Greetings to August!

What is it about the month of August? Every month brings its own energy, but August is something quite special.

Perhaps it is because we know the year is over halfway through. We feel the rush of deadlines and holidays nearing. We sense that the heat and summer days are soon behind us. We know change is coming.

Change is not always easy. And this time of year can bring stress on so many levels.

But I see August as the perfect time to pause and reassess. It's the time we should pull out our vision board and see where we are, adjust as needed, and realign our goals so that we accomplish what we need and want to by year's end.

That is why I welcome and greet August. It's the perfect time to prepare for change.

With that, let's catch up on what I've been up to this week...

Quote             

"I'm going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life." Elsie de Wolfe

Reading           

Women often struggle with boundaries.  Here is a great article that highlights 5 types of personal boundaries and what we can do to put them in place. (Click here)

(1) Physical boundaries, i.e. “I’m not a hugger.”

(2) Emotional boundaries:  about owning and expressing the emotional energy and labor you can put into relationships.

(3) Sexual boundaries are important to set early on and do not fear reestablishing them.

(4) Time boundaries explain how and for how long you will spend your time.

(5) Material boundaries are about your possessions and “setting limits on what you will share and with whom.”  From F. Diane Barth:  “Boundaries are not about pushing people away or about trying to control them. They are about clarifying what you value – including your own space, your own beliefs, and your own self-esteem. Clarifying and communicating those values can not only make you feel better about yourself but can also, sometimes in surprising ways, improve your relationships with other people.”

AMEN!

Following        

Leaders First on LinkedIn (Click here)

This is a great website that offers really nice and inspiring quotes.  I’ve used quotes they highlight as the basis for articles, social media, and blog posts and I always get good engagement when I do!

Connecting      

I’ve been following Light Watkins and his Daily Dose of Inspiration posts for years (Click here).  I read this one this week and it really resonated: “Be that person” In order to grow and expand, you’re going to need at least one person in your circle who supports and encourages you—not every now and again, but often, because doubts creep in often. And it’ll need to be sincere, or you’ll see right through it. And it’ll also need to be gentle, or you’ll feel pressured. And the best way to find that person is to be that person for others in your circle. And as those others begin to grow, they’ll become that person for you. 

Wow. Just wow!  I have talked about anchors and engines and how we need both in our lives—this is another way to look at that. 

Celebrating      

I have a few favorite magazines that I love so much that I usually dedicate a couple of hours when they come so I can dive deep into the material presented that month.  Breathe magazine is one of those—this month’s issue (click here), Creativity, is full of ideas, tools, lists, resources, and inspiration on the subject of creativity. 

And guess who got to spend a whole afternoon reading and internalizing and connecting with authors and thinkers and storytellers from around the world?  Me.  Yes, I schedule a time to read.  I don’t see reading as a luxury – for me, it’s part of my daily routine-- and I take my reading seriously. AND, seriously, spending time reading this magazine was a good use of my time!  

I think it will be a good use of your time too, so I invite you to do yourself a favor and pick up this magazine and schedule a couple of hours so you can dive deep into creativity in different forms and from different perspectives. 

And let me know what you thought after you read the article called “Embrace your eccentricity”.  It turns out that eccentricity is a good thing and I’d love to celebrate with fellow eccentrics. 😊

So how will you accept and manage the changes that are ahead?

What boundaries will you set?

Who do you have in your circle to support you?

I encourage you to take the time to focus on your vision for 2021. And yes, it's never too late!

Look at your beginning of year goals, pull out your vision board, walk away from the hustle and bustle, and in quiet reflection ask yourself:

What do I really want to happen by the end of this year?

Then make your plan and go after it.

And if you need support, reach out and let me know. Grab some time on my calendar and let's see how we can help you have the courage to creatively connect to all of your dreams. Click here.

 Wishing you peace and joy.