Are you crystal clear on what will bring vitality to your life and keep your business sustainable? Consider this question and then explore  “Where do I spend my time?” Take a moment to write your answers.

As you look your responses, step back and make observations without judgment. Are you focused on a list of action steps that support you in “how” to take action? Are your answers and actions supporting you in creating “what” you want? In other words, are you focusing on “what” really matters and are your actions getting you where you want to go?

I met with local business leaders this week to share ideas around the “hot” topic of The Fortune is in the Follow-up. These are energetic and committed people passionate about serving their clients; it was so much fun to be in their presence! At the start of the meeting I asked what outcome they desired from my talk. Ultimately, the question being asked of this group which, I assert is a recurring one for all business owners, is “how?” Questions like:

• How do I balance my time between doing the work and following-up?
• How do I making meaningful connections that produce results?
• How do I keep in touch with the people I meet?

These are important and relevant questions; I imagine you can relate to these. However, I assert that “we” as business owners are focusing our attention on the wrong question. “How” sets you up to look for answers outside of you which can take you away from what you want and what matters to you.

The questions I want to us to be asking are based on “what”. For example:

• What is important to me?
• What information is available that will support me in having the impact I desire?
• What impact do I want to make at home, with clients and in the marketplace?
• What’s the best way for me to forward?
• What investment in relationships, coaching and/or training are necessary for me?

Shifting your attention to the “what” questions draws you inward to find your internal compass that is true and right for you. Here you tap into your core wisdom that provides clarity around your answers for “how?” Specifically, your “what” answers become the filter to run everything through as you decide “how” to move forward in meaningful and purposeful action.

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? I’d love to hear your comments about this so be sure to post them at the blog.

I also have an invitation for you if you want an opportunity to connect to your core to access more of your “what”. Join me for a FREE and complimentary Discover your Compass Group Coaching Session on the theme “The Power of Choice”.  As I prepare to become a Compass Certified Coach I’m offering two options, one on this Thursday, 5/19 at 10:30a Pacific and another on Monday, 5/23 at 1:45p Pacific.

Perhaps now is the perfect time for you to refresh and renew from the inside-out. Find out the “what” that will lead you to the “how” that’s true for you.

I appreciate the positive energy and hope that a new year brings. At the same time, it can be overwhelming to navigate the plethora of information about resolutions, goals, strategies and more. The transition from a year end into a new one can be harsh and abrupt adding unnecessary stress if you’re not careful.

So in this first blog post of the year, I’m keeping it simple….

It’s a new year, so instead of resolutions and a long list of to do’s, how about a new word?

Yes, that’s right. Identify just one word that will guide you throughout 2011!

Consider the impact  this one word might have as it engages your heart, connects you to what really matters and guides you in taking purposeful action. Isn’t it time to simplify and bring true and lasting fulfillment, the kind that improves your life and contributes to others in a BIG way?

I want this to be your BEST year ever. You can begin right now when you decide to visit myoneword.org. Make the time to discover your “word” for this new year and let this be your anchor that keeps you centered in your core. If you want additional resources and support, be sure to sign-up for my monthly newsletter.

My word for this year is integration. What’s yours? Post yours at the blog and join as a community so together we can find our sweet spot where we have greater impact with less effort.

Your sweet spot is that place where Frederick Buechner defines as “finding where your great joy and the world’s need intersect and that is most likely where you belong.”

Now’s the time; what are you waiting for?

Picture Source: Book Cover of One Word: Contemporary Writers on the Words They Love or Loathe, Molly McQuade asks the question all writers love to answer: what one word means the most to you, and why?

Christmas is over yet there is still one present remaining if you are willing to open it. It’s the gift of reflection time spent during this last week of the year.

There is a slight “catch” with this gift. Someone isn’t going to come to you and hand you extra hours in your day for this reflection. This is one of those presents that you must decide you will get for yourself. Even once you choose this gift, you must be intentional and disciplined to make use of it.

You might be wondering why it’s so import to experience this gift. For me, this time has become non-negotiable and I guard it with intention because:

1. Reflecting back on your year helps you identify your successes and wins achieved during the year. You can celebrate your accomplishments and own the many ways you’ve grown and become more of your true and authentic self.
2. You clear out unnecessary thoughts, paperwork and possessions you no longer need for the coming year. This frees you up to move into the new year without hindrance.
3. You identify what you want for your life and work in the coming year and can make intentional plans with action steps to get you there. This helps you begin your new year in action, being proactive toward what you want to create for 2011. This results in a thriving and fulfilling life rather than reacting to life and just surviving.

I imagine that many of you reading this blog probably still have kids at home who are on break. You’ve probably checked out from reading this post because you see this reflection time as a luxury rather than a necessity. I challenge you to take on a different perspective consider these questions:

• What if you deciding to make this time for yourself is the way you model healthy self-care to your kids?
  
