Talking about technology this month has brought out the “geek” in me – who doesn’t like the bright and shiny objects that dangle in front of us? However, sometimes we purchase the “upgrade” just because it’s there, not necessarily out of purposeful intention or because it is a good choice.

The important questions to ask yourself are:
How does it benefit your life TODAY?
Does it upgrade your lifestyle?
What systems in your life need to be “tweaked?”

Distinguishing between trinkets that serve you and enhance your life VS. those that make your life more difficult and stressful, is a great tool to have. It helps you to make choices on a daily basis that suit you and makes life EASIER for you.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Sometimes technology doesn’t serve us, no matter how bright and shiny the object might be. Sometimes we “upgrade” just for the sake of upgrading, which doesn’t always benefit us.

Made me really stop to think about some other things in my life that I do on “automatic” that does not serve me TODAY. For example:

• Membership renewals – some I don’t take full advantage of the membership.
• Cell phone package – I can find a better, more efficient minute plan based on my usage.
• Our recycling bins – we tend to save up more bottles before we drop them off (we don’t have local pick up), and our old system just doesn’t work any more.

It could also be “bigger” things, like financial planning. Usually we just plug in money to our retirement plans and forget about it. This is something that is also on automatic that may need a little “tweaking” TODAY – depending on your lifestyle and financial goals.

TAKE ACTION!
What other things in your life need a little tweaking?
Getting into “automatic” mode can be beneficial when we set up systems to make our lives easier. However, sometimes we get comfortable and continue along the same path, even if it doesn’t necessarily make sense any more. It’s always a good idea to periodically review and revise so that you keep what is relevant to your life TODAY – and discard those things that are not.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

A friend, who also happens to be a mortgage specialist, sent me her newsletter with some great information, “How to Select a Pet Sitter.” I believe the original information came from a site called RISMedia which has various information for professionals in the Real Estate industry.

This information was very pertinent to me because I have a dog and a bird and when I go away for more than a few days at a time, I’d like to make sure they have someone reliable to care for them. They’re a part of the family and I want to make sure that they not only get their food and water, but they get the playful attention and exercise they need.

Here are the 10 steps they mention (in summary):

1. Ask friends, neighbors and family for suggestions. Sometimes a reliable and trustworthy sitter is right under your nose.

2. Ask local professionals such as pet-groomers, veterinarians and pet clubs. They are a great source of information.

3. Ask other professionals you hire, such as a housekeeper or landscaper. They may know someone OR they may be willing to do some side work and take care of your pet while you’re away. If your pet already has a good relationship with this person, it’s an added bonus!

4. Follow Up Recommendations. Word of mouth recommendations often indicate that the Pet Sitter is good, so follow up on others’ referrals.

5. Interview your potential pet-sitter and keep an eye on how they interact with your pet(s). These first signs can be a vital sign to you as to how they treat your pet while you are away.

6. Observe YOUR pet(s) reactions to the potential pet-sitter. Is your pet happy? Agitated? Angry? Calm? Skittish?

7. Ask questions. You deserve to know the level of expertise and experience of your pet-sitter. Some sample questions include: Have you done pet-sitting before? For what type of pets? Do you have other pets you are currently sitting? Do you have a set time for visiting pets that you care for? How long do you spend? Do you understand the dietary requirements of my pet(s)?

8. Ask for references. Contact or meet their references if possible.

9. Test your own feelings. Did YOU feel good with the sitter? Do you feel you can trust this person with your pet? Trust your instincts. If you are not pleased, keep looking.

10. Agree on a fair price. This is not the time to haggle. Be aware of the going rate for pet-sitting in your area and be prepared to pay it. Some may charge more for quality care, but in return, you can ask for a written confirmation of obligations the pet-sitter must meet.

Once you’ve found your pet-sitter and you feel confident, before you leave, prepare a checklist of daily tasks that the pet-sitter can check off each visit. This will help ensure they remember each step, particularly if there is medication or special dietary requirement involved.

Hope that helps with your search.
If you have some other tips to find pet-sitters, let us know. Simply comment on this blog to share.

Next week, I’ll share “Tips to Save Money on Vacation”

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: finding pet-sitter, taking care of pet, vacation, tips for travel, resource, information

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
At least for those of us who live in the United States and celebrate this holiday. Other than the freedoms and the patriotic feelings I get as a proud American, I also think of summer, sunshine, BBQ’s and VACATION!

