KATHY ARCHER
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Schedule in these 3 MUST appts if you want to thrive as a leader!

14/3/2019

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So, you want out of survival mode. You want to enjoy your job more. You want to feel that you have time to get to the meaningful work, not just the crisis of the day. And of course, you also want to enjoy the rest of your life.

What are you doing to get there?
What are you actively doing to move from survival or a place of tolerating, to that point where most days you feel like you are thriving?

In this blog, you'll learn the 3 things you MUST schedule into your daily agenda if you want to get out of survival mode and move to a place of thriving in both leadership and life!
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​I start with the phrase ACTIVELY DOING for a reason. Wishing, hoping and praying things will get better won't change them. But I know, you maybe saying you can't actively doing thing yet. Ugh...I know, but....

Please DON'T tell me you are
  • Waiting for the right time.
  • Waiting for things to slow down.
  • Waiting to see if they will leave, change or give you a chance.

These ladies certainly DID NOT wait!
  • Rosa Parks did not wait for the right time to stand up for what she believed in.
  • Florence Nightingale did not wait for things to slow down before she did her most passionate work.
  • Anne Frank did not wait to feel joy and gratitude until they stopped looking for her family.
You don't have to wait anymore either.
You need to realize this:
Let me tell you a little secret: Intentional personal and professional development is your path to success in leadership and in life.

To be intentional about your personal and professional growth and development, you need to treat it like anything else important in your day — You need to schedule it in!


Specifically, what do you need to have actually scheduled in as appointments in your day-timer, calendar or appointment book? These 3 things

The 3 things you MUST have in your agenda!
Self-Care:
Yes, I am serious. This is the first one. And by self-care, I am not talking about your manicure. I am talking about the fundamentals of eating healthy, moving your body and getting a good nights sleep. If you don't have lunch breaks booked in, time for a 15 min. walk in the afternoon and an alarm that reminds you it's time to start getting ready for bed, you might want to consider those as starting points.
  • You CANNOT be your best on an ongoing basis if you are not taking care of you.
  • This is a MUST!


Self-Reflection:
To grow personally and professionally requires you to contemplate, ponder and tune in. You will NEVER find time for that if you don't MAKE time for this piece. You may do this on your afternoon walk around the block, create the habit of shutting off the radio, podcast or audiobook on your drive home and use the silent time to reflect about your day and you may make a point of sitting for 15 minutes in the morning journaling.
  • However you schedule it in, just ENSURE you have INNER WORK booked as an appointment with yourself.


Self-Improvement:
By self-improvement, I DO NOT mean the training that your organization or sector requires of you. I DO mean learning and growth that YOU want to do. This could be sector related, but it's over and above the mandatory requirements. This is something that you look forward to, want to do and enjoy. I'd encourage you to do both personal and professional development if you see those as different things (I'd argue they aren't, but that's a whole other conversation). Scheduling this in might be the webinar you are attending, time to read or do the online training you are working through.
  • But it MUST be on your agenda, not just "when you have time."
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​Get immediate access to THE TRAINING LIBRARY
Ongoing training to grow women leaders in ​
🇨🇦​Canada's Nonprofit Organizations. 
I will not tell you it's easy to schedule these things in. It's not. It requires courage to stand up for yourself, your beliefs and desires. Become your best self by scheduling in self-care, self-reflection and self-improvement. It will be awkward and uncomfortable at times, but that's ok. We are not in a popularity contest. We are here to make a difference in the lives of others, in our families and communities. To do that, we need to be at our best. Please don't apologize for that!
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The woes of working in a predominately female team

1/2/2019

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Do you work with a bunch of women? Do they sometimes drive you nuts?

I walked into an all-female meeting a while back and immediately knew it was going to be an hour full of sarcasm, snide comments and passive aggressiveness. And I was right! OMG! They cut each other off, spewed darts at each other as they spoke and refused to "play nice." I just wanted to shake them all and say stop! Can't you be nice to each other?
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​We work in a predominantly female sector
The majority of people that are employed in the non-profit sector are women, so my guess is you work with a lot of them. I'm also going to venture a guess that you find them "emotional" and that those displays of emotions get on your nerves. I'm curious who's driving you crazy today? Your administrative support, your boss or the team lead? Maybe it's the whole dang team!