• How might the future of your children be different if you choose to celebrate your year and plan intentionally for the one ahead?

As you choose to open the gift of reflection this week, use this celebration tool to guide you through the process. This is my free gift to you and for those of you that need a little extra encouragement, I’m going to sweeten the deal.  The first 4 of you who send me an e-mail with your answers to the questions will receive a FREE 15-minute laser coaching session from me. To be considered you need to e-mail me by Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 and it’s first come, first served.

As we wind down the year, I want to celebrate each of you by thanking you for being a part of my blog community. It’s been a privilege and joy to support you with wisdom, resources and encouragement this past year and I look forward to partnering with you in 2011.

Here’s to celebrating 2010 for the sake of an extraordinary and abundant new year!

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”
Hal Borland

Do you ever feel alone on your journey through motherhood, wishing you had a group of like-minded friends you could lean on for support? Do you find yourself looking around at other moms and their children, and then back at yourself and your children, only to wonder “Is this all normal?” There are so many answers and expectations out there for moms, and it’s sometimes hard to know what’s right for you, and your family. Some days we are laughing at the amazing things our children do and say. Other days we want to pull our hair out, or lock ourselves in the bathroom in the hopes of getting just a little bit of time alone.

The Momnificent!® Mom Club was developed so you can travel arm-in-arm with other moms on a similar path – moms who value personal and family growth; moms who are committed to living a life that feels “right” for them. You will receive ongoing teaching and support from leading mom experts, as well as regular inspiration and motivation to apply what you’ve learned and develop new habits. In the MMC, you will have an outlet to share stories of joy and heartfelt struggles, and receive validation for who you are, and where you’re at.

Are you ready to be empowered to reach your goals?

This Wednesday, December 1st, 2010, I am thrilled to be the Momnificent Mom Club expert as I partner with my friend and colleague Lori Radun, Mom Coach and Founder of Momnificent.

During this upcoming Momnificent Mom Club Monthly Teleclass I will share the following topic:

The 5 Keys to Unlocking Passion, Purpose and Prosperity
A Transformational Approach to Setting Goals

Do you set goals and forget about them? Are your goals exciting at first, but you don’t take continual action to achieve them? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, join us as Shannon helps you discover a holistic and life-changing approach to setting meaningful and sustainable goals. Learn how to integrate your values which is one of the primary keys to this transformational goal setting approach. You’ll discover how to live from the heart as you unlock your passion, purpose and prosperity to create a positive and lasting impact at home, in your community and your workplace.

Join us for the call and experience the power of community!

Like Minded Moms + Expert Coaching + Personal Growth = The Momnificent!® Mom Club
Join Today for Free!

This question “For the sake of what?” is one that all business owners ask at some point. It doesn’t matter whether your business is in direct sales, if you are a professional coach or some other self-employed entrepreneur. There is a time when this question will be the question whether you are fully aware of it or not.

It’s a seemingly large and provocative question. As you read it, I wonder what’s happening for you in this moment? Where does it take you? You might be pondering your answer or perhaps, you are about ready to hit delete because the question seems overwhelming or irrelevant to where you are in life/work right now.

Wherever you find yourself, I invite you to sit and stay with me. Your answer to this question is crucial to your ongoing success in your life and business.

Yesterday was a perfect “real life” example of this for me. I blocked the entire day to work on administrative projects for my business, which I’d been resisting for months. With deadlines looming I could no longer put it off. Several times throughout the day I noticed that I was drained so I got up and walked around to shift my energy.

Quite frankly the work was sucking the life out of me so my thought was “thank goodness this isn’t my daily life anymore!” I also wondered if it would actually be easier to be an employee doing only work I love rather than dealing with these non-delegatable administrative items for my business.

When I asked myself  “for the sake of what?” I was able to reconnect to my greater purpose for my business. The excitement around my deeper why gave me the energy to get back to my computer and work through “the list”. Today I am energized, celebrating and moving forward with clarity and freedom.

Not bad for six hours, huh?

So what about you. What will you do with this question?

Will you say “yes” to discovering your answer? If you need help, schedule a free information session to find out how professional coaching will support you. My book chapter in Direct Selling Power will also help you in the discovery.

Take some time to think about the question for yourself. Knowing your answer will give you clarity and guide you in a focused direction in the choices you make and the activities you engage, improving the results you achieve in your life and business.

I’d love to hear what you think. What’s next for you? Share your comments at the blog at www.shannonbruce.com.

Photo compliments of Photoxpress © Dariusz Kopestynski

In my expert call for the Direct Selling Telesummit, Sallie Meshell asked me this question: “Sometimes people listen to these calls, but then don’t take action, so what is the one action step you suggest the listeners take to incorporate your information into their businesses?” Before I share my answer to this question, I want to give some background to set the stage for my response.

