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

How to take control of your day with your first cup of coffee

Estimated read time: 1 minute 21 seconds

The actual cup of tea for this morning's ritual

It’s 6:15. I’m up early to write to you.

One of the great pleasures of my day is my first cup of tea. Warm and comfy, it gently propels me. If my morning is rushed, and I don’t get that cup of tea, things feel off.

Before you read further, consider the one simple pleasure that establishes your day. That thing you miss when you feel overwhelmed or rushed or out of control. That thing is the beginning of your morning ritual.

The most successful business people, entrepreneurs and spiritual teachers have morning rituals. A morning ritual grounds you in you before the world bombards you with its needs, criticisms, and demands. It’s vital to your productivity, happiness, and leadership.

If you’re wondering what’s involved in a morning ritual and thinking...

...OMG, I don't have time to do this while getting kids to school, showering, ironing (ok – do any of you really iron anymore?), cramming in a piece of toast, and preparing for that big presentation... take a deep breath...

...you have time. You have 10 minutes to ground your energy and set your intention. That presentation will be more successful if you do.

Here’s a list of elements to try. Mix and match 2-3 things into a repeatable pattern to start your day.

1. Mindfulness: meditation, prayer, sitting in silence at your kitchen table. (I’ll write more about meditation later because it’s so, so important.)
2. Movement: yoga, stretching, exercise, walking in nature, wandering your garden
3. Writing: journaling, creative writing
4. Reading: a book, the newspaper, an inspirational passage
5. Intention setting: choose a word or phrase to guide your day
6. For all you rebelicious rule breakers out there who are getting creative, these things do not count: checking email, yelling at your kids, fighting with your partner, ordering things on Amazon, cramming in the work you didn't get done the night before, cleaning, checking Facebook

If you read about people like Deepak Chopra, you’ll see morning rituals that include 2 hours of meditation. Although that’s great, that’s not for mortals like us. On an A+ morning, I run a mile, drink tea and meditate for 15 minutes. On a B morning I run ormediate. A C- morning only has tea.

You can do this, You really can.

Christina