Smart Women Smart Solutions» Possibility Thinking

Smart Women Believe

Joy Chudacoff — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:03:05 +0000

Last night, our family went to The Grove here in Los Angeles. The Grove is a large retail shopping center that really goes above and beyond decorating for the holidays. They have a beautifully decorated tree larger than the one at Rockefeller Center in New York. They “create” falling snow every evening. For children who live in So. California, this is a delight!

As we strolled through the crowd, I noticed a very long line of children waiting outside a rather large gingerbread house. As my children and I peeked through the windows, we could see old St. Nick sitting inside with a child on his lap. You could see the look of excitement and intent on each child’s face. These children believe that they will meet Santa. They believe that he has come from the North Pole just for them and he will hear each one of their wish lists and make their dreams come true. I sure do remember what that felt like when I was a little girl.

This got me thinking about how Smart Women need to believe in their dreams with a lot of excitement and intention in order to make them happen.

The first step to realizing your dream is to Believe that you can and will turn it into a reality. Believe in yourself. Believe that you are worthy of the goal. This mindset is the seed that must first be planted before any other plan of action can be taken. Remember: Mindset first, details later. In order for you to accomplish something new in your life, you must first Believe.

Many times, we take some sort of action on a dream or goal. If our first attempt does not work, we can be quick to give up or begin to think that it was not a great idea after all. We “hoped” it might happen. We did not fully “believe” that it would, without a doubt, happen. Rarely does anything work out perfectly the first time–remember your first kiss?

Here are a few examples of “hope” instead of “belief”:

“I hope it will happen.”
“I will give it a try.”
“I hope it works.”

Do you feel moved by these statements? Do they sound like statements filled with courage and conviction? It is you who must first believe in your idea or dream before anyone else will believe. You are the messenger, the spokesperson for your idea. Your attitude or belief about your idea will be the reason that others will follow you. Whatever it is, before any plan of action can be taken, you must believe and have a clear vision that it will happen.

I have a plaque on my desk that reads in big bold letters: “It Can Be Done.” It serves as a reminder to me about the power of Belief.

How about you? Do you have a Big Idea or dream that you want to accomplish? Are you excited about 2009 and all of the possibilities it holds for you? Here are a few solutions to help you Believe:

Surround yourself with “nutritious” people who Believe in you. People who are positive that are also accomplishing their dreams. You want to be with people who champion you. I would not be where I am today without my coaches, mentors, and all of the positive people in my life.
Write down all of the great compliments and rave reviews you have had from other people and place them where you can see them daily. You need to remember just how wonderful you are! This will help you continue to Believe in yourself and your idea.
Celebrate your progress along the way. Treat yourself to something you enjoy when you cross a milestone.

There is a great book that I always enjoy reading to my children at this time of year, “The Polar Express.” It’s a magical story that I recommend for both children and adults. In the story, it is those who believe that have the most enjoyment and excitement along the way. Success comes to those who Believe. Start believing in yourself today. When you do, others will too.

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You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Joy Chudacoff is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions, a
Certified Professional Coach and Motivational Speaker. To read more
articles by Joy and learn more about her Success Circle workshops,
teleseminars or keynote topics, please visit her website,
www.SmartWomenSolutions.com or contact Joy at
Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

Smart Women Are Like Christopher Columbus

Joy Chudacoff — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:11:24 +0000

“Mom, when we get home I need to show you something really cool!” exclaimed my 8-year-old son Jack when I picked him up from school the other day. When we got home, he opened his backpack, pulled out his Social Studies book, opened it up to the last few pages and said—“Look, isn’t this cool?” Jack had discovered the “index” section of books. Very animated, he explained how you could look up any word in the index and find out exactly what page it was on in the book. His eyes were as big as beach balls. His excitement was off the charts as he was full of delight over this new discovery.

His excitement and enthusiasm got me thinking about how Smart Women are life-long learners.

Discovery of a new concept, idea, or perspective is powerful and also serves as a confidence builder. Take a moment and reflect on the last time you learned something new. Were you excited? Did you feel a certain spring in your step that day? As children, we begin with elementary school, continue our journey through high school, college, and then sometimes on to a specialized field of study. And then what? At that point, we may believe that we are finished with learning. You get that feeling of “I’ve arrived!” But have you?

