Living with Certainty

85 Ways To Lose REAL Weight This Year | Lighten Your Load

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:18:06 +0000

I work hard to keep my life as simple as possible. Why? Because when my life is simple, I feel good – at peace, joyous, lighter, and more centered. The less I have to do that isn’t in some way related to the expression of my intrinsic purpose in life (or somehow related to the creation or maintenance of my deepest joy) – and the less that unnecessary burdens and complications weigh me down — the happier I am. This isn’t to say that I’m not extremely busy – I am. Nor is it to say that I’m not constantly stretching myself and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I am (and that’s the real secret to my success). But I know my limits, I know what really keeps life simple (a pure, purposeful, and authentic life of the highest integrity…in a nutshell), and I know when to retreat and recharge. And by keeping my focus on having a focused, simple, pure, and loving life, I can then (with relative ease) retreat to that place of pure rejuvenation and centeredness whenever I need to.

For the 40+ crowd, it was easier to do this when we were kids, – to naturally recharge our batteries – because we purely flitted from one pleasure pursuit to another…the next laugh, the next smile, the next popsicle, the next great adventure. As adults, however, many of us have so aimlessly created so many activities, circumstances, and responsibilities in our lives that really have nothing to do with the expression of our purpose — or the creation or maintenance of our deepest joy — that many people are experiencing little – if any – satisfaction in their lives. Not at all what was intended for our lives.

NOTE: I’m talking here about practical, doable ways to simplify and experience more joy in your life if you’re one of the many mature, hard-working people –parents and professionals — who I routinely speak with who are stressed, burned out, mired in negativity, and in need of some relief. However, there is a new generation (or two) of surly young individuals who have made selfishness and the pursuit of surface pleasures – not integrity or purpose — a way of life. And that’s a different issue altogether (and these individuals in many ways contribute greatly to the stress and negativity that others are experiencing today).

But the opportunity is still there for all of us – to varying degrees — to return to lives that are as easy and simple as possible. We can create adult lives that provide comfort, joy, and peace to us when we need it. That’s not to say that we won’t have circumstances and complications in our lives that we haven’t asked for or created. Without question, there are bad breaks and tragedies that are not of our own making. And in these circumstances, it’s all the more important that we take care of ourselves – mentally, spiritually, and physically – or we can drown in our valid pressures and worries.

So, how do you start un-complicating – at least to some degree — a complicated life of your own making? How can you shed unnecessary burdens and stressors that are weighing you down and stifling your hopes and deepest joys?

Ask yourself, do I still view my life, my potential, and my future through the same hopeful, positive lens through which I so naturally viewed the world when I was younger? If the answer is “no,” it’s time for a paradigm shift — because no matter what you face in your life, you deserve to experience as much joy, hope, and belief in a better tomorrow as possible. When you consider the negative circumstances in your life that are of your own making, what specifically have you created or included in your life that is so spirit-draining? Bad career choice? Too-large of a mortgage? Toxic relationships? Over-spending?

In days long gone by, the living was easier. As a child, you moved in the direction of what was fun, what thoroughly engaged you, what brought joy, what felt good. There was no overthinking, no politics, no conditioned fears. There wasn’t even always a plan. Who was kind? Who was nice? What was fun? Who was fun? Who laughed a lot? Where were the best popsicles, the best pools, the best friends?

I rode my bike, picked blackberries, plucked vegetables from the garden and rinsed them with the hose, swam in the neighbor’s pool, jumped rope, played hopscotch, laid in the grass, drank Kool-Aid, ran with the dog, explored, and napped when needed. Ideal. And, as it turns out, even after many left turns and failed experiments, these are still the activities that bring me joy and center my soul (with a great bottle of wine thrown in every now and again). Why did I let my favorite activities go for so long? Sure, my teen years and young adulthood brought different interests. But at the same time, I allowed a core part of who I was to evaporate, as many people do. Why do we as adults allow the things we loved as children to become irrelevant, esoteric, and arcane aspects of who we once were?

Conditioning, pressures, expectations, difficulties, experiences, circumstances, coping mechanisms, etc. all kick in and change the extent to which we feel we can live freely and trust ourselves. We no longer view our choices, our activities, and our world through a simple lens. There is so much else to consider now. There is not enough balance.

We began orienting our lives differently and making choices that seemed safe in helping us to avoid what we don’t want, but that no longer necessarily move us toward what we do want. We do this as adults as naturally and effortlessly as we used to — in days gone by — gravitate toward bomb pops, smiles, and sunny playgrounds.

Think of the little ways every day that you “have to” avoid creating what would really make you happy because you are too busy prioritizing the avoidance of potential trouble or conflict. For example, for all of us, a loving, safe atmosphere in our homes should serve as our lives’ foundation, but you may feel the need to avoid conflict with your spouse, parent, or child and so you avoid being at home altogether or you avoid engaging with others in your home by working more, talking on the phone more, spending time on the computer more, drinking alcohol more…everything but really creating the loving, safe, peaceful, and joyful environment – a soulful baseline — that could feed your soul and move your life forward in all the right ways. And all of these meaningless activities and time-wasters complicate your life in ways that remove you from your center of mind-body-spirit balance.

Your life can be as simple and balanced — or as complex and off-kilter — as you choose to make it. Here are some suggestions for finding your way back to simplicity, balance, and joy. Make a habit of as many of the following approaches as you can and you will see your life begin to change for the better:

Don’t make things so hard – the moments when you feel at peace, calm, and balanced are those times when you are doing what is right for you. Trust this feeling. Strive to make the circumstances and activities of those times the predominate themes in your life.
Maintain your health. Nothing will work right in your life without it. If you’re not focusing on being healthy, start here.
Give your body the sleep it needs. Physically, mentally, and spiritually, your body needs to operate from a place of balance, and sleep is an essential aspect.
Go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Avoid starting your day off by rushing or being late.
Catch yourself comparing yourself with others and feeling competitive and jealous. Shun those thoughts – shut them down, as they are completely wasted time and mental effort.
When you’re wrong and you know it, just quickly say so, apologize, and allow everyone to move on. Don’t allow stupid things to fester. We all make mistakes; we’re all wrong at times.
Stop being a people-pleaser and stop trying to make everyone a friend.
Stop being offended when everyone doesn’t want to be your friend. You can be kind, a nice neighbor, a compassionate human being, and helpful co-worker without having to be friends with everyone. Many of us already have a boat-load of significant relationships that we’re not paying enough attention to. I am extremely selective about with whom I’ll establish a personal relationship. There should be a values-match with the people you allow in your life. They should support you and you should support them. If they don’t make you feel good about you, question that relationships place in your life.
Don’t talk incessantly about yourself. If you’ve been visiting with someone and all you’ve done is talk about yourself, trust me, they won’t want to visit with you anymore (and this may explain why everyone doesn’t want to be your friend).
De-clutter your primary living and working environments – office, home, car, etc. Clutter is damaging to your energy – mental and spiritual.
Forgive those who have hurt you – do it for you. There are many great books on learning to forgive. Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy also provides a strong approach to beginning the process of forgiveness.
If you don’t know the answer, ask for help – be it directions, advice, instructions, etc. Get the help you need and move on. Asking questions or for clarification politely is not confrontational and is not belligerent. Getting answers will help you do things right the first time.
Figure out where your life’s primary frustrations and time-wasters are, and put a plan in place to fix it. Get help, eliminate, put processes in place…fix it…now.
Don’t assume …just stop making assumptions. Ask questions, clarify, converse, communicate.
Don’t expect others to make assumptions. If you want something done a certain way, say so. You are not being aggressive or out of line when you politely state what you want.
Take control of your temper by remembering to pause and breathe when you are about to say something nasty or rude. Stop yourself – pause — before a single word comes out of your mouth. You’ll save yourself a lot more time and heartache if you don’t speak out of anger.
Always, always, always live below your means. Don’t make big impulse purchases….ever. Think about it first.
Never, ever forego your monthly savings plan unless for a catastrophic emergency.
Really do surround yourself with people who are smarter, funnier, and healthier than you. It really motivates you to raise your game and also comes in handy when you need help or guidance.
Remember…what you do to others has already been done to you. There is no avoiding karma. Allow karma to serve as a self-governing system for all of your actions and words.
Do what’s good, what’s right, what’s true for you. Always. Even when it’s not popular. Follow your own internal instruction system. And I don’t mean, if it feels good, do it. I’m referring to getting in touch with your spirit core and living from this place of pure, purposeful, high integrity. There is only one kind of authenticity – and that’s spirit-driven. Only the “Ego-You” is suggesting that you get tattoos, dress scantily, be rude, and so on.
When stressed, anxious, or angry, go workout, go for a walk, physically burn off some energy.
Never drink and drive.
Be trustworthy. Honor all commitments and be known as an honorable, responsible person. Follow through, follow up, be impeccable in word and deed.
Know that it’s never okay to say, “I’m always late.” (It’s very character revealing.)
If you feel love, say so — frequently. “I love you” is a good thing to say.
Use prioritized “to-do” lists every day/week if you really want to get things done and see forward progress in your life.
Incorporate technology into your life wherever and whenever possible. It should expedite and simplify, not complicate, a lot of routine tasks.
Never lie. Never steal.
Avoid long daily commutes.
Be honest with yourself. Living from a place of denial will prevent you from being deeply, truly happy.
Live authentically; embrace your unique spirit-self. Allow others who are important to you to know who you really are.
Only multi-task if you are someone who can get things done. If you only really accomplish things one task at a time, then, by all means, do one thing at a time as expeditiously as possible.
When packing for a trip, take the time to plan out what you will really need, and limit yourself to that.
Clean as you go.
If a job isn’t worth doing right the first time, then why do it at all?
It’s not cool — male or female — to be proud that you can’t cook. It just isn’t. Learn to grill, learn to make a few simple things, but please don’t brag that you can’t cook.
Shop when you need to, not just because you want to.
Use cash, not credit, as much as possible. If you don’t have the cash, don’t buy an unnecessary item on credit.
Mind your own business. Nobody really likes a nosey-nose.
Don’t be a sounding board, or whipping board, for crazy, negative people.
Never forget…where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck…
Spend time taking good care of your most significant assets – your body/health, your relationships, your home, your vehicles, and so on.
Smile – doesn’t matter who smiles back. Putting out more love and good energy in the world can only be a good thing.
Avoid bad people as much as possible. If you can cut them out of your life, do so. If you have a crazy, evil, addict neighbor – or someone else distasteful in your life, i.e. a co-worker whom you would never choose to associate with, but have to be exposed to everyday – limit your exposure or ignore them to the extent that you can. A daily dose of evil can only hurt you – ignore it. You’re better than that.
Avoid doing things that make you feel bad about yourself as much as possible.
Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Be optimistic. Positive people rock.
Treat the elderly with respect. If someone is frustrating you by moving slowly or otherwise impeding your path, imagine it’s your grandmother, grandfather, or other beloved elder. Show the same respect and patience you’d show – and want shown — to your own loved ones and family.
Expect to forget things. Write things down. Commit to staying organized.
Commit to learning something new every…day, week, month. Be a lifelong learner. Be curious. Engage in interesting moments and contemplate the relevance or applicability to your life. How can the learning of everyday moments be incorporated into your life in ways that can make you better?
Give compliments.
Say please and thank you.
Hold the door for others behind you.
Drink LOTS of water every day.
Got a great idea. Pursue it. Pursuing talents, dreams, and passions is what your life was meant for.
Don’t give up when the going gets tough. It’s going to be tough nowadays. Start-ups were never easy – and they’re even harder today. The people who innovate, persevere, and hang in there today will rule the world tomorrow.
Spend time in nature as much as possible.
Don’t be afraid of the sun….just wear sunscreen.
Stop texting and driving.
If you meet someone you like and would like to develop a relationship, let them know.
Never stop building your network.
Don’t repeatedly ignore people who reach out to you and then call them when you’re out of work or when you need something. Ever.
Be bold. Be courageous. Don’t base your life, your choices, your actions on what you think other people will think.
Never eat when you’re not hungry.
Incorporate 30 minutes of activity into your every day schedule. How many days should you exercise…Well, how many days do you eat?
Remember, people are what they do…not what they say.
Give thanks every single day for all that you do have. Make gratitude for what is going right in your life – for what you do have—the foundation from which you approach your life. I give thanks for all that I have every single morning upon waking and frequently throughout the day. I learned through my cancer experience last year to take nothing – not a single day – for granted.
Write out your life’s priorities. Create a life “purpose plan” and allow it to guide your priorities, decisions, and choices. If a major decision or choice doesn’t move you toward what you ultimately want, why do it in the first place?
If you can’t change something, learn how to live peacefully with it.
Remember, “luck” goes to the hard workers.
Be a great problem-solver. Think deeply and move toward the solutions that – upon considering them – immediately lighten your load emotionally.
Be a great friend. Be the kind of friend that you’d like to have.
Don’t try to be older than you really are. Relish every age. The sweet times pass quickly.
Find the lesson in everything…and then move on. Don’t dwell on the past. Don’t be a victim. Live in the here and now and create your future moment by moment.
Make sure you choose a vocation that you truly love, that doesn’t feel like work. Love your job. If you don’t, figure out what you do love and get about the business of doing it. Get a foot in the door. Volunteer. Hang your own shingle. Life is too precious to unnecessarily spend it doing something that sucks the life out of you.
Don’t allow anyone to discourage you when you are following your heart and dreams…go for it!
In the midst of the hardest times, tell yourself, this, too, shall pass.
Take time to smell the roses….literally. Breathe deeply the fresh air. Take in the sunset/sunrise. Gaze at the stars. Soak up a sunny, blue sky. Don’t lose your sense of wonder. Listen to the Lee Ann Womack song, I Hope You Dance.
Give yourself a pat on the back, a toast, and “three cheers” when you have even small victories.
Laugh…hard and often.
Give affection, allow yourself to receive affection.
Focus on what you’re good at – and then strive to be very, very good. This brings pride and satisfaction, and helps to eliminate frustration.
Don’t defend or overlook out-of-line, incompetent, or incorrigible behavior. Better to say nothing than to defend or protect evil.
Meditate, meditate, and meditate. Did I mention that you should meditate? Meditate.

