Strong from Within

Mindfulness: From the Still Point

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“Anything you do has a still point. When you are in that still point, you can perform maximally.”
– Joseph Campbell

Last week, as I was driving through a notoriously challenging traffic crunch area on the highway, I accessed the still point of that particular spot. I actually slowed down to the construction speed limit even though I was in the fast lane.

I wasn’t on the phone, listening to music or eating a snack. I didn’t even take a sip of water. I became one with the highway, the cars around me, my own car. It was as if everything became a synchronized dance. The cars around me flowed with me. No one drove dangerously slow or dangerously fast. No one made any scary, careless lane changes. For 10 or 15 seconds, we all drove in the quiet of the eye of the storm.

Ah, the still point . . .

Working with a coaching client, she felt frustrated about how to resolve a situation with one of her employees. As she accepted her frustration without trying to change or get rid of it, she quit fighting herself. When she realized she had calmed her own inner turmoil, she sighed deeply. And, with her next breath, she knew what to do with the employee.

Ah, the still point . . .

When I sat down to write this blog post, I felt anxious and distracted. I had several topics I wanted to write about and I didn’t know how to choose. As I started to scan the mental hard drive of my mind, I felt this topic rise above the mental hard drive. As this topic chose itself, the anxiety vanished and my whole focus turned to writing.

Ah, the still point . . .

snow covered tree

A few days ago, it seemed way too cold and stormy to take my daily afternoon walk. So, I bundled up and went out anyway. Not long into the walk, I captured the essence of the still point in this photo. Even though the wind continued to whip cold wet snow into my face, I surrendered to the conditions as I received the privilege of experiencing the still point in the middle of a literal storm.

Ah, the still point . . .

What about you? Where is your awareness in regard to the still point within? How might you access the still point within each activity as you go through your day?

I’d love to hear from you.

Post your comments and insights below.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

Evoking the Best of You: Activated by Martin Luther King, Jr

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Today is Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday. Almost every year at this time I write about how he has influenced me.

While taking my Strengths Strategy Coaching certification course last year, my trainer and mentor DeAnna used him as a shining example of the best of the StrengthsFinder Activator strength. With Activator as my #4 strength, I felt a renewed sense of our kinship and a renewed commitment to Activate people in a way that makes this world a better place.

Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr for activating us to greater love for all people.

Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr for activating
us to greater love for all people.

His dream involved nonviolence, justice and equality, social and political reform.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr

My dream involves each of us as individuals dissolving the old patterns and habits that bind us. Deeply connecting with and honoring ourselves so that we can fully express ourselves. For me, Martin Luther King Jr serves as a brilliant example of fully expressing himself.

“I fiercely hold the vision of this person in front of me loving and valuing themselves no matter what, so that they may offer the world the one-of-a-kind gift of their self-expression.”
– Ann Strong

What about you? What is your dream? How can I Activate you to take your next step in the direction of that dream that only you can fulfill?

Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr.

Post your comments and insights below.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

Strong from Within

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Bringing alignment to the
internal struggle.

So many inner voices.
All with ideas and gifts
And needs.

Often competing.
Judging.
Criticizing.

Bringing alignment to the
internal struggle.

Listening.
Allowing.
Appreciating.

All.

Orchestrating an
internal symphony.

Ah, to be strong from within like the deeply-rooted tree who also reaches toward the sky...

Ah, to be strong from within like the deeply-rooted tree
who also reaches toward the sky…

Rich.
Complex.
Moving.
Beautiful.
One-of-a-kind.

Fully You.
Radiantly alive.
Gloriously messy.

Bringing alignment to the
internal struggle.

Strong from Within.
One-of-a-kind.
Fully You.

Post your comments and insights below.

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Announcing the winner of the solo retreat in Santa Fe
(A $1900 value)!!!!!
BRENDA NEWBERRY

Special mention to:
MARY MCHENRY
JANET BERGIN
who also posted more than 10 comments on the blog.

Brenda, Mary and Janet, watch your in-box in the next couple of days for an email from me . . .

Also, thank you to:
Gina Garris
Eleanor Grannis
Cinny Mills
Stephanie West
for posting comments on the blog.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

StrengthsFinder™: Good to Great Enough

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When does going for Excellence become a burden?  All strengths have their dark side.  The strength of Maximizer is no exception.  I know this one from the inside, as it is my own number one StrengthsFinder™ strength.  And, of course, I have served as a great match for dozens of clients over the years with Maximizer in their top 5.

