Business is like a flower, changing all the time, regardless of whether we are disgusted or excited about what is happening. So let’s pretend our businesses are flowers following the sun even on cloudy days.

I have been experiencing a new growth spurt. I don’t enjoy these times because they can be so very painful. For the past month, I have been focusing on the growth of my business and evaluating marketing techniques to determine whether they are producing the results I want. Why is it when we want something it seldom materializes when we want it to happen?

My first thought was to change direction and look for new ways to market my programs. I am lucky to have a great team working with me.  They suggested I take time off to gain perspective.  Following their advice, I took a vacation from my business and focused on relaxing, catching up on movies and reading. Not thinking about Love Yourself Coaching for a while was very peaceful and very scary at the same time.

On Mother’s Day, while spending time with my family, I was telling my understanding son-in-law what was happening. I explained how everything I was doing business-wise had a price tag attached to it and I was losing the real meaning of why I was in business. He told me my ego was getting in the way of what I wanted to accomplish. Hearing this made me stop and think of how my business was helping others and building a community.  I began to feel fulfilled because in some small way I was making a difference in the world. In no way could I put a price tag on these beautiful gifts.

My perspective changed and I was excited again about what Love Yourself Coaching was accomplishing. Getting up this morning I felt alive and ready to embrace my business. What a beautiful gift!

It is your turn to stop and take a look at your business. Make a list of your accomplishments that do not carry a price tag.

Some examples:

• Your happiness
• Self-fulfillment
• Making a difference in a person’s life
• Doing what you love
• Having an opportunity to grow a business

Continue writing down all your special gifts.  I am sure you will begin to have a smile on your face!  Be BRAVE, take a risk and let the world know what you are accomplishing by posting your list in the comment section of this blog. Together we will let the world know about how our businesses are blooming and what we are accomplishing with them!
Take Care,

Helen

Helen J. Burton, Coach, Author and TV Host of “Skyrocket Your Business”

What a great way to create happiness!  Just imagine you are always happy and traveling life’s journey with a smile on your face, looking forward to each day. Bingo you will be happy!

You might be asking yourself,” Has Helen finally lost it? What is she thinking?” Hey guys, just a second! I have not completely lost my mind. I’ve been thinking about ways to enjoy life.

Simple things can make you happy.  Just looking out the window, seeing the sun shining, the trees blowing in the wind and the music playing in the background is making me happy. I refuse to be in a negative place right now, so I am happy and feeling positive.

Happiness is a state of mind. To enter the Happiness Zone start thinking about all your accomplishments and try some of the tips suggested below. Let me know what transpires.

Some quick ways you can begin to achieve happiness:

• Sit in a comfortable chair and, while taking deep breaths, tell yourself, “I feel so comfortable and happy.”  Believe me, you will begin to feel happy
• Give yourself a big HUG and say, “I love you.”
• Look out the window watch the trees dancing in the wind.
• Softly sing yourself a love song.
• Sing your praises in the shower.
• Continue acknowledging all your accomplishments.
• Start noticing the little things that you appreciate, like the beautiful spring blossoms and trees

Wishing you a beautiful and happy day!

Please post a comment below to share the tips and tools you use for bringing happiness into your day with the community. Together, the Love Yourself Community will continue to travel down the road of happiness.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Helen

Reading Fitz-Gibbon’s quote takes away my fear of being creative. When you stop and think about it, our creations are really just a thought away. 

Whenever I sit down to write a blog, the old nagging thought pops-up, “What am I going to write about?” The first thing I do is look for a quote that wakes up my writing juices and the words start to flow.

Today, I am focused on the word, “Action.” What does it actually mean? The Thesaurus suggests, achievement and accomplishment, with inaction as its antonym.

To me the word “Action” means doing something – not just waiting for things to happen. I consider myself a very action oriented person. In the past, everything had to be done perfectly and right away. Living my life this way caused overwhelm, fear and burnout.

I often forget about the value of “inaction,” which is really taking action by delaying the process until you are prepared to move ahead.  I have a friend who always says, “For today it is okay not to make a decision and see what happens.” It is amazing how, by not taking action, solutions start to materialize and creativity kicks in. 

