Let’s talk energy!  In my eZine last week I wrote about maximizing your daily effectiveness.  There are many factors that come into play as you cultivate your best self.  So where do you start?  At the source or core is your internal energy – a renewable and powerful resource that is available to you at all times, 24/7.  You just need to know how to tap into it and use it to help you achieve your greatest potential. 

It’s helpful if I share a little technical background, so bear with me while I lay some groundwork that you may or may not be familiar with.  First, let’s take away the mystery around some of the Chinese terms you may have run across.  Chinese words are typically expressed in one of two different systems of Chinese to English (Pinyin – currently used in China and Wade-Giles – formerly used in China), so I’ve included them both as reference.  When I speak of your energy, I’m referring to what is known in Eastern martial arts and philosophy as your Qi (chee), Chi or internal energy.  In my Taijiquan (tie-jee-chuen), Tai Chi Chuan or ”Grand Ultimate Fist” - the slow-moving martial art that resembles moving meditation - and Qigong (chee-kung) , Chi Kung  or energy practice, I generate energy, move it within my body, and direct it externally, as well.  You might have experienced this yourself, or this may be a new concept for you, but everyone has Qi and you can learn how to revitalize yourself by increasing and focusing your Qi. 

Your energy center is in your core – your Dan Tien (don tee-en) - which is located one to one-and-a-half inches below your navel and one to two inches deep, depending on the individual (Yang, 1997).  This is also your body’s center of gravity – all in all, a very important place to pay attention to and work with.

While this may sound a little esoteric or woo-woo, it’s actually based on physics, and has been studied in the business community.   In 2007 The Harvard Business Review published an article by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy of The Energy Project called “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time” http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time/ar/1.   It recounts energy work done with employees of Wachovia. 

The premise of the article is that time is a limited resource, but personal energy is renewable.  Schwartz and McCarthy have been working with corporate America on how to increase productivity in the workforce.  They work on four dimensions of energy:  physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, and suggest specific rituals to increase each of them.

A pilot energy management program conducted with Wachovia revealed some compelling findings:  After 3 months, participants in the energy renewal program produced 13% higher loan revenues than the control group and 20% higher revenues from deposits, which was considered an extremely successful program by Wachovia’s standards.

The findings of this experiment are also important for business owners and other professionals because we all want to be able to do more with less, keep our energy consistently high and be as productive as we can each day. So let’s talk about how you can tap into your energy.  It’s actually part of a larger dynamic that I summarize as:

Core Energy + Core Strength + Core Values = Core Power

It’s your Core Power that drives you forward in a fundamental way.   If  your core power is fully engaged, you’ll be full of energy, your focus will be laser-sharp, you’ll feel strong yet relaxed, you’ll walk taller and look more confident, your balance will be better, you will move more gracefully (yes, guys, this is important for you, too), and you will maintain greater health and vitality.  

 To experience your own Qi or core energy, try this three-minute exercise:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, legs straight with knees unlocked, your arms dangling at your sides and your eyes closed.
2. Raise your hands till your palms face each other 4 to 6 inches apart and in front of your belly, just below your waist.
3. Start breathing slowly from your belly right below your navel, allowing your belly to expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale in a relaxed manner.  Breathe through your nose on the inhale and exhale.
4. With each breath, allow your palms to gently pulse apart on the inhale and together on the exhale.
5. Continuing with your eyes closed, visualize the sun’s energy radiating from your Dan Tien – your energy center below your navel – with each inhale, causing your palms to pulse apart.
6. Continue this breathing in a slow, relaxed manner for a minute and notice how your palms feel.  Play with it for another minute, slightly changing the angle of the palms as they face each other, allowing the distance between them to expand if you feel resistance between them (like a ball of energy) and continuing to envision the sun’s energy emanating from your core.
7. Complete the exercise by bringing your palms together, one in front of the other, to gather the energy into your center, flat against your belly.
8. Gently relax your arms to dangle at your sides and slowly open your eyes.

