exceptionallyyours98-blog

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

5 posts!

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

Does Your Business Need A Colonic?

Spring time is synonymous with cleaning.

I’m all for it, but when I “clean” with my clients I like to really purge.

Releasing all the built up, clogged nooks and crannies of particles that have been packed in and piling up over time unblocks the flow of energy rich nutrients - and in business energy equals money!

Ok, so you may not even consider doing a colonic for your body, let alone your business. But you get the idea, things tend to accumulate - whether in your body, mind or business and when they back-log, dis-ease creeps in.

In a national company with factories in 5 states there was 1 factory that out produced all of the others combined. When corporate visited the star factory, the manager told them he had the employees clean their space at the end of each day and the beginning of each day with a quarterly "white glove" purge.

This was the ONLY thing that was different. Corporate management poo-pooed it as nonsense and left.

This manager kept that as policy where ever he want and swore by it. In fact his desk was clean except for the 1 thing he was working on. Regular full on purges were also his secret to success.

What this deep purge gives to your body is a break and allows for it to process and function so it can better utilize the good stuff.

Just like the body, your business needs a break from the overload of junk and extra baggage, even if it's good, it can overtake the best and leave no room for the important.

Your business will profit more when you can clean out your systems and streamline your processes toward an unencumbered flow of effective production.

So, can we apply this to the mind? Yes!

Can we apply this to business? Oh yes! And parenting, and relationships and....

Why? Because we live in an age where our body, mind and business are bombarded daily. And without key pieces in place to protect our “business” the accumulation, diversions and toxins leak in, pile up and poison the well, daily.

It’s the same with the body and it’s the same with the mind which is what makes your business.

So take inventory today - does your body, mind or business need a focused, deep purge of draining waste and toxic energy? Energy that is chronically diminishing the capacity for a clear, congruent outcome as exceptional as your original intention?

It can be a challenge to confront the really messy stuff. So no need to go it alone.

Stephana works with Powerhouse Leaders who want more results with less BS, for themselves, their team and their bottom line. Contact Stephana at stephana@stephana.net 360-936-3374 or visit http://www.powerhouseleaders.comPowerhouse Leaders.

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN 90 SECONDS OR LESS

The number one block to productivity is lack of focus.

One of the top distractions: pain in the body such as headaches, neck strain, etc.

Most people just think it is part of life. It’s not!

The way we are sitting at desks, in front of a computer or now holding phones and looking down – this puts pressure on muscles at the base of the scull causing eye strain and head aches and the effect trickles down to the rest of the body.

We may be motivated to “get it done” but if we sacrifice our body we’ll soon be too debilitated to even produce a basic thought.

https://youtu.be/mNwhD0TIASE

Try this Qi Gong move and watch your light turn on brighter!

Stephana works with Powerhouse Leaders who want more results with less BS, for themselves, their team and their bottom line. Contact Stephana at stephana@stephana.net 360-936-3374 or visit http://www.powerhouseleaders.comPowerhouse Leaders.

-Stephana Johnson

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

Are You Still Looking for "The One"​

I love Valentines’ Day! And I love, love, love - LOVE.

Have you ever longed for “The ONE”!? When I was little I would search for “the one” as if it/or him, was out there somewhere. I can still feel the longing that was within me as I “searched”. Wow, had I bought into that illusion!

What a concept. That there is the one and only of anything.

This illusion of THE ONE whether the one true love, as in the “soul mate” or the one career, or book, or outfit, or hair cut, or house, or car, or… that’s going to save you, that will be the answer you seek and fill up that longing. Such a dangerous predicament. It’s indeed an illusion and it’s been perpetuated in our culture.

If you are like most, you have grown up on the Disney movies and other stories where finding the one true love and living happily ever after is the finale. But it’s also sold to us throughout our lives from birth to death. If you just have “the one” - book, diet, machine, baby carrier, vitamin, pill, food, school and so on - then that will solve all your problems and take care of everything.

You might think “the one” will make you happy, relieve your pain, stop you from binge eating, motivate you to exercise, stop your suffering and save you. Or you think, if you just meet your soul mate, “the one” who will fight for you, that will never let you down, ’til death do you part, then you will be happy and blissful and live happily ever after.

It’s not only an illusion, it’s a dangerous way of taking away your own power and putting it in and on something else. It’s actually quite unfair to expect that much from another human being. Wow - can you imagine the kind of pressure on “the one” we assign as “the one”?

The truth is, no one can live up to that.

I think it’s the same with books, jobs, diets... or anything really.

You know when your well meaning friends try to give you their answer - “you should do Paleo”. Or “if you just go raw and become a vegan that will solve everything.” Or..."Have a third baby, it'll save your marriage." Gulp.

So you put all your faith in it and you believe it will never let you down. But guess what, it does and it will. Why? Because, it’s totally an illusion.

Because the truth is, and I think if you are still reading this, you know deep down, that it's YOU that is the only real soul mate you have. And there are far more answers right within you if you just take the time to discover.

