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	<title>Nurturing Your Success &#187; Develop Leadership Skills</title>
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		<copyright>2006-2007 </copyright>
		<managingEditor>Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com (Julie Fuimano, MBA, BSN, RN, CSAC)</managingEditor>
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		<category>posts</category>
		<ttl>1440</ttl>
		<itunes:keywords>Productivity, Success,Change Management</itunes:keywords>
		<itunes:subtitle>Personal development expert, success coach, author, and registered nurse Julie Fuimano shares tips and strategies on the key beliefs and actions for achieving greater success and happiness in business and life.</itunes:subtitle>
		<itunes:summary>Personal development expert, success coach, author, and registered nurse Julie Fuimano shares tips and strategies on the key beliefs and actions for achieving greater success and happiness in business and life.</itunes:summary>
		<itunes:author>Julie Fuimano, MBA, BSN, RN, CSAC</itunes:author>
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			<itunes:name>Julie Fuimano, MBA, BSN, RN, CSAC</itunes:name>
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		<item>
		<title>What’s Your Excuse?</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/what%e2%80%99s-your-excuse/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/what%e2%80%99s-your-excuse/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:45:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Build Confidence and Self-Esteem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Achieve Greater Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assertiveness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Build Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self-esteem]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1789</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As humans, we rationalize and justify. Our brains look for ways to make sense of the information we receive. But are you making excuses for your choices rather than accepting responsibility for them? Do you find yourself explaining away why you do the things you do? As a psychiatric health care professional, I often hear [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h5>As humans, we rationalize and justify. Our brains look for ways to make sense of the information we receive. But are you making excuses for your choices rather than accepting responsibility for them?</h5>
<p><strong><em>Do you find yourself explaining away <span style="text-decoration: underline;">why</span> you do the things you do?</em></strong> As a psychiatric health care professional, I often hear people analyzing and explaining their behaviors, seeking some kind of validation.</p>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">We will make all sorts of excuses and justifications, we rationalize and defend, and we apologize and explain.</span></h4>
<p>Sometimes, <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>we make excuses and defend ourselves</strong> <strong>out of guilt</strong></span>. We feel badly about something and try to make ourselves feel better. In this way, we avoid admitting the mistake or accepting responsibility for our behavior.</p>
<p>Another reason for excuses is <strong><span style="color: #800000;">to</span> <span style="color: #800000;">avoid doing what we know we need to do for ourselves</span></strong>. “I should go to the gym but I’m just so busy.” And the explanations often pile up – if we listen, we will hear ourselves give numerous excuses as to why life just isn’t the way it ‘should’ be.</p>
<p>Other times we make excuses because that’s what we always do and we may not realize we do it. <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>It’s habit.</strong></span></p>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">The key is to NOTICE when you are making excuses, justifying your behavior, defending yourself or rationalizing something.</span></h4>
<p>Notice, and then ask yourself what is REALLY going on for you.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>Are you feeling guilty?</em></strong> Is this real guilt because you made a mistake or is it an old reaction from childhood?</li>
<li><strong><em>Is there something that you need to correct or get into integrity about, hard as it may be to face?</em></strong></li>
<li><strong><em>Do you simply need to give yourself permission to make this choice?</em></strong> For instance, after being in debt for so long, Joan still feels guilty when she goes to purchase something for herself even though she has the cash (no charges) and it is an appropriate way to spend her money. Although she made bad choices in the past, she must learn to trust herself TODAY to make good decisions about money.</li>
<li><strong><em>Do you need to stop ‘shoulding’ yourself, reevaluate your priorities and set better goals?</em></strong> i.e. instead of complaining that you don’t have time to go to the gym, accept responsibility for your health. In reality, you do what you perceive is of greatest value. So if you don’t bother to work out, it’s not because you don’t have time, it’s because you don’t MAKE the time. Instead, decide what role you want fitness to play in your life and set a realistic goal for that. You will have to want it more than your excuse.</li>
<li><em><strong><span style="color: #000080;"><img class="size-full wp-image-1793 alignright" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" title="defensive" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/defensive.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="187" /></span>What is making you feel the need to defend or explain yourself?</strong></em> Defensiveness is a sign of a fragile or hurting self-esteem seeking value and validation. As a mature, responsible adult, there is little you will do that requires defending. You accept that you can make good choices on your own behalf – and if you can’t, then it is your responsibility to learn the skills you need to make better decisions and build trust in yourself.</li>
</ul>
<h5><span style="color: #800000;">If someone asks you to explain, then you might inquire of them <span style="text-decoration: underline;">what they need, how they feel or what information they believe they are missing</span>. </span>This helps clarify exactly what the problem is which saves time and makes the communication more effective.</h5>
<ol>
<li>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">Notice throughout your day the excuses you make and the explanations you have for the things you do or don&#8217;t do.</span></h4>
</li>
<li>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">Accept responsibility for your actions and STOP making excuses.</span></h4>
</li>
<li>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">If you want to do something different, then check in on your priorities and set a different goal.</span></h4>
</li>
</ol>
<h4>It is a much happier, more peaceful, and more powerful place to be when you stop rationalizing your behavior and start accepting responsibility for it instead. </h4>
