Carol Schulte

Get yourBRĀV on

keynote speaker

5 Ways to Conquer The Day…

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Happy Friday!

Have you downloaded Houseparty yet?

     

It’s an app that allows you to literally have a virtual house party with your friends… and so long as you’re online at the same time as your contacts – they can invite others to come into your house party – or you to theirs!

You can also play games – there’s a Pictionary-type game where you have to draw objects while the others guess, a ‘chips and guac’ card game that follows the same idea as Cards Against Humanity (although not as offensive!) and more…

I’ve had a few house parties over the past week, and I have to say they’re quite fun!

I know it’s a bit of a strange, scary time. Especially when you’re seeing the numbers seem to get way out of control. It’s surreal in so many ways.

And, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom all of the time.

In fact, I also think if we look for them, there are some gifts that are coming out of this time also.

It’s certainly giving us time to think and reflect on what matters most.

One of the things I started doing as soon as self-isolation hit a few weeks ago, was a daily ‘5 at 5.’ 

I go live at 5pm EST every day on Instagram and Facebook to share 5 things to help us more powerfully face the day, in under five minutes to boot!

I share a new quote, a journal prompt, a resource, a thought, and a brave action challenge.

And so, I thought I would compile five of these 🌟 ‘5 at 5’s 🌟 for your reading pleasure now… (feel free to also grab some popcorn 🍿 and watch the videos!)

QUOTES: 💭

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

“Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away.”
Benjamin Franklin

“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James

“Conversations will not be canceled.
Relationships will not be canceled.
Love will not be canceled.
Songs will not be canceled.
Reading will not be canceled.
Self-care will not be canceled.
Hope will not be canceled.

May we lean into the good stuff that remains.”

– Jamie Tworkowski

JOURNAL PROMPTS: 📓

  • What do I need to take care of me, today?
  • How am I growing right now?
  • What am I grateful for?
  • Where are the opportunities in this situation?
  • What things matter to me most?

RESOURCES: ✅

  • Popsugar Online Workouts! (they are my saving grace!)
  • 🎶🎵 ‘ Love Is Still the Answer’ 🎵 🎶 (you really need to watch the video!)
  • Marble Races! (apparently all the rage right now!)
  • A collection of FUN MEMES that will bring a smile to your face!
  • Houseparty app! (so fun, trust me!)


THOUGHTS:💡

  • One day at a time.
  • Productive can mean different things!
  • There is no right way or wrong way to do this. Only your way.
  • You are braver than you think.
  • Who I am here, is who I am everywhere. How I face this, is how I face everything.


BRAVE ACTIONS: 👍

  • Have a dance party! Pump up your fave song, grab a spatula as your mic – and whether with your family or on your own – get jiggy with it!
  • Take a social media and news detox… if only for a day, or even a few hours
  • Reconnect 2 people from your past – either someone you used to go to school with, an old boss, or a long lost acquaintance and ask them how they are. And let them know you’re thinking of them.
  • Do 5 push-ups! (Or a few less, or a few more… challenge yourself!) That’s right… the physical challenge today!
  • Reach out to, or even make friends with, a stranger… smile at someone you pass on the street, leave a note under your neighbor’s door, ask your post worker or grocery store clerk how they are doing, wave at someone in your building through your window across the way.

(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 … one day at a time, better days ahead, and lots of elbow pumps coming your way.

P.S. I’m going LIVE daily at 5:00 pm EST, for what I call  🌟‘5 at 5!’ 🌟, where I share 5 things to help brighten your day… both on Facebook AND Instagram. I hope to see you there!

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!

Feeling on a bit of an emotional roller coaster?

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Have you been going from feeling totally optimistic one day – ready to be super productive and make the most of this time – to not wanting to get out of bed the next?

You are not alone!

And however you’re feeling or whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it right.

Because the truth is, there is no right or wrong way to go through what we are going through.

We’re in uncharted territory, and we’ve never been here before (and will hopefully never be in a situation like this ever again!) 

We can only take one day at a time.

In this video, I share three ways that helped me take one day at a time this week, and I hope will help you, too.

 

That’s all I got for you today.

Now it’s your turn… please share your ideas with me, too. I look forward to hearing your comments below.

And in the meantime, give yourself the grace and compassion you deserve, plan a virtual Netflix movie night with some friends this weekend, and use that TP sparingly!

You’re not alone.

 

5 ways to stay calm amidst the chaos…

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Happy Friday!

It’s true, the Coronavirus COVID-19 is a serious situation. And the situation seems to be changing almost by the minute.

And, that doesn’t mean we need to stock up on enough toilet paper to last us for the next 3 months! (it may seem silly, but in numerous Costcos and grocery stores across the Greater Toronto Area in Canada they have actually run out of stock of toilet paper!) 

While the stats, especially in certain places, are scary, it is not a time to panic or act from a place of fear. And in fact, it can actually be a chance to display brave leadership in action, and choose to see the opportunities that exist in the current landscape. 

Have you ever heard of the term equanimity? It describes mental calmness, composure. It’s really your ability to stay calm amidst the chaos. 

It’s a term often used in yoga and meditation practices, as it’s about having control over the mind. 

In my humble opinion, while again this virus and the current situation is to be taken seriously, it is being significantly elevated by the unnecessary hysteria!

