Honoring Leaders Around the World Standing for Freedom

Today I am honoring the leaders around the world who are standing for freedom, and asking: What does freedom mean to you?

Is it living in America with all its privileges, inalienable rights and opportunities? Is it inner liberation- from fear, doubt, anger, guilt, resentment, pride, image, prejudice, apathy and self-focus? Is freedom the sum of a thousand daily liberties we take for granted? Clean water & nourishing food? Voting?

Having a driver’s license or a passport and traveling freely? Enrolling in a personal development course, or college? Wearing a miniskirt or a yarmulke? Shifting religious beliefs, occupations or hair color? Saying No, or YES, and…Falling in love with WHO we choose, as often as we desire?

Half of the world has no idea what it means to live in choice.

How fortunate we are, I am.

Post a comment and share what freedoms you're grateful for today.

Robyn

POW Shoshana Johnson (LV77) will host Booking Signing March 15 at ChoiceCenter

I am thrilled to share that Shoshana Johnson will be joining us at ChoiceCenter on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. to share and sign her new book from Simon and Schuster called "I'm Still Standing."

Shoshana is a graduate of ChoiceCenter's LV77 – one of the first people I enrolled and wanted to share this coursework with when I was in Leaderhsip in LV74. So the fact that she's a graduate and a good friend of mine makes her appearance extra special for me. 

I met Shoshana on September 13, 2003, just months after she was rescued by U.S. Marines in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On March 23 of that year, she was on deployment with the Army, serving as a Food Service Specialist when her convoy was ambushed in the city of an-Nasiriyah. 

Shoshana was shot in both ankles, and captured and taken as a Prisoner of War with 5 other members of the 507th Maintenance Company. 22 days later, Marines conducted house raids in the city of Samarra, Iraq, and successfully rescued Shoshana and the five other men.

We look back at how we met and both just feel like fate intervened in its mysterious way. Of all places to cross paths, we met at a DeLaHoya fight at MGM Grand. Executives are often asked to provide additional security support at high-profile events, and I was working the door at our VIP party when Shoshana's father came up and asked me for assistance. He said his daughter was in a wheelchair and needed to change and the bathrooms were overcrowded. He wondered if there was a quieter place with less traffic for her to go.

I took them to the back offices of the Grand Garden Arena and when she emerged, Shoshana was wearing a perfectly pressed, olive green uniform with lots of brass bling. I remember being amazed at how polished she looked. I escorted her family to an usher who took them to their seats, then returned to my VIP post where I could watch the fight on a monitor. 

As the announcer called for the crowd to stand for the National Anthem, he requested everyone rise to honor America's First Black Female Prisoner of War.  I remember my eyes getting wider, realizing this was the woman I had wheeled behind pipe and drape just minutes earlier. 

I felt an overwhelming sense of pride in being an American. It's one of those deep patriotic moments you never forget, like the first (or 50th) time I heard the National Anthem being sung before a crowd of 80,000 at Candlestick Park to start a 49er game, or put my hat over my heart in Yankee Stadium as the Blue Angels flew over to kick-off the World Series in October 2001. It just touches you at your core, and you can feel your gratitude for the freedom we enjoy manifest in the corner of your eyes. 

In that moment, I was honored to have connected with this hero in a small way, and never imagined we would form a friendship that would deepen the next seven and a half years. I didn't expect to see her again, but then her father stopped me as they were coming out of the fight. They were invited to attend the HBO after party at FiAMMA and wondered if I would provide directions.

I think all Shoshana and I talked about were boys on the "ride" to the restaurant, but something in that conversation clicked for us – one of those moments when you know you've found a kindred soul that will be with you on life's journey for a long, long time. I won't bore you with the rest of the story, but Shoshana invited me to dinner with her family the next evening and the rest is history. 

We've been good friends ever since, and it's been extraordinary to watch her blossom - first from wheelchair to fully-upright club dancer as she recovered from her bullet wounds, and then from wallflower to advocate – the voice of our veterans who serves on Congressional Committees to ensure quality medical care for those injured in the line of duty. 

What I love about Shoshana is that she is an American hero while simultaneously being Every Woman. She serves on Special Olympics committees and gets honored as a Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year while being a phenomenal single mom on the dating scene who attends culinary school every day to fulfill her dream to be a pastry chef. She fits in speaking engagements around the country with her Larry King, CNN and MSNBC regular appearances as a military commentator while volunteering to be the chauffeur for her mom's sisters and cousins at their family reunion. 

Shoshana is just one of those beautiful people that something extraordinary happened to for a reason – because she is a light that can illuminate a bigger world for those who come behind her. When you read her book, you'll understand what I mean. She's just your average girl, who has taken what life has handed her, and allowed those circumstances to call her forth to a larger, world mission. She goes about her work as an advocate for soldiers quietly, but always while sharing a smile that is as big as her heart. 

