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Women Taking the Lead

The Women Taking the Lead podcast is a resource for women leaders, allies, and organizations looking to promote more women into senior leadership. Episode formats include specific leadership challenges, "on-air" coaching with women leaders, and interviews with internal talent and organizational development leaders. Women Taking the Lead inspires women to overcome self-doubt and lead with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.
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Now displaying: September, 2017
Sep 28, 2017

In the last episode I continued our exploration of the Cycle of Change using the analogy of a card game which was first introduced to me by iPEC Coaching. If you have not listened to the first two episodes covering the Cycle of Change I recommend you go back to the episodes titled Respecting Where You Are on Your Journey and The Secret to Clarity is Reflection and Research, respectively. These are quick episodes and will catch up on The Cycle of Change.

I mentioned in The Secret to Clarity is Reflection and Research how I had moved into the Shuffle Phase and so I required more time to reflect and begin researching different options for the direction of Women Taking the Lead.

Another thing that I was fully aware of but it started to become a problem in this Shuffle Phase is the constant feeling I have of being busy. I feel, and I want to stress the word feel, I feel like I’m always overbooked and up against several deadlines. This causes me to constantly abuse the busy word and it impacts my mindset and how I “BE” in my life.

What had been happening was I was not honoring my flow; I time-block to get project work done, and have separate time blocks for meetings and consults. But I find I am constantly giving away my project time blocks because, let’s face it, I consider other people’s time to be more important than my own.

And here’s my dirty little secret. I am constantly working on the weekends because my projects get pushed from the work week to the weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I love the work I do, and would probably choose to do a little bit for my business every day but that’s not what’s happening. I wake up on Saturday and Sunday knowing I have to do several hours of work each day to play catch up before the work week begins all over again on Monday.

I’m done with that. So on Saturday when I thought through what was happening and what I really wanted in this Cycle of Change for Women Taking the Lead I realized I don’t want to be doing project work every weekend. So I moved all my tasks to the coming week so I could not give my time away.

Wish me luck and send me your love and energetic support as I commit to taking better care of myself, while leaving other people feeling honored and supported.

Now, onto The Deal Phase.

Phase 2: Deal (Preparing/Developing)

In the Cycle of Change using the card game analogy, The “Deal” Phase comes after The Shuffle Phase and before Playing the Game. The Deal Phase is marked by an increase in activity – this will include networking, testing out interests or experimenting, training and skill building. Thus, the plan that was developed in the Shuffle phase is beginning put into action.

You will have more energy and a more positive attitude because you now you can actually do something; you are following a path, you have a direction to go in. You’re open to new experiences, new people, and preparing yourself for the intensity of the next phase.

When you are in this phase you are more optimistic, seeing life as an opportunity, and so you experience more confidence in this stage than in any other. You are the proverbial adventurous student of life eager to stretch, learn, and grow in new directions.

When you first enter this this stage you will shy away from making commitments. Remember, this is the phase of experimenting and because of this you’ll tend to want to keep your options open and take things “one step at a time.”

Before entering the next phase you’ll make a firm commitment to trust yourself and the choice you have made. In the next phase you will be assessing and evaluating the plan but what’s important in The Deal Phase is your ability to move to the point where you can make a choice to move forward and make something happen.

Here you’ll also be looking around for allies, mentors and guides who can help to see you through the next phase successfully.

You’re now developing a new plan that will take you beyond networking and experimenting. You will identify one or more goals for the next phase and the work at the end of The Deal Phase is to have a strategy and a plan formed. Anticipation, excitement and energy will increase as you gain more clarity around all of these pieces.

There is also fear of failure or success, likely a combination of both, but you will be poised for action.

What will be helpful to you in this phase is...

Having a vision of what success will look like in the next phase. This will not only get you excited for what’s to come but may also help to identify any gaps in resources or training that you will need to set you up for success.

In the last phase you were identifying your core values and how you wanted to live your life. Here it’s also important to know what brings you alive, what value you want to bring and at least a sense of what your purpose or mission is. If you can connect your goals to these things it will fuel your fire.

Don’t overthink purpose, mission, and the value you want to bring. This can be something you experiment with in this phase. For instance, in my case I can boil down my purpose to the statement, “my purpose is to wake people up to how awesome they already are so they can get on with their purpose.” That is clearly tied to the goals I have for Women Taking the Lead and yes, it fuels my fire. It motivates me on the days when I can’t see progress or I just don’t feel like it.

