Category Archives: Confidence

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Creating Cheerio Castles From a Mom’s Heart

Every Business Owner Has a Personal Story

As an Executive Consultant there are several questions all clients ask. The first being, “how do you know”. My response, “I am an observer of others, experiences, and learn something from all of it.” Our knowledge, experiences, and actions within and beyond those give us an extraordinary gift of intuitive education.

As stated by Colin Powel once said as Secretary of State (United States) you have to make decisions quickly and at times you may only have 80% of the information the rest you go from what you know.

I decided to share this story with all of you as last week was a particular tough one. Some dear friends of mine sent a care package with Cheerios. Below is one of my stories and from working with executives to raising a kiddo from hard places just as I do; you too have the ability to build Cheerio Castles.

Creating Cheerio Castles From a Mom’s Heart

What does a mom’s heart have to do with Cheerios and creating a castle? Cheerio castles are those little round bits of cereal you find on the floor, car, and craft projects. My imagination builds beautiful castles with cheerios. I am sharing one of my stories of being careful what you pray for and second, finding God’s answer daily.

I do believe God answers prayer in His timing and not our own. As humans we make prayer and answered prayer more complicated than God intended. Many years ago someone told me: “God’s ‘no’ or unanswered prayer is not a rejection but is for our protection.”  There are many variables to unanswered and answered prayer; when we are present, allowing God to lead the way, we find our prayers are heard and answered daily. This is one of my go-to scriptures for prayer: There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven… He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11

This past year my husband I opened our hearts and home to a beautiful 12 year old boy. We became parents for the first time by becoming Foster Parents. Becoming a parent found daily there is a learning opportunity about myself and heart. 

Unanswered Prayer | God did not answer our prayer through creating our own family.

Answered Prayer | God brought a beautiful boy to us. This boy is made for us and fits in so many ways we would never pray for; God knows.

Our morning routine settled in to my husband and son waking and getting ready. I tend to stay out of the way. My husband is better equipped to keep our son on track, getting him out the door on time, dressed, brushed, and in a joyful mood.

When the guys are busy I stay in our bedroom and use this time to pray, meditate, and wire my brain for what is on the schedule for the day. One morning during prayer I found myself grieving experiences we as parents would not have, bringing an older kiddo into our home and hearts.

 Prayer: Give all you have to God for he knows what burdens our hearts.

 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. – Romans 8:28

My prayer this particular morning went to my mind making a list of those things we will never experience such as:  quirky toddler moments, elementary school art projects on the refrigerator, mommy and toddler groups, little guy soccer, peanut butter and jelly faces, to our car would never have the cheerio chaos on the floor and seats, macaroni art, our dogs would not experience food on the floor or from a hand of a little one. My imagination spent more time creating cheerio castles, macaroni jewelry, what containers would store these amazing nutritious rounds of awesomeness, and so forth.

This prayer and meditation continued for about an hour and my logical brain hit me hard; almost an audible slap across the face. I said out loud to myself, “I do not have patience to clean up Cheerios out of the car.” My prayer took me from building Cheerio castles to the reality of patience.  I wrapped up this grief prayer session, not hanging onto what we will miss but considering the joy of messes a pre-teen and teenager brings without pretense.

The guys left for the day so I headed to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. As soon as I entered the kitchen my eye caught the dining room table. There were three Cheerios on our son’s placemat.  This has never happened before and my heart went directly to thanking God for answering prayer. My logical mind and temperament has no patience for such things as cleaning up Cheerios. God knows my heart yearns for Cheerio castles and that left me blessed with an answered prayer.  

God continues to leave me reminders of answered prayer as I continue to find Cheerios in unusual places. Sometimes I am not too keen on our beautiful boy and his shenanigans. God delights in my heart’s desire by leaving remnants of a Cheerio castle built in grief. God truly delights in our heart’s desires and I pray you too find God delighting in yours.

Be careful what you pray for: God knows what is on our hearts and delights in our joy.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37-4

Look UP & OUT!

Tracy Worley

 

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Are You Prepared to Take Risk With Imagination and Innovation?

We all have risk and either we embrace it or do everything in our power to avoid it. Imagine the playground where a group of children are jumping off the top of the monkey bars and then there are the few who stand at the edge pacing waiting for the school bell to ring so they do not have to jump.

I want to encourage you to JUMP! Not in the sense of physical, mental, or spiritual harm but to really jump back into a childlike state and use your imagination, create, and innovate right where you stand. Ken Robinson states the risk of imagination eloquently, be prepared to be wrong. When you are prepared to risk, be wrong, and basically stand there looking like an idiot you are onto something!

