THERE’S ONLY ONE ENEMY hovering silently in your life. What’s that, you ask? Time! Watch people. They’re totally overwhelmed trying to control their work and personal schedules. Trapped in the domination of Enemy Number One, you can see them sulking and hear them huffing: “I’m sooooo busy! I have too much to do, and no time to do it!”

Do you feel like your nose is always to the grindstone? What consumes your time? In an O Magazine issue, Oprah wrote: “How you spend your time defines who you are. I try not to waste time — because I don’t want to waste myself.” Of that same notion, I recently heard a seventy-year-old woman say, “I don’t read books unless they heal my body, mind and spirit. Each day is too precious. I am conscious about whom I share time with and whether I will go to a movie or paint. Solitude is a key part of my day — that’s when I stop to meditate — I invite God into my life.” While this woman was conscious that being present to her actions and choices allowed her to acknowledge her spirit (as if it was her last day), we don’t have to wait for retirement to experience this.

Slowing down could be the single most effective action to initiate your courage: it allows you to come from your “heart and spirit,” the origin of the word. What would happen if you stopped for ten minutes, right now? Spiritual teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., suggests that we stop for a moment all the doing and shift into the “being mode.” How? Don’t make one more phone call. Don’t sit and catch up on the business journals piling up on the floor by your reading chair. Don’t boot up to check if any new emails came in, and turn off the television. This stress management guru reminds us that when we “stop” we can be more present. Transformation in courage has to do with moving what you know to be true to a deeper level. Then, your life becomes more vivid and simpler.

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an organizational effectiveness consultant, speaker, trainer and courage coach. She is the internationally published author of bestseller COURAGE The Heart and Spirit of Every Woman (2001), the follow-up book STUCK 12 Steps Up the Leadership Ladder (2010) and the recently released FACE IT! 12 Obstacles that Hold You Back on the Job (2011). She is certified in the Enneagram and MBTI®. Please visit www.sandrawalston.com.

Follow me on Twitter @courageexpert and Facebook

© Sandra Walston

All Rights Reserved

by Sandwiched Boomers

Are you alone and wondering how you'll be celebrating the holidays this year? Whether you're divorced or widowed, a single parent or the spouse of a deployed serviceperson, it most likely seemed easier when you had a partner to share in the planning. But now that you'll be the one creating the holiday mood, take advantage of the freedom you have to develop customs that are just right for you. 

1. Recognize that it won't be easy. Perhaps you're feeling more vulnerable and out of sorts after everything that has happened. Accept your complex emotions and acknowledge that it may difficult for you to enjoy the holidays as much as before. You can relieve some of your inner stress when you don't expect too much of yourself.    

2. Take the process one step at a time. Holidays are stressful and this year won't be any different so try not to get overwhelmed. Do what you can without putting extra pressure on yourself. Set aside some time to relax and enjoy what the season means to you.

3. Look for support. Friends can throw you a lifeline as you adjust to your new status and way of life. And your extended family will help fill in the gaps created by your missing partner. The more adults there are to provide loving support to your kids, the easier it will be for them.

4. Consider your finances. You may need to budget differently this year so consider how you can reduce holiday expenses. Perhaps you and your friends can agree to forgo the usual gift giving and instead exchange homemade treats or enjoy a potluck dinner together. With the continuing tough economy, it's likely they're also looking for ways to cut back on costs.
 
5. Create new rituals. Plan to do something different for the holidays this year. There's really not one perfect way to celebrate so change your usual routine and enjoy the excitement of new experiences. Perhaps arrange to get away from home - visit a friend, volunteer in your community, go for a hike, travel nearby. 

6. Include others who are alone. You're not the only one whose celebration may be bittersweet this year. Share your holiday by Inviting a single friend or relative into your home or serving meals at a soup kitchen. When you're making your own holiday preparations, set aside some time for those outside your circle. You can donate toys and books to needy children, cookies to a homeless shelter, music to a nursing home.

