All posts tagged Resolutions

Key Life Choice: Pick Your One Thing

“There are three constants in life,” said Stephen Covey, “Change, choice, and principles.”

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Oh, my gosh, it’s February already!!!

Any chance you started the year off with some exciting choices to change some things in your life? Maybe you called them goals or resolutions.

Maybe you just said, “I don’t want (fill in your don’t-want-thing here),” and from there you determined, “I want (fill in your want-thing here).” Having your want identified, you began making choices to change so you could have it.

It’s now February. How’s it going for you? Maybe you’re floundering a bit or swirling in a feeling of overwhelm? I understand. I’m feeling that, too.

That’s why I’m so excited to share with you Coach Bill Hart’s Pick Your One Thing principle. The principle is simple: pick ONE THING and focus on it for 30 days.

I’ve often heard others say that “studies show” when we focus on One Thing, we have a much better chance of achieving what we set out to do. I don’t know if anyone has ever really studied this. But, I do know it’s a principle that works for me, and life has taught me that when I find something that works, it often works repeatedly.

Here’s how the principle of Pick Your One Thing as presented by Coach Hart works, and how I’m using it this month:

  1. At the top of a sheet of paper write down the One Thing you will choose to commit to focusing on throughout the next 30 days.

My One Thing is to write at least 15,000 words that will support the completion of my book and/or blogs that will encourage and inspire my clients and blog readers.

  1. Underneath your One Thing write out what you will do in the next 30 days.

I’m committed to writing a minimum of 500 words each day for each of the next 30 days. (This idea is courtesy of Jeff Goins and his My500Words project.)

  1. How will this One Thing make an impact in your life or your business? Why are you choosing it as your focus? What will change as a result of your choice?

Mine will ensure I am making progress toward one of my goals for 2015. It will also support me in creating the habit of writing regularly and finding my writing voice. 

  1. What things might get in my way of accomplishing my One Thing? What barriers do I need to consider?

 My natural tendencies toward spontaneity and distraction, aka – lack of focus and the lure of “shiny objects”. My long “To do” list that can keep me busy but not necessarily productive. My commitments to clients and the regular operation of business. The emotions that may come up for me as I write.

  1. What actions or steps will I take in the next 30 days to accomplish my One Thing?
  • Set a daily writing time each morning – to be completed within the first 90 minutes of my day. Start February 1st.
  • Share my One Thing commitment with R & K. Ask them to encourage me and hold me accountable. Do this by January 31st.
  • Discuss my One Thing commitment with my coach. Explore other actions I may want to take. By February 7th.
  • Create an accountability visual. Print a 30-day calendar, post it over my writing desk, log my daily writing accomplishment with a fun sticker. By January 31st.
  • Blog about my One Thing commitment and give my readers permission to check-in with me as accountability partners and to share their own One Thing commitments. By February 1st.

It’s your turn. Make your Key Life Choice: Pick Your One Thing.

If you’d like to share what you wrote at the top of your One Thing page, I’d love to support you in it. Just leave it in the comment section below. If you prefer, you can send your One Thing commitment via email to onething@keylifechoices.com.

Those who share their One Thing will receive a free 30-minute coaching session to support you toward your commitment.

I’m excited to hear from you and to support you in your One Thing commitment!

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by Pamela Gilley on February 1, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Life Priorities, Time Management, Uncategorized, Values & Commitments
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Posted by Pamela Gilley on February 1, 2015

https://keylifechoices.com/2015/02/01/key-life-choice-pick-your-one-thing/

Key Life Choice: Remake Your Communication Stories

 

Credit: Rex Features as posted at cntraveller.com

 

Back in the late 1960s and all through the decade of the 70s, one of my favorite TV shows was Hawaii Five O. You may be too young to have known that the current show is actually a remake of the original. But I assure you, Detective Steve McGarrett has been saying, “Book ‘em, Danno!” a long time. I can burst into singing that theme song and show you my super-surfer, 50-foot wave stance at the simple mention of Hawaii Five-O. For a long time, I’d give my little brothers instructions and then look at them and say, “Be there, Aloha!” They were not amused.

Then along comes the remake. Like many remakes, the producers have changed things up a bit. Though the logo sometimes seems inconsistent, it appears the name now has a “zero” (Hawaii Five-0) or an 0 that is broadened out looking a bit like a link, instead of a capital O in the name.

