What Are You Waiting For?

Time to read: A nice short one. 43 seconds.

My clients have said things recently like:

• "I'll retire next year when…."
• "I'll look for a new job when…."
• "I'll go visit that old friend when…."
• "I'll move to my dream city when…."

When is when? This thinking operates on a fallacy that there is more money, time, and motivation in the future than there is in the present. This fallacy keeps you waiting, but for what?

The future is built upon who you are and what you do with this minute, this hour and this day.

So instead of looking to a false future that you think holds all your dreams and desires, ask yourself what you can do now to bring your current reality closer to your dreams and desires. If you want more fun and freedom in the future, what can you do this minute to have more fun? If your future self is carefree and calm, how do you become carefree and calm today?

This is a simple concept with wide-reaching impact. If you have a minute, I'd love to hear you what you think. Hit reply to share your thoughts.

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

Be well.

Three Cheers For Your Freedom!

Time to read: 30 seconds because you have BBQ to eat and fireworks to watch!

Even though the 4th of July is a distinctly American holiday, around the globe, nations mark their independence from tyranny and external control in celebrations of all sorts. Keep reading to see what this holiday has to do with your life and work.

In those idealized stories of nationhood, bands of ill-equipped, untrained and determined rebels threw off the shackles of domination and colonization by much bigger powers. Passion, tenacity and the desire for self-determination led citizens to take a stand for their freedom.

They did not wait for someone to give them freedom. They believed that independence was their birthright. They believed they had the power to create their own reality. They put those beliefs into action that ultimately led to their independence.

These stories are idealized. Hypocrisy and oppression are baked into the reality of these independence stories. We can't and shouldn't ignore the complexity. Both the passion and the hypocrisy are part of the narrative.

And this brings me to you on this festive 4th of July. Freedom from tyranny is your birthright, even when that tyranny is your own beliefs and choices. The path to liberation is complicated, messy and far from ideal. Don't let the complexity and messiness become an excuse for inaction. You have the power of self-determination. It's simply (HA!) a matter of clearing the clutter from your mind so you can see the path forward.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

I raise a glass to your freedom!

Christina

P.S. If you know someone who wants to be liberated from the tyranny of their own beliefs and choices, simply forward this email to them. They can join us here.

P.P.S. Very soon, my BFF, Anne Lippin, MD and I are launching a cool weeklong challenge that will help you quiet the noise. I don't know about you, but our lives can get very noisy. We've created this challenge to help you clear the path to your freedom. Stay tuned. Coming soon!

Trading On Your Independence

With the celebration of independence day in the USA, I've been thinking about you and your freedom. Is it weird that while I'm at the lake in Texas with my family, I think of you?

You'll see how this all ties together in a minute.

One of the things you tell me you want most is freedom. 

Then I hear all kinds of magical (read: unrealistic and frankly, undesirable) dreams of freedom like traveling the world with unlimited money, no cares and never having to work. (I've had friends who lived that kind of freedom. A life plan that revolved around spending the winter surfing in Australia and the summer at the house in the Alps left my friends purposeless and depressed. Even that kind of financial and location freedom didn't yield the happiness so many of you really want).

So what's up with this whole freedom and independence thing?

Here are some thoughts to help you decide how freedom fits into your work and life:

• You traded your freedom and independence for things you value (or things you think you value).

For example: You may have aligned your life with a partner. You gained companionship, love, and maybe material security in exchange for having to consider someone else in your decisions. In my life, I am keenly aware that I am not meant to live alone, AND my choice to have a family has certainly cost aspects of my independence. (I remember that every time a child wakes me up at night or my salary goes to pay for music lessons.)

Another example: You have a job. You want to please your boss. You want to do "good" work. You trade your freedom and independence for financial rewards, pleasing others, a sense of purpose, fitting in, and taking your career to the next level.

• Conscious choice is the key to freedom. Did you trade your freedom and independence intentionally? Many people get married, have children, live in certain locations, take certain jobs or pursue certain careers stumbling through the morass of family and societal opinions about your next "right step." You might not know you've traded your freedom until you feel stuck, wonder how the hell you ended up in that mini-van, or something significant changes in your work or personal life leaving you confused about how you ended up where you are and what to do next. This was me 6 years ago.
   
