Women’s Empowerment Tip: What Are The Deeper Issues Behind Your Lack of Time?

Check in with any woman and the odds are pretty good that she’s busy, overwhelmed and living life fast! We’re known to have bouts of overwhelm ourselves, and any time we share a time management tip, you devour them in the hope of finally finding the secret to your challenges with time!

Unfortunately, it takes more than a quick tip. Often there are deep-seated issues that fuel our feelings of overwhelm, and until we get clear on what those issues are and resolve them, there’s not a scheduler, a calendar, or a piece of software or technology, that is going to solve our challenges with time. This requires us to honestly answer some hard questions…5 questions actually.

1. What are my top 5 values? Your values are the key to many time challenges. For example, if your highest value is family, but you’re spending 80 hours a week at work, are you going to feel balanced? Knowing what your highest values are is extremely important to uncovering what’s working and what’s not about how you manage yourself in relation to time. If you can get clear on this, you will be amazed at how the answers to your time challenges will become clear. Suddenly you’ll know where you need to adjust your schedule and to-do list; all the hard decisions you were forced to make about time before, become easier because you now know what’s important!

2. What are the top 5 goals for my life? I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t even have time to check my email let alone focus on my life goals right now!” That kind of thinking is going to lead you to waking up one day and realizing that life has gotten away from you. What you think about, you bring about…and if your life’s goals aren’t in your consciousness, you’re going to look back someday with regrets. You don’t need to add your goals to your schedule (not yet anyway), but you must list out what they are before you can be in alignment with how you spend your time.

3. What am I avoiding? You’re busy, we get that. But if you investigate further into where your time is being spent, you may find it’s on the wrong things: time wasters and things that aren’t important. We quickly say yes, when we should say no. We do what’s easy, instead of what’s right. We focus our efforts on what pleases others, instead of what pleases us. So what is it for you? What are you avoiding? Are you avoiding the unpleasant conversation, the difficult decision, the hard choice, your own power? It’s a very important question to answer.

4. How much time do I need? Seems like a silly question but an important one if you hear yourself wishing for time. If time has been your excuse for not perusing your passion, goal or dream, you must understand that time is a lot like money. If you’re going to attract more, you have to show that you can handle the responsibility, that you have a plan, you’ll use it wisely, and put it to good use. If you’re just going to fill your time with more busy-work and nothing truly important, what’s the point? So what’s the big monkey on your back and how much time do you need to work it? Put a number to that. Finding the time then becomes easier.

5. What is the 1 thing I know I need to do to handle time better that I keep putting off? We all know the answers, don’t we? We don’t always like the answer though…we let our fears get in the way and keep the answers buried, and believe it or not, keep ourselves busy and occupied to avoid them! Still, if you can answer this question honestly you’ve made an amazing breakthrough because you’ve got your answer and a starting point for change. The key is being honest with yourself, and getting over the fear that goes along with it.

Kim,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
"Now is the only time there is. Make your now wow, your minutes miracles, and your days pay. Your life will have been magnificently lived and invested, and when you die you will have made a difference." ~Mark Victor Hansen

Choices Suck

It’s great to have a choice, right? I mean, the power of choice is one of our most precious freedoms. It’s what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom after all. That’s what we tell ourselves anyway.

The reality of the situation…Well, I’m going to venture to say that most people actually hate choices, and avoid making them at every opportunity. Ultimately, it’s the choices we make that put the responsibility in our lives, and our own happiness squarely on our shoulders.

Everything in life is a choice left to us; the job we accept, the spouse we marry, the schedules we keep. But what do we tend to do? We make choices that are not right for us. We choose what society thinks is right, what our husband thinks is right, or what our children think is right. And that’s where it begins…Instead of choice being one of our greatest freedoms it becomes one of our strongest captors.

We blame our circumstances and situations for our problems and hardships because it’s easier if we pretend that we don’t have a choice in the matter. Instead of becoming the hero of our own story we become the victim; full of anger, complaints, resentment, and sadness.

We tell ourselves that for one reason or another, we aren’t able to make the choices that others are able to make. They’re lucky or special and we’re the ones that got stuck with what we got. Somehow we confused making “tough” choices with having “no” choices and as a result we do what’s easy, play it safe, try to make (or keep) others happy, and instead of loving choices…we hate them.

It’s time to exercise your freedom to choose and to learn to love every opportunity you have to make a conscious, honest choice, whether it is difficult or otherwise. It’s the only path to fulfilling your wildest dreams!

So you’ve got a decision to make...You can either read this post, applying the message to your own life, and start making conscious and powerful choices, or you can choose to skim this text and quickly decide that your life is different and this lesson doesn’t apply to you. The choice is yours. Which will it be?

