Our family pet cockatiel, Phineas, passed away a couple of weeks ago. It was sad and unexpected, yet I find comfort in knowing that he is soaring with the big birds in the sky now.

During the last two weeks however, I found that I kept hearing about death. First it was my bird, then I heard (and watched) the horrific news coming from Iran about the death of Neda Agha-Soltan. A few days later I heard about Michael Jackson’s and then Farah Fawcett’s passing. I felt sad and grief stricken with all the news. What was going on here?!?

Then I started to feel nostalgic and thought of “life.” Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent business blog post, I talked about using your team for support in getting ideas, gaining a different perspective and creating more options (Three tips to get through the recession). This strategy is not just for business.

At home, solicit the feedback and suggestions from family members. Call everyone together and discuss the current economic situation as well as the current financial status of YOUR family. Read the rest of this entry »

Last month PARADE (the Sunday paper insert) featured an article, “The Truth About American Marriage” by Leslie Bennett. Initially,  I thought, “uh-oh!” In the media we often hear about break-ups, affairs, divorce, and other unsettling stories of betrayal in all kinds of relationships across our country.

Whenever I hear about more negativity in relationships, I wonder, “What is going on?”
I have a wonderful relationship with my husband, . . . well, today. . .
I say that with tongue in cheek. but more so because that’s the way relationships work - there are ups and downs; some days he’s Mr. Wonderful, other days he’s “the last straw” but EVERY day I love him and we are both committed to each other, no matter what track of the rollercoaster we happen to have fallen that day.

This is just as true in a friendship just as it is true in any intimate relationship.

So, as I sat to read, I braced myself for some more negative news. . . but then, I was pleasantly surprised! Read the rest of this entry »

Penguins are cool!
In Oamaru, New Zealand, I saw the blue penguin.

Each night, the blue penguins swim to shore and live in burrows in the ground. These are the smallest penguins on earth at 9.8 inches (25cm) tall and weighing approximately 2.5 lbs. (a little over 1 kg). They have beautiful slate-blue plumage with a bright white belly.

Although these animals are such small creatures, they have a presence larger than life. They usually arrive on the beach in groups. They wait until the whole group is on land, then they proceed up the hill to their underground dwellings further inland where they start to quack and get social.

It is incredible to me that these tiny creatures are able to survive long journeys in the ocean with predators swimming literally amongst them. At sea, their lives are threatened by sharks, sea lions and leopard seals, not to mention the natural challenges of the ocean.

I feel like they survive for three key reasons: camouflage, community and consistency. They are camouflaged from both above and below having white bellies and blue backs so they are hidden from their predators. Their sense of community is very strong, they stick together as a group in the water and on land. For the most part they have life long partners; there is only a 6% “divorce” rate each year. Finally they have a consistent routine - each night they follow the same path and come ashore to the same underground burrows they call home.

TAKE ACTION! TIP:
We can certainly learn some survival and self care techniques from these penguins. Build appropriate “camouflage” (or boundaries) from “predators” or those that can harm us. Have a support system (whether one person or multiple people) that you can rely upon to prevent (and during) times of stress. Develop consistency in your life – consistency does not mean structure, it means a sense of reliability and authenticity.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend!
See you next week!

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan
email: info@susankimcoaching.com

Have you ever seen a real live glacier?
It’s an incredibly awe inspiring experience. To think that this is water flow from the Ice Age, is absolutely amazing! Seeing the glacier from the outside is beautiful - it looks like a river, frozen in time. But then when you travel further inside, you find cracks and crevices that are filled with stories and experience that reveal even more about the glacier’s “personality.” What a wealth of history trapped in the ice. If only the glacier could talk! What did it experience yesterday that effects how it is today?

Much like the glacier, oftentimes there is rich beauty, history and experience within people that we do not readily see. These stories are hidden behind a protective shell or perhaps takes time to be uncovered. When we make the effort to understand people’s history, their perspective, then WE grow, WE learn, WE are enriched. Doing so also strengthens bonds through better understanding and develops a relationship to a deeper level.

I can’t help but think about the benefits in business when we understand the story of our clients, our vendors, our colleagues. The knowledge not only brings a new insight in order to provide improved service, but it also naturally creates a deeper level of trust.

Relationships built on trust and understanding – whether in business or in personal life – certainly makes life easier. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for?

