What I Learned This Summer Part 4: Trust the Magic

My dog wants me to work here

Today might be a little longer than usual as the story is so good. The point is to show you how to make the magic happen in your career.

Hint: Wait. Pay attention.

Here's the background of seemingly unrelated things that have been rolling around in my head for a couple of years:

• I live near a college and walk my dogs on campus everyday.
• I love the energy of early adulthood, and paid for my PhD by working in student affairs as a Residence Hall Director.
• My clients now include a number of 21-year-olds, and it's thrilling to teach them the lessons I wish I had known at their age.
• I have loosely thought about creating a program for young adults and have done nothing with that idea.
• I miss having colleagues that I see every day and the ambient conversations that happen in the cafeteria and hallway.

Here's the story:

My husband and I were walking on campus, and he suggested I might do a program for college students. I couldn't shut the conversation down fast enough. It was my restorative August, and I could not tolerate even a fun, inspirational conversation about work.

As we continued to walk, a door opened and hundreds of new students poured out. We pivoted our route to avoid the crowd and found ourselves walking next to a woman. I asked if she had just presented to the first years, and it turns out she is the VP of Student Affairs. We discovered we're neighbors, discussed her kids, our kids, and then I mentioned how much I loved my time in student affairs. Then she said, "Might you be interested in a part-time job?"

For the first time since I became a coach, I thought... "yeah, maybe."

We're having tea soon.

I don't know where this will lead or I want to add a part-time job to a full life, and here's my point. The magic happens when you least expect it. I wasn't just not looking, I actively shut down the conversation. Then one minute later, an opportunity fell out of nowhere.

So, let yourself long for things. Let ideas roll around in your head. Think about and even talk about unrelated interests. Then say hello, be out in the world, watch for the open door, and walk through with curiosity.

I'm amazed as you are.

My next live event, Energizing U, is coming up on October 26. If you want to amp up your energy and movtivation, this one's for you! Sign up here.

What I Learned This Summer Part 3: You'll Know When Its Time

Time to read: 36.25 seconds

Last week I told you I took the month of August off. The truth is I was bone tired. Not burned out because I love what I do, and after the pandemic and a bunch of personal stuff, I needed to put everything down and recover.

I was unmotivated. I slept until 8:30. Going to the gym was a victory. Major sources of entertainment were walking my dogs, hanging with friends, and reading. I could not muster the energy for anything related to work. I couldn't even talk about it. (You'll hear more about that next week.)

A little voice wondered if my drive would ever return. If my new normal would be nothing but dog walks and tea.

Then, in the past week, as I've started seeing clients again and planning for a new cohort of my signature group program, Clarity U (more coming about that later), I started to imagine a couple of free online events and what I wanted to write in my newsletter. Ideas started flowing, and I'm excited to create events and content for you.

The takeaway for you is that you can trust yourself to know when it's time to turn it off. And when you're ready to turn it back on. Your motivation and energy ebb and flow. Be ready to move when it flows, and honor your need for the ebb.

You can get more information and sign up for Creating U here and Energizing U here.

What I Learned This Summer Part 2: Change Is Possible!

Time to read: 52 seconds + the links to sign up for 2 free Live Events

Couch necessities

Welcome to fall, everyone!

I took the entire month of August off. For the first time in my life, I took an extended break, and I learned a lot.

For the next few weeks, I'm going to share What I Learned on Summer Vacation and invite you to two live events inspired by my time off.(Details and sign-up below.)

Part 1: Change is possible

Fifteen years ago, I was so "busy" that I was unable to sit down to read a book. During winter break, a friend from work called every day to ask, "have you laid on the couch reading a magazine yet?"

Of course not! With my free time, I cleaned closets, sorted my children's toys, and ran to appointments. There was much to do, and all of it felt urgent. At my friend's suggestion, I lay down to read. I made it three minutes.

Fast forward to this August. Not only did I shut everything down for 5 weeks, I got Covid and spent 5 days isolated in my bedroom watching season after season of British mysteries. Not only was I able to slow down and watch TV for 5 days, I enjoyed it.

I'm sharing this story so you can see how the characteristics you think are "just who I am" can change. Through coaching, reflection, and practice, I've changed from a woman who felt like life was urgent to a woman who can exist in spaciousness. It felt revolutionary when I realized how much I've changed.

