Category: Mindset
Connecting the Pieces and Living Fulfilled
I have a new book coming out next week called Relax Into Inspired Action: Connect the Pieces, and Live Fulfilled. (Watch for the launch on April 2). In the book I share some stories of how people connect the pieces in their lives.
Over my years as a coach and my experience in training and development, I have witnessed and cultivated a process called connecting the pieces and living fulfilled.
During this process you learn to put together all of the pieces that make you feel alive and passionate in your life into a business or career where you make a meaningful difference and are well compensated for your contribution to this world.
My own Connecting the Pieces story:
My clients know me as “action Sheri”. I have owned my company since 2007, my books are available internationally, my podcast is global, and I work with my ideal clients every day. I take vacations (lots of vacations). I feel spiritually connected and happy. I golf. I read books. I hang out with friends. I am close to my husband and children and involved in their lives… But it wasn’t always this way. I didn’t always have it together. (And I don’t always have it together every minute of the day, now).
What drove me to carve out the life I live today? Pain.
My own world was shattered when I was 17 and I came home from school one day to find my younger brother after his suicide death. My identity was lost. I lost trust in everything (even God). It felt like I was on shaky ground all of the time. Our family was grief stricken. However, I did have one glimmer of light… I knew at a deep level… that I would not let this beat me. I would get up again. I would survive. I didn’t imagine ever being truly happy. I thought, if I got to OK, where I didn’t cry every day, I would be doing pretty good. I still went to college. I still went to work. I had some fantastic people in my life that lifted me up when I stumbled.
Then one day, I didn’t need to be lifted up anymore. I was on the road to getting better. I was okay.
My world shifted again when I was pregnant with my first daughter in 1994. I was on bed-rest and my mother gave me a copy of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits book. And it was the first time since my brother died, that I made the connection regarding the power of thoughts. This book set me on a path of self-discovery and personal growth. I was inspired to continue my schooling earning my Master’s and my PhD. I made it my life-long quest to discover what makes people happy and why some people are successful and other’s struggle.
I made the connection between thoughts and happiness. It was like a light bulb turned on and I realized that I could be happy if I decided to be happy. I even wrote my first book on happiness, Keys to Living Joyfully. I not only was okay, I was happy.
My early career was a hodge-podge of jobs with each one teaching me something about myself. Eventually, I moved to a career in management, and then I made the move to a career in higher education, and then training and development.
I felt, still, like I was missing something. I prayed and meditated about it. I woke up one morning in 2007 and knew I would start my own coaching and training company. I have never looked back. I had a learning curve and many challenges. It took me months to land my first client. I cried tears of frustration in the beginning. I had to learn how to market my own business which was much more challenging than sales and marketing for someone else. I had to work on my own sense of worthiness and conquer my fears, but it was exciting. It was exactly what I wanted to be doing. I thrived as I saw my clients change their lives and grow their businesses.
After a couple years of growing my company, I had another realization. I was working too many hours. There was a part of me that felt that I had to work really hard for success. I just couldn’t do it anymore, though.
I needed more balance. I dug deep, and I decided that I was going to do all of the things I really wanted to do. If that meant golfing three times a week or taking frequent vacations, I was going to do it.
My business didn’t miss a beat. In fact, it grew. When I was taking care of me and having fun, the energy of my business responded to that. I am still a queen of action, but I am relaxed about it. And I only act when I am in the inspired action state.
Every choice has a purpose. Every move is deliberate. I am deliberating creating my business and life every day.
Dr. Sheri Kaye Hoff, PhD.
Business Coach and Author
P.S. Look for the book launch next week:)
Your Most Winning Frame of Mind
Now, more than ever–it is so important that you maintain the rituals, success routines, and self-motivation that are integral to keeping you on the right track physically, emotionally and spiritually. You hear on the news that we live in uncertain times. You aren’t sure what will happen on Wall Street. You maybe aren’t sure about what is going to happen with your health insurance. All of this can create every day stress and a feeling of overwhelm.
What does this mean to you in your daily life? Instead of letting yourself get pulled into whatever is going on around you, take charge of your inner-game. Master your thought life.
Be in your most winning, successful, and determined frame of mind. Write in your journal, practice positive self-talk, exercise, and keep your heart thinking right. No matter what you face in life, face it with your best game. Love and appreciate life.
Think back over the last week. Were you distracted, mildly depressed, or even angry? These are emotions that can trigger negative and self-sabotaging behaviors. Recognize your feelings and then move on and beyond them to your own best actions and plans.
What is your favorite way to take charge and master your innergame?
In Happiness,
Happy Thanksgiving, sharing my appreciation list.
Happy Thanksgiving. We have a tradition at our house where we go around the table and have each person say what they appreciate over the past year. I thought I would share my list with you. These ten things are in random order- in fact I could put them all at number one.
1. I am thankful for my family. My husband of over 20 years, still takes my breath away. Each member of my family is unique with a different way of communicating love. I cherish our dinner conversations and keeping in touch over text, facebook and email for distant loved ones.
2. I am thankful for you. You are part of my community. And I cannot imagine my life without you. Your goals and your dreams are part of me every day. I am constantly thinking about you and how I can help.