Kristi LeBlanc is the Executive Vice President and Managing Director, North American Consumer Practice with DHR International, a top-5, retained, global executive search firm. She has spent 15 years as a retained executive recruiter with the globe’s largest, most prestigious executive search firms, including Korn/Ferry International where she was a Senior Partner. She is also the author of the award-winning, “Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy,” and the President of Living with Certainty™ LLC where she is also corporate keynote speaker and organizational and personal consultant. To learn more visit http://www.Livingwithcertainty.com, http://www.dhrinternational.com/consultants/consultantsviewbio.aspx?consultantid=329, or call Kristi at 303-997-9328.

Purchase copies of the three-time award-winning book, Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy, at Amazon.

Joy and Genetics

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:37:34 +0000

The achievement of deep-soul joy is not just a choice or resolution; hard work may be required to achieve it. You may have to reprogram yourself and create new habits, patterns, and beliefs. This takes discipline, focus, time, and effort. And this is all part of Living with Certainty. Research suggests that human genetics also contributes to our ability to experience happiness. In 1996, professor of psychology David Lykken and associate professor Auke Tellegen of the University of Minnesota conducted a study on the heritability of happiness, revealing that we are born with a genetic happiness baseline to which we consistently revert. Attempting to be happier than your baseline dictates can be difficult, but not impossible.

If you’re willing to make the inner changes needed to increase your happiness, your genetic predisposition can be overruled. More commonly, however, people prefer to make the easier changes to their external situation, rather than put forth the necessary effort for internal change—thus keeping long-lasting joy at bay.

While genetics do play a role in our overall level of happiness, our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and actions are significant as well. You may be surprised to learn that achievements, circumstances, and material possessions have little effect on joy. If you place your focus on discovering your purposeful authenticity and become engaged in the passionate expression of what you love, your inner life and happiness level would, indeed, change. Happiness and joy have everything to do with personal fulfillment. Once we all understand that deep-soul joy is possible for all of us, we can transform our world, one person at a time.

Your Deep-Soul Joy | The Purpose of Your Life

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:21:07 +0000

“Suddenly I realize
That if I stepped out of my body I would break
Into blossom.”
—James Wright

ARISTOTLE PUT IT BEST when he wrote, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” We are all hardwired spiritually and psychologically to pursue joy and pleasure, two of our core motivations in life. The pursuit of joy itself renders a more purposeful life, yet real joy and happiness remain elusive for so many of us. As you live with certainty, aligning your thoughts, actions, and beliefs with your inspired soul-view and purposeful authenticity, you open the door to deep-soul joy. It doesn’t matter who or where you are. The power resides within you now to live a life of deep-soul joy. Within your intention to undertake this journey to joy lies purpose and power.

What Is Deep-Soul Joy?

Deep-soul joy results from living a life that expresses your purposeful authenticity and is in complete alignment with your inspired soulview. This joyous state of Being is experienced as your soul is freed to blossom into its natural state. As your essence becomes aligned with, and fully enveloped in, Source energy’s universal love, you internally experience the powerful and affirming energy of the spiritual realm.

Deep-soul joy is dependent upon nothing external or material. It is a gift to us, an affirmation that we’re living the life the universe always intended for us to live. When it is the ongoing baseline of your Earthly existence, the profoundly peaceful state of deep-soul joy also holds super-charged moments that cause you to feel extraordinarily alive, vibrant, and aware of your innate connection to Source energy. Sensations of energetic euphoria and intense feelings of awe and gratitude pulse through your being as your awareness heightens of the extraordinary opportunity Earthly physicality has provided you to explore and express your potential and your purposeful authenticity. Deep-soul joy is many things, namely the following:

The unmistakable, powerful, rising emergence of your soul’s energetic perfection into your awareness as your mind-body- spirit merge in affirming, complete alignment with that moment’s Earthly existence
Affirmation that you are living a life that energetically aligns with and expresses your inspired soul-view and purposeful authenticity
A palpable, energetic connection with Source energy
Profound awareness of the here and now, along with a deep sense of being in the right place at the right time
Deep peacefulness, fulfillment, and joy from knowing that you’re living out your Earthly purpose while fully realizing your aptitudes and abilities
Recognition that you are in the optimal, high-vibrational energetic environment to co-create your soul’s Earthly dreams, the life the universe always intended for you to live
Heightened awareness of every aspect of your life in each moment, and deep-felt gratitude for the inherent soul-developing nature of all of your life’s circumstances
A strong sense of hope, faith, optimism, and personal power
An openness and receptiveness to powerfully flowing Source energy
A feeling of liberation and boundlessness as you revel in the transformational power of joy and experience your soul at the deepest, most profound level

Deep-soul joy provides proof and reassurance that we needn’t be tethered to suffering. Once you live from your soul and align with your purposeful authenticity, your perspective broadens and attaches deeper meaning to everything you do and everything that happens to you. You become infused with natural, effortless gratitude, hope, love, and reverence for every aspect of your life. Even in the midst of chaos, you remain centered in this continual, everlasting core of comfort, peace, and joy.

Deep-Soul Joy Requires Heightened Awareness

Deep-soul joy requires that you live fully in the present moment—there is no deep-soul joy in the past or future. Just being in an inspired, perfect, harmonious moment provides supreme fulfillment. It may often seem that everyone around you is constantly complaining while you have a perpetual song in your heart.

Deep-Soul Joy Requires Purposeful Authenticity

Experiencing your deep-soul joy requires the intentional and active pursuit of your inspired soul-view. Your greatest joy will emanate through the expression of your soul-view’s purposeful authenticity and its accompanying freedom, fulfillment, inspiration, and connectivity. Life will become smoother and more joyous as you begin to experience increasing levels of love and support that flow directly into your life.

The New Power: Pure, Passionate Positivity for Life and Career

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:54:37 +0000

Serious, mainstream discussion about the power of pure, passionate, positive energy is becoming more prevalent everywhere I go – company/client meetings, schools and universities, health clubs, churches, book clubs, you name it. Organizations of all shapes and sizes are indicating a high need for an infusion of positivity throughout their ranks. Meetings, correspondence, water cooler talk, clients/customers, and overall corporate cultures are increasingly becoming infused with negativity in attitudes, demeanors, vocabulary, and rhetoric. Whether the context is personal or professional, pervasive negativity can sabotage all of your other efforts.

As an executive recruiter and business consultant focused on the recruitment of positive leaders, as well as on the development of powerful, positive corporate cultures, I have repeatedly witnessed first-hand the command and influence of pure, positive energy. Whether I am placing an individual into an executive role, or working with an organization to plant the seeds of a more positive, productive culture, the corporate need in this tough economy has been the same for several years: recruit the most positive, resilient, and inspiring leaders possible, and develop initiatives, programs, and job profiles that will engrain a more positive attitude — and more positive results –throughout the organization.

The collective consciousness, or culture, of your organization – its intrinsic values, attitudes, rhetoric, and behaviors — infuses the business and its employees. Positive, affirming corporate cultures are dynamic, energized work environments that proactively drive employee behavior creating better teamwork, and, overall, a more productive, engaged state of mind for all of your employees. Your leaders and managers set the tone for your organization’s culture. And if they are not putting forth a conscious, clear, and consistent effort to be positive these days, the slide will inevitably be toward negativity.

