Need a Coach?

Special Guest Post by:  Heidi Richards Mooney

No matter what stage of life you are in a coach can help you get to that next stage. It’s like losing 20 pounds, the first 10 are the easiest and then it seems we struggle in our attempts to loose the last 10.  One of the reasons may be that we have no one to share in the final victory, or we fear judgment about how long it is taking or we second-guess ourselves about what we need to do to reach our final destination.  A coach can be a cheerleader, a resource for more information, and a friend who doesn’t “judge” the what, why or how of our plans. And a good coach can help us make better decisions and celebrate our successes. 

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” Eric Hoffer 

One of the questions you need to first ask yourself before working with a coach is this: “Am I coachable.”  I believe baby boomers are very coachable. Why?  We have had enough experiences to know what we want and what we don’t want.  We become more open to ideas as we grow wiser, especially in this day of lightning-speed change. We are likely more adept at working with others.  Most baby boomers I know are optimistic, courageous, have a great work ethic, want more quality relationships and more meaningful careers.  We have been the self-indulgent route, we have had money and lost money and had it again and know that money doesn’t buy happiness.  We are used to working outside our comfort zone and are able to bounce back from setbacks. We actually listen to our peers and even younger generations and will take their advice when we know it’s good for us.  And we are ready to realize our full potential. 

Coaching works best when you know what you want to get done.  As long as you are open to feedback and willing to create positive change in your life coaching works.

So what are the things you should consider when working with a coach? 

1. Someone who is willing to give you the time and undivided attention you need to reach your goals
2. Someone who understands your needs and most importantly your goals
3. Someone you know, like and trust
4. Someone who can help you assess your own life and get very clear about what you want to accomplish
5. Someone who will help you evaluate your goals and come up with a plan (and timeline) to achieve your goals
6. Someone who asks good questions and more importantly listens for the answers
7. Someone who holds your feet to the fire (keep you accountable)

Where can you find a good coach?  Ask! Ask your friends for referrals. Network and find out who is using a coach and what success she or he has had. Interview potential candidates.  Ask for a sample coaching session.  See if she or he is a good fit for you.  While you don’t have to think alike it is good to have someone with whom you are not constantly butting heads.  Just as it isn’t good to have someone always agreeing with you, it is also not good for your confidence to have someone who always points out when you are wrong. When you do a sample coaching session you will find out if the coach is “in tune” to what you are all about.  

Working with a coach can be a very rewarding and exhilarating experience. And at times it might even be frightening.  The right coach can help you discover your true gifts and talents. The right coach will help you face issues you didn’t want to or couldn’t face.  Working with a coach can help you no matter what your goals are; whether it’s to loose weight, make more money or live your ideal life. Working with the right coach can help you grow in ways you never thought you would (or could). 

©Heidi Richards Mooney – (a baby boomer) is a Professional Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 8 books including: “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Grow Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays.”  She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by http://www.speakingwithspirit.com to get a FREE copy of Quirky Marketing, Chapter 1. 

Making the Second Half the Best Half

Guest Post by:  Robin Harris

Something happens when you come to the intersection called mid-life; you can look back in retrospect and see your life from an entirely different context. For many this mid-life review brings about a sense of urgency that ignites what is formally called “the mid-life crisis”. It’s where we can trace the effects back to causes that were initiated by our own poor decisions, our inattention to important details, our recklessness, our fear, our misplaced priorities, and our ignorance. It can be a pretty bleak experience to really understand, maybe for the first time, that your life really could have been much better if you only knew then what you know now. Ah…but there is a subtle sweetness in enduring the emotional upheaval of a mid-life review and that is the fact that you can decide that the second half will be the best half. You can garner the lessons from your past life by taking the knowledge and the wisdom, and leaving the rest behind. You may also experience grief, regret, anger, and blame. Whatever gut-wrenching emotions you feel should be acknowledged and then gently released. You can choose whether you will continue down your current path or if you will choose a new direction for your life. By consciously deciding how you will live the rest of your life, you can create a life that is extraordinary. It’s a mighty sweet deal when you think about it, but how do you make it happen?Step 1. Create a life vision, not fantasy, that is worth living into that includes personal, professional, and spiritual growth, leveraging your abilities, gifts, and life experiences, contributing to others, having accomplishments that take you beyond lifestyle and status, and building relationships that are life-enhancing.Step 2. Form alliances with those who walk in front of you, beside you, and behind you. There are those who will be teachers and role model in your life, those who will be companions and friends, and those who will be students. Honor each type of relationship for they will all help you advance in life.Step 3. Remove barriers to success by installing new personal qualities, beliefs, habits, skills, and relationships as required. Learn to observe your sticking points, your hot buttons, your negative patterns and work to dismantle them one by one with the understanding that this is a lifetime commitment that requires diligence, patience, and self-care.Step 4. Learn to fan the fires of your own burning desire. Replenish and renew yourself in healthy ways and to balance the various aspects of your life so that you are left feeling whole. Step 5. Stay in the game and expect to win. Know that the Universe is on your side and life embraces and supports evolution and you are playing a critical role in your own personal evolution.

