The Winds of Change
Today’s blog post is going to be a little different. You see, I’m going to be implementing some changes to my entire business in the coming weeks and months, and this blog will definitely fall into what gets revamped. What I’d like to do today is just share a few of the other changes that you can expect to see. While some of these ideas are still in germination form, they are evolving fast — like REALLY fast! — and I truly am tickled pink!
First, my ezine which began 8 years ago as a quarterly publication, eventually became bi-monthly and is currently sent out monthly; well, it will finally become a weekly publication beginning sometime in the next few weeks. Why? Because it’s time. I’ve been moving in this direction for a while — as in, I’ve been feeling called to publish the ezine weekly and have always held myself back. Well, that stops now. It’s time for it to be a weekly ezine and so, weekly it shall be. It actually excites me, to be honest!
In light of that particular change, these blog posts will move to two or three times per week instead of daily. I’m leaning towards twice a week, however, will meditate on that just a bit more before determining which course would be wisest. If you’ve got a suggestion on the frequency of blogging, I’d be happy to hear your thoughts.
Additionally, my whole coaching program will be undergoing a change. While I’m not yet crystal-clear on how it will look or roll out, what I know for sure is that there will be more programs for you to access, more options in terms of coaching and more of a global presence for the products and services overall. Stay tuned as these things come into being!
Finally, in order to make all of this reality, I know I’m going to need the help of a dedicated team of assistants. So, I will in fact be hiring assistants in the coming months. First step is to clarify their roles and how we will all work together. Once I have my team on board I will definitely introduce them to you also!
All of these changes revolve around the central idea of me taking my place on the world stage, playing a much bigger game than I’ve been playing, with a view to having the impact on the world that I know I’m meant to have. What I know for sure is that my fundamental message — the message that life is meant to be lived with ease, that the path of ease can be found even in the midst of hardship, and that you really can have it all through the power of conscious choice — is meant to be heard world-wide. I don’t think I’ve been playing small up until this point — and it’s time for me to play even bigger. Really, it’s time for me to play the biggest game I possibly can. And that’s what I’m going to step into.
With this in mind, and with all of the changes that are afoot, I have a request. Please help me spread the word. Invite others to subscribe to this blog post and indeed to the (weekly!) ezine. Both can be done by going to my website, www.stellarcc.com and signing up in the appropriate boxes. Listen in to my weekly radio show, Your Life, Your Way on 106.9, the X — which you can access by going to www.1069fm.ca and clicking the “listen live” tab on Sundays at 4:30 pm EST — and invite your circle of friends, family and colleagues to do the same. When you or others are looking for workshops, keynotes or other presentations for your events, contact me. My range of topics is perfect for both personal and professional development, and my signature keynote “Mastering Life — The Ultimate Balancing Act” is sure to inspire participants to achieve fulfillment like they never thought possible.
Bottom-line: the winds of change are blowing, I’m adjusting my sails, and inviting you to join me for the ride. I know that with your help it’s going to be a great one! So thanks in advance for your support 
Feeling Derailed? It Happens
So, I got some news this morning that I wasn’t at all expecting. Furthermore, it isn’t the sort of news that I would want to expect. The specifics really don’t matter, at least not for the purpose of this blog. What matters is the fact that this unexpected news — the equivalent of a curve ball — has me feeling derailed. That’s right, derailed, as in thrown off my track. And so, as any good coach would do, I find myself going to the place of curiousity — curiousity about how to be with derailment. I mean, when a leader feels derailed, what do you do with that in order to not have “derailed” define you from hereon in? How do you ensure that “derailed” doesn’t become your permanent state of being?
Well, here’s what I’ve come up with, and I think this list — while probably not exhaustive — is a good start.
- Let “derailed” be okay, at least for while. Give yourself permission to feel derailed, and don’t beat yourself up for it.
- Lean in to your support system. The people you trust, whether they’re family, friends, colleagues or professionals, find them and share with them. Don’t try to be in this place completely alone. Don’t isolate yourself.
- Give yourself the gift of time. You’ve been taken off the track for a reason. Stay off for a while — and notice what’s here in this space.
- Breathe. And then breathe again. Derailment can leave you scared and anxious, and therefore breathing in a shallow sort of way. So get conscious and breathe deeply. It’s a stress-reliever you know.
- Get the facts. Whatever news you’ve gotten, don’t let your mind make up a story that’s too far-fetched. There’s a human tendency to get a piece of information and run with it. Don’t. Flesh that info out, make sure you’ve got facts, not assumptions.
Once you’ve moved through these 5 steps (and they don’t have to be done in any particular order; in fact, some may be repeated as necessary) start to move back on to the track, whatever that is for you. It might actually be a slightly different track than you were on originally. And, the point is to get moving again. Punctuate your movement with moments of revisiting each of the above steps. And slowly but surely, my guess is that you’ll be zipping along as required again.
Bottom-line: derailment is bound to happen. It can be frustrating, scary and confusing — and there are ways to navigate through it with ease. These 5 steps are a start. Here’s to the gifts of derailment, and to getting back on track.
What Do You Know For Sure…
…and how willing are you to take a stand for what you know? I guess I’m not really talking about empirical knowledge here. It’s more about the beliefs you hold which are based on a cellular knowing of some sort. For example, one of the things I know for sure is that life, while definitely challenging, is never meant to be burdensome. On a cellular level I can feel the truth that life can absolutely be navigated with a sense of ease, even when life itself is not easy. I can’t “prove” it per se; and I still know it. And I’m willing to go to the mat for this belief, that’s how strongly I resonate with it. So, what’s your “go to the mat” philosophy?
The reason I ask this question is that as I look around me, it occurs to me that when you have a go-to-the-mat philosophy, you’ve got an anchor point around which to base all of your choices and actions. Knowing what you “know for sure” becomes your guiding principle in a sense. And who can’t use a guiding principle or two? Once you know your cellular belief or beliefs, those ideals that you’re willing to uphold in the face of most anything, the bigger question now becomes, how willing are you to allow others to believe differently? How do you go to the mat for your ideal, in the face of someone else’s opposing ideal?
I’m not sure that I have the be-all and end-all answer to this last question. For me, what I know is that when I get so attached to my philosophy of ease that I start scrapping with those who resist it, I actually send myself to a place which is anti-ease. So I’ve learned to ALLOW other viewpoints while simultaneously holding my own. It can feel somewhat paradoxical at times; I mean if I’m willing to go to the mat for this philosophy why am I not engaging in arguments about it? Because for me, arguments aren’t ease-based. Debate can be. Discussion can be. Argument, not so much. So while I invite you to discover what you know for sure, I also invite you to consider “what are you willing to allow?” without compromising your “know for sure” philosophy? Happy pondering with this one. Would love to hear what comes up for you.