<h4>Your partner for success,</h4>
<h4>Coach Julie, RN ~ Nurturing Your Success</h4>
<p>P.S. Tired of hearing yourself make excuses? Schedule your free 30-minute <a title="Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Julie RN" href="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/explore-coaching" target="_blank">coaching strategy session </a>with me. It will be the best 30 minutes of your day!</p>
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		<title>How to Handle Negativity in the Workplace</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/how-to-handle-negativity-in-the-workplace/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/how-to-handle-negativity-in-the-workplace/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:12:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Be More Assertive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assertiveness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boundaries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dependability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity Coaching]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1717</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Challenge: I’m a new manager leading a team of sales professionals. One of my associates is very negative and does minimal work. While he meets quota, he could do so much more and his negativity impacts the other members of our team. He’s been with our company for a number of years and it seems [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1718" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" title="leader" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/leader2-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Challenge: I’m a new manager leading a team of sales professionals. One of my associates is very negative and does minimal work. While he meets quota, he could do so much more and his negativity impacts the other members of our team. He’s been with our company for a number of years and it seems no one has done anything. How should I handle it?</em></p>
<h5><span style="color: #000080;">Regardless of where you work there seems to be someone who is negative, enjoys gossiping or whose pessimistic view dampens the rest of the team. </span></h5>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>C</strong><strong>reating chaos, causing difficulties between coworkers and starting debates</strong></span> in meetings are some of the behaviors exhibited by this Negative Nelly. <strong><span style="color: #800000;">Always providing an excuse, knowing just who to blame and taking any minor event and making it into a major catastrophe</span></strong>, this person manages to manipulate the situation to deflect attention from her. In summary, this person seems to be able to do or say whatever they want to the dismay of their coworkers.</p>
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Paying the Price</span></h1>
<p><strong>Managers often do not know how to handle this type of situation and therefore, the person seems to get away with the behavior; but this doesn’t happen without a price</strong>. The entire organization suffers in both obvious and not so obvious ways.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Obvious ways can be disgruntled staff, staff turnover, complaints and a pervasive negative energy</span></strong> when dealing with this person or with the department where he or she works. The loss of even one employee can be very costly to your organization. And when your employees are distracted, their performance and their productivity suffer. When employees aren’t working at their level of excellence, there’s an opportunity cost for the organization. The time and energy spent thinking about and talking about this person’s actions could be better spent performing their job duties.</p>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><strong>Not so obvious impacts can occur in the form of customer dissatisfaction or lost revenue</strong></span>. This means, the impact on the company is difficult to measure from a lost customer. If the customer has a bad experience, not only do they take their business elsewhere, they harbor adverse feelings toward your company and tell others about their unpleasant experiences.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #000080;">Permitting a difficult employee to negatively impact your organization, rather than dealing with their behavior, is costly to your organization. If not addressed, their behavior often continues until something happens that makes it impossible to ignore.</span></h5>
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tolerating the Behavior</span></h1>
<p>First of all, <span style="color: #000080;"><strong>the behavior is the issue <span style="text-decoration: underline;">not</span> the person</strong></span>. The person is wonderful; the behavior is not. Confusing these two elements can cause managers and coworkers not to act. If you fear hurting the person’s feelings, then you are addressing the person rather than the behavior.</p>
<p><a title="How to Handle Negativity in the Workplace" href="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/plugins/downloads-manager/upload/How%20to%20Handle%20Negativity%20in%20the%20Workplace.pdf" target="_blank">Read more&#8230;</a></p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ Nurturing Your Success</p>
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		<title>Do You Practice What You Teach?</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/do-you-practice-what-you-teach/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/do-you-practice-what-you-teach/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:19:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assertiveness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[managing emotions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal development]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1561</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The teacher often teaches what he/she most needs to learn. But are you open to your own lesson? A therapist just got engaged-a second marriage. Thoughts about planning the wedding make her overwhelmed and stressed. So she doesn’t think about it. There is no date set yet. Other examples of this disconnect between what you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4><em>The teacher often teaches what he/she most needs to learn. But are you open to your own lesson?</em></h4>
<p>A therapist just got engaged-a second marriage. Thoughts about planning the wedding make her overwhelmed and stressed. So she doesn’t think about it. There is no date set yet.</p>
<p>Other examples of this <strong>disconnect between <em>what you do for a living</em> and <em>what you practice in your own life</em></strong> include:</p>
<ul>
<li>The overweight doctor teaching his patients about nutrition</li>
<li>The nurse who smokes teaching others about living a healthy lifestyle</li>