Society has taught us to no longer within our natural gifts but to test out in an educational standard. Highly successful people have bunked the standard and create success by risking standing alone. The risk takers are the ones you watch rise to the next level, the risk takers are the ones who are creating original ideas.

When you are prepared to imagine, innovate, and risk within your gift set you are no longer living within a standard of average! ~ Tracy Worley

*Take time out and reflect on your life, career, and significance your natural gifts offer the world.

*Reflect on what you loved doing as a child (natural gift).

*Reflect on all of those assessments you have taken over the years (natural gift).

*Reflect on your voice of doubt, do it afraid, do it anyway.

* Reflect on discipline in your daily agenda, are you taking time to risk.

*Reflect on the ideas popping into your head and write them down, some will make sense and some will not.

Step forward with one of the above where clarity comes through and start moving forward without knowing how, details, or held up in the paralysis of perfection.

You are meant to have a life and career of significance so embrace your natural gifts, talents, wisdom, and knowledge to create original ideas. Look back in history and innovation, most of those who risked standing alone where mocked but now we have light bulbs after ten-thousand tries, we have flight because the Wright Brothers believed with imagination, risk, and perseverance it was possible.

Society standard of average is not where you are valued. Create value by standing alone in the edge of the monkey bars and JUMP!

Look UP & OUT!

Tracy Worley

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Spark of Success

A life full of joy, clarity, focus, and determined success

I am often asked why I do what I do. This is a valid question and one I ask myself often.  From coaching, consulting, to public speaking the one thing that keeps me coming back is the “spark”.  Yes, all individuals, teams, and groups have an energy all their own and I see this as a “spark”. There is a raised energy when people see or rise to the next level of success.

Think about the spark of excitement in your face when holding a sparkler; even as adults we giggle and have childlike wonder when holding a sparkler in our hand. Working with men and women; they all hold a spark of excitement when entering the next level of success!

Throughout a golfers career whether for pleasure or competition there are times the swing is not recalling. It could be from mind block, muscle memory, fatigue, and so many other factors. At times it is a bad game or bad season where the player is unable to hit the ball well. What keeps players coming back is the “spark”. What keeps players coming back is the one great shot, chip, or putt; the “spark” of confident excitement and rush of accomplishment.

Identify Your Spark

  • Who or what makes your heart jump for joy?
  • Where would you love to spend more time serving?
  • What projects when complete sends your heart racing and calling others to share in the excitement?

The above is a short list of questions to dive into what you love to do and why you do it. If you are finding current space and circumstances keep you from doing what you love to do; perhaps it is time to make a change. Your unique talents are what the world needs. The world is in need for you to “spark” others with what you have to offer.  The “spark” is similar to a golfer, one well hit ball or “spark” builds your heart to do more of what you were built to do.

Personally, my “spark” to keep doing what I do is filled with clients accomplishments, ideas, and  transition to next levels of success. My clients build solid foundations while holding childlike wonder creating their own sparkler experience.  You can say I am a “spark” maker by sparking individuals, teams, and groups into new success they could not see or do before.

The spark leads to a well lived life full of joy, clarity, focus, and determined success.

Share, I would love to know what “sparks” you to do what you do!

Look Up & Out,

Tracy Worley

 

 

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Fire It Up Friday | 8

Summer 2017 Series Episode 8

Be the change you desire. Be a change agent and stop pissing people off!

I know the language is not enlightening however it grabs our attention. This weeks series is about being an agent of positive change. Change is anything from stepping up and doing the things you thought you would never do. Facing your fears and getting messy!

This week has certainly been messy in our house as our 12 year old turned 13 last week. Testing the waters of sass, harass, and collapse into a crazy  cycle.

In one conversation our son stomped off into the other room telling me, “all you do all day is just piss people off.” My first reaction was not delicate and I did keep it to myself. In reflection of his perception of me in a moment of frustration fits into this weeks Fire It Up; be an agent of change.

Can I change his perception, surely. We can continue to have dialogue around it and show him how I show up for people everyday as a change agent creating new paradigms of success. Create dialogue in reflection after a conversation with someone (other than him). Ask our son how does he think I made them feel by helping?

Here are a few areas to dialogue with self and with others and ask are you being a change agent in your own life and others:

  • Relies in your desire for growth
  • Surround yourself with others who help you stay committed
  • Do the right thing even when it is the most painful thing
  • We are human, let go of perfection

Thank you for joining me on our Summer Fire It Up Friday Series.

