Author: WorkAuthentically

The Best Ever Framework to Make Your Vision a Reality

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The Best Ever Way to Make Your Vision a Reality. Image of Best Ever Mastermind Flexible Framework 5 Components: Clarity, Constraints, Consistency, Celebrations, Community. Work Authentically logo in lower right corner.

 

The Best Ever Framework to Make Your Vision a Reality

Have you struggled to make your vision a reality? Do you appear successful to others, but feel like something is missing? Are you unsure how to actually achieve your resolutions or goals for the year? Do you ever find yourself wondering, “Is this all there is?” after you accomplish a milestone?

These and so many other questions are common to ask ourselves, especially at the start of the year. 

Many people go so far as to make resolutions about all the things they want to change in their work and life. But resolutions simply don’t work and WHEN they don’t, most people run out of ideas and energy to make the big changes they really want for themselves. 

But YOUR dreams don’t have to be abandoned like a rotten resolution!

With the Best Ever flexible framework, it becomes EASY to make your vision a reality.

Ever have a WTF moment? 

You know, you’re minding your business at work when suddenly, finally, you discover a framework that does more than make some rich consultants even richer.

It’s a framework that actually works.

It’s a framework that makes your life easier.

And it makes you say, “Wow! This Framework!” or WTF for short.

I know. Those moments are rare.

But friends, this is one of those moments!

I have rejected using the word framework for years, in part because of the many frameworks that I’d experienced and been subjected to in corporate. 

Many frameworks sounded good in theory, but in practice, didn’t solve the problems we were trying to solve. Some actually made the problem worse. 

And so I avoided using the word framework for a long time because I didn’t want to be lumped in with all those frameworks that make you exclaim the other WTF.

But flexible framework is the exact right word to describe the underlying idea the supports my Best Ever Mastermind.

I feel like I have to share this framework in part because it’s helped me and everyone in the program create BIG, vision-aligned results.

Introducing the Best Ever Framework

The flexible framework that we use in Best Ever allows you to FINALLY make progress on those things you’ve been trying to do for years. It sets you up for success, even when you have a history of not being able to see things through to the end. It removes the guesswork so you don’t have to wonder if you’re spending enough time on the stuff you actually care about.  

It’s the kind of framework you can use to:

  • achieve your goals personally and professionally
  • write a book 
  • tame the chaos of selling a home and moving 
  • start a business or grow that business to new levels 
  • manage your health in a way that allows you to thrive
  • change the trajectory of your career
  • create more fun and joy in your life
  • and so much more!

Framework Components

This flexible framework is the exact process I used for myself when I left my corporate job nearly 5 years ago to rebuild a life I wanted to live from the ground up. Here’s a quick look at the way we use it in Best Ever:

  • Clarity: We use visioning exercises and approaches that help you get a clear vision. I’ve had people tell me they’ve never been successful trying to do that and with my approaches, they finally have a vision they are excited to bring to life!
  • Constraints: We talk through ways to set the boundaries you need to move forward. We spend time at the start of the year doing a deep dive into approaches that work. We deliberately dive deep so you learn HOW to make your vision a reality.
  • Consistency: The cadence of our discussions is designed to build in consistency. You can’t get too far off track because there’s always another mastermind discussion or quarterly planning session coming to help you get and stay on track.
  • Celebrations: We kick off the year with a pre-party. We end the year with a party to celebrate your successes. And in between, we celebrate all the small steps and milestones you experience throughout the entire year. There’s even surprise mailings!
  • Community: My groups have awesome, encouraging, brilliant people creating amazing results! And let’s be honest, as adults finding friends who truly want what’s best for us can be a challenge. This group is already excited to support your dreams!

This framework worked for me and it has worked for all my clients.

Are you ready to take your work and life from fine to WOW? 

The Best Ever framework is, well… the best ever way to create your vision for a WOW life and then make your vision a reality.

