Let me begin by sharing with you that I don’t actually believe there is “work/life” balance. My belief is that women reflect on and declare their values that are personal to them and create a life to support those values. I place a high value on 3 areas in my life; self-care, family and supporting women to live the life they want – and deserve. Does it work perfectly? Of course not. Kids get sick, dishwasher breaks and laptops blow up! I will share that it does work 80% of the time because I’ve made a decision to be proactive using daily rituals to take care of myself, my family and my business.

Do you have rituals for success in your life and business? Here are 7 rituals I use to help me stay on course and honor what I value most:

1. Solitude – Learning how to just “be” is one of the greatest gifts you will ever give to yourself. If you have a busy lifestyle (like me) you’ll need to plan for solitude. I go for walks by myself, spend a few hours in my home alone and sometimes take a personal weekend retreat.
2. Meditation – Meditation has become an important part of my life. It is a tool I use regularly to help me get clear, focused and centered. Sitting quietly for 5 minutes can make a dramatic impact on your day. Depending on my schedule, I meditate for a minimum of 5 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes.
3. Negative Environments – Make a conscious effort to avoid negative environments. Surround yourself with positive, “nutritious” people who are success-oriented and think in abundance. Having a supportive environment creates possibility thinking and new ideas.
4. Quality Not Quantity – It’s my belief that quality time is more important than quantity time with family and friends. With a busy family and growing business, I realize I cannot do everything, however I make sure that I’m focused and present for my family daily when it really counts.
5. Focus Time – Success comes to those who plan for it. It’s essential that you create focus time for your business and your personal life. Plan to spend at least 1 hour a week reviewing where you are now and where you want to go in the future. Make sure the action steps you are taking will help you get the results you want.
6. Coaching And Mentoring – It’s essential to have a “thinking” partner along the way in your journey. Here’s what I know for sure: You cannot do this by yourself. Having someone there to support you and also challenge your thinking can help shorten your journey to success.
7. Ask – Period – Stop attempting to be “superwoman.” It affects your health and well-being. I know it’s a challenge to ask for what you want or need, however if you dream of celebrating a successful business while maintaining a loving, healthy, family – it’s the only way. Here’s what I’ve learned: people love supporting you. Family members will develop stronger bonds with your children because they have more time with them and there are people out there right now who would love to help you accomplish your vision.

Being proactive rather than reactive in your life and business can make a big difference in the way your day unfolds. It’s not perfect but it is pleasurable to be living in the 80/20 window of life. 80% of the time it all works beautifully and of course there’s always that 20% that just about puts you over the edge! I invite you to consider adding one or two of these rituals to your life and business. A mentor once shared with me that “the slightest shift can create the most dramatic impact.” That’s certainly true here.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****
© 2011 Joy Chudacoff

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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions®, a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your coaching business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report, FREE MP3 and be the first to hear about my exciting new program for coaches and consultants at Smart Women Smart Solutions Coaching.

A mentor once shared with me that 50% of accomplishing any goal is “showing up.”  If you have a strong desire to grow your business, then it’s essential that you do the work that’s involved and that means “showing up” in places where your ideal client and potential referral sources are.  In my work with women entrepreneurs, I offer coaching on how to set up a referral program that’s proven and successful to attract new clients in a very short period of time.  There is work involved and they do have to “show up” by communicating to their referral sources what the program is and all it has to offer.

Jenna’s been playing in this league since February—just about 90 days.  I’m going to share what I like to call “Jenna’s 90-day Program” to take her to the next level of skill in baseball, which can also help you go to the next level of success in your business:

1.  Attitude – This is the most important asset to have when you “show up” in life. People are attracted to those who have a positive attitude.  You are more productive and creative when you have a good attitude.  Jenna has been last in the batting order and sat out innings during the game, however she has maintained a positive attitude.

