This time of year with so many holidays in a row is great business for retailers, but for other companies, business may be slower than usual.  Many people are in holiday mode, not apartment/house hunting or car hunting possibly unless it's a gift for a family member.

Recovering from the holiday loss can be tricky, but can be overcome.  The beginning of the year is a good time for games or promotions for employees/business partners.  A new year is a good time to start again.

I just learned that Christmas in Yugoslavia is on December 31 and one of their traditions is throwing away old dishes that are chipped that day.  Maybe the end of the year is a good time to get rid of old clutter or non-productive habits.  Maybe non-productive employees either need to be removed from the company or re-trained.  An untrained employee is an easy solution to a possibly lingering problem.

The best way to figure out what needs to be done is to think about when your business is most productive.  It may be a different time of year, but what is going on with the organization or employees/business partners when the company is most productive?  Is it during a game?  Is it just after a company retreat?  Is it just after a corporate evaluation when they can relax?  Only you can know the answer to that.

Yet, I can help you with your company.  Maybe it'll just take a little nudge to get your company back on track.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  You won't regret it.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, read on.  There are some thought-provoking questions later.

Yesterday was Christmas for the USA.  Many people were gathering with friends and family for the annual celebration of brotherhood, Santa Claus, and, of course, Jesus Christ's birth.  We usually give each other gifts in memory of when the Wise Men gave Jesus Christ gifts and also for Christ's gift to us.

Were you happy with the gifts you got, or the reaction of those you gave?  Were you happy with the food, the company, and all of the festivities of the day?  If everything turned out well for you, you're lucky.  I think many of us had setbacks in food, gifts or family.  Hopefully, the disappointments you may have experienced were only minor.

Yet, maybe you have disappointments in life, not only in this holiday season.  Do you have major disappointments in your life from which you have not recovered?  Are there some losses which you can't quite get past?  I'm not trying to make loss sound like a simple thing you can just "get over."  You may not ever "get over" the losses you've experienced, but you can move past them for a fuller life.  Now, I don't mean forget about them, I mean cope with them in a way that you can still have successes in your life despite the losses you've experienced.

I have some ways that I can help you, but I can't help you personally or professionally unless I know your individual circumstances.  Please let me help you.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Day or some other holiday, there are treats and fattening food traditions with all of those holidays.  In fact, I don't know of many holidays we celebrate with friends and family at which that is not the case.  Yet, this is the time of the year when more fattening holidays are piled up back to back than any other times of the year.

How do you deal with the extra pounds/kilograms you put on your body?  Some people exercise, others starve themselves after the holidays, some don't even take all of those sweets/fattening foods into their bodies in the first place, and some take diet pills.  I'm not here to tell you which one is right or wrong (besides, I think you already know).  I would simply advocate for water.

Whichever of the above you choose to do, water helps us to keep healthy.  Our body is nearly 70% water and, if you choose to take in those extra holiday calories, water can help break it down and your body to expel the unnecessary things from your body.  Simply drinking two glasses of water right when you get up in the morning can, in and of itself, help you loose weight.

If water, drinking 1/2 gallon (which is 8 cups of water) to a gallon, is simply not cutting off the weight, try exercise as well.  You're not trying to run a marathon here, just trying to shed some extra weight.  It's recommended to exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day most days of the week for health and weight control.  More is better, of course, but start where you can.

If water and exercise is not cutting it, maybe you're taking in too many calories for the amount of activity you do each day.  If you don't burn off the calories through activity that you take in each day, try cutting it down.  The portions at fast food restaurants are WAY TOO LARGE, but, if you just have to have your burgers and fries, try a kid's meal.  Those portions are more what we need and most fast food restaurants don't ask whether or not you have kids when buying a kids' meal.

If these above suggestions aren't working, or you don't have enough self control to do the suggestions, maybe we need to talk.  There may be a reason subconsciously that you are keeping the weight.  Maybe it's a defense tactic or a way to have control in a life of chaos.  I don't know, but let me help you figure it out.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

Here it is, just a few days before Christmas, and, even if you don't celebrate Christmas, maybe there was a time in your life that you did.  Or,  maybe, you celebrate another holiday this time of a year.  Either way, I ask, in another way, how are you doing?

Maybe there was a loss in the family you haven't quite gotten over.  Maybe you've never celebrated the holidays like you'd like to because of a job, etc.  Maybe there's simply built up frustration over being expected to celebrate the holidays when you don't feel like it.  Maybe you're physically ill and the holidays don't matter this year?