Through Thousands of Conversations…
In almost 15 years as a retained executive recruiter, I have had the privilege of interviewing and assessing literally thousands of the globe’s most successful, purposeful, passionate, fulfilled, and joyous individuals. A guiding, intrinsic positivity and passion for what they do are defining traits of the “best of the best” executives — their work is more to them than a job. It is also interesting to note that the executives in “transition” who tend to rebound the fastest — not only securing a challenging and personally fulfilling role, but building an impressive and lasting network along the way — are innately positive individuals with a strong sense of resiliency and faith that they will land on their feet. People – including potential employers – are attracted to them and want to be around them.

Defining Positivity
Specifically what constitutes positivity and positive energy as I describe here? Well, this is about a great deal more than merely smiling, posturing, cheerleading, or repeating positive affirmations. This has more to do with a palpable optimism, confidence, faith, encouragement, empowerment, vision, and resiliency in your interpersonal and communication skills, values, beliefs, actions, demeanor, relationships, expressions of gratitude, and overall leadership style.

Profound positivity and positive energy – the kind that carries with it the potential to transform lives and organizations — is substantial, inspiring, and contagious, even in the worst of times. It can’t be faked. It is intrinsic to who you are and how you live your life, personally and professionally.

And it all starts with feeling passionate and purposeful about what you do.

If you are in a leadership role, ask yourself: Do my thoughts, choices, emotions, attitudes, approaches, actions, and belief system all positively align every day in the pursuit of my passion and potential? Does every day bring for me the opportunity to optimize my greatness and success? It is through the daily, personal application of an integrated, positive alignment between your purpose and passion with your thoughts, actions, beliefs, and expressions of gratitude that you will create a life of great reward and fulfillment.

The Power of Living All Aspects of Life with Positive Energy
Despite the depressed economy and market conditions, there are those people and organizations that are not merely surviving, but thriving. According to a Stanford Research Institute study, 88 percent of success is about attitude and only 12 percent is about education. Those people who live and work from a baseline of pure, passionate, positivity live fuller lives and enjoy myriad other benefits, including improved health, affirming personal and professional relationships, enhanced joy, productive choices and decisions, effective leadership, greater resiliency, enhanced professional accomplishments and success, and more effective problem-solving abilities.

Your ability to maintaining a positive mindset in both your life and work is a determining success factor, particularly in the toughest of times when so many people are being asked to take on added responsibilities and work longer hours. Everyone has felt the pressure brought on by restructuring, downsizing, upside down life-work balance, external uncertainty, and reduced budgets. The repercussion of these business adjustments is a resultant pervasive attitudinal and cultural slide toward apathy, pessimism, and outright negativity.

The demand for positive leaders has never been greater. You will always be challenged and tested, and an innately positive mindset serves as the bedrock of an iron will and the ability to prevail. To live a truly productive life and have a successful career, you must consistently rise to the occasion when faced with adversity, roadblocks, or negativity. Yet finding individuals, teams, and organizations that have at their core an unwavering positivity is rarer than one might think.

Without the internal fire provided by living and working everyday with purpose and passion, you won’t have the fuel to keep moving forward in the toughest of times. This is the secret of life-long positivity, fulfillment, and joy: irrespective of your specific circumstances, if you first believe that your own life has purpose, you follow your passions, and you live with an abiding faith and perspective that a master plan exists for your life and its inherent lessons, then you tap into a self-actualized personal power and internal certainty that empowers every aspect of your life, including your career.

What Does It Mean to Live with Certainty?
I am frequently asked to define what it means to “live with certainty.” It means that the internal faith, belief, authenticity, purpose, passion, and positivity with which you live ignites an internal certainty, power, and influence greater than any fears or anxieties you may have. Self-actualized, high-achievers live and work each day with purpose, passion, and gratitude which serves to further fuel their positive attitude and productivity. Positive leaders understand that while they cannot control every aspect of their lives, they can control their mindset and attitude. They possess an unyielding faith and confidence in their vision and ability to ever-create a better future, personally and professionally. They trust in themselves and their abilities. Pessimism and negativity are not part of their mix.

Make no mistake; this is not the Pollyanna-Sunnyside view of life. Rather, it’s one of the most profound and effective ways to “cowboy-up” — when things get tough you must have the positive belief in yourself and your ability to prevail to get back up, dust yourself off, and keep trying. And as a leader, you must model this approach for your employees every single day.

Positivity as Key Leadership Trait
In this challenging business environment, positivity as a key leadership trait is a highly sought after attribute that is increasingly finding its way into every job description I write. Increasingly, when I am retained to replace a senior executive, it is because the incumbent was not a transformational conveyer of positive belief within the organization, but rather was perceived as entirely focused on the financials, unapproachable, overwhelmed, overstressed, and underwater.

Positive leaders generally tend to be more motivated and productive than less positive individuals. They inspire others with their belief and faith in a better future in a way that is contagious. A truly positive leader first believes in the grand potential of his/her own life, which only then can transfer to his/her career through the expression of a passionate and achievable vision for their company, employees, and customers. Whether personally or professionally, the positive leader believes that he/she will successfully tackle the next challenge, climb the next mountain, make that next sale.

Your goal as a leader should be to uplift the beliefs of your employees. As a leader you establish your personal style and “brand,” in part, based upon the level of positive energy in your actions, reactions, vision, beliefs, interactions, relationships, progress, and expressions of gratitude. If you truly want to set yourself up for the next big job or promotion, begin by being the most positive, optimistic, faith-fueled visionary in your organization, particularly during the most challenging times.

Without question your demonstrated belief that you can succeed in a down market will go a long way in bringing out the best in others. This belief should be palpable in everything you say and do, so that when you do have to make the tough calls, your employees will have greater trust that your actions are in the organization’s best interest. The great contributors and great leaders have the ability to remain optimistic and fueled by positive energy even in the worst of times. Particularly when the going gets tough, they maintain positive energy through an optimistic attitude that they control much of their destiny and the best is yet to come, as well as an unflinching belief in a greater purpose which inspires powerful action.

The level to which you feel and express positive energy will directly affect the depth of your relationships and, as a leader, the ensuing level of respect and credibility you receive. Throughout my career working with organizations of every size and sector, I have witnessed the tremendous impact one positive leader can have on an organization. This is especially true with sales leaders where it is said that a lack of positive attitude plays a role in the failure of up to 50 percent of all salespeople. If you can’t successfully overcome rejection and navigate the left turns, hurdles, and roadblocks, you’ll never really understand your own resilience and personal power (or inspire anyone else), nor will you achieve your greatest potential and success.

Do you as a leader, or do the leaders in your organization, understand the impact you/they have on the beliefs, confidence, and goals of your employees? Do your employees believe that you care about them? Do they find you to be inspirational and positive? Do people love working for you? Do you have a reputation for bringing out the best in others? What you personally believe and project — and the limits you set — are contagious and affect the degree to which your employees actually engage and feel loyalty toward you and your organization.