<li>The accountant who owes back taxes</li>
<li>The leader who cannot confront poor performance</li>
<li>The manager who won&#8217;t delegate</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>There are thousands of ways that incongruence can show up in our lives.</strong> One client recently discovered that while <span style="color: #000080;"><strong>she is a powerful leader at work, she does not practice her leadership skills at home</strong> </span>and feels quite disempowered, disrespected and unhappy in that environment.</p>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;"><em>While it may be unconscious to you, living with this incongruence causes you stress. </em></span></h4>
<h5>You are out of integrity, and in a myriad of ways, you try to hide this fact. <span style="color: #800000;">Hiding always creates stress as we lie to ourselves and others. </span>We put on a mask to cover up the fact that we are not doing what we need to do to be okay with ourselves – and we hope other people don’t ‘find out’ our little secret.</h5>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;"><em>Incongruence, being out of integrity with what you believe to be the ‘right thing’ – especially something you teach others – causes you pain.</em></span></h4>
<h5>You make choices to take a job or you mark out a career path because it’s what you enjoy learning about and teaching others. But you must <span style="color: #800000;">never become so wise, so dignified, so impatient, so powerful that you cannot be open to new ways of applying what you know</span> AND learning new perspectives.</h5>
<h5>Life is filled with lessons. Lessons are often presented to us with strong emotions attached. <span style="color: #800000;">When you experience a strong emotion such as fear or anger or anxiety or even excitement, there is opportunity to take a fresh look at the situation </span>and learn how to navigate it from a position of strength.</h5>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;"><em>These discrepancies in your life provide you with opportunities for personal development and growth. Be on the lookout!</em></span></h4>
<h5>Feelings of “overwhelm”, for instance, offer this therapist &#8211; someone often in a position to teach others how to deal with anxiety &#8211; a perfect opportunity to practice what she teaches.</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>Will she make this an opportunity to learn and grow beyond her debilitating anxiety &#8211; perhaps even learn to enjoy the journey?</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>Or will she succumb to her old habits and allow the stress and fear to overwhelm her? And while she will eventually plan a wedding, instead of enjoyment, she will travel this ‘life project’ with dread.</em></p>
<h4>Where in your life could you use your own best teaching and advice?</h4>
<p>Identify areas where you can become even better at what you do and find a teacher who can help you apply what you may already but know in new ways. Even the best of teachers make great students.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ Nurturing Your Success</p>
<h5>P.S. Join Teresa and I for our upcoming TeleClass series CREATING AN AMAZING RELATIONSHIP! The 7 Keys to Success beginning on Thursday, January 28th at 7pm Eastern Time. HURRY! There are a few spots left!</h5>
<p><a href="http://amazingrelationships.eventbrite.com?ref=ebtn" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.eventbrite.com/registerbutton?eid=526603084" border="0" alt="" /></a></p>
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		<title>Stop Having Problems: 6 Easy Steps</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/stop-having-problems/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/stop-having-problems/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:15:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-Improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boundaries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[choice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[improve relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Increase Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Powerful Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1089</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Why do you still have problems? Can you imagine your life without problems? It&#8217;s a nice thought. Most of us cannot even fathom life being simple. Peaceful. Easy. But life can MOST DEFINITELY be easier. We humans like to complicate things. A problem is a wonderful opportunity to assess your situation. It brings your attention to something that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3><em>Why do you still have problems? </em></h3>
<p>Can you imagine your <strong>life without problems</strong>? It&#8217;s a nice thought. Most of us cannot even fathom life being simple. Peaceful. Easy.</p>
<p>But life can MOST DEFINITELY be easier. We humans like to complicate things.</p>
<h4>A problem is a wonderful opportunity to assess your situation. It brings your attention to something that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">you are doing</span> to attract the problem to you.</h4>
<p>That&#8217;s right. <strong>Something <span style="text-decoration: underline;">you are doing</span></strong> or a way in which you are behaving / thinking / feeling / putting up with <strong>is allowing this problem</strong> to come into your world. <strong><span style="color: #800000;">If YOU were different in some way, the problem wouldn&#8217;t be yours.</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>Take any problem</strong> that you are dealing with right now &#8211; an employee with performance issues, a kid with a discipline problem, financial issues, ANYTHING &#8211; <strong>and see it for what it is, an opportunity to learn and to grow,</strong> to be different, to create change, to bring peace into your life.</p>
<h3><em><span style="color: #800000;">As long as you tolerate the nonsense, you continue to be emprisoned by it.</span></em></h3>
<p>What this means is that you must accept responsibility for the issue / problem / situation and hold yourself accountable to deal with it. This is where YOUR POWER LIVES.</p>
<h4 style="padding-left: 30px;">NO blaming. NO victimhood. NO pity parties. NO more escaping or avoiding, minimizing or denying.</h4>
<h4 style="padding-left: 30px;">You attracted this person / situation / thing into your life. Now it&#8217;s time to deal with it.</h4>
<p>And deal with it in a way that prevents problems like this from coming into your life ever again. This means you don&#8217;t just fix the problem, but you become someone who doesn&#8217;t allow or tolerate this kind of nonsense in your life.</p>