Last year I wrote an article, “Get Lost - Vacationing with Intention“about the importance of intention and getting the most out of your vacation. I still consider this relevant and encourage you to check out that article to put you in the right mindset for your time off.

However, this month I’m going to focus on various vacation tips I want to share with you so you can prepare, plan and make your vacation as painless and pleasurable as possible.

In the coming weeks, you can learn about:
Tips to Finding a Pet Sitter
Tips to Save Money on Vacation
Tips to Inexpensive Activities

Come back throughout the month and visit to get the most recent Tips update.

Today, however, I’ll share how I prepare for my vacations. The first step for me is to create a checklist of: (1) what I need to do NOW, before I go, (2) what I want to do DURING the trip and (3) what needs to be taken care of while I’m away. This gives me an opportunity to organize my thoughts and even dream a little about my vacation.

(When I was planning for my New Zealand trip, it gave me a chance each evening to do a little online research about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see. That was a fun process!)

TAKE ACTION TOOL!
Here are some steps to organize and prepare for your trip.
A. List out the To-Do’s that are on your mind and everything you need to plan your time.
B. Separate them into 4 categories:

(1) VACATION :
Things you want to do during your time away - sight-seeing, restaurants, tours, etc.
My recommendation is to keep the whole list, but prioritize the activities and make sure you plan your top #1 and #2 activities. In the long run, it will also help you on your vacation because you will have already decided what is important to you to do. Include your whole family on this exercise so you’re all on the same page.

(2) PACKING:
Everything that you ABSOLUTELY need on the trip.
Remember, most places that you’re traveling to will have things like shampoo and conditioner, which can add weight to your luggage (which you might have to pay for now!). My recommendation is to pack light, leaving extra room for things that you want to bring home, like souvenirs!

(3) HOME:
Things that need to be taken care of BEFORE you leave, like holding the mail, stopping the newspaper delivery, putting the sprinkler on a timer, etc.
The checklist is handy to keep for when you RETURN and want to resume service.

(4) WORK:
Things that need to be handled BEFORE you leave as well as preparing for project maintanence while you’re gone.
Most people prepare their work fairly well before a trip, but oftentimes will check voicemail or email while on vacation. As an added challenge, prepare as if you will be out of communication with the office for your entire trip. You might be amazed at how well you can prepare for your own absence. . . AND it will also give you a totally work free vacation - isn’t that what a vacation is about anyway?!?!

Organizing and listing thing out helps to plan and prepare so you can fully enjoy your time off. Also, it can help to keep you positive with a little vacation dream in sight each day.

Check back for more TIPS in the coming weeks.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: independence day, travel, vacation, tips, saving money

Who do you think are the happiest people in the world?

Would you believe the Danish?

On a recent flight to California, I watched the CBS Eye on AAmerica video that was airing on the plane. The “60 Minutes” piece they showed was about Happiness, so of course my ears perked up immediately. . .

Adrian White, an analytic social psychologist at the University of Leicester developed the first “World Map of Happiness” and ranked Denmark as the happiest nation in the world. This has prompted other academics to do some research of their own to answer the question of WHY.

Ultimately happiness manifests in our lives through purpose and pleasure.

Two main points in the WHY research that I would like to share here:

Have Moderate Expectations - Be Realistic :
The Danish have moderate expectations, so the pressure is off. When something does turn out spectacular, then they are very grateful for it. Compare that with our standard American view where everything needs to be great or outstanding. With those kinds of demands, not only is it unrealistic at times, it’s also very difficult to achieve. When expectations are too high (or unrealistic) and they are not met, people feel a sense of failure which leads to low self esteem, a feeling of discontentment, stress and overall unhappiness.
You can have moderate expectations and still excel greatly in what you do.

Ask yourself: What are your expectations of yourself? Are they realistic?
A suggestion is to start thinking about having HIGH STANDARDS vs. EXPECTATIONS. With Expectations there is a sense of anticipation or looking for something that might happen. With High Standards it is a model or example by which you live and achieve.
A second suggestion, Be Grateful - Honor the Blessings in Your Life.

