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Do you get up from bed each morning with dread and anxiety about what faces you at work? • Do you feel like you have to make “through” each day? • Are you completely exhausted by the time you get home each night? • Do you see life as a merry go round over which you have no control? • Do you find yourself wishing you had a clone or more time to get everything you need done? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, its very likely you have a work life in-balance.

You gain many benefits from having a healthy work life balance. It enables you to experience personal satisfaction and professional fulfillment. It also makes you more confident and effective at work. Let’s explore all the benefits you can gain from having a healthy work life balance. Benefits of Work Life Balance in your Personal Life

Over the years, I have observed people who are real friends and people who claim to be friends. As I get older, I truly believe the old saying that you can count your real friends on one hand. So, you may be asking what makes a person a real friend. I have identified my top eight characteristics of what I feel constitutes a true friend, or what I feel I need most in a friendship. In observing your relationships with other people, whether they are family members, people you went to school with, coworkers, or colleagues, how many of them are real friends?

Conducting a good strategic planning session is critical to the success of a solid strategic plan; one that includes specific and measurable goals and objectives, providing a clear direction for the organization. To ensure that the actual planning retreat is as productive as it can be, ground rules should be established and discussed prior to commencement. This article provides a list of 11 ground rules I believe are imperative in managing a successful planning retreat. 1. Present the written agenda or schedule for the day so everyone is aware of the day’s activities.

If you find that you are on your way to burnout or already suffering from burnout symptoms, there are things you can do to work against it. One of the most effective things you can do to fight burnout is to create fulfillment at work. This has a very large effect on you because we spend many hours of our day at our jobs or business. The following list includes suggestions you can implement to find more fulfillment at work.

How motivated are your employees? Are they fully engaged and passionate about their work? In challenging economic times it is natural for most people to lose some level of enthusiasm. When we cut costs and people around us lose jobs and even their homes, our desire to take on the "biggest and baddest" challenge at work can falter. But in these times, the last thing we need is lost productivity and less passion. In fact, what we really need is to raise the bar and get more productivity and creativity from our people. Can you motivate your employees to do more?

Do you realize that first impressions are important? I’d like to tell you that, important or not, you make them and you receive them every single day of your life. Impressions have become habitual and you are no longer conscious of those you get when observing new people in your experience, like the person in the office next to yours. You see them, you form an opinion, and you rapidly forget about them, unless their appearance or their smell or their words impress themselves on you. You’re on auto-pilot when you meet a new co-worker or a new manager. They make an impression.

How do you predict the outcome of a behavior, project, or idea? A few days ago, an executive career-coaching client came to a session with an interesting PowerPoint presentation. It was a proposal to a potential employer. My client hoped the company would gain a better appreciation of his expertise and ability to transfer his skills to their industry sector as well as demonstrate a talent for addressing their specific challenges and opportunities. It was very effective. His outline was based on the SWOT template.

Writing and delivering invitations to customers, potential customers, or colleagues to attend your important business-related occasions requires careful attention: While great opportunities lie therein, if done improperly, it can cause undesired results that it’s wise to avoid.nnWhen you plan a launch, a professional conference, or even an Open Day at the office, naturally you want to make it special; you also know that its success and effectiveness depend on how many of yo

Ernest Hemingway once said “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” How true that is. How many times has someone asked you how you were, but doesn’t take the time to listen to your response? They may cut you off, start talking about themselves, or walk away. If you’re like most people, this behavior probably leaves a sour taste in your mouth. People want to be heard and listened to; they want to feel like someone cares. Be honest with yourself.

When setting goals to get us to where we want to be in life it is so important that we always honor our core values in all we do. WHAT ARE CORE VALUES? Firstly values are the things in life which are most important to you but core values go even deeper still. These are the qualities and characteristics that you hold dear to you. The characteristics and qualities you wish to embody in everything you do e.g. honesty, compassion, integrity, courage, loving, sincerity,caring. Eve

4 Tips Beyond customer service, which all successful business leaders measure, this top producer measures customer delight. You can too, with these 4 tips. Many successful financial advisors measure customer service, with traditional measures such as process time, customer satisfaction, or ...

Have you ever wondered why someone's words don't always match their body language? Observing the way people communicate, both verbally and nonverbally, can help you to assess what they might be feeling at the present moment. It can also help you to get to the heart of the issue, make someone feel more comfortable, or diffuse a potentially explosive situation. This article provides some tips on recognizing and understanding verbal and nonverbal cues, and using this information to improve communication.

