An Owner's Guide for Your Life

It's tiresome to consider ourselves perpetual self-improvement projects. The underlying thoughts and feelings aren't the most stable of foundations when we think we have to be different, better, other than who we are.  

I like the idea of continuous responsiveness.

It may be the same actions but built on a more secure foundation, one that responds and adjusts to life.

And in the spirit of continuous responsiveness, I'll share with you that I've decided I'm going to take a few weeks off from my podcast and that few weeks may stretch the entire month of March. I haven't quite decided that yet. I've got my other business that I am working on launching that I cannot share publicly just yet and I've got a lot to do with that. This is a good time to do what I tell my clients (and myself) to do: stop, evaluate, assess what's going on in your life and your business and decide what do you need.

Miss me while I'm gone!

I sure hope you're wondering what these three things have in common.

We'll talk about Psych, one of my favorite TV shows, and what they do with their theme song.

I'll share the creative business that a 68 year old dominatrix has begun.

And I'll tie them all together with a common theme.

Let's explore, shall we?

I'm not talking about Southern hospitality or the "oh, that's so nice of you" kind of thoughtful. There's nothing wrong with it. In fact, I happen to be typically thoughtful and love to share my Southern hospitality. But that's not my focus here.

I'm talking about being FULL of thoughts that lead to productive thoughts and actions. Being thoughtFULL.

I've surrounded myself with folks who are thoughtFULL.

It encourages me to be thoughtFULL too. 

There are small steps you can take to become thoughtFULL. 

It's my 50th episode. Take a second and celebrate with me!

Now, come behind the scenes with me to see what's happening as we prepare to launch a new business venture. 

If you're an entrepreneur or thinking of becoming one, join me over these next episodes.

I've started an additional business venture and am hearing the story of "Acres of Diamonds" with a fresh perspective. You've likely heard the story where the farmer sells his farm to go look for diamonds and the guy who bought his farm discovered... yep, acres of diamonds.

I've got three do's and three don'ts for starting a new project or business based on the farmer's decisions in this story told by the founder of Temple University.

Let's learn from his mistakes and be WILLING AND WISE rather than broke, broken and alone.

If you're an entrepreneur or thinking of testing the waters, this episode and the ones that follow will include fresh thoughts as I share about my new business launch. Follow along!

Emotional intelligence.

Everyone on this planet can benefit from knowing and growing it. Understanding how our emotions can work FOR us, not against us. Realizing that feelings are telling us things about ourselves and our journey but they shouldn't be driving the bus. 

I've got some excellent tips for growing our emotional intelligence.  (I refuse to call them rules even though it was this article that got this going for me 

Inspiration hits in all kinds of places, doesn't it? I was in the middle of cleaning my closet when I came across a "one size fits all" t-shirt and that lead to a whole chain of thoughts about what happens when we have "one size fits all" expectations in life and work. And maybe you even pick up a few fashion tips.

Join me for a quick exploration of how one size does NOT fit all.

Welcome to 2022!

I get happy about new things- new year, new projects, new notebooks. They're fresh and clean and open to possibility.

I like to begin my new year with a super simple life check-in. I'll walk you through how to take 5-10 minutes of thinking, pick one small thing and consistently do it to align the actual life you're living with the life you want to live.

It starts with one small thing.

It's that time of year. Seems like everyone around is making (and will soon be breaking) their New Year's resolutions. 

I like my approach better. And after all the stress and angst the last few years have seen, an approach of 'relaxed enjoyment' may be just what you need too.

Today we're talking about Mel Robbins' new book The High Five Habit.

She shares a simple and oh-so-powerful habit change that you can make right now. It's so simple, in fact, that your brain may rebel and insist that it won't work. Mine did. I'm doing it anyway because 1) I'm in charge of what I think and 2) I believe in the power of this change.

Join me for a few minutes as we talk about your new high five habit.

This quote "Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it" immediately reminded me of my in-laws' entertainment center. It's the entertainment center that would not die. And, honestly, it was NOT a mistake for them to buy it years ago but it does bring to mind the question-- when is it time to let something go?

 I had a strong reaction to someone's decision and realized I was quickly jumping to some conclusions that weren't necessarily true. How often do we catch ourselves doing this? Exploring what we're making it mean can give us insight about what's going on in our brains. We are in charge of what we believe and how much time we spend believing thoughts that can help us.

Hard to believe we're already in December but here we are. Let's take a few minutes to think about what EXACTLY can make this our best December ever. Spending a few minutes now can give you clarity and help you align your thoughts, feelings and actions so you can have the month you want.

Let's do it together- our best December ever!

Sharing some meditative thoughts about holes (yes, holes) with you today. We’ve all fallen into a hole at some point, speaking figuratively rather than literally, though maybe you have fallen into an actual hole.

I am celebrating my birthday this week and I am giving birthday gifts!! I want to give you a series of 3 coaching sessions. Email me at tracey@tbrowning.com with 'birthday gift' in the subject line and we'll connect to set up our first call. No strings, expectations, hidden sales pitches.... just me adding good into the world through you.

