Who is the CEO of your life?

When you think about someone being a CEO, what comes to mind?

And how does that apply to you?

In a quick survey, here’s what women in my life said a CEO is responsible for:

  • ˜ Is in charge of the direction
  • ˜ Holds the vision, values and goals
  • ˜ Knows how and what to delegate
  • ˜ Builds and sustains a great team
  • ˜ Holds the ultimate responsibility and is where the buck stops
  • ˜ Leads everyone through good times and bad
  • ˜ Is the one in charge who doesn’t give up when others do
  • ˜ Has tough skin to receive criticism and either ignores it or uses it for growth
  • ˜ Figures out complex issues
  • ˜ Knows when to take charge and when to let go

Unless you are currently the CEO of a company, you may not think of yourself as a Chief Executive Officer.

But I urge you to carefully read each statement above, and I think you may look at being CEO a little differently.

No matter your job or your position, at the very least, you are the CEO of your life and your family’s life!

In today’s video, I ask three questions that will help you to see how well you are doing at being the CEO of your life.

Use your answers to the questions in the video as a starting point to begin taking charge of your life in a way you might not have done before.

With this new knowledge and power, what is one change you’re going to make this week?

However you decide to fully express your CEO capabilities, we are here to cheer you on!

Now…about that private jet 😉

Love,

Debbie Signature

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September’s Inner Circle Sneak Peek with Beth Nielsen Chapman

We have another sneak peek of what’s coming in your Women on Fire members’ care package for September.

Have you ever listened to a song that was so powerful you felt like the lyrics were written just for you?

We often turn to music in times of great joy, sorrow and uncertainty.

That’s because music has the power to heal, far beyond words.

There is no one who better understands the healing magic of music more than our featured guest.

A singer-songwriter.

A cancer survivor.

A Grammy-nominated artist.

A teacher.

A mother who was widowed at a young age.

A woman who has built a wildly successful career by channeling the healing power of creativity.

And today, Beth Nielsen Chapman is here to help you discover how creativity can give purpose to your pain and transform your setbacks into strengths.

I’m telling you, she’s beyond brilliant! 🙂

If you’re not yet part of our membership inner circle, please be our guest and listen in today for free to a clip of Debbie’s interview with Beth.

Press PLAY for a quick (2:30) audio clip of this deeply inspiring interview.

In the full recording you’ll discover:

  • The many ways creativity can help you heal
  • How to tap into a collective wisdom
  • Techniques to find inspiration when your creative well has run dry
  • What the “divining rod of inspiration” is and how you can find yours

All that, PLUS a little birdie told me that Beth might have recorded a very special serenade…

But who knows? You’ll have to listen to find out! 🙂

If you are already a member of our Women on Fire inner circle, enjoy this preview of what’s already coming to you early in September!

If you aren’t yet a member and want to receive this Women on Fire exclusive, make sure to join us today.

You have until Sunday, August 30. Less than 48 hours left!

Don’t miss out on one of the most authentic and uplifting interviews we have recorded ALL year!

xo

The Women on Fire team

P.S. Have your goals slowly slipped away over the summer? Want to get back on track this fall?

TUNE IN to Debbie’s live monthly Members’ Master Class and Chat on September 15 at 8:00 p.m. EST. She’ll be sharing her favorite tips and tools for ending your year strong!

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How to Get Back on Your Path When You Fall Off

If this is your first Women on Fire SPARK! since you registered, welcome!

And, if this is the first time you’ve heard from me in a while, I’ve missed you.

We’ve upgraded the way we provide you inspiration, strategies and support with a new video format to make communicating a little more personal.

Let me know if you like it!

My goal is that in three minutes or less you can learn something to lift you up in your life.

You know those times in your life when you wonder where you’re going? Those times when you feel you’ve fallen off your path — and you’re not sure which way to turn?

If you need to get back on the road to the life you want, here are two strategies that will help you:

Key Takeaways

1. Keep a journal for 6 weeks, without reviewing it until the end, keep track of the single thing that brought you joy at the end of each day. After 6 weeks review and observe patterns that appear. Those patterns are usually a great indication of what you need more of in your life.

2. Enlist the help of your family, friends and colleagues. Create a quick questionnaire for them to fill out. Ask them to reflect on what they as your greatest strength and gift.

Keep me posted on how these strategies work for you.

And let me know …

If you’ve ever fallen off your path, how did you get back on track?

Love,

Debbie Signature

P.S. For further support to take next steps in your life, check out “Finding Your Next” by Jan Allen in our book: Women on Fire: 21 Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets (and Save You Years of Struggle!)

P.P.S. Give yourself the gift of a Women on Fire journal here.

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Guest Post: How To Manage Life In Transition

I hope you will enjoy this guest post from Women on Fire member Dyana Robenalt of Stockbridge, MA. I found it inspiring and uplifting and I thought you might, too. I’ll be back next week! xo Debbie

Switching Hands: How to Manage Life in Transition
By Dyana Robenalt

When I was 13, my mother died.

Within days, I was plucked from her and my stepfather’s loving home. This began a lifetime of planned and unplanned transitions.

Resiliency became my invisible middle name.

Being in a transition can feel scary. Imagine switching hands from your dominant side to your other one. Being open to this adaptation created a huge awareness for me.

