7 Things You Need to Know to be Successful
Do you wish you had a quick checklist to track your success? It's not in to-do/ta-da! lists. These are helpful and vitally important, to be sure, but I'm talking about how you feel. How do you feel when you complete a project, when something amazing happens or when you realize that you have accomplished a goal that you had thought was impossible? Do you celebrate or diminish your success?
If you catch yourself saying any of the following (or some rendition thereof):
- (after receiving kudos) "Thank you, but I'm just doing my duty as a human being."
- (after accomplishing something challenging) "Well, I could have done X better."
- (after receiving a compliment) "Yeah, but my (body part) is still kind of big/ugly/fat/too skinny/whatever-other-perceived-imperfection."
- (after hitting all green lights on your commute) "Well, that was a fluke. It'll never happen again."
- (after receiving thanks for anything) "Oh, no problem! It was nothing!"
STOP THAT! Those types of reflexive responses, without any thought, are blocking the flow of abundance! Yes…flow, abundance, airy-fairy speak for some, I know. But think about it. Have you ever paid a compliment to someone only to hear all the reasons why you are either wrong or that they do not deserve the compliment? How did you feel in that moment? It feels a bit like one foot on the gas, one on the brake.
Do you want more out of life? Do you want improved self-confidence, better health, more success, a great relationship, more money? Are you willing to make some changes? If so, then consider printing the list below and practicing this every day. Commit to 7 days, and make note of how different you feel each day. Then extend this practice to 21 days, keeping track of how you feel. Note any changes in your life, your outlook, what "happens" around you and what you notice. After 21 days, see if you are practicing these 7 things regularly without thinking much about it. WOW! You have formed a new habit, and I predict at a bare minimum, that you will experience change. It is up to you if that change is positive, though I am pretty comfortable saying that I believe you will experience positive change.
Below is a list of the 7 things I have learned, re-learned and re-re-learned, especially in the last few months, and I share them with you freely. You're welcome (insert goofy emoji smiley face of your choice).
Here are the 7 things you need to know to be successful:
- Get CRYSTAL CLEAR on your vision, and believe in it relentlessly.
- When a door doesn't open, make sure you've tried pulling as well as pushing - just in case.
- If the door doesn't open either way, lean back and look to see if it's a facade; the real door is probably very close by, and all you need to do is adjust your view so you can see it. Then gently push/pull that door, or find a window and do the same.
- Draw up your plan, then let go of the exact details of the final outcome. Think: "This or even better…"
- Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
- BELIEVE that "it" will come together. When you believe it, you will see it.
- CELEBRATE and invite the flow of abundance. Stay open to it, do not diminish the good stuff. The more you allow yourself to see and feel the awesomeness of your accomplishments, the more you will accomplish.
I wish you the best of success as you continue to strive toward your highest fulfillment. You've got this.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love. ~ TLC
Are you having any fun?
"Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all." - Woody Allen
Do you get excited about the weekend? Why? And, what makes Friday so special? Why T.G.I.F.? What do you look forward to most on the weekends? I ask honestly, because I have noticed that a lot of people look forward to the weekend, seemingly because they will rest and be less busy, and yet they cram-pack their weekends with errands and lots of "have to" activities.
How busy are you? Do you take time to take excellent care of yourself? I mean, besides working out and eating "good" food (if you do)? Many people think that working out and consuming mostly clean foods is "good enough" to be considered excellent self-care. I certainly know a lot of people who also think this is enough.
In working with corporate groups, and with my one-on-one clients, I am hearing more and more about sleep deprivation and lack of time to read, write in a journal or have fun; and I just have to ask: What's up with THAT?!!!
If you love being busy AND you feel happy, with an exquisite sense of fulfillment, then perhaps this is the pace you need and desire - if you honestly, truly feel fulfilled in all areas of life.
However, if you feel that something is missing, whether money, friendships, a romantic relationship, time to yourself, a sense of calm, peace and harmony...anything, even if it seems insignificant, it may be time to make a few minor adjustments.