Start with the change you’d like to see in the world and let it unfold from there.

If you are externally motivated, have an accountability partner or group. This will keep you from backtracking. It’s not to say you cannot pivot based on what you are learning from your networking and experimenting. Forward movement coming from informed decisions is what you are looking for here. The accountability is about ensuring, for you, that this is what’s happening.

As always, having trusted advisers who have your highest good at heart and who can listen intently, cheer you on, and help you clarify your next steps is priceless. If you have some like this who is also great at setting priorities and making a plan, especially if this is not your forte, bonus!

A Tool to Have in Your Toolkit

If you are in this phase and you have not yet read my book Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing I’m going to strongly encourage you do so. A lot of what you need to do to navigate The Deal Phase successfully is in this book. From creating a vision to success, to getting at your core values, your purpose and mission, Superpowers, and even creating goals and designing a plan are in this book. It’s a tool you do not want missing from your toolkit.

If you have read Accomplished and you are finding yourself in The Deal Phase, read it again. This book is a process that will take you to new levels of knowing yourself and finding success with each reading.

Okay, that’s The Deal Phase. We only have one more phase to cover, Playing the Game phase, and I’ll be doing that in the next 100% Jodi episode.

As always, I hope this was of value to you and here’s to your success!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women listening to the podcast!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 25, 2017

Katie Allen is Vice President of viaONEHOPE, empowering entrepreneurs to make an impact while making an income. Katie leads the business and the community of over 2000 Cause Entrepreneurs.  After experiencing firsthand the challenges of raising a family and working full-time, Katie transitioned to a career fulfilling the need for balance, freedom and flexibility. She is passionate about helping other entrepreneurs find and fulfill their purpose.  Katie graduated from the University of Nebraska. She and her husband John are proud parents two daughters.

Click to tweet: .@viaONEHOPE is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/234 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

When Katie’s children were little, she had a busy lifestyle. Working, maintaining her home, being a parent, and trying to keep up a healthy marriage all had her feeling stuck. Katie was used to taking big risks, but now with a family, there was a lot more to consider. Katie started to lose her spark, until she started working part time for fun.

The Wake Up Call

When Katie first moved to California, she worked for a big movie studio. Katie’s job appeared glamorous to her family back home in Omaha, but in reality, she was miserable. Katie doubted her ability to find a better job, until she simply could not take it anymore. Standing up for herself at that job and leaving was a very proud moment for her.

Style of Leadership

Katie is all about empowering others so they can achieve their fullest potential. She tends to remain hands off, but will always give a gentle nudge when needed.

What Are You Excited About?

OneHope Wine has a new winery under construction in Napa Valley. Katie is hoping that sometime in 2018 they will start welcoming people to the winery.

Current Business Challenge

Though there is exciting new growth within the company, it can be a little overwhelming at times. Katie is trying to stay ahead of the game by planning out months in advance, while also keeping the same tight-knit family feel amongst the company.

Leadership Practice

Katie remains fearless and willing to take risks. “If your team sees you do that, they will follow suit.”

Advice For Younger Self

Katie would advise her younger self to drink more water and moisturize.

Inspirational Quote

“The two most important days of your life are the day that you’re born and the day you figure out why.” ~Mark Twain

Links

Website: viaONEHOPE.com
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-allen-832b181a/  
Twitter: @viaONEHOPE
Facebook: @viaONEHOPEcommunity  
Instagram: @onehope

Sep 21, 2017

First, the Agents of Change conference was awesome! I want to give a huge thank you to Rich Brooks, Amanda O’Brien, Lindsay Babayan and the whole Flyte New Media team who made this such an awesome experience. A crap-load of work goes into an event like that and they made it look easy.

Then, I got to hang out with a lot of you. The Women Taking the Lead community was in attendance at The Agents of Change. What was really fun was The Agents of Change conference happened the day after last Thursday’s 100% Jodi episode in which I introduced The Cycle of Change. Several of you came up to me to let me know you listened to the episode and it rung true for you as well. We had a lot of fun laughing about how much we resist the Toss In phase but we are looking forward to the next phase.

And for my new friends…if we met at The Agents of Change and you’ve just started to listen to Women Taking the Lead, Welcome!! If you have not yet joined the private facebook group for this podcast you can find it at facebook.com/groups/womentl/.