Nonprofit organizations are always looking for ways in which to raise money to support their respective operation. The following list provides some traditional methods for generating revenue but it also includes some ideas you may not have previously thought about or considered.

As a real estate agent, it is important to know your value. Your value is determined by what you have to offer the consumer. It is important to remember that consumer perception is consumer reality. Every agent on the path of success must be able to answer the following question from a consumers point of view. (We all need to answer a version of this very basic question and answer it very, very well.) The question is: Why should a consumer work with you instead of another age

Have you ever noticed a trend in the thinking patterns of successful people? Have you ever wondered why it seems like success comes so easily to some people and so difficult for others? It all has to do with your beliefs and self-talk. People that achieve success in a consistent basis have one thing in common. Whether they are successful athletes, executives, business owners, or artists, they all know that they will succeed. They know this before they even attempt to achieve the goal they set out for themselves.

There are six steps to successfully delegating tasks. Most managers and leaders only do one of these steps, while some conduct two of the steps. When the task isn't completed to the manager's satisfaction, all too often the manager comes to his coach or boss complaining that his employees just don't get it, or he can't find employees who are good enough to “get the job done.”

"Are you kidding me - how can I be optimistic? There is nothing to be optimistic about in this economy." With the constant stream of bad economic news it is very easy to get caught up in thinking that nothing positive is happening. We start to believe that there is little that we can do to improve our circumstances; we withdraw, play it safe, feel concern, and fear about our future. We become especially vigilant for further signs that we are at risk. Optimistic leadership is not about seeing the world through rose colored glasses.

Bob Sheppard, the announcer for the New York Yankees, for more than almost six decades, applied three simple principles to his extraordinary delivery. Surely his beautiful baritone made him highly listenable and memorable; however, it was his discipline that made him a lifetime member of the team and a much loved part of the game for spectators. To become a good communicator Bob Sheppard believed you had to abide by three simple, but important, rules—be clear, concise, and correct.

The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. Freedom and slavery are mental states. ~ Mahatma Gandhi How would you define mental freedom? What does it feel like? What would it take to live your life with mental freedom as your foundation? Do you know what it takes to achieve such self-mastery? If you have not defined what mental freedom means to you, how it feels, what it's like to have it as your foundation - if you don't have full self-mastery, you are living a slave's existence. You can change.

The best advice Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google, ever got was to hire an executive coach. Initially when board member, John Doerr, suggested this, Schmidt resisted because as an experienced CEO he didn't think he needed a coach. But now he is a big fan of coaching and states in an interview with Fortune Magazine that "everyone needs a coach".

No matter how positive you are, there is probably at least one negative feeling or thought that creeps into your mind on a daily basis. Negative thoughts have many origins. They can develop from not feeling well, experiencing low self-esteem, or doubting one's self. Considering the fact that this happens to everyone, how do some people appear to be more successful at turning negative thoughts into positive ones before the negativity grows and becomes counterproductive? This article provides some tips on squelching negative thoughts before they have a chance to fester and erupt. 1.

By Jodi Nicholson Success starts with desire, perpetuates through a positive attitude and belief, and is achieved by commitment to excellence and perseverance. “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” ~Aristotle

If I could wave a magic wand, and change something about how human beings interact with each other, I would eliminate “gotcha” forever. What is “gotcha”? Before we talk about eliminating “gotcha”, it is important to clarify just what “gotcha” is! “Gotcha” can come in many forms. In the verbal form, we know it more commonly as “I told you so,” but “gotcha” can take on many other forms. “Gotcha” is not only noticing that someone makes an error, but using it against them.

In life, we are all survivors, whether or not we think of ourselves that way. When we experience our first love and break up, our hearts are broken and we don't think that we will ever survive. But somehow we do, and eventually we meet someone new. When we lose our first job, whether we are fired or laid off, we may wonder if anyone will ever hire us again. But we ultimately find another job and, thus, we survive again. Other traumatic events may occur in life that challenge our survival, such as going through a divorce, acquiring a disability, or losing a child, parent, or loved one.

