March 2009
More Good News for the Day!
What do you mean 'more' good news you say? Well, I've decided to start each newsletter with this slogan and make sure that I am including good news to inspire you, support you and keep you focused on the absolute joy of the present moment. That's right. As you read this, you are breathing, using your sight, perhaps listening to the kids or music, feeling the support of your chair and maybe smelling the sweet smells of dinner or brewing coffee. Whatever it is, take a moment to actually enjoy a free minute and take a deep breath...appreciate your life....and YOU!
Odds and Ends for this edition
- Meditation may improve learning....from the Feb 24 issue of The International Journal of Psychophysiology. Subjects who meditated reported being less sleepy, less jumpy and less irritable.
- I just recently returned from a music cruise, so I am still on vacation brain. One thing that stuck with me though came from a singer in the band Girly Man (that's right). I'm not sure of his name, but I loved this quote from him when he was talking about the economy "The best thing you can do is to seek what brings you joy". I think he is wise.
- Excellent article on time management here.
- $TRE$$ $O$ article which you might find helpful.
On a Personal Note
I hope you won't mind if I put in a plug for my favorite musician here. I always go on this music cruise with my daughter who is an amazing singer/songwriter. She won a contest while on board the ship and was rewarded with time to sing a set in one of the lounges. Here is a link to one of her live songs .
If you want to hear more, click here.
She'll be in Indy for a free concert this summer, so I'll keep you posted.
For more updates check my blog.
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My latest e-book called 'Getting From Here to There' is available as a free download on my Web site.
Coaching Class for Today — Time Management
What would you do if you had more time?
What is more time?
How can you have more time?
We all have the same 24 hours, no one has less, no one has more.
Who is an example of someone you know that seems to have the time to get it all done?
Do they have more time than you?
It's interesting to me that we look at time as something to manage. We all want more time, but can we really have it? Does my 24 hours a day add up to more than your 24 hours? In other words, we all of the same amount of time and we can't add some on this day, delete from another or manage any other way. The only thing we have control over and the only thing we can manage is our behaviour and how we use our time. Now that I've put the ball back in your court, do you still want to learn ways to manage? I hope so, because it really is not that hard and takes just a little bit of focus to get started.
Start by taking care of you. Make taking care of yourself a top priority, not something you fit in if you have time. You will be more energetic, more aware, more productive, more, more, more if you have taken care of your needs. Think of yourself as an empty bucket. As you fill your needs, your bucket fills up. It is your responsibility and yours alone to fill your bucket and keep it full. You can always help fulfill others needs here and there without losing much from your bucket, because you are always working on getting your needs met and refilling it. This can be as simple as fulfilling 10 daily habits, 5 minutes of prayer or meditation in the morning, time set aside to be creative, time to play...whatever you need. If you don't keep your bucket full, no one is going to fill it for you, and you won't get very far on an empty bucket.
Next — make a list of all of your responsibilities and divide them into three groups.
1) Things I like to do.
2) Things I 'should' do.
3) Things I don't want to do.
A quick time fixer is to deal with those in group 3. Find a way to delegate, stop doing it, or say no. You will be amazed at how much time this can free up. Put your boundaries in place and set up a structure so that you won't continue to overcommit yourself. If you are always the one who volunteers, limit yourself to one volunteer opportunity per week and make it one that you really want to do!
Hint: the trick here is to either get rid of it, or make it something you want to do.
Let's take everyone's example of exercising. No one WANTS to exercise, right? You wish you could delegate it (wouldn't that be wonderful?), and if you stop doing it you will be the size of a couch. So now, it really becomes something that you 'should' do. Why should you?
because it keeps you healthy
why?
because it strengthens your body and organs
so?
if your body and organs are healthier and stronger, you will live a longer and healthier life
so?
Do you want to live a longer and healthier life?
If so, then you WANT to exercise!
What I want for you is to be able to say:
- My gas tank is always at least half full.
- I am completely free of anything that binds me.
- I am always 10 minutes early and never rushed.
- My closets are empty of all that I don't need now.
- My three key boundaries are always honored.
- The first and last 30 minutes of my day are the perfect way to arise and retire.
- I don't get stopped or off track for more than one hour.
- I am free of all addictions and attachments.
- I have a daily routine that is a joy.
- I use a time management system, and I do not miss appointments or forget things.
- I do not tailgate, run yellow lights, or exceed the speed limit (hard one for me)
- I always let other cars in.
Lynn Recommends
These are my most recent favorite BOOKS:
1) Data Doctors — they took care of my computer while I was on vacation, replaced a broken screen (don't ask) and cleaned it up so it now runs a lot smoother! www.datadoctors.com, 317-228-1400
2) Vacation — even if you can only afford to take a day trip to a park or lake, take the time to get out of your daily grind and experience something new. It refreshes your soul immensely!
About Lynn
Have you ever heard it said that some people make things happen, while others let things happen to them? Interesting to think about. My purpose of this newsletter, my coaching business and the other tools I have developed, is to partner with people in order to have them Design what they want to make happen in their lives. Whether it is in business, realtionships, finding a new career or any aspect of your life, you have the God-given creative and intiuitive knowledge to choose and create what you want. I can help you. This is what I love to do!
Remember to spend some quality time on you today.
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