Here are two easy ways to start having more fun, even if you think you don't have time, and you can start now, not wait until the weekend:
- Laugh more. Laughter lifts us up, lightens the moment and brings more joy into our lives. Listen to a podcast of your favorite comedian, watch a funny movie or t.v. show, call your funniest friend, or visit your funniest co-worker. Easy, right? And it doesn't take a lot of time.
- Make a fun date with yourself. Commit to take some time to go do something you've always wanted to do. Start with the easy, cheap, local "bucket list" item so you will actually do it. Put it on your calendar in ink and go do it. If you want someone else to join you, decide that you will do it whether they can make it or not. Remember, your happiness depends on you, so commit to yourself and follow-through.
Life really is meant to be lived and celebrated, so if you've fallen or knowingly stepped into the trap of not having time, having too much to do, or depending on others for enjoyment and fun, take a step back. Start with something simple, easy and cheap. Knock out all of your excuses by doing the easiest thing.
I'd love to hear from you. Are you having fun? Are you willing to commit to having more fun?
Please share what you do for fun by commenting in the space below.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
Two Questions You Need to Ask Yourself
I have tried to write about two different topics this week, and continued to bump into resistance around both. The first required research I didn’t really have time to complete this week, so I decided to table it for a few weeks when my schedule is lighter. The second topic is willingness, and what I find kind of ironic is that I was unwilling to stretch my own thinking enough to embrace the message that I really wanted to convey. Hmmm... This begs the question:
How do we know when it is appropriate to lean back, and how do we know when to push through to the finish?
My personal and coach-y answer is this: It depends.
There are so many times when it makes sense to lean back, soften the lens and see what we might not be seeing (you know, the forest for the trees thing). Actually, it makes sense to always lean back before pushing through. How often do you find yourself rushing to the finish, missing details? Have you ever pushed yourself to finish a project, or to “get over” a hurt, to later find that you have missed important details, or that you continue to feel hurt?
I know I say this a lot, though I also know at the very least that I will benefit from hearing my “steady drumbeat” message again, so I restate: Sometimes we need to slow down to speed up.
This is not the same as giving ourselves permission to quit or to stall progress, to procrastinate or make excuses for not stepping into our powerful genius. This leaning back gives us a moment to scan our energy, find resistance in our thinking (often manifested as physical pain, by the way - perhaps I will write about that another day), then address the resistance and take inspired action.
If you shoot an arrow, you must first get your eye very keenly focused on the target. Once you clearly see your target, you pull back on the bow, re-focus your eye in-line with the arrow, and finally release the arrow in the direction of the target. Imagine trying to shoot the arrow without pulling back on the bow. It would fall to the ground next to your feet, right? What if you take your eye off of the target as you release the bow? The arrow will launch in whatever direction you have it pointed, but will most likely land nowhere near the target. If you have a cramp in your shoulder or neck, how much energy is available to pull back the bow in order to launch the arrow with great speed and precision?
To avoid wandering too far into the metaphor weed patch, I will make this point: If you bump into resistance along the way, sometimes you can power through and just “gitter done,” possibly hampering your best energetic output. If you take your eye off the target (your goals, desired outcome, a dream you are making into your reality) you may miss it by a long shot. If you do not take a moment to lean back so you can get crystal clear on your goal, how will you aim, and will you even see the target? What’s more, how will you prepare yourself to build the momentum needed to get you through to the finish?
So, “it depends” is a simple and complex answer to the question: How do we know when it is appropriate to lean back, and how do we know when to push through to the finish?
It depends, really, on your answers to the following 2 questions:
- Do you know what you want and why you want it?
- Are you willing to commit to reaching your goals, even if you need to slow down, lean back, adjust, re-adjust and re-focus regularly?
It seems that I have circled back to willingness. One way to measure your willingness is by taking action. If you can answer question 2 honestly, and you answer “Yes”, then the easiest and most obvious “proof” is in your action. Here is where I may muck-up the simplicity of “it depends” and contradict myself: Sometimes we need to take a step even if we are uncertain if we are heading in the right direction.