By the end of the year, you’ll be saying to yourself some version of, “Wow! This framework! aka WTF! I’m so excited that my dreams have become reality!” 

 

Learn more about the Best Ever Mastermind

 

Image created by me in Canva.

 

Dare to Have a Bold Vision

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Lessons from Elf. Lesson #5 - Dare to Have a Bold Vision

As I shared at the start of these lessons, Elf is timeless, which is why I can wear my Smiling’s My Favorite t-shirt all months of the year. So it’s never too early or late to share one final Lesson from Elf.

The final lesson? Dare to have a bold vision.

Walter Hobbs (Buddy’s dad) was a not-nice person. He was showing up as the worst version of himself at work and at home. He was even on Santa’s naughty list! (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!)

It took a lot of vision and a healthy dose of hope for Buddy to see his dad as anything other than a curmudgeon. A modern-day Grinch, if you will. 

Many other people had already given up on Walter Hobbs, but Buddy saw what he could be, with enough Christmas spirit added.

Buddy persisted with showing kindness and love when most other people wouldn’t have been able to continue. And Buddy’s vision for a time when they had a great parent-child relationship helped him keep at it even in the face of many obstacles and challenges. 

As we move into the new year, it’s time for all of us to be like Buddy and dare to have a bold vision. 

It’s the perfect time of year to decide what you do (and don’t!) want to have happen going forward. It’s the best time to dream a bigger dream than you have before and surprise yourself as you go after it.  

And just as Buddy encouraged his dad to make changes, don’t we all need encouragement to live into the best version of ourselves? 

If you’re ready to dream a bigger dream in 2023 and be supported and encouraged as you make your dreams a reality, then the Best Ever Mastermind is, well, the best ever place to do it!

You’ll get the guidance you need to create a bold vision, maybe for the first time in your life, along with the practical tools to convert your vision into a reality. This isn’t a “resolution for a week and go back to the same old same old as before” kind of approach. This is a year-long group program that enables your growth in all areas of your life (relationships, wealth, health, work, and so much more). 

Here’s what people are saying about Best Ever:

“I’m so glad I decided to participate in Best Ever this year. This has been the most impactful year of my career to date and it has put into focus the lifestyle I can build for myself and my family. I accomplished things this year that I used to think were ambitious for a 3-year plan, but here I am! I also made back my entire investment less than two months into the program and have been growing my business ever since!”

“I no longer have to wonder, “Will it work?” or “Will I stick with it?” because I can say a resounding “YES” to both questions. Best Ever was easy to follow and apply especially when my work and life were super busy. It kept me focused and making progress, even when everything else was chaotic. In fact, I was always pleasantly surprised how much more progress I made each month than I thought I had. I’m so glad I invested in my future – it was worth it!” 

Best Ever | Work Authentically

Don’t be a cotton-headed ninny muggins… sign up today so you can create a compelling vision for your work and life!

 

Be Known for Something

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Lessons from Elf. Lesson #4 - Be Known for Something.

As Buddy the Elf reminds everyone, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

And so, when some holiday hijinks involving Santa ensues, those who know Buddy start singing carols and get an entire crowd of people to join in. Wouldn’t you know, the extra cheer was exactly what was needed to save the day!

So why did people think to start singing? Because it’s one of the things Buddy was known for: his Christmas spirit.

Just like Buddy, we’re all going to be known for something (even if we’re known only by a small circle of people).

Have you thought about the legacy you want to have? 

People sometimes can recognize our strengths, but that’s not usually what we’re known for.

I spent my entire career in corporate delivering on results and doing my best work, but what most people told me when I left was that they were going to miss my… enthusiasm. Wait. What? Aren’t you going to miss the awesome software? Nope. It’s the way I could get people to care about and be excited about the software.

Today, it’s the same feedback I get from clients since I stepped away from corporate to start my coaching business. My enthusiasm helps them get excited about stuff that they ordinarily would avoid. 

