Smart Women Plan Ahead

Recently, I made a trip to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) here in Los Angeles to renew my driver’s license. I made a smart choice by scheduling an appointment for my renewal rather than “winging it” as a “walk in.” As I approached the DMV in my car, I saw scores of people forming a line that wrapped around the outside of the building. As you can imagine, my heart began to race at the prospect of standing in a line that long. I began a mental scan of my “to do” list in my head with a bit of anxiety about how lengthy this process might be.

After parking my car, I approached the line of at least 75 people and asked one man, “Is this the line for appointments?” The man replied, “Oh no, that’s inside.” I took a deep sigh of relief and continued on through the front door. I immediately saw the “Appointment Line” which had only 2 people ahead of me. This got me thinking about how Smart Women understand the value of making an appointment rather than “winging it” in every area of their lives.

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Smart Women Celebrate Their Independence

A few days each week I exercise with a few Smart Women in a park near my home that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It’s a beautiful setting that lends itself to taking your mind off the muscle pain and exhaustion from the workout! We are surrounded by magnificent sycamore and oak trees that stand strong and tall. The trees were planted and spaced apart in a very methodical way; however over time, they grew into their own independent and unique natural form with branches and limbs flowing in many different directions. This got me thinking about how Smart Women have the opportunity to stand tall and strong. You are independently unique from every other living thing on the planet. Let me ask you a question:

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Smart Women and a Bird in the Hand

One question that I hear frequently from the women I support is “How do I find and attract more new clients?” After all, new clients are necessary for your business to survive and thrive. The good news is, “new” clients are closer than you think. What do I mean? Have you ever heard the old phrase, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?”

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Smart Women Deal With Their “Stuff”

Today, I received an email from a very smart woman who is just beginning her journey as an entrepreneur. In her email, she shared with me that lately she’s been noticing that a lot of “stuff” is coming up for her. When I read this, I smiled. I knew that my smart, courageous friend is getting out of her “comfort zone.” Smart Women know that when they enter unfamiliar territory in life and business, “stuff” always shows up and can get in the way.

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Smart Women Plan Ahead

Recently, I made a trip to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) here in Los Angeles to renew my driver’s license.   I made a smart choice by scheduling an appointment for my renewal rather than “winging it” as a “walk in.”  As I approached the DMV in my car, I saw scores of people forming a line that wrapped around the outside of the building.   As you can imagine, my heart began to race at the prospect of standing in a line that long.  I began a mental scan of my “to do” list in my head with a bit of anxiety about how lengthy this process might be.

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Smart Women Keep Showing Up

My 7 year old daughter Jenna loves to play baseball.  In fact, she loves it so much she’s willing to play in a league where over 90% of the players are boys.  We are nearing the end of the season and playoffs begin in a few days.  She’s struggled to keep up with the team, playing mostly in the outfield and typically last in the batting order.  Last Saturday, she had her best game of the whole season.  It’s clear that she has gone to another skill level.  This got me thinking about how Smart Women know the value of “showing up” when they have a strong desire to accomplish something.

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Smart Women and the Game of Entrepreneurship

A few days ago, my 7 year old daughter came home with what I thought was a challenging school project—designing and creating her own game from scratch. Jenna was stumped at first. She came up with a few ideas but then quickly gave up as she found some “glitches” in her plan. This got me thinking about Smart Women and the game of entrepreneurship.

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Smart Women Know What They Want

Last week, after my husband Greg read my article “Smart Women Are a Lot Like Rocket Ships,” he had an interesting question: He said, “Every week you write about the same thing–making your Big Idea happen, Reaching your Goals and Dreams, getting the right support, blah, blah, blah… when are you going to write about something else?”

Being a woman who encourages new ideas and new perspectives, I went to take a bubble bath (a nightly self-care ritual!) and reflect on his question.