My message in the book, “Direct Selling Power: Expert Advice to Accelerate your Business“ is not a traditional message. Essentially, it’s a message of “slowing down” in order to “speed up”. After coaching women in the industry for 7 years, along with being a leader in my own direct sales business, I’ve come to realize how vital it is to understand who you are in business and the unique values, mission and success you wish to create, not just for your business but also for your life.

You might be wondering why I see this as so important. Let me explain further.

At some point in your business you’ll go through a transition that requires you to reevaluate and assess where you’re headed and what you really want. These transitions could be as exciting as learning how to balance your life and business because of your team expansion and your rising up to the next level of leadership. It could also be the result of a lull in your business where you aren’t achieving the results you desire or envisioned.

Whatever the case, it becomes a crossroad point of choice inviting you to “slow down” in order to “speed up”. During this “slowing down” point, you need to look inward to gain the internal clarity and truth that is right for you, helping you make purposeful choices that will keep both your business and your life thriving.

What happens if you don’t look inward at this point? You run the risk of:

• Becoming overwhelmed and scattered which causes you to feel fragmented.
• Working harder with less impact yet expecting different results (aka “insanity”).
• Experiencing diminished results at home and in your work making you feel ineffective.

On the flip side, as you slow down and work through the exercises from my chapter “Ignite your Passion & Live with Purpose: A Guide to a Thriving Life and Prosperous Direct Sales Business”, you’ll come to understand your personal values, identity, mission, purpose and personal definition of success.

These filters provide a point of reference for making conscious, intentional and empowered choices that will bring internal peace and joy and greater results with less effort. In essence, your slowing down actually propels you beyond!

The truth is every business owner (and woman for that matter), needs to continually reevaluate and assess to make sure you’re on track to the inspired life you desire. After all, Alice in Wonderland was told, “If you don’t know where you’re going any road will get you there.” Why not be proactive, rather than reactive?

My answer to the question Sallie asked was simple:

• Block time in your calendar today by scheduling a non-negotiable appointment with yourself in the next few days.
• During this time, evaluate on a scale of 1-10 how satisfied you are in your life and business.
• Once you have your answer, decide what changes will improve the quality of your life and business? If you’re already at a 10, what more is possible? If you’re less than a 10 what action step will bring greater impact and fulfillment?

I assert that this time with yourself is not optional but rather a non-negotiable. Yesterday I actually shared, “Self care isn’t selfish; its essential to live out who you are completely.” What do you think?

We’ve all heard the quote that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. What’s the intentional step you’ll take today? Share your comments at the blog and contact me if you’d like a recording of yesterday’s call.

Enjoy your time to yourself; may it propel you into all that you hope for and imagine!

Photo Courtesy of PhotoXpress © Gale Distler

Remember that commercial years ago where  a woman is overwhelmed and frustrated by the many demands for her attention? She finally took a stand and declared “Calgon, take me away!” This woman was really onto something that I think bears repeating. Her declaration points to the truth that we all need to step away from the chaos and demands of life to slow down, pause, breathe, check in and reassess.

So what about you? Could you use a “Calgon” break? Permission granted…Go for it! Maybe it’s not a bubble bath, but it could certainly be a ten-minute break to breathe or go for a quick walk. Or how about sitting down to eat your lunch at the table rather than “on the go” or standing up?!

At some point, you will get caught up in the “doing” and “serving” others through your business and your life that you barely have time to think, let alone feel.  Some of you might press in and push through, while others shut down and just stop all together. In either scenario, you’ll reach the point where you are ineffective and unproductive forcing you to reevaluate.

So what’s the answer?

The answer is this: give yourself permission to pause. Take a quick assessment right now and contemplate the following questions.

• What are you currently experiencing internally? Are you at rest inside? Or are you feeling chaos within? Name what you notice.

Once you tune in to what’s happening in your internal world, take a look at what’s going on externally by answering these questions.

• What’s working?
• What’s not?
• What really matters?
• What changes are needed?

Your answers to these questions will reveal some powerful truths. However, you’re just scratching the surface at this point.

There are actually deeper truths that need to be accessed.  This internal wisdom will actually help you on the front-end to be proactive in your life and business rather than reacting to the shut-down or burn-out that comes after you hit the proverbial wall.

When you give yourself permission to glean this inner wisdom, you’ll discover your true identity and life mission which reveals your purpose. With this information, you have filters for your choices and you can design a path to the life you’re intended to live. This keeps you anchored in peace while achieving greater impact and tangible results with less effort in both your life and your business.

There’s actually a coaching journey that can help you tap into these deeper truths. It’s called The Destiny Project and this week it went virtual under one website location with it’s own unique brand, identity, mission and purpose. What’s really cool about this journey is that it provides enough structure to keep you moving forward, blended with enough process that takes you deeper into the learning of who you truly are at the core.

