Lorin Beller & Co.

Turning Circles and Burning holes

Lorin Beller — Fri, 31 May 2013 02:59:14 +0000

A long time ago, I was on an airplane and there was a big thunderstorm below us, above the city that we were about to land at. We couldn’t land because of the weather. The pilot, got on the loud speaker and said, ‘We are just going to hang out up here and turn some circles and burn some holes while we let that storm move through.’

I’ve thought about that concept, of ‘being with’ whatever is going on for years since he said that… and for those of you that know me, I am in a holding pattern in my life at the moment. And there is a gift in that space, I am learning.

It is, as my daughter taught me when she was younger, like watching bugs on the sidewalk…. she used to (and still does at 7) allow her mind to be captured by whatever is in this moment…. and I am realizing the gift of being present. Not focused on what was. Not planning for tomorrow but being 100% present in what is at this very moment….. a sunset, a bird, the sun on my face, the sound of the ocean on my morning walk, the genuine smile on a strangers face, but the most precious are the sound of a voice of one I love, my daughters laugh, or the feel of clean sheets when I get into bed….that precious give in this moment.

I used to have a ‘tag’ on my mirror – - “be here now” – a yoga clothing brand, I loved the tag more than the clothes! Reminding me to be present right now….. and not to miss the gifts.

What gifts are right in front of you now?

As you will see if you explore my website that in this place of ‘turning circles and burning holes’ I have simplified my website, if you are looking to hire a coach, check out our updated information for more details.

Stillness

Lorin Beller — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 22:58:43 +0000

As 2013, settles in, I am struck by how important it has been for me to have silence and stillness to rejuvenate me. I thought I’d share this with you today.

The Taste of Stillness

Whiteness Everywhere.

Snow on every branch and still falling silently.

On my face – gentle magical kisses.

The water, once with motion, now frozen solid – white – still – quiet.

Like a blanket of safety and warmth.

The air also motionless yet so crisp and clean.

Delicious stillness yet tasteless.

Our world, each of us, could use to find more delicious stillness.

The paradox is we walk around with it each day in our hearts.

Stop and taste stillness.

It is our guiding light, our home, our heart whispering… No, begging us to stop and taste.

Everything, yet nothing at all.

True, innocent, love and light.

The taste of stillness.

Listen.

- Lorin

What is your 2013 Intention?

Lorin Beller — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:18:01 +0000

I have been setting goals for 25+ years…. doing so gives me focus. It makes me happy. It also gives me ‘permission’ to work on all aspects of my life… I like that. in 2002, I started to set goals and intentions and it changed everything for me. Having an annual intention has been so powerful. Last year it was: Unbridled Joy. I found that the exercise of finding joy each day actually made me even more grateful. What gift that was. This year I am feeling this energy building…. and I AM READY. Ready for what life brings me and what I choose to create with it.

What is your 2013 intention? And if you would like more information on how to set annual intentions and goals you may want to invest in my Goal Setting Short Course…. check it out. Looking forward to hearing what your annual intention is! I AM READY.

Celebrate your way into 2013

Lorin Beller — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:56:04 +0000

As 2012 comes to a close, what will you be doing … and what will you be thinking about?

I hope you will be CELEBRATING and thinking about everything you did RIGHT this year, and everything you learned and accomplished.

I love using this week between Christmas and New Years as a time to enjoy my family and friends while I reflect on the past year and think about what I want the following year to be. Here are 3 powerful questions you can use this week to help you acknowledge the gift of 2012 and take your celebrations into 2013:

What 3 things most important things did you learn in 2012?
What were your top 3 proud moments of 2012?
What are the 3 most exciting things you can imagine celebrating in 2013?

2012 has been a big year in so many ways for me, and I am CELEBRATING each and every one of you as you move into 2013.

HAPPY NEW YEAR … Let’s make it AMAZING!

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If you’d like support for making 2013 your best year yet, consider the ignite! Coaching program! Click here for details.

How strong is your receiving?

