Lessons Learned on the Way to Machu Picchu  

For busy entrepreneurs, executives and professionals oxygen is the support of people,  systems and resources, as well as guidance on the sometimes rocky and steep path to  success. This keeps us from becoming disoriented, exhausted and disheartened as we climb to the next peak. Instructions for flying at altitude make this clear. "If the oxygen masks drop, put your mask on first." The reason is simple. Too many seconds without oxygen at altitude literally clouds our thinking - compromising our ability to know that we are making bad decisions. Having the help we need allows us to enjoy the thrill of reaching new heights in business, leadership and life.

Prepare to Soar               Peruvian Andes

• How much time do you need to acclimate to the higher ground you've reached?
• Breathe...you've arrived!
  
• What support do you need to reach the next business and professional altitude you seek?
  

Rich and Enriching

Instead of thinking "I'll be happy when..." or saying "I'll be happy if...", freelance writer Veronica Ray suggests we ask ourselves a question. What 'if's' and 'but's' are limiting our enjoyment of life? In her book Choosing Happiness: The Art of Living Unconditionally she reminds us to focus on a natural and available energizer - JOY. 

"We may miss a great deal of joy because we expect it to be unusual, dramatic, and spectacular. We are waiting for lights to flash and bells to ring. But the truth is that joy is here, right now, waiting for us to notice it."

Return to the Present

Brain scientist Dr. John Medina tells us that when we can't control constant negative stress or its frequency, our experience of being out of control and trapped destroys our brain cells.

Thinking and feeling that 'there is no way out' damages our cognition - our ability to process information, problem solve, and know. The more we experience  negative stress as an endless loop, the less productive we are. No wonder we find ourselves unavailable for what we say matters most to us.

Are you suffering from any of these 'on-the-verge' signs?

• You feel scattered and unable to concentrate?
• You forget things easily?
• You never seems to be able to get anywhere on time?
• You no longer have the energy to do the things you love to do because they just feel lke more items on your to-do list?
• You use your vacations, holidays and weekends "to catch up."
• Your breathing is shallow.
• You no longer think there's a better way to deal with the constant overload that keeps you in overdrive.

Good News

Thank You, Paula!

Sometimes a song says it best. So pause the busyness of your work and life. Enjoy several musical moments - just appreciating who you are. You are incredible!

Instead of worrying about whether you are making the right decision, practice being a commitment to having what you need and want. Sound strange? Well, it just means you can embody decisions that are right for you. For instance, a client of mine realized her work/life demands had left her drained - mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. She needed a work-free vacation. No laptop. No blackberry. No internet cafe. Just some real downtime for relaxation, fun, pleasure reading, and effortless sponteneous conversations. She had plenty of unused vacation time and said that two weeks of work-free vacation would revive her sense of herself - replenishing and rejuvenating her energy.

Still she was hesitant to take a work-free vacation because she worred about the constant stream of shifting priorities at work and all the emails that would flood her inbox if she didn't check it several times a day. So I invited her to use 4 Questions to Decide. Once she decided, we identified what next step she would take to embody her choice - the right decision for her. In another week she'll be enjoying her 10-day work-free vacation. 

Slowing Down in A World of Speed

What would you do differently if you viewed your intelligence in this way?

               - George  Scialabra

While you're looking at your business, leadership or life from a different direction, what  opportunity is hidden in your greatest challenge?

Have you noticed that women in business are prone to use more self-defeating language than men? That's because when it comes to their abilities, women tend to err on the side of modesty rather than express themselves with an asset-based attitude.

Years of coaching female executives and entrepreneurs have taught me that often successful women do not appreciate how good they are at what they do. Instead, they undervalue their accomplishments and discount the value of their leadership.

Elevating your attitude to asset-based infuses you with energy and confidence. You learn to leverage what works well for you and savor the satisfaction you get from your remarkable achievements.

Which attitude describes your professional and personal attitudes about yourself and your leadership?

Look at your audacious achievements! Do you secretly hope no one finds out that you're not what your hard-won success declares you to be? If so, you may be suffering from a super-achiever malaise called the Imposter Syndrome. So many highly successful women have feelings of inadequacy that books have been written on this Fake Syndrome for the last 30 years. These feelings are rooted in the belief that you are not good enough. Well...Who told you that? And why do you still believe it?

Oprah Took Marianne Williamson's Advice

4 bells - a signal that I had to go immediately to the airplane cockpit. I entered and saw the flight engineer's face. He looked like he'd just seen his life flash before him. As I sat in the jumpseat behind the Captain, he told me there was a "problem with the flaps." Since I was #1 Flight Attendant, my role was to tell the cabin crew and then lead them in by-the-book procedures. I made all of the prerequisite announcements to the passengers so the flight attendants could prepare them and the aircraft cabin for an emergency landing at JFK. 

Leadership Attitude 

I'm what you would call a natural leader. It's in my DNA. I even went to college on a 4-year leadership scholarship. Why do I tell you this? So you'll understand that being a leader in this airplane emergency was the best role for me. My leadership reflexes and instincts directed passengers to remain calm. When a flight attendant working her first trip expressed fear, I reminded her that she had just passed rigorous emergency training and FAA certification. She would just put into practice what she had learned. It never occurred to me to think negatively about the situation. Instead, I was fully present - focused on making sure everything was ready for the safest possible evacuation of passengers and cabin crew.

Attitude is a Choice

What worked for me in that emergency at altitude can be practiced wherever you are. 

Your answer to this question begins with a clear definition of what it means to be conscious. I invite you to read how my colleague Steve Straus defines it. I find what he has to say both clarifying and inviting.

Conscious means being awake, clear, open, receiving, connected to, drawn by, and eager. It means you know you're not alone and that what happens to others matters to you. It means, fundamentally, that you have transcended mere thought and have access to a greater awareness of yourself and of Life itself.

The Conscious Entrepreneur is one who takes the above and applies it to his or her business. You quit trying to force outcomes and instead get in sync to help things happen. You quit feeling alone and notice the connections in your life that support the mission of your business. You feel that your business is an expression of who you are and of your purpose in life, rather than simply a way to earn an income.

As a Conscious Entrepreneur you work less, receive more, and have a greater impact on yourself and others than if you remain unconscious.

That's Why I'm a Consciousness Coach in Business, Leadership & Life. 

In our crazy busy work and lives we forget to feed the deeper parts of ourselves. If you're curious and fascinated by new perspectives and illuminating ideas, one easy way to do this is to watch videos from the TED Conferences - Ideas Worth Spreading. You'll find yourself thinking more vibrantly and learning a lot about what's possible when life and work enliven you.

The 19-minute presentation by anthropologist Wade Davis - National Geographic Explorer In-Residence - at the 2008 TED Conference is just one example. So grab a refreshing drink, sit back, relax for a bit, and enjoy this caffeine-charged brain trip to the worldwide web of belief and ritual that makes us human.