In the original, we knew that Detective LT McGarrett was in the Naval Reserve, now Lieutenant Commander McGarrett, USNR, not only has a new rank, but he is clearly linked to the military, even collaborating with the NCIS: Los Angeles team.

The point is the remake isn’t the original. The characters have the same names, but they’ve been tweaked. The settings include new places, and modern-day agencies like the Department of Homeland Security are now part of the episodes.

Why should you care about the original Hawaii Five-O or the remake, Hawaii Five-0? Simply, because I wish for you to consider this communication lesson:

All communication begins and ends with the story we create. When we recreate (or remake) the story, we change the results that we get.

Most stories have at least four elements: the characters, the setting, the problem or event, and the resolution. Our communications have these same elements.

Characters. Like a good movie, TV show, or book, our communications have characters: you, me, and maybe some other folks. We all bring to communication our history, culture, gender, education, personalities, experiences, assumptions, opinions, prejudices, moods, and much more.

Setting. Our communications also have a setting: where and when the communication takes place. Sometimes geography makes a difference, or weather, or time of day, or a public or private place. Sometimes the setting may be online, in an email, on the phone, or face-to-face in a meeting.

Events/Problems/Conflict. We’re always communicating for some reason. We call this the event or the problem we’re trying to solve. As our interactions take place and we attempt to work out what we want or need, misunderstandings may occur. Our emotions may get stirred up a bit. We may think and feel things about the other person that make it difficult to come to a good ending. Tensions and interpretations may cause us to fight, or run away, or just freeze up and stop communicating. We usually just call it conflict.

Resolution. When conflict happens, it’s time to step back and do a remake of the story to find a resolution. How do we do this? By examining the elements of our story and seeing where we might remake something.

Examine the characters, especially yourself. We have the power to change how we look at ourselves and how we’re thinking and feeling about others. Am I unfairly assigning bad intention to someone? Are my assumptions limiting my perspective in some way? Do I need to gather more information? Am I taking something personally, when it is not intended that way?

Examine the setting. Can we move the location where the event is happening? If we were in public, would it help to move to a private location? Do we need to get out of the rain, or the cold, or the hot sun? Is it the wrong time of day to address this issue? Can we take a walk together and talk?

Examine the desired result. Can we modify our expectations in some way? Is there something better? Is there something more agreeable to both of us? Can we change the expected timeframe? Can we lower the cost?

Once we’ve decided how we want to remake the story, we give it a try to see what happens. Remember, we can keep tweaking any of the elements until we’re happy with the result we’re getting. It’s not always easy, but a good story is always worth it.

Key Life Choice: How about sharing one of your story remakes with us? What elements did you remake? How did it change the outcome for you? What made it worth it?

 

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by Pamela Gilley on December 19, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Change, Communication, Perspective, Uncategorized
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Posted by Pamela Gilley on December 19, 2014

https://keylifechoices.com/2014/12/19/key-life-choice-remake-your-communication-stories/

Three Strikes and You’re Laughing

Laugh Ball

Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit. ~ Author Unknown

5:45 a.m. “You’ve got to be kidding!” says my sleepy mind to my droopy eyes.

I’ve just made my way in the dark to the toilet. As I sit down something slides off the back of the tank onto the floor. In the process it knocks into the toilet bowl brush that’s sitting neatly in its square holder. Both tip over. The residue of water and other invisible things my 5:45 a.m. mind doesn’t care to comprehend spill out and flow around the side of the toilet base.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” I mutter. Reluctantly, I turn on the light, grab a rag, kneel beside the throne, and clean it up.

5:50 a.m. “Ah, really?” my groggy mind asks my stiff morning fingers.

Shuffling to the kitchen, I desperately want coffee.  I reach for my Black & Decker Brew N’ Go, my cheap girl’s version of Keurig‘s single cup brewing machine. Out comes the basket of grounds left from yesterday’s last cup.

(Ok, so I know some of you are thinking, “Aha, she should have cleaned it when she was done yesterday!” Go ahead, have your fun.)