What did you notice during the exercise?  How did your core and palms feel?  How did your palms look afterwards?  How did you feel overall after the exercise?  I invite you to share your experience with others  (and me) on this blog.  There is much more we can do with energy, but that gives you a taste.

Next week we’ll move to the second part of the equation – core strength…it may not be as obvious as you think….

To receive the rest of this series automatically each week - click on the RSS feed at the top of this page.

Retweet to friends at the top of this page!

Normally my “Kathy Recommends” is about a book or website that I’ve found helpful.  I begin this  e-zine with three website recommendations because of the dire need of our fellow world residents in Haiti.  The devastation does not need further description; I am asking that you share some of your good fortune at a time of horrendous suffering for Haitians by clicking on the link of your choice below to contribute money for the life-saving supplies that are desperately needed.
 
American Red Cross
Unicef USA
Care
 
Thanks,

Now that I’m settling into my life in Florida, I am really appreciating how at ease I am here and how much I am energized by my surroundings.  I am truly home.  I want others to experience similar tranquility about where they live and how they are living their life.  I also appreciate efficiency and getting the most out of every precious moment we have each day, so I began to ask myself, “What would be the most fundamental, useful and reasonably doable life practices that could help someone be the healthiest, happiest, most fulfilled person possible…especially given the crazy pace of life for so many of us?  How could we have our most robust life?

We’re bombarded with so many ideas on how to be a better, smarter, happier, richer, prettier, healthier – you name it – person….Which way do you turn?  Who do you believe?  Who has exactly the right answer for you?  It can be confusing and overwhelming.  I’ve done a lot of research about a lot of life issues and the conclusion I came to years ago is that I can take in all kinds of good stories and good advice, but it’s only by checking in with myself – keeping communication open with my intuition and my personal values – that I can make sense of all the input in a way that will be useful to me.  Context is key.

So how do we live the life we want, keep our stress low and energy high, and get the most out of each day – both personally and professionally?  I call it maximizing your “daily effectiveness”, and it begins by looking inside, getting clear about your core values and engaging in positive life practices that can be maintained consistently with a small investment of time, thought and intentional action.  Over the coming months I’ll share a variety of tips and resources on how you can increase your daily effectiveness; you decide what feels right for you. 
 
This e-zine comes to you just once a month; if you’d like to learn even more, you can receive my weekly blog posts with additional tips, resources and timely updates by clicking here  to get the RSS feed.  Talk to you again soon!
 
KB

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

-Sir Winston Churchill

I’ve been thinking a lot about our creativity and passion and being true to that deepest, most child-like part of us – how we all have that part of us that is full of child-like wonder and glee.  We forget about it and lose touch with it as we go about our busy lives.  As the new year gets rolling, I want to celebrate the creativity that lies within each of us.  Do you have some expression of your creativity that you’d like to post here?  Something you wrote or a description of something you did?  I’m celebrating with a poem I wrote awhile back and have never shared before….Here’s to expressing for the joy of it…..

Possibility

I leave behind the sad, the negative, the wimpering, simpering false labor of an unimagined life

To celebrate that crisp indelible glimpse of what could be in far off places

               that are but a stone’s throw from the mind.

Oh, passion is at rest and neither grovels nor pushes pretentiously through that veil of doubt

But waits for possibility to overtake the dull thud of footsteps in place

               on a well-worn sidewalk of a fettered mind.

Oh, how out we come

And joy overtakes all

And the cymbals crash like obnoxious, unruly children in our heads

As we come marching out into the glare of the sun

And smile and smile and smile.

Happy New Year

KB

Greetings!

I hope this message finds you well, happy, and sharing time with those who are special to you.  The holidays are such a great time to take advantage of the slower pace to relax, reconnect with folks more personally and rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.  May you be refreshed and excited to dive into the new year!