I’m known for my enthusiasm and fair warning, it can be pretty contagious!!!!!!!!! (NOTE: One exclamation point simply would not do here).

Now it’s your turn to think about what you ARE known for and what you WANT to be known for.

Are they the same thing? Do you need to make small changes to align them or big changes, like Ebeneezer Scrooge on Christmas morning? Write down the legacy you want to have and ideas on how you can start sharing it with others.

Buddy wasn’t afraid to own being known for his Christmas spirit and we shouldn’t be either.

Sing your own praises loud for all to hear! Tell me, what are you known for? Or what do you want to be known for going forward? I’m excited (enthusiastic, even) to hear what you have to share!

 

Design Your Ideal Day

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Lessons from Elf. Lesson #3 - Design Your Ideal Day.

Once Buddy the Elf reunites with his dad and gets invited to stay in a human home, Buddy is pretty pumped to hang out. He’s got a lot of expectations for an awesome time, so he writes out a to-do list on an etch-a-sketch, naturally.

Buddy: “I planned out our whole day. First we make snow angels for two hours, and then we’ll go ice skating, and then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie Dough as fast as we can, and then to finish, we’ll snuggle.”

Sounds pretty awesome, right? 

Unfortunately, Buddy’s dad is focused on getting to work and declines to do anything on the list. Boo!

Although it didn’t materialize right away for Buddy, there’s a lot of power in designing your ideal day and working to bring it into being.

There’s joy in the clarity of knowing what you want and setting boundaries to make sure it happens.

So here’s your question to ponder for this week: What would it look like if you were designing your work and life to be ONLY the things you were most excited for? 

Sounds pretty awesome, right? 

Think about what it would look like to not only enjoy what you’re doing daily at work (remember: make work your favorite), but in all areas of your life.  What if you could design your ideal day and, unlike Buddy, live it out?

I dare you to pass through the seven levels of the candy cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, go through the Lincoln Tunnel and share your ideal day with someone!

 

Photo created by me.

Know What Fuels You

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As a responsible human raised by elves, Buddy likes to stick to the 4 main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup. He dislikes coffee and spaghetti (when served without syrup). 

Buddy knows what fuels him and what makes him feel bad. 

That’s an important lesson. 

There’s really 2 pieces to it:

  1. Knowing what fuels you
  2. Prioritizing what fuels you

I know it can also be challenging to figure out what DOES work for you and my best advice is to experiment. Try something out and pay attention to how you feel. Do you have more energy as a result? Start with making a list of what you know fuels you and makes you feel your best. Then, keep adding on as you try new things.

And here’s step two. Once you know what fuels you, it’s critically important that you prioritize it. Not once a year or once a quarter. DAILY.

When you don’t know what fuels you, or worse, don’t prioritize what fuels you, you’re going to feel off and out of sorts. And it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what is causing it.

For example, if you know that you need some quiet prep time before your work day begins in order to operate at your best, then showing up late and heading straight into a meeting is not going to work for you. That overwhelmed feeling follows you the rest of the day.

Instead, let’s take a cue from Buddy and stick to candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup!

I challenge you to schedule one thing that fuels you THIS WEEK and then tell me about it. 

 

Make Work Your Favorite

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Lessons from Elf - Lesson 1. Make Work Your Favorite

Smiling’s My Favorite

Welcome to December! This time of year you’ll usually find me making recipes in the kitchen or watching certain holiday movies. I’m a sucker for the Muppet Christmas Carol, Love Actually, even Die Hard. And of course, one of my all-time favorites, Elf. 

I am endlessly entertained by Will Farrell in this holiday classic. I quote the movie year round. I also see no reason not to wear my “Smiling’s my favorite” t-shirt EVERY month of the year. 

There are a lot of lessons to be taken from Elf too, so for the rest of December, I want to share them with you. And we’ll start with the quote from my fave shirt.

Buddy the Elf: I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite. 

