By: Christie Ruffino
Dynamic Professional Women’s Network, Inc.
www.dpwomen.com

One of the headline stories a week ago was about a professional athlete who, without an apparent reason, was denied the opportunity to experience an opportunity he worked so hard to achieve. Tiquan Underwood loved being a New England Patriot so much that he shaved their emblem into his hair but was tragically cut from the team on Saturday, just hours before the Super Bowl. To say that he was disappointed is an understatement, but during this adversity he remained honorable and positive. Although I was not able to find his exact quote, I heard one of his comments were that; God gives us difficult circumstances to overcome so we can become successful over-comers.

We all face challenges in life from time to time. There is no way to avoid this truth and there is no way to become exempt from the pain and suffering that usually accompanies it. Weather your specific challenge is as small as a minor traffic accident or as large as losing a loved one; or if it seems that you are faced with a regular supply of challenging times or you are fortunate to be fairly challenge free, we all have to do the best we can to overcome our personal challenges in the best way we can.

11 Tips to get the results you want at your next networking event.

1. Set a goal - Plan to meet or reconnect with a quantified number of people. Weather it is one or more, when you set a goal to connect with a certain number of business professionals and challenge yourself to not leave without having met that goal, you will be more successful. Do not make your goal to large as quality is better than quantity.
2. Plan to bring a buddy or two – Regardless if you are an introvert or extrovert, this is an excellent way to make great connections. Plan to introduce each other to the new people you meet which will not only help your buddy make more connections, it will make you appear as a great connector and an influential person to know.

Welcome to the New Year.  Let’s start with a definition of  “Optimal Well Being”.

Optimal is ‘Most Desirable Possible’.    Well is ‘In a Satisfactory Condition’.  Being is ‘The Quality of Existence’ or ‘Essential Nature’.  So, here we have our topic:  Goal Setting for the Most Desirable, Satisfactory Condition of our True Nature.   From a spiritual point of view, the earth, our world, all creatures, and man are ever changing, growing, searching, and expanding for the best, that is our true nature.    Or to steal a quote from the US Army,  “Be All You Can Be”.

Notice the word “Be” that is not the same as “Do”.  Long ago at the EST training(given by Werner Erhard in the 70’s), I learned that, as humans, the creation of what we want goes in this order: BE, DO, HAVE.   In our goal setting, it is important to remember how we achieve our goals – our desired results.  First we Be, from that we are inspired to Do, then we Have the result.  Let’s break that down with the emphasis on “Be”. The word ‘Be’ means to exist, to have the quality of existing, to be identical to existing.  In other words, in order to ‘Have’ the result, I have to Be the result first.  And how can you  ‘Be’? You ‘Be’ the type of person that already has that goal, that result, in your thoughts, words, feelings, and actions.

Another year has come and gone as the hustle and bustle of the holidays are now behind us. January is the time many of us start to think and reflect on those resolutions we failed to achieve last year.  OK, let’s stop here for a moment.  And what I mean by that is, let’s S- step back, T-think, O-observe, and then P-proceed.

Instead of thinking about what you didn’t accomplish last year, step back from those original thoughts and think about those things you did accomplish – I’m sure you’ll find many more than you might have ever imagined.  Now observe your feelings as you acknowledge these successes versus dwell on your failures – and they don’t have to be big successes – great things come in little packages!  Feelings of disappointment, sadness, discouragement, or anger will magically morph into positive feelings of happiness, pride, excitement, and hopefulness.  To quote Barbara Fredrickson, world-renowned researcher and psychologist in her book Positivity:  “Positivity opens us.  The first core truth about positive emotions is that they open our hearts and our minds, making us more receptive and more creative”.

With your newly opened and creative mind, begin asking yourself the following questions:

• What strengths do I have that allowed me those successes last year?
• Who or what supported me when I needed it most?
• How did those successes align with my core values?
• What strategies did I use to overcome my obstacles?
• What is most important to me now when it comes to my own health and well-being?

You are now ready to proceed forward in setting goals (not resolutions) that are optimal for your well-being.  Remember, your answers to the above questions will fuel your success!

Getting started, set your goal, ask yourself what your WHY is, identify strengths and weaknesses, set yourself up for success, be accountable, have a fitness journal, importance of physical well being, suggestions/ideas for adding physical activity to your daily routine

With every New Year comes goals that are set for the year.  One goal that is very important is the goal to take charge of your physical well being.  As with any goal, goals need to be written down and committed to, understanding that when you stray away from your goals that you must not let that defeat you but rather get yourself back on track.

Determine your WHY for setting a goal to improve your physical well being.  Once you determine our WHY, write down what your goal is.  Identify your strengths and weaknesses and hold yourself accountable. Sometimes it helps to have a support system which can be a work out partner, a spouse or friend that encourages you.  Create a fitness journal to track your progress as well as motivate you to continue toward your goal.

1. Set Your Goal
You need to know what you WANT so you know what you’re working FOR.  Create and write down a specific, attainable, realistic, smart goal.

2. Determine your Why
You’ve got a smart goal set and you are ready to take it on.  Now ask yourself & write down WHY do I want it?  Go into specifics to help make it “real”.

3.   Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses
Which time of the day am I more productive?  Do I focus better after a workout?  Is there a part of the day that I catch myself wasting time?

4.  Set yourself up For Success
Say your goal is weight loss:  get rid of the junk food if weight loss is your goal.  Pack your gym bag & always have it ready.  If you’re already low on energy, make sure to add supplements to your healthy eating habits to get optimal results as well as to compliment your new healthy lifestyle.

5.  Be Accountable.
Put your goal on paper, in a journal or a vision board.  THEN, share it with friends or family.  This is important to do, once you start sharing it, your goal becomes a part of you.

You need to take a good long look at yourself, the woman inside.