Burnout

A few weeks ago I found myself involved in a war of words with a colleague.  I did not respond well and found myself shaking and in tears for much of a two week period.  I wasn't sleeping well, I wasn't eating well, and I certainly was not happy.  It was time to stop for a while and take stock of what was happening.

I have been reading Simple Abundance by Sarah Bean Breathnach for the past 9 months and today's reading hit me between the eyes. 

She began with a quote by Edna St. Vincent Millay:  My candle burns on both ends;  It will not last the night.  Exactly what I was feeling.

She went on to say that "burnout is a condition caused by unbalance:  too much work or responsibility, too little time to do it, over too long a period."  Yes, that too.  Too many clubs, too much responsibility, feeling I had to carry everything on my shoulders, that if things failed, it would be my fault, and over too long a time period -- 12 years.  Or wait, maybe it was even longer, maybe 28 years - since my husband left me with 4 kids to raise, and when I worked full time, raised the kids and took my university degree over 13 years.

Whatever it was, as Sarah said, "a smoldering flame can be just as deadly as a flash fire" and I think that things were smoldering below the surface for quite some time.  Sarah called it when she said, "first degree burnout--the soul snuffer--comes from living unbalanced for years, when what was supposed to be a temporary situation becomes a lifestyle".

Her final paragraph told me what I have to do.  "When you're suffering from burnout, you are the only person on earth who can help because you're the only one who can make the lifestyle changes that need to be made; to call a halt, to take a slower path, to make a detour."  And so I have.  I have cut back on meetings.  I am letting others take control.  I am backing away from too much responsibility.  I am taking better care of me, going to bed earlier, eating better, stopping work earlier, taking time to get out in nature.

How about you?  Are you beginning to feel the strain of burnout?  Take the time now to make the necessary changes before you crash and burn. 

See below for a short test you can take.

Fran

To a new and better you  (BANABU)

ARE YOU A STRESS PRONE PERSONALITY?

SCORE YOURSELF:                        4 Always         3 Frequently    2 Sometimes    1 Never

1.      Do you try to do as much as possible in the least amount of time?                _____

2.      Do you become impatient with delays or interruptions?                                _____

3.      Do you always have to win games to enjoy yourself?                                    _____

4.      Do you speed up the car to beat the red light?                                               _____

5.      Are you unlikely to ask for help with a problem?                                           _____

6.      Do you constantly seek admiration and respect from others?                        _____

7.      Are you overly critical of the way others do their work?                               _____

8.      Do you have the habit of looking at your watch or clock often?                   _____

9.      Do you constantly strive to better your position and achievements?             _____

10.  Do you spread yourself too thin in terms of time?                                         _____

11.  Do you do more than one thing at a time?                                                     _____

12.  Do you frequently get irritable or angry?                                                       _____

13.  Do you have little time for hobbies or time by yourself?                               _____

14.  Do you have a habit of talking quickly or hastening conversations?              _____

15.  Do you consider yourself hard-driving?                                                         _____

16.  Do your friends or relatives consider you hard-driving?                                _____

17.  Do you have a tendency to get involved in multiple projects?                       _____

18.  Do you have a lot of deadlines in your work?                                                _____

19.  Do you feel vaguely guilty if you relax and do nothing during leisure?        _____

20.  Do you take on too many responsibilities?                                                     _____

·         Between 20 – 30, your life probably lacks stimulation

·         Between 31 – 50, you have a good balance in your ability to handle stress

·         Between 51 – 60, you are bordering on excessively tense

·         Over 60 – you may be a candidate for heart disease

Promise Yourself

 

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Christian Daa Larson
1874-1954, New Thought Leader, Teacher, and Author

Procrastination

Procrastination:   to be slow or late about doing something that should be done : to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it, because you are lazy, etc.

An old English proverb says:  "One of these days is none of these days."  If you don't have a plan it doesn't get done.

Unfortunately as you can see by the dates of my blog, I fell into the procrastination trap, getting up too late to spend the necessary time to accomplish everything I wanted to do.  Also, the main thing is, I did not have a written plan to spend the time updating my blogs.  When I had it written in my daytimer, it happened, when it wasn't there............nothing happened.

