Blog

April 2018

Viewing posts from April , 2018

Are You In Control?

Control is a double-sided sword. Angela shows us how this plays out in our daily lives. Angela desperately craved certainty in everything she did. At work, she told colleagues how to do their job and always had the right answer. Her colleagues got frustrated that they couldn’t present their own solutions to company problems and felt boxed in by her. At home, Angela ordered her husband and kids around like they were robots, ready to do anything at her command. They thought this was the only way to keep her happy, yet inside they called her a dictator. Angela got super mad and yelled at her kids for not putting the toys back in a certain way since the toys only fit back in a bin in a particular order. Yet the kids thought they were doing a good job for putting the toys away without being asked. The kids said, we just can’t win. Over time, she could feel the tightness in her shoulders and every joint of her body. She even realized at night when she went to sleep her whole body was tense and contracted. One day it all blew up.  Angela was given a warning at work that most of her employees had given their notice in one week. When she discussed this with her husband, he said, well, this is how we feel at home too, here’s separation papers. In shock, Angela took a step back. Over the next 3 months, Angela made some major changes. She realized the only person she can control is herself. Instead of acting out in opposition, she learned to respond, not react. Angela changed her attitude from “my way or the highway” to asking others for their perspectives and their solutions. She also saved her marriage and her ability to connect with her kids. Where can you let go of control of others or situations? Where can you regain self-control? It’s time to gain self-control and let go of controlling others.   Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day! Lora Polowczuk Chief Energy Officer © Priority Retreats International

Do You Waste Your Most Precious Resource?

Dahlia spent Earth Day cleaning up garbage in a local park. She wondered why people would throw their trash into a beautiful garden and park. Yet, she also realized how this paralleled in her own life. Dahlia has big dreams and she wondered why she wasn’t accomplishing them faster. She got still and sat on a park bench to think.  Where was she wasting her time? Dahlia spent too much time complaining about a toxic relationship she was in. She decided it was time to end it. She recognized that she walked into work with a bad attitude and dreading the day. She decided that every morning she would wish an employee a good day and engage in positive conversation. Dahlia noticed that she spent too much time watching YouTube videos, and going down the rabbit hole of the internet. Instead, she decided to reach out to a friend each day and make real connections. How do you spend your time? Wallowing in distraction or a bad attitude or spending it on what’s most important to you? What we give our time to dictates what’s important to us. “Where attention goes, energy flows” – James Redfield Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day! Lora Polowczuk Chief Energy Officer © Priority Retreats International

What Would Happen If You Dreamed Bigger?

Have you ever seen the video of the feeble elderly woman who lifts an entire car when her grandson gets hit by a car? It’s unbelievable! What did it take for a feeble woman to lift a one ton car? Belief she could do it. Too often our own mind gets in the way. We fail once and never want to do it again. We’re afraid of what people may say. We hesitate to move at all even though we don’t enjoy where we are. We let negative past situations enjoy the amazingness of the present moment.   If you knew you would not fail, what project would you take on? What dream would you go after?   Thomas Edison had 1000 unsuccessful attempts before creating the first light bulb. How would our world be different today without this invention? An Olympic athlete believes they will cross the finish line first. They imagine themselves standing on top of the podium receiving the medal. They imagine if they trip, how they will bounce back and run faster. Believe it can happen. That’s the first step. Then, take small steps each day towards accomplishing this goal. The biggest part to remember is to believe you can figure out how to get there. You are unbelievable. I believe in you. Do you?   Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day! Lora Polowczuk Chief Energy Officer © Priority Retreats International

Why The Little Things Matter More

Ever wonder why you can brush your teeth every morning but can’t get that one email out the door or lose those pesky 5 pounds? We focus on the big outcome instead of the little things. We easily react in fury and anger when our significant other doesn’t do something for us. Yet, at the same time, do we tell them what makes us happy? Do you ask your significant other for what you want on a weekly or monthly basis? Maybe it’s as simple as a take out meal once a month so you don’t have to cook. But, then you blow up at your significant other for never doing anything for you. Yet, you never asked for what you want. How does this translate at work? Your projects are boring. It’s the same monotonous project every single time. Your boss thinks you love it as you nail the project on time, and in budget each time. Yet, you’re drowning in boredom. You want to pull your hair out. All you want is a project that is challenging, new, and fun. Yet, you never ask for it. At the end of the year, you realized you gained 20 lbs out of boredom and can’t figure out why. It’s the little things you do each day that turn you into the person you want to become and create the reality you want. We get frustrated at the bigger outcome but don’t realize it’s what we do every day that leads to the bigger outcome. Do you have a big dream but can’t make any strides on moving it forward? You may doubt yourself. You may be afraid to fail. You may wonder if it’s really worth the time and effort even though it makes your heart sing. But, the big question is – Do you let others know what your dream is, how to support you or do you keep it all to yourself thinking it will magically happen? When you tell people, the world, what you want, the universe will conspire to make it happen. Are you willing to make small steps each day towards what you really want? Will you make this a habit just like you brush your teeth everyday? Small steps every day lead to big gains over time. Imagine how an hour a day on a specific project will progress with 365 hours over the course of a year. It will advance you immensely. The time to start is now.   Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day! Lora Polowczuk Chief Energy Officer © Priority Retreats International

It’s Time to Clear Out the Weeds and Reset Your Garden of Success

The dark winter nights are erupting into beautiful warm spring days. The first 3 months of 2018 have come to a close. This chapter is done. The big questions is, Where are you now compared to January 1, 2018? Are you still in the rat race and going through the motions? Or, have you made noticeable progress? Have you even taken the time to notice? Yes, this is a hard conversation to have. The cool part is – you only have to do this with yourself. When I did this last year, I had to make some tough decisions. I had to identify where my time was spent and if my time was spent on activities that were meaningful to me. Upon this assessment, I realized I spent too much time serving on too many non-profit leadership boards. I also recognized I had gaps in knowledge for my business. While difficult, this reprioritization freed up significant time to focus on what I love versus giving for the sake of giving and draining myself in the process. Now it’s your time! Pull out pen and paper and journal about the following:
  •        What’s working well in your life, career, and relationships right now?
  •        What’s not working right now?
  •        What habits can you change?
  •        Who do you need to become to make this happen?
Spring is about removing the weeds before they overtake your garden. If you’ve ever pulled up a dandelion weed, you know how deep the root is. It’s not about trimming off the top. Old habits are deep rooted. Cut off the root and the whole weed dies. How does this translate into real life? Where do you need to declutter? A messy office. A disorganized closet. Old stuff you’re keeping around that you haven’t used for years? Too many projects? By eliminating what’s no longer wanted, you can create the open space you want to thrive and attract opportunities that do serve you. What do you want to nourish, grow, and flourish? On June 30, 2018, I want you to have a different story. I want you to thrive. I want you to grow and expand your capabilities. It’s spring and it’s time to weed out what no longer serves you and instead nourish what you truly want. Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day! Lora Polowczuk Chief Energy Officer © Priority Retreats International