Letting Go Of The Cliff: Sandy Eimers’ Journey of Passion, Purpose, & Profit

Christi Hegstad September 30th, 2015

“I am determined to live not from a place of fear. I am here to be brave.”

Have you declared such bravery, too – or wanted to? Sandy Eimers, owner of Balance Yoga Lounge and Balanced Breath School of Yoga, recently shared her experience turning her dreams into reality with the ASPIRE Success Club. Her journey has been fueled by passion, filled with decisions large and small, and dotted with moments of letting go of the proverbial cliff. In our recent interview, she generously shared some of her bold actions, bright ideas, and lessons learned.

Sandy began the yoga lounge in 2007 while working full-time as a pharmacist. Over the years, her passion for yoga steadily grew while her passion for pharmacy dwindled. She knew she wanted to take the leap and focus on the yoga lounge full-time, but uncertainty and practicality held her back – for a while.

“It got to the point where I was moving through my days at the pharmacy feeling dead inside, only coming alive when I practiced or taught yoga,” Sandy remembers. “So after seven years of clinging to the cliff of ‘safety,’ fingers bleeding, I let go. And as soon as I did, amazing doors started to open.”

Quickly, I might add. Within two days of resigning from her pharmacy position, an opportunity to work alongside her mentor – which would take her to Brazil for three months – appeared. She embraced the experience, dedicating herself to her practice and her business, and made the lounge what it is today: a thriving studio “bringing people from separation to unity.” She has a full array of yoga and related classes, and also certifies others to become yoga teachers through her training center.

In addition to sharing stress relief, breathing, and visualization techniques with us during our interview, Sandy reminded us of the importance of moving through work and life from a place of courage, intention, and purpose. “If I don’t get out of my comfort zone, there is no reward,” she explains. And though Sandy, like most entrepreneurs, is not afraid to work hard, she recognizes there’s more to it than that. “Hard work by itself doesn’t bring success,” says Sandy. “You must have purpose and direction.”

Sandy’s purpose and direction have led her to help others heal, grow, and connect through yoga and related modalities, and the ripple effect of her work extends all borders. “We all have a gift,” Sandy shares, “we just need to choose to open it.”

Learn more about Sandy and Balance Yoga Lounge at www.balanceyogalounge.com.

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What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

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Happiness: The What, Why, and How

Christi Hegstad September 22nd, 2015

This article was originally published by the Des Moines Business Record.

I recently had lunch with a friend who never ceases to amaze me. She’s an inspiring leader, a caring mom, a savvy professional and an excellent athlete. She’s also one of the happiest people I know. I always leave our get-togethers feeling better than when I arrived.

Her life isn’t perfect. She faces overwhelming responsibilities at work, worries about her aging parents, and is navigating some tough issues with her teenagers. She also deals with an uncertain health diagnosis that often saps her energy, bringing in its place pain and fatigue.

And still, she’s one of the happiest people I know.

Contrary to what some skeptics would have you believe, happiness isn’t about ignoring pain or pasting an inauthentic smile on your face no matter what. You can experience the full range of life’s emotions – including grief, fear, and sadness – and still live a happy existence. As a recent article in the Harvard Business Review suggested, happiness is more about building your mental and emotional strength than about maintaining a constant state of rah-rah.

And why does happiness matter, really? When I first began my business, I wondered how to educate employers that happiness at work isn’t just a nice-to-do; it’s a critical component for success. Fortunately, research now abounds in this field (see my column last month, for example) and brings with it personal and workplace benefits: higher engagement and productivity, lower turnover, greater morale. In all, a healthier bottom line along with a healthier workforce. Check out the work of Martin Seligman, Sonja Lyubomirsky, and Shawn Achor for starters, as well as the real-world application shared in Tony Hsieh’sDelivering Happiness and Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project.

So the big question: How can we elevate happiness in work, leadership, and life? Here are 5 evidence-based principles to kickstart happiness:

Express gratitude. Several of my executive coaching clients keep a gratitude journal, jotting down three things they’re grateful for each day. This simple strategy not only encourages recognition of the small joys, it shifts your mindset to focus on the positive.
Commit to meaningful goals. “Find a happy person and you will find a project,” writes happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky. Striving towards goals engages our strengths, feeds our sense of optimism, and provides a sense of purposeful challenge.
Connect with others. In addition to cultivating relationships, practice random acts of kindness, too. Give some thought to how you might do this with your coworkers, clients, and others with whom you work – so fun!
Get into flow. What activities grip you so much, you lose track of time? However possible, weight your day in favor of your strengths, and help your employees do the same.
Practice mindful presence. Over 40 years ago, Ram Dass titled his popular book “Be Here Now” – and that advice has only become more necessary over time. Rather than constantly thinking about what’s next (or what you’re missing), savor the moment.

