Who is on Your Team?

Below are 12 people all entrepreneurs need...

1. Someone who loves you for you, just because you are you.

Yes, It's magic.  Find and Enjoy.

2. Someone who isn't afraid to be honest with you.

They'll need courage.

3. Someone who is more evolved that you are.

Let them be an evolving environment for you.

4. Someone who knows everybody.

Saves you time.

5. Someone who is well-connected.

Gives you access to opportunities.

6. Someone who can solve your problems for you.

Life is too short to do this for yourself.

7. Someone you can rely upon in a crisis.

Make sure they are up for this.  Have a clear understanding.

8. Someone who you love completely. just because.

Love is its own reward.

9. Someone who is a cyber/tech wizard.

Suck up if necessary.

10. Someone in your field who is far more successful that you.

Model.

11. Someone who you are mentoring or coaching.

This brings our your best.

12. Someone who is mentoring and coaching you.

We all do better with a coach.

(This list is compliments of the late Thomas Leonard, founder of the "coaching" profession.)

Caring For Yourself, part one

Dear Friend,

Eighty percent of health care today is self care, the actions people take to bring themselves relief or prevent the condition in the first place.

Molly Metter, National Program Director of Healthwises

The Holidays are around the corner and during the holidays many of us have the privilege (and responsibility) to care for others. Let's take the next two weeks and make a concerted effort to take care of ourselves. We will focus on a holistic view of caring for and nourishing ourselves. The four areas include Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. Why is this important? As spouses, parents, children, siblings, employees, bosses, leaders, and social contributors we are called upon to give back to the world around us. Yet, when we fail to care for ourselves we aren't able to give back. It is like the oxygen mask on an airplane - we must put it on ourselves first, before we put it on those around us. Consider this: In order to serve others we must ensure that we are fully nourished.

• We are all role models. We are examples to others.
• By taking care of ourselves we quietly encourage those around us to get their needs met.
• Self care is a great way to manage stress and prevent chronic stress. Now that we know why it is important to care for ourselves, let's explore ways that we can be nourished.

What are some ways that you can care for yourself? Physically - What activities "fill my cup?"

• Walking
• Running
• Hiking
• Bike riding
• Practicing yoga
• Sleeping
• Eating nourishing foods
• Getting a massage
• Lifting weights
• Staying hydrated
• Doing an exercise video
• Going swimming

Emotionally - Who or what enables me to feel centered and balanced?

• Practicing Yoga
• Meaningfully connecting with friends and family
• Giving undivided attention
• Letting go of emotional drains - people, activities
• Avoiding negative thinking habits
• Having fun - seeing a movie
• Breathing deeply
• Seeking professional support
• Creating a relaxation ritual
• Having a bubble bath
• Staying in the present moment
• Loving yourself
• Forgiving
• Showing gratitude
• Laughing
• Being creative...singing, dancing, painting, or writing
• Enjoying a manicure or pedicure - sharing the experience with a friend
• Planting a garden, picking fresh flowers, or buying a small bouquet
• Applauding your strengths
• Nurturing a loving atmosphere in your home

Mentally - What are stimulating things that I can do?

• Sleeping enough - Melatonin produced by your brain enhances the body's ability to fight infection.
• Eating "brain" foods - Wild Salmon, Blueberries, Walnuts, and Green tea to name a few.
• Learning something new
• Enjoying a hobby
• Getting fresh air
• Enjoying silence
• Serving others
• Reducing stress
• Staying connected and informed - reading the newspaper
• Doing a crossword puzzle
• Trying Sudoku
• Avoiding negative thinking habits
• Allowing yourself to enjoy dreaming
• Reading
• Doing something you've never done before
• Staying in the present moment

Spiritually - What can I do to nurture my soul?

• Studies have shown that believing in something larger than yourself strengthens your ability to cope with depression.
• Praying
• Participating in community worship
• Meditating
• Reading scripture
• Displaying an inspirational quote or verse prominently
• Connecting with nature
• Keeping a gratitude journal - this has transformed my life and can transform yours as well...more on this next week!

Make It Happen This week pick one way to care for yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Use the list above as a point of departure to design one way that you can nourish yourself. Don't over complicate this task - just do what seems fun! With all of these activities consider frequency vs. duration. Set specific, measurable, realistic, and scheduled goals - it needn't be four hours long - if you are slim on time then find an activity that will take less than 30 minutes.

Try This "Reach for the Stars" Stand in a comfortable position or sit in a chair and do this exercise. Reach your arms up, over your head. Stretch your arms out toward the sky, as if you were reaching for the stars or the sun. Hold that reach for as long as you can, 5 to 10 seconds is good. Try this with your palms up, palms down, your fingers laced, or your hands loose and free. Never push to the point of discomfort. You can release the stretch by exhaling your breath and dropping your arms to the ground. On the next inhalation, come to a regular standing position or reach up again. Count at least four blessings! Now add a fifth - YOU! Blessings to you!

