Carol Schulte

Get Your Brave On!

Goals

Are your inexcusable excuses being disguised as reasonable reasons?

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My week in pics: Speaking in Florida and enjoying time with my iaap peeps, squeezing in the last day of Ice Wine Fest with my Dad, attending Networking in Action event with Jennifer Beale and Leigh Mitchell and lots of happy faces!

Are your inexcusable excuses being disguised as reasonable reasons?

As of late, I’ve been noticing myself using valid reasoning (at least in my mind) to explain why maybe I haven’t been checking certain things off the do-list list, followed through with certain actions, or pressed snooze when the alarm goes off. I’ve been traveling. I’ve had extra doctor’s appointments for my knee. I’ve come down with a cold and deserve to sleep in.

Now some of these reasons may very well be valid. And yet there is a slippery slope where reasons may actually be excuses in disguise.

Sometimes we’re not even aware of our own excuses, as they have become so second nature to us. Or they act as an invisible blanket that keeps us safe in our comfort zone. Often those close to us can likely predict our response to a certain question or opportunity, before we even answer, as they are so used to hearing our excuses.

I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. I’m not ready. I need to get  _X_  figured out first. I have to look after this or that or him or her.

You see we could live in the world of excuses. Or we could take action and create the life we really want for ourselves.

One of the recent modules of one of my amazing Masterminds had us create a ‘Loser Wall’, where we had to write out all of our excuses, and place them on a wall that we would walk by regularly. I filled a giant white board that now sits in my office space. The idea is that if we read the excuses we use on a regular basis, they will soon appear ridiculous.

It’s easy to come up with excuses. It’s easy to stay where we’re at. And it’s easy to put off until tomorrow what we could be doing today.

Yet tomorrow never comes.

So you either stop with the excuses today, or you live in excuseville until the cows come home.

Are you living with reasonable reasons? Or might they be disguised as inexcusable excuses? It’s time to get real (Click to tweet it out!)

It’s time to stop with the excuses. I’m talking to you, I’m talking to me, I’m talking to all of us.

We’re here to dream a bigger dream. To play a bigger game. To live a bigger life. And if we continue to wear our excuses, we’re selling ourselves short.

So if you’ve fallen off the wagon after this first month, it’s all good. Dust yourself off and jump back on. No more excuses. You got this.

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P.S. Wanna go AXE THROWING?!? Come join Women Living BIG at our next event ~ AXE THROWING!!! ~ On Feb. 25th.

7 Ways to live big (or even BIGGER!) in 2016

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7 Ways to live big (or even BIGGER!) in 2016

Ready to live BIG (or even BIGGER) this year? Here are 7 ways… and to make them easier to remember, they even spell out L.I.V.E. B.I.G.!

Learn something new every day.

The only way you’re going to escape the mediocrity trap, and live a bigger life, is if you’re constantly challenging yourself to grow. And one of the best ways you can grow is to ensure you’re learning new things all of the time.

It could be as simple as learning a new way to cut your morning piece of fruit, or as complex as choosing to learn a new language.

 

Ignite your passions.

 Do you love to dance? To sing? To have picnics in the park?

Perhaps you love exploring local coffee shops to find that perfect flat white.

Whatever you love to do, whatever makes your heart sing, do more of that this year.

Although there’s a lot of pressure to find your ‘purpose’ these days (I’ll be the first to admit I’m constantly striving to find it!), maybe we can alleviate some of that pressure. Instead of stressing over “finding your purpose”, focus on igniting your passions…the latter may even end up informing the former.

 Vibrate Positivity and Gratitude.

 Research states that the two most powerful human emotions are positivity and gratitude. Are you consciously practicing both of these?

It’s all too easy to focus on what you haven’t accomplished, or what you don’t have, instead of what you DO have! Get in the habit of sending out some positive and grateful vibes on a regular basis… and watch what happens!

Experience the Moments.

Life is made up of moments. And, are we too busy to fully appreciate them?

As Ferris Bueller says: “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it!”

Don’t let 2016 pass you by. Take some time to truly be present to experience, indulge in, and cherish the moments.

Be even more you.

When was the last time you took yourself out on a date? Spend some time getting to know yourself even better this year. It may sound funny, but I honestly believe we don’t spend enough time with ourselves.

Enjoy your own company. Embrace your gifts, as well as your quirks. Don’t hide your idiosyncrasies, flaunt them! And stop trying to keep up with the Jones’… begin to love all that you are and all that you’re not.

 
Inspire Action (and get OUT of your comfort zone!)

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you take action towards what you really want? One step at a time. And yes, that may mean getting uncomfortable and even facing your fears.