Your mood today plays a big role!
Here's the thing, how you are feeling, your mood, affects how tolerable you are of their behaviour.
  • If you are stressed about an upcoming report that is due and slept poorly because you fought with your spouse last night, you may have zero patience left.
  • If instead, you are in a good mood, their sarcastic comment may not trigger you. In fact, you may have compassion for them, knowing they've been struggling with their own issues at home.
It's important to remember, is that your mood impacts how their attitude affects you!
Your mood impacts how their attitude affects you!
​This is what it can look like instead
Coming from a place of compassion and feeling a bit more patience may allow you to address the issue, rather than the person. I am NOT suggesting you let things slide and allow people to be rude, ignorant and disrespectful.
  • But waaaaay back when I taught parenting to families, we taught this golden rule: Address the behaviour, not the child. The child isn't bad. But colouring on the wall is not ok.
Instead of taking their comment personally and biting back, we need to address the issue at hand.
Don't take their comment personally
This is what you can do to deal with moody women on your team
One sure way to find the patience for dealing with other women: Choose your mood. Tune into this Ted Talk to hear the science behind this idea. But here's the thing, you can change your mood. You can lift yourself up, and, it doesn't take much time.
🎶  Mambo # 5   🎶
🎶  Pump up the Jam   🎶
🎶  Rock around the Clock   🎶
Are you smiling?
You didn't even need to HEAR the music, and I know already I've changed your mood! You are hearing the songs in your head...the beat..the tune..the energy. Makes you want to dance, doesn't it? Are you humming?
Boost your mood!
Tips to quickly shift your mood:
  • Sounds, like nature, a baby or music lift our moods. Even thinking about them. So conjure up a memory of a sound you love.
  • You don't have to get a runner's high feel the impact of movement on your mood. A walk around the block or a little dance shuffle down the hall can do that too.
  • Our sense of smell is powerful. Sniff your essential oils to boost your mood.
  • Look or touch the flowers on your desk - Yes you can buy yourself flowers!
  • Stand at the window and feel the sunshine on your face.
  • Probably the easiest and quickest way to boost your mood is to SMILE :-) Smiling releases a ton of endorphins into your body!
If that's not enough
I get it. This is in some ways only a temporary fix. The reality is that ongoing negativity and moods in the office can turn things toxic pretty darn quickly. Here are a couple of more resources for you.
  1. If you are a member of The Training Library, I've just added a webinar replay called Gossiping, Hormones and Backstabbing: Leading in Predominantly Female Teams. You'll find it in the webinar section. If you aren't a member of the Training Library and want this and additional training, join here.
  2. The second resource is an invite to check out the work I am doing with my colleague at The Magnetic Workplace. Our focus is helping you move your culture from toxic or tolerable to a Magnetic Workplace.

But always, start with you! Take responsibility for YOUR mood! Trust me that will have a ripple effect!
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Create your plan to ditch "Survival Mode"

29/1/2019

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If you are like most women leaders, there is a general unhappiness  with your day-to-day life, but you don’t know how to change it.
  • You never get through everything you want in a day, and you feel as if you aren’t getting anywhere
  • You are so exhausted by the time you get home, that you can’t enjoy life.
  • You feel trapped or stuck and don’t know what to do.
Thus, you moan to your spouse, your girlfriend or your mom. The voice in your head is stuck on "I hate my life!"
​

If this sounds familiar, know that you are not alone! Many women find they are stuck in survival mode. Just getting through their days, tolerating the crap and looking forward to their next vacation to get a break from it all.

It doesn't have to be that way! Keep reading to discover how you can change days and your inner mantra!
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​The short story​

THE PROBLEM:
​The problem is, that you are stuck in a rut and don't quite know how to get out. It may not be bad enough to run, but if you are honest with yourself, it's time for a change of some sort. You just don't know how to do it. 