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
"Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better." ~Sydney J. Harris

Not Weird, but Wise!

I am fortunate to work with such a diverse group of women. All of varying ages, personalities, backgrounds, and experiences; it sounds a lot like the Soulspring Groups concept, I know. Although, much time is spent as it should be, on the work at hand, quite often tidbits of advice are exchanged while on the clock.

One instance in particular stands out from the past week. As I was working at my desk I overheard a conversation happening outside my door. The younger of two women was describing a situation that she was experiencing with her in-laws. I could tell she was obviously angered by the situation. Like many of us, she was letting the emotions take over and was losing the focus of the big picture...the long term results. The older women confidently stated, “You have to let it go – for your kids and your husband’s sake, it’s best to let it blow over…and it will in time!” I muttered to myself, “Good for her, that advice was spot on!” The younger woman didn’t much like that advice. It was obvious she was hoping for the green light to call her in-laws and tell them a thing or two. Knowing she wasn’t going to receive the message she was seeking, she went on her way. I secretly hoped she would reconsider the advice, however.

The older woman then popped her head in my office, knowing that their conversation had been overheard. She said, “I guess I’m just getting weird in my old age!” I replied, “I wouldn’t call that weird….I’d call that wise!” She gave me a smile and said, “I’d never thought of it that way…”

Do we really buy into the old adage, “Wise beyond our years”? Every single day we are faced with numerous new challenges, new tests, and new opportunities. And everyday we figure out how to deal with each thing that comes our way with style and grace. We learn from the experience itself. We constantly try new things to find out what works and what doesn’t. Give yourself some credit for the gained knowledge that comes at the end of each day.  You truly are "Wise beyond your years!"

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:

“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake, never made a discovery.” ~Samuel Smiles

Strength in Rank

My sisters and I were blessed once again to attend an annual women’s faith conference with several dear friends this past weekend.  The retreat is always amazing and this year didn’t disappoint; it was filled with great speakers, workshops, and conversation.  One of our favorite speakers is always Susie Larson.  This year, during her “Taking Back Your Land” workshop she made a powerful point that we found particularly inspiring as we finalize the content and training materials for our upcoming Self-Worth: Finding the Value in YOU Tele-Class.

As women we sometimes forget that we’re all on the same team. At the end of the day, after we leave behind the labels, we are all joined together as humans. We stand in rank, no one better than another; all beautifully complete with our own set of virtues, imperfections, strengths, and weaknesses. Standing together, linked arm in arm, this is when we’re at our strongest.

Standing there together, each unique in our own way, Susie says, "We are more alike than we often care to admit.  Our main similarity is that each feels imperfect in some way. "

No matter who we are we have struggled with things about ourselves; our habits, our perceptions, our idiosyncrasies, our weight, or our value. We’re all guilty of negative self-talk or of taking to heart the critical comments spoken from some wounded individual. Instead of locking arms and standing up to those voices in unified formation, we listen to the voices that say we’re not worth enough, not good enough, not smart enough. Instead of standing strong together, we step out of rank and find ourselves alone.

Why would we step away from the safety of our support network? We step out because we think that’s it only us, and as we do we begin to believe those voices and feel vulnerable, insignificant, and worthless.

Self-worth is the foundation by which you will build up your power and your life. If you’re in need of a self-worth boost, you won’t want to miss our free tele-training event! See details below.

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on.” ~Unknown

At Soulspring Groups we’ve declared 2011 “The Year of Self”. From self-esteem and self-image, to self-care and self-discovery; we’ll be bringing you a series of reflective training sessions focused on the most interesting of topics: YOU!

When you think about “you”, what comes to mind? Do you glow with pride for your successes, or instantly recall every mistake and misstep? Do you live life with guts and gusto, or feel undeserving of the abundance available to you?

Living a rich life has little to do with net-worth and everything to do with self-worth. Your personal value is a direct result of your self-esteem and beliefs about your deservedness. It’s a sad reality that many women suffer from low esteem and consider themselves inferior to others. Don’t you think it’s time you realize your true value and embrace the best life has to offer?

Well we do! Don’t surrender another day to anxiety, worry, regret, dissatisfaction, or inadequacy! Join us as we reveal powerful strategies to boost your self-worth and self-esteem. Prepare to tap into your inner power, and expose the value of YOU!

Self-Worth: Finding the Value in YOU

DATE: Monday, March 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. CST

LOCATION: In the Soulspring Tele-classroom

FEE: It's FREE*! We invite you to be our guest!

*Long distance charges apply where applicable.

Register today in our Soul Store!

 

You will receive your tele-classroom access code and training materials
 via email prior to the training call.