“Simplifying is really about choices – prioritizing what is important – and then sticking to those choices no matter how tempting it is to add more to your to-do list. In fact, take those tempting activities and put them on a list of things not to do. You are the only one who can assume responsibility for your time and clarify what’s really important to you.” Rick Warren

In returning from the Destiny Project Retreat in Hunt, TX, I have a lot on my plate since I was “unplugged” from technology for 6-days. In clearing my e-mails, I received the quote in a devotional from a client and it literally stopped me and took my breath away. As I read it, the truths laser pierced my heart reminding me that at every given moment, I have a choice about how I  “be” and “do” my life and work.

This idea that “I get to choose” is a hot topic for me post-Destiny Project retreat. I had the privilege of co-leading with my awesome friend and colleague Wendy Balman as we witnessed 13 incredible women break through their fears to reclaim the truth.  Each one overcame barriers and courageously pressed through the resistance to give themselves full permission to dream again. It was beautiful process to watch as each and every one uncovered their authentic desires, values, identity, mission and more.

We all left the retreat transformed, including me and Wendy. As we all re-enter the “world” after experiencing a slice of heaven on earth, we are navigating how to boldly remain on our own paths, learning  to guard our hearts as a wellspring of life. We choose to press on and persevere so we can become even more of the authentic masterpieces we are created to be.

What does this mean for you? It means this is a time to risk and simplify. Why? Because the world needs what you have to offer and the only way to unleash your true identity and to fulfill your unique mission is to follow the advice that Rick Warren has offered:

• Prioritize what is important.
• Stick to those choices no matter how tempting to add to your to-do list.
• Put those tempting activities on a “not-to-do” list.
• Assume responsibility for your time.
• Clarify what really matters.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked self-employed and work at home professionals to share their tips for balancing work and life in the summer months and beyond. The bottom line of their feedback is this: Schedule your work time and play time, let go of non-essentials and get support.

Here’s what I’m curious about for you:

• What changes do you need to make with your time as you schedule both work and play?
• What will you let go of?
• What support do you need?

All of this great advice is really about simplifying, yet clearly it’s risky based on the fact that so many, myself included, have such a hard time letting go of control. I encourage you to read the specifics that each friend shared as it could be helpful wisdom that guides in making the necessary changes in your life.

So now what? What’s your next step? I’d love to hear how you’ll simplify; feel free to share your comments at the blog at www.shannonbruce.com.

As a business owner and woman, you are busy balancing the plethora of demands between your life and work. In fact many of you had great insight about the topic which you posted to my Facebook wall, which will be shared in a future blog. However, in the interest of staying “balanced” as I prepare for the upcoming Destiny Project Retreat in Hunt, TX, I’ve decided to leverage the wisdom and share several Best Business Women Tips that I received from my friend and colleague, Krista Dunk of KB Women.

Be sure to take a moment to read the insight from the many incredible business owners that shared tips with KB Women. You can read more at the KB Women Blog.

In the meantime, here is the quote that I shared:

“Imagine your business is like a coin. There are two sides to this coin which requires your attention so you can create both a thriving life and prosperous business. One side represents discovering who you are authentically, including your values, purpose, mission and personal definition of success. The other side is about applying this insight into your daily life by establishing practical systems, like how to work with clients, ways to market your services and a schedule that leverages your time. When you address both sides, including the spiritual and the practical, you will achieve authentic success.”

As you read this quote, I wonder what’s your next step to balance both the spiritual and the practical?

When I answer this question for myself, it’s truly about leveraging who I am in a way that helps me to achieve more with less effort. In this moment, that means using what is already available to benefit you by bringing you this KB Women blog post. This honors my values of connection, impact and contribution (the spiritual side) and allows me to accomplish the preparation I need (the practical side).

What insight do you have to offer? Share your comments at the blog. And have a great week.

Picture courtesy of Photoxpress © Styf

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

I’ve spent the majority of my life “doing” rather than “being”. After all, there are places to go, people to see, and things to do, right?

This approach to life fell short for me over ten years ago when I made the bold and courageous decision to leave behind the security of my steady paycheck. I quit my “Corporate” job to pursue my entrepreneurial dream because I was exhausted and burnt out from all of my “doing” for the sake of what?!

Little did I know that I would find myself going through life transition upon life transition, starting with my divorce and the subsequent hurdles of my daughter’s health struggles.

Because of these changes, I was challenged to find answers to the questions of “Who am I?” and “What’s next?”

I could write a book on the topic and some day I just might! In the meantime, the key learning is that I am a “human being”, not a “human doing”. Out of this paradigm shift, I have reaped the benefits of living a heart centered life and I am committed to supporting women like you to do the same.

For those of you who are “do-ers” (which is 99.9% of the women out there), here are some practical next steps that will help you “to be”.

1. Slow down and breathe fully. Repeat multiple times during the day!
2. Go for a walk in silence. A little bit of exercise, a chance to be and not just “sitting still”.
3. Get up early in the morning before everyone else wakes up. Drink your coffee in silence and breathe some more.
4. Stop talking and listen. Pay attention to others and to your inner voices, your body, etc.
5. Read my blog article “On the Verge of a Break Through” for more insight.