​THE CONSEQUENCE:

​The consequence of staying trapped can be stagnation, frustration, and bitterness. It can become quite unhealthy for you, your team and your family as the effects spill out around you. Perhaps you’ve already noticed this. Especially, if you, like many, have been bogged down for weeks, months or even years.
​
THE SIMPLE SOLUTION:
The solution is to change it. Getting from where you are now to where you want to be is quite simple, right? You just figure out where you want to go and start moving in that direction. It sounds simple perhaps in theory, but we all know, it is not always so easy in real life. At times, getting there can seem downright impossible.
Click here and learn how to BUILD A PLAN to get out of survival mode!

The longer story​

MY STORY:
I know that place of stuck all too well. Time-and-time again I have found that I am once again feeling stalled. I realized I’d been working hard, but getting nowhere, except worn out. You know that feeling too right?
 
I learned that instead of staying stuck forever, it was when I paused long enough to realize what was going on that I had some great insights. Through conscious pondering, I was able to figure out what I needed to do to get from where I was, to where I wanted to be. This reflection gave me time to think and allowed me to do a little bit of a pivot in a new direction.
 
That slight shift of direction helped me to create a new strategy to accomplish what I was looking for. With that plan in hand, I was able to proceed forward, despite challenges, opposition and with the fear and doubt that are ever present.
 
THE COMPLETE SOLUTION:
​The key to success has always been a plan. It is the deliberate understanding of what I need to do next, and perhaps even after that has gotten me, and can get you too, through the challenges that are inevitably in front of us when we want a different experience of life going forward.
 
A plan is a roadmap that helps you to move from where you are now, to where you want to be. Think of it as your guide that shows you the next step when you get lost or disoriented. Without it, you might just end up going around in circles. Many of us go around-and-around the hamster wheel of life, never really getting anywhere.
 
A plan isn’t just merely saying I don’t want this, but I do want that. A well thought out, and a comprehensive plan includes the steps you need to take and addresses potential challenges and roadblocks that you will face. The truth is, it is going to take time and effort to get to your destination. You will need to work at it step-by-step. To be successful, you need to build a thorough plan. 

AN EXAMPLE:
When I decided to return to school for my degree, it took 8 years and countless hours of study time. I had to stay focused and set my parental guilt aside while my husband handled the kid’s bedtimes and homework. The commitment required a ton of work to overcome inner saboteurs voices that threatened to stop me dead in my tracks.

My plan helped me to focus on what was in front of me. My strategy was to attain my degree slowly and steadily: One course at a time. I strategically planned which courses I was taking and in what order, matching it up with what else was going on in life. I took a couple of semesters off to recharge. I kept the end goal in mind when doubt, fear, and hesitation crept in. I also knew, what chapter I was reading, what paper needed completing and what I needed to do, that evening, and perhaps the next. Both the long-term vision and the daily steps of the plan were crucial to my success.
Click here and learn how to BUILD A PLAN to get out of survival mode!

​DEVELOPING YOUR PLAN: 

​Moving from the trapped place of feeling overwhelm, doubt or spinning your wheels to feeling happy, confident and advancing forward each day with purpose, takes effort, time and persistence. It is not easy. The truth is, it can be quite tricky. What makes getting back into motion easier, is one secret ingredient that is often missed. Wishing, hoping and begging will only take you so far. To get the rest of the way, you need that plan.
 
If it’s time for you to jump off of that crazy hamster wheel and move forward, then it’s time for you to develop your plan.
DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE HAZARDS: 
​If you are like many women, you develop a plan to change your life, only to have it all fall apart just a short time later. That’s because you likely made one of the critical mistakes most women make when trying to develop a plan to change their life.
 
I want to make sure you are successful moving forward. To help you out with this, I’ve developed a list of the 5 missteps women make when trying to change their life. I’ve also included the “fix” to those mistakes, so you don’t get caught. To get those 5 mistakes, click here, and I’ll send you the report.
 
Remember, the plan is critical. However, it must be a comprehensive plan to work. Take the time, don’t make these mistakes, and build your plan today! When you do, you’ll find yourself getting unstuck. Instead, you will be moving forward with clarity and purpose. ​​
Click here and learn how to BUILD A PLAN to get out of survival mode!
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Increase your sense of well-being by focusing on these

13/12/2018

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Here is a quick quiz for you to rank how well you are doing in contributing to your wellbeing.