Last week, I introduced The Cycle of Change using the analogy of a card game as I learned it through iPEC Coaching. I gave an overview of the four phases you can find yourself, in any area of your life. I’m going to dive into each phase and I started with the phase that I was in with Women Taking the Lead, the Toss In phase.

We don’t go through The Cycle of Change once; we go through it over and over again with each cycle ending in the Toss in. The Toss In is a stage of completion and probably some bittersweet feelings as you start to accept everything that happened in the last phase and move toward emotionally detaching from it and in some cases there may be a physical separation from the environment and people who were in the last cycle with you.

So, using the card game analogy, this is when the last game comes to an end but you’re still alive and so you will continue to play one game or another. Again, it’s a continuous cycle.

Phase 1: Shuffle (Thinking and Reflecting)

The next phase, the “Shuffle” phase is a non-committal phase where you want to contemplate what was and what could be next. In the Toss In phase of non-action, the contemplating and reflecting had more to do with grieving and letting go of the past and what could have been.

In The Shuffle phase the contemplation and reflection moves toward focusing mostly on possibilities for the future.

I know myself and a lot of you will feel uncomfortable allowing for inactivity for an indefinite amount of time. But believe me, if you give yourself the space to do this you will then naturally begin to move into the part of The Shuffle phase where you begin research and network, and you will find the next thing that will re-energize and re-engage you.

When you enter The Shuffle phase you will find that you are better able to deal with the pain you began experiencing in the Toss In phase. You will also find you are better able to think on those events from the last cycle without becoming emotional. Rather, you can reframe what happened and logically process the information to find what worked and what didn’t work, giving you more expertise moving into this new cycle.

This is also the phase where you will evaluate where you are in your life. You’ll examine your core values and feelings so you can decide what is really important to you in your life and that will help you decide where you want to move next and how you want to play that game.

If you are in the beginning of this phase you’ll likely feel that you have lost control in this area of your life and that may spill over into other areas because you will second guess yourself. However, you’re also likely feeling like there’s an opportunity here for you – you just don’t know what it is yet.

This is also a phase in which you will likely experience spiritual growth because of the need to go inward and connect with something greater causing a leap in personal growth.

At the end of this phase you will have more inner strength, a plan to grow, and renewed energy. You will have a new vision for the future which will give you hope and a new purpose.

With all of this you will have more enthusiasm going into each day and will probably be breathing a sigh of relief that you can now move on and DO something.

If you allowed yourself to do the kind of work required in this phase (reflecting and researching) you will be able to focus on the right activities that will move you forward, rather than engaging in activities that are just what you think you “should” be doing.

If you find you are enthusiastic about researching, exploring new ideas, and networking and connecting with people who can move you forward in this area, you are likely well into this phase.

I mentioned in the last episode that I was definitely in the Toss In phase.

I don’t know if it’s because I had a chance to talk about on the podcast and with some of you at The Agents of Change conference, or if it’s because I’ve finally started catching up on the sleep I’ve been deprived of all summer – you guys, I slept a full 8 hours after Agents of Change and then took a nap the next afternoon. A nap - I can’t remember the last time I took a nap. I’m not known for napping.

I don’t know if it was from all of that but I can definitely feel myself in The Shuffle phase.

As I mentioned before I had already made some changes to the podcast and they felt right but I can feel myself wanting to do a deep dive again to make sure the vision I’ve had for Women Taking the Lead still excites me or if I need to dream bigger or change some of my plans.

I’ve started working with a digital strategist who just as a part of the discovery session has gotten me to think about who I am, what my gifts are, who I’m meant to serve and how I can best serve her.

I’ve also started drawing to me people who are energy workers, intuitive coaches and even mediums – here’s where the spiritual and personal growth play in.

I’ve let go of the discontent that after so much massive action in the last year things are still not exactly how I wanted them to be and I’ve moved on to dreaming about something new.

It feels good to be here and I’ll be keeping you posted on my progress.

For those of you who found your ears perking up and may nodding along as I went over The Shuffle phase here are some things that may help you now.

First, trust that everything you need to move through this phase will come to you. You don’t have to control or force it, just let it unfold and follow what interests you. Your curiosity and your interests are your north start right now.

Second, you’re starting to reach out to others. Only give your time and energy to those who want your highest good and avoid those who seem to be pushing or pulling you in a direction that doesn’t feel good or make sense to you right now. If you can sense judgment coming from them, just put some space between you and them for a while.

