by Carol deLaski | Jan 30, 2015 | Kelye Rouse-Brown, Retreats
The words community and celebration summarize our kick- off event of the new Be You series for the 2015 Wholistic Woman Retreats year at a glance. The new Be You program is building from a past series called Build Your Own Business (BYOB) success that I created five years ago as a way to build and weave a community together on a monthly basis with education and happy hours. Roughly 500 overlapping participants (mostly women) joined in for the personal and professional tips, fun networking, and a focus on results. All women based speakers brought powerful knowledge to our community, and this will continue.
During our event on Tuesday, we spent much of our time discussing the power of one word which filled the room with words of wisdom. I was happy to hear the word “shine” two times as that was my word last year and it served me well. My word this year is “move”. As I received this strong word late last year it became clear it was time to “move” toward the “Be You” program – dropping the “B” or Business from BYOB and focusing on YOU with a supportive group of professional coaches and members of the Wholistic Woman community.
Part of the program on Tuesday, which was extra special for me, was a 10 year business anniversary celebration of my KRB Customized Training Solutions, now KRB Business Solutions LLC. As I shared a few milestones, it was clear the first half of the decade was business building and the second part community building. My business motto is educate, motivate and cultivate. In building my business it was about education and motivation all the way. I have learned that the cultivating piece is a process and takes time. My business has involved traveling the past 20 years and you could say working on the road is how I do business. In the middle years of building my business, I was really craving community in my area. As the saying goes, “home is where the heart is” and those of you that know me, know I have a lot of heart. With traveling, my heart was all over the place. The BYOB monthly sessions, which I conducted and trained on a much bigger scale for a corporation before starting my own business, came to be a constant and were the building blocks in my life here locally. I have recognized that some business projects will come and go – like hitting the ball out of the park with a Washington Nationals 6 month contract during their inaugural season, and some stay – like my new Joint Venture in Texas formed with my top client of 5 years.
It is interesting that before starting my business there was a postcard with the words “take a leap of faith” that nudged me to start my business and now I am living this one word in my joint venture Minute Leap DFW, LLC years later.
Community building is where the heart is. The encouragement, empathy and attitude of gratitude in our community makes us whole. In other words, business will be here, but community is the heart that keeps us alive and growing. I am proud to see the seed I have planted grow, and it feels amazing to serve a larger community through WWR and pass on a program to more “women on the- grow” for more enrichment.
Our celebration the other night was topped off with a champagne toast and songs I selected for Coach Sandie to sing. Just as we all sang, “walking 500 miles and 500 more to be the one who walk those miles and shows up at your door” – KRB will be there, WWR will be there, our door is open and we invite you in. We have walked these miles and are opening more doors in our community. The second song, “Walking on Sunshine” touches me and touched others with beautiful words like: “ I feel alive, I feel a love.” I am more alive and a better me because of our community, and hope the new Be You program will serve you to be the best YOU in 2015.
If you are not a member, please consider reviewing our membership plan for Wholistic Woman Retreats by Clicking Here to see how you can build a better you through our community membership. Be Whole, and celebrate Being YOU!
Today’s author: Kelye Rouse Brown is an executive coach, conference speaker, HR expert, and seminar leader on employee and management training. Through her company, KRB Business Solutions, LLC, she specializes in communications and leadership, career coaching, and result driven solutions for hospitality, healthcare and service oriented clients. You can reach Kelye at [email protected] or visit her website www.krbcustomizedtrainingsolutions.com
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by Carol deLaski | Jan 21, 2015 | Laura Hall
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” –Stephen R. Covey
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the word “listen”, as it’s my One Word for 2015. The questions I’ve been asking myself are, “What does it mean to really listen?”, “How can I be a better listener?” and “What gets in the way of listening for me?”.
I believe the above quote, by Stephen Covey, speaks to what it means to really listen. It’s about going into the conversation with the intention of understanding what the other person is saying.
When I was in coach training I remember learning about the 3 levels of listening. Understanding these levels can be very useful when it comes to being a better listener.
Level 1 is subjective listening. When you are operating from level 1 listening the main thought in your mind is, “How does this relate to me?”. An example of level 1 listening may look something like this:
Speaker: “I had a really hard time falling asleep last night! I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things I had to do this week.”