Whatever the reason, maybe you just need someone to talk to.  Help is only an e-mail away.

If you just don't feel quite right, but don't know why, maybe a brainstorm would help.  Think of all the ways you are feeling or all of the things you are thinking about.  Do this for 5 minutes.  Then analyze what you wrote down might mean.  That could help you at least understand.

Maybe you know what it is.  If it was a loss, maybe writing that loved one a letter could help.  Maybe screaming out loud will help.  Possibly a good cry will help.  I don't know what will help, but maybe you do.

This could be a time of peace and happiness.  Will you allow it to be?  If you need help with that, you know where to come.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

I am, but I don't force my beliefs on others.  I know I post many things about the Universe and don't mention God in my posts much.  I do that to appeal to everyone, but I know that it's God that really gives us our dreams.  It's not really us earning our dreams, rit's Him putting things into place so our dreams can come true.

When I mention about being a Christian, I mean believing in Christ as my Savior.  I mean that Jesus Christ, who came over two thousand years ago, is the man who will save us from spiritual death. 

To me, there are too many evidences of His existence for me to deny Him.  I can state things in a different way, but the fact of the matter is, I believe in Him.  There's no scientific proof He exists, but there's too much personal proof I have to deny it.

Why do I mention this?  Why does it matter?  When you speak with me and you let me know you're a Christian, I'll know how to counsel with you better.  If you let me know you're not, I'll also know how to help you the best way as well.  It just helps me know how to speak with you.  I know a way to help Christians and those who are not alike.

I simply like to help others, however I can.  I'd just like to get to know YOU and how I can help.  Please let me help you.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

e Think about it - how would you like to help people and make money at the same time?  Yet, how many of you do it?  You may not even realize it, but nurses, doctors, CNAs, Recreation Therapists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Family Counselors and so many professions already do that.  Be grateful if you have a job like that.

Yet, have you ever thought about starting a business where you can help another.  You could be a life coach.  You could have a daycare in your home.  What do you really enjoy?  How can you make money while you help others.  There are many businesses that can accomplish this, as well as many jobs.

Have you ever considered Network Marketing, a way to make money as well as making friends and solving problems.  There are many different companies that need you, from which you can benefit and to which you can give your talents.

If none of the above interest you, think about what might interest you in which you can make money.  The best solution to any problem can be answered by YOU.  Others can give advice, but only YOU know all of your different circumstances and needs.  I suggest you brainstorm and ACT on that brainstorm.  You won't be sorry.  All you can be is happy.  Life is too short NOT to be happy.

If you need help figuring out what might be best for you, it will take time, but you're worth it.  Simply reach out.

Lisa Starr
Life/Co

Do you think of your future much?  Do you wonder what your life will be like in 5, 10, 20 years?  Maybe you think it will be more of the same.  Maybe you think it will be wonderful.  Maybe you think it will be horrible.  As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you are right or you think you are wrong, you are right."
To me, this means that attitude really has a lot of bearing on our future.

To help my daily attitude, I have made it a habit in my life to listen to a recording of myself spelling out all of my dreams, my life the way I want it, on a daily basis (as recommended by Bob Proctor).  I try to do it in the morning, since that's when my mind is most active.  One of my dreams is to take my family on a cruise to Hawaii on the Disney Cruise ship.  I like to watch the Disney Cruise ship video weekly, to remind myself of that goal and help me visualize.  One part of the video that really strikes me is one of the restaurants on the ship.  It's called "Animator's Palate."  The way it works is that the walls look black and white when you walk in before the meal begins.  Throughout the meal, the wall becomes a color wall, little by little.  After listening to my dreams this morning, I realized that my life now is like the black and white wall.  The things that I'm dealing with in my life seem so urgent, so crucial, but in a year or so, it won't even matter.  It's all a facade.  My future, my dream life, is like the color wall.  It is simply my duty, as a dreamer of the future, to dream, visualize, believe, work, sweat, figure out solutions to problems, enjoy every moment along the journey until that black and white wall becomes a color wall in my life.  What really matters most is the long lasting, the things (or people) that I will still care about in 5, 10, 20 years.

