Tag Archives: women

Are You Setting Your Fire With Wet Wood?

Posted in Discovery, Dreams, inspiration, Strategy, Uncategorized by

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Do you have an autumn ritual?  Something that automatically makes your mind turn to red and gold leaves and the shedding of trees?  For our family that means camping.  Although  we won’t be able to fit it into our October schedule, we will no doubt spend time on our patio, enjoying a crisp, dusky evening, making s’mores around the fire pit, telling stories, watching the release of the beautiful, glowing energy.

Speaking of stories, which ones have you been telling yourself lately?  What renewal are you in the process of experiencing?  As I mentioned the other day in a blog post here, this time of year has become the new starting point for so many folks.  Autumn truly is the “New Black”.  For me, it’s all about writing more, meeting new people in both my coaching and Mary Kay business, and working a revised, more robust schedule for my Deaf ministry.   bulb idea riccardo-annandale-140624

Each of us has the unique privilege of having a dream, an idea, a mission, some specialness that we want to bring to fruition.  To do it well, you need to ignite a “fire” in your spirit to make it happen.  And no matter how excited you might be about your big idea, without the elements of fire behind you to make it happen, well it won’t happen.

Setting fire to your idea, your dream without the strength of the right elements is like setting a fire with wet wood.  It will smolder and smoke, but never get to a full burn.  The right stuff is missing; the dampness is killing the energy!   But how can you know what the right stuff is, and how do you get it?

In many ways it’s simple.  It’s all about strength.  The cool thing about this strength is that you can adopt it.  Grow it.  Develop it.  Evolve into it.  It’s not about pushing or prodding.  It’s about asking the right questions.fire timothy-meinberg-206976

My specialty is about helping women ask the right questions of themselves so they can learn how to release negativity, let positivity reign, and set a fire within to get things moving in the right direction.  Is that your journey?  Are you ready to start?  Be sure to check out this past week’s Sunday Corner™ video.  You can get so much done when you turn up your flame!

Chatone Morrison ©2017

Ready to get your positive energy in check?  Looking to clean up your self-talk, create a personal affirmation plan or ease your way into releasing your negativity so your positivity can reign?  Complete the questionnaire for a free coaching strategy session.

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Don’t Miss The Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

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https://linktr.ee/realprincessofpositivity

Coaching Website:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook:

@chatonemorrisonconsulting

@princessofpositivity

@chatonemorrisonMK

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Interested in starting your own business?  Let’s set up a marketing chat. chatonemorrison@marykay.com

All photos courtesy of Unsplash.com

Autumn is The New Black: How to Get A Glowing Fresh Start!

Posted in coaching, Mary Kay, Self-care, Skincare, Uncategorized by
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Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Autumn is the new black.  It’s when people start over.  Especially women.  We used to wait for January.  Nope.  No more.  Something about the end of the year and all that cold, or time off, or extra food and visiting family, or maybe it’s just the extra food…not sure.  But now we make the new things happen, manifest the big ideas and get going as soon as the kids go back to school.  They start over with new binders and backpacks and we grab a new slate, new goals, new missions and visions, piled right in the cart of back to school goodies.

And that is one of the key reasons that Autumn is the new black.  Everyone loves black.  It’s monochromatic.  Goes with everything.  And it’s slimming to the eyes.  Can it get better?!  In my independent Mary Kay business, October is the time of retreats, renewal and the rejuvenation of goals.  We train and hone our craft to be the individual best that we can.  We pamper more women this time of year. A whole lot more!  Of course, since it’s a business it appears all about money.  But it’s so much more than that.  Women need a fresh start.  Ladies are longing for a glow that extends beyond summer.  What are going to do for your refresh?

Corporate warriors, stay-at-home/work-at-home moms and A-list ladies alike all start buckling back down to super busy schedules in the fall.  Early morning boot camp, breakfast and lunch fixings, carpool loop, commuter buses and trains, and long days of meetings, clients, children and endless doing keep us from taking a few extra minutes.  And no – you are not to blame!  There are so few extra minutes to be found!!  But find them you must.