Do work to do these 5 core elements of well-being?
  1. Express Positive emotions.
  2. Feeing Engaged in what you are doing.
  3. Ensure you are involved in good Relationships.
  4. Finding Meaning in what you do.
  5. Accomplishing positive things.

If you wish for more wellbeing and happiness, you might want to increase your focus on these components.

​I'll give you some ideas of how to do that below! It starts with Positive Psychology.
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​What's Positive Psychology got to do with wellbeing? Lots!

Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, says that when you practice these 5 things, (The PERMA model of well-being), you bring order to the chaos of your life. While these 5 components don't define well-being he says, they contribute to it.
The PERMA Model
  • Positive emotions isn't about always being happy, happy happy necessarily.
    • It's being optimistic. That's one of the Signature Strengths from the VIA assessment that I encouraged you to do a little while back. p.s. Martin Seligman was instrumental in the development of the VIA and the development of character research.
  • Engaged is that sense of losing sight of what's going on around you because you are engrossed in what you are doing.
    • It's often called being in flow. It's also been shown to be one of the key factors for successful teams. It's when you as a leader create engaged teams that according to Gallup research, you flourish. Oh, by the way, another tidbit of information: Tom Rath, the author of Strength's Finder, which is all about employee engagement, was one of Martin Seligman's first Masters of Applied Positive Phycology degree. Yes, I geek out over this stuff 🙈
  • The connections we develop in our relationships give meaning to life.
    • It is where compassion, caring, love and kindness all come into play. Yes, more signature strengths from VIA.
  •  I often ask you a couple of key questions: Why bother? What's the point?
    • When you have a bigger sense of purpose to your day, your work, your life, you are happier and yes more fulfilled. That sense of meaning contributes to your well-being.
  • Accomplishing something positive, whether that is at work, with your family or in your personal life feels good.
    • What's more, it contributes to your self-esteem and builds competence and confidence.
3 steps to help you impact your wellbeing!
When you focus on these 5 components, you'll be doing both. Here are the steps for doing that.

.......... √ Be intentional
  • You can't do it all. Pick one area to focus on.
    • Perhaps you will choose to work on a specific relationship with someone.

.......... √ Create a habit of practice
  • Change takes time and effort. Pick one small thing and make it a habit that you do.
    • You could start a habit of making eye contact and smiling at this person each time you walk into the office in the morning.

.......... √ Journal each day
  • Documenting, reflecting and measuring is what truly makes a difference.
    • This might be as simple as marking a little check mark at the top of each day in your agenda when you do it. A line through the checkmark might indicate they smiled back at you. At the end of the week, you can notice how often you did it and how effective it was in making them smile. You might also notice what overall effect that has had on your relationship.

Other factors that contribute to your well-being
Tom Rath, whom I mentioned above, wrote not only the Strength's Finder, but also a book called Eat, Move Sleep: How small choices lead to big changes. Tom knows that these are the foundations for being able to do the others: Feel positive emotions, be engaged in what you are doing, have strong relationships, contribute something meaningful in your life and accomplish good things.
Don't forget to take care of yourself!
This time of year can be tough on your sense of well-being!
This can be an incredibly stressful time for many of us. I've fallen apart many times in December; physically, emotionally, spiritually and in my relationships. Each year I work to add new habits, routines and practices to ensure I enjoy December more and more. And do you know what? It's working!
Tonight I'll be singing with my church choir to a group of seniors.
I created that practice last year, and it makes an incredible difference to all 5 components.
  • It gives me a burst of Positive emotions.
  • I get so Engaged I lose track of time.
  • I build Relationships with these old folks that warm my heart.
  • That connection makes me feel like I am contributing Meaningfully to their wellbeing too.
  • That will make me feel like I Accomplished something worthwhile today!
Work on the 5 components of PERMA, and you'll be contributing to your well-being!
  1. Positive emotions
  2. Feeing Engaged
  3. Involved in good Relationships
  4. Finding Meaning in what you do
  5. Accomplishing positive things
Do you need some help with the self-care components?
This month's training is coming up on Dec 19th, 2018. If you want to learn some quick self-care strategies for you and your team, that you can implement quickly, join me here: The 5-Minute Self-Care Strategy for the Swamped Gal!​
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Is your organization only giving lip service to self-care?