The Importance of Dressing Appropriatelyrn (and you don’t have to be less feminine to do it) rnFirst impressions can be effective OR disastrous, BUT either way they are long lasting. If a woman is dressed inappropriately, regardless if she is an excellent candidate, you can nearly hear a death knell. Even when a woman dresses for success it does not necessarily guarantee a key to the executive’s washroom. Sadly, though not surprisingly, there are different standards for m

Communicating effectively is a key element to success. It involves the elements of transmitting, receiving and understanding the message being directed to others in relationships especially in the workforce. As a senior leader and manager, I welcomed my employees to state the problem. However, when they bring a problem to the staff meeting they must have some possible solutions in mind to resolve the issue. Moaning, groaning and constant complaining will not work. Seeking resolution will bring respect to you from your managers and fellow colleagues.

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, integrity means to have a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” My Oxford American Dictionary defines it as “honesty, incorruptibility.” From these two simple definitions, it is obvious that one of the highest compliments you can pay an individual is to say that s/he has a high degree of integrity.

I learned the W-A-I-T acronym in my graduate school training. I’ve always posted a small note on my wall, out of the client’s view, as a reminder. The letters stand for “Why Am I Talking?” Why do people talk too much in business situations? - They’re anxious. Maybe the gathering is about a difficult subject or has important leaders present. Most people don’t want to be the center of attention, yet they’re afraid they’ll be ignored or negated. So they talk and talk. This is the anxiety speaking and it often isn’t pretty or welcome.

In my consultations with clients I hear many complaints about the challenge of getting teams to work together well. There is recognition that teamwork offers huge rewards but also frustration with the personal experience of working within teams. One of the ways to improve teamwork is to leverage the power of creativity.

There are certain components of the strategic planning process that should be in place to develop, implement, and effectively monitor a strategic plan. This article provides a brief overview of the steps involved in strategic planning. The first component is preparing for the strategic planning session. Prior to engaging in strategic planning, the organization should conduct a SWOTT analysis.

Are you a master of doing it all, juggling priorities, constant meetings and email overload? When I ask leaders what change they could make to become more effective, one of the most common responses is that they need to delegate more. They recognize the need to delegate most of what comes across their desk but they don't always do it. There is just too much work to go around and as the business can least afford a misstep, we become more hands-on.

Do you smile because you're happy, or does smiling make you happy? In psychology, there is a theory called the "facial feedback hypothesis" which states, according to researchers D.A. Be stein and his colleagues, that involuntary facial movements provide sufficient peripheral information to drive emotional experiences. Psychologists S. F. Davis and J.J. Palladindo explain that feedback from facial expression affects emotional expression and behavior. In simple terms, if you smile, you can actually improve your emotional mood. R.B.

In my last newsletter, “Five Must-Do Practices in Tough Times” I mentioned the importance of a good attitude, protecting business relationships, getting more creative, focusing on results and the importance of effective communication. I would like to continue discussion about leading in tough times as it looks like tough times might be around for a while.

Are you at Risk of Career Burnout? Career burnout or job burnout syndrome is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term exposure to demanding, stressful, and pressure filled work situations. Burnout is the cumulative result of persistent stress at work. What Factors Affect Likelihood of Suffering from Career Burnout? There are many reasons why a person can end up suffering from burnout syndrome. These are some of the most common ones. 1) Lack of control.

With all the buzz about personal branding these days, perceptions and definitions vary greatly … and misconceptions abound. Tom Peters’ coined the term "personal branding" in his 1997 article “The Brand Called You” (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html) at Fast Company, where he said: "You're every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop.

When I was young, there was a girl who was a year younger and a foot taller than me. She bullied me for approximately two years. One day something inside of me snapped; I decided I wasn’t going to take her abuse any longer and stood up to her. Unfortunately, our confrontation ended in a fight, which I won. She never picked on me again. I learned at an early age that if you allow people to bully, harass, or cut you down, then they will do so.

How do you Envision your Life? Do you see yourself: • Being your own boss? • Being the CEO of a company? • Having your own Law Firm? • Living in Europe? • Having a vacation house in the Caribbean? • Working from home? • Being a Judge? • Being able to work from any place in the world? Why do people give up power over their own life? You’d be amazed at how many people don’t really know what they truly want out of life.

How many times have you seen a person and judged them strictly on their appearance? Or, how many times have you turned away or avoided someone simply because of their appearance? If you find yourself making judgments or avoiding people based on their appearance, you are missing out on opportunities to meet some potentially intelligent, interesting, and fascinating people. Below are some thoughts related to the advantages of looking beyond an individual’s outer or physical appearance.

