March 17, 2009This Week in the World ~ Challenges of getting conscious

Filed under: Admin Assistants,This Week in the World by merylrunion |

This has been a week of becoming conscious for many of my friends, clients, and for me. One person is becoming aware of how she shuts down around money management considerations. Another is becoming aware of how he turns everything into work with rules and expectations that keep him tied up in knots. Another is becoming aware of how she questions and doubts herself when people get angry with her – and of how some people use that trait to manipulate her. I relate to all three challenges.

Getting conscious is much like turning up the lights in a messy house. Turning up the lights doesn’t clean the house – it just lets you see the mess so you can start the process. If you stumble over things you didn’t see and you can’t find what you want, you’ll welcome the lights. If the mess isn’t creating enough problems, you might prefer to turn the lights back off and ignore the disorder.

For some, our messes – or unconsciousness areas – create enough problems that we have to deal with them. For others, the lights are going on whether they want them to or not. Either way, people are finding they can’t stay unconscious anymore. They, and we, are being forced to face ourselves.

That’s why I added the skill based approach of SpeakStrong to the paint-by-numbers approach of PowerPhrases. The quick fixes aren’t working quite as well these days. It’s time to turn up the lights.

Once you see the messes, how do you clean them up? You get the skills. Study money management. Replace the restrictive rules and expectations with less restrictive realistic guidelines. (SpeakStrong provides communication guidelines, not rules.) Get my Say What You Mean eCourse for a weekly lesson in developing communication skills, and get SpeakStrong for the “Best EQ book on the market.”

Things can look like they get worse before they get better. That’s because the lights go on. Ultimately, being conscious is a much better way to go through life than not.

New articles and new DVD for Assistants

I have a new article about priorities and getting conscious. It’s called,

Keep your eye on The Ball:
Puppy lessons about priorities, distractions and focus

I also have a new article for assistants.

Savvy Assistants SpeakStrong
Key Conversations for Administrative Assistants

My recent presentation to assistants is available in DVD and MP3 formats.

Speak STRONG, Smart, & Sweet
The 3 Sources of Power for Assistants to Master Tough Conversations