Listener: “I know, I hate when that happens to me! I end up so exhausted the next day that I’m not as effective as I could be.”
Level 2 is objective listening. At this level, the listener is completely focused on the speaker. They have turned down the volume on their own thoughts and are really trying to hear what the speaker is saying. An example of level 2 listening might be:
Speaker: “I had a really hard time falling asleep last night! I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things I had to do this week.”
Listener: “I’m sorry that happened to you, what time did you finally get to sleep?”
Level 3 is intuitive listening. Here, the listener is paying attention not only to the actual words, but also noticing tone of voice, energy level, feelings, etc. In essence, the listener is also paying attention to what’s NOT being said. For example:
Speaker: “I had a really hard time falling asleep last night! I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things I had to do this week.”
Listener: “It sounds like you must have a lot going on! It also sounds like you may be feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed out. What were you able to do to finally get back to sleep?”
At the end of the level 3 example, the listener asked a question. This is a great way to be a better listener. Ask questions! It lets the speaker know you are fully engaged and are interested in what they are saying.
Good listeners also pay attention to body language – both their own as well as the person they are listening to.
Good listeners make eye contact, they nod occasionally, and every now and then add a “yes” or “right” to the conversation. They also watch the other person’s body language. They pay attention to the other person’s posture and facial expressions as both of these will give them clues about how the other person is feeling and what they are really trying to express.
Finally, people who are excellent listeners understand what gets in the way of them fully listening. I’ve come up with a list of things I know get in my way. These include:
- Multitasking – i.e. watching TV while I’m talking to someone on the phone, checking my texts while I’m talking to someone in person, or playing a game on my iPad while my child is trying to tell me something about their day
- Having more than one conversation going at a time – It used to be that if I was choosing a seat at a large table, I’d pick the middle spot so I could be involved in all of the conversations. What I’ve learned over time is that this no longer works for me. I now pick an end seat so there are less conversations going on around me and I can more fully focus on those closest to me.
- A subject I’m not interested in – This is a tricky one for me because I love to learn new things, but when a subject becomes boring to me or too complicated for me to understand (like maybe nuclear physics) I know I have a tendency to zone out.
- Physical discomfort – pain, hunger, being too hot or too cold, needing to go to the bathroom, being tired. All of these can get in the way of being the best listener I can be.
- Not being fully present – when I have a lot of my own stuff going on and my mind is racing, I have a hard time not letting my mind wander..
- Making assumptions – My mind likes to try to figure things out. I sometimes assume I know what the person is going to say next. I believe this gets in the way of me listening fully
When you know what gets in your way when it comes to listening, you know what to look out for. What would go on your list? I’d love it if you’d list them in the comments section below 🙂
If you want to be a better listener, I believe that just like everything, the more you practice, the better you get. Pay attention to what level you are operating out of, ask questions, be aware of body language, and be mindful of the things that could get in the way.
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach whose business, Hall Coaching, was established in 2009 with the vision of waking women up from the nightmares of “How did I get here?” and, “Is this as good as it gets?”, so that they can begin creating and living the life of their real dreams, hopes and desires. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at www.hallcoaching.com
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by Carol deLaski | Dec 18, 2014 | Holidays, Sandie Lynch
Not just survive!
The Holiday Season is upon us. Will you thrive or survive? For many the holiday season may be a source of cheer, joy, love, and connection, others may feel a lot of stress, and then there are some who may barely “survive” the whole process.
What contributes to all the stress?
There could be feelings the loss or being disconnected from loved ones and/or having sadness over broken relationships. Having unrealistic expectations set by others or even on you. A busier schedule is typical with decorating the house, gift buying and wrapping, extra social events, and preparing special meals and treats, leading us to eat richer foods more often. Therefore, the busier schedule, high expectations and rich food is a recipe for high stress and maybe even a wellbeing disaster.
What is the mindset that leads to increased stress and possibly a “wellbeing” meltdown?
Look over the following list of self-talk. Do you find yourself saying any of the following?
- If I don’t do it, it won’t get done.
- I have to do _______, it’s what everyone expects.
- I need to do _______I don’t want to disappoint or upset anyone I have to do it this way, its tradition!
- I’ll get rest when its done!