Through the years, since receiving my coaching certification, I have learned about the word “Balance.” Now I live my life in a completely different way – most of the time. Being human and having ingrained habits I sometimes revert back to my old behavior. It’s a miracle because now, within days, I realize what is happening and start taking steps to bring balance back into my life.

What is balance? It represents moderation in all areas of our life. On a typical day, it would be working for 5 to 6 hours, spending time with friends and family;  and taking time for you, which is the hardest part. Remember, it counts even if you spend 10 minutes doing something nice for yourself.

I would love to hear from you. What thoughts pop into your mind when you read the words, “action”, “inaction” and “balance”? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. By sharing our thoughts and ideas with each other we can continue building a supportive community.

If you need support in anyway please send me an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net and we can schedule time to chat.

Take Care,

Helen

Recently, I was having lunch with Sheila, a very old friend who has successfully climbed the corporate ladder. I admired her for all that she had accomplished and, honestly, was a little jealous.

During coffee, we started discussing our lives and, to my amazement, Sheila expressed how unhappy she was.  She wished she had taken the same path I did by starting her own business. I sat there staring at her and explained how I admired what she had accomplished and wished I took the same path she did. We both started to laugh!

Of course, as a coach I explained it was never too late to explore other options. I suggested that she start working with a coach. Sheila became very interested in what I had to say and requested I send her the name of a coach with whom she could work.

The important lesson I learned was that we are all human beings with our own unique stories. What a gift we receive when we share ourselves with others.

On the way home, I was thinking how fortunate I am to love what I do, even when I feel frustrated and overwhelmed.  It is amazing how we can think the grass is always greener on someone else’s lawn until we take the time to become aware of what is really happening in our own backyard!

I invite you to complete the exercise below.  Please answer honestly and without any judgment. You will be the only one to evaluate the results.

1. Make a list of all your strengths and special gifts. 
2. Looking back over the years, identify one big accomplishment that changed your life. 
3. What new direction did your life take?
4. Do you feel empowered or unfulfilled?
   1. If you are felling empowered, why do you feel this way?
   2. If you are feeling unfulfilled, journal about steps you can take to improve your situation.  
5. Journal about the vision you see your life taking in 2012.

After completing this exercise, evaluate your answers and journal about the golden nuggets you uncovered.   What are your next steps?

Please let the Love Yourself –It Matters! Community know if you need support in any areas of your business. We are here to support each other. All you have to do is leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will get back to you.  Working together, we will be able to travel down the road of life in a very supportive environment. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Helen

If we could live our lives backward, imagine how much easier it would be to run a business!  We would all have answers at our finger tips. There would be fewer struggles; and the money would come pouring in.

Unfortunately, life and business have twists and turns and we need to learn from these experiences. For most of us, when we started our businesses everything felt new and exciting; but as time passed, the excitement began to dwindle and frustration set in.

While there is no simple answer, this is a great time to take a personal inventory of your true desires and the path you want to follow.  I’ve approached these crossroads many times and, after taking inventory, found myself moving in new directions. 

For example, I have chosen to change my niche and work with different target markets. When I first started coaching my clientele consisted of women in transition; then people who were retiring. After a few years, my target market changed again, and I worked with individuals who wanted to get off the diet merry-go-round.

Then it changed again, and this time my niche found me. I became a coaches’ coach, and for the last 5 years coaches have been my primary clientele.  My business has flourished and I have never been so creative.  

Now It’s Your Turn!

This simple exercise is designed to help you discover your true business strengths and passion.

• Write your answers to the following questions:
  • What do you love about your business?
  • Describe your ideal client (professionals, teens, young mothers, etc.)
  • List your strengths and skills. 
  • How are you being creative?
  • What support will you need to promote your business?
  • Outline the changes you want or have to implement.
• Read over your answers and highlight details that jump out at you.  Include your ideal client, strengths and skills, along with the support you will need to grow your business, etc.  These items will help you paint a picture of your new direction.
• Close your eyes and picture your business thriving. 
• List the key ingredients for this success.
• Plan your first steps in creating, shifting, or expanding a successful and prosperous business.
• Discuss your findings and plan with the support of a coach, friend or mastermind group.