3. I am thankful for deep life-long friendships. My life-long friends seem to just know what is going on in my head and my heart.
4. I am thankful for travel. I took 7 trips over the last 12 months. I appreciate that the opportunity was there and I stretched out of my comfort zone even having an unplanned encounter with a shark while I was in a kayak in the Bahamas.
5. I am thankful that my business has grown dramatically this year. I added the Be the Inspiration Mastermind, Optimize Your Path Member site, and the Master Your Innergame eCcourse. Working with clients in these new programs is fulfilling and meaningful.
6. I am thankful that I held a live event in my city of Parker with amazing attendees. It was one of the best two days of my entire career.
7. I am thankful my children are happy and successful.
8. I am thankful that I was able to visit many rivers, lakes and oceans; kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet-skiing.
9. I am thankful for the terrific coaches that have gone through and are currently going through my life coaching certification program.
10. I am thankful for every day happiness.
Just typing this list, makes my heart fill with love and joy. I know when I focus on what is working, life flows and feels abundant. I would love to hear about your top ten appreciation list, too.
10 Tips to Build Confidence On The Subject of Money
My guest blogger today, Bonnie Gortler, is an expert on growing wealth. She has written a fabulous book and spent 30 plus years helping people become wealthy. I have known Bonnie for 4 years and she is the real deal when it comes to money. I thought this was the perfect time of year to share about this topic. Please enjoy her guest post.
10 Tips to Build Confidence On The Subject of Money
Wouldn’t you like to feel good about money and be on a path to journey to wealth? With some simple financial planning, some changes with what you are doing now, you can build your confidence and grow your wealth.
Changes all at once aren’t necessary to create a lifestyle that is happy and fulfilling to you. Money doesn’t have to be the focus of your life but developing good routines now will help you as you get older. When making changes involving money, it’s best to start simple, and as your skills improve your comfort level will evolve.
By creating a winning money formula that is fun, simple, and practical you will be able to stay with your plan over the long term. Employ just a few of these tips now, and see how they will help your confidence with money as your wealth increases.
10 Simple Confidence Building Tips About Money To Grow Your Wealth
- Don’t hide or avoid talking about money. If you are feeling a bit unsure, look for some help from a coach, investment adviser, or a financial planner who could help support you on your path to wealth.
- Establish financial rituals to follow early in life that will have a positive impact on your finances that suit your needs, not somebody else’s.
- Take the time to create a spending plan that is within your means. Track your spending for a few months to see where you are spending your money. By cutting back just $25 per week you will have an extra $1,300 per year that you can use to pay off debt or put toward your savings or your investment account.
- Have an emergency fund of at least six months of what your present expenses are. It’s also best to plan ahead for extra expenses that might arise during the month. Health care costs continue to increase and deductibles for the doctor or hospital visits will add up over the course of a year.
- Review your bills that you pay regularly such as TV, telephone, or insurance. Ask if your company has a cheaper package that could still get you what you really want.
- Review your interest rate on your credit card that you pay. Avoid using high interest credit-card debt. Call the company and specifically ask for a supervisor to see if you can lower your interest rate cost. Don’t be the one who buys items on sale for a discount, but is really paying more for the item because you don’t pay off your bill in full, and then you pay double-digit interest.
- Take advantage if your employers allow you to contribute into a retirement savings plan. Start with a few percent of your income and then increase the contribution to 10% if you can.
- If you are not working and need to take money out to live on, see if you can limit yourself to withdrawing 4 percent or less in order to preserve your capital for later years in life.
- Diversify your investments that include a broad mix of stocks and bonds for diversification and review your asset allocation frequently. As you grow older it’s a good idea to move your assets into less-risky investments. A quick rule of thumb is to have an allocation to bonds that is equal to your age.
- To achieve wealth in investing manage your risk. The number one rule is to avoid taking large losses on your investments. Remember small losses are the best losses that you can have.
Creating a simple money plan that you follow doesn’t have to be hard or disruptive to your every day life. It is up to you to take responsibility of your money. Start now planning ahead. Develop some good routines now and enjoy the benefits to create the lifestyle that you desire. If you pay attention, experiment, be open-minded and continue to learn along the way you can change where you are now and fulfill your hopes, dreams, and goals. With smart money management and a little discipline, your confidence with money will shine bright and you will truly enjoy your journey to wealth.
If you would like some help on your journey to wealth, I invite you to set up your free 30 minute Inspired Wealth and Well-Being Discovery session with Bonnie.
Click here http://bit.ly/1oLA0pz
Bonnie Gortler, the Inspired Wealth & Well-Being Coach, is a successful stock market expert who has been instrumental in managing multi-million dollar client portfolios within a top rated investment firm during her over 30 year corporate career. As the author of “Journey to Wealth”, Bonnie has made it her mission to share the importance of risk management and how to enjoy true financial well-being by applying the technical and mental sides of investing. Visit BonnieGortler.com to gain tips and insights surrounding weight loss, investing and inspiration through her writings on Wealth and Well-Being. Live the healthy, wealthy lifestyle you desire.
I am sure you learned a few key ideas from Bonnie today.
Wishing you joy and happiness,
Sheri
Dr. Sheri Kaye Hoff, PhD.
Business Coach Sheri Kaye Hoff 