Third, when you’re ready to take a little bit of action, don’t overthink it. Just start somewhere. You can always pivot if your first moves aren’t giving you the information that you need.

Fourth, there may be some anxiety and you will likely find yourself coming face-to-face with beliefs or automatic ways of being from the past that make you anxious and hold you back. Confront them and challenge the truth of it.

For instance, for me an old belief that I get confronted with on occasion is the belief that if I have needs then I am burdensome and a bother to people. In this phase, that would hold me back from reaching out to others to ask them to impart their wisdom to me. Even though the reality is those with wisdom crave the opportunity to pass on what they know to those who are ready to receive it.

When I am confronted with thoughts like, “they have so much going on, I don’t want to disturb them”, or, “well that was a curt reply to my text, they must be annoyed with me”, I have to consciously let that go and trust that if I they really don’t have time for me they will kindly let me know.

Lastly, when you’re ready, begin creating goals and a plan to accomplish those goals. Then decide how and when you want to begin. Tap on those people who have your highest good at heart. They want to help in this stage because you are acting in alignment with your own highest good.

If you have not yet joined the private facebook group for this podcast you can find it at facebook.com/groups/womentl/.

I hope this was of value to you and here’s to your success!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 18, 2017

Katie Krimitsos is an entrepreneur; growth strategist & business coach dedicated to helping women take their businesses to the stratosphere! She provides online and offline education, hosts masterclasses, group and 1:1 coaching and retreats to women who dream BIG, and who are passionate about living their purposes through their businesses.

In 2009 she began her entrepreneurial career when she joined her husband’s brand new startup Tampa Bay Business Owners. Merging her passions for women and business, in 2014 she launched the Biz Women Rock Podcast. This gave birth to an entire community of action taking, purpose driven business women all over the world!

Click to tweet: .@Biz_WomenRock is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/233 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Katie was always a big dreamer. In college, Katie was interrupted by a man who felt sorry for her, saying that having such big dreams would set her up for failure. Katie believed him and let that discourage her dreams for a while.

The Wake Up Call

During a low moment, where Katie was filled with self-doubt, she happened to get interviewed by her friend on a podcast. Katie told her friend about her eating disorder and weight loss struggles that she had overcome. After speaking to her friend about all of those things she overcame, Katie realized how much growth had happened and ultimately knew she could overcome life’s struggles again.

Style of Leadership

Katie always makes sure to remain authentic and vulnerable. She knows how important it is to share vulnerable moments with others, especially women, as no one wants to feel alone in their struggles.

What Are You Excited About?

Katie launched Biz Women Rock Elite community recently, where she gets the opportunity to be the leader for women who are on fire about their businesses and determined to grow.

Current Business Challenge

Katie has big dreams, and sometimes she feels there is a gap between what she strives for and how she shows up. So, Katie works on keeping up with her dreams while giving herself some grace.

Leadership Practice

Katie’s number one leadership practice is her morning journaling, or what she calls Mindset Olympic Work. This practice helps Katie put her vision into words.

Advice For Younger Self

Katie believes in knowing herself, while not paying attention to what anyone else is doing or what anyone else thinks she should be doing.

Inspirational Quote

“Stay in your lane.”

Links

Website: http://bizwomenrock.com
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/bizwomenrock

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 14, 2017

I’m going to be one of the speakers this year at The Agents of Change Conference to help any struggling podcasters or would-be podcasters to overcome obstacles and set themselves up for success. As you guys know I love talking about stress, fear, taking risks, overcoming self-doubt. It sounds so dark but these are juicy topics and the other side of these things is heaven. But you can’t go around these things you have to go through.

Which segues nicely into my topic today ...

The Cycle of Change

Each part of your life is likely in different parts of the cycle. This is why we commonly have the experience of feeling like there are always some areas of our life in which we are winning and other areas that feel like we are struggling.

Using the card game analogy for The Cycle of Change there are several phases. Before you play a card game you have to decide what game you’re going to play. This usually happens as you’ve started to shuffle the cards so this phase is called The Shuffle Phase. The game is chosen and cards are dealt. During The Deal Phase your mind is considering your resources, the other players, a strategy is chosen and you are formulating a plan. Then you move into the phase called Play the Game. Obviously, this is the phase of movement and action. Then the game comes to a close and you are now in The Toss in Phase. During this phase you are absorbing what just happened and either celebrating a victory or considering how you feel about defeat.