Many say they don’t have enough time to dream because there’s too much to do.  How about you? What do you think?

What if the question isn’t how can you afford to dream, but rather the question was how can you afford not to? I invite you to contemplate this in your “Calgon” moment as you exercise your permission to pause.

Post your comments at www.shannonbruce.com; I’d love to read your thoughts and be sure to check out the new website because it’s pretty amazing! Thanks Michael Warden and Josh Tilton.

Photo Provided by www.photoxpress.com, Copyright Julia Britvich

Imagine that you have a navigational device that guides your choices and gives you insight as to which direction to take in your life and business. What would it be worth if  you could experience inner peace, ease and joy on a consistent basis, and that your life and business were thriving with greater impact and less effort? Oh, how I want this for you!!!!

A compass points true north and helps you “stay the course” as you navigate your way outdoors. The same is true of a values compass which helps you discover your own internal “true north”. This values compass  becomes your barometer for making heart-centered decisions, actions and choices that increase your fulfillment and positively impact the world around you.

How do you  know if you’re honoring your values and following your internal compass? Think about a time in your life when you were alive, energized and your life seemed to flow with minimal effort. In this scenario, you likely have a key value that is being honored. Now think about a situation where you were irritated, angry and struggling. Chances are you have a core value that was not being considered.

Your values are the voice of your heart and give you insight into how you are wired and what matters deeply to you. If you aren’t clear about your values, you are missing a vital piece of information that will help you overcome obstacles, discover who you are and take action toward your inspired life vision.

I challenge you to make time to discover (and rediscover) your values by listening to my interview with Marcia Brixey on the topic of Transformational Goal Setting. This audio recording is a 2 for the price of 1 so to speak, because you’ll learn your values AND how to use your them to set meaningful heart-centered goals. Be sure to download the handout because this is vital to the learning.

Your values are fundamental and foundational to aligning your life with who you are created to be, and this is not a one-time activity. One of the participants in my training class last week said, “even though I’m coaching with you and have been through The Destiny Project journey, I am taking away that my values are evolving and changing as I grow and learn. I need to pay attention to this daily.”

Oh how true this is! I am so passionate about this message on values that  I am boldly asking you to share this post, my blog and our team newsletter with your friends, family and colleagues and invite them to sign-up. As Ghandi said it so eloquently, “Be the change you wish to see in this world.”

A journey to a 1,000 miles begins with a single step; what’s your next step?

The Direct Selling Education Foundation is now sponsoring the 2010 Money Wi$e Women Get Smart Teleseminar Series. All calls are now FREE!

Tune in January 12th from 5:30-6:30pm Pacific when Marcia Brixey Interviews Shannon Bruce about:

“The 5 Keys to Unlocking Passion, Purpose and Prosperity:A Transformational Approach to Goal Setting “

Click Here to Register and you can listen live or download to listen to at your leisure.

Please share the Get Smart Series with others — through email, blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.

For more about this exciting partnership between Money Wi$e Women Get Smart and the Direct Selling Education Foundation read the full press release.

I’ve been spending my time this new year preparing for three talks I’m doing over the next week. It won’t be a surprise that the theme for all of these conversations is about setting meaningful and purposeful goals for 2010.

Over the past several years, I’ve realized that traditional goal setting doesn’t work. These goals set from the head are hollow and lack the inspiration to stay committed.

It’s really about setting goals from the heart and the core of who you are. Without an emotional connection, your goals are just good ideas that are externally driven by have to’s, ought to’s and should’s. They look great on paper but leave you feeling unfulfilled when achieved, or worst yet, beating yourself up because you didn’t do anything to accomplish them.

Goals must be connected to your values which is about what truly matters to you. Beyond that, your goals need  a “doing” element and also a “being” aspect that flows out of who you are authentically. After all, you’re not a “human doing”, you’re a “human being”!

So where do you start?

1. Take a new approach to goal setting. Make a choice to set your goals based on your values. To learn more about this transformational way of setting goals, join me when Marcia Brixey interviews me on Tuesday, 1/12/10 for the FREE Money Wise Get Smart Conference call.
2. Reflect on what you really believe, desire and want. Check out my friend Michael Warden’s blog as you ponder his provocative question, “If someone examined your daily routine for one week, what would they say you truly believed about life?” This will actually give you insight into your core values.
3. Create the story you want to make in 2010. Develop your goals from this powerful, heart connected place. Be sure to read Donald Miller’s Blog “Living a Good Story, An Alternative to New Year’s Resolutions”.
4. Attend one of my upcoming training conversations on the topic. Learn more about this new approach to setting powerful and purpose goals this year.

If you want to know if you’re chasing after the right goals, sign up for our monthly newsletter and receive your free report on the topic.

So what will your story be for 2010? I’d love to hear so share your thoughts at the blog.

Here’s to the amazing story of your life this year!