Maximizer suffers no fools.  Not even ourselves. 

Recently one of my clients with Maximizer in her top 5 dug in her heels.  For several months we had been doing strengths coaching with her leadership team of four.  When it was time to bring strengths training to the rest of the staff in her small business, she asked, “Why should we do this?  How do we know it will work with them?”

She caught me by surprise.  She loves StrengthsFinder.  It was her idea to bring it to the company.  What was going on?

When I had a one-on-one conversation with her, it became clear that her Maximizer had been triggered.  Sure we had seen greater engagement and more distribution of the workload based on strengths with the leadership team, but how did we know that would carry through to the rest of the team?

She knew that what we were doing was good, but would it continue with the team and become great?  When Maximizer goes to the dark side, the translation of “great” equals perfect.  Managing the trigger requires dialing “perfect” back to great enough.

rainbow

It would be so easy for my own Maximizer to
wish that the second rainbow were as vibrant
as the first.  Or, that I could have taken a
picture of both rainbows all the way across. 
Instead, I call upon my Connectedness and
Positivity strengths and feel happy that I am
connected to nature in this way and grateful
that I did capture the moment in a meaningful
and beautiful way!

By calling on her strengths of Responsibility (to her team and to her original commitment of becoming a strengths-based company) and her strength of Self-Assurance (confidence and trust in her original decision), we are once again moving forward – toward this amazing destination called “great enough.”

What about you?  If you know your StrengthsFinder strengths, when have you noticed one of your strengths being triggered?  How did you get back to making your contribution?

Post your comments, insights and progress below.

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If you haven’t yet taken the StrengthsFinder™ assessment, I highly recommend it!

It costs $19.99 and takes 30 – 40 minutes to complete.
They will immediately email you your top 5 strengths and a report about them. 

I would love to know your to 5 strengths, if you’d like to share them with me!

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Strong from Within . . .

If you are feeling called to go deeper with your strengths at home or at work, let’s have a conversation to explore if the one-on-one Strong from Within coaching program would be a good fit for you.

Click here to schedule your conversation.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

Creator/Owner Mindset: Naming the Glory of You

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A few years ago, my coach at the time, Jeff Patterson, created an important distinction for himself to support him in expressing himself and his fullest contribution.  He gave names to himself at the far ends of the spectrum of low expression and contribution and high expression and contribution. 

Needy Man and Miracle Man.

He knew exactly what each meant to him and he kept his focus on living his days as Miracle Man and having compassion for himself when he showed up as Needy Man. 

Jeff was an amazing role model for me.  Being coached by Miracle Man called forth more from me than I knew was within me.  Learning how Jeff worked with Needy Man taught me to love myself more, no matter what.  And yet, in all the time I worked with him, I couldn’t come up with my two distinct names for me.  I knew that my equivalent of Needy Man was Scramblin’ Ann but my Miracle Man equivalent eluded me.

The more I tried to find my glorious name, the more I could feel my mind “searching my brain’s hard drive” rather than receiving it from my heart.  So I let it go and wrote my first book with Jeff’s coaching support.

I coached several clients to name theirs.  I told them about Jeff’s success and disclosed that I had only half my equation, yet I could feel the power of having both names. 

Melancholy Monica and Magnificent Monica. 
(Names of clients have been changed for their privacy.)
Scardy Cat and Lover Girl.
Contracted Shelly and Expansive Shelly.
Barely Betsy and Goddess Elizabeth.
Slave and Queen . . .

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Ah, the feeling of experiencing myself
as Radiant Grace . . .

And just a few days ago, out of the blue, I received a gift from my heart: Radiant Grace.  How amazing is that – the name Ann means grace.

Scramblin’ Ann and Radiant Grace.  Oh my goodness, can I feel the difference in my body, my energy and my heart!!!

What about you?  What distinctions bubble up for you?!?

Post your comments, insights and progress below.

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On the Way to Experiencing the Divine . . .

If you are feeling disoriented or lost and sense you are being called to a deeper relationship with the Divine, let’s have a conversation to explore if the one-on-one Align with Source coaching program would be a good fit for you.

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How Might Whole Use of Empathy Look?

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Earlier this week, I passed my oral exam and officially became a Certified Strengths Strategy Coach!  I’ve never been certified in anything before. So this is significant because of how strongly I believe in the value of going deeper with the Gallup StrengthsFinder™ assessment.