- I’ll start an exercise plan and eat better starting in January.
- I don’t have time to do what I want or need, everyone else comes first
If you answered yes to any of the statements above, consider embracing a mindset to thrive in “Wholistic Wellbeing” and not just survive this holiday.
- I am a divine being created to enjoy this Holiday.
- Only my creator and I know what is best for me.
- An “Attitude of Gratitude” is a great gift to share.
- The best things in life are free!
- You are enough, anything more is just stuff.
Now equipped with a Mindset to Thrive…
- Determine what is most important and let the rest go!
- Be Realistic of what is possible to accomplish in normal daytime hours.
- Communicate openly your new plan with those it may affect, invite and enlist others to take on what you are “letting go.”
- Embrace healthy habits throughout the Holidays
- Do fun exercise 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes to lighten your mood and increase your energy. The result will be a sharper mind, more tone, strength and increased confidence for those social events.
- Eat healthy, choosing 5 fruits and vegetables a day, lean meats, low fat dairy, and whole grains and legumes daily. You will optimize your metabolism, immune and digestive system, keeping you light on your feet, full of energy, and help keep the weight off ensuring you feel great in those holiday clothes
- Limit rich foods and extras to 1 day a week and then “get it out of the house” so you’re not tempted to “munch” the rest of the week.
The Holidays are a time for love and connection, why not start with you!
Do more than survive…Thrive!
Written by Sandie Lynch MS, RDN, LDN, Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, and Wholistic Wellbeing Coach. Owner and CEO of ATP Consultants, LLC. Sharing 5 Key Principles to Attain Top Performance in living your best life at any age!
Check out ATP Fitness in January to “Kick-Start” your 2015. Learn, practice, and embrace the strategies that will build Wholistic Wellbeing for life!
Contact Sandie at [email protected] to find out more!
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by Carol deLaski | Dec 10, 2014 | Kelye Rouse-Brown, Retreats
“I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk 500 more just to be the “woman” ……great lyrics by the Proclaimers. At this time I reflect and celebrate the 10 years and thousands of miles I have walked, with others, to be the woman I am today in business. KRB Customized Training Solutions celebrates 10 years this January 2015 and for the last 5 years has included and created a series of seminars called BYOB or Build Your Own Business success with 500 cumulative participants. The business sessions picked up momentum year after year reaching a five year milestone in 2014. They proved to be a great outlet for small business and entrepreneurs to become educated, motivated and to cultivate their individual success. All it really takes is one step that turns into three to make a better you with more success, both personally and professionally.
My 3 lessons and motto are:
- Educate – share and do what builds your skills and knowledge to develop yourself and others
- Motivate – build a strong team and community to support yourself and others to spark action
- Cultivate – grow, have fun, and let the spirit of positivity shine through to build success
These steps have been the foundation of my business success. It all started with my background in hospitality (both hotel and corporate work) which gave me the skills and knowledge to go out on my own and form KRB Customized Training Solutions, a professional HR, training and coaching company. I’m happy to announce that my new business name will be launched in 2015: KRB Business Solutions, LLC.
Five years into my business I recognized I wanted to reach out to the community and offer mini-seminars like I had on a much larger scale when I worked in the corporate world. Prior to starting my own business I traveled 40 weeks a year, and thousands of miles, delivering workshops and opening hotels in North America. It seemed as easy as one, two, three, to start workshops locally for large and small organizations, and entrepreneurs….. and to call them Build Your Own Business (BYOB) success seminars.
Initially, I conducted all of the training sessions myself. In time, however, I decided to invite area professionals to participate in the BYOB series and offer their expertise…which was a great move! Some of the topics I led were:
- Cutting Edge Communication
- Human Resources
- Mentoring and Accountability
- Creating Memorable Customer Care Moments
- Leadership
- Personal Sales
Jane Helm with Moore Wealth was a large contributor to the success of BYOB, adding topics such as ‘How to Play the Money Game’ and ‘More Money Matters’. Other professionals and topics included Using YouTube for Business Growth by Whitney Hahn of Digital Bard and Vitality Visioning by Jeanette Eleff of Focused Vitality, just to name a few.
