We need a little Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanza and…)!

Estimated read time: 30 seconds

I unapologetically LOVE Christmas. The lights. The music. The cookies. Kids giddy with excitement. Porcelain Christmas villages. The way people are kind to each other on the street and in stores.

For years, I said Happy Holidays to folks as a nice, inclusive seasons greeting, and I felt a little "blah" about it. Last year, I reclaimed Merry Christmas, and the spark came back. Saying "Merry Christmas" feels a little risky in our politically correct world.

I LOVE inclusion as much as I love Christmas. And here's the wonderful thing about inclusion. You can love what you love at the same time that you honor and appreciate the things other people love. Inclusion is not about watering down your own beliefs and passions so others won't feel offended. It's about embracing your beliefs and passions which gives room for others to embrace theirs. Then we all live in peace and harmony. Pretty great, huh?

I now proclaim a "Merry Christmas" to neighbors, friends, and strangers. Some people enthusiastically reply and some mumble an uncomfortable "Happy Holidays." Either way, it's great.

So, Merry Christmas to all you Corporate Rebels out there. It's been an amazing, challenging and powerful year. I hope you and yours have a wonderful time whatever you're celebrating.

Merry Christmas!

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.

P.P.S. I'm taking a couple of weeks off so next Thursday will be the first time in 18 months that there will be no newsletter. Enjoy your time off!

Be the light in the darkness. I dare you!

Estimated read time: 45 seconds (55 if you read slowly)

Let your light explode! Or shimmer! Or twinkle!

I was at a meeting this morning and before we began, one of the committee members (who is aptly named, Joy) asked each of us to reflect on where we find joy and light in the darkness. After each of us shared touching details from our lives, Joy said,

"It is a defiant act to be the light in the darkness."

If you watch international news or live in the North, you know that there is plenty of darkness to go around right now - literally and figuritvely. People have told me they feel guilty for wrapping gifts or making plans for holiday travel. They feel guilty for experiencing joy when there is so much darkness.

We need joy now more than ever. Being joyful is a radical act. Being joyful isn't about being complacent or blind. Joy is about harnessing the power of love, spirit, and fun to serve yourself and those around you.

We need your unique light. How will you bring your defiant light to your work and home?

Here are some ideas for inspiration:

• Laugh early and often.
• Take a treat to the office (baking is my personal favorite).
• Tell someone how much you appreciate them.
• Watch a funny movie. (Elf, anyone?)
• Give yourself full permission to enjoy the holidays (or not, if that suits you).
• Be inspired by the beauty in nature.

Choose one way you can add your light to the darkness. What will you do? I'll be baking, delivering treats to neighbors, and road-tripping with my family.

Email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and tell me all about your joy. I love to hear from you!

Stay warm!

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.

10 Ways to Increase Your Visibility at the Office

Estimated read time: 1 minute, 9.98 seconds

When you make yourself visible, you stand out.

I hear from many of you that you wish you were more visible, that more people would see and appreciate your work. For a few of you, you tell me you wish even one person valued your work.

When you feel undervalued or unappreciated, take a look at whether you are truly allowing yourself to be seen.

When I first decided to call my business The Corporate Rebel, I could hardly choke out those words for fear that my corporate clients would never let me in their buildings again. One morning, a colleague of mine and I were presenting about managing conflict to a room full of people when someone asked about our businesses. I said something bland about being a "leadership coach" when my friend grabbed the mic and declared, "She's the Corporate Rebel Coach. Isn't that awesome?!" I couldn't believe she said it out loud. I wanted to disappear.

Take a look at your situation. Where are you hiding? Playing safe? Holding back from saying what you really think or believe? What are you keeping your accomplishments to yourself because "it's not polite to brag?"

Then consider how much more satisfying it might be to allow yourself to be seen. If you want your management and colleagues to see and value your work, choose these things:

Take risks.

Show up.

Take a stand for what you believe and what's important to you.

Feel vulnerable, doubtful, unsafe, and uncomfortable.

Make mistakes - maybe really big ones (see #1).

Listen deeply to feedback. Learn. Grow.

Spend time with people who hold a big vision for you, maybe even a bigger vision than you hold for yourself.

Build trust that you can handle whatever happens. Even the mistakes. Even the wild successes.

Be accountable and responsible for your actions and words.

Clean up your messes. Recover and keep going.

Last night, I presented to a group of Executive MBA candidates at a prestigious business school. The first slide declared boldly, "The Corporate Rebel." I can attest to the fact that it is more fulfilling to be seen.

If you feel undervalued, afraid to been seen as you really are, or wish you were more visible to your management, I'd love to talk. Email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com to schedule a chat.

I hope this is helpful!

