Carol Schulte

Get your BRĀV on!

Personal Development

How to Kick Procrastination To The Curb!

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What is your relationship with procrastination?

Do you agree with Pablo Picasso when he says: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone”?

Or, do you perhaps share Oscar Wilde’s perspective:

“I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do – the day after.”

Maybe it’s a bit of both?!?

The truth is, not all procrastination is created equal.

Not all procrastination is bad.

And not all procrastination is even procrastination in the first place!

While we can be so quick to blame and shame, there may actually be more going on behind the scenes…

In this video, you’ll learn how to determine what is, and what is not procrastination. You’ll also discover five ideas to help you kick it to the curb! 

So, I dare you to face your so-called procrastination head on this week… and get honest with yourself about what it really going on! Choose one of these ideas and see what happens…

I look forward to hearing from you in the comments below.

 

Feeling In a Funk? 7 Ways To Elevate Your Mood!

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Happy Friday!

When was the last time you sang and danced like nobody’s watching?

You may be feeling it’s a bit like Groundhog Day… but that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to bring the joy!

If I’m honest, over these last few weeks I’ve certainly experienced my fair share of ups and downs… sometimes within the same day.

Perhaps you can relate?

And while a glass of wine 🍷 does occasionally bring me comfort, it’s not always the best option. And too much of anything – even wine, ice cream or Netflix, as sad as it is – is never a good thing!

Our initial emotions to what we see, hear, or watch these days, are largely out of our control. Yet our feelings, thoughts and reactions to our emotions are largely within our control.

And so are our actions.

And taking action can often lead to shifting our mood… for the better.

If you haven’t been feeling or showing up at your best recently, you’re not alone. And, there’s help on the way!

Watch today’s video to learn 7 ideas to help you change your state, and change your mood. (And you’ll also get to see me dance and lip sync to my fave song 🎵 🎶… you’ve been warned! 🤣) 

So next time you find yourself pouring a glass of wine, or rummaging around for ice cream in your freezer – and it’s not even 11:00am yet – I invite you (no, I dare you!) to try at least one of these ideas on for size.

Do let me know how it work for you – and feel free to share any additional ideas you have in the comments below. Sharing is caring, after all! 🙌

 

And now, it’s time to get back to my dance break! 

 

P.S. Feel free to share this video with anyone you think could benefit! 

Two truths and a lie…

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Happy Friday!

When was the last time you tried something for the first time?

It’s not always easy, and it’s not always fun.

Which is why the majority of people tend to avoid it! And yet, it’s the only way we’re going to grow, stretch, and find out what we are truly capable of.

This time we find ourselves in, is the first time we’re experiencing it. And we are very much figuring it out as we go.

It’s a good time to adopt the beginner’s mindset…

Which, could also be helpful when approaching other things we want to take on.

As we’re all already out of our comfort zones, perhaps this is the perfect time to be brave enough to try something new, and moreover to be brave enough to be bad at it!

Watch this week’s video to see what I am trying for the first time, and what two truths and a lie you need to know about what is going on right now. 

 

In some ways, this time is the great equalizer… none of us know quite what we’re doing, and we’re all trying to figure it out as we go.

And so why not try something new, and to be brave enough to be bad at it?!?

How are you going to adopt the beginner’s mindset this week, and what are you going to take on that you’ve never done before?

 

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below so I can cheer you on!

And until next week, stay safe, sane, and as positive as possible!

 

You are braver than you think… and here’s why.

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Happy Friday!

I have a question for you.

Do you know how brave you are 🤷‍♀️?!?

Seriously, though. You are!

I actually think you should stop what you’re doing right now and give yourself a good ol’ pat on the back.

See, part of being brave is about getting out of you comfort zone – and we are ALL out of our comfort zones right now!

Regardless of all you’re facing – with things changing every day, if not every moment – you are still here, still showing up, and still putting your brave face on.

I applaud you.

And so today, I thought I would share how and why I know this, by outlining the 5 areas that make up your B.R.A.V.E. Zone.

Watch today’s video to learn why you need to start celebrating your BRAVE, and how you can apply these ideas to all areas of your life. 

My hope is that learning all about your B.R.A.V.E. Zone will not only help you more powerfully navigate this current climate, but also help you see how to apply it to other areas of your life.

So keep on getting your brave on… you’re doing an amazing job!

And I really am cheering 🙌 for you.

(To that end, I’ve opened up my calendar to chat one-on-one with anyone who needs a listening ear, a sounding board, or a virtual dance 💃 partner! Schedule some time with moi HERE.)

Until next week (if not before!)… one day at a time, better days ahead, and lots of elbow pumps coming your way.

 

 

P.S. I’m going to be offering a webinar on Thursday, April 9th on all things Brave Communication and Brave Emotional Intelligence… so stay tuned!

Do you know how fabulous you are?!?

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Happy Friday!

And happy (almost!) International Women’s Day!

Today, and every day, I celebrate YOU.

Even though I hope we don’t need a special day to realise how fabulous we are.

(And you know what, I don’t necessarily want to exclude the men today. I really don’t think today should be about a battle of the sexes. There are so many incredible men who have supported, encouraged, cheered us on from the sidelines, and continue to do so…)

But it is a day to recognise the incredible achievements of women, and to empower each and every one of us to continue to go after our dreams, to help us see and believe that anything and everything is possible.

There have been some incredibly brave and extraordinary women in our history that paved the way. Women who believed in the power of their dreams. Women who didn’t take no for an answer. Women who were prepared to fight for what they truly wanted. Women who really did make things happen, despite their circumstances, their age, their sex, their naysayers, their sometimes extreme battles.