Positivity Begets Positivity
I know for certain that positivity begets positivity. As you extend the best of yourself and release positivity into the world, you invite more positive energy into your life, and goodness will ensue. I recently heard Oprah Winfrey say that you must believe that great things can happen in your life. When you are the recipient of goodness or positivity, recognize it, give thanks for it, and hold it in your heart. And then with every opportunity – how you live, how you give, what you do, and who you are, release that goodness and positivity back out into the world as it was given to you.

I look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead about the power of positive energy and how to inject more of it into your relationships, leadership and team-building approach, and corporate culture. Whether in your career, family, school, sports team, or church group, you can become the positive difference-maker who characteristically reveals your best self and shines. The results will be inspired and engaged family members, children, friends, co-workers, team members, and customers who will in turn feel unleashed and inspired to allow their own best selves to shine. This is the stuff that transformation and success are made of. I invite you to become an active participant in my Positivity Blog — strategies for life and career — by sharing your comments at http://www.livingwithcertainty.com/blog.

Kristi LeBlanc is the Executive Vice President and Managing Director, N.A. Consumer Practice with DHR International, a top-5, retained, global executive search firm. She is also the author of “Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy,” which was named Best New Non-Fiction Book of 2010 by USA Book News, and the founder and CEO of Living with Certainty ™ LLC where she is a workshop presenter, keynote speaker, and organizational consultant with a focus on developing positive leaders and positive leaders and corporate cultures. To learn more visit http://www.dhrinternational.com/consultants/consultantsviewbio.aspx?consultantid=329, http://www.Livingwithcertainty.com or call Kristi at 303-997-9328.

Work can provide the opportunity for spiritual and personal, as well as financial growth. If it doesn’t, we’re wasting far too much of our lives. — James Autry

Awakening the Real You | Peeling Back the Layers

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:27:08 +0000

In order to arouse, stir, and awaken the healthy “real” you, you must allow yourself to lean into feelings of discomfort and pain rather than shut them down or deny them. Think of this process as slowly peeling the layers from an onion until you finally reach its innermost heart. This takes courage, but the more layers of baggage, life-long conditioning, and ego-personality that you peel away, the more you’ll experience your true essence and authenticity. By allowing yourself to experience and explore these emotions as they arise, you can begin to lessen their stranglehold on you. As you peel away layers of ego, the negative voices, limiting perceptions, and false impressions in your head—everything that stands between you and your inspired soulview— will begin to fade. Visualize this process as bringing your pain into the light that shines from deep within you.

Steel yourself to endure whatever painful emotions surface, allowing yourself to feel them fully. If you run from them or ignore them, they will never go away. They’ll just lie in wait, eventually surfacing and undoing all of your efforts. Over time, after you lean into the pain again and again, it lessens. You start to let go of it; you begin to get over it. It’s no longer there, hiding in the shadows. Through this courageous work, you will nurture and promote your own spiritual awakening.

Hard, But Happy, Work | Beginning to Live with Certainty

admin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:48:09 +0000

“You are like a poor man who doesn’t realize he lives on top of buried treasure. The earth of body, mind, and speech obscures the fact that you are already enlightened and keeps you impoverished by the sufferings of life.” —Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam

At this very moment, everything you need to begin real transformation dwells inside of you. This is the time to stop, think, believe, and behave your way out of what may feel like an empty life. By undertaking the Living with Certainty approach, you’re giving yourself the gift of exploring new possibilities for living an authentic life.

Like many people, you may have explored numerous self-help methods in search of the one big breakthrough that would finally end your anxiety, emptiness, pain, and restlessness. You may feel as though you’ve tried everything without ever moving forward. Maybe, despite having achieved status, success, and financial freedom, you still feel incomplete. Deep inside, you know one thing for sure: this is not the life you are meant to live.

We’re All in This Together

You’re not alone. Your feelings are far more common and widespread than you may have guessed. People of all ages, backgrounds, incomes, and nationalities suffer from a profound lack of fulfillment, purpose, and joy. They, like you, have worked hard chasing the American dream, only to wake up asking, What happened? This isn’t how I thought my life would end up. Does any of the following sound familiar?

• You know you’re capable of more, yet your current existence feels just ordinary.

• You long for relief from daily pressures, fears, and insecurities.

• You feel lonely, restless, or trapped, not knowing where or how you fit in.

• You don’t know the way out, but you are willing to commit to discovering a new path before you run out of time.

Leaving Your Comfort Zone

Consider yourself forewarned: Much work lies ahead—hard, but happy work. Your quest to discover deep-soul joy won’t be successful if you merely deposit artificial layers of emotions on top of your pain and discontent. You’ll need commitment, discipline, self-control, and persistence to dissolve the old habits, behaviors, and patterns accumulated over a lifetime. New, raw feelings will emerge that will need to be processed. This journey can be challenging and difficult because as you undertake living with certainty, you will increasingly develop an awareness of events, circumstances, and relationships that bring you pain and confliction. This is an essential part of your journey, for only then can you begin to figure out why you feel the way you do. You must make peace with these feelings once and for all.

Much time and effort are required when undertaking an authentic spiritual journey if it’s to result in the release of your spirit’s innate wisdom regarding your Earthly purpose. Though Living with Certainty is a practical approach intended to be integrated into your daily life, enormous commitment, discipline, and patience are still required.

An essential aspect of the Living with Certainty journey is patience, and allowing yourself the necessary time to release your demons and experience real growth. This isn’t an instantaneous spiritual makeover, but a process that unfolds naturally and differently for everyone. The fact that you’re reading this book indicates that you are ready to begin the required work.

Take a moment, right now, to ask yourself this question:

Am I ready to break free of the shackles of my ego, and the other aspects of Earthly physicality preventing me from bringing the power of Source energy fully into my life?

Next, ask yourself this: Am I willing and open to examining every aspect of myself?

You cannot begin to change your outer life without first doing the obligatory inner work. For some, little inner work is required; for others, a lifetime of ongoing inner work may be necessary. We all have the same capacity to co-create the life the universe always intended for us to live, it’s just that some of us have more work to do to discover our inspired soul-view, release our baggage, and heal old wounds.

Beginning Your Living with Certainty Journey | Embrace Certain Ideas

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:31:27 +0000

To begin your Living with Certainty journey, you must first consider and embrace certain ideas. For example, humans are first and foremost souls, which are the essence of our physical beings—who we really are. Our souls enter into Earthly physicality in order to express our purposeful authenticity and experience deep-soul joy. Within us already dwells the requisite power and resources for an extraordinarily fulfilled existence.

We’re hardwired with an internal instruction system that serves to guide us in alignment with our inspired soul-view through instinct, feeling, and intuition. Signs, signals, symbols, and synchronicities are communication from Source energy that grace us with guidance.

This all-encompassing, powerful, unseen energy plane surrounds us and allows us to co-create our Earthly lives. Our actions, beliefs, feelings, and thoughts create energetic vibrations that interact with, and respond to, Source energy. Through heightened awareness and diligence we can align with this flow. Without question, you possess the power to co-create the life the universe always intended for you
to live in tandem with Source energy. Source energy loves you and awaits your individual connection.