There is no longer a need to wait to set resolutions in January.  It’s far too common.  You are extraordinary so do your life like you know it!  The warm but shorter days are a wonderful impetus for getting down, and getting it done.  And when it comes to your caring for your skin, reviving your look, or just taking a 3 minute spa-break twice a day to wash your face, there is no beIMG_0951tter time than the present.

Of course I am a strong advocate for Mary Kay.  Our 4-piece Miracle Set includes 11 age-fighting benefits your skin needs to thrive in the harsh environments that we live in these days. However, whatever choice you make here are 3 tips to help you with your Autumnal Fresh Start!

 

3 Quick Tips to A Skincare Fresh Start Right Now!

  1. Use products from the same company or product line.  From super expensive to the cheapest brands, there is science behind what you put on your skin.  If you use the same company for everything you greatly reduce the risk of adverse reactions.
  2. Don’t skip night cleansing.  The busier you get, the easier it is to grab acloth and wipe your face with water.  Don’t do it!  The end of the day is the MOST IMPORTANT for skincare and prevention of issues.
  3. Got skin?  Use Sunscreen.  Unless you are totally allergic or live in a cave, you really want to protect your skin each day.  Since you are covered up in the fall and winter you may not need it all over your body.  But your lovely face?  It’s out there for the world to see, so protect it!

Go ahead and get yourself positively ready for an Awesome Autumn and fall into winter (get the joke!) feeling fabulous.  Your personal fresh start – starts with you!

 

Chatone Morrison ©2017

Ready to get your personal glow and fresh start for Autumn?  I can help a complimentary consultation and recommendations of which Mary Kay products would be best for you.  I can work with anyone in the US who has no current consultant.  Technology takes care of distance, and shipping takes care of delivery.  I have you covered!  You can reach out to me for more information at chatonemorrison@marykay.com.

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Don’t Miss The Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

Social Media

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Coaching Website:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook:

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Interested in starting your own business?  Let’s set up a marketing chat. chatonemorrison@marykay.com

STORY TIME!! The “Get To Know Me” Tag – Blog #1

Posted in emotions, General, Personal, Perspective, Stories, Story-Telling, Uncategorized by

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In the spirit of having a bit of fun and opening up, I have decided to do a series of “Getting to Know Me” blog posts.  As a wife, mom, mompreneur, writer, coach, and of course, the Princess of Positivity, I wear a lot of crowns…I mean hats!  I’m often so focused on uplifting others,  I forget that most of the people who visit my sites or read my material have never met me!  So here goes.  Look out for an accompanying video…there just might be one coming!

1.  Are you named after anyone?

I am!  When my dear mom was pregnant with me she met a lady named Chatone.  She fell in love with the name and told my dad.  He said if I was a boy she could name me Chatone.  If I had been a boy I would have been called, Aaron-David Richard-William Curley.  Talk about a mouthful.  Guess I could have still been the Prince of Positivity!  The strange thing is that I never liked my name.  No one can ever pronounce it and I am often called something very close to a curse word.  (grrrr)  My dream name as a child was Priscilla.    But alas, when I turned 14, just 2 years shy of the age my parents had agreed I could legally change my name, I fell in love with being the only person on the planet (at least it seemed) that had my name.  And since I felt so odd and unique it seemed apropos.  But then think of it… Priscilla, the Princess of Positivity.  Can’t you just hear the ring in that?!

2.  What’s the first thing you notice about people?

I notice eye contact and the facial expression.  When I encounter people, I always make eye contact and smile right away.  I want to see if I can get them to smile back.  It’s probably a bit corny.  But then again, positivity is my super power!  I am looking for the like-minded ALL THE TIME.  Warm eyes and kind faces get my attention.

