Ask my kids and they’ll tell you it’s not easy having a mom who claims to be a motivational speaker. I’m sure they’d tell you she doesn’t know when to turn it off. Not only will she create a cheer to encourage you to eat your vegetables, but to clean toilets too. And if you even whisper that you have a dream, look out! She won’t let up until you start pursuing it and make it come true.
My youngest daughter discovered this at age seven, when she took first place singing, “Break Away” by Kelly Clarkson at a county fair. There was that moment right before Jenna was to perform when she froze. She looked at me and said, “Mom, I can’t do it!”
After some encouraging words, I pushed my little duckling out of the nest and onto that huge stage, praying all the while that I had made the right decision. When Jenna came offstage beaming, and happy with her success, I felt good about the pushing.
I thought it would be easy after that, with Jenna begging to audition every chance she could get. Instead, she seemed more reluctant. She sang confidently in her children’s choir, but when solo opportunities came her way, she resisted. Even though she was told time and again that she sang beautifully, she passed on my many requests to take her to auditions.
Although I shared all of the Super C and Kick “But” methods that had helped many of my clients run races, write books and meet goals, it didn’t seem to help the person I wanted most to motivate. At 13, the same age my son begged to quit piano, it seemed time to stop pushing.
I knew only too well what she was going through when she finally whispered to me one day, “I don’t think I’m good enough.”
I could only whisper back, “I’ve been there too, Jenna and if I had only known, at 13, that everyone felt that way, I would’ve made different choices.”
It was time to let go and trust that Jenna would find her own motivation when she was ready. And she did, only a couple days later. What I had failed to do in six years, Oprah did in one hour! She interviewed Taylor Swift, the 17-year-old country music sensation and Jenna watched enthralled. Now, she is so determined to pursue her dream that she begged to go downtown to audition for American’s Got Talent!
Of course this wasn’t the time to tell her that the odds of winning were as good as winning the lottery and that we’d be standing outside in long lines in the rain and then inside in more lines for the entire day! And so, I kept quiet. Instead, we went. And stood in line. All day. In the rain. And into the evening.
It was magical.
And Jenna felt like a winner.
And her mother was inspired.
***
Jenna wants to inpire you too! Click here to hear Jenna on You Tube.
Leave her a comment!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLgNRs46Z4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJtPAqcfbhQ
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Slightly Off Super C Stars, Kickin "Buts"
EVERYONE IS KICKIN “BUTS” – YOU CAN TOO!!!!
Check out the Super C Runners! They all won a Super C t-shirt and the right to say, I'm Slightly Off and Lovin It! Whether they were inspired simply by knowing they could outrun me, or from taking one of my on-line courses, this group of friends and family found a way to overcome their "buts" and run a 5K.
Check out the Super C Runners! They all won a Super C t-shirt and the right to say, I'm Slightly Off and Lovin It! Whether they were inspired simply by knowing they could outrun me, or from taking one of my on-line courses, this group of friends and family found a way to overcome their "buts" and run a 5K.
And they're not alone! Read on to meet some other Super C Stars!
Cathy Reichl (Kneeling on the right in photo), newsletter reader, completed the How to Run a 5K the Slightly Off Way program and ran not only one 5K, but four more since April 09!
Cathy writes: Thank YOU for EVERYTHING you have done to make this such a great experience! You are a fantastic organizer, motivator, encourager, support system, and source of information, all wrapped up in one!
Monica Clauss attended the Wisconsin Women in Banking conference and embraced the Super C concept to reduce her anxiety and increase her success both at work and at home! Read about her amazing changes and discoveries:
Cathy Reichl (Kneeling on the right in photo), newsletter reader, completed the How to Run a 5K the Slightly Off Way program and ran not only one 5K, but four more since April 09!
Cathy writes: Thank YOU for EVERYTHING you have done to make this such a great experience! You are a fantastic organizer, motivator, encourager, support system, and source of information, all wrapped up in one!
Monica Clauss attended the Wisconsin Women in Banking conference and embraced the Super C concept to reduce her anxiety and increase her success both at work and at home! Read about her amazing changes and discoveries:
At Work:
I am a chronic overachiever/perfectionist and find it to be crippling -- it is hard to make a decision or take a chance when you fear anything less than an A+. I have been using your "earn a C" concept daily and my purse feels so much lighter! I am currently working on my MBA and am taking online classes. Online classes require constant online discussion postings. I often find myself stuck when writing my posts because I am trying so hard to be eloquent and intellectual, and earn that A+. When I allowed myself to "earn a C" the words just started coming out. And guess what... I earned an A+ after all.
I was a super C rockstar at one of our meetings at the bank this week. I used to get very nervous for these meetings and had trouble speaking up. This week, I relaxed and didn't worry so much about getting an "A". I spoke up frequently and confidently in the meeting and someone e-mailed my boss stating that they were impressed that I knew more about the credits than the loan officers did.
I am a chronic overachiever/perfectionist and find it to be crippling -- it is hard to make a decision or take a chance when you fear anything less than an A+. I have been using your "earn a C" concept daily and my purse feels so much lighter! I am currently working on my MBA and am taking online classes. Online classes require constant online discussion postings. I often find myself stuck when writing my posts because I am trying so hard to be eloquent and intellectual, and earn that A+. When I allowed myself to "earn a C" the words just started coming out. And guess what... I earned an A+ after all.
I was a super C rockstar at one of our meetings at the bank this week. I used to get very nervous for these meetings and had trouble speaking up. This week, I relaxed and didn't worry so much about getting an "A". I spoke up frequently and confidently in the meeting and someone e-mailed my boss stating that they were impressed that I knew more about the credits than the loan officers did.
