Have you ever stopped in your tracks and not know which way to turn, which next step to take, whether to start or stop?  Self-doubt creeps in and you start to analyse everything you do, or you completely shut down.  Interestingly, as I sit writing this piece I have stopped and started on multiple occasions, and I am only into the first paragraph.
There are many reasons we hit a creative wall ranging from not getting enough sleep, in a rut, fear, not enough mental stimulation or too much mental stimulation.  The reasons are varied and differ for everyone.  A block can last a few minutes, a few days even months or years. Let’s take a look at a few minutes, hours or days today.
It is worthwhile doing a stocktake of the feelings you felt or what was the trigger for getting into this creative slump.  Sometimes being able to identify what has triggered the inertia. If you are having difficulty in identifying the cause, there are a few little tricks you can do to kickstart your creative and out of the slump.

1. Use the Pomodoro method of 25 minute work slots, 5 minute break, 25 minute work slots, 5 minute break and on the 3rd 25 minute work slot take a 15 minute break.  You can find out more here
2. Disrupt your thinking pattern.  Take a short break whether it be for a coffee or drink to rehydrate this can disrupt your thinking pattern.  You may also consider going for a short brisk walk or spend some time in the sunshine.  Anything that can disrupt the pattern of your current thinking. Make sure whatever you do lasts no less than 5 minutes and no more than 10 minutes.
3. Change your environment. No,don’t worry you don’t have to redecorate your entire office before you can get back to work.  Find somewhere else to do your work.  I have a great little park just over the road from where I live, (pity my WIFI does not stretch that far, lol) I simply pack up my laptop, a coffee and head over there and work for an hour or two on the table and chairs there.  I also sometimes pack up my work and sit in our patio with a nice view. You can also consider a coffee shop to work in for an hour or two, great if you enjoy a buzz and vibe around you.  Wherever you choose, it breaks your thinking and your pattern and is a great way to reset your mood and thinking pattern.
4. Book into local business events that offer brainstorming and interaction, it is a great way to stay in touch with what is happening in your local community, industry and you can come away with some great ideas.  Think about attending a Connect Her event with Brainstorm My Business on the agenda.

If your creative flow is lasting longer than a few hours or days, it may be time to speak to a business coach to gain some clarity and assistance.  If you feel the issue runs deeper, consider speaking to a health professional.

‘Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked' Warren Buffet
This quote was made during the GFC; however, 2020 has shown it is still very relevant. The financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many people 'swimming naked'

Previously, perceived to be keeping their head above water, the tide is out, and financial stress is starting to show. Many people have a history of living from pay to pay, and while everything in your life runs smoothly, you get by.
Your employment is consistent, everyone is healthy, the car runs efficiently, termites have not been silently eating your house beams, and the fridge keeps running cold, everything is okay, It may have been a little stressful from time to time, but you 'move' money around, use a credit card or two, and you get by again until the next big bill arrives.
2020 & 2021 has made people more aware of the need to reserve funds to help manage the day-today expenses for when life is not ideal. Spending Planning is an emerging industry that provides the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to the financial services available in the community.

It’s not your fault, we generally grew up without financial literacy and are now playing catchup Is it time to get your ‘house’ in order? Both business and personal finances can be very challenging but have been particularly so, in 2020 & 2021.
Understanding what you need in the bank today to ensure your bills can be paid without stress, is what we do. Do you ever wonder where your hard-earned funds are? The more you earn, the more the dollars go missing. Based on a household income of $80,000 - $120,000 it is not uncommon to find $8,000 – $10,000 a year that has been leaking out of your pockets.  

