coachjoelle.com

Hi gang,

We are a little more than a week into Q2 of 2011 and it’s about that time when the really ambitious, super-exciting ideas you had about your life in January may be seeming too fantastical, unrealistic, annoying or just plain depressing.

That’s the thing about goals and dreams. Unless you keep them close, visit them often, execute on a plan, and talk about them regularly, you may just find yourself months or even years into the future stunned by the realization that life didn’t turn out as you planned and that you are right back where you started, or even worse.

If you are feeling anything less than sparkly when it comes to those ambitions, goals and visions of the future, do not fear. I have a little process that can take you from listless to totally ready to rock in about 30 minutes flat.

In our last Life Makers MasterMind we checked in on everyone’s goals and walked through a series of questions to focus, empower and reinvigorate. I have included these questions for you.

So grab your goals, get your pen warmed up and reconnect to building your future, right now.

Joelle

Quarterly Goals Review

Give yourself 30 minutes to re-connect to your commitments, gain valuable insight and take action towards your 2011 goals.

Reality Check:

List your 2011 goals.

Record your current performance to goal.

Record the gap between where you are and where you intended to be by this time.

ie. Goal: $200,000/yr in sales. Actual: $100,000 in 3 months. $50,000 ahead

ie. Goal: weigh 140, feeling hot and healthy. Actual: Weigh 150. Lost 2 lbs in 3 months, have not yet developed the healthy habits to feel good every day and continue and sustain weight loss. 

What’s Working:

What are the successes you have experienced in the past 3 months – about your top goals and anything else you find significant?

What has worked/is working?

What’s not working:

Where did things not work?

Where/what situations or at what time did you find yourself falling down or moving in the wrong direction?

When you were connected to your goals and rocking it:

When did you feel really connected to your goal? What were you doing? What was happening in your life?

When were you feeling really disconnected to your goal? What were you doing? What was happening in your life?

Check in:

Are these still the right goals?

Why? Why not?

What you have learned and how you take that learning forward:

Based on your answers above – what are the things you already know work that you can put in place to support you in your goals?

Identify and manage for obstacles:

What are the potential obstacles or pitfalls that may come up in the future?

How can you manage for these pit falls through systems, process, plan, structure or rituals?

Note on rituals: The ritual of brushing our teeth morning and evening (or after meals) makes tooth hygiene a no-brainer. Do you need a daily green juice ritual or a show love to your spouse daily ritual or a weekly sales blitz ritual?

Note on planning to win: Remember we all like to feel like we are winning and moving forward. Is there a way you can track and celebrate baby steps?  Baby steps are all it takes to get anywhere you want to get and be anything you want to be.

Check your beliefs:

What old beliefs/fears would you like to remove to support future success?

What new belief would best support success?

Use Your Resources:

What (support/accountability/resources) could you ask for/seek out to ensure your success?

Get in action:

What action are you willing to commit to in support of your goals?

Nice Work! Now, using the insights gained through this exercise create your new execution plan, create the rituals, establish the new beliefs and reach out to get the needed support and accountability to have a breakthrough in achieving your goals!

Copyright ©2011 Coach Joelle, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 How are you feeling? I am betting that right now you are reconnected to your goals, feeling empowered and seeing the action you can take to move your life forward (just a guess )

We would love to hear about any new clarity you have gained or the new action you are ready to take so do not hesitate to comment below.

Here’s to a powerful Q2, and remember, that life is for living, not for later and every moment is an opportunity for you to Make Your Life.

Joelle

This exercise was created to support the members of the Life Makers MasterMind in blowing through their goals and living a great life in 2011.  The Life Makers Mastermind is a community of support, inspiration, education and accountability for those who choose to be the conscious creators of their lives, who want to passionately pursue their inspired goals and dreams and who wish to experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

Learn more about the Life Makers Mastermind

Hi guys,

In today’s Make Your Life interview you will meet Chelsea Markel – An 18-year old thriving entrepreneur and a Teen Success Life Coach, specializing in Self-Confidence Reinvention and Effective Communication. 

In this interview you will get a sense of this remarkable young woman who overcame intense bullying, social exclusion and depression at a young age and went on to reclaim her power and self-confidence.  She even wrote a book about it!  She is wise beyond her years, she is one powerful Life-Maker and if you have a teenager you will want to make sure they are with you. 

Listening to Chelsea is sure to brighten your day and your future. Enjoy!

Joelle

Make Your Life Interview with Chelsea Markel Teen Success Coach

 A little about Teen Success Coach Chelsea Markel …

 
At the age of 10 Chelsea experienced intense bullying and had many social problems leading to anxiety and sadness. She struggled with being the "outsider" and not having many friends during Elementary and Middle School — which left her excluded and depressed.

Inspired to make a change, she began to read personal growth and development books and listened to tapes of people like Anthony Robbins and T. Harv Eker and attended seminars which changed her outlook on life completely.

Despite these shifts she was still feeling unfulfilled because she wasn't fully using and sharing her gifts. So, what would any teenager do? She began to write a book about transforming your self-confidence and taking control of your life.

Chelsea’s book has led her to becoming a teen success life coach – with her goal being to inspire and empower teenagers to live the lifestyle they desire and show them exactly how to achieve personal greatness through her four step success process, introducing them to the brilliance that lives within them.

Chelsea is a shining example of what it looks like when a person takes responsibility and control of their lives and she will tell you herself that she is reaping the rewards in the countless blessing she has manifested.

Listen Now! Coach Joelle Interviews Chelsea Markel 

Download instructions: To listen, right click on the link above and select "Save Target As." Pick a folder to save your audio into.  Once the audio is saved to your hard drive you can upload it to your iPod or listen to it on your computer at your leisure. Note: Due to the file size, downloading may take a few moments. Deep breath… exhale… smile… ok, it will be there any moment now  ;-)

Hello to my fellow entrepreneurs!

I want to tell you about a very special event that is sure to shake up your business..  My friend and fellow coach Lisa Bloom is hosting a teleseminar called "Success Story Secrets" this Saturday the 20th.  Lisa is a Story coach (or should I say THE Story coach) and she will be illustrating how you can identify your success story and use it for breakthrough business success.

Read all about it below and if you have a business to grow – don’t miss it – she is masterful at what she does and it will make a huge difference in your business.

Enjoy!

Joelle

Do you have enough clients? 
Have you discovered your winning niche?
Is your business as successful as you had hoped?

My colleague Lisa Bloom, founder of Story Coach Inc., has discovered that working with clients on their success story, something magical happens. 
The breakthrough in their lives and businesses is amazing! 

I’m delighted to invite you to Lisa’s free teleseminar “Success Story Secrets” where you’ll learn:

* How finding your story is the key to discovering your winning niche.
* How trying to appeal to everyone will likely leave you broke, frustrated and possibly   even out of business!
* What are the 5 top niche discovery success techniques
* How your success story can be a magnet for attracting clients
* What are the 4 most effective stories that you can use RIGHT NOW to attract clients

Register for her NO COST 1-hour teleseminar to learn:

How Your Story is Your Success!

