by Amy Matthews | Sep 3, 2020 | Blog, Mindset |
Along with the daily eruptions in the media that distract and create fear, so many of us have more on our plates right now. Some of the issues my clients are dealing with may resonate with you.
Homeschooling kids, nursing a terminally ill parent, personal health problems, an adopted newborn baby, chaos at work, relationship hiccups, company acquisition, reorgs, leadership issues. The hurricanes and fires wreaking havoc. It’s an intense time and emotions are running at an all-time high.
Anger is everywhere. People lashing out on social media, rage against our economy, racial injustice and recent killings, the emotionally charged political climate. An ever-growing list of conflict and dissonance. If anger is welling up inside, you are not alone!
Anger is a thermometer that tells us when our boundaries have been crossed. It indicates where we stand and what we believe in. Anger is a powerful and empowering emotion because we get to decide how we respond to it.
Before you send a text or create a post describing your outrage, or share how pissed off you are or yell at someone you love, think about your why:
Am I sharing because I don’t know how to process my jumbled emotions? Or, am I sharing to create connection and inspire positive action?
There is a big difference between acknowledging our anger and sharing it with others. Anger and rage are contagious. Just like Covid, we all have a responsibility to stop the spread.
Next time you feel anger bubbling up, slow down, take a few deep breaths and feel what you’re feeling. Your feelings matter and are completely justified. Once you’ve cooled your jets, communicate with clarity, connection, courage, and compassion.
It’s the only proven way people listen, engage, and respond. It’s the only way to get the outcomes you want.
by Amy Matthews | Aug 28, 2020 | In-Power, Mindset |
I am disheartened by the divisiveness in our country.
It’s as if we live in two different worlds. After watching the DNC last week and the RNC this week, it’s never been more clear to me. It’s uncanny to see the juxtaposition between the two messages – one of unification and inclusion and the other of divisiveness and fear.
If you are feeling rage, sadness, or fear, believe me – you are not alone.
So I’ve been asking myself this question:
What am I going to do about it?
I have options, as we all do. I can stand in distraction and paralysis. I can stand in hope. Or, I can put my courage badge on, speak my truth, and stand in action – until the day of the election.
Years ago, I led a business development team that sold technology solutions to new emerging telecommunication providers. It was an entrepreneurial endeavor and we developed relationships with every single potential client. We listened, we built trust, we proposed solutions, we overcame objections. What all experienced sales people do. We moved mountains to win business so no matter the outcome, we wouldn’t look back and say if only we had done xyz to win the business. Then and now, my philosophy is the same – #NoRegrets.
Hope is not a strategy. If we stand for what we believe in, take action and give it our all, we can shape the course of history. We can influence the election based on what we do today, tomorrow and the next day.
If you are ready to get into action and don’t know how, hit reply, I’ve got ideas.
by Amy Matthews | Aug 12, 2020 | In-Power, Mindset |
As humans, we will do anything in our power to avoid change. We like comfortable and predictable. Many of us are willing to put up with a ton of pain – whether it be physical, mental, or emotional – before we choose to change.
Why? Because change is hard to do. Change takes effort. Change takes sweat. Change requires a deep level of commitment. The secret to change is being more committed to the future than the past or present.
You say you want to lose 10 pounds, it’s up to you
You say you want to increase your revenues two-fold, it’s up to you
You say you want to find your dream job, it’s up to you
You say you want to develop your leadership skills, it’s up to you
You say you want to find your soulmate, it’s up to you
You say you want to be happier, it’s up to you
You say you want to stop worrying about the future, it’s up to you
If only you could wave a magic wand and get exactly what you want. The truth is, no one can do it for you but you don’t have to do it alone. Find a therapist or a healer, hire a relationship/dating coach or work with me as your business and leadership consultant. Set yourself up for success by creating a support team around you that can help you get the results you want.
Once you choose to be more than you think and decide to not go it alone, that’s when real change happens.
by Amy Matthews | Aug 12, 2020 | Inspiration, Mindset |
The world has changed. Our new reality has left us distracted, ungrounded, isolated, and lonely. It’s a perfect set of circumstances contributing to feeling lost.
