Do You Worry About the Future?

G'day! (I learned that from my Aussie friends this summer).

Fear of the future is as common as the vanilla ice-cream that I hope you slurped up this summer (or this winter for all you southern hemisphere folks). 

You get to see your past in vivid technicolor, and the future is a hazy path with elusive, invisible twists and curves. No matter how much you lay awake at night running scenarios in your head or how many legal pads you fill with detailed plans, your future is coming, and it is unknown.

Just the word "unknown" is enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most experienced vice president or analytical engineer. 

Can you relate to any of these experiences?

• Feeling that it's time to shake things up, do something different, pump some new creativity and inspiration into your work and uncertain how to do that?
• Realizing that you spent a fortune getting trained in a field where you don't want to spend the next 25-40 years and lying awake worrying about what to do next?
• Feeling shaky about the process of becoming an adult (even if you technically already are one) and resisting the sacrifices to your freedom and happiness that you assume come with adulting?
• Forcing yourself out of bed each morning to fake your way through a job that is sucking your soul because you're afraid you won't be able to afford your mortgage?

Each of these examples is about fear — that you might make a seismic mistake that will haunt you forever — worry that you'll end up sitting at your kitchen table in a few years wishing you had chosen something else. Or worried that pursuing what makes you happy means no house, no college for your kids, and no financial security. 

I am here to tell you one simple truth. Life doesn't have to be hard. Work doesn't have to be hard. You are in the driver's seat. You make the choices. You get one go-around in this life, wouldn't you like to be happy and fulfilled?

Because you follow The Corporate Rebel, here is what I know about you:

• You are committed to making bold moves in your career and life;
• You want to align your work with your values; 
• You strive to choose courage and consciousness in your decisions;
• You want to create happiness and success on YOUR TERMS.

Even so, do you sometimes feel uneasy, fuzzy, uncomfortable, or stuck?

Maybe you are missing a sense of clarity or permission to take the next step toward your future. Whatever you are out to accomplish and whatever is holding you back,the fastest and easiest way to get clear is to sort it out with someone who gets your world and is committed to your success. (Otherwise, it is all just rattling around in your fuzzy and overfull mind!) 

If having a conversation with someone who gets you will help, let's talk! We'll unpack your personal situation, and I'll share my best ideas and insights about what might be possible. I'll help you get clear about where you're heading and together we'll create a plan for your next move. Whew. All of that in one free call!

I've opened a few spots in my personal calendar to talk to YOU. Choose a time that works for you right here. 

I look forward to connecting!

Christina

P.S. Now is a great time to start a plan for your next move. Wouldn't you love some clarity and access to my best ideas and insights? You can get all kinds of ideas and insights by hopping on the phone for a free phone call. Choose a time that works for you here.

If you don't see a time that works, email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and we'll find one!

Does Your Life Feel Like a Run Away Train?

Today I am celebrating the 2-year anniversary of the first newsletter I ever sent. It took me a week to write, and then after sending it, I wanted to hide under my bed. (I was terrified). You can check it out below. (The font sucks, I know. I have come so far. And so have you.)

Here's your assignment for today: Take a look backwards and find something that used to be terrifying and hard that is now an easy part of your routine. Then celebrate yourself and your growth! You deserve it.

I hear from people that the pace of their lives is killing them. They are busy, exhausted, and want to get things under control.
 
Does this sound like your life?
 
Here’s the bad news: Control is an illusion.
 
Here’s the good news: You get to choose (not control, choose).
 
Yes, you really get to choose. You get to let go of the pressure to control and instead, choose how you do your life.
 
With these three strategies, you can start to choose and change the pace of your life from exhausted to elated:

1. Tune in to your calendar – Which to-dos make you happy and excited and which things are there because you feel you should or someone else expectsyou to do them. Dump the shoulds and the expects and do more of the excited.
    
2. Give yourself buffer time and don’t compromise it for other people’s needs. Make sure you have space (even 10 minutes makes a huge difference) between appointments so you arrive fresh, on time, and ready to focus.
    
3. Create white space. In our hyped- up and plugged in world, give yourself the gift of silence and space. Put your phone in the glove box when you drive. When you walk to your next meeting, just walk there – don’t check email and talk on the phone at the same time.  You’ll be shocked how quickly great ideas start to flow in the white space.