Saturday, November 20th at 3pm ET.

To be there live and/or get access to the replay audio, REGISTER HERE
 http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1272127 &u=www.story-coach.com/inner1.asp?page=886&theFather=0

Can’t wait to hear your story

Joelle

Hi Guys!

A few months back I was heading up to Sedona for a relaxing girls weekend with one of my best friends and fellow entrepreneurs. 

As we drove out of Phoenix, the saguaros first gave way to green mesas and then towering red rocks and, as it often does, the conversation turned to our businesses. 

We puzzled, pondered, cracked ourselves up and shook our heads as we discussed our daily challenges, purging them before the special energy of the vortexes and the soon to be consumed bottle of Red Zin took our minds to total chill mode.

As we neared the end of our debrief, I was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration.  I turned to my friend and with a wry tone and a sparkle in my eye said…

“Oh and don’t even get me started about the bludgeoning stab of someone unsubscribing from my newsletter!”

She turned to me incredulously.

“I was just about to say that!!” she exclaimed. “That is so painful! Why is that?”

How fascinating that something so small, so innocent as an “unsubscribe request”  could take two strong, confident, seasoned business people and bring them to their knees. 

I know we are not alone.

You may not have a newsletter but perhaps you make your living selling, or maybe you are seeking approval for an important project at work or perhaps you are just looking for a date!

And if that weren’t enough, with all the wonders of technology, the internet, and social media we have the potential to be rejected 24/7 by people half way around the world that we haven’t even met!

(Continued From Newsletter)

Pretty much anyone with a computer and an internet connection has suffered through the confusion of an unanswered email. 

“Whoa! Don’t they like me any more? I thought we had something but maybe I was wrong”

(I had an entire long distance romance implode because of this very thing.)

For the Twitter "tweeps" you may find yourself dealing with the occasional “unfollow”.

And for all you Facebook friends we have the unanswered or denied friend request. Or the heart-stopping shock of an “unfriending”. NOOOOOOOO!!!!

The faces of “rejection” are many and varied and none of us are immune to its sting.

While it may be tempting to hide out and avoid all human contact to avoid the immanent rejection, this will likely leave you jobless, sale-less, loveless, friendless, with limited possibilities and an ever shrinking world. 

The alternative of course is to toughen that skin, flex those resilience muscles and get a new take on rejection.

So let’s get to it!

1) “No” does not mean “you suck!”  – Stop reading between the lines

One of the reasons we are so rejection averse is because we often take someone’s “no thank you” and add elaborate embellishment.

For instance: if we go back to my newsletter story, I was taking the words, “Unsubscribe request” and somewhere between the words on the screen and my brain I created an fascinating interpretation that went something like this…

Isn’t that rich?!

Now you try it.

When someone says “no” to your product or service do you take that as a rejection of you?

When your boss declines your idea do you give up, certain that no idea will ever be accepted by this killjoy?

When the guy (or gal) says “It’s not working for me.” Do you extrapolate that out 50 years to you sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair sad and alone?

Well…Stop it!

(Speaking of which – if you want to save a bunch on coaching check out Bob Newhart’s hilarious take on how to get over our stuff and get on with it.)

 Stop trying to read between the lines my friend.  I am willing to bet that no one has ever come right out and said…. 

“Hey, I just want you to know I REJECT YOU!!!!”

Let’s face it, it doesn’t happen so let’s leave story time for late night reading and when it comes to human interaction just let a “no” be a “no”.

2) It’s Not About You

It’s not about you.  Really!

The “No, I don’t want any”, the unanswered email,  the “unsubscribe” or the “unfollow’ is much more likely about that other person’s time,  need for organization,  personal preferences or cluttered inbox than about anything that has to do with you.   

We are all just trying to get our jobs done and make our lives work and that means saying "no" to some things and "yes" to others – ending one relationship so another more suitable one can be found,  vetoing one idea so that a more effective solution is coaxed into discovery.

It’s not personal.

Let me illustrate with a little scenario that I like to share with sales people and daters alike. 

The Orange Shirt VS The Blue Shirt

Let’s imagine that you sell t-shirts. 

You have blue shirts and orange shirts. 

Some people are going to prefer blue shirts and some will prefer orange, that’s just how it is. 

If someone prefers a blue shirt, should the orange shirt feel rejected?

Should the orange shirt try to convince the blue shirt people that they really need an orange shirt but they just don’t know it? 

Should the orange shirt berate itself for not being good enough or for not being the right color to be chosen?

Of course not.  Blue shirt people are going to like and purchase blue shirts and the orange shirt shouldn’t bat a sleeve at that because there are orange shirt people out there who are seeking and prefer orange shirts.

In the end it all works out. Everyone receives the shirt that lines up with their unique preferences and the orange and blue shirts find loving homes with their rightful owners.

Decode the shirt thing and the point is, just because someone doesn’t want to buy your sprinkler system doesn’t mean they don’t like you.  It could mean they don’t have a lawn. 

3) Rejection Is Redirection

Perhaps the most hopeful and enlightening piece of advice I can give on the subject was shared by a friend who attended an Anne Albers seminar.

Her advice on rejection?

“Rejection is Redirection.”

Simple, succinct and brilliant!

From this perspective, rejection is a gift, taking unsuitable clients, suitors, and ideas out of your life so that you can focus on those who are a match and the concepts that will go the distance.

Which brings us back to the “unsubscribe”.

I have found peace with it.  I have total faith that the people who are supposed to be on the path with me will be, that those I am meant to serve, our paths will cross and that those who are not a fit or who are ready to move on, they can do so freely, leaving me with a community who is ready for and interested in my message at any given moment in time.

Feels good. Glad you are here. (And if this gives you the final permission to unsubscribe without worrying about hurting my feelings, have at it )

 
The Invitation:

Notice where you are bending yourself in fear of rejection…

Notice where you are creating interpretations that make a “no” more than it really is.

Notice when you are taking someone else’s preferences and making them a statement about you and what is wrong with you.  Try creating a new interpretation for their choice that could foreseeably be the very best thing for all parties.

And finally, make friends with your “nos”. 

If someone removes themselves from your friend list,

doesn’t want to date you,

declines your proposal

or isn’t interested in what you are selling,

consider it a gift.  A cosmic redirection to better things for all.

May all your rejections be gentle and may you always have the courage to step out into the world to weather another hard won “no”.

Joelle

Some people come to me because they have a goal they want to achieve; others come in search of a deeper knowing of themselves, to shift old ingrained patterns and habits; still others come to recapture their zest for life, seeking to reconnect to joy and adventure.  And every once in while, I meet someone who is lost, floating rudderless and without mooring because they have fallen victim to their own success.

