Staying focused

A delightful mystery

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Finding your "why", Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , ,

Life is full of mystery.

  • Who we are…
  • How long we have on Earth…
  • How we’re connected…
  • How the earth and stars were formed, and how long they’ll be here…
  • If there’s one universe or multiple universes…
  • “What happened to that ring I lost my senior year of college?”… 🙂

We tend to believe what we see and can prove. This is who I am. This is a table. This is what stars are made of. This is how the world works.

Then science and physics open new portals and we can “see” at an atomic level. And we can “see” a billion years ago in the night sky.

We’re living at a time of massive, innovative technological change. And what we “know” changes. Dramatically. Daily. Continue reading →

The gift of generosity

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Decision making, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , ,

When you have control over your time, you have a peaceful feeling that the work you want to get done is getting done. You’re choosing what to do and don’t feel pushed by circumstances.

But sometimes, circumstances pull you away from what you’re focused on. You see something that needs action. Or you’re asked to help. This isn’t your problem but it’s so compelling you can’t turn away. So you wade in. Continue reading →

Our habits change us

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , ,

I read a science article this week that said we are completely different at age 77 than we are at age 17. I found that hard to believe. Inside, I feel like I’m the same “me” I’ve always been; it’s just the circumstances around me that have changed.

But when I think about how much I’ve read. And how much I’ve learned. And how differently I think now than I did growing up, I get the change. Maybe it’s just my energy and core interests that are the same.

So here’s what I think is important: If we’re completely different, then other people are too. And how often do we recognize that? When someone you’re close to changes, do you accept it? Or do you hold onto who you think they are, to the person they used to be? Continue reading →

All magic – and no magic potion

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I was giving a talk this week on Organizational Zen and asked the participants to jot down what their intent was for attending. There are a couple of things I like about focusing on intent.

  • When you have a clear picture in your mind of why you’re doing something – whether it’s working, going to a meeting, taking a class, or having a conversation with an old friend or with a complete stranger – you listen differently. When you know what you’re looking for, you’re more attentive which makes whatever you’re doing a great use of your time. As Eckhardt Tolle says, whatever you’re doing now is the most important thing you can be doing. So choose with intent, and then show up.
  • When you don’t have a clear picture in your head of why you’re doing something and can’t for the life of you remember why you chose to be there – leave. This probably isn’t a great use of your time. Even if this is something you used to love, if you feel your energy drain even thinking about participating, it’s time to do something else.
  • When you don’t have a clear picture in your head of why you’re doing something AND you feel in your gut that this is meant to be – stay put. There’s magic at work.

Continue reading →

Exploring the power of a connected community

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , ,

I’m working my way through Thomas Friedman’s book, Thank You For Being Late, for the second time in as many weeks, and am struck by the immense power of a connected community.

  1. The amount of digital information you can learn from a computer with internet access is unlimited – with free on-line classes at Khan Academy or YouTube. Through free podcasts. By taking a MOOC (mass on-line class). Using search sites like Google. Or reading newspapers from around the world.
  2. You can join a conversation of millions through social sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest, to effortlessly share ideas, businesses, products, and friendships with strangers from around the globe.
  3. There are no gatekeepers in an open, digital world for anything you want to create and share: products, books, music, videos, classes, and ideas.
  4. The largest hospitality group, Airbnb, owns no rooms. The largest transportation company, Uber, owns no vehicles. The largest retailer, Amazon, owns no stores. The largest content provider, Facebook, owns no content. What each group owns is a terrific, helpful vision, great software, and a global connection through the Cloud. You don’t have to own anything to have a thriving business.
  5. If you need cash for a start-up, crowd-sourcing has become business-as-usual through sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe.

Continue reading →

And then this happened…

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , ,

You’re smart.

You have a plan.

You have a vision.

You move through life making decisions and feeling in control of the direction of your life.

AND you know that stuff happens that sends you off in new directions on a pretty regular basis.

AND often, it’s long after you’re pushed off track that you look back and see that what happened was exactly what had to happen. Continue reading →

10 tips for healthy eating

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What you eat is at the core of how you feel. And how you feel has a direct impact on your ability to get good work done.

If you’re looking for healthier ways to eat this year, here are 10 ideas to get you started. Continue reading →

Take a breath

organizationalhabits Changing habits, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , ,

I’m loving listening to Sharon Salzberg’s free daily meditations this month. I met Sharon in 2007 when she was speaking at an Omega Institute Conference in NYC. Of all the classes I took that weekend, Sharon’s is the one that has stayed with me the longest. Sharon lives a Zen life, and her advice and teaching are always about finding the middle path – not too relaxed and not too tense!

In her meditation prompts this week, Sharon focused on breathing, something we barely notice and yet… try not taking a breath! I start each of my talks on Organizational Zen with quiet breathing. This is a great way to help you feel focused. And I like how even five minutes of quiet breathing helps transition you from one space, or project, or idea, to another.

Here are a few of Sharon’s exercises to get you breathing. Start each of these sitting quietly in a comfortable chair or on the floor. Make sure your back is straight. There’s something magical about having a straight back when you breathe. Your backbone is like an antennae to the Universe! However you sit, you don’t want to feel either too tense or too relaxed. You want to feel attentive and alert. Continue reading →

The power of “Yes”

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I was walking Grace this week and decided to take one of her favorite paths up behind Crescent Beach. The path alternated between open dry grass in the sunny areas, and a mix of snow and ice in the tree-shaded areas. I was carefully choosing my steps with Grace off-leash when I heard voices up ahead. I could see a couple of moms with little kids so I clipped on Grace’s leash.

Grace the dogJust as the leash clicked, Grace spotted their dog and with a “woof” of greeting, took off at full tilt with me riding behind her, on my butt, across what turned out to be a particularly icy stretch of path. Continue reading →