Join the Journey

It is time to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome with open arms the new year ahead.  In this final episode of 2017, I share some pieces of what the year has taught me and where I stand on the achievement of my own goals.  I also share what I learned through a year of podcasting.

In today's short episode I just want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season.  This time of year can be filled with traditions that can emotionally anchor us and those anchors can be a blessing or they can sometimes hold us back.  

Once upon a time fear served a meaningful purpose for our existence.  In today's world though, most of us don't have the same survival threats that existed thousands of years ago.  However, fear still hangs out with us and can often be used as a motivator, but is it a good motivator?   Listen to today's episode to hear more.

As I am doing my own planning around 2018, I have found myself in numerous conversations with others who just don't know what they want to do with their life.  If occassionally you find yourself in this space, then check out this week's episode where I provide you with a few tips to start your own dreaming.

If you are a leader then you likely find that you too get bombarded with marketing of new leadership rograms, theories or leadership books.  Clearly the concept of leadership sells.  The truth is that leadership really is a simple concept yet we find ourselves continually overcomplicating it.  Listen in on today's episode to hear more.

In today's short episode I remind each of us to stop and reflect on the reverence of the holiday season.  It is easy to get caught up in the chaos ... or the quietness in my case.  Listen in on today's episode and hear more.

Whatever you think you really want in life, whatever your current goal is... that's never what it is really about.  We think we are after a certain end result but if you break it down what you will find is that what you are really after is how you think that end result will make you FEEL.  It's all about a feeling and today you have a smorgssbord to choose from... which ones will you pick?  Choose wisely.  Listen in on today's episode where I talk about creating intention around our feelings.

It is said that comparison is the thief of joy.  Comparison is often a zero sum game where we end up declaring one the winner and the other the loser.  It generally comes with an attached mindset of either lack or arrogance, and neither of those originate from love.  Listen in on today's episode where I share a reminder that there is enough abundance to go around and that comparison often only robs us of the beauty and appreciation of that in front of us.

Today's short episode kicks off the month of November and I talk about the importance of gratitude and appreciation.  I have a challenge for you over the next month so listen in, take part, and see if this gratitude challenge begins to shift the world around you.  I would love to hear about your gratitude journey so send me a note and let me know how it is working for you.  Email me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.

Many of us aren't comfortable with the word "power" but it is a necessicity in today's world.  When it comes to the workplace, there are different ways we can build our power.  In this episode I talk about the importance of personal power and give a few tips on how to grow your own personal power.

In today's episode I am talking about the importance of focusing on solutions to our problems rather than indulging in the feeling of overwhelm or pity.  We all love to complain a little, even in our own heads but what real purpose does that serve?  

This episode reflects back on the last 40 days as I take an authentic approach to how I really have been and why "fine" hasn't really summed up my experience.  I also share about my committment to the next 40 days and challenge each of you to see what you can accomplish in this time period.

Being present is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself but it becomes too easy to be distracted by the busyness of life.  Today's short episode is on treasuring the gift of now because in this moment we will find everything we need.

This episode is the fourth in our love series and it is all about you loving your job! If you have been feeling less than positive about your current consideration and perhaps you are even thinking about leaving then this might be the episode for you.   Loving your job can sometimes be challenging and even down right hard but guess what... you can do hard things.  Over half our waking hours are spent in the workplace and if love is such an amazing feeling (and hello....I believe we have already established that it is) then why wouldn't we want to feel the love there too?

Loving the Unlovable is the third episode in our series on love for the month of September.  It is easy to love those who love us.  It doesn't take much effort for most of us, but what about those people in our lives that challenge us and rub us the wrong way?  The truth is we all will encounter many people in our lifetime that will make it difficult for us to choose to love, but choosing love is always an option and always the best option.  Love is not about the one you love but all about the one doing the loving.  

I am talking about love in the month of September.  This is the second of a four episode series on love.  Self love sometimes gets a bad rap as being mistaken for pride or selfishness.  That is not the kind of love I am speaking about when I talk about loving yourself.  Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship you will ever have outside of your relationship with God.  I lay out three suggestions on how to best get started with loving yourself.  

In this week's episode, I talk about love.  Love is an amazing feeling and is always the best choice to make.  Love holds no records of wrongs.  Love is not judgement.  Love just loves.   This is the first of a four part series on love.  

In today's episode I share with you how I have been in a little bit of a funk... feeling sad, feeling grief and knowing that these emotions are part of the journey.  It's ok to feel down.  As I give each of you an update to the Sucker Punch episode, I share my own awareness of how grief is not the absence of joy.

