Out with the Old... In with the NEW

Happy almost New Year's Eve and Day,
I'm writing today to invite you to take a few moments and to do an assessment of 2009 and then set your intentions for 2010. Below will be a series of questions for you to ask yourself.
Take some time, take a pad of paper or a journal and write your responses. I promise you you'll feel centered and directed by this exercise.

If you're ready for things to be different ... if you're ready to ReInvent even a little bit... then take this on. I'll be checking back with you soon AND I invite you to let me see some of your responses.
Stay tuned, there are some FREE teleclasses coming just after the NEW YEAR just to help you get jump-started.

So here goes ... happy assessing:

New Year Assessment and Planning Instrument – 2010

(Take out a journal, carve out about an hour, reflect and write … get a jump start on 2010)

I. What are you thinking as you begin this new year?

II. What are your reflections about the past year? How was it?

III. What lessons did you learn this year? What served you well, or showed you a few less pleasant aspects of yourself?

IV. What are your biggest challenges for the new year?

V. Where do you want to be at this time next year?

VI. What have you been putting off that now needs to happen?

VII. As we look at the various aspects of your life, let’s do a little inventory of each – list them all (e.g. health, fitness, work, relationships, finances, etc.) what’s working and what’s not?

VIII. How would you like to be better at your job?

IX. If you were “the best” at what you do, what would that look like?

X. Time to “fantasize” just a bit…. What would you like to do with your one wild and crazy life? In other words – what have you always wanted to do…. But haven’t? Might it be time?

XI. What are you grateful for? Make a list … NOW.

XII. So, where will you start as the calendar turns to this new year? What are your first steps? What’s your direction?

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to making 2010 your best ever year!!

ReInvent From the Inside Out

Good morning,
It's 2 days and counting down til Christmas and a week and two days til New Year's Day. While many are hustling and bustling and doing the same old, same old of holiday craziness, others are going inward, being still, smiling, laughing and taking the season in stride. What's your approach?

Let's start with Christmas. Whether you celebrate Dec. 25th or not, you're in the midst of it. Yesterday, I was at a lunch meeting near Rockefeller Center (NYC) and then had to walk 8 blocks to my next destination .. walked right along 5th Avenue. If you know NY, you know that's a very busy street at all times, but during Christmas, it's really hustle and bustle. People are spending money (that they might not have) at Saks, Henri Bendel's, Tiffany's, etc. Walking along the street filled with many tourists (who walk 4 and more across, blocking the sidewalk) carrying big shopping bags is a challenge. Then, crossing at the corners (with heaps of piled snow) adds to the walking challenge. Sometimes it's easy to get frustrated. But, I just smiled, walked around people when I could, took my time and enjoyed the sunshine, brisk wind, and the opportunity to just observe people. I made it stress-free. It was awesome. I took a few moments to look at the beautiful shop windows, when I could get close enough to see them.

So, I ask you ... how can you still "reinvent" your relationship with Dec. 25th -- starting now? Can you be peaceful, knowing you'll get it all done? Can you be peaceful, knowing it will come around and maybe everything won't be done? Can you take a few minutes, several times a day, to be quiet within and renew yourself? And, then, ON Dec. 25th, amidst all the family to-do's, the meals to be cooked, can you approach it a way that serves you well. Can you reinvent within so that what occurs on the outside works better?

Then, moving into the week after Christmas, can you take time to approach the new year in a new way? Can you agree to take stock of your 2009, look at what worked and what didn't and set a plan for 2010 that serves you best? DON'T make resolutions -- you know you never keep them. But, DO set some intentions for how you'd like the year to be. Take plenty of quiet time to reflect.
Give yourself the gift of reinventing -- doing some new and different things.

I wish you a glorious Dec. 25th ... and will continue this discussion with you during the interim week.

Sincerely,
Ann
The REInvention Hotshot

Let's REInvent the Holidays

Good Sunday morning,
It is December 20th, 5 days until Christmas and 12 days until New Year's Day. It is, for many of you, a very busy time. And, if you live along the East coast, there's the added pressure of difficult weather. I live in NYC and outside today it is white, white, white and shivering cold. We got hit with the first snow of the year and boy did it snow. It's beautiful out there AND it's a nightmare for people in adjoining states where they actually have to drive to the mall to shop. Retailers are freaking out, people are anxious about getting it all done.

