Spring Reflection: A Challenge to Renew Goals and Bloom!

Here we are wrapping up the first week of Spring. I thought it would be fitting to share my feelings on this time of year.

As a Wisconsin native, I have a real appreciation for the beginning of spring. I grew up loving the flowers peeking through the snow, the first sighting of a robin, and the hints of warmer weather around the corner. I loved the birthing of lambs and calves, the hatching of chicks and prepping of fields for planting. Spring was a sign winter was winding down and brighter, warmer days were just around the corner.robin-snow

Now to me, spring is still the time of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. It is a time for “cleaning” and organizing. And, looking forward to summer vacation!

With my love of spring, I always thought that it would be more fitting to make New Year’s Resolutions the first day of spring – when we are full of hope and life rather than in the cold, dark days of winter! I think we have clearer heads and a true optimism of what is possible when we see life teeming around us…blooming flowers, budding trees and sunshine.

Spring is nature’s new start. It is a promise of new beginnings. New harvests. New opportunities. Spring is a time to renew the excitement and zest for life that lives inside each of us.

As we move into spring, use this time to stop and enjoy the beauty of nature and of life and all that it holds. I challenge each of you to use spring’s arrival as your cue to renew your life’s goals and bloom in your own way.

Vision Boards In the News

This week has already been a great week for positive online coverage of vision boards and their importance in goal setting and planning your future.  To make this coverage even better was the mention of The Vision Board book in one post and the second post being in Huffington Post, a mainstream online source.

Associate Editor Margarita Tartakovsky, Psychcentral.com, covered the aspect of visioning which many articles about vision boards neglect.  She also outlined the 5-Step formula author Joyce Schwarz presents in The Vision Board book.

For those who have attended my workshops or trainings, you may recognize the “mini board” exercise.  Visioning — getting in touch with your inner feeling or “heart’s desire” — is an important step in creating a successful vision board.  Paging through magazines quickly and pulling out the pages of images or headlines is a great way to get in touch with your deeper motivations in life.

Katy Hanley, Huffington Post

The second mention this week was by Kate Hanley, on the Huffington Post.  It was an excellent overview of why vision boards are important in seeing life goals versus just listing them with paper and pen.  I especially loved how she included having the physical presence of the board was important — don’t keep it online!

Hanley states “Putting together a vision board can crystallize the goals you’re already aware of and tease out the ones that are still in a formative state.”  I think she has summed up the visioning process of vision board making!

As a Certified Vision Board Coach, I am encouraged by the positive press and media coverage has been receiving over the past few years. Vision boards can be an important tool in achieving success in both life and business.

Ready...Set...Focus - One Word for the year!

Are you ready for 2016? Like Santa are you making a list – a checking it twice? Is your list a list of resolutions?  Several years ago, I was introduced to the “One Word” concept. This has changed by thinking and my life over the past years.

The idea is developed in the book  One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. The premise is to find one word to apply to the six core areas of your life.

These areas are:

• Mental
• Physical
• Emotional
• Relational
• Spiritual
• Financial

The idea is that it is much easier to focus on one word versus a list of random resolutions for the areas.

In 2015, my word was “accountability.”  I think of myself as a responsible person but “accountability” kicked it up a notch! Applying the thought of “accountability” to all areas did keep my focus and also provided for continuity in moving forward – setting goals and so on.

Choosing your word may or may not be easy.  Your word may also choose you! Last year was challenging but this year my work came quickly after listening to the audible version of the book.  It takes about an hour to listen to the complete book!

Along with working on written statements for each area and my word, I also created a quick vision board reflecting my 2016 word — COURAGE.