COACH CHRISTI’S CHALLENGE:

Choose one of these practices to implement daily over the next three weeks. Jot down a few notes about how you believe the practice might benefit you; you may wish to also record how you engaged your practice each day. Then, three weeks from now, review what changed for you. You may be surprised how quickly these happiness practices can impact you and those around you!

What’s your favorite happiness booster? Share your ideas below.

Dr. Christi Hegstad coaches leaders and executives to succeed in meaningful work, and to help their employees do the same! Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MAPIncFan, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/DrChristiCoach.

From “Oh Look, A Squirrel!” To Mindful Focus

Christi Hegstad September 14th, 2015

“Focus is the most important factor in determining whether you’ll achieve a goal or stick to creating a new habit. Not self-discipline, not rewards, not sheer willpower, not even motivation.”

Leo Babauta

Coaching Tip for the Week:

How focused are you these days?

In my coaching conversations, we often talk about focus in terms of “Shiny Object Syndrome” or “Oh Look, A Squirrel!” It seems the slightest ding of a notification or new piece of mail or link to a new website can swiftly and easily send us down a rabbit-hole of distraction.

Lack of focus leads to so many frustrations: less presence, increased stress, mistakes, misinterpretations, even damaged relationships. Our 24/7 world does not encourage focus, but it’s a critical component of meaning and purpose – which is why it’s one of the headliners at Spark in a couple of months!

To help you get started enhancing your focus, try this:

Every morning this week, choose your Daily Top 3 – the 3 items from your long and flowing to-do list that matter most today. If the whole rest of the day goes haywire (not that that ever happens, right? 😉 ), what 3 things do you need to accomplish in order to know you’ve moved forward in meaningful ways?

At Spark, I will be teaching how to choose your Daily Top 3. But experiment with it now and just see how it supports your focus, purpose, and productivity!

Get a hold of my custom planning tools – designed to keep you focused, purposeful, and productive – at Spark! Click here for details!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Creating A Mission-Based, Values-Driven, Multi-Million Dollar Business: Interview With Zhena Muzyka

Christi Hegstad September 9th, 2015

“As women, mothers, career builders, world changers, wives, and dreamers, we need to find our individual mission as well as our collective mission. It’s important to find ourselves and then gather together, share what we learn, support one another, and love our work.” Zhena Muzyka, Life By The Cup

As soon I read these words, which land even before page one of the excellent book Life By The Cup, I knew this was a book I wanted to share with the ASPIRE Success Club. I also longed to connect with the author, Zhena Muzyka, for as I continued reading I found myself nodding, smiling, and practically having little conversations with her in my head. 🙂 To my great delight, Zhena agreed and we engaged in a wonderfully insightful conversation recently – one that continues to fuel our ASPIRE discussions.

Zhena began the tea company, Zhena’s Gypsy Teas, at a time when most people would likely opt for a “safer” route: $6 in the bank, a 4-week-old baby with medical needs, and feeling pretty much alone in the world. But she felt called to start the business and create an organization that fueled her passion and values while honoring the environment and those who work in the fields. Zhena’s Gypsy Teas is now a multi-million dollar business appreciated around the globe for its environmentally- and socially- healthy practices.

“The world didn’t need another tea company,” Zhena admits right at the start of our conversation. “The world did need hope. It needed a mission, and it needed what was right.” As it turns out, the world seemed to have needed all of the above! A few tips gleaned from our recent conversation:

Don’t wait for the “perfect time.”

Zhena had the odds stacked against her when she began her company, but she a) had a passion for the product, b) couldn’t accept the way workers were being exploited in the field, and c) felt the call. “As soon as I started moving in the direction of my dream,” Zhena shares, “things started working.” Not all easily, mind you, but Zhena was willing to move through the obstacles in favor of making her difference in the world.

Hold your values high, no matter what.

“Living by my values is like a GPS system for happiness,” offers Zhena. She’s very clear on her core values – such as honesty, protecting people, and serving others – which has helped her make decisions and take action from a place of confidence and joy. Honoring her values may have cost her along the way in terms of investors, but she, her businesses, and many others are better because of it. “If you stand for something, you will draw the right people closer to you.”

Serve others while honoring yourself.

