Sara Hand

The sun rises and sets each day as time goes and the days get shorter. At first it is not so noticeable; but little by little, one change and then the next, as day goes into day, seasons change.  

Depending on your business, the change of seasons may mean different things. It might mean a time of rest, a time of harvest, a time overwhelming business, or maybe even a time of regrouping. Regardless of the seasons or cycles of your business; to ignore changes of one season to the next is to ignore the very nature of life.

As you see the birds flying in the v formation of migration, as the grass needs to be mowed less often, as the days become less humid and the traffic on our roads doubles (hopefully); are you positioned to move into this new season? If not, what will you do about it?

The New Year is here and the list of things that you are going to do and accomplish is formidable. I applaud you for thinking big. Yet, one of the most common causes for failure is trying to do it all now!

In goal setting with clients, we create a list of all we want to achieve…to experience…to share in the coming year. Then we take a simple one page overview of the year with only the titles of the months on it and divide the objectives from our yearly “to do list” under the titles. There is a desire to want to place most of the items in January…let’s get them done and get them done NOW! However, most of us have heard the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” and know the answer is “One bite at a time!”

This last year has been challenging to most everyone. Whether business has been good or bad, everyone has had to make some changes of some sort. For many the list of changes to incorporate is long. Instead of focusing on how far and how much still needs to be down…talk about an elephant…what one thing could you do today? What one thing would be a good choice today to make the most difference in your life, in your business? And then tomorrow, choose one thing.

Have you heard anyone say something lately that started like this?

“After the New Year I’ll start…”

For some reason, the later we get in the year the more often this comes up. Although there are a host of other significant dates, vacations and events we organize our lives around; there is just something about December 31 and January 1.  I understand we only have a few days left and low-fat eggnog is just not as good as the full-fledged version. I have a few more pieces of fudge to finish off, and a couple more holiday celebrations to attend. Besides now that Santa has been and gone, no one is watching to see if I am naughty right now…what are a few more days before I start my new life on the other side?

However, there is no magic pixie dust to sprinkle over our heads at the stroke of midnight New Year’s Eve that will make this next year any different. For most people, 2010 is going to be more of the same. Why…simply, because change only happens when it happens. The truth “My life changes when I do” isn’t necessarily a fun one. Change is hard. Change takes effort. Not everyone will be supportive of my change. When I make changes, it rocks the boat. Even if it is for my good, some people will resist.  Most people are comfortable with status quo or are waiting for that date in the future when it is going to be different.

Maybe your new year will off with a bang. Maybe you will make incredible progress toward the goals you have set. Maybe you won’t. Maybe you will finish the rest of the holiday goodies that are in your fridge, before you start eating healthy. Maybe you won’t make those extra business phone calls that first week of January. Maybe you will get so bogged down in everything you didn’t start that you just don’t start.

Several years ago an incredible woman shared with me, “It’s a new moment”…and each moment is a new moment! I don’t have to wait for New Year’s, Monday, payday or any other day for my new life to start. I can, but I don’t have to. Your change, and your new year, your new habit, your new life starts whenever you do!

A friend and I were discussing our habit of “quiet time” in the AM. I would like to say that I never miss that time, but that isn’t true. Sometimes the demands of work or children or travel find me well into my day without that time.

Life is so busy, the time goes so fast, and it often feels like, if I could only go faster…So I try. I get up earlier, stay up later, multi-task through breaks and meals, all to be more effective. What difference can one day without quiet time make?

That one day deficit results in what she described as “manic” behavior. Although from the outside almost appearing quite normal, on the inside like a car without brakes moving certainly towards collision. The longer the times between centering and calibrating, the more out of alignment I can become.

So I have to schedule daily check ups, and frequent diagnostics to stay on track. Sometimes, as much as I don’t have time to, I just have to stop! AND breathe, and breathe again…and center.

Business has become an incredible evolution! Things are not nearly what they seem and are nothing like they were, even a year ago. How do you keep up? How do you implement change? These questions and more need to be asked, answered, and understood, faster than ever before. Join us on our journey!