If you have taken a trip by air, you should have heard the announcement regarding the use of the oxygen masks. The rule is that once they are activated you should put your mask on before assisting anyone else. I have heard this message for years, but it wasn’t until I was focused on self-care practices that I realized how much this message resonates in everyday life. How often do we take care of those around us to our own self-care detriment? It is easy to do if you don’t have a self-care plan. Much like the fuel gauge on your vehicle – you can’t go anywhere on empty. It is so important to design self-care practices that are implemented throughout the day. They can be as simple as starting the day with breathing or meditation practices, followed by walking and breathing in nature (when possible), or finding a quiet place to decompress for a few minutes between busy meetings. What have you done today to refuel your energy level?

I recently read the quote in this image, and it made me smile. “I choose to be unstoppable…” When I have a vision or goal, I research, I plan, and I execute strategies to reach my objective. Things don’t always go as I planned from day one, and I have to make modifications along the way. My dad is a pilot and he explains that when a plane takes off, the pilot knows the destination, but has to make adjustments while in the air to adjust for changes in weather, other aircraft, and unforeseen occurrences that impact the flight plan. I find that implementing a strategic plan is like flying a plane, we have to make adjustments to our plan in order to reach our goal. What makes you unstoppable?

Leaders set action priorities for themselves and for their business; however, actions often become “fire-fighting” events to address emergencies rather than planned pro-active achievements. Most leaders are good at creating “to-do” task lists, but many are not so proficient at prioritizing that list. Take a look at your task list and see if you can put your items into three piles: 1) what will destroy the business if not done immediately, 2) what will hurt the business if not done soon, and 3) what would have marginal impact on the business if not completed within the next few weeks, and could potentially be outsourced. Now that the list is prioritized, focus on the items in the first pile and identify resources and actions necessary to accomplish the task. As you look at your task list for this week, think about what item belongs in which pile.

There are often two sides to leadership: one side can be rewarding, fulfilling, and exciting, while the other can be frustrating, time consuming, and lonely. As leaders, we develop and implement strategic plans, manage and allocate resources to accomplish outcomes, and successfully grow our business. In order to be at our best, we need to be continually upgrading our leadership skills, add new resources to our strategic capability, and make sure that self-care is a priority. These three components (leadership skills, strategic capacity, and self-care) are like legs on a three-legged stool – if one is broken or missing then the stool does not function as it was intended. What have you done this week to ensure that you are honing your skills, growing your resources, and improving your self-care?

2018 Awaken Possibilities Brochure

Here is the program brochure with the details for the 2018 Awaken Possibilities Series, including dates, topics and pricing.

If you have any questions, please contact Jillian at jillian@wisewomenleadership.com

I am more excited about starting this year than I have in a long time! I am living my dream; it is not the same as I envisioned it years ago, but it is an amazing feeling to be here. I have taken actions towards reaching my goals, experienced inner shifts regarding my self-care practices and business growth, and celebrated who I am as a woman.

This time of year is a great time to reflect on accomplishments and celebrate how much we have done and how far we have come – even if movement forward has been three steps forward and two back. I don’t believe we celebrate enough, so I encourage you to remember and revel in who you are and what you can do.

Beginning in January (2018), Wise Women Leadership offered a nine-month series designed to inspire positive change. Local entrepreneurs and leaders were invited to join us at the Gathering Place (1704 N. 24th Street, Quincy IL) to align and refine leadership, planning, and self-care practices. Each month we focused on a specific theme;  the January 18th theme was Balance.