Phase 4: Toss In

All things come to an end and typically people are rarely ready for the cycle to end because when you’re in the Playing the Game phase there’s a lot of energy and excitement. At the end, the Toss In, there is loss, grief, confusion or a lack of clarity for what’s next. Whether it is the end of a job role or a relationship, people in this part of the cycle are usually unhappy and cannot see how they will be able to go through it all again.

In this part of The Cycle of Change you will take little action on your own and resist change because of fear and uncertainty, and depending on how the last phase ended, there may be a lack of hope. You may also feel victimized and like you don’t have control over your circumstances. You may find yourself being grumpier, ill at ease, and even experiencing pain more.

At the end of the Toss In, there can be an intense state of “hibernation” or “cocooning,” which if you’ve read my book you’ll be very familiar with. This state will eventually passes, and if you let yourself just be during this phase you will naturally find yourself getting renewed and re-energized, ready for the next phase.

Okay, for me, over the summer I noticed myself starting to feel stretched. I was happy with the way the 100% Jodi episodes were going but I was not looking forward to starting up my interviews again. I also was feeling a lack of vibrancy overall in my business. Now, some of this can be attributed to the lower engagement that typically comes with the summer but it felt like something more. I knew then, and know now, somethings needed to change for me to get back to being in alignment.

I don’t want there to be any judgment in this. I love the women I’ve interviewed on Women Taking the Lead and I love this community. I could get emotional because you all don’t know the impact you’ve had on me. I am fulfilling my life’s purpose because of you and I don’t for a moment lose sight of that.

How do I describe it? It was like my skin was drying up and getting tight. I didn’t fit in my skin anymore. I haven’t been sleeping well over the summer, I noticed I wasn’t setting good boundaries with others and that only caused me to feel more depleted.

I definitely feel myself turning a corner, though I’m still in the Toss In phase. It’s like I’ve started to shed that old skin but the new skin underneath is so new it’s still sensitive to the environment. I feel an unravelling of an old identity but my new identity is not fully formed yet.

This past weekend I was so low energy I barely did anything. I could have sat and stared out the window living in a world of my own thoughts and imaginings for hours on end. The problem I had was there was so much to DO that I could feel guilt creeping in even though I knew sitting still was what I really needed to do.

I want to step off the path here but not too far to talk about Sanebox. This is actually very relevant to what we are talking about because while I’ve been experiencing low energy what has been saving my butt and yes, my sanity, is Sanebox. I’m so into this software I signed up for it myself when my free 2-week trial expired. Sanebox is a software you integrate with your email service and it automatically sorts low-priority and waste of time emails into a folder that you can check at any time but the key is it’s not clogging up your inbox.  When everything is hitting the inbox it can get overwhelming and then everything feels like a priority causing you to invest your peak times of day on emails that are not important. Go to sanebox.com/lead to sign up for your 2-week FREE trial and see if SaneBox can save your day like it saved mine. If you end up subscribing you’ll also get a $20 credit that will be applied to your first year of service.

Alright, after The Agents of Change tomorrow I’ll definitely be taking some guilt-free time doing whatever I feel like I need to do in the moment. I’ve got a weekend of puttering on my agenda and it may look like a lot of nothing.

Some things have come to light and some changes have already been made. Last week’s “On-Air Coaching” episode with Terri DeCoster is one of them. Starting in October you’ll also notice a format change with my interview. I have removed the Wake-up call question, because that typically comes out in the Playing Small question, and I’ve added some coaching to the interviews. When my guest answers what their biggest challenge currently is I’m taking 5 minutes or so to talk through it with them.

I’ve already recorded two of those episode and I and my guest were happy with the results.

It’s funny, I resisted doing any “on-air coaching” for over a year and now it’s going to be in every interview episode and that feels right that feels more in alignment.

Over the summer I also started diving more into the concept of the masculine and feminine energy that is in each of us, and especially for me. Being Type-A, and being a business owner I tend to bring forth more masculine energy although at my core I am more naturally feminine.

This is evident to me because I will often find myself in a cycle of go-go-go and then crash and recover, go-go-go, crash and recover.

I’d like to explore bringing more feminine energy to my business and see how that plays out. I’m diving into this and going where my research takes me in terms of conversations, books, podcasts, Youtube videos. If you are into this and you have any resources to recommend to me please reach out. I’d love to hear about them.

What is this going to look like for me and my business? I don’t know yet. It’s scary and exciting but it feels right to follow this path and see how it all plays out.