6/12/2018

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We all know that self-care is important, but do YOU practice self-care AT WORK?

Yes, I want to know if you practice self-care AT WORK??
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We think self-care can only happen AFTER WORK
Self-care is often seen as taking a bath in the evening, going for a massage and of course, trips to warm sunny locations.

Self-care AT WORK looks like this:
  • Standing up and stretching
  • Grabbing a drink of water
  • Going to the bathroom
  • Taking a little walk
  • Meditating for 5 minutes

🗣Self-care is preached:
Do you have policies about self-care? Maybe you even have a wellness committee. Perhaps your organization has yoga mats with your logo on them. Mine did years ago. We KNOW that self-care is important. But....


❌​Self-care is NOT practiced:
Think about it for a minute. Is it ok to practice self-care in your workplace? Or does it feel weird to do self-care activities?
  • Do people look at you funny?
  • Do you get the sense that you are seen as spoiling yourself, being lazy or just doing it wrong?
  • Do you try to hide your self-care practice?

🚫Self-care may even be taboo!
If you were to take a 10-minute nap at your desk and someone walked in and "caught" you, would you feel as though you had just done something wrong? It shouldn't be that way, should it?


It's up to you to change the culture of your organization!
Women like us crave self-care. It's more than knowing it's important; We want to put it into practice for ourselves and our teams. We want to role model it, encourage others to take care of themselves. We want to let our team know that it's safe to practice self-care, acceptable and even encouraged.


It takes moral courage to change cultures
Last week. I talked about moral courage. That's the courage to do the right thing, even if it is scary, awkward and goes against the grain. Moral courage is knowing what is right and wrong or ethical and then having the courage to act on that awareness. We all know the right thing to do, is to take care of ourselves.


My challenge to you
If you are a woman leader, like most of us, you are ready to change your team.
I challenge you to add self-care into your WORKDAY and to encourage those around you to do the same.
Let me know how it goes!!!


Need some self-care strategies that you can do AT WORK?
This month's training is coming up on Dec 19th. If you want to learn some quick self-care strategies for you and your team, that you can implement quickly, join me here: The 5-Minute Self-Care Strategy for the Swamped Gal!

Take 5 minutes now my dear. Take care of yourself. You are a role model for the next generation. Let's teach them a better way!

p.s. I really do want to know how it goes! Email me and tell me what it's like to role model, teach and make self-care safe in your organization.
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Work-Life balance requires you to hone your character traits

30/11/2018

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Are YOU feeling off balance?
  • Do you feel the overwhelm in your racing chest?
  • Are your tense shoulder's telling you that you are carrying around too much?
  • Are you afraid you are going to drop something, but you don't know what to let go of?
  • Is your health suffering? Your marriage? Your parenting?I
f you said yes to even one of those, it's safe to say you are somewhat off balance.
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If I am honest, I can say yes to every one of those!
  • Last week I felt the anxiety building in my chest not sure how to get done what I was working on before I had to leave for an appointment.
  • My shoulders get tense daily and at times so does my lower back.
  • I often feel like I'm gripping way too many things!
  • I see warning signs in my health, my marriage and my parenting.

Now you are saying: Well heck Kathy! I thought you had it all together! I guess you can't teach me anything!

Whoa...hold up!

Yes, I can say yes to every one of those and probably will for the rest of my life! That's life! 

Stress, busy times and full scheduled will never go away. 
Nor should they! 

** S T R E S S is not bad **
Only your thoughts make it so. 
It's how you handle the stress of life that is key.

Stress = Meaning
I know, a warm sunny beach sounds good for a little while, but for how long?
I had a conversation recently with a lady who received an early retirement package. Within a few weeks of being home, she's depressed and feeling like she doesn't matter anymore. She lacks meaning. 

Work gives us a reason to get up every day. 

People need us. We have work to do. Busy times and full schedules are signs we are doing meaningful work.

Signs of stress are signals we need to pay attention to
Those signs above (racing heart, tense shoulders and relationship challenges) are signs we need to pay attention too. They are red flags to come back to a better state of balance.

