Starting Wednesday April 11, 2018
Mindfulness Meditation Group
6 Weeks ($200) includes CD “Come to the Quiet”
Register & pay by April 4 to get a $20 discount!
Location: 937 Prichard Avenue, West Chester, PA 19382
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 PM
To register email Marjorie@ascendconsulting.net or call (610) 696-4443
Unsure what “Mindfulness” is: read my blog “Mindfulness is the Secret to Success!” for more information and see what all the hype is about!
In life, everything depends on being intentional about our thoughts, goals and actions. This is one of the reasons why we hear so much about the value of Mindfulness in so many areas of our lives. In our busy, achievement-oriented “go, go, go” world, it is especially important to pause, and reflect on where we are now, where we are going next and why! This is especially essential in our careers. As an executive and career coach, I work with Millennials through Boomers who want to take their career to the next level or in a different direction. Many lack clear vision about what they really want, what a change might look like or how to achieve it.
Any career achievement begins with a thoughtful assessment of where one is today: what skills and experiences we bring to the table, what we value and what we want our unique meaningful contribution to be. When we approach our work life with this mindful awareness every day, we are more likely to find our actions are aligned with our goals.
Thus, the potential we have for future career success is based on consistent excellence delivered today and every day. The habit of commitment all day, every day demonstrates motivation to achieve at higher levels. Promotions are not just given. They are earned by those who provide value beyond ‘doing their job’ as well as showcasing their contribution. The energy we put in day by day, along with requests for greater challenges and more responsibility, can open the door to higher roles.
1. Begin each day with some time dedicated to quiet.
• Consider formal Mindfulness Meditation, prayer or simply breathing and reflection.
• Invest the time to be in touch with what is important; where and how we want to show up today.
2. Deliver excellence today.
• Define what your company needs to thrive.
• Consistently know and deliver your strengths according to company needs.
• Demonstrate integrity by making decisions based clearly on your values.
3. Think BIG and communicate your vision for tomorrow.
• Proactively assess what the Company wants/needs.
• Look for the source of department/organizational challenges.
• Speak of solutions you can deliver when you discuss any problem with management.
4. Network
• Build relationships outside your department and company.
• Always give to get – listen for opportunities where you can help advance someone else’s objectives.
• Connect face to face: email is overused and easily ignored. Respect others and communicate collaboratively to build long-lasting alliances. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) matters often more than technical skill.
Marjorie works with organizations and individuals to identify what is important, and to communicate in ways that build collaborative relationships to achieve those goals. Her coaching incorporates “conversational intelligence”,* mindfulness, strategic thinking and planning so actions are aligned with meaningful goals.
*Judith Glaser
Contact Marjorie for executive or career coaching or to create a mindfulness program in your organization at www.ascendconsulting.net
**Did you know that Marjorie works with non- profits?**
Executive directors and their teams benefit by her coaching, strategic planning retreats and team building. For more information call Marjorie at 484-875-3040 or 610-696-4443, or e mail Marjorie@ascendconsulting.net
It’s a new year, which means many of us are setting goals and making plans for new beginnings in 2018. There is talk everywhere about New Year’s Resolutions and making a fresh start. All good stuff!
Where will we find room for newness: the new thoughts, behaviors, emotions and spiritual renewal, if we don’t first consider what we need and (hopefully) are ready to let go of?
The goodbyes, the endings; the losses are harder for us to willingly embrace and yet, these are a necessary part to the cycle of change. When you think about it, a new beginning really can’t occur without the ending of something else. In the Christian tradition, this is represented by the parable of the seed that must fall to the ground before new life can spring up. Conversion or a dying to one way of living, one “path”, is necessary before we can turn to embark on another. For those who practice Mindfulness Meditation, there is an invitation to turn from grasping at or rejecting parts of life as good or bad. Instead, we turn toward accepting all that is occurring in one’s life simply because it is occurring. Those who have suffered loss of a marriage or through a loved one’s death, must accept that reality before they can begin to start a new life. This turning from and letting go is a painful necessity before new life can begin.
So, as you think about your New Year’s Resolution, I encourage you to think about what you will let go of to clear space for your new goal. Go beyond identifying obstacles that might hamper you from achieving your goal. What ending is actually a part of the new beginning you are wanting to bring to fruition in 2018? Is there a habit you need to say goodbye to and even mourn the loss of? Is there a job or relationship that you have outgrown and need to release before you can find the job or relationship that will help you grow?
Welcome this process of letting go as a prerequisite step to beginning your new path. Beginning with “clearing the brush”, busyness and anxiety before you can till the soil and begin planting. If you do, you will find that new life begins to emerge.