Have you found this happening to you?  Have you  been procrastinating on a task or tasks that you know you should be doing and want to be doing?  Time to write it down.  An unknown author wrote:  "The past cannot be changed; the future is still in your power."  This means that you can begin again TODAY. 

Start by writing down what you want to accomplish.  Then write down when you want to accomplish it by.  Then break it down into little steps - something you can do each day.  Write your goal in the comments section below.  Once you put it in print, you will have a much greater chance of accomplishing it. 

To your success
BANABU

Fran Watson

Weeds or Flowers?

This afternoon I had a chance to get back out into my garden for a few minutes.  I was enjoying the beautiful flowers, but I noticed how quickly the weeds had grown up and how they were trying to take over the garden.  As I pulled them out I thought about how much like life this is. 

We "plant" beautiful deeds in our lives and we go along for a little while quite comfortably but then we notice that some "weeds" have sprung up.  Perhaps someone said something and your feelings were hurt.  Perhaps you said something to someone that you now regret.  Perhaps you didn't get the job you wanted, the project you were hoping for, the raise you expected and the niggling doubts (weeds) started taking over. 

It doesn't take long for the negativity to set in after that and unless you get rid of those weeds quickly they can take over and you  begin to feel some signs of depression.  You may wake up in the morning and not want to get out of bed.  You may not want to get out and socialize with your friends.  You may sit around your house moping.

It is important to deal with those "weeds" as soon as they start.  It is much easier to pluck them when they are small rather than wait until they have grown and firmly implanted themselves in the garden. 

Unfortunately for me today, it had been a long time since I was able to get in the garden due to weather and my schedule so many of those weeds were quite firmly implanted and it is going to take more than one session to get rid of them.  It is the same with the "weeds" in our life. 

It takes approximately 3 weeks to make or break a habit, so if the weeds are firmly implanted in your life, it will take more than a single effort to get rid of them.  It will take conscious, repeated efforts to get rid of them and restore your life garden to a state of beauty.

BANABU

To having a beautiful Life Garden

Fran Watson

Time Management and Goals

I have been having conversations with people lately about Goal Setting and Time Management.  Everyone says they don't have enough time to set goals or to accomplish tasks, but the truth is unless you set the goals you will NEVER find the time to complete them.  You see you can't really manage time, you can only manage you.

Do you really know what you spend your time on each day?  Have you ever taken the time to really look at what you do?  How long does it take you to make and eat your breakfast each day?  Do you read the paper while you eat?  How long does that take?  Do you sit and wait for the coffee to perc or do you do other things while it is percolating?  What about lunch?  Do you eat on the go?  Eat at your desk?  Go out for lunch?  Again, how long does it take? 

Have you ever sat down to watch ONE program and found yourself still sitting on the couch 3 hours later?  That's because you didn't have a goal, something else you wanted to accomplish that night.  If you had, you would have made a decision about whether or not you would even watch the one program, or would you work on a task towards completing your goal.

Do you have a goal you want to achieve?  Other than, "I want to be rich and retire."  Do you know the exact amount you want to make, the exact amount you would need to retire comfortably, taking into account inflation and what activities you want to do when you retire.  Have you written your goal down?  Have you begun your yearly, monthly, weekly, daily plan on how you are going to accomplish it?  Studies have shown that if you WRITE down your goal and put it somewhere where you will see it every day, you have a better chance of achieving it.  If you write it down and set out a plan on how you will achieve it, you are well on your way.

Think about it....A multi-millionaire has the same number of hours in the day as you do, they just do different things with it.  You will probably not find them sitting on the couch in their living room watching hour after hour of TV.  You will probably find them getting together with people who can help them with their goals.

What do you want to accomplish?  Start today by taking a look at how you spend your time and see where you can make some time to work on YOUR GOALS.  If you would like a time log to record your time for the next week,  send me an email (franlwatson (at) gmail.com) with the subject line "TIME LOG" and I will send you a copy. 

It takes time and effort to achieve a goal, but it is always worth it.  Start small, reward yourself for accomplishing tasks, but START.