When your exercise is complete, please share your new business ideas with the Love Yourself – It Matters! Community in the comment section below.  Feel free to contact me at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net if you are experiencing difficulty in completing the exercise.

Working together, we will build thriving businesses!

Helen

Recently, my 11-year-old grandson seems to be facing some struggles. While on the surface none of these struggles are earth-shattering to me, everything seems to be a big deal to him. Yesterday he went to school with a hole in his pants. He called his mother and asked her to bring him another pair of pants. But she was busy all day with clients and meetings. Then my cell phone rang. My grandson was on the line, asking me to bring him a pair of pants. I had commitments with clients all morning and, on top of everything else, had a very bad cold and wasn’t in the mood to drive 20 minutes both ways.

However, being a grandmother, I couldn’t say “No.” After finishing with my next client, I went to the school so we could go to Target together to buy another pair of pants. When I walked into the school building, I was greeted by both my grandson and the Principal. She asked me why I was taking him out of the school. I explained he had a hole in his pants and we were going to the store for another pair. She looked at me as if I was crazy and told him to go back to class and for me to go home. So that’s what we did: he went back to class and I went home.

Thinking about what had just happened, I felt good that my grandson feels comfortable calling me and knows I love him. The best gift we can give anyone is support and showing the person, “I love you.”

On the way home, I started thinking about the many different times I felt such love from my grandfather and how special it made we feel. How lucky I am to give to my grandchildren the love that makes them feel special.

Later that day, my grandson called and thanked me for coming to the school. We both laughed about how the Principal sent him back to class and me home.

Now It’s Your Turn

Think about the times you were with your grandchildren when both of you felt a deep love for each other. These are special moments. Not only do you feel close to each other, but it builds self-confidence and a closeness that can never be taken away.

Enjoy the time you spend together, and keep building those memories.

Helen

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”

~ Norman Vincent Peale

Reading Norman Vincent Peale’s quote made me realize what power we have. The choice is ours—either we can feel disillusioned or powerful and creative. Doesn’t that sound simple and so hard to accomplish?

Is your business taking a vacation during December? Clients are taking time off, and prospecting for new clients is an uphill climb. Here is your golden opportunity to take time for yourself and think about 2012!

We can let our emotions start dictating our lives when we fixate on such thoughts as we are not making much money this month, our business is not growing and we will have to find a new career. Or, on the other hand, we can feel excited about the extra time we have to do the things we want and plan for 2012. The choice is ours.

My choice is to embrace my power and start planning for 2012. This thought alone energizes me.

Steps to take in creating a powerful and rewarding 2012:

• Write yourself a letter describing your dreams and desires for 2012. Include all the aspects of your life—your business, vacations and new opportunities you would like to explore.
• Keep adding to the list for a few days. Our thoughts will keep multiplying when we give ourselves the freedom to be honest and not pass any judgment on our vision.
• When you feel your list is complete, create different categories for your ideas (business, vacations, social events, family and friends).
• Plug the ideas into the different categories. You will be amazed what thoughts surface. Congratulations, you now have your dream list. 
• Choose both a big and a small dream you would like to accomplish. Plan the two steps you will take this week for each dream. Remember, as my mother always said, “Rome was not built in a day.”

Taking time during this quiet time to plan for a powerful and rewarding 2012 is a beautiful gift you are giving yourself. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Now It’s Your Turn

After completing the above exercise, please share your dreams and action steps with the Love Yourself – It Matters! Community. Sharing with each other creates support so miracles can start happening.

Let me tell you a little story. At a networking meeting last week, the facilitator requested that everyone in the room share their vision for 2012. When it was my turn, I shared that my vision was to support a nonprofit organization working with overweight children. Before I left the meeting, three people approached me with the names of specific nonprofit groups and contact information for people who are working with overweight children. By sharing your dream with others, miracles start to happen right away.

Let’s work together and support each other!