<h3>The path to NO MORE PROBLEMS:</h3>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000080;">1)</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: #000080;">Identify your problems and the situations giving you stress.</span></strong> Where are you frustrated, fed up, tired, or otherwise wishing it would go away? What are you avoiding dealing with or running away from?</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000080;">2) Accept responsibility for the problem. It&#8217;s yours to deal with.</span></strong> Unless it isn&#8217;t your problem, in which case that IS your problem! Give it back to whomever it belongs to and stop taking on other people&#8217;s stuff! Let them be responsible for their own problems. Life is challenging enough&#8230;</p>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><strong>3)  What would you like your situation to be like instead?</strong></span> What would make life wonderful / easy / peaceful (whatever you seek)? What&#8217;s the vision you have for success? You need to know what you want in order to create a plan of action for achieving it.</p>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><strong>4) What do you need to do, what choices &#8211; even tough choices &#8211; do you need to make in order to eliminate the problem?</strong></span> Make a list of choices available to you and action steps you could take. Why a list? Because often we get too stuck on thinking there is only ONE way. If you brainstorm, then you open yourself up to possibilities that you didn&#8217;t realize existed.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000080;">5) What skills are you lacking in order to make the tough choices?</span></strong> Do you need to learn how to confront employees poor performance? Delegation skills? Financial skills? Better skills for dealing with your out of control child? </p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000080;">6) Identify where you might need help and then look for a resource that can assist you.</span></strong></p>
<h4 style="padding-left: 30px;">You do NOT have to do this alone. Nor should you. And it&#8217;s possible you cannot get to where you want to go WITHOUT help. The reality is that the way you think, the way you operate, your beliefs, your habits and patterns of behavior have brought you the problems you are now dealing with.</h4>
<blockquote><p><strong><em>Curent problems cannot be solved with the same thinking that created them.</em> ~ Albert Einstein</strong></p></blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">YOU are bigger than your problems but so long as you allow them into your life, so long as you refuse to deal with them, you keep them flowing into your life. Problems will be attracted to you.</span></h4>
<h3><span style="color: #800000;"><em>Grow yourself and you will grow OUT of your problems. </em></span></h3>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Please comment below</span>. If you are ready to grow yourself and eliminate your problems, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">contact me directly to schedule a coaching session</span>. If accepted as a client into my business, you will learn to rise above problems. </p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://nurturingyoursuccess.com" target="_blank"><em>Nurturing Your Success</em></a></p>
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		<title>Eliminate the Number One Source of Stress</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/eliminate-the-number-one-source-of-stress/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/eliminate-the-number-one-source-of-stress/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:25:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Achieve Greater Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decision making]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Increase Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1039</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What’s the number one source of stress, you ask? Drum roll please… The number one source of stress IS - focusing your efforts and energy on things over which you have absolutely no control. Consider this… …How often do you wish others would behave differently? “Why did she do that? She should know better! Can [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>What’s the number one source of stress, you ask?</h2>
<p>Drum roll please…</p>
<h3><span style="color: #800000;">The number one source of stress IS -</span></h3>
<h3><em><span style="color: #800000;">focusing your efforts and energy on things over which you have absolutely no control.</span></em></h3>
<p>Consider this…</p>
<ul>
<li>…How often do you wish others would behave differently? “Why did she do that? She should know better! Can you believe he did…?”</li>
<li>…Do you look for reasons <em>why</em> things are the way they are? Do you blame others or external circumstances for your current state of affairs? Are you a victim?</li>
<li>…Do you spend your time concerned about other people’s circumstances and how they might handle things differently?</li>
<li>…Are you struggling to accept some aspect of your reality – wishing it were different?</li>
</ul>
<h4><span style="color: #800000;">Consider what stresses you out. What stressors are alive in your life right now?</span></h4>
<p>I bet that it has nothing to do with what is happening at this moment but rather <strong>something from your past or concerns about the future – what could happen, what might happen, or what has happened</strong>.</p>
<p>I could also take an educated guess that what stresses you are things like:</p>
<ul>
<li>      Other people – your boss, parents, kids, spouse, neighbor</li>
<li>      Situations – finances, bills, your health, job, management/stockholders/employees, relationships, your ‘stuff’ (i.e. car, house, vacation, clothing)</li>
<li>      Too much to do – chores, work, projects, juggling kids/recreation/parents/friends</li>
<li>      Drama – the emotional stuff, the highs and lows</li>
</ul>
<h4>Whenever you focus on things outside of your control, you become stressed, frustrated, angry, disappointed, anxious. And depending upon how your body responds, you can experience physical symptoms too such as an increase in blood pressure and pulse among other things.</h4>
<h3><em>The ONLY thing you control is YOU –</em></h3>
<h3>Your thoughts. Your feelings. Your actions.</h3>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Today, focus on what you can do to impact your situation</span>.</span></p>
<p><strong>Observe your thoughts</strong> and your focus:</p>
<ul>
<li>      Are you looking to be rescued?</li>
<li>      Are you fantasizing and wishing life or someone was different?</li>
<li>      Are you focused on what other people could or should do?</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>How does it feel?</strong> Do you feel trapped, powerless, defeated?</p>
<p>You have no control here.</p>
<h3>Today, TAKE BACK YOUR POWER and focus on you – accept responsibility for YOUR actions, face reality as it is, and do what you can to improve the situation.</h3>
<p>When you focus on what you can control, notice how you feel. The situation may still feel challenging and be difficult and uncomfortable, but you’ll feel better because you’re standing in your power. Your power lives in today – the here and now – and in doing what is in your power to do.</p>