Life When It Feels Right: Easier, Natural and Flowing

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:37:37 +0000

Everything in our universe is composed of energy—from our thoughts, feelings, and words, to the chair in which you’re sitting. Until we learn to understand, purify, and heighten our own personal energy vibrations, we will continue to experience disharmony, anxiety, fear, insecurity, and internal uncertainty in our lives. This is far from being a new concept. For centuries, the ancient Chinese concept of Qi (chi) has recognized that every aspect of the universe is comprised of an allpowerful intelligent energy force. Reiki, the centuries-old Japanese technique for healing, relaxation, and stress reduction, maintains that “life force energy” flows through us, keeping us alive. The Chakra system, a concept documented for the first time in the Hindu scriptures known as the Upanishads (1200–900 b.c.), refers to seven major force centers, or chakras, in the human body which serve as focal points for the reception and transmission of energies.

Living with Certainty takes this ancient knowledge and helps you to understand and naturally heighten your energy vibrations, teaching you to think, believe, and act in ways that encourage and improve your life. By learning to create balance and harmony between your mind, body, and spirit, you naturally become skilled at sending energy out to the universe at a high-vibrating frequency. Life becomes easier, unforced, natural, and flowing when you live with certainty.

When you live without certainty, it’s difficult to experience the flow of your spiritual power frequency, because you don’t vibrate energy at the optimal frequency level required for alignment with the flow of Source energy. While you may be able to find financial or material success, it’s unlikely that you will experience the fulfillment and deep-soul joy that comes from living a life in expression of your purposeful authenticity.

Living with Certainty allows you to recognize and act upon the affirming and guiding signs, signals, symbols, and synchronous events that emanate from Source energy, helping you to remain powerfully in the flow of your spiritual power frequency. These signs and synchronicities affirm your path and allow you to co-create and shape your life in alignment with your inspired soul-view.

A “Living With Certainty” Turning Point | The Rage to Make It Right

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:41:36 +0000

Welcome this week’s guest blogger, Chase LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Leadagers LLC, a foodservice and hospitality industry consulting firm (www.Leadagers.com) ~

Have you ever had thousands of people laugh in your face because of a mistake?

I have …

When I was in 11^th grade, I was in DECA, a school-sponsored “practice” business program. Individuals and groups participate in District and State competitions for the opportunity to attend Nationals. I jumped through the preliminary hoops and had made it to the National DECA Convention. For me, winning for the first time at anything other than Checkers was a big deal. And I was more nervous than a first-time sky-diver.

There in Orlando at the opening breakfast were thousands of kids from every state, along with their teachers, chaperons, judges, and sponsors, all waiting for the introductions to begin. The hotel was large and the ballroom felt cavernous. In the back of the ballroom, there was a stirring, a murmur, which quickly honed to cheers. Inspired by boredom, our massive group of teens had seized on the opportunity to express their home-state pride.

“Gimme a T-E-X-A-S! Texas!” Kids up on chairs doing their best call and response – rapid-fire, loud, proud, and unbridled cheerleading. Of course, it started turning raucous and soon the chiefs were looking to quell their tribes. My Colorado delegation was sitting on their hands. A mite too shy, sleepy, or — as it turned out — too smart to get involved. I, however, saw the “we’re-as-cool-as-you” window quickly closing, as all the proctors were now actively hushing their charges.

Not one to allow Colorado to be outdone, I quickly jumped to my feet and scrambled to the tallest standing position my chair offered me, proudly yelling, “Gimmie a C, Gimme an O, Gimme an L…”! As I made a break-out from the descending cone of silence, I realized…All Eyes Were On Me.

And then… I blanked out.

Three letters in and I forgot how to spell “Colorado,” the state where I was born and had lived my whole life. I seized upon a simple task…and JACKED-IT-UP. The laughter was extraordinary, as adolescent cruelty can be. I sat down with the laughter ringing in my ears and tears stinging my eyes. It wouldn’t stop. The group was heartily enjoying my self-inflicted demise; with the addition of name calling and sugar packet pelting, we were rapidly moving into pulling- the-wings-off-flies territory.

Then it came, the rage to make it right. In one fluid motion, I jumped back on the chair again, and as you can imagine, I had fully commanded everyone’s attention. I proceeded to finished what I started. Yep, this time I remembered how to spell “Colorado.” And the ridicule quickly morphed into applause. I had made a mess out of a semi-easy undertaking, and was I ever slammed for it! But, I had also made the hard thing (getting “back on the horse” in front of everyone) look easy, and was praised.

It was a turning point for me, as right then and there I vanquished any possibility of experiencing stage-fright, or fearing public speaking, cold-calling, or performing. And never have I had the impulse to hide after making a mistake. When thousands of people see you fail and laugh in your face, you have a choice – let it tear you up OR leapfrog the mistake and get busy with whatever is next. For certain, you will always have a choice in your response. And, as an answer to any test, the best of you will always be better than the least of you.

French Translation | 85 manières pour rendre votre vie vraiment plus facile | 85 Ways to Really Lose Weight This Year | Lighten Your Load

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:23:23 +0000

Votre vie peut être si facile et équilibrée – ou au contraire si compliquée et insatisfaisante– selon le choix que vous faites.

Voici quelques suggestions pour trouver votre chemin pour retrouver la simplicité, l’équilibre et le plaisir. Faites de ces points une nouvelle habitude et vous pourrez constater une amélioration positive de votre vie:

1. Ne vous rendez pas la vie si difficile – les moments pendant lesquels vous vous sentez paisible, tout en bien-être et équilibre sont des moments qui vous font du bien. Ayez confiance en ce sentiment. Ayez comme but de créer les circonstances et les activités qui font de ces moments les thèmes essentiels de votre vie.

2. Faites votre possible pour rester en bonne santé. Sans cela votre vie n’y sera pas assez bien préparée. Si vous ne prêtez pas une attention suffisante à une vie saine, commencez dès maintenant.

3. Permettez à votre corps de prendre le repos qui lui est nécessaire. Votre corps – physique, mental et spirituel – en a besoin pour fonctionner sur une base saine et dormir suffisamment est un point essentiel.

4. Allez plus tôt au lit et levez-vous de bonne heure. Cela évite de commencer la journée en se dépêchant ou d’être en retard.

5. Ne cherchez pas à vous comparer aux autres, à entrer en rivalité ou être jaloux. Évitez ce genre de pensées et stoppez-les car cela vous prend tant votre temps que votre énergie.

6. Quand vous avez tort et que vous le savez, reconnaissez-le simplement, présentez vos excuses et laissez la journée suivre son cours. Ne laissez pas ces bêtises prendre de l’ampleur. Nous faisons tous des erreurs, nous avons tous parfois eu tort.

7. Arrêtez de vouloir faire plaisir à tout le monde et arrêtez de vouloir être l’ami de tout le monde.

8. Ne vous sentez pas offensé si tout le monde ne souhaite pas être votre ami. Vous pouvez être un gentil voisin, une personne impliquée et compatissante, et un collègue serviable, sans devoir être l’ami de tout le monde. Beaucoup d’entre nous ont beaucoup de relations importantes auxquelles nous apportons bien trop peu d’attention. Je suis très pointilleuse sur le choix des personnes avec lesquelles je veux entretenir une relation personnelle. Il doit y avoir des valeurs communes avec les gens à qui vous permettez d’entrer dans votre vie. Ils devraient vous soutenir comme vous le feriez pour eux. Si les autres ne vous permettent pas de vous sentir bien, demandez-vous quelle signification ces relations ont dans votre vie.