Wait.....didn’t I just say to slow down, lean back, focus on the target? Yes. However, if you are prone to “Analysis Paralysis” (and you know who you are, right?!) and you painfully comb-over every detail, ultimately stalling getting started, let alone making any progress, you might need to look at your target, remind yourself of why you want to get there, and just go for it. This is a kind way of telling you to kick your own backside into gear, with love.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best,
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
When we are very clear on what we want and WHY we want it, then stepping out in faith is easy. Ask yourself those two questions regularly, and write down or speak-out your answers. Breathe life into your dreams and desires every day, and take at least one step toward them. You are actively leaning back and focusing by asking those two questions, so if you continue to ask and answer honestly, you will be performing the delightful dance of slowing down to speed up, and you know what? You’ll launch forward like a rocket. You will. Trust me; I’ve been there, I return there, I re-start there and I manifest from there. Know that you are fully supported in your journey, and have faith in yourself and your abilities. Stepping out in faith requires very little beyond understanding why you want what you want.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
If you want to get crystal clear on what you want and why you want it, click here to schedule a powerful coaching consultation.
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How Do You Show Up? Refine.
“Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes reality.” ~ Roy L. Smith
When I was growing up, my parents and teachers seemed to use the word discipline interchangeably with punishment and consequences, and I used to have a visceral reaction to people telling me that if I wanted something, I merely needed to discipline myself enough to practice my craft every day. Now that I am “all grown up” and have some perspective, I agree wholeheartedly (now that I’ve gotten over my teenaged self’s knee-jerkiness). I’m here to share with you that if you understand why you want what you want, then the simplest way to achieve is to first make the decision, commit, make some adjustments and, finally, refine your habits. In my mind, excellent habits means committing to a certain amount of discipline.
Over the past few weeks I’ve written about making the decision, committing and making adjustments to how you choose to show up. We understand that it takes 21-35 days to create a new habit, so I hope that you have been taking some time every day to practice how you show up, and when necessary, revisit why you made the decision you made (to show up strong, confident, peaceful, etc.)
In my coaching practice, my clients learn a lot about habits. You see, the more we practice our new and good habits, whether for lifestyle, career, or relationship success, the faster we reach our goals. Practicing a new habit is a way to replace an old habit that no longer serves you, and to create an effortless draw toward the success you crave. Simply put: make your own life easier every day by making powerful choices to change your life.
In the interest of keeping it simple, I am offering an easy way for you to refine your choices in how you show up.
3 Steps to Refining Habits:
- Choose one new habit. Commit to work and focus on that for 30 days. Of course, there will be other things you will work on, but really focus on and commit to that particular one (eg., taking a deep breath before you speak - every time).
- Write it down every day. Breathe life into it by writing it down, or by speaking it out. This renews your commitment to it, and is a disciplined practice.
- At the end of the day, celebrate your achievements. At the end of each day, review your day, and make sure you celebrate that you have practiced the discipline of breathing life into your new habit. You can simply say, “I did it!” and that is a celebratory acknowledgement of your success. It IS that simple.
Give this a try. Share your journey with me by leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you and celebrate YOUR success!
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
Are you ready to refine your choices? Want to go beyond blogs and videos? It would be my pleasure to set aside an hour to share a powerful coaching consultation with you. Click here to schedule your call.
“Refining is inevitable in science when you have made measurements of a phenomenon for a long period of time.” ~ Charles Francis Richter
How Do You Show Up? Making Adjustments
You have made a decision about how you intend to show up. You have committed to becoming your highest self. We know that it takes 21-35 days to establish a new habit, so you still have time to make adjustments to your commitment. If you want to make this habit of showing up as your highest self smooth and easy to stick with, then it is time to assess and make some adjustments. One of my favorite personal development books, “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson, shares the following two analogies, which I have adapted to suit my personal communication style:
Space Shuttle. Did you know that while a space shuttle is in orbit, it is off-course up to 97% of the time? The internal tracking system communicates with the control center, which makes adjustments every few seconds. As if by magic, it reaches its destination - with precision.