<h4><span style="color: #000080;">Stand in your power to achieve greater success as a leader and experience greater peace.</span></h4>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #000000;">Want to stand in your power and eliminate stress from your life? Let&#8217;s talk. Contact me to arrange a free coaching session. Don&#8217;t wait. Act now.</span></span></p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://www.NurturingYourSuccess.com" target="_blank"><em>Nurturing Your Success</em></a></p>
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		<title>Where Are You Being Judgmental?</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/where-are-you-being-judgmental/</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:15:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Create Amazing Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[improve relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Powerful Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self-esteem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-Improvement]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=1003</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, notice your judgmental thoughts and strong opinions about other people. These would be negative thoughts you have about how they are that you believe is wrong or inappropriate or not the way you would do things. Are there particular individuals or qualities of individuals that bother or irritate you? Today, just notice these thoughts [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Today, notice your judgmental thoughts and strong opinions about other people. These would be negative thoughts you have about how they are that you believe is wrong or inappropriate or not the way you would do things.</h4>
<p><em>Are there particular individuals or qualities of individuals that bother or irritate you?</em></p>
<p>Today, just notice these thoughts of judgment as they enter your mind.</p>
<h4><em>How does it feel to be sitting in judgment? How do these thoughts interfere with your ability to empathize or be open to hearing what the person has to say? How does your judgment guide your behavior, attitude/mood, facial expression or body language?</em></h4>
<p>In other words, when you come from a place of judgment, notice how you respond, your behavior, and interactions. AND notice how your behavior impacts the other person and the relationship you share.</p>
<p><strong><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1006" style="margin: 5px 10px;" title="judgement" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/judgement.jpg" alt="judgement" width="87" height="130" />Judgment creates a barrier between you and the other person.</strong> It doesn’t feel good to be greeted with a negative opinion. <strong>Each of us is trying - sometimes desperately - to feel good about ourselves</strong> and to see our personal value through our own self-judgment we call self-esteem. So <strong>to be greeted by someone who holds us in judgment makes the challenge to accept ourselves all the more difficult.</strong></p>
<h4>And our wall of resistance – the barrier we impose to keep us safe – goes up stronger and tighter than ever.</h4>
<h4><em>Judgment of others means you are not open to or accepting of that person as they are but rather <span style="text-decoration: underline;">how you want them to be</span>.</em></h4>
<p>Today, notice your judgmental thoughts. Notice how your body feels when you are in this place of “righteousness”.</p>
<h3><em>Be open to the idea that each of us has the right to be ourselves – to think our own thoughts, to see the world in the way we do without needing to be different or changed or ‘fixed’.</em></h3>
<h4>And when you come from this place – this place of openness and of accepting others as they are, where they are, who they are – notice how your interactions shift and how people respond to you differently. Notice the walls of protection and fear coming down because it feels safe to be with you.</h4>
<p>Feel free to share with me your experiences. I look forward to hearing from you.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <em><a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://nurturingyoursuccess.com" target="_blank">Nurturing Your Success</a></em></p>
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		<title>Stop Discounting Your Knowledge and Learn to Value Yourself</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/discounting-your-knowledge/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/discounting-your-knowledge/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Create Amazing Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-Improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Build Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[creating new habits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manage Emotions / Increase Emotional Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal value]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self-esteem]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=68</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the traps of the mind that people (me included!) fall victim to is devaluing your work. What this means is that once you learn something new and you become good at it, you then diminish its value IN YOUR MIND. Your thoughts may sound something like this, “It’s no big deal.” “If it’s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>One of the traps of the mind that people (me included!) fall victim to is devaluing your work.</h3>
<p>What this means is that once you learn something new and you become good at it, you then diminish its value IN YOUR MIND. Your thoughts may sound something like this, “It’s no big deal.” “If it’s easy for me, it’s easy for everyone.” “Everyone knows that.” And perhaps even, “What’s next?”</p>
<p>Sound familiar?</p>
<h3><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-919" style="margin: 10px 5px;" title="work" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/work.jpg" alt="work" width="216" height="144" />You use the new learning in your work and it becomes you, so it’s easy to forget the effort that went into learning this new skill, to dismiss the self-growth that has occurred along the way, and how it now impacts your work or how you present yourself to others.</h3>
<p><em>When you succumb to these thoughts, you dismiss wonderful things about you, things you have learned to do well, and things that perhaps others would pay you handsomely for!</em></p>
<p>By devaluing the very things that you are and have become, you create dissonance between your successes and your valuation of those successes. This has certain negative or unwanted consequences.</p>
<ul>
<li>For one thing, you don’t feel good about your work; you are not satisfied. There is a longing to do better and better, a sense of never quite being good enough because you don’t stop to give yourself any credit for how you’ve grown and changed and the impact that the growth has had on you, your work, and your relationships.</li>