Holidays may remind you of the joys and sorrows of past gatherings but try to stay focused in the present. Let go of your expectations and instead create celebrations that are meaningful to you now. You'll find your experience of these special days can create new memories to savor throughout the year.

© 2011, Her Mentor Center

Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are family relationship experts who have developed a 4-step model for change. If you are coping with acting-out teenagers, aging parents, boomerang kids or difficult daughters-in-law, we have the solutions that make family rifts disappear. Visit our website, HerMentorCenter.com to subscribe to Stepping Stones, a free ezine and our blog, www.NourishingRelationships.blogspot.com to receive practical tips and our free e-book, Courage and Lessons Learned.

It's a great, festive time of the year. But, for most of us, it's downright hectic with travel, gifting and visiting. Here are some tips to help you to enjoy the good in the holidays and plan for reinvention in the New Year.

Use The Holidays as a Time to Plan for Success  by Dianne Orwig

You know what I love about the holidays? I love the fact that lots of things get put on the back burner. Yes…even eating right and exercising.

Now, that might sound surprising coming from a success coach and fitness trainer. You might even wonder why I would suggest that giving into this natural shift in focus that seems to happen on a global level this time of year could possibly be a better choice than sticking to your guns.

“Isn’t the back burner a bad thing?” you might ask.

“Isn’t it your job, Dianne, to make sure people don’t let their diet and exercise plan fall in the toilet?”

Well, sure, on one level that may be true. But as I see it, my job is also to help people maximize their energy, focus, and time…and banging your head against the fitness wall through the holidays isn’t always the best choice. Read more>>

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Uncomplicate Your Holidays by Organized by Marcie

Many families are all about acquiring when December rolls around.  Then, when the holidays are over, they ask, “Is that all there is?”  To keep the holidays from overwhelming you and to bring some more meaning, think about the following:

If you exchange gifts with a lot of people, see if you can shorten your list.  Ask if some of them would prefer to go to lunch as a group or draw names so you all buy fewer gifts. Most people don’t need more stuff and would probably be relieved to buy fewer things, too.

If you have found it difficult to reduce the number of gifts you give, challenge yourself this year to buy fewer gifts and make them more meaningful.  Can you offer gifts of time with the people you love instead of buying them something they don't really need?   How about treating someone to a play, concert or meal?  If you live far apart and can't go together, what about buying tickets for an event?  In return, ask people for gifts of time, instead of things you need to store.

Read more>>

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As you reflect on the past year, are you looking at all you've accomplished? Make a list of the top 5 things you've done in various facets of your life: career, relationships, health, spirituality.  You can actually do this over dinner or wine with a close friend or family member. Share your accomplishments with each other. It's a way of acknowledging yourself and the other person. Then, make a list for what you want to do next year. Think how great this ritual will be come next December! 

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Do You Value Your Accomplishments? by Rosalind Joffe

A football game can teach us a lot about patience and small successes.  I'm  not a fan but family members are. Watching a game recently, I saw a bunch of guys running around who looked like they didn't have a clue about what was going on.  But I was wrong.  They had a very clear idea of what they're doing.  And, more importantly, they knew what to do if things didn't turn out as they had planned.

What's even more interesting is that most of the time, football players are moving this ball, bit by bit, up a field only to find that someone gets in the way of their progress and the field changes completely! Read more >>

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If you are concerned about packing on that wicked 6 to 8 extra pounds this holiday season, you should be!

For every pound of body fat you gain now, it will take an average of 8-10 days of concentrated effort to shed each one of those pounds – so a gain of 8 pounds can take up to 2 full months to drop. Ah...we're talking March 1st here. Don't go there, please!

A much better choice, of course, is to find a way to reduce your gain, or at least break-even on the scale come January 1st.

Beware of Liquid Calories - One simple way to do this is to pay close attention to what you are DRINKING.  Too often, people put all their focus on what they are eating and they completely miss how many extra calories they’re getting from the things they drink.