Do Less - Stay Present:
Americans tend to try to fit in too much. Do Less. Tal Ben-Shahar noted in a study comparing American and European women, it was shown that American women do not particularly enjoy spending time with their children. It wasn’t because they loved their children any less, in fact often children was one of the most important things in their lives. When the researchers dug deeper, they realized that when the women were with their children, they were not really WITH their children - they were not present. Instead they were thinking about what they needed to do next, on email or on the phone. In essence their mind was somewhere else and they were not able to fully enjoy the time spent with their children.

Ask youself: Do you do so much that you do not enjoy the important things in your life?
A suggestion is to simplify your life, do less, choose the important things in your life and be absolutely present with those things.

We certainly can learn something from the Danish and why they are the happiest country in the world, but I believe:

Everyone defines happiness based on what is important and meaningful to them, so achieving happiness in your life is simply a matter of choice.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan?

Technorati Tags: happiness, Tal Ben-Shahar, Adrian White, expectations, stay present

(Three Session Teleclass)

Do you find yourself spinning your wheels every day?
Are you losing sight of why you’re in business in the first place?

“Susan and her course helped me to confirm what my true passion in life was. It also helped me to create a strategy that will help me to integrate my passion to my current employment.” Kathy Kanemitsu, Loan Consultant

Align your PASSION and PURPOSE with PROFITABILITY

Discover and clarify your passions and align it with what you do every day. Create a strategy and a business plan that makes sense for who you are and what you want in life.

Make business EASIER and more NATURAL.

You will learn how to:

• Discover your passion and purpose.
• Identify the driving force that motivates and excites you.
• Learn how to deliever more natural and less stressful results.
• Develop a clear vision for your business.
• Create a business plan that evolves with you.

Make Business EASY for Yourself

“[I learned] how to start with my vision and values and go from there. . . Awesome! Susan knows her stuff!” Nancy Robberson, Entreprenuer

DETAILS:
Three Weekly Sessions
CHECK “UPCOMING EVENTS” FOR SCHEDULED CLASSES.

You will get:

• Three interactive teleclass sessions
• Detailed notes and excercises via download
• A complimentary subscription of the monthly Take Action! Newsletter
• Recordings of the teleclasses each week

For More Information, Contact: bizprep@susankimcoaching.com

Technorati Tags: Business Plan, Strategies, Vision, Teleclasses, Goals, Results, Business Development

I often live by strong, yet simple principles:
“Do Unto Others”
“Be Real”
“No Regrets”
“Just Do It”
And the list goes on. Okay, it’s not the “Ten Commandments” but they are principles and taglines that remind me not only of who I am, but how I want to live my life.

A few years ago I was awakened by three words that says it all:
Live, Laugh, Love (or “L-cubed”)

The first time I got this message, it was in an email. Actually several emails that came at me at the same time. The content of the emails were different, but in the end, it always had this same message (or a version of it):

“Work as if you have no money. Love as if you have never been hurt. Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. And live everyday as if it were your last.”

And then soon after this initial email I received a couple of cards with just three words on the front:
“Live, Laugh, Love”

At first I didn’t think anything of it, but with the second card, I paid attention. Something clicked in my mind and reacted to the message in front of me. At that particular moment, I remembered thinking, “Am I living?” And when I honestly took a step back to look at my life, with my wheels spinning at 100 mph, I realized no, I was NOT living. Not the way I want to be living. I was becoming a member of the walking dead - a zombie.

Then, recalling the Michael Jackson “Thriller” video, I laughed at myself and it felt good. I thought to myself, “I need to do that more often.” Simply laugh. I told myself that I was going to exercise my “laugh muscle” because that takes practice too.

And “Love.” So many other emotions were consuming my heart that Love was getting pushed to the side and toward the back. Love for my work. Love for my family. Love for my friends. Love for the world. Love for myself. As John Lennon says, “All we need is Love.”
It’s so simple, it’s forgettable.

When I made these realizations, my mindset started to shift. I made those three words my motto for the following year and I woke up and walked off the wheel. I started to Live. I began to Laugh again. And I Loved, as often as I could.

Just as I needed that second message, we often need that second (or third) “slap in the face” to tell us and wake us up from the daily grind that we find ourselves in. To wake up and realize that there is more to life than “the grind” or the paycheck or “doing” and spinning our wheels.

