My Jazzy Breakthrough

Conversation Starter of the Week

  

My Jazzy Breakthrough 

Conversation with Yourself 

A few years ago I began looking at my year in chunks. Maybe you have been making short-term goals forever but years before that I would make a New Years resolution and then a month later forget all about it.  Deciding on a breakthrough every season is the conversation I have with myself now. 

Because my health, finances and relationships are stable, I felt the need to focus on my career. My career is all about growing my business and learning the strategy and skills to serve you in Jazzy Land the very best I can.

My One Jazzy Breakthrough is increasing my facebook likes to 100 by December 1st. My first step is developing a Facebook ad that I will create by September 10th. I get an awesome feeling when I think about this because to me it means I will be sharing my coaching skills and tools with more people and too me that is great! Plus it also translates into increased opportunities for me. Sweet!

Please share with me your One Jazzy Breakthrough by leaving a comment on my blog. Thanks in advance.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

As you think about how to apply the concept of the One Jazzy Breakthrough to the groups you mentor, remember it is all about deciding on one thing you would like to change or add that will lead to a positive outcome. When you are in conversation with your mentee this comes up all the time. 

Teenage girls want to change everything in their life, this we know, but our mission is to help them focus on what one positive outcome they would like to achieve and by when. 

This process can also get the young ladies you mentor into the practice of creating goals, which everyone is familiar with but not very good at. The great thing about the One Jazzy Breakthrough process is that it includes dates and a sense of urgency. The young ladies can definitely identify with that.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

By Janice Saunders

The Jazzy Life Expert

www.onejazzylife.com

Take your health seriously.

Conversation Starter of the Week

  

Each of us has to get serious about health 

Conversation with Yourself 

While watching some of the footage of the historic march on Washington this past Wednesday, I could not help but think about how good every woman looked who was a featured speaker. They looked like they work out, take vitamins, and have great style despite their age. You have to face it, those who spoke are not average women they are some of the  top women $$ earners so  you may be saying to yourself that they should look good, they have it all.

You have an opportunity today to kick that conversation to the curb and begin a new one today.

Looking at these women, did you think to yourself as I did that I am sure at some point they made a decision to take their health seriously so they can make it to 91 like Gloria Richardson. 

Today I urge you to get real about the conversation you are having with yourself about health. Are you addicted to sugar like I am, are you the one who can not pass a piece of fried food without eating it or are you hell bent on eating bacon egg and cheese sandwiches with fries for breakfast. You have to get real about your weight, exercise and food choices.

The story that breaks my heart is when I see professional women overweight and compromised by health challenges, who know what to do but can't turn that knowing into doing. You may know this personally or you may be able to point to in an immediate family member or friend who has this challenge. 

I was there when I was in college. I took for granted how many calories I burned at a swim practice and then when I was injured and could not  work out, I gained weight. I was about 180 pounds when I graduated form college and knew it was too much. Working myself back to my ideal weight  taught me to watch what I ate and control my portions.  I also had to move to take off the weight. It took me about a year but I invested the time in different exercises and experimented with new foods to make this a reality. It was hard, and I remember feeling as if everyone looked better than me. Thirty years later I still have the weight off. Not bragging just inspiring.

Take up the mantle and change the conversation to "I am choosing to invest time in improving my health." When you feel healthy you can execute everything you do at a higher level.

  

Join me in declaring it right now.

Reply to this email or comment on this post with what you are adding or taking away from your daily agenda to invest in your health. If you have a lot in your head and can't prioritize what to do because there is so much swirling around in that brain of yours click here  and schedule a complimentary 30 minute One Jazzy Life Discovery Session and I can help you get focused on next steps. Health is too important to wait.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

Earlier in the Jazzy News I shared an abstract of an article that discussed that when weight problems occur early in the lives of young ladies they are more prone to depression. This gives you a green light to introduce tools and tips on creating a healthy lifestyle as part of your mentoring conversation. You might share an easy recipe, cook together or you maybe attend a zumba class together.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23752915  abstract

Healthy choices are a big part of the conversations I have with young people. Being a swim coach keeps me in conversation about training and eating properly as way to get the most out of your body during training and competition.

Every young person can benefit from this conversation.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

By Janice Saunders

The Jazzy Life Expert

www.onejazzylife.com

3 Tips to add happiness to everyday.

Conversation Starter of the Week

  

 Three tips to add happiness to everyday.