Lorin Beller — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:52:49 +0000

One of the greatest gifts of this year for me has been learning in a whole new way to receive.

If you are someone (like many of us!) who finds it more natural to give than to receive, I get it! It’s easy to feel guilty when we receive generous gifts of time, attention, and all kinds of support … but that doesn’t help anyone, does it?

We can choose to get stressed out by comparing our giving to someone else’s, or to be energized and inspired by simply receiving the gift with gratitude and appreciation.

Think about how wonderful it felt the last time you gave from your heart and your gift was received with gratitude and appreciation — that’s the feeling your receiving can give in return for the gifts you have been given!

This giving/receiving circle is what makes this time of year so magical, and we can have that magic at ANY time of year.

The way we receive is its own gift to the giver. How strong is your receiving?

Happy giving AND receiving days!

Give Yourself the Gift of Goals

Lorin Beller — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:53:15 +0000

“The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” ~ Benjamin Mays

I consistently hear from entrepreneurs that they want:

to have more work-life balance,
to have a higher income / profit, and/or
to feel more in control of their time

I call goals a “gift” you can give yourself because the first step in getting any of those things is to SET GOALS in all areas of your life and work.

Goals help you prioritize your resources. When you know what you want to accomplish, it is much easier to decide where to put your time, money, energy, attention, etc.

Goals help you stay focused. As entrepreneurs, many of us are working on several projects at once, serving our clients, growing our business, and still trying to be present to our family and ourselves. Multi-tasking is not the answer! By prioritizing your work according to your goals, you will naturally stay more focused and stay on track to accomplish the most important things in your life and work.

Goals motivate you. Sometimes it is challenging to stay motivated when you are your own boss, so it is important to set goals to give you something specific to reach for.

Goals help you know how you’re doing. I am guessing that many of us are pretty tough on ourselves and are more likely to rate our successes lower than they really are, rather than higher than they really are. Goals give us a way to realistically assess our progress in any area of our life and work… and we often find out we are doing even better than we thought!

Goals help you see your successes. It is easy to just do what needs to be done and move on to the next thing without paying much attention to our successes. (That’s part of why we are so critical of ourselves, as I mentioned above!). When you set goals and review them regularly, you give yourself time to see what you HAVE accomplished and a great reason to celebrate each of those successes.

On Friday, December 7, at 1pm Pacific time, I’m leading one of my favorite calls of each year: the annual Goal-setting Teleclass. It is part instruction, part motivation, and part action in getting those 2013 goals set! To give yourself this gift for just $57, register now and get ready for 2013 to be the gift that keeps on giving!

Giving Thanks

Lorin Beller — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:57:25 +0000

I had already planned this ”Giving Thanks” blog post for today… then when I was out for a run, look what I came across!!

“THANKFUL” — a message spelled out in multi-colored stones for everyone to read!

Yes, I am thankful — every day — for so many things and people that make this life so amazing. Here’s the start of my list, which I will continue to add to on my own throughout the rest of the year:

My amazing support network from coast to coast.
My ability to see the silver lining in most every cloud.
The ability for us all to choose to learn in every situation.
My clients who inspire me every day.
The perfection in the universe that I have learned to lean on.
Unknown blessings already on their way.
My amazing 6 year old who reminds me daily to stop and check on the bugs and snails – they matter too.
… and the person who took the time to spell out “THANKFUL” on the beach.

What is at the top of your THANKFUL list?

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

5 Steps to Close Your Year Strong: Step #5

Lorin Beller — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:21:23 +0000

For the past month, I’ve been writing about how to finish out 2012 powerfully so you can enjoy a holiday break with a huge sense of satisfaction … and still have energy to celebrate your successes at years’ end!

Here are the previous 4 steps in case you missed any of them (just click any link below to get caught up):

Step #1: Focus on 4th Quarter
Step #2: Follow up
Step #3: Look at sales
Step #4: Help your sales team stay strong

…and today, we wrap up this series with

Step #5: Finish strong

The “finish” I’m talking about here is the last final push at the end of your year that will have you feeling complete and accomplished.