An unconsidered (unexamined) life is not worth living- Socratesr Have you ever gotten into your car or an airplane, without knowing where you are going? Yet, we often do that with our lives; we start a career, relationship, business, etc and then forget to check where we are going, and what we want out of life! No wonder many have a mid life crisis! If we don’t know where we want to be, how we are ever going to get there! As Socrates said “an unconsidered life is not worth l

During difficult economic times, how do leaders deal with the challenge of retaining and motivating their best people ? In an article in the Harvard Business Review online, Kevin Coyne says that many examples of high morale come from situations of great unhappiness and stress. He suggests the ...

In this fast paced world, we are continually challenged to fit more work into the same time frames that we all have. One of the most challenging parts of "fitting it all in" is deciding what is important and what is not. Of all the dilemmas I've experienced in my coaching practice, just about every client has struggled with their time and life management. Their “to -- do" lists have "to -- do" lists. So how do we get it ALL done? My first question is why do we need to get it all done?

Is EVERY member of your team contributing SIGIFICANTLY to your strategic goals? By EVERY member of your team, I mea EVERY member, including front-line talent that you pay by the hour. By significantly, I mean directly to your bottom-line in the form of tens of thousands to millions of dollars in revenue or savings.r

Alte ative Stress Solutions #2 Why I Meditate

When you're upset or depressed, should you analyze your feelings to figure out what's wrong? Or should you just forget about it and move on? New research and theories suggests if you do want to think about your problems, do so from a detached perspective, rather than reliving the experience. This answer is related to a psychological paradox: Processing emotions is supposed to help you facilitate coping, but attempts to understand painful feelings often backfire and perpetuate or strengthen negative moods and emotions.

Whether you are in business for yourself or working for someone else, you need a vision for your professional life. And that vision should incorporate your personal aspirations as well. (We often act as if we are multiple people- one individual lives our work life and another lives our personal life. How about we integrate all of our dreams and aspirations together and treat ourselves as a whole person?) Here’s five reasons you need a vision to fuel your professional and personal life! 1.It provides direction.

What is Coaching?

You may be surprised to learn that, with rare exceptions, your audience is rooting for you. Every time you step up to speak, they want you to succeed. If you’re ever witnessed a comedian bomb or a singer hit a “pitchy” note, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The audience shudders with embarrassment for the performer. They want the person on stage to be entertaining — that’s why they came. The same holds true for a speaker giving a presentation.

Are you looking in a specific place? Expecting something to happen? What energises you.....makes you feel alive? Life is yours. It isn't what happens to someone else, it's what happens and how it happens to you. And, no matter good, bad or indifferent, it's how you process the experience and ...

Consider that every thought you think and every word you say is an affirmation and all of our self-talk or inner dialogue is a stream of affirmations. We are continually affirming subconsciously with our words and thoughts and this flow of affirmations is creating our life experience in every moment. Our beliefs are just learned thought patterns that we have developed since childhood, many of these patterns have worked well for us, but others may now be working against us, they are dysfunctional and may be sabotaging us from achieving what we believe we want.

As companies claw their way out of the doldrums of The Great Recession the time is rapidly approaching to prepare for the next wave of growth. Traditionally, this means ramping up the hiring process, investing in new technology, or a combination of both. As we attempt to catch the upswing out of the trough of the most recent business cycle, many enlightened companies are looking in another direction to increase their productivity and capacity. They’re looking inside of their companies for the resources they’ll need to drive growth in the coming years.

Just like a fingerprint, you have a unique sound. You vocal cords developed during puberty to a certain length and mass which gives you the pitch that you use. The shape and mass of your vocal tract (the back of the throat, the tongue, the lips, etx) is where the sound is configured. You are limited in how much you ...

Collaboration is a process where two or more parties get together to work on common goals. The advantages of collaboration are numerous, and they benefit all parties involved. This article lists what I feel are the major advantages of collaborating with your colleagues. 1. Collaboration is educational. It helps all participants learn about each other’s agencies, mission, programs, services, eligibility criteria, etc. In addition, when you collaborate with your peers, they often know about other resources with which you may not be familiar.

Your ‘why’ is a reason for your life that is so compelling and so passionate that it exudes a devotional power from within, and once discovered, pours out positively into everything you do, moving you closer to your goals, ultimate happiness, joy and fulfillment.