As an entrepreneur, mom, wife, author, and many other roles, we in ASPIRE were curious how she balanced it all and maintained healthy boundaries. “I have a mission to serve others,” Zhena joyfully says, “but I do a lot of things to serve myself, too.” Yoga, shopping, hiking, and obtaining a yurt for her backyard where she can reflect and write have all helped fuel her energy. She uses technology, such as the digital timer on her phone, for everything from honoring an hour of writing time each day to reminding her to practice gratitude.

I’ll admit it: I was giddy talking with Zhena, as I so believe in her message and way of operating, and several ASPIRE members picked up on and shared in that giddiness. 🙂 We were inspired, delighted, and motivated into action with Zhena’s suggestions for us!

If you haven’t yet read Life By The Cup, move it to the top of your list. (And for a few more of my thoughts on the book, check here and here.) In the meantime, remember these words from Zhena:

“There is no higher purpose or honor in anyone’s life than to serve and nourish others. May your days be filled with this knowing.”

Learn more about Zhena’s work, including her retreats and publishing imprint, at www.zhena.tv.

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

“I Want My Work To Make A Difference, But…”

Christi Hegstad September 7th, 2015

“Each of us is in the position to make some meaningful contribution to the life around us.”

Michael & Justine Willis Toms

Coaching Tip for the Week:

How do you make a meaningful contribution at work?

This is an area of struggle for many who come to me for coaching. They have the strong desire to make a difference, but they feel stifled and/or disconnected in how to set that free at work.

You will likely spend more of your adult hours at work than nearly any other singular pursuit. You need to know – I mean, know – your work makes a positive difference. In my opinion, this is a non-negotiable.

I have a tricky challenge for you this week. Take one aspect of your work that you don’t enjoy and connect it to the bigger picture. Decide how it makes a positive difference.

Even when you do what you love, you will have certain activities you’d rather not do but must. You can view them as “necessary evils,” or you can expand your mindset to consider how even the seemingly annoying or mindless tasks contribute to a stronger world.

(On the plus side, you’ll probably accomplish those tasks in a much shorter time with a renewed mindset!)

As we honor Labor Day in the U.S. this week, honor your own meaningful work, too!

Spark enrollments are flourishing and it looks like we will sell out soon! Earlybird Rate ends this month – click here to join us!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Are You A Leader – Or An Appreciative, Intentional Leader?

Christi Hegstad August 24th, 2015

“A central measure of success [for appreciative leaders] is, ‘Contribute good to the day.’ What this means is that at the end of the day, appreciative leaders can describe what they did that day to add value to others, to bring out the best of people or situations, and/or to set positive ripples in motion.”

Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, & Kae Rader

Coaching Tip for the Week:

It’s one thing to be a leader.

It’s another to be an appreciative, intentional leader, dedicated to meaningful goals and elevating those around you.

This week, wake up each morning and set the intention to contribute good to the day. Look for opportunities to add value, to bring out the best in others, to set some ripples of positivity into the world.

Then at the end of every day this week, ask yourself how you contributed good to the day. For added oomph, document it in your planner or journal.

All those small ripples of good can create big waves quickly!

The Spark seats are filling! Join us at the Earlybird Rate by clicking here!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Chore Or Meaningful Experience? Depends On This

Christi Hegstad August 17th, 2015

“Researchers have found that even the smallest tasks can be imbued with greater meaning when they are connected to personal goals and values. The more we can align our daily tasks with our personal vision, the more likely we are to see work as a calling.”

Shawn Achor

Coaching Tip for the Week:

You’ve heard me share, time and again, that meaningful work isn’t something awarded to a select few; it’s something we create, by design, with intention.

It also doesn’t mean every single task, every single day, is filled with fun.

But every task can be made meaningful. Really!

Here’s a small example from my life:

My family of five – which includes athletes, artists, gardeners, etc. – generates a fair amount of laundry. Folding laundry is not necessarily something I look forward to upon waking. But I have done two simple-yet-significant things to change this from “chore” to “experience.”

First, I shifted my mindset. Instead of groaning about the laundry, I give thanks for a healthy and active family, a washing machine that does the hard work for me, the freedom to wear whatever we want.

Then, I thought about things I do love to do and asked myself how I might blend. I love to learn. I love to see inspiring people “doing their thing.” And so now before I start to fold laundry, I load a TED Talk onto my iPad and watch while I work.

Simple!

This week, bring meaning and joy to one of your tasks. Think of one necessary to-do that you don’t particularly enjoy. Ask yourself how you might bring something you do enjoy to that task.

Then, with your new mindset and meaningful strategy, give it a whirl! Be sure to let me know how – below or on Facebook – it goes. 🙂

Ideally, your days will be deeply imbued with activities you love, people you enjoy, and goals that inspire. Learn how to design this for yourself at Spark – visit the website

for details and the Earlybird Rate!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

5 Habits Of Meaningful Achievers

Christi Hegstad August 13th, 2015

When you think “servant leader,” who comes to mind?