9. Ne parlez pas toujours de vous. Si en faisant une visite à quelqu’un, vous n’avez parlé que de vous, alors – croyez-moi- les personnes ne souhaiteront plus vous recevoir (et vous saurez peut-être aussi pourquoi tout le monde ne souhaite pas être votre ami).

10. Veillez à ranger votre salon, votre espace de travail, bureau, maison, voiture etc… Le désordre est préjudiciable pour votre énergie, votre mental et votre énergie spirituelle.

11. Pardonnez ceux qui vous ont blessé, faites-le pour vous. Il existe de très bons livres expliquant la manière pour pardonner. ‘Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy’ donne aussi des pistes solides pour commencer à apprendre le pardon.

12. Quand vous ne connaissez pas une réponse, cherchez de l’aide, en demandant des conseils, avis, instructions etc… Veillez à obtenir l’aide dont vous avez besoin et allez de l’avant. Le fait de poser des questions ou de demander poliment une clarification n’est pas source de confrontation ni d’agressivité. Veillez à obtenir la bonne réponse et à faire les choses convenablement dès la première fois.

13. Cherchez quelle est la plus grande frustration de votre vie et les causes qui vous font perdre votre temps et faites un plan pour y remédier. Demandez de l’aide, éliminez, mettez des processus en route, balayez-les de votre esprit… Maintenant.

14. N’attendez rien des autres. Arrêtez de faire des suppositions. Posez des questions, clarifiez, parlez, communiquez.

15. N’attendez pas des autres qu’ils fassent les choses. Si vous voulez que quelque chose soit fait d’une manière ou d’une autre, dites-le simplement. Vous n’êtes ni agressif ni impoli si vous signalez aux autres ce que vous voudriez avoir.

16. Quand vous sentez la colère monter en vous, faites une pause, et respirez à fond. Quand vous êtes sur le point de dire quelque chose de méchant ou d’impoli : retenez-vous – arrêtez-vous – avant qu’un seul mot n’ait le temps de sortir de votre bouche. Vous économiserez beaucoup de temps et de douleur quand vous vous tairez en étant en colère.

17. Vivez toujours, toujours, toujours en dessous de votre niveau de vie. Ne faites jamais de gros achats impulsifs… Jamais. Rappelez-vous en.

18. Tenez votre budget mensuel à l’oeil et ne le dépassez jamais, sauf en cas de nécessité absolue.

19. Cherchez la compagnie de gens plus intelligents, plus agréables et en meilleure santé que vous. Cela motive à atteindre un meilleur niveau de vie et c’est aussi utile si vous avez besoin d’aide ou de conseils.

20. Retenez… que toutes vos actions envers les autres vous reviennent. Il n’existe rien comme le karma. Accepter que le karma existe comme un système d’autorégulation pour tous vos faits et vos paroles.

21. Faites ce dans quoi vous vous sentez bien, qui vous paraît juste, et qui suit votre vérité. Toujours. Même si cela s’écarte de la norme. Suivez les indications comme si elles venaient de l’intérieur. Et je ne veux pas seulement le dire, si vous sentez que c’est bien, faites-le. Je veux dire que vous devez être en contact avec votre moi spirituel et que votre vie suit cette belle intégrité à la fois saine et pleine de sens. Il n’existe qu’une sorte d’authenticité – et elle vient de votre esprit sain. C’est seulement votre ego qui vous raconte que vous devez vous faire tatouer, être mal habillé, être impoli etc.

22. Quand vous sentez de la tension, de l’insécurité ou de la colère, dépensez-vous physiquement. Allez marcher pour éliminer l’énergie négative qui est en vous.

23. Ne buvez jamais d’alcool quand vous devez conduire.

24. Soyez digne de confiance. Faites votre devoir et faites-vous connaître comme une personne fiable, responsable. Soyez fidèle, intéressé et irréprochable tant en paroles que dans les faits.

25. Sachez qu’il n’est pas bon de dire « je suis toujours en retard » (cela en dit long sur votre caractère).

26. Quand vous ressentez de l’amour, dites-le – aussi souvent que possible. C’est de dire « je t’aime ».

27. Utilisez des listes pour chaque jour/semaine en ordre d’importance, des choses qui doivent impérativement être faites. Ainsi vous savez ce que vous devez faire et vous pouvez prendre de l’avance dans votre vie.

28. Utilisez les technologies modernes quand cela est possible. Cela devrait vous aider à simplifier la routine et pas la compliquer.

29. Ne mentez pas, ne volez pas.

30. Évitez de longs transports pendulaires quotidiens.

31. Soyez honnête avec vous-même. Évitez de vivre dans la négation permet de se sentir véritablement et profondément heureux.

32. Vivre de manière authentique ; appréciez votre moi spirituel unique. Laissez ceux qui ont de l’importance pour vous, apprendre à vous connaître, tel que vous êtes vraiment.

33. Ne faites plusieurs choses à la fois que si vous en êtes réellement capable. Si vous êtes une personne qui ne peut réaliser qu’une seule chose à la fois, faites comme cela aussi aisément que possible.

34. Quand vous devez faire vos valises pour partir en voyage, prenez le temps de penser à ce dont vous allez avoir vraiment besoin, et tenez-vous à cette liste.

35. Rangez votre désordre.

36. Si une chose n’a pas besoin d’être bien faite dès la première fois, pourquoi le faire?

37. Il n’est pas bon de se vanter, tant pour un homme que pour une femme, de ne pas savoir faire la cuisine. Apprenez à cuire sur le grill, apprenez à préparer des petites choses simples, mais de grâce, ne vous vantez pas de ne pas savoir cuisiner.

38. N’allez faire les courses que lorsque vous en avez besoin et pas quand vous en avez envie.

39. Payez le plus souvent possible directement, n’achetez pas à crédit lorsque c’est possible. Si vous n’avez pas l’argent comptant, n’achetez pas des affaires superflues par virement.

40. Mêlez-vous de vos propres affaires. Une personne qui se mêle de tout n’est appréciée par personne.

41. Ne soyez pas une caisse de résonance ou un souffre-douleur de personnes négatives et idiotes.

42. N’oubliez jamais qu’il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu. L’habit ne fait pas le moine…

43. Prenez du temps à soigner vos atouts, votre corps/santé, vos relations, votre maison, votre voiture…

44. Souriez, peu importe si on vous renvoie votre sourire. La diffusion de plus d’amour et de bonne énergie dans ce monde ne peut être qu’un bienfait.

45. Évitez les mauvaises personnes autant que possible. Si vous pouvez les tenir à l’écart de votre vie, faites-le. Si vous avez un voisin (ou une voisine) dérangé, colérique, dépendant, ou bien toute autre personne, comme un collègue à qui vous ne voulez pas avoir à faire, mais auquel vous être exposé tous les jours, évitez tout contact et ignorez-le aussi souvent que possible. Une dose quotidienne de ce genre de chose est mauvaise pour vous, ignorez-la. Vous valez mieux.