I specialize in coaching people in the learning to let go of what is holding them back. Contact me if you’d like to begin the conversation. Marjorie@ascendconsutling.net
Starting January 23, 2018
6 Weeks ($180) includes CD “Come to the Quiet”
Location: 937 Prichard Avenue, West Chester, PA 19382
Time: 7:00 – 8:15 PM
To register email Marjorie@ascendconsulting.net or call (610) 696-4443
Unsure what “Mindfulness” is: read my blog “Mindfulness is the Secret to Success!” for more information and see what all the hype is about!
Welcome to this relaxed and interactive program on Mindfulness Meditation and its usefulness in working with Type. You will learn the background, science, and principles that are foundational to Mindfulness Meditation. Information will be interspersed with practice exercises to help integrate the learning. We will discuss together how Mindfulness may be applied in our work with Type in counseling, coaching or team facilitation.
Date: November 11, 2017
Time: 9 AM – 12:30 PM
Location: Mainline Counseling and Wellness Office
600 Haverford Road, Suite # 201, Haverford, PA 19041
Free parking and accessible by SEPTA.
Please RSVP to: Johanna Levitt – jlcounselingtime@aol.com
The sound of birds early in the morning, long hot summer nights and the smell of good food on the grill can only mean one thing; it’s summer time!! Ah, the ease and laid back attitude that is summer. What a nice change! It is the perfect time to dive right into living a healthy and balanced life. Sunshine and time are on your side in the summer. The atmosphere could not be more ideal for reinventing yourself and taking the time for you.
You’re probably asking yourself, “I barely have time to shower. How in the world am I going to find time for making a change in my life? Spending my time reading a blog post about what I am doing wrong is not encouraging.” Well, we are not here to scold you or make you feel bad for the choices in your life. The point is offering simple, doable options to the lifestyle choices already being made. Think of these options as a decompressing tune-up. The end goal is keeping things simple and engaging for even the most stressed out person. The three suggestions below can help put you on the path for making the most of your summer and a balanced life!
Using nature and summer to your advantage is the goal behind the first idea. The amount of daylight hours increases in the summer; essentially offering you more hours to work with when making plans. Pack a picnic for you and your family; letting you spend dinner at the park. Eating dinner at the park lets the kids get out that extra summer energy, while you spend some quality time with everyone. Sounds like a win/win!
Can’t seem to squeeze in time for a workout during the day; switch your workouts to an early morning time slot or make it a late evening affair. Allow yourself time for a late snack or cocktail with friends. Making the most of the additional hours of light can help you check some things off your daily to do list. Being able to check things off your to do list and getting creative with what to do in extra daylight will ultimately begin taking stress off.
For more ideas of things to do with additional sun light, check out these great lists: http://www.windsweptwriting.com/10-things-extra-hour-daylight/, http://www.thepartnerstrust.com/blog/12-things-to-do-with-an-extra-hour-of-daylight/, https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-things-to-do-with-the-extra-sunlight-we-get-from-daylight-savings.
2.Enjoying the Plentiful Healthful Food Options during the Summer. 
What better time of year then summer to start thinking about the type of food you eat. The variety of fruits and vegetables available during the summer months makes it hard not to reevaluate food being ingested. Since availability of healthful food increases during warmer months, the cost of the same type of food tends to decrease. There are so many options to make eating healthy in the summer easy. Many farms and orchards have “pick your own” days, where you visit and pick the latest offering. The amount of farmer’s markets open to the public increases during the summer months as well. What better time than summer to start your own garden. There is nothing like a fresh homegrown tomato!
The opportunities for garden fresh food are endless in the summer. Plus the healthier of diet you practice, the better your body handles stress. These links can help get you started on the path to fresh and healthful eating: Farmer’s Markets – http://www.localfarmmarkets.org/, Local Farms and Orchards http://www.pickyourown.org/, https://www.localharvest.org/organic-farms/ , Home Gardening – http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/planning-your-first-vegetable-garden/, http://www.almanac.com/vegetable-garden-planning-for beginners
3.New Summer, New You!
Instead of claiming the New Year as the start of a new you, why not proclaim the summer of 2017 as the summer of “YOU”! There is definitely something about the summer months that brings out motivation and happiness in people. Start today with the mindset, “If it doesn’t serve me, I will learn to let it go”. We only have so much time and energy to expend in our daily lives. Why exhaust this energy on things, places and people that do not serve a purpose in your life. Yes, it can seem difficult to start saying no and releasing your time for other things, but the benefits of doing so (less stress, more time, less anxiety, calmer attitude, etc.) are the trade off. Make yourself a priority and take care of you.
Try new activities this summer you have always wanted check out but could not seem to find the time to do so. You may surprise yourself and like something you never thought possible. When you choose yourself, it is amazing how time seems to be added to your day. Step outside of your comfort zone and meet some new people. Aligning yourself with individuals who share in the same mindset and goals are an instant morale booster.