Seven Tips to help start getting your house in order

1. ​Lazy Tax – are you paying Lazy Tax? How long is it since you have researched a better premium rate for your bills? Car insurance, House and Content insurance, Gas and Electricity for example .
2. With Car and Home insurance, it’s possible to pay a lower annual fee and a higher excess if you ever need to make a claim
3. Reassess the interest rate on your Credit Cards, some are as high as 25% or down to 11%
4. Have you looked at your Home Loan interest Rate? Call the mortgage company and ask for a better rate, if they say they can’t change it and you have an interest rate higher than mid 3%?
5. If you have done a Balance Transfer on your credit cards, work out how much you need to pay each month to pay the whole thing off by the end of the Interest Only term.
6. While I don’t work with budgets as they tend to look back and not forward, you need to understand where your hard-earned is going. Print off six months of bank statements, grab a handful of highlighters and mark off essential and not so essential costs
7. Shop from your pantry first, this will cut down your grocery bill and decrease waste 

• NOTE: 1. Do Not change your big personal insurances without the support of a financial advisor
• 2. If you have debt, you do not have savings 

Guest Author: Tricia Northeast Connect with Tricia

​“I think I will cook before I write that blog.” “I will get to organizing my planner after I hang out the washing.”
Have you ever found yourself saying these things to yourself? Do you find that you are always very busy but never seem to get to the very thing that needs to be done to accomplish what you have set out to do? We all have been students at the school of procrastination and some of us maybe advanced students of this school so much so that we find that we never seem to get anywhere or achieve anything that we would like to achieve. There are reasons why most people will procrastinate.
There are 4 major reasons for this habit:

• 1. Wrong Goals: Sometime the goals that we set for ourselves can either be too high or too low. When they are too high it seems too daunting and overwhelming to start anything. When the goals are too low it is not challenging enough, and we then tend to put if off as we then know that we can get it done in less time.
• 2. An unclear focus: “Weak and scattered thoughts are weak and scattered forces, whereas strong and concentrated thoughts are strong and concentrated forces.” – John Kehoe. When we do not have a clear vision that helps us jump out of bed, we find it hard to focus on the tasks at hand.
• 3. No action plan (NAP): Only 1% of the population lives their life on purpose. They have a carefully laid out plan for what they want to get out of life and how they would like to get there. When we do not have a plan, we tend to just go through life not knowing where it is going.
• 4. Mental barriers: Mental barriers such as fear and doubt can be quiet debilitating and will often steer us away from the very actions that will help us build our strength against those fears and help us reach our goals.

I may have painted a very grim picture but there is hope. All these behaviors are learnt and can easily be unlearnt. The best advise here would be that if you do find yourself procrastinating all the time then go back to your drawing board and spend a good time on the goals that you have set yourself and ask yourself if they align with what you believe and your vision and that you are not living someone else’s vision. Have you set yourself a massive to do list that may seem unreasonable and unrealistic? What is it that you fear and why? Be honest with yourself and put this all down on paper and work through every aspect of what you have listed till you reach a plan where there are no more excuses.

Guest Author : Pooja Kelkar  WWW.REALINEYOU.COM.AU

What's the most effective way to grow a business during this most unusual time?

You might think that the answer is to sell to more clients/customers, but that's only one piece of the puzzle, it is not necessarily the most important part of the equation. That's where client/customer connection and retention comes in.

Once you've created a killer product/service/education and you have identified your target market, it’s important to dedicate just as many resources to retaining existing customers as to selling to new customers. The statistics show us 75% of your business comes from your regular and existing clients/customers.

It’s important to help client/customers see value and achieve goals using your product or service. But there's more to it than just answering their phone calls and helping them onboard. It's about creating a process from the very beginning that fosters communication, trust, and mutual growth.

Your client/customers are in lock-down, now it is more important to stay connected, we need to find different ways to let them know we are here to support and service them. You can offer phone and email support to your customers, it is now time to increase your customer support to reassure them that you can still be reached to assist them no matter where they are. Social media is a great place to start, you can keep them posted on activities you are creating, you can offer special packages for when we get back to business. You can still support them with products and product knowledge they may require. Connecting virtually or online, you can offer the option to chat via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and other instant messaging platforms. You can also offer video conferencing options through Skype or FaceTime, so your customers can get that "face-to-face" feel without actually being there in-person. The most import thing is to let them know you care about how they are during this pandemic. 
​
Don’t offer them a discount instead send them a Voucher to use when things return to normal “whatever that looks like” it’s not to discount your service/product it’s to let them know you are thinking about them and their health and wellbeing. Let them know you appreciate their support and that you care about them. The most import thing is to let them know you care about how they are during this pandemic.