Cars. Imagine if you held the steering wheel tight while driving your car and never made any adjustments. How long do you think it would take until you drove off the road, even while on a straight-away? Take note of how many times you make adjustments while driving and still reach your final destination. So it is in life.
For the linear thinker, this may be “too intuitive” and difficult to accept. Let us keep in mind that life brings us ‘stuff.’ Things happen that are external to us, potentially keeping us from staying the course. The achievement of success hardly ever journeys a straight line from point A to point B. Very often, it is a messy, swirling, swerving array of seemingly disconnected points that get us to our final destination in our personal development. And so, in the true Coach Tracy fashion, I present a simple, effective method to make adjustments to how you show up (and you can apply this to any area of your life; how’s that for keeping it simple?)
3 Simple Steps to Adjusting Your Approach:
- Lean Back. Soften the lens, so to speak, and take an honest inventory of how you have been showing up over the past couple of weeks since making your decision and commitment. That is it. Just observe and make note.
- Reserve Judgment. Know that you will make mistakes. Do not judge your mistakes; learn from them. Ask yourself what you are learning, and then determine how you will do things differently. Mistakes are only “bad” or “wrong” if we do not learn from them and then make the necessary adjustments going forward.
- Make Adjustments. Now. The famous footwear company says, “Just do it!” and here is my personal adjustment to that: “Just do it, NOW!” If you wait for the perfect moment, you will lock yourself into a perpetual state of not allowing yourself to achieve (also called “self-sabotage”).
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ~ Lao Tzu
The last part of the quote may throw some people off, because on the one hand while I am encouraging you to be specific and clear in making goals and crafting your dreams, on the other hand, I am encouraging you to be fluid and allow your life to unfold in front of you. This does not mean that you should leave things to chance. I simply mean that as you go along in hot pursuit of your dreams, taking daily inspired action, hold on to your dreams and goals with a firm, yet gentle grasp. Your dreams are like a newborn baby, kitten, puppy or bird. They require loving attention and gentleness. YOU also require loving attention and gentleness - and you deserve it.
As you continue to lean back, observe and adjust, be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Be compassionate. The more you offer this to yourself, the more you have to give to others, and the cycle of abundance continues to flow.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
Next week we will explore refining our goals and action steps.
Are you ready to make some adjustments? Want to go beyond blogs and videos? Let’s chat! Click on the connect button below, or email me directly to request an interveiw.
How do you show up? Commit.
Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds literal momentum of the human soul and mind. ~ Bryant H. McGill
Last week we talked about deciding how you want to show up. Have you gotten clear on why you want to become your most powerful self? If so, then you are ready to start building momentum to get closer to your ultimate goal.
Before you dive in, take a look at the quote above. How do you feel about enthusiasm being the energy and force that builds momentum for your soul and mind? Make the connection. When you connect your heart and mind to why you want anything, you are much more likely to achieve your desired outcome if you infuse your action steps with enthusiasm (or as I like to call it: taking inspired action).
If you want to ensure that the momentum you build is productive, I invite you to pause for a moment to get straight with yourself. Now that you have made the decision to show up (strong, enthusiastic, confident, prepared, however-you-want-to,) it is time to make a commitment. If you want to move quickly toward your goals, then I invite you to embrace the idea of slowing down to speed up. In the interest of keeping things simple and easy to implement right now, I have laid-out 3 simple steps for how to commit to becoming your most powerful self.
- Decide on your desired outcome. Paint the picture of your highest self. Simply put, decide how you show up. Close your eyes and picture your best, strongest, most capable and confident self in a natural setting (work, home, social settings, etc.). Write it down. Write in the present tense to embed it into your mind’s eye and help make it real. How will achieving this outcome affect other aspects of your life?
- Keep it Simple, Sweetheart (KISS). This is where people often derail their success by over-complicating, adding unnecessary details and getting stuck in the “how” of it all. Simplify. Keep it simple. Focus on 1-3 attributes you would like to develop. The key here is that the simpler it is, the easier it feels, and the more likely you are to take action, which is step 3.
