceived slight. If you are stuck, the goodness that you want, the more of what you want will no longer flow. Forgive Trudy. Really and truly forgive her. Get out your journal or a yellow pad and write the following: * I forgive Trudy for all the times she stood me up. * I forgive Trudy for making me feel angry. * I forgive Trudy for making me feel stuck. You can start to feel your body changing. You have just created an opening, an opportunity for the flow to begin. * I appreciate Trudy for all of who she is. * I appreciate myself for accepting Trudy as she is. Okay, maybe you are not totally accepting of Trudy, yet, but just the saying of it will open your valves. The more often you forgive everyone who you think has lied to you, ignored you, stood you up, or did not keep their word to you, the flow will begin. Keep that journal out and continue to forgive everyone on that list. Take the time for this exercise each and every day until the flow begins. Let forgiveness keep you on your path of ‘unstuckness’. Let the flow of more money, more love, more fun, and more friends begin. Want support in forgiving someone? Click here and make an appointment for a Laser chat. Joanne
Do you sometimes find that when you want something, be it money, clients, products, or relationships, that you appear to be traveling down a congested highway? Well, that problem can be easily solved. Yes, easily. Actually easily and effortlessly. People make too big of a thing about doing something. Just do it. But, before you do it, clear your mind, therefore the highway. It’s interesting that in different states, roads are labeled differently. In New York it’s a thruway, in California it’s a freeway, neither of which seems to apply when you are trying to get from point A to point B. How about removing the obstacles? OK, you may not be able to move the actual autos physically, but I can attest to the fact that you can ease the flow of traffic just by thinking about it. Calmly. What would be an easy way to receive more money or clients? Think about it coming to you! What would be the effortless way of creating new ideas or business? Create some space and time, you don’t need much, and ask for what you want. Then, write it down and ask your friends to help. You don’t have to do this alone. Go on your social media, send an e-mail to everyone you know, and ask for help. Start connecting. There is an easier way where there are no obstacles. You have a choice. Do you want to do it the easy way or the hard way? Let’s look at why some choose the hard way. Those who don’t get what they want can be righteous in not deserving what they want and continue to complain about how badly the world and everyone in it treat them. They persist in not taking responsibility for their lives. They become an emotional drain to be with: they start losing all their friends and associates, then money and jobs. Maybe they no longer go forward in life. Bottom line is, they stagnate. If you try easy, even saying the words will change how your body and mind integrate this new method. Take a deep breath. Say it; “Try easy.” Now, this does not mean taking the easy way out by giving up on your values. Try easy means you are willing to give up suffering and the battle of the wills. Your wills, your dark and light sides. Try easy. What could it hurt? You could get what you really want. Joanne
What do teams provide? A team starts out with two or more people with the same end goal in sight. Each member has a skill different from the other, yet in alignment with each other. This is the most important part of being a good team member; the awareness of alignment. We are all on a team whether we know it or not. You know about baseball, soccer, football, and basketball teams; did you know that each of us is part of a team even if we never thought of it that way? An entrepreneur has many team members, both internal and external. The external team, which I call my Outer Vision Team, could include a Creative Entrepreneur. Maybe that’s you, the one who invents ideas and concepts. You also need a Detail person, the one who is comfortable with being cautious. A Detail person loves deadlines and order. The Creative person flows with ideas that require order. You may think, as the Creative, that you know it all. Maybe you do; however, the Challenger wants to know each and every reason for saying NO! The Challenger checks out all the flaws and weaknesses of your idea or product. The Challenger is a gift to your Outer Vision Team in that you can get all the negativity out upfront, which eliminates surprises down the road. You may also require a Technical person, one who is more familiar with the web than you or your other team members. Your Mentor is key to not only holding your Vision but also to be objective as to the outcomes. If you are a solopreneur, you have resources that you contact for your printing, advertising, social media, and the like. This is a team. You may also hire a bookkeeper, virtual assistant, and even your masseuse! is part of your team. Corporate offices have many teams; sometimes multiple teams work on the same project. Your family is also a team, be it your close relatives or extended families. As a team member, you need to have a vision for the outcome and its ramifications as well as have a leader who helps you see this vision and outcome clearly. Everyone wants to know what is in it for them – both team and whoever benefits from the team’s work efforts. As a family team, you may pull together if one family individual needs support. You may meet, discuss the possible outcomes and determine a path to resolve this issue. As a solopreneur or small business owner, you can use a team of professionals to help you succeed. If they succeed so, do you. In global corporations, team members have similar styles, although the content and context of the team may appear to be more specific with providing better outcomes for the public. How is your team going? Ask questions here and I will respond. Joanne
You’ve heard of goals, mission statements, and vision statements. There are plenty of books and seminars about goal setting. But did you know there were distinct differences in goals, mission statements, and business vision? The differences are unique: this information will help you separate what a goal is from a mission statement or a vision. Goals are specific, measurable, realistic outcomes or results, usually completed by a specific date. Tasks or assignments support the completion of the goals, either by individuals or groups of individuals. Goals support your mission and vision statements, and goals, mission statements, and vision is usually aligned with your values. Goal Example: ABC Company will release two new computer programs in the United States by end of the year 2021. These products will influence long-term relationships in the international business community. A Business mission is what you want your business to be; how it is perceived in the world. A mission statement is about what your business does or what products or services your business provides. A mission can include the outcomes of what you do and who you do it for. Mission Example: ABC Company designs influential software programs that enable people to find information on the Internet in less than two seconds. A Business Vision is about the impact your business will have on the world. The Vision is what pulls you forward. With a clear business vision, each day is effortless, with more satisfaction and prosperity in your life. Vision Example: U.S.-based ABC Company is the only software provider of global nations. Ownership of ABC Company is held as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). This plan allows each employee to have a secure financial future. Will I Get Better Clients or Customers with a Business Vision? The best reason in the world to have a great vision than rely on short-term goals is the ability to attract better clients. Clarity about who you are and what you do on a daily basis is supported by your vision. The more you focus on what your clients or customers want and need, the easier it will be for them to see your contributions. One client became so clear on his vision that he eliminated the bottom twenty percent of his clients, redefined his definition of his ideal customer, and raised his fees. Always remember that your business vision is the primary requisite in the search for a successful business and life. Goals come after the vision. Vision is bigger than anything. Make sure you have your Vision with a Capital V. Joanne
Back when we were all having fun instead of what the heck it is we are doing now, I went to a concert in Golden Gate Park, a short drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco. I was part of a group and there were thousands of people at this particular concert. After a bit, some got restless, others wanted to use the facilities which were probably about a quarter of a mile away on a hillside. I returned to the spot from which we had first gathered and I was the only one of our party there. I looked around and so no one I knew. Well, I said, Joanne, ‘You’re a big girl and can take care of yourself. Now what?’ Well I waited and waited, nothing happened; no one from my group came. I then remembered that someone a long time ago said ‘If you stay in the same spot long enough, the world will pass you by.’ So I made a decision not to wander, to not get lost within this huge group, to not go back to the car – who knew where that was? I decided to stop. So I did. I placed myself in one spot, relaxed, and waited. Soon, my group started walking by, one by one. They were all fine and assumed I had been in the crowd. Sidebar: this was a time when I unknowingly was an introvert functioning as an extrovert. Maybe the whole world did not pass me by, but the important parts of my world did. Stop running. Just stop. Need some help with where you are? Contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne
Trust your instincts at all times. Have you had full days at zoom or group work with pressure from the bosses? Is your family pulling you in different directions; are your friends wanting you to play and have fun? Are you doing too much and feeling overwhelmed? Overwhelm is a bad state to be in because you are almost powerless. The power that remains is best going to simple solutions. First of all, stop what you are doing, right now. Take a breath or four or five very deep breaths. If you can, delegate items on your to-do list. Drink lots of water. You are stressed out and water is the great healer here. Also, try coconut water as a great restorer. If you can, go outside. Go for a walk, go to the movies, go to the park, just go! Other things you could do- Go to the movies. Go to bed – naps can work wonders for your mind and body. Take a bath. A long bath. Read a book – distract yourself from your office, family, and friends’ woes. If there is someone you trust that you can talk to, do so to pop the energy around the overwhelm bubble. As you come back to earth, make a list of all you have accomplished to date. Inventories can be supportive because most people who wind up in overwhelm can be overachievers and never think that they have done enough! Want to chat? Let’s talk here. Joanne
Empathy is the capacity to experience the suffering of others. Empathic people often feel the pain of others, sometimes to their detriment. Empathy seems to be the big word in the past year or so, although longer for some. Compassion is about feeling for not feeling with the other persons. There is no pain for you as there may be if you were feeling empathic. Empathic people feel the pain of others acutely; empathy can drain you emotionally. They get caught up in others’ experiences instead of maintaining and being observant. One may only achieve burnout with this viewpoint. Think of your first responders and nurses, for example. The brain goes in different directions for empathy and compassion. Empathic individuals register the pain of others and it can be debilitating. There is more positivity with Compassion. To have more compassion in your life, first, limit your exposure to negativity. Do not dwell in the negative, but hope and extend to others the need for them to feel less danger; you need perspective. I have known many who have identified with negative occurrences, become distracted, tired, and dried up expressing only empathy without loving-kindness. It is not necessary for you to feel the pain of others. It is only necessary for you to live a life of compassionate loving kindness and pray for others to achieve the same. We do not want to suffer, nor do we want others to suffer. This is different from taking on the pain of others and owning it ourselves so that we continue to suffer or feel distressed. Empathy or compassion – you get to choose how you want to live your life. Another choice could be-talk to me about your choices. Joanne
Learning comes from the strangest places and fear may stand in the way, however, courage is something we all have, even if only halfway. Partial courage is better than no courage at all. I learned many things from this adventure of courage; this is one reason I am here today. Learn from everything in your life, good and bad. Everything takes courage. Are you afraid of taking the next step in your life? As current times are shaky, to say the least, we may require a new direction to move towards. Fear, however, gets in the way of accomplishing many things from moving out of your home at a tender age to removing yourself from situations that may harm you to starting something brand spanking new. I recall an incident many years ago when, at the follow- up to a weekend retreat I was a part of, the workshop leaders asked for an Area Manager (my area) to be in charge of a new group. I was instantly excited, about what I am not sure, but probably of doing something new and stimulating. I stood up in this large group and volunteered to be the Area Manager. But my fear took over and I invited another person to be my co-manager. Well, this was a shock to her and a bit to me as well. My fear kicked in and I didn’t think I could handle the unknown responsibilities involved. All this was in my head in a nanosecond. The person I chose accepted the co-manager position with me and yet never did a scrap of work during our tenure. I was afraid I could not handle the responsibility and live up to the standards exemplified by the workshop leaders. God had other plans and, as stated, I was the sole manager of this group, at least in actions, but not on paper. ‘Courage is moving forward even if you feel afraid.’ – Joyce Meyer Several months down the road, when it was time to replace myself as Area Manager, and after a surprisingly successful run, the powers that be of the workshop asked if both my co-manager and I were in sync about replacing ourselves. They generously reminded me that as co-managers, we were as one. I need this other person’s permission to replace myself in this adventure! Wow! Did I just learn something about relationships and partnerships? I sure did. Suffice to say all was handled well and we both moved forward, although in different directions. Keep on keeping on and take a breath the next time someone asks you to volunteer! Book a chat with me here and receive a Free Report. Joanne
During this pandemic, time either flies by or stands still; either way, we seem to have lost control of our own time. Our 24-hour day was designed in part by the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Chinese. Other cultures stepped in along the way to add their two cents and here we are. As the earth rotates 361 degrees, the true length of a day is 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. We lose about 4 minutes per day each day because we do not really have a 24-hour day. We are losing time without even doing anything. Time cannot be replaced, so far, yet what are you doing with your use of time? Time is a resource that should not be wasted on things that do not support our health, work, life, and mind. Prioritize everything. Stop wasting time trying to figure out who is earning more than you, or has more friends and followers than you. Step up. Remember, your day is not 24 hours, it’s just 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. We are losing time every day. Prioritize your days, weeks, months, and years. Make your lists and follow them!! You know how I love lists!! If you do not, your old habits and patterns will reassert themselves and take over and you will not be in charge of your life. Who if not you should be doing that? Want support in not wasting your precious time? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne
Do you feel lonely, depressed, and unhappy? There are many ways to pick yourself up as well as help others; here are my thoughts. When you feel bad do something good for others. Who can you help during this time? Will you serve dinner at a homeless shelter? Will you forgive someone who you hold a grudge against? Will you forgive yourself for not being perfect? This day is a good day to give thought to how you present yourself to people in the world. How relatable are you to others? Would it benefit you if you were more relatable? Being kind makes one more relatable. Lots of questions and only you can provide the answers – if you want to. This is only for you. Want help in deciding your one good thing today? Contact me here. Joanne
Even though COVID has prevented many from going back to work at an office, the politics have not changed. Now it’s more like Zoom or 365 or Skype politics. What are they wearing or not wearing? I never knew Cherelle wore glasses! Why doesn’t Harry shave? Do they have pants on? Or shorts? Or maybe a kilt? Is this supposed to be professional or not? Office politics, zoom politics, workplace politics, organizational politics – I call it high school. Nothing much has changed since the cliques of high school – although today’s clique categories are a bit different, they still include what you recall from your high school, just with different labels. In high school, cliques are part of social development. In the office, your job and your reputation can be at stake. All workplaces are political because we are human beings who bring all our baggage, good and bad, into the workplace. What does one do if you are new to the game of politics or do not want to play this game? Set clear boundaries. Start by staying out of it. What game you do not join, you do not have to play. Be nice, at all times; be as nice as possible. Be fair to all you speak to. When someone attempts to engage you in a Gossip Round, simple, non-committal replies are best. Use lots of ‘Ohs?’ and ‘Ahs’! and ‘Unhuhs’. Really – no one will care and they will move onto the next person who will agree or disagree, therefore getting snagged into a revolt, big or small. Don’t gossip about anyone in your office, building, or company especially on the internet. The internet does not go away. It may hurt you on the way up the ladder and send you spinning down quickly. You never know who’s watching or listening or who is anxious to pass on your words to someone else. Don’t let anything you say bite you in the butt. Establish your office ‘line in the sand’ and do not engage anyone who wants to play the game of gossip, bullying, or any other not-so-nice means. As I said prior, this is high school. Be yourself at all times and enjoy yourself as much as possible while you contribute your skills – the ones they pay you for – to your company. If being an employee of whatever rank doesn’t work for you, start your own business. Remember, you are not being paid to argue local or national politics Have a question or two? Click here and ask away! Joanne
Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. As long as this leads to body, mind, and spirit harmony, you will be able to sidestep any big drama. Give it a try. Harmony implies peace, cooperation, and understanding. When you have a balance of body, mind, and spirit, others’ issues will roll off your back. You will have no need to become engaged in others’ dramas except to offer your mindful and quiet support. In order to act on your compassion, which in my view is not wanting others to suffer, you need to derail your own suffering. More inner harmony is the best and easiest way to do this. In order to work successfully with others and their varying degrees of emotions and life dramas, you would be wise to have harmony or balance in your own life. You can treat your body to good eating, healthy walks or exercise, and read good books to boost your confidence. If you are in personal harmony, you will be stronger than those around you and able to give more to theirs, if only to give an example of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. Your mind will be more in balance if you meditate, or just take quiet time for at least twenty minutes per day; more if you can. Start with yourself, first and always. Let’s chat about you today. Click here and set up a time for us to change the world. Joanne
Watch how the world is. Choose to participate or not, however, the best thing to do is be detached from what is going on ‘out there’. It takes practice, so start practicing right away. Instead, be here now. Pay attention to what is occurring right now in your life. This very second, your life is all about options, so choose wisely. Stop judging anything. Once you judge anything as good or bad, you own it. And, you get to carry your judgments with you all the time. Judgments define you like this or that. Are you willing to limit your identity to ‘this or that’? These judgments become a burden; you are left without the energy to go for what you want. Deal with what is in front of you. Stay in the ‘Now ‘as much as you can. Your stress levels will lower. Your work will be better. Your home life will thrive. Are you ready to lower your stress levels? Do you want to stop being tired all the time? Need help with your judgments? This one’s for you. Joanne
Did you know that about two-thirds of the American population is obese? This does not include the extra COVID weight some have attached to their bodies! Are you one of them or are you just on your way to being fat and unhealthy? You sit on your butts, in quarantine or something similar, you don’t move your body the way you used to and you eat pizza, hamburgers, candy, mac and cheese, and other foods that are a danger to your body and mind. Then there are your mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and mid-evening snacks! And what’s in that jar on your desk and kitchen or dining room tables that you keep putting your hand in? You are gaining weight, getting unhealthy yet you are doing very little to support your personal fitness. And winter is coming. What are you supposed to do? First of all, just say no to any of the foods that do not work for you. Create a schedule and a food log to determine what and when you eat. These quarantines are great at protecting you from becoming ill, however, not at all good for your diet and health. Start walking. Walk around your house every hour to get your blood moving. If you have stairs in your home, climb them throughout the day. Use any break to walk. I know, it’s too cold, too wet; get a warm coat and an umbrella. Check out your blood pressure frequently. You can accomplish this in many ways: Fire departments provide free BP tests; most pharmacies provide BP stations and be sure to have your BP taken at the same time of day as the prior tests. It’s your life- make it work for you. Want help in having your life work for you? This one’s for you. Joanne
In order to attain your vision or current project, you must reach, to work at your maximum potential. In order to always reach, you must take care of yourself. You must eat properly, rest sufficiently, and exercise as much as you can; a schedule is advised. You will know if you are doing the right thing once you reach a benchmark or plateau. You will know when you have reached a benchmark when your body, speech, and mind speak to you in a rhythm that moves you forward. A plateau requires going over your action plan and reorganizing or reframing it. I sometimes sign off my messages with the word Onward. What is implied with the use of this word, to be clear is that you must let the past go. You will not achieve new results with old patterns and habits. Break them all- one at a time, or in bunches. Sometimes when you release a powerful yet needless habit, other habits just slide away. Show up each and every day that you do what you do, prepared to work. Come to the table with 100% of yourself or else why bother. Lack of confidence in what you are doing will threaten the project. In a conversation with a recent podcast guest, we discussed that some people may bring 40% of a needed value to the task; others may bring 90%; neither is sufficient as they are both below the 100% required to finish the project. Getting what you want is work, people, especially if you want it done right. You can rest and celebrate when completion and success are achieved. Want help in making this breakthrough? Click here-this one’s for you. Joanne