To create an extraordinary life requires that we learn from our mistakes and our victories and continuously re-examine our personal paradigms adjusting them as needed. When you are making the second half the best half, you will find that you will be in a constant state of personal evolution. As you move toward your life’s purpose your envisioned life will become the master plan that will guide your life’s choices if it has been carefully designed to holistically reflect your individual uniqueness, which is woven into the expression of your values, contributions, and priorities.

Your extraordinary life awaits you.

What’s Your Business Image?

Your company image is your identity in the marketplace but your identity is may not be exclusive to you. A competitor may have the same image as you. For example, think about two grocery store chains that operate in your region. Both may have an image of offering quality products at reasonable prices. You might feel equally comfortable in stores of both chains, think they hire competent and friendly people and appreciate each enterprise’s contribution to your community.

Your company image, however, may differentiate you from your competition. Using the grocery chain example again, two chains may offer quality products at reasonable prices. However, one chain might not be as clean or brightly lit as another. Its employees might not be as helpful and friendly. You may choose the clean, brightly lit, friendly store because of those image attributes alone.

Interestingly, your company has an image even if you do not undertake any activities to try to build one. If you’re successful, you have customers. And, your customers have thoughts, feelings, beliefs and opinions about you and your products and services.

Even if you do not advertise, distribute flyers, pass out brochures or issue press releases, it might surprise you that the following items will quietly, yet actively, create a company image.

·         Your company logo. Does it evoke the desired thoughts and feelings in your target audience?

·         Your Web site. Is it zany and full of wild colors or conservative and designed with muted colors?

·         Product packaging. Do products from the same line look like they came from the same company?

·         The look of your business cards, letterhead and invoices. A look is created with color, paper quality and type style.

·         How you and/or your employees interact with customers in person and on the phone.

·         How your phone is answered.

Note, it is what others think and feel about your business, not what you think or what your sales literature says about your business.

Why Black Women Don’t Excercise

It’s a HAIR thing!

That’s right.  Our hair keeps us from working out at a pace and level we should be in order to shed those unwanted pounds.

Let me break it down for you.  If I spend $50 or more to get my hair to look like a Baby Boomer Diva hairstyle should look and then turn around and exercise like I know I should, I would have wasted my money.  The body perspiration will sweat the curls right out of my head and I will end up having to spend even more money to restore my hair back to its Beauty Salon Look.  I need to keep my hairdo for at least a week. 

In the meantime, I’ll just cut back on my food intake—which means I’ll eat like a bird—until I decide it’s OK to hit the gym once again.  Blame it on menopause or whatever! but my body has just got to understand.

The number one reason African-American women DON’T EXERCISE on a consistent basis is because we don’t want to mess up our hair.  If you don’t believe me, just ask my hairdresser.

Don’t Make Age an Excuse

How many times have you heard a woman say she put her own dreams on hold so she could take care of her family? 

Too often we put off working toward our dreams because “family comes first” or we feel that it would take too long, or that we will be too old once our “foundation” has been put in place.

