Feel Good Thursday

Time to read: Less than 1 minute

This is what being brilliant looks like.

I was talking with a client today. She has been asked to step into a big new role. It's a stretch, and she's ready. She also has feelings about the change and asked me why she's having these feelings.

I shared one of my favorite quotes with her. Marianne Williamson said (edited for length),

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be….Your playing small does not serve the world….We are all meant to shine…And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Consider this when you feel afraid and vulnerable: Who are you not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Ask For Much More!

Time to read: The bullets make this easy to read. 46 seconds

When people get on the phone with me for the first time, usually something's not working.

• A wonky boss relationship
• Burnout
• Low motivation
• Overwhelm
• Lack of balance
• Not being heard
• Career not on track
• Not being recognized
• Any one of a thousand ways to get in your own way

Sound familiar?

Underneath these challenges is longing and desire, and my job is to link the challenges to the desire and help you find the path to what you want.

The thing is, most people aren't able to articulate what they want and certainly don't know how to get there. In an initial call, I always ask, "what do you hope I can help you with?" Here's a selection of answers from the past few weeks:

• tips to communicate better with my boss
• wrangle the chaos
• explore career options
• job searching advice
• manage emotions
• clarity to move forward in my career

These are valuable things, and my clients get these things. And I tell people if all I do is give you a few tips to have better conversations with your boss, I'm not doing my job. (btw: You can get those tips on the internet for free.)

You can ask for so.much.more. Underneath the obvious request, you are asking for something you can't yet articulate.

Let's say you want to run a better meeting. I can teach you to create an agenda and speak slowly (snooze) or we can work together to clear out the self-doubt and help you become the confident, fun person who naturally runs a better meeting. There's nothing wrong with tiny, incremental change….and….you can expect transformation. What if you got a paradigm shift that leaves you confident in your worth? or owning your leadership? or made you the priority?

If you are looking for something and just can't put your finger on it, let's talk. I'll help you find what you're actually looking for.

Schedule a time to chat. In 30 minutes, we'll talk about what's going on, develop a solution or two, and explore if the Clarity U group coaching program is the right next step.

In the words of a graduate:

"Better than 20 years of therapy. I wish I'd done it sooner!"

Intrigued? Grab your spot. The door closes for the year on October 6.

Can't wait to connect!

The Downside of Everything

Time to read: short and sweet 38 seconds

Bookkeeping time!

Tomorrow is tax day. For those of you who work for organizations, we entrepreneurs have get to pay "quarterly estimated taxes" 4 times a year since our earnings are variable.

I'm tired. I coached all day. I parented all day. I walked dogs and did laundry. I still have to get dinner on the table. And….bookkeeping and taxes are part of being a legitimate business so despite how I feel, I'll sit down now and get 'er done. I can imagine a thousand more fun things to do.

Can you relate?

This is the sh%$ sandwich that comes with owning my own business. It's easy to fantasize about how great "that job" will be; or how much better your life would be if you had a different career (I hear things like "a non profit would be more meaningful…." and "if only I had the benefits in a big company…."); or how much freedom you'd have if you went out on your own.

It's all about choices. I have freedom. I love what I do. The impact of coaching is meaningful to me. Being my own accounting and IT departments aren't my favorite.

When you look around your world, have you made choices that align with what you want? Are you getting results that align with your sense of purpose and meaning?

In the words of a graduate:

"When I came to Clarity U, I was depleted. If you are not getting what you want, I highly recommend Clarity U. I am now moving forward with renewed confidence and a zest for life." - HR Director and Bicycle Enthusiast

Intrigued? Let's talk. We start in early October so the opportunity is ticking. Grab your spot here.

Can't wait to connect!

Why Your Energy Matters

Time to read: 35 seconds

Happy September!

Lately, I've been thinking and talking a lot about energy. What it is. Why it matters.

The bottom line: The energy you put out into the world matters. A lot. To you. To those around you. Even to the wider environment.

I'm about to share a personal story, and the point is not to toot my horn but to show you the impact you have, even when you don't realize it.

A thank-you note arrived in the mail from a graduation party I attended for one of my daughter's friends. I interacted with this lovely girl a handful of times and wouldn't say I know her well. Here's what she wrote,

"I would like to say thanks for modeling kindness and positivity in all of our interactions. Seeing an adult act the way you do has shaped me into a better person, and for that, I am thankful."