We have all been there at one point or another.... the drama zone.  The drama zone is a place where we have all our emotions swirling around us and have trouble distinguishing fact from feeling.  In this episode I share with you how to manage your mind as a leader and leave the drama zone behind you.  

Do you pride yourself on your ability to multi-task?  Do you love having 10 balls in the air at once?  Did you realize this is literally a type of addiction for our brains?  I am a recovering mult-tasker... and trust me... I have significant work to do.  In this episode I share the detriments of multi-tasking and provide you with 4 simple suggestions to help you in your journey so that you can improve the quality of your presence.

In today's mini episode, I share a reminder about the importance of making your life a masterpiece.  You are a masterpiece creating a masterpiece.  As profound as that concept is, there is also a simplicity of just relishing the journey along the way.  What are you creating this week with your masterpiece?  I would love to hear about it at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com or click on the like button on the Join the Journey Facebook page @jointhejourneypodcast.  

On my journey this week, I am talking about personal branding.  Have you figured out your personal brand?  Do you even know for sure what it is?  In this episode I give you 9 pieces that I believe are important as you work on branding in your own journey.  Websites referenced include: Reach 360:  https://www.reachcc.com/reach/survey.nsf.     Via Character Survey:  http://www.viacharacter.org/www/  

In today's episode I rant briefly about a common scenario I run into working with companies from an HR standpoint.  Too often I might receive a call where a leader hasn't done their job along the way but they are fed up with their employee and want them gone.  When asked about what documentation they have in place they will inevitably ask or comment... "wait... isn't this an at-will state?"  Hear what I have to say about this and what I think is simply a lazy leader.

In this quick episode, I talk about how what seems to be the impossible is simply the untried. In my recent readings on Steve Jobs, I learn about his Reality Distortion Field and how he pushed people to do the impossible.  You don't have to be a Steve Jobs to be a visionary and hold space for a dream.  Our mindset can make or break our success and belief in the impossible.    I’d love to hear how you are pursuing your dream.  You can email me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com. 

In this quick episode I talk about the importance of showing up.  There will be times when you feel like you have nothing to offer, nothing to give but regardless, you have to still show up and do the work.  Inspiration will have its day but don't let your lack thereof side track you from your dreams.

There is a great freedom that each of us has and it is easily forgotten.  Tune into this quick episode to hear all about it.

It’s not uncommon to hear that “Leaders are born, not made,” but the good news is this is simply not accurate. Leadership is a process of influence. It can be taught and honed like other important skills.  In today's episode I talk about several leadership concepts and leadership myths that are referenced in John C. Maxwell's book, The 360 Leader.  

Has your week ever taken a sucker punch?  How did you manage through it?  My week definitely took a sucker punch and I found that I needed to actively manage my emotions in order to not end up in the fetal position under my desk.  In this episode I share with you a new little technique I used to get things turned around.  I  would love to hear your turnarounds.  Email me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  

Instant gratification.  Who doesn’t love it?  In a world where convenience rules, it is very easy to get caught up in the now and what you want or think you need today.  When you have long drawn out goals, the end result can seem so distant… so far away.  One small choice today really won’t impact that goal… will it?  In this episode I talk about how those small decisions can make a big impact over time.  Keeping focused on what you want most has to be a priority over what you want now.  Email me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com. 

Were you one of those who found Whole 30 a little too challenging? Are you looking for an excuse to over-indulge?  Would you like to put on a few extra pounds and start feeling lousy?  Then, this is the show for you! This episode is all about my new diet plan called The Whole Kit & Kaboodle.   It's a 5 simple step plan to help you put on weight and start feeling lousy in a matter of weeks, if not days.  

There is a Chinese proverb that says that "Learning is a Treasure That Will Follow Its Owner Everywhere."  The investment in self development is a true gift you can give to yourself.  In this episode we look at the Talent Insight assessment.  Go to www.lizbrashears.com to learn more.  

There is a Chinese proverb that says that Learning is a Treasure That Will Follow Its Owner Everywhere.  The investment in self development is a true gift you can give to yourself.  In this episode we look at the Talent Insight assessment.  Go to www.lizbrashears.com to learn more.  

