You hold the key to having and enjoying the life balance you want. Life balance is not a one size fits all experience. Only you know what matters most to you. If you're not living your values, it's up to you to decide to do some things differently. Of course, first you have to be clear about what is really most important to you. So if you haven't given this much consideration lately, here's an easy place to start.

5-Minute Daily Life Balance Practice

• List what comes to mind when you think about what matters most to you - at work and in the rest of your life.
• Jot down your thoughts in a little notebook so you have them all in one place.
• Don't edit or re-read what you write, just get it out of your busy mind and down on paper.
• When you have captured everything that you feel is essential to your greater well-being, set the notebook aside for a while.
• Then after whatever time feels right - a day or two or a week, set aside 30-45 minutes of alone time and re-read what you've written.
• Check or highlight things you've written that pull at your heart when you re-read them.
• Identify one next step that brings you more in sync with what matters most to you.
• Do or BE that without delay.

This movie preview inspires and uplifts you. It gives you a sense of the personal stories and success strategies shared by highly accomplished women in corporate and entrepreneurial businesses. Find out more about GLOW and this movie at The GLOW Project .  

"The source of all abundance is not outside you. It is part of who you are."  --Eckhart Tolle

Your Coaching Moment

What would you do differently - right now - if you really believed this is so? Write it down. Tell a friend. Complete this statement to help you embody a change that eases you into the flow of your life or work: "I am a commitment to..."

"A lot of times we find ourselves in a wonderful place that we've gotten to. But there's another place for us to go. And we have to leave behind the security of who we've become and go to the place of who we are becoming." John Francis encourages us to go to that next place. His inspiring commitment to living his values reminds us that change continuously evolves us - inviting us to become the best of who we are.

"We are the environment. And how we treat each other is how we treat the environment." - John Francis

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because their is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost."  -- Martha Graham

Life balance give us greater access to the fullness of who we are and the energy to express it. When we are in sync with our inner rhythm, we produce remarkable results with less effort. 

According to Eckhart Tolle, our awareness of our wholeness - our Being - unfolds in the constant NOW. The separateness we feel from ourselves, each other and the Universe is an illusion. This video presents a simple yet enlightening view of what we experience. 

An Animation of Spirit

Could an increasing awareness of our Oneness empower us to collaborate with more generosity of spirit? If so, we naturally will contribute to the greater good of ourselves, each other, planet Earth, and the world.

"It is not because it is difficult that you haven't dared; it is because you haven't dared that it is difficult."       -- Seneca

 Coaching Tip

Instead of asking yourself, what do I do next? Ask yourself 3 bigger questions. 

1. Who do I want to BE in the world now?
2. How do I want to feel now?
3. What do I want to experience now?

Just live with these questions for a while. Then notice the answers that reveal themselves to you.

This letter describes the life enriching value in Leverage Your Leadership practices.

"...on expectations, responsibilities and a new reality that is almost more than the heart can bear."

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life.To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that successtruly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

President Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speech - Change Has Come to America. A new day of leadership has arrived.

Okay, so you're not perfect. So what! Who is? Name one person you know who achieves their great expectations without any error or trial or tribulation. Can't think of anyone? Well, that is not surprising. Being imperfect facilitates us learning what we need to know to move forward - and ultimately evolve. How perfect is that!

Expect the Best

Of course, managing your expectations of perfection is still a tricky proposition. Particularly if you like to achieve at very high performance levels. One way to satisfy your persistent need for perfection is to give yourself an A at the start of an activity, project or day. That way you can focus on and enjoy the experience of performing at your personal, professional and business best.

"To see the preciousness of all things, we must bring our full attention to life."   -- Jack Kornfield, Buddhist Teacher

A Self-Coaching Moment

When I pay attention to what is precious, I feel more alive. So I choose to feel gratitude for everything that is precious in my life. To shift my attention there, I say to myself: "Everything I am... Everything I've been...Everything I've done...Everything that has been done to me has brought me to this very sacred moment in time." After repeating this a couple of times, I think about or jot down my gratitude list. This lightens whatever burden I've been carrying and replaces it with feelings of satisfaction and joy. I find myself smiling and even laughing at the goodness of it all.

This shifts my consciousness. From this place of balance, I ask myself: What new opportunities - in my  business and my life - are waiting for me to see and embrace them?

"Can you imagine if you really let in that you are not a problem to be solved in any way? Imagine you knew that anything that would tell you otherwise is just a movement of thought in the mind that says 'Whatever is, isn't the way it is supposed to be.' So the biggest act of compassion starts within. And when the self is no longer seen as a problem, this is called the peace that passes all understanding."                   -- Adyashanti, Author

Relaxing with Reality

"Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity."   -- R I Fitzhenry  

These two quotes are rich with meaning. What do they inspire you to do differently, starting now?

Inspired Action

This amazing photo was taken by my 8 year niece, who feels she is enough. In one of her many creative moments she put a drinking straw against the lens of her inexpensive digital camera and got this incredible result.

Tap into your prosperity with love and gratitude. This Secret Riches Visualization Tool helps you to  BE receptive to the health, happiness, wealth and wisdom you seek.

Stephanie DiMarco is 1 of just 60 women running public companies. As CEO of Advent Software, she has led her firm through two previous downturns. Her strategies continue to drive results.  

• Be honest with employees.
• Address missteps quickly.
• Select new opportunities carefully.

See and listen to her talk about this in her interview by the Wall St. Journal.

Scale These Strategies for Your Business

• Be honest with yourself, your staff and team - employees or virtual assistants and contactors.
• Address missteps quickly - learning from them and moving on.
• Set criteria for new opportunities so you know which ones to say YES to and focus on to drive results.