- -> Here is how I took a holistic approach to bring myself back into work-life balance:
  • When I was racing to try to get everything done before I had to leave for an appointment, I took a moment to step away from the computer and sit in a chair and take 3 slow deep breaths in and even slower breaths out. I told my body I wasn't in stress mode anymore, brought myself out of tunnel vision (that is what fight/flight mode does to us) and gained clarity and focus to get done what needed doing at that moment. 
    • I practiced self-compassion.
  • When my shoulder tension wouldn't go away, I found a way to create a stand-up desk environment for a bit, finding a more ergonomic way to work AND I changed the mantra's in my head.
    • Instead of: OMG I'm dying...I must have something seriously wrong with my neck and shoulders....What if this lasts forever?
    • I changed it to: Kathy everything is ok. Your world is safe, you are fine. Just breath through it. Relax girl, you've got this!
    • I practiced curiosity.
  • When I snapped at my husband, I realized my role in it, even though it is soooooooo easy to blame the other person! I took some time to myself, had a nap and then asked him for a hug. We don't have to be perfect. We need to be human. That's all!
    • I practiced forgiveness & humility.

What work-life balance is NOT:
X Work-life balance is not a matter of just setting clearer boundaries. 
X It's not finding a better time management system. 
X Finding work-life balance is not just learning to manage your priorities.

What Work-life balance IS:
√ You find more work-life balance when you have the courage to set clearer boundaries.
√  You find more work-life balance when you have the humility to ask for help.
√ You find more work-life balance when you forgive yourself for messing up and have compassion for yourself as you work hard to excel.

I know this is a process to figure out and make sense of it all. But stay with it, it's worth it!
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3 ways to make your social media time make you feel better

11/10/2018

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Do you hit "Like" when you see a good post? Do you share some that really move you? Me too! I love ones that just stand out in the newsfeed. 
  • One about a more compassionate world has me wishfully thinking; If only people would be more compassionate!
  • A post about gratitude reminds me to be grateful for my family.
  • Seeing someone share a post about big dreams gives me a quick boost of confidence.
I share images like this in my Instagram and Facebook feeds. These images make people feel good. That's why we come to social media - to wash away the pain of the day. ​
We skim, scroll and scan through our news feed 
looking to feel better.

Here's the catch. It's a quick high that doesn't last.
When we flip through our social media accounts, we look at the world through blurry eyes...not really seeing people or our role in it. 
What's more, we look at it and say, "Yeah...
  • If only the world would do more of that. 
  • If only so and so read this and took note. 
  • If only my schedule would let me feel that way or do that more.
Wistfully after a few minutes, we move away 
from the newsfeed and back to reality. 

Nothing's changed.
Re-read those three comments in italics above again.
Did you notice anything? They all they blame out there....on someone else, the world or a lack of time. We are in victim mode when we see them and feel like we can't have that. That victim mode is why we head back to work, unchanged. 

It's because we have not taken responsibility for change. Instead, we need to see the posts and ask what the message or lesson for ourselves in it:
  • How can I be more compassionate to that team member at work who's driving me crazy?
  • What am I grateful for about this overwhelming challenge I have to face today?
  • What specific steps, even if they are tiny, can I take today towards achieving that goal that I so badly want, but struggle to move forward on?
Take the inspiration and message and the post and turn it back to yourself. Take responsibility for applying what you've learned. Indifferent skimming, scrolling and scanning are no different than numbing yourself out in front of the TV. It's passive. 

3 ways to make your social media time make you feel better:
  1. When you catch yourself mindlessly skimming, STOP! Walk away from the phone or computer!
  2. If a post catches your attention, STOP and let a post sink in before moving to the next one. 
  3. Make your share more meaningful by STOPPING and adding a comment about why you are sharing this. 
Your thumb needs a break. Stop more often when you are on social media, and you feel way better ;-) Make your social media experience active rather than passive. 

When we look at social media posts and flip them back to action we can take in the moment, social media has the power to change our experience and that of those around us.
Ask this question
So next time you see a post that moves you, ask yourself:

How can I apply this message or lesson in my leadership today?