Another important reason to discover your True Calling in life is this statement – ‘Each of us is born with three things: your name, your family, and your inherent limitations. You learn your name fairly quickly. You never really know your family. And most of us will never have a clue of how much, or how little, we are truly capable.’ To me, it resonates as a true statement in that we never know our family well, if at all. We are in the group called ‘family’ and wonder at times as to who these people are and why they act the way they do. This community takes a great deal of time to know, understand, and possibly appreciate. Many times, it never happens, yet as they are ‘family’, we ignore things about them including their actions. Yet, it seems like a semi-sacred space. The part about our inherent limitations, well, this is a stunner. If we come into this world already set up with limitations, how are we to function or even succeed? The challenge is in the word ‘inherent’. We are born with, at least, a disposition towards degrees of consciousness, curiosity, agreeableness, and openness. Of course, these aspects of us change, depending on the family we were born into. It may also change if we are in an adoptive family. Maybe the family we have is the one that nurtures us the best; that said, maybe adoptees such as Steve Jobs, Scott Hamilton, Dave Thomas (Wendy’s) Babe Ruth, and Malcolm X, to name a few, may not have succeeded to the heights they did if they were not adopted. No one truly knows. Yet family is a determining factor in our success. The one thing we all have at birth, scientific or not, is the ability to imagine and I say, as well, the ability to learn. We can all learn and may succeed more than we imagined regardless of our upbringing. You need to know who we truly are way down deep or even on the surface depending on how much inner work you have done. Your True Calling is inside of you; let it out to help others and the world at large. Keep on learning, keep on succeeding and know that this is your life; you can make it what you want, regardless of being born poor or rich, famous or not; this is about you, not them. This world needs you now more than ever. Want to discuss your True Calling? This free session is for you! Joanne
Whether you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or independent professional, it’s important to make plans. It’s also important to have the time to let things happen. Only you can decide what is to happen in your life. Here is a method that may work for you. You have nothing to lose. There is a connection between writing by hand and your brain that is profound, so start with that yellow pad; you can transfer to the computer later on. Tear out eight pieces of paper and label each as follows: Finance, Health, Professional, Community Service, Personal/Fun, Spiritual, Relationships, and Education. If you have other titles that you prefer, use them. Give this suggestion a chance; it’s just that, a suggestion; a manageable breakdown of all life’s topics. First, ask yourself a few questions: – How will I do things differently than I’ve done them before? – What am I holding onto that I no longer need or want? – What are my personal values? – Are my business values the same or similar as my personal values? Part of your plan, before setting your new results, is to eliminate any toxic or draining person, activity, commitment, or prior goal that is no longer working. You are not required to do anything that doesn’t serve you. This will only create resentment and affect your future. Prospective clients can always tell an unhappy, unfulfilled, and dissatisfied person. You will not attract what you desire. For about a month, try asking yourself, “Is this what I really want to do?”, ” Is this what I most desire?” As the responses come, you will see what and who has been depleting your energy. Take care of yourself first. Be totally responsible for what happens in your life. These topics can include business and personal outcomes. Let’s first choose the topic “Finance”. Determine what you really desire. You may desire or want to be: 1. debt-free 2. retire 3. create a larger profit 4. increase your income 5. buy a car 6. purchase a home 7. take a vacation 8. invest your money 9. quit work 10. sell your business. You get the picture. This is a project that requires a little time. The energy is yours to direct where you want. Another guide to desires and outcomes; keep them SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and True. If you want a car, make sure to say “Platinum, 2011, 850i BMW car,” not, “I want a BMW.” You may wind up with a motorcycle! Measurable; how will you know it when you get it? Attainable; is it at all possible? Outcomes or results should be at the outer edge, not out of reach. Realistic and true for you, not anyone else. This is your life. A reminder: don’t include other individuals in your desire, results, or goals; they have to make their own. Even when the desire pertains to your business, it’s still yours to own. Be consistent with your values. Write your desires in the present time-“I am in the process of being wealthy,” not, “I will be rich next year.” Feel it and act it. Write down every task and idea that will help achieve these results. After you have created all your desires, take several 3 x 5 cards and write them down. Carry these cards with you and keep copies in your car, at the office, in your home. For those of you who abhor paper, note them on your cell phone. Now it is time to give up control, go with the flow, and enjoy your rewards! You deserve them. If you wan help, book a time here this one’s for you! Joanne
Right now, it is all about compassion, for yourself and everyone else. In Buddhism, compassion is about not wanting the other person to suffer. However, you have to look at yourself first. “According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone — but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and loving-kindness.” With this being said, compassion for yourself is tantamount to your inner and outer peace. Are you bitter about someone or something that happened in your life? Forgive the person or persons involved, forgive yourself for participating in the event, and move on. Take yourself out of the prison you have created by holding on to a grudge; forgive them over and over again until all the energy on this individual and event is neutralized. It is time to look at the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is about not holding on to righteousness, not wishing the other harm. It has nothing really to do with the other individual or event, the one you need to forgive, the one you need to let go of. Ignore when you hear this phrase: ‘Forgive and Forget’. I do not think that forgetting is about forgiveness; remembering, from time to time, what you experienced, can be turned into a lesson. The lesson is a way of learning if you are in school; life is your current MBA. This happened and now I can learn from it. Not this happened, now I can take revenge on that person and make their life miserable.
Feeling lost, confused, or stressed-out about your own Life Path or entrepreneurial journey, especially during these scary and undecided times? As an Entrepreneur, no matter if you’re new to business or someone who’s been around the block, you know that finding your True Calling in life can be a difficult one. You may have days where you feel like you’re finally on the right track. Business is going in the direction you want. Life feels good. But then a week later – everything feels, well, wrong. Something deep inside your gut says something is still missing. You don’t feel 100% fulfilled in business or in life. Maybe you constantly face battles or problems in one or more of these areas…family, money, or work. It can be very tough to separate the life of a passionate Entrepreneur with your own personal life. Trying to balance the art of business creation with total life fulfillment is no small task. Once you can lock in all of these components within your life, you’ll be shocked at not only how prosperous and abundant your life will become, but also how effortless and stress-free it will feel at the same time. What you need is clarity, direction and mostly to understand what your True Calling is and how you can present it to the world. Need some help with your True Calling? Book a time here. Joanne
When a challenge occurs, immediately ask yourself what’s the intent behind the next action you’ll take. Do you want more information? Do you want to move the process forward? Do you need additional resources? Clarity of purpose makes it easier to choose your next relevant action No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. You are what you do, not what you say or what you think; what will you do next to get what you want? You need a plan and all plans need to be in writing. I like to start on paper, then go on the computer. On paper, you squiggle, make notes, until something cohesive comes into your thoughts. Let these thoughts prevail. It may be different than what you originally wanted, yet these new thoughts are concurrent with your heart’s desire. Your heart’s desire rather than your logical mind is important to pay attention to. You may have negative thoughts from the gremlin on your shoulder, however, maintain your clarity and focus on what you want, not what your brain says to do. You will then design the plan that will get you there, all from your heart. Want help with your plan? This one’s for you! Joanne
There is a distinction between self-confidence and self-esteem for a reason; many people confuse the two. Self-confidence indicates that you trust yourself and your ability to live productively in the world. A self-confident person is capable of new challenges and is willing to take responsibility for all their actions. Your confidence is increased as you work and live your life to reach success or failure. Each time you succeed, you reinforce your confidence. If you fail, you also reinforce your capability to move forward and hopefully not look back as if the failure was a negative thing, just a learning tool. Being confident also implies that you have courage, which comes from the heart. Your heart and your mind together support your self-confidence. Self-esteem is about how you judge yourself. You can have loads of self-confidence until your inner judge says ‘You could have done that better’. You then may ask ‘Am I worthy?’ If you get an inner response that ‘Yes, you are worthy.’, you will dismiss your inner judge; your esteem is intact. Our emotions get in the way in this instance. Self-esteem is about self and our personal value; self-confidence is about getting the job done. How well we think we got the job down is down to esteem. Confidence enables you to go after what you want even if you think you are not good enough. Go after what you want, without stopping to consider how well you will succeed. That aspect is what moves you back to low self-esteem and will prevent you from taking any scarier journeys. Want to discuss more about self-confidence and self-esteem? Contact me here. – this one’s for you! Joanne
Keep the faith no matter what you are doing. The first person you can and should trust is yourself. Why do you not have any faith in yourself to complete a project, have a relationship, and be happy and satisfied? A Life Vision is like a light showing you the way toward what could be. Your Life Vision is truly a guide. Do not become attached to the Life Vision you first design; things always change and you have to be ready to adapt. Belief is a different thing; sometimes people do not believe their Life Vison will come to fruition. They do not understand how their dreams could possibly become a reality. It is not about understanding; it is about faith and trust. Once you complete listing your wants and needs, which could include releasing old wounds and negative patterns, determine what you are passionate about, and decide where you want to live, it can be very enlightening. Make it the biggest Life Vision possible. If you shoot for the Moon in designing your Life Vision, you may hit a star. The star is the light. You help shine a light onto what you truly want your life to be and along the way, miracles may occur. As long as you have the Life Vision planning process, you have the opportunity to achieve magic on your path. If you resist doing anything to help yourself, you will receive only what others offer you, without knowing if this will work for you. Your Life Vision is owned by you and may change over time, especially if you pay attention to developing patterns yet it can also be magical. Create your Life Vision, follow the path it takes you, make adjustments along the way, and always look for the light to guide you. If you need help with your Life Vision, contact me here. Joanne
This past week I went to Costco to pick up a pair of prescription sunglasses; my life is easier with Costco prescription glasses – cheaper too. This was my second visit to a Costco store in the past six months. I asked the optician who waited on me how he was doing during this time, especially with the West Coast fires (I live near Seattle and we get all the smoke from everywhere!). The optical area was in a direct line to a Costco entrance where you could see the gray smoke infiltrating into the store as well as customers moving through. He shared that most people are frightened, of what he did not know; we further discussed this topic of fear and we agreed it was fear of the unknown and uncontrollable. In his position as a professional helping people see better, he shared with me that he was most diligent in knowing that people were less afraid and happier after a conversation with him. This was not said out of ego, just that he did not want others to suffer anymore. He said that this was his job, to help quell the fear and have a conversation with the individual about what is going on outside of themselves. For him, it was a natural way of communicating with people. Of course, this is an act of compassion, i.e., not wanting others to suffer; he did a splendid job. Not that he needed it, however, I did commend him for his actions because I wanted to acknowledge him. What are you doing every day as part of who you are to help and assist others? Let me know here. Joanne
Where and what are the problems in your life? Until you have a problem you recognize, you will be unable to design a plan to smooth out the rough edges of the problem. If you want something, be it a better way of working in this world, a partner, better health, to be more spiritual, start your own business, be a better manager, be a better friend – the list is almost endless, you need a plan. If you want to end negative thought patterns, you are on the right track because you already are aware that you are having! negative thoughts. You still need a plan. Awareness and focus are the first two steps. First be aware of what you want to change, make a step by step plan, then focus on those steps until you reach a place of satisfaction. Being aware is the first hurdle. If you don’t know what the hurdle is, you cannot jump over it. Consistency is the key to everything. Sit quietly and think about what you want – it is always about what you want. Once you have thoughts, write them down, not on a computer or phone, on a piece of paper inside of a notebook with dated pages. Date everything you write down in your notebook so you can look to these early pages and track your own growth. What I want is…fill in the blank. Write several of these in a list. Choose the least important item and focus on that. Once you achieve success, focus on the next least important, then upwards towards your biggest ‘want’. Enjoy the ride and write down your experiences along the way. Use these experiences as lessons learned. Be consistent. Find time every day to follow this path. Enjoy!
About 50% or more of workers today have an anxiety or depression issue. This rate increases for Millennials and Gen X workers to about 80%. If you choose to stay where you are at work, either from home or at the office learn to handle this dilemma in a smart way. I’m not talking about prescription drugs, that’s your call. I am talking about handling yourself more mindfully on a day-to-day basis. You need tools to get thru everything in our present world; in the past, workers had similar issues, just without the labels of anxiety and depression. One way to lessen anxiety and depression (unless clinically diagnosed!!) would be to leave your work or home office at the end of the day, spend some alone time to regroup, then spend time with your family. Even driving home can be considered alone or meditative time. Another way would be to exercise either before or after work. Movement releases anxiety to a great degree. You can walk, ride a bike, run, go to the gym, dance, just move. Yet another tool is to shut off all electronic devices from the time you finish working until work starts the next day. I know, you are hooked on your devices, yet these same devices add to your anxiety and depression. And sleep! If you can sleep up to eight hours a night, you have found a natural way to diminish anxiety and depression issues. Create mental boxes to store your problems within; one for sleep, another for work, again another for family, and so on. The use of this mental image can help your brain avoid stress. Need to talk? Join me in a free-to-you Laser Session here. Joanne
A married couple, each having had successful C Suite careers in IT, lose their jobs after a recession, now find themselves traveling the United States in their long-haul truck. It fulfills their dreams of seeing all the US has to offer, meeting people and they are free to roam, mostly burden-free. How a physician decides to leave medicine and become a chef. His dream is fulfilled. And then there is the super famous chef who started out working at the Office of Management & Budget at the White House and then proceeded to oversee the Nuclear Regulatory Commission budget before food called to her. Loads of people become chefs from IT and banking which fulfills the creative gift of birth they came with as well as they get to eat well and definitely have more fun. I’ve met many individuals, especially bankers, who were healers and masseuses on the side and that’s what made them really happy and fulfilled. Imagine how good it would feel to find your True Calling and experience feelings of liberation, excitement, and rock-solid confidence as you wake up and face each day. It could happen! You would then be able to step out of your Shadow Career once and for all. A Shadow Career is one where you can feel good most times, maybe make a lot of money, have great people around you, yet feel let down, like after a big celebration. The adrenalin drops and you are still seeking that feeling of joy. It seems to have dissipated and you wonder what the point of your life is. When you are in a Shadow Career, you are not yourself, your true self; you just don’t know it. Not knowing is the problem. It is when you understand and admit that you are not living up to the reason you are here on this planet that you are truly aware of the differences between your Shadow Career and your True Calling. Most of us never heard of a Shadow Career. This is not about being feeling like a fake; this is about not being your entire true self. Shadow Careers are not your True Calling; these careers are what works for that particular moment in time. There is a difference and sometimes it is not subtle. It’s all about discovering why you exist; your main purpose in life; your reason for getting up in the morning. Once you can tap into this creative and inspiring state of being, you’ll quickly find that opportunities will open up for you in a number of unexpected ways. Stuck in a Shadow Career? Let’s have a 15 Minute Laser Session, all on me! Joanne
Trust your intuition. No matter how successful you are, uncertainties about your abilities or intellect are forever present. You want to recognize doubt when it appears and quickly discard it, so you can move forward. Your brain, heart, and soul align to help you take action to produce your desired results. Trust in them to tap into your experience and knowledge, and know that they will lead you to your next productive action. It is time to focus on a resolution. Your success is about this moment, not your past or your future. Take action to discover how to overcome a challenge rather than to show off your intellect. When you focus on a specific result, people more easily support your efforts. Your response to someone involved will seem natural; even though, you know you have tapped into and trusted your vast knowledge bank. Successful decision-makers realize victory happens only by taking a series of actions. Quick steps have life-changing potential. As you begin to trust in your ability to tap into the power behind your thoughts, you’ll awaken and strengthen your confidence to enable you to conquer the next challenge. If you don’t specifically ask for what you want, no one will ever know how to assist you. To motivate people, always respect their time and acknowledge their busy lives. In addition, when you respect a person’s time, they become more willing to collaborate in the future. Clarify your objectives, so they don’t have to think too much about how they can lend a hand. Stay focused on silent reminders that the objective is to discover how to accomplish the task. Create purposeful conversations around a specific task to accomplish right now. Choose the most pressing issue and ask support for only that specific need. As you take action, you’ll decipher the next action to complete. This provides clarity and specific support for your efforts from the person you asked backing from. Want help in asking for what you want? Click here and I will help you with a complimentary Laser Session. Joanne
Do you know what is missing in your life? This is where you can look first; to look at what is missing instead of what you label as ‘wrong’. Check out your personal and work life; do they fulfill if not exceed your expectations? What is your story? What do you want? What are your wants and needs? Personal well-being is vital to each and every one of us, yet we do not make a practice of learning what it is and how we can have it. Well-being is at the least the presence of positive and the absence of negative emotions. There are many aspects to well-being, including but not limited to: physical well-being, emotional well-being, social well-being, economic well-being, and appealing activities and work. In some ways, it is aligned with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, needs that motivate human behavior. These needs start from the bottom and continue to build, one after the other: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. To increase your confidence, attain more inner peace, discover your authenticity, understand your purpose, and determine your values, this is Personal Well-Being. It is also about discovering your True Calling under its many blanket coverings. If you could even communicate your desire for these needs, you are ahead of the game, and it is a game. There are times of confusion and doubt that may stand in your way. You must be ready, willing, and able to commit to you, to put yourself first. Maybe you want to manage your stress better. This is quite possible; however, you need to acknowledge your life warrants that help. You are one and only one, sometimes as part of another whole puzzle yet, first, a one. Need help in placing yourself first? Contact me here for a complimentary Laser Session. Joanne
Labor Day is here. Shown below is from the US Department of Labor Site: Labor Day: What it Means Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. Founder of Labor Day More than a century after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” But Peter McGuire’s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker. Joanne
Confidence – what is it and how to get more of it? We never know when this power, confidence, will pop up. And confidence is a powerful tool and a blessing. Just think, all you have to do is be powerful at the moment and confidence lands like a cape over your shoulders! At least in the eyes of others! If you are committed to something happening and it concerns your actions, of course, you will be confident. You may not appear confident on the job if you bow to what everyone else wants instead of speaking your mind. An ingredient of confidence is taking a stand about your beliefs. Of course, only the beliefs you are willing to share with the world. You know the difference. What about making mistakes? We all make mistakes; however, it is the confident person that can own up to it. Do you accept compliments gracefully? If you do, you are confident. If you dismiss the compliment and say it was no big deal, you are denying your confidence. Tell your truth, smile, and act as-if; as-if you are confident. In order to be consistently confident, you may need a little focus. I can help with that. Contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne
Just in case you didn’t know… I have a YouTube channel that is currently home to my The Sanity Project Podcast episodes. YouTube provides another avenue for people to listen to my esteemed guests, their amazing stories, and how they succeeded in their fields to share their experiences, and expertise with you, the listener. I will soon be posting other content with topics that may be interesting to you from the world of personal development and business success all under the umbrella of The Sanity Project. Yes, I am here to help you stay or get sane… If you have not subscribed as yet, please do so below. Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Also, I recently adjusted my place on the Coaching Circle Spectrum and am now helping those who have yet to discover their True Calling or if they have, what to do with it. Find out more about True Calling Coaching, my journey, and discoveries along the way here. If you have any questions, Joanne
Where do you go and hide by yourself, all alone with no way for anyone to find you? Private time should be the first thing you put into your schedule. Notify your family what this is and that you need some peace, that it is not personal, that this is important to you. If they do not understand its importance to you, over time this will get it as they will see you taking action on it. Your attitude will change as well. The dog won’t stop barking, you can’t sleep, your partner is ignoring you, your work team just wants to play computer games and your manager is waiting for you to finish your end of the deal about the latest project. And you? You want to run and hide just for an hour. Maybe even half an hour, just to get some peace and quiet! Obviously, you have not carved out any time for you, the most important person in your life. If you are not the most important person in your life, you will never have the energy to be with others and contribute at home or at work. So, what now? First, just leave wherever you are at. Right now. If you are at work, go out to lunch alone. If you are at home, go for a walk. Or lunch, or something. Just so you are alone. Make that decision now. Joanne
Love yourself first. Be grateful to yourself first. Give all energies to yourself first. You are truly the only person that can put YOU first. Live every day with energy, love, and gratitude. At the same time, save some room for yourself. If you don’t do this, you will be coming from an empty well, with nothing to give others. You deserve to take it easy anytime, yet probably more now during COVID 19 when it’s more about others, not yourself. When your workday is done, let it go and walk away. When your playtime is done, let it go and walk away. When it is home or family time and you are done, let it go and walk away. Let all your stresses from multiple parts of your life go before attempting your next step. Start each day by letting go of yesterday. If you want support in putting yourself first, contact me here. Joanne
Sit down for a minute or two or ten, take a breath, be calm and peaceful, and see how that works for you. This peacefulness you experience can be with you throughout any day. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want, and need. Even and especially during these challenging times. The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. How does one find Inner Peace in a stressful, busy, fast-moving world? One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversations are about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. Another way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. De-clutter your desk, closets as well as your garage. Throw away any piece of paper you don’t need. Sell your clothes on eBay or give them away to Good Will. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your work requirements easier and you will have a better home life because you will be there in total, without distractions. Check this out there is an added 15- minute Laser Coaching session included! Joanne
What is satisfaction? ‘Satisfaction is the fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations, or needs, or the pleasure derived from this.’ – Dictionary It seems that Steve is never satisfied. Working from home during COVID 19 as a Project Manager, he does his best to corral a team of many to create and drive the process and project to completion. Steve’s team works diligently to provide all avenues of the big picture and the details involved to achieve this. Although sometimes it feels like herding cats, especially virtually. As hard and diligently as his team is working, Steve, however, expects more from his team. His team wonders how much more they can do to satisfy him. They hate the virtual whip he uses to get their attention. Even though Steve’s team has provided all the nuances necessary to complete this one particular project, Steve does not think his needs are being met. The problem with Steve is that he is never satisfied. Never. Which is a problem not only for his team but also for his personal life. Steve is involved in a custody issue with his daughter’s mother. Steve gets to see his daughter for a specific number of hours per week; the time spent is generous. Steve wants more. Why? Because Steve, again, is never satisfied. He is always in distress after he returns his daughter to her mother. He misses his daughter and worries that she will miss him as much as he misses her. If Steve were to be satisfied with the time spent with his daughter, Steve would be OK; he would be healthier and more receptive to his work team. If Steve continues on this path, he will make himself sick. The constant dissatisfaction at work and with his daughter will permeate any goodwill he has stored up with his team and supervisor. Dissatisfaction leads to unhappiness and continued discontent. Steve will constantly be looking for something that is not there, something that does not exist. Steve’s health is also affected by his dissatisfaction; high blood pressure, migraine headaches plus the weight he is gaining from over-eating. If only Steve would just be satisfied. Steve can focus on the positive – his team has performed miracles on this most recent project. Steve needs to take time for himself to be ready for his next step. Steve needs to be more understanding of himself, his team, and his relationships, especially the one with his daughter. It’s up to Steve to be satisfied. No one else can do it for him. It’s time for Steve to say to himself- ‘Job well done!’ and ‘Today was a good day.’ It takes practice. Want help practicing? Click here and ask., Joanne
Never dismiss how you feel; always tap into the power behind these feelings and thoughts even and especially during these COVID 19 times. Your feelings are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen for them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next appropriate step. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. It begins and ends with being in the moment, Constant adjustments are part of any successful journey. Each instance comprises the basic building blocks for your abundant life. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in you no matter what outside influences exist. Check this out for additional self-development help Joanne
Patience is what is required to live your life in a new, different way. If your life suddenly became pure and perfect, you might not be able to handle it. Where’s the fun in perfection? Greg had a tough time in life, both personally and in his work life. He was anxious to make huge changes; I advised a small step to start along with a system to follow. Greg dismissed my recommendations and did what he wanted until he discovered his blood pressure was very high, even though he was on hypertension medication. He was pushing and pushing and made himself very sick. Not only did he become ill, but he also did not complete any of the tasks he decided to add to the Plan. His way was not working. I believe that slow and steady with a few leaps along the way wins the race and we can become excited with some intermittent ‘wins’. Greg had no wins, was in pain and suffering. It was time for a change. There is no need for you to continue to suffer. You do have the ability to move through what else is going on in your life in order to achieve the outcomes you want. This new journey must be enjoyed. So be patient with yourself as your days unfold with a new adventure, new possibilities, all in a mindful way. In order not to forget anything, consider writing about it in a journal of your choosing. Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in yourself no matter what outside influences exist. Even hypertension. Patience is the key to making it. This may help you with your patience- https://askjoannevictoria.com/authentic-self-program/ Joanne
Solutions come when your brain is at rest, either nighttime or when meditating. This is the time when your consciousness provides you with ideas and solutions to challenges you may be facing. That’s what the pen and paper on the nightstand next to you are for. Lists are vital especially if you want to create balance and success in your life. Writing a list of the tasks for your personal and work goals saves immeasurable time. You can use an app for note-taking and list-making, but I prefer pen and paper. First of all, when you write anything by hand there is a direct synapse connection to your brain that keeps the words alive. It’s all about the combination of hand movements, touch, and brain function. In fact, your brain recalls more information when your list is written by hand instead of on a device. And you don’t want to have an active device next to your bed when in the middle of the night you have a great idea. The device itself can keep you up at night. If you have any goals, big goals, you also have a system for this goal to become a reality. There will be times when you receive fragmented thoughts that fit into the puzzle piece of your goal. Use this information wisely. Write it down then ponder at another time to see how it fits into your goal. If you have forgotten something you deem important, this thought may reach out to you when you are relaxed. Have that notebook with you to add this thought to it. Make a list before your current day’s end that includes all the tasks you want to attend the following day. In most instances, a portion of this list will be completed without you ever having to take more action, except to acknowledge it and see how it fits into your life. Yes, of course, I have a notepad on my nightstand next to my bed. I also have a notebook that I carry with me and several notepads and pens throughout my home. As smart as we think we are, we will not recall all the various thoughts we have. You need to write it down as soon as possible. Need help in creating lists? Click here and ask your questions. Joanne
Your Life Vision gives you a focus to help your imagination make possible what you thought was impossible. Vision helps you create a plan of action to achieve what you really want. You always see your Life Vision in your mind. Let’s make this real today! Without a Life Vision, you will have nothing to aspire to except the daily grind. You will dry up, burn out and your spirit will die. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges. You go up and down the emotional scale, from joy to fear, just by reading the newspaper. You have a Vision for whatever business, practice, or service you provide. You just don’t know it yet, or maybe you do. Either way, you must redefine your original vision or imagine a new one. With a true Life Vision, all your decisions are easily made, because all your decisions are in alignment with your Life Vision. It is not so much about a good enough Life Vision, but a Life Vision that is clearly visionary. Add these to your ingredient list as part of Your Life Vision: ~ Where are you living? ~ How do you provide for yourself and your family? ~ What do you do for fun? ~ How do you contribute to your community? ~ Who do you spend your time with and why? These questions are just a few that need to be answered in your Life Vision process. Would you like some free help with this? Ask me here. Joanne
In order to be in charge of your own life, you need, yes need, a Powerful Life Vision. If you don’t you will be swayed by others who are on their! own path. Don’t be a sheeple – create your own Life Vision. If you want to make the seemingly impossible happen, then you need a powerful Life Vision. I cannot say enough about your need for a Life Vision. Everyone needs a Life Vision – or else others, including bosses, co-workers, family, friends – take control of your life. A Life Vision describes what you want your life to look and feel like, both personally and professionally, and how you can make this Life Vision come alive! Your Vision needs to be inspirational and energizing and in alignment with your Values. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges at home and at work. A great Life Vision gives you focus to help your imagination make possible what you thought was impossible. What if you already have a Life Vision? If it is working for you, great. If not, think about redefining your Vision. Your life may have changed quite a bit during COVID 19 and your Vision is worth an update. Real Vision is about the dream – the Life Dream and the Work Dream. It is about the relationship you have with yourself, of how you see yourself. Co-workers, friends, and family know when you are on a path that is different from them. Make the time to create the best Vision possible. Your Vision may change over time; however, your first formal Life Vision will excite you and motivate you to live yourself in a better, more balanced way. Need some assistance in redefining your own Life Vision? Go here and let’s talk. Joanne
Did you know that about two-thirds of the American population is obese? That number is increasing especially with COVID 19. Are you one of them or are you just on your way to being fat and unhealthy? You sit in front of your computer on Zoom all day, you don’t move your body and you eat pizza, hamburgers, candy, mac and cheese and other foods that are a danger to your body and mind. For those of you who are back at the office, you have office food perks; your company provides them not because they like you, but so you will like them! The expenditure on food and snacks costs the company very little money compared to the cost of replacing you as an employee. You are gaining weight, getting unhealthy yet the company has no health benefits to support you with your personal fitness. Or you no longer have health benefits because you have been laid-off. What are you supposed to do? First of all, just say no to any of the foods that do not work for you. Make your own lunch; include healthy snacks. Then, start walking. Walk around your house or neighborhood every hour or so to get your blood moving. Take the stairs; find hills to climb. Check out your blood pressure frequently. You can accomplish this in many ways: Fire departments provide free BP tests; most pharmacies provide BP stations and be sure to have your BP taken at the same time of day as the prior tests; you can purchase your own BP cuff for a very reasonable amount. It’s your life- make it work for you. Want a Chat with Joanne? Book here and receive a Free Report. http://askjoannevictoria.com/chat/ Joanne
In order to work successfully with others and their varying degrees of emotions and life dramas, you would be wise to have harmony or balance in your own life. When you have a balanced harmony of body, mind, and spirit, others’ issues will roll off your back. You will have no need to become engaged in others’ dramas except to offer your mindful and quiet support. In order to act on your compassion, which in my view is not wanting others to suffer, you need to derail your own suffering. More inner balance and harmony are the best and easiest way to do this. You can treat your body to good eating, healthy walks or exercise and read good books to boost your confidence. If you are in personal harmony, you will be stronger than those around you and able to give more to theirs, if only to give an example of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. Your mind will be in harmony if you meditate, or just take quiet time for at least twenty minutes per day; more if you can. Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. As long as this leads to body, mind spirit harmony, you will be able to sidestep any big drama at work on your team, with your manager, and with clients. Give it a try. Harmony implies peace, cooperation, and understanding. Start with yourself, first and always. You can always ask me a question or two here. Joanne
Stop judging anything. Once you judge anything as good or bad, you own it. And, you get to carry your judgments with you all the time. Judgments define you as this or that. Are you willing to limit your identity to ‘this or that’? These judgments become a burden; you are left without the energy to go for what you want. You don’t want to be the person everyone is talking about, and not in a good way. ‘There goes Sherri. She’s the one you can go to for any gossip in the company.’ Not a prize distinction. Is Sherri all about gossip? Even if she is not, it does not matter because her label has been established. She has to live with it or change other’s perspective of her. Of course, Sherri has always judged others. That’s how others see Sherri – the Gossip Who Judges. Life comes rolling back on you when you start to judge others. Sherri is now in the This or That Club. Watch how the world is. Choose to participate or not, however, the best thing to do is be detached from what is going on ‘out there’. It takes practice, so start practicing right away. Instead, be here now. Pay attention to what is occurring right now in your life. This very second, your life is all about options, so choose wisely. Deal with what is in front of you. Stay in the ‘Now ‘as much as you can. Your stress levels will lower. Your work will be better. Your home life will thrive. Are you ready to lower your stress levels? Do you want to stop tired all the time? Then check out my latest solution here- Joanne
Your pets can’t talk, at least like us humans can. Pets can give you some signals about what they want and how they feel, however, every signal is not tried and true, just a possibility. I know some of you talk to your pets and I am certain that they understand you. People have the ability to use their words if they want to. When a person does not feel well, sometimes they get grumpy and shrug their shoulders and walk away. Denial works for a while. People have the ability to speak out about anything. Yet they don’t always do this. People could speak out about how they want more money, how they feel, what is bothering them, what their thoughts are, and many more things. The problem is, people have this capability and do not always use it. As long as we are more capable than pets in the talking area, why don’t we speak up more, in a legitimate fashion? Not to whine about what is outside themselves, i.e., politics, gossip, and so on but who they are and why they are and how they are feeling. Pets cannot speak using verbal hints, but people can. It’s about time they asked for what they want. I wonder why people do not ask for what they want. They have a voice, right? A Free Bonus Coaching session comes with this. Joanne
Either everyone counts or no one counts and you count! Do you think you count? If so, decide how you count, what you contribute, and decide on what you want in this world. Do you want fame? Do you want more money in your life? Do you want a family? Do you want to sail the ocean blue? For all these and other questions you may have, the next step is to ask yourself why? Why do you want famous? How will it affect your life and what would you change about your life if you were famous? Does fame fit in with your Personal Values? Anything you chose to do, be or have must, in order for you to succeed, be in alignment with your values. What does your intuition say to you about wanting to be famous? Does it feel good? Feelings count as part of your awareness to all that is around you. If you have aligned your values with fame, and your intuition sends messages that fame is OK for you, what is your plan? You will not get anything in your life, along your path to fame, fortune or family, unless you make a plan. Follow these steps: Choose what you want. Check to see if what you want is in alignment with your values. Check-in with your intuitive self and see if it is in alignment with your values and your choice. Then, make a plan. Without a plan, you may not achieve what you want. God provides the gifts, you provide the work. That’s it. Need help? Contact me here for a no-obligation conversation. Joanne
It’s time to communicate with family, friends, clients, and prospects in a way that works better. What do I mean you ask? I mean writing notes and letters, by hand, to those who would appreciate a bit of normalcy, intimacy even. You can call it the old days, however, I think a bit of this cherished form of communication would be appreciated. Letters, cards, and notes that they will read, save, and read again. Even a love letter. Who wants a love email or text that could be deleted on purpose or by accident when you can write something to someone that will be kept safely in a place for a very long time, to be removed and re-read often. When you write something down you focus your full attention on that task. It’s almost impossible to write and think at the same time. You are giving your undivided attention to what you are writing; you are not multitasking when you write. The act of putting words on paper keeps your thoughts and intentions focused. Your intention is to communicate in the best way possible short of being in person which is currently a challenge. Why not give it a go? Need help? Contact me here and let’s see what we can create together. Joanne
If you are now this and you want to be that and your life as you know it is at a crossroads, then it is time to reinvent yourself; it’s time for a change. You can transform your life from who you are now to who you want to be. To reinvent yourself means to bring your dreams and desires to life, to be able to tap into all the shutdown areas of your life. To reinvent any part of your life means you need freedom. This freedom only works if you have the time and space to stop. In order to reinvent yourself, you need to know who you are now. You also need space to create your future self. A while back, after I fired a client, I found I was exhausted. This depletion of energy was nothing I had ever experienced before. I checked in with myself and decided I needed a break, time off to heal from my experiences with this past client. Clarity came after I slept, prayed, and wrote in a journal. My tiredness was all my responsibility, not the client. Bottom line was, I realized I was more concerned with the client’s business than the client was. Never again. What about you? Do you take on another’s work along with your own? You need relief from the ordinary, unpleasant tasks life includes. You need time. You need to determine what you are doing that is no longer relevant or rewarding. Decide what you no longer want to do, what takes up your precious time. You need a plan to help you choose what no longer works in your life and decide what it is you truly want to do. So it goes. Freedom and independence to choose, time to make changes, and room for all these changes to grow. This is part of what it takes to reinvent yourself. This could help and a 15 minute Laser Coaching session is included. Joanne