Conversation with Yourself 

Feelings are the root of everything. It is hard to have "get up and go" if you feel like everything on your to-do list for the coming day revolves around the agenda of other people. Feeling good is an inside job and revolves a lot around how we talk to ourselves. Instead of waking up and focusing on how you have to deal with people you may not like or do work that is not in the field for which you have been trained, change the conversation with yourself.  The new conversation may sound something like this " I am right where I should be, make the most out of it." 

3 Tips to add happiness to everyday.

1. Begin each day by saying something wonderful to yourself before you get out of      bed. For example, start by thanking God for my life and then stating that all that      I am doing to make my dreams a reality is enough.

2. Include one thing on your to do list that is for you and your benefit, like a walk,          quiet time, exercise or all three. You get it.

3. End each day by connecting with five events of the day that your are thankful          for, writing them down is a nice exercise.

These three easy tips will hopefully fill you more good feelings and they are strategies to get you out of a rut of not so good feelings. When you are happy and taking care of yourself you are able to share so much more of your unique gifts with the world.

As you begin to add activities to your to-do list that are for you everyday this aligns your day with something that is important to you. This is vital to connecting each day with your vision for yourself.

Shoot me an email with what you are adding to your daily agenda. If you have a lot in your head and can't prioritize what to add because there is so much swirling around in that brain of yours click here  and schedule a complimentary 30 minute One Jazzy Life Discovery Session.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

Happiness and young people is a mixed bag if I have ever seen one. Many young people long to have more control over their lives than they currently do and that is why sharing these three tips with them can be transformative.

As a swim coach, I have always been big on self- talk because what you say to yourself is what you truly believe. There is the old saying that if you say you can't you probably won't. 

The flip side of this is step one, having your mentee get into the practice of saying something good to themselves everyday. This gives them a strategy to change the conversation tape playing in their head whenever they see fit.

With the second tip you can teach your mentee to have their self care on their agenda everyday and the third tip develops the skill of recognizing what is good in life. Even in the mist of a messed up family, relationships that I was not ready for and swimming races I won and lost, as a young person I remember being thankful for many things. I remember being thankful for conversations with my grandfather every Sunday, it seems simple but it was one of those things I was thankful for and one that kept me going.

Developing the practice of positive self- talk, keeping yourself on your daily agenda and recognizing what is good are all habits that you can work with your mentee to develop and sustain.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

By Janice Saunders

The Jazzy Life Expert

www.onejazzylife.com

What would you do if you could not fail?

Conversation Starter of the Week

  

  what would you do if you could not fail?

Conversation with Yourself 

This is the most exciting question you could ask yourself today. Take a moment and ponder the thought and GO BIG, and then take it even further. If the conversation in your head is saying "how dare  you" , click delete to that tape and start saying how can I start.

3 Tips to begin the connection.

1. Define what you would do.

2. Clearly identify why this is your mission, hint, this is about your story of what has made you, you.

3. How come this is the time in your life you should share this gift with the world.

These three powerful steps will increase your confidence in taking a step towards your dream and making the impact on the world that you know is possible. Just having a file with this written down can help to focus your time that you spend each day.

For example, you may have your professional position and love it but desire to be involved in the art world for some reason. Being committed to this you can manage the projects you stretch for at work by asking for an assignment that might get you some exposure in that area, or you might join a networking group with that focus or start one. 

As you can see this is the beginning of streamlining your time to being involved in activities that keep you connected to your dream. 

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

This conversation is a gold mine for the young people you mentor if they are anything like the young ladies who participated in the Jazzy Journey 90 Day Confidence Transformation Program with me this past school year. The middle school and high school student is uniquely positioned to focus in on why they want to pursue a particular dream or academic area.

Short story, one young lady wanted to be a counselor because she had found it difficult to fit in during the middle school years and was committed to being that type of resources to young people as she moves along her academic and career pursuits.

Use the tips above to help them connect with their dreams and give them confidence in the how only unfolds as they take steps.  As a mentors we hold their hands an encourage them to begin.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

By Janice Saunders

The Jazzy Life Expert

www.onejazzylife.com

The importance of reading for pleasure.

Conversation Starter of the Week

  

  The importance of reading for pleasure

 

Conversation with Yourself 

I don’t have time to read for pleasure; every ounce of my time has to be spent on goal oriented activities. If I can’t “learn” anything from the book or article, I don’t want to read it.

Does this sound like a familiar tape playing in your head? You are not alone. Many women just like you are too tired to read in between work, school, family and volunteering. Not only are you busy but also you want to get everything done yesterday so you have so time for you.