The goal is your effectiveness and peace of mind. I’ll be sharing more strategies in upcoming newsletters so stay tuned!
 
I hope this helps.
 
Get out there and thrive!
Christina
 
P.S. If you’re struggling with a runaway train of a life, email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and tell me about your biggest challenge. I’d love to share some strategies tailored for your situation.

P.P.S. Here is a present for being my first subscribers! Thank you!  Click here  to receive "The Corporate Rebel's Guide to Dealing with a Crappy Boss."

What Your Quick No May Be Costing You

Today I want to talk about saying no and make the case for why you shouldn't.

I know. I know. I have preached that a good, clear no will protect your time and keep your priorities in order. And...

Sometimes a quick "no" costs you opportunities.

See if you share this fear with me:

I fear my life and time will be completely overwhelmed (which has happened a few times). I've learned to manage this potentiality with a swift and easy "no." I've realized recently that I may be throwing that no around like a bull in a china shop, resulting in broken opportunities and shards of potential on the floor. (Enough of that metaphor.)

Here are two recent examples where my fast no almost cost me an amazing opportunity.

1. A dear friend from college is retiring from a muckity-muck chief of everyone job with the US Navy. He emailed me a "save the date" for his blow out party in Washington DC . I emailed him an immediate no, thinking that with kids back in school and the pace of fall, I can't be flying to DC for the weekend. When I mentioned the party to my husband he was, like, "Why not? You should go. It would be fun." He was right.

2. My family and I were invited to a childhood friend's daughter's wedding in Kenya. (Did I mention I used to live in Kenya? See the photo of Lamu, Kenya above for a little taste.) I immediately responded no because tickets are expensive, and we'd have to take our children out of school. At dinner that night, I told my family about the engagement and the "impossible" invitation. All three of them got excited and pulled me immediately from the realm of "impossible" to "likely." My husband? Right again.

What's the message here?

1. Listen to my husband.
    
2. Spend a few more than 2 seconds evaluating an opportunity before you say no. If you're invited to chair that time consuming committee for an organization you don't care about, a swift and decisive no may be just the ticket. A friend's wedding? The trip of a lifetime? Give it more time.
    
3. Consider your values. Yes, I value balance. I also value adventure, life experiences, and my relationships. Be conscious about which value you are honoring or dishonoring with each choice.
    
4. Consider if your no is coming from fear or from a true desire to manage your time and honor what's important to you. Choose based on what's important to you, not fear.

What "no" are you going to revisit as a result of today's content? Pop on over the the Corporate Rebel HQ Facebook community to tell us all about it. Click here to comment or join!

With Rebel Love,
 
Christina

P.S. The conversation is happening in the Corporate Rebel HQ Facebook community. Click here to comment on today's content, ask questions, and join the rebel conversation. 

P.P.S If something you read today made you think of a friend or colleague, please share it by forwarding this email to them. They can sign up to receive it right here.

Dreaming of Being an Entrepreneur? 5 Compelling Reasons to Keep Your Job

Have you heard this message? The message says that if you have a JOB, you have somehow failed your calling or your path to true happiness. That if you truly had grit and creativity, you'd be an entrepreneur.

Here's a story to illustrate the point. A few years ago, I was coaching and doing team workshops in a big, financial company. My coaching partner and I were out to dinner with the HR Director when he announced that he was thinking of quitting his job to start his own business. My partner and I practically flew across the table screaming, "Nooooooo!" As the sole breadwinner for his family of 5, printing a new business card was not going to send his 3 children to college. He had a good thing going at his job and quickly saw from our stricken faces that staying was a good choice.

Now don't get me wrong. Being an entrepreneur is great - the flexibility, freedom, and creativity can't be beat. For some people, becoming an entrepreneur is a great option. If you have a financial safety net, the ability to work on your venture on the side, or a robust network of people ready to hire your new business, you have a great place to start.