This is the perfect time for some introspection and to reevaluate your values; the values you have been living by up to now many need an upgrade as they may have been challenged. Values help you get and stay motivated and grounded; it is a very good thing if your personal and work values align. Values relate to our purpose in life and are used as guiding principles, rules if you will, to make your life easier. Values provide you with a strong foundation; a method for living your life to it’s fullest. Values will also help you in finding your purpose in life. From the list of values provided, choose your top values, and live by them. If you already have values that you use, confirm that these values are in alignment with your work goals, and mission and vision statements. If your work values and personal values are in alignment, great. If they are not, you will be dissatisfied, unhappy, and you will definitely not generate the results you want. Difficult to be a bank robber and think you can save the world. No alignment there. Values help you gain real clarity about what you stand for. Choose ten words from the following list that appeal to you. 2. Select the top four of these words and place one on each line as your Top Four values 3. Choose to live by these Top Four values for at least the next thirty days. 4. At the end of thirty days, review these Top Four words to see if they still work for you. If not, substitute as needed. You will not be graded; this is not a test. You are looking at what works for you, not someone else. If you want to change your values, do it. Say you chose the word “generous” from the list of Values. It could mean that each and every day, you were helpful to others or shared more of who you are with others. With practice, being “generous” becomes a familiar aspect of who you are and you would start attracting other people who were “generous”. You would look for reasons to be “generous” and you would be “generous” to yourself”. Choose Ten Values from this Sample List: (Yes, there are other value words-these is just examples) accepting, inspire, accomplished, intelligent, kind, aware, knowledgeable, beautiful, leader, brave, loving, calm, motivated, compassionate, observant, organized, connected, original, cooperative, passionate, courageous, patient, creative, peaceful, decisive, perceptive, devoted, persistent, disciplined, playful, discriminating, prepared, receptive, energetic resilient, enthusiastic, respectful, excited, responsible, expert, risk-taker, satisfied, flexible, sensible, sensitive, fulfilled, spiritual, generous, spontaneous, graceful, strong, grateful, happy, thoughtful, harmonious, thorough, humorous, trusting, independent, willing, insightful, wise. First, choose ten values from the above list. Then, choose your Top Four Favorites. Use these Top Four values to live your life and your work by. _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ When you live by your four chosen values, your work and personal life will have more purpose, more focus, and more possibilities. Now make this all real, today! Do it. Need some guidance? Click here and let’s go! Joanne
I know doubt can be a provocative word. Doubt is about distrust yet who or what do we distrust? Do we distrust the information presented to us or do we doubt our ability to distinguish what works best for us? During these times, you may be starting a new online business – which I think is great – or you may be presented with numerous online groups to participate in – these types of groups are especially rampant right now. You may be invited to an education group or a social group, or even an online book club – it does not matter. What should matter to you is what commitment is expected of you by whoever starts this group. I assume if you are creating an online business, you already have your Vision and Mission statements in place. When you review all the aspects of these group invites, determine how much time is involved. What is your commitment to this group? Does this group fulfill something missing in your life or does your involvement with a new group or class take you away from your life and business goals? What outcomes are expected in these groups? Do any outcomes align with your existing values? Do not let the urgency placed by the person who is designing or creating these groups prevail; only you and your decisions prevail. A little discernment with a dash of doubt is appropriate here. Any questions? Go here, ask your questions, and check out my new updated website. Joanne
You are back at work, hampered by internet applications that tend to block other people’s desire or capability to return data to you; you need that information and you want it now. How can you possibly complete the project if you don’t have that data that is already one-week over-due? You find yourself agitated, sweaty, and thinking all sorts of nasty thoughts. Why can’t people just do their part?! An impatient person is not looked upon kindly by their peers. You can be seen as impulsive, rude, and arrogant. Others will do their best to stay out of your impatient way. What’s the next step to manage impatience? Before you attempt to unfold the reasons for your impatience, take a breath. A deep, slow breath. Do this as many times as necessary to calm your heart rate and slow down your blood pressure. Do things more slowly than usual. The slower you work, the easier to get out of this dangerous mood. Act ‘as if’ you are a patient person. The more you act ‘as-if’, the easier to be it. What you need to avoid is becoming angry at any and every one. Impatience can easily turn into anger if not monitored. You are now at a place where you can choose – choose to be patient or impatient. Have a chat with the person who is late getting you the important data you need. Be calm and determine if they need more help; or are they just afraid of you? Remember, your impatience doesn’t move others to faster action. Need some help in this area? Check out my new website and ask your questions here: http://askjoannevictoriaa.com/ask/ Joanne
When you encounter a new decision point in your daily routine, you have the ability to instantly evaluate it. Your instincts immediately trigger a response connected to your past experiences, education, or other lessons. This moment, if captured without your mind censoring it, becomes your next right step. This instant trigger or blip, what many labels as a hunch or feeling, instead reveals what’s real. People who experience this blip frequently recognize this feeling as the reality of the situation. Your ability to move through a situation as it occurs leads you to your next right step, and to achieve the task at hand. Rather than quickly dismissing what you feel, tap into the power behind these strong thoughts. These thoughts are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next best step. We make countless decisions every day to move forward in our lives and careers. Unfortunately, the need to make the correct decision often stops us in our tracks because of the many ‘What ifs’ that arise. ‘What if people get angry when I ask for a decision?’ ‘What will people think of me?’ We all want to achieve success in our lives and in our work but are often uncertain of the best first step. We want certainty, which does not exist. The best thing to do is to trust your own instincts. Joanne
Are you able to live a simple life? What does the word simple mean to you? One of the most important things in simplifying your life is to take time between tasks – this of course is after you have cut your task list in half first. You do not need to work as much as you think and if you keep adding more tasks, even if simplified, they will take up space. Choose what is really important to you, not just fill the dance card. Save time to play, to rest, and to have fun. Fun should come first as many of us have not had too much fun recently. Add as much padding time between tasks as you want, with fifteen minutes being the smallest pad time. It’s similar to checking out google maps and you see that it says 35 minutes to your destination. This thirty-five-minute time frame does not account for finding the parking lot or space or getting to the correct floor or office. This could add a significant amount of time, so padding, between tasks, is important for your brain. Place your full attention on a task, create padding between these tasks, and complete all these tasks extremely well. We all place high expectations upon ourselves which most times include too many tasks or appointments in one day. Lessen the load on yourself and others; no sense arriving late to a meeting (even if virtual!!) when you have choices. Enjoy the time you put into a task or event and you will feel better and less stressed. Learn to slow down here and receive a bonus 15-minute Laser session. Joanne
Is stuff getting you down? Is turmoil a word you use more now than ever? Know this – you will survive; you are doing that now, and you will thrive – some of you are thriving right now. Let’s all get better together. When you have a harmony of body, mind, and spirit, others’ and universal issues will roll off your back. You will have no need to become engaged in others’ dramas except to offer your mindful and quiet support. In order to act on your compassion, which in my view is not wanting others to suffer, you need to derail your own suffering. More harmony in your life is the best and easiest way to do this. To have harmony in life means having the ability to handle life’s different areas ( career, health, relationships) and make them work for your path of moving onward. Harmony implies peace, cooperation, and understanding first within and then with others. You can treat your body to good eating, healthy walks or exercise and read good books to boost your confidence. If you are in personal harmony, you will be stronger than those around you and able to give more to theirs, if only to give an example of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. Your mind will be more in harmony if you meditate, or just take quiet time for at least twenty minutes per day; more if you can. Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. As long as this leads to body, mind, and spirit harmony, you will be able to sidestep any big drama in the world as we know it. Give it a try. Start with yourself, first and always. Joanne
“In the Buddhist tradition, compassion and love are seen as two aspects of the same thing: Compassion is the wish for another being to be free from suffering; love is wanting them to have happiness.” – The Dalai Lama. Today is a good day to be compassionate with yourself and others. You do not want to suffer or be fearful and neither should you want others to be harmed or fearful. Many people are struggling with their self-love as well as love for others. How can you do this? First, consider being kind to yourself first. You cannot help someone else if you come from an empty well, so revive compassion for yourself. You come first here people. Second, listen to what others have to say. Most people frame a response to the other person; therefore, they are not listening to what the other person is saying. Listen. Focus on listening to others. Listen to how they are feeling. Third, stop judging yourself and others, at least for one day. Remain mindful of your thoughts and when you see you are in Judge Judy mode, pull back. It is always a good day to be kind, just give this day a little extra kindness, to yourself first and then, to others. Joanne
It is time to feel some joy in your life. Joy is experienced through selflessness; that makes joy different from happiness. Happiness has a range, joy stands alone. Joy is a cause. Joy is the cause of how we feel after we have experienced reaching out to others and finding peace and solace in these experiences. Joy happens in our life because we let it in. Our mindful approach to life allows all our experiences to be touched with joy. When my favorite NASCAR driver Kyle Busch won his second championship, I literally jumped for and with joy in my heart; I kept that feeling for a long time. Joy is beyond happiness, yet how can we access joy and incorporate joy into our daily life? Give this a try – be it your personal or business life. Let’s say you have a goal or an outcome you want to achieve, yet you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Your overwhelm makes you frightened and unclear about the efficacy of your plan to reach this goal. I suggest you consider the best in your field, man or woman, and determine what they would do if they were in your shoes. Then do that thing that will help you reach your goal. Act as if they were doing it. Once you reach your goal, you may (I hope) feel some joy. If you are not accustomed to joy, help this joy grow by paying attention to it. Once you feel this slice of joy, you will have reached beyond your limitations. You have jumped off the ledge and are still flying towards more success. Enjoy! Joanne
When I watch ten, eleven up to thirteen-year-olds composing music, playing instruments, singing songs, and writing readable books, I realize that the most important ingredient they have is confidence. Whether it is in their genes or they have developed confidence at the hands of their parents, numerous thoughts exist about this issue. A recent view of self-confidence is that it is a skill. For us to be confident implies that you have courage, which comes from the heart. Your heart and your mind together support your self-confidence. When you make a decision or stand up to a bully, you need confidence. The challenge comes when people confuse confidence with esteem. Self-esteem is about how you judge yourself. You can have loads of self-confidence until your inner judge says ‘You could have done that better’. You then may ask ‘Am I worthy?’ If you get an inner response that ‘Yes, you are worthy.’, you will dismiss your inner judge; your esteem is intact. Our emotions get in the way in this instance. Self-esteem is about self and our personal value; self-confidence is about getting the job done. How well we think we got the job down is down to esteem. Confidence enables you to go after what you want even if you think you are not good enough. There is a distinction between self-confidence and self-esteem for a reason; many people confuse the two. Go after what you want, without stopping to consider how well you will succeed. That aspect is what moves you back to low self-esteem and will prevent you from taking any scarier journeys. Check out those pre-teens and see what works best for them. Joanne
Thoughts are the forerunner of our actions said Max Muller and he was right. What we think more than what we say or do is who we become. If we follow our thoughts, based on our current state of mind, we may surprise ourselves and find that we are not in a very good place. What we think is important and we need to confirm our thoughts before we act. Thich Nhat Hann says to ask if we are sure about what we are thinking. Ask yourself what you are doing; this act alone will bring you back to the present. It is in the present when decisions are made, not the past. To take action about the past requires you to delve into your own past to see if you are acting based on revenge for what others may have done to you or yours. Hopefully, you have dealt with your past. If not, go back and review what needs deleting or place this issue a very tiny box and hid in the furthest part of your brain. Once you are ready to put this thought or thoughts into action, decide that you will do no harm to yourself or others. When I say do no harm I am speaking about refraining from bodily harm, harsh words, and lying, among other actions, and instead, to have an open mind. An open mind allows you to ask questions to inform yourself of other perspectives. To be open-minded also means to be tolerant of others’ actions and behaviors. This could be as simple as you being a person who is a carnivore who understands those who are vegetarians. Not everything is a big deal. Your life can change with a myriad of little steps towards understanding, acceptance, and clear thinking. Joanne
If you are a creative person and strive for even more and greater creativity, slow down. Creativity does not present itself well under stress, although you may think it does. In fact, creativity does not require thinking at all. “The lash may force men to physical labor, it cannot force them to spiritual creativity.” — Sholem Asch If you think your creativity has dried up, take a walk, take a nap, go the to movies, meditate, just move off from what you are doing. If you are sitting at the computer, as I am right now, take a break, in fact, take multiple breaks. If you push and are stressed, you will not be very creative. Actually you will block your creativity. Allow and trust that your intuition will kick in and provide you with hints and opportunities for creative thoughts and ideas to spring forth and give you a great kickstart. Record these ideas or fragments on your phone, tablet, or my favorite, a yellow legal pad. Remember, do not try too hard. There is no reason for the high pressure you place upon yourself. Relax and the ideas will come to you easily and effortlessly. Joanne
Most people are unfamiliar with themselves. They have yet to hold themselves up to the mirror and ask the hard questions. Questions hold power; they draw out answers that usually surprise. And the answers change, especially if you are on the path to higher and clear consciousness. When I facilitated retreats, we would be in the countryside. A path was already designated and at specific points on the path, they were advised to ask the following question: ‘Who are you now?’ The responses could be different depending on how they perceived what was happening on the path. Everyone had the same path to follow and the same question to respond to and at the same intervals. They were required to record their answers at the moment when they read the question. This occurred several times during the walk. Afterward, there were the usual grumbles when asked to respond to the very specific question- ‘Who cares?’ ‘What a stupid question?’ ‘She doesn’t know anything about me!’ ‘Nothing has changed – the dirt is still the same.’ However, the path has its challenges and some acknowledged how they were different after they, for example, had to climb some steps or crossed a running creek or were asked to take a break on the path. If you are on an inner journey to greater self-knowledge, you must seek to understand all the parts of yourself. Our subconscious mind will provide the most enlightening responses. Joanne
Many are afraid to ask questions; they think questions are invasive. Some questions may appear to be invasive, yet all someone is asking is for the other’s truth. How else will we know who we are dealing with if we do not ask questions? How would I know if I wanted to work with someone in my capacity as a Coach if I could not ask pertinent questions? To ask questions simplifies the non-conversation. This is not the time to look at someone, see how their demeanor presents itself, both inwardly and outwardly, and then make a decision based solely on these superficial pursuits. Some are also insulted by questions. It appears and has been stated that we should just accept them as they are. How can we know who they are if they do not answer the simplest of questions? Why am I here? What do I want? Who am I? How will your life change when you get what you want? Ask yourself these questions; write them down so when someone starts asking questions, you have the answers. I think the people who don’t like questions are afraid because they have yet to have the answers. Now you will have them. Joanne
I recently made the acquaintance of a bird, a Willow Goldfinch, measuring about 4 inches from beak to tail, who visited me very early in the mornings, early enough to wake me up. How nice, Summer has arrived in my area of Washington State and the birds are singing! Not hardly! After about two weeks of visits, when attempting to take a picture of this warbling bird, also known as the afternoon canary as well as its being the Washington State bird. I looked closely at what it was doing. The charming little bird was tearing my bedroom window screen to shreds! I took a picture and a video to confirm what I was seeing. With a bit of research, I learned the Goldfinch was most likely using my screen to build a nest for her forthcoming baby birds. Yes, it was a female bird as the male of the species was most likely having a cigar with his buddies at the corner tree. I did tape part of the screen, temporarily, thinking that once she was complete in sourcing for her nest, I would use my spare screen and replace this one. I also knew if I decided to replace the screen now, she would just source another screen and this activity would start all over again. In what I hoped was her final visit, the Goldfinch landed outside my window yet again, stared at the tape I applied on the lowest corner of the screen, took stock of the current situation, then proceeded to tear off several strands off another part of the screen. The strands were as long as she was tall; she packed these strands into her beak and flew away to continue to build her nest probably knowing this was her last chance. She was certainly committed to her task. A commitment is a promise to do something for someone or something else in the future. Commitment is also about dedication. If this activity by the Goldfinch was not a commitment, I don’t know what is. She went after what she wanted for her children, did not let anyone else’s obstacle (my tape application) stand in her way, adjusted her view of the source (my screen), and proceeded to make it work. Do you keep your word about your commitments? Do you follow thru no matter what obstacles may stand in your way? Need help with keeping your commitments, especially those you made to and about yourself? Contact me here and let’s have a chat. Joanne
I am sure some of you just want to cut and run and let go of what you doing right now. Sounds great and maybe even easy for you to do. To go off to that peaceful place of no or fewer responsibilities. To remove yourself from all the chaos life is presenting right now. To hunker down more frequently and to ignore the commitment you made to yourself and others. You can do that if it is what you really and truly want, however, I recommend you review your life and if and how you can continue to contribute your mind and soul to others. If life was easy, we would all be happy all the time and there would be no struggling. I know some of you are struggling right now. Some of you are struggling with inner thoughts that prevent you from being the 100% powerful human you are. Don’t give up yet. I prefer you didn’t give up at all as we need you and your gifts. Re-evaluate your path, your life vision, and how you can adjust and adapt in a less painful way. You do have the strength for this – it is too soon for escape. Contribute who you are to this game called life. The world needs you and now is the time. If you need help with clarity about your struggles, contact me here for a complimentary conversation. Joanne
What is the Big Picture for your life? Do you even have a bigger view of who you are or what you want to do next? I ask questions as it is sometimes the only way to know what is going on in one’s life. Ask yourself questions and get these thoughts out of your head and into some form of reality. Spend less time thinking about things that are of no service to you and source the truth that works for you and your life. If you have a life plan, maybe even a life Vision, are you purposefully living your Vision, or are you hoping things will all work out? Hope is not a plan yet hope is a superpower strategy that allows you to be more creative if used wisely. Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and the desire for a certain thing to happen. Hope is the strength of your desire. If you truly want something, to have some hope helps. However, hope is not in lieu of a plan. You must have a plan. A plan includes all the details of what you want to accomplish – sooner rather than later. This plan is part of your Life Vision and how this Vision relates to you and what you want to achieve. If you want help in creating your Vision or how hope can help, contact me here. Joanne PS: My current free report – ‘How to Achieve Life/Work Harmony’ will not be free for much longer. Get it here. Joanne
3 strikes and you are out! One, two, three go! 3 is the number of time: past, present, future. 3rd time lucky. There are 3 primary colors. The Holy Trinity. The 3 leaf clover. The list goes on. The only important 3 to focus on today are these 3 questions. Ask yourself- Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want? Get your trusty yellow pad and write the topic at top of the list and write away. As I have said many times, to write by hand connects to your brain more efficiently than using your computer. After you write these lists by hand, you can then transfer to a word doc for continuing use. Need some help in deciding how to answer these 3 final questions? Click here and we can talk freely. Joanne
You are the best you in the world, however, if you are constantly distracted by either boredom or what is going on in the world, it is time to get back to your life plan or vision or both It appears to be very easy to be distracted right now. You may be glued to your TV news or you gossip with friends and family with all that is going on right now (there is ALWAYS something going on out there) and these activities are moving you off purpose. Your purpose is to contribute to this planet in as many good ways as possible. To prevent you from being distracted, you need a plan and you must stay on this plan. Everyone is counting on you as you are the missing piece. You may wonder what I mean about you being the missing piece. If you have ever asked yourself about why you were born, why you are here, look at this place as a huge puzzle; you are a piece of this massive puzzle. You do not need any annoyances or distractions to take you off your path. Your piece is needed to add to the puzzle to assist others in making a difference. What or who are the distractions in your life? Are you looking for the newest, shiny object everyone else is talking about? What do you think is standing in the way of you getting what you want and helping others? To be distracted means you are losing focus on what it is you really want. The first step is to determine if what you are doing in your life is what you want to do. If so, act on it. If not, find out what you are doing here. Need help in finding out what your path is? Contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne
In my book, ‘Vision with a Capital V – Create the Business of Your Dreams’, I have a Twelve-step program to help get you where you want to be. We all have muddled lives, filled with distractions. Our attempts at clarity require conscious attention. I say, as part of the program, you need to stop doing what no longer works and create space, both energetically and physically to attract what you really want. When you resist, your energy to perform the simplest task fizzles. Why does it always have to be so hard? Maybe because that is your pattern. Try ease for a while. Step Number 4: Stop Complaining about not having enough money for marketing. Be creative (especially now) – Send a letter or note to your former and current clients to update them on what you are doing. This is way better than an email, by the way. Much more personal and people still love to open envelopes. Tell them you will call them in two weeks. When you call them, talk about them, a lot. Send them a Thank You note for their time and invite them out for coffee/ tea or whatever. By doing this you have charged up your creativity, your humanness, your caring and your respect for your clients, And they may be interested in working with you, again. Need help in setting up a plan? Contact me here, no fee! Joanne
How you live your life is entirely up to you. You could be a slow sloth or a busy bee; you could care or not care – the choice is yours. If you are a busy bee, for example, you may have a very long list of things to be completed or started or anything in between. However, you say you don’t have the time; yet you do have the same hours in the day everyone else does. If you know how to hold time and space, then you are okay on your own. If you are like most business owners, busy executives, entrepreneurs, or self-employed individuals you are controlled by the clock. I know you just want to do what you enjoy most whatever that may be; however, details enter from left and right and require attention. You have three choices: Automate, Delegate, or Eliminate. Let’s work backward from this list and start with what to Eliminate in your life. Start by writing a list of things that are a part of your life but which you despise doing or are extremely tired of doing. That could include writing lists! Create the list of items you want to eliminate and rate them, 10 being the highest and most likely to be eliminated, down to Number 1 is not so bad. This seemingly reverse system also finds a different place in your brain eliminating the statement: “I want to let go of this! it is Number 1 on my list!” Of course, you have said this over and over and your brain is hearing the same old stuff in the same old way and nothing changes. Stir it up why don’t you?! If you have lower-level items on your Eliminate list, you can Delegate them to someone else. Think about it. If you supervise employees on any level, you can give one or more tasks o these employees. If you are a sole proprietor, you can hire someone to complete this task or just Eliminate the task altogether. If all else fails, Automate as much as possible in your life. You can automate signing documents, posting to your Social Media, wake you up, help you go to sleep, keep your calendar, take a break, and pay your bills. If you want an all-encompassing way to hold your apps under one umbrella, go to IFTTT (If This Then That). Take this first step to simplify your life. Need help? Contact me here. Joanne
In dismal times, most anything positive will help. Let gratitude help you even more, especially now. ‘Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.’ (dictionary) To be grateful lets you feel good about yourself. You become kinder, less self-centered, more appealing as an individual as well as more resilient. Some people are more willing to feel gratitude about many things to the point where they keep gratitude journals. Others, not so much, yet if you strive to be happy, gratitude is the first step. To be grateful for your health, at this moment is wonderful. To be grateful for your business, your associates, and the knowledge you will expand to include others, is satisfying. These approaches will lead you to happiness in whatever form works for you. If you are ready willing and able to feel more gratitude in your life, keep a Gratitude Journal, or maybe even a notebook. Do you eat every day? Be grateful that you have the resources and intelligence to put food into your body and stay healthy. Gratitude, especially if noted at least once every day, will continue to make you even more grateful and happier. Gratitude is the parent, Mother, of all other virtues that exist. A noble person is mindful and thankful for the favors he receives from others – The Buddha Note how being grateful makes you feel. Knowing what you are grateful for will help in times of stress and strain. All you have to do is check out your notes to be uplifted a bit. Need help to live a life of harmony? Go here before the free version is gone! Joanne
Being part of a team reduces the stress you place on your shoulders by going it alone. A team starts out with two or more people with the same end goal in sight. Each member hopefully has a skill different from the other, yet in alignment with each other. This is the most important part of being a good team member; the awareness of alignment. We are all on a team whether we know it or not. What do teams provide? If you are an independent professional or entrepreneur, you have resources that you contact for your printing, advertising, social media, and the like. This is a team. You may also hire a bookkeeper, a virtual assistant, or a coach. Corporate offices have many teams, sometimes multiple teams that work on the same project. Your family is also a team, be it your close relatives or extended families. As a team member, you need to have a vision for the outcome and its ramifications as well as have a leader who helps you see this vision and outcome clearly. Everyone wants to know what is in it for them – both team and whoever benefits from the team’s work efforts. As a family team, you may pull together if one family individual needs support. You may meet by phone or Zoom to discuss the possible outcomes and determine a path to resolve this issue. As an entrepreneur or small business owner, you can use a team of professionals to help you succeed. If they succeed so, do you. In global corporations, team members have similar styles, although the content and context of the team may appear to be more specific while providing better outcomes for the buying public. Teams that work from home have a different challenge, yet this can work as well. Want to put a team together easily and effortlessly? Contact me here and let’s discuss. Joanne
‘I can do that!’ Well, no, I can’t really; however, others have. Did you know that several of the participants on the Food Network show ‘Chopped’ were either a college student, graduate, or working in totally different worlds than culinary arts? Former biotech engineers want to cook. Military veterans love to cook. Numbers of people come to cooking professionally later on in life. For those of you who do not know about the show, Chopped, the premise is as follows- four chefs compete to prepare a three-course meal from appetizers to dessert using all of the four mystery ingredients the show provides them for each round. After each course, which can be twenty or thirty minutes long, one chef’s dish is “Chopped” by the judges, eliminating the competitor from the remainder of the contest. The last standing contestant wins $10,000 generally; twenty to fifty thousand dollars in special shows. Sounds a bit like real life, doesn’t it? You get paid if people like your product and you succeed. The four ingredients are supposedly chosen by random, yet for the show to work, the contestants need to use not only their creative minds but also their logical mind. In my mind, I see people lined up at a very long table in some secret room with fresh and packaged eccentric ingredients in front of them testing their own recipes to be presented on Chopped. There is Chopped Junior, Chopped Grillmaster, Chopped Grandmothers, Chopped Champions, Chopped Sweets, Chopped All-Stars – the list keeps going. What have we got here? A great concept with what my friend Sima Dahl, calls a Sway Factor™. A great business name; a simple solution to making great meals (providing a service) which is the foundation for this business within a business. Just so you know how far this show has come, the pilot episode was something like this –. ‘It was set in a mansion, the host was a butler, the butler held a Chihuahua, and when a chef was chopped the losing dish was fed to the Chihuahua.” The Food Network found the pilot episode “a little too weird”, but decided to keep the general premise of the show in a more straightforward competition format.’ Wikipedia So, keep it simple, have some sway, be interesting, provide a great service, be inventive and creative, make it enjoyable – then you can add another, maybe even with a butler! Need some help in your entrepreneurial world? Ask me a question or ask for a free session here. Joanne
If you have thoughts that your life today is not like your life ten or more years ago or even six months ago, you may be right, however, you suffer. You cling to the past which incurs more suffering. Your past is gone. Your life is today and your life tomorrow will be different yet again. Life/Work harmony is about peace. When you are at peace with yourself, you will make choices that easily work for you. It is difficult to be at peace if you are suffering which means you are in a negative space. Negative emotions are the result of labeling. It goes directly to your fears. Your fears are both real and not-real. Real because you are attached to them, are holding on tight; not-real because you made them up. Don’t cling to what might have been, how you may have looked better twenty years ago; that part of your life is over. You are you today in the here and now. Enjoy your life, your work in whatever form it is in, as it is today. You sometimes think if you get a different job, choose a different partner, lose weight, your life will change. All you are doing is thinking that if you get rid of or change something about yourself, you will be happier or more at peace. You are stuck in the past. Where is your future? Your ego is holding on your past by forcing you to compare today with all your yesterdays. This will not work. Listen to these thoughts as they come up, briefly, without judgment, then let them go. Let go of holding on to thoughts that will never change your life. It is the holding on, the grasping, the huge desires you have that will interfere with your sense of peace, therefore you will not have any life/work or any harmony in your life. Want to talk about LIfe/Work Harmony? Contact me here. Joanne
You have probably finished cleaning out your closets with all the clothes, shoes, purses, coats, and whatever on their way to charities or to be sold on eBay or Poshmark. Your garage is fantastically clean and organized. Your pantry and cupboards are filled with newly purchased food and necessities. Now what? Well, I have been looking at how I function in my life and business and I discovered a couple of things that really annoy me. They annoy me in the sense that they are unconscious, unnecessary habits, and patterns. These two habits take up time and space better devoted to other things, mainly me. One habit is represented by my reflective response to a thing and unconsciously doing it most of the day. This is a habit using brain space and I want it gone! No big deal to many, really, yet it is to me and no, I ‘m not telling you what it is because it is unimportant. What is important; is that you also may have unconscious annoying habits that need weeding. The other habit is related to spending too much time in a certain area of my business and again, this is a time-suck. This habit is unnecessary, one I created all by myself and I am responsible. I am responsible for both of these habits; this habit is newer and easier to delete from my brain. Going into my brain, I have to make a new neural connection, therefore, restructuring my brain. This is doable – for the past several days I have focused on not doing these two unnecessary habits. In their place, I breathe, pay more attention to my own life, and continue to adjust parts of my business. In fact, I am rewriting my website and pivoting a bit. I will let you know when the new content is up. Enough about me. What habits have shown up in your life now that you have had the time to notice every little thing about yourself in your life and in your work? Put your mind to that task right now. Small habits have already shown up – now it is time to pay attention, see how it serves you, and if not, eliminate them and substitute beneficial actions that will fit you better. You are in charge of your brain and you can rewire it to benefit yourself. Want some help with neuroplasticity? Contact me here and let’s move forward. Joanne
If you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur, or business owner, it is time to get back to basics and start to think of yourself as a beginner in many ways. Now is a great time to review your Vision, or as I would say, your Vision with a Capital V. After all that has gone on in the past several months, to get to your New Regular, you may need to look backward to move forward towards your life Vision, Mission, Goals, and Values. When was the last time you reviewed your business? You may say that you don’t need to review, it’s all in the dumper and I am going to close, or, my business is good the way it is, no need to spend time there. Either way, you are wasting time and energy. How do you know you need to close your business? If you operate your business from home, you have fewer problems or challenges than most. If you work out of an office, have employees, and need to see customers, it is time to adjust. Most important is to either rebuild or redefine the foundation of your business. Who are you, what do you do, how do you do it and who do you do it for? What or who do you want your business to contribute to in your community? If you have been successful before you know what it feels like. If you have not been successful before, you may have to be more specific in answering the questions above. The more specific you are, the more detail you incorporate in your response, the easier it will be to move forward to the level of success you desire. If you need help, go here and send me a message. Joanne
Forgiveness is a strength, not a weakness, so if you are stuck in your personal life, on the job (whatever it may be) start to forgive people. We all have someone in our lives that we have an issue with, so join the Club of Forgiveness. Forgiveness is the key to everything, the key to success in all areas of your life. All this from forgiveness! I think it’s worth it to forgive others, from your heart, to help your brain. As a reminder, forgiveness does not mean forgetting or excusing the individual you want to forgive. It may take a commitment from you, but what else are you doing but running into walls The solution is to forgive. Forgive them, forgive yourself, and forgive the instances that occurred. These people, places, and things might not be in the uppermost part of your brain, however, if you sit quietly for a while and make a list, you will recall all those circumstances that occurred and how you felt afterward. Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. Forgiveness releases the resentment inside yourself, the resentment that may be preventing you from having a successful job, more money than you can imagine, and a personal life that succeeds on all levels. You cannot live a life of resentment or revenge without suffering. Forgiveness is for you, not others. Is it time to ‘make peace’ with those you are holding in your resentment/anger box? For your sake I say yes; let them go and heal yourself. Just do it. Just ask how here. Joanne
Never walk into a space, personal or professional, with your blindfold on. Blindfolds could be arrogance, love, money, ambition, loyalty, religion, politics, and much, much more. Your blindfold could be construed as a bias towards or against an individual or a group of individuals. If you think you are right in your perspectives and conversations, it may be difficult to hear another point of view. If you think you know it all, you will definitely be biased against anyone else’s perspective. If you have no biases, you could be easily swayed. Any way you look at it, you must be prepared especially if you have or are wanting a new client, a new job, or a new relationship. You may have a bias against a large corporation yet a bias for their employees because they may be strong enough to work for a seemingly not so kind corporate board (your bias). Bias comes in all shapes and sizes and infiltrates our daily lives; some use the word prejudice or tendency in place of bias. Think about how you communicate with others and what biases you may have in any area of conversation. A bias is a Big Red Stop for everyone. Fewer biases equal less anger, and more neutrality and objectivity. The more openminded you can be, the easier it is to live in this world. The Buddhists tell you to detach, which is to separate oneself from one’s own thoughts, feelings, and opinions in detail as to not be harmed mentally and emotionally by them. You can detach by accepting things as they are, using meditation, and interacting with more people so your point of view is expanded. Are you biased? If you want to remove a bias or two, contact me here. Joanne
The wheel turns and we are all on it, each of us in our own space; some have small spaces, others large, yet we move altogether. Sometimes the wheel shakes and bobbles, other times we move easily, yet we are all on the same wheel going in the same direction. Outside it all looks fresh, interesting and it beckons to you. At the next turn, it’s all the same thing – again – different people, different details. You can stay on the wheel and go wherever it takes you. You no longer have to make any more decisions. However, in order to get off the wheel, you have to make a decision to move. The only way off the wheel is to move; can you jump or are you stuck inside this wheel like a hamster? The view changes, yet it is still the same. Will it hurt to jump off the wheel? Maybe. Newer view, yet the same. Similar people, similar habits, yet the same as before. You can jump, roll, or step off the wheel. What’s your choice? Stay or get off? It can be easy or it can be hard. Do you want off the wheel? Contact me here and let’s discuss. Joanne
Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Unforeseen circumstances occur. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach new breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: Practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feeling. Logic can tell you superficially where a path might lead to, but it cannot judge whether your heart will be in it. Trust your instincts at all times except when you are having consistent negative thoughts. Clear your mind to be in a better place to trust your instincts and intuition. It’s okay to ask for clarification about the task at hand. Demonstrate your appreciation for others’ knowledge and experience by being grateful; then listen to what they share. If you don’t receive accurate information, simply further explore the ideas presented. Thank the person for their help and implement what you believe is the next right step. Trust yourself and your instincts. If you want to learn how to trust yourself even more than you already do, please click here and let’s talk. Joanne Victoria
Do you have moments when an intuitive flash comes to your mind, but you do not act upon it because of the rules you or society set for the situation? You may simply lack the confidence to believe that your ideas can carry great weight and you don’t want to be rude or offend anyone. An ingredient of confidence is taking a stand about your beliefs. Of course, only the beliefs you are willing to share. You know the difference. Who knew that when I left New York people would tell me I had a lot of confidence? I only knew I had to do whatever it took to take care of myself and my family. We never know when this power, confidence, will pop up. And confidence is a powerful tool and a blessing. If you are committed to something happening and it concerns your actions, of course, you will be confident. You may not appear confident on the job if you kowtow to what everyone else wants instead of speaking your mind. What about making mistakes? We all make mistakes; however, it is the confident person that can own up to it. Do you accept compliments gracefully? If you do, you are confident. If you dismiss the compliment and say it was no big deal, you are deflecting and denying your confidence. In order to be consistently confident, you may need a little focus. If you want to be more confident, contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne
People need and want to be heard. People will be grateful to be heard because no one listens anymore. They are too involved with their own thoughts and ideas instead of what the other person is saying. Learn to listen better. Be the first on your block to have the patience to listen to the people you are speaking with. Face them, be mindful and listen. Do we just stop talking? Everywhere you go, there is someone needing to be heard. You do not have to get into long conversations with the store clerk, but how could it hurt for you to ask how they are and listen to what they have to say, especially today? You are smart enough to manage this exchange and limit the interaction. A kind word is a gift that may change someone else’s day. If you are in sales, you certainly need to listen. If you are in a relationship, you better listen, or else your relationship will be easily damaged! People who do not listen to others are sometimes just full of themselves. They like the sound of their own voice. They are also thinking of what they want to say to you instead of listening to what you are saying. Do you do this? Are you willing to adjust your methods? Give it a go and listen to at least one new person this week. Just listen. Have questions about listening and talking to others? Click here and ask away! Joanne Victoria
The blame game is rampant right now and there is an overabundance of people, places, and things from which to choose. And whether you are a blamer or a blamee, this is how it usually goes – When you can’t accept responsibility for yourself you blame somebody or something else. This becomes an unconscious habit; you don’t even recognize that you’re doing it. Even and especially in these challenging times, you are responsible. When you are accused of something you did not do your brain and body go into shock. Your brain immediately goes on the fritz, your emotions are all over the place, your heart beats rapidly, you can’t catch your breath and you are momentarily speechless. Then you become angry and have lots of negative self-talk. ‘Who is this person to blame me for something I did not do?!’ ‘What’s wrong with me that this person hurts me this way?’ ‘Maybe I deserve it.’ This emotional activity also occurs when you blame someone. Blamers are mostly narcissists and narcissists think of only one thing- themselves. They do not care about you; they are deflecting their own inadequacies. Blamers are losers. Blamers are also bullies, to use current vernacular. They have been called torturers, intimidators, and aggressors. This is not who you want to be. Blamers accept no responsibility for anything wrong in their lives. As do narcissists, their narrative is different from others in that it is broaching on being psychotic. If you think this is you, remove yourself from the situation; you do not want to be here. You cannot win in a conversation with a blamer. Repeat this to yourself. If you think you can defend yourself against blamers, you have taken on a war of words, because the blamer will always consider themselves right. Yet this narcissistic individual only thrives on words, similar to a manipulator. Be sorry for these individuals, yet do not engage or waste any of your precious time with them. Blamers are usually righteous in their blaming. Does this describe you? The best thing to do is be responsible for yourself no matter what. To choose to blame someone for this event is a waste of the energy and creativity you need for yourself. Want help to move through this blame aspect? Click here and tell me all about it. .