2.  “Show up” consistently – “Show up” at meetings and conferences where your ideal client is present.  When you find the right fit, join the group, become a member and attend consistently so that people can become familiar with who you are and how your business can help them.  I’m a member of a Mastermind group and a few women’s professional networking associations where I consistently make new contacts and enjoy new business.  By the same token, Jenna has never missed a game or a practice. 

3.  Coaching and Mast reminding – This has been an enormous key to the growth and success of my business.  I continually surround myself with coaches and mentors who’ve already walked the entrepreneurial path that I’m on.  Their guidance and support has enabled me to quickly reach my goals.  Jenna’s league has excellent coaching.  They make it fun and at the same time, teach the players core skills needed to play the game.

Performing and engaging in these three easy, simple tasks for 90 days has taken Jenna to a new level in baseball.  It was evident at last Saturday’s game.  Are you wondering what might happen to your game of entrepreneurship if you started “showing up” with a great attitude, being consistent in your efforts and had some valuable coaching or mentorship?  I invite you to create your own 90-day action plan using these simple tools and see what happens.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****

© 2010 Joy Chudacoff

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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions®, a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report and FREE MP3 now at www.ProfitsWithPassion.com.

Women are the most creative beings on earth and I want to make sure when you have these awesome, amazing, wonderful ideas, you ask the “right” person before you give up on your Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals. By the way, I don’t think people intentionally want to hurt your feelings when you share a great idea.  I think it’s because few people are visionary– they aren’t looking through the same lens on life as you are. Many people see the world as black and white. Entrepreneurs have a lot of gray in their thinking. Entrepreneurs are unusual. We are not ordinary people. We think differently.

When I first decided to birth my Women’s Success Circle’s, I was very excited. I could hardly sleep at night as I was up thinking about all of the ideas and possibilities of how I could support women using this concept. I was at an event one evening with my husband and I decided to share my Big Idea with a woman there and she flat out took the wind out of my sails when I told her about it. She laughed and said, (and I quote) “That will never work. Women will never pay for that.” Can you imagine the embarrassment I felt?  Thankfully on the way home as I licked my wounds, my husband Greg reminded me that not everyone will like my ideas but that doesn’t mean they won’t work. He said a lot more than that but I only have room for so much!

When you’ve got a really Big Idea and you feel like you’re going to burst at the seams if you don’t share it with someone, ask yourself a couple of questions:

1. Is this person where I want to be in terms of how I define success and achievement? I’ve found that people who’ve achieved success are willing to listen patiently to ideas and ask very wise questions to help you flush out your idea more fully. Having mentors and coaches in my life who’ve achieved the success I desire has been a key ingredient to the growth in my business. People who’ve had success in their lives are typically more open to possibility.

2. Is this person a positive, nutritious person? Is the person you are about to speak with, someone who you admire for their positive outlook on life? Do they inspire and motivate you? I have a “core” group of people in my life who I turn to when I have a Big Idea, Dream or Goal that I’d like to accomplish. These people are successful, positive, creative, and most of all, they inspire me to be great.

I invite you to think about the people you are surrounding yourself with when you are brainstorming your next Big Idea. It can make the difference between achieving your goals or giving up too soon when success may be just around the corner.

One last thought: As coincidence would have it, I ran across a quote the morning after I wrote this article and it feels like the “perfect” ending: “The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the “curiosity” level.”  From the rejection slip for “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****
© 2010 Joy Chudacoff
 
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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions(tm), a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your coaching business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report and FREE MP3 now at http://www.SmartWomenSmartSolutionsCoaching.com .

When I gave birth to Smart Women Smart Solutions 5 years ago, I offered some programs that I loved—notice the “I” here.  I offered group coaching programs that were ideal for me in terms of the time and day of week, however I found out t hat this was not the optimum time for my ideal clients.  I had to change my way of thinking and design programs that appealed to my client.  This is a trap we can fall into as entrepreneurs.  Too many times, we offer services to clients that appeal to us—we love them so everyone else will too, right? You are in business for yourself; however the key to success is to offer services that appeal to your ideal client so that when they learn about them, they immediately say, “Yes!”