Healthy or Not - We’re not just talking about alcohol here. All those iced coffee lattes’ and energy drinks and yummy smoothies--even some of those supposedly healthy meal replacement shakes like Muscle Milk, are typically loaded with tons of calories and fat. Throw in a few cups of egg nog and things can really get out of hand.

The Triple Threat - Let’s look at alcohol for a minute, because when you drink alcohol it’s not just the calories you need to worry about. Whether you drink “lite” or regular beer, wine or champagne, tequila shots or mixed drinks…whatever it is, alcohol is a triple threat to your waistline:

1)    Alcohol slows down your metabolism so you are much more likely to store not only the calories from the alcohol itself, but from the food you eat along with it as well.

2)    When you consume alcohol while you are eating, you’re all but guaranteed to eat 30% more food than you would if you weren’t drinking.

3)    Alcohol increases your appetite, not just while you’re drinking, but up to 24 hours after you’ve had your last drink.

The Every-Other Game - One great way to reduce the amount of calories you drink when they are at a party or out with friends is to use what I call the every-other-rule. This simply means that before you order your first drink, you make a promise to yourself to consume a large calorie-free drink such as a large unsweetened ice-tea, diet soda or maybe plain water with lemon. From there you get to have whatever you like to drink - just make sure to alternate every alcoholic or caloric drink with another big glass of water, ice tea or diet soda – you get the picture.

The Savings Add Up - For many of my clients, this simple rule can save them between 300-1000 calories in one evening!  Best of all, this gives them the ability to enjoy the party and celebrate along with everyone else without feeling completely deprived. Not a bad deal all around (especially the next morning!) 

So, throughout all of your holiday celebrations, watch what you drink, especially when it comes to alcohol, and try your best to alternate anything containing calories with an equal portion of plain water. 

Best wishes to you, your family, and your friends. Have a happy, healthy and FUN holiday!

(Yes, you really can do both…)

About the Author:

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online^(TM), a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-is-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com.

There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”         ~Robert Kennedy

SSI is really pleased to celebrate the naming of the Julie B. Whitt Inspirational Award winner for 2011. This memorial award, given annually by Soul Salon International, acknowledges a person who exemplifies the spirit of international fitness champion Julie B. Whitt and the traits that she was known for and shared without measure.  This includes being a person of character who inspires the full pursuit of life, health and excellence  in others.

The 2011 Julie Whitt Inspirational Award Winner is Clara Showalter of Austin, Texas.  Clara is a fitness professional and writer who began her own journey to fitness and health  in 2005 with the Body for Life program. It was through this program that Clara lost 60 pounds of weight and discovered the power of reaching out to help others. Clara now dedicates her time and energy to helping others discover their inner champion through her work as a personal trainer and leader in the Body-for-Life community.

When nominations come into the SSI office each spring through early fall, it is so energizing to read about great people doing great things. It is wonderful to talk with references for each nominee who want to share their experience about another human being whom they feel is making the world a little more light-filled.  Clara’s official nomination was multifaceted and highlighted her work as a cat foster aprent with Austin Pets Alive, her work as a personal trainer, Body-for Life top 10 finisher, the inspirational writing in her personal blog and her blog for Livestrong. I was struck by the words used to describe Clara time and time again.  Person after person who spoke about Clara used the words inspiring, positive, insightful, generous and caring.  In addition people shared that there were significant times of adversity in Clara’s life in which she displayed spirited courage—another attribute of the beloved Julie B. Whitt.

What are people saying about Clara?

• “Clara has the ability to assess the situation and determine whether you require a shoulder to cry on, a pat on the back, a stern word or a kick in the behind–and happily provides as appropriate.  Even when her own life is not traveling as she would like, she still makes time to help others.” ~A.S.

• “The things that she writes move everyone.” ~B.G.

• “She does not give up on anyone. She stands up for people when they cannot stand up for themselves.  She gives with no expectation of return.  Those of us who think in black and white, she helps us think in shades of gray.” ~M.T.

• “Clara is not afraid to speak the truth, even if it may be painful, but she does so as often as possible, in a kind way that helps encourage a person to move forward.” ~S.W.

