Dream Boards - Dream Big

It’s two weeks until Hellen Buttigieg and I run the next Get Organized Virtual Intensive (February 11 and 25, 2008, 7-10pm EST both evenings). Is one of your dreams this year to get organized and to work with a world class organizer? Here’s your chance. Hellen and I are pairing up again to work with an small group of individuals(less than 10) who are committed to getting organized and spending time discovering what is important to you. It’s going to be a very interactive two evenings of organizing and coaching. We are holding the program by phone, so that you can tackle your closets, your drawers…no excuses! For more information about the program please click here.

We still have space for a few more individuals to join us for these two evenings of fun, organizing, coaching and tips so if you’ve been sitting on the fence about joining us, I hope that you will email me at info@potentialsrealized.com to reserve your spot.

Hellen was featured again today on the hot CBC talk show Steven and Chris. She did an excellent segment on Dreaming Big and Creating Dream boards. You can see the 10 minute video clip for yourself here: http://www.cbc.ca/stevenandchris/2008/01/creating_a_dream_board.html

Dream Boards, or Vision Boards, are a very powerful tool which have become more popular with the Secret. It’s a great exercise which can help you capture in one place all the things you dream about. By reviewing it regularly (daily) consciously and subconsciously many things can be manifested.

I am often reminded of this by a coaching client of mine who really wanted to get a particular car when we first started working together. She thought that it was just not going to be possible given her current situation. During our coaching work she developed a structure to keep the idea of the car close to her. Six months later, after stepping into a new promotion, her old car died. She decided to go out and look at new cars. Wouldn’t you know that the car she really wanted was available, even at a lower price than she would have paid to keep the old one on the road. She said that the car is a reminder to her that big dreams can come true. She continues to enjoy the car every moment she can!

To create your own dream board, watch Hellen’s segment above, or click on over to these great articles and links about Dream Boards"

Annette Colby’s Dream Board article
Top 7 Instructions for Creating Your First Personal or Business Dream Board: http://top7business.com/?id=64

February’s Balance call will focus on Breathing Life into your Vision of 2008. The call will be held on Monday February 4th at 7:30 pm (EST). My monthly balance calls are complimentary (your only cost is to dial into the bridgeline) and run for one hour. It is a mix of information and coaching. If you would like to join the February 5th call please email me at info@potentialsrealized.com with Feb 5th in the subject line. I’ll send you the bridgeline information prior to our call next Monday night.

Have a balanced week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
Group Coaching Essentials.com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960

Keeping your resolutions alive

Happy New Year! I hope that 2008 has started off wonderfully for all readers!

The new year is often a time when intentions and resolutions are set. Prehaps you may have set a resolution about getting more fit, spending more time with your family, finding better work-life balance or even writing a book.

Unfortunately, every year a vast number of resoutions fall by the wayside, only to be put on next year's list.

How are your resolutions coming? Ask yourself the following:

1. On a scale of 1-10 how am I doing with the resolutions I set?

2. What action can I take today to move forward towards my goal?

3. If I've fallen off track, what small action step can I take to get me back on track?

4. How important are all of the resolutions I set? Which ones are most important for me?

Often we set a huge list of resolutions which realisticaly we can't meet. Be gentle with yourself and consider what it would be like to pare your list of 10 or 20 down to the most important 1, 2, or 3. How does that feel?

5. How will I know when I am making progress towards my resolutions? What milestones have I set for myself?

If you haven't set regular milestones where you can chart your progress, do this is now. For many resolutions - like eating better, quitting smoking - success will depend on changing our habits, which many researchers say takes at least 21 days. How can you chart your progress for each of these first 21 days which often are the most challenging before a new habit is formed?

6. What support do I need in the short term to keep my resolutions alive? What support do I need in the long term?

7. How will I reward myself (regularly) for making progress towards my resolutions?

Remember, reward does not always mean spending money. What can you do to reward yourself -- take a longer bath, read a book that's been sitting there for a while, going for a walk.

For additional insights, tips and tools as you move forward with your resolutions, check out my blog postings from last year on the 30 Day Challenge I did last April. The 30 Day Challenge was a structure to focus on one important goal achievement. I hope that you find some of last year's posts useful as you look to keeping your New Year's Resolutions alive!

Cheers to the start of a new year and Make 2008 Great!

Warm wishes,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton

Potentials Realized

Group Coaching Essentials

Getting In Gear for Back to Work

As I wrote this morning at my Biz Toolkit Blog, many of us are back to "work" this week, just as our kids are back to school. I posted today on 6 Tips for Back to Work Success, which I hope you will click on over to the Biz Toolkit to read.

