IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Feature Article - Igniting Your Spirit
Words to Inspire
Guest Column - Making the