Have you noticed how often it is at the very pinnacle of professional achievement that we hear the Broadway actress or the successful lawyer or the best-selling author questioning “Is this all there is?”

Take my client Rebecca for example.  A respected doctor, proud parent and loving wife, she had been following the path to achievement for as long as she could remember.

Pre-med, medical school, building her practice, becoming an expert in her field, each step followed the one before as she reached for professional excellence.

Voted one of the top docs in her major metropolitan area and with the financial means to do whatever she wanted in life, one would expect Rebecca to be flying high.

Like so many, having reached the top of a mountain which she had been climbing for decades, Rebecca found herself with nowhere else to climb. Without that next challenge, her sense of purpose dwindled, without direction or motivation she found herself losing interest in her life.

Dissatisfied with the idea of spending the next 50 years hanging out on scenic vistas, she sought support to begin to unlock the dreams still waiting to be born. It was time for her to create a new inspired future to live into.

A Life Without An Inspired Future Is Like The Coyote Without The Roadrunner!

We all remember the old Looney Tunes Cartoons where Wile E. Coyote spends episode after episode in the tireless pursuit of the ever-elusive Roadrunner.

Imagine for a moment what Wile E’s life would become if he ever managed to catch and eat his infamous foe?

It would be tragic! Not just for the Roadrunner (obviously) but for Wile E. too!

No more concocting ingenious schemes, no more plummeting off cliffs, no more crates arriving from ACME! (As a point of interest, acme means the highest point, as of achievement or development.)

Wile E.'s future, the one where he catches and eats his tantalizing Roadrunner, would be expired. 

Left without a goal, a purpose, a raison d’etre, nothing left to compel or propel him, Wile E. would be set adrift.  Life as he knows it would cease to exist!

Coach Help Me! I think My future Just Expired!

If you can relate with either of these stories, you may just have an Expired Future on your hands.

Let’s take a look:

Figure A) and B) below demonstrate the energizing effect of an Inspired Future; one which authentically engages you and pulls you to its completion.

Figure C) shows the drain that often follows the thrill of the finish-line, when you move past the vision you had and into the abyss. The future you once held so tightly no longer has value or provides meaning. It has effectively expired.

Figure D) holds the remedy.  By selecting a new, heartfelt and worthy point on the horizon you put the wind back in your sales with a new Inspired Future.

Does this mean that we must forever be in the dogged pursuit of lofty goals, fame, money, success – always accomplishing without a moment to breathe or rest in order to live a good life?

No, of course not.  But it does mean that your life needs purpose.

Whether it is exploring the practice of being in the moment, learning to paint or seeking to be the best spouse or parent you can be, no goal is too great or too small to be inspired. It must simply come from the authentic longings of your heart.

The invitation:

The next time you happen to be rounding out a major accomplishment:

1) Be sure to celebrate, BIG TIME!

2) When the excitement wears off and you find yourself wondering “what’s next?”, remember that it is natural to feel a little disconnected, uninspired or let down after the future you once courageously pursued is old news.  Do not fear.  This feeling need only be temporary. 

3) Reconnect and reengage in your life – look, listen, explore.  There is always a new Inspired Future waiting to bring energy, joy and meaning to your days.

It may take some soul searching but trust me.  With as many worthy journeys as there are drops of water in the ocean, it is only a matter of time and intention before life sweeps you up in a new adventure.

With Love,

Joelle

P.S. If you are ready to discover a new inspired future for your life I know just the place to build a brilliant tomorrow. Join me for the Make Your Life Program Starting October 13th – December 8th, 2010. Read More

Good Morning!

You know when you get those chain emails that say “send this to 200 people or all your traffic lights will be red” or some other such nonsense? Well, I rarely forward them and I usually skip the read all together, but this week an angel in my life sent me an email that was poignant and share-worthy (thanks mom).  It set a string of ripples in motion in the lives of the people I love and the lives that their lives touch and I thought I would keep it rippling.

For anyone who is going through what may seem like unusually hard times, the story of the two travelling angels reminds us that life is not always as it seems.
 

Two Travelling Angels

Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.

Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,

"Things aren't always what they seem.."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.

After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.

Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen?

The first man had everything, yet you helped him, he accused..

The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.

"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the  wall so he wouldn't find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed,  the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.

Things aren't always what they seem."
 

The Invitation

When life is not being served up the way you think it should be, consider that there is a bigger picture, the shape of which is grander and more intricate than you can even imagine.

With time and distance we are repeatedly shown how today’s hardship can be tomorrow’s blessing and as a wonderfully insightful greeting card once stated;
 

“It all works out in the end. If it has not worked out yet, it’s not the end.”

Have faith and patience in the divine unfolding of your precious life and remember, if you are open, if you are willing to look, to listen for the good and the growth, it is always, always there.
 

With love,
 

Joelle

My father was dying.

It seemed like a good enough reason to not attend.

On the surface it sounded valid enough but if I were to be honest with myself, it was an excuse. A good excuse but an excuse none the less. 

It was my last year of university and I was part of a student organization of Peer Advisors.  We counseled fellow students on everything from stress management to cross-dressing.  On St Patrick’s day you would find us handing out green “in case you get lucky” prophylactics and we were practiced in giving condom application instruction using anything from bananas to a handy little device aptly named “woody” designed for  just the occasion.

The meeting, from which I was “excusing” myself this day was not STD related, but was instead of a more serious nature. It was an opportunity for Peers to share their experiences, to report, if you will, on their volunteer Peer Placement. 

Some were placed in Job Services, others in AIDS education, and two precious souls entrusted their semester to me in the “Peer Promotions Placement”, a function I developed to express my own creative promotional ideas in service of the organization.  The two team members who joined me in my quest were talented creatives able to bring my lofty visions to pen-and-paint-on-paper reality.

Leading up to the event, my team was not oozing confidence.  They seemed confused on what to report. They looked to me for direction but I pushed back.  They’d known about the meeting for months and on some level I was annoyed with their lack of initiative.

I left them to figure it out and sent them off to the meeting without me. 

Looking back, I must have known instinctually that something was about to hit the fan but I still wasn’t quiet ready for what went down.

Some People Are Born Leaders. Apparently, I was not.

“She treats us like TRAINED MONKEYS!!!”

That’s a direct quote, conveyed to me by the Peer Coordinator in the aftermath of my missed meeting. 

This comment was but a highlight in the litany of criticism they shelled out in my absence.  I was shocked, shamed and hurt, but to their credit, to this very day I have not heard micromanagement described more colorfully.

With the school year almost over and my father’s death a throbbing daily ache it was easy to plead ignorance, avoid the whole situation and miss the lesson.  But as with all essential life lessons, this one was going to keep coming at me until I got it.

