How Well Do you Maintain Balance?

Take this short quiz and find out!

If trying to maintain balance in your life makes you feel like a tightrope walker, you're not alone.  Most of us have so many demands on our time and energy, life can feel like a three-ring circus!  Take this quiz to see how well you are meeting responsibilities, while also recognizing and fulfilling personal needs and wants. 

True or False

  

T  or  F    The only way I can successfully manage my life is to take care of myself    

                physically and emotionally.

 

T  or  F    Nurturing myself enlarges my capacity to help others.

T  or  F    I eat healthy and exercise regularly.

T  or  F    I get check-ups, go to the dentist, and take preventative precautions.

T  or  F    I set aside personal, quiet time for myself, whether I'm meditating or simply 

                letting my thoughts drift.

T  or  F    I experience the gifts of each season: ice skating, sledding, beach walks, 

                gardening, hiking, camping, time outside, etc.

T  or  F   Creativity nurtures me.  I do what I love, whether it's cooking , drawing, painting, 

               writing, dancing, singing or another creative pursuit.

T  or  F   Reaching out to others enriches my life.  I spend quality time with family and 

               friends.

T  or  F   Contributing to the world provides connection and purpose, so I give my time, 

               energy and experience where it is most useful.

T  or  F   I notice and heed the emotional signals that tell me I am out of balance: irritability, 

               overwhelm, resentment, etc.

T  or  F    If I feel that I'm catching a cold, I realize that I may have stressed immune system 

                with over activity, so I stop and take care of myself.

T  or  F    When I need or want to, I say no to requests for my time.

T  or  F    I listen to and honor the requests my body makes for things such as a nap, a 

                walk, green vegetables, exercise, etc.

T  or  F    If I have something planned for myself, I don't toss it aside when someone makes 

                a request of me.

T  or  F    I am busy but I find time to do the things I want to do.

 

T  or  F    I am happy.  I regularly experience well-being, contentment and joy.

     

If you answered false more often than true, you may want to take a look at the questions to which you answered false and see if you can incorporate something its message into your life.  Email or call if you would like to explore this further in a free coaching session.  

As always, if you have a specific question or topic that you would like addressed, please email kimestrykoaching@yahoo.com and your answer may be in the next blog! 

 

 

 

www.facebook.com/mykimestrykoaching

Power and success in 2014 and beyond!

Why I Don't Hate Mondays

    

For a long time, I used to hate to see the weekend leave and the new workweek begin.  I absolutely hated Mondays! There was nothing in this world worse than a Monday morning.  On Sunday night, my dread would start.  I would begin thinking about the following day and almost start to have an anxiety attack.  But one Monday a few years back, something came over me and I had a mindset change.  It was 6 am and I was getting dressed for work.  I had a long mental list of things that I had to do that day.  As I thought about the list, I realized that it was unrealistic.  As a matter of fact, it was downright stupid.  The things on that list could not have been completed by Superwoman in one day.  I was setting myself up for failure and disappointment.  That moment, changed my life.  It was truly an epiphany!

The moment I realized that  I am not Superwoman but I am human, things changed.  I now looked at Mondays different.  I wrote down my mental list so that I see it.  Writing it down helped me to see that it really was too much to do in one day.  That is when Monday became my planning day.  I now take Monday as my day to plan for my week.  Instead of dreading all that I have to do on Monday, I know look forward to planning what I have to do. 

When planning, I take the time to make 3 lists, Work, Home, and Personal.  On the work list, I write ideas that have brewed over the weekend and how I can bring them to life, clients that I have to meet with during the week and any jobs that need to be completed during the week.  The home list includes:  meals for the week, chores that need to be completed and any family activities that are scheduled for the week.  My personal list is just that, personal.  It lists the things that  I need to do for myself.

Once I have completed my lists, I take out my calendar and put everything on the calendar.  I give every task a date and every appointment or activity a time. This allows me to have my week at a glance and not feel overwhelmed by Monday and trying to get things done in one day.  Planning is critical in almost every aspect of our lives.  We need guidance and a plan is just that.  It helps us get from one place to another and in this case, it helps us get from Monday to Friday! 

As always, if you have a specific question or topic that you would like addressed, please email kimestrykoaching@yahoo.com and your answer may be in the next blog! 

 

 

 

www.facebook.com/mykimestrykoaching

Power and success in 2014 and beyond!

What Else Do I Need to Get a Loan?

Completing your business plan is just the start to seeking financing for your business.  Your complete business plan lays out:

• What your business is/does
• What service or product you offer
• How much you will charge for your service or product
• How much money you will make from your service or product
• How much money you will need to start up so that you can put your plan into action

If you are anything like me, you think or thought "now that my business plan is complete, I am ready to submit it to banks and get a loan."  This is what most new business owners tend to think..  Unfortunately, it is not that easy to get funding.  If it were, every small business owner would be running to the bank for a loan.  Along with a solid business plan and loan application, you must have other things.  The bank is a business and they will not buy into a (your) dream with the "hope" that you will make money and be able to pay them back, therefore your business plan alone will not get you funding.  The three major things, in addition to your business plan, that the banks look at are: personal creditworthiness, collateral and presentation.

 

Personal Creditworthiness

Aside from your business plan, banks and investors look at your personal creditworthiness before deciding to lend you money.  Yes, your own credit plays a huge part in a bank approving or denying you a loan!  If you can't manage your personal finances, how will you be able to manage business finances?  When applying for a loan, having good to excellent personal credit is important.  If you are looking to get a bank loan to start your business and your credit is not what it should be, work on cleaning up your credit before applying for a loan. 

 

Collateral

When asking for financial help to start your business, collateral is important.  Nobody will give money to someone who has nothing to lose.  Most banks require you to make some type of investment into your own business.  Putting valuable equipment, land or real estate that you may own up for collateral shows a lending institution that you believe in your business enough that you are willing to invest your personal assets.  In reality, it makes sense.  Are you willing to loan someone money who may or may not have the means to pay you back?  Would you be more willing to loan that same person money if they gave you the title to their car until they paid you back?  It is easier to loan money to someone who has a vested interest in the loan as opposed to someone who has nothing invested.

 

Presentation

Presentation is EVERYTHING!  I am sure that you have heard this many times before.  Well, it is true!  People believe what they see.  If you want your business, business plan and loan application to be taken serious, then you have to present all three in a professional manner.  Make sure that when you are submitting any documents, that they are legible, neat and clean.  Your business plan should be printed on high quality paper and professionally bound.  If you hire a service to complete your business plan, make sure that it will be delivered to you in this manner.  Lastly, when you go into the bank to handle any type of business, but namely requesting and/or submitting your loan application, make sure that YOU look the part!  Your are a reflection of your business and your business is a reflection of you.  Be dressed appropriately and professionally. 

 

Aside from a well written business plan, we have to remember that potential investors, banks and other lending institutions are looking at us.  We ARE our business so we have to make sure that we are in order not only professionally but personally.

 

As always, if you have a specific question or topic that you would like addressed, please email kimestrykoaching@yahoo.com and your answer may be in the next blog!

 

 

 

 

www.facebook.com/mykimestrykoaching

Power and success in 2014 and beyond!