While all 34 strengths are created equal, a few seem to create more havoc AND, when used at an optimal “volume” create extraordinary outcomes. 

Empathy tops that list.  I know this one from personal experience – Empathy is my 2nd strength and in the top 5 for dozens of my clients, friends and colleagues.

flowers in a field

My Empathy loves feeling these sunflowers
and evergreens in the mist!

 

And what I’ve noticed over the years:  whole use of Empathy, optimal volume of Empathy, involves two things: mindfulness and boundaries with Empathy for those around us and a practice of Empathy for ourselves.

Mindfulness and Boundaries with Empathy
for Those around Us
From sheer necessity, I made a deal with Spirit a few years ago:  If it is optimal, I will feel it.  If it isn’t, I won’t.  It took me awhile to come to this specific boundary because I wrestled with optimal for whom.  Eventually my 3rd strength, Connectedness, kicked in to remind me: for all.  Now, when I do feel someone else’s pain, excitement, grief – whatever it is – I often name it or ask about it.  Which then tends to open up life-affirming conversations because that person feels so seen.

Mindfulness and boundaries show up in many different forms.  One of my clients is vigilant about visualizing an energy bubble around herself at all times.  She still feels others, but their feelings don’t come into her own energy field and deplete her.  Another uses her strength of Adaptability to moderate Empathy.  One of my friends believes Empathy is one of his greatest gifts and only occasionally feels the need to take time for himself to re-energize.  I consider him a bit of a saint!

A Practice of Empathy for Ourselves
One of the most powerful and overlooked practices with any and all of our strengths involves using them toward ourselves, in relationship with ourselves.  This tends to be a brand new concept for most of us.

Wow!  Look at all of that untapped potential in the most important relationship of our lives – the one with ourselves.  How different is my experience of my own life when I give myself the gift of Empathy within?!?

This one idea has changed the course of my life.  As I have become more compassionate and less judgmental with myself, I have lessened my internal struggle.  As I have paid attention to how I feel, I have less of a need for others to understand how I feel.  And, I’m better able to communicate my feelings and needs in a way that my loved ones can hear!

What about you?  If Empathy is in your top 5 StrengthsFinder™ strengths, how might you play with it a bit? Even if it isn’t in your top 5 or you haven’t taken the StrengthsFinder asessment, what do you notice about Empathy for you?

Post your comments, insights and progress below.

If you haven’t yet taken the StrengthsFinder™ assessment, I highly recommend it!

It costs $19.99 and takes 30 – 40 minutes to complete.

They will immediately email you your top 5 strengths and a report about them.

I would love to know your to 5 strengths, if you’d like to share them with me!

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Feeling Disoriented or Lost?

If you are feeling disoriented or lost and sense you are being called to a deeper relationship with the Divine, let’s have a conversation to explore if the one-on-one Align with Source coaching program would be a good fit for you.

==========================

My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

StrengthsFinder™: Who’s in Charge Inside You?

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Any time we feel frustrated, overwhelmed or stressed, we have an opportunity to call forth different aspects of ourselves to feel calmer, more fulfilled and peaceful.

Recently one of my clients felt stressed because she’s transitioning into new work and her Strategic wanted to look at the many ways she could proceed.  Before Strategic could assess and choose the best one, Activator got impatient and wanted to get going.  Activator didn’t care about the steps involved.  Activator just wanted to get going.

Internal conflict.

When I asked her which of her top strengths wanted to play (and lessen the conflict), she answered immediately, in a much softer tone.  Developer spoke up.  “When I work with my clients, I help them take the next step.  Just one.” Then Positivity chimed in: “And that is great, that is enough.”

My client immediately relaxed as Developer and Positivity balanced Strategic and Activator.

Each of our strengths has their own "personality" and their own needs. As we come to know and understand each, we have this amazing opportunity to create synergistic internal teamwork!

Each of our strengths has their own “personality” and their own needs.  As we come to know and understand each, we have this amazing opportunity to create synergistic internal teamwork!

 

Ah, the good life.  When we notice we have many internal “characters” and they all have needs, we can greatly reduce internal conflict by allowing them all to play.

The trick is: in the right order, at the right time, for the right reasons and at the right intensity!

So, that’s a bit about one of my clients’ stories.  Now, take her out and put you in.  Who wants to play?

If you haven’t taken the StrengthsFinder™ assessment to learn your top 5 strengths, it takes just 30 – 40 minutes and $19.99.