• I hope you will join me in congratulating Clara and thanking her for being a person that would make Julie Whitt proud as she does good in the world for our two and four-legged friends.  Clara, the gift of your time, energy, kindness and authenticity is gratefully acknowledged today– and celebrated always.

A little more about Clara:

Clara is currently a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer with a focus on functional performance and weight loss. She has previously worked for Bally Total Fitness. She is also a 2006 Body for Life Challenge top 10 Finalist. When not pondering deep thoughts or as she describes, “torturing her clients,” Clara can be found pestering new folks on BFL Spirit to reach for their best possible body and life.  In her spare time, Clara enjoys curling, and is a dedicated cat foster parent for Austin Pets Alive.

And to my SSI friends–Did you miss the 2011 nomination window?  Sign up for the SSI newsletter to be informed when the 2012 window is open!

All the best!

Rena M. Reese

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers coaching and consulting to help people find their happy place. She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Her articles are syndicated in print and online Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon and on facebook

by Margie Warrell

"Courage is the first of all virtues as it is the only one which guarantees all others." Winston Churchill

Growing up in Australia, my only experience of Thanksgiving was through American television. Somehow it seemed a lot like our Christmas. . . except of course without Santa and warm sunshine. After a decade in the US, I have really come to love the Thanksgiving holiday. The idea that the last Thursday of November each year is put aside so that people can come together and share thanks for their blessings is, I believe, a very special and valuable tradition.

Of course Thanksgiving, and the festive holiday season it kicks off, can be a very stressful time for many people (way too many people in my mind!) The Martha Stewart-like images of happy families, dressed in the lastest holiday fashion, sitting around a decadently decorated table feasting joyfully on gourmet delights, create expectations that can never measure up to reality.

We get so busy-busy-busy ploughing through our long “To Do” lists all our hectic doing somehow hijacks who we are BEING. The result: we start feeling like something is missing from our lives. Instead of feeling gratitude for all that we have, many of us find ourselves focused on all that is missing. . . whether it be someone else to host Thanksgiving dinner, relatives who don’t drive us crazy, or the resources to recreate that glossy magazine cover in reality.

What expectations do you place on yourself, on others and on reality that keep you from experiencing the full quota of joy and gratitude you’d like to feel in the week ahead?
So my challenge to you this Thanksgiving holiday (and for those of you elsewhere around the globe, this festive season in general) is to take take a moment in your day, every day, to pause from all your doing, take a deep breath and consciously commit to letting go all your expectations about how it “should be”. In the space that opens up, you will be better able to graciously embrace the circumstances you find yourself in for all that they are, and for all that they aren’t. There is nothing that can shift your experience of stress as quickly as gratitude. That said, there are some other things you can do to create a more joy filled festive season.

Here are five strategies to help you ENJOY MORE, and STRESS LESS this holiday season:

1. Don’t “Should” On Yourself (or Let Others “Should” On You): Deciding upfront to let go of the idea that your holiday will ever be postcard-perfect will free you up to enjoy it for all that it is, and for all that it isn’t! Drop all the “shoulds” and unrealistic expectations that only create stress, conflict and resentment — “we should all get along,” “the table should be decorated Martha Stewart style”, “we should all have fun,” “everyone should come home for the holidays”, “we should all give thoughtful gifts” …. and the list goes on. It’s our attachment to how things should be that causes the bulk of our holiday stress and upsets. If you let go having to have things be a certain way, it allows you to enjoy things just as they are.

2. Create New Traditions (& Turf Out Old Tired Ones): Be careful that you aren’t being a slave to tradition. Sometimes, traditions outgrow themselves. Just because “that’s how we’ve always done it” doesn’t mean you still should. Start a new tradition or, just for this year, break with the old one. We are cooking beef tenderloin for Thanksgiving lunch this year. Not because we don’t like the turkey tradition, but just because it’s quicker and easier to prepare and that suits us better this year. No right or wrong about parting way with tradition… even if just for a year.

