Motivation Monday Quote

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t.

-Erica Jong

Our first Podcast

Transitions Podcast

Our first episode of  our weekly podcast that is also on ITunes.   Subscribe to ITunes Planning101’s Transitions Podcast Hosted by Marie Pawlak

First episode of Transitions for Planning101.com -Music by Guido Heistek Song: Goodmorning  from the album:  Away

Are you looking to move up into management or change your career path? Is your goal to lead a team or become the CEO of your company or start your own business? Then check out Transitions a weekly podcast on tips, strategies and interviews that will help you on your journey.

Quote of the Day

Don’t give up. There are too many nay-sayers out there who will try to discourage you.

Don’t listen to them.

The only one who can make you give up is yourself.

– Sidney Sheldon

Quote of the Day

You do not lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not leadership.

– Dwight Eisenhower

When Not To Give A Book As A Gift

You don’t know them well enough.

If you don’t really know someone, you also don’t know their taste, so even a book you adored may be inappropriate.  So choose wisely!

You don’t know them well enough politically.

As they say, you don’t talk about politics and/or religion.  You don’t want to give the gift of Stephen Colbert If they really love Glenn Beck.  ( Unless you know them very well —maybe you want to drive them crazy.  In that case, feel free to give them the gift of Colbert if they love Beck. I am not judging! ) 🙂

If you really don’t know them, it’s better to just give them a gift certificate.

They’re a gadget person. They just don’t like books.

I have nothing to say about this because I don’t get how this works.  I love books and gadgets, but I am told by my staff this person is out there in the world. :O

You haven’t read or researched the book. 

Great-Aunt Fran loves home décor, and when you heard about Room by Emma Donoghue, you decided that is the perfect gift for her. You inscribe it, saying, “ I saw this and thought of you.”  After Great-Aunt Fran calls your mother to discuss why you felt she would relate to a woman and her child being held hostage in a room and that she is 97 and she never hurt you as a child.  Unless you want your mother to call and tell you how you hurt Aunt Fran, and now the family hates you… You should research or read the book before you give it as a gift.

Finally, just remember that books are the key to new worlds and dreams, so have fun this summer with your book gift-giving!

Summer Gift Ideas

Summer parties are beginning and that brings us to the age old question what do I bring my host or hostess?  The standard gift is wine and by the end of the night your host/hostess will have many bottles.  So why not try something different a great coffee table book.  Keep in mind, books are personal – they show you care enough to pick something specific. They are a way of sharing something that moved you, or made you laugh. Here is a list of 10 9 fun coffee table gifts you might want to consider and 1 because it is a classic!

All books found on Amazon!

1.  If… (Questions For The Game of Life) by Evelyn McFarlane

A book full of hypothetical questions,  a great dinner parties gift.

2.  The Art Book by Adam Butler

Each page focuses on a famous artist, and shows one full page painting as an example of their work.

3.  The Photography Book by Ian Jeffrey

Same idea as The Art Book, but with photographers.

4.  The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Great for a Francophile. It’s a children’s book for everyone.

5.  All About Me by Philipp Keel

You know someone that likes introspection or needs to be a bit more introspective?   This is the book for them; it is fun without being childish. A guided journal filled with questions about your personal life.

6. Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren

This book is full of hundreds of secrets from ordinary people, accompanied by original art.  Great for the person that likes to know about people’s lives .

7.  The Secret Language of Birthdays: Personology Profiles for Each Day of the Year by Gary Goldschneider

Just a fun book about birthdays and horoscopes

8.  Through the Lens: National Geographic Greatest Photographs (National Geographic Collectors Series) by National Geographic

Collection of beautiful photography in only the way NG can do it

9.  One Hundred Years of Solitude  by Gabriel García Márquez

My favourite author brings you a story about magic, family, myth making and world building and pain and love.  (not a coffee table book but still a great summer read)

10. The Complete Peanuts, 1950 to 1952 by Charles M. Schulz

For Snoopy-lovers and book collectors, this book could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship

Boost Your Positive Energy

June is ‘Rebuild Your Life Month’, with that in mind, here are some ways you can boost your positive energy and self-esteem, and relieve stress.