What I do know is I want to continue to share this with you. I want to continue to be more open and vulnerable with you. Thank you all for the amazing feedback I got from the episode on spiritually. Releasing that episode was not easy for me but you affirmed for me it was the right thing to do. I want to continue to have the courage to share my journey in the hopes it help you on your journey.

Speaking of which…if as I described the Toss In Phase it sounded like what you might be going through right now I’ve got some guidance for you that may help to ease the discomfort of being in this phase.

One, Don’t try to rush through it because you feel uncomfortable. It is normal for this phase to feel uncomfortable and unnatural, especially if you are living in a culture that celebrates achievement, getting things done.

People may not understand your need to withdraw for a while but the reflection and contemplation you will do while you are feeling low energy is critical to gaining clarity to go into the next phase.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in indecision because you just had no clue what you did or did not want it was probably because you skipped past the Toss In phase and so never got the information you needed to do the next phase well.

In this stage of grieving you are doing an analysis of what went right and what went wrong while you were in the Cycle of Change. Not only your thoughts, you are considering your feelings, actions and the results you got during that cycle. That is important information that you need to synthesis and then integrate to strengthen you to move forward.

Do the work. And the work looks like being with yourself even if it feels yucky.

Two, fear, anxiety, doubt, loss and anger are all normal during this phase. You may need to vent to release the emotion. Find people you trust implicitly and make it clear to them you don’t need them to fix you or make you feel better, you just need them to hear you and validate where you are. Let them know you’ll tell them when you are ready to take some action but until then you need them to respect where you are in the process. It may help to explain to them that this is a grieving process.

Three, look for the positives. What do you have to be grateful for? What is going well? What can you count on? This will give you some foundation to stand on while other things feel like they are coming undone.

Lastly, be good to yourself. Give yourself some guilt-free space to just be for a while without the need to do, accomplish or achieve anything in the area of life you are experiencing the Toss In phase.

Remember, this too shall pass but don’t force it. Otherwise, you’ll just find your back here again without having made any progress.

As I mentioned, there is information and resources that can help you. I don’t talk specifically about these phases in the book but it all applies. Go to https://womentakingthelead.com/accomplished to get more information and find where you can buy it online.

I hope this was of value to you and here’s to your success!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

SaneBox: If you are someone who feels buried in email and if you know you can’t help but get distracted by new emails coming in then you’re going to love SaneBox. Go to www.sanebox.com/lead to get your FREE 2 week trial and $20 off when you sign up.

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 11, 2017

Christina Vinters is a Chartered Divorce Mediator. She left her position as a big firm divorce attorney last year to transition from the traditional adversarial process into the healthier and more efficient arena of consensual dispute resolution. Her company, Modern Separations, provides e-mediation to clients across most of Canada and the United States by Skype and phone. She is the author of Pathways to Amicable Divorce, and she provides business consulting to other divorce professionals.

Click to tweet: @cvinters is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/232 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Christina liked her job and colleagues, and also made an excellent salary. This is how Christina thought it should be. She started to feel withdrawn and her anxiety was high. Christina knew she had to take a risk to start her own business, and eventually made the leap.

The Wake Up Call

Christina and her family travelled to Thailand for a vacation of a lifetime. During a layover on the way back, Christina opened her work email for the first time, and was suddenly overcome with dread. In that moment, she turned to her husband and made a plan.

Style of Leadership

Christina likes to enable the consideration of possibilities and lead by example by being cutting edge in her field. Given her experience, Christina likes to encourage open mindedness and creative thinking. She also tends to be the calm in the storm.

What Are You Excited About?

Christina is excited about her new podcast that her and her husband started for entrepreneur couples. They interview couples, as well as experts in all sorts of areas in business, communication and wellness.

Current Business Challenge

Christina struggles with coordinating all of her projects that she has ideas for. Blessing and a curse. Enjoying her work so much that its difficult to take a break, take time with the family.

Leadership Practice

Christina is constantly learning, as she tends to get bored. By learning something new, she is always bringing fresh ideas and new skills to the community.

Advice For Younger Self

Keep going. There is always more to learn and lots of time.

Inspirational Quote

“If you want to fly, give up what weighs you down.” ~Toni Morrison

Links

Website: www.modernseparations.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/modernseparations
Divorce Professionals Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/modernseparations

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 7, 2017

This is my first On Air Coaching Call. With me I have Terri DeCoster who is working full-time hours between a couple of gigs but really wants to get her own business off the ground.

