Why a Morning Ritual is Important

February 28, 2023

I passionately believe how we start our day is vitally important to managing stress and raising our energy frequency, at the get-go, every day.  Many people ask me: "Why do you call it a Morning Ritual rather than a Morning Routine? Why are are you so passionate about consistently committing to a Morning Ritual? What is the evidence it can be a game changer?" Good questions. In brief, here goes!

As you know, I deeply believe words are important. I like the phrase Morning Ritual because it carries the intention that our lives are sacred. What are the feelings the word Routine conjures up? I hear and feel the 'must and should' does, the discipline, and the  effort of 'trying'. For me, ritual carries a deeper emotion of honor and belief in mySelf.  

• Whether it is 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour – my time of awaking is sacrosanct. This is my time to focus on how to be the best I can be...

 Living Is An Act Of Courage 

January 31, 2023
 

Living is an act of Courage. What does that really mean? 

Today let us explore how Courage is a muscle we exercise -- or not -- every day. Let us dive into the deep waters of how Courage is inextricably intertwined with Love and Trust. Let us also tackle how Courage is an important habit, for our day-to-day life, both personally and professionally.  I will share an exercise on Courage from one of my favorite lessons in the Certified High Perfomance Habits Course ^TM, which I am honored to lead. 

Let's start by deconstructing this quote from Paolo Coelho's Manuscript Found in Accra, a captivating story of a city under siege, where Jews, Christians, and Muslims live together peacefully, and are preparing for annihilation from the armies of the Crusades. 

“Excessive caution destroys the soul and the heart, because
living is an act of courage, and
an act of courage is always...

On Sorrow and Joy

December 21, 2022

My heartfelt THANK YOU --- to everyone who started my Blogging journey with me almost 5 years ago, to all who have joined me, and to everyone who has given me feedback over the years. Thank you for allowing me to send my musings to you and the Universe!  

Most months I write about key lessons from my Certified High Performance Coaching^TM practice  on High Performance Habits, including Clarity, Courage, Productivity, Persuasion, or the course on Leadership, or the course on Declarations for Personal Freedom, or stress management techniques for different Personality Types from my MBTI ®  practice, and from my personal journey from Be Happy NOW!; From Wall Street Ambition and the Illusion of Success, My Path to Happiness.  

In November and December, I particularly look forward to reflecting on spiritual practices of Grace and Gratitude, Hope, Peace, Sorrow, and Joy....

The Heartset of Gratitude

December 5, 2022

I've been away for a little while. Let's just say, Life took over. I have been focused and on my purpose to serve and use all of my talents and my resources to help others so that I leave a legacy of Love. Somehow, time to Blog was not available. And, it's good to be back! 

I so look forward to writing a Blog on Gratitude as we close out the year. My intention with the choice of this title, The Heartset of Gratitude, is to change our perception of gratitude. Gratitude is an emotion which comes from the heart. Just as we have 5 senses, to see, hear, smell, taste and touch, our heart is another one of our senses -- it can feel gratitude. Heartset brings to the fore our awe for how we experience life and the world. 

In my experience, gratitude practices typically evolve over time. Often, gratitude practices start with thinking about 3 things or people we are grateful for... and progresses from there to...

Before You Speak: The Three Gates 

August 31, 2022 

 
There is an ancient wisdom saying: 

"Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates:
     at the first gate, ask your self, 'Is it true?' 
     at the second gate ask, 'Is it necessary?'
     at the third gate ask, 'Is it kind?'"

These 3 questions, or gates if you will, -- can be asked before our words leave our mouth. We all know that the energy and impact of words, once spoken, can never really be called back.

It can take 2 - 30 seconds and, with practice, your heart and gut will tell you if you should talk … or hit the pause button.

Indeed, the Three Gates does take awareness and practice. And years of practice has taught me the value of The Three Gates. When the words we speak -- pass through these Three Gates -- we have made a wonderful and loving contribution to connecting and contributing to a relationship, with a partner, family...