<li>Secondly, while others may see the difference in you, because YOU have trouble seeing it, you might have difficulty accepting when others acknowledge you. For instance, a colleague recognizes your work through a public acknowledgement. Instantly, you feel uncomfortable. “It’s no big deal. She shouldn’t have said anything,” you think to yourself. And depending upon your self-esteem, you might take it even further by refuting this compliment, “Oh it was nothing,” which is not only damaging to your self-esteem, it can be insulting to the person who gave the compliment because, in essence, you are calling them a liar!</li>
</ul>
<h3>Coaching tip: So how do you go about overcoming this trick of the mind? Be open to the value that your learning has on you and on your ability to produce. The more you learn, the greater your output. That’s fact. Don’t dismiss it because it is YOU doing the learning. Celebrate it – CELEBRATE YOU! You are wonderful.</h3>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-920" style="margin: 10px 5px;" title="acknowledge" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/acknowledge.jpg" alt="acknowledge" width="139" height="210" /><em>When someone acknowledges you in some way, pay attention. Say, “thank you!” and consider what this feedback means to you. They offer you a wonderful gift by sharing with you what they observe has changed in you. It has value to THEM – even if you don’t see it. You might even ask them a question about what that value is so that you can continue to do more of it.</em></p>
<h3>The lesson for today: learn to value yourself and all you do.</h3>
<p>Til next time – choose good thoughts.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ Nurturing Your Success</p>
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		<title>Letting Go of Judgment: The Saga and Debate over Michael Vick</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/letting-go-of-judgment-the-saga-and-debate-over-michael-vick/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/letting-go-of-judgment-the-saga-and-debate-over-michael-vick/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:36:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Create Amazing Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-Improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[improve relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal development]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=900</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Michael Vick is now an Eagle after spending eighteen months in prison for his part in a dog fighting ring. A tee shirt on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ prominently displays: Watch your beagle. Vick’s an Eagle. Animal lovers are angry that the Eagles hired him after what he did during the six years [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-904" style="margin: 10px 5px;" title="philadelphia eagles" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/phialdelphia-eagles1.gif" alt="philadelphia eagles" />Michael Vick is now an Eagle after spending eighteen months in prison for his part in a dog fighting ring. A tee shirt on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ prominently displays: Watch your beagle. Vick’s an Eagle.</p>
<p><strong>Animal lovers are angry that the Eagles hired him after what he did during the six years he was running dog fights.</strong> The cruelty he inflicted to those poor animals sickens people.</p>
<p><strong>Others feel that he deserves a second chance.</strong> Vick was arrested. Disgraced. Spent time in jail. Lost everything. Repents and expresses remorse for his behavior. And now is trying to put his life together. He happens to play football for a living so everyone knows his business.</p>
<h4><em>Is this man’s story so different from the many, many people who commit wrongdoings and then must try to put their lives back together? Have you ever made a mistake that you had to crawl your way back from? Are we sitting in judgment or are we able to forgive and allow this man to start over?</em></h4>
<h4>It is easy to jump to conclusions and sit in judgment over someone who has made a mistake, especially when the mistake is front page news. But then, after the punishment is done, does that person have the right to forgiveness and should he or she be allowed to start over?</h4>
<p>A man in an alcohol treatment program reported that during one of his drunken outings, he awoke on someone’s lawn. He walked over to a bush and urinated. Someone called the police and he was arrested for indecent exposure. Because there were children in the vicinity playing outside, he was placed on the National Registered Offenders List for three years.</p>
<p>Is this man a predator of children? How many people would believe he is simply because he is on this list? And how many would always consider him a risk because he was once, in his youth, on this list?</p>
<h4><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-905" style="margin: 10px 5px;" title="judge" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/judge.jpg" alt="judge" width="193" height="184" />It is easy to judge others. It is harder to empathize especially when there is real cruelty involved. It may be difficult for anyone to understand why someone would hurt another living creature and this may so disgust you that you have difficulty moving beyond the behavior to forgive the loving, wonderful – yet fallible and fragile – human being.</h4>
<h3><em>We do not always do the right things – our mistakes bring our attention to things we need to learn. We do not always make good choices – these become great opportunities to improve ourselves and mature. But we each must learn to progress beyond our shortcomings and move forward in spite of our transgressions.</em></h3>
<p>Does Vick deserve another chance? Do you deserve another chance? Do I?</p>
<p>Should we trust that he will never again be cruel to living creatures? Well, that’s what probation and parole are for – to ensure that, in fact, the person is rehabilitated and the behavior does not repeat. Does the system always work? No. But Vick, in his heart, must answer to himself. Hopefully, he will learn that as a public figure and a leader it is his duty to do the right thing as he is a role model. Like it or not, people are watching him. And we all hope that he has grown and become a better person and will make good choices in the future.</p>
<h4>To harbor anger is not healthy for you. It adds to the stress you hold onto. By letting it go, you practice forgiveness and accept that you cannot change the past; you can only improve upon it by focusing on living today in an exceptional way.</h4>
<p>Where else in your life do you need to let go, forgive, and move beyond judgment? Send me an email <a href="mailto:Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com">Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com</a> to arrange a free coaching session.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <em><a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://nurturingyoursuccess.com" target="_blank">Nurturing Your Success</a></em></p>