Feed back delivered:

Response: Avoidance

12 months later I found myself once again called into the office.  I was one of a dozen youth employment agents, who matched students with summer employment.

Sitting across from my boss, Doris delivered her message fast and hard without preamble.

“Joelle. EVERYONE is complaining about you. You are REALLY ABRASIVE.”

My reaction was a one two punch of defense and resentment followed by justification and a healthy dose of righteousness thrown in for good measure. 

I rationalized that “everyone” was clearly an unnecessarily dramatic overstatement and I was sure the whole thing was related to a particularly blatant display of incompetence from my fellows regarding the PROPER and AGREED UPON placement of the ever-important client file paperclip (SIDE, NOT TOP! When were they going to get that strait?!)

Feedback Delivered:

Response: Justification

Next stop,  Manpower.

It was a couple years into my employment as a branch manager and whether it was out of a desire for growth or a hunger for success, I had begun to seek out opportunities for development. 

I learned all “7 Habits”, I was quick to throw out a deserved “Whale Done!” and I rallied my team to create “Raving Fans”.

Despite all my hard work. I ended up in the office yet again! Actually, more specifically, my staff member, Anna, came to my office, and she had news to deliver. 

She was there as an ambassador of the team. She had come to tell me that they felt I was disengaged and distant and that I was not leading them.

She had me. It was true. I had been avoiding and hiding out. 

Thanks to Anna’s act of faith and courage the feedback was delivered and I got back to the business of being the leader that I was committed to being. 

Feedback Delivered:

Response:  Action

Fast forward to 2004, I was running a branch in Tempe, AZ and I was on an active quest for great leadership, effective communication and professional satisfaction.  I had received my coaching certification and every interaction with a team member, coworker or client was a place for service, an opportunity for growth and a chance to live more fully as “a fearless leader igniting the sparkle in people’s eyes.”

I was having lots of meetings in my office those days, but these meetings had a slightly different tone.

As Heather was promoted to a higher-paying position in another division she had some feedback to convey.

“I really mean it when I say that the hardest part of leaving was to know that you were not going with me. Thank you for making me feel I can reach my full potential and that I should never stop pushing myself to be the best I can be.”

Brenda had a few choice words herself as she was on her way out the door, promoted to the onsite position she had actively pursued and won.

“Joelle is by far the most personable, vivacious, understanding and knowledgeable manager. She has always made a fun work environment, she is excellent with people and has a wonderful, true caring personality.” (Take THAT Doris!)

Feedback Delivered:

Response: Do the happy dance!

Even reading this today I am a little in awe at how far I have come. 

I share this journey with you for a couple of reasons. 

1) First of all, I have always wanted to share the “trained monkeys” story, it was so absolutely brutal to receive at an already devastating time in my life but it is a part of my story and in the telling of it I cracked myself up and hopefully helped you realize that no case is hopeless. 

2) Secondly I want to demonstrate how we all start somewhere.  Whatever feedback you are getting now in your life, consider it a gift, something to help you grow. 

And remember, if you don’t get the lesson the first time, don’t worry, it will come around to hit you upside the head again sooner or later (at this point in our lives my friends and I have made it a habit to get the message when it is a tap on the shoulder instead of waiting until it is a brick flying at your head.)

3) Finally, as I look back at my personal path from controlling, abrasive and avoidant to fearless and loving leader, I see it as an example of our capacity to grow in the direction of our desires. 

I never wanted to be a jerk boss or a freakishly annoying coworker – I just didn’t know how to do any different.  The feedback received along the way gave me an awareness of how I was showing up in the world and with that awareness came the opportunity to make a new choice; a choice to adjust, to learn, to seek my inner leader, grow into a higher version of myself and reap the rewards.

The Invitation:

The idea of feedback being a gift was first presented to me by Jim W. an internal trainer at Manpower.  This one idea radically changed the exchange of information in our office and opened the door to a world of growth.

Whether it’s a direct message a la “trained monkey’s” or more subtle like the whole family secretly feeding your casserole to the dog, take a deep breath, and remember, feedback is a gift if you dare to receive and unwrap. 

May all your feedback come to you from a place of love and may you have the strength and courage to find the lesson before the bricks start flying.

XO

Joelle

Twenty year from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. 
So throw off the bowlines. 
Sail away from the safe harbor. 
Catch the trade winds in your sails. 
Explore. Dream. Discover.                         ~ Mark Twain

Hi guys!

A month ago my good friend Leslie called in an impassioned state.

She had just come from a business meeting where they’d created “bucket lists” and having left with only “3 measly things” on her list she was looking for a way to bulk it up a bit.

She asked me to facilitate a Bucket List Party at her place and I was a HUGE “YES!” A bucket list designed around your passions can powerfully support you living an extraordinary life and, of course, I’m all about that! (It also didn’t hurt that Leslie promised to make her signature Cosmos.)

The 20 women who joined us enthusiastically embraced the challenge and in two hours of creativity, play and cosmo-infused bravado they produced some amazing life adventures!

The best part of all was to see Leslie, beaming, proudly waving her robust list in the air. Mission accomplished.

I wrote my own list that night and no sooner had those dreams hit the paper, the opportunities began showing up all around me. (Life rocks that way.)

Are you ready to build your bucket list?

I’ve got 2 ways for you to do it.

1) Read this week’s article (below), grab an hour for yourself and build that list!

OR

2) Join me and the Life Makers Mastermind For The Bucket List Party on Wednesday August 11 at 12:00-1:00 EST and we will build your list together. SIGN ME UP

Making it happen,

Joelle

Building the Bucket List

1) You Name It

Let’s face it. The term “Bucket List” is, at best, a little uninspired and, at worst, downright morbid. When I hear “Bucket List” I immediately generate images of crotchety old men and even the phrase “kick the bucket” seems a crass and insensitive term for the end of a life.  Step 1 is to name your list something that excites and moves you.

Perhaps it will be your “Extraordinary life list” or “My Top 100 “or “Living life to the fullest”. Your list, you name it.

2) Dare To Be Bold

To make a juicy list worthy of your life, you will want to come at this with an open mind, flexibility and a willingness to be bold.

As ideas come to you, don’t label, judge or doubt them. If you want to do it, write it down.

Dare to be risky and think big. Write down stuff that excites you and simultaneously scares the heck out of you, and you have the beginnings of a list that will change your life!

2) Don’t Worry About The “How”

Now is not the time to worry about how you are going to make your list happen.  Trying to figure it out is only going to block your creative flow, so skip it.

It is not your job to know, you have a whole lifetime to figure that out and you cannot imagine what will transpire between now and then to bring the items on your list into being.

I would go so far as to say that if you only put down things that you already know how to do, the things you are certain you can make happen, then you are missing the point and robbing yourself of a real opportunity to add juice to your life.

 
3) Embrace Your Awesomeness

Enough prep, it’s time to get those juices flowing.