Terri DeCoster is a Masters level counselor, certified coach, and family mediator with over 15 years of supporting adults and children going through tough family transitions. Terri has facilitated numerous workshops and groups for adults and children, as well as private coaching. Terri served as a Board member at the Kids First Center in Portland ME, and continue her work as a facilitator. Terri brings passion from her own life experience as a child of divorce and a divorced mom when helping other families navigate the minefield of divorce with health and hope.

Because of where Terri is in her business and what she was requesting of me I found myself doing more consulting than coaching and that’s why you’ll hear me do most of the talking as we get into the call.

Terri and I discussed:

  • Comparing ourselves to those who appear to have it all together.
  • The pros and cons of hiring college students to build a website or take on other technical work.
  • How to find professionals you can trust to help with your financials and admin support.
  • Developing branded forms to use in your business.
  • Putting together presentations using Canva and PowerPoint.
    Links

The Four Tendencies quiz.  It’s very important for you to understand what motivates you so you can set yourself up for success.

You can reach Terri at terrideco@gmail.com

You can reach me at jodi@womentakingthelead.com

Thank you all for joining me and here’s to your success! 

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Simple Loose Leaf Tea: Finding the perfect loose leaf tea can be complex and time-consuming. That’s what Simple Loose Leaf is here to help with. With their monthly box of loose leaf tea you get to explore the world of tea. With each box you get 4 unique teas in re-sealable pouches. Go to https://simplelooseleaf.com/leadtea,  and enter code LEADTEA for 15% off your new membership!

SaneBox: If you are someone who feels buried in email and if you know you can’t help but get distracted by new emails coming in then you’re going to love SaneBox. Go to www.sanebox.com/lead to get your FREE 2 week trial and $20 off when you sign up.

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Sep 4, 2017

Jen Brown is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Engaging Educator. Through EE, her pedagogical approach of Improv as Continuing Education has reached over 25,000 people – all non-actors! Since 2012, Jen has given three TEDx Talks on the power of Improv, grown EE to two locations in NYC and Winston-Salem, NC and recently began The Engaging Educator Foundation, a 501(c)(3) which offers free and low-cost Improv workshops for educators, at-risk adults, teens and students on the Autism Spectrum. Currently, Jen happily resides in Winston-Salem with her husband, who she met while teaching an improv class – and no, he wasn’t the best person in the class, in fact, he was the worst.

Click to tweet: .@jenoleniczak is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/231 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

When Jen started Engaging Ed, she was also a museum educator, working at different museums part time. Any time Jen was asked about her “improv thing,” she would downplay it into a hobby. After about two years, someone pointed out that she had a logo and a brand, and that pushed her to embrace Engaging Ed for what it really was, her business.

The Wake Up Call

Jen was working with a collaborator at the time, so she could continue to say yes to various projects. An old acquaintance of Jen’s called, wanting to hire Engaging Ed for team building. When Jen presented this idea to her collaborator, he blew up at her and retaliated with name-calling. After this altercation, Jen took a huge leap and moved to Winston-Salem, away from New York and her collaboration.

Style of Leadership

Jen is type A, creative, and likes control over situations to a certain extent. It takes her a minute to delegate,  but she often pushes those around her to creatively meet goals in their own way.

What Are You Excited About?

Jen is excited about the customer service-centric workshops she has started to teach with Engaging Ed. These trainings teach people to listen better. In improv, listening is everything.

Jen is also very close to sending her book off for publishing . This book is not just for actors, it shows how improv ties into the goodness of life.

Current Business Challenge

Jen is always looking for ways to show that Engaging Ed is different, that she is different. Jen may not be the first to take improv and tie it into business, but what they do at Engaging Ed is different.

Leadership Practice

Before Jen opens her computer, she makes a written list of what she is working on.

Advice For Younger Self

“Hang in there, kid.”

Inspirational Quote

“You aren’t pizza. You won’t please everyone.”

Links

Twitter: @jenoleniczak or @TheEngagingEd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheEngagingEducator
Website: www.theengagingeducator.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDBbmyWo3KYSHAcgtFYKfFw

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Zebralove Web SolutionsYour website tells a story about your business! At Zebralove Web Solutions, Milly and her team are going to make sure your website tells the story you want your customers to hear. Connect with Milly at zebralovewebsolutions.com to create the impression you want to make!

Resources

Private Facebook CommunityChat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher RadioGoogle Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

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