3.  Do you have kids?

Yes!  Two kids, Katelin (15) and Levi (11).   I also lost a boy and girl to miscarriage and one that was too early to know.  Saddest time in my life I have to say…but it’s made me a stronger and more compassionate person.  Isn’t it amazing that our scars make us beautiful?

4.  Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Oh boy…sarcasm is not a great thing.  But the wit and quickness involved is something we simply cannot do without in our home. It’s so bad that when Levi was 3 years old he gave his first eye roll, head tilt and “oh pulease…”  Enough said!

5.  Scary movie or happy endings?

I hate like scary movies.  I’m that annoying person in an action movie that actually screams when the guns come out.  My blood pressure literally rises with suspense, and I cannot stand to be frightened!  Like when someone jumps out of a corner or is standing in a dark room…nope!  Not me.  Not my thing.  Hubby will be sat there enjoying it and I have a scarf blocking my eyes!

6.  Do you have any special talents?

Music is my thing.  I sing.  Play piano and flute.  And I love to dance.  If you pay me enough I can rap free style – I mean spoken word poetry…

7.  When was the last time you cried?

I cried really hard last weekend (7/29/17).  I was at a themed convention called, “Don’t Give Up!” in Tampa with my family.  There was a dramatization of a woman who lost her dad and how she coped with it by relying on God.  It felt so real!  Exactly how I felt when I lost my dad.  Even though it’s been almost 20 years (October 1997), I still miss him.  Full out ugly cry ensued.

8.  What is your favorite drink?  Animal?  Perfume?

OK seriously what a strange series of questions!  Drink would be fizzy Pellegrino with lime twist. Animal is Portuguese water dog.  Perfume is Belara Midnight by Mary Kay.

9.  What phone do you have?

Currently I am loving my iPhone 7+.  I was a super slow adopter of apple products.  Old school lover of a blackberry until my friends all laughed me into submission.  Now I am an Apple product robot.  Sorry, I’m not sorry!

10.  What was your favorite trip/vacation?

My hubby Mark is the “King of Travel” so we have had some great travels in currently 28+ years of marriage.  However, one of the very best trips we have taken, was for our 10th anniversary.  We went to the south of Spain.  It was a 5 day trip; hotel, air, food for $500 per person.  My brother-in-law saw a tiny add in the NY Times and we thought it might not even be a real offer.  We called, found out it was legit and started our planning.  I was super excited.  A month or so later we found out we were pregnant with our first baby.  Crazy!  Even more excited.  10th anniversary.  After only just trying to get pregnant for a short time – boom!   We were flying high and all was right in our happy world…until it wasn’t.  Imperfect life happened and on May 10, 1999, the same week we were supposed to travel, I miscarried our baby.  The devastation was real!  I never thought I would understand anything again, let alone laugh, have fun or have even an ounce of self-esteem or self-love.  We called the travel agent and told our story.  Without even asking for any proof from our doctor, and without insurance they allowed us to cancel, reschedule for a month after my surgery and honored the $500 price even though going in the month of June would have doubled the price.  

So why was this the best trip/vacation ever?  The endless days summer days when the sun set around 10pm, the blue waters of the Mediterranean sea, the pink mountains capped in snow all around, the warm loving friends we met, the tiny, smooth, multi-colored pebbles on the beach and the miracle of knowing only God could create an earth so perfectly beautiful, fostered my faith that I could feel good again.

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“How agreeable is to feel the sea breeze playing upon one’s face. The heroine of this piece seems to have gone to the sea shore to feel this sensation that is so refreshing and restorative for her skin.”  Elisa Sculpture – Brisa 1999/5000

And by the time we came home I was on the road to healing.  

To commemorate that time in our lives and for my anniversary, Mark gave me “Breeze” a 5000 piece, limited edition Elisa sculpture.  Ironically we got number 1999 without even asking.  And until Katelin was finally born in 2002, Brisa, as she is known in Spanish, was my treasured daughter.  Now I have the real thing to accompany my doll.   Positivity really can be born during adversity.