Learning to “be” is essential if you want to find inner peace, joy and greater purpose. It’s a huge shift from the crazy-making world we live, yet so worth the perseverance and commitment to find it.

So what else would you add to this list? Share your comments at Facebook and the Blog…And then, breathe and “just be”!

Do you find yourself in the absence of “complete” clarity. I’m right there with you because in this season of my life, there’s a lot in flux in both my personal life and business. I have a sense of where these shifts will take me and I’m moving forward in action in new and positive ways.

At the same time, I find myself challenged by the lack of “crystal clear clarity” that “us coaches” support our clients to discover. Perhaps you’re like me, finding your schedule jam packed, having little margin, and new opportunities coming to you at warp speed.

Here are some of the realizations I’ve had over the past few weeks:

Strengths taken to an extreme become a weakness. My can-do attitude has resulted in me saying “yes” too often. Don’t get me wrong; I am saying “yes” to good things that honor my values, strengths and vision. The end result however, is that my quiet time has been impacted and the quality of my personal relationships is being affected. What about you? What strengths have become weaknesses in your life?

The “good” can crowd out those things that are “best”. When you receive an opportunity that appears aligned with your strengths, talents, values, vision, etc. pause before saying yes. Evaluate whether the opportunity is “good”, “better” or “best”, and choose accordingly.

Replenish on a grand scale so you can continue to give to others in a big way. You must renew and replenish to the same degree you are giving to have increase your impact, influence and results. To be in service from a “full” tank you need to take care of yourself. This isn’t selfish; it’s a fact of life!

So now what?

Reduce your screen time—my daughter’s pediatrician told me that she should have no more than 2 hours of TV, Computer, and Electronic Games a day. Hmmm, I wonder what that means for us adults. For me, this means that I must turn off the computer when I leave my office daily.

Aim for an earlier bedtime—what bed time allows you to wake up being your best self? I have found a time that allows me to wake up refreshed and every time I “push it”, my morning is challenged.

Radically reduce your multi-tasking—you can’t send an e-mail, put a load of laundry in the machine, talk on the phone and be present all at the same time. Keep the main priority  your focus and be real about how many activities you can handle at any given time.

Here’s the truth in all of this. You need to shield yourself from the busyness to hear what your body, soul and spirit are saying. External noise and excessive activity interferes with your ability to hear the still small whispers within that will give you the “complete” clarity you need.

What do you think? I welcome your feedback and comments.

Do you need permission to unplug? Is your blackberry, computer, kids, work, or whatever else keeping you “amped” up and on “overdrive”?

I’m headed out of town tomorrow and you know how that goes! There are errands to run, logistics to coordinate, packing to be completed in addition to the regular routine of life and business!

Breathe with me please! In this moment, let’s all take a deep breath inward and exhale all of the spinning and frenetic energy to “be still” and remember what really and truly matters.

I’m traveling to Breckenridge, CO for a training retreat with my friends and colleagues of the WayPoint Coaching Community. So here are some other action steps that I’m giving myself permission to take in the coming days:

• No e-mail, facebook, twitter, or internet for the next 5-days! I know…this is going to require self-control and tons of prayer!
• Being fully present with the training our group will be doing.
• Opening my heart to receive the renewal and replenishment that I really need.
• Engaging with my WayPoint Coaching Community with the intention to allow every emotion to surface because it’s all welcomed and necessary for my renewal.

So that’s me…What about you? What do you need to unplug from? What steps will you take?

We all know it’s a choice to take a break, yet I know that you need permission. Super Mompreneurs and Women Extraordinaire need to know it’s OK. So today, permission is granted for you to take a sabbath from whatever is keeping you on the fast track. Why? Because when you slow down, you are actually more Super, Amazing and Incredible!

Will you join me on this adventure?  Let me know by posting your comments below.

P.S. No e-mails, blogs, facebook posts, or twitters from me until next week! I’m declaring the victory right now…Wish me luck!

Remember that song by Bachman-Turner Overdrive called “Taking care of business?” Oddly enough, this song randomly popped into my head this morning so I googled it to find these lyrics:

Taking care of business, everyday
Taking care of business, everyway
I’ve been taking care of business, it’s all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime.

This little ditty could actually be the theme song for every woman out there, and most definitely applies to those of us who work from home as entrepreneurs and Mompreneurs! No matter who you are engaging with, whether it’s in your home, community or workplace, you are most likely “taking care of business” from the time you awaken until the time you get to bed!

And today marks the fact that there are only 100 days until the end of the year. Nothing like adding some pressure!!!

So here’s what I’m curious about. As you “take care of business” are you “taking care of you?” If not, you might be working from an empty tank, reducing the quality of your health, diluting the impact of your results and hindering the quality of your relationships.

Here’s the truth…Taking care of business means you must take care of you! To positively influence others in your life your gas tank must be refueled regularly.

You probably “know” this to be true, so the real question is whether you act in your life as if you believe it to be true. Would others in your life see you as present, loving, and available? Or do they see a woman who is distracted, on edge and unavailable?