Gimbel’s Manager (aka his boss): Make work your favorite.  

Make Work Your Favorite

That conversation between Buddy and his manager makes me laugh every time I see Elf.

But here’s something I like to ask my clients: What if work really was your favorite? What if you truly enjoyed the key elements of your job while sharing your strengths with the world? 

Anyone who’s been around here for even a little while knows I talk a lot about the importance of money, meaning, and impact because those are the reasons we all go to work. And when there’s a misalignment in any one of those things, it’s impossible for work to be your favorite.

If you’re having a hard time imagining work being your favorite (trust me, I’ve been there!), here’s a collection of articles and blog posts I’ve written around money, meaning, and impact that just might help you figure out what to do next.

And since we’re in the season of making a list and checking it twice, here’s my other suggestion: Start a list of your favorite things at work.

Before we can make any changes to something, it’s important to know where we’re at. The easiest way to create your list is to pay attention to your activities for the next week and to write down any that you loved or got big energy from doing. 

When you know your favorite parts about work, you can start to intentionally incorporate more of them into your everyday.

Need help? Tell me about the ways work isn’t your favorite and I’ll get back to you. Yup. My work is my favorite and I love reading and replying to your questions and comments! 

And finally: Not familiar with Elf (*gasp*) or want to watch it for the kajillionth time like me? Check out the clip here.

 

Let’s Do Black Friday Differently (and Better!) with Infostack

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Have you absolutely HAD it with “Black Friday” deals months early already? I know have! There have been more and more early sales and it’s not just Black Friday. However, I know, right down to my core, that we can do Black Friday differently, and WAY better, especially with some help from Infostack. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me explain.

This year, I needed to pick up a Halloween item for one of my kids on October 28th (note, this is BEFORE actual Halloween!) and the store I went to had taken all the Halloween items and crammed them onto part of one shelf so they could start putting out the Christmas/Holiday items already! What in the world? After 3 stores where it was a similar situation, I gave up entirely and we did Halloween without the missing piece of the costume.

It totally felt like one more thing getting rushed through to get on to the next thing. So yeah. I get it if you’re Black Friday’ed out already since it seems to have started in October.

And here’s my other not-so-secret secret: Black Friday is an event that I normally try to avoid. I get absolutely no joy out of the idea of getting up at 3am and standing in line (in usually cold Wisconsin weather!) to get my hands on the “it” gift of the season. I don’t like large crowds or long lines or hurrying to grab things before they run out.

So what do I do then? I choose to Black Friday differently.

It’s an intentional choice that I encourage everyone to make. I’m not saying not to do the usual Black Friday things. If you enjoy them, rock on! Keep doing it. What I’m advocating for is paying attention to what you enjoy and what you don’t and then making adjustments to anything that isn’t working for you anymore.

It’s the exact process I coach my clients through when it comes to work and life. Of course, I’ve also gone through this process multiple times as I refine what feels most aligned to who I am today and who I am becoming.

And because of that process, the entire week that contains Black Friday is one of my favorite weeks of the year! I choose to stay home rather than travel out of obligation. I choose to be intentional about who I spend my time with and what we spend our time doing.

What does that look like?

At my house, it’s been renamed Family Fun Week and it’s filled with silly, made-up traditions like jersey day and watching and eating Grinches (green grape, mini marshmallow, raspberry… yum!) and putting on Love Actually for what feels like the thousandth time. We also bake (and eat!) lots of cookies.

Sounds pretty awesome, huh?

Basically, I get to spend quality time together with my immediate family before the busy-ness of the holiday season sets in. And the best part is I put on my elastic waist pants, eat my most favorite foods, and watch holiday movies from the comfort of my home.

Instead of a stress/adrenaline-filled race to snag stuff, I enjoy a restorative time for me that I look forward to all year.

Does that mean I refuse consumerism in all its forms and live a life without modern conveniences? Of course not. Again, it’s about intentionality. I approach this time of year as mindfully as I can, including keeping lists of gift ideas for everyone on my holiday shopping list.