TAKE ACTION! TIP:
Just like the glacier, there is an abundance of beauty under the surface of each person we encounter. Take time to discover and understand the hidden stories behind the people in your life.
I would love to hear your stories about this.
Comment on this blog or write to me at info@susankimcoaching.com about support, encouragement and inspiration in YOUR life.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: perspectives, understanding, relationships, trust, glacier, hidden stories, history

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Love is in the air. . . and I’m not referring to the heart shaped candy boxes or the long stem roses that we often see around this time of the year. The “love” I am thinking of is toward our neighbor, our friend, our family and our fellow human being.

This year is the 10th Anniversary of V-Day (www.vday.org), a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Even Ensler’s award winning play “The ‘V’ Monologues.”

Two years ago I had the honor of being a cast member of the V-Day production on Maui, Hawaii. The experience opened my eyes not only to the terrible abuse toward women and girls that already exists in our world, but also showed me the love and support available to victims of violence. The performance united people of different race, religion and political association. Talk about non-partisanship! This year I am volunteering by helping with the production and fundraising for V-Day 2008 on Maui (www.vdaymaui.com). The magic is happening again. We have our public servants and administrators from both parties, contributing to the performance and reading for the event.

Two things I want to point out:
1. Throughout the violence and destruction that we often see and read about in the world today, know that at the same time there is also the birth of love and support that shows up just as strong, if not stronger.

2. A common purpose, that comes from love and support, can unite even the most steadfast opponents.

Silence empowers violence and creates victims.
Awareness and Action empowers victims to become Survivors.

Some ways you can Take Action!

1. Find a local event.
Visit http://events.vday.org/search.php to find an event near you.

2. Spread the word.
Share your local event with your family, friends and colleagues. Just by spreading the word, you can save a life and help support someone to survive. Also, participate in the “V to the Tenth” event on April 12th, 2008 in New Orleans.

3. Get the facts.
Violence is an issue that plagues all women and men in every part of the world. Here are some statistics about rape, incest, battery, FGM, sex slavery/trafficking. Also for more information, here is an Anti-Violence Resource Guide (http://www.feminist.com/antiviolence/).

4. Organize a V-Day event.
If you would like to host a V-Day event in your College, Community or High School, you can find out more and register here: http://v10.vday.org/take-action/organize-a-local-group

5. Get help.
If you are in need of immediate medical attenton or police assistance in the United States, dial 9-1-1 on your telephone.
If you or someone you know has experienced violence in the United States, call:
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): 800-656-HOPE (4673)
For assistance in other countries or to learn more, please visit the Anti-Violence Resource Guide (http://www.feminist.com/antiviolence/)

Wishing you Love and Happiness,
Susan?

Technorati Tags: VDay, Vagina Monologues, life coach on Maui, Hawaii events, stop violence

(One Thursday evening - 5:30pm Hawaii)

Envision Event Planning presents the Leadership Development Series
featuring Susan Kim presenting
“Creating Strong Teams, One Person at a Time!”

DETAILS:
Thursday, November 29th, 2007
5:30-9:0opm, (5:30-6:00-registration)
My Office, LLC - 1019 Waimanu Street, Suite 101, Honolulu, HI 96814

There is no “I” in team, but it is important to understand each individual that makes up a strong team. This method of team building starts with each person understanding each other. Each member not only contributes something unique, but also comes with their own perspective. Fluid communication among the team members coupled with a clear team vision helps to increase productivity and efficiency.

Join us for this interactive workshop, full of tools and resources to help you start building strong teams, one person at a time. . .

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT:
CLICK HERE to go to the Envision Event Planning and Management, Inc. sign up site.

Technorati Tags: team building, envision, workshop, tools, resources, improve communication, leadership skills,   productivity, efficiency

How do we open our hearts to appreciate the LOVE of the season without being overwhelmed and stressed by it at the same time?

This is a good question to think about regardless of the time of year. With clear purpose and intentions we can open our hearts and our lives to LOVE without being affected by some of the potential stressors of everyday.

Start by discovering what is most important to you. Once you identify that, it will help keep you focused for what you want in life. Holidays are often filled with activities that drain – think of the reason behind the activity and determine if it is important for your life.
ASK YOURSELF:
What are the things that drain you? Why are you doing it?
Sometimes it could be cultural, traditional or simply out of feeling obligation, but usually there is a reason why you are doing it. Reconnect with that purpose and consider what is important for you in your life right now.

Next, budget your time and money. Planning a little will help prevent overwhelm around these two areas. AND it will enable you to stay more focused on what is important instead of worrying or running around spinning your wheels.
TAKE ACTION:
Budgeting Time – When considering your schedule with family events, volunteer request, holiday parties, travel, business obligations, make your decisions based on the purpose and intention behind the event. Ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Why is this important?
Budgeting Money – Create a budget. It’s that simple. It will help keep your spending focused. Budget for regular expenses, donations, gifts, travel, entertainment, personal and miscellaneous. As you create your budget, think about what is absolutely important to you – again find the purpose and intention behind the spending. If you get caught in the midst of an “impulse” buy (which is easy to do during the holiday sales!) review your budget and consider what you could take off your list in exchange for this “impulsive” purchase. If it is important enough, the replacement will be easy; if it’s difficult, reconsider.

Finally, by taking care of your body, you also take care of your heart, mind and soul. How you feel physically will certainly affect your mindset and vice versa. Taking care of your body through WAG (see below), will enable you to love and fully appreciate because you won’t feel sluggish or sleepy. In fact, you’ll feel energized and happy with your body.
TAKE ACTION:
1. Drink Water
Water is so important to our diets. During the holidays amidst the glasses of eggnog, sodas and wine, water is forgotten. Not only will water re-hydrate and keep the bodily functions moving along, it also helps to fill the body with a non-caloric way to quench your thirst, helping to maintain a healthy diet (see Grazing).
2. Stay Active
Activity is easy to come by during the holidays, but often it’s the likes of going to parties, having drinks, going shopping, etc – not quite the exercise regimen of a healthy lifestyle. You may not have time for the gym, but you can still stay active and keep healthy. For example, park at the opposite end of the mall and walk briskly to your destination – that can be a good 10-20 minute event, depending on the mall. If you can do a full workout, GREAT! But if not, take the stairs, walk, incorporate activity where you can.
3. Graze
Grazing is pretty common during the holidays – food is omnipresent. It is the quantity and what we eat that throws us off balance (and maybe even gaining a pound or two). When grazing, it’s about reducing the size of each meal, not just eating more frequently, so cut your normal portion into half or thirds. Also, when choosing the foods to eat, start by eating a protein, second eat a vegetable, third drink water and finally allow yourself to indulge with a “goodie” if you like. By the time you eat the sugary goodness, at least you will have had some nutritious food AND you will be partially satiated.

The above are my strategies and suggestions. – if they sound good, try them. I encourage you to develop some healthy strategies for yourself.

Technorati Tags: holiday, budget, spending money, time management, activity, self care, season, love, being present

The International Coach Federation Annual Conference will be held in Long Beach, California!

I will be attending the conference and helping my friends at Compass Life and Business Designs at their booth. Would love to meet you, so come and visit me at the Compass booth!

DETAILS:
Date: Wednesday, October 31st - Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
Time: 8:00am - 6:00pm (hours vary each day)
Location: Long Beach Convention Center

Hope to see you there!

Technorati Tags: International Coach Federation, Conference, Long Beach, Compass, Exhibitor

(Two Saturdays (9am-12noon))

Would you like others to SELL for you?
Are you tired of constantly pounding the pavement looking for prospects and leads?

LEARN HOW TO BUILD A REFERRAL BUSINESS

Learn over 10 key steps to start building a referral business where you can leverage your current prospects and clients to work smarter, not harder.

Clients automatically come to YOU.

You will learn how to:

• Get the clients you want.
• Prepare a message that “closes”
• Feel comfortable networking and promoting yourself.
• Build strong relationships that result in business.
• Be one step ahead of your competitors
• Have others sell for you.

Make Business EASY for Yourself

“I learned how to ask for referrals. It was informative and very valuable” Jamie Griffiths, Home Express Loan

DETAILS:
Two Saturdays:
October 6th and 13th
9:00am - 12:00pm Hawaii

You will get:

• Two in-depth classes
• A workbook ($10 material fee)
• A complimentary subscription of the monthly Take Action! Newsletter

This class is being offered at Maui Community College.

Register at www.ocet.org (Class #420F07)

Technorati Tags: referral, business, resources, profits, relationships, trust, building relationships, business development, networking, word of mouth, referral