We decided to take a last-minute, end of the summer family trip and where did we head? Las Vegas, of course. Yes, while it may not spring to mind as a wholesome family bonding spot, no matter where you travel with your kids, it can be a chance to bring you all closer together (literally in our case via the road trip).
And here’s what happens in Vegas: we talked, we laughed, we went to a show every night, we swam in huge pools and wandered through immense hotels.
And now, we’re back. Gearing up for school to start. Reconnected to technology, responsibility, and work. I’m glad that what happened in Vegas – for our family – will stay, not in Vegas, but in our memories for a lifetime.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Real You: This is what happens in Vegas
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Real You: The entrepreneurial spirit
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 It’s the decade of the entrepreneur! It’s true. Today’s U.S. economy is fueled by 29.6 million small businesses, led by people just like you, people who are entrepreneurs who made their dreams into reality. Truth is, the only way to begin the journey of entrepreneurship is to start. And start today.
Each one of us is in a unique position to approach our work in a fresh new way. One that’s real and authentic to each of us as individuals. What compelled me to write my book, Real You Incorporated and to create the 8-step Real You Process, is the last few years as I’ve watched people not satisfied doing things the same way. I’ve spent the last 20 years of my life as a leader in business, as the vice president of several companies, and always, as an entrepreneur. When I created my most recent company, Real Living, 8 years ago, it was just an idea. That for me wasn’t different. What was different was the chance to begin working with 4,000 entrepreneurs. Our real estate agents. That is the spark that led to my book. And to the step-by-step approach I’ll walk you through to get you started.
No matter your background, everyone can become an entrepreneur as long as you believe in yourself and what you do. That’s why it’s time to be real. It’s time to put the real you in your business – to define your own personal brand and bring it to the world as a unique competitive advantage. You no longer need to try to fit in. The key to being successful in your work today is in being your SELF.
If you’re working for someone else, and worried – especially given today’s economic realities – to jump into creating the business of your dreams, that’s ok! Start slowly. You can begin to make your dreams come true while you’re working at your 9 to 5. One of my favorite stories is a woman accountant who dreamed of becoming a voice-over artist. At one of my speeches she came up to me worried she’d never make her dreams come true. I asked her what stopped her from pursuing voice over work on the weekends or after work. The answer? Nothing. So she went for it and today is fulfilling her dreams.
Here’s the point: whether you’re starting your career or have years of experience, your work life – from here on out – needs to be built on your own personal uniqueness. Your brand. And your brand is both business and personal. And guess what? It’s uniquely yours. Once it is defined you can leverage it as your unique competitive advantage.
It’s time to become a member of the Entrepreneur Decade, either by starting your own business or by growing your already entrepreneurial pursuits to a new level. You can do it. The first step is realizing it all starts with you. It’s time to seize your decade and make your dreams come true.
Real You: The power of your voice
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
One of my favorite people, voice coach Arthur Joseph, has worked with an amazing line-up of celebrities, sports stars and ordinary folks in addition to his work with singers. His message, quite simply, is your voice is the window to your heart and soul. In his world, your voice is your Real You. The ability to speak clearly, to be heard, to voice your opinion is essential today, probably more than ever. Because even with technology and instant communication, when you have a chance to face one person or a room full of people, it’s your voice, your words and their power that will either make them hear you or not.
And there is nothing like voice to convey emotion. (I’m saying that and I’m a writer!) Case in point: just spoke with my 15 year old on the telephone. He’s at camp in Maine. We’ve been writing, secretly texting, but still the moment I heard his voice meant the world to me.
Do you use your voice to its full power? Are you saying what you mean, meaning what you say and standing in your power. When you have a chance to communicate directly – person to person – are you doing so powerfully? Think about it. It matters.
Real You: What’s shaking?
Friday, July 9th, 2010 Yes, I was. During the 5.4 magnitude earthquake – the first such experience of my life. Just me, and the dog, and a house rolling like we’d just set sail on rough seas. And yes, it was quick, but it didn’t seem like it.
My mild earthquake experience jolted me into realizing – again – that we don’t know what’s coming, but we can do our best to be prepared for it. Myself, I froze instead of heading to a reinforced doorway. (Very disappointing.) Next time, I hope to do better. The quake also made me realize – again – that even though it is summer, and it could be easy to not work as hard or not write this blog or not pursue my dream, I need to keep moving forward.
Don’t let the season lull or dull your passion. Be ready to move, take action, go for what you want! Be you. Be real. Enjoy! And get going!
Real You: A summer to celebrate
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 With all the celebrations you’re planning for the July 4th weekend and more, don’t forget to celebrate all you’ve accomplished so far this year. Take a moment – you deserve it – and realize all you’ve done. And, if you’re feeling stuck, or rudderless, take this time to figure out why. This book can help!
Summer gives us a break in routine. A reason to go outside more, to smile, to share. But if you’re not taking advantage of all that summer offers – if you’re overscheduled, overwhelmed – figure out why and change it now!
Summer is here. It’s time to celebrate. And it’s a great time to be sure the Real You enjoys every moment!
