Day #29 Focus on the Harvest in Your Own Pasture

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executive coaching, jealousy, life coaching, life isn't greener on the other side of the fence, Mary Lee Gannon, Overcoming Adversity, overcoming jealousy, Pittsburgh, transformational coaching

365 ways to Start Over: Day #29 Focus on the Harvest in Your Own Pasture

The roots of the grass on the other side of the fence aren’t visible from your view and the gate to get there may not swing both ways. Besides, wooden fences have splinters. Nurture your own crop. You know what goes into your soil. Cultivate your abundance. You drive the plow on your own land. Start now!

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Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.

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Day #28 – The Rock Your World Quiz

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business coaching, creating a plan for your life, executive coaching, finding your life purpose, Goal setting, life coaching, living your dreams, Mary Lee Gannon, Pittsburgh, starting over, starting over now, time management, work life balance

365 Ways to Start Over: Day #28 – The Rock Your World Quiz

This is a lesson on how to break things into purposeful chunks so that you can move the mountain in front of you out of the way.

1. What one really far out there, totally off the wall, extravagant, beyond your reach thing could you get done that would part the clouds and rain a parade of sunshine into your life? This goal should be something you never thought you would accomplish and should be an act of purpose that you have dreamed about. Just the mere thought of it sends an exhilarating jolt up your spine and through your veins, emulating energy from you that lifts you right out of your chair. It’s the view from a magic carpet 30,000 feet above your life where you see, smell and hear yourself fulfilled, joyous, serene and peacefully making a difference that lies to rest every unsettled urge that ever existed in your spirit. In this place your strengths are at play in full capacity. What you are doing is in total alignment with your values. Your smile stretches right off your face and onto the face of others. This is your life’s purpose.

2. Now, on a scale of one to ten how close are you to getting that done?

3. What one thing could you do that would move you one notch higher closer to 10?

4. What are you working on that takes your time away from your purpose? (If you are answering emails and working late are you working for yourself or on someone else’s project? Can you truly be of benefit to others when your own purpose is not fulfilled?)

5. What are you going to do differently tomorrow than you did today?

If you have definitive answers to each of these questions, you will soon be doing things that rock your world. If not, you won’t. It is difficult to create new habits. But a strong vision of yourself in a place that fulfills you will keep you on track. Passion is not enough. Set goals. And work yourself closer to your goal everyday by eliminating what is not in alignment with your values. Start now!

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Get Mary Lee’s articles Change – Here’s How! and Values – How to Define Them and Live Fulfilled.

Follow Mary Lee Gannon on Facebook or on Twitter.

Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.

Day #27: Get a Dog

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executive coaching, feeling valued, Mary Lee Gannon, Overcoming Adversity, Pittsburgh, starting over now, the value of a dog, ways to start over, what dogs teach us, why have a dog, why should I get a dog

365 Ways to Start Over: Day #27 – Get a Dog

I know. It sounds crazy. You hardly sleep well as it is and now you should scramble out of bed in the middle of the night, trip down the stairs in the dark and fumble your way to the door just to stand in a rainstorm until your dog goes potty? You barely have enough time to get yourself ready for work in the morning and you should set your alarm 45 minutes early just to feed, train and play with a dog? When you get home after work you barely have enough energy to cook dinner and now you should devote an hour to exercising your dog? WHY?

Because dogs are the most unassuming and purely loving creatures you will ever meet. There is no personal agenda with a dog. What you put into them, you get out of them. If you care for them, train them and exercise them, they will behave and provide you with love and some of the most memorable moments of your life. If you don’t, they will do what they know and that is chew, potty and run – chew your shoes, potty in the house, and run wild.

Caring for something reminds you that you have value and are important. A dog will remind you just how important you are every time he or she sees you. No matter how bad your or their day was when you walk in the door they greet you as if you had a T-bone steak strapped to your chest. They teach you to spend more time having fun since to them everything is a game. Take out the garbage and they want to tug on the bag. Mop the floor and they size up the mop like the enemy, ducking behind cabinets and leaping out like Batman. You will never again have to throw away tennis balls, worn socks or old stuffed animals.

Additionally, retraining yourself in a new routine helps you realize that you can adjust to a new schedule, living beings, and tasks – that you can learn new things, affect change and create bonds. You stop dwelling on what is wrong in your life because you are too busy taking dog training lessons, leash walking your dog and discovering new dog treats you never even knew existed. You are meaningful to a dog, so meaningful that they will never let you forget it or take you for granted. It just isn’t in their makeup to do so.

Together you and your dog will learn how to be considerate of others, go without, never be bored, enjoy, love, be disciplined, modify, appreciate, learn new things, try new things, get in shape, structure your schedule, understand cause and effect, think of others, be healthy. You and your dog will revolutionize the world. Start now!

Get Mary Lee’s article The Rigth Rescue Dog for Me – Overcoming Disappointment and Overcoming Adversity is an Everyday Slice of Life.

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Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.

Day #26 – The “Five Whys” of Problem Solving – No Finger Pointing

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Five Whys, getting at the root cause, killer problem solving, Mary Lee Gannon, problem solving, root cause analysis, solutions to a difficult problem, starting over now

365 Ways to Start Over: Day #26 – The “Five Whys” of Problem Solving – No Finger Pointing

Not sure what the problem is? It is simpler to figure out than you think. In coaching, we rarely ask a person the question “why” because it does little to move them forward. But if you are problem solving, it is a critical component of figuring out what the root cause of a problem is.

If you were working on a project that failed there is no point blaming and pointing figures. Look at it as an opportunity to analyze past processes for improvement. Problems are blessing in disguise. Ask the question “Why?” five times and see what new discovery unfolds.