I don’t buy stuff on Black Friday week/weekend because it’s on sale. When I choose to buy, it’s something I was already planning on getting that also happens to be a good deal. I love being able to give the perfect gift to people. There is immense joy watching someone open up a gift and for them to be truly excited and grateful to receive it.

Like I said, I Black Friday differently. I choose to make my own traditions.

And this year, I had a brand new, exciting choice to make!

For the first time ever, Infostack has assembled the biggest collection of resources for Women’s Confidence and Career and my Next Level Success Masterclass is one of the many awesome things you’ll find in it!

Women's Confidence & Career Superstack

 

I’ll admit, when I was first approached to be included in this incredibly awesome collection that just so happens to occur during Black Friday week, I was initially a little conflicted.

Here’s how the conversation went down in my brain:

“Well…  I’m passionate about helping women step into all levels of leadership to create more equity so this would be a fantastic bundle to be a part of.”

“But… I’m also passionate about wearing my “give-ups” (aka sweatpants) for multiple days straight.”

“Can I do both?”

And the answer is YES! It doesn’t have to be an either/or choice. It absolutely can be a both/and situation where I help more women with their careers WHILE I wear sweatpants, which is why I said yes to the opportunity to have my masterclass included in this incredible bundle from Infostack.

Of course, that doesn’t change my plan to Black Friday differently, so I needed to make sure it was still authentically me, give-ups and all. And I want YOU to do the same too!

Ask yourself when was the last time you did something ONLY for YOU? When was the last time you invested in your own GROWTH and development? When was the last time you made TIME for yourself?

If you’re like most women (or if you’re thinking about the women you know and love), it’s been a really LONG time.

This is where the Women’s Confidence and Career bundle from Infostack makes your life EASIER! You don’t have to research a whole bunch of stuff or spend hours trying to figure out what to Google. They’ve pulled together an amazing collection of experts that you can access with a single click here.

I hope you’ll choose to join me in the elastic waist pants extravaganza as we do Black Friday differently (and better!).

And feel free to check out the amazing confidence and career collection from Infostack that I’m honored to be featured in if you’ll find it valuable (and I think you will!). And while we’re at it, feel free to change up any holiday or day of the week into something that is more aligned and authentically you.

To making our own traditions! 

 

P.S. Here’s me enjoying my jersey & give-ups.

 

Please note that I’m sharing The Women’s Confidence and Career Super Stack as an affiliate, so when you use my link to buy, I will get a small percentage of the proceeds but at no extra cost to you.

Summer Survival List

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Every season brings with it different joys and challenges so I thought I’d share with you what’s on my summer survival list. For most of us, work and life are busy and hard enough, so I care about stuff that is the opposite of that. These are the things that are making my life easier, better, and more fun this season.

  1. Library card – infinite access to books? Yes please! But it’s also magazines, movies, board games, yard games, child, teen, and adult programs and more. All for the low price of $0. 
  2. CSA – Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is food grown by a local farmer that you get to enjoy weekly throughout the growing season. We get to try new veggies (that my kids are excited about!) and have fresh healthy food in the fridge all week. Plus, my kids have chosen to tell a new fruit or vegetable joke every week when our produce is delivered. What’s a chicken’s favorite food? Bok-bok Choy! So yeah, we’re having some fun.
  3. These amazing create your own comic books. My kids can sit for hours inventing pictures and stories and this gives them the freedom to do just that.
  4. Some kind of water fun. We’ve been to lakes at state parks, various splash pads, pools, and more this summer. We also love a good water fight and my kids adore their cooling neck towels on hot days. They don’t mind going on a hike with me if that have those, so it’s a win-win!
  5. Scheduled time off. This is a public service announcement for anyone that hasn’t planned a summer vacation yet. DO IT! Take advantage of the fact that many of your co-workers are also on vacation and enjoy some time away to unplug and recharge in whatever way restores your soul.
  6. Vintage cocktail glasses (image at top). I found a “set” of glasses (basically whatever glasses that have survived many decades of use) and have been enjoying sipping my refreshments out of them. Do drinks taste better in them? You’ll have to locate your own or stop over to find out!
  7. Fancy marshmallows. Want to elevate your s’mores experience? Get some of these. We’ve been experimenting with adding fruit, herbs, and s’more (see what I did there?) to our fire-toasted treats.
  8. Hammock. For years I’ve dreamed of being able to chill in a hammock in the shade. And l finally decided to get one. I have no idea why I waited so long, but I’m grateful to have this to relax in, even if it’s only for a few minutes (it usually is!).
  9. Picnic table. We were gifted a bench that converts to a picnic table last year and have gotten tons of use out of it. I had forgotten how fun it can be to eat outside! And parents, dining al fresco with your littles means less sweeping for you!