Two steps and my foot pushes on the trash can lever to raise the lid. I tap the coffee basket to the inside edge to release the grounds. Then just before they fall into the bin, I turn slightly and the grounds spill instead on my bare foot and the floor. That’s when the “Ah, really?” happens.

5:53 a.m. “Strike three, girlie!”

My time management skills waking up, I gingerly move my coffee-grounds-laden foot and choose to get the coffee brewing before tackling the clean-up. Undaunted, so far, by the mishaps of the morning, I execute a multi-task by soaking the dish cloth in warm water at the same time I’m filling the water container for the coffee from the reverse osmosis water spigot. Deep in my subconscious, I recall congratulating myself for efficiency.

Both water sources go off. Carefully, still holding my coffee-ground toes in the air, I fill the pot with water and push the brew button. I fish the wet rag from the sink and mop up the spilled grounds. I smile knowing that my coffee is brewing even as I’m finishing my second clean-up of the day.

Stepping across the now clean, but damp, floor I pull a coffee mug from the cabinet. Anticipation for my first cup of coffee is heightened given this morning’s unexpected mishaps. In preparation, I splash some fat-free half and half into the mug. I happily notice that I’ve not spilled it in the process and move to the coffee pot.

That’s when I see it, the clear water dripping out of the Brew N’ Go. Immediately I know. I’ve forgotten to put fresh coffee into the basket. I’m brewing only hot water.

“Strike three, girlie!” I can hear my mind berating me. Taunting me. Tempting me to give into the notion that it’s going to be a bad day.

5:57 a.m. “You’d better start laughing!”

There it sits. The laughter ball. It’s spiked white and orange hairdo swirled above its broad, open mouth bearing white teeth and a bright red tongue. Posed forever in this silly laughter face I hear it call to me, “You’d better start laughing!”

So, I pick it up and squeeze it hard transferring some of my morning frustration into the grip. Immediately I hear laughter. Not just a chuckle, but pure, belly-roll laughter. I squeeze it again, and again, until I am laughing with it.

As the laughter subsides, I reach for the coffee and begin scooping it into the Brew N’ Go basket. I notice the wonderful aroma and smile. More water and more brewing time. I squeeze the laughter ball one more time.

6:00 a.m. I’ve already struck out today and laughed on credit. Coffee in hand, I’m ready to hit a home run.

What do you need to choose to laugh about today? 

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by Pamela Gilley on February 13, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Motivation, Perseverance, Uncategorized
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Posted by Pamela Gilley on February 13, 2013

https://keylifechoices.com/2013/02/13/three-strikes-and-youre-laughing/

“Do ye now next thing”

key-life-choices_key_final1.pngHow are you coming on your commitment to your New Year’s Resolutions?

“WAIT!”

Before you hit DELETE in frustration just read a bit further.

Maybe you’re standing in the here and now and peering over to the place you desire to go but all you’re really seeing is the GAP between the two.  Maybe you started out with gusto on January 2nd, and now you’re already frustrated and lagging in energy and motivation.

It happens!

So what do you do? Give up? Throw away the resolution? Throw away the dream or the goal? Give up on your health? Give up on improving that relationship? Give up on finding a better job? Give up on finishing that degree?

NO WAY!

Instead, try this: “Do ye now next thing.”

Stop looking at the goal or the vision for now. Instead just do the very next thing. If you’re depressed and having trouble getting out of bed, the next thing may be pulling the covers off your head, then the next sitting up on the side of the bed, the putting your feet on the floor, the next getting dressed. Don’t worry about getting happy, just take the next step and see how you begin to feel.

If you’re committed to exercising but you’ve lost your motivation, just do the very next thing. Put on your tennis shoes, then pull on your sweatshirt, your hat and your gloves. The next thing may be to open the door, and the next to step onto the porch. Don’t worry about walking the two miles, just take the next step and see where it gets you.

“Do ye now next thing” moves us beyond our fear, gives us an opportunity to test our doubts, and sets us in motion toward the next thing. String together enough small “do ye now next thing” moments and you just might find you’re at your resolution.

What will your “do ye now next thing” day look like? How has using this idea helped you keep moving toward a goal or project?

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by Pamela Gilley on January 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Motivation
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Posted by Pamela Gilley on January 22, 2013

https://keylifechoices.com/2013/01/22/do-ye-now-next-thing/