3. Think Outside the (Gift) Box: The best presents are never the most expensive but the most thoughtful. Give someone a voucher for a massage, breakfast in bed or a night out at the movies and drinks afterward. And of course, spend wisely – you aren’t being generous spending money on others if you can’t afford it.

4. Express Gratitude More Generously: Like a sweet treat, expressing gratitude or just paying a compliment has a have a way of immediately lifting others’ spirits by bringing a smile to their face. Just think about whose day you brighten by taking a moment to appreciate today. Pick up the phone, send them a card, flick them an email… it takes only a little time in your day to give it but it can make a profound difference to the person you give it to.

5. Lighten Up, Laugh (at Yourself first), and Have Fun!: Make sure that in between working your way through your to-do list you make time for fun. Don your playful hat and look for simple ways to have fun,  at work and home. Hold silly contests like who has the most unfashionable holiday apparel. Play your golden oldies CDs at breakfast… or in the office (everyone has to bring in their own). Keep your ideas simple and focused on involving everyone and having a fun time.

Here’s to a Thanksgiving brimming with gratitude for all that you have, for all that you are and for all the people in your life. 

_____

Margie Warrell; thought leader in human potential, master life coach, international speaker, media contributor and best-selling author of Find Your Courage. Take the Courage Quiz, watch Margie’s TV interviews (TODAY show, Fox, CNBC) and sign up for her free LIVE BOLDLY! newsletter. Then order your personally autographed Amazon best-seller book Find Your Courage

Discernment means a time to reflect or stop in order to distinguish between differences or perceptions. There are numerous discernment definitions on the Web. Discernment in Wikipedia means “to describe the process of discerning God’s will for one’s life.” As a practicing contemplative, for me it means being able to respond to my highest “courageous will” (as Spirit intended). Coming from one’s courageous will is easier said than done. Regardless of your discernment definition a concrete exercise can come in handy to reveal your courage.

One of the exercises I learned in a Nine Month Contemplative course I took in 2008 required us to take a lined piece of paper and divide vertically the paper in half. At the top of the page write: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of my ...” (such as letting go of a dysfunctional friend or seeking a new job during an economic downturn). On the right hand column at the top write “Advantages” and on the top left hand column write “Disadvantages.” Using bullets in each column, write down your thoughts for “Advantages” and “Disadvantages.”

Using a new piece of paper, flow through the contemplative discernment exercise three different times in about 10 days (or less, depending on the need for a decision). This process allows you to make the best choice given the set of circumstances.

Your sincere heart shows up during this journey allowing you to make wise judgments—judgments that hopefully in the long run do not surface in the form of regrets. I found this discernment process brought clarity to many questions I struggled with and inner peace was the outcome. With courageous intention you begin to discriminate on what you are called to be. You learn to come from your true Self--not a bad place to be during the holiday season

May you be free to live up to your highest courageous will! Ask yourself: What would you do if you had unlimited courage?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an organizational effectiveness consultant, speaker, trainer and courage coach. She is the internationally published author of bestseller COURAGE The Heart and Spirit of Every Woman (2001), the follow-up book STUCK 12 Steps Up the Leadership Ladder (2010) and the recently released FACE IT! 12 Obstacles that Hold You Back on the Job (2011). She is certified in the Enneagram and MBTI®. Please visit www.sandrawalston.com.

Follow me on Twitter @courageexpert and Facebook

© Sandra Walston

All Rights Reserved

You know what I love about the holidays? I love the fact that lots of things get put on the back burner. Yes…even eating right and exercising.

Now, that might sound surprising coming from a success coach and fitness trainer. You might even wonder why I would suggest that giving into this natural shift in focus that seems to happen on a global level this time of year could possibly be a better choice than sticking to your guns.

“Isn’t the back burner a bad thing?” you might ask.

“Isn’t it your job, Dianne, to make sure people don’t let their diet and exercise plan fall in the toilet?”

