Take Back Your Life: Own It!

Own your time.

This past week I conferenced with a young girl on her writing.  She was creating a memoir, and she had a good story and a decent lesson, but the two didn’t match.  I could tell she needed to go deeper.  So, I gave her the assignment to spend some time focusing on her story this weekend to look for the meaning.  She said she wasn’t sure she was going to have time.

No time? I thought.  She’s 10!  So, I dove in with her.  We broke down her 2 days, activity-by-activity, hour-by-hour, also looking at when she would be getting up and when she would be going to sleep.  It turned out that in her 13-hour Sunday, she had 6 unaccounted for hours!  I asked her if she thought she could make some time during those 6 hours.  And she agreed she could.

How can we apply this?

1. Be aware of your time.

I became very aware today that I have more time than I think I have, or at least more control over my time that I’ve admitted to myself.

2. Own it!

If you’re on Facebook for an hour — own it!  If you’re making calls — own it!  If you’re reading a book, driving in the car, or staring off into space — own it!  Choose it and claim it.  Decide for it and allow it.

3. If you don’t like it — change it!  (Nuff said!)

I keep hearing that time is really our most precious commodity.  How are you treating your most precious commodity?

Much love, many blessings.❤

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: Thoughts and Revamp?

I feel a revamp is needed of this blog. I’m not sure what I want that to look like just yet.  The concepts for each were a good start, but there isn’t a flow, and now I have a bigger, clearer vision.  I want this blog to 1) Better serve those who read it.  2) Feed better into my vision of being a joyedian and coach.

So, I am indeed going to get back to daily blogging. . .  but I may be messing around a bit.  (The grand blog experiment!)  This could be a little messy for a while.  And will also be fun!

What Henry David Thoreau would say: ” Yes!  Experiment!”

What Andy Shaw would say: “Mistakes!  Yes, make lots of them!  (And then learn from them!)”

What I say: Much love, many blessings.❤

Story Saturday/Sunday/Monday . . .

I may need a new title for Monday, depending on how this Facebook Live thing goes.  How long has Facebook Live been in existence?

Anyway, I like it, and I intend to do it daily for at least a while.

It was hard for me to think of the best story for Story/Saturday Sunday.  Since today is my birthday, I’d really like to talk about my story.  Have I done that yet?  Well, anyway, here goes:

Start with the end in mind. . .

I am an infinite, divinely connected, highly successful joyedian and coach, enhancing the lives of millions, traveling the world, and generating $1,000,000 a year!

Steps on the journey:

• wrote for Young Authors in elementary school and the yearbook and poetry contests in middle school
• took a Creative Writing class in high school (favorite class!)
• was in chorus, band, and theater (Godspell!) throughout school
• spiritual upbringing
• participated in various retreats
• studied abroad in Mexico for 1 semester
• B.A. in Elementary Ed. and Spanish; M.S. in Literacy
• taught for 10 years; tutored for 3 years
• created the blog “A Moment in Life”
• began Early Education Enrichment business
• joined networking groups, including BNI, the Chicagoland Coopvertising Network, and WESOS
• participated in community theater (Back to the 80’s)
• participated in a community band and the Joliet Symphony Orchestra
• sang karaoke
• traveled to Europe for a Rick Steve’s Tour
• took a class in Oaxaca, Mexico
• 5 bike trips in Canada (1 in Vancouver, and 4 along the Rockies)
• traveled “Along the Silk Road” in China
• took a few improv classes (The Comedy Shrine, and with Alison Henderson)
• studied, taught, and lectured in the School of Metaphysics for 3 years (and was Dream Awareness Coordinator)
• attended 2 DreamBuilder Live events
• became a certified Life Mastery Consultant (and DreamBuilder coach)
• created Teri Karl, Inc.
• began swap coaching with another DreamBuilder coach
• began weekly accountability sessions with fellow Life Mastery Consultant and “partner in believing”
• took the coaching class “Masks Off”
• began biweekly Mastermind group
• enrolled in Brendon Burchard’s Experts Academy
• began training as a Life Enhancement Coach
• joined Toastmasters
• won 2nd place for Tall Tales at the District Level
• began following Doreen Virtue
• began monthly Vision Workshops
• began speaking at different locations, including Tranquility Massage and the Romeoville Rotary
• began individual DreamBuilder coaching
• coached Standing Firm
• began weekly coaching for MLMs “Before You Quit”
• scheduled a group DreamBuilder class
• scheduled a Life Mastery gr0up
• met with BNI power team partner to discuss a trip for next year and future workshop cruises.