Worries about negative outcomes stress your mind and diminish your capacity to trust your instincts. Worry also limits your creativity. Worry is a useless place to be. Unforeseen circumstances always occur and you cannot think of all of them. You only have control over your actions, not the ultimate results. Success remains a continual learning process, so always seek discovery, not answers. Find the nuggets of truth during conversations to reach new breakthroughs. Listen and follow your intuition as you take action. This attunement relieves fear and anxiety associated with constant worry about finding the right answer before proceeding. Allow the outcomes you achieve to enhance your imagination and motivate you to advance into the world of unknown possibilities. Attracting others to help you accomplish specific tasks equates to learning a new skill: Practice makes perfect. Stay focused on the situation and be alert to the sounds of your intuition to get unexpected results. To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feeling. Logic can tell you superficially where a path might lead to, but it cannot judge whether your heart will be in it. Trust your instincts at all times. Want help in trusting your instincts? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne
It’s time to come back to who you were a while back, back to your life, your gifts, and get settled in, again. Whatever you were doing before, needs doing now. Whether you yourself let it go or was it taken from you, you need to retrieve it because you are in charge. It is time to come back to your heart, your true courage. No more hanging out in the wilderness. You can accomplish a lot, especially if you tell the truth about what you want now. There may be something new you want to try or something you wish to change or reframe. Do it. You don’t need anyone’s permission anymore, never again. You never did, you just thought you did. You are needed, now more than ever to contribute your gifts to the world in a way that works for you. Show others how to live a full life, to be happy, and to enjoy themselves. Joy is the highest feeling – do your part to help others feel joy although you need to feel enjoyment first. When they see you enjoying your work and your life they will be inspired to share how they feel with more people. It is time to come back home to yourself. Now. Do you want some help in deciding what it is you need to do? Click here with your questions. Joanne
Hi there… Today I am sending you some podcast Youtube links for your listening enjoyment. I have been very fortunate to have guests who speak to issues we all understand. Enjoy! #1 – Susan Gruber talks about ‘Stop Reacting to Your Thought Patterns’ https://bit.ly/3cXlEyV #2 – Vicky S. Joseph talks about ‘The Art of Expression’ https://bit.ly/2S7QAV9 #3 Bill Lee-Emery tells us how to ‘Lead with Your Heart.’ https://bit.ly/3aKnmlD Joanne
We are all born with gifts. These gifts must be exposed and explored in order to be shared with others as I believe we are here for the benefit of others. Sometimes we need others to shine a light on our gifts. Some gifts are known early in your life, others may take a while. That’s good as we have all the time we need to discover our calling. It is not always up to us to know what these gifts are. Someone may recognize our gifts and say, hey you could be a great baseball pitcher with that arm. You may think, that’s a great idea and you pursue this path and become a great baseball pitcher. Or you may never connect with this passing remark. Or you do connect yet you are afraid to pursue this path saying or thinking ‘I’m not as good as he is’. That’s okay too. Except maybe you are good enough, yet you need to practice. This idea, this thought in whatever form it is presented, makes you uncomfortable. Great! Being uncomfortable is better than not being anything at all. The more you practice, the more comfortable you become. ‘Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.’ George Addair It is the practice that moves you forward. It is the practice that moves you beyond your fear because fear is what has you thinking you are not as good as someone else. I used to say it took me ten years to write my first book. Actually, it took from the time I was born to complete that first book. I was born with this gift yet I was unaware of it. Many people said Hey Joanne, why don’t you write a book? Who me? You have to be kidding, right?! I dismissed these comments until something inside my brain/soul/heart decided to check it out. I attended writing classes, joined authors groups all to no avail. Still, I could not write a word. Years passed. Until I was asked to write a newspaper column. I had forty-eight hours to do it. I sat down and completed my first article and it was published. Done. If I had not invested my energy in those writing classes and authors groups, I would never have been able to do this even though I had never previously put a word to paper. I was still uncomfortable, but obviously less so. It takes whatever time it takes to move from uncomfortable to less uncomfortable to completion with many, many steps in between. Never give up. If there is a gift inside of you, a way to benefit others, it will show up. If this gift makes you uncomfortable, be aware enough to write a list of why you are uncomfortable. You are aware right now. If you want help with this, contact me here. Joanne
How resilient are you? If you are able to withstand the current drama and are hopeful about yourself and those around you, you will thrive. Do you ever wonder where this resilience strength will come from? It will come from your heart, it will come from within. I recently interviewed Lolly Daskal for my podcast, The Sanity Project Podcast, and her business is called Lead From Within, about helping leaders make a meaningful difference in their companies. I think Living From Within is where our strength comes from. People want to know what to do to either solve or eliminate the problem. With the existing pandemic, neither is currently possible – at least regarding what I read. So, what we can do is ask ‘Who do I need to be to function at a high level during this crisis?’ ‘Who do I need to be to help my family and my neighbors?’ Who do you need to be? Once we stop blaming anyone and everyone, you will be able to more easily listen to your heart. You will take direction from your heart. We must open our hearts and stay away from fear. If fear enters, move it aside and stand in your power with Inner Strength. Need some help? contact me here and let’s talk. Joanne
My local library closed in Mid March 2020 and I am really sad. I am the person who orders the very latest Detective/Suspense/Mystery/Thriller books and impatiently awaits them. I currently have over forty of these types of books on order at the library. Many are waiting for me right now. I was at the library on its last day prior to closing and left with 3 fiction books and 2 non-fiction books. A very small haul. At that time, no one knew about COVID-19 in its present form. I had been self-quarantining since early March 2020 and I did not have my usual stack of books to rely on. I am a fast reader, about 4 fiction books a week. I think it is for my sanity and those I come in contact with. But now, I only had 3 books. I did not seriously count the non-fiction as I don’t usually read them. Some are books suggested by someone else who says ‘Hey, Joanne, go buy this book.’ My strategy is to peruse the book first, via the library, and if I like it, then I buy it. I needed to read fiction! I googled and eBay came up with a curated Box of Books of my genre. I readily purchased the 20 books for 20 Bucks of Mystery and Suspense books and impatiently waited. While I waited, I did open up one of these non-fiction books written by Whitney Johnson, titled Disrupt Yourself. I realized reading non-fiction takes longer than reading fiction. I took a long time reading this book and it is great. I took many notes unlike with my Thriller books. Once I completed Disrupt Yourself, I chose Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, another non-fiction library book. Another great choice that I do not know why I got it. I have since purchased both of these books as they are educational and enlightening. Post-it notes and highlights galore. I also went on to purchase more books by Steven Pressfield; I love his perspective on life and had no idea he was famous. Then my $20 Box of Books was delivered. I was extremely excited. Twenty books would last me for a long time. Alas, they were not as promised. I ordered Mystery and Suspense and received about five of that category Other books included those titled: The Works of Shakespeare, Women Who Ruled – History’s 50 Most Remarkable Women (I did keep this one, of course) as well as a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. The remainder of the books were Romance and Suspense – its own genre – who knew. All these books with one exception are now in a box for Goodwill. My next more successful venture was Thrift Books Dot Com. Their user experience is great and if you order $10.00 or more of books, there is Free Shipping. Yay! I have since placed at least three orders of 3 books each; the most recent order was for six books. I was living in the land of hopes and dreams for my library to open soon – not happening. Next time I will order more as my state, Washington, will not be ‘opened’ until May 18, 2020. Who knows when my library will open. Who knows if someone will be cleaning the book covers. Who knows? What are you missing during this Time Out? Tell me here. Joanne
When working to achieve more harmony between your personal life and professional life, it is important to remember to care for yourself first. Also many seem to forget that your work-life fits within your personal life, not the reverse. Self-care is a major component of being successful in creating a more harmonious life. And isn’t now the best time for this adventure?! When you put yourself first, your priorities will change, your needs will be met, and everything will fall into place more naturally and for the better now and later. Always take time from the day for self-appreciation. Do something focused first thing in the morning before starting your day, and the last thing you do before you shut your eyes for sleep. It is crucial that you allow yourself to reflect on all the positive attributes and characteristics you have and to be truly grateful for them. This will help give you a sense of peace, gratitude, and abundance in your life. It will also be the gateway to realize what you need to do for yourself in order to create a better life. We all need a new gateway right now so take this time as an opportunity. As you appreciate yourself, respecting yourself will come easily. You will not only start to take better care of your physical body through healthier dieting and moderate exercise, but your mental health will improve also. Body, speech, and mind all need attention now, With this new gateway, you will also learn what you need from life, and step away from anything that no longer serves you positively, such as fear, loss or being taken advantage of. Want help in creating a new gateway? Click right here. Joanne
People do not like to think they sacrifice one thing for another; they usually call it a trade-off; you seemingly are willing to trade-off one thing for another. Today, you are trading your freedom for your personal health and that of your family. However, what can occur, is bitterness from a place you never knew existed because you are now out of your comfort zone. You may not have been aware that this is called sacrifice – a strong word – but the results will hit you in the face because you do not know where this pain, this pain of sacrifice, is coming from. The pain is a result of your choices. You never thought you had to choose between these two important aspects of your life. These options may not have been of your doing, however, they affect you. How you feel is important, especially to you. If you think risks are about sacrifice, they are, for the most part. You will need to determine what path you want to take, how your life will change when you do and how it will affect your new life. Now is the time for an inventory of your life- your feelings, your dreams, and your desires. A life inventory is a risk because your truth will step forward and expose itself. The truth, your truth, can’t help itself, it needs to be exposed no matter what else is going on that is not in your control. You are already frustrated so any more frustration is not a fail but a way to move you forward when the time comes. Be ready. You will discover your true self when you take risks. When you take that risk, be it to open your own business, adjust how you live your life or change how you present yourself, you are opening yourself up to new and great possibilities. Do it now. If you want help with your decision making, click here. Joanne Victoria
You are responsible for yourself. This can happen in many ways. One way is to say no to topics, instances, and occurrences that others try to subscribe to. Except for what is happening right now. If you are feeling overly stressed, burned out and unhappy, it may be because you have no boundaries. You may have lost your sense of self as a person. This can be easy to do. The bottom line is, this is your life and you owe it to yourself to set boundaries, especially now. I am on Day 32 of the Stay at Home order here in Washington State. I go for walks once in a while and have to maintain my boundaries on the sidewalks of the very quiet area I live in. It is up to me if someone else walks on the same sidewalk in the opposite or same direction. I cannot rely on this person or group of individuals to concern themselves with my welfare. When you are working at home, especially in today’s world, you are responsible for how you want to work and to create and enroll others into your schedule. The thing you need most of all whether being outdoors or working at home is a sense of peace and tranquility. If you spent all your days in the same room as your entire family, – yes, all of them! – you would go bonkers. You need to draw a line in the sand as to where and when your boundaries are invoked. You can empower yourself by establishing boundaries and learning to be with yourself. Do you want to discuss how to establish boundaries, contact me here. Joanne
Sleep. Something we all need and yet we have a difficult time with our relationship with it – sleep that is. I recently watched a PBS/Nova documentary called Mysteries of Sleep. One of the important things I learned was described clearly in an experiment with toddlers. Several toddlers were introduced to four new playthings, brand new with unique, previously unheard-of names. The children were given the opportunity to learn the names of all these play toys. After this part of the experiment, half the toddlers took their usual mid-day nap. The other half were told they could play first for a while, then take their naps. The following day, the toddlers who took a nap directly after their part of the experiment, responded correctly to each and every unique play toy. The other half who had played first, then napped, mostly could not recall the correct names of the toys. It goes to show and was determined by one the scientists, that if you nap after learning something new you most likely will remember it clearly. The brain is a marvelous thing, a great gift, yet it needs you to sleep. Not just rest, but sleep. I know some of you are lifetime learners and are doing so, especially now, with things being upside down. It fills in the spaces of time. Be sure and take a nap after that webinar, online-course or a new class you are participating in. You will remember more of what you learned. Want to talk about learning something new? Click here. Joanne
You know how it goes. You put your heart and soul, maybe too much so, into a situation and then the doubt sets in. No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward. The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. It’s time to release the doubt that is within you. Learn to release the doubt. If have done all you can and no more is available and you have reached that brick wall, you can either walk away, break the wall or find a way to walk around the wall. What is the purpose of this adventure? Clarity of purpose makes it easier to choose your next relevant action. When a challenge occurs, immediately ask yourself what’s the intent behind the next action you’ll take. Do you want to move the process forward? Do you need additional resources? How much clarity about yourself do you have? Take a pen and paper – not your computer or other devices – and make a list. I love lists because lists give you the opportunity, to tell the truth, that no one else ever sees. Make a list of all the ways and times you have doubted yourself – big and small situations. Times and places where you did not take that next step, where you hesitated because of some long lost or unfounded memory. This is the list you need to overcome doubt and reach into your soul and find more resources. To know who you are and why you are here on Earth doing what you are doing is a joy. Do you know why you are here doing what you are doing? Are you doubting yourself? Ask me for help here. Joanne
Some of you may have spare time on your hands right now. That’s good; you can get a lot done around the house as well as in your business if you can work from home. How is your brain doing? Are there thoughts and inklings peeking around your brain and your subconscious – things you were thinking about before yet had to put to the side because there was no time available? Are the pieces coming together for something new and amazing? Maybe you are thinking about changing careers or jobs. Maybe you are thinking about trying out that thing, that idea, you thought of, and dismissed, all those years ago. Hold on to these thoughts for a minute. One of my most profitable careers was when I worked in real estate. I was in sales, then management, followed by construction along with management and design, then a sole practitioner. All real estate challenges met and handled with success. Close to the end of this run, I was invited to be a part of a national real estate franchise, to be an area manager, THE area manager for the county I was then living in. It was an amazing offer and one I do look back on once ina while and wonder ‘What if?” Yet I am not truly a ‘what if’ kind of person. I did have to think twice about this offer. Then the truth came down on my head. I was done. I was done with real estate. The challenge was, I did not know what to do! I had no idea. None. Which is not like me. There were numerous parts of all my real estate specialties I loved – the relationships I made, the training of agents and their inherent success, the learning I was a part of, the walls I ran into, the new challenges with people and places, and of course, the happy sellers & buyers. Within twenty-four hours my phone rang, and it was a dear friend. He asked me if I wanted to go to a workshop. I said where do I send the check? I trusted and still trust him implicitly as this was not the first time he invited me to participate in a workshop or seminar. He said, no, not as an attendee, as a co-leader with him. I was stunned. I had never led a workshop or seminar. I had never designed a workshop. The closest to this I had come was when I was running for a position on the local Board of Realtors where I then lived and had to run for this position as a politician would including writing and presenting speeches. The rest really is history, a history of failures, successes, struggles, and big brick walls, yet this is where I am supposed to be. Helping people find their calling and shining a bright light on their desires, passion, and values. What I had was a calling for want of a better word. It is a great word, actually. If you are human, you have a calling. Everyone does and the calling shows up sometimes when we are stressed or at the end of our respective ropes. I was drawn to this work, with all its titles and delineations. I have yet to reach the next pinnacle, but I have a glimmer of what it is. I will let you know when I gt there. This is my calling. What’s yours? If you have a story about your calling, click here or if you want help with your calling, click here as well. Joanne
During this pandemic, also known as COVID-19, many people are feeling extremely stressed out to the point of depression. They do not want to move at all and experience feelings of not only depression but some with suicidal thoughts. A pandemic brings up many negative emotions. Some handle it by cleaning out the basement/closets/garage/utility shed and other numerous locales. Others eat – a lot of most anything to ease their struggles and pacify their fears. Those who are depressed and concerned about all the day to day changes in their life – changes in sleep or eating patterns, worry about friends and family who may have the virus, as well as those who are increasing their tobacco and alcohol usage, need a safe place to be, at least in their minds. Meditation works although many think you must do things in a special way or you need training for this. You don’t. You have all you need to meditate. The safe place in your mind which may include some meditation is easy to create. Create a comfortable place that you can be alone for about fifteen minutes. Sit in a chair of any type where you will feel comfortable. Breathe deeply and easily. Four breaths in, hold for ten and release for four. Choose your special place, be it a beach scene, garden, or fantasy island. Add other furniture, rugs, lamps, all that you need to make this safe place yours. Use a word or description so you know where this place is and what is inside or around you. Know that you can go here anytime things become overwhelming, now or later. Capture the feeling of this Safe Place and know this is yours, no one else’s. No one else has the creative mind that you do; there is no one else here unless you invite them. Need help in designing your Safe Place? Contact me here and I will help you. Joanne
Consistency is the key to everything, especially now. Consistency is one of the many keys to ongoing success. Consistency over time also provides you with an everyday plan for your life and work. It may be difficult during these pandemic times to be consistent using your old schedules. However, if you do not maintain a schedule now, if you do not stay in touch with yourself via exercise, or with your family via electronics if they are not with you in the current self-quarantine or as I like to call it, solitude, if you do not stay in touch with your prospects or clients in the way you did before, you will be starting from scratch when all the doors are open and the lights are on. That could be exhausting. For those of you who are missing some form of exercise, go on YouTube to discover numerous videos on Yoga, Stretching, Kettle Bells and even running indoors for a 5K! When you were working with prospects or clients for your business, how did you communicate with them? Did you call them via telephone? What is stopping you from doing that now? Did you communicate via email or personal notes? There is nothing in your way of doing the same thing now. Yes, you can clean your house and rid yourself of items that have been in your basement or garage forever. Yet this will not be enough to provide you with motivation when things change yet again. Or you can just binge on delectables until you have to lose that! weight to fit back into your wardrobe. Get yourself back into your prior routine, albeit adjusted, now, so when you do move forward, you will be ready. I have many clients who are in the process now of starting new businesses. As things change, and they always do, this gives them the opportunity to have more than one choice to use their skills, generate relationships and make more money. Need help and clarity in taking your next steps? Contact me here and ask your questions. Joanne