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		<title>How to Develop the Elements of a Great Manager</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/how-to-develop-the-elements-of-a-great-manager/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/how-to-develop-the-elements-of-a-great-manager/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:21:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Achieve Greater Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decision making]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity Coaching]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=864</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Being a manager is no easy task. And if you’ve been promoted from a technical position you may not be prepared to meet the demands of your new position. For some, managing comes naturally while others struggle with creating cohesive teams, handling staff difficulties and producing satisfactory results. As a result, you become stressed out [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Being a manager is no easy task.</strong> And if you’ve been promoted from a technical position you may not be prepared to meet the demands of your new position. For some, managing comes naturally while others struggle with creating cohesive teams, handling staff difficulties and producing satisfactory results. As a result, you become stressed out and overworked.</p>
<p>If this sounds like you, the good news is that <strong>you can learn to be an effective manager</strong>. There are <strong>four areas in which great managers excel.</strong> Learn to incorporate these four elements into your management style and you’ll have a productive team with fewer problems, reduced turnover, decreased stress and a more fulfilled work life – for you and your staff!</p>
<h1>1) Select the Right People</h1>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-867" style="margin: 10px 6px;" title="selecting a team" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/people9.jpg" alt="selecting a team" width="177" height="154" />Many mangers get caught spending their time with those who require the most assistance. And yet, the best time is spent cultivating the talents of your best staff members – it’s less stressful and it’s more fun.</p>
<h3><em>Choose staff with the right stuff so you can spend your time cultivating excellence.</em></h3>
<h1>2) Set Clear Performance Expectations</h1>
<h4>Setting clear expectations for results and for levels of excellence sets the standard for the work environment you require.</h4>
<p>When your staff isn’t clear about what standard to follow or what the vision is, they do what they think is appropriate. Assumptions are never a good strategy for running a department. Without clear guidelines, your staff will waste time and energy guessing at what’s needed of them. As a result, they may be great at doing the wrong things right, but that won’t move you closer to meeting your objectives. </p>
<p>When you set clear guidelines, your staff knows exactly what is expected of them. As a leader, focus on cultivating excellence and your team will stretch to meet the challenge.</p>
<h4>With clear expectations, people know how to proceed with minimal oversight, freeing you up to focus on areas that require your special attention.</h4>
<p>Coaching Tip: Team members need to hear feedback about how they are doing and they need to hear it often. It follows that if you set clear expectations with your staff, you need to follow up with them regularly to be sure that they are on track. In addition, ask for their feedback on how they think they are doing.</p>
<h1>3) Know Your Staff</h1>
<h4><em>Knowing your staff means getting to know each staff member individually, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, knowing what motivates them and what they are passionate about.</em></h4>
<p><strong>Building your team is about recognizing the differences in each member and developing their strengths. </strong>When you recognize the limitations of those on your team and learn to work around then, you are acknowledging the person for who they are and not setting unrealistic expectations for who you think they should become.</p>
<p>Coaching Tip: When hiring staff, look for people who complement your existing team with added strengths or unique skill sets.</p>
<p><strong>Knowing your staff is what diversity in the workplace is all about.</strong> When you support the differences in each of the members of your team, you make people feel good about who they are. Recognizing their strengths and allowing people to spend their time, energy and talents doing the very things that they enjoy and do well, creates a workplace that is productive and fun. </p>
<h1>4) Develop Your Staff</h1>
<p>Spending your time and energy doing what you love is a recipe for happiness and fulfillment. <strong>As a manager, your job is to turn individual talent into performance.</strong> Developing your staff doesn’t necessarily mean promotions; <strong>it means supporting your staff to become their best</strong> – that may mean staying right where they are and excelling at what they currently do.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-866" style="margin: 10px 6px;" title="learning" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/learning.jpg" alt="learning" width="187" height="145" />Encourage your people to stay on the cutting edge. <strong>Create a learning environment making it easy master their profession</strong>. A company that makes learning part of their culture has few issues with the ever-changing face of society and technology. If change is constant, expected and everybody’s doing it, then change is part of the norm. This means, your company will evolve faster than your competition, offering you a huge competitive advantage.</p>
<h3>If you know that every day you go to a workplace that respects you for what you do best, allows you to focus on developing your skills, and respects you for your expertise, you’ll feel wonderful about going to work. Do you think you’ll have trouble retaining an employee who feels this way?</h3>
<p>Your company can have the best benefit package and pay scale in your industry, but if you, the manager, do not have good relationships with those on your team, productivity suffers and team members won’t stay. <strong>If you want to make a difference, choose your staff wisely, set clear expectations for excellence, get to know your staff and focus on their strengths. </strong>The rewards are great.</p>
<p>Want to develop your management style? Contact me at <a href="mailto:Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com">Julie@NurturingYourSuccess.com</a> to arrange a free coaching session.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://nurturingyoursuccess.com" target="_blank">Nurturing Your Success</a></p>
<p><em>Resource: Buckingham, M. &amp; Coffman, C. (1999) First, Break All The Rules. New York; Simon &amp; Schuster.</em></p>