Of all the decisions a manager makes,  I can’t think of any decision more important than who they will hire and bring into the organization.  A great company starts with great people and learning what makes people tick and understanding their underlying style can help you, as a leader, to bring out their best.  Leveraging assessments during the hiring process can add a lot of value to your organization and your recruiting process.  Assessments can be a valuable addition to the process but a final decision shouldn’t rest solely on one of these pre-employment tests.  In this episode we dive a little deeper into using assessments in the workplace.  There are a lot of great reasons to use assessment tools and those reasons can extend far beyond your hiring process.  Assessments can be great tools to help you coach, train or consultant around talent development, promoting teamwork, and improving customer service.  In this episode I also share with you how to get a FREE 43 page report filled with incredibly valuable information about your favorite subject.  YOU! This is a limited time offer so go to www.lizbrashears.com and click on the Assessment link at the top of the page and you can complete the assessment and a copy will be mailed directly to you.    Using assessments in the workplace bring a lot of value to both individuals and the organization.  The payoffs are significant.  I’d love to hear about how you have used these types of tools at your workplace.  Share with me what you think has worked and what you saw that didn’t.  I would love to know.  Additionally, if you want some help along your journey, feel free to reach out to me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com. 

I love assessments!  Join me in the first of two episodes where I talk about behavioral assessments.  Self-awareness is essential to your success and gaining a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and natural traits will help you to better develop strategies to meet the demands of your environment.  Assessments can be fun, entertaining but above all educational.  You may not be a self proclaimed assessment addict like myself but gaining a better understanding of yourself and the behavioral styles of others will serve you well in the long run.   For those listening in May and June of 2017, visit my website at www.lizbrashears.com and you can access a free assessment report about your own behavioral style and driving forces and motivators. 

Expectations shape our reality and can be a very natural experience for each of us.  The danger comes when we tie our happiness to the expectations of others or when we become too attached to the expectations we inadvertently set.  A few common expectations we look at in this episode include 1.  Life is Fair. 2.  All Stories Have a Happy Ending, and 3.  If It's True Love Then the Relationship Should be Easy.  Additionally we talk about where we do want to set expectations and with whom we should set them.  

Do you have a dream?  Do you spend your time entertained with thinking about your dream, maybe even planning certain aspects of the dream but perhaps those plans never translate into real action?  Sometimes we can be distracted by our dreams and the dream itself can be just satisfying enough to keep us from true action and moving forward. To hear more from Liz, subscribe to her blog at www.liz.brashears.com.      

Join us for the April episode of Work it Wednesday!  Are you challenged with having difficult difficult conversations with employees when there may be performance issues at hand?  Listen in on this podcast where I talk about the three ego states and leveraging that understanding to use some coaching techniques to help you navigate through what might otherwise be an awkward conversation.  www.lizbrashears.com 

Whole 30 is an eating plan where you basically strip out a number of foods from your diet that are believed to be “psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups” for a full 30 days.  The idea here is that you are trying to heal your gut and give your body a chance to recover from any damage these foods have done.  For this 30-day time period you cut out all dairy, grains, legumes and all sugar (unless naturally occurring in food…ex: fruit), including artificial and low calorie or no calorie sweeteners. If you have been curious about Whole 30 and perhaps have been thinking about doing it then this is the episode for you.  Liz has just finished a round of Whole 30 and shares a little about the plan and her overall experience.     

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.  What do you think?  Do you buy in?  Regardless of what you believe, words matter.  Words have more power than we often want to admit.  In this episode we talk about the power of words.  Your tongue can be a sword or it can build bridges.  How will you choose your power?

It's not uncommon in our professional lives to have to conduct periodic reviews of where we stand against our goals.  In this episode she shares what she has accomplished or in several cases not over the first three months of the year and talks about some lessons learned.  She highlights several of the books that have impacted her over the past few months including: Loving What Is, Four Questions That Can Change Your Life, by Byron Katie; The 10X Rule, The Only Difference Between Success and Failure, by Grant Cardone; The Happiness Equation, Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything, by Neil Pasricha; and Before Happiness, The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change, by Shawn Achor.   Some other books referenced include: Influence, by Robert Cialdini; Self Coaching 101, Use your Mind, Don’t Let it Use You; by Brooke Castillo; The Mind Connection, by Joyce Meyer.  Liz also shares that she will be reading the following over the second quarter of the year: Suggestible You, The Curious Science Behind Your Brains Ability to Deceive, Transform and Heal, by Erik Vance; and Switch on Your Brain, by Caroline Leaf.  

Do you have a few whiners in your workplace?  Attitudes are contagious and negativity breeds negativity and whining just leads to more whining.  In today's episode Liz shares a few tips for how managers and leaders can deal with whiners in the workplace.  Email us at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.    