Confidence is based on the beliefs that you now have. If you believe in your abilities to accomplish something, that is confidence. Your beliefs determine what actions you take. If you believe you are NOT confident, that too can be changed by using tools and techniques that reopen another groove in your brain; scientists call it neuroplasticity. You can make yourself confident. Really. Confidence comes from experience. If you learn something new, you have changed your brain – this is called structural plasticity – you can change your brain as a result of this new learning. However, if you do not use this new groove of confidence, this groove will close down. Consider the ‘Use if or Lose I’ saying, especially now, and know that all the new neural pathways you have created most recently will shut down if you decide to lay back and only watch TV. Confidence is about how you think. Confidence is not based on the ability to succeed at something; confidence is based on your thoughts and beliefs. Let’s look at the power of confidence. We never know when this power – confidence – will pop up. And confidence is a powerful tool and a blessing. If you are committed to something happening and it concerns your actions, of course, you will be confident. Confidence then becomes your personal power and this will take you far. An ingredient of confidence is taking a stand about your beliefs. Of course, only the beliefs you are willing to share with others! What about making mistakes? We all make mistakes; however, it is the confident person that can own up to it. A mistake that you don’t want to make is in not using the confidence you created using structural plasticity. ‘Use it or lose It’ is a true statement. Do you accept compliments gracefully? If you do, you are confident. If you dismiss the compliment and say it was no big deal, you are denying your confidence. In order to be consistently confident, you may need a little focus. Start with yourself, first and always. Need help with focus and clarity? Click here and let’s talk. Joanne
Aside from paying attention to a few new details in your life: Social Distancing, Self-Quarantining, Significant Hand Washing and monitoring your own personal health, and a couple of other actions I may have missed that someone will remind me of, you do not need permission from anyone to do what you want with your life. Your life is up to you. That’s right – you can work where and how you want; you can change careers and you will change your life. You can make your life count for more than it is right now. Now is the time for some pivots, some adjusting, some rethinking of what truly matters to you. You have accrued a wealth of knowledge and now want to dispense this knowledge in ways that help more people. You now want your life to truly count in ways it never has before. I say ‘Yes, you can!’ “It’s not possible for the world to hold a meeting and decide your value. That decision is all yours.” – Liz Strauss, Author, ‘Anything You Put Your Mind To’ It is time for you to step out of the shadow and follow your true calling, the place where you are thoroughly at home. You will no longer keep being resistant by procrastinating and living in fear. You will be the new, improved you because now you will be the True You. Listen to that voice in your head and be willing to nourish your calling by identifying your real passion. Do you want help in discovering your calling? Click here and let’s talk! Joanne
Now is the time, if there ever was a perfect time, to design or redesign your Life Vision. Many of you have the time available to devote to this. Things change and now is a great time for your change to be defined. Without a Life Vision, you will have nothing to aspire to except the daily grind. You will dry up, burn out and your spirit will die. It is happening to many as I write this. Without a clear Life Vision, you are constantly reactive to life’s daily challenges. You go up and down the emotional scale, from joy to fear, just by reading the newspaper or watching the news online. Your Life Vision gives you a focus to help your imagination make possible what you thought was impossible. Vision helps you create a plan of action to achieve what you really want. You can also have a Vision for whatever business, practice or service you provide. You just don’t know it yet, or maybe you do. Either way, you must redefine your original vision or imagine a new one. With a True-Life Vision, all your decisions are easily made, because all your decisions are in alignment with your Life Vision. It is not so much about a good enough Life Vision, but a Life Vision that is clearly visionary. Add these to your ingredient list as part of Your New Life Vision: ~ Where are you living? ~ How do you provide for yourself and your family? ~ What do you do for fun? ~ How do you contribute to your community? ~ Who do you spend your time with and why? These questions are just a few that need to be answered in your Life Vision process. Why not get a head start now? Need help? Check out my Vision With a Capital V book here. Joanne
You make numerous decisions every day to move forward in your life even if you are stuck at home. The need to make the right decision sometimes stops you in your tracks because of the many ‘What ifs’ that arise. ‘What if people get angry when I ask for a decision?’ ‘What will people think of me?’ “Am I being selfish?’ You want to achieve success in your life and in your work but are often uncertain of the best first step. You want certainty, which does not exist as we are certainly seeing in these extra stressful times. When you encounter a new decision point in your daily routine, you can instantly evaluate it. Your instincts immediately trigger a response to past experiences, education or other lessons. This moment, if captured without your mind censoring it, becomes your next right step. This instant blip, what many label as a hunch or feeling, instead reveals what’s real and authentic. People who experience this blip frequently recognize this feeling as the reality of the situation. Your ability to move through a situation as it occurs leads you to your next right step, and to achieve the task at hand. Rather than quickly dismissing what you feel, tap into the power behind these strong thoughts. These thoughts are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bears powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next best step. Trust your insights, yourself and trust your intuition. Bring it back and be alive, again, especially now. Want help with trust? Click here to talk to me. Joanne Victoria
More so now than ever before, you have a lot of crap in your head, some good, some not so good. If you want more peace and more time to live a good life, you have to de-clutter your mind. To de-clutter your mind requires a bit of patience; it is like matching sox just out from the dryer if anyone still does that. When you have a pile of multi-colored sox that your family has allowed you to wash and dry, they also expect you to pair up these sox so the individuals noted can have them and use them. This is just like mind clutter. You have all these sox in your head, some yours, most not yours. You need to get the others’ sox out of your head so you can have some of your own space and have more peace. Others sox may be tied up emotionally in dramas and topics that are not yours; you only want your thoughts in your head. You can take others’ sox and put them into a separate brain box, or you can just let the sox fly off into the sky. Whatever sox remain, you can now decide if you want to keep those sox. What you want to keep can be put into an imaginary box inside your head. Keep them safe because you don’t want to lose your sox to someone else. These are your thoughts and ideas and they deserve a special space, therefore, your special brain box. In fact, choose many brain boxes and use them for different items. But definitely get rid of other peoples’ sox. They don’t fit you anyway. Want to talk about the extra sox in your head? Leave a message here. Joanne
One way to find Inner Peace is to start taking responsibility for your interactions with everyone. Be in the moment with people as best you can pay attention to what the conversations are about, and how you can support and help the individual you are speaking with. Be calm and peaceful for a bit and see how that works for you. Inner Peace is something we all, even if we don’t want to admit it, want and need. The rewards for Inner Peace are many – improved relationships in all areas of your life; better health and wellness; greater self-confidence – just a few returns that come with Inner Peace. One way to Inner Peace is to not make mountains out of molehills; do not make a big production where none is needed. The issue you are dealing with is probably not as important as you think it is. Let it fade away. Declutter your desk, your closets as well as your garage. Throw away any piece of paper you don’t need. Sell your clothes on eBay or give them away to Good Will. Delete anything in your home space that is extraneous to your life. As you might be WFH, Working From Home, you need this now more than ever. You will feel better – I can (almost) guarantee it. To maintain your sanity – only do one thing at a time. Conquering this alone will bring great Inner Peace. Doing one thing at a time will also keep you more focused, help you satisfy your work requirements easier and you will have a better home life because you will be there in total, without distractions. Want to talk a bit about your Inner Peace? Click here. Joanne
Many people find it difficult to manage their stress levels. If you’re a manager or a business owner, you not only have to manage your stress levels; you also have to manage your team’s levels of stress. How do you deal with their discontentment, feelings of burnout and high anxiety levels especially now when Working From Home is present everywhere. The reality is that this new-paced Work From Home environment is unlikely to change anytime soon. Therefore, if you want to bring contentment and peace to your employees and team members, you need to consider implementing an array of developmental activities that will help you and your employees to become resilient, engaging, and productive for your business to succeed. One way is to place some attention on the employees’ development and personal growth. This is most important while everyone Works From Home. It is entirely possible for managers to inspire a workforce to become productive, healthy and happy. And, the way they do this is to allow employees to be creative, reveal their potential and support their productivity. The good news is that there are several practical, easy-to-incorporate measures that will help boost personal development – and they don’t cost a lot, don’t take a plethora of resources and don’t require a great deal of time. Easy Methods That Can Reduce Stress for Employees that Work From Home Give Employees Chances to Break Away from Work The “always thinking about working” mindset doesn’t take any recovery time into consideration. Everybody needs to take a break from their job – it doesn’t matter what profession they are in. Boundaries are in order here, especially with so many WFH these days. Step away from a project after 45 minutes; create time for exercise, eat your lunch at the table – all easy to do yet not available when at the office. Train the Brain to Address the Stress For your employees to be more productive and creative, consider training their brains to address their stress. With a little brain training, you help your employees to generate healthy mental habits that can increase their level of productivity – both in their work and social life. When working from home, there is a tendency to not take breaks for anything. Many employees actually find themselves working more when they WFH. People need to rejuvenate so they can refocus Work should not be treated like a marathon – who can get the most work done in this amount of time. Instead, it should be treated as a sprint. The most important factor is the work they do, not how many hours they spend working. Avoid falling into the trap of thinking quantity is more important than quality. This is especially an issue regarding Work From Home times. Ask yourself if there is something you can do to help your employees do higher-quality work in less time, anything to help reduce their stress Be Compassionate and Empathetic A boss who is compassionate and empathetic toward their employees, contractors and vendors will have people who are willing to go above and beyond to help the business succeed. They’ll be more productive, focus intently on a job to ensure it’s done right and will regularly engage virtually and digitally with one another and customers. This will lead to a better company bottom line even while they Work From Home. If you listen to what your employees and contractors have to say – listen to their feedback, concerns, and suggestions – you can still encourage them to cooperate with you and with each other even while they Work From Home. This action will also make for better teams and less stress for you. Go here and receive your free copy of The True Self Handbook- A Guide To Transform Your Life Joanne
What does it mean to take stock? To take stock is to take an inventory of where you are now and where you want to be in all areas of your life. These areas include work, family, friends, relationships, hobbies, spirituality, health, playtime and any other personal or professional segments important to you. Any day is a good day to take stock of your life. Take note of what is going on in all these areas; write it down, truthfully and realistically. No writing beyond the lines, just tell the truth about what is happening right now, in great detail. This is your reality right now. List all the things you are grateful for in these specific areas. Note all the things you are proud of and all the places you contribute to – yourself, your family, your work, your community. Make another list of things that are making you crazy, unfulfilled, and dissatisfied. Decide how you want to move forward in your life. What needs to change in your life? How can you make these changes? How many adjustments do you think you need to create a fulfilling life? Notice what good things are happening now in your life. Do you have a new job or relationship? Have you moved? How has your life changed since the last time you took an inventory? Is your health in good shape? Maybe you never have seriously taken an inventory of your life. Many people do not except around New Year’s resolutions. If you need to, create goals and expectations about the area of your life that do not fulfill you. Look at what you can eliminate from your life – this includes people who have no value or benefit to you. You only want people you can talk to who you can help and can also help and support you. Once you have finished these lists, check this list at least once per month to observe your progress. Eliminate anything on this previous list that no longer works in your life and expand what does work for you. If you want help, you can always contact me here. Joanne
Know that all things change all the time, no matter how much you try to control the outcomes. Once you change one thing, nothing will be the same; you cannot go back to the way it was. Everything is in transition; nothing stays fixed or permanent. This includes your moods, the clouds, and cars traveling on the freeway. Transition is about stopping something and then choosing something else, yet again. It is a cycle that never stops, yet sometimes it is very disturbing. If you get a promotion, your life changes. If you end your relationship, your life changes. Transition is really about change – we just choose bigger words to define it. If you can work within the confines of change, you will be fine. If you can’t, you will have problems. If you get that new job, along with that sought-after raise, or your business takes off when there are numerous investors, you may be in a better place – for now. Did you ever go on vacation to a special place, to return some time later and it feels different? It feels different because you are different. You are not the same person you were the first time you were there, so it is no surprise that you may be a bit disappointed. There is nothing wrong here, just that your perspective has changed; you have had numerous experiences since your first visit and you have changed. No fear, as long as you remember that everything changes and that transition is with us 24/7; you will be able to readjust yourself and enjoy this great vacation – again. If you want to talk about change in your life, please contact me here. Joanne
When you want something, whether it is an emotion, a thing or a feeling, you have to put out a good vibe. Your vibe, whether negative or positive, will be picked up by others, especially those who are intuitive. It’s all about energy, in this case, your energy. For example, when I am at the movies, as I do not have my own private screening room, I do not like others to sit next to me. I put out a vibe that says ‘don’t sit next to me’ or ‘I want to be alone’ and it works, even in the most crowded of theaters – although it may be a while before I am back in movie theaters again!! Many of us do this unconsciously. We need to understand and acknowledge the power of our energy and the receptiveness of others towards us. If we dearly want something, our vibe must be positive at all times If we don’t want something and we are in negative vibe mode, please take a trip or go to the ocean or exercise, as your vibe, your negative energy will affect others. The negative vibe is catching. Check out all the protesters of any type or the media in current times. They give off strong negative vibes and it makes you want to believe. Avoid when possible! Positive vibes are catching as well, although not always in such a big way. If we maintain positive energy, positive vibes, at home and at work, we will have more pleasant people around us. Your life will be easier, more productive and definitely more peaceful. Want some positive vibes and more peace? Click here to talk to me. Joanne
‘Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honesty is hardly ever heard And mostly what I need from you’ Thank you, Billy Joel As regards to honesty in your life, the only person you need to be honest with is yourself. Be honest with yourself about yourself and how you treat yourself. Be honest with yourself about what you need to eliminate from your life in order to add beneficial things to it. Be honest about who you are now and who you really, truly want to become. Search within for your truth and discover who you truly are. This is the person you need to be presenting to the world. When you withhold the authentic, true you from the world, you are not telling your truth. This truth you are telling us about is the façade you are presenting to the world. No more façade or presenting another version of yourself to others. The real you knows the truth about you and is ready, willing and able to let the world see it. Right now, it is the time to step into your truth. There is no better time. Want help stepping into your truth? Contact me here. Joanne
What we all need now during these Interesting Times is patience. Your family wants to go visit friends and play anything, you desperately want to sleep. Your Mom and Dad wonder when they are going to see you again. Your partner wants your help with shopping for important products to get you through this Interesting Time; you still need that nap. Your manager wants your part of the project done, now, no matter what and you cannot get your home office together. There is no traffic on the freeways; another scary reminder of what may or may not be going on. Everyone is in a bad mood, rushing at the last minute to get supplies. You still need that nap. It is time to practice patience. Forego anger or petulance or panic; it will do you no good. Find a bit of quiet space (car? bathroom?) and breathe deeply. Know that everyone appreciates you; they are just following the current chaos. Take a deep breath, right now. Know that if you breathe, you are in the present moment, not in any drama, not in the past, nor in the future. You are in the NOW. Breathe, look yourself in the mirror and resolve to do your best. After all, times like these hopefully only happen once in a while and you will get through this mostly be remaining calm and breathing deeply. And of course, that nap. If you want to know how to get through this interesting time as effortlessly as possible, contact me here. Joanne Victoria
In order for others to respect you, you will have to respect yourself first. Everyone would like to perform well at work, but that doesn’t mean that you have to put up with everything. Respect requires boundaries, for yourself and others. But first comes you. You are the most important person in your life. All things about who you spend time with and work with come from you: your emotional needs, your values, and your experiences. In addition, when we are too stressed, we tend to take the problems we have at work into our homes, and this is not good at all. In this case, issues that have nothing to do with your personal life may end up affecting it, ruining the peace and quiet in your home and inflicting damage on your relationship with the people you love. So, setting boundaries in the workplace and at home is extremely important because it will keep you from facing too much stress and from mixing your professional life with your personal one. This requires self-respect as well. Self-respect is learned and you can do this. Start by believing that what you do on a daily basis is worthwhile as you are worthwhile. Be comfortable with yourself especially when you are alone. Consider keeping a journal, at least temporarily, about your thoughts and feelings about yourself. If these thoughts are negative, if you self-deprecate, write the language that is opposite of self-deprecation. If these thoughts are negative, if you self-deprecate, write the language that is opposite of self-deprecation. To self-deprecate is to belittle yourself. Stop doing this at all levels of your experiences of your life. You set the tone in your life in each and every way. If you belittle yourself, the people around you will start to do the same. Be a better you by being better to yourself. Want help in establishing self-respect and boundaries? Click here for my help and support. Joanne
How do you handle a challenge in your life? Is it something you recognize? Have you been here before? How is this challenge affecting your life? Do you avoid challenges? What’s the right answer? There is no right answer; challenges are different for everyone. Questions are vital to handling and hopefully dismissing challenges. If there is no query you will never know what you are facing. Details are important. Is the challenge bigger than you? Can you redesign the challenge into digestible bites? Everything seemingly negative is better if you can get it smaller. Is it truly a challenge or are you making it up? Notice all the questions I am already asking? You need to ask them of yourself as well. I don’t know if one challenge can be any bigger than the next. Every challenge can make you stronger, wiser and maybe more inclined to step back rather than charge ahead. Sometimes stepping back, or even out of the challenge, opens doors to new opportunities. Do your challenges make you stronger? What are your current challenges and how are you handling them? Need some advice? Click here. Joanne