I make a commitment each year to discover new learning environments. I explore places where I can continue to grow and learn both personally and professionally. I do this for two reasons. One, I want to learn about new ideas so I can be at my best for the women I serve. Second, (and most importantly) I value being a woman who is a life-long learner. My children know that “mom still goes to school” because I value learning. I have found interactive adult learning environments to be fun and interesting. For example, I continue to deepen my coaching skills through the Hudson Institute where I received my professional certification. I also look for spiritual retreats—a place to be with others who value the renewing of the soul. And, as an entrepreneur, I’m always attracted to new ways of marketing and growing my business in order to take it to the next level.

The other great benefit from these adult learning communities is the people enrolled. It is an environment of positive thinking people who have an energy and desire to “grow” themselves. It becomes a creative space for a room full of people who are life-long learners. I see this in my Women’s Success Circles. Everyone is so excited to be together, to offer support, and to share what has worked for them and what hasn’t. I have met some life-long friends in these environments.

How about you? Have you been in any new learning environments recently? Have you made any new “discoveries?” Think about hobbies or areas that hold interest for you. I have a client that is enrolled in a professional cooking school one full day per week. Go online and search your areas of interest. I bet you will find many resources for discovering something new that’s in your local community.

As a busy woman, you may be thinking that time and money are obstacles to your continued learning. It’s essential for you to create the space for something new in your life. I invite you to think about what you must let go of in order to make it happen. If money is a challenge, think about all of the ways learning can become affordable. Local community colleges are typically inexpensive. The public library costs you nothing and it is full of new ideas! On the time challenge, there will never be a “perfect” time to enroll in a course so… just do it!

I’m leaving today for a 3-day conference on new marketing tools for business. I’m very excited to “discover” new concepts and ideas; not only for myself but also for the women I serve. I know that I will meet new people who will inspire me. Think about what holds an interest for you right now in your life. Consider how you might feel when you begin to make your own new “discovery.”

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

Smart Women Have An Attitude

Joy Chudacoff — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:04:43 +0000

Last week, the Women’s Club in my community celebrated men and women over the age of 90 by hosting a dinner and entertainment event in their honor. I read about this event in the local paper and was struck by one interview with a woman who was born in 1912 (she’s 96!). Her photo depicted a woman who was attractive, energetic, and happy. When asked what the secret is to living a life of good health, longevity, and happiness, she replied with one simple word: Attitude.

Attitude. It’s a simple word that can take on many meanings. We have all heard the phrase, “she’s got a good attitude about life.” We have also heard the phrases, “she’s got a bad attitude”, or “she needs an attitude adjustment.” The word is thrown out loosely. It’s true that a positive attitude can make a big difference in the outcome of our lives. I happen to think that it takes something more than this to live a life full of energy, passion, and purpose.

You need to have a positive attitude that is open to possibility thinking. This is essential. Years ago, when I owned my marketing company and had a whirlwind life of travel and work, (8 to faint as I used to say), I had a plaque on my desk with 4 words on it: “It Can Be Done.” My “attitude” during that time of my life was, that if you can be open to new ideas and create your biggest vision of what you are trying to accomplish, there will be a way to make it happen. It’s still my “attitude” today. In order to realize your Big Idea, dreams, and goals, it’s essential that you open yourself up to this way of thinking.

How about you? What kind of an “attitude” do you have? Stop and consider this for a moment. Do you find yourself looking at the possibilities in every situation or do you accept defeat and move through your day (and life) blaming others for your situation? My grandfather used to say, “no matter where you go, there you are.” Well said Pops. In every moment, you get to choose how you will respond to your life situation. You are in the driver’s seat. Are you letting others determine or set your “attitude?” I am here to tell you that as women, we truly are in control of our own thoughts and ideas. One great example comes to mind: Rosa Parks. Now she had an “attitude.” She had a mindset that she was second to no one, and acted accordingly. As a result of her “attitude”, she was able to achieve historic change in this country. One never knows where their journey will ultimately take them; however a positive “attitude” that is open to possibility will definitely improve the outcome.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Joy Chudacoff is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions and a Certified Professional Coach. To read more articles by Joy and learn more about her Success Circle workshops and teleseminars, please visit her website, www.SmartWomenSolutions.com or contact Joy at Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.

Smart Women Plant Their Seeds

Joy Chudacoff — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:03:44 +0000

Last Friday, my children and I went to an Eco-Fest at my son’s school. It offered creative ways to think about living organically and sustaining our planet. At one point my 5 year old daughter Jenna wandered to a booth a few feet away from me, and I noticed that she became very focused on what they were doing. Minutes later, she appeared with something wrapped inside recycled paper that she was carrying very carefully. “Look Mom, I’ve made a pumpkin plant. All we have to do is plant it when we get home and it will grow a pumpkin.” Jenna carried that recycled paper containing dirt and pumpkin seeds with such care for the rest of the afternoon. She was so proud and excited about what she had created, as well as the future when the seeds grow into an actual pumpkin.