Maybe you dream of owning your own business—or of becoming an attorney, a real estate broker, an interior designer, an artist, or a writer. To become expert in any of these fields takes time and often requires going back to school for several years or more. But so what?  If the children are grown, what better time than now to go out and pursue your passions?  Time and time again I have heard people say something to the effect of: “I’d go back to school, but by the time I finish and start working I’d be too old.”

It’s interesting to see what people define as “old?” Some people mean 30, 40, or 50 or more. But none of these ages is too old to begin a new, highly successful career doing something that you love.

Some people will say that learning new skills becomes more difficult as we get older, so going back to school or studying part-time would be too difficult. That theory has been completely disproved. It’s been shown that the brain can handle learning at any age perhaps not as readily as when a child, but well enough to become expert at any advanced skill or field of knowledge. Today, distance learning and Internet education is ideal for more mature individuals, enabling them to continue their educations while still involved with jobs and family.

Don’t use your age as an excuse for starting to move in the direction of your dreams. Don’t tell yourself: “In five years I’ll be too old to enjoy it.” Five years will pass soon enough, and you’ll realize how foolish your excuse was.

Strengthen Your Business in a Weak Economy

If you’re a woman in business feeling a little skeptical about your 2009 Business Plan, you’re not alone.  The economy has many feeling a little on edge and unsure of how they will survive in this recession.

But instead of focusing on the negative aspects of what could happen with your small business, try stepping up your game plan.

Increase your customer service

One way to maintain and build your client/customer base is by offering excellent customer service.  Communicate with your clients regularly.  You should know more about your clients than the name of the bank their checks are drawn on.  Get to know them and show your appreciation for their business by remembering them on special days like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.  Send little tokens of appreciation for their business.

Another thing you should do is emphasize the value of your product or service and provide payment options if you can.

Also contact former customers to see if you can be of service to them again and offer additional services (or products) if you have them.  And don’t be shy about asking for referrals.

Focus on your strengths

Do what’s been working. Don’t get into things you’re not quite sure of.

Network, Network, Network

Networking is an inexpensive yet highly effective form of marketing.  Look for regular networking opportunities both on and offline.  Keep your name and business in front of the buying public as much as possible.

Get on e-mail lists so that you’re aware of events you can attend to network and promote your products.  And, of course, always have an ample supply of business cards when you attend public events. 

Volunteer

Find events and other types of activities where you can volunteer your time and services.  By participating, you are not only demonstrating your commitment to your community, but you are also giving yourself some exposure and an opportunity to promote your business.

Record Your Assets

If you’re a woman in business, you probably know how important it is to properly manage your assets, especially now that tax season is upon us. Managing your assets can be fairly easy, no matter what type of assets you’re talking about. This includes cash as an asset and physical assets as well.

The first rule to follow is to have good bookkeeping and accounting practices in place. In the long run doing this will save you both time and money. No matter how insignificant the amounts may seem, be sure to account for every penny that comes in and goes out. Even a few cents here and there can end up adding up to hundreds of dollars.

Following of a good accounting practice and asset management is extremely important, especially when you are required to submit tax to the government. There are numerous cases where small issues that appear insignificant come under the eye of scrutiny and can haunt you for years with the IRS on your back.

Exact and detailed accounting books will also help you should you need to apply for a loan or a small business grant. They will need to know all of your assets and if you have all the proper documentation, and books with accurate records, you will be able to easily prove you are a reliable member of the business community.

Often, small business owners tend to overlook certain items, not realizing that they are actually assets. Anything worth money, or that can be sold, is considered an asset. For instance, most of us know that our computer equipment is an asset, but we may overlook the desk or even the chair we’re sitting on. Take a look around and see if you’ve missed any assets in your reconciliation.

The concept of depreciation is important to understand when managing physical assets. For example a brand new car worth $18,000, depreciates in value as soon as it is driven off the lot. What we pay for a brand new item is certainly not the price we can expect to sell it five years later. For a car, factors such as mileage, wear and tear, and any accidents also play a role in the depreciation. While this rule of depreciation applies to all physical assets, property is an exception which may in fact appreciate in a few areas.

Office equipment and most other equipment purchased for a small business does follow the deprecation rule and must be taken into account when you are recording your assets.