On a blank piece of paper write down 3-5 amazing things that you have already accomplished, seen or experienced in your life.  These are things that, had you made a bucket list in 2nd grade, they would have made the list.

It may be:
 

- finding the love of your life

- Going to Disney World

- Having a baby

- Seeing the great wall of china

- Parasailing

One of mine was definitely the up close and personal moment with two Killer whales in British Columbia last summer. (We were in Kayaks, they were within 15 feet of us, it was AMAZING!)

4) Let it All Out:

Now you have an inkling of your capacity to do amazing things, it is time to start coming up with items for your list. You likely already have ideas mulling around in your head, those long seeded dreams, that trip through the Australian outback by camel, that shiny red Corvette that has been calling to you since you were seven. Write anything that comes up. 

Remember: Your bucket list is not just for exotic travel locations or bungee jumping, it is the list for everything that you want to become, experience and create in your life.

Just let it all out. Get to it!

5) Engage in A little Mind Expansion

Question: How many of you think I can turn a drinking glass into a convertible BMW?

When I asked this question at the bucket list party I did not get too many votes of confidence (ouch!)

So I went on to tell the story of a remarkable young man I interview the other week who turned a novelty red paperclip into…. Get this…. A HOUSE!

Yep! Kyle McDonald began his adventure with one red paperclip on July 12, 2005 and 14 trades and one year later, on July 12, 2006 he got a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan!

Kyle’s story is remarkable while at the same time it is something that anyone with a big idea, passion and gumption can do.

I share this with you to open you up to allowing yourself to write down what you really want, even if it is bizarre or seemingly impossible. 

The airplane would not exist if the Wright brothers hadn’t wanted so desperately to fly.  What do you want desperately? What do you want to experience? What of this world do you want to see?

Write it on your list!

6) Get Your Google On!

To beautifully round out your list it is time to get your "Google on!" or Yahoo or whatever your search engine of choice might be.  Pull up a web browser and try searching for some of these:

“Bucket List Ideas”
“100 things to do before you die”
“Top 100 travel destinations”

Get creative…

You like personal development? Google that.
You like sports and athletics? Google that. 
You like quilting? Google that.

An intimate hour with you and your Google search and you are certain to have enough items on your list to keep you vibrant and adventuring for a lifetime.

Final thoughts:

When my husband turned 40 he wrote a list of things he would do before he was 50. It was a short list that included things like the bachelor party he never had, scuba diving and “lots more whales and dolphins”.  A little background on Jeff – when we went on our honeymoon 3 years ago he abandoned his snorkel buddy (me) because he was just not all right “swimming through the shark’s living room” as he so creatively put it.

I share this with you because less than a year later, while I was facilitating this bucket list party, not only was Jeff out on a boat with “lots more dolphins” but he actually got into the “shark’s living room!!” Repeatedly!

He dove no less than 6 times, two of which were open sea shark dives (you heard me, no cage, scuba diving with sharks!)  To top it all off, while he was there checking off items from his list he was invited on a trip to swim with humpback whales in the Dominican Republic!  And if you look at item #2 on my list below ( I call dibs on manifesting that one!) you know I will be joining him.

You write it down and the universe starts delivering.

It’s time to start writing!!

Join Joelle and the Life Makers Mastermind for a facilitated Bucket List Experience Wednesday August 11, 2010 12:00-1:00 Eastern by phone.  SIGN ME UP!

With Love,

Joelle

My Kick-Butt Amazing Life List

1. See a blue whale
2. See humpbacks breach
3. See humpbacks bubble net
4. Buy my dream house on the lake/ocean
5. Experience my 50th wedding anniversary and be more in love that I am today
6. Understand the very nature of life
7. Have a 10 year wedding celebration/vow renewal that is magical, beautiful, moving and transformative
8. Do a wine and food tour of Italy
9. Stay for 2 weeks – a month in an Italian Village
10. Write a book that touches lives and makes the world a better place
11. See my husband thoroughly and deeply passionate and fulfilled in his work
12. To see my mom find love again
13. Learn to dance (ballroom, hiphop, whatever) and perform regularly on stage
14. Be part of a fun contemporary “up with people” experience or “glee club”
15. Experience my body strong, lean and radiant
16. Have someone make my clothes
17. Have an out of body experience
18. Compete on The Amazing Race
19. Create inspiring/empowering jewelry (and it be a HUGE hit!)
20. Have a healthy happy baby
21. Dance fabulously with my husband
22. Ride horses regularly
23. Go indoor skydiving
24. Bungee jump
25. Ropes course
26. Go fire walking
27. Experience weightlessness
28. Have a meaningful conversation with Alanis Morissette
29. Go white water rafting
30. Share a ski vacation with Jeff
31. Learn how to sew my own clothes
32. Attend a Tony Robbins event
33. Have an organic garden or participate in a community garden
34. Leave a valuable contribution in your area of personal development and life creation
35. Find  a spiritual community
36. Have an outdoor hot tub
37. Road trip up the west coast of America – 2-4 weeks camping and B & B (some major wine tasting in there)
38. Find a spiritual mentor
39. Attend a TED Talk
40. Speak at a TED talk

And much more to come. Have an idea for my list? Leave it in the comments. I am always up for a new adventure!

P.S. If you happen to know a resource to make anything on this list come true, don’t hesitate to leave a note I appreciate any support the universe will deliver. J

Hello!

I’ll tell you, my integrity experiment has provided some interesting insights so far. 
 

This weekend I discovered that to be my "best self" I need to sleep more, take time to do nothing, plan for alone time and probably get a second TV.

With my husband on a sailing adventure, swimming with wild dolphins in the Bahamas, it has been a perfect time for me to get in touch with what will best serve my experience of life.
 

Left to myself with all the time in the world, I flowed through my days satisfying the needs that presented themselves; from working out, eating and sleeping to movie-watching and shopping.
 

Thursday evening marked the first hours of total “Joelle Time”. I was called to 6:30 core training at the gym and then hit the mall until they kicked me out. Uninspired by the prospect of cooking, it was off to the patio at Chipotle for a delicious black bean salad and a twilight phone-chat with Jeff as he excitedly shared the events of the first day of his trip. Perfection.
 

After a couple of full days that included work, a wedding and a rocking "Bucket List" facilitation, Sunday was my next totally free day.  I started with an invigorating morning run and then retired to the couch, giddy with the prospect of total television domination! There would be no “Meet the Press” this Sunday, oh no! It was going to be all chick flicks all the time!
 

I grabbed some Teavanna “spice of life” tea with frothed almond milk, put on my sweats, hunkered down with a pillow, blanket, and a cat in my lap and went on to watch no less than 3 movies! 
 

As the hours passed one pure thought kept rising to the surface.  I was repeatedly struck by how completely and blissfully happy I was curled up on the couch, with no commitments, being entertained without a thought of productivity in my head.
 