Many of you have heard of "The Secret" or "The Law of Attraction" and misunderstand it.  The FIRST part of the Law of Attraction is to believe, visualize, and think as if your future is your reality NOW.  The SECOND part, after completing the first part, is to work.  Belief, thoughts, and visualizations in an of themselves are NOT going to get you to your dreams.  But, they do put you on the best frequency so you most effectively know HOW to accomplish what you need to accomplish to get you to your dreams.  Think of frequency as a radio station.  When you're in between stations, you can't clearly hear the music (or talk, if you listen to talk radio), yet if you're completely on the right station, you hear everything more clearly.  When you simply FEEL GOOD, that makes it easier for you to feel inside which is the correct next step to take to reach your goal.  Whether you believe it is God, another higher power, the Universe, your true self, or whatever else is guiding you, doesn't matter.  What matters most is that you take that guidance, if you want to reach your goals.  When you do that, you will be doing the work it takes to get to your dreams. 

If any of this makes sense, you have questions, want to share your dreams, or have a comment to make, please make it here or e-mail me.  I'd love to help.  I offer free 30-minute coaching sessions, if you need them.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

There are many ways people can be sick - mentally, physically, etc.  You could even feel sick but go to a doctor and nothing physically is going wrong.  It's the time of year that many people get sick.

Some things you can do when you get sick:

• Take Echinacea
• Take Garlic
• Drink Hot Sauce
• Get more sleep
• Drink more water
• Exercise more or less (depending on how you feel)
• Be less active
• Take off work (that, in and of itself may help)
• Drink hot liquids/eat soup
  
• Take Silver (you can find it at GNC)
  

Here are some things you can do to prevent sickness in the first place

• Get a flu shot yearly
  
• Take Vitamin C daily
• Get enough sleep nightly
• Exercise regularly
• Drink enough water daily
• Calm down your stress in your life (you'll have to take it easy when you get sick anyway)
• If you feel strain in your eyes (or stomach or wherever)
• Dream regularly
• Take care of stesses in your life right away

Have a good sleep.  That's where I'm headed now.

Lisa Starr

Life/Corporate Coach

You want to know the basics?  I bet you already do.  Eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, drink enough water.  Then, of course there's the not drinking or smoking anything that's unhealthy, which can be up for debate what all of that is.  Yup.  That's basically it.  I could end right here.

Yet, maybe you don't follow that.  Why not?  I know that's too easy to eat too many sweets around, especially around the holidays in America.  I know that it often tastes better to pick up soda pop rather than water.  I know that there's way too much stuff to do in order to get enough sleep.  I know that it takes effort and sometimes doing something you don't like to get exercise in each day, and maybe you get bored. Maybe there's too much other stuff to do to squeeze in the time to work out.  I've heard it all, and maybe you've said it all to yourself.

Why not make some - or ONE- new year's resolutions now, during the holidays?  What one unhealthy thing that you currently do, would you like to stop?  Or, what healthy thing would you like to start.  Or, what healthy thing do you already do that you'd like to do more of.  One thing can make all of the difference.  With Chinese medicine, if you strengthen the strengths, the weaknesses follow.  You can make a healthy difference - TODAY!  Why not make 2012 a year, though the end, of change?!

If you need help doing this, you know where to go.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]

I am.  Most days at work are decent, but today certainly was not one of those days.  I just feel like punching a wall, screaming, venting, or simply going to sleep to forget it all.  I love people, for the most part, but sometime, people just suck.

Do you ever have days like this?  What do you do?  What do you feel like doing?

One thing I know about bad moods, however, is if you stay in that mood without doing something active to turn your mood around, it will spiral more and more negative.  It's part of the law of attraction.  Nature abhors a vacuum.  If you remove something negative in your life without actively putting something positive in its place, more negative thoughts/actions will come. 

So, what do you replace your negative thoughts with?  That depends, what do you enjoy?  What makes you happy?  What brings you peace?  Even humming your favorite song or thinking of an ideal vacation can help.  For me, the negative feelings linger for a long period of time.  I have to do a LOT of positive to get me out of a negative mood.

I usually try to focus on what's most important - what I love most.  Usually, it's my son.  So, I forget my feelings or hurt, anger, hatred and play a game that he likes to play.  Then I read him books.  Then I sing him songs.  Whatever I can do to get my mind off the negatives.  And, sometimes, I'm frustrated with my son and don't want anything to do with him.  Then, it's time to be alone and listen to an uplifting CD or read an uplifting book.  Whatever I can to get my mind of the frustration of raising a 3-year old.

What helps you?  What frustrates you?  I'd love to hear it, especially if I can do anything to help.

Lisa Starr
Life/Corporate Coach
[email protected]