- Take consistent inspired action. What is one thing you can do right now to get 1% closer to your goal? Choose the easiest thing and do that first. Remember that if you take inspired action (refer to #1) and stay focused on the outcome you desire - showing up as your most powerful self - you will create momentum, and you may agree, momentum is your friend. Just take a step, and don’t worry about the rest.
It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. ~ Zig Ziglar
Your character helps formulate how you want to show up. Once you made a decision, you already putting the change in motion. If you change your mind, you can change your life, and so taking inspired daily action is the best way to move yourself closer to your goals.
It may seem a little challenging to track progress with something such as your character and how you show up, so I have come up with a very simple 2-step process to help you keep track, and get this: it will help you be consistent and take daily inspired action. Do you like that? If so, then keep reading!
How to track personal development progress:
- Write an action list of no more than 3 items to complete each day. My fabulous coach calls it the “Daily D.A.S.H.” (Definite Action Steps Happening). Write your DASH, by hand, every night before bed so you know how your next day is going to start. You can choose the same 3 actions every day, or other actionable items that you can complete by noon each day.
- Acknowledge and celebrate ALL successes. This is as simple as saying “I did it!” when you finish your DASH by noon. Or, you could share your succes by telling a friend or co-worker. The idea is to acknowledge that you have made progress, which is getting you closer to your goals.
Keep in mind that this journey to showing up as your highest self is a series of steps, and each step is taken in that moment, not in any other moment. Contemplate this quote by Eckhart Tolle.
Your outer journey may contain a million steps; your inner journey only has one: the step you are taking right now.”~ Eckhart Tolle
Next week we will make adjustments. I will show you how even though it is “off-track” 97% of the time it is in orbit, a space shuttle will always reach it’s final destination. There, you can exhale now. You don’t have to be perfect in every step. Simply take one step now. Then take another, and another and another..
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
Are you ready to commit to yourself? Want to go beyond blogs and videos? Let’s chat! Click on the connect button below, or email me directly to request an interview.
G.O.I. Are you willing to get over it?
Do you ever wonder why things happen? Do you feel like you need to dig deep, figure 'it' all out, and explain why you feel the way you do? Are you sure of how you feel? Are you allowing yourself to feel your emotions, or are you so intent on finding the explanation or solution that the feelings are lost?
Perhaps it's time to just "G.O.I.", eh?
Obviously, I know it's not that simple, and would never intentionally minimize anyone's experience. However, I read a blog by Nathan Otto this morning that got my wheels turning. He suggested trying something radical: ignore yourself.
Many are so focused on transformation that it may not have registered that the transformation could already be complete.
Are you willing to G.O.I., forget yourself, and feel your way into the next stage of your life?
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~ Helen Keller
Getting over it, forgetting the self...perhaps is not easy, but is more accurately described as an exercise in willingness.
I offer 3 simple steps to help you "ignore yourself", and you may find it curious that they all involve turning inward first. They are:
- Acknowledge yourself as transformed. NOW.
- Believe that you are valuable. NOW.
- Offer yourself compassion. NOW.
Courage Without Strength: will you carry on?
Lately I have been hearing about a lot about courage and strength. A friend who is going through a difficult time recently said to me, “I just have to be strong and carry on,” which got me thinking: do we really have to be strong to keep going? I would argue that it does not always require strength to keep going. I am reminded of a woman I worked with a number of years ago who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. At one point, she was very ill from the chemo drugs, and in a moment of frustration and extreme fatigue, she told her husband she felt like she wouldn’t be able to carry on, to which he replied, ‘You have to; we need you.’ She said she experienced a renewed sense of courage to face this disease head-on and to carry on, even in the absence of strength. She was physically and emotionally depleted, and yet she gathered up her might and continued forward. The last I heard, more than 10 years post-treatment, she has been cancer-free and living a very happy, healthy life.
- Have you ever asked for help when you felt you didn’t have the strength to carry on?