46. Évitez le plus possible de faire des choses qui vous donnent des sensations désagréables.

47. Traitez les autres comme vous aimeriez que l’on vous traite.

48. Soyez optimiste. Les personnes positives sont appréciées.

49. Traitez les personnes âgées avec respect. Si une personne vous agace car elle marche trop lentement ou, d’une manière ou d’une autre, est en travers de votre chemin, pensez à votre grand-mère, votre grand-père ou une autre personne âgée que vous estimez. Montrez autant de respect et de patience que vous souhaiteriez que les autres aient s’il s’agissait de vos proches ou de votre famille.

50. Ne pensez pas que vous pouvez tout retenir. Écrivez les choses. Faites votre possible pour être organisé.

51. Mettez-vous dans l’idée d’apprendre quelque chose de nouveau tous les jours, semaines, mois. Passez votre vie à apprendre. Restez curieux. Restez ouvert sur des possibilités intéressantes, pensez à leur importance et à leur application dans votre vie. Comment donner une petite place à toutes les choses que vous apprenez tous les jours afin de faire de vous un homme meilleur?

52. Faites des compliments.

53. Dites s’il vous plaît et merci.

54. Retenez la porte pour ceux qui vous suivent.

55. Chaque jour, buvez beaucoup d’eau.

56. Si vous avez une bonne idée, faites-en quelque chose. Suivre ses talents, ses rêves et sa passion, c’est à cela qui donne un sens à la vie.

57. N’abandonnez pas quand c’est difficile. La vie de nos jours n’est pas facile. Commencer quelque chose n’a jamais été facile ni aussi pénible. Les personnes qui aujourd’hui innovent, tiennent et poursuivent leur route, sont les personnes qui dirigeront le monde demain.

58. Passez un maximum de temps au contact de la nature.

59. N’ayez pas peur du soleil… Protégez-vous.

60. Ne tapez pas de sms lorsque vous conduisez.

61. Quand vous rencontrez une personne que vous trouvez sympathique et que vous souhaiteriez connaître, dites-le lui.

62. Continuez à construire votre réseau.

63. N’ignorez pas continuellement les personnes qui ont besoin de vous et dont vous pourriez avoir besoin un jour. Jamais.

64. Soyez fort et courageux. Ne basez votre vie, vos choix et vos actions sur ce que vous croyez que les autres pourraient penser.

65. Ne mangez jamais… quand vous n’avez pas faim.

66. Bougez 30 minutes par jour. Combien de jour devriez-vous bouger par semaine ? … Euh… Combien de jour par semaine mangez-vous?

67. Retenez ceci. Les gens sont ce qu’ils font… et non ce qu’ils disent.

68. Soyez chaque jour reconnaissant pour ce que vous avez, sur ce qui va bien dans votre vie. Faites de cette reconnaissance la base de votre approche de la vie. Chaque matin, quand je me réveille, et souvent en journée, je dis merci pour tout ce que j’ai. Par mon expérience avec le cancer l’année dernière, j’ai appris à ne rien trouver évident, pas un seul jour.

69. Écrivez ce qui est important pour vous dans votre vie. Faites un plan pour atteindre les objectifs de votre vie, et donnez à ce plan un fil conducteur tiré de ce que vous trouvez important, dans vos choix et dans vos décisions. Si une décision importante ou un choix ne vous amène pas près de ce que vous voulez vraiment, pourquoi le faire?

70. Quand vous ne pouvez pas changer quelque chose, apprenez à vivre en paix avec cela.

71. Retenez que le mot « chance » n’existe que pour ceux qui travaillent dur.

72. Soyez quelqu’un qui résout bien les problèmes. Réfléchissez et travaillez à des solutions qui, si vous les regardez bien, sont plus faciles à accepter sur le plan émotionnel.

73. Soyez un bon ami. Soyez l’ami que vous voudriez avoir.

74. Ne vous comportez pas plus vieux que vous ne l’êtes. Chérissez chaque âge. Sinon les meilleurs moments sont déjà passés.

75. Apprenez de vos leçons de vie et foncez. Ne restez pas accroché au passé. N’en soyez pas victime. Vivez dans le présent et créez votre propre futur, pas après pas.

76. Veillez à choisir un métier auquel vous tenez, que vous ne ressentez pas comme un travail. Aimez votre métier. Si tel n’est pas le cas, pensez à ce que vous aimez et faites-le. Mettez-vous à la tâche de manière active. La vie est trop précieuse pour s’occuper de l’inutile ce qui vous coûte trop d’énergie.

77. Ne vous laissez pas décourager quand vous suivez votre coeur et vos rêves… Allez de l’avant!

78. Durant les moments difficiles, dites-vous qu’ils vont passer.

79. Prenez le temps de sentir des roses… Littéralement. Respirez profondément de l’air frais. Expérimentez le lever ou le coucher de soleil. Regardez les étoiles. Inspirez le ciel bleu ensoleillé. Ne perdez pas le sentiment d’étonnement. Écoutez la chanson de Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance.

80. Donnez-vous une petite tape sur l’épaule, levez votre verre et criez trois fois hourra pour votre victoire, aussi petite soit-elle.

81. Riez… Fort et souvent.

82. Donnez de l’affection et soyez prêt à en recevoir aussi.

83. Concentrez-vous sur ce que vous savez bien faire – et visez à exceller en ce domaine. Cela vous apportera fierté et satisfaction et apportera une fin à vos frustrations.

84. Vous ne devez pas défendre ou ignorer des comportements marqués d’incompétence ou d’un négativisme invétéré. Mieux vaut ne rien dire que de défendre ou de protéger le mal.

85. Méditez, méditez et méditez. Vous ai-je déjà dit de méditer? Méditez.

Kristi LeBlanc a travaillé 15 ans comme ‘retained executive recruiter’ une des sociétés les plus grandes et les plus respectées en Executive Search, notamment chez Korn/Ferry International où elle était Senior Partner. Actuellement, elle travaille en tant qu’ Executive Vice President à DHR International, une des 5 meilleures entreprises dans le domaine de ‘retained, global executive search’.

Elle est aussi l’auteur du livre couronné de succès “Living with Certainty: Experience Deep-Soul Joy” et elle est la fondatrice et présidente de Living with CertaintyTM LLC où elle est aussi ‘corporate keynote speaker’ ainsi que collaboratrice et coach personnel.

Pour plus d’informations:

www.livingwithcertainty.com/2011/07/06/85-ways-to-lose-real-weight-this-summer-lighten-your-load/

www.livingwithcertainty.com

www.dhrinternational.com/consultants/consultantsviewbio.aspx?consultantid=329

Traduction : Céline David

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/céline-david/1b/85/806

Idée: Koos Groenewoud, Ambassadeur Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership Europe et fondateur et responsable de ‘Van Management naar (NIEUW) leiderschap’

Koos.Groenewoud@AAA-TFM.nl – www.AAA-TFM.nl – http://nl.linkedin.com/in/koosgroenewoud