Guest Author:  Karen Galbraith  https://body-and-sole.com.au/

As a small business owner, it's easy to unintentionally get into a state of overwhelm when your plate starts to overflow with "all the things" involved in running a business. It's especially daunting if you work alone and have no one to lean on.

Don't wait until it all becomes too much before you entertain the concept of outsourcing. There are specialist Virtual Assistants ready and waiting to help you. The industry in Australia has exploded since COVID, as the once foreign concept of working remotely has become a reality. Working with a VA is a flexible and cost-effective option for small business owners as you can scale as required, and you are not responsible for an employee and the associated costs over and above wages. Let's look at some key indicators that you've reached a point in your business journey where a Virtual Assistant should be considered. 

1. Overwhelmed, losing sleep & can't keep on top of everything - If it all feels too hard, you are constantly stressed, and your life as a whole is suffering - you need help.
2. Have more work than hours in the day, and your To-Do List is out of control - If you can't keep on top of your work, are working heaps of hours, your clients are unhappy, and your business is suffering – you need help.
3. Spending valuable time on non-income producing administration tasks - Your business is not growing because you are spending too much time working IN your business instead of ON it – you need help.
4. Feel guilty that admin tasks are eating up family time - If you constantly feel guilty that your business is taking priority over your family and friends – you need help. 

The saying "we work to live, notlive to work" comes to mind. 

While your business may be your passion, if it ceases to bring you joy, then something’s got to give. I'm not saying taking on a VA will be easy. If you are not truly invested and open to change, then odds are it won't work. Remember – you don't have to do it all. 

Guest Author: Debbie Mynett   www.candovasolutions.com.au

​At the time of writing this article, the country was a different and changing place to what it was on the 31st December 2019. Now, interstate borders are closing, and our international borders are under discussion. Lockdown is a new normal.
We all know we are in some challenging and never before experienced times. All that being said, it gives us a chance to hit the ‘reset button’ on our business and our lives. Let’s discuss business.
We can pivot our business just as a graceful ballerina does on the big stage, changing direction elegantly and with grace.
We can ponder what to do with our business as each day is a new and changing environment. We can also plan how we are going to come out the other end and plan how our business will look in the future. We can also step our businesses through these three key steps as we plan and ponder our business progression.
Pivot: A pivot in your business is where you gently change the direction of your business whilst still maintaining the essence and core of your business. When you pivot in your business, you don’t want to take such dramatic change of direction that your true business is lost. An example of this is the Connect Her events, we pivoted to holding online meetings as opposed to the face to face, social meetings. The essence of the business is still the same, running events for business women, offering education, inspiration and connection, be it now as an on-line model for the foreseeable future.

Ponder: Pondering can give you the time to consider your options, look at the lay of the land, reassess your approach, your business, your ideal client, formulate new ideas. Pondering and assessing for too long however can lead to the other ‘P’ word – procrastination. Allow your self a period of time that you feel comfortable with to ponder so you have a timeframe. Once the time frame is up it about taking action and it could move you into a pivot or planning.

Planning: Every business needs time to plan whether it be new strategies, new programs, new ideas, financial goals, product development and now is a perfect time to plan your next move. The changes in our business world may hold opportunities for you and your business you had never considered. With Connect Her going to on-line meetings opened up further opportunities that  had never been considered before. There is an opportunity to look at your business with a new set of lenses and see if there are different opportunities, expanded opportunities or methods to develop your business. As the environment is changing it maybe plans for the next 7, 14 or 30 days.
Pivoting, pondering and planning will give you a sense of control and a sense of your business progressing. 

Article Originally Written: March 2020

As we move from one year to the next it brings to life an opportunity to set our business and ourselves up for success. Failing to plan is planning to fail. There are some great workshops and courses available (check the Connect Her Collective FB group for events) which can assist you on the right path.  We also have some fabulous goal setting tools in the Connect Her Club
If you prefer to work on your own goals and not with a coach or workshop it is great to have some steps outlined. Using these 5 key steps is a great start to setting you and your business on the path to success for the new year.
If you are attending a goal setting workshop or have a business coach these steps will also assist you with the pre-work.
Firstly, find an area with minimal distractions, turn off notifications and your phone to silent. Grab yourself a nice coffee, tea or juice and go to the loo before you start. Nothing like setting the scene for success and being prepared. Aaaah… doesn’t that feel better?