If you’ve lost your footing, you are not alone. If you don’t know why you’re doing the job you are doing or how you got to this place, you are not alone. If you crave freedom and connection, you are not alone. If you’re feeling unmotivated, you are not alone. If you are looking for meaning, you are not alone. If you want to run and hide, you are not alone. If you secretly wish you could flip a switch and go back to the way it was, you are not alone.
The truth is, it’s not. We won’t be “going back to the way it was before.”
If we can agree on that, what can you do right now to feel empowered and hopeful about your future?
Focus on yourself and your own growth. There isn’t a better time to uncover your essential qualities – your Natural Strengths, Skills, Core Values, and Passions that make up your Authentic Brand. Once you identify and claim your unique qualities, you will feel more empowered, energized, connected, and confident to create what you want most in your life.
In Northern California where I live, this week we had an unprecedented lightning storm, a record heatwave, and tornado fires throughout the region. Houses lost, people evacuated – almost overnight.
Things can change on a dime. For the worse AND for the better.
One minute you feel lost, the next you have clarity about who you really are and the conviction to create your future.
You can spend your time worrying about what’s next or ruminating about your ex or past mistakes. Or, you can rein in your energy and direct it towards claiming your superpowers and what you want to create next. You have options. Which one will you choose?
I’m excited to be offering my next class, Your Authentic Brand. Stay tuned for deets.
by Amy Matthews | Jul 20, 2020 | Inspiration, Mindset |
We are all running low, gas tanks on empty, if not, nearing empty.
Before COVID, we used to get tired and run on empty because we were always on the move. Now, we are exhausted because we are doing more while marching in place. I’ve heard many sentiments like these:
I’m tired of the same routine
Life is not my own
I don’t have any privacy
I’ve lost my motivation
As soon as I plan, I get hit with another curveball
I feel cut off from friends
I’m frustrated and sad
We feel depleted, aimless and without a rudder. We have lost sight of the shore and where we are heading. The truth is, many of us have lost sight of our desires.
I went on a 12-hour road trip lately. My brother in law gave me some great advice.
“Make sure you don’t let your gas tank go below 1/4 full.”
It’s up to us to fill up before we run out of gas. It’s up to us to give ourselves a break. We all need one. it’s up to us to refuel and replenish by getting back in touch with our own needs and desires.
Fill up on rest. Fill up in nature on the back nine, a hike, a beach walk, or bike ride. Fill up on gratitude and an open heart.
by Amy Matthews | Jul 14, 2020 | In-Power, Mindset |
I went for a long hike with a friend over the weekend, one of the things that keeps me sane. We talked about the ways people are struggling and the emotions they are feeling – fear, sadness, anxiety, depression, and vulnerability. All the things that I’ve been writing and coaching about since the pandemic hit.
It’s hard to feel these feelings. I certainly have had to grapple with my own share.
Earlier this week, I went back and read all the newsletters I’ve written. I came across one dated October 2017. Here’s an excerpt from it:
Many of us are feeling overwhelmed these days because there is so much uncertainty in the world. Fear and anxiety are at an all-time high. We’ve had so much destruction in such a short period of time – the multiple hurricanes, the Las Vegas shooting, the Northern California fires. People are walking on eggshells, wondering when the next shoe is going to drop. When so much is happening, it’s difficult to feel inspired and to stay focused on what you want to create in your life.
W H O A.
The light bulb went on. We’ve been in a state of duress for a V E R Y long time.
Predictability used to made us feel safe. If you’ve lost your footing, you are not alone. So what do we do?
We cook up a smorgasbord of compassion for ourselves, partners, friends, family, essential workers, pets, colleagues, and our community. We fill up on thoughts that make us feel centered and calm. We fill up on the people and things in our lives that nurture us. We fill up on what inspires us.
Feed yourself until your stomach is full. Once you fill up, you will find the clarity, conviction, confidence to create what’s next in your life.