This got me thinking about women in the world who are carrying their big ideas, dreams, and goals with them — have you planted them so they will grow, or do you continue to carry them around—possibly in recycled paper, or maybe in your mind?

There are ideas and dreams that we all get excited about, but we never plant the seed or grow the idea. Why? What happens? Life happens. We get busy doing our “to do” list in life. Some of the “to do” list is vital and important and some of it is just plain filler that keeps us from living a life full of energy, passion, and purpose where we are realizing our big ideas and dreams.

How do I know this? My daughter Jenna carefully carried her seeds wrapped loosely in paper all afternoon through the event and then home. She put it on the kitchen counter and asked me, “Mom, when will we plant the pumpkin seeds so I can grow a pumpkin?” Do you notice how she said that? She was already realizing her idea before it had occurred. Not only will she plant the seed but it will grow!

This is what happens to you when you have enthusiasm for something. Guess what? I procrastinated on Friday evening as we had plans as a family. Then on Saturday, we had sporting events for both Jack and Jenna. So here we were on Sunday morning and the pumpkin seeds sat wrapped in their recycled paper on the kitchen counter. What do you think my daughter asked me before she had fully opened her eyes Sunday morning? Yep. You got it.

We all have our reasons why we never get around to realizing what’s most important to us. A wise mentor once shared a simple question that could always get me back on track. “Are you committed to your goals or your excuses?” Well said.

How about you? Are you carrying a big idea, dream, or goal around in recycled paper? Is it stored somewhere in your mind? Have you packed it away so well that you don’t even know where it is? Is there something that you were once so focused and excited about that somehow slipped away or sat on the kitchen counter? There is something. There always is. I invite you to take some time and think about what it is. Connect with your biggest vision of what that idea, dream, or goal might be. And then take action on it. Make it happen.

Jenna and I did plant her pumpkin seed yesterday. Then she stood firmly in front of it and began singing (someone told her plants like songs). She is confident that her seed will grow into a big pumpkin.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

Smart Women are Possibility Thinkers

Joy Chudacoff — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:23:05 +0000

One morning not long ago, I was driving to the Inn at Playa del Rey for one of my Women’s Success Circles. It was a beautiful day in Pacific Palisades—blue skies, sun shining—glorious. What a great day this was going to be! My mind turned to possibilities for the day. As I made my way down to the beach and through Santa Monica, the weather began to change. It became quite foggy. I could barely see the car in front of me. I had to turn my headlights on. I noticed that my thinking had shifted a bit. Some of the possibility thinking had diminished. The “possibilities for the day” began to fade. Why? What had changed?

Two things: The climate and my attitude. It occurred to me that the outcome of my day, and really on a larger scale my life, is directly related to my environment and my own attitude. When I was a young girl, my grandfather, “Pop” as we used to call him, would say, “No matter where you go, there you are.” I was reminded of this as I began to navigate the foggy streets to arrive at my Women’s Success Circle. In essence, you are in charge of how your day, and how your life will unfold. This can be good news for some and bad news for others. If you are a positive woman who always sees the glass is half full, you are smiling and nodding right now. If you are a woman who finds herself sometimes seeing the glass as half-empty and unable to find the “possibilities for the day,” you may not agree just yet.

It can be unsettling to think that we truly are in charge of how our day or life unfolds. Your attitude can determine the outcome in many life situations. Are some situations out of our control? You bet! For example, some health issues can be out of our control. However, I can tell you from personal experience that one’s attitude toward health is key. My husband, Greg, had both of his kidneys removed 10 years ago and it came with many complications. There were weeks and months of challenges, pain, and many moments of uncertainty. All the while, he kept his positive attitude about the outcome. And I was determined to stay in “possibility thinking”; to keep strategizing on what could be done to improve the situation. The key was to stay positive and in “possibility thinking”. Greg would say that thoughts determined outcome, and would work hard to visualize a positive result. Sure enough, almost one year later, he had a successful transplant.

How about you? Are you excited about the possibilities for your day? Do you visualize a positive outcome? As I entered the parking lot at the Inn at Playa del Rey, I began to smile. The fog had lifted slightly and the sun was trying to peek through. The “possibilities for the day” returned. I was greeted warmly by the team of women who work at the Inn, and the Circle was a complete success, filled with reflections and plans for the future. We spent the morning focused on where we are right now, and looked at what “possibilities” are available to us as we move forward creating a life filled with passion, purpose, and meaning.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.