Step One: ASSESS: Assess what worked well over the last 12 months, what could have worked better and what no longer serves it’s purpose for you or your business. Write them down in 3 columns. (it makes it easier during planning)

Step Two: RESET: Now is the time to draw a line in the sand and reset your intention and attention for the coming year. Ok, so somethings didn’t go how you thought they would, that’s ok. Some things went better than you thought, well done, pat yourself on the back, do a happy dance, you are awesome. Now it is time to wash, rinse, repeat on what went well or better than expected. ………And the clock starts NOW! Yes, it’s time to reset.

Step Three: PLAN: Take a big piece of paper (butchers paper works well for this) and plan what you want to achieve in your life, business, personal, spiritual, financial the areas you want to achieve changes or progress. Be bold, be audacious, be strong, be wise and be cheeky. 

Step Four: ACTION: Now you have a plan of what you would like to achieve, it is the time to set down some actions to make sure your plan moves from a planning paper to action delivery. When planning your actions remember the S.M.A.R.T goals Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely Be sure to write all of these down on paper (brain to hand to eye to subconscious)

Step Five: Focus: Once you have your plan, goals and actions in place break them down into weekly, monthly, quarterly goals or the bite size pieces that will suit you and your business the best and then focus on a few tasks, actions or plans a week. Keep it simple and reasonable so it avoids overwhelm. Be sure to track your achievements and celebrate your wins. Taking some time to set upyour five steps at the end of the year or beginning of a new year is 5 simple steps to set you up for success.

​What do you do to set you and your business up for success?

Whether you are a small to medium business owner, solopreneur, network marketer or an on-line marketer, there are times where we find ourselves hiding out in our business. Daily grind, regular tasks, product creation, clients, and all t​he other things that come with being a business owner can drive us further and further into our business and further and further away from connecting with others. Occasionally, these tasks and working in and on the business can be an easy excuse to hide away.
By driving ourselves further away from connecting with others we are really doing an injustice to our business and ultimately to ourselves. We human’s are creatures of connection; we love to connect with other human beings. Community, purpose and connection are key factors that can play an integral part of keeping the endorphins high, the creativity flowing and a positive attitude.

​There are a multitude of benefits to getting out and about and connecting with others, including: ·

• Refresh our ideas 
• Personal invigoration 
• Enhancing our knowledge base 
• Opening up opportunities both personally and professionally 
• Gaining new perspectives

There are several ways we can get out and about that can be cost effective and easy to implement:
·

• Attending networking events
• Business owners informal meetings
• Skype or Zoom meetings 
• Attending seminars and live events
• Attending community projects 
• Attending local commerce meetings

Before attending it is wise to set an objective as to what your purpose for attending the event maybe. It could be anything from making a new business connection through to gleaning a new idea for your business, the list is endless. Aim for at least one event per week for a minimum of two hours, this should get you kick started into getting out of your business and into making some valuable lasting connections.
Set a plan at The beginning of the month and book into the event early and have it in your planner/diary. 

Running a business can be hard work. As sole traders we wear many hats & try to do as much as possible ourselves before we realize we have to give up control on some things in order to do the things we are good at & let others do the things they’re good at so we succeed. Otherwise we would be working non-stop & have no life.
We create stress that builds up until our bodies break down. You don’t want to get to that point, it’s really hard to come back from. Stress is a major factor in our lives, that if left untreated, can cause serious harm or illness, disease & death. So what can you do to prevent this?
There are many things luckily, you just have to acknowledge, accept & take action.
1. Get good nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Get 7 to 8hrs sleep
4. Hydrate
5. Relax
Are you eating the bare minimum of 2 fruit & 5 vegetables a day for basic health? Or do you eat processed foods, fast foods, takeaway, whatever you can get your hands on because you don’t have time or can’t be bothered? Wholefood nutrition is key for energy & your immune system. Do you exercise 6 days a week?
A minimum of 15mins a day raising your heart rate & breathing heavy is required. Find something you like to do, add a minimum of 2 days resistance training & you’re good. If you feel & look good, so will your business. Anything 6hrs & under a night regularly is unhealthy & dangerous. It can be the equivalent of driving 0.05 & I’m tipping you wouldn’t go to work drunk.
It affects our cognitive abilities so you won’t perform your best at work. There are so many things you can do to improve your sleep so try them. If you are dehydrated by as little as 2% it affects your general performance. Often when you feel tired you just need water.
Same when you feel hungry, start with water. Our bodies are 80% water so obviously we need to replace it when we sweat, urinate plus all of our bodily functions rely on water to run smoothly.