I know it has been some time since I last connected with you; I took time this autumn for travel, soul-searching and a big life change.  I decided, after ten years living in the Washington DC area, to sell my home in Silver Spring, Maryland and move back to my native state of Florida.  (Yes, I left in time to dodge the snowstorms!)  I am now settling into my new home in North Palm Beach.  It’s pretty clear that this was the right decision energetically, as well as practically, for me: I listed my house on November 2nd, signed a contract on November 6th and closed on the house November 20th.  That’s 19 days from listing to closing.  It also speaks to one of my core ways of living: “Make a decision, get it done.”

Some friends have asked, “Won’t you miss the winter season?”  Not so much – I’ve got Florida blood and I really love the warm.  During my “sabbatical” this fall I asked myself, heart-of-hearts, where am I happiest?  This is an important question if I want to live my most fulfilled life.  My answer was to move back to where I can be nurtured by the sun, see more of my family, and get outside to cycle, walk and bodysurf more often.

So what about you?  Heart-of-hearts, are you living where you love it?  Are you doing work that fulfills you?  Are you happy with your life?  As the New Year approaches, this is a perfect time to reflect on where in your life you’re happy and fulfilled, and where you’re not.  And if there’s something that you wish could be different, why not do something about it?  Make a decision, and get it done.

Some things take longer to accomplish than others.  That’s okay.  Once you decide what that new outcome is – that dream or vision or goal – you can figure out just that first step and do it.  That’s progress and every bit of forward motion, no matter how modest, can be a boost to your spirit and keep your momentum going.  It’s exciting – just make that first decision, and get that first action done.  You can do it!

If you get inspired, share your thoughts and let me know 1) what change will make your life more fulfilling, 2) what that first step to make it happen will be, and 3) the date that you’ll have it done.  If you would rather reach me privately, email me (kathy at Robust Life Coaching.com).  And if you are seriously committed to making changes and would like some coaching to help you get into action, I invite you to apply for one of my complimentary Life Strategy Sessions (a limited number are available) and go after your heart’s desire.

Cheers to you and may 2010 be your best year ever!
 
Warm wishes,

 Greetings,

I hope you’re enjoying the summer as much as I am – it’s warm (which I love as a Florida native), the birds and butterflies are enjoying my beautiful gardens, and I’m having fun with several projects.  Because there’s so much going on, I’ve decided to send you my e-zine once a month and send other updates and information occasionally that could be useful to you – stay tuned.
 
Recently, I had the opportunity to experience something very different and very special – natural horseback riding – and I wanted to share the experience with you.  I was introduced to it by Natural Horsemanship Trainer Kirsten Willey.  She is also known as a horse whisperer.  She rides bareback and uses no bits with her horses – only soft rope bridle and other minimal, soft gear.  You can see her pictured here with Mickey, the horse I rode.

She gave me a lesson on staying in the flow with the horse, since the gear was minimal and her horses – and their riders – are trained in gentler persuasion than traditional horseback riding. 

To help me get the feeling of natural riding, Kirsten related to me a Native American tale about two riders who traveled for years by horseback on a quest.  By the time they returned home, their lower bodies had grown into their horses, and they became, literally, one with their horses.  That’s the sensation she encouraged me to feel as I rode…and it worked!  If you are fascinated by natural horsemanship and would like to know more, you can reach Kirsten at scooterdoggies@hotmail.com.  For more on flow, keep reading.

To living with ease, 

After my horseback riding experience, I spent some time thinking about how being in the flow of life can positively affect our lives.  We are calmer, more focused, more at peace with ourselves and the world.  We experience the ultimate flow when we are following our passion, doing work and other activities that we love.  I ask clients a couple of questions that are helpful for discovering their true passion and flow:

• What would you do, even if you weren’t getting paid for it?
• If you had all the money you could ever want, how would you spend your time?

Why are these questions important?  Because when you are doing what makes you happy and fulfilled, you will most easily find your flow.  You will be inspired to get up out of bed, excited about what the day may bring.