Now knowing that, and coming from that place of awareness, could you go out and create and explore the world and all it’s wonder, including all the places, books, foods, exercises, dances, ideas, and people and enjoy their gifts. Releasing what doesn't feed your soul. Reinforcing what does feed your soul. Yes, that does sound lovely.

So instead of looking for “the one”, look for the gift that each one has to give you, as you share your wholeness with the world.

Wishing you much joy on this Valentine’s Day!

If you'd like to listen to the pod cast that goes with this article here's the link - https://s3.amazonaws.com/btr.shows/show/8/303/show_8303347.mp3

Many Blessings!

Stephana works with Powerhouse Leaders who want more results with less BS, for themselves, their team and their bottom line. Contact Stephana at stephana@stephana.net 360-936-3374 or visit http://www.powerhouseleaders.comPowerhouse Leaders.

-Stephana Johnson

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

Keeping a journal or daily log can be a fun and insightful experience.

If I asked you how much you do consciously on a daily basis and how much you do on "auto-pilot" would you be able to answer with an accurate account? Whether we are responding to the world and our every day tasks as a daily habit or we are just going through life moment by moment, we need to be more aware of what we are thinking, being and doing.

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me they couldn't recall what they had for breakfast that morning - I'd use it to upgrade to first class for our family trip to Disneyland.

Awareness is a fundamental piece I address with all of my clients. If you don't know where you are, where you have been and where you want to go - it's easy to get lost and it's easy for things to get away from you - fast!

A daily log or journal is something I have been doing personally since the age of 12. I can tell you it is one of the most beneficial actions you can take to improve any area of your life. Because food is a huge factor not only in weight loss and gain, it's a factor in our overall health and performance of our brain and bodies, we must be aware of what we are eating.

To keep a food journal, simply write down every thing that goes into your mouth. This needs to be done on a consistent basis. I also like to note emotions, sensations and triggers.

After a week it will become easier. If you keep it up for 20 days and more, you will have a picture in front of you that will tell quite a story. This picture is vital for me as a coach and trainer to help my clients with their goals.

You will see your own patterns and if you have a set goal in place you'll be able to pinpoint what is taking you off course from achieving those goals.

Other reasons this is a great idea:

It's free.

It's something you don't have to get trained in.

You don't have to share it, although my clients like to share their's with me.

I am old school and I like to use paper and pen but you can just as easily do an on-line or log on your phone or computer.

*Awareness - it's #1! This is a key Tool in my P.I.L.O.T. Your Way program.

Stephana works with Powerhouse Leaders who want more results with less BS, for themselves, their team and their bottom line. Contact Stephana at stephana@stephana.net 360-936-3374 or visit http://www.powerhouseleaders.comPowerhouse Leaders.

-Stephana Johnson

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

This One Belief Will Make You Think Wrongly About Everything

Have you ever taken on a statement as truth without fully equating the sanity of the concept? A few years back, a well known business coach and speaker stated “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I wrote it down among other copious notes.

She was adamant that 'how you do anything is how you do everything' and like good little 'sheople' many (including me) used this as a mantra without thinking it all the way through. Later, I heard this concept again only with money: “how you do money is how you do everything”.

Without really evaluating a concept for workability or truth, we can buy into an idea before we fully analyze it. And that is a HUGE mistake we have to stop NOW.

How many times do we pick up a concept and take it on as a belief of our own? How many times do you invest in a coach or a program or company and give them authority over your own ability to evaluate what is workable or effective for your particular business, let alone your individual life, situation and circumstance?

When I fully analyzed this “how you do anything (money, work, et. al.) is how you do everything”, I found it to be a deeply ineffective concept and completely ludicrous as an operating belief. And it is a belief - it is not a truth.

So allow me share with you how to shift and start thinking for yourself...

As a business consultant, I like to look for specifics. I start by looking for areas that are doing well instead of seeking out the bad. When I hear “everything is bad” from a client, I know they’ve bought into the “anything is everything” mentality. I want to get them to pinpoint one area that IS going right to separate out the 'everything' from the one thing that may need to be fixed or jettisoned.

I look for signs and I evaluate against criteria that is specific, knowable and workable with the intention of moving forward toward a known goal.

[exceptionallyyours98-blog]

Why Building A Great Friendship Is So Important to Your Success: 6 Ways I'm Focused on Making Mine Great

A deep, strong friendship just might be a double edged sword. A friendship that bolsters your confidence when it’s low and gives you support and connection but also someone who can recognize when you are off track and call you on it. A great friendship is an investment of the heart and soul, an emotional connection as well as physical and it requires both to be active participants.

The Wrong Way To Do It

Just a week ago I returned from an over 8000 mile road trip with my boys Ryder (11) and Dax (8). We made it to all the way to Knoxville, TN where I finally got to meet my very best friend – in person.