Summary: All in all, everyone is worried, trying to figure it all out, wondering if it will all turn out, fearful about their pocketbooks (whether they are retailers or consumers.) Not a good feeling.

Every year at holiday time, it's the same thing. It's commercial and it seems to be a moral imperative to spend a lot of time and money having the perfect holiday -- gifts, food, entertaining and more. I lived that life for many, many years. Although I must admit ... I'm not such a perfectionist that I drove myself crazy with it having to be absolutely the best set table, decorations, guest list, etc. I did, however, do the gift-buying, food preparation, etc. But, not anymore. I don't have to anymore. I have one child (he is 31), I live alone at this point in my life. I am much more interested in experiences then in purchases. I give in other ways.

However, if you are still on that treadmill -- you have children waiting for Santa, you're a company deciding how to celebrate with your employees, etc., then I know you're in that place, yes, 5 days out, of having to get it all done.

So, how can you REINVENT the next five days and make it manageable? What can you create for yourself and your family and others that will provide an amazing experience of holiday cheer, tempered with NOT overspending, over-committing, etc? How can you create an attitude of gratitude and appreciation and awe and wonder for yourself and others? In other words, how can you do it all differently?

One thing you can do is download my FREE holiday e-book called Holiday Management 101: 35 Ways to Endure the Madness and Laugh Your Way Through the Holidays. There might be a couple of fun ideas for you there. Go to: http://www.humoru.com and click on the gift icon.
Another thing you can do is just to CHOOSE to make these next free days stress-free. Every new behavior begins with a declaration. So choose "peace" instead of stress or whatever words you might use.

The point: Have wonderful holidays. ReInvent your relationship about HOW you do the rest of the holiday week.
People often fear "reinvention." They think it means throwing their entire life up for grabs. I try to convince us that everytime we do even one thing differently, we ARE reinventing. So relax.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading ... and pass this on to your friends.
Thanks,
Ann

Welcome ... to the world of ReInvetion

I'm happy to be starting this blog just as we begin to close out an old year and open up a new year.
For many of you (and me included) it's been a very challenging year.

I'll be blogging as regularly as I can (won't promise every day) about personal reinvention, corporate reinvention, resilience, rebounding, thriving and things having to do with taking the steps to do things differently.

By way of letting you know me, let me share my philosophy.
1. I believe that each and every one of us has the right to be happy and fulfilled in our lifetime
2. I believe that corporations, agencies, small businesses of all kinds have the responsibility to their workers and their customers to provide a culture where people thrive, are happy, fulfilled, appreciated
3. I'm a bit "pollyannaish" ... I look at the world sometimes through the eyes of a child -- with wonder and awe and beliefs like I just stated.
4. I think that most people and most businesses SETTLE for the STATUS QUO -- they settle for what is easiest, what came before them, the usual AND that they are often fearful to try new and different things
5. I also think that way too many people live their lives for others -- for what others expect of them, think they "should" do .. rather than for what they desire. Therefore, many people live lifes of quiet desperation, not having the courage to do what they really want.
6. I think corporations do what they have always done and fear being rebels or renegades .. and thus settle as well.
7. I think many people are what I call "dream snatchers." They don't allow people to follow their passion but rather push them in the direction of practicality. (example ... Many parents force their kids to major in certain subjects and settle into certain careers when in actuality those children have dreams and desires that fall outside of those areas.)
8. I think few people ever explore and adventure into new areas of their lives because they don't want the opposition of those around them.
9. The word REINVENTION itself scares the you-know-what out of most people. It rattles their comfort zone.
10. Most people die with their dreams still inside them... having NOT lived life out there on the skinny branches, but rather, inside in the cozy, warm comfort of ease.

So, all that being said, I hope you'll join me as I blog about myself, about others, about news-worthy topics relative to people, organizations, etc. living outside the comfortability .. on those skinny branches ... being who they world needs them to be ... being who they know themselves to be.

I hope you'll contribute, comment, communicate with me. I hope you'll send me articles. I welcome your disagreement AND I hope you'll be out there trying new things, being adventurous. I hope someday they'll say about you: "she/he broke the mold.!"

Welcome aboard.
Sincerely,
Ann
The ReInvention Hotshot
http://www.annfry.com
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