What is your story?  What is your dream?  What is your path?

Much love, many blessings.❤

Funny Friday . . .

Just have to say. . .  I just saw I Am Not Your Guru tonight with Brian.  Completely amazing, and I am emotionally spent now.  BUT. . . that is not funny.

Tomorrow morning I have the next round of speech contests.  . .

Also not funny.

I don’t know how I’m going to own being a professional speaker if I get sick of my *&@% speeches!  (Sorry. Channeled Tony Robbins a little there.)   The tall tale is great, but I feel like I want to kill off the Humorous Speech before I even get up there.  Which is sad, because it is not my dream to become a professional storyteller.  It’s to become a comedian.   Hmm. . .  Maybe I’m missing something here.

My grandiose plan was to spend the night rewriting my humorous speech, taking the funny elements and playing around with them a bit.  Then adding dashes of filler funny.

Buut. . .  now it’s nearly 10pm, and I’m tired, and I don’t want my brain to go blank while I’m up there tomorrow morning  — because if there’s anything worse than not being funny it’s standing awkwardly, alone and dead-silent, crickets-chirping up there on the stage, with a terrified deer-in-headlights  (–how many more animal expressions can I squeeze in here? –) dazed expression permanently etched across my face.  In other words, I don’t think I’ll come out smelling like roses, but I’d rather not stink it up like a skunk.  (There!  Got one more in.  I think I just made that one up, though.  Not quite as catchy at the first two, methinks.)

So, yes, this could have been my opportunity to change up my speech, to rock the audience, to be seen, to change the world! 

But instead I think I’ll enjoy the wonderful evening I had with Brian tonight, I’ll pray that I make it to the final round with my Tall Tale, and tomorrow I’ll give myself the wonderful experience of totally tanking a speech and killing off my fragile dream of comedy stardom.

KIDDING!  It’s not going to be PRETTY, but I’LL HAVE FUN.  (Ah, the pessimist and the optimist.  Such sparrers!)

Anyway . . .  There.  Much better.

Much love, many blessings everyone.❤

Think About It Thursday: Shame, Vulnerability, and Authenticity

“If I could safely show up being the real me, who would I be more of?”

“If I knew I was fully loved and accepted for being me, what would that look like?

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m taking a wonderful course called “Masks Off” with Jacque Mohlman Alderete, based on The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown.

This week felt a little dark as we dove into truth and the challenge of knowing and expressing who we really are.   Jacque asked us to reflect on the above questions for homework.

I’ve always thought it would be great to be a Betazoid.  I used to watch a lot of Star Trek, Next Gen first with my friend Sonia (and then Voyager when I first started dating Brian). I read a few of the books by Peter David, including Imzadi, the background love story between Counselor (and empath) Deanna Troi and Commander William Riker.  I was immediately fascinated by the Betazoid culture.  All Betazoids were telepaths.  How novel!  How freeing!  No one could lie.  No one could hide.  Everyone knew everything about everybody.  And I figured: “I’ll bet they all realize that every single one of them is crazy!  (And they’re ok with it!)  Imagine if we were authentic at all times. Imagine if we all knew each other’s dark sides.

I wish we all started that way.  I wish we could be real from the very beginning and never feel a need for the “masks.”  It feels like it’s too late now.  It’s been a continual obsession of mine to be “real.”  I even read the book Getting Real and tried it out on one of my close friends.  It was a disaster.  So, I put the book away.  I put my mask back on.

I heard someone say recently that the “sweetest” people are the ones who are the most angry inside.  I think that could be true.  When we stuff down our darkness, we bury it within us.  It has nowhere else to go!  To be wholly functioning individuals, we must face our darkness as well as our light.  We must accept every part of ourselves.  And allow ourselves to be who we really are, even in front of others.