Depending on the situation, I still use other mottos and sayings to keep me motivated and inspired, but what follows me internally and deeply with everything I do is to:

“Live, Laugh and Love”

I encourage you to find the motto that works for you. Something that enables you to get into a mindset where you feel joy and know that what you’re doing is right for you. A saying that conjures up the right energy and momentum for when you need it. Words that will help you live a life of passion and purpose.�

Technorati Tags: Live, Laugh, Love, Being in the Present, Living, Balance, Passion, Purpose

Is it difficult to make a decision and stick by it?

Do you labor over the smallest decisions?

Making decisions is definitely a responsibility and takes ownership and accountability. Merriam Webster dictionary defines a decision as “a determination arrived at after consideration: CONCLUSION.” To decide means to “to make a final choice or judgment about; to select a course of action.” Is it the definitive nature and conclusion from making a decision that is difficult?

Usually the decisions that are made based on what others think and want are going to be the hardest decisions to make. If you are trying to make choices based on what others think or what you think they want, it will only be a good guess at best. When making a “final choice or judgment,” how comfortable are you with a “guess?”

Easy decisions come from knowing yourself and knowing what you want. Decisions based on your own integrity and standards come easier. The ownership and confidence in the decision follows naturally because it is NOT a guess.

Three Steps To Easier Decision Making:

1. Think about your own integrity - what are your values, what is important to you
2. Develop a set of standards for yourself based on your definition of integrity
3. Live by these standards - make decisions using these guidelines

At first it may be difficult to stick to your own guidelines, but remember, at the end of the day, you are the only one that lives with your decisions and your conscience. Knowing this may help you make the decision thatʼs right for you every time.

Live without regret. Live easier.

Technorati Tags: Decision Making, Standards, Personal Development, Priorities, Goals, Strategy, Focus

Is life passing you by? Do you feel unfulfilled? Need more time?

In the past I have written about the three things I believe are essential towards gaining success: commitment, clarity and action. Commitment is the first requirement, because that is the agreement that you make to yourself to attain what you are striving for - to follow through. You will often see quotes from highly successful people about commitment. NBA coach, Pat Riley said:

“There are only two options with commitment, youʼre either in or youʼre out. There is no such thing as life in between.”

He wasnʼt just talking about basketball. Heʼs talking about LIFE. In life you have to commit and ride the wave.

In surfing, to catch a wave, you have to commit. If you donʼt, either the wave will pass you by or (much worse), you fall victim to the wave itself and it crashes right on top of you, tumbling you to the bottom of the ocean. However, when you commit to catching the wave, you watch, paddle, follow through and actually RIDE the wave. You make an agreement with yourself, “Iʼm going to get this one!” and you do.

If you donʼt commit to what you want in life, it will either pass you by or tumble you in every which direction. Ask yourself:

What are you committed to and are you fulfilling that commitment?

Maybe itʼs time to RE-commit. Perhaps itʼs time to move on and make a NEW commitment. Make that promise to yourself that you WILL ride the wave and do it!

Technorati Tags: Commitment, Decision Making, Priorities, Goals, Strategy, Focus, Results, Action

The workbook “25 Ways to Make More Time,” takes you step by step through the process of changing your current time habits to better, more efficient ones that work for you. Before taking on new tools and implementing more strategies in your life for better time management, it is important to first determine what has NOT been working and WHY. Time is not something that is managed, per se, we manage ourselves within the time that we have - 24 hours in every day.

The first step is to log your time and see what you are currently doing with your time. You canʼt fix what you donʼt know is broken!

For at least three days (up to a week), log your time throughout the whole day, do not wait til the end of the day. Be specific. In three columns, write:

(1) The time;
(2) The activity;
(3) How long it takes to do the activity.

Log everything, from a 1-minute phone call to a 2 hour lunch.

After three days, you will get a sense of how your time is being utilized throughout the day and where changes may need to take place. Ask yourself:

What are you doing in your day that is NOT working? What IS working?
Next to each activity, write out how you could have done things better.

Contact Susan at info@susankimcoaching.com to find out more about “25 Ways to Make More Time”

Technorati Tags: Time Management, Organization Priorities, Goals, Strategy, Focus, Personal Development, Business Development, Resources, Action