Facing the Uncertain - 4 Questions to Consider

Dear Friend,   "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7    As I write this article we've had a wild week - make that a wild month - in the financial markets. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 936 points or 10% on Monday and down 733 points or 8% on Wednesday - where does this leave us? The real answer to this question is it depends upon how we deal with uncertainty.  Ultimately, not one of us has any control over how the market is going to perform. It may go up - it may go down. We must resolve to make the best financial plans possible and prepare ourselves mentally for the uncertainty. Preparing ourselves for uncertainty with respect to the market has parallels for all areas of our life. I'm suggesting that in the face of ambiguity we can spend so much time and energy worrying about what might be in the future that we forget what is today. When we are overcome with anxiety we lack the presence to appreciate the present.  There is a difference between planning for the future and worrying about the future. Take your health, for example, you can eat healthy, exercise, sleep, reduce stress, laugh, and visit the doctor - that is planning. We must take positive actions and allow these actions to allay our worries. Do you know that over 85% of the population is worried about something? Worrying keeps us from enjoying life. In fact, worrying is just wasted energy. A study in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy found that 85 percent of the things we worry about never occur! The question then becomes how can we stop worrying - I suggest the answer is preparation. Let's consider four questions that may help us prepare or deal with uncertain times. What choices can I make today to empower me? What are the sources of strength, the positives, in my life? What are the unchanging certainties in my life? (Full moon every month, sun rising, flowers bloom,) What can I do today to prepare for: Family's wellbeing, physical health, financial health, physical healthy, career, spiritual health? Each of us has many blessings, counting them in uncertain times can help to shift your perspective.   Take Action Challenge:   The next time you feel scared or uncertain take a look at these four questions and see if they add some perspective to your life. Take action where worrying is a substitution for planning. When you've planned - accept that you've prepared, stop worrying, and rejoice!

It's Nifty to be Thrifty!

Dear Friend,

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

New England Proverb

We are experiencing events that are unprecedented. There is fear and terror in the air - what will happen with the markets? The answer is twofold: in the short run - we really don't know and in the long run the markets will bounce back. We are experiencing a correction of sorts - a recalibration of the markets.It is natural in these times to be scared and fearful of what will happen, yet we must move past that in order to survive. This week I'm suggesting we each take stock and take some simple actions to see where we can save more and spend less.Here are some practical changes that every single family can make to save a little money here and there - if you don't need the savings, great - there is someone in your community that does so adjust your actions for their benefit and you'll get the benefit of giving! Here are over 80 simple ideas to streamline your spending:

• Home
• Turn your lights off when you aren't using them.
• As your light bulbs die replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Unplug your appliances, lights, and computers - anything that uses up electricity. You can use a power strip to make this easier.
• Turn your heater thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in the summer.
• Turn off your a/c - open windows and use your fan
• Turn down your heat - bundle up
• Shop smart for groceries
• Clip coupons.
• Buy what is on sale.
• Eat local - visit your farmer's market.
• Dare I suggest - buy generic - where you can.
• Buy whole chickens. When you have used all the meat, throw the bones into a soup.
• Grow your own vegetables at home or with a co-op
• Plan crock pot dinners - save time and money
• Join the Library and enjoy lots free
• Movies
• Books
• Music
• Magazines
• Activities for kids
• Be creative with holiday gifts - give gifts from the heart versus from the wallet
• Bake cookies
• Bake bread
• Make chocolate covered pretzels
• Make jelly/jam
• Create a calendar of family pictures
• Give services such as free babysitting, pet sitting, house sitting, or house cleaning
• Give a donation to a charity in gently used clothes and toys
• Make a holiday wreath
• Sell (or donate) children's clothes and your clothes that are too small
• Have a garage sale
• Give up expensive habits - soda, daily lattés, cigarettes
• Cancel unused club memberships and subscriptions
• Batch your activities - do all errands in one afternoon (saves gas and time!)
• Buy less - consider "do I really need this new clothing item or is it excess?"
• Brush and floss your teeth. You'll save on dental expenses.
• Eat right and exercise daily. You'll reduce health costs.
• Use a clothes line to dry clothes. You'll save on your energy bill.
• During the winter, leave the oven open after you cook to heat the house.
• Sign up for Skype for free long distant phone calls. If both parties use Skype it is free and if both parties have a web cam on their computer you'll be able to see each other, too!
• Avoid impulse buying.
• Buy as much as you can online, find the best deal with resources like www.froogle.com you can compare prices.
• Negotiate the price on big ticket items - like cars, electronics, and large appliances.
• Don't buy extended warranties. Eighty percent are never used, and they're a major profit item for the vendor.
• Keep receipts and send in rebate slips.
• Home Repairs
• Negotiate the cost, now might be a great time for good deal
• Learn how to do the on the web for free and try your hand at it
• Get a friend to help you with yours and then help them with their home
• Put air in your tires. For every two PSI that all of your tires are below the recommended level, you lose 1% on your gas mileage.
• Consider bundling cable, Internet, and telephone
• Review your cell phone bill - reduce minutes and services you aren't using.
• Before you dine out - look for bargains or alternatives
• Kids eat free on certain nights
• Free appetizer, drink, dessert, or entrée during a specific time or night
• Bring half of your meal home for lunch the next day Maybe a picnic in the park would be just as much fun?
• Quit drinking alcohol - I'm just kidding. But think about having one glass of wine at home and one out.
• Instead of going out to dinner and hiring a baby sitter - have friends over, ask them each to bring one item, let the kids play outside or watch a movie in the basement and connect with each other
• Finances & Investment
• Ensure your bank account and credit cards don't have annual fees or if they do that your benefit is greater than the fee.
• Consider having accounts at multiple banks in order to qualify for the FDIC insurance, which today is $250,000 depending upon how you title the account.
• Make an extra mortgage payment each year. You can save money on interest.
• Set up online bill pay.
• Avoid ATM fees. Only withdraw money from machines approved by your bank.
• Start an automatic savings plan with your bank.
• Use your credit card to make all purchases, but pay it off each month.Do some research and find the one with the best rewards program.
• Use a debit card for all purchases and find one that has a rewards program.
• Hire a financial planner to help you evaluate long term savings/spending.
• Work
• Carpool to work
• Telecommute one to two days each week
• Take public transportation
• Slow down - driving fast uses more gas
• Avoid traffic - starting and stopping uses more gas and wears down your brakes
• Consider riding your bike or walking
• Brown Bag your lunch with food from home or leftovers from dinner out or previous meals
• Review your benefits at work - take advantage of discounts on gym memberships, weight loss groups, flexible spending accounts, and free money of your "company match" into your 401k
• Travel
• Bring an empty water bottle with you to the airport. Bottled water at airports is expensive. While you can't bring any liquids past security, you can bring an empty bottle. Put it in your carry on and fill it up as soon as you get past security.
• Pack your travel meals in advance.
• Buy snacks at the grocery store, not at roadside convenience stores.
• Make vacations fiscally smart and fun so that you can do them more than once every three years, remember family memories don't need to break the bank!

Use this economic swing as an opportunity to shave off the excesses in your life. We all have places in our life where we can use a little recalibration. Remember, it is what we learn about ourselves in these hard times that builds character and chisels who we are as people. Have fun with this, make a game of it! Get creative - most of us aren't lacking for things, but rather meaningful time with each other. Use this process as a way to reprioritize what is important to you!

Take Action Challenge

Find one way this week that you can trim the excess in your life. Challenge your children, significant other, siblings, clients, parents, friends, and co-workers to do the same. May these uncertain times bless you as you disconnect from the material of our world and reconnect with that which is most important to you. Blessings to you!

Tranquility - Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!

Dear Friend,

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Benjamin Franklin states, "Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable." Restated in modern day terms, don't sweat the small stuff! And yes, our lives are filled with lots of small annoyances - your spouse being late, the big truck cutting you off on the highway, your child having a fender-bender, your boss asking for a report at 5pm the day before your vacation, half consumed water bottles left all over your basement, finding your dry cleaning for the big event won't ready until Monday! As a friend of mine has often said, "don't major in the minors of life!" How true is it that we can become consumed with the little things that don't go just as we think they should? Each of us has a choice: to focus on the small stuff or resolve today that life's little things won't bring us down.

Why is it important to stay cool, steady, and focus on life's majors?

It is better for our health Anger and Stress raise our blood pressure and over time is thought to contribute to heart disease among other illnesses.

Our mind works better When we get angry blood rushes to our brain and disrupts logical and rational functioning. We are able to think more clearly and make intelligent unemotional choices.

We keep life in balance and perspective As we focus on what is working we remain with the big picture and with positive energy.

Take Action Challenge

Before life comes at you, resolve to distance yourself from the situation before you react. Ask yourself: Can I impact this situation? If yes, then change it. If no, then accept it. Consider the phrase: And, this, too shall pass. Allow yourself to linger on it. When you get heated, upset, or annoyed remember the impermanence of all situations. This week may you be slow to anger and quick to forgive. May you let life's little annoyances roll off your back, like water off of a duck! And may you change what you can, accept what you cannot change, and have the wisdom to know the difference! Blessings to you!