That is the best gift we can give to ourselves and others.  To love ourselves and be our true selves.

So, in answer to the beginning questions of Who would I be? and What would I look like?

I would be real.  I would say “No” when I wanted to say “No” without unease or apologies.  I would be fully comfortable in my skin. I would be ever so grateful for every part of my body.  I would know my value and speak about it comfortably.  It would take no effort to hold my posture because I would exude a natural confidence.  I would wear exactly what I wanted to wear (or not wear what I didn’t want to wear!)  I would love without exception.  I would ooooze l❤ ve!  I would embrace my limitlessness and know that all things are possible.  Every day I would wake up, incredibly grateful to have the gift of another day, living a life in absolute truth.  I’d be free to be me!

And you?

Much love, many blessings.❤

Truth Tuesday/Wins and Weaknesses Wednesday

Absolutely Marvelous:

I’m finally doing some things that I haven’t done in some time (or ever done).

• I’m journaling.  There is something wonderful about The Artist’s Way Morning Pages.  It seems to be the only journal I can build a consistent writing habit with.  I feel like I should find them all and BUY THEM ALL!
• I’m exercising more.  I swam on Monday, did a few minutes of Zumba Tuesday.  Today . . .  the night is still young!  . . .  ish!
• I’m cleaning up a little more around the house.  Finally caught up on some laundry.  Did a little badly needed wet-vacing.  I’m trying to get up the gumption for dishes and the shower curtain.  Having technical difficulties with my audio trainings seems to be lessening my motivation. . .
• I’ve taken on some part-time work as I’m building my businesses.  (Subbing the little kiddos has been QUITE the challenging experience! Both fulfilling and exhausting!)
• I’m catching up on classwork.  I’ve immersed myself in so much classwork and training recently:Dreambuilder & Lifemastery with Mary Morrissey/Life Enhancement for PTSD/Network Marketing Coaching with Felicity Joy/Brendon Purchard’s Performance Academy, Masks Off (Imperfection course) . . . I burnt out a bit, but I’m making my way back!
• I’m READING (not just listening to audio in the car, which is also awesome).  I’m reading The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown for my class with Jacque Mohlman Alderete.  I’m also reading the E-myth Revisited, as recommended both by the Chicagoland Coopvertising Network’s very own Jeff Levin AND Mary Morrissey’s business expert, John Boggs.
• I also started a new class with Felicity Joy and had 3 back-to-back Vision Workshops, which were all fantastic.
• I SANG!  My fellow BNI networker and singing extraordinaire, Shaunna, invited me to visit and sing barbershop with the amazing Choral-Aires!  I had no idea this existed!

The Not So Great

• I’m knocking against my fishbowl.  I’m hitting up against my paradigm walls BIG TIME.  And it’s painful.  It makes me want to shrivel up into a fetal position and cry.  The voices are fierce.  They are negative.  And they want to squash me flat.  They want to see how low I can go.  They want to keep me down.  And it stinks.

So, what’s a life coach to do?   I’m working on strengthening myself.  It helps that my life’s work is in helping others through this very thing!  The more I get this, the more I can help others get this.  I’m calling on all my resources: the hand technique I’ve been trained in, my inner self, our higher power, my partners in believing, and many wise teachers (Mary Morrissey, Jim Rohn, etc) and funny ones (Jim Gaffigan, Jimmy Kimmel — wait . . . 2 “Jim”s?🙂 ).

So, I’m getting vulnerable here.  It’s make or break time again for me.  It’s time to MAKE.  Gotta get up off the floor.  Wipe up the tears.  Future Teri is here NOW.  Time to break down some more walls.  Let’s DO IT!

Story Saturday/Sunday/Movie Monday!

 

I will not lose my blog.  I will not!  I may falter, but I will continue!  I will return!  Seriously, I’ve been hitting some challenging points lately with keeping up with this, but it’s all good.

This wonderful man has an incredible life story.  He just tickles me and is so magical!  I’m so grateful for my friend to have shared this with me, and  I love it so much that I’ve added it to my ongoing Vision Workshops.  Dreams can come true despite our age — despite any circumstances.  I love the persistence and consistency of this man.  Inspiring!

Enjoy!

Much love, many blessings.❤