Today's commentary has been brought to you by tomorrow's WEBINAR: 
Character Development Planning 101

It's not what you DO as a leader, it's the type of person your are BEING when you lead. 
Your Character Development doesn't happen by chance! You need to be intentional about it! Start by creating your Character Development Plan.
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The 3 Strategic Steps You Need to Take Now to Make 2018 Superb

2/1/2018

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Moving into 2018 most of us have a bit of extra energy and enthusiasm to make the new year different, better or somehow different than it was last year. Beware though, that excitement will fade in a few short weeks as New Year’s Resolutions drop by the wayside.
This Facebook Live helps you to learn the 3 strategic steps you need to take now, to keep that energy and excitement alive throughout 2018.
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LINKS from today's session

Discover how you can strategically change the direction of your life  with My Blueprint for Change

Join the CONFIDENT WOMEN LEADER'S Group here

Get the GUIDE SHEET:  A Strategic Look Back

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Best of 2017 - Blogs, Guide Sheets and Videos

27/12/2017

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With your busy schedule you may have read or watched some of these, but missed others. Perhaps you are looking to catch up, are curious or just eager to grow. Either way, I've got you covered. 

These are the top blogs, videos and guide sheets from this year. 

Enjoy!
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Top Blogs of 2017

Discover your leadership potential by awakening your inner guidance system
The solution for “I hate my life”
You can feel a surge of confidence now. Learn this proven technique.
Competence & Courage and the Connection to Confidence
If you are tired of hating your job, read this

Top Guide Sheets of 2017

7 days of journal prompt to help you examine your life
Grab your 3 steps to increasing your awareness of your Mind Chatter
Discover how gritty you are and how to increase your grittiness 
Use this guide to Intentionally decide who you are at your best and create the plan to be that person.
Excellence in Leadership Series - Summary

Top FB Live Sessions of 2017

WEEK #4 - AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP Excellence in Leadership Series
The Surviving to Thriving Continuum - Where do you land?
Increased Competence gives you the Confidence to THRIVE!
WEEK # 5 - Self-Awareness
Have the right attitude in leadership
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How to overcome your fear of hiring a Coach

14/11/2017

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​Your problem: You ain’t happy!
You’re struggling. Some days are worse than others. You want a way out of the mess. You want to feel more capable of doing your job and more content in life. But, the big question is, how do you discover that?

The solution: You just don’t know, and it’s frustrating!
Perhaps one of the options you’ve considered is coaching. But, you really don’t get what coaching is; you don’t understand it, or you aren’t sure what it’s all about. So, you’ve hesitated to take the next step.

Let me try to clear the fog for you.
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​What coaching is not: 
Coaching isn’t therapy or counselling. Both of those may be something that can benefit you as well, either on their own or in conjunction with coaching, but they are different. I am neither a counsellor nor a therapist, so I am providing you with a description of what they offer from the International Coaching Federation (ICF):
  • Therapy deals with healing pain, dysfunction, and conflict within an individual or in relationships. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past that hamper an individual's emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with the present in more emotionally healthy ways. 
 
What is coaching?
So what is coaching then? Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires you to maximize your personal and professional potential. When I am coaching you, I am asking you a lot of questions. I get you thinking, and usually, in ways, you haven’t been thinking on your own!  You have probably been stuck in a rut, regurgitating the same thoughts over and over. OMG, I don’t know what to do! I can’t figure this out. I just want to enjoy my life!

Coaching is not advice. It's questions
Most often, the questions I ask are pointing you forward. As a coach, I use curiosity to help you explore things that you probably already know, but have avoided, overlooked, or afraid to take on. I might ask you What if you could figure it out, where would you start? I could ask you to describe what your life might look like after achieving joy, happiness, or contentment. That helps you get more precise about the actions you need to take because not everyone is looking for the same thing. Maybe you want to be home at least 3 nights each week to make supper, but someone else wants two vacations south each year. Another lady might focus on being able to deal with her workload or be better at growing a cohesive team. Coaching helps you see your challenges with a new perspective AND create a plan to navigate all the roadblocks between you and your future, step-by-step.