By 6:00, replete with my movie marathon, I was moved to tidy up and make dinner (free range turkey burgers and a fresh vegetable salad made up of produce from our organic CSA.)
 

At 9:00 I went out to the deck to meditate, candles lit, aromatherapy on hand, another cat in my lap, wind in the trees and a red sky in the west. 
 

As I sat there in the flickering light I felt more connected, more happy and more grateful than I had felt in a very long time. 
 

I realized anew that the path to enlightenment or inner peace or whatever you want to call it is not necessarily found through activity, intense thought or spiritual reading.
 

This weekend illuminated for me that, much like Maslow’s Hierarchy, I need freedom of time, space to explore, and mental and physical rest to be able to fully get present, connect and engage. 
 

As you take on your Integrity Experiment, give yourself permission and space to get in touch with what will feed and nourish you, what will make you happy and what needs are begging to be met.
 

With love,

Joelle 

Well hello!

As you’ll recall, last week I defined the parameters of my highest ideals and began zealously embodying them in “The Integrity Experiment” (read all about it -you are very welcome to play along.)

As I put the finishing touches on my 30 day plan for exceptional living and got ready to execute, I wondered what joyous activity I would be inspired to undertake first?!

Would I be called to express my creativity with paint and canvas?

Was I in for a quiet afternoon with the enlightening works of Eckhart Tolle and Ken Wilbur?

Perhaps it would be meditation in the park!

In a flash of illumination I saw the path! I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Shockingly, the work to be done was not in any way related to philosophizing or pondering the wonders of the universe. (Whah?!)

Nope. My “highest-self” had much more humble plans for my first day on the job.

Get Your "Order" On

The message came loud and clear … “Don’t even think of getting all up in your “highest-self” without cleaning up your mess! “

And so, the first brilliant shining actions I took inside of my Integrity Experiment included sweeping up the cat-hair tumbleweeds that had formed on the hardwood floor (I can just hear the collective gasp!), folding and putting away the laundry, tidying the kitchen and unpacking the suitcase that had remained on the floor after my Canadian adventures.

I organized my desk, fluffed the pillows, and watched as a clean visual picture replaced the previous disorder. 

With the taming of our space, calm came over me and my mind found new focus.

More than “house work”, these tasks were sacred and necessary, clearing room for what lay ahead.

The Invitation:

Whether you subscribe to the principles of Feng Shui or think of it more as an internal checklist that will not fully relinquish your mind until the papers are filed and the plants watered; the need for order is paramount for those who are out to consciously create their lives.

No doubt as you read this, the places of disarray in your life are rearing their messy heads, poking at you and demanding your attention. 

Whether they are…

Files waiting to be purged,

Papers ready to be filed,

Carpets longing for the caress of the vacuum,

Desks to be cleared,

Closets to be organized,  

Shelves to be dusted,

Socks seeking their perfect match,

Or crowded rooms asking to be transformed into spaces for creativity, play or rest;

Whether it’s as simple as a 15 minute “tidy”,

Or as robust as a 20-DAY DE-CLUTTERING EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

You alone know what it will take to get you grounded, clear-headed, satisfied and freed-up to create.

So do your life a favor and get to it!

XO

Joelle

Sleeeep!!! I need Sleep!!

Ok that’s it.  My 7 hours of sleep are non-negotiable.  Well, actually the whole list is non-negotiable for the next 30 days but somehow I figured that losing sleep to get up for meditation was somehow a noble cause. It’s not.

I recouped today by grabbing an hour after the gym in the AM and then slept from 5-8 pm before I helped Jeff pack for his big sailing adventure with ocean conservationist Hardy Jones where they will swim with wild dolphins in the caribbean.
 

With Jeff away on a ship, while I will miss him, it will give me the freedom to 100% choose my schedule without having to consider anyone else.  I figure a week of experimenting on my own will then prepare me to have practice keeping this commitment when my sweet husband returns.
 

Sleep is going to happen.  All 7 hours of it every night.

You are welcome to ask me my sleep number anytime between July 16th and August 8th and the answer will be 7 or more.
 

Taking it on!
 

Joelle

You are welcome to join me!  Create your own integrity experiment and join me as we live to our highest ideals!
 

I was just writing in my diary and I thought I would share about the most interesting breakthrough that I never even realized I needed to have. 

You see, I just had the realization that I have arrived. That I have become the person I set out to be and more interestingly that somewhere along the way, I became a grown up.

Let me explain.  At every phase of my life, I have been one of the youngest people in the room.  When I became a manager at Manpower, I was one of the youngest, when I sat on boards, same thing.  When I became a coach I actually needed coaching on how to feel comparable to 50 and 60 year old peers that had been consultants since I was in diapers. 

Through mental mastery techniques I was able to gather up my courage and take on the world from a position of strength, convincing myself and those around me  that I was capable, competent and an expert in my own right.

And so I lived in a mindset where age and experience were never going to be an issue, and they weren’t.

But then,  a funny thing happened the other day.

I was out for lunch with one of my corporate buying influences, a strong and powerful woman who’s company I enjoyed.  On some level, I saw us as peers and partners but on the other, some part of me put her in a position of authority because of her role, her title and the level of responsibility she had in her organization.  

As we were dining she made some reference to her birth year being 1973, and it caught my attention. 

Suddenly I interjected:  “So, that means that you are younger than me?” I asked/affirmed with a look of curiosity on my face.

 I didn’t realize it at the time, but something started to shift in me.

Another client I had just started with in Calgary, Canada made a similar age reference the following week, and once again I was struck with the realization that she also was my junior by several years.

Flash back to December.  I was having lunch with a woman who just moved to Cleveland and had recently left a senior position at the international organization I used to work for in my 20’s.  I had invited her for lunch to make an introduction, welcome her to the city and connect. 

Near the end of the conversation she said that I represented myself very well and that she would not hesitate to take action on my behalf with people in her new company. 

And what did I do in response to this wonderful vote of confidence?

I giggled.

Seriously, I giggled!

And then I explained myself, saying that some part of me clearly had not fully owned my own power but that I really appreciated her acknowledgment.

And so, here I am at 37, having this realization that somewhere along the way I had become the expert, the mentor, the leader IN REALITY, in society and not just in my own mind. 

I am left with the crystal clarity that to make the contribution I am here to make, It is time I stepped into who I am.  No longer some idealistic youth but a grounded and authentic woman, coach and leader who is here to leave a mark on the world.

Realizing I am a grownup doesn’t make me feel any less youthful, playful or in awe of life.  It does however demand that I own the unique opportunity I have been given to make the difference that I am here to make, and it has placed a new sense of stability and self respect at the core of my being.

Life’s phases, breakthroughs and epiphanies come in the most interesting packages. Who ever thought I would be coming of age at 37.

To your power – whatever age you are.