 

 

 

 

Ready to get your positive energy in check?  Looking to clean up your self-talk, create a personal affirmation plan or ease your way into releasing your negativity so your positivity can reign?  Complete the questionnaire for a free coaching strategy session.

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Don’t Miss The Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

Coaching Website:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook:

@chatonemorrisonconsulting

@princessofpositivity

@chatonemorrisonMK

FullSizeRender 4Instagram:  @realprincessofpositivity

Periscope/Pinterest/Twitter:  ChatoneMorrison

Interested in starting your own business?  Let’s set up a marketing chat. chatonemorrison@marykay.com

Looking Down and Looking Back – One Woman’s Perspective on Life After the Workplace

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What did you focus on today? Was it the big important thing that is always right there and needs your attention? Or was it the small almost silent whisper that edged its way to you tapping for you to take notice. If it was the latter I hope you decided to #focusandtaketime. Because it is most often in the silence that the miracles appear.

I took this picture last week from my hotel in Dallas. I couldn’t help but think of all the nights I stayed away from my family and was submerged in work and activities based on someone else’s agenda. I loved my team. My work. I loved coaching and mentoring and teaching others to be excellent. Both at their jobs and and as people.

For many years while I did the corporate grind, Dallas was a second home. It was fast paced, exciting, my work seemed to matter and I strived to be really great at it. The view was from way up and everything looked good on the ground. The only problem was that the ground home, far away in New Jersey/Maryland, and I could not divide myself and be in two cities at once. The place I longed to be was with my hubby and my kids…that was the place that mattered. I was home plenty, but I was missing a lot too. It wasn’t the concert here or there or the shows. Every parent misses a couple. It was the little things that no one remembered to tell me. It was little everyday-mundane-seemingly-boring-too-unimportant-to-recount things. I’m still discovering things 5 years later.

It’s like watching a big city from high up. You don’t know what the sights and sounds are on the ground. When you see the movement of the highway and the people and the traffic, you imagine what it sounds like. And you can remain fairly neutral because it doesn’t seem like much. But sometimes there is laughter. And sometimes there is weeping. Other times there is confusion. And every now and then there is a bittersweet contentment. Sweet because you recognize the joy. Bitter because you are too high up to enjoy it.

No matter how much I love a city (and I treasure them) I prefer the whir of my family to the whir of a plane taking off. When you are a work at home mom or mompreneur, there is a delicious banter that will drive you both out of your head crazy and out of your heart happy. No win in the boardroom compares to my daughter, son, hubby and me, taking time to bond over the Bible at breakfast. Can you do it from a distance? Sure. While in between flights? Yes. Running to a conference call? Of course. But the best memories are built from blocks picked up by hand. Because the beat of a city should never drown out the beat of your “most important”.

The portfolio of my Mary Kay business, coaching, writing, and supporting my husband in his ASL interpreting business is keeping me from idly looking out of windows wishing I could hear “what’s going on down there?” Getting to be home to see, hear experience more is worth putting the suitcases away.

What about you? Are you a corporate warrior but wish you could be at home? Are you looking down and out from way high up but longing to be closer to the ground? There are ways to make a plan and start your exit. Let’s talk.

Ready to get your positive energy back in check?  Looking to clean up your self-talk, create a personal affirmation plan or ease your way into releasing your negativity so your positivity can reign?  Complete the questionnaire for a free coaching strategy session.

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Don’t Miss The Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

Coaching Website:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook:

@chatonemorrisonconsulting

@princessofpositivity

@chatonemorrisonMK

Instagram:  @realprincessofpositivity

Periscope/Pinterest/Twitter:  ChatoneMorrison

Interested in starting your own business?  Let’s set up a marketing chat. chatonemorrison@marykay.com

 

It’s Spring…But What Season Are You In?