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		<title>Eliminating Overwhelm: Life Throws Me a Curve Ball, I Swing Back</title>
		<link>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/life_throws_me_a_curve_ball/</link>
		<comments>http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/life_throws_me_a_curve_ball/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:49:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CoachJulieRN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Achieve Greater Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Create Amazing Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Develop Leadership Skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[improve relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manage Emotions / Increase Emotional Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal power]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/?p=837</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Friday, we received the call that my fiancé’s two boys would be moving in with us by the end of the week. Suddenly, everything changes. What will this mean for us? How will this impact our budding family? Excitement. Fear. Sadness. Anger at how this occurred so abruptly and without any warning. His older [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-846" style="margin: 10px 6px;" title="surprise phone call" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/surprise-phone-call.jpg" alt="surprise phone call" width="122" height="182" />On Friday, we received the call that my fiancé’s two boys would be moving in with us by the end of the week. Suddenly, everything changes. <em>What will this mean for us? How will this impact our budding family?</em></h4>
<p><strong>Excitement. Fear. Sadness. Anger</strong> at how this occurred so abruptly and without any warning. His older son has recently been diagnosed with autism – (they <em>think</em>. We are still working on getting a definitive diagnosis.)</p>
<p><em>What will this mean for my son who has been an only child for so long? And what about my relationship with Lou? What about our dreams and plans? How will we manage financially?</em></p>
<p>It all seems so surreal…</p>
<p>As I step into this new reality and prepare for their arrival, many thoughts creep in such as things we need to do, how to prepare, what to be mindful of, what resources and assistance will we need. <strong>For each of us, including each of the boys, this is a huge change. </strong><em>What kind of support does Lou need? What does my son need? And what will the boys need from me as their new “step-mom-to-be”? What do I need from myself in order to remain healthy and able?</em> </p>
<h3><em>I must balance giving to others with giving to myself.</em></h3>
<p><strong>I, too, will need to receive support</strong> – I thank God for my Coach Sheila, my 6 Advisors Partner Teresa, and my blogging coach Scott. I know that they will help to keep me sane over the next few months and help me to stay focused on my own personal goals and vision for success. I hope you, too, as my clients, colleagues, and friends will comment, and provide feedback, encouragement and support.</p>
<h4>I do not feel alone. I feel the presence of forces that will sustain and nurture us. I know that we will be guided and provided for so long as we stay focused and act in alignment with the laws of the universe. We have each other AND we have so many wonderful people that we know and whose talent and expertise we now need to tap into.</h4>
<p>We will need to ask for help.</p>
<p>This will test our relationship and commitment to each other. We start making a list of the immediate things that need to happen such as making sure everyone has a place to sleep, school, doctors, legal documentation, activities – heck, even clothes, shoes, the basics – they come to us with the clothes on their back. It is overwhelming!<img class="size-full wp-image-844 alignright" style="margin: 6px;" title="meditate" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/meditate.jpg" alt="meditate" width="199" height="250" /></p>
<h4>As the overwhelm starts to build, I breathe and refocus my thoughts on the here and now: what do I need to do in this moment? By staying focused on the here and now, I can stay out of the emotional drama that could erupt if I allowed it to. If I stay in the NOW, then I can handle what is first, then what comes next…</h4>
<p>The drama of the story is all very exciting. It’s what makes for a good soap opera or movie. And when we allow ourselves to go there, we lose focus and actually create more drama and more overwhelm and stress.</p>
<h4><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Coaching Tip (to me)</span> <img src='http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  : Stay focused on what I can control and what needs to get done today. Allow myself to honor the emotions that come up without letting them take over. Ask myself some key questions about who will get the job done – is it me, can I delegate, or do I need to ask for help from some other resource? Who do I know who can help us or who do we know who knows someone who can assist?</h4>
<p>This is a huge life event for each of us and while it is scary, it is also very exciting. We are looking forward to having these two wonderful and amazing children (13 &amp; 16 years old) in our home fulltime. As for Lou and I, <strong>we will, more than ever, need to share our feelings, talk things through, be patient and understanding, and lean on each other.</strong> Our love and the desire and vision we have for a healthy, mature, love relationship will help guide us on this journey.</p>
<h3><em>Isn’t this what building a successful life is all about? </em></h3>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-845" style="margin: 10px 6px;" title="give you the world" src="http://nurturingyoursuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/world1.jpg" alt="world1" width="151" height="150" />We can make grand plans for our lives but God may have different plans. He throws us curve balls to test us, to challenge us and we have to step up to the plate. God gives us what we can handle – and to some of us, He gives more because we can handle more. I believe that we are prepared and that life is what we make of it. We will create a fabulous family unit because it is what we want.</p>
<p>I am very grateful for all of you &#8211; your support and continued encouragement. Things will continue as usual – I will continue to nurture YOUR success through coaching and writing. We will continue this successful life journey together.</p>
<p>Thank you for listening to my story today and for the opportunity to be of service. It’s my pleasure. May you find strength in the joys you have to experience today as I find strength in sharing with you.</p>
<p>Your partner for success,</p>
<p>Coach Julie ~ <a title="Nurturing Your Success" href="http://nurturingyoursuccess.com" target="_blank"><em>Nurturing Your Success</em></a></p>
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