Well, sure, on one level that may be true. But as I see it, my job is also to help people maximize their energy, focus, and time…and banging your head against the fitness wall through the holidays isn’t always the best choice.

So, unless you are like the finite 2% of my clientele who wouldn’t miss a workout or a clean meal if you gave them a new Mercedes…I’d like to introduce you to 3 December goals that, for many of my clients, have proven to be absolutely golden when it comes to carving out a healthier, happier, and more productive December:

DECEMBER GOAL #1 – Focus on the Future: In my 6-Week Jump Start course, I teach that before you can speed down the road to transformation, you must first pave the way with proper preparation. For most people, this consists of waking up on January 1st and vowing to “get serious” about fitness. From there, they expect to remain on the super highway to health, which, without the up-front work, is a bit like trying to drive 90 miles an hour down a dirt path. Sooner or later you are going to blow a tire or careen off the road.

The typical downtime in December presents THE perfect opportunity to pre-pave your future road to success. Here are 3 ways to take full advantage of this downtime:

De-clutter: Start clearing away the mental and visual clutter that is sapping your energy and focus. List the de-clutter projects you need to start before January 1st rolls around, and get started on them now. Not only will you feel more clarity and motivation when you finish, you will also burn some extra calories in the process.

Detoxify: Think about the phrases, stories, words, thoughts and surroundings you find toxic. Jot down TV shows, conversations with friends, places, people and events that leave you feeling uneasy. Use December to come up with creative ways to minimize these activities and begin practicing them now.

Delegate: Make a list of all the things you do throughout the week that you would rather have others do. Pick one and work out a plan that will allow you to hand this task over to someone else - a family member, co-worker, or contractor. Once you start working through this list, you might be surprised at how many things you can assign to others – even some that at first appeared impossible to hand off!

DECEMBER GOAL #2 – Forgive: Make the decision now to move into the New Year feeling that you are on the best terms with as many people in your life as possible. This could be as simple as writing a letter to someone with whom you wish to heal that points out only those things about them and your relationship with them that you truly appreciate. Then send it without being tied too tightly to the outcome.

DECEMBER GOAL #3 – Find 1 Healthy Habit to Follow: Rather than trying to avoid the gravy and the pie and the candy and the cookies, why not work on the drinking part of the holidays instead. Focusing on drinking less calories rather than eating less can actually save you more calories in the long haul. This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to give up caloric beverages all together. Try playing the every-other game by alternating between calorie dense drinks like eggnog and Champagne, with a glass of sparkling water or crystal light. If anything, you’ll feel better in the morning, guaranteed!

About the Author:

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online^(TM), a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-is-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com.

by Patricia Wheeler

Have you ever wondered why your team isn’t moving faster?  One of my clients, a senior vice president, was at her wit’s end trying to get more speed of execution.  In fact, she was at a crossroads; the reorganization she had spearheaded was three months post-rollout, and she was expected by her president to deliver results. 

The team , all capable and skilled individuals themselves, was moving cautiously.  At times they seemed to be drifting, though they clearly had been given their marching orders.  She was worried.

While interviewing her team members, I asked the question, “How do you know when you’re going in the right direction?”  “That’s the problem,” her direct reports said.  “We always know when we’re going in the wrong direction.  She tells us that immediately.  But too often when we’re forced to make critical course changes, we don’t get the specific guidance and support we need.” 

Her 360 feedback results confirmed this; she was given low marks from stakeholders on measures that reflected her skill in developing employee talents and setting a positive example.

When she received this feedback, she was astonished.  She knew she was tough, but she thought her management style was well balanced between critical and encouraging comments.  What she didn’t know is that balance in the traditional sense just isn’t good enough.

Research shows that we’re hard-wired to absorb criticism at a much higher internal decibel level than we absorb compliments.  There are exceptions to this rule, of course.  But for most of us, it takes the impact of three to five positive comments to equal the impact of one negative comment.  As we make deposits to and withdrawals from our employees’ “motivational bank account,” consider whether you are ever overdrawn from their perspective.  If your positive and negative comments occur at an even rate, you are likely to be operating in the red. 