My ex-husband and I used to periodically switch sides of the bed just to keep ourselves open to the concept of change.

Fear ruled many of my transitions and often took the form of crises. Witnessing 9/11 created a string of devastating transitions and luckily, many earth angels and soul guides helped me to overcome my serious pain.

I am currently in one of the more radical shifts I’ve experienced in years. While I tried to plan it, there are still many unknown elements creating the mystique and excitement I crave after years of knowing that virtuous “rewards” often come at the end of seemingly difficult times.

This one has BIG potential and I’m ready! Learning to trust the process and flow like the rising and falling of tides, no matter what, has taken years of practice.

Letting go and letting God run the show is still challenging. I keep my favorite saying from Wayne Dyer handy to help with this:

Over time my thinking shifted from:
Forget
Everything
And
Run

to

Feeling
Excited
And
Ready!

For the past ten years, I’ve focused on taking responsibility for mistakes I made. I adjusted the sails and redesigned my outlook. This translated to patience and understanding that I am always where I am supposed to be at the time – an ongoing reminder.

Humility has become the new badge of honor I seek, and living with a strong moral compass as my foundation has helped me to navigate even the most turbulent waters. We’re all connected and we never know the pain someone else is in or has endured.

It makes sense to always be kind and realize that we’re all just trying to make it through the day. Last year, keeping a gratitude jar did wonders for me. The act of writing down one thing I was grateful for every day created a revolutionary shift in my positivity!

Here are a few other practices and reminders I try to do daily for smooth transitions:

  • Believe something great is about to happen
  • Pick “winners”
  • Be open yet expect nothing
  • Seek higher guidance
  • Always be the first to say hello
  • Keep favorite books handy. Read new inspiring ones
  • Listen more than talk (My hardest!)
  • Catch and “flick” negative thoughts away with my hand
  • Be willing to try new things
  • Keep 3-4 months of savings on hand!
  • Do random acts of kindness, volunteer or help someone
  • Meditate, be in nature, be still
  • Do the WORK

Transitions allow me to reflect and plan how I will react differently next time. Every minute and every day provide opportunities to start over. Learning to “switch hands” in transitions no matter when they come, or how long they last, has given me more peace, freedom and happiness!

More about Dyana Robenalt~

Dyana is a Western Massachusetts Master Gardener (recently transferred from Rutgers) with over 40 years of experience and a major foodie and spititual being. She provides garden coaching and estate management services. She has served on the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Advisory Council for the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program and is a NJ Learns Fellow graduate from the Cloud Institute for Sustainability.

Her experience also includes former careers in hospitality and teaching in private independent schools. She recently relocated to the Berkshires and can be reached at dyana(at)dyanarobenalt(dot)com. You can follow her on Twitter @greengardenlady.

Links That Light Us Up

21st Edition

Hello Woman on Fire!

Are you ready for some fun links to start your weekend right? That’s what we thought, so here we go!

Best Animal Print-  These simple photos of baby animals from Sharon Montrose may be the cutest thing we’ve ever seen. They are pretty much perfect, good luck in trying to browse without buying!

Best Animal Print Art at the Animal Print Shop by Sharon MontroseSharon Montrose

Best Gobble- So we know that you probably have a tried and true turkey recipe for this Thanksgiving, but on the off chance that are you ready for something new here are 19 other great ways to cook your bird!

19 Great Ways to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey- compiled by Rachel Sanders from BuzzfeedRachel Sanders from Buzzfeed

Best Pick Me Up- At Women on Fire we are always looking for tips and tools to make our days brighter, this article from Kevin Daum of inc.com on the 10 Ways To Make Your Day Extraordinary is spot on! Enjoy 😉

10 Ways To Make Your Day Extraordinary from Kevin Daum at INC.comRob Berkley

Best You Go Girl- Have you heard of Verily Magazine yet? Well if you aren’t already a fan, you should hop on board. Their new November/December 13 Issue is out and they don’t believe in photoshop. In a world obsessed with the perfect female figure, we think Verily Magazine deserves a HUGE #yougogirl

Verily Magazine November December 2013Verily Magazine

Best Dream-  These women of Rwanda will have you crying, laughing and rooting for them 100% after watching this just released documentary called Sweet Dreams. Watch this women’s drumming group move heaven and earth to start their own ice cream store a mere decade after the genocide.

Best Starbucks Hacks- Just when you thought you had your perfect order at Starbucks, we found this! 13 Starbucks drinks that aren’t on the menu, compiled by Jessica Misener from Buzzfeed.
13 Starbucks Hacks you've never heard before by Jessican Misener of Buzzfeed.com

 Best Snail Mail- Send your message here before Sunday!

Snail My Mail.orgSnailmymail.org

Best Meeting Spot- The New York Post now claims that the ‘manicure meeting’ and ‘pedicure pow-wow’ are the new power lunch. What a fun idea to skip lunch and go straight for luxury, all while getting work done! We are already planning our next Women on Fire meeting at our favorite salon. (the color below is our 1st choice)

 

Shearling Darling by EssieEssie

We hope you have a fantastic weekend planned and we can’t wait to hear what’s lighting up you online!

xo

The Women on Fire Team