I can't wait for you to meet her and to spend an evening getting to know her at the signing for "I'm Still Standing." (You can watch a video preview by clicking here.) And it's just not me who has been bragging about this book since she sent me a type-written copy to edit and comment on a few years ago, but the NAACP has nominated her for an Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the Biography category. 

She is competing against Nelson Mandela, Condoleezza Rice, Jay-Z and Ray Charles Robinson, Jr. The awards ceremony will be held March 4, 2011, in Los Angeles. (Watch for our girl in a stunning black dress she just ordered on the internet!)

Shoshana has been kind enough to share her life with me for more than 7 years, and I am excited to share her with all of you on March 15. Don't miss your opportunity to join us that evening. I promise you, too, will experience that pride in being an American in a new way by the end of the night.

See you there!

Corrine 

Be Your Own PR Agent Course nets Publicity for Student 11 days after taking class!

One of the things we're committed to at ChoiceCenter in 2011 is offering one and two-day courses that expand specific skill sets. We kicked this off in December 2010 with an Abundance and Prosperityworkshop on how to create your financial roadmap for this week, this month, this year and 2, 5, and 10 years out. We followed that with a class I wrote and delivered on January 15 and 16, 2011, called "Be Your Own PR Agent."

In the course, students actually wrote their own stories and press releases and learned how to distribute them to media outlets and news wires. I am proud to report that 11 days after graduating, Jason McCormac (LV49 Leadership) had his first story published this week!

Jason has a pretty cool business. Myvipguy.com offers concierge party services to college students around the world, and anyone interested in how to get on the list and avoid the lines at Vegas' hottest night clubs.

In class, Jason wrote a "how to" piece on why Vegas is THE Spring Break Experience of a Lifetime. He got feedback from myself and others on edits, then used what he learned about key words and SEO and bam – StudentCity.com published his very first release (and referred to Jason as a "seasoned party pro" – pretty cool). The story has since been posted on various blogs about Spring Break and Tweeted about by dozens, expanding the reach of one simple story.

I am predicting student Georgia Alexis will have the next success to celebrate from "Be Your Own PR Agent." She is launching a new Greek dating website in February called "Fall for a Greek" and developed a strong editorial calendar in class as part of her PR launch campaign.

ChoiceCenter's next Be Your Own PR Agent course is April 9 - 10 in Las Vegas. For more info, click here. 

Failing Your New Year's Resolutions Already? 6 Tips to Stay on Track

The second and third weeks of January are the truth tellers for whether we'll be achieving those ever so popular New Year's resolutions. Does this sound familiar? Are you sleeping in instead of hitting the gym, throwing out the patch for a pack of cigarettes, and telling yourself next year will be a much better time to get started? Perhaps you're using the classic deflection technique and saying: "Those goals weren't that important to me anyway."

Why not resolve to break the cycle of failure this year and make 2011 your best ever. After 13 years of coaching people to live their dreams at ChoiceCenter, we've got "6 No Fail Tips for Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions?” to share with you today.

And in case you don't read this entire blog, we'll mention the big secret upfront – the biggest mistake people make is failing to create a structured accountability system to stay on track. This simple step can mean the difference between creating the life you want and living in a perpetual ‘Groundhog Day’ of missed marks.

If you're ready to break the cycle and achieve your 2011 dreams, here's so sure-fire support:

Step 1: Visualize your Goal as if It’s Already Happened.

Most resolutions fail because they are trendy and fun, and people never connect them to the bigger picture vision for their life. For example, in order to get serious about losing weight and producing results, you first need to connect to what’s truly at stake with your goal. This happens when you clearly define the benefits a healthy lifestyle will bring to your quality of life. This might involve envisioning more years with your children and loved ones, less pain from back and body aches, greater mobility, or increased stamina during intimacy. Close your eyes and see yourself at your ideal weight, playing soccer with your kids, feeling confident in the bedroom, or living pain-free.

Step 2: Make a List of Action Steps to Achievement:

Brainstorm all the things that need to happen for you to realize your goal. If you’re opening a new business, write down actions such as: file incorporation papers; create a business plan; make a capital budget; apply for an SBA loan; build a website; lease office space, etc. Be very detailed. No step is too small when creating your roadmap to success.

Step 3: Assign Benchmark Dates to Your Actions:

Once your list is complete, show it to someone who is accomplished in that field. Be sure to choose someone with sustained success – a person who has quit drinking and stayed sober for 10 years, maintained a 50lb. weight loss for 5 years, or kept a business thriving in a challenging economy. Have this expert add actions that are missing, and support you in ranking them into an efficient, weekly “to accomplish” list. Transfer each week’s “to do’s” to your calendar. Set alarms in your phone to remind yourself when deadlines are approaching.

