Carol Schulte

Get your Brave on!

Carol Schulte

Maybe it’s not ‘ALL OR NOTHING!’ after all…

by Leave a Comment 

(view from my flight yesterday...)
Happy Friday!

Have you ever avoided something in your life? 🤔

Now be honest…

(And if you answered NO – I would love to meet you! As I’ve yet to meet someone who has never avoided anything in their life…)

The tough conversation. 

Your taxes.

Eating your vegetables!

So perhaps the better question to ask is: 

What was the last thing you avoided? And why was it you avoided it?!?

We avoid things for many reasons.

Perhaps you can relate to one of the following:

  • You don’t like doing it. 
  • You’re scared to do it. 
  • You don’t know how to do it. 
  • You don’t know where to start. 
  • It makes you uncomfortable. 
  • It’s just not the right time. 
  • You just don’t have the time. 
  • There just always seems to be something else more important… 

 

Whatever the reason – it tends to be a black and white sort of situation. 

I don’t know how, so I can’t. 

I don’t have time, so I won’t. 

I don’t know where to start, so I’m not.

Instead of looking at it in a binary way – either I’m facing it head on, tackling it full out, going all in – or not at all… let’s be open to looking at it in a different way.

 

Maybe it doesn’t have to be ALL or NOTHING. 

 

Maybe it could be a question of making it a little less overwhelming, a little less intimidating, a little less anxiety-producing. 

And, maybe it could be BOTH. 

I don’t know how, and, I am committed to taking the first step. 

I don’t have time, and, I am committed to finding 10 minutes on my calendar to brainstorm all of the steps I need to take.

 

Last week I asked you a few questions, in an effort to do a little audit on your life. And the last question I asked you to commit to ONE SMALL ACTION, that would take 5 minutes or less, which you could do in the next 24 hours, and would begin to move the needle forward just a little bit. 

It’s tough to have ‘Do my taxes’ on your to-do list, but it’s easier to write ‘Schedule 15 minutes on my calendar to identify all of the paperwork and information needed to do my taxes.’

 

Instead of running away from something, try to walk towards something.

Stop avoiding, and start approaching, slowly.. 

As a good friend of mine would say, 

Walk slowly.

Tread lightly.

 

Avoiding those tough things won’t make them go away. And the longer you avoid and the farther you run, the bigger the thing becomes. 

 

So, here’s your homework this week:

  1. Identify what it is you’re avoiding (yes, that hard thing!) 
  2. Reframe from ‘I’m scared, so I can’t’ (or whatever the reason you’ve been using to justify for far too long now!) to ‘I am scared, and, I’m still committed to figuring it out.’
  3. Choose your first, small step of action
  4. Take this first step, small step!
  5. Finally, CELEBRATE when you do!

Stop avoiding, and start approaching. 

Walk slowly, tread lightly.

And get your brave on already!

 

You’ve got this, and I look forward to hearing what you’re taking on in the comments below! 🙌

 

Have a FAB week!

 

I’ve got a few questions for you…

by Leave a Comment

Happy Friday!

When was the last time, you took some time, to do a little audit on your life?

It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle, that it can become a challenge to ever take a step back, and take a bit of a bird’s eye perspective into where you’re at, what’s working, and where you may be looking to make a change…

Over the last 9 days, I’ve been meeting one-on-one with every staff member within the organization I’m working with – from the General Manager to the housekeeper their first week on the job. (I’ve conducted close to 60 so far… 73 folks in total, so I’m in the home stretch!) 

Now I love people – so it’s been fun – and also fascinating.

When you are given the space to think, reflect, and answer a few questions – you just may find out you have a lot more to offer than you realize!

While the questions I’ve been asking address their current role, they could also very easily be addressed to your current role… ie., your current place in life.

And so, instead of sharing with you any new concepts or new insights this week, I’m going to ask you a few questions instead!

  1. What do you love about what you are doing right now?

  2. What is working well?

  3. What is maybe not working so well? (ie. what are some ‘areas of opportunity’ for you?)

  4. What ideas do you have to make it better?

  5. What is one professional goal you have? (Another way to think about it – where do you ideally see yourself in 1 year from now? And if 1 year is too far away, 6 months from now?)

  6. What is one personal goal you have? (Is there a habit you want to start, a sport or activity you’ve always wanted to try, or do you want to be in bed by 11pm?)

  7. Finally, choosing ONE of the above goals, what is the ‘first, next brave step,’ which will take 5 minutes or less, that you can commit to doing in the next 24 hours, which will help move the dial forward just a little bit?

 

More often than not, when we want to start something new, or do something a bit differently, it can be overwhelming. And yet, when we can identify that first small step (especially one that will only take 5 minutes or less!) it becomes much more doable.

And that first small step is what brings about the biggest difference. Because the momentum builds from there!

So, I hope you take 5-10 minutes this week to answer these questions for yourself… and then commit to taking that first, small, brave step of action!

Want some extra accountability? Share your action in the comments below! 🙌

Have a FAB week!

 

The power of beginnings…

by Leave a Comment

Happy Friday!

Every day, every moment, you have the opportunity to begin again.

Last week I spoke about adventure… and shared some ideas about how we can bring it into our everyday lives.

It seemed apropos, as I have begun a new adventure in beautiful Tofino, BC – working intensely with a beautiful lodge out here, doing some leadership and team culture consulting.

So far so good – long days extending into the evenings – but when you love what you do, and it’s new, you seem to have all the energy!

And, it’s the beginning of something new. And beginnings always breed excitement.