Example: The problem is that you had scheduled the delivery of a product two weeks earlier than its arrival to customers. Why? Because it got to the mailhouse two weeks late. Why? Because it took longer than expected to get the mailing list? Why? Because Information Systems provided a list that was not segmented the way we needed it? Why? Because they did not have time to segment it? Why? Because it is not their job to do so. Solution: Someone internally needs to be able to manipulate spread sheets so that this does not happen again. A timeline needs to be created so that the department is aware if a scheduled mailing is off track while something can still be done to speed it up.

If you are puzzled about something that is bothering you personally the same “Five Whys” apply.

Example: The problem is that you seem to react defensively in the heat of the moment when you are confronted especially in an open forum as opposed to pausing and responding more professionally. Why? Because you feel threatened? Why? Because you are worried that you will look like you can’t do your job? Why? Because others have criticized you in the past and made you look and feel inadequate and alone? Why? Because they seemed to want to make you look and feel inadequate? Because it made them look and feel adequate. Solution: You feel threatened when criticized because in the past criticism was punitive and you ended up feeling inadequate and abandoned. Now being aware of this pattern, you will pause before responding and not take personally the criticism but more look for the opportunity to improve. You may ask to get back to them later after you have had a chance to analyze the situation. Start now!

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Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.

Day #25 – Slide Down the Hall in Your Socks

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being happy, executive coaching, Feeling joy, have some fun, how to be happy, how to stop worrying, life coaching, life transition, Mary Lee Gannon, starting over again, starting over now, Stop worrying

365 Ways to Start Over: Day #25 – Slide Down the Hall in Your Socks

When is the last time you were so absolutely elated about something that you cranked up the radio as loud as you could and danced your heart out? When was the last time that you threw back your sun roof, rolled down all the windows, tossed in your favorite CD and cruised your favorite sites while singing like a rock star? When was the last time you were so revved up that you raced down your hall in your socks like you were master surfing a wild tube in Kawai?

Do it today. What are you waiting for? Five years from now the thing you are worried about will be a distant memory. But feelings of joy will not. There are people who cannot drive a car, hear music, sing, or swim who would love to have these feelings. Life is grand. Get going!

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Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.

Day #24 – 24 Ways to Remind Yourself You Are Special (that aren’t just head exercises)

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business coaching, buy yourself flowers, executive coaching, how to feel better about myself, life transition coaching, Mary Lee Gannon, Remind yourself you are special, starting over, starting over now, ways to love myself, ways to love yourself, work life balance coaching

365 Ways to Start Over: Day #24 – 24 Ways to Remind Yourself You Are Special (that aren’t just head exercises.)

You are the most important person in your life. You may have other people who are close to you or for whom you are responsible but you must nurture yourself before you can nurture others. The greatest capacity to love comes from being able to feel love yourself. You are wonderful! Remind yourself of that with these simple steps.

24 Ways to Remind Yourself You Are Special

1. Buy yourself flowers and put them in your office or home.

2. Stop in the morning and get a cup of really exotic coffee with whipped cream.

3. Drive to your favorite spot in town where you can just sit for hours in peace and think. Bring a notebook in case you get new ideas of things you want to explore.

4. Take you camera to a garden or park and photograph the beauty of nature.

5. Take your camera to a place that is really interesting to you and photograph anything new that you discover: city buildings, people’s faces, shadows, close ups.

6. Select your favorite one or two photographs from your collection and have an 8 x 10 print framed and hung where you will see it everyday.

7. Make an appointment to have something done that you never have – manicure, pedicure, massage, facial, shoe shine, etc.

8. Go to the mall and let a make up artist do your makeup.

9. Get out your best china and crystal and cook yourself a dish that you love. Light a candle.

10. Gather the materials to start a hands on project that you always wanted to do but never made time for: woodworking, decoupage, sewing, scrap booking, home improvement.

11. Sign up for a class in something that intrigues you: guitar, a language, travel locations, yoga, history, a software program.

12. Rent three movies that you love and enjoy them over a weekend. Have popcorn on hand.

13. Start a journal and everyday right down one thing you’ve learned about yourself.

14. Buy yourself the same thing you gave as a hostess gift at the last party you went to.

15. Make an anonymous donation to your favorite charity in your honor.

16. Change just one focal point in your home – a table centerpiece, a wreath on the door, a keepsake in your foyer.

17. Go shopping with a goal of purchasing just one thing – an accessory that is your signature.

18. Order monogrammed stationary.

19. Rearrange your closets, basement, garage or pantry.

20. Think of one thing that you absolutely love and place it where you will see it everyday. If you love birds, hang a bird feeder. If you love dogs, cut out magazine photos of them and put them around your bedroom mirror. If you love humor, get a daily calendar with humorous quotes and put it on your desk.

21. Visit your library and get a book on a topic you know nothing about.

22. Start a collection of what you love.

23. Take an afternoon and visit all of the churches, synagogues and mosques in your area. The architecture alone will amaze you and invite you to think about different perspectives.

24. Take a blank sheet of paper and start drawing pictures of things that remind you of you.

Think of all the ways other people have shown you that you are special. You can do those things for yourself. Think of all the things people have said to you that have made you feel special. Start saying those things to yourself. Start now!

Get Mary Lee’s article Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken.

Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group – an executive coaching and consulting firm that produces higher individual and organizational performance through Executive Leadership Coaching, Fundraising Coaching, Organizational Development, Board Retreats, Visioning, and Planning. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked up to the level of CEO. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.