The bottom line: If you decide to, you can change old habits and behaviors, too in order to create your life according to who you want to be and what you want to do.

I've created two live events this October to help you make those changes. Get more info and sign up for Creating U here and Energizing U here.

Cool, isn't it?

Delighted to be back!

What I Learned This Summer Part 1: Nothing Is Not Nothing

Time to read: 1 minute, 22 seconds

Welcome to fall, Corporate Rebels!

I took the month of August off, meaning I completely shut my business down and had no plans. It's the first time in my life I've ever done something like this. I learned a lot. For the next few weeks, I want to share: What I Learned on Summer Vacation.

Part 1: Nothing is not Nothing

My family has attended a family camp in the Colorado mountains for 16 years. Every year, I have led programs, organized activities and served as the director of the entire camp for 3 years.

I stood by the belief that being so deeply involved in camp brought me closer to the community and enhanced the experience of the weekend.

Every year, I was busy…making sure presenters had supplies, children were in the right places, problems were handled, and interpersonal situations addressed efficiently. I loved the intensity.

This year at camp, my children were counselors, and I had no responsibility. I expected that "doing nothing" would be boring.

I was wrong.

I discovered that Nothing is not Nothing.

All weekend, I had time to talk deep and long with friends I've known for 16 years but never had time to sit down with. People came to my room to hang out late into the night. We hiked. We had happy hour. I took naps.

In the running around for 16 years, I didn't see what I was missing. It turns out there is a lot of slower, quieter, deeply fulfilling things waiting in what seems like nothing. I just couldn't see it under layers of activity and performing.

This may be one of those moments when you think, "everyone already knows that!" and I'm humbled to be late to the party if that's the case.

Five weeks of doing nothing has inspired new thinking and ideas. I'm creating two free live programs for you this fall. They are coming soon. Share this blog with your friends and colleagues and they can subscribe to this newsletter here so they are first in line as soon as the events drop.

Now that I've seen what I was missing, my days will be filled with plenty of nothing. I'm never going back to that kind of busyness again. And, I'm excited to let the nothing create some awesome somethings for you!

Have a great weekend.

Challenge #16: Give Yourself Credit

Time to read: 18 seconds

She owns it without apology

Welcome to week 16 of your summer challenge!

It's our last week! Sniff. It's been a wonderful summer with you. I've loved all the emails and stories and successes.

I hope you've loved this challenge as much as I have. And we're not done. Here is one more challenge for you:

This week, please look back and give yourself credit. If you want, you can use this summer challenge to practice. Look back over the past 15 weeks and give yourself credit for the things you've tried, the shifts you've made, the learning you had. Even if you only did one thing, give yourself credit.

If you want to amp up this week's challenge, look back at your career or other aspects of your life and give yourself credit - for making good decisions with the information you had at the time (even if they didn't work out), for taking good care of yourself, for creating a fulfilling life (most of the time).

You get to take credit for what you've created (even the painful lessons along the way).

You deserve it.

Challenge #15: Putting It All Together

Time to read: 18 seconds

Welcome to week 15 of your summer challenge!

It's our second to last week! Ads for school supplies are on TV, and fall plans are shaping up.

Let's put it all together this week. Some of you have diligently done all the challenges. Some of you only a few. I bet some of you did one or thought about doing one while you read the emails and promptly forgot. However you did this challenge, it was enough.

This week consider what you got out of this summer challenge. Although the challenges were the same for each of you, the big picture of what shifted will be unique to you.

Put one word or a short phrase to summarize the 10,000 foot view of what this challenge meant for you and/or did for you.

Then, please, send me your word/phrase. I'd love to hear what you created!

Well done!

Challenge #14: Own It!

Time to read: 18 seconds

She owns it without apology

Welcome to week 14 of your summer challenge!

Today is another short, sweet, and powerful challenge.

We've been talking about action with full permission and full responsibility. This week, I want you to own it. Whatever "it" is for you. Here is what that might look like:

• Graciously accept a compliment
• Drop the apology (unless you truly mess up, of course)
• Claim a weird little habit and make it part of your "brand"
• Make a choice and stick by it without justification
• Tell a positive story about yourself in conversation
• Wear what you love and walk around like you're worth a million bucks

If you're enjoying this challenge, please invite your friends and colleagues to join you. All they have to do is sign up here.

Have fun with this one!