With love,

The very grown up,

Coach Joelle

There is always a little magic in these days. 

These days after the holidays when we count down to a New Year filled with the anticipation of what can be.  This is a time when we can stop and take a breath.  A time when we can take a few brief days, a few precious hours, to go where our hearts ask us.  A time to act without productivity in mind, to just “be”, without regard for the world.  This is a time to dream.

When I look back over the years I am struck by what great achievements have sprouted from the fertile ground provided in these quiet moments of leisure.  Some of my most exhilarating and life-shaping experiences have sprung from the quiet musings of a meandering mind.

Dreaming Up New Adventures – December 1998: 
One such event occurred on a cold Manitoba afternoon in December 1998.  With the bustle of Christmas past us and the New Years’ celebration still to come, I stole several hours to languish on the couch with tea, a blanket and a book.  I read and read and then I read some more, knowing that the day could turn to night and I would still not be expected anywhere out in the world.  It was a day of total freedom, a day wide open for the magic of the moment to take hold.

As I read I became particularly intrigued by one character's story.  She was an adventurer and a missionary who had taken her work to a country I couldn’t locate on a map, much less had ever visited.  In a sudden flash of inspiration my mind drew forth from the story a thought that It had never thought before. 

“Could I pack up everything, put it in storage and just move somewhere crazy?”

I thought….

And I pondered….

And I wondered….

And at the end of my thinking, pondering and wondering, my answer was as clear as the brisk northern air outside my window. 

With bright eyes and an open heart I declared aloud to the empty room “Yes! Yes! I believe I could!” I sat for a moment delighted by my new thought and then returned to reading.

In the waning hours of that cold December day my call to adventure was answered by a knock at the door.  

When I answered, there on my step stood a neighbor, and in his hand was a job description for a vacant position in a far off land.  This job description matched my own and in that moment, I was shown the way to live into the revelation that had struck me only hours earlier.  

Through a series of events that can best be described as mysterious-perfection, I began a new life 2000 miles, and a country away, in the sun-drenched desert of Tempe, Arizona less than 6 months later.

“Man”ifesting – December 2004:
The quiet moments between Christmas and New Years 2004 bore their own fruit.  It was 11:00 pm on December 28th.  I was in my mother’s living room playing on my laptop after the family had gone to bed, when my idle surfing was suddenly interrupted by a burst of singing. 

I looked up to see glowing happy couples dancing and laughing together, but my eyes were drawn to the boldly printed promise of self knowledge which flashed across the television screen below their twirling feet.  Despite the fact that I was right in the middle of a 12 month adventure to find the man I was going to marry, it was not the hope of love that made me enter the web address www.eharmony.com into my browser. It was the promise of my “Free Personality Profile”,  the opportunity to know myself better, to read the questions, seek the answers and hear the wisdom of their on-line assessment that called me to action.

Two hours later I put down my keyboard, blissfully exhausted from the effort and began pouring over my well won results.

I went to bed that night satisfied and a little more self aware and the next morning I woke to a gift that rivaled the best Christmas mornings.  There on my computer I found email after email listing the endearing characteristics of the amazing men who were carefully chosen for me based on my meticulously completed profile.

I didn’t keep all of the notes I wrote on the dozens of matches that showed promise that December morning.  But I did save one.

Jeff Ohio
Loves Travel
People
Adventure
Perfect Match!

(And he is )

This inspired action was a joy in itself and it happened because I had given myself the time and space to just be.  I had no idea that it would deliver my husband to my inbox less than 12 hours later but I will be forever grateful that it did.

It is still a mystery to me what magic these days will uncover as 2009 eases into 2010 but I know enough to give it room to unfold in all of its wonder.

Invitation: So, before you hit the ground running on Monday January 4th, why don’t you promise yourself a few hours without commitment, without worry or figuring out, without activity or working or planning, to get totally and completely lost in the moment. 

And in these quiet hours if you are suddenly and joyfully inspired into action – take it. 
 

If a thought grabs you and wants to shake up the world as you know it – allow it. 
 

And if the gift of the moment brings nothing more than the stillness and perfection of the present moment itself – embrace it! For this is the very stuff that life is made of.

Enjoy this quiet time to rest renew and get ready…. The adventure of 2010 is coming just around the corner!

With Love,

Joelle

Join Coach Joelle for…

7 Simple Ways to "Make Your Life"!

 Hi Guys!

Over the years I have come to appreciate how ridiculously powerful we are when you passionately believe in your dreams and have the courage to intentionally go after them. If I had to boil the whole process down to seven steps, these are the biggies and I am excited to share them with you and to start getting your dreams out into the world.
 

From practical life-skills to the "magic of life", this interactive seminar goes through the top 7 ways that you can powerfully “make your life!”

When: Tuesday, September 29th 7-8:00 PM eastern (6:00 central,5:00 Mountain, 4:00 Pacific)
Where: By Phone (Your call-in number will be sent to your inbox)

Come join me and experience the magic of your life lived on purpose!

Read more and register

Hi, gang!

As we head into week 3 of the infamous cat communication videos, I have a question for you.

Have you ever had someone do something nice for you only to find out they were buttering you up for a future favor?

Or perhaps at some point you may have been the sneaky one, thinking that if you just say “yes” one more time to them, you will have earned a yes the next time you come asking.  Hmmm?

While it may seem like a good idea at the time, it unfortunately reeks of manipulation (I know, strong word) and all too often leaves the other party feeling used, or snookered (wow – that did not show up in spell check – must be a real word!) leaving the other party leery of future seemingly “altruistic” acts.

This is an all common scenario in businesses, friendships and marriages that my cat Xanadu (A.K.A Xana-belli)will skillfully demonstrate in this week’s video.

Watch and learn from the master manipulator what not to do when you are out to get what you want.

Haven’t seen Part 1? Watch the video now!

Haven’t seen Part 2? Watch the video now!

Enjoy,

Coach Joelle

Hi, gang!

Welcome to part two of the 4 part video series What do you want… and how you can get it! (A.k.A things I learned from my cats.)

(haven’t watched part 1 yet? Check it out now!

In today’s lesson, the very persistent Bandit (may she rest in peace)shows us a couple more less than effective ways to try to get what you want. 

 Check out this 3  minute video to ensure you don’t make these communication mistakes.

More to come next week!

Enjoy!

Joelle

Hi guys,

I know I have been a little quiet the last week or so but I have been very busy sleeping in, watching movies, eating chocolate and enjoying the comforts of my mother’s home and my northern heritage. 

You see, for one week out of every year I head up to Winnipeg, Canada where Coach Joelle goes into hibernation and "Joey" takes her place. “Joey” is what my mom calls me, my sister does as well, and my aunts and uncles and cousins (it also happens to be what they call a baby kangaroo!)  So after a whole week in "Joey"-land, I thought I would get in touch and share some highlights from my week up north.