Look Up & Out, 
Tracy Worley
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Fire It Up Friday | 7

Summer 2017 Series Episode 7

Adventure Entrepreneur

Are you packed and ready?

Life is an advance and ordinary life has a way of sweeping us away into schedules where we are over-booked!

We end up over booked and in the “acquiring things” race. Do not get me wrong “things” are great, a privilege, and makes our lives more comfortable.

Adventure is:

  • Finding new ways to connect
  • Going to a new restaurant (change of environment)
  • Taking a new route to work
  • Stepping out of “normal”

Find adventure in the adventure in the messiness of your life. An example is my messiness of area’s of too organized and unorganized. There is adventure in both; choose adventure!

Find adventure in everything, everyday, making the ORDINARY an ADVENTURE!

Embrace  your own adventure, choose messy hair!

CHALLENGE: step out of your “schedule” and pack a bag to find adventure in  your daily everything’s!

Thank you for joining me on our Summer Fire It Up Friday Series.

Look Up & Out, 
Tracy Worley
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The Summit of Success:  There is a Higher Peak

All success comes from an individual perspective in measurable increments. For organizations it comes from their perspective initiatives and the perspective of gain or loss.

One of the top reasons I adore about living in Montana, USA is the rugged back country is close and tangible. I find myself in a National Forest several times a week and if possible daily. No matter what trail my administrative staff and I hike; there is always an elevation gain or loss.

                                                                   Administrative Staff On Trail

Success also has a measure of gain or loss dependent on your initiatives and goals. I recently read, “The only person who needs to move forward little by little is you. Engineer your own evolution” ~ E. Burger, M. Starbird.

When I read evolution my reaction was, “Yes, success is creating your own revolution from the norms of how others have accomplished success.”

As you create goals there are meaningful ways to ensure a gain:

  • Move little by little toward the goal.
  • Reiterate and refine past and current knowledge to create progress.
  • The more you learn; the easier the pieces fall into place toward success.
  • Ask someone to walk along side of you; a team member, partner, or business coach.

Moving little by little is like climbing a trail. It takes step by step, bit by bit to make it to your destination and crest the top. Once you are at the crest you will see a higher peak (next goal) to strive toward. There are times you may need to lose elevation to glean new knowledge, understand the depth of measurable increments, and evaluate timing.

Refining knowledge is where most entrepreneurs and organizations lose traction. The tendency is to gobble up all information, processes, and best practices. This tendency hinders progress of little by little; often creating a stale environment of growth and innovation. To keep on track, define your objective clearly then adopt, adapt, or delete best practices and move forward.

Each goal has its own trail of learned knowledge.  Success can happen time after time hiking the same trail. However, conditions can change and new knowledge is gleaned from season to season. Business perspective; who is on your team creating a stale mate, are clients engaging, is it time to adopt, adapt, or change trails to new success?

The hard truth is not one person or organization creates success on their own. There is always someone supporting them in one manner or another. There are teams who sustain forward momentum to success and community who purchases services and or products. The basic truth not often seen are those who blazed the trail ahead of us.  A back country hiking trail is often not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of elevation gain, loss, gain, loss and keeps going until final destination. A back country trail is not managed and if it is there is a group of volunteers who hike in with band-saws and other gear to keep the trail clear (chain saws are not permitted due to fire danger, there are no motor vehicles allowed). From back country hiking to entrepreneurial paths cleared there is always someone who blazed the trail or idea ahead of us. It is your responsibility to create synergy and innovation from what is already forged.

“If I have seen farther than others it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants” ~ Isaac Newton. Bring someone on board to create and sustain your momentum toward your goals bit by bit. No matter what or who you bring on board it is important to be open-minded about possibilities not seen at the beginning of the trail.

Success is worth the journey bit by bit, little by little! Would love to hear about your journeys and where you have gleaned success and what your goals are today!

Look Up and Out,

Tracy Worley

 

 

 

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The Right “Spunk”: Do you have courageous determination for success?