So what does it mean to finish strong (not just finish)?

Think about runners crossing the finish line at a race — they don’t slow down and walk across the finish line; they often show a burst of speed at the very end and finish strong.

They can do this because they have trained well, know what their goals are, pace themselves well, and stay focused on crossing that finish line.

In business, then, finishing strong means knowing what our 4th quarter goals are and focusing on reaching them so “gremlins” such as doubts or fears don’t interfere with our progress. Those goals need to be very clear to you and your team … it is hard to finish strong if you are not sure where the finish line is!

We also need to pace ourselves well. Make a plan for reaching those 4th quarter goals in a way that reserves enough energy to finish strong, not to burn out … keep some reserves so you can celebrate strong as part of your strong finish!

Another way to finish strong is to set the stage for the next year. Do you have strong support in place for 2013? Do you have a plan for how to carry the momentum from 2012 and start 2013 strong? Our ignite! Coaching Program offers exactly that type of support, including 2 bonus coaching sessions in 2012 at NO CHARGE. You can get more information on that program here, and please do contact me with ANY questions.

Make 2012 a showcase year for yourself by finishing strong! What is your plan? I’d love to hear from you!

5 Steps to Close Your Year Strong: Step #4

Lorin Beller — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:36:39 +0000

Welcome to week 4 of my 5-week blog post series on how to have a strong 4th quarter! Last week, I talked about Step #3: Look at sales — know where you are, where you want to be, and how you will get there. In order to do that, however, you also need to pay attention to …

Step #4: Help your sales team stay strong

Strong sales come from strong people, so it’s important to put time and energy into supporting your sales team!

For many of us, that sales “team” is just one person — ourselves. We can run ourselves ragged trying to meet our sales quotas if we aren’t diligent about taking care of ourselves. Taking a break when you’re tired or overwhelmed can actually save you time in the end, AND builds your energy for effective selling.

You will also want to make sure you help your sales team stay strong in their selling process (re-read Step #3 if you haven’t yet taken action on that!). Are you reminding people (including yourself) to ask for the sale? To close strong? 4th quarter is the time for bold action!

Another way to keep your sales team strong is to encourage them rather than simply praise them. Praise only boosts the ones who are doing a good job, while encouragement applies to everyone. Also, when you encourage your team, you have a chance to guide them, inspiring them to learn and grow in ways that will have them be even stronger.

Whether your sales “team” is a group of people, or just yourself, 4th quarter is an important time to provide support!

So remember, to finish the year strong:

Step #1: Focus on 4th Quarter
Step #2: Follow up
Step #3: Look at sales
Step #4: Help your sales team stay strong
Check back next week for Step #5!

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For a full year of support on all things business and life, join our ignite! Coaching Program. Get more information here, and please do contact me (Lorin Beller) with ANY questions!

5 Steps to Close Your Year Strong: Step #3

Lorin Beller — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:49:40 +0000

Welcome to week 3 of my 5-week blog post series on how to finish your year strong! Last week, I talked about Step #2: Follow up, which naturally leads to:

Step 3: Look at Sales

I don’t mean just glance at them and move on to the next thing; I mean look closely and make any strategy and priority changes necessary.

Start by asking these questions and writing down your answers:

What are your sales quotas for the year — and how do your sales measure up?
What are your sales quotas for 4th Quarter — and do they need to change based on your full-year quota?
Based on where you are TODAY with sales, what needs to get on your To Do list TODAY to meet your quota? (Hint: see Step #2)
And what needs to get OFF your To Do list to make room for this 4th Quarter priority?

Schedule time on your calendar ASAP to work on these questions, and get yourself set up for a profitable and successful 4th Quarter!

So remember:

Step #1: Focus on 4th Quarter
Step #2: Follow up
Step #3: Look at sales
Check back next week for Step #4!

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For a full year of support on all things business and life, join our ignite! Coaching Program. Get more information here, and feel free to contact me (Lorin Beller) with ANY questions!