As a summary, here are my six tips for back to work success:
1. Set some goals or refresh your acquaintance with your goals
2. Take time to plan
3. Keep organized
4. Bring the summertime feel into work more often
5. Keep enjoying those summer activities
6. Unwire, just a bit

I came across a great post by Brad Issac at Achieve IT! last night which I wanted to share with you - 10 Ways to Have a Happy Workday. This is sometimes easier for us to do during the summer months, and Brad's wisdom holds true as we move into September.

Have a balanced week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
90 Day Your Balanced Life Program
Your Balanced Life Virtual Retreat (October 3 and 10 7-10pm EST)
Email: jennifer{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960

Work Life Balance Tip: Apply the 80/20 Rule

Have you heard of the Pareto Principle? This argues that typically 80% of unfocussed effort generates only 20% of results. The remaining 80% of results are achieved with only 20% of the effort.

Where are you spending your time? What 20% of your efforts are generating 80% of your results. Take a moment and write these down.

We can also apply the Pareto Principle to planning and time management. Did you know that 20 minutes of planning can save 120 minutes of work (unfocused effort)? Are you taking time at the end of the day, or start of the day to map out what needs to get accomplished and get done? Try it out for a week....carve out 10 - 20 minutes for daily planning each and every day. You may prefer to schedule this at the end of the day, or the start of the day.

I'd love to hear how it goes and what impact it makes in your work.

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC, CHRP
Potentials Realized
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: info[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

Recharge Your Batteries with me this Saturday!

Spring is really starting to spring in my neck of the woods, and spring fever has taken hold of my son who wants to always be outdoors. When was the last time you have recharged your batteries? Ask yourself, where is your energy level right now?

In speaking with a number of associates and clients over the last few days, I realize that many of us, myself included, have been running on full-tilt since the start of the new year. Energy stocks are lower than usual. What will you be doing this weekend to recharge?

If you are looking for a structure to recharge this weekend I hope that you will consider joining me on Saturday May 5th for the Your Balanced Life! Virtual Retreat. From 10 - 4 pm (EST) that day, we will be spending the day retreating virtually from our own homes, reconnecting with those things most important in our lives. We "meet" hourly by phone, connecting for about 20 minutes to undertake a group exercise, and then spend the remaining part of the hour retreating individually at our own locations offline, doing some individual inner work.

The program also includes a 30 minute coaching session with me which can be scheduled anytime in the month after the retreat. Participants will also receive a virtual retreat manual by email, which they will use throughout the day of the program. The cost for this program is $97 US (plus any long distance charges retreatants have to connect with the telephone bridgeline in the US). For frequently asked questions about virtual retreats and how they work, please click here.

I hold the Your Balanced Life! virtual retreats every quarter and participants have joined me from around the world. To downoad the Your Balanced Life! Virtual Retreat registration form, please click here. You can also register by PayPal at the web page. I'd love to have you join me on May 5th, to renew, recharge and refocus.

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, CPCC
Potentials Realized
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

April's 30 Day Challenge - Day 27: Planning to Celebrate

Photo courtesy of Bigfoto.com

Today is Day 27 of the 30 Day Challenge. How is it going for you? With four more days left in the 30 day challenge, what more do you want to achieve?

Today's post is all about getting ready to celebrate. Focusing on goal achievement consistently for 3o days can take a lot of effort. What have you learned through this process?

How will you celebrate your achievements at the end of the 30 Days? What do you want to acknowledge yourself for?

Make a list today of 10 things you could do to celebrate your hard work this month. Take a look at the list and pick the juiciest one and schedule it in.

Part of my learning through the 30 day challenge has has been to remember that small, regular movement towards a goal can make a huge difference, even if many other events pop up along the way. I've also realized that rest and pacing along the way is also really important. There have been days when I have not focused on my writing as planned. I've been gentle with myself and recognize that usually the next day when I put my attention on it again, my productivity is actually enhanced. So thre is something to be said about rest.

I would be interested in hearing about how you will celebrate? I am starting my own celebration this weekend up north at my cottage, my creative source. I'm looking forward to it!

Have a great weekend,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton

Potentials Realized

Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

PS - Less than a week until we kick off the Get Organized! Virtual Retreat. I will be co-hosting this really exciting phone based program on Thursday May 3rd and May 10th from 7-10 pm (EST) with TV Host and Professional Organizer Hellen Buttigieg. We will be taking a hands on approach to spring cleaning, organizing, time management and other issues. A few spots still remain and we'd love to have you join us! For more information, click here. You can register online or call me toll free 1-866-217-1960.