Check out the links below for more ideas of making the change towards a new you: https://www.livingsocial.com/, https://experiencelife.com/article/50-ways-to-make-the-most-of-summer/, http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/take-time-for-yourself-this-summer.aspx
The April PowerPoints newsletter is out! Take a moment to read about my upcoming events and how I can help your business and life through my coaching. A brief excerpt from my newest blog “How do you Plan?” will hopefully entice you to read more at my website. Have a great spring and remember, “It is not where you start that matters, it’s where you are going, who you become, and the positive impact you have along the way.”
Change your life daily routine
How do you plan?
By Marjorie R. Johnson LCSW, PCC
Most of us know that our best chance of achieving any goal is to plan for it. We need to have a clear SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time sensitive). We know the importance of planning for our business or team’s yearly goals. This process is required. However, how often do we approach our personal lives with the same strategic planning? Yet, without being intentional about how we want to spend our days, and indeed our lives, it is up to chance whether we will become our best selves.
Think about the past 24 hours. Where did your time go? How much of your time was given to social media, zoning out with television or compulsively checking e -mail? In his book, Shine, Edward Hallowell, MD (noted ADHD psychiatrist and author of the bestseller: Driven to Distraction), comments on the overloaded, over busy and overwhelmed brain of today’s workers. We are working harder and longer yet achieving less because we feel we cannot allow time for rest, recreation and personal relationships.
What to do? To achieve healthy, well rounded lives, I recommend the following process. Set aside 60- 90 minutes of uninterrupted time, when you know you won’t be disturbed. Breathe deeply, and begin quietly reflecting as follows: Consider your “Essential” or “Higher Self” in the middle of a circle with several spokes going out from the center. These spokes represent areas of your life that affect you and contribute to your life. (Adapted from “Wheel of Life”, Co-Active Coaching, 2011.) You might include family relationships, friends and social network, career, spiritual/ personal growth, recreation, finances, health & fitness and your physical environment (home or office). Consider “how content” you are in each area. Which area might you like to improve? Where is your time going? Is it in balance and contributing to the Self you want to be? Now set specific, SMART goals (refer to my SMART Goals Blog series starting here: https://ascendconsulting.net/goal-setting-intention-business-life/) for balance in some of these areas. Identify one or two specific actions that will gradually bring these goals into reality.
Now it’s time to make the goals from above happen. Our goals for balanced fulfilled lives need active care and attention to become reality. Take some quiet planning time each day to intentionally build into your routine those actions that are in alignment with your goals. Note: This might mean doing less! Without this daily time of reflection and planning it’s impossible to bring your daily actions in line with the life you want to live. During this process, be compassionate with yourself. Change often occurs by taking two steps forward and one step back. Mindfulness, intentional planning and daily reflection make all the difference in becoming the Self you want to be.
I specialize in coaching executives and professionals into achieving their goals with life balance. Contact me if you’d like to begin the conversation. Marjorie@ascendconsutling.net
The wait is over! March PowerPoints is here and chalk full of exciting information. March is Social Work Month. Read our March PowerPoints to learn a little more about this exciting and important field. Happy reading!
Who is Your Customer
By Marjorie R. Johnson LCSW, PCC
Business owners and leaders want to grow their business. To get more business more customers are needed, right? The question is: who is your customer? Some experts say one needs to identify their ideal customer and market to that consumer. Others say a business should serve a variety of customers by offering a wide range of products. Still others define customers in a more broad sense, including both internal customers (those working in the company) and external customers (those purchasing products or vendors of the company). Well, what if we were to broaden the definition of customer still further to include everyone and anyone with whom we come into contact throughout the day?
How might approaching everyone we meet, from the barista to the bus or Uber driver, as a customer affect our business? I ‘m reminded of the Ghost of Christmas Present*, when he said to Scrooge that, “Mankind should be our business.” The fact is we never know when or from where our next customer is coming. We never know how a kind word or hasty critical remark will spread and cost us potential business. If we are respectful, polite and mindfully present to all people no matter their role, whether on company time or off, it’s far more likely that we will attract and keep customers. When we treat people with this kind of dignity and warmth, they are naturally attracted to us and open to our business. When we listen with attention, more customers will pay attention to us. People are naturally drawn to work with those they like and respect. As we practice this behavior all day every day, this kind of civility and compassion becomes a habit – not something we drop at the close of business.
So, on which “customer” do you most need to practice? Is it your employee with whom you’ve become frustrated or the peer on whom your department depends but whose consistency and dependability you take for granted? Is it the faithful customer, who you know will always be your client, so you no longer strive to “wow” them? Is it your family member or best friend who is supportive, loving, and always has your back? When did you last say a heartfelt “thank you”?
Exemplary customer service is something that every person deserves by their humanity. Our commitment to treat others to the best of our ability is what makes exemplary service possible. How would your customer base grow if everyone in your company treated all “customers” that way? It’s a worthwhile experiment!
Marjorie Johnson, LCSW, PCC is President of Ascend Consulting, Inc. an executive coaching and counseling firm
*Scrooge (the 1970 Albert Finney version)
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