There are 3 things you can do right away to make sure that what you offer is exactly what your ideal client wants:

1.  What do you serve?  Using the example of eating out, is it All-American, Italian, French, Greek?  What type of business do you have?  Are you a coach, speaker, real estate agent, attorney, pet store owner?  Are you serving what people want and need?  One quick tip is to Google your business idea a nd see what comes up.  If multiple pages come up, then you may have a winner on your hands.  If you get no results, you may need to re-think your idea.  Example:  If you Google “mani/pedi for dogs,” you’ll see that there is a very small market for this.  It’s not a service that enough people are looking for to build a successful business.

2.  How do you serve it up?  Is it eat-in or take-out?  Is it buffet-style?  Is it formal or casual?  How do you serve your client the product or service?  In an office?  By phone?  Privately, one to one? Group programs?  This is key to growing a business with happy clients who will send referrals your way.  I offer my coaching services for women in several ways to make sure that I have different choices for different women’s needs.

3.  Your comments, please – Do you ever notice the manage r walking around the restaurant asking if you have everything you need?  Or maybe they bring you a comment card at the end of the meal asking for your feedback?  The best way to find out what your ideal client wants is to ask them.  I send out surveys to my existing clients and potential clients at least one time per year and sometimes two.  I learned a long time ago not to live in a vacuum when it comes to marketing.  Don’t sit in your office all alone trying to figure out what your ideal client wants and needs.  You can ask them and they will be happy to tell you!  It’s so easy to do online.  I use a company called SurveyMonkey.com and there are several others as well.

You may be wondering how Greg and I ever go out to dinner since we both have different ideas about the dining experience we each want.  Guess what?  We take turns.  Sometimes we go more formal and sometimes we order at the counter and grab a table for two. “Taking turns” won’t work with your ideal client.  They want it their way.  Take some time to look at your own programs and services.  Find out what your ideal client wants and serve it to them in a way that will make them happy.  You’ll have them coming back again and again.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****
© 2010 Joy Chudacoff
 
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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions(tm), a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your coaching business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report, FREE MP3 at http://www.smartwomensmartsolutionscoaching.com/.

If you’re passionate about growing your business, then I know you’re always looking for better, more effective ways to succeed.  Women entrepreneurs live in the question of “Is this the best way?”  “Will this idea work?”  “How do I know?”  I’ve been there many times.  Being a solo-entrepreneur is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life; it’s also one of the most challenging.  I think this is how Olympic athletes must feel at times.  They have a passion for their sport and are dedicated to representing their country.  It’s likely the most challenging thing they’ve ever done in their life.

While listening to the interviews with the athletes, I heard 4 common “threads” that seemed to weave their way through the athletes comments.  I think Smart Women could use these 4 common “threads” to weave more success into their business.  Here they are:

1.  Visualize Your Success – In one interview after another, the athletes shared how they use “visualization” to achieve their goals.  They burn an image into their mind about crossing the finish line or standing on the podium receiving the “gold.”  What is it that you would like to accomplish in your business?  Can you see it?  Can you feel it?  One woman I worked with had a goal to speak in front of a large audience. We worked on visualizing every detail of the event, down to the jewelry that she’d be wearing so that she could see it becoming a reality.

2.  Hire a Coach – Every athlete at the Olympics had a coach to help them navigate the event and stay mentally prepared.  You can accomplish just about anything you want in life but you can’t do it by yourself.  Successful people, whether they are entrepreneurs or Olympic athletes understand this and always have at least one coach along the journey.  If you are in a place where you feel like you’re not growing as fast or as effective as you’d like, consider hiring a coach to help you jumpstart your goals this year.

