Stephen Covey inspires "Habits of Highly Empowered Women"

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Stephen Covey last week at the age of 79.  We've been fans for years and avid readers of his books.  "First Things First" is a personal favorite and "The 8th Habit" confirmed for us that we were on the right track with Soulspring Groups.

Back in November he inspired one of our most popular twitter-series and blog posts, the title of which was a playful twist on his book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People".

Seeing his book on the shelf one day prompted us to write our version, "The 30 Habits of Highly Empowered Women". In our post we asked, "What qualities do empowered women have in common?  What is it that sets these women apart from their counterparts?"

In memory of Stephen Covey, we invite you review our list and contemplate how you might accomplish your mission and leave the world better than it was when you got here.

The 30 Habits of Highly Empowered Women

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character...”  ~Stephen R. Covey

Women's Empowerment Tip: Finding Passion Time

Today’s lifestyles don’t leave a lot of free time, and many women struggle to carve time out of their busy schedules to work on the passions and goals that inspire them.  Here are some ideas to help you find the time you need to put your passions into focus:

1. Cut back on T.V. time.  According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey, a year-long poll that involved over 13,000 Americans over the age of 15, women spend nearly 3 hours daily watching television.  Reclaiming just half of those hours would give you over 10 hours to dedicate to your passionate pursuits!

2. While we are strong advocates for the physical and mental benefits of sleep, many women find 3-6 extra hours a week by getting up 1 hour earlier in the morning, staying up 1 hour later at night or getting up at regular time, but letting the family sleep in, on the weekends.

3. Multi-task the right way.  Practice visualization while enjoying a bubble bath.  Listen to an inspirational book or podcast while working out.

4. Empower your family.  While they will surely complain about extra chores, if they understand the reason behind them kids and husbands soon become your biggest supporters!  Learn to be a bit more self-sufficient is a great lesson in empowerment for them, too.  Their not mind readers, though.  Delegate by giving specific requests, deadlines, and postive reinforcement for a job well done.

What tips do you have for carving out more "you" time from your schedule?  Please share your tips in the comment area below!

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of." ~Benjamin Franklin
 

What Empowered Women Do on Vacation

Are you planning a vacation this summer? Hey, we all need a break from time to time -- getting away from it all is refreshing; but so too can time spent in self-reflection. 

We want to let you in on a little tip...the one thing that empowered women are sure to schedule while on vacation:  Don't forget to set aside some alone-time for a little personal reflection and contemplation.

The Soul Searching Questions below are perfect for this!  Surely you're found yourself more open and creative when you're on a break from your day-to-day responsibilities and routines.  That's why there's no better time to check in with you, to see how your feeling, doing and being.

This "Summer Break Exercise" will help you uncover what's "broke" (not working), where you need a "break" (take some time off or away) or where you just need to "brake" (stop or discontinue)! Such simple questions, yet sure to lead to a big vacation break-through!

•  When I think about what's "broke" in my life, the first thing that comes to mind is...
• When I think about where in life I need to take a "break", what comes to mind is...
• When I think about where I need to apply the "brakes" in my life, what comes to mind is...

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:
"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking." ~Earl Wilson

Through Rose-Colored Sunglasses

A few weeks ago, as my family was traveling home after an extended weekend get-away, I could not believe the sunset.  None of us had really noticed it until we turned a corner and there it was, smack dab in our line of vision.  It was seriously a top 5 sunset; beautiful colors of pinks, oranges, and lavenders filled the sky.  I went on and on, “Oh my gosh, isn’t this the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen?!  It’s gorgeous!  I can’t get over it!”
 
I continued to rave, as everyone else in the car looked at me with very confused looks on their faces.  As you can imagine, that was surprising to me…how could they not appreciate this phenomenal sight??  I lowered my sunglasses to get a better look, and that’s when I saw it.  The same lackluster sunset that everyone else was seeing.  I had no idea that the colored lenses in my sunglasses were what were actually accentuating the sunset’s colors.  But, rather than be disappointed, I just popped my sunglasses back on and appreciated the fact that I was the only one seeing the beauty.

Fast forward a couple weeks and I’m driving down the road with my sister.  We see one of those interesting Cube cars.  Their body style alone is enough to catch the attention of passers-by, but I could not get over the color of this one.  I went on and on about it, “I love that color!  It’s like a mix of copper and bronze!  I would love that color in my bathroom…”  Meanwhile, my sister is scratching her head…all she sees if a less-than-attractive funny mauve colored car.  Finally, I realized that my sunglasses are on; as I tilted them down I see the color that she was seeing.  I smiled to myself and pushed them back up…I liked the color of the car better that way!

Isn’t it funny how something as simple as your sunglasses can change the way you see things?  You’re given a whole new perspective.  Perhaps there’s something simple you can do in your life to change your perspective and turn the blah and ordinary into something spectacular?  Could your rose-colored sunglasses be an hour of alone time in the evening, or a morning walk, or a healthy lunch? 

When you feed yourself, it’s amazing how it can shift your outlook.  You easily see the beauty in the familiar, appreciate the simple things, and maybe even see more clearly when dealing with hardships.

One thing’s for sure…I’ll be keeping these sunglasses for years to come, and enjoying the magnificent views through them!

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”  ~Unknown