• Freedom is not free. Freedom and independence come with responsibility.When you make the choices, exercise your independence at work, and determine your own schedule, YOU are responsible for your results and failures. When you choose independence, you trade security, stability and shared responsibility. There is no one to blame.

Which brings me back to the lake house. I choose to structure my life and work to give me freedom to travel and raise my children. That means I am responsible to you, each week, with every program I create, and every comment I put in public, regardless of where I am or what I'm doing. My business and all of you go with me everywhere. I like it that way because I've chosen it.

How are you choosing your freedom and independence?

I love to hear from you. Email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and let me know what you think or join the conversation in the Corporate Rebel HQ Facebook page. All are welcome! Click here to join. 

With Rebel Love,
 
Christina

P.S. You can join more Corporate Rebel fun and insight in the Corporate Rebel HQ Facebook Community. Click here to join. 

It's the quitting season!

Estimated read time: 1:17.09 minutes.

Quit optional activities you don't enjoy. My daughter hated T- ball.

There's a lot going on right now. Holiday prep. Election updates. Dark days. Year-end deliverables. Here in the North, we're finally into cold weather. Are you feeling the intensity?

With everything that's happening in your life, the US and the world right now, I want to provide you with relief, permission to rest, and a chance to slow down. I want to help you find some ease.

One simple path to more ease is Be A Quitter.

I can hear some of you saying, "Nope. That's impossible. I can can't shirk my responsibilities." We're taught that being a quitter is Bad with a capital B.

Quitting is good. Sometimes, you must.

You are a kind and generous person. You likely say yes to more things than you can reasonably handle. Quitting is one path to balance. (So is saying no but that's a conversation for a different day.)

Tony Robbins says that quitting in order to honor your values is vital. (And if Tony Robbins says it, it must be true.)

Try these ideas on for size:

• Promised you'd attend a baby shower, and now you feel like you need a quiet evening at home? Send a Babies R Us gift card with a kind note and quit! Honor your value of quiet.
• Volunteered to organize an event and realize you've said yes to one to many things? Send an email and quit! Honor your value of free time.
• Agreed to have lunch with a friend from college who you don't like much anymore? Decline, make a note not to schedule this lunch again, and quit! Honor your value of authentic relationships.

When you are evaluating how you spend your day, consider if an activity brings you joy - nor not. Choose to do the things that bring you joy. And offer a polite, accountable, "I quit."

It's a good practice. And the discomfort of quitting will ultimately teach you where you need to say no to honor your values.

I hope this brings you some ease and simplicity.

Christina

P.S. If you know someone who would like to receive this newsletter, they can sign-up for The Corporate Rebel Video Podcast and Newsletter HERE.

The only trick you need to do something hard

Estimated read time: between 1 and 2 minutes

Ahhh…corporate glory days. (Crazy hat day courtesy of the wonderful Michele Chin-Purcell.)

My clients are starting new jobs and expanding their opportunities and having brave conversations and doing things that are new to them. Some stuff feels hard for them, too. (And they're excited and moving forward and getting what they want).

That's why I'm writing this to you. I said there was one thing that will help you do hard things and as I'm writing, I realize there's a BONUS thing. (2 lessons for the price of one! Yay!)

Here's the one thing:

And it's funny because the lesson is this: do one thing. That's it. I learned this from my husband at 3:00 am after I'd been worrying about producing an Excel spreadsheet for a team of VPs in my new corporate job and OMG, I've never seen Excel before in my life! "All you have to do is go into the office tomorrow and do one thing." He said those words either because they are wise or because he thought they were his best chance of getting any sleep.

All you have to do is one thing. Then the next thing. Then the next until, amazingly, you've done all the things.

Here's the BONUS thing:

Hold onto why you are doing the hard thing. I'm producing a webinar because I care deeply about making sure that your freedom is never negotiable. You told me you:

• feel stuck
• want to get out of your own way
• lack opportunities
• want work/life balance
• are exhausted
• are worried that time is slipping by

I am delighted to keep testing the systems and producing content because I know the process I'm teaching next Wednesday will help you find the peace, balance, and opportunities you crave.

Christina