Life really does begin at the edge of your comfort zone. Now there’s a reason why 85% of the population live in their comfort zones… it is, after all, comfortable! BUT, it’s not where the game of life really gets played.

Stretch yourself just a little bit more this year. Dare to try. Dare to fly. You might surprise yourself!

 
Give back; give big.

 “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill

It’s so true. Whether it’s with your time, your money, or your energy, give away a little of what you’ve got. It could be simply giving your friend or your significant other your full attention and a listening ear, or it could be volunteering your time on a regular basis to a cause that matters to you.

It’s important to think about what you want for you this year, yes… and yet it’s more fulfilling when you also think about what you want for others (plus you’ll end up getting more in return, trust me!)

 

So there you have it. Resolutions aside, goal-setter or no goal-setter, here are 7 ways to live even bigger this year. Make this year count. Make it one to remember. Make it BIG. (Click to tweet it out!)

 

Have a FAB week!

Carol - high res

 

 

 

P.S. If you are serious about living BIG this year, and are interested in applying to be a part of our Living BIG Inner Circle Mastermind, go HERE for more information.

 P.P.S. I will be in Nicaragua hosting a retreat this week, with limited access to email, so I’ll be replying to your messages and/or comments after Jan. 16th. Thanks for your understanding!

 

I wish for you in 2016… (& 5 goal-setting tips!)

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I wish for you in 2016… (& five goal-setting tips!)

It’s the first day of the New Year. There is something almost magical about it.

It’s a blank page. A new chapter. A fresh start.

It’s an opportunity to create what you want for yourself and your life for the year ahead. A bit of a bold statement.

Although yes, every day is the first day of the rest of your life, there is a bit of a different feeling on January 1st.

Whatever you choose to do with the new year we’ve been given, here are my wishes for you in 2016…

May you dare to dream. May you dare to fly. May you…

get great ideas and act on them. have fun. laugh. meet new people. connect with people. share special times with special friends. play. explore. discover new places, discover new possibilities. challenge yourself. get outside of your comfort zone. try new things. do things you never thought possible. achieve things you never thought possible. celebrate. experience moments of peace, joy, and presence. learn new skills. read. dance. move your body. write thank you cards. receive thank you cards. acknowledge the special people that are in your life. enjoy the moments. share special moments. make lasting memories. say yes. say no. stop pleasing, stop comparing, stop caring too much about what others think. start trusting your gut, start listening to your intuition, and start fully loving yourself for all that you are and all that you’re not.

 

If you’re like me, you may want to get even more specific with what you’d like to create this year. I have a process I go through every year that I’m looking forward to getting into today.

So if you are an intention-creating, resolution-making, goal-setting type, here are a few tips to help set you up for success:

 

  1. Set goals that are meaningful to YOU.

    How do you want to feel? None of this ‘I should do this, I should do that…’ Unless your goals are important to YOU, you will not achieve them. Trust me!

 

  1. Write them down.

    Putting pen to paper not only helps you get clear, it also makes them more real. And placing them in a prominent place so as to have a constant reminder goes a long way!

 

  1. Share them with people.

    First of all, voicing out loud increases your commitment. And as we all need support, once you put it out there, those around you can help to keep you accountable. Plus, you’re telling the Universe at the same time. And the Universe has been known to listen :-).

 

  1. Make a plan. 

    Having big, hairy, audacious goals are great, and, you also have to break them down into smaller action steps. Otherwise it may become overwhelming, and you’ll be less likely to achieve them. Follow the S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-oriented) goal-setting system. Monitor your progress.

  1. Be gentle with yourself.

    One step at a time. Celebrate along the way. And don’t get discouraged if you don’t meet a target or you fall off the bandwagon. Just jump right back on! You’re human after all.

 

Happy New Year! And may 2016 bring all you desire and dream it to be… you deserve it! (Click to tweet it out!)

 

Carol - high res

P.S. If you are serious about setting resolutions and goals this year, and making them stick, join us at ‘Intentions, Resolutions, & Goals, OH MY!’ workshop on January 6th… a few limited spots are still available! 

Self-sabotaging yourself? Stop it! Like NOW! (Using these 3 steps.)

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Self-sabotaging yourself? Stop it! Like NOW! (Using these 3 steps.)

 

You’re not alone. We all do it. You know what I’m talking about.

You choose to indulge in that extra slice of turkey or piece of chocolate cake when you just started a healthy eating plan or told yourself you’d be ‘good.’

You set aside time in your calendar to go through bills or catch up on emails, when all of a sudden an offer to go watch the baseball game sounds far more appealing.

You say yes to every opportunity that comes your way, and end up breaking commitments left, right, and center ~ getting in over your head and totally stressing yourself out in the process.