Highlights of Joey’s northern adventures include:

• My husband asking me over and over again…”how do people live here?” as he learned what I meant when I said that sometimes it is too cold to breath.
• Jeff expanding our holiday traditions by walking us through the lighting of our makeshift menorah and reciting the Chanukah blessing.
• Christmas eve at Autie Karen’s with all the Prochera’s, including my uncle rob and his lovely new girlfriend and full grown cousins that are graduating and going to parties and crazy things like that! The warmth in the room was palpable as we shared our stories, packing into 5 hours the events of a year. 
• Christmas day and the opening of the stockings followed by an ever growing gift-giving extravaganza, with everyone sporting pj’s and my sister playing santa’s elf (voice and all.) It seems, as we grow older our most prized gifts often come in the form of books.  Imagine my delight to get Carol Alt’s The Raw 50 and Vegetarianism for Dummies!  Jeff has been sharing insights from Harpoon (into the heart of whaling)  and has been inspired by his recent introduction to Canada’s own preeminent environmentalist, David Suzuki through The David Suzuki Reader: A Lifetime of Ideas from a Leading Activist and Thinker.
• Jeff and I taking public transit to the mall and not freezing any extremities or getting lost.
• The opportunity to see a handful of friends who are so gracious as to shift their schedule to visit during the 5 days a year I happen to drop into town.
• And top of the list, the ability, once a year to just be Joey, my mom’s little girl, my sister’s eternal playmate and a northern girl through and through.

I have to admit, there were a couple of times in my “Joey “ week that I wondered, should I be sending out a holiday email…. OR inspiring people with past triumphs from the 60 days or MYL programs to get them going for the new year…. OR incessantly updating my facebook status ….. “Joelle Prochera is…. Eating a whole box of chocolate….  Trying on new fuzzy socks.” But I decided to live my life instead of writing about it, knowing that we would have many many occasions to connect as we enter into this exciting new year. 

While Joey’s back on the desk for today, I have booked Thursday and Friday off for a life-making retreat where I will be, tea in hand, dreaming, exploring and planning for the new year.  You can play too! In anticipation for this artificial break in time that signifies brand new beginnings, now is the time to ask yourself…

If It were December 2009 and I was looking back at the year, what would I like to have accomplished and what would I want to see in my life?  

This is an exciting question to ponder, as a whole year seems like such a long time.  Image what a person could cause in 12 full months! What will you be causing?

For those of you who have aspirations for great things in the year to come, I invite you to take the time to envision, to create and to plan.  It is one of the very best things you can do with your time and a wonderful way to launch your 2009 adventures!
 

Hugs to you and HAPPY NEW YEAR

From Joey
 

 Jumpstart Your 2009 with …

The Make Your Life Program™

January 14th – March 11th Experience the Magic of a Life Lived on Purpose

The Make Your Life Program™ is a one-of-a-kind tele-program which combines practical coaching skills, and professional support with creativity and play, allowing you to consciously create a life you love and experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

READ MORE about the Make Your Life Program!

GOOD MORNING!!!

I usually reserve 4 am wake-up calls for plane rides to romantic destinations but today was a welcome exception.  This morning my sweet husband is doing his part by being a poll monitor for the election and I had the privilege of providing transportation for the donut run and dropping him off at his precinct (he did not want to take up a parking space in what is sure to be a very busy parking lot.) 

I am really proud of him for doing his part (I dropped him off at 5:30 AM and will not see until sometime between 8:30 and 11:00PM)  and I acknowledge all of you who have contributed to the process through attending rallies, making phone calls, canvassing, ( and a whole bunch of other stuff that I do not even know about ) and of course, voting.

I look forward to seeing unprecedented lines and uncommon spirit, and anticipate a really late night as the American people choose their next president.
 

Have a beautiful day and be sure to place your vote (I truly cannot think of a more significant way to Make Your Life.)

With love and a deep appreciation,

Joelle

Hi Gang!

The new Make Your Life Program started last week and that means that I have been busy making my life too!

This weekend I spent a quiet morning over oatmeal and some decaf cap at Starbucks and got started on some serious life-making.  I figured I would share some of my adventures here over the next couple months so you can get some ideas for creating your own life.

One thing I am super pleased about is my beautiful new schedule!

The life I have decided to create is My Peaceful, Abundant Life!

When I described My Inspired Future ( an excercize in the program where you write out what you want your future to look like)  – it had a distinct feeling of peaceful Zen-ness. It begins:

“Comfort and beauty surround me…”

ahhhhh…

To facilitate this lovely future I needed to create a fresh new schedule, since how I spend my days has a major role in my own peace.  Today is my first full day with it.  Here is what it looks like:

6:00 Wake and Walk (love being outside in the dark before the world wakes up.)
7:00 Meditate – this is an important next step for my development that I am clear will not happen without me putting it on the schedule.
7:30 Morning pages – an exercise from the book “The Artist’s Way.” Essentially you write whatever is on your mind until there is nothing left. I have found this to be a powerful way to clear the mind and root out any hidden anxieties for a really powerful day.
8:00 Shower – When you get to go to work in your fuzzy slippers it is important to make time for getting ready in the morning. ?
8:30 tidy, clean, prep – I love this – I actually get to finish the laundry, tidy up the living room, organize a closet or even do an art project to make my home more peaceful before I even start my work day.

Then I have my work day.

And various evening delights.

9:00 Wind down/Meditate/ Bathe/ Read (this means minimal TV and time to ease into my sleepy-time)
10:00 lights out (gotta do it or 6 am will come way too quickly.)

So that is my schedule and I like it. It means that I have no commitments before 9:00 am other than taking care of me and my home and my man and then early to bed. Lots of Zen time and certainly a great setup for peace.
 

May this inspire you to create your own schedule for peace, or creativity, or adventure or whatever else makes your eyes sparkle.

Hugs to you!

Joelle

It’s that time again!  A new session of the Make Your Life Program launches This Wednesday and in anticipation I have something special to share.

As you may have heard I had the opportunity to work with several interns this summer in a variety of capacities.  One of those interns, Theresa Crockett, created this amazing sequence for the upcoming Make Your Life Moments Coaching Videos.  My beloved sister Tiffany Prochera www.tiffanyprochera.com watched the animation and composed the beautiful theme song. 

As with all inspired things in this life, this video started as an idea and then little by little, thought by thought, action by action it came into being.  I am honored to have these talented people around me to bring my dreams into reality.

Enjoy.

Love,

Joelle

Is it time to Make Your Life?  Read more or sign up and join us for your own life adventure.  We start this Wednesday!

The Make Your Life Program™

Experience the Magic of a Life Lived on Purpose

The Make Your Life Program™ is a one-of-a-kind tele-program which combines practical coaching skills, and professional support with creativity and play, allowing you to consciously create a life you love and experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

READ MORE about the Make Your Life Program!