How about “goal-driven leader”?

Which would you rather be – service-hearted or goal-driven?

And the bigger question: Can you be both?

I completely, whole-heartedly believe so. You can set goals – even revenue goals – with a service-based heart. And when you can fully live and work in both, as most of my coaching clients do or strive to do, that’s the sweetest spot.

I will declare this until the end: You can make a difference and make a living. In this situation, you do not have to choose.

That being said, there is a difference between inspired action and frenetic activity. My clients aim for bold goals but with meaning and purpose – not just busy-ness. Here are 5 key habits I’ve discovered among meaningful achievers that you can assess and incorporate in your work and life:

1. They decide, proactively, what matters most.

You can’t do everything all at once. (Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way!) Meaningful achievers choose what matters most, then invest time, energy, and resources selectively.

2. They focus on inspired action rather than “busy-ness.”

If you ask someone, “How are you?” and they respond, “Busy!”, are you impressed? Me neither. I am a rapt audience, however, when someone shares the energizing, purposeful actions he’s taking to grow, change, or serve.

3. They create goals in alignment with their values.

Depending on your values, a revenue goal in and of itself might not be motivating. But how about a revenue goal with the desire to take your family on vacation, contribute significantly to a nonprofit, and support three community programs this year? Meaningful achievers know their core values and live and work in accordance with them.

4. They designate time to plan, reflect, and think.

When talking about preparing for battle, Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Even if you don’t follow your plans to the letter, the act of creating them will help you achieve with meaning and purpose.

5. They live and work within the ripple.

When you pursue your passion, serve with joy, and strive for meaningful goals, you set off a positive ripple effect that, far-fetched as it may sound, can change the world. Meaningful achievers get this. They also recognize that being part of the ripple means asking for help, hiring support, and reaching out. No need to go it alone!

Which of these habits do you practice? What would you add? Share your thoughts below or on Facebook!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, president of ICF Iowa, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Bringing Your Whole Self To Work

Christi Hegstad August 10th, 2015

“When a workplace is authentic and allows you to bring your whole self to a work environment that is congruent with your values, you can almost feel your wings unfurling.”

Scott Mautz

Coaching Tip for the Week:

Think about a time when you were truly “in the zone”: when you felt focused, purposeful, strong, and like you were exactly where you were supposed to be. What was that moment like for you?

Now imagine feeling that every day when you go to work.

What would that be like for you?

If you are in that situation now, give thanks – and give yourself a pat on the back for it, too. Meaningful work is not something handed to us by someone else; it’s something we design and move towards with intention. It requires us to know our values, desire to make a difference, and bring our whole selves to work.

If you are not in that situation, take heart. You can get there, and you likely don’t need to change jobs to do so.

This week, bring your “whole self” to work. Commit to honoring your values at work. Strive to create a positive, growth-oriented environment – even if it’s just you and one other person in the office. Decide that you are here to work with meaning and purpose, then be aware of the ways you can experience that every day.

Let your wings unfurl!

“Spark gave me a renewed sense of pride in how my work makes an impact on others’ lives. I gained confidence that I can accomplish my Bold Goals, discovered that I can give meaning to every day… I am so very grateful for everything I took away from Spark!”

Jayme Fry

Enroll in Spark today at the Earlybird Rate! Click here for details!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

For Those Who DON’T Love Micro-Managing

Christi Hegstad July 27th, 2015

“If all you give are orders, then all you will get are order-takers.”

D. Michael Abrashoff

Coaching Tip for the Week:

In all my years of coaching, I have yet to come across a leader who says, “I want to micro-manage. I really enjoy it, and I’m sure my team does, too.”

High-achievers do not need or want someone looking over their shoulder, questioning every action. They need vision and parameters, yes, but minute-by-minute check-ins? No.

This does, however, require some letting go on our part. Not always easy for our ‘inner control freak’! But well worth it in terms of empowerment, engagement, even in freeing up our time.

This week, choose an area you are micro-managing, and change your strategy.

Create a clear and compelling vision that your trusted person understands and believes in, outline the parameters, build accountability into your plan, then let them go. Be available and offer resources as needed, but trust them to get the job done.

A big responsibility of a leader is developing other leaders. By holding your team to high expectations and enabling them to meet the bar you’ve set, you are enhancing their leadership – which benefits them, you, and your entire organization!

What’s your micro-managing experience? Share your thoughts with me below, on Facebook, or via Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Tag Archives: meaningful work