I am celebrating my birthday by choosing to share a lesson I've learned from each decade of my life. That's SIX lessons since I'm 56 today. I had a LOT to choose from and here are the lessons I decided to highlight:

• Compassion.
• Don't judge a book by its cover.
• How to give.
• How to receive.
• The unintentional entrepreneur.
• Purposeful effort beats hard work.

PLUS I am giving birthday gifts!! I want to give you a series of 3 coaching sessions. Email me at tracey@tbrowning.com with 'birthday gift' in the subject line and we'll connect to set up our first call. No strings, expectations, hidden sales pitches.... just me adding good into the world through you.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States, I share a prayer from  

Thanksgiving Day deserves our love and attention.

Sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas, it's easy to rush past it. But let's slow down and savor this time to count our blessings and give thanks.

Have you ever felt grumpy? Mad at the world? Stressed? Of course, you have because you’re human. But just because you feel it, doesn’t mean you have to stay mired in those feelings.

Byron Katie’s “The Work” gives us four questions to consider.

Join me in the work.

I’ve got a new favorite number and it’s a doozy:  8,388,608.

That’s eight million, three hundred and eighty-eight thousand, six hundred and eight.

Hop on with me for a few minutes.

Let’s talk about what we’re really thinking when we don’t do the thing we mean to do.

Then we’ll do some quick and easy math that will blow your mind.

That’s right, we’re doing math.

And we’ll talk lily pads taking over a pond.

I bet you’ll walk away inspired to make a difference.

Grace and space. Give it to yourself, give it to others.

Grace to be a real human, not a fake-perfect model. Space to feel what you feel and do what you do. Even the ‘mostly happy’ of us feel sad, disappointed, frustrated or angry at times. Feelings are human.

Grace and space, ya’ll.

How would it change your day, your life, your innermost being if you believed that everything was working FOR you?

Catch the moments when it can help you to ask the question. Notice the instances and practice thinking the thought. It’s not a ‘pollyanna’ practice and it’s not “everything happens for a reason”- it changes things.

Don’t believe me? Try it and see.

Raise your glass and let’s toast entrepreneurs! Tuesday, November 16 is National Entrepreneur’s Day and these folks deserve a toast.

What makes an entrepreneur decide to take the plunge? How hard is it? And, boy, do I have a crazy piece of info on this.  What makes a great entrepreneur?

If you’re an entrepreneur, we salute you. If you know an entrepreneur, give ‘em a pat on the back because this isn’t easy. But, oh, is it worth it!

There’s a puddle in my yard that’s a huge nuisance to me.

But it’s not a nuisance to everyone. Totally depends on who you are and what you do with it. Quick lesson in perspective here.

Being kind is one of my superpowers so World Kindness Day is right up my alley.

No kindness is too small to make a difference. Your kindness may be the only one that somebody receives.

I’ve got suggestions for free and easy ways to be kind, any time, any where.

Be kind to each other and yourself.

In yoga, we use the Downward Dog position to rest and reorient ourselves.

What if we do something similar throughout our work day? I've started experimenting with my Downward Dog for Work strategy and I'm loving it.

See what you think.

Belly flops, Oddvocados and Misfits Market.

What do they have in common?

You’ll need to listen to find out.

They celebrate something unusual.

And I, after taking a few deep breaths, join in too.

Are you paying attention to what’s right in front of you?

What would happen if you REALLY listened to what’s being said?

Or noticed what was taking place?

Taking the time to pay even a little extra attention can help you stand out.

The gift of attention is powerful.

Twenty-five episodes is something to celebrate so do a little happy dance with me.

Then we'll move on to talk about how to pause in work, relationship or life in general to assess what's going on, take a breath and decide how to adjust. 

It's good to do this when we've started a new project. 

It's great to do when we find ourselves bobbing along in the stream of life, floating there because someone told us to and not necessarily because we meant to.

My participation in #NaPodPoMo is an example. I've paused, assessed and adjusted to get maximum benefit for myself and honor the spirit of the 30 episodes in 30 days challenge.

Where can you do this in your own life?

We all love stories. It's how we learn and how we remember and how we bond.

I believe we can all improve how we tell stories, even if it's only to ourselves (which is what we're doing when we reminisce).

Let's start with how we FIND our stories, how we think about and remember our days and our lives.

What's YOUR story?

Have you ever gotten negative feedback? Did you like it? 

It’s part of life so it makes sense to be able to handle it effectively.

I don’t particularly enjoy it and I’m dealing with it now. I share how I handle it and what I do BEFORE I try to learn from it.

I’m more committed than ever to keep sharing kindness and positivity in the world.

I ran across this idea from a post on a website forum way back in 2007 and it got me thinking- are you an asker or a guesser?

It's an interesting way to look at life, how we interact and what we expect from others.

I think what it boils down to is how comfortable you are hearing and saying no. Listen to the short episode and let me know what you think!

Want to know how to get lucky?

I've got 5 tips for you. I learned them from my dogs but, hey, you can use them too.

I'm trying something new for the month of November.  #NaPodPoMo is a month-long challenge to release 30 episodes in 30 days.

