Clock Out, Check In…Creating Communication Connections

Clocks tick off time, marking the passage of statistics, intentions, and accomplishments. A mere eighteen days left in 2007. Blogs shout it. Emails tout it. Signs proclaim the urgency of buying now. Advertisements galore contribute to the rush. The list of additional things to be done is daunting at best.

So imagine doing things differently. How will your schedule look on December 13, 2008? To what accomplishments will you point? How will your business be different? My plan is to simplify and that challenge requires eliminating.

If you plan to simplify your calendar, mid-December is a fascinating time to begin. I chose December 1 to begin the resolution. Inspired by a quote from William James, “To change one’s life: start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.”

In confronting my own calendar, I found “No” to be an inspiring word. With every repetition of the word, I felt my strength increase. I began December with an exercise and diet challenge. Why? Because I can. It gave me the opportunity to practice saying no to hundreds of goodies presented at various meetings and gatherings.

Tama Kieves, a Harvard lawyer turned inspirational writer and coach talks persuasively in her current newsletter, Trusting the Journey Times:

“This holiday season, I urge you to, drum roll please, give to yourself. Stay true to your natural desires. Turn off the autopilot mechanism, disable obligation, ditch comparison, and dive into the cool waters of authenticity. Dare to live this season as honestly as you can. Let everyone else "shop till they drop" or stand helplessly at parties. Listen to and love yourself first, and you will set free a light that buoys everyone around you. It's never "selfish" to tend your own magnificent soul.”

How’s that for putting you and your business in a different perspective?