Spunk: noun
 informal | courage and determination.
synonyms | courage, bravery, valor, nerve, confidence, daring, audacity, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, spine, backbone, gumption, moxie
From the move The Right Stuff, I think about do I have The Right Spunk? I would love to say everyday I am confidant with courageous valor to do what needs to be done! To have the grit to move my body, mind, and spirit even when they do not want to cooperate.
The Right Stuff
Yes, many of you who know me would wonder because I always show up ready to serve, learn, and lead. However, the past 20 months have given me a whole new perspective, mercy, and understanding for others who cannot move past where they are right now. Honestly, where you are right now is your perfection!
Part of my story: late 2014 to present day, I have been making a daring attempt to make my body do what I want it to do! With great determination in 2015, I ended up in a despair as my team of health care providers still could not provide root cause. I had no energy or focus, now at a time where I could not read a paragraph without having to go back and re-read it several times. Now, this was a HUGE cause of concern because I love reading, making notes, writing, and gleaning everything I can to make tomorrow better than today!
During this time I lost some spirit, confidence, and my daring pursuits of jumping forward with a tenacious spirit were at a stand-still. I am a private person and only those close to me knew where I was struggling and gave tremendous support. I was able to find a new physician who listened, supported my concerns, and we started a course of tests, natural remedies before drugs, and BEHOLD we found not only was I greatly mineral deficient my body was also not absorbing what I was eating or supplements.  Today I have a new normal, and still under care and treatments.
I lost great confidence in interacting with clients and community because I did not know if I would be able to show up. My energy levels and body would cooperate one day, and the next day could be a struggle to put shoes on. Or if I did show up it would be a shell of myself. Activities I love with my family, business, and community took a lot more planning because I had to schedule significant down-time afterward.
Why am I sharing and what does this have to do with success? Spunk has everything to do with your success! Empathy and understanding for those who have chronic illness! Empathy and understanding for those struggling in their business!
  • Advocate for your health! When a physician is not listening and you do not feel right about it, seek other help!
  • Come to where others are, you just never know what is going on. What I learned, it would be easier to explain a broken arm than a deficiency and treatment plan.
  • Advocate for your Business! Just as human bodies can have a time of renewal and illness, so can your business. Seek help, coaching, or a professional to get you to where you want to be!
  • Seek support and share where you are! When you open up, new resources and support will appear.
  • Be confidant in where you are today, and keep moving forward for a better tomorrow.
  • Trust your inner-circle to help support and sustain your business during times of lost spirit, confidence, and energy. this is your fast-track to get back on track!
  • From where you are today, tomorrow will always be a step up if you are willing to build on where you are today!

The rest of the story, I am doing well but only because I advocated for my health and business! I continue to invest in my business. I continue to plug into my inner-circle for accountability and sustainability for a better tomorrow. I am starting 2016 with my best year ever! 

 

I am in spunky determination for you to have the best year ever too! Do you need to invest in your success? Are you advocating for your business line and personal growth toward your best year ever?

The Right Stuff vs. The Right Spunk!

You matter, your purpose in life and business matter! You are here for a reason, I challenge you to get up and out! Make new tracks in every area of your life. I believe in you! I believe in your inner-circle just as I believe in mine!

Not sure where to start? I can help you with that!

Look UP & OUT,

Tracy Worley

 

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Dream Your Dream

Red Shoe Courage Workshop

Dream, Vision, and Plan beyond today!

In 2013 I had a dream, vision, and then made a plan and that was to share my story to lift others to a better tomorrow. As you grow up into adulthood the dreaming “button” gets hidden and I am here to tell you there is not such thing as you are too old to be a “dreamer”. We are NEVER too old to dream, vision, and plan beyond today.

This weekend I had the utmost pleasure and blessing to pour into a group of extraordinary ladies during the signature event From Grace to Red Shoe Courage. And the following is just one a few outpouring of Gods grace during the event as hearts were stirred up, spirits were lifted, and old truths were shed!

God delights in your purposeful passion. Dream your dream and change your today for the tomorrow’s God desires for you! “There is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live…This is the gift of God.” ECC: 3:12-14 NIV

This is a note posted regarding the event and my dream in 2013 was to serve those who love what I do, value what I do, and let me dream my dream.

“Shout out to Tracy Worley! I was so blessed to participate in her Grace to Red Shoe Courage Workshop last night and today! She has the ability to tell her story, focus on truth telling scripture and help the attendees draw closer to God and release strongholds! Time and time again I’m in awe of the amazing women God has put in my life! It was great to attend the event with  and many new friends! Make sure you don’t miss Tracy’s next event!!” Shelly Wear

“It was incredible! I’m so glad I got to go last night, but sorry I missed today.” Stephanie Neil Gaertig

Remember to dream your dream and not live someone else’s!

Look UP and OUT!

Tracy Worley

 

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“Are You Stopping Before the End of the Trail”

Turning Back Too Soon: One of my favorite teaching moments. You are all awesome and keep moving to the end of the trail!

Are you stopping before reaching the end of your goals, desires, and life purpose? Don’t STOP, KEEP moving forward, because you are worth it!

Look UP and OUT,

Tracy Worley

Comments Below: Would love to hear from you and  your trail to success!







    

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