Have a great day!!!

Fran Watson
BANABU

Goal Setting

Setting Goals


When it comes to resolutions, the inherent problem lies within the name.

A resolution means to resolve to do something. It is a promise to yourself. Unfortunately, it does not include any plans or goals to make the change happen.

To accomplish success you need to pick out a set of goals and make plans to reach those goals, but how do you do this?

Start from the end and work backwards.  Determine what your life would be like if you achieved your goal and then look at what you would have had to do in order to get there. 

Before stating the goal, write the desired result then ask yourself what steps you need to take to attain it. Determine if money, supplies, or tools are necessary. Have in mind what particular action can be taken to accomplish the resolution.

Next think about how much time you can schedule each day or every week towards working at the goal and what would be reasonable to accomplish in those time slots - half an hour a day, an hour a day, 3 hours a week, etc..

Establish ways to make working at the goal simple. For instance, if it's to improve wellness, then establish an exercise area and mark time for it on a calendar.

If it is to eat better, write a shopping list and stock up on the foods that are necessary, get rid of any junk food in the house and find a number of healthy recipes to put in a convenient location.

Keep any needed supplies or tools that are necessary to accomplish your goal together and accessible.

Plan ways to get and stay motivated to stay on target. For instance, for a physical activity, find a partner or plan a reward (like seeing a movie) for each week goals are met.

You might also want to create and print a chart or check list to track your progress. The chart helps build in accountability.

Write or print out motivational mottos. These can be Scriptures, wise sayings, encouraging words, or cheers. Post them where you will be able to see them easily several times a day.

Ask someone to be an encourager. Let them know what your goal is and ask the person email notes of encouragement. This makes it more social and provides outside motivation.

You can list and post the benefits of your goal, e.g. “I will be able to fit into that beautiful new outfit in the store window.” This keeps you focused on the results.

After a few weeks take some time to evaluate your progress. Decide if the goals are realistic and if you are making progress. Determine whether or not you need to adjust your plans or your time frame.

Mark the calendar ahead for a set day of every month to review your progress. This can keep you motivated or even help you restart if the goal has been abandoned for a few weeks.

Dream big, but break the dream into achievable goals and take it one step at a time. Commit to following the goal and plans laid out, or reassess them and work out something more attainable.

Once you determine your goal, stick with it. Your plans may change, but your goal shouldn’t if it is a true goal.

To your goal setting success!!


Fran Watson

P.S. For more tips click here

Valuing Minutes

Yesterday I attended an online conference with Janet Legere and she talked about segmented intention. Paying attention to what you are doing and intending it to be successful.

This morning I pulled my daily quote from my tin and it said, "With this dawn, this new day, I value each minute."

I was taken back to my recent Time Management Workshop where I shared with the participants the value of time - 1440 minutes in a day.

Wasting 15 minutes a day works out to 91 hours per year. What could you do with those 91 hours?

If we read an average of 12 pages a day (about 15 minutes) we could read 17-18 books per year. We can learn a new task, become an expert in our field of study, or upgrade our education.

We could exercise and stay in shape while tuning up our heart. 15 minutes 3 times a week will maintain a healthy body.

We could spend the time in personal meditation or spiritual contemplation to bring balance to our lives.

We could devote 15 minutes of quality time to someone we care about. We could choose a different person each day. We could write a letter, send a card, make a phone call or a personal visit. We could sit down with someone and ask them a question and really listen to their answer.

Take a few minutes to think about how you spend your time and how you could spend it better.

Do some tasks that take only 5-15 minutes and feel good about having accomplished something.

Plan your day to include small tasks as well as large tasks, write down what you intend to accomplish - you will have a much better chance of succeeding.

To your successful day!!

Fran

BANABU!

Steps to Building A New And Better You

"A Better You" Your 7 day program to self-development

I have lost count of how many times I've read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Just this morning on the news they announced another Hollywood split and the magazines at the checkout counter have headlines that scream about breakups. Not that I care (and really I don't). It seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. However, we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality.

So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think about and improve on that should be enough for a week. At the end of the week, recycle the steps and go through them again until they become habits.