Helen

Life is like a box of chocolates

“Life is like a box of chocolates.”
~ Forrest Gump

I love this quote. Life at times can be a piece of chocolate in the midst of an entire box of assorted chocolates. Some pieces are familiar favorites while some pieces are rather exotic or unknown. Some pieces turn out to be unexpected pleasures, even though at first glance they seem mysterious or something to be avoided.

My husband past away almost four years ago and yesterday would have been his birthday.  I received a call from my daughter in the morning asking if I wanted to go out for dinner and celebrate her dad’s birthday. My first reaction was no—I just wanted to spend the day hiding and forget about his birthday. All of a sudden, my positive side kicked in, and I agreed to meet her at his favorite restaurant.

I spent the day thinking about the times we celebrated our birthdays together. Sometimes we had the family over and celebrated together, while other times we went away for a few days or had dinner alone. We never forgot about each other’s birthday.

As I’m writing this article I’m thinking how life can be like a box of chocolates. A piece of chocolate is sweet and delicious. My memories during the day were sweet and brought a smile to my face. Meeting my daughter at night was very healing as we discussed our life as a family and what special moments we all shared together. The day turned out to be very special and healing.

Now It’s Your Turn!

When you read the Forrest Gump quote, what special memories come to mind? You can consider these moments as your happy place. Whenever you are feeling a little sad, it’s time to think of those special moments. I’m sure they will bring a smile to your face.

Most of us wake up in the morning and think about all the things we have to do instead of planning an enjoyable day that creates memorable moments. We are so conditioned to accomplish things that taking the time to enjoy ourselves is sometimes put on the back burner.

Every Monday at 4:00 pm, I meet Jeffrey, my 11-year-old grandson, at his school, and we spend time together. This is our special time to bond together. Having fun as we spend time together is our main focus.

While I am with him, we are laughing, discussing different subjects and just being ourselves. The greatest gift I am receiving is seeing life through this child’s eyes. Last Monday we went to Barnes & Noble and explored the bookshelves. Jeffrey loves the New York Yankees and likes to read about the different players. I like to read novels and just relax. We found books, ordered drinks and sat together looking over the books we would like to read. Of course, I ended up buying them.

Then we top off the evening by going out for dinner. One week Jeffrey chooses the restaurant, and the next time it is my turn. 

Our time together is so very special. It reminds me of the times I spent with my grandfather. 

Now It Is Your Turn
It is time for you to plan a special day. Either meet friends, spend time with a family member or just take a ride or walk to your favorite place. Building memories is so easy to do and lasts a lifetime. 

I would love to hear about your special memories. My email address is helen@helenburton.net.

I am looking forward to hearing from you. 

Helen

Reading Goethe’s quote brought a smile to my face, realizing all I had to do is commit to an idea and then have faith the Universe will guide me. Isn’t that simple?

The hardest part is to have faith and let the Universe guide me. I find that my desire to control everything gets in the way. What about you? Are you willing to let things go and experience the outcome, or are you driven to get in there and fix things?

Let me tell you a little story. I was thinking about my business and what new steps I could take to increase my passion. Of course, no ideas popped into my mind. After a while I decided to go do something else and forget about the idea. Every so often the thought would pop into my head. But, as before, I drew a blank. During that time, members of the Coaches’ Coaching Circle (Circle) were completing a survey to let the Love Yourself Coaching Team know what other services they would like the Circle to offer. It became apparent they were interested in an educational series.

Realizing this was a great opportunity for the members of the Circle and myself, I knew my next step was to organize the Circle Educational Series. My passion was on fire again. How amazing the Universe guided me, and I did not have to do anything.

Events of the Circle Educational Series are scheduled for the last Wednesday of every month at 1:00 pm ET. During the events, coaches and small business owners receive expert advice from various seasoned leaders in the coaching industry. It’s free to listen in on these calls.

On Wednesday, November 30, 2011,@ 1 pm ET and 10 am PT, you can hear Michelle Schubnel discuss “The 7 Key Ingredients for a Full Coaching Practice of High-Paying Clients.”

All you have to do is register here to receive instructions for joining the call.

It’s Your Turn!

Please share with the Love Yourself – It Matters! Community what experiences you have had with trusting the Universe and having faith things will work out. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Take Care,

Helen