When I worked with a client recently on how life is so much easier and enjoyable when we are in our flow and not forcing things, the personal experience he came up with was drumming.  When he forced it, it was hard to play and didn’t sound as good; he said by letting go, he could finally feel the flow.

How does this relate to everyday life?  Once you know how it feels to be engaged in something effortlessly, you can cultivate that feeling at other times, as well.  Then, when something unexpected or unpleasant happens, you have a choice: you can either focus on what happened, all the bad details – stirring up and continuing to feed negative emotions, such as anger or regret – or you can acknowledge the sad, unfortunate or surprising situation, consider how you could respond in a productive way, and then refocus on whatever brings you back to center – to your sense of calm and flow.

I get into my flow, especially, in my coaching and when I’m doing other favorite activities like t’ai chi, cycling, walking, swimming, dancing and gardening. Without effort, my breathing becomes deep and regular, I am relaxed and my thoughts and movements come with ease.  By remembering that feeling at other times, I have learned how to bring on that state by focusing on my breath and my energy center in my body’s core.

Get Into Action
Think about an activity where you can get into your flow.  What is it about that activity that does it for you?  Can you recall that feeling you had when you were doing it with such ease?  What would it take for you to call up that feeling at other times?  Is it a certain way of breathing?  Is it the way you are moving?  Is it some sort of visualization that gets you into that flow?

Once you’ve pinpointed what puts you into your flow, practice bringing on that same feeling in everyday life – in your office, on a walk, or perhaps having a meal.  Once you’ve gotten the hang of this, you can begin using this technique to get into your flow in more stressful situations.  Have some fun with this – it can really make a difference in your day.

May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries,
May the breeze blow new strength into your being.
May you walk gently through the world
and know its beauty all the days of your life.  
–Apache blessing 

Greetings!

I recently had a couple of experiences in my local community with an organization called Impact Silver Spring (ISS) that demonstrate what I want to share with you today – building meaningful relationships that contribute to your success as an entrepreneur, as well as enrich your life. One occasion was their new member orientation, which I attended because I had recently joined to get better connected with folks in my own community. The other was their “Spirit of Silver Spring” street party that brought out families and friends for a festive gathering in downtown Silver Spring for people of all ages and backgrounds. You see me here with Noelle Haile, ISS’s IMPACT Connections Coordinator at this event. She is a delightful and amazing woman; I’ll share more about Noelle later.

My experiences with ISS brought to mind, particularly, one of the concepts of my coaching and one of the modules in my workshop “The Entrepreneur’s ‘Powerhouse Ten’ System for Success”. I call it: “Connect with People and Treat Them Well”.

Impact Silver Spring was established in 1999 “to ensure that the diversity of the community’s population would be reflected in the life and leadership of newly revitalized Silver Spring (and) continues to focus on supporting collaborative community work crossing lines of race, class, and culture in our schools, neighborhoods and businesses.” The organization was selected as one of the best small charities in the Greater Washington Region by the Catalogue of Philanthropy in 2007-08 and it’s easy to understand why.

Noelle Haile epitomizes their philosophy. She has a masterful way of welcoming a person with her warm, friendly, as well as professional, demeanor. She engages everyone in a room, helping everyone feel comfortable, open to sharing and respected for their contribution to the conversation. I have had the pleasure of working with Noelle on one of my workshop presentations at ISS “The Entrepreneur’s Three Keys to Reduce Stress and Maximize Time and Profits” and have enjoyed her astute facilitation at their membership orientation, which they hold each month.

Here’s the point: I daresay that every person in the room at the orientation would bend over backwards to help out Noelle because she is such an authentic, giving person. This attitude is also a core value of Impact Silver Spring, which is just one reason why I gravitated toward them in the first place. The organization gives first and asks to receive later – again, a basic tenet in creating lasting, fruitful win-win-win (more on this later) relationships as an entrepreneur. I’ve devoted this issue of my e-zine to examining how we can build lasting relationships in hopes that it provides you inspiration and tools personally and helps spread the spirit of collaboration throughout the entrepreneurial community.

To all our success,