Usually around this time of year, a lot of our coaching clients start making their New Year’s Resolutions. We see all of the *usual suspects* on their resolution lists….you know the ones: lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more, drink less, make more money, etc. The list goes on and on.

And, we know what typically happens in January! Everyone is 100% focused on their resolutions! People are going to the gym daily, eating nothing but fruits & vegetables, drinking water by the gallon….and then all of a sudden February arrives and BAM! Many of us hit a brick wall. Our resolutions go to the way side. And we end up feeling like big, fat failures!

It doesn’t have to be like this!

On this week’s podcast, Jen and Leah talk about NOT Making resolutions this year, but instead creating Life Shifts. They explain that resolutions are typically short term chores, or projects. And people tend to pile so many of them on themselves in January that there is no way they are going to be able to accomplish all of them!

Life shifts, however, are long term commitments that we make to and for ourselves.
Take a look at the chart below to see the difference between the two.

Resolution: I am going to lose 30 lbs by March
Life Shift: I want to live a healthier lifestyle and be comfortable with my weight
Resolution: I will go to the gym everyday to get in shape!
Life Shift: I am going to make exercising a part of my overall plan to be healthy
Resolution: I am not going to ever eat junk food or fast food
Life Shift: I am going to make positive choices when it comes to my eating habits
Resolution: I am going to be SUPERWOMAN and have a successful career AND a wonderful home life with my spouse and children
Life Shift: I am going to create a healthy balance between my personal life and my professional life

See the difference? Life Shifts are attainable. With Life shifts you are not setting such high unachievable goals, instead you are making small shifts in your life that will have huge impacts!
The other great thing about life shifts is that you don’t have to wait until January to start! You can create life shifts at any time!

Listen Now

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that is why we call it “The Present”. – Eleanor Roosevelt.

On this week’s podcast Jen and Leah reflect on the timeless Christmas classic by Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.
If you will recall in the story, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who help him examine his life and find the true meaning of Christmas.

The three ghost are: Christmas past, Christmas future, and Christmas present.

This is a good example of how the past, future and present are represented in our lives, and how they can either hold us back or propel us to move forward. Think about each of the three ghosts and how they impact YOUR life.

Christmas Past: Are there things in your past that are holding you back from living in the *present*? Make it a point to let them go this year. The past is the past, and we can not change nor erase it. But, we can learn from it and take those lessons to improve our lives today. Also, take the good lessons from your past (traditions and memories) and incorporate them into your life today.

Christmas Future: None of us has a crystal ball that can tell us what the future holds for us; however, so many of us get into the habit of worrying about the future, that we forget to live in the present! While we can’t predict the future, we can make plans and set goals for the things we want to achieve in the future. And, then create an Action Plan that will help us get there.

Christmas Present: So, instead of relieving the past and fretting about the future, the one thing we can (and should) do is live in the present. Each day we have on earth is a gift! Don’t waste that gift. Learn to live your life proactively instead of reactively! You are the one in charge of your life!

Happy Holidays from Creating Your Masterpiece!

Listen Now

What are you passionate about? It has been said that when your PASSION and your PATH intercept, you are living your PURPOSE. On this week\’s podcast show, Jen and Leah talk about finding your passion. They site examples of several individuals who have turned their passion into a way of life.

They also discuss how difficult it is for some individuals to find out what their passion is. What makes you truly happy? When you discover that, you will be unlocking the door to discovering what your true passion is. Are there things that you enjoy doing or that others have told you that you do very well? When we start to think about our passion in these terms it often becomes easier to identify our true passion. If you detach from the outcome and just consider what you are passionate about, this can make it easier as well. For example, if you are passionate about children, don’t automatically assume that this means you should be a teacher. Let yourself explore all the possibilities without attaching a specific outcome to the situation.

Perhaps you are not able to totally quit your *day* job to follow your passion, but you can surely incorporate this passion into your life!

Remember, you have just one life. This is not a dress rehearsal! So, take the time to discover what you are passionate about and start doing it.

Listen Now

“We can’t all leave a prestigious background or lots of money – but we can leave a legacy of love” – Naomi Rhode

This week on the Creating Your Masterpiece Show podcast, Leah and Jennifer talk about leaving a legacy. The definition of a legacy is money or property left to somone by a will; anything handed down from our ancestors.

Jen and Leah discuss how a legacy doesn’t have to always be a tangible item or money. In fact, it’s the non-tangible legacies that really do mean the most to us. Often times it is the simple things that are the most important, like that recipe for pecan pie that your grandmother use to make each year at Christmas.

What will people remember about you when you are gone? It is important to leave a legacy for your children, family and friends. But, you don’t need to be a millionaire to leave a expensive legacy! A legacy of love, memories and tradition is priceless!

Here are some ideas to help you create your legacy:

- Keep a journal to pass on to your family.

- Write love letters to your family members. In each letter, write specifically what makes them so special to you.

- Create videos with special thoughts and messages for family members.

- Create a Keepsake/treasure box where you keep important small items that are important and special to you.

And, remember, the actions that you take now and they example that you set for your children are all part of your legacy that you are passing on to them.

Listen Now

The holidays are quickly coming up! Thanksgiving is right around, and Christmas isn’t too far behind! When it gets to be this time of year, most of us experience a higher level of stress than we do any other time of the year. Why is that?

On this week’s podcast, Jen and Leah give some helpful points and tips for how to manage that stress, and learn not only to survive but THRIVE during the holiday season!

The key is to slow down and enjoy the season. But that can be difficult to do when you are also trying to bake cookies, send out holiday cards, attend parties, buy gifts….and still continue with the normal day to day things that we have to do. It can be very overwhelming!

The three tips that Jen and Leah have come up with to help you manage this holiday season are:

1. Make the shift from being REACTIVE to PROACTIVE in all areas of your life! Specifically make this shift in the 5 areas of your balanced life palette. a) Health & Emotion  b) Financial  c) Physical Environment  d) Spirituality  e) Relationships

2. Trash those tolerations! When you rid your life of the things you are tolerating (both large and small) you are regaining your power! A toleration is anything that zaps or drains your time, energy and money!

3. Learn that NO is a complete sentence. Are you saying YES to things that you really want to say NO to? Remember, when you say NO to those things that you really don’t want to do, you are actually saying YES to yourself!

These tips are good to remember all year, but especially during the holidays….when we tend to have more on our plates….both literally and figuratively! Happy Thanksgiving!

Listen Now