And if so, what’s the cost to performance?  Are “attaboys” and encouragement just fluff or do they produce measurable business results?

Think for a moment:  if your employees spend fifteen minutes per day fuming, complaining or feeling demoralized about your management style, how much time does that take away from activities that are mission-critical?  How much time does that amount to each quarter?  What are the direct and indirect costs of this to your organization? What if you could harness all that energy in the direction of your goals?

Does this mean becoming a Pollyanna, saying nothing at all that’s not positive?  Of course not. 

Leadership requires setting the vision, charting the course and correcting off-course actions.  It’s not an all-or-none situation, though, and the fact is, most of us think we’re more encouraging than our employees perceive us to be.

Our senior vice president tried it out for a quarter.  To her delight, she noticed that not only did performance measures improve, she noticed something else:  more smiling employees with more energy and innovation on the job.  The cost of this:  extra time each day noticing successes and good efforts.  Was the effort worthwhile?  She thought so.  

Coach’s tip:  Think about your own leadership style.  What balance of encouragement to criticism do you aspire to?  What is the value of noticing successes and good efforts to your team?  Consider keeping track of the deposits and withdrawals you make to the Motivational Bank Accounts of your direct reports.

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Patricia Wheeler, Ph.D. is an executive and team coach who helps smart people become more effective leaders.  She is Marshall Goldsmith’s partner in Leading News (www.LeadingNews.org ) an online executive resource which features leadership development articles and events.  

by Nancy Merz Nordstrom

Here are just a few of the miscellaneous new programs and initiatives being developed around the country, all of which will help continue your lifelong learning quest in those “After-50” years .  Thanks to Civic Ventures Blueprint for the Next Chapter for this list. 

The Senior Companion Program is part of Senior Corps, a network of national service programs that provides older Americans with the opportunity to apply their life experiences to meeting community needs. Senior Companions serve one-on-one with the frail elderly and other homebound persons who have difficulty completing everyday tasks. 

The Third Age Initiative of Leadership Greater Hartford provides leadership training for older adults and helps connect them with leadership roles in the community. 

The Discovering What’s Next program in Newton, Massachusetts partners with the Newton Community Education program to offer deeper exploration of topics touched on in library forums. A two-part seminar, Life Planning for Couples in the Second Half of Life identified major lifestyle changes couples face and engaged participants in a process of exploration and conversation about their implications for their relationships. 

The Transition Talks, Discovering What’s Next: Re-Vitalizing Retirement workshops and forums in Newton, Massachusetts were extremely popular and participants expressed a desire to continue meeting in smaller groups. As a result, Transition Talks was developed – informal drop-in conversation groups held at local Starbucks stores and the public library for discussions about topics related to retirement and aging. 

Cleveland’s OASIS Without Walls program conducted focus groups of baby boomers in their effort to attract younger members. Their responses led program planners to offer a series of courses related to spirituality and inner explorations including, Inner Peace by Meditation, the Seven Chakras, Peaceful Practices, and Sage-ing Circles. 

LifeLearn Program at the Goodrich-Gannett Neighborhood Center offers computer classes and incorporates computer and technology features into lifelong learning programs. Older adult participants are able to apply and advance their computer skills to specific topics they explored in classes or discussions. 

The Seniors Connect@Cleveland Pubic Library initiative is sponsoring Senior Health and Legal Information Fairs as part of its overall program to promote health and wellness. Libraries across the country are becoming key gateways to health information and offering programs on health and wellness for active adults. 

I've presented just some of the many innovative and exciting ideas being developed with the goal to keep older adults active, engaged and contributing members of society. All of these ideas have a Lifelong Learning component, a valuable ingredient needed to reach that goal.  

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Nancy Nordstrom is the author of, “Learning Later, Living Greater. ”She also directs the Elderhostel Institute Network, North America's largest educational network for older adults. She offers counseling to new programs, and provides resources and facilitates communication among 400 lifelong learning programs across the U.S. and Canada.