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Happy February!!!
It's the season of love, but love of what? Valentine's Day is most often associated with romantic love but I like to use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate ALL of the love in my life.
I've always found it interesting that Black History Month and Valentine's Day coincide. It has always worked for me because well, I love love and I love being an African American woman, but I digress. What this month's newsletter is really all about is figuring out what there is to love about ourselves and the world around us. |
| LOVABLE STUDENTS |
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In mid-January I had the opportunity to speak at the first ever Multicultural Professional Development Conference at the University of Virginia. It would be an understatement to say that I had a wonderful time. I spoke about the power of networking & was able to see and hear many students shift their beliefs about what it means to build a good network.
Here are some quotes from a few of those participants when they were asked what they had learned during that morning keynote:
"[I learned] The importance of making connections with people for the sake of the connections, not necessarily to get something out of someone else. One never knows how he or she can be of use to someone else and vice versa. Also [I learned] the importance of not being attached to the results of a networking relationship."
"[I learned] How relatively easy it is to connect and network with someone. I used to think it was something only very socially gifted people could do but after just a few minutes, I found out that my partner and I had quite a lot in common. We both started piano at age 5, for crying out loud. How common is that? Not too common, but somehow we discovered that commonality."
These students came back from winter break early to attend this conference & they were anxious to hear all that the "professionals" had to offer. It was great getting to spend the day networking with other presenters and panelists & having the opportunity to share my life with some young Wahoos.
The experience renewed my faith in this generation of soon-to-be college graduates. They are smart and hungry and anxious to do their best. They get the importance of education and are working hard to translate that education into real-world value. |
| LOVING TO CHANGE THE RULES |
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At the end of January I spent a week in Las Vegas with some girlfriends. We had a blast! I had originally decided that I was going to do a little work while away. But a few days before the trip I realized how stressed I was, trying to get all of the things done that I had told myself I needed to get done.
Then I remembered that I work for myself & that a vacation was not a bad thing. I'm a life coach and public speaker, not a brain surgeon & a week off was not going to throw the planet off of its axis!
I've always managed to renegotiate deadlines with bosses in the past if necessary, so why didn't I feel like it was okay to do that this time?. Well that's just what I did. I renegotiated & took the week off. I didn't check email or take business phone calls & it was great. I slept, I read, I knitted & I GAMBLED! Most importantly, I hung out with my girls. Because I had cleared my plate I was able to be completely present with people who I love and adore.
And you know what happened? When I got back, a few new clients had materialized & some of my current clients had had breakthroughs in my absence. I also had a clearer head to deal with the things that I needed to handle.
COACHING TIP: Things change, people change & circumstances change. So changing the rules is sometimes necessary and often crucial to getting what's important out of life. Just make sure that you renegotiate with everyone involved before changing the rules.
So thanks Dawn (that's MY coach) for reminding me that I can renegotiate when necessary. |
| LOVING SPORTS |
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What a Super Bowl Sunday!!! I'm not a huge football fan but I do like a good game, and the Super Bowl is always a good excuse to eat, drink & be merry. So last Sunday I set out to do just that, and found that I was pretty bored. I actually picked up my laptop and started catching up on emails. At some point I must have expressed out loud that I thought the game was pretty boring, because my husband said, "Just wait, it's not over." Now I already know that this man is among the smartest around, but boy was he right that day.
By the middle of the 4th quarter my laptop had been abandoned, and I found myself clapping and yelling and screaming that if the game went into overtime, I might not be able to take it! I was watching intently when Eli Manning completed that amazing pass to Plaxico Burress for what would be the game-winning touchdown. Now that's what I call football.
That game reminded me of several important things.
- Don't believe the hype - it's so easy to get caught up in what people think of you & expect from you. Not very many people actually expected the Giants to win that game, but evidently the Giants didn't believe the hype. Conversely, if the Patriots were listening to their own press, and I'm not saying that they were, they may have been shocked when the game didn't go their way.
- Don't give up too early - I had let the game go. I had moved on to Monday's work until I was reminded that the game was really not over. Had I changed the channel I would have missed out on one of the most exciting 4th quarters in football history. Had the Giants conceded too early we probably would have seen a different outcome. It's not over until all of the time is off of the clock.
- It's easy to overeat during the Super Bowl. I ate a lot of chips that day & my stomach still kind of hurts. :)
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| I LOVE FREE STUFF |
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Click on the link below to participate in this month's fun but insightful survey. Also feel free to forward this newsletter & survey to anyone that you think might want to play. Don't forget to look for the results in next month's newsletter.
Every person who completes the attached survey will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of The Icebreaker Cookbook written by Nicole Thomas and Freda Hobbs (that would be me.)
If you're not feeling lucky you can purchase your copy of The Icebreaker Cookbook here...  |
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Are you in love with yourself? If you're not, ask yourself why not. Think about the possibility that who you are is exactly who you are supposed to be right now.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8
The above verses from the Bible are often read at weddings, as they were at my wedding. But recently it occurred to me to think about how they apply to my love for myself. Are you patient with yourself? Are you kind to yourself? Do you tell yourself the truth? Do you protect & trust yourself? These are the questions I'll be asking myself for the rest of this month.
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Freda
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