Happy Spring Break!

Time to read: 15 seconds so you can get back to your frilly drink

Two years ago this week, we were all scrambling to cancel our spring break travel plans, worrying about what was going to happen to our jobs, watching restaurants close (some of them forever), and wondering what the heck was going on. Three weeks became three years, and here we are.

This week, people are traveling for spring break again. Restaurants are open! Some folks are back at the office and if they're not, we're really good at online work. Things aren't perfect. Lots of people have suffered and continue to suffer. Who knows what Covid has in store for us now.

And…let's CELEBRATE what's good. Toes in sand. College trips. Meals you don't have to cook for yourself. And my favorite - hanging out regularly with friends again! I could go on and on about the power of celebrating, and you have fun to have. Get back to it!

If you're traveling for spring break, have a wonderful time!

If you are one of the many people who forward these blog articles to your friends and colleagues, please make sure they know they can sign up for my newsletter here.

Be well.

Merry Whatever Holiday You Celebrate!

Time to read: 5 seconds

It is the season of light. Whatever holiday you celebrate, may it be filled with rest, joy, peace, and love.

In my world, Merry Christmas!

Two Words to Live By

Celebrate First!

This is the first installment of the short, "respect your energy, share my personal toolbox" blog post.

Those two words are it for this week. Enjoy reflecting on them and reach out if you'd like to discuss.

Accepting accolades. It's hard. Here's how.

Estimated read time: 2 minutes.

An award proudly displayed in our house!

In two sessions today, clients talked about being uncomfortable about being recognized, and when something comes up twice in one day, it's in the air and goes right into a newsletter (with client permission, of course).

You've heard the adage, "it is better to give than to receive." Giving is great. Of course it is. And this adage makes the receiving part sound "less-than" or worse than the giving part. We've grown up in a culture that has taught us to be uncomfortable with receiving, teaching us that we're not worthy of the praise and recognition we deserve. Boo. Hiss.

Here are the two client stories to illustrate the point:

One of my clients received a 12% pay raise. Twelve, amazing percent! Money is one of the ways that organizations show love, and this guy got a giant, hand-delivered care package covered in corporate hearts! Know what he said? "It kinda freaked me out because now I wonder what I have to do next."

The other client was named "Employee of the Month." Not for her department, not for her division, but for her entire center of 2500 people! Know what she did? She emailed the decision makers and told them they must have made a mistake and then told me that she really didn't work that hard and that other people deserved it more.

Good thing they both have a coach to set them straight.

Are you thinking, "wow, these people are amazing. They deserve their accolades. But not me?" Perhaps you relate to one of these popular ways to deflect recognition and praise:

• ignoring it
• skip past it
• turning it into praise for other people
• denying it
• finding all kinds of smart reasons why it isn't true

You deserve the praise you receive, too. Here are some tips to help you gracefully receive kudos, awards, and compliments:

1. Practice abundance thinking. There is room in this world and in your workplace for every person to shine bright and be amazing. Praise and recognition is not a rare commodity. Everyone can have some!
2. Don't compare yourself to others. Accolades for you doesn't mean diddly about other people. It's just about you.
3. Enjoy your moment. Stop for a moment to acknowledge what you did well and let yourself bask in that glow.
4. Celebrate! Mark this great event with a special dinner or a treat for yourself. You deserve it!
5. In the moment when everyone is emailing you with congratulations or patting you on the back or your boss is telling you, "well done," just smile, say thank you, and keep breathing.

Just breathe and receive. Breathe and receive.

You can do this.

Christina

Your Christmas Present Is In Here. No Peeking!

I spent last week in San Francisco with my coach and my entrepreneurial buddies. For an entire day, my friends were commenting on my Taylor Swift concert t-shirt. You'll see in a moment how my outfit has anything to do with you (beyond the fact that I was rocking that shirt – remember the Own It newsletter? Check it out here).
 
I love Taylor Swift thanks to my 12-year-old daughter who got concert tickets for Christmas. I'm wearing Tay-Tay because it is a reminder of one of the best things that happened for me this year (alongside my awesome clients). The concert was fantastic - the tiny paper airplanes, the runway, the dancers. What made the concert sublime was anticipating with my girl for a year and holding her hand in the crowd while I answered question after question about the scene. If I could have moved into that moment for the rest of my life, I would have.
 
This made me think of you because I see people blowing through their lives without pausing to celebrate and give themselves credit for the amazing things that happened in the year. Instead, we beat ourselves up.
 
Are you someone who is hard on yourself? It’s easy focus on where you’ve failed, what you could have done better or improved, what you wish had gone differently.
 
It’s hard to take credit for and celebrate the things you rocked. We make up stories like:

• “I’ll sound egotistical.”
• “It’s vain.”
• “Those things weren’t that important anyway.”

As my father-in-law says with his Texas drawl, “That’s buuuulll-sheet.” It’s time to give yourself all kinds of a crazy credit. Starting now.
 
Here’s what you do:
 
Take a piece of paper and write down all your accomplishments, successes, breakthroughs, celebrations and wins. Use your calendar, journals and notes to remember what you did in 2015.

• Did your kids make it to most of their swimming lessons? Write it down!
• Did you build relationships with people in your new (or old) job? Write it down!
• Did you say no? Write it down!
• Did you totally rock your hair this year? Write it down!
• Did you change jobs, win an award, host an event? Write it down!
• Did you let go of what people think of you? Write it down!

When you see all your accomplishments and wins in one place, you’ll realize what a rock star you were this year. It’s exhilarating and humbling.
 
My gift to you this Christmas is your own magnificence! Open it now. You get to enjoy it forever!
 
Merry Christmas!
 
Christina
 

Own It Like It's YOUR Birthday!

Today is my birthday!

And I am going to model for you what owning it looks like because it is time for you to own it, too! *

For many years, I've been like, "Meh, birthday. Whatevs."

Today, I woke up and was like, "Yeah, it's my f%##^ birthday!" I'm excited, pumped, and thrilled. I'm happy to be on this earth (thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me the pleasure of my life).

I am proud of what I've accomplished and the person I have worked to become these past 48 years. I am honored to do the work I do and to be surrounded by amazing people doing amazing things (y'all know who you are).

I am grateful and humbled and totally owning that today is my BIRTHDAY!

Now it's your turn.

Watch for that that little voice creeps in and says, "You can't own it. It's cocky. Or self centered. Or egotistical." To that voice I say, "Shut up. A rising tide raises all ships.Your joy and pride does not diminish others. It invites them to their own joy and pride."

What is something you want to own today?

Declare it!

Declare it to me (hit reply to this email), to your Facebook friends, to your family, shout it to the universe, for the quieter among us - share it with your best friend or own it in your heart and strut around your office like a badass.

Life is to short to play small. Play big! It's bubbling in you like my birthday bubbled over in me this morning. Let it out. Own it.

Hell Yes!

Christina

*a part of me is mortified and would rather hit delete than send this newslettert! Just so you know, I'm as normal and vulnerable as you are.