1. Know your purpose: Are you wandering through life with little direction -hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity?
Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time. This may seem tricky at first when you see yourself to be in a tight or even dead end. But there's always that little loophole to turn things around and you can make a big difference to yourself.

2. Know your values: What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you set your goals for 2012 - check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn't align with any of your top five values - you may want to reconsider it or revise it. The number shouldn't discourage you, instead it should motivate you to do more than you can ever dream of.

3. Know your needs: Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who lived their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it's too late!

4. Know your passions: You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be. Express yourself and honor the people who have inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

5. Live from the inside out: Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. For most of us city slickers it's hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own home. Try just sitting in a dimly lit room and play some classical music. There's sound, yes, but music does soothe the savage beast.

6. Honor your strengths: What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List three - if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know to others.

7. Serve others: When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being.

When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit - your essence. The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed rewarding, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

Self-development is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn't always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.

To Building A New And Better You (BANABU)

Fran

Inspirational THoughts

How many times have you had a thought about contacting someone, but didn't follow through?

I read a post this morning about someone who had a good friend that she had lost touch with and then had the chance to reconnect with, but then found out the friend had cancer. She thought about writing a card to say how much she appreciated her friendship, but just couldn't seem to get started...and then it was too late, her friend was gone.

How many times have you held on to something saying, "I'm keeping it for something special." You may have read a story about a husband finding a beautiful red slip in his wife's lingerie drawer that she was saving for "just the right time", but now she was gone.

Too often we let the moments pass, the moments that can change not only our life, but the life of the person we share with. Too often we let our busyness get in the way of reaching out and touching someone.

As I sit here typing this, I am reminded of my good neighbour down the road who is 96 and in failing health. Why am I not down there visiting her instead of sitting at my computer? Why not, indeed. I think I will call her up and see if she feels like a visit from me. I could certainly use a visit with her.

Stop and think for a moment....who do you need to reach out to right now?

Now, do it.

Fran

Dreams

Impossible is Just a Word

Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing.

But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this. However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at all the headings and strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’

As each of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you continue through this process, you will find out that the goals you once thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic. Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.

To your "impossible" dream

BANABU
Fran

The Optimist's Creed

by Christian D. Larson |

"Your Forces and How to Use Them"

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

To your success

BANABU

Fran Watson

Upper Limits

Are you fighting your Upper Limit Success Saboteur?

What I have noticed with business owners is that we have a unique way of sabotaging our business growth and success.

I've seen many clients go to a workshop. Perhaps this has happened to you. You go and get clear about the next marketing strategy for your business. You can't wait to get started. You get really excited about your newfound business clarity. Once you get home, you take a few steps toward creating a project you are excited about and then... Boom! Everything stops. It falls apart. For some reason, you get irritable and procrastinate or find all these "emergencies" arise that require your attention.

There is a very good chance you are bumping up against your Upper Limit of Success.

Here's what that might look like: you keep telling yourself (and others) that you never follow through with projects. Then, even though you are really excited about a project, you'll find some way to sabotage your success. It might be kids who need your attention, an emergency with your home, or suddenly you've just got to volunteer and be more involved in your child's school.

One of my favorite books about this concept is The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. He talks about how we all have a thermostat setpoint when it comes to love, success, joy and abundance. (Actually, I added joy as I find that most of us feel guilty when we really start enjoying something whether it's a business success, a creative project bursting forth, or for some of us, even laughing out loud from a place of joy can feel dangerous.) We're so afraid of what others will think, or that we are afraid others will feel bad if we are happy & successful or that somehow we aren't worthy enough to enjoy success bigger than whatever we have experienced before.

Our inner thermostat is the comfort level we unconsciously set for ourselves. For example, let's say that for the last two years you've made $100,000 in your business. You say you are ready to grow bigger. You say you want to double your income, but you've only ever made $100,000. It's not that you can't. It's that unconsciously you have a comfort level around that lower amount. It's amazing how you will find ways to keep yourself from allowing the success in. Maybe you've experienced a big, juicy, ideal new client contacts you and you procrastinate getting back to them.