What are you putting off that is on your "someday" list?  Don't let your mental roadblocks derail your dreams.  There is no someday.  There is only today.  What's standing in the way of your dreams?  This is the last of the March Monday Mini Motivations but if you want to have Monday Motivations on a go-forward basis then sign up for my blog at www.lizbrashears.com.  

It has been said that knowledge is power.  It is the foundation of all success.  The more you know the better... right?  In this episode we dive into how knowledge and learning more information can sometimes be used as a form of procrastination.  Increasing your knowledge and establishing goals is important but action will trump it every time.  You must take consistent, decisive and effective action in order to bring your goal into reality. Share with Liz your comments, feedback, and questions by emailing jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  

Are you filled with good intentions but lack the intentionality you desire to be a light to others around you?  This week make a shift from a me mindset to a we mindset and find small ways to make an impact on your journey.  Share with me how you are making an impact by emailing me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com. 

Self confidence is critical for creating success in our lives.  The combination of your goals, dreams and self confidence are the building blocks for creating the life you were meant to live.  In this episode, Liz unravels the concept of self confidence and talks about how it is a skill that can be developed.  She lays out 7 factors that will be important to you as you work to increase your own confidence level. Tell us what you think by emailing  jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  Don’t forget to sign up for Liz’s blog at www.lizbrashears.com.

I have been side tracked this past week while I was off work and out of my usual routine.  Don't let a temporary set back become an obstacle or road block for your success.  Today really is the first day of the rest of your life and you have a fresh start today to be intentional and create the success you desire.  I would love to hear what you are trying to accomplish.  Email me at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  

Our relationships can determine our personal success.  We have all likely heard the saying, “Show me who your friends are and I will show you your future.” We are a product of not only our environment but the company we choose to keep. The influence of those in our inner circle shape the decisions we make and have an impact on the success, or lack thereof, we create in our lives.  In this episode Liz looks at the concept of “Birds of a feather flock together,” and shares some easy steps to conduct a personal review and inventory of your own relationships.  Additionally she provides some thoughtful tips on how bring some more positive influence in your world if you find that they ones closest to you, though you love them dearly, don’t necessarily bring out your best and push you toward becoming the best version of your highest self.  Share what you think about the impact of the relationships around you.  Do you find that birds of a feather really do flock together?   Is it possible to live out your personal values if you are the only individual in your small group of friends who possess those values?  Tell us what you think by emailing  jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  Don’t forget to sign up for Liz’s blog at www.lizbrashears.com.

Bonus Episode - In the month of March, on each Monday, you can listen to a mini motivation to get your week headed off in the right direction.  Success doesn't happen overnight but small steps can lead to big changes over time.  This bonus also includes a special audio debut of Liz's favorite 11 year old. To receive other motivational messages, sign up for Liz's blog at www.lizbrashears.com.  You can also email Liz at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com. 

Accountability partnered with your commitment is the key to creating success in your life.  Do you have a goal or a plan for what you want to achieve in life?  Do you wish you could accomplish more.   All the planning in the world will not move you forward unless you are committed to taking the actions you outlined for yourself.  Join Liz as she shares 6 important steps in putting accountability in place in your life.  Additionally, as Liz is holding herself accountable for her goals, she shares what progress she has achieved towards her 2017 goals.  If you haven’t yet signed up for Liz’s blog then be sure to go to www.lizbrashears.com and sign up today.      

Is your job making you miserable? Is it leaving you feeling stuck, stressed or unfulfilled?  Most of us have been there at some point and perhaps many of you are there right now.  In this episode we talk about how changing our perspective at work can have an impact on your overall performance.  Liz talks about 4 steps to manage your misery at work and to change your story so that you can ultimately change the outcome. Sign up for Liz's blog at http://wp.me/P8go4Y-K.  For questions or comments you can email us at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.  

Listen in on the third episode of the three-part series on happiness.  Liz shares her passion for positive psychology and briefly discusses some of the research and findings that Shawn Achor writes about in his two best-selling books, The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness.  Achor’s work has continued to shape Liz’s love of this field and has helped serve as a foundation for her top 10 ways to increase happiness.  What our brain chooses to focus on creates our reality and if you want to change your world, then the best place to start is by managing your thinking and the stories in your head.  Happiness is a choice even when life throws us curve balls.  Sign up for Liz’s blog by going to www.lizbrashears.com or check out our show notes at http://wp.me/P8go4Y-2E.   Do you have questions, comments, or suggested topics for future episodes?  If so, email Liz at jointhejourney@lizbrashears.com.