Challenge #16: Give Yourself Credit

Time to read: 18 seconds

She owns it without apology

Welcome to week 16 of your summer challenge!

It's our last week! Sniff. It's been a wonderful summer with you. I've loved all the emails and stories and successes.

I hope you've loved this challenge as much as I have. And we're not done. Here is one more challenge for you:

This week, please look back and give yourself credit. If you want, you can use this summer challenge to practice. Look back over the past 15 weeks and give yourself credit for the things you've tried, the shifts you've made, the learning you had. Even if you only did one thing, give yourself credit.

If you want to amp up this week's challenge, look back at your career or other aspects of your life and give yourself credit - for making good decisions with the information you had at the time (even if they didn't work out), for taking good care of yourself, for creating a fulfilling life (most of the time).

You get to take credit for what you've created (even the painful lessons along the way).

You deserve it.

Challenge #15: Putting It All Together

Time to read: 18 seconds

Welcome to week 15 of your summer challenge!

It's our second to last week! Ads for school supplies are on TV, and fall plans are shaping up.

Let's put it all together this week. Some of you have diligently done all the challenges. Some of you only a few. I bet some of you did one or thought about doing one while you read the emails and promptly forgot. However you did this challenge, it was enough.

This week consider what you got out of this summer challenge. Although the challenges were the same for each of you, the big picture of what shifted will be unique to you.

Put one word or a short phrase to summarize the 10,000 foot view of what this challenge meant for you and/or did for you.

Then, please, send me your word/phrase. I'd love to hear what you created!

Well done!

Challenge #14: Own It!

Time to read: 18 seconds

She owns it without apology

Welcome to week 14 of your summer challenge!

Today is another short, sweet, and powerful challenge.

We've been talking about action with full permission and full responsibility. This week, I want you to own it. Whatever "it" is for you. Here is what that might look like:

• Graciously accept a compliment
• Drop the apology (unless you truly mess up, of course)
• Claim a weird little habit and make it part of your "brand"
• Make a choice and stick by it without justification
• Tell a positive story about yourself in conversation
• Wear what you love and walk around like you're worth a million bucks

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. All they have to do is sign up here.

Have fun with this one!

Challenge #13: Full Responsibility

Time to read: 35 seconds

Welcome to week 13 of your summer challenge!

For the past few weeks, we have talked about taking action - with full permission and last week, I used the phrase, "full responsibility."

Here's what full responsibility means:

All actions have impact. Even taking no action has impact.

You have full permission to follow your urges, to make choices, and take action. And, there will be results. Other people will have feelings. Things will get put in motion. New decisions will be required. You will have feelings about other people's feelings

You have full responsibility for your impact. This is not a blame and shame sense of responsibility but rather a sense that you are an active agent and that you can handle whatever comes next.

If you make a mess, clean it up. If other people are delighted, humbly own it. When something else is required of you, respond.

This week, continue to follow your urges with full permission and add full responsibility for your impact. Know you can handle whatever happens next.

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. All they have to do is sign up here.

You can handle it!

Challenge #12: Action!

Time to read: 35 seconds

Welcome to week 12 of your summer challenge!

A few weeks ago when you were practicing doing nothing, I promised you that one of the challenges would be ACTION!

Today is that day.

So, this week, practice an action orientation. This doesn't mean act willy-nilly without consideration or intention. It does mean looking for the places you are avoiding or stalling or wishing you didn't have to pick up the phone.

One easy way to act with intention is to follow your urges. Oftentimes, you stuff down an urge. This week, see what happens when you feel the urge and act (with full permission and full responsibility, of course).

So, this week, have that hard conversation, clean that closet, ask the hard question, make the decision, take the class, get out for a walk. The possibilities are endless!

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. All they have to do is sign up here.

Have fun with this one. It's all about you, what you want and PERMISSION!

Challenge #11: You Are Not Unclear

Time to read: 15 seconds!

Welcome to week 11 of your summer challenge!

People come to me seeking clarity - about decisions, career choices, priorities, and sticky situations. When I listen to your stories, it's rare that I hear a lack of clarity.

You are clearer than you think.

You don't lack clarity. What you lack is permission.

Let's pretend that you are ruminating over whether to apply for a new job. You wonder if you'll offend your current boss or if you're qualified or what the job will do to the balance of your work and home.

I believe that you already know what's right for you, and the lack of clarity is a symptom that you're afraid to claim it. Either, you want to apply and are afraid to take the risk or you feel like you should apply (because doesn't everyone want a promotion?), but you actually like your life and don't want the increased responsibility.

So, this week, look around your life and work and find a place where you are telling yourself you lack clarity. Look at the same situation from the perspective of giving yourself permission. What becomes possible?

Email me and tell me all about it!

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. They can sign up for it here.

Trust yourself!

Challenge #10: What Would You Do If….?

Time to read: 15 seconds!

Get to the front of the line at the Mona Lisa!

Welcome to week 10 of your summer challenge!

Today is short and sweet. Here is one of my all time favorite questions:

What would you do if you trusted yourself?

See what happens when this question guides your week.

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. They can sign up for it here.

Trust yourself!