Step 4: Create Small Wins to Celebrate Often:

Most resolutions fail because we give up before we achieve the goal. No one wants to wait 6 months to celebrate elevating their credit score, or saving $2,500 for a vacation. The human psyche thrives on instant gratification, so give it what it’s craving! Celebrate with friends, family, kids and co-workers when you hit your weekly goals. Send out an email, post on your Facebook, write on your blog – “I joined the gym today!” “I scheduled my first date with an on-line match!” “I registered my domain name this afternoon.” Not only will you elevate your confidence in believing you can achieve your goals by sharing your short-term wins, but the feedback and encouragement you receive from others will inspire you to stay focused.

Step 5: Set-up a Reward System for Major Milestones:

In addition to celebrating small wins, create an incentive to look forward to when you hit major milestones. Reward yourself with a new outfit when you lose the first 10lbs. Buy custom running shoes when you complete 3 miles. Host an author’s reading party in your living room when you finish the first chapter of your novel. Creating a calendar of rewards provides incentives to drive your results.

Step 6: Find an Accountability Buddy or Hire a Personal Coach:

Remember the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This is the tool most people have missed all their lives in keeping their resolutions. They don’t put into place a structured system to hold themselves accountable by creating a buddy or hiring a coach. This is simply the must-not-skip step for success. It’s like buying insurance to guarantee you will not fail.

If you can afford it, your best insurance policy is to hire a professional business or life coach. Just like a world-class athlete, you are hiring someone to challenge you to get outside your comfort zone and have you look deeply at what’s working and not working each week.

If a professional coach is too pricey (Coaches can run anywhere from $50 to $1500 an hour – although what price would you put on achieving your dreams?), create an Accountability Buddy – a friend or co-worker you trust to tell you the truth, not sell out when you’re slacking off, and celebrate your milestones like their own. Set up a weekly checkpoint meeting that you agree not to break. Come prepared with your goals list from the week prior. Celebrate what you accomplished and clear off what kept you from succeeding if you have missed marks. Share your game plan for course correction, if necessary, then declare what you will accomplish the next 7 days. Repeat until your goals are achieved.

Like an athlete, when you hire a life coach they support you in reviewing the game film of how you perform each week. Your coach can see things you can’t, and by suggesting small corrections, can improve your performance, leading you to achieve your resolutions once and for all.

So what action will you go take today to stay on track to achieve your New Year's resolutions? We've got one final tool to support you. We offer an annual free download of ChoiceCenter's 12-Month Review/Preview to coaching clients and Leadership students. For reading this blog all the way to the end ... we're sharing it with you too!

In service,

Corrine and Robyn

Welcome to ChoiceCenter Leadership University's EQ Blog

In October 2010 we launched a new website and brand video for ChoiceCenter, and now we continue our march into the digital age by debuting this Blog for 2011.

Authored by myself and Robyn Williams - founder of ChoiceCenter – we will write about all things related to what we do in our workshops and personal coaching – provide tools for elevating and developing Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

EQ is the single biggest factor in determining your success, so it's kind of a fun and relevant topic for a Blog, we think! By enhancing your EQ skill set, you will elevate your effectiveness in everything you do personally and professionally. Robyn and I know because it's worked magic for us in our own lives.

But of course, we didn't invent the concept of EQ, we just coach and teach EQ skills development to thousands of individuals and corporations around the world. Author and psychologist Daniel Goleman was the first to really promote and validate the impact of Emotional Intelligence on careers, relationships and self-motivation. He proved that our emotions play a much greater role in determining individual success than IQ. When we develop our listening, impulse control, social skills, conflict resolution, empathy and interpersonal relationship skills, as well as our ability to adapt to change, we transform our results across the board – from more satisfying marriages to promotions and increased earnings in the workplace. Who isn't up for that?

We've got a host of topics to share with you we're pretty excited about. We'll be discussing everything from relationships to building your business, choosing healthy habits to being active in your community, must-read books to must-see movies – and all delivered through discussions, coaching, best practices examples and insights related to living a life in constant pursuit of your next level of excellence.

ChoiceCenter's curriculum is a proven technology to develop your Emotional Intelligence at the highest level. This Blog will supplement your learning if you're a graduate of our courses, and provide useful tools and information to you about developing your EQ if you are new to our community.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. If you are inspired, stimulated, passionate or totally entertained by what you read here, share this info with a friend. It's our vision that everyone gets to develop a High EQ and live the life they love.

In service,

Corrine & Robyn