What do all three scenarios have in common? Instead of setting yourself up for success, you are setting yourself up for the opposite.

It’s called self-sabotage.

It’s very easy to do. And, it’s time to stop.

I know deep down you are committed to reaching your biggest dreams and wildest desires. I know you are up to BIG things and are committed to living a BIG life. And when you are, there is no room for self-sabotage.

It takes a serious amount of discipline to stay committed to your goals.

It takes ridiculous dedication to stick to your new workout regime or healthy eating plan.  

And it takes a whole lotta fierce self-love to push through and keep going for your dreams when distractions and noise and excuses abound.

You’re going to fall off the bandwagon at some point. It’s bound to happen. I mean you’re human, after all!

And when you do, simply shake it off, and jump right back on again.

I’m speaking to myself as I type these words. Come Monday, I’ll be starting a 30-day cleanse. And although I’m pretty excited (after indulging in a whole lotta delicious food over Thanksgiving, and a few too many fun events and after parties and Jays’ games recently, this girl is ready to get clean!) I’m also pretty nervous. Will I be able to stick to it? Even over Halloween?

Answer? Depends how much I want it.

Those self-sabotaging Gremlins will somehow sneak their way into your head. Trust me. And be careful, because sometimes they’re pretty sneaky and disguise themselves as something else ~ fear, procrastination or ‘rational’ excuses. DON’T GIVE IN!

 

How to stop self-sabotage:

 

  1. COMMIT.

Really commit to what you want. Be it an exercise regime, a weekly accounting check-in, or a tough conversation.

  1. MAKE IT REAL.

Schedule it in your calendar, invest in the organic produce, make a public announcement and enroll support.

  1. STICK TO IT.

Knowing that you are going to likely cheat at some point, or fall of the bandwagon, just keep going. Follow through. Jump back on. Shake it off. Just stick to it!

 

It takes a serious amount of discipline, ridiculous dedication, and a whole lotta fierce self-love to stick to your goals. And, you’re worth it. (Click to tweet it out!)

 

Don’t give in. You got this! And yes, you deserve it.

The pot of gold is waiting for you on the other side of the rainbow. So keep going!

 

Have a FAB weekend!

Carol - high res

P.S. Always thought about learning the Thriller dance? Ready to step outside your comfort zone and allow yourself to have a little fun? Love being around other fabulous, like-minded women living BIG? Come join us on Oct. 29 as we ‘Surrender to the Thrill!’ and celebrate Halloween! ($35 EARLYBIRD TIX END TODAY!!!) 

Doing what scares you? (I created an on-line profile! #booyah!)

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According to research, one week into the new year, 25% of folks have already given up on their resolutions. Seriously?!? I am just getting into mine!

There are a number of reasons why this happens… (we had a great discussion on this topic at our ‘Intentions, Resolutions, & Goals, Oh My!’ workshop last night! WOW ~ it’s going to be an incredible year!) However some of the biggies, in my mind, are because we don’t really want them enough, we don’t make an actual plan, we lack accountability, we’re going after what we feel we ‘should’ be doing, or perhaps we’re simply too scared.

It’s comfortable where we are. It’s scary over there. And so we talk about our wishes or dreams or goals over in Somedayville.

And see here’s the thing. If you’re not willing to believe you can make it happen, aren’t prepared to make a bit of a plan or do the work, and most importantly, go outside of your comfort zone, you’ll never get there.

“Do one thing a day that scares you.” Not only one of my fave quotes spoken by Eleanor Roosevelt, it’s also the title of a book, a journal of sorts, that Santa gave me.

It includes 365 quotes about challenging yourself, putting yourself out there, stretching yourself just a little. And then of course it also includes room for you to record what it is you’ve done each day.

Watch my January ‘Living Big Monthly Challenge’ to see what it’s all about!

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And so, on day one, the first thing I did that scared me was commit to taking on this challenge. I mean 365 days of doing things that scare me… yeah, committing to that was pretty darn scary!

However, it’s now 9 days into the New Year, and I’m still going strong. And one of the scariest actions I’ve taken is to create an on-line profile. Yes, for dating! (And close behind is actually admitting to you, and publicly, that I’ve done so!)

And yet if I am seriously committed to all I want to have happen this year, I gotta take action and put myself out there, right?!?

So now I want to hear from you ~ what are YOU going to do to take a step outside of your comfort zone? How are you going to stretch yourself today, this week, this month, this year? Will you join me in the challenge?

Living BIG might mean doing something that may be a little scary. Do it anyway. Do it NOW! Click to tweet it out!

Happy Friday! And have a FAB week!

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