At home:
I usually get nervous about hosting get-togethers at my apartment. I aimed for a C on memorial day, relaxed and didn't stress about getting all of the details perfect. Everything went great and I actually enjoyed having company over instead of constantly worrying about the details.
And that’s not all!
I learned to enjoy riding, instead of constantly "training for an A" by allowing myself to earn a C when I ride my horse. Surprise, surprise… when I relaxed and stop putting pressure on both of us my rides went better, I accomplished more, and fully enjoyed myself. My relaxing hobby is truly relaxing again.
Jodi Schwefel is a busy mom working full time in the banking industry. She was feeling overwhelmed about the birth of her second child. Her perfectionism was taking the joy out of parenting. Although she couldn’t attend the Women in Banking conference in the Wisconsin Dells, I shared the concepts and coached her on how to let go of the Supermom syndrome. She writes:
I am feeling much better…with your advice, I’ve been disciplining myself to “stop and smell the roses”, and to spend quality time with my little one…life is so short and goes so fast that the “little moments” cannot be overlooked. I try to operate on the principle of enjoying the only moment I’m guaranteed, which is right now. I have given myself permission to earn a “C” for the very first time in my life, and I’m LOVING it!!
Ali Payton attended the Dr. Slightly Off presentation on overcoming our “buts” to health at the ISSRT Conference in Springfield, IL. Afterwards, she followed my Kick But Pledge for 30 days and drastically reduced her intake of soda and energy drinks. Ali writes:
I recently attended the ISSRT Conference in Springfield and listened to your speech. I thought that it was great. I was also the student who was in the front row who got busted out about drinking energy drinks. I have not been drinking them nearly as much and am also trying not to drink soda either. I drink lots of water and Gatorade now. I break down every now and then though and buy either a soda or an energy drink. Maybe once a week, but I was drinking a soda and energy drink everyday, so I think that's pretty good!
Mary Arnold of Illinois attended the School District Professional Development day seminar and has been kicking “buts” when it with her photo albums, one of those nagging tasks that continued to haunt her. She e-mailed four weeks in a row to win a Super C T-shirt and is still making progress!
Mary writes: At the in-service (for administrators of school district) you made me realize I can kick those “buts” if they are getting in the way of something I really want to do. I've wanted to work on my pictures for so long "but" I kept thinking I needed long stretches of time when in reality I just needed the inspiration & to realize I could work on it a little at a time, like week by week. Once I was communicating with you every week, I felt inspired to keep going. Because you really seemed to care about what I was telling you, it made me want to keep going. I've never gotten to the point that "I didn't feel like doing it," although sometimes I decide to take a nap instead and then maybe work on more photos the next day instead. The satisfaction of finally getting my pictures organized, plus thinking of how proud you were/are of me keeps me motivated!
I usually get nervous about hosting get-togethers at my apartment. I aimed for a C on memorial day, relaxed and didn't stress about getting all of the details perfect. Everything went great and I actually enjoyed having company over instead of constantly worrying about the details.
And that’s not all!
I learned to enjoy riding, instead of constantly "training for an A" by allowing myself to earn a C when I ride my horse. Surprise, surprise… when I relaxed and stop putting pressure on both of us my rides went better, I accomplished more, and fully enjoyed myself. My relaxing hobby is truly relaxing again.
Jodi Schwefel is a busy mom working full time in the banking industry. She was feeling overwhelmed about the birth of her second child. Her perfectionism was taking the joy out of parenting. Although she couldn’t attend the Women in Banking conference in the Wisconsin Dells, I shared the concepts and coached her on how to let go of the Supermom syndrome. She writes:
I am feeling much better…with your advice, I’ve been disciplining myself to “stop and smell the roses”, and to spend quality time with my little one…life is so short and goes so fast that the “little moments” cannot be overlooked. I try to operate on the principle of enjoying the only moment I’m guaranteed, which is right now. I have given myself permission to earn a “C” for the very first time in my life, and I’m LOVING it!!
Ali Payton attended the Dr. Slightly Off presentation on overcoming our “buts” to health at the ISSRT Conference in Springfield, IL. Afterwards, she followed my Kick But Pledge for 30 days and drastically reduced her intake of soda and energy drinks. Ali writes:
I recently attended the ISSRT Conference in Springfield and listened to your speech. I thought that it was great. I was also the student who was in the front row who got busted out about drinking energy drinks. I have not been drinking them nearly as much and am also trying not to drink soda either. I drink lots of water and Gatorade now. I break down every now and then though and buy either a soda or an energy drink. Maybe once a week, but I was drinking a soda and energy drink everyday, so I think that's pretty good!
Mary Arnold of Illinois attended the School District Professional Development day seminar and has been kicking “buts” when it with her photo albums, one of those nagging tasks that continued to haunt her. She e-mailed four weeks in a row to win a Super C T-shirt and is still making progress!
Mary writes: At the in-service (for administrators of school district) you made me realize I can kick those “buts” if they are getting in the way of something I really want to do. I've wanted to work on my pictures for so long "but" I kept thinking I needed long stretches of time when in reality I just needed the inspiration & to realize I could work on it a little at a time, like week by week. Once I was communicating with you every week, I felt inspired to keep going. Because you really seemed to care about what I was telling you, it made me want to keep going. I've never gotten to the point that "I didn't feel like doing it," although sometimes I decide to take a nap instead and then maybe work on more photos the next day instead. The satisfaction of finally getting my pictures organized, plus thinking of how proud you were/are of me keeps me motivated!
To find out how to buy a Super C t-shirt and a booklet to motivate you - contact deb@slightlyoff.com
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