So while I am not a doctor, government official, nor scientist well-versed in how this virus is spread (although I did learn a lot from reading this visual explanation in The New York Times HERE), I have a few ideas that may help us as we navigate the current climate. 

 

BE EMPOWERED.

One of the biggest fears is the fear of the unknown. And one of the most challenging elements of this situation is that there is a lot unknown. AND, there are still many ways we can stay properly informed. Now that doesn’t mean watching the news channels 24/7, but it does mean looking to trusted experts and resources to keep you up to date, instead of your frantic neighbour who has become a hoarder overnight. 

 

BE A LEADER.

In challenging times, you see the leaders arise. They are the ones who are confident and secure, follow the protocols, and trust the officials are doing what they need to be doing. They make others around them feel safe, and instead of being motivated by fear, are motivated by the opportunities that exist. Unicorns are born in tough times. Uber and Airbnb were started during the Great Recession. Amazon took off after the dot com crash. Tesla and SpaceX came on the scene when everyone was looking the other way. 

You never know, It may a perfect time to create that online course, to invest in stocks, to write that book.

 

BE OF SERVICE.

There are many people, businesses, and industries that are being affected in a very serious way. How you can come from a place of service? I’ve reached out to all of my contacts in the events space, especially those who have conferences and events coming up where I am scheduled to speak. I first asked how they were doing. I then confirmed my commitment to be there should the event go on as scheduled. And then I asked how else I could help… by offering to be a back-up presenter or delivering a digital program.

Reach out to your contacts and friends who are being affected. Ask what they may need. Show support. And BUY LOCAL whenever you can! It’s the small local businesses that are going to get hit the hardest. 

 

BE OPEN. 

Be open to whatever change is coming your way. We are ALL being affected here. Events are being cancelled, schools are being closed, toilet paper is running out (🤣) Don’t fight it, stay open. Be willing to be flexible, to have your plans change. It’s only those who are too attached to their expectation of how things were supposed to be – whether that be their upcoming holiday or big work opportunity – that experience upset. 

 

BE BRAVE.

Choose to be brave in your mindset, as well as in your actions. You can’t control the situation, but you can control your thoughts. And it’s still safe to walk the streets, to hang out with your friends, to go to work. Just be responsible about it! Wash your hands, don’t touch your face if you can avoid it, and cough into your sleeve. And, if you begin

 

So there you have it. 

I don’t have all the answers, but if you choose to be empowered, to be a leader, to be of service, to be open, and to be brave, you will no doubt be better equipped to navigate the current landscape with Coronavirus COVID-19 in our midst. 

 

Have a FAB week!

 

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!)

 

How to make miracles happen…

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Happy Friday!

There is something magical about newborn babies, isn’t there?

Yesterday, I got to hold a beautiful baby girl, a mere five days old. And three hours later (it’s amazing how the time just passes by…) I was still staring, still in awe at the miracle.

She stayed cozily asleep in my arms for most of it, save for a few moments where she would stretch, crinkle her face, yawn, or peek open her bright blue eyes, desperately trying to keep them awake, but ultimately giving in to her tired little self. 

Her tiny fingers, her soft skin, that newborn baby smell. 

You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if you tried! (And I have to admit, it made me pretty excited to hold my own little peanut one day…) 

There really is something magical about newborn babies. 

But even more magical is how this little miss came into the world.

One of my good friends and fellow fabulous female entrepreneur, has wanted to be a Mom for forever. 

She began the adoption process in 2011. 

She began her fertility journey the following year. 

And over the last nine years she has poured so much love, hope, fear, emotion – not to mention money – in trying to make her dream come true. 

She was ready to give up on more than one occasion. 

Almost did. 

And then one day everything changed… she found out she had one more shot, and she took it. Not without a whole new can of worms mind you, but she was willing to take that chance. 

By the power of determination, science, and sheer will, it came true. She found out she was going to have a baby.

And as her belly grew, so did her bravery. 

She was doing this on her own, figuring it out every step of the way, at 46 years old. 

When she first sent me a picture of her cuddling her baby daughter, her caption read: ‘Best decision I ever made.’

I cried. 

Yesterday she shared with me the moment she knew it was happening. After having just received the news she would have one more chance, she turned her head and spotted a quote she had posted on her wall:

If you want something badly enoughh, the universe will conspire to make it happen. 

I am so incredibly happy for her.

And I am so incredibly inspired by her bravery. 

 

It’s brave to declare to the Universe what it is you really want.

It’s brave to stay on the journey… through all the fears and tears and setbacks along the way. 

It’s brave to never give up on your dream. 

 

The world is a brighter place with this little one in it. 

And that, in my opinion, is a miracle.

And after what I shared last week, it confirms the true amazingness that is the circle of life.

I know what I would do if I were braver. And I’ve just begun the process…

 

What would YOU do if you were even braver?

 

If you really want something, I mean REALLY want something, and are prepared to do whatever it takes to make it happen, the Universe will conspire to make it so.

And whether it’s a new baby, a new idea, or a new you, it’s ready to be born.

And it, too, will make the world a brighter place. 

 

So, what would you do if you were braver? Go ahead and share it in the comments below… I dare you!

 

Have a FAB week!