The main point to remember that asset management in small businesses is just as important as it is in large ones. Be sure to take this into consideration and document everything. You may end up paying a high price if you don’t.

Make Your Mess Your Message in 2009

There comes a time in every woman’s life when she has to take a close look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at what she did, not how unfair life is, or not at whom made you do it. She has to just look at herself in all her glory and imperfection.

Have you ever admired a woman who has been through changes in her life? Or have you made up in your mind that she is just messed up. Before you make this mistake, take a closer look. A woman who has endured the most unusual life is someone of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Ruth and Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood flow, and Esther, to name a few. Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by the time Jesus was done with her, she was His closest follower. Abigail was unfortunate in marrying an abusive man, but by the time God was done with her, she had married one of the wealthiest men in the land.

Some women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold her up. Before you wonder, “What’s up with her?” ask yourself, “What’s up with me?” Once you understand the issues that are holding you back, you can start making your MESS—Your MESSAGE and become an encouragement to your sister.  Remember, we as women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death.

Let’s build and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi.

Leadership Affects Health & Well-Being at Work

Have you or someone you know on your job been experiencing some health issues lately that may have resulted in you having to take time off from work?  If so, it could be that your boss is making you sick.

Research evidence suggests that good leadership has positive effects on employee health and well-being, including decreased sick leave and disability.

Recent studies indicate qualities associated with good leadership included treating employees considerately and truthfully, providing social support, and providing inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation.

Workers with good leadership were 40 percent more likely to be in the highest category of job well-being (ie, with low rates of symptoms like anxiety, depression, and job stress).

There was also moderate evidence linking good leadership with reduced sick days and disability. Good leadership was associated with a 27 percent reduction in sick leave and a 46 percent reduction in disability pensions.

Some studies found that good leadership was associated with increased job satisfaction, although this evidence was relatively weak. There was no evidence showing a significant effect of leadership on measures of job performance.

Several characteristics of work can affect employee health. Studies have shown that factors like job control and support influence measurable health outcomes, such as sick leave. Leadership is thought to be one of the most important factors mediating the relationship between work and health.

The findings support the “job well-being pyramid model”: a theory suggesting that a strong foundation of leadership, healthy work environment, and good working conditions reduces worker health problems.

5 Tips to Help You Sleep Better

1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule including weekends. Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by a “circadian clock” in our brain and the body’s need to balance both sleep time and wake time. A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help with sleep onset at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep in.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated. If you are unable to avoid tension and stress, it may be helpful to learn relaxation therapy from a trained professional. Finally, avoid exposure to bright before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep — cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Also make your bedroom reflective of the value you place on sleep. Check your room for noise or other distractions, including a bed partner’s sleep disruptions such as snoring, light, and a dry or hot environment. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, “white noise,” humidifiers, fans and other devices.

4. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine. For example, if looking at a bedroom clock makes you anxious about how much time you have before you must get up, move the clock out of sight. Do not engage in activities that cause you anxiety and prevent you from sleeping.

5. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime. Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night. Try to restrict fluids close to bedtime to prevent nighttime awakenings to go to the bathroom, though some people find milk or herbal, non-caffeinated teas to be soothing and a helpful part of a bedtime routine.

Body Weight Can Affect A Woman in Business

You have two women vying for a managerial position. One is petite. The other candidate is visibly overweight. Of the two, the heavy set woman is better qualified for the job requirements. Who will get the job?

When it comes to job hiring or career advancement, a common phrase is “it’s not just what you know, it’s who you know,” but research on weight–based bias suggests “it’s how you look.”

Does being extra heavy or obese hinder the opportunity of getting a job or moving up the work ladder?

A recent study conducted at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, shows that, yes, obesity can and does have a denigrating effect in the workplace.

“There are a whole set of stereotypes that go along with being overweight, and a lot of them transfer into the workplace in terms of people’s judgment about others’ abilities and appearance in relation to job performance,” said doctoral candidate Cort Rudolph.

But that’s not necessarily the case when it comes to doing business on the internet.  People are less inclined to consider body image when conducting business.  Your integrity is more important by far.  Can you produce RESULTS or do you have a product the customer needs?  What you look like tends to be irrelevant.