It reminds me of a passage from ‘Journey To The Heart’ by Melodie Beattie. I first came across this book while doing my teacher training – and it’s one of those books where you can flip to any page, and that day’s passage seems to speak to you.

I thought I would share this one with you today:

 

Honour the Beginning

Beginnings can be delicate or explosive. They can start almost invisibly or arrive with a big bang. Beginnings hold the promise of new lessons to be learned, new territory to be explored and old lessons to be recalled, practiced, and appreciated. Beginnings hold ambiguity, promise, fear, and hope.

Don’t let the lessons, the experiences of the past, dampen your enthusiasm for beginnings. Just because it’s been hard doesn’t mean it will always be that difficult. Don’t let the heartbreaks of the past cause you to become cynical, close you off to life’s magic, and promise. Open yourself wide to all that the universe has to say.

Let yourself begin anew. Pack your bags. Choose carefully what you bring, because packing is an important ritual. Take along some humility and the lessons of the past. Toss in some curiosity and excitement about what you haven’t yet learned. Say your good-byes to those you’re leaving behind. Don’t worry who you will meet or where you will go. The way has been prepared. The people you are to meet will be expecting you. A new journey has begun. Let it be magical. Let it unfold.

All parts of the journey are sacred and holy.
Take time now to honour the beginning.

 

Where in your life might you need to honour a new beginning? And how are you going to do that?

I look forward to hearing from you below!

 

Adventure is calling…

by 2 Comments

Happy Friday!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” ~ Helen Keller

 

When was the last time you had an adventure? (And that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be hopping on a plane – or hopping out of one! 🤣)

You can bring a sense of adventure to your everyday life… if you so choose.

And, now more than ever, it’s important to find ways to do that.

Watch this video to learn why it’s so important to bring adventure into your life – especially in this Covid climate – and 3 questions to help you do exactly that.

 

How are YOU going to bring a sense of daring adventure into your life this week?

It’s time to get your brave on!

 

Share your comments below – I look forward to hearing from you. 😉

 

Is more, better?

by 1 Comment

(Photo credit: Miguel Orós on Unsplash)

 

Happy Friday!

I have a question for you. Do you want more?

More fulfillment, more joy, more ___ (fill in the blank here!)

If you’re anything like me, I do tend to strive for more. I mean, I’m all about stepping into more of who you already are, stretching yourself more, and recognizing there is more for you out there.

Only if, of course, you want more.

At the same time, sometimes there is a tendency to think more is better. But is it?

Sometimes, we don’t need any’more‘ than we already have! (See what I did there?!? 😉) Especially if it takes away from you recognizing and appreciating all you have right here, right now.

In this video I share a phase I first learned from one of my besties in high school – and in reflecting on it over the years and more recently – how it comes into play in my life. (And rather than share my own tips or insights, this week I have some questions for YOU instead!)

https://youtu.be/lHHayztv4l4

Watch video HERE!

So, now I’m curious:

What DO you want more of?

What do you not need more of?

And even more importantly, what are you going to do about it?!?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

 

Have a FAB week!

 

https://youtu.be/lHHayztv4l4

Start With Why, and then STAND FOR Your Why. (Here’s why!)

by Leave a Comment

Happy Friday!

Having just completed the founding member launch to The Brave Society this past week, boy did I learn a ton.

First of all, putting yourself out there is NO JOKE!

Was it scary? Absolutely.
Was it easy? Not at all. 
Was it successful? Yes AND No!

See, success can be defined in many ways.

With respect to reaching my goal of number of sign-ups, not so much.
With respect to showing up and playing full out, learning a whole lot, and being super excited to now have an amazeballs group of women to experience this brave journey alongside with – I’d say I knocked it out of the park! ⚾️

While there is absolutely a whole lot I’d do differently, that simply means there is also a whole lot I learned.

Here are the 3 biggest insights gleaned:

 

1. STAND FOR Your Why. 👊

No doubt you’ve heard of Simon Sinek, and his incredible ‘Start with why’ concept. Indeed it’s very powerful. AND, sometimes you gotta take it a step further.

Once you’re clear on your ‘why’ (championing others or a cause, your family, financial independence…) you gotta be prepared to take a stand for it – and to get into ACTION. I chose to take a stand for you (hence the reason you may have been seeing more of me recently!) because I believe in this brave community, I believe in the brave models and concepts I teach, and I believe in you. 

 

2. LET GO! 

Again, putting yourself out there (and the fear that comes up when you do) is real! You’ll feel the fear on so many levels… will it flop, will it not, will it be well-received, will it – or I – be criticized… When you are ready and willing to play bigger, you also gotta be willing to LET GO!

To let go from expectations, from being attached to the desired outcomes, from caring about what people may think or say.

 

3. Celebrate the Win 🎉 of the EXPERIENCE!

Its not about the number of sign-ups.
It’s not about coming first place.
It’s not about whether your big idea is given the green light or not.

And it’s definitely not about how many people think you’re amazing or how many people think you’re crazy.

It really is about the experience. That’s the real win.

Because any time you do something new, something scary, something that asks you to really put yourself out there – it’s about the fact you did it at all! So the experience itself is the win, and the win deserves to be celebrated.

And with that, I encourage you – no, I DARE YOU! – to choose an area of your life where you’re ready to perhaps more bravely show up or play bigger – and choose one small step of action to take this week.

And then let me know what you take on, and how it goes in the comments below!

I continue to be so honoured & grateful to have you in my world.

xo,

How brave are you? Take this quiz and find out!

Once complete, you'll receive your personalized results, complete with 3 challenges to get into brave action right away!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR BRAVE ON & TAKE QUIZ NOW!