Hearing The Whispers of Confidence

Christi Hegstad December 6th, 2020

A month ago, I made a decision.

Within an hour, I wished I had made a different one.

As I reflected on this later, I realized something:

The decision I made had come from a place that felt loud, noisy, and fear-based.

The opposite decision, the one I would choose next time, came from a place of calm and quiet wisdom.

“Confidence is quiet. Insecurities are loud.” This quote (attribution unknown) may apply to communication styles – but it may also apply to our own inner dialogue.

This week, get quiet.

As you face decisions this week, pause, take a deep breath, and listen within for a moment.

What do you hear?

If it’s a yipping, rapid, high-pitched response, explore that a bit more before paying it any attention.

If it’s a clear, calm, gentle yet firm one, take note.

Sometimes it’s those strong, quiet whispers that actually tell us the most.

Did you miss your chance to enroll in the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club? Click here to get on our waiting list – we’ll let you know if any spots open up!

5 Year-End Actions For New Year Success

Christi Hegstad December 2nd, 2020

With just a few weeks remaining in 2020, what actions will you start taking now to clear the slate for a successful new year? A few of my favorites:

Declutter your desk.

Purge old files, shred unnecessary documents, empty out drawers, clear the desktop except for things you love/use, and shine it all up.

Change your passwords.

If you don’t do this on a regular basis throughout the year, now is a terrific time to update all your online (and other) passwords.

Conduct a personal inventory.

Take a journal and pen to a peaceful setting and spend time looking back over the year, as well as envisioning possibilities for the upcoming one.

Update your online profiles.

Consider memberships, associations, social media, and other places that house your bio, and make sure it’s current.

Clean up your inbox.

Unsubscribe to mailing lists that no longer serve you. Set up folders to archive information. Delegate, do, or delete as appropriate. Nothing quite compares to that ‘inbox to zero’ feeling!

What would you add to the list?

Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC is the Certified Success Coach for Achievers! Reach out today to create your vision, design your strategy, and bring your most meaningful goals and dreams to life!

How To Achieve Different Results

Christi Hegstad November 30th, 2020

If you want different results,

you need to think, act, believe, and/or do things differently.

Today is Day #34 in my 30-day challenge.

A little over a month ago, I felt a bit off-kilter. And my results directly reflected my ‘off’ mood, mindset, and actions.

I knew if I wanted different results, I needed to do something differently.

And what a difference it made!

This week, do something differently.

That might mean stepping out of your comfort zone.

Or trying something new.

Or enrolling in the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club (today’s your last chance to join!).

For me, it meant embarking on a self-appointed 30-day challenge.

We can’t keep doing the same things and expecting different results.

What do you want to change in your work or life? What will you do differently to make that happen?

FINAL DAY! Click here to join the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club!

Can You Be What You Cannot See?

Christi Hegstad November 29th, 2020

Have you ever had a big dream or bold goal but didn’t know how to achieve it – and didn’t know anyone else who had achieved it, either?

I first heard the phrase, “It’s hard to be what you cannot see,” in a community forum discussing the importance of role models. We talked about how achievement can be challenging without someone to show us it can be done, and to periodically shine a light along the path.

For this very reason, I have added a new benefit to the ASPIRE Success Club that will begin in 2021. It’s called Achieve With Me and will allow ASPIRE members the opportunity to ‘peek behind the curtain’ and see exactly what I am doing to achieve one of my Bold Goals – as well as to learn from each other along the way.

They’ll see how I use the tools and worksheets we share in ASPIRE to set up my months, weeks, and days. They’ll see how I overcome obstacles along the way, and what I do when things don’t go according to plan. They’ll have the opportunity to update their own action plans while I update mine, and ask questions along the way about my process.

I am both excited and nervous (particularly as an enneagram 3! 🙂 ) about this addition to the program! My hope is that by pulling back the curtain to my process, thoughts, frustrations, and resilience, ASPIRE members will take what serves them and adopt it into their own achievement as well.

If you’d like to join in this journey, enroll in ASPIRE today – we’re down to the final two days! I’d love for you to be a part of this powerful, purposeful group and to have you Achieve With Me throughout 2021!

FINAL TWO DAYS TO ENROLL IN THE ASPIRE SUCCESS CLUB! Join today!

Dream Big + Shop Small

Christi Hegstad November 28th, 2020

As a child, I would often spend a week or more with my grandparents in a small town in Minnesota. I have so many fond memories, including:

Eating breakfast at a (locally-owned) restaurant with my grandpa and uncle before they opened their (locally-owned) hardware store for the day.

Walking to the (locally-owned) drugstore for candy.

Picking up a card for my grandma at the (locally-owned) gift shop.

Spending an afternoon with my cousins at the (you guessed it, locally-owned) bowling alley.

At the time, I didn’t realize how important it was to support small, locally-owned businesses.

And I certainly never expected to own a small business myself. In fact, I chuckled in a ‘yeah, right!’ kind of way when a colleague introduced me as an entrepreneur to her friend – and this was a year and half into my business!