Warmly,

Christina

P.S. When you choose visibility, you'll make mistakes. Last week, I used the phrase, “rebel flag” in the subject line of this newsletter. Two friends generously pointed out the reference to the Confederate battle flag, a symbol that to many represents white supremacy. I stand for racial justice and apologize for referencing something that stands so counter to my values and may have puzzled or hurt some of you.

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.

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 1 Thing That Will Make Your Work Instantly Easier!

Estimated read time: 34 seconds (because things want to be simple in this season)

Sending you this imperfect selfie to show you how easy imperfection is.

During client calls today, I heard a lot about perfectionism and the desire to move forward already! Do any of these examples sound familiar to you?

• You tweak a Powerpoint presentation over and over because it's not quite finished yet.
• You stay up late rewriting a report to get it "just right."
• You have delayed on publishing something because if still needs work.
• You still haven't written those cover letters.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you might be a perfectionist. Or at least have some perfectionist tendencies.

Perfection is the enemy of complete and in many cases, complete is the more important of the two.

(If you are a space or medical device engineer, feel free to go for perfection.) For the rest of us...

The cure for perfectionism is easier than you think. Simply follow these steps:

1. Produce the imperfect thing.
2. Take a deep breath and let go of the drive to make it perfect. Seriously. Stop working on it right now.
3. Send it out, publish it, or present it in all it's glorious imperfection.
4. See that, in fact, you don't die.
5. Repeat.

After a few repetitions, you'll get used to it. You'll be more efficient and able to focus on other projects and on, maybe, sleeping or fun.

Send out the thing you've been perfecting now. I dare you. Then write me and tell me all about it.

I always love to hear from you.

With love,

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. P.P.S. There's even a typo in this newsletter to continue to demonstrate that imperfection won't kill you.

Want more freedom, gratitude + badassery in your life?

Estimated read time: Maybe 1 little minute.

The word badassery is fun to say so let's say it as many times as we can. Badassery, badassery, badassery.

It's Thanksgiving in the USA tomorrow, and I am so, so grateful - for my family's health, for the love that surrounds us, and for all of you. I'll be giving thanks in a big way.

The whipped cream on the pecan pie was being invited to participate in my dear friend, Sandra's, interview series, Unleash Your Inner Badass. What she calls badassery (said it again!), we in Corporate Rebel Land call rebelicious.

Thanksgiving is not a traditional gift-giving holiday, and we don't do things the traditional way around here.

Too many people settle for mediocrity, become victims of their circumstances, and simply complain about the way things are. I don’t think that’s you, though. I think you are someone who sees the value of investing in yourself, training your mind, and taking responsibility for your life and the world around you.

That's why I said yes to Sandra (and because I just downright love her). I'm careful with your time and only put things of real value in front of you. Sandra has produced a series of interviews that are fun and meaningful.

These interviews are packed with info to help you:

• let go of what’s holding you back;
• be more unapologetically you;
• build a new, more badass (rebelicious), reality for yourself.

If you're too busy eating and watching the National Dog Show to catch our entertaining and real interview on Thanksgiving, no worries. It will be available for 72 hours. And all the interviews will be available starting December 1 so you can gorge yourself like a Thanksgiving feast.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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.

Speeding toward the holidays? Stay on track with these productivity tips.

Estimated read time: 1:02.81 minutes

It sounds weird. And seriously, this tomato-inspired strategy will help you get more done starting TODAY.

In the late fall, the pace of life and work speeds up. This year, there is much happening on the national and international stage. It can be exhausting. Things accelerate - annual reviews, holiday parties, travel, year-end analyses, family visits, and project deadlines. Does it feel like this in your world?

In response to the pace of the wider world, we are keeping things simple here at Corporate Rebel HQ.

I'll spend the next few weeks teaching you techniques for efficiency and productivity so you can focus, do excellent work, breathe, and have more time for fun and festivities.

Here's the first one, inspired by a process called Pomodoro. (Yes, the Italian word for tomato.) This super productivity strategy was developed by Francesco Cirillo who was inspired by his tomato-shaped kitchen timer.

I use a modified version of Francesco's process which you can implement immediately to make your work more productive. Here's how it works:

1. Text or instant message a friend or colleague who will be your virtual pomodoro partner. (You can also do this process alone.)
3. Tell your friend exactly what you are going to work on for the next 25 minutes. Choose one thing.
4. Shut off your email, FB, and phone ringer so you can focus.
5. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
6. When you're both ready, text Go! and start the timer.
7. Focus for the next 25 minutes.
8. When the timer goes off, account your progress and/or completion to your colleague. Celebrate!
9. Take a 5 minute break - grab coffee, step outside, throw in a load of laundry, listen to music.

Rinse and repeat as many times as you like.

I used this process to write this newsletter and am now going to take a break to make breakfast for my kids before school.

Let me know how this process works for you!

I hope this helps.

Warmly,

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.