Finally we need to relax! That S word (stress) is way too prevalent in our lives & it wreaks havoc with our bodies. You have to learn to switch off work mode & find an activity you enjoy each day, spend time with your family, read, meditate, laugh & change your mindset. Discuss these 5 points & share what you like to do, what are your tips & tricks that others might like to take on board to help them. All of this reflects on our business, so make it shine! 
Guest Author: Carolyn Smith Contact: www.inspiredfitnesssolutions.com.au

​We have all been in the situation somewhere, sometime, somehow stuck with someone that isn’t a talker or gives yes or no answers even to open ended questions, the conversation stalls and so does your brain so you ended up talking incessantly.

Maybe you have a Connect Her Connection meeting or Coffee catch up and you think, oh no, I have met this person before and I know everything about them. Guess what? We don’t know everything about everyone.

Sometimes just using a weird, strange or unusual question into the mix can open up the flood gates.

It is interesting, when we use a question which isn’t quite in context of our usual ‘networking’ questions you can see the mood shift. You can almost see the shoulders relax, the face relax and a giggle or laugh emerge bringing spontaneity into the conversation. Here are some conversation starters to get you started.

Conversation Starters……………………..
What would you like to get better at?
What made your brain grow today?
What problems or challenges did you work on this month?
What is your favourite way to feel calm?
What is one quality you look for in a friend?
Who  is your best client?
What is your favourite day of the week?
When do you feel you are more productive in the morning or the afternoon?
How can someone become famous?
Android or Apple?
Tell me about something you do every day?
How often do you check your emails?
What do you do to relax after a business day?
Describe your perfect day?
What do you like the most about the person sitting next to you (on the left) (on the right)?
f you could invite two other people to join us, who would they be?
​What is the one thing that is your absolute must have for a business meeting?

​Do you have your favourite conversation starter?

​That’s right, structurally, we are made for movement, not being still & especially not sitting. We are created for movement, we need to move as much as possible, otherwise problems arise. And it’s not just back & hip issues, or our expanding butts & waistlines or poor posture & bad necks.

I want you to  think about how you can fit more movement into your day & maybe inspire you to get outside doing it. Exercise & variety is so important to everyone.

Fitness has been shown to play such an important part in our brain performance, mental & emotional health, prevention of disease & recovery. Being fit & improving overall wellbeing can help increase confidence in individuals, which can have a huge impact on their career success which is bigger than having the perfect body.

We know exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good & decrease stress, so why isn’t everyone doing it 6 days a week? Why are people still finding excuses?

It doesn’t have to be hard core workouts. Finding something you enjoy is the key. Although resistance training is the best thing, you can still do just 2 x 30min sessions a week & whatever else you like for the other days. Pick any recreational sport or hobby that involves moving a lot, whether it be tennis, table tennis, golf (without the cart), bowling, dancing. Not video games or board games where you are sitting.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women - at three times the rate of breast cancer. The good news? There's an easy way to cut your risk. You can probably guess some of the main risk factors for heart disease. But what's the number one cause? Inactivity!

If you have a lot of work meetings, maybe you could get a tall table to stand around, or take your mtg outside & walk while you talk. It’s not that crazy, & getting the fresh air will do you even more good.

So most people go from a heated house to car to office & back in their car to home & maybe a stop at the gym. All heated environments where germs fester & we get everyone’s colds etc. It’s been proven that those who get more daily fresh air (especially ocean air) live a longer & healthier life. Inhaling fresh air helps clear your lungs and enables you to take deeper, longer breaths of air -- which increases the amount of oxygen that's transported to your body's cells. Oxygen improves our mood, our brain function & increases our energy.

