Preparation: Doing Nothing

“We are always getting ready to live but never living.” ~~Ralph Waldo Emerson~~

Sometimes the best preparation is to do nothing. Well, maybe “doing nothing” isn’t exactly what I mean. Taking a break; resting, relaxing, recharging, taking care of yourself. Not worrying about when or how things are going to get done, but trusting that they will when you’re in a better place to take care of them…

I took a semi-long weekend. I recharged. I started to think about the workload in front of me, and then I reminded myself that in order to be at my best, I needed to feel my best, and what I needed was a break in order to have that happen. And, here’s the thing… I gave myself permission to take a break and not feel guilty about it! Well, ok, I’m still working on the not feeling guilty part a little, but I am ready to face the week ahead with renewed energy, renewed vigor, and a renewed sense of empowerment. Taking my cues from the buds popping up on every tree, from the dandelions poking through the bright green grass, from the birds and even the bumblebee I saw yesterday, all who “took the winter off”, I am revitalized and ready to go! And, all it took to prepare for that was “nothing”.

Are you prepared for the wondrous week ahead?

Goals: Taking a Detour

“Establishing goals is all right if you don't let them deprive you of interesting detours.” ~~Doug Larson~~

I obviously believe in the power and necessity of goal setting. That’s not news. But I also have recently (read: yesterday - Thanks to Stephanie Dalfonzo!) agreed to free myself of the guilt associated with not accomplishing everything on my list.

Here’s the general scenario: I’d set a goal, something unplanned came up, and I’d feel guilty for not achieving the goal. Sound familiar? Apparently, I’m not alone in this scenario. Life happens. But it didn’t seem to matter if the unplanned thing was really, really positive and helped me to be successful in some other way; I still felt like I failed in some way. Now, I am specifically referring to shorter term goals here, not my 10-year plan, but that actually made it even harder, because it was happening a lot… I’d plan to get something done, would have to take a detour which often actually led to an even better place, and while I was thrilled about it, I’d still feel overwhelmed and sometimes downright rotten for not getting everything accomplished. Today, I continue my quest for personal freedom from guilt and will allow room for interesting detours. Are you in?

For more information on Stephanie Dalfonzo, visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedalfonzo or http://stephaniedalfonzo.com/

Preparation: Are you prepared for success?

**prep•a•ra•tion [ prèppə ráysh'n ]

NOUN
1. preparing something or somebody: the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or in putting something together in advance (often used before a noun) "a preparation time of about 45 minutes"
2. readiness: a state of readiness "Twenty place settings lay carefully arranged in preparation for the guests."
3. preparatory measure: something done in advance in order to be ready for a future event ( often pl ) "Preparations for the next Olympic Games are already under way."

The work or planning involved in making myself ready for success…putting something together in advance of success… preparing for success… experiencing success… these were the thoughts on my mind last night while laying in a relaxation yoga pose for about 30 minutes. Yes, I know I’m supposed to clear my mind and concentrate on my breathing, but it seemed much more productive (and proactive) to contemplate my success. I “saw myself” successful, stress-free, and exactly where I wanted to be. Call it the belief in the power of positive thinking, call it affirmation, call it “calling on the universe”, call it what you will. I’m calling it “awesome!” It was invigorating as well as relaxing. I felt focused, confident and powerful, and because I was also extremely relaxed, I slept really well. I even dreamt of coaching someone through the attitude adjustment process and readying them for success. I kept asking them, “How good are you willing to have it?” It was a wonderful dream! I woke up feeling well-rested and eager to start my day! I am re-energized, ready for anything, and prepared to take in all the great things coming my way! What a great way to prepare for my own success! How will you prepare for success?

**Content above provided by Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.