3.  Practice Daily, Weekly, Monthly – When I watched the clip from Apollo Ohno’s short track speed skating training schedule, (he’s the most decorated Winter Olympic Athlete of all time currently with 8 medals) I was in awe of his methodical schedule that he created in order to show up in Vancouver at his personal best.  He is driven and determined.  Do you practice personal best habits daily, weekly and monthly?  Do you have a desire to be at your personal best when you work with your clients and customers?  It’s actually not that difficult.  One attribute of being your personal best is arriving on time and being prepared for meetings.

4.  Rid Yourself of Obstacles – Many of the athletes shared that they made conscious decisions to eliminate obstacles from their life that might keep them from accomplishing their goal.  As a Smart Woman entrepreneur, you need to be mindful of your “environment” at all times.  The area in which you live and work needs to support your vision.  The people in your life need to be nutritious.  These are people who champion you along the way.  Rid yourself of toxic people and environments that might keep you from reaching your goals. 

As I watched the Winter Olympics with my family, there were times when the athletes almost looked super human—accomplishing something that seemed out of reach.  When I review the 4 common “threads” that were repeated time and time again in the interview’s,  I realized it’s about putting a manageable plan together and working the plan daily, weekly and monthly.  I’m ready to “go for the gold!”  Are you?

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****
© 2010 Joy Chudacoff
 
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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions(tm), a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report and FREE MP3 now at http://www.profitswithpassion.com.

Joy is now offering full-day retreats for women who are ready to get clear and focused about their life and all of their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals. Just imagine waking up in a beautifully appointed room at the beach, having a hot cup of coffee waiting for you, a scrumptious breakfast and then having your own personal coach arrive to spend the day dedicated to you to dream, vision and plan your Renewed life—either personally, professionally or both!

You will leave with a clear plan of action for success with all of the essentials.

You’ll also have access to Joy for a follow-up Q&A call 2 weeks later. Don’t live in Los Angeles? No problem. Joy’s team will arrange for you to be picked up at the Los Angeles International Airport and driven to the Inn at Playa del Rey, where you will begin to have an unforgettable experience. Contact us to reserve your spot. Joy’s assistant, Lynne, will get right back to you.

Your One Day Private Retreat Package includes:

• Full day of Private In-Person Coaching with Joy
• One night stay at the Inn at Playa del Rey
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Transportation to and from the Inn if you’re flying in
• A clear and detailed action plan designed just for you
• Follow-up coaching call with Joy within 2 weeks of your retreat

You will have Joy’s undivided attention for one full day where she is only dedicated to working with you to help you achieve your Big Ideas, Dreams or Goals.

Why not make 2009 the year that you get everything you want & Deserve!

Contact us for more information. These spots will fill up fast!

“Joy has been a mentor, friend, and coach. She has listened, questioned, instigated, prodded, delved, enlightened, and illuminated to facilitate exploration of my beliefs and thoughts to assist me to design and embrace the life I want to live. Through Joy’s coaching I have developed my purpose to guide the day to day and long term passageway to a self-reflective and meaningful life.” ~ Carla Jones, MA, CCC-SLP

When I was studying to become a Professional Certified Coach, I was required to read lots of books that were essential to my growth as a coach.   I found one book in particular, Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life (Masterminds Series) by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (“chick-Sent-me-high”) to be quite thought-provoking.  Csikszentmihalyi believes that many people walk through their lives without ever becoming aware of what energizes them or where they find themselves in the “flow.”  Athletes sometimes refer to this as being “in the zone.” “Flow” is the place where you lose yourself and all track of time.  You know when you are in the “flow” when you finish a task or project and you feel more energized than when you began.  Have you ever done something and forgotten to look at the clock or stopped to take a break for lunch or even go to the bathroom?   I personally find my “flow” in my work with women, watching my children play sports and listening to solo piano.

How about you?  Have you found your “flow”?  And if you have, are you practicing it on a regular basis?  In my work with women, I find there are some who know where their “flow” is, and some who have lost touch due to their demanding lives and lack of time for self-care.  Even though some women know where their “flow” is, they typically aren’t making the time to practice it as often as they should.  One of the ways I support women is to help them find ways to have more “flow” in their lives.