Are you a lemonade kind of person? Is your glass more full than empty? Do you see blue sky through the rain clouds? Did you say sometimes, most of the time, almost never? Look, we know that accentuating the positive is good for us. And there are lots of studies that show those who have a positive outlook have better health, happier relationships, and more success.

by Jodi Nicholson “Money grows on the tree of patience.” ~ Japanese Proverb In your life it may seem that all you seem to do is hurry up and then wait. There are many milestones that you look forward to achieving, however it seems like it can take forever for you to get to them. Why is it that people say that ‘patience is a virtue?’ and often times it’s the last thing that you want to hear when you are longing for something to happen. So, how can you go through life with a good understanding of patience and how you can practice it?

In this age of information overload, the window of opportunity to keep your audience’s attention gets smaller by the tweet. How bad is it? It has been reported that we are bombarded by the equivalent of 174 newspapers of data a day. No doubt about it; we constantly battle a tidal wave of information demanding our attention. The question is, “what can you do to capture the attention of your listeners?” Here are eight ways to “disrupt” the barrage of noise so your message is heard. 1. Tell a story.r

Did you know that the number one desired outcome of communication skills coaching is to increase self-confidence speaking? Whether the situation is to speak to the boss, a roomful of people or a large massive crowd, having the self-confidence to deliver the message in a way that resonates is priority. Leaders know ...

We all see the world through our normal eyes, but we are aware that there is much more that exists that we can only see through microscopes and telescopes. Similarly, we see the world through our normal perspectives, paradigms, and beliefs, but there is much that exists that we may not be aware of. To see these we need the glasses of awareness. Awareness opens our eyes to things that are all around us, to other people and even to ourselves. We can look at things, people and s

When I first started road biking in 2016, I loved the feeling of freedom when the air passed my wet skin and became a natural air conditioner. I also loved to ride downhills at a very fast speed. It was an incredible thrill to let go and fly down those hills. It was truly exhilarating!

Tired of working for somebody else and ready to try your hand being a business owner? Or are you an accidental entrepreneur that has already leapt into business for yourself? Well, You’re not alone! Starting and running your own successful business is one of the most rewarding, exciting and nerve-racking adventures you will set out on. It has its joys and it certainly has its challenges, all of which will push you outside your comfort zone, spur your creative thinking and give you a few more gray hairs!

Today’s economic landscape has been a bit unsteady to say the least. We’ve all heard about it and certainly have seen the effects of it on our bottom line. No matter if you’re a CEO, manager or a one-man-band business owner, today’s economy has sent tremors through us all in different ways. Here are some time tested keys to growth to help you stay focused and moving forward in a positive direction.

Disciplining employees can be time consuming, difficult, and challenging. However, if you want the disciplinary action process to go as smoothly as possible, it is important to develop clear policies and procedures that will result in a strong disciplinary action program. By having a solid program in place, it will help to protect you and your organization.

Wahoo(!) - You got the project! Congratulations are in order, but after the immediate euphoria, reality soon rears it's sometimes ugly head: * Time and cost of your project have been dictated for strategic reasons. * The objectives seem subjective and you are not sure what they truly mean. * The objectives seem subjective and you are not sure what they truly mean.

The Appalachian Trail runs for 2,160 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. It was originally laid out in 1937 by an idealist named Benton MacKaye with the idea of creating a continuously marked trail that would stress land preservation and community. It is estimated that it takes 5 million steps to walk the entire length of the trail. Most thru-hikers walk north, starting in Georgia in spring and finishing in Maine in fall, taking an average of 6 months. Two thousand people attempt to accomplish that goal every year. Fewer than 1 in 4 make it the entire length.

Strategic planning is critical to a nonprofit organization's future direction and survival. As such, it is important to understand what strategic planning is and why it is so important. This article provides a definition of strategic planning and why it is important to nonprofit organizations. Wikipedia defines strategic planning as “an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people.” Strategic planning is the formal consideration of an organization's future course.

Having managed or worked for nonprofits most of my career, I have seen effective and ineffective boards of directors. Good boards of directors are clear about their roles and responsibilities versus those of the Executive Director, and don't overstep their boundaries. I feel that the five most important responsibilities of board members are as follows: 1. Board members are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and evaluating the organization’s Executive Director.