The question then becomes do you want to spend some of that “you time” reading a book, escaping into a world where it is just you, your imagination and your spin on the book. Not a bad idea this can be very relaxing especially because it is something you can look forward to and you have no pressure to finish on a deadline.

The mindset shift is just that a shift. Instead of “ oh, I have got to read this training manual or these chapters for my course I am taking this summer by Friday or I won’t be prepared.” The new conversation tape playing sounds something like this, “ I wonder what character X is doing, when I get a minute I will check in to find out because she/he is interesting.”

Another added benefit of reading for pleasure is that it gives you something else to engage in conversation about with people you meet and coworkers. You may find new authors to expand your reading interest.

I hope we agree that adding reading for pleasure can fortify your authentic One Jazzy Life.

Having a vision of your One Jazzy Life

and a plan to get there that you are willing to execute is step 1, if you need help setting that vision click the link below and schedule a complementary no obligation 30 minute One Jazzy Life Discovery Session.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

Some of your mentees will love reading and some will not. Our job as mentors is to share what we know will build great life long habits to enhance each young ladies life. What can we really share about reading? We can always read a book with them that is on the library list that is recommended for her age group. You could lead a book club discussion with the girls you mentor if it is a group.

Reading and talking about what you have read reveals one of the great joys of reading which is that each individual can read the same chapter or article and have a different spin on it. Each person brings their unique experience to the book and that is the magic that binds the discussion around books.

You may want to start with articles about topics your mentee is interested in from the newspaper or magazines and progress to books as not to overwhelm yourself. This can bring an entirely new dimension to your mentoring. In one of my group coaching sessions I brought a short article on the young lady who was shot over seas because she wanted to go to school.

As you can imagine, this conversation went in many directions but what each young lady walked away with was the fact that it is a big world out there that everyone does not have the advantages they have, like laws saying they can go to school. It may seem basic but reading can spark conversation that can spring new passions in each young lady you mentor.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

Commit to learning about how instruments involving money can help you achieve your financial goals.

Conversation Starter of the Week

Commit to learning about how instruments involving money can help you achieve your financial goals.

Conversation with Yourself 

Are you thinking to yourself, "My  life  would be jazzier if I had more money? If you are, just stop, right now and repeat after me "I have enough." This is a point I am sure you could argue but lets just say you do have enough for now. 

One Jazzy Life includes...

•                Eating right, so you have got to spend money on good food to cook.

•                Creating career flexibility, so you must have nice clothes to wear to your networking events to make connections. 

•                Engineering financial stability, so you need a job and some basic knowledge about investing

•                Expressing happiness in everything you do, that means $$ to do stuff.

You can sit around and wish you had something different and beat yourself up for taking ten outrageous vacations in the last three years and you don't own a home, No Judgement From Me. You have been ten great places and had experiences of a life time however, if you want something you have to put your $$$ where your heart is.

If you feel yourself get jealous or envious when you visit a friend who has a well decorated home the conversation with yourself about money needs to change. When that conversation changes your behavior will change. Then your investments in the dreams of your heart will begin to manifest.

First things first. Create a financial vision for yourself. I don't care if you are married or single, 20 or 40. The sooner you have that honest conversation with yourself about your big financial dreams the sooner you can begin to work on them. Check out E*Trade or TD Ameritrade to learn the tools. Commit to learning a new tool every week for a month then schedule a meeting with your financial advisor and show off your knowledge.

I hope we agree that money is important, maybe not the most important component of your One Jazzy Life, but BOY is it good to have some.

Having a financial vision of your One Jazzy Life

and a plan to get there that you are willing to execute is step 1, if you need help setting that vision click the link below and schedule a complementary no obligation 30 minute One Jazzy Life Discovery Session.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

Too many young people think money is everything, I don't know where they are getting this message. LOL. You want to establish that having ones own money to take good care of themselves as an adult is a great feeling. Your mentee may see her mom, aunts and older sisters struggling and ultimately feel trapped as if this is her fate as well.

Don't you love this opportunity, because that is exactly what it is. A great big opportunity to put together an education and exposure plan that will give your mentee a visual of what a woman looks like who is in good health, with a career, has some $$ and is happy. You can organize trips to different places of business and have professional speak with them about their journey and most important you can share your journey of delayed gratification and sacrifice in a good way.

As always, when share your experience with  your mentee, she can see herself in your journey. Experiences are good teaching tools.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.

3 Tips to keep you connected to your One Jazzy Life

Conversation Starter of the Week

3 tips to keep you connected to your One Jazzy Life

Conversation with Yourself 

Sometimes to do you think... 