In my Success Circles, I offer some exercises to help women discover their “flow”.  Not sure yet what yours might be?  Here are a few questions that will support you to finding the “flow” in your life:

1. Where do you lose yourself? What activity are you doing when you lose track of time, forget to eat, etc.?
2. Describe a time in your life when you felt passionate about being alive, inspired, challenged.
3. If you had a day off, and could spend it any way you wanted, what would you do?

Finding “flow” is a lot more essential in life than you might think.  It’s the difference between living an energetic, passionate, purposeful life that holds meaning, or living one that feels full of boredom, humdrum, and just going through the motions.  I invite you to find a quiet, peaceful place and ponder these questions.  Once you have the answers, make the necessary changes to allow more time for you to be in the “flow” of your life.

“The quality of life does not depend on happiness alone, but also on what one does to be happy.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

****

Copyright 2009 Joy Chudacoff

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, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions(tm), a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.  She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs.  If you’re ready take your coaching business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, FREE Report, FREE MP3 and be the first to hear about my exciting new program for coaches and consultants at http://www.SmartWomenSmartSolutionsCoaching.com.

“Spring Cleaning – Clear The Clutter Coaching Program”

Spring is the best time of the year to let go of what’s not working, take on more of what you really want in your life and I’m going to show you how.

This program offers 6 sessions for the price of 4 AND I’m letting you pay over 5 months! So for just $120/per month for 5 months, you will have my undivided attention for 2 45-minute coaching sessions each month and email support.

Here are the session details:

Strategy Session 1 – Taking an inventory of where you are right now. What’s working really well? What’s not working?

Strategy Session 2 & 3 – Begin to explore and discover what might be possible for you.

Strategy Session 4 – You will become clear and focused on where you want to go and what you want to accomplish.

Strategy Session 5 & 6 – Create a personal plan of action for total success.

Deadline to register is April 8, 2009 and I have to limit the number of participants to 3 BUT there is only 1 spot left now. Contact my assistant Lynne at Lynne@SmartWomenSolutions.com soon if you want to to get on board with me.

Be well,

Join me:

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/JoyChudacoff
Facebook:  http://profile.to/JoyChudacoff
Linked In:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/joychudacoff

“Helping women create an extraordinary life.”

“Joy is an outstanding coach.She has helped me build my business (as if she were my partner). She provides strategic business advice, inspiration and motivation, and help navigating the personal/professional balance that women often struggle with. I highly recommend her, and feel that she has made a huge difference in my business. I also appreciate her pleasant and positive style.”
~ Darya Allen-Attar

Lynne here, Joy’s assistant. I have to tell you something. Joy is becoming a very Foolish woman!

It’s April Fool’s Day and Joy just announced to me that she’s giving away 2 coaching sessions for F*R*E*E when you sign up for her “Spring Cleaning – Clear The Clutter Coaching Program.” I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn’t budge! What a great deal for you.

Joy said that Spring is the best time of the year to let go of what’s not working, take on more of what you really want in your life and she’s going to show you how.

This program offers 6 sessions for the price of 4 AND she’s letting you pay over 5 months! So for just $120/per month for 5 months, you will have Joy’s undivided attention for 2 45-minute coaching sessions each month and email support.

Here are the session details:

Strategy Session 1 – Taking an inventory of where you are right now. What’s working really well? What’s not working?

Strategy Session 2 & 3 – Begin to explore and discover what might be possible for you.

Strategy Session 4 – You will become clear and focused on where you want to go and what you want to accomplish.

Strategy Session 5 & 6 – Create a personal plan of action for total success.

Deadline to register is April 8, 2009 and Joy has to limit the number of participants to 3.

So before she comes back to her senses or tells me that it’s just another one of her April Fool’s pranks, contact me today to get scheduled for a complimentary 20-minute coaching session to learn how Joy’s coaching process is helping so many women.