Real You: Passion Poppers
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010You recognize passion when you see it, don’t you? It’s that sparkle in a person’s eye, the spring in her step. Passionate people exude pure, real energy. Confidence and a sense of empowerment. Everything they say is infused with enthusiasm.
We all recognize it – and hopefully – we all want passion in our lives. Unfortunately, the road to finding and remaining true to your passions is littered with the realities of life. Disappointments and setbacks abound, no matter your age, no matter whether there is a recession or not. (Although, it’s especially true today.)
Disappointment is a fact of life. These events hurt our hearts and dampen our fire. Did you know Lucille Ball was kicked out of acting school and told she had no talent? True. But she didn’t let that hurt keep her down, or dampen her passion for acting.
So if your passion has taken a beating lately, brush it off. Stand tall. Get a little sparkle in your eye. Don’t let the passion poppers – whether they are snarks or events outside of your control – make you give up. You are better than that. You are much more.
You are a passionate entrepreneur taking your personal brand into the world as a unique competitive business. Remember, it’s not who you think you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
Don’t let anyone or anything tell you differently! For more on passion, and putting it into action, see Chapter 2 of Real You Incorporated.
Real You: The secret to sanity and moving
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 Recently, we moved. You would think, being in residential real estate all of these years, I would realize how taxing a move is…and well, I did. In theory.
In reality, moving is horrible. If you are in the process of it, I feel for you. After two weeks of the process, my only secret to sanity is this: cherish the ability to find little treasures buried and uncovered through the process.
And then, get back to those boxes!
Real You: Live like you’re dying
Monday, March 22nd, 2010This morning, near where I live, two women were struck by cars as they walked along the road to their bus stop. One woman died of her injuries. Just like that.
My teenage daughter pulled out of the driveway last week and suddenly found herself crashed into a tree (nobody was hurt, just the car and the tree). Just like that.
A moment can change everything. Moments do change everything.
Live today to the fullest, soak up the sun when it shines and be thankful for your blessings. It’s hard, with all you do. I know. Living in the moment, thankfully for today, sometimes seems a luxury. But, it’s our choice to be happy, to treasure moments.
Now, look around you and smile.
Real You: The power of words
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 As Real Living and GMAC Real Estate brokers and agents embrace and connect across the country, new relationships are being developed through the power of words. Brand. Red. Real. Technology. Partnering. Power. Real estate. Together. Vision. Future. Success.
All of those words and more are being used by a dedicated team to bring two great organizations together. And it’s going great! More and more companies are becoming Real Living and the momentum is spreading across the U.S.
What’s it like at your company? Beyond the basic words of sales, beyond the words of marketing, or services you deliver to your team and ultimately your customers, a most powerful, unspoken word is most often at the heart of all decisions.
At the base level of how all other words – and actions – are interpreted is TRUST. Trust is defined as: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence; confident expectation of something; hope.
Trust the people you work with. Doing so leaves open the confident expectation of hope, especially in today’s economic times. Your team needs you to trust them, to rely on them, to empower them. Trust is the foundation of all great companies. It’s exciting to see so many GMAC folks trusting the Real Living brand, embracing it and moving forward with confidence.
Hopefully, you trust your team. If not, if you doubt a member of your team, take a close look at what that means. It’s a toxic situation. But, is the lack of trust because of the other person and what s/he did, or is it inherent in your world view?
Without trust, all of those other words lose their meaning.
Real You: If you snark, make sure you’re right
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 Ok, let’s face it. Not everyday is sunshine and puppies and ice cream. Somedays, it’s just one of those days. You’ve gotta snark. But if it is one of those snark days for you, make sure you don’t turn it into one of those days for someone else – UNLESS she deserves it!
Here’s the story. A communications person from an organization that I respect – that will remain nameless because I like most everyone associated with it and what it stands for – emailed me today to tell me I was being replaced on a panel coming up during New York Entrepreneur Week in April due to lack of payment of my dues. Now, I didn’t know until two weeks ago that dues were, well, due. I found that out when I checked my spam filter – I’ve mentioned my new Canadian spam filter here before – and saw the membership renewal in there.
Here was her email today: I apologize for this oversight, at the time of this opportunity you were recorded as a member, however now we have recorded that you are unpaid and a former member. Because of this I have to give this opportunity to another member.
I don’t think it’s just me who would consider this snarky. Picking me for a panel in January, and then plucking me from it in March after just notifying me dues were due – and like this – isn’t really great customer service. And so I wrote back, saying I had just received the renewal for membership two weeks ago, found it in my spam filter, and was having it processed. But now, with this, I’m just not so sure it’s the right organization for me. (I was perhaps a bit snarky, but I was mad and disappointed. I love panels.)
Her reply: Certainly not my intention to upset you. We have in our records that you have not paid since April ’08, we do give a significant amount of time before recording a member as former. I was not attempting to assume, simply stating what we have in our records. I’m not sure how the hard copy mailing made it to your spam filter, but I’m happy you were able to find it.
Now, she’s doubting me and calling me a liar. A DOUBLE SNARK.
Final irony? I checked with my accounting department. Check for $850 was processed and mailed on June 6, 2008; however, it was never cashed. I had no idea. How would I? I guess my check got lost in their spam filter.