Healing Laughter 

July 10, 2022  

I have been taking a few vacation days here and there for the last couple of weeks. I sincerely hope you have made an opportunity to fit in a vacation or are looking forward to some time off soon, before the summer is over.

If we embrace the wisdom of the famous comedian, Milton Berle, "Laughter is an instant vacation," we can change our mindset and believe that we can take a vacation any time, any day, any where!  

So let's have some fun -- and laugh together, right now. Let's laugh at this crazy world. Let's laugh at ourselves.  

Laughter is healing on many levels -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Here are a few examples of the healing power of laughter -- and a few more inspirational quotes.   

Laughter wakes up our mind-body. "Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors," say Norman Cousins. Laughter wakes up our eyes,...

The Energy of Courage 

May 25, 2022 
 

Our focus in this newsletter is Courage -- acts of Courage to face our fears and and speak our truth -- to move forward in the midst of uncertainty, chaos, and tragedy. 

“Excessive caution destroys the soul and the heart, because
living is an act of courage, and
an act of courage is always an act of love.”

This is a quote from Manuscript Found in Accra, a captivating novel by best-selling author Paulo Coelho, published in 2012. It is a story of a city under siege, where Jews, Christians, and Muslims live together peacefully and are preparing for annihilation from the armies of the Crusades. The novel is a series of parables as spoken by a Sage about love, faith, friendship, bravery, community and uncovering the sources of human fears and anxieties, written down to preserve the wisdom of the city’s soul. Yes, reality can be stranger than fiction. 

Indeed, "living is an act of courage and...

Energy Rituals to Start the Day

April 10, 2022
 

In Energy Matters last month I challenged each of us to commit to 3 new activities to raise our Energy level. Our commitment was to move the needle on our Energy Score by consistently adding on 3 simple actions -- every day for 1 week. Of course, the latest research shows that it takes, on average, 66 days to create a new habit.

So, by my count, we are 32 days into installing our new habits. How is it going? This question is simply a check-in for self-awareness. Please do not judge yourself. I know you are doing the best you can in this moment.  Simply take a few minutes for self-reflection. I will share my self-reflections at the end of this Blog. 

First let us broaden and deepen our awareness of how to manage our Energy. I am evolving my practice of a Morning Ritual to be Energy Rituals to Start the Day. 

As I have been doing work on Energy -- it just came to me --- my Morning...

ENERGY MATTERS!

March 9, 2022
 

Energy matters!

Jim Loehr's quote sets the theme for this Blog:  

           "Energy, not time is the fundamental currency of  high performance." 

Dr. Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist, CEO and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute.  The Human Performance Institute is a training company that has successfully utilized energy management technology to improve productivity and engagement levels of high performers' across the business, medicine, law enforcement and sports professions over the past 30 years. 

Our theme is Energy and high performance.

Our focus is -- YOUR Energy and practical tips to dramatically improve your Energy. 

In the Certified High Performance Coaching Program^™, we usually start with a question for you to answer. I kindly and humbly ask you to reflect on the following self-assessment question:

On a scale of...

Leaders Without a Title

January 31, 2022

Are you a Leader? Do you see yourself as a Leader? 

In my career in corporate America, we only sent "managers" to leadership development courses? If we truly believed everyone could be and was a leader -- we would have sent everyone to a leadership development experience!  Think about it. 

I have come to deeply believe we are all leaders and teachers with gifts to offer. Whether we are in school, in a career, in between jobs, a retiree, working at home raising children, a child, a rising star, CEO, a disgruntled minimum wage part-time employee, an Executive Director in a nonprofit, a skilled trades person, an entrepreneur, a writer, an artist, a dancer.... you name it -- we are all role models, teachers and leaders in our own circle of influence. 

In this Blog, I would like to introduce you to Blake, the hero in Robin Sharma's novel, The Leader Who Had No Title. Blake Davis was a 29-year old complacent...