- Have you not asked for help when you didn’t have the strength to carry on?
- What kind of outcome did you experience?
- Did you learn?
- Did you grow?
“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don’t have strength.” - Napoleon Bonaparte
Even in the worst of times, we can gather our courage and carry on without strength. I would even argue that one of the most courageous acts we could undertake would be to ask for help when we feel we do not have the strength to face or manage something on our own. We are encouraged to be independent, even fiercely so, and yet, by nature we are interdependent. We need one another at times, and there is much opportunity for growth and learning when we ask for help.
I invite you to consider asking for a helping hand here and there to get comfortable with the idea of receiving. One day, you might truly need someone’s assistance, and you will be primed to accept and receive without resistance. If you are not so sure about this, consider times when you’ve helped a friend or loved one in need. Chances are, you did it willingly and without judgment. Remember the compassion you felt for that person, and offer it to your own self. Be open. Be willing. Ask. Receive.
Give it a try, and remember this question: How can it get any better?
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
The Importance of Laser Focus (and a hint of fairy dust)
Today I am focused on love. I have been focused on holding that intention for the past three days. Here is what I have noticed:
- Increased sense of self
- More patience with my children
- More energy and desire to “get things done”
- A calm knowing that all is well
- Creativity soaring
- Mindful awareness of breathing patterns
- Increased willingness to let go
- Present in (almost) every moment
- Understanding of the “slow down to speed up” philosophy
- Detachment from outcome
- Stronger attachment to sharing my gifts and talents
- Exquisite sense of purpose
You may be thinking: How does one focus on love? What kind of love? What is love? How do you know it’s love? WHAT? Have you taken a hit of (airy) fairy dust, Tracy?
Perhaps it’s the fairy dust we all need to be enjoying together. What if you were to hold one intention for a whole week? How would you be able to hone your focus? You see, I have a ton of balls in the air, a lot on my plate, I am juggling...you get the gist. What I have come to realize is that I am not “bad” at focusing. I have trained myself away from focusing.
Ooh... Hold on a minute. Yes, a moment of self-disclosure. I have a tendency to be easily distracted, and when I am, I allow myself to get off course, and in that process, I trained myself away from my laser focus. Can you relate?
What if...you allowed yourself to hold one intention for a week? How would you change your attitude, focus, attention and accomplishments?
I invite you to choose one intention, hold it as your focal point for one week. That is it. You can take it further by writing it down, praying or meditating on it, speaking it out loud in your car or bathroom mirror, or even sharing it with the world. Choose the intention, hold it near and dear, and in every moment possible, bring your awareness back to your intention. Let me know how it goes.
Good intentions are at least, the seed of good actions: and every one ought to sow them, and leave it to the soil and the seasons whether he or any other gather their fruit. ~ William Temple, Sr.
Let’s look at my intention, love. My intention is to be, feel, do, love, speak, see, understand and invite love. This is in conjunction with a chakra mediation that a fantastic yoga instructor taught me. I have chosen simplicity so I can stay focused on the one thing: love.
In your mind, or say out loud:
I AM love
I FEEL love
I DO (acts of) love
I LOVE (the feeling of, sharing, demonstration of) love
I SPEAK (with, words of) love
I SEE love (in myself, in others, in my varying forms of entertainment)
I UNDERSTAND love (of myself, others)
I INVITE AND RECEIVE (more, feelings of) love
I invite you to share your experience, either via email, Facebook message or a comment on this blog post.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
Learn more
Ask 3 Simple Questions:
There are many ways to apply laser focus to your life. If you find yourself scattered, slow down, take a deep breath, and if possible, stop what you are doing so you can investigate how you can sharpen your focus and get yourself on track.
It is not always easy, but slowing down and re-gaining focus can be simple, and I'm offering 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to help clarify your purpose, and begin to craft a plan to move yourself forward.
Ask yourself:
- Where else can I apply this simple focus technique?
- What specific benefits will I gain from honing my focus?
- How will this affect other areas of my life?
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