Posted in Destination, Discovery, Dreams, Perspective, Positive Thinking, positivity, Strategy by

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Here in Columbia, Maryland it’s Spring.  And although we have had a mixture of cool, rainy days with unseasonably warm days, it’s still Spring.  The trees are full, green and lovely.  Big, juicy flowers line the lawns in my neighborhood.  More animals than I care to count are visiting my backyard.  Mulch is being freshened up.  Folks are getting into the swing of running again, the bikers are getting their legs back and kids are playing outside.  Life is being lived full and out loud and pleasant.  Everything is getting renewed.  Spring is the renewal season.  It starts to seem easy to get started because things are blooming.  It’s a good time!

What about you?  What in your life is being renewed right now?  Are you starting to hear the click-clack of regularity in your fitness?  Your business?  Your relationships?  Are you writing a book and feeling amazing because the chapters seem to be rolling off your pen and onto the page?  Are you reaching your fitness and clean eating goals?  Ain’t it grand?  It is!  So what’s wrong?

What’s wrong is that you might still be in Winter.  In Winter we are not ready to spring.  It’s that simple.  Winter is for Wonder.  The wonder season where one explores, imagines, figures it out and finally pinpoints what next step to execute.  Incredibly encouraging if your goal is to actuate your success.  Incredibly discouraging if you end up comparing yourself to someone else’s success.

Stop it!!  It’s not Spring for you!  You are in the Wonder season and your personal Spring is coming once you stop comparing yourself to other people.

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Imagine a snowflake comparing itself to a lily.  Both white.  Both unique.  Both on the ground.  Both beautiful.  And yet completely…COMPLETELY different.  And Not to be compared.

“But Chatone, I’m not where I want to be yet!  I’m tired of working so hard and not getting anywhere!”

How true is that?

If you have a fear of heights, but want to feel the exhilaration of going down the expert slope, you have to conquer the monorail.  You have go slowly up…there is no way to get down until you get up.  So go.  Slowly if that is what it takes.  Look around.  Wonder at the beauty of the mountain on the way up.  Then get ready to scream at the top of your lungs in joy on the way down!  Success is everywhere…you just have to change up your perspective.

If you want your “Positivity to Reign”, STOP comparing yourself to anyone else.  You cannot walk in their shoes, sing with their voice, dance with their hips, jump with their rope.  If Spring has not yet arrived at your house, look at the beauty of the snow.  Go skiing.  Go sledding. Go iceskating.  Embrace the season you are in!  Focus on what’s good and take time to enjoy it all.  Your Spring-into-Action is on it’s way!

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“Princess of Positivity” Enjoying a Quiet Moment in NYC

Would you like support to get your thinking right so you can spring into your next big thing?  Let me help.  Fill out my questionnaire to work with Chatone and request a FREE coaching strategy session.

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Don’t Miss The Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

For Coaching Information:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook Coaching/Consulting:  @chatonemorrisonconsulting

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Actually, You Are Your H.A.I.R. After All!

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HAIR can change EVERYTHING!

Hair stands for how we often feel about ourselves as women.  What we see when we look in the mirror.  What others see when they look at us.  How many times have you changed your hair after a rough period, the end of a relationship, a move, a new job…and the list goes on!  Of course, even though I have an Independent Mary Kay biz and I love beauty and all things girly, this blog is not about hair – we truly are not our hair. But, H.A.I.R. does make a huge difference.  Here’s how.

H is for Health.  When you move and eat in a way that supports your health you feel good.  Happy.  Ready for more.  When you are stagnant, eating fake processed food, too much sugar, too much alcohol, you feel sluggish.  Tired.  Not up to your best.  Now everyone should “overdo” it every once in a while…after all life’s gotta have its crazy moments.  But how are you doing with your health overall?  Are you supporting it with your food choices?  With your movement?  If you have a health condition, are you keeping it in check?  If you do, even if your health isn’t 100%, you will have the peace of mind that you are doing all you can.  Living in positivity isn’t about perfection.   But it is about striking out at what we can do.  So in the infamous words of Nike – Just Do It!