Then there’s the other big thing called the Sun. Spending about 30 minutes in the sun can provide you with nearly a day's supply of vitamin D through skin absorption. Having enough vitamin D in your body helps your bones form properly, which reduces your risk of developing bone diseases such as osteoporosis. 

According to research, people show more physical signs of relaxation -- including lower blood pressure and lower amounts of the stress hormone cortisol -- when they spent time in the forest rather than in the city.
Sunlight is also thought to help ward off depression and stress because the "happy" chemical serotonin is higher in the brain during the time of year when days are longer.
SO HOW CAN YOU INTRODUCE MORE INCIDENTAL EXERCISE INTO YOUR DAY?

• • Don’t forget that incidental exercise adds up, like walking to the supermarket instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
• • Talking on the telephone? Instead of sitting down, walk around while you chat. If you’re on your mobile, a brisk walk around the block or local park.
• • Use your ad breaks! There’s at least eight minutes of ads per 30 minutes of television watched, so spend that time doing star jumps, abs, using your foam roller, going up and down your stairs or dancing with the kids. Just get moving.
• • Take a five minute stretching break instead of a coffee break at work
• • Take the kids to the park on the weekend. Ride bikes or scooters. Be an example to your kids.
• • Go for a bush walk with friends instead of the BBQ (have a BBQ in the park after instead)
• • Get out in the garden. Spend some time each week planting, watering and tending to your garden. Mow the lawn! It will work up a sweat.
• • Be more active in the workplace – walk to the printer, instead of sending an email, walk to the person’s desk rather than call, stand up rather than sit when answering the phone, keep a glass of water on your desk & the big bottle in the break room so you have to keep filling up.
• • Park further away. Choose the furthest car space in the carpark, or better still, leave the car at home and walk to the shops.
• • Join your work colleagues for a lunchtime walk, swim or sports game once a week.
• • Get a dog that has to be walked!

Remember, incidental exercise is on top of your work out.

Guest Author: Carolyn Smith  www.inspiredfintnesssolutions.com.au

For small business it can be difficult to invest in the marketing dollars that are needed to be noticed in a very competitive and busy marketplace. Who has spent money on flyers and brochures with not a lot of return or recognition of your business? Online profiles are really the new marketing platform and can assist you with your business branding and awareness.

You may have heard that it is best to utilise the social media platform or online profile where your clients are? This is a great way of pinpointing how much energy you are going to spend on a platform without spending a lot of money or time.

Every business is different and can include the selling of products or services but an important aspect of promoting our business is demonstrating our expertise in out sector which is unique to us and our skills. LinkedIn has proven to be a professional, consistent and robust online network that was originally set up for resumes for staff of corporate companies around the world.

LinkedIn is still utilised for job search and recruitment but due to the increase in the network and how many time poor professionals are interacting with LinkedIn, it is now a great place to find cashed-up consumers of products and services. What has been your experience on LinkedIn or any platform you have used for business and what has worked or failed? We can definitely learn from other businesses and how they have utilised their networks, but you must be consistent and interact to get any reward. Like any action in your business showing up and demonstrating to your network that you are regularly interacting and adding value is essential for success. Instagram has increased in popularity and is a great visual online platform that can build your profile visually and increase sales of products with their visual appeal. The analytics on Instagram have really improved and you can see easily if your posts are getting reactions and are being noticed.

Instagram can increase website traffic if utilised well and consistently. Here are some tips and suggestions for LinkedIn which will deliver interaction with your target audience and grow your profile in your industry or line of work. 

• Spend 1 – 2 hours a week in building and revising your LinkedIn Profile for success and interaction – you will be rewarded 
• Give back to others and endorse them for skills and competencies, congratulate them on anniversaries and birthdays
•  Ensure that your profile and background photos are professional and relevant – utilise your logo or catch-up phrase to increase awareness
• Be proactive and message contacts with an offer or advice 
• Post an update weekly or fortnightly demonstrating your expertise  Comment on your networks updates and join in the conversation 
• Look who has checked out your Profile and connect with them 
• Be professional at all times with your comments and offers
•  Join industry groups and connect with members and learn about them
• Add in Videos, Photos and Documents to your Summary for added exposure – make it interesting for optimal interaction. 