As the HR Director discovered, there are many fabulous benefits to corporate life. Here 5 compelling reasons to ignore the call of entrepreneurship and stay in your job. (These just happen to be the things I miss most about corporate life):

1. Your salary. You get paid when you are sick. You get paid when you are on vacation. They pay you if you work on a big project or if you spend your day cleaning out your email. You get raises, and many companies give bonuses or other financial awards. Pay for entrepreneurs is uncertain and constantly fluctuates. When an entrepreneur isn't working, they don't get paid.
    
2. Your colleagues. This is probably the one I miss the most. Lunches out with your office mates. Daily conversations, shared experiences, and energetic collaborators. Entrepreneurs work alone much of the time.
    
3. Free food! Corporations have coffee areas and do things like bring in sandwiches and bagels. There are amazing holiday potlucks (delicious jello cake! artichoke dip!), retirement parties, snack boxes from consultants, and celebrations for major milestones. All I can say is there is no free food in my kitchen and no one is providing it but me.
    
4. Paid professional development. Corporations send employees to conferences. (You get to stay in a hotel and expense your meals! I still remember the sushi dinner in NYC.) Companies host classes on everything from courageous conversations to productivity to Six Sigma.  Entrepreneurs pay for their own professional development and eat at Subway.
    
5. Other people do the stuff you don't like. Not into managing finances? No worries. Someone else manages the company's finances. Your computer doesn't work? Call the IT department. Have an insurance question? Benefits is just a phone call away. As an entrepreneur, you are all the departments unless you have a long suffering partner or generous friends with IT and marketing skills.

Organizations offer different sorts of benefits so your company may have a different menu of great things. I'd love to hear what they are. What is a compelling reason to stay in your corporate job? 

Email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and tell me all about it. I promise not to get too jealous of your free food.

With rebel love,
Christina

A Surprising Take On Opportunity

Last week, I attended a presentation at a big company as part of a coaching gig in their women's leadership program. The women in my coaching group were shocked by something one of the speakers said. I want to share it with you so you can experience the same sense of liberation my group did.

He said,

It's ok to say no to opportunities.

What? 

Really?

Most of us are trying to maximize opportunities, seek out new ones, and generally advance our careers on a pathway of YES! Saying no to an opportunity seems counter-intuitive. 

This comment reminded me of a long-buried personal story:

Years ago, when I worked in HR, one of the directors I supported offered me a management position to lead the team that was strategizing the technology and processes needed to leverage mobile IT for our company. The offer came with a $1000 per month raise. (I still dream about that raise.)

I said no.

I wanted to be in management, but honestly, mobile IT held no juice for me. Yes, I'd make more money and be catapulted up the leadership chain, and I'd spend my days dealing with tech and systems that bored me. I stayed in the HR role I loved and moved into management through a different path.

Just because an opportunity is an opportunity doesn't mean it's YOUR opportunity. (ooohhh…Tweet that!)

Evaluate each opportunity according to your goals and plans for your career, your family, and your life. And if you don't have a clear vision for those goals and plans, that's ok. Trust your instincts. Listen to your gut and make your choice.

You can say no. And trust that the right opportunity will come along.

Oh yeah!

Christina
 

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.

What's the right response to everything that's happening?

Estimated read time: Les than one minute.

It's been avoiding sitting down to write this newsletter. What does someone who writes about work have to say about the tragic events of the past week?

Do you ever feel like things are so big and complex and wonder where to find your contribution? I do, and it exhausts me sometimes. Like today.

I'm going straight to the point.

The human world is driven by two forces, love and fear. Love can feel like the harder option because it requires vulnerability, openness, risk, and courage.

Love is the only option, and love belongs at work.

Here's your challenge. You are a leader. Leaders take responsibility for their worlds. Leaders take care of their people. Go find some people and take care of them. This week put love into your world every day, especially at work.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Bring coffee to your officemates, especially the ones you don't like.
• Let the person in front of you merge into traffic.
• Leave an extra tip for your server.
• Pay for someone's meal at the cafeteria. Even better if it's a stranger.
• Call a colleague you'd honestly rather just email.
• Tell your boss what you appreciate about him/her. Even better, do it in writing.

Each action you take this week, at work and at home, ask yourself if you are coming from love or fear. Then choose love. The impact on the greater world will be tremendous.

In 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.