Fired Up! » ariane de bonvoisin

Running on Empty?

jforte — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:56:00 +0000

When your car’s gas tank is empty, you don’t sit and get depressed and think it’s permanent. You go fill it up. It is the same with life-when you’re running on empty, go fill up your tank with a better thought, emotion or action and get on with life.” Esther Hicks.

For many people, when things get tough, they shut down. They run out of gas, feel stuck and sit waiting for rescue.

As today’s quote so clearly says, you can’t side idle – you must get up, take ownership and get on with things. You are responsible for your rescue.

But here is what you need to know: You are infinitely more capable than you first believe. You have significant talents and strengths; you have wisdom and power – you need to access it.

Ariane de Bonvoisin explains in her book First 30 Days that when you encounter an obstacle, you are forced to stop – and now think. An obstacle is nothing more than an opportunity to look into yourself with new clarity to see your greater capabilities. Obstacles – tough times – actually can show us how much more capable we are.

So how do you keep driving when you feel like you are out of gas?

1. Find some quiet time and listen inward – get introduced (or re-introduced) to the more significant you.

2. Modify your perspective to identify that despite what things look like, there is something good in the works – be optimistic.

3. Start listing ways to get yourself moving again – consider everything.

4. Share your list with others and ask for their ideas – take advantage of collective genius.

5. Choose to act by creating a plan – start small; but start.

No one said life would be easy – but it is always good. Obstacles force us to better know ourselves and to see what we are really made of. So when you feel like you are out of gas, build a plan to get yourself back on the road of life. It is both an adventure and a great ride.

See the life power tools on www.LifeFiredUp.com and be sure to click on the Hunt for Opportunities.

Stuck in Neutral

jforte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:12:32 +0000

This tough economy has a lot of people stuck. Psychologists’ business is up; anti-depressive medications are on a steady rise. Tough situations challenge us but I have come to realize that a tough situation is just an opportunity to see we are more capable than we realize. A challenge or obstacle forces us to think, then act – no stuck in neutral.

One of my new favorite books is Ariane de BonVoisin’s The First 30 Days. She presents change creates opportunity and we should believe that change will always lead us to something better. With this thought, we don’t fear change; we welcome it. (Check out her book and website).

It is difficult to maintain an optimistic perspective in the face of harsh times. But our resiliency is dependent on our attitude. If we constantly focus on the negative, then that is all we will see (and the medications and time with psychologists will continue). If, instead, we develop the ability to constantly focus on the positive and the opportunities, we will be more upbeat and optimistic and will have the energy and tenacity to survive the down times.

This economy got me down. So to jumpstart myself out my self-imposed death spiral, I listed as many benefits of a recession as I could think of. Click here to see my list. It was easier to write than I thought and it brought me to a better reality. Use the comment section to add your personal “benefits of a recession” – I’ll keep the list going.

Time for Action: How will you stay upbeat and focused on the good? What great things have happened in a down time? How will you use obstacles to become more connected to who you are and the talents you have? You own your life and your attitude. Get out of neutral.

A Time of Change

jforte — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:04:39 +0000

Face it, everything changes. That is just how it is supposed to be. And to be successful in periods of change, requires several things. I’ll highlight my several key things to remember but to get it from an expert, click on www.First30Days.com, a powerful and inspiring site put together by Ariane de Bonvoisin; be sure to check out her nine principles of surviving change, share your story of change and sign up for her newsletter.

Here is what guides me:
1. Stay positive and find the positive, not the negative, in the change. There are always positive events if we look for them; committing to feeling bad doesn’t do any good. As I like to call it – be on the “hunt for opportunities.”
2. Know you will land on your feet. Trust that you have the abilities and the strength to come out stronger, better, happier or more successful. Believing it is critical to your success.
3. Surround yourself with others who can help you. Periods of change should send you looking for help, rather than trying to solve things on your own. Most people feel that their change situation is unique to them. Most situations have happened to others – and they may have wisdom to help guide you through the process. Find help.

Change happens. That is just the way of the world. Be optimistic, welcome it and be better because of it. Whether job hunting, managing or watching your family grow up, find the good. Celebrate the positive and commit to being optimistic.

To help with the impact of change, Job Seekers can check out Stand Out and Get Hired – your resource to help you see what you are great at, which jobs need what you are great at and how to apply in a way that gets you noticed. Managers check out Fire Up! Your Employees and Smoke Your Competition. This is your step-by-step guide to learn how to manage in today’s period of change. Use the tools to be great in times of change.