Guest Author: Teresa Brandau-Stranks   www.careerwellness.com.au

Winter is here, traditionally a season for reflection and review. What’s great and not so great about my lifestyle? What might I like to change… and if so how? What might I like to do more of … and less of?
The new normal is not yet clear for us, which is our opportunity to imagine the beings and doings of our ideal day working at home and perhaps beginning to emerge into the world as Spring arrives.

What has to happen? What do you see and what are your various roles you through the day? Who are you talking with and listening to?
Recently Synergy Circle in an autumn meeting raised the reminder that this is a time of year to review and adjust our vision boards in preparation for the Southern Hemisphere Spring. What’s most important to you to start your day? Members of the online CH Collective mention meditation, yoga, walking + a healthy breakfast for example. Imagine that as a start to each of your days. What time would you go to bed + get up to make that routine happen?
What’s always on your daily Plan-List? Business coaches talk of default diaries. For me, this means structuring a day to include defined times (each with a start + end time) for every regular happening in your day.
These times can be adjusted a little to suit your schedule but those commitments to yourself stay put. They are your priorities. You may choose to block out particular times of day for Projects (they’re important so need a capital P!) You select progressing a new project to be the Important and not Urgent action of your working day. These include your ON the business times. (Research Stephen Covey for more on the Urgent Important matrix or ask me).
What do you use your ON the business time for? Other tasks IN your business can fit around the larger goals. For me, all-important connection chats (with a business colleague, a mentor, a friend) happen just after a mid-morning break or around a mid afternoon break.
These are times when I’m likely to meet some folks online and some in a café or walk park. They are times that can be adjusted lengthened or shortened, made a little later or earlier and they remain in of my ideal average day. 
 What do you need to know about yourself to gain such a day and to create a structure to deliver you that day? What do you choose to stop doing or being to have that day? See for your self the potential. Mull over the possibilities with the folks in your life who matter. Create exact steps that give you clarity on what you truly want in your ideal average day. Imagine that, make that happen. PS. This writing happened as my Important, less urgent task of the day! 

Guest ​Author: Mary Unwin– www.walktall.com.au

​Have you ever contemplated who you really are? I mean not what you do but who you really are.

How would your family members, best friend or colleagues describe you? When we are asked to say who we are generally the first words that come to mind are the roles that we play in life. I’m a business owner, wife, mother, sister, brother, aunt, coach, confidante, personal trainer, web site designer, image consultant, and the list goes on.

These labels are the roles we play in life and most generally we describe ourselves as to the role we play or the position we hold. Have you thought more deeply about who you are? When we know who we truly are and appreciate our strengths and our traits it allows us the freedom to embrace who we truly are and be who we truly want to be. A great exercise is to grab a pen and paper and on one side of the page at the top write the heading
I am a…………………
This is where you can write down all of the labels, those roles or job descriptions. These roles don’t define who we are, the roles change as the seasons of our lives change, job changes and relationship changes.
On the other side of the paper is where we really get to think about who we truly are, what makes us tick, who we truly are, our core essence, all of this enveloped in our values. I am kind, sincere, happy, generous, grateful, calm, ambitious, faithful, determined, courageous, optimistic….. Head this page up with
I am ………
Now is your time to contemplate and think about who you truly are. For some people this is a difficult task to consider their true essence, what makes them tick. It may be helpful to think about how your best friend or a special family member would describe you.

Maybe light a lovely candle, put on some soft music and diffuse an essential oil and take some time out for you to figure out who you are. This is the last part of the exercise and is a powerful moment.

As you read through your list of I am, consider if you were to meet you in one of the roles on the other side of the page would you like you? Would you want to be friends with you? Would you want to sit down and share lunch or chat with you?

If you’re not sure in some of the areas, this is a great place to start looking at how to be more of what you are happy with. This exercise is a powerful exercise to do 2 or 3 times a year as a little self-check in. Are you going to try this for yourself? Doing this exercise often you can continue the friendship with yourself.