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Smart Women and the Race Against Time

Over the last few days, I’ve spent some time with women entrepreneurs who are all having the same challenge—the race against time or “time management.” Whether you are an attorney, a fitness professional or a business coach, time is the like the elusive lover—you can never get enough! Here are a few comments I heard over the last few days:

– “I’m never able to get it all done.”
– “I can’t figure out which “to-do” should be done first.”
– “It only takes 10 minutes.”

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Smart Women Share Their Pearls….

One of the birthday “traditions” in our family is when a member gets to a certain age, they share one “pearl of wisdom” for each decade they have lived.

Today is my 50th birthday! The five decades behind me were all wonderful and as I reflect on each one of them, I can clearly see how each decade blended into the next to bring me to where I am today. I’m very excited about the next 50 years with lots of ideas and plans for living a meaningful and full life. In keeping with my family “tradition,” I’m going to share with you my five “pearls of wisdom” that have been instrumental in my life so far. This is not an easy exercise! Choosing five was a real challenge. We all have beliefs that we carry inside of us. They come from our families, mentors, and life experiences that we have along the way. However, I’m clear now that the five “pearls of wisdom” that you read below are the ones that have shaped my life in the most profound way:

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Smart Women Need a “Lighthouse”

A few weeks ago, my sister Rene and I had the opportunity to visit our Mom in Florida.  It was a “girl’s getaway” filled with shopping, going to the beach, tasty food, wine and great conversation.  Every morning we had a ritual of getting up, grabbing our coffee and heading out to the beach for a walk.  On the first morning, I noticed a large, magnificent lighthouse that stood in the distance.   Whether it was a bright sunny day or one surrounded by dark, gloomy clouds, the lighthouse was performing its job. In the top of the tower, you could see the bright light on a continuous turning cycle, reminding those at sea that a safe harbor and guiding light is close by if you need one.  If you look the word lighthouse up in the dictionary, it’s a “tower or structure displaying a very bright light for the guidance of ships to help avoid dangerous areas.”   This got me thinking about how Smart Women always need a lighthouse in their lives.

In order for you to realize your Big ideas, dreams and goals, you need to have a “beacon of light” in your life.  Having a “lighthouse” can help you navigate “troubled” waters and avoid a possible dangerous situation along the way.  I’ve shared with you many times that I would not be where I am today without all of my coaches and mentors—my “guiding lights.”  It has been a key factor in navigating my passionate, purposeful life.

“Troubled” waters come and go in our lives.  Smart Women make sure that they have a safe harbor and a guiding light for these times to help them navigate a clearly thought out map on how to proceed or move ahead with clarity.  I’m going to share a few ideas so that you can begin to think about creating your very own “lighthouse.”

Find a Coach – Nearly all of the successful, clear thinking people that I meet have had a coach at one time or another.  They realize that living a meaningful life requires a thinking partner.  Someone who can help them navigate their journey along the way, see possible danger, and help provide solutions to avoid these areas.  Every year, I create time in my calendar and a place in my budget to have a coach help me navigate the year ahead.

Form a Mastermind Group – Bringing a small group of like-minded people together at a regular time each month is a wonderful way to provide that extra “beacon of light” in your life and others lives.  I facilitate several Success Masterminds for Women here in Los Angeles and I’m a member of one myself.  These groups provide an overall sense of clarity and positive action steps to move ahead.  Make sure that everyone in the group is positive and intentional about their journey forward.  Having a strong confidentiality  policy is always wise.

How about you?  Do you have “lighthouse” in your life? Do you have a person or group of people who champion you?  Someone who offers a safe harbor where you can explore where you are now and help you navigate what’s next? Many women express that my Women’s Success Circles act as their “lighthouse.”  The Success Circle creates a “safe harbor” where women can share their lives in a non-judgmental, confidential setting.

One morning, we went out for a walk and the sky was turning dark and gloomy.  The ocean waves were rough and the wind was picking up. In the distance I saw boats being guided by the lighthouse to make it back safely to the harbor. Whether your life is in a positive, upbeat phase or possibly times of “troubled” waters, Smart Women know they must have a “lighthouse” in which to turn.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

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© 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™, a Professional Certified 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.