Now, over 17 years of small business ownership later, I fully accept the title – and all of the ups and downs that accompany it.

From my own entrepreneurial experience, as well as having coached hundreds of small business owners at this point, I can assure you that the memes you see – about how your purchase from a small business helps someone feed her family or pay for his daughter’s dance classes or enroll her son in music lessons – are 100% accurate. Small business owners are typically passionate, knowledgeable about their industry, and adore their communities.

I invite you to consider supporting small businesses whenever you can, today – Small Business Saturday – and every day! You can purchase their products and services, or buy gift cards for family, friends, or coworkers.

You can also support them in other ways: Write a glowing online review, share their posts on Facebook along with a comment about your wonderful experience with them, or endorse them on LinkedIn. Even simply liking, commenting, or otherwise engaging with their posts on social media helps more people see their posts and gains them additional exposure.

Business owners face difficult decisions on a regular basis, but perhaps this year in particular. Your support can truly make a difference!

Thank you for supporting big dreams by shopping small!

You can enjoy an entire year of personal and professional development while also supporting a small business by enrolling in the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club – click here!

Why To Engage In A 30-Day Challenge

Christi Hegstad November 27th, 2020

What one action, if you committed to it daily for 30 days (or 20, or even 10), could change your trajectory?

Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit off-kilter. So a little over a month ago, I asked myself the above question and decided to create a 30-day challenge for myself. After tossing around a few ideas, I ultimately chose to blog every single day for 30 days.

My primary reason behind this involved strengthening my discipline and consistency. Not super-exciting concepts, perhaps, but I knew building those up would likely help me feel less off-kilter and more on-track.

I am happy to report that today is Day #31 of my 30-day challenge – and I definitely experienced what I had anticipated! But I also learned several other lessons from this project as well:

Daily action eliminates (or at least minimizes) overthinking. And in my case, over-editing as well. A daily commitment allows you to simply get in the habit of taking the action, and setting a short-term time frame gives you the sense of ‘I know I can do this for (5, 10, 30) days.’

Honoring commitments feels good – and reminds you that you can do what you set your mind to. Maybe your goals have changed or gone by the wayside this year, which is totally understandable but can also weigh on the mind of an achiever. Setting a simple commitment that you stick to can boost your sense of capability – and with a new year around the corner, now is the perfect time!

Tracking is key! Our minds are not always trustworthy reporters, so create a chart to keep you on course. In addition, seeing the check marks added each day provides enhanced motivation.

Focus on the action rather than the outcome. Like with any goal, envisioning the desired result is hugely important. But then, you can turn your attention to the simple daily action currently in your control. I have found this focus on presence in the moment, blended with a practice of non-attachment, incredibly helpful.

Know the purpose behind your project. Why will reading 15 pages per day be good for you? Why will making your bed each day benefit you? Get crystal clear on the purpose so you can act with intention rather than a sense of ‘should.’

For me, it was blogging. For you, it might be stretching, reading, connecting with someone, drinking water, or writing in a gratitude journal.

What’s one thing you’d like to look back and say about yourself one month – or even one week – from now? What’s one simple, daily action you could put into place to help you get there?

For added accountability, share your daily commitment below or on Instagram or Facebook. Good luck with your challenge – you can do it!

Join us in the ASPIRE Success Club, where we support your intentional actions all year long! Enrollment closes soon – enroll today!

5 Simple Ways To Cultivate Gratitude

Christi Hegstad November 26th, 2020

At this point, we all have probably heard the reminders and seen the research. Gratitude is a factor – in fact, a major factor – in our overall wellbeing.

And as we celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S., today is a perfect opportunity to share ways to cultivate gratitude more fully in our lives. A few ideas:

Write a letter of thanks.

Think of someone who has made an impact in your life: a former teacher, a business mentor, your high school sports coach, a leader you’ve respected for years. Mail a brief note thanking them for the role they’ve played in your life.

Practice an intentional act of kindness.

I recently shared several examples of intentional acts of kindness which you can find here. Feel free to conduct these in addition to (not in place of) random acts of kindness! 🙂

Start a gratitude journal.

Every morning or evening, jot down five things for which you are thankful. See if you can do this without any overlap from day to day! If five feels like a lot, start with one a day and work your way up.

Shout-out a person or group on social media.

What business or nonprofit is making a difference? Share their Facebook page or website with your connections. The boost in exposure can help them help others!

Donate to your local food pantry.

Whether time, money, or canned goods, food pantries everywhere need our support. An added benefit: Helping others helps you!

We can do these things every day, of course, not just on one designated day of thanks per year. Not only will others benefit, so will our own physical, mental, and emotional health!

What other ways can we cultivate gratitude?

Surround yourself with kind, positive, purposeful achievers who make a difference! The 2021 ASPIRE Success Club is open for enrollment – but only for a few more days! Click here to join!

Who Joins The ASPIRE Success Club?

