by Deb Coman | Jan 13, 2015 | Uncategorized
In my house we are back to school, (almost) de-Christmased, and, like it or not, back into our normal routines. As if life with three young boys/men ever involves a normal routine!
I hope you are finding your joy whatever way that comes. Mine involves looking forward always and a teeny bit back just to:
- remind me of where I’ve been
- and help me to learn from it!
So, I’m choosing to approach each new day, just as that: “a brand new day.” Simple, right? Not day 13 of my 365 days to a better me but just a new day filled with many choices that come in the way of moments. In any one of those moments I can choose to:
- straighten the kitchen counter
- clear out and donate clothes that no longer work
- eat a piece of fruit instead of that leftover piece of cake
- stop doing and just “be”
Or just eat the cake, since there will soon be another moment!
You see, it doesn’t always matter once that moment has passed. Sometimes we just need to stay in that moment: live it, enjoy it, leave it in the rear view mirror and move on.
One thing I have been doing for some time now, is looking for signs from the Universe. They often come when I am not noticing. At a recent event with raffled prizes, I just finished telling friends that I didn’t really “need” a beautiful pottery vase when the Universe thought otherwise and my friends clamored that my name was being called. Driving home with that vase, I felt kind of bad, like I didn’t deserve it because I was saying I didn’t really need it. Once home, as I pulled it all the way out of the box it was in, I realized how beautiful it really was and then it dawned on me that the color and design were almost exactly like the business cards my friend created for me (without my input).
When I get out of the way, the Universe often steps in. How about you?
If as you look ahead, there are writing and creative projects in your future and you would like my help, shoot me an email at deb@debcoman.com and you, me and the Universe will figure it out. If we’re not already connected on every social media platform known to humankind, please click on one or more of the links in the header and see what’s happening there!
by Deb Coman | Jan 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
Here we are, plunked down in 2015 – with a brand spanking new year stretching out before us. Yikes!
I don’t know about you, but the idea of moving into this blank slate is both thrilling and intimidating. A few days into all the new “plans” entitled “365 ways to _______ (you can fill it in with ‘declutter, organize, eat better, exercise more, meditate, be a better human’…)” and I think I’ve lost track of some of them already. Sometimes I think there should be a new program mid-January entitled “Don’t Worry, You Don’t Suck Just Because You Didn’t _______!” (again, you choose the quality/behavior).
Truth be told, January 1st is really just another day. The new year doesn’t necessarily mean we have to get overzealous about correcting every little thing we wish we did better and join programs to do that. If that works for you, that’s great and I applaud you. If it doesn’t work, please consider that every day, and actually every moment, is an opportunity to be a better _______.
It’s easy to beat ourselves up and think “Well, I blew it. Maybe NEXT year I’ll do that thing!” What’s even easier, and much more kind, is to think, “I’m doing the best I can” and if today didn’t go great, “I can begin (again) at any moment that I choose.” Life, for sure, is a journey and not a destination. So, begin. And if it’s a false start, begin again. Go ahead and be a better _________.
If being a better writer or doing a better job of communicating your message is on your list, please let me know if I can help. How we might do that is here.
Enjoy this new day and, if this one isn’t great, don’t worry…another one is on the way!
by Deb Coman | Nov 29, 2014 | Uncategorized
My friend is gone. Well, he’ll never really be gone but he left this earth yesterday. I’m not going to talk about him, specifically, because that just doesn’t feel right but what I do want to talk about is his essence and the difference that made in my life. And the reminder, in his death, that life sometimes sucks.
The photo here is one I took of a rock I found on the shores of Lake Ontario. It’s not a great photo, but that’s ok. It reminds me that things don’t have to be perfect. Sometimes things just are ok. That keeps us humble, right?
My friend was probably the most humble person I’ll ever know. He didn’t ask for much, or for anything, really. He was the epitome of “unassuming.” Not all of us can do that.
He didn’t have to be first at anything. This made him great on any scale. He truly put the needs of others before his, all the time. He was selfless.
He was a reflective, active listener. He listened much more than he spoke. He looked into your eyes as you talked. He shrugged and nodded in agreement and support.
