Wanna Be

Have you ever wanted to be something or someone you’re not? Then you know how I feel.

When I was a child, I was short. You too? My family called me “Little Jean.” My friends called me “short.” My mom called me “petite.” She still does. Yes, I haven’t changed much. I stopped growing (vertically) when I was in 9^th grade, topping out at 5’2”. (I wish I’d stopped growing horizontally!)

If you happen to look at any group pictures I’m in, especially family pics, chances are I’m the most vertically challenged. When I give presentations, I’m the one that steps out from behind the lectern. Not just because I’m brave. Those things make me feel short. (Lecterns with fixed mics are not my friend.) And, for all you tall fellas out there, I’m the girl in the grocery store that asks you, “Please, can you reach that box of Cheerios on the top shelf?” And for some of you tall fellas out there, that is not a clever way to get to meet you; I really CAN’T reach that high. (But, every once in a while, when no one’s looking, I can climb that high. Shhh….don’t tell the folks at Wal-Mart!)

So, this morning, as I was walking into work on a bright and sunny day, I was thrilled to see this wanna be tall & skinny girl had achieved her life-long dream. There I was, as plain as day, on the sidewalks of downtown Burlington, my tall and skinny shadow proclaiming my transformation. And, wow, was it tall and skinny! I mean, I was looking good in all my silhouetted 7-ft glory. I even felt my step get a little lighter, my posture improve and the early morning brain fog begin to lift. All because I saw myself, not so much the way I am but the way I want to be.

In reality, of course, I had not grown one inch. In reality, I will never grow taller, except when I step into a pair of high, high, really high heels. In reality, I could grow skinnier. (Never hurts to dream!)

Now, if I go out at noon, my shadow will be equally as deceiving: shorter and wider. Ouch! And that perception of me will not raise my spirits.

Today, I realized that even if there are things I cannot change, it’s okay. I need to accept them and move on. For those things I can change, I continually identify them and make a plan to change them. No matter what, I try my best to keep my eye on the end goal. Sure, there may be times when, like that shorter and wider shadow, I lose my focus and can’t see past the negativity. It happens. It may happen to you too. A good way to get past that is to evaluate, every day, your growth and progress toward your success. If you aren’t growing, you aren’t going anywhere.

Sometimes we have to accept who we are in order to move on successfully. Sometimes we can become who we want to be and that moves us closer to success. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is two-fold:

1. What unchangeable thing can you identify today and choose to accept?
2.  What can you change to move closer to success and how will you do that, starting now?

Yes, I’m a wanna be. And each day I’m moving closer to what and who I want to be. Are you?

Jean

Six Super Lessons from Super Bowl XLVII

It was T minus 3 hours, 36 minutes, 24 seconds and counting until the kickoff of Super Bowl XLVII. I could hardly wait! Even though, I have to admit, none of my favorite teams had made it. (Although I do love SF quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.) Still, there’s just something super exciting about watching the best of the best in the NFL go head to head. Plus, I love to watch (and critique) the commercials. How about you?

3 hours, 36 minutes and 24 seconds s-l-o-w-l-y ticked by. Finally, it was time! To see Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook elementary school kids sing “God Bless America”….well, it was heart-touching.  And Alicia Keys’ rendition of the National Anthem was simply beautiful.

 And what about that 11-second kick return for a touchdown by the Ravens? Honestly, I was hoping the 49ers would win. But I was super impressed by that play. You’ve gotta recognize talent.  (Sorry, K!) But then there was the fumble recovery….yep, so much talent on the field tonight.  And 17 San Francisco points scored in just over 4 minutes.  Plus Quarterback K’s touchdown! Longest in Super Bowl history. Wow!

Congrats to the Ravens for the win! And, now that the game is a part of history, here are a few life lessons I learned from this Super Bowl that I want to share with you. #herewego

     1.  Be genuine. Always sing (don’t lip-sync).  Even if you admit you’re going to do it, lip-sync-ing is often perceived as being ‘fake’ or taking the easy way out. (Which is interesting if you’re lip-sync-ing to your own performance.) Now, I certainly understand that the sound quality would be better lip-sync-ed. However, I’ll take a live performance anytime over perfection. Kudos to Beyoncé for going for it. She genuinely rocked the house at half-time!

2.  Be prayerful. Before taking the field, we saw players praying. In your personal and professional life, it’s important to have balance. Men and woman of great faith draw strength from and give glory to God. Don’t neglect your spiritual life.  

3      3.  Be grateful.  Just like making it to the Super Bowl, there are going to be key people and key events in your life that get you to your shining hour. Remember those that got you there and let them know you appreciate them.

4      4.  Be forgiving.  Life isn’t fair, especially if you disagreed with the referee’s call on…you know what play I’m talking about! Yeah, that one. If you focus on times you’ve been treated unfairly in life, you’ll never reach your full potential. You have to forgive in order to focus fully and live your purpose.

5      5.  Be ready for anything. Sometimes, the unexpected happens. Sometimes it’s beyond your control. Like when the lights go out in the Super Dome during the big game. When life happens, focus on what you do have control of, not on what you don’t. And ALWAYS have a Plan B. Use your downtime wisely. Be ready for when the lights DO come back on. (Even if it takes 35 minutes.)