What do you do now?

The first step to changing a belief is always awareness. You have to be aware of your repetitive thought, belief or action. From that awareness you can shift most beliefs. Just shining light on it will allow you to consciously shift your energy, start new conversations, make a new choice and take a new action.

I have a lot of clients who are writing books. Funny how everyone seems to be writing a book these days! What I notice is that some of them are always still in the writing process. I think there's an Upper Level Success Saboteur at work. You have to be able to imagine yourself as a published author, see yourself at book signings, knowing without a doubt that the time you spend writing is worthwhile -that people are there in the world who need to hear your message. It's easy to get caught in the "Who am I do write this?" attitude.

YOU are the one to deliver it to them.

Here's another example from a client who said she wanted to hold a workshop and kept getting frustrated that people weren't signing up for the workshop. Turned out she hadn't booked the hotel suite or her flight yet. She wasn't committed to her own decision. No wonder things were slow. As soon as she shifted, the enrollments started coming in!

The world is waiting for you to get out of your own way!

Notice how you say you are ready for a new project, to launch a new marketing strategy that will put you in the spotlight, or raise your prices and see how you find ways to pull yourself back into your comfort zone. Be compassionate. Notice and then laugh as you recognize what's happening. Then keep taking bite-sized action steps forward. Keep noticing when things like friends, family, emergencies seem to get in the way of you taking forward action.

And then make new choices. Take new actions. And raise that Upper Limit of Success to allow more in.

Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com ©Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

I hope you enjoyed this article by Laura and that it challenges you to push your upper limits. Why not post a comment about your limits and how you would like to change them.

Push those boundaries!!

Fran Watson

Relationships

Do you realize relationships begin shortly after birth and are ongoing ways of life for every person on the planet?

An important part of life depends on how we develop our relationships with others. Perhaps, if we consider examples of this development, a better understanding will enable us to think more clearly before we interact with others.

Examples:

1. At birth we acknowledge a relationship with our mothers
2. Growing up, we build friendships with family members
3. In school, relationships with peers and teachers are normal
4. Most begin their dating relationships along the way
5. Searching for first employment, relationships must be formed
6. To market products, relationships are tried, tested, used

Most sports require close relationships to build a winning team. How far would the space programs have gotten without close working relationships? Would we marry without an excellent relationship with our partner?

As people mature in life, many relate an emptiness that is often difficult to understand or comprehend if a relationship has not been established with our creator. This personal relationship will fill a void that no other can fill. This is the most important relationship of all in every life, for complete fulfillment and joy.

The purpose for these examples are to enhance our willingness and desire to work on developing meaning in our lives, our families, and our businesses to become better persons and better marketers with positive relationship building goals.

A few very important traits in relationships are integrity or honesty, trust, and a willingness to open ourselves to others and be examined.

Have you ever experienced failure? Perhaps it was caused by the lack of trust or integrity in another. Can relationship building with other persons prevent failure? Would your business become more successful with many great relationships? Think on these statements and make the adjustments in your life that you feel may improve your disposition.

These basic groundwork ideas on relationships are written to jog your thinking and perhaps increase your business skills until they direct you to a point where success in business is inevitable and joy in your work becomes a normal lifestyle.

Many times along the path of life, failures occur. It is good to recognize and know the importance of developing good relationships during these trials and to be well prepared for the needed improvements.

Expect the best, prepare for the worst, and take what comes, is a great buffer for the many trials that happen in life.

Great relationships developed over a lifetime, yield great rewards!

To your Successful and Happy Relationships

Fran

P.S. Check out Six Minutes To Success - Click here

Self Love

DAYLLE'S 10 COMMANDMENTS OF SELF-LOVE

1.I shall lovingly accept myself as I am right now.
2.I shall appreciate all the beauty that makes me who I am.
3.I shall regularly give thanks for all of my blessings.
4.I shall trust in my ability to take care of myself.
5.I shall not criticize myself.
6.I shall not criticize others.
7.I shall forgive myself when I make a mistake.
8.I shall be kind to others, without sacrificing my own needs.
9.I shall take responsibility for my life.
10.I shall love myself to the best of my ability.



