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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Category Archives: Advice from a Life Coach

September 23, 2015 Don’t Resist: Go To The Conference!

WBB Stillwater, MN

A presentation I gave at the Women’s Business Bridge in Stillwater, MN

If you’re like me, you see invitations in your inbox regularly for skill-building workshops or conferences. They might be focused on networking, sales, leadership, work-life balance, social media, finances, or any number of useful topics that could help you thrive individually or improve your organization. And, if you’re like me, you click the DELETE button a lot!

There are a million reasons to say no, right? “I’m too busy.” “I don’t want to spend the money.” “I might not get anything out of it.” I probably won’t know anyone else there.” But, what if you said YES?

I encourage you to truly consider saying yes to opportunities that arise. If an event truly speaks to you, go for it! At the very least, you’ll meet others who are also interested in the same topic and you’ll get a chance to expand your network. I find that workshops or conferences energize me and help me to better focus my career goals.

One recent example: Last week I attended the annual Women in Networking (WIN) conference. I have been to this conference before, but every year I seem to forget just how wonderful it is until I get there! This year’s conference was just as empowering as always. The speakers motivated and inspired me; my interactions with fellow conference-goers were positive and supportive; and I ended up connecting with many wonderful women. In short, I left feeling invigorated—ready to take on any challenge and improve my business.

It would have been easy to not go to this conference. I could have talked myself out of it and instead met with a couple clients or tackled some work in my home office. But I decided to stretch beyond my norm and get myself out there, and I’m so happy I did.

The lesson? Stretch yourself. Take risks. Jump on opportunities that make sense for you. Go to the conference!

Margaret Smith is a career coach, licensed Insights Discovery practitioners, founder of UXL, and co-founder of The TAG Team. You can visit her website at www.youexcelnow.com

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September 16, 2015 Lessons from my Mom’s Birthday Party

With my mom on the train

With my mom on the train

This past summer was my mom’s 85th birthday. It was a special day—full of sunshine, smiles, and delicious food—but the most amazing thing of all is that a whopping 100 people showed up, only a handful of whom were family members. That’s pretty incredible for anyone, let alone an 85 year old, but it makes perfect sense for my mom. She’s an amazing person and I’ve learned many valuable life lessons from her. As I sat back and enjoyed the birthday party, I thought about the qualities my mom has that encouraged 100 friends to get together to celebrate in her honor:

  1. She is an optimist

I know plenty of people my mom’s age who like to complain or gripe about their ailments. Not my mom. She’d rather talk about the sunny weather or family or the latest party she attended. That kind of optimism also leads her to try new things (new foods, new experiences, etc.). She believes that the outcome will be good, no matter the situation.

  1. She is a problem solver

After my Dad passed away my Mom did not want to stay in Florida for Thanksgiving and my other siblings (all in PA) had traditions established.  So, since then she has made the trip to MN to share this holiday with us. This year, however, our son and his wife wanted us all to come out to Montana to spend Thanksgiving there. When I told my mom the news, she didn’t skip a beat…”Great, when do we leave,” is usually the response I can count on.  This year we are going to Oregon to spend the holiday with our youngest son–another adventure she did not flinch at.

  1. She’s active

Even though she’s not as young as she used to be, my mom still keeps active and energized. She often hosts dinner parties (something even young people can find exhausting!) and loves to go out and socialize with friends. She’s great at keeping in touch with people and enjoys going out and about with her many acquaintances.

  1. She cares about others

My mom still volunteers in her community. She finds it important to lend a helping hand to others. And she’s not afraid to reach out and ask if someone needs something. That kind of generosity has led her to be well-respected and loved in her community.

We can all learn a lot from the optimistic, big-hearted way my mom leads her life. Do you want 100 friends to show up at your 85th birthday party? If so, start making positive changes in your life today. If you need some guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me today.

With my mom and sister

With my mom and sister

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM

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September 9, 2015 The Blue Moon Motivator

This past year was astronomically rare. We experienced two blue moons (a full moon twice in one month) in the same year. The next blue moon will not occur until 2018. When you think about this spectacular and rare phenomenon, you can relate it to your own life: What are you doing that is as bold and exceptional as a blue moon? What have you accomplished this past year that goes above and beyond the norm?

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself: “Gee, I’m not sure I’ve done anything too out-of-the-ordinary this year.”  If that’s the case, don’t worry! You still have an entire quarter to accomplish some of your goals and make some extraordinary changes. Here are some tips for making the rest of the year shine:

  1. Re-focus your goals. Do you remember what your New Year’s resolutions were for this year? Did you have a list of things that you wanted to accomplish in 2015? If your list seems daunting right now, take a step back. Think about what you can realistically get done in the next few months and focus your energy on those items. Do NOT beat yourself up over things you can’t accomplish this year. That kind of negative thinking will only weigh on your shoulders as you attempt to refocus your goals.
  2. Make goals! On the flip side, if you didn’t really have any concrete goals this year, it’s not too late to make them. Spend a few quiet minutes jotting down ideas for what you’d like to accomplish in the next three months. Include work-related items as well as non-work items. Do you want to reorganize your closet? Get in better shape? Find two new clients? Master social media? Spend more time with your family? Once you’ve decided on a couple goals, outline a plan on how to reach them.
  3. Find an accountability partner. Sure, you might have good intentions when you set out to achieve your goals, but you might lose steam as the weather gets chillier and the nights longer (I know I do!). That’s where your accountability partner comes in. Find a close friend or family member who is willing to push you to achieve your goals. They should check in regularly to see how you’re doing. And hey, they might even want to participate in end-of-the-year goal setting!
  4. Don’t let obstacles stop your momentum. Sure, life happens. You might, for whatever reason, get derailed from your goals. Get back on the tracks and keep moving! Even if that means down-sizing your goal into something a little more manageable, that’s okay. This is a test in adaptability and mental agility. Do you have what it takes to compartmentalize your road blocks and focus on the bigger picture? I’m sure you do. If you need a little assistance in overcoming obstacles, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for guidance.

Good luck in the final quarter!

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