Planning for this road trip had been in the works for over a year. While I was deep in the building of my business after opening a physical studio location last year, I knew I would need a “life line”. This road trip would be that line.

It was my beacon of light at the end of the 16 hour days.

But while I worked for days, weeks, months, holding this plan in sight, I neglected my best friend and the basic essentials of a happy life. I neglected her so much that I feared I lost one of the best gifts a human could possess.

I was so focused on getting through the day and checking off actions items, I became nearly a hermit to a healthy daily life. I felt I only had the capacity to care for my clients and my children. I’d get up at 4 and go to bed at 10 repeating this over and over until I finally broke.

By the time I came out of my self inflicted turmoil, I finally reached out to my best friend, only to find that I had broken her heart.

Barbara Bush:

“You don’t just luck into things as much as you’d like to think you do. You build them step by step, whether it’s friendships or opportunities”

Cultivating Great Friendships

1. Friendship is about sharing openly in the good times and the bad. You don’t have to always get into deep, meaningful conversations but cutting off connection when things get tough isn’t the way to go. Laughing often, playing regularly and trusting always, that’s most important. It’s about caring deeply, both how the other person feels as well as allowing to be cared for deeply. Playfulness of friendship is an integral part of a great relationship so when the serious business of needing a trusting shoulder occurs, it’s been built on a firm foundation.

I breathed a song into the air: it fell to earth, I know not where…. and the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2. Do not dilute or pollute your friendship with unnecessary drama. But do be willing to share authentically what is happening. While I don’t think a mission statement is needed for a friendship, we do need to be intentional in what we need and want in a friendship and invest wisely through our words and actions. Constant complaining isn’t what builds great friendship. It doesn’t mean you can’t share your frustrations but a great friendship isn’t about taming the shrew.

3. Keep the communication lines open. Learn to speak empathically. Instead of saying “You…” use “I feel…” If you are feeling scared or misunderstood or ignored, say “I feel…”, rather than – “you make me feel…”. Be willing to hear from your heart rather than your head what is being shared or not shared. Instead of cutting off communication, open up about what you are needing – even if it’s time and space. Remember, it’s a two way street – communication flows both ways. Listening is one of the greatest qualities of a great friend. But keep it balanced.

4. Let your actions speak louder than your words. There is a big virtual world out there. I actually met my best friend on line a few years ago and we’d not met in person until recently. Yet we formed a truly great friendship; caring, genuine, supportive all through the internet and phone. In my business I am on social media daily, and I have a policy to keep things positive. Anything intimately related to the ups and downs of life, I work to spare the moment by moment drama and wait until the lessons are learned to share insight. So if I didn’t specifically communicate with my friend how I was doing, all she would know is the snap shot of the moments of connection with my clients whom I adore, and the joy or success I choose to celebrate publicly.

But when I did reach out after months, I find out I had hurt her deeply by cutting off communication. A pattern I have used my entire life as a way to stay “safe” (more on this lesson later).

Luckily for me, my best friend is the most understanding, forgiving and gracious women I know. After spending a week with her in person in her home being lovingly cared for and supported, actions bolstered us both. This lesson is an important one I intend to keep in practice.

Little actions like sending a handwritten card, calling instead of an emails all the time to big actions like connecting in person and making plans to connect in person if you do not live in the same city.

There is something basic about friendship. It is like the structure that holds up a building. It is mostly hidden and absolutely essential.

Emilie Barnes

5. Don’t have only transactional friendships, instead build a deep and meaningful friendship. I’ve had lots of transactional “friendships” and am working on building better relationships in general. This is like never allowing roots to deepen enough for the fruits of a true friendship to blossom. For me, that was a pattern, I believe it stems from self worth issues. Constantly judging myself. So when there are “bad” days and I’m not “perfect” the gremlins take me under letting me know I don’t deserve to be loved.

6. Seek professional help for issues that warrant such help. Your best friend is not your counselor nor a door mat.

Constantly dumping your marital, parental, business, personal issues on your best friend is like emptying out the air in your camp mattress. You are left with a hard, bumpy surface, poor sleep and a bad back in the morning. And that’s not pleasant for anyone (first hand experience analogy from our camping trips to Knoxville!)

Being aware that you need professional help is not a bad thing. Sometimes we do need that counselor or the right homeopathic remedy or big time intervention. Do NOT be afraid to get that help. Just get the RIGHT kind 😉

And sometimes we just need the deep and meaningful connection of a beloved great friend.

I believe that building a great friendship is one of the most valuable uses of our time. It’s revenue is endless. But it’s not passive.

Blessed are the ones God sends to show His love for us…our friends.

Questions: Do you have a deep and meaningful friendship? How does it affect your life? What special things do you do to cultivate a deep and meaningful friendship? You can leave a comment below.

Stephana works with Powerhouse Leaders who want more results with less BS, for themselves, their team and their bottom line. Contact Stephana at stephana@stephana.net 360-936-3374 or visit http://www.powerhouseleaders.comPowerhouse Leaders.