Christi Hegstad November 25th, 2020

Just a few days remain in the enrollment period for the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club. Still wondering if the group is right for you?

The ASPIRE Success Club is for you if you are:

Ready for a fresh start.

Whether it’s the fresh start that accompanies a new year or you’re ready to make an important change in your life, you’ll find the clarity, community, and coaching you need to let go of what doesn’t serve you and create and strengthen what does.

Rethinking your ‘next chapter.’

If you’re in or nearing a transition – perhaps the kids are starting school or leaving home, you’re considering a different career path, or you’re about to embark on an important life change – we will help you clarify your vision and create the action plan to move forward with intention.

Craving greater meaning and purpose.

Our entire curriculum, including discussion within our monthly meetings, weaves in practical ways to bring meaning to work and purpose to life. Dr. Christi is a well-known expert in helping achievers fulfill their highest potential with meaning and purpose at the forefront.

Seeking an outstanding community of support.

While each ASPIRE member is moving toward a meaningful goal of her own (we’ll provide you with the training and achieve yours, too), they also want to see and help you succeed. You’ll find ASPIRE members to be among the most warm, welcoming, helpful, and insightful women you’ve ever met!

A lifelong learner.

If you like to learn, enjoy reading, or have ever had ‘Learner’ show up toward the top of a personality assessment, you’ll certainly be in good company in ASPIRE! We’ll also suggest four personal / professional development books throughout the year which you can read for enhanced learning – though you’ll fully be able to participate even without reading a word of them.

Ready for different results.

If you don’t want things to remain the same and want the next year to be different than the last, you’ll likely need to do things differently. Joining ASPIRE can be the first step; we’ll provide lots of ideas and opportunities throughout the year to keep you growing, moving forward, and experiencing delightful results where it matters most for you.

Looking for expert training, coaching, tools, and resources to make 2021 your best year yet!

From our positive psychology session before the year even begins, to our Bold Goal-setting training in early 2021, to our guided discussions and materials, to Deep Dive courses on topics like healthy boundaries, the enneagram, habit stacking / tracking, and more, you will have ample opportunity to experience exceptional learning from multi-certified coach, Dr. Christi Hegstad, who also has over 17 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and who has coached and trained thousands of people worldwide.

If any one of these sounds like you, ASPIRE was created (11 years ago now!) with you in mind! Enrollment is open for just a few more days – click here and join us!

The Discomfort Of Growth vs. The Discomfort Of Staying The Same

Christi Hegstad November 24th, 2020

I recently suggested that your comfort zone is an illusion. Today, I invite you to consider a scenario along with this suggestion. Have you ever experienced something like this:

You see an opportunity – maybe a career change, a new line of study, a group or program in which you have little experience but it completely enthralls you.

Part of you wants to embrace the opportunity. You can’t stop thinking about it, you light up at the possibility, you see – and even *feel* – so much potential.

It’s exciting.

But another part of you is freaking out: “It’s such a stretch! It’s so new and different! I’ve never done anything like this before!”

It’s uncomfortable.

Which part do you listen to?

It may depend on the situation, but here’s a thought to consider:

Have you ever passed up an opportunity because it felt out of your comfort zone – only to feel uncomfortable anyway?

Discomfort is a part of life. But sometimes we get to *choose* our discomfort – the discomfort that comes with growth, or the discomfort that comes with staying the same, day in, year out.

Dr. Brene Brown reminds us that we can choose courage or comfort, but not both – not at the same time anyway.

We’ve had a few ASPIRE Success Club members over the years who hesitated joining because it felt out of their comfort zones … and who are still members five, seven, even ten years later because of the profound growth they experience!

So once again, I invite you to consider the possibility that your comfort zone is actually an illusion. That you have the power to choose how your experience will go. And that outside those imaginary walls of your comfort zone perhaps lies new skills, new people, new opportunities for growth, even an enhanced life.

Stay the same and stay temporarily comfortable. Try a healthy new opportunity and experience temporary discomfort, perhaps alongside tremendous growth.

Which will you choose?

Only a few days remain to join the 2021 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here and enroll – next year at this time, you’ll be SO glad you did!

Thank You

Christi Hegstad November 23rd, 2020

As we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the U.S., I’d like to extend my thanks to YOU!

Thank you for the work you do. Whether you’re behind the scenes or leading from the front, your work matters and I’m thankful you do it.

Thank you for the positive difference you make. With every respectful action and kind word, you set a ripple effect in motion that changes the world and I am thankful for it.

Thank you for showing up for your team, family, community, and world. I am thankful for the time, thought, and effort you put into keeping things moving forward.

Thank you for reading my newsletters, engaging with my social media, sharing my message, hiring my coaching services, joining my programs. Owning a small business can be a rollercoaster and I am thankful for your support!

In case no one has said ‘thank you’ to you lately, I wanted to make sure I did.

Thank you!

Enrollment to the ASPIRE Success Club closes in a week! Click here to line up the entire year of personal and professional development!

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