Compassion is a good thing. Compassion is about not wanting others to suffer. Compassion at work is crucial especially if you see others’ on the job being pushed around or overworked or just plain ignored. Compassion is a natural instinct yet only works if we are present to all issues. It is evident that not all business owners, managers, directors, and executives are mindful enough to notice when they need to be kind to others. A boss who is compassionate and empathetic toward their employees and contractors will have people who are willing to go above and beyond to help the business succeed. They’ll be more productive, focus intently on a job to ensure it’s done right and will regularly engage with one another and customers. This will lead to a better company bottom line. If you listen to what your employees and contractors have to say – listen to their feedback, concerns, suggestions, etc. – you’re encouraging them to cooperate with you and with each other. Compassion improves your health in many ways. It normalizes your blood pressure, strengthens your immune system, reduces your stress levels and extends your life. Since most of us spend a lot of time working or at work, why not spend it wisely. A leader who can be compassionate can understand peoples’ motivators, hopes, and difficulties and develop the right support tools that enable them to be the best they can be. This will help in boosting the company’s productivity and profitability. When you’re compassionate and empathetic, it’s good for everyone! Want more insights on how to be compassionate at work? Click here. Joanne
Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook, and other smaller companies, now tell employees to work from home to reduce the risk of the current virus – at least here in Seattle. Working from home during this time is big and I am sure rules are changing on a daily basis. In China, Japan, and South Korea, employees & contractors have been working remotely for quite a while as they had the results of the coronavirus sooner than the United States did. Some companies say to self-quarantine; nice work if you can get I especially if you are healthy. No commuting! Yay! On one hand, this is a smart move. On the other hand, not all of the Tech workers can work from home. Some who are now made to work from home, miss being with others such as the teams they participate in every day, live discussions about project issues and some even miss their large computer screen. Remote working used to be a privilege; some are finding out that allowing employees and contractors to work remotely is beneficial to the business. Some employees are more productive while working from home. Less stress, more creativity while the brain is not fettered with others’ issues – so many things that make it beneficial to work for home. Of course, it would be much better if disease or health issues would not be the cause of working from home, however, it is an experiment on a grand scale, not necessarily for the right reasons, yet is happening. These orders from headquarters could last as little as three more weeks or maybe more. We shall see. It will be interesting to see this endgame result. Are you working from home during this crisis? Let me know how it’s going for you here. Joanne
In order to work successfully with others and their varying degrees of emotions and life dramas, you would be wise to have harmony or balance in your own life. When you have a balance of body, mind, and spirit, others’ issues will roll off your back. You will have no need to become engaged in others’ dramas except to offer your mindful and quiet support. In order to act on your compassion, which in my view is not wanting others to suffer, you need to derail your own suffering. More inner balance or life/harmony as I now call it is the best and easiest way to do this. You can treat your body to good eating, healthy walks or exercise and read good books to boost your confidence. If you are in personal harmony, you will be stronger than those around you and able to give more to theirs, if only to give an example of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. Your mind will be more in balance if you meditate, or just take quiet time for at least twenty minutes per day; more if you can. Your spirit thrives on you reaching out to others. If you perform at least one good deed a day, your mind will be fed. If you forgive those who have hurt you, your spirit will rise. As long as this leads to body, mind spirit harmony, you will be able to sidestep any big drama at work on your team, with your manager, and with clients. Give it a try. Harmony implies peace, cooperation, and understanding. Start with yourself, first and always. Have questions? Need some help? Contact me here. Joanne
Do you know what is missing in your life? This is where you can look first; look at what is missing instead of what you label as ‘wrong’. Check out your personal and work life; do they fulfill if not exceed your expectations? What is your story? What do you want? What are your wants and needs? There are many aspects to well-being, including but not limited to: physical well-being, emotional well-being, social well-being, economic well-being, and appealing activities and work. Personal well-being is vital to each and every one of us, yet we do not make a practice of learning what it is and how we can have it. Well-being is at the least the presence of positive and the absence of negative emotions. In some ways, it is aligned with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, needs that motivate human behavior. These needs start from the bottom and continue to build, one after the other: physiological, safety, love, and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. To increase your confidence, attain more inner peace, discover your authenticity, understand your purpose and determine your values, this is Personal Well-Being. If you could even communicate your desire for these needs, you are ahead of the game, and it is a game. There are times of confusion and doubt that may stand in your way. You must be ready, willing and able to commit to you, to put yourself first. You might also want to manage your stress better. This is quite possible; however, you need to acknowledge first that your life warrants that help. Enjoy my blog posts here. Joanne
According to LinkedIn, I live in the ‘Greater Seattle Area’. Kirkland, Washington, which is about 20 miles from here, is also in the “Greater Seattle Area’. Furthermore, Kirkland is the place where the first US resident died of the coronavirus. Last week, when things were really swirling about coronavirus, I did not pay too much attention. I do not read the newspapers anymore, either in print or online, nor do I watch the news on television. However, issues like this tend to seep through and settle up in everyone’s brain – it did mine. I did notice all the empty shelves in the images on my phone and thought, hmmm, I certainly do not want to run out of my special bottled water nor do I want to run out of toilet paper. The images showed riots of people clearing out the shelves of toilet paper, water, and hand sanitizers. I waited to see if this would blow over. It didn’t. This past Monday, during a 38-degree, rainy day – it is Seattle, after all – I decided to grab what I needed and then get back home as quickly as possible. I first went to Costco. I found a parking space easily enough which in itself is a challenge. When I got out of my car, a young woman with a full cart of items, said ‘Good luck! to me. I said I thought the hardest thing was finding the parking space. She told me that Costco was packed up to the back walls. Huh. I skidded to the open causeway entrance to Costco and it was filled with people as well as an employee saying, loudly, ‘We are out of toilet paper.’ I asked when the next order would be in and she said she couldn’t confirm that. Time to pivot. I went to a nearby Target. Target was quiet, not filled with angry people and they still had toilet paper!! Yay! I got what I needed, looked for water – the cupboard was bare – and thought of my third choice. I went to my local Fred Myer (Kroger) and this area was energetically in the middle between Costco and Target. No water, long lines still, plus a few other interesting items no longer on the shelves including rice, flour, and pasta. As long as I was there, I did, yes, I did, stock up on other important items, yet not to the point that I was going to hoard and lockdown for a month or so, although you never know! And here we are. Spending a considerable amount of time with stressed angry people who were in fear, no doubt about it. This adventure, no doubt important, made me stressed and tired. I would certainly rather stay in my home office and work. I lost time, energy and motivation to move forward, at least for the moment. What does it take for you to be distracted from your business? An epidemic, like the coronavirus, if this is even considered one? I say pay attention to what is important to you – your life, your health, your family, your business. After that, shut the door, at least for a while and don’t forget your toilet paper! BTW, I did not get my special water and happily purchased whatever was available. Wash your hands and stay sane! Need help in avoiding distractions? Contact me here. Joanne
Are you bitter about someone or something that happened in your life? I have a solution. Forgive the person or persons involved, forgive yourself for participating in the event and move on. I know, you are going what? Why do I have to move on? Why do I have to forgive myself? Here’s why. It is time to look at the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is about not holding on to righteousness, not wishing the other harm. It has nothing really to do with the other individual or event, the one you need to forgive, the one you need to let go of. Ignore when you hear this phrase: ‘Forgive and Forget’. I do not think that forgetting is about forgiveness; remembering, from time to time, what you experienced, can be turned into a lesson. The lesson is a way of learning if you are in school; life is your current MBA. This happened and now I can learn from it. Not this happened, now I can take revenge on that person and make their life miserable. It’s all about compassion, for yourself and everyone else. In Buddhism, compassion is about not wanting the other person to suffer. However, you have to look to yourself first. “According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone — but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and loving-kindness.” With this being said, compassion for yourself is tantamount to your inner and outer peace. Take yourself out of the prison you have created by holding on to a grudge; forgive them over and over again until all the energy on this individual and event is neutralized. Neutrality is the place to be. Be your Authentic Self here- Joanne
Long-term anger affects your nervous system, liver, gall bladder, and your brain. You can become hypertensive, depressed, volatile, even forgetful. People become mean-spirited, bullies, and descend into woeful acts. Anger is a waste of time. I say that, have written about it and stand behind it. However, anger does some good in your life. It lets you know that you are alive. Not depressed, not laying around in bed all day, but alive. It is a beginning. A reminder – anger has a spectrum, going from irritability to rage. To create a plan to move away from angry people is the best tactic to take. Rage does no one any good but being irritated or frustrated or dismissive or critical is still a sign that life is within. If there is someone in your life that comes close to enraging you, end that relationship. If it is a co-worker, find another team to work on or get promoted out of that team. If you can handle being polite and respectful, you are home free. It can also be difficult, especially if the one who stimulates your rage is a close family member. If a family member is on your radar, avoid small group celebrations, except if in public. You can do this. No one says (and who cares if they do) that you had to accept rage in your life. Be sure you know the difference between frustration, irritability, and rage. If you want to discuss anger in YOUR life, click here. Joanne
If you are looking for the next big thing, your own Pet Rock, stop. Stop right now. The money is right in front of you. The product you think you want, the Next Big Thing, uses up too much of your time in searching, defining and selling. Look at what people want and need right now. That’s what you do. You also read as much as you can about this product so you know it inside and out. You may think you want the next fad, however, you are wasting time in your attempts to ‘find’ it. When Dawn liquid dishwasher soap was first placed on the market in 1972, it sold, day after day, year after year, with only minor changes in its scent and bottle design. Proctor & Gamble were happy. What happened you ask? YOU happened. People changed in many ways including in how they washed dishes. Consumers now practice the wash-as-you-go system instead of stacking them in the sink, then rinsing, then placing the dishes and silverware in the dishwasher, all nasty deeds. Dawn Power Wash Dish Spray is designed to be sprayed directly on the dish and is said to break down burnt foods on contact. This new product is supposed to work five times faster than its prior iteration. Amazing! Look around you. What do you already have in the way of something saleable, something that you can reframe and make into a better, newer version? It took Proctor & Gamble almost 50 years to change its dishwashing soap adaptation. I bet you can do it in less and either start your own business or add it to your existing product line. If you need creative or business help, contact me here. Joanne
Automate or delegate! You’ve heard this before, especially if you are a business owner. Some entrepreneurs/owners are able to delegate right away, others take their time. Some, especially in the tech field, are anxious to automate. They are aware of the time saved and money made. However, there are quite a few startups/entrepreneurs who are unwilling to let go of control. Usually, it is because the owner is in fear of losing power. In other instances, these owners just want to be right in their own approach to their business. The best way is to do both. Delegate and automate – as soon as possible. Make it part of your business, vision and marketing plan; to delegate as much as possible. The more you delegate, the less of a burden is on your back. Andrew Carnegie, the greatest steel magnate, is said to have known nothing about steel when he started his business. He assembled a team of experts, including scientists, engineers and business people who met every day and actually ran the day to day business of the company. Carnegie said his role was to make sure everyone got along so the work would go on smoothly. Carnegie knew how to delegate. Do you? And what can I say about automation?! There are so many possibilities that businesses hire employees just to take care of this aspect of the business. Imagine, not having to remember if you posted to your Social Media or booked that appointment with a podcast guest!? Your voicemail is both – you delegated the voicemail to hold your calls and it is also a part of automation. Automation has gone way beyond what you have probably even considered. From designing your website and keeping it updated automatically to autoresponders and then on to an automated email program. What you need and want can be done by many people. If you can’t find any referrals, go check out fiverr.com for an abundance of possibilities. Need help in delegating at your business? Talk to me and let’s figure it out. Joanne
I hope my business is successful. I hope my business makes loads of profit this year. I hope I hire the right people for my business. I hope. I hope. I hope. Or as they say, hope springs eternal. However, hope is not a strategy. Hope can make you feel better, but hope alone cannot solve a problem. You need intention and a plan to solve a problem. Hope helps you be optimistic, yet it does not mean you are always happy or satisfied. Even if you hope all day long, it will not change your circumstances. Hope lives in the outer limits; hope will make you feel good for a brief moment or a succession of moments and hope is temporary – unless you make a plan or a goal within a plan or an intention in the goal or all three, Do you have a problem you want to be solved? Click here. Joanne
No matter the size of the company you work for, if you do not like your job, you need to perform an inventory of your skills and desires. If you don’t you will be running down the path towards stress different and it will not be fun. Low job satisfaction brings on other issues although these other issues stand by themselves as well; I’m talking about stress, anxiety, decreased productivity and high turnover. What do you really like to do? What is your gift? What can you contribute? How can you help others? When is the last time you did what you like to do? Do you realize you can make money at what you like to do? There are endless ways to make money in this country. The USA is the home of entrepreneurs. With the addition of the internet, you can find a need and fill it. Firstly, look at your current position. Do you like any aspect of it at all? Are you willing to take classes to make yourself better at this job? If so, then do it now. If not, start thinking. Maybe you like dogs. Let’s say that you do. You can become a dog sitter, especially when people are out of town. Everyone needs a friend and you can become a dog’s best friend. Let’s say you place a free ad on Craigslist and offer to house sit a dog for a couple or family that either work a lot or are out of town or go on vacation. You can dog-sit the pet at their location for one hour a day, maybe at $30 dollars per hour. Get enough of these and you are making $240 per day times 5 equals $1200 per week times 4.3 weeks per month and you are earning in the area of $5000 dollars per month. Not too shabby and it’s only the beginning. How do you think people started a huge petsitting business? What if you have more people who want you to take care of their dog? Hire some friends who can do the same thing after work for about $20 per hour; you get the other $10 as a referral fee. Now you are earning enough money to design a website, using your friends or others like yourself who want to leave their current job. You are now making loads of money because the world is yet to run out of people who love their dogs. When you take the dog (dogs) for a walk, you are getting your exercise as well! Put your thinking cap on and go for it. Find that need and fill it! Don’t be miserable at a job you don’t like. Need help in creating a new business for yourself? Click here and take action now! Joanne
Deadwood was an HBO Television series for three seasons and was set in the 1870s and follows the growth of Deadwood, South Dakota, first a camp, then a real town, now a city of about 1300 individuals. Deadwood was populated by people searching for gold. Many residents were what I call entrepreneurs. Those who already had skills opened various businesses. Those who were smart found a need and filled it. The town of Deadwood, South Dakota burned and was rebuilt several times. Today’s entrepreneurial businesses are absorbed by larger companies; we see this every day. Some consider the original business to be ‘burned’ by larger corporations. Yet, how would a company come to fruition without the entrepreneur who had the idea to fill that need? Each of us, including you, the reader, has an idea or a skill or a thought or a dream they would like to fulfill. Do it. Deadwood, now a historical landmark, was built by entrepreneurs on their path to possible financial freedom due to the Gold Rush; some found it during that time, others are still in Deadwood, South Dakota, inviting tourists to come to their unique city. The stories along the way are endless, including one about Sol Star who went to Deadwood to take advantage of the absence of a hardware store to support the gold prospectors. When the hardware store burned down, Star and his partner built Deadwood’s first hotel on that site and it operates to this day. The West was populated by entrepreneurs and it seems, it still is. Never give up your dream to create, to serve, to be a part of the entrepreneurial spirit that populated these United States. Want help in realizing your entrepreneurial dream? Click here! Joanne .
If you say you are going to do something, then do it. If you say you will be there at a specific time, be there. A statement is a promise, especially if it is clear, that you will complete a task such as heading meetings, bringing new information to the table or taking your kids’ skiing. Many people seem to think that their word is fluid, flexible and that if they do change their minds, only to themselves, that others will forgive them. Others may let it go by, but as in most things, three times and you are out. Out of the work meetings, out of the family dynamics and out for that promotion. Don’t be the person people cannot count on. Your reputation will be tarnished, and no one will trust you. If someone says, ‘I’ll call you back at 3 PM.”, you expect that call at 3 PM. When you finally get together, the other person has loads of excuses as to why they were not available at the time they stated. Traffic, weather – the list gets longer each time they disappoint you. When people lose trust in you, you are by yourself, floating in the Universe, because no one will believe you when you next attempt to set up a time, date or some commitment. They will not trust you. To avoid excuses, be accountable for what you say; get yourself a datebook or use any online app to keep notes, and be very, very humble the next time you break your word. To build trust is a step by step mountain climb, to maintain trust is to stay on top of that mountain. Be your authentic self here- Joanne
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 4 ounces to one pound. The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” He continued-‘And that’s the way it is with stress management.’ If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.” “As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.” So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don’t carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Take time to just simply relax. Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don’t pick it up again until after you’ve rested a while. Life is short. Enjoy it! Get great information here. Joanne
I make home-made soup every week, especially during the Fall and Winter months. My soups vary, from chicken soup to lentil, pea, sweet potato and a variety of other types of soup. What type of soup I create depends on what I have on hand. I always have vegetable and chicken stock, unsalted of course, as I add salt as I like, not as others like. I usually buy organic carrots and celery as these ingredients are part of almost every soup recipe. I always have garlic and onions in the pantry and sometimes buy whole mushrooms that will go into certain soup recipes. Putting these recipes together does require focus – the chopping and slicing of veggies, for example as opposed to the slicing of one of my fingers! I add spices and they vary as well: very little if any salt, lots of black pepper and the other choices could include cumin, thyme, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I also consider other additional vegetables to add in at the end after the soup has found its best taste – baby spinach or kale leaves for example. After cooking in either a crockpot or a top of the stove stockpot until done, which again, is very personal, I have to consider if I add cooking sherry or apple cider vinegar or just plain white vinegar to add the final pop of acid flavor. I do taste my soup as I add each ingredient, just to make sure the new ingredient works or maybe more of something special needs to be added. If it is too much of one thing, I can always add more stock, probably vegetable stock, as this is relatively benign and will not change the base of the soup. My clients vary as well. Some require more salt than others; some need no salt at all, then others require a bit more pepper. Each one is different and must be treated as so. That is my job, to discern the difference in personalities and what they need. The basics are there for every client, yet not everyone likes kale, so I have to keep that in mind! My soups are custom made. My client’s recipes are different for a reason; everyone is different from one another. If a client likes canned soup, they can go to someone else who uses materials, thoughts, and ideas from other coaches. I don’t; that is why people come to me, to get that special, personal recipe just for them. Want to talk about your favorite soup? Click here. Joanne