6       6. Be the best. NFL teams that make it to the Super Bowl didn’t do it by being mediocre. Be your best in what you do, take a journey of continual growth and find your own success!

Are there any lessons you’ve learned from watching the big game?

What was your favorite commercial? Mine was a tie for first between the RAM “So God Made a Farmer” and the Jeep/USO one. With bravery at the prom (Audi) coming in second.  (Maybe not a close second, but second just the same.)

What was the tackiest? Yeah, the Go Daddy kiss.

To your super success,

Jean

Check out the Super Bowl commercials here!

5 Secrets to Your Success in the New Year

Today, I've taken some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions and I’m sharing ways you (and I) can realize success for each of them.

1.   Lose weight.  This one hits close to home. Every year, I put this at the top of my New Year’s resolutions list. In fact, many times, I put only this on my list. Some years, I would go on a diet (i.e. Atkins: lost 12 pounds, gained them back—and then some-- after I quit the diet) and some years, I would join a gym (i.e. Gold’s 1-year membership: went regularly a few times a week for a few months, had surgery, never went back). Secret #1: The key to success is in the quit; don’t do it! When I looked back at the ways I’d failed in losing weight, year after year, I realized that my failure was all about quitting before I realized success. This year, I’m challenging myself to be successful in losing a few pounds and getting fit. I have a plan and I’m sticking to it! (And for those of you who know me personally, you’ll know by the end of the year if this worked or not!) And if you’re celebrating the season and new year with alcohol, be aware of the calories you’re consuming. For those who drink, approximately 16% of the calories they consume are from alcohol. So, when you make your plan, consider the liquids you consume as well as the foods. Be sure to check with your doctor for a plan that’s right for you.
2.  Save money.  Often, at the end of the year, we look back wishing we’d been more financially savvy. If you find yourself wishing you’d saved more of your hard-earned money, here’s how to give yourself the best chance to make that happen. Secret #2: Change your attitude. When you change your attitude towards money, you can begin to change your financial life. Best-selling author and financial guru, Dave Ramsey says, “It’s time to change the attitudes that keep you broke.” Financial Peace University is his ‘baby’ and the program has helped millions change their financial stories. The first steps are getting past the myths of debt and money, embracing the changes you’re making even when they’re painful and doing it all with a new attitude toward your finances. Click here for more info on how financial peace of mind can be yours. 
3.  Help others. The spirit of giving during the Christmas season prompts us to open our hearts to those less fortunate and less able to care for themselves. But just because Christmas is over doesn't mean our hearts have changed. When making resolutions for a new year, we often find ourselves resolving to give a little more, to dig a little more deeply into our pockets and into our hearts to ease another’s burden, feed some hungry tummies or help out Santa on his merry rounds. Secret #3: Keep your spirit of giving alive. Look around you. There’s more opportunity for giving than ever. Whether you donate a pint of blood, a few cans of food to a food bank or volunteer at a local school, you can put a smile on someone’s face and make a difference in their lives. For a really cool idea we can do together, click here.
4.   Go green. It’s not just a popular idea, it’s a good idea. And an idea that can get your creative juices flowing in finding ways to do it. Secret #4: Simplify your life. Recycling is top of the list when it comes to going green. If you aren't recycling, the new year is a great time to start. And if you are, what about recycling all your unused items, clothes, etc. and live a bit more simply? (Oh, how I need to do this!) Contact your local charity store and find out when they accept donations. Or, start your own ‘free store.’ It can be a one-time community swap or an ongoing physical store where people can bring their unwanted items and pick up items they want or need. At the end of the day, you’ll have simplified your life and given yourself a freedom from all the ‘things’ that hold you hostage in the cleaning, maintaining and upkeep of them all. Plus, you’ll have provided others with gently-used items and clothing that make their lives a little better. And, if the planet had a capacity to love, it would love you for taking care of it.
5.  Travel more. Wow, who wouldn't like to travel to new places and experience the different foods, languages and cultures? Or maybe you’re interested in travelling around your own country, to parts unknown to you? Even here in the United States, there are so many differences depending on what part of the country you’re in. Secret #5: Chase your dreams. If your dream is to travel, just do it. Not that easy? Then chase that dream and make a plan. I recently found that if you want to, say, take a cruise, but find it hard to part with that lump sum of money, you can opt to make manageable payments. Also, check to see if you qualify for employee perks that include travel packages or if you can rack up points to use toward travel when using your debit / credit cards. Don’t just dream about it; do it. Click here for a good place to start chasing your travel dreams. 

The really cool part about these 5 secrets is that you can use them to find success in keeping your New Year’s resolutions and in other areas of your life. Check it out:

·                Secret #1: The key to success is in the quit; don’t do it!

·                Secret #2: Change your attitude.  

·                Secret #3: Keep your spirit of giving alive.

·                Secret #4: Simplify your life.

·                Secret #5: Chase your dreams.

How’s that for a game plan for life?

So, break open the bubbly (non-alcoholic, please) and make a toast to your success in the coming New Year!

Jean

Wanna share your thoughts?

1)      Made any New Year’s resolutions?

2)      Have a resolution-keeping success story?

3)      Do you like travelling and where have you been?