What does it mean to take care of you? Read the list below and find one that you’ll commit to in the coming week:

• Go to bed 30-minutes earlier.
• Schedule some quiet time before your day starts.
• Take a lunch break.
• Make time to go for a 15-minute walk around the block.
• Take a hot bath.
• Slow down your pace.

Any one of these activities will become a conscious way to replenish. With a full tank, you’ll be much more effective at “taking care of business, every day.”

What will you commit to? I’d love to hear what you’ll say “yes”. Post your comments below…and Enjoy!

On your mark, get set, GO! It’s off to the races, go, go, go…Come on get going, now! Can you feel the shallow breathing, the quickness of your pace, and your thoughts being consumed with “what’s next?” It’s almost suffocating, isn’t it?

Thanks to blog read Lisa Lauffer for her inspiration as she shared that tip #27 from the Quick Tips for Daily Living blog post has encouraged her to “slow down”!

Here’s what Lisa had to say:

“I felt led lately to follow #27–sloooowwww doooowwwwwnnnnn. I mean really–what’s the hurry? Why am I trying to get through everything and get everywhere so darn fast? Aren’t I doing all these things so I can enjoy the journey of life? This single one-liner has led me to take many a deep breath and sink into my experiences, so that even if I’m scraping dried food off my countertop with my fingernail, I’m really engaged with that activity! And I’m loads more engaged with my kids. Life feels fuller, and I close my eyes at the end of the day with much more satisfaction.”

Ahhh, breathe into that?! Feel the spaciousness and life that comes with slowing down and breathing.

I want to invite you to slow down for a minute right now and breathe fully. And by the way, it doesn’t take any extra time for those of you with with an already full day!

As you breathe, contemplate the following questions:

• What do you notice around you? Become present to your surroundings.
• What’s going on in you? Check-in with your thoughts, your body, your heart to become conscious right now.
• What’s the wisdom from slowing down and breathing? Make a choice right now that will allow you to engage completely with today’s journey.

I’d love to hear the impact this has on you. Share your comments below. And keep breathing!

Remember when you were a kid and there was that Magic “8″ ball toy that you’d ask a question, and when you turned it over you’d find your answer. Do you ever wish you had something like that to give you answers now?

What do you use for step-by-step instruction in those moments when you are feeling scattered, overwhelmed or unclear?

Today’s “Quick Tips for Daily Living” are powerful “one-liners” that you can refer back to when you just need someone to give you the answer. It’s your “press here” when you need to know what to do next! I’m not sure who to credit for the following list because the author was unknown in the e-mail I received from a friend. I do hope these little doses of wisdom give you exactly what you need in those moments when you just need to know what to do next!

1. Pray.
2. Go to bed on time. Get enough rest.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say “no” to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult problems over time; don’t lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns.
12. Live within your budget.
13. Have back-ups; an extra car key in your wallet, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in YOU everyday.
16. Eat healthy.
17. Get organized so everything has a place.
18. Listen to a tape while driving that can improve your quality of life.
19. Write down thoughts and inspirations to read when you need them again.
20. Every day, find some time to be alone.
21. Laugh! and laugh some more!
22. Take your work seriously, not yourself at all.
23. Develop a forgiving attitude.
24. Sit on your ego.
25. Be kind to unkind people; they probably need it the most.
26. Talk less; listen more.
27. Slow down.
28. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
29. Every night before bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been grateful for before.
30. Love yourself.

Would love to hear which of these speak to you. What tip will you use today? Post your comments below!

How would you answer the following question, “What does your ideal life and ideal business look like?” If you’re not sure, today’s tactical tips from the trenches will help you take steps toward clarity.

Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just preparing to launch your business, you must make time for both your life and work, because they are not mutually exclusive and both need your attention to experience fulfillment and impact.

Try this step-by-step approach to designing your ideal life and ideal business:

1. Decide how you want to use your time bank account. You have 168 hours per week (24 hours per day x 7 days a week.) What are the top 5 roles and priorities requiring your attention consistently?
2. Grab your calendar and block time for your personal priorities and commitments first. Include those you already have scheduled. Add those additional activities that you need to block in for you to honor all the areas that matter to you (be sure to include sleep ).
3. Write down your work commitments that you already have scheduled.
4. Determine the remaining hours you have left each week. How much of this time will you use for developing your business?
5. Allocate the time you spend developing your business using the following criteria:

• 60% toward “wealth building activities” that will generate new paying clients, new interest and activities that will lead to profitability.
• 20% toward “planning and strategizing activities” which is time spent working with your coach, researching, visioning, goal setting, etc. This will help you move forward with intention and stay focused on your priorities as they shift, change, grow ad expand.
• 10% toward “administrative activities” to keep yourself organized and on top of everything. This would be activities like handling your paperwork, coordinating appointments, setting up your newsletter, delegating to others.
• 10% toward “super service” for your customers or clients to feel connected and supported. You might provide a resource that you found, send a note of encouragement, or a gift when your client refers others to you.

Take 30-minutes right now to explore and apply these concepts. What are you discovering about your ideal life and business? Where are you challenged? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

And don’t forget to breathe…life is a marathon, not a sprint!