This is Day One for you.... begin now

Fran Watson

It Will Happen When You Take Action



3rd place winner at the Toastmasters International Speech Contest.

Want to find out more about Toastmasters? Click here

Fran Watson
District 61 PRO
http://www.tm61.org

Notes From The Universe

Love this

Fran

Bob Proctor Changes Lives

The Difference between Success and Failure is that Successful people make a habit of doing things they don't like to do.

If you can have moments of greatness, you can be great all the time.

In life you are either consistent or non-existent. Be Consistent!! -

Persistence is the 8th step to Riches.

You don't have to change a lot, just change a little.

All of the above quotes are from Bob Proctor. If you don't know who he is or how he can help you, then click here.

I have been listening to Bob Proctor's material for some years now and what he says makes sense. Lately I have subscribed to his Six Minutes 2 Success program. Each day I get a video on a particular topic for the day. It truly does make a difference. Find out more here:

Take the time to check out what Bob has to offer you. Don't waste your potential.

To your Success!!

Fran Watson

P.S. Remember: YOu don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going!!

Don't Let Your "Not Now" become your "Never

by Roslyn Franken

"How soon 'not now' becomes 'never'" - Martin Luther

How true is that quote? For example, how many times do you think about going for a walk or doing a workout and you say you'll do it 'later' and then it never happens?

This kind of 'not now' attitude can be paralyzing. We have the best of desires and intentions but due to our own fears, laziness or mixed up priorities, we just never seem to get ahead and reach our goals.

Here are some questions for you to think about and 5 Steps to help you break free from your 'Not Now' attitude. If you have questions and/or would like to share your answers for feedback, send email to info@roslynfranken.com

What are some of the things you want to improve in your life that you are saying 'not now' to? For example, are you looking to...

lose weight and get in shape?
improve your overall health and well-being?
have more energy?
have more fun, laughter and passion in your life?
be happier, relax more and have greater inner peace?
slow down your busy life?
make better decisions?
If these are things you want to do, have or be, then are you going to sit back and let your 'not now' turn into your 'never'?

We all put things off at different times in our lives for different reasons. Especially when it comes to our health and happiness goals, it's so easy to procrastinate. I hear it all the time.

I'm too busy
I'm too tired
I don't have time
I'm too lazy
I don't have money
I should be able to do it on my own
Do any of these sound familiar? If yes, then let's look at the high cost of your 'not now' attitude.

Every time there is something you know you need to do and you say to yourself 'now now' or 'I'll do it later', all you are doing is setting yourself up for the inevitable stress and overwhelm that will result because the more you say this to yourself and the more you don't take care of the things you truly want to take care of in your life, the worse you will feel about yourself and the more you'll get stuck in this vicious cycle.

By putting off your health and happiness goals, the cost can be tremendous. For example, if you're too tired and lazy to eat properly, exercise and get proper rest, then your heart and blood will get tired and lazy too. When your heart and blood get tired and lazy, it is called a HEART ATTACK. If that happens, then what? It is going to cost you a lot more time, money and energy to get back on your feet to where you were at prior to the heart attack, if ever, than if you invested in yourself to start with which could have prevented the heart attack to begin with.

So here are 5 steps to break free from this unhealthy cycle.

DON'T PUT THIS OFF TILL LATER - don't think to yourself, "Oh, this sounds good, but I'll read it later"
MAKE YOUR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS YOUR TOP PRIORITIES - Yes. Your work, family and other responsibilities are important, but if you are not taking care of YOU, you will continue to live a limited life physically, mentally, emotionally and spirtitually. When you take charge of your health and happiness, it changes your whole outlook and quality of life. If you have the power to improve your health and happiness starting today, what would stop you?
MAKE THE DECISION TO EMBRACE CHANGE NOW - be honest with yourself right this moment. If you're a 'not now' person and it is clearly not serving you, then make the decision this moment to embrace change instead of continuing to resist it tooth and nail. It's time to let go of the resistance. Just letting go will help you feel better.
BE WILLING TO DO THE WORK AND MAKE THE COMMITMENT - Improving your health, your body, your outlook and your quality of life takes work. If you truly want to be healthier and happier, it takes time, effort and commitment. What you put in will determine what you get out of it and believe me that it is all so worth it if you just give yourself permission to DO IT.
TAKE ACTION - I often hear people say they're afraid of taking action because they're afraid of change, afraid of failure, or afraid they're too lazy to do the work and make the commitment. I encourage you to feel the fears, recognize the self-doubts, ignore the laziness and DO IT anyways. Sometimes it's that first step that is the hardest. I encourage you to dig deep and fine the courage to step beyond your fears, rise to the occasion, stand tall and make things happen. You can do it!
These five steps are so important for any positive change you want to make in your life. Don't let your 'not now' become your 'never'.