Sincerely,

Lynne Cutler
Assistant to Joy Chudacoff

310.454.2005

Connect with Joy:
Twitter – http://twitter.com/JoyChudacoff
Facebook: http://profile.to/JoyChudacoff
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/joychudacoff

“Helping women create an extraordinary life.”

“Joy is an outstanding coach.She has helped me build my business (as if she were my partner). She provides strategic business advice, inspiration and motivation, and help navigating the personal/professional balance that women often struggle with. I highly recommend her, and feel that she has made a huge difference in my business. I also appreciate her pleasant and positive style.”
~ Darya Allen-Attar

This got me thinking about how Smart Women embrace change, re-invention, and new  direction in their lives.

Change is a challenge for most people.  It means breaking away from old patterns and your current way of being, to opening your arms to embrace what might be next or possible in your life.  Even small changes are challenging for us.  Think about it.  We typically drive the same route to work every day, stay in the same business or job even though our passion is gone. We go to the same restaurants and order the same dish and sometimes we even stay in relationships that no longer work for us. Why?  Because it’s familiar.  We can count on it.  It’s safe.  Ah, there’s the word—safe.

In these current economic times, you may feel that your “safety” has been diminished or taken away.  So playing it safe and avoiding risk feels like the right thing to do. I’ve played it safe many times in my life and I’ve taken an equal number of risks. I made a complete career change in my 40’s and our family moved 1 year ago this month to a new community that better supports the needs of raising children.  My husband and I left a community that we had lived in for over 15 years.  Was it easy?  No.  Did I feel challenged at times and wonder if I was doing the right thing?  Yes.  However for me, there became a point where “playing it safe” was more challenging than “taking a risk” or moving out of my comfort zone and going for the change in my life.

How about you?  Are you feeling a little unsettled in your life right now?  Is there a change that you need to make and you know at your core it’s the right thing to do but can’t seem to make it happen?  Do you have a desire to do something different in your life but can’t seem to put a plan together?  Here are a few smart solutions that will offer some support to you:

1.  Map it out – In my work with women, I have them do an exercise where they get pens in different colors, some paper and we go from there. First, they write their name in the middle of the paper.  Next, they begin to create a map of their life around their name. (By the way, in order for women to live a passion filled, purposeful life, you need to put yourself in the Center.  You need to put yourself at the head of the list.)   We look at their life right now in terms of what’s working and what’s not.  Then I have them draw a circle around what’s working.  You want to embrace and celebrate what’s working in your life.  Then take a look at what is not circled.  These are areas where you need to spend some time.  This is where you may need to look at getting out of your comfort zone and making a change.

2.  3 Easy Steps – Once you explore and discover your change or possible re-invention, take a separate piece of paper and write down three simple steps you can take over the next month to create the necessary change in these areas of your life.  For example, if you are thinking about starting a new business, one step could be exploring where you might learn more about that type of business, taking classes, etc.  Don’t judge your ideas.  Just write them down.  Put this paper in a place that’s visible to you every day.  Think about it.  Ponder it.  Take it in.

This is where having a coach or someone that champions you comes in handy.  You need someone who can support you in asking the right questions and to help you in putting the action steps in an order that seems doable for you.

Barbie has had over 50,000 makeovers.  Madonna keeps re-inventing herself every few years.  We are fascinated by it because there is a lure, a dream or fantasy that we have too.  In both cases, you can be sure that these Smart Women took the time to think about what’s next and how to create a plan for the desired change.

I’m turning 50 this year myself.  With all of the changes in technology and discoveries in health care, it seems possible that I will live another 40-50 years.  Getting out of my comfort zone, making change and taking risks will be part of my journey forward.

“Life is Change.  Change is optional.  Choose Wisely.” ~~ Karen Kaiser-Clark

*****

Copyright 2009 Joy Chudacoff

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, 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.CreatingTheSpark.com or contact Joy at Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.