It will change your life, if you allow yourself to stay with your strengths daily rather than thinking you must improve your weaknesses.

Feel free to post your comments, insights and experiences with your strengths below.

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Invest in your strength:
Strong You Clarity Day

If you are on the verge of letting go of trying to fix yourself, I am honored to hold the space for you to step into your Self.

Let’s devote this day to focusing on your strengths, your brilliance, your happiness and your dreams.

Investment:
$1100 for the first 2 G Notes readers
who book before May 23 for a day in June.
(Regularly $1500)

Send an email to me to book your day.  Include four days that you are available 10 am – 5 pm, Tues – Sat.

If you would like help discerning if this day would be a good fit for you, call me on my direct office line to talk about it.
303.399.8737.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

StrengthsFinder™: With Connectedness in Charge

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A couple of weeks ago, I re-ordered my own internal Strengths structure.

I needed a better way to deal with stress in both my personal and professional life.  So, I put Connectedness in charge.

Before that time, Maximizer and Activator pretty much ran the show.

And, I get ahead of myself.  Let me back up a bit.

My top StrengthsFinder™ strengths:
1. Maximizer
2. Empathy
3. Connectedness
4. Activator
5. Individualization
6. Strategic

Maximizer consistently transforms good into great.  Empathy feels what’s going on with others.  Connectedness knows that everything is connected.  Activator gets things moving. Individualization knows, specifically, what you want and need.  And Strategic finds the best way.

The downside to having Activator and Maximizer in charge: Activator tends to follow the Ready, Fire, Aim approach to life, driving Maximizer and Strategic a bit crazy.  And Maximizer can go way too far with perfectionism without return on investment.

So, how did putting Connectedness in charge reduce my stress?  Connectedness connects me to myself, connects me to my Source, connects me to those I love and connects me to nature.  Connectedness knows what’s most important.  With Activator and Maximizer subservient to Connectedness, Activator fires more often in the right direction and Maximizer maximizes what’s most important.

040914 Blog Post Image

Connectedness loves being outside in wide open space. 
Connectedness connects me to what’s most important.

So, that’s a bit about my story.  Now, take me out and put you in.  What’s driving you?

If you haven’t taken the StrengthsFinder assessement, it takes just 30 – 40 minutes and $19.99. Take it now.

It will change your life, if you allow yourself to stay with your Strengths daily rather than thinking you must improve your weaknesses.

Feel free to post your comments, insights and experiences with your strengths below.

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If you’d like a personalized Strengths Strategy™ Application session, I am offering them via phone or Skype from anywhere in the world or in-person if you’re in the Santa Fe area.

40 to 50 minutes
$108 (Regularly $250)

Email me or call me on my direct office line to discern if this session would be a good fit for you.  505.466.1358.

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My book, “Thriving Work” is now available
on Kindle at Amazon for just $3.99:
Click here to order

StrengthsFinder™: What Do Your Strengths Need?

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One of my clients has the strengths of Input, Intellection and Ideation in her top 5 StrengthsFinder™ strengths.  If she doesn’t have an hour or two of alone time every day to think, reflect and mediate, she gets super cranky.  Another has Empathy as her top strength.  If she doesn’t have alone time every day without naturally feeling what others feel, then she gets cranky.  Different strengths.  Same need.  For different reasons.

My Empathy/Connectedness/Relator needs to have an authentic, deep, one-on-one connection with one or two people every day or I become disconnected.  My Competition/Achiever/Command niece needs to be challenged, provoked and have clear rules of engagement or she’s not interested.  While my Harmony/Empathy assistant needs us all to play nice or she’ll find nicer playmates.  Different strengths.  Different needs.  For different reasons.

All of us have strengths.  All of our strengths have needs.  Yet we rarely talk about the needs, lest we seem needy.

daydreaming300x200

womanaway300x200

All of our strengths have needs.  And, it’s individual for each of us.  Same strength, different need.  Different strength, same need.  Different day, same strength different need.  Two of our own strengths, competing needs.  The trick: allowing all the needs, attending to all of the needs to receive the greatest value of the strengths.

To complicate matters, while each of our strengths have needs, the needs of one strength may conflict with the needs of another. Yikes, a bit of an internal battle.

If we acknowledge that we all have needs, does it make it a bit easier to talk about them?  If we acknowledge we sometimes have conflicting needs – both with those around us and within ourselves, does it help us work together and within ourselves to meet all of those needs?

Feel free to post your comments, insights and experiences below.