Measuring Your Progress Towards Goals

It's day 23 of the 30 Day Challenge and I'm curious as to if you've taken a look at how much further ahead you are with the goal you've focused on this month.

Take a few minutes right now and look at how far you've come -
Where are you right now with the goal you've been focusing on?
Where were you at the start of the month?
If you had to put a number figure on it, how far along are you with achieving this goal?
What do you want to acknowledge yourself for?

The thing that I love with this process is at this stage you really can see how you really are in a different place than 3 short weeks ago. If you aren't seeing the progress you want, what is one thing you can do today to move you forward?

As we move into this last full week of the 30 day challenge, I hope that you will continue to keep your eyes on the horizon and your momentum moving you forward.

Looking forward to speaking with you tomorrow!

Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, CPCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

Support Structures for Goals

Welcome to Day 19 of the 30 Day Challenge. We've passed the mid-way mark -- how are things coming with your goals?

Today's post is about support structures. When we work to make changes in our lives, they often do not stick because we don't build support structures around our changes. What support could you put in place to make your new action stick?

Support structures can take a number of forms - from building in some time for daily planning, to getting additional help with household chores, to waking up a little earlier or going to bed a little earlier.

One of the support structures I have put in place to support my writing goal is to not check email so frequently. With emails coming in on a very frequent basis with my work, I have now set aside some time first thing in the morning to go through the emails that are urgent, and I am training myself to check them strategically throughout the day. This is giving me more time to be focused on what's really important in the day.

What's one thing you can do today to put your support structure into place?

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, CPCC, CHRP, CPT

Potentials Realized

Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

Building Momentum Towards Your Goals

Building Momentum Towards Your Goals – Create The Tipping Point

Copyright 2007 - Jennifer Britton

Momentum = To Move Forward

Momentum is a powerful tool in the achievement of goals. Have you ever noticed how things literally start to snowball and take on a life of their own, once a certain point is reached?

Many times momentum is gained through those very small steps you are taking if you are engaging in the 30 day challenge. Momentum is most often about the cumulative impact of smaller actions not just one giant step.

What are you noticing about momentum you have gained in the last 10 days of the 30 day Challenge? What’s getting easier? What’s becoming effortless? What can you leverage to get more momentum?

I'd love to hear about what momentum looks like for you -- please feel free to comment below.

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, CPCC, CHRP, CPT

Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

Passion + Action = Goal Success

Passion + Action = Goal Success

Today’s post is about adding passion or desire to the actions that you are undertaking this month for the 30 Day Challenge.

Sit back for a moment, and ask yourself – how inspired am I by the action steps I am taking on a daily basis? Rate yourself on a scale of 0 – 10, with 0 being absolutely not inspired and 10 being I’m totally inspired.

Take a look at your rating. What would make your actions more inspired? How can you kick it up a notch?

This month I’ve picked the action steps of writing on daily basis. One of my goals this year is to get my work and ideas more widely out into the world. Part of my vision is publishing a book later this year. By connecting with my passion for the subjects I am writing about, and keeping my end goal in mind, my daily blocks of writing are becoming much easier. As they say, it takes 21 days of continuous effort to make a habit. I hope that I am laying the groundwork for this foundation.

How do your actions connect to a larger goal in your life? Why is this goal important to you? What passions can you leverage to make the progress towards this goal, fun and meaningful to you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how your 30 Day Challenge is coming. Please feel free to comment below.

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Your Balanced Life! 90 Day Program starts May 22nd
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

April's 30 Day Challenge - Day 6

How is the 30 Day Challenge coming for you? We are now into day six, and what have you noticed by taking small action steps on a daily basis towards one of your most important goals?

My first week of the 30 Day challenge has been great for my writing (the goal I set for myself this month). I've been able to build up some momentum and have been blogging on a daily basis on my assorted blogs. I've also dug up some older files with partially completed articles, and am planning on breathing some new life back into these. With this being the Easter weekend, we are enjoying some quiet family time, getting a lot of things done around the house and office.

Obstacles are an inevitable part of moving towards goals and will show up at some time or other. I read a great blog post at Darlene Hull's the Mom-Defrazzler blog, called "Watch Out - Identify the Obstacles". If obstacles are showing up in your path now, or sometime down the road, do check it out. Last July she dedicated a month to goal setting topics. Her dad contributed to a number of the articles posted there and so wonderfully started his article with,

Every obstacle is a stepping stone to your success. Unknown

I look forward to hearing how your 30 day challenge is coming, and if any obstacles are showing up. If so, how can you turn these obstacles into a stepping stone or a spring board?

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton

Potentials Realized

Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com