A is for Attitude.  What’s your overall attitude?  Does it get an “A” or an “F”?  Are your grumpy? Easily annoyed?  Often irritated?   Your attitude affects everyone around you.  Most of all you!  When you are moving through life barely going through the motions everyone sees that.  When you have an overactive anger gland, take things way too personally, run toward defensiveness instead of openness or quickly become impatient, you ruin more than your co-workers or spouse’s day…you could be ruining your body.  Conversely, one Harvard Medical School journal stated the following: “Do you look forward to the next week? Do you feel younger than your age? Do you have a sense of purpose? If so, you may already have done something to reduce your risk of degenerative diseases and may even be adding years to your life.”  Changing up your attitude, is not as easy as changing your hair, but working at it could make a profound difference – Just Try It!

I is for Inspiration.  Inspiration is where the rubber meets the road.  Without it all your goals, bright ideas, thoughts and ambitions are mere fantasy.  Dreams are good – Actions are better.  So, how do you stay inspired?  One thing that is vital is to look at who you hang around.  If the top 3-5 people you are in association with drag you down, don’t understand where you are going “with all this”, think you are crazy for being outside the box, or feel you are “just too positive” (OK, yep…I get that one often) it might just be time to find another group.  Inspired people inspire people.  Period.  Uninspired people kill inspiration.  People, music, news, social media, family, workmates, reading material, all have a purpose.  Test it out.  Spend the next few days monitoring how you feel after certain activities or being with certain people.   If you feel less inspired or worse yet defensive of your uniqueness – Just Move On!

R is for Rules.  Rules are needed, and Rules are not needed.  Yes…both are true and this is not some strange math formula.  Bottom line is, if you live by rules that support your goals and growth, you are on the right track.  If not, it’s time to decide what to keep and what to tweak.  For example if you recently started down a healthy living path and that is now you new rule 80-90% of time, that means you have to drop some other rule.  Did you used to revel in late night  pints of Chunky Monkey washed down with Bailey’s?  That probably won’t fit very often into your new healthy living rules.  But since it’s worth it –  Just Tweak It!

Being able to redirect your bad HAIR days takes confidence.  It’s not always easy to figure out what to do!  Brush it back into a bun?  Wear it loose in a ponytail?  Wear a cap? Stick a wig on?  The answer is we do Whatever Works!  So make a plan to support your Health.  Change up your Attitude.  Reinspire your Inspiration.  Tweak your Rules.  Shake your H.A.I.R. loose and be free!

Chatone Morrison – 2/27/17

Pictures feature hair by Michelle Blackwell, Gifted Stylist in Baltimore, MD.  Check out her site:  www.chelleandmyka.com

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Connect with me!

Weekly Sunday Corner Show on YouTube:  Bit.ly/ChatoneYT

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Facebook Coaching/Consulting:  @chatonemorrisonconsulting

Facebook Mary Kay:  @chatonemorrisonMK

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Four Ways to Know You Have Fallen And Can’t Get Up & What To Do About It

Posted in Discovery, Moms, positivity, Strategy by

screen-shot-2017-01-10-at-2-20-45-amWhat is UP for you?  For me UP is Unapologetic and Positive.  Does it seem like you have fallen and can’t get UP?  

Is the house too loud?  Does the cellphone never stop ringing?  Is your work cafeteria lady against you, only giving you the heel of the bread?  Then after you get the butts of the bread, are there  no empty tables for you?  Perhaps you are married.    You have three children.  But are there also 8 neighbors, 5 sisters, 4 parents, two cats, 1 dog, and about 67 people at work, that all need you?  Seems like you are surrounded; like “come out with you hands up, and we won’t shoot”, surrounded. Your answer is yes…always yes.  And you wake feeling burnt out and tired more often than ever before.  You would love to have just a little quiet.  But it seems to come less and less frequently.  Yikes!!!

How does a woman today navigate all the required highways still stay relatively sane and in her positive right mind?  Who reprogrammed the GPS so that it started driving you down instead of UP?  