Nonprofit organizations have a myriad of issues they need to deal with on a daily basis, leaving them with little time to focus on branding their mission and organization. However, it is important that they allocate some time and money to branding, as good branding will establish a solid identify, making it easier for clients and stakeholders to recognize and grasp the organization’s mission. In addition, recognition helps organizations to solicit clients, raise funds, and improve collaborative relationships.

Every nonprofit organization should conduct strategic planning on a regular basis, as strategic plans outline what action steps the organization will take in the future to sustain and grow their operation, while adhering to their mission. Many organizations focus attention on conducting the strategic planning session and developing a plan, but don't allocate sufficient time to prepare for the planning retreat. Taking time to adequately prepare for a strategic planning session can help the actual event to run much more smoothly and efficiently, resulting in greater productivity.

"Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself." ~ Marianne Williamson

People often tell me that they don't know what to say when someone experiences a loss. I explain that often times the person experiencing the loss simply needs to talk. You don't need to say anything; just be there to listen and support the individual. However, most people are still uncomfortable with helping family members, friends, and colleagues cope with loss. This article provides information on understanding loss and tips to be in a better position to help yourself and others work through their own loss. 1. Recognize that we all experience loss and grief at some point in our lives.

A behavior common among very successful people is setting high standards for themselves as well as others. Whether the actions are going to be seen by friends or colleagues, or done strictly in private, doesn’t seem to matter, high achievers place the bar at the top rung for almost anything and everything.

Companies could do a lot more to remove the triggers that bring patterns forward for most people. Stress is subjective. Performance evaluations, for instance, inspire a tremendous amount of dread. Although honest feedback is both healthy and helpful, evaluations are usually structured such that the person being evaluated hears too much criticism or none at all. There are employees who will balk at any consideration that they must improve. They will become underhanded to “kill the messenger”, that is whoever is the bearer of the performance evaluation “bad news”.

My last Competitive Edge Report article “Is the Key Still in Your Ignition?” hit a sweet cord with a number of you and sour note with others. I thought I’d continue the discussion this week by looking back as well as forward.

Collaborative efforts with other agencies are valuable and can have many advantages. However, there are some items you need to consider prior to entering into any type of collaborative relationship. You’ll want to ensure that when you enter into a collaborative relationship, it is a win-win situation for your clients, your organization, other stakeholders, and for your collaborative partner. This article addresses some questions you need to ask and issues you need to consider before establishing a collaborative relationship.

In contemporary psychological terms, “extrovert” is used to describe a individuals whose temperament type or preference directs and receives their energy from exte al sources. In the practical sense, they are action people who plug into others for their juice. They’re not generally drawn to reflection, they are “doers.” Talking things out is an extrovert’s way of understanding, solving problems, reducing stress, sharing, and communicating. I am less likely to say to myself, “what are they really thinking?” when working with an extrovert.

I was walking in the Times Square area the other day when I spotted a person wearing a very graphic tee shirt. It read, “No such thing as off-season.” While I'm sure he was thinking NFL, NBA, or MLB, my wheels turned toward the workplace. I can't tell you how many times people have told me, “Let's wait ‘til after (name the holiday)” or “I can't network now, no one is in their offices.” As a person with a perch that must overlook the offices of thousands of people, I can tell you with certainty — people are at work.

Did you ever read the warning signs of an impending work disaster, okay maybe, disaster is too strong a word, a work difficulty. Then someone shrugs, pats you on the back and tells you to stop catastrophizing? And when what you prophesized comes to pass, when the project failed or the customer went with the competition and you are about to say “I TOLD YOU!!” there is another shrug and a comment about not dwelling in the past.

I’m standing on line at the supermarket behind a mother and her five year old son. Bored, tired, and cranky, the child wants out, as does the mother. The boy starts asking questions and for things. “No!” says the mother. “No” is the answer so many time that she is ahead of her son’s requests. Finally, in frustration she yells, “Don’t even bother asking me because the answer is going to be ‘no.’” We’ve all witnessed this type of scenario and probably are guilty of participation now and again. For some reason the scene stuck with me.

"Worry compounds the futility of being trapped on a dead-end street. Thinking opens new avenues." ~ Cullen Hightower Feeling trapped can leave us vulnerable to more and more dissatisfaction. I believe our lives should be lives of fulfillment and satisfaction, so let's see what we can do to help you move away from feeling trapped? What makes you feel trapped? Parental pressure? A toxic past? An old, fixed mindset? Your relationship? In a job you despise? In a sick body?