Category Archives: Advice from a Life Coach
December 16, 2015 Little Affirmations: 10 Ways to Brighten Your Life Every Day
If you are constantly exposed to negative comments or pessimistic outlooks, that will begin to eat away at you over time. The same is true (in the opposite sense) with affirmations. If you surround yourself with daily affirmations and positive perspectives, you’ll be more likely to see the sunny side of life. How do you fill your life with light and optimism? Here are 10 quick ideas:
ONE:
Change your passwords on all your devices to something positive and uplifting (this is a trick that tennis great Serena Williams uses)
TWO:
Follow Twitter feeds that give you daily positive messages (like @Life_Affirming or @affirmationlove)
THREE:
Put a sign with a positive message over your work desk
FOUR:
Tape a fun affirmation to your mirror (i.e. “Hey good lookin’!” or “My, what a beautiful soul you have!”)
FIVE:
Read a book with a positive message. Check out Louise Griffith’s book, You Are Worth It.
SIX:
Follow an “Inspirational Quotes” board on Pinterest
SEVEN:
Write in a gratitude journal. If you’d like some guidance with getting started, take a look at this post on gratitude.
EIGHT:
Practice confronting your negative self-talk. When a pessimistic thought pops into your head, acknowledge it and firmly tell it to go away. Replace that negative thought with a positive one.
NINE:
Lift up others. A sunny attitude is contagious–when you empower and affirm those around you, that positivity will circle back to you.
TEN:
Wake up with a smile! Set your alarm to play your favorite song and see how it energizes your morning.
BONUS: Surround yourself with uplifting friends. If you find that someone is constantly dragging you down, it may be time to distance yourself from that individual.
Have fun with these little, daily affirmations! Change your attitude; change your life.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: 10 ways to brighten your life every day, affirm your life, banish negativity, career affirmation, career coach Margaret Smith, career optimism, little affirmations, make your life shine, optimism, Personal Growth, positive messages, positivity
December 9, 2015 Find Meaning in the Holiday
I found this photo through a website called the Mankind Project and I just had to share. This gets to the heart of the holiday season: it’s not about the stuff. It’s about filling your spirit with joy and positivity, serving others, and being present. Sounds like a great holiday season to me! How do you plan to engage others, serve your community, or foster personal growth over the upcoming weeks? How can you sustain that positive spirit and willingness to give over the next year?
A BETTER To-Do List, Photo Courtesy of The Mankind Project
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: a better to do list, better holiday checklist, career coach Margaret Smith, christmas checklist, meaning of the season, serve others, the mankind project, UXL
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December 2, 2015 Activity: Your Greatest Moments
Copyright Margaret Smith, UXL: Creating Successful Leaders
One of the activities I often use in my career-based workshops is one that involves your personal highs and lows. It gets you thinking about your greatest moments and your worst moments, the times you felt like you were on Cloud 9 and the times when you felt like just throwing in the towel.
The reason I enjoy giving this activity is because it gives direction; it makes you realize what you like most about your career, what you like least, and what really, really needs to change. It also helps give you a voice–to ask for what you don’t currently have. Not finding the support you need at work? Seek it out. Not finding your optimal productivity? Think of when you were most productive and figure out how to recreate that environment.
This activity will give you a good starting point, but it may take some further detective work and guidance to truly figure out the next steps you need to take to be happy at work. I’m here to help with those next steps. In the meantime, take ten minutes out of your day to reflect and spend meaningful time on the following activity. Enjoy!
Grab a pen and paper and jot down a few sentences in response to the following prompts. Then, spend some time thinking about what your answers mean and write down an action plan to achieve your best self.
1a. Think of a time when you were the most productive. What were the circumstances and why do you think you were highly productive?
1b. Think of a time when you felt the least productive. What were the circumstances?
2a. Think of a time when you felt a strong sense of belonging or community. Write about it.
2b. Think of a time when you felt the least sense of belonging. Write about it.
3a. Think of a time when you were learning the most. What were you learning? How did that time feel?
3b. Think of a time when you were learning the least. What were the circumstances?
4a. Think of a time when you were having the most fun. Why do you think that was?
4b. Think of a time when you were having the least fun. Why?
It is important to give yourself time to reflect and think about these questions, but it is just as important to create an action plan after you’re done reflecting. What areas matter most to you? Do you care about productivity, but are not concerned with learning? Do you want to prioritize a sense of belonging in your life and career? List some ideas that will help you maximize your priority areas.
If you’d like to discuss this activity, or if you have any questions, please reach out and contact me at any time.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: career action plan, career coach Margaret Smith, career reflection activity, community, have fun at work, learning at work, Lifelong Learning, personal reflection activity, productivity at work, self discovery, sense of belonging
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