The simple answer my friend…you did!  You did it in the name of progress.  Of love.  Of caring.  Of doing.  And now you are stuck in a negative rut.  But not to worry, I just might have a teeny tiny plan that you can implement today.  As in right now.  Right this very minute.  Why be stuck in the name of progress?

Our activities and choices  used to be like painting a wall.  You would look at paint chips, take them home, put them on the wall to try them out, then pick the one that was best suited for your room.  You threw out the rest because they didn’t fit.  You might have liked them but you made a best choice decision.  Now it seems that the way to “paint a life” is to throw various paints from a distance on a small wall, during a drive by, and then get surprised and dismayed when a masterpiece doesn’t appear.  

It doesn’t work. Women can’t do it all and feel 100% happy.  We can’t outsource it all and feel 100% connected.  We all want to feel positive and determined about the decisions we are currently making and living, yet we continue to fall, get stuck and can’t get UP!

But I’m not stuck!  I’m haven’t been in a rut since I had that bob cut with bangs!  Not me!  I’m great!  

Is that the best way to handle this?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about positive thinking.  But if it’s based on nothing but a list of lose ideas grabbed from someone else’s playbook – it won’t work!

How to Know If You Have “Fallen and Can’t Get UP?

No matter what your social media pictures and posts say, it’s time to face the truth.  Let’s get you crawling, walking and finally running, all int he next few weeks!  Ready.  Get Set.  Go!

Self-Assessment

  1. Do you feel an overall loss of energy or enthusiasm about work or home life?  Especially things that you use to enjoy?
  2. Do you often feel as if you are losing control when trying to get everything done?
  3. Has negative thinking or self-demeaning thoughts become commonplace?
  4. Are you demotivated to eat right, exercise, take care of basic necessities?

Which of these resonates with you?  Even just one can indicate that you may be about to hit the floor.  

Creating An Action Plan

  1. Isolate and Identify The Problem.  Where are the demands coming from?  Is it work or home?  Is it your spouse or your kids?  Is it your weight or your health? (Notice that these are different!)  Which weighs heaviest on your energy? Make a short list, no more than 3 items to start.  More than that will cause great overwhelm.  You can always  come back and do this step again.
  2. Seek Clarity & Seek Solutions.  You have your list in hand and it’s time to get clear on what and how you want to change.  Working with a coach at this point is excellent because as a neutral 3rd party they are invested in your success, not in the specific way you get there.  (For information about working with a coach, see my website:  chatonemorrison.com)  Not yet ready to work with a coach? Creating a vision board (poster board, pictures/words from magazines, glue stick are all you need) can help with steps 1 and 2  at the same time. Sometimes with so much crowding you need to allow a space for your mind to get clear and feel free.  While moving to a deserted island by yourself with no one but a personal concierge to bring you Mai Tais all day and night, while you seek clarity, probably isn’t an option, I’d bet a 2-hour window to play “hide and seek” with  yourself is quite doable. Never created one before?  Hit me up in the comments below and I can give you some quick suggestions.
  3. P.S:  Make One “PDC” Each Day.  Your quest for “Personal Space” and “Personal Slow-Down” will take time.  So along the way it’s vital to have a daily “PDC”.  Permission Driven Choices are an amazing way to start feeling whole again. It could be as small as getting the cup of coffee you want and taking 5 minutes to drink it while looking out the window.  It could be leaving your office and sitting outside in your car and screaming away the stress…although make sure you don’t park too close to the building if you choose that one!  Back in the day when I was still at my corporate job, one of my PDCs was to simply stop “holding it”.  TMI…but true!  The point is to do one thing each and every day, that was formerly off limits.  Try it for a week.  Get your Power Back!
  4. Just Ask & Saying No.  As soon as you read this, think about something you want.  What would you love help with?  If you assertiveness volume was turned all the way up, what could you say?  Just Ask.  Say No. Do it.  No holding back.  Not ready to tell your boss to take his last minute deadline and throw it where the sun don’t shine? (I would not recommend; neither the most positive nor motivating thing to do!)  But could you ask for an extension?  Being asked again to be the only chaperone for the class trip, to make the cupcakes or be the pot luck coordinator for the next family get together, and also by the way, have it at your house?! Wrap your tongue around Saying No!  I guarantee if said with a twinkle in your eye and just the right amount of lift in your voice, 9 times out of 10, your assertiveness will be met with respect.  The best part is you get to feel  better… Quick!