Gulp. I'm intimidated AND excited by it.

This is the first of my DAILY short & sweet podcast episodes.

Naturally, my topic is TRY IT- you might like it. Take a few minutes and think about what YOU might like to try!

As I watch the trees lose their leaves here in the fall season, I’m wondering what WE need to let go.

Most things have a season. It can help us if we take time to consider what it’s the season for in our lives. What do we need to let go? Maybe something has served us, maybe not- if it’s time to let it go, you’ll feel better for doing it.

Take a few minutes to listen as I share some things I’m letting go and why. I hope it will help you think of things in your own life that you can release.

Visit my website for the transcript:

I'm wrapping up my conversations in this episode about Greg McKeown's book Essentialism.

My friend Karen Backway [physician turned life coach] and I agree that this is an ideal book for anyone who wants to OWN their life.

Part Four of the book focuses on execution- BEING an essentialist. We cover how to buffer, subtract what's nonessential, make progress and be in the flow. We both have personal examples of how we're applying this to our own lives.

Do you want to live a life of purpose and meaning?

A life defined by your decision to choose less, have it mean more and make a bigger impact?

You’re in the right place.

I’m discussing Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less with my friend Karen Backway. Karen is a physician turned life coach and we enjoy talking about what we study and how we use our studies in our lives.

We discuss Part 3 of McKeown's book- 'Eliminate- How can we cut out the trivial many?' in this episode.

This is a more difficult section for me because I’m in the thick of it personally. And if you’re a person who finds it hard to say no, you’ll probably have some issues here too.

If you’re reading the book or just listening to our discussions, I’d love to hear how you’re applying this to your own life.

Do you want to live a life of purpose and meaning?

A life defined by your decision to choose less and have it mean more?

You’re in the right place.

I’m discussing Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less with my friend Karen Backway. Karen is a physician turned life coach and we enjoy talking about what we study and how we use our studies in our lives.

In this episode, we focus on Part 2 of McKeown's book- 'Explore' to distinguish between the trivial many and the vital few concerns in life.

Grab a copy of the book and read for yourself OR just listen in. You don’t need to read the book to benefit from listening to our discussion.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is having an immediate impact in my life. 

I am always reading and often talking with my friends about what I'm reading. I've been so impressed with this book AND I have a friend who's read it multiple times so we decided to record our conversation about it to share here. Karen Backway, a physician turned life coach, joins me to discuss the first part of Essentialism. 

We talk about what it is, how it could be hard and why I'm so excited to see it working in my life.

Thinking and talking about death can help you figure out how you want to live.

Sure, these can be uncomfortable conversations but they don't have to be. They can be liberating, eye-opening and lead to so much more.

My heart is tender since my father-in-law passed away this weekend. 

But this isn't a morbid, depressing episode.

I've got thoughts and resources for preparing for death and grieving your loss.

Join me, friend.

Your reasons and beliefs drive your life.

In the words of one of my favorite bands The Eagles,

Did you do it for love?
Did you do it for money?
Did you do it for spite?
Did you think you had to, honey?

Understanding your whys can help you make the kind of life you want. Sometimes our why is simply because we enjoy it or it matters to us. Sometimes it's for an external reward. Both move us forward but in different ways and with different effects. Let's keep talking motivation.

We are intrigued by the question- WHY do we do what we do? Why do other people do what they do?

Paul even asks the question in the Bible so, rest assured, people have been wrestling with the question for a while.

We'll be digging into the topic of motivation specifically over the next few weeks but it will usually come up. It's foundational to mindset and mindset is foundational to owning your life.

Let's get started!

Thirty-five thousand decisions. That's how many decisions an average adult faces a DAY.

Decisions are obviously a major part of life so let's refine and improve our decision making processes.

I'll share an important first step you may be overlooking as you make your bigger choices.

Don’t you really just want to be happy? Whether we’re actually feeling happy in this moment or trying to numb our unhappiness or chasing hard after what we think will bring us happiness, the pursuit of happiness permeates much of life.

But how much is too much? When does it go too far?

When is it toxic to be positive?

Toxic positivity can make you feel worse, not better. Join me to find out what it is and what to do instead.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence. But how important is YOUR happiness?

It's up to you.

You decide how much happiness means to you.

Just like you decide what makes you happy.

And if you judge yourself to be happy or not.

You can choose to be happy if you learn how.

You’re doing the best you can. We need to hear it and mean it and say it to our own selves and people around us. But so often we don't give ourselves credit for it. We'll talk about why that is and why it matters.

Let’s add some grace to cushion the hard edges of life. 

Let's talk connections. Relationships of all sorts and sizes that add texture and meaning to our lives.

Personal, professional, pleasure and proximity friendships that we have in different times and in varying degrees throughout life.

As poet David Whyte says, "The ultimate touchstone of friendship is not improvement, neither of the other nor of the self, the ultimate touchstone is witness … to have walked with them and to have believed in them, and sometimes just to have accompanied them for however brief a span, on a journey impossible to accomplish alone.”

And I bet you're gonna want key lime pie after listening.