Monthly Tip: More time for fun!

I often hear from clients that they don't know what they really like to do or what they are really passionate about.

Well, current circumstances have afforded us more time at home (instead of shopping or going out and spending money), and below, I've listed some fun, low-risk and economical ways to begin your search for your passion.

TRY IT OUT: "More time for more fun!"

1. Get outside and away from the financial news on TV and the internet.
Taking a walk is great for the body and the mind, but if that's too boring for you, bring your digital camera and snap random pictures. The bad attempts are easily erased, and the good ones are easily shared with friends! (Share them with the PFW Newsletter at newsletter@janiceplado.com, and we'll post them on the website to inspire others!)

2. Examine your in-house collections.
Don't just look at the types of items you have, but their common categories. For instance, I glanced at my bookshelf to find old guidebooks, travel magazines, and maps. Hmm. What do you think I enjoy? Travel was something that got de-prioritized in recent years, but looking at the bookshelf, I got excited about travel again, so I'll be doing some research for a trip - so I know exactly how much I'll want to put away for it. If you've collected books or magazines that you haven't gotten to, pay special attention to these. If it was a topic you found "secretly" interesting before, you may have already uncovered your hobby!

3. Give away your stuff.
For those things you have and genuinely don't care about any longer, don't just throw them out - give them away! Whether it's at a yard sale or used bookstore (for extra cash), to Goodwill (for a tax break), to a friend (who might look better in clothes you have), or to the local library, giving feels great because there's less waste!

4. Still got extra time? Donate it!
Keep time in mind, especially if you won't be able to contribute as much money to your favorite charities. Time is a valuable donation too, and charities and non-profits are always happy to have more volunteers. If you find a volunteer opportunity that uses or uncovers your special gift or talent, you'll be doing some self-development at the same time!

If you're in the local Phoenix area next weekend and are looking for a cause, you're welcome to join my husband, myself, and our walking team "Walk with Rolls," at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer for the American Cancer Society on November 8th at Tempe Town Lake.

These are just some ideas to get you started. Respond to this article to share how you're spending your newly found free time!

Start with the Good Stuff

Although I have been off coffee for over a month now, I had a sip of a mocha from Caribou Coffee today, and I admit that it was heavenly.

After savoring my sip, I swore that I would never have another mocha from "that other coffee franchise," because as in life, you can't just keep adding sugar and milk to a situation to make it better, when you know the problem with the bad coffee begins with the beans. (I hear that their beans are intentionally burned, and it tastes like it too.)

Basically, good things are built from a good foundation. If we believe that the basic premise, intention, or objective of a project is flawed or comes from a place that is below who we are we will not trust the project's outcomes either. Early on as a project manager, I discovered a strong correllation between lousy results or stalled projects and the extent to which all the members of the project team were "vested" or genuinely interested in a good project outcome. Perhaps you've discovered this yourself. This was how I became just as interested in getting people "on the same page" as I was in getting all the tasks and timelines in place.

When we believe we come from "good stuff," then we are capable of producing or creating good stuff. But when we don't believe that we have much value, then what we create isn't going to have much value either.

This is why stories of people who have risen up from adverse childhoods are so inspiring - amazing people with disabilities, or people who grew up in modest households and have made it big, or people who immigrated to the U.S. with littel and now prosper with lives they couldn't have realized if they hadn't left their home country. These stories remind us that rising up out of any situation, big or small, starts with believing in our own "good stuff."

Each of us has what we need to create a blessed life already! Simply told, the only difference between good outcomes and bad outcomes is the mindset they were created from.

Lessons from Marvin Gaye

"Got to Give It Up" by Marvin Gaye is one of my favorite songs (Listen to it!), because it is so fun and danceable. The party sounds, that clever melody, and the catchy percussion (Don't get me started on that cow bell!) all make it a really joyous tune. And of course, it's on my playlist!

But did you know that it's a song of transformation as well?

For the first time, I caught the opening lines of this song, and found myself loving it more than ever before:

“I used to go out to parties and stand in line
Cuz I was too nervous to really get down
But my body yearned to be free.”

When he sings it, he really sounds like his body is yearning to be free. His voice adds so much dimension to the words themselves. And this is the real magic of music and song.

Music is transformational. Back in the day, I used to have a "mix tape" of music for break-ups. In a way, it helped me grieve the end of a relationship. It's all still great music, but now I have a playlist in my mp3 player that contains songs that drive me, make me smile, dance, or sing along, and engage my heart.

Today, as you go about your day, listen to the music around you and take note of the songs that move you. Honor the energy that that music gives you - by singing or dancing along!

(And if you're the shy-type, it's okay to hum it to yourself too!)