Wake up Tickled and Inspired!

One of my most significant experiences this year included participating in programs in which I was given specific tools to ensure I awaken each day tickled and inspired. Thanks to Liz Kriegshauser, a local business consultant committed to play and adventure, I learned:

First, clarify the legacy you will leave and put in place whatever you need to accomplish it. The first thing I did is look out ten years and determine what I want my life to look and feel like and more importantly, what would be different in the world if I experienced my life this way? What kind of health, relationships, activities, work and finances do I envision? What role am I here to play, and what qualities are present when I live this role? I discovered my role is Treasure Hunter and Advocate of Human

Magnificence! I love to uncover and support the positive, beautiful and worthy in each per- son, so everyone I meet can discover who they are, express themselves confidently and joyfully and play full out in their lives! The qualities present when I’m living my role are liberation, laughter, encouragement, empowerment and love. Discovering what I need in order to live my role is my highest responsibility. What is the legacy you want to leave, what qualities will be present and how will you nurture you and cultivate your unique role to accomplish it?

Next, identify the top three things you most love to do. Why only three? Research has shown we’re only able to do five to seven things extraordinarily well. Five things are dis- cussed in this article, allowing you room to additionally manage two opportunities or challenges. For me, this exercise of selecting only the top three things I most love to do helped me discover a lot about myself; activities I was unaware had lost appeal and that drained me; reasons why I ended up spread too thin, plodding along and working alone unnecessarily. 

Once I focused on my top three favorite current activities, I experienced greater joy. These include: 1) teaching, coaching and presenting on topics I love (human systems to help people feel powerful, lovable, connected and contributing), 2) sharing and partnering with other leaders who have a high commitment to personal and professional excellence, and who want to play together to accelerate change and 3) rollerblading. Really? Rollerblading? This last one took some reflection to understand. Rollerblading:

• •  Requires me to be fully present

• Allows me to be at one with nature and music

• Gives me the opportunity to relax and go with the flow, yet, by its very nature, also forces me to be dynamically responsive to what’s happening in each moment.

Finally, become a Master Collaborator.

Imagine you’re clear in your mission, doing only what you love to do and playing creatively with others who are doing the same. Master collaboration requires learning the economics of abundance, listening to other people’s needs/wants/ideas as brilliant, seeing a broader picture of what’s possible and developing your ability to come up with win/win/win scenarios you never before dreamed possible.

Here’s an example from my life. I was working with a new client who unexpectedly cancelled half the programs she had already purchased from me for a conference, due to low enrollment. Before master collaboration, I would have felt compelled to refund her money. As a master collaborator, I went to her and said, “I love to present these topics and you love to provide your staff with important life skills. What if I provide you these programs as webinars, on-site at your largest facility or at your 2010 conference? She was delighted with these ideas. We’re now scheduled to do a national webinar together, with both of us enjoying what we love to do, while we further build our business and personal relationship. Are you ready to be wildly successful while supporting the same in others? If so…what are you waiting for? Now’s the time to take these steps so you too awaken tickled and inspired!

As published nationally in the column Emotional Intelligence in Women’s Journals Feb/Mar 2010