Roslyn Franken is a proud cancer survivor who has also overcome her own personal battles with food, weight and healthy lifestyle obstacles. She now helps people live healthier, happier lives by sharing the 9 healthy living principles found in her ground breaking book, The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living. She offers tele-coaching and support programs and motivational speaking services. For more information and to join Roslyn's mailing list for healthy tips, recipes and special anouncements, visit RoslynFranken.com

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Roslyn Franken is a proud cancer survivor who has also overcome her own personal battles with food, weight and healthy lifestyle obstacles. She now helps people live healthier, happier lives by sharing the 9 healthy living principles found in her ground breaking book, The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living. She offers tele-coaching and support programs and motivational speaking services. For more information and to join Roslyn's mailing list for healthy tips, recipes and special anouncements, visit RoslynFranken.com


FOCUS - Follow One Course Until Successful

To your success
Fran

What Is Holding You Back??

Learn to express rather than impress. Expressing evokes a "me too" attitude while impressing evokes a "so what" attitude. E. James Rohn

It's Not What You Are That Holds You Back...

A while back I spoke to a group in Houston and I showed them pictures of some very famous people.

They included Thomas Edison, Cher, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Turner and my hero Winston Churchill.

Then I asked the audience what they all had in common.

Can you guess?

There were quite a few answers from the audience and they were all wrong. It was only after I pulled out $100 and offered it as a prize that a person in the back overcame his fear of being wrong and volunteered the correct answer....

....they were all dyslexic!

I pointed out that the role that made each of them famous also required a lot of reading. Do you know how hard it is for a dyslexic person to read? But not a single one of those great people that I cited let dyslexia keep them from being all they were created to be.

That's why one of my most favorite quotes is, "It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you're not."

I use that quote by Denis Waitley virtually every time I speak to an audience. Because it really speaks to the problem I think most people have in struggling for success --- they believe they're lacking something that, if they possessed it, would make them successful. When the truth is, they already possess everything they need to be successful, they just need to learn how to use it to their advantage.

from Vic and Lisa Johnson
For My Daily Insights


What is holding you back?
What is it that you want to accomplish?
What do you need to do in order to achieve it?
Winners are those who persist and develop habits of success.

To your success

Fran Watson

Your Fourth Wife.....

The King's Four Wives

By Author Unknown

Once upon a time there was a rich king who had four wives. He loved his fourth wife the most and adorned her with riches. He also loved his third wife and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he always feared that she would leave him. His second wife was kind and considerate and his trusted confidante and advisor in difficult times. Wife number one was devoted and loyal and although she loved him deeply, he was not so interested and tended to ignore her.

One day, the king fell ill and knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and feared being alone when he died.

He asked his fourth wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" she replied and walked away without another word.

The sad king then asked the third wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company? " "No!" she replied. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!"

He then asked the second wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" she replied. "At the very most, I can help with your funeral."

Then a voice called out to the king in his sadness: "I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The king looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny and undernourished. Greatly grieved, the king said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth, we all have four wives in our lives. Our fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die. Our third wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others. Our second wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. And our first wife is our soul, often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the ego. However, our soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.

The moral of the story: Look after your body and keep it healthy so you can live life to its fullest. Enjoy your possessions and the comfort they provide. Cherish your friends and family and the love they provide. But don't forget to nourish your soul--it is the source of all your life and your most faithful friend.

In peace and love
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/