How did I end up here? You may be a doctor, lawyer or IT executive however you realize behind the good salary and benefits something is just missing. You keep saying this to yourself everyday and you have not made a change in three years. The conversation with yourself sounds something like this, "I have been doing this for so long, why change." Then you drag your self to work without eating breakfast or getting enough sleep the night before because there is just something you cannot put your finger on that is not working for you. You say, " I like my boss, my coworkers are cool, I haven't spoken to someone I would consider a friend in months and I watch too much TV but, I guess I am ok with that." Your body is telling you that you are not "ok" with that. Listen to your body, it knows.

3 Tips to keep you connected to your One Jazzy Life 

1# Watch the language you use. The most important person that is listening to your language is you. Be mindful that your language reflects how you feel about everything. Speaking about what is important to you with others can connect you with people who are in alignment with you and your beliefs. Keeping all that inside makes authentically connecting with people difficult. Start small.

2# Surround yourself with people who are happy. The mob mentality is prevalent at the water cooler, in church at community meetings and everywhere where two or more are gathered. People tend to get stuck on all the stuff that they can't stand. You have the choice to participate or not to participate. Seek out people who get stuck on the good stuff.

3# Set high standards for yourself and live them everyday. When you have high standards for yourself you know what is important to you and you are in conversation about what is important to you along with living in alignment with those standards. This is not easy but again start small.

Having a vision of your One Jazzy Life

and a plan to get there that you are willing to execute is step 1, if you need help setting that vision click the link below and schedule a complementary no obligation 30 minute One Jazzy Life Discovery Session.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

3 Tips to Positively link your mindset with money

Conversation Starter of the Week

3 Tips to Positively link your mindset with money

Conversation with Yourself 

Boy is money a tough subject that is" charged" in so many ways. Think about the assumptions you make about how your life would be different with more money and even dare I say less money. These assumptions help you to craft the conversation you have with yourself when setting a personal financial vision.

 Just say for example, and you know this has never happened to me, : ) that you are window-shopping on a warm summer day and you run across a super fly dress and shoes that you just "have to have". You think to yourself "dammit I work hard every day and I am taking care of stuff, why shouldn't I treat myself."

I am not saying you should not go for the glad rags but I am saying be in touch with your financial vision and make choices that support your long and short-term vision.

3 Tips to begin to positively link your mindset and money  

1# Begin by creating a financial vision. I don't care if you did it twenty years ago or you have never done this. Sit still one day soon and think about how you want to live and write each aspect down. Don't play yourself by saying, "I am not going to write that, who am I to think I could live that large?"

2# Meet with a professional and begin with your vision and work backwards to what needs to be done. Don't get sold on how they think you should be living, let them work with you on a plan that you feel comfortable with. If your plan needs tweaking be open.

3# Be mindful of how you phrase all of your conversations about money from the point of the choices you are making and not from the "I am broke or poor" perspective. Remember the words you use matter.

There are enough jobs and money for everyone to have what they desire, however, it does require some commitment to a rigorous plan and taking some leaps of faith.

The Jazzy Journey Confidence Transformation System is personalized and I invite you to click this link to schedule a complimentary 30 minute  One Jazzy Life Discovery Session to start the conversation about how to  invest your time to reflect your One Jazzy Life Agenda.

Conversation with Mentee

With many young people it all boils down to things, the smart phone, the ipad, the games, the clothes, and the computer. Either you have them or you don't. It takes a highly evolved young person to be focused on saving today for when ever but the mindset around money you may notice surfacing in conversations.

You can listen for a mindset that equates money to something everyone else has but not them or that money is in very short supply or even that they don't worry about because they have a credit card and can do what they want within reason.

During a recent coaching session with a mentee she was preparing for a special event and while going over the special event checklist she realized there was a financial investment needed for items like dry cleaning, shoes, hair appointment, stockings and maybe a new lip-gloss. This was in addition to her dress that was on lay away. We talked about how she and her family could meet these expenses and made a time line to the event. She mentioned to me in a subsequent session that she wants to be more financially prepared for the little things that come up.

This led to a conversation about the summer job and savings. There are many ways to bring finances into mentoring conversations and they are important to improve your mentees comfort level around talking about money.

As always, share your experience with handling finances and how you have used the tips to create financial stability or not. Experiences are good to share.

If you have a group of high school or middle school girls that you think could benefit from increasing confidence by learning  cutting edge communication strategies to manage perceptions, improve speaking and much more, check out my movement WHY WAIT.  I will be launching an online summer training real soon. The mission is to get young people dreaming, speaking and performing like there is a bright future for them to be a part of.