It was a win-win…sharing what we know and learning from others at the same time, to really grow. The condensed sessions were designed for participants to unwind with fun networking from 5pm-6pm while discussing 10 business savvy tips. The focus was improving your business, and yourself, taking ownership of your success, and having a happy hour.
Many of the professionals that contributed to the success of BYOB were members of the Wholistic Coaching Coalition, a group of local certified coaches that I co-founded with Carol delaski, Laura Hall, Sandie Lynch, Lisa DiSciullo and Jeanette Eleff in 2010. My motto of Educate, Motivate, and Cultivate contributed to the success of the Wholistic Woman Retreats community.
I’m happy to announce that KRB Customized Training Solution’s BYOB program is growing and changing into a new and better version and will be called Be YOU in 2015. KRB and the Wholistic Coaches, who each have their own businesses, are excited to take new steps to bring you the Be YOU series. We are enhancing the program to include a private room, dinner, book topics facilitated by the coaches, longer sessions and a few past BYOB presenters for 2015.
Thank you for 10 years of learning, growing, and supporting one another. Join us as we continue to take steps to build a better you with this supportive community.
Save the date for the launch of the Be You series on Tuesday, January 27th 2015 – 5:30pm-7pm at Jo Jo’s Restaurant, 16 E. Patrick St. Frederick, MD to learn more about these fun and enriching opportunities.
Today’s author: Kelye Rouse-Brown is an executive coach, conference speaker, HR expert, and seminar leader on employee and management training. Through her company, KRB Customized Training Solutions, she specializes in communications and leadership, career coaching, and result driven solutions for hospitality, healthcare and service oriented clients. You can reach Kelye at [email protected] or visit her website www.krbcustomizedtrainingsolutions.com
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by Carol deLaski | Nov 21, 2014 | Gratitude, Laura Hall
“I always believed that one woman’s success can only help another woman’s success“~ Gloria Vanderbilt
Of all the events hosted by Wholistic Woman Retreats I think our Gratitude Dinner is one of my favorites! The evening feels laid back, warm, inviting, and fun. This is the only WWR event that is exclusively for members. Our members are the heart and soul of our community, and this evening is designed to show them how grateful we are for their presence and participation.
Be Grateful has a very simple design. We begin with appetizers and socializing. Then we gather around the tables for a delicious catered dinner. After a leisurely meal, when dessert and coffee have been served, we have an open time of sharing gratitude.
One by one, as they are ready, women express what they are grateful for and I feel my heart swelling with warmth, love and acceptance. Common themes of gratitude include being surrounded by a nurturing community of women, having a place free from judgment and competition to meet new people and develop personal and professional relationships, and being part of a group that is different from anything they’ve ever experienced before.
Our community is made up of a wide range of women. Some of us are in our 30s, some of us are in our 80s, and some of us are in between. Some of us work outside the home and some of us don’t. Some of us are parents and some of us aren’t. Some of us are Republicans, some of us are Democrats and some of us consider ourselves apolitical. I could go on and on about the myriad of ways that we are all different, but the truth is that none of that matters, because when this community gets together, all we see are the ways that we are similar, and that feels amazing!
Our community is unique…not because we have it all figured out, but rather because we know that we are all works-in-progress. We honor one another wherever we are on the journey. We understand the importance of self-care, and although we might struggle with it at times, we know there is no shame in brushing ourselves off and trying again. We practice kindness and compassion, both with ourselves and others. We celebrate each others’ successes. We know that TOGETHER WE ARE WHOLE.
So, to the members of Wholistic Woman Retreats…Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
You are the reason we do what we do. Your willingness to be real, to support one another and to come together as a community means more than you’ll ever know. We couldn’t do it without you!
To those of you who aren’t members yet, but feel drawn to this type of community, we hope that you will consider this your invitation to join us. The world needs more Wholistic women! We have many wonderful events planned for the coming year and we’d love to see you at some (or all) of them, including this year’s Gratitude Dinner on November 18th from 6-9 pm at ThorpeWood.
Become a member today by clicking here and then register for Be Grateful.
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach whose business, Hall Coaching, was established in 2009 with the vision of waking women up from the nightmares of “How did I get here?” and, “Is this as good as it gets?”, so that they can begin creating and living the life of their real dreams, hopes and desires. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at www.hallcoaching.com