Journal Writing

Carry a journal around with you and jot down negative comments when you think them, write a general summary of your thoughts at the end of the day, and burn or rip up the pages.  The act of getting rid of the pages is a way getting rid of the negative comments. You will find that each day you will have less and less things to write and get rid of.

Replacement

Replace a negative statement with a positive one.  When you feel you are about say something negative think about this. Saying something aloud gives it more power, it puts it into the world.  Do you want to put negative thoughts into the world or positive ones?  Re-think what you are about to say and try a positive statement. Replace one negative statement a day with a positive one.

Be kind.

I know this sounds fluffy but try it, next time you come home from work and your spouse or partner forgets to do something (like the dishes or call for the doctor’s appointment) let it go.  Don’t get anger about it; just make a decision to not complain about it and focus on something they did do today. Tell them you love them or that they are wonderful for no reason. Leave them a little note to remind them of the task they forgot without judgment.  “Don’t forget to call Dr. Smith for that appointment next week. Love you!”

Look on the bright side.

Are you assuming something is a negative event when it isn’t, necessarily? (For example, having your plans cancelled at the last minute can be seen as a negative, but what you do with your newly freed schedule can be what you make of it.) The next time you find yourself stressing about something or deciding you’re not up to a challenge, stop and rethink, and see if you can come up with a positive about the situation.

You can also help yourself develop a more positive outlook by bringing more positive energy into your life. Look for optimistic and positive people.  Stay away from or limit your contact with the negative people in your life.

Being Your Own Advocate

Some of us are lucky to have someone cheering us on and supporting us and others aren’t so lucky. If you are luck to have someone, cherish them.  If you aren’t so lucky, it’s time for you to learn how to be your own advocate.  Try these four steps to a better you!

Recognize what you need.  Life is a challenging journey we have to take alone sometimes and pretending that it is not the case doesn’t help anyone.  It does not mean we don’t need others but sometimes we have to do things on our own. Recognizing that you’re in transition to a better, happier you, can make things easier when you find yourself utterly confused and overwhelmed.

Take care of yourself.  Self-discovery means being honest with yourself. If you are emotionally or physically tired, you might need extra sleep, or extra do-nothing time.  Take it!   Look at your schedule, are you suffocating from a packed schedule?  Do you have a hard time saying no to things or people?  Think about created an extra space in your schedule to allow for rest, play or more time if you need it for your work or project.  You are learning and discovering a new way to work with yourself, treat yourself the way you treat others.  Be kind to you.

Be aware of your needs.  Awareness can happen in so many ways and depends entirely on your personal style. You can process things by discussing them in your journal, or making an arts and craft project, by talking with friends, by confiding in family, by reading stories or watching movies about people going through similar things. You can even integrate things actively in your life. For example, meditation, working out, massages and playing. Yes, Playing!  Remember how aware you were of life and what you wanted when you were a kid?  That is what playtime does it brings you back to you. It helps you find your center.  So have some fun. Play ball, have a water gun fight do whatever makes you happy.

Give yourself credit. Too many times people downplay their accomplishments, especially when the accomplishments are ordinary things that they feel happen to everyone. If you don’t congratulate yourself who will?  It might sound silly, but you did a great job and you should be proud of yourself.  Don’t downplay the wonderful things you do for others, at work or at home. You are a good friend to others, so be a good friend to yourself.  When you are ready, you need to share your accomplishments with others.  You have to be your own cheerleader!  There is nothing wrong with saying to someone else I am really good!  🙂

 

How to feel good about yourself

By Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Jonathan is an author, trainer, personal coach and speaker.  He is also the creator of the Regaining your happiness in seven weeks 2.0 e-training program.  Below is a the link to his How to feel good about yourself.  It’s a great pick me up before the start of the week!

How To feel good about yourself

quote of the day

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living;
the world owes you nothing; it was here first.
– Mark Twain