The earth spins and so do our worlds.  Just like we cannot jump off the Earth, we also cannot slow everything down to suit our needs.  But you can start to reset your GPS to take short cuts and avoid traffic patterns that are roadblocks to your destination – POSITIVITY!

Chatone Morrison – 1/10/2017

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Connect with me!

For Coaching Information:  ChatoneMorrison.com

Facebook Coaching/Consulting:  @chatonemorrisonconsulting

YouTube:  Chatone Morrison Channel

Periscope/Instagram/Pinterest/Twitter:  Chatone Morrison

Facebook Mary Kay:  @chatonemorrisonMK

Featured Image Courtesy of Google Images & GabbinGirls

What Do You Need…A Dollar or A Dream?

Posted in Discovery, Dreams, Perspective, positivity, Strategy by

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“The poorest person is not one without a dollar, but one without a dream.”

This quote is often posted on Facebook and Twitter and yet it resonates deeply each and every time.  It’s not surprising.  Whether one lives in poverty or the penthouse, is a front office clerk, or corner office CEO, when dreams, aspirations, and visions reside within, there is energy for another day.  The simple truth is, the human happiness quotient is not based on outside things.  It is based on what is within.

The biggest challenge is not dream development or creation.  It’s keeping them alive when the light above them dims.  It’s remembering to take them out for intimate dates, even after being married to them for 20 years.  And as the quote insinuates, it’s in making sure that other goals don’t replace what’s really important.  Sometimes, our dreams don’t need more money – they need a place to lay their tired heads.

It’s true that some of our more “creative” ideas may have an expiration date based on timing or circumstances.  You may not be able to join the circus at 39 years old and perform as a trapeze artist,  but can you go to a TRX or Pilates class and learn to strength train while suspended – closing your eyes and imagining yourself in the big tent?  In other words, if you hold your dream tightly enough, and know the intrinsic worth for you alone, you will find a way to make the essence of it a reality.

The chances of me becoming a professional dancer now are slim, but no holds barre (pun intended), I am great and graceful when I’m in cardio dance classes…(well, theoretically…when my ankle is not swollen!)  For an hour I compassionately stroke the head of that tiny farfetched dream.  And guess what?  My positivity, energy, and happiness are always higher than before I started.

If you can make authenticity boil over, it is multi-faceted, brilliant, and far more valuable than the world’s most expensive diamond.

Ready to reinvigorate your dreams? Read on!

Discovery:

  • What dream of mine keeps coming back year after year?
  • What am I doing with it?
  • If I’m not doing enough, what can I do to inch toward that part of myself?
  • What’s the best thing that can happen if I simply go for it?
  • Why am I waiting?

No matter how thin or worn or frayed the edges become, put your dream in your pocket or your purse.  Sling it over your shoulder and carry at least one with you at all times.  Be open to taking it out and showing it off, like you would a picture of your daughter or son, or kitty or pup.  Don’t hide it and don’t run from it.  Remember, your dreams are not going anywhere.  Where ever you go, there they are, patiently waiting for you to take them out for a spin.

Don’t worry about the dollar – JUST DREAM!

Chatone Morrison – 11/24/2016

Connect with me!

Facebook Mary Kay:  @chatonemorrisonMK

Facebook Coaching/Consulting:  @chatonemorrisonconsulting

YouTube:  Chatone Morrison Channel

Periscope/Instagram/Pinterest/Twitter:  Chatone Morrison