We’ve come so far.

And maybe we still have a long way to go.

But I think it’s time to focus less on what we don’t have, and more on what we do have.

And moreover, less about seeking external validation, and more about realising we have all the power to achieve whatever we want within.

It’s about being brave enough to be ourselves in a world that all too often wants us to be something else.

In past blogs around this time of year, I’ve spoken about how fabulous women are. And let’s be honest, we ARE!

If we’re lucky enough, we can give birth and create new life. We are mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts, girlfriends, powerful professionals, caregivers… and sometimes all at the same time. We can rock it in anything from leather pants to yoga pants, from short cocktail dresses to jeans and a tee. We have big hearts. We nurture. From suffragettes to style icons, women inspire others to fight for their rights and go after their dreams. We have vision. We come from a place of love, compassion, and caring. We put others before ourselves. We have spirit. We have grit. We are beautiful. We have the power to bond pretty profoundly with one another. We take care of each other. When we see someone crying, we sit with her and find out what’s wrong and we comfort her. We have a natural ability to look after those needing comfort, support, love, friendship. We care. We are strong and capable yet gentle and kind. We come together and help each other. We are each other’s cheerleaders. Women fill up each other’s buckets. We can roar. We are brave and vulnerable and real. We can raise society up to a higher level by making value-based choices. And we women empower other fabulous women to step into their fabulousness.

Now you may not resonate with each and every idea above, but chances are you’re feeling you deserve a good ol’ pat on the back right about now.

And you DO! So go ahead, I’ll wait.

You really are pretty amazeballs. I hope you take a moment to realize it.

But you don’t need me to tell you that, your boss to tell you that, or the world to tell you that.

And we don’t need a special day to remind us of that.

You need to KNOW that. And believe it.

However, International Women’s Day is coming up. So take a moment to celebrate YOU this weekend. And take a moment to celebrate the other special women in your life, too. Reach out and tell them what they mean to you, and express how fabulous they truly are. And then reach out to the special men in your life, and let them know what their support means to you also.

And now, some fun and inspirational quotes from some pretty fabulous ladies:

“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.” – Katharine Hepburn

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin

“If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.” – Margaret Thatcher

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” – Audrey Hepburn

 

Have a FAB week, you fabulous woman (or man!)

 

What if, instead of leaving a legacy, you lived your legacy?

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Happy Friday! 

And a happy friday it is, too! The sun is out, glistening on the lake as I watch through the glass doors to my right. I have the soundtrack to Hamilton blasting in the background, and I’m smiling.

Last night I was lucky enough to go with my cousin to see the award-winning Musical, Hamilton. And O – M – G (and I don’t say that very often!) it was SOOO good!

Now I’m a sucker for musicals, it’s true. But this one was pretty darn special.

A historical depiction of the fascinating life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, the story is told in a very modern fashion, combining hip hop with spoken word poetry with rap with traditional musical theatre styles to boot.

It truly is a masterpiece.

As the first Secretary of the Treasury, he was responsible for bringing the country out of debt, and established not only a centralized bank but also their own US national currency. He also wrote 59 essays defending the US Constitution, founded the Federalist Party, The United States Coast Guard, and the New York Post newspaper. Oh, and he was father to eight children… accomplishing an incredible amount before he was killed in a famous duel with Vice President Aaron Burr at age 47.

And even though he is the least known and spoken about of the Founding Fathers, you can’t hear his story without thinking about legacy. And rightfully so, as he certainly left one.

But it got me thinking. Does legacy have to be something we leave?

After finishing an amazing book last week, Everyday Legacy (which also happens to be written by my good friend and colleague Codi Shewan, and just launched this week – shameless plug I know!) I have a whole new perspective with respect to legacy.

His belief is that legacy isn’t something you leave, but something you live, and create every day of your life.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Your legacy doesn’t exist in what is written on your tombstone, but in the words of encouragement you utter, in the smiles you share with strangers, in the belly laughs you have with your girlfriends.

Every day you have an opportunity to live your legacy. In every interaction, in every conversation, in every pair of eyes you meet.

I received some very sad news last week, which is still very surreal and very raw. A very special family friend, one of my Dad’s best friend’s in fact (who subsequently became very near and dear to me, also…) has terminal cancer.

She has sent me a card on my birthday every year for the past, well, probably 30 years. Although she lives in the UK, never once has it arrived late. And I know she does the same for likely hundreds of others in her life. She has been a volunteer in the prisons for decades, is an incredible friend, wife, mother, grandmother and caregiver, and the most welcoming and amazing host you could ever imagine (I’ve never tasted Yorkshire pudding so delicious in all my life… and I don’t even like Yorkshire pudding!) 

I have never once heard her complain, nor have I ever not seen a smile on her face.

She is a perfect example of what it means to live a legacy. And with every day we are lucky enough to still have her with us, she will continue to do so.

Living your legacy is about living fully. Living with passion, and living with purpose.

 

How might you be living your life differently if each day you were aware of living your legacy?

 

Would it give you permission to try that thing you’ve always wanted to try?

Would it give you the courage to acknowledge your fear, stare it in the face, and take the first step in the direction of your dreams anyhow?

Would it give you an extra nudge to say yes before you felt ready to have that conversation, the very thought of which makes you uncomfortable?

 

That is what Codi means when he says everyday legacy.

And that is living brave.

 

This week I encourage you to take on this idea, and spend each day as though you truly are living your legacy.

And then please share what everyday legacy means to you, and how you’re going to start putting it into action in the comments below… it warms my heart every time I hear from you!

Have a FAB week!

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