I was touched. Our world is filled with animosity, conflict, anger, and separation, and it doesn't have to be. If you choose to be kind and positive and you choose to be kind and positive and you choose to be kind and positive, then we end up with a very different atmosphere. How you choose to be matters. Today, I want you to see and own your impact…in every interaction. Big and small. Make them count.

If you get the concept that energy and who you are matters, and you feel stuck or like you'd like to figure out how to unlock the best parts of you, let's talk! I open my calendar once a year for free 30-minute chats. We'll talk about what's going on for you and develop a solution or two. I'm also enrolling the 2023 class for my signature group coaching program, Clarity U.

Here's what one graduate has to say:

"Clarity U allowed me to remember who I am and show up authentically. As a result, I made a career change after 25 years. It would not have happened without Clarity U! The ride is worth every minute." -Director of Qualified Plans and Nurturer of Curiosity

Intrigued? Let's talk. We start in early October so the offer to chat is only open in Sepember. Grab your spot.

Can't wait to connect!

My #1 Tip For Transition

Time to read: 43 seconds

Not actual dorm room. We're organized but not this organized.

This is the season of transition….last vacations, kids starting school, and work projects ramping up. Times of transition are discombobulating at best, and anxiety and conflict-producing at worst. Think of families bickering in the school supply aisle at Target.

We drop off our first child at college today. She's excited and ready. Bags are packed. Every imaginable closet organizer is purchased. I poured my feelings into a long to-do list. I vacillate between thrill to see her launch and agony over watching her go.

Which brings me to my hot tip about how to manage transitions.

Simply acknowledge you are in transition and be with it…discomfort and all. In the past, I fretted and tried to control change. Guess what I learned?

It's impossible to control anything change.

You can't speed up time. You can't muscle your feelings into submission. The transition is going to happen despite what you might want.

You are, however, strong enough to handle whatever happens and however you feel.

New job? Promotion? Seasonal change? Getting older? Moved a parent into a nursing home? This strategy works for every and all transitions, big or small.

The other thing that helps is talking to me! This is the one time of year that I open my calendar for free 30-minute chats about what's going on for you and help you develop a solution or two. I'm also enrolling the 2023 class for my signature group coaching program, Clarity U.

Here's what one graduate has to say:

"Working with Clarity U gave me insights and tools that I use on a daily basis. I tell my friends that this work has been more valuable to me than a lifetime of therapy. (And a lot more fun.) I wish I had done it 20 years ago. Christina is amazingly insightful and honest, and one of the warmest and most encouraging people I have ever had the honor to know.” - E.G.

Intrigued? Let's talk. We start in early October so the offer to chat is only open for a few weeks. Grab your spot.

Can't wait to connect!

And Now For Something Completely Different….

Time to read: 50 seconds

Today is a little break from promoting Hope in the Everyday (although you can still sign up here or in the PS). Conventional wisdom in the entrepreneurial world says "don't distract your audience in the middle of a program launch. We are the Corporate Rebels. So, here is a wonderful distraction!

My other important hat is Mom, and this week, I was interviewed on a podcast called Your College Bound Kid about parenting and shepherding an independent minded, high school sceptic through high school and the college process. The podcast is entertaining, if I say so myself.

If you enjoy a lively conversation, this podcast episode is for you. If you like the Corporate Rebel as it relates to work, you'll love how it relates to parenting. If you've never met me, you can see what I'm like live and unvarnished. If you know me through the Corporate Rebel, you'll meet a whole new side of me. And if you're my mom or my mother-in-law, no comments from the peanut gallery on my parenting.

You can enjoy the podcast here.

Finally! Something From Me To You!

Time to read: 48 seconds

I'm excited to announce a FREE live experience for you! (If you already know you want to sign up for Hope in the Everyday do so here.)

Early in the pandemic, back when we all had oodles of energy, I offered free classes, a daily check in on Zoom, and written resources about working from home. Then we got tired. And busy. Then, frankly, exhausted. You (and I) did not have one tiny shred of energy for anything else, even if that thing was good.

We're back! We're not back to 100% yet, and I've noticed recently that my clients and students have more mental bandwidth to reflect, ask big questions, and make conscious decisions. I also have more energy to create.

Many of you have reached out to ask when I'll offer free resources again. The answer is NOW!

You are invited to a 3-part live experience called Hope in the Everyday.

In three 60-minute live events (August 25, September 8 and 22), we'll assess the current state of your work and life, build skills for hope and well-being, and create an action plan to bring all that learning into your real life and career. If you've ever attended one of my events in the past, you know they are lively and relevant. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. Get more info and sign up to join Hope in the Everyday.