He always, and I do mean always, had something positive to share.
He loved music, humor and connecting with others.
So, here are my 5 Tips to Improve Your Life and they really come from him and only through me:
- Give.
- Cheer.
- Listen.
- Laugh.
- Connect.
And I’m going to add a P.S.
P.S. Make sure your friends and family know how you feel about them. I know that he did and for that I am truly grateful in this heartbreak.
by Deb Coman | Nov 3, 2014 | Uncategorized
Each time I go to a networking event or any kind of in-person business meeting, it leads me to some kind of advancement in my business. Often, this happens before I even leave home. If you haven’t experienced this, plan to go to an event and consider creating or updating some, if not all, of these business-advancing items:
- Business cards. If you don’t have one, you need one! I started with a simple one I created on my computer and printed on card stock at home. Then, I used a template from an online business card printing company and, more recently, I had a unique one created by a graphic design person. Can’t tell you how good it feels to bring a business card you’re proud of to your next event.
- Website. Sure, you can spend a lot of time and money creating the perfect copy, design, and layout of your website, or you can go without one over the long haul it sometimes takes for the stars to align for this to happen, or you can take a cue from Nike and JUST DO IT. There are many no, or low-cost, options to create your own website. It may not be perfect (mine certainly wasn’t) but it can be tweaked and revised over time. My current site is very different than the one that existed only a short time ago. It’s just important to have one. You need to have a place for people to go to check out your business. It’s really that simple. Without a site, potential customers will likely go with someone who has one (even if theirs isn’t perfect!) Choose your website name AND PURCHASE THAT DOMAIN NAME so that no one else uses it.
- Opt-in. Once you’ve got a site, you need to have a way to capture visitors to your site who are interested in staying connected to your online communication. This means having an Opt-in mailing list where people can sign up to receive newsletters and other communication and news from you. Again, there are no, or low-cost, programs to do this. You can use tutorials on these sites to configure an opt-in mailing list system for your website or hire someone to do this for you. You can’t stay in contact with potential clients without email contact information and you must have their permission to do this.
- Free gift. When people give you their email address and allow you into their inbox, it’s a perfect opportunity to give them a gift in return for this privilege. There’s no better way to do this than to have a document, audio, or video of valuable content (your free gift) so people can get to know you and the quality of your work. It’s a great way to showcase your talent and expertise and allow them to begin to see what you will bring to them if they choose to work with you. When someone opts-in with their email, they should receive this gift automatically.
- Newsletter Sign-Up Sheet. While so much of what you do may happen online, when you attend networking events and workshops, it’s helpful to have a hard copy of a document where people can physically sign up for your newsletter and free gift. Many networking events provide a space for small displays that may include your business cards, any samples of your work and this sign-up sheet. Create and print something simple that captures their name and email address and then input these into your subscriber list as soon after your event as possible.
Make time today in your business to create, review, or revise these so that you can be ready for your next event. You’ll be so glad that you did! Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below about how these and other systems help you to advance your business.
by Deb Coman | Oct 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
Self-care. We all know what it means. We’ve all done a lot of it over the years. In fact, we’ve probably practiced dozens upon dozens of ways to take care of ourselves, manage stress, and live healthier lives. How many became habits?
I heard someone speak yesterday who talked about the 21 days it takes to establish a new habit. One of the things that struck me is when she said, “Commitment is easy. Consistency is hard.” Consistency is hard. (And she said it twice for emphasis, too!) She is so very right. We can all get motivated to do something good and healthy for ourselves that will translate into something good and healthy for our business, too. That commitment can be summoned up with ease and carry us through those first few days. It’s the 21 days that stretches our commitment to the thin line that often snaps and the 21 day clock starts anew.
This wonderful motivational speaker, Deb Cabral of The DeClutter Coach also stated that“having that goal in writing AND LOOKING AT IT EVERY DAY” is the way to maintain that motivation to the 21 day finish line and establishment of a new habit.
Here are a few self-care strategies you can choose, write down, look at every day, and practice to give yourself a fighting chance on the 21 day road to establishing at least one newhealthy self-care habit:
- Meditate daily, and, preferably in the morning. Even if only for 5 minutes, this can do wonders to start your day off on the right foot: centered, calm, and focused. I’ve been doing this and am well on my way to the 21 days. It’s been amazing how even 5 minutes has a lasting effect throughout my day. In fact, it becomes easy to remind myself to focus on my breathing or to close my eyes for a “mini-meditation” of even just 30 seconds or a minute when my day and stress level rev up.
- Get more rest. I must admit, I am terrible at this one. I’m a bit of a night owl and love the quiet of my otherwise busy house after everyone else goes to sleep. It can be very productive business time. However, it’s very easy to get lost in a project as the time ticks away and suddenly I’m facing a sleep deficit before I even get to tomorrow. For me, this one really requires effort to choose a reasonable time for bed and to make that happen. It makes everything flow more easily the next day, including productivity.
- Drink water. I do like water and know how important it is to remain hydrated. It can be easier said than done. Use whatever techniques work for you. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Fill a large pitcher at the start of the day and work at it until it’s empty. Follow a cup of coffee or tea with a full glass of water. Choose it at mealtime, whether at home or a restaurant. A slice of lemon goes a long way to making it more refreshing.
- Eat more fruits and veggies. We all know this one, too, and can incorporate it into our shopping plans. Yet, how many pounds of greens gone bad do we toss each week from the bottom drawers of our fridges? It takes some planning and presence of mind to have a little with each meal. I sometimes need to catch myself from thinking “Oh, I’ll save those for tomorrow’s meal.” If by “tomorrow’s meal” I mean trash day’s fridge clean out, I am not doing my body or my wallet much good. Eat them as soon after buying them as possible. Make it a habit to buy (and eat!) more regularly.
- Connect. What could be more easy? And, yet, it’s another “put ‘er ‘offer.” Sit down today, right now and write a letter, even a quick note to someone you care about. Write that thank you. Zip off that birthday card. Make a phone call to someone that matters in your life. Time really is precious and it makes no promises to wait for us. Connection fills us up, more than numbers 1 through 4 above. It’s easy. It matters. Remind someone important that they matter, too. You’ll be giving yourself a wonderful gift. And your business will thank you, too. For in filling ourselves up, we have more to give to, not only our friends and family, but to the important connections we make in business.
Pick at least one self-care tip to start, or come up with your own. Write it down. Look at it every day. Practice it. Today is Day 1. Let me know what happens on your way to Day 21. Comment below or email me at deb@debcoman.com. I’d love to hear from you!
by Deb Coman | Sep 10, 2014 | Uncategorized
Can you hear it? It’s the Universe. Yeah, that’s right. The Universe. Are you a believer? Do you feel that sometimes wonderful things happen that you can’t seem to explain? Do you ever just “know” that something will work out when it seems like the odds are stacked against you?
What you hear is your intuition. That internal guide that lets you know what’s real in the midst of lots of fake, phony and just not worth the time and effort people and events. It’s that part of you that makes you know something you can’t quite put your finger on, but you knowit. Sometimes people say they can feel it “in their bones.”
It’s so easy to dismiss intuition or to be moving too fast with our bodies and minds to even hear our intuition phone ringing incessantly. Intuition and believing in the Universe fly in the face of conventional ways of the world. It can be hard work to allow ourselves to trust in them. And yet, ironically, the more we trust, the more wonderful things manifest in our lives.
I think I have always trusted my intuition but to different degrees. I’m kind of also a fact-based kind of person. Weird, I know, to be both fact-based and intuitive but it’s really quite a lovely pair! Perhaps it’s that our intuition is often based in fact and experience but our mind allows us to skip over all the steps of thought, remembering, reasoning, and processing and get right to the “knowing.” It’s a beautiful thing if we just let it be and don’t feel compelled to overanalyze it!
So, in recent years, I have made a conscious effort to be more open to my intuition – to pick up the intuition phone when it rings – and to listen! Sometimes I believe in the Universe working its magic but I want to tell it how to do it and that’s just not how it works. We need to be open, to let go, not hang on, and to imagine the life we want as if it is already here. After all, it is what we make it. So, who’s on the other end of your intuition phone call? And, more importantly, are you listening?
