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The mad dash?

The mad dash?

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year on many levels, but it can also be quite daunting. Recently, I spoke with a small business owner who was feeling overwhelmed by the negative energy that seems to be all around us. While there are many reasons for this, I won’t go into them here. Instead, I’d like to remind us all that we have a choice in how we approach each day.

I had a client who was constantly complaining about things that were beyond her control. While it’s helpful to have someone to listen to our frustrations, we need to ask ourselves how useful it really is to complain all the time.

Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat negativity. Take some time as you wrap up your year-end activities to reflect on what you’re grateful for this year.

#WiseWords

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”— Denis Waitley, author

Worth The Share

As you know, I really enjoy the content from Harvard Business Review and today’s article is no exception. This recent piece is brilliant in its simplicity. It draws a parallel between the strategic planning process many of use in business with creating a plan for our life. Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want outlines a seven-step process that can be easily adapted to an individual:

  1. How do I define a great life?
  2. What is my life purpose?
  3. What is my life vision?
  4. How do I assess my life portfolio?
  5. What can I learn from benchmarks?
  6. What portfolio choices can I make?
  7. How can I ensure a successful, sustained life change?

Read the full article to learn how you can create a strategic plan for your life. The holiday season may be a great time to start.

And Finally…

And now, I am signing off for the holiday season. Yes, it is a mad dash to the finish line, but I for one really love this time of year. My Christmas cards may be late, the perfect gift still on the shelf at some store, (or a warehouse at Amazon, or a craft table at Etsy), and my Christmas dinner will probably not be gourmet-worthy. 

That said, I will enjoy reflecting on 2023, on the many clients I have had the privilege of coaching, the dozens of workshops I co-created with clients, or the consulting projects that solved business challenges. Working with Deb Graham and Teresa Vaughn for SHRM was a standout, as was spending time each month with my Columbia Mastermind Group (You know you all rock. Thanks for coaching me!).

I’ll be back in touch in January, but until then, I wish you and yours a magical and joyous holiday season!

Happy Holidays,Mary Jo

P.S. In full transparency, I did use AI to sharpen up some of today’s newsletter. What a cool tool.    To learn more about my 1:1 executive, communication or business growth coaching, custom virtual workshops, the Career Transition program or just to connect, you can reach me at [email protected]