 

As the seasons change, we need to find new ways to be able to enjoy them if we want to avoid that feeling of time moving too fast or passing us by. I hope this summer survival list gave you some new ideas to try!

 

The above links are affiliate links, but know that I only link to products I actually like and use.

 

Photo of vintage glass by me.

Client Success – Multiple Job Offers

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Client Success from Work Authentically Story 1

As the bestselling author of Success Authentically, you know I love talking about success! So for the month of March, we’re going to be looking at stories of success from some of my clients.

I love getting to meet interesting people doing interesting work as part of my job, but what I love even more is to see those same folks overcome the roadblocks and challenges that are standing in between them and their dream jobs.

One such client needed my help with clarity to tell a career story for a future that was unknown. You see, this person had so many amazing skills, that there wasn’t just one job description they would be great at (nice problem to have, right?).

We worked together to hone in on those pieces of their story that would be true regardless of the type of work it was and then continued to build from there. And because this was a unique career story, I coached them on how to activate their network so they could share openly about why they were looking for different types of work.

This client did the hard work of applying and reaching out to many people in their network and the result was 3 job offers before our 6-week engagement was finished!

They had their choice of 3 very different jobs because they were willing to do the extra work and reach out to activate their network. It’s an amazing payoff for the time invested!

 

Image by me

Women’s Workplace Challenges: Sporadic Sponsorship

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As part of Women’s History Month, I want to celebrate the progress we’ve made, while acknowledging we have not achieved equity yet. This month, I’ll be sharing stories of the challenges women face in the workplace. Check out Challenge #1, Challenge #2, and Challenge #3.

 

Women’s Workplace Challenges: Challenge #4: Sporadic Sponsorship

I worked at one company where they offered a year-long leadership development course that was intended for high potential people ready to move to the next level. It was not only an honor to be part of the training, it was also the fast track that made you more likely to be promoted sooner.

Or so I hear. I can’t say for sure since I wasn’t ever selected for it.

You see, there were limits on how many people could be a part of the program. So for multiple years, my name was on the short list, but never in the top spot.

When I asked why not, I was told I didn’t “need” as much training as some of the others on the list. On the face, it was a compliment. I was growing my leadership skills on my own without a fancy class. 

However, it was one of many ways that women like myself struggle when they hit middle management. 

I didn’t have the implicit and explicit endorsement of senior leadership that comes from being selected for an emerging leader group. And without that endorsement, there wasn’t a lot of room for growth, since the first place they looked for new manager candidates was the leadership development class. 

Sure seems like I DID need it.   

I ended up leaving so I could try to win over a new group of people in the hopes of finally receiving that endorsement to get to a senior leadership role someday. 

My clients share lots of similar stories with me on not having support at a high enough level to continue to progress in their careers. As one who has been there, I can assure you, the view from the plateau is not great!

If you want to be part of the solution, consider how you can use the various leadership development programs and opportunities as means to support and sponsor more women.

 

Image by me.