The benefits of hiring a coach
As a coach, I am helping you to reach your full potential both in at work and in your life. Part of that full potential might be that you become more productive or have better time management. You might develop better relationships with your employees or peers. Through coaching, you and your organization could achieve better results. You may find a better balance between work and life or achieve a higher state of health, which subsequently allows you more joy in life. 

Coaching will give you confidence
When you work with me, I’ll help you to feel more confident, and the result is you’ll get out of survival mode, which so many of us live in and you’ll move to thriving in both your leadership and life.
  • That might mean you gain the confidence to set better work-life boundaries.
  • You may increase your confidence allowing you to tackle difficult conversations and address ongoing issues with your employees or your boss.
  • You may gain the courage to take on the new project, go back to school, apply for the new position or start your own business.
I work to awaken whatever has been dying to develop, grow or shine in you, that you’ve been too afraid to show the world. Coaching gives you the confidence to be you!
​

Here is what your peers say about coaching?
​
Don’t take my word for it. This is what some of the women I have coached, have said about their coaching experience and the difference it's made in their life:
​​Coaching helped me to see different perspectives and to move forward in a way that was both balanced and inspiring. Much of what we've explored together has 'stuck,' which I'm grateful for. Not only have I moved through a difficult time, but I've grown up for the better."  
Liz B

I'm so excited about my life again! Through coaching, I realized things I've always wanted but wasn't able to put into words before. I now have a solid plan. I get to watch each step moving forward now - sometimes big steps (whoa!) and sometimes small steps. Kathy’s coaching style combines great questioning with a 'you can do this' attitude, so you feel open and supported. 
Mimi V

Coaching helped me dig out of a deep, deep hole of victimization. Coaching helped me to discover and rediscover my values when I was honoring them and when a situation or I was pinching them. No matter how many times I took a step backward, Kathy was patient and helped me move forward.  She was always there cheering me on, helping me to recognize and honor my progress. 
Kitty O.

Coaching has been a very good experience for me.  Kathy is a naturally supportive and positive person and is a great ‘deep’ listener; she is intuitive and creative in responding to my energy—even across a phone line.  As a coach, she has helped me focus on my goals and challenged me on old beliefs and ‘stories’ that no longer serve.  I appreciate being held accountable.  I see changes in my life! 
Cheryl K
​How to hire a coach

You may be even more curious now about coaching and are thinking about trying coaching out. To look for a Coach, you can begin with a search on the Internet. There is a multitude of coaching sites available for you to consider. If you have a friend who is using a coach, you may ask that friend for a referral.

You might be concerned about finding a qualified coach, even if you don’t quite know what that means. The best place to ensure you are getting a certified Coach is to use the referral service that the ICF provides. There you will find a list of credentialed coaches to meet your needs.


What are you looking for in a coach?

Finding the right Coach is like finding a pair of shoes that fit really well. Looking pretty is nice, but it’s not going to help you if you are on your feet all day. Your Coach is going to help you get over some of the hills in front of you. You’ll want to find one that feels supportive, encouraging and who will push you a bit to achieve your full potential. Take the time to find the right coach. It will be worth it for both your career and your happiness.

3 Questions to ask a Potential Coach (and 3 more CRITICAL ones you should be asking)
As with anything else you are purchasing, you should do your homework before hiring a Coach. Be sure to ask the following three questions:
  • What are your credentials? 
  • Can you walk me through your coaching process?
  • Do you have any references I can contact?
Your coaching relationship will be so valuable to you if you find the right fit. Hiring the right Coach is serious business,  I've outlined 3 additional questions that you probably wouldn't even think to ask a potential coach. These are the critical questions you want also to be asking to find the right Coach for you. You can get those 3 critical questions here.

Hiring a Coach is serious business!
​Ask these 3 critical questions to make sure you get the right Coach for you!
3 Critical Questions to Ask a Potential Coach

Are you ready to sample coaching?
To book a session with me, click here. I'm looking forward to supporting you to both be an impactful leader, and enjoy life! It is possible to do both!
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    Kathy Archer

    Women leaders often hit a point where they find themselves in over their heads and wondering if they have what it takes to lead.
    ​In my online courses and coaching I teach them inner and outer tools to restore their lost confidence so they can move from surviving to thriving in both leadership and life.

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  • ends her workday with energy left for the rest of her life ​

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