I’ve been feeling completely unprepared for the start of this new year and the start of a new decade. I had grand plans to be very intentional about goals and the direction I want to head this year and this decade. I envisioned spending time meditating and connecting with my inner mentor a few times to help me get on the path to be an ideal version of myself. But in real life, I haven’t had the time or energy to do that or to do more than just survive the last few weeks of 2019. The holidays are always a beautiful time full of love and family but are also hectic with multiple priorities, total disregard for the routine, skipped bedtimes and far too much sugar.

Now that we’re over a week into the new year, we’re slowly starting to get our groove back. The routine is real, bedtime is back (but not always adhered too), and I’m really trying to only eat one cookie a day. And I’ve decided I don’t need a huge sweeping life change to be the ideal version of myself. It’s ok that I haven’t had...

I have the opportunity to participate in leadership development programs both as a participant and facilitator which I absolutely love. Today I facilitated a session on giving and receiving feedback.  While asking for and giving honest feedback can be uncomfortable there is nothing more useful to help us grow than honest feedback.  This is a simple introductory exercise to give and receive feedback.  

This can be done one on one or as part of a group.  

Start by asking yourself:

What words would I ideally want my co-workers use to describe me?

Write down 3-5 words. 

Ask your partner:

What words would you use to describe me?

Have them tell you or write down 3-5 words.

Discuss the words that you both identified and ask yourself:

How different were the words that I wrote down versus the words my partner used to describe me?  If they are different, what causes this difference?  What can I do about this difference?  

I'd love to know about your experience with giving and receiving...

Everyone has goals and I do too.  But I also have Big Hairy Audacious Goals or BHAGs for short.  I first learned about BHAGs when reading the work of Jim Collins.  He references BHAGs as one of the differentiators for great businesses.  BHAGs are visionary goals that are more strategic and inspiring than a simple goal.   Since great businesses do this and I want to be great, I decided to do this for myself.  

My BHAGs are:

To be a happiness scholar, ambassador and activist.

To be a (s)hero for moms and babies.  

These BHAGs help to drive me and the work I do, both personally and professionally.  They are part of the reason I decided to create this blog.   

Here are two exercises from the book We: How to Increase Performance and Profits Through Full Engagement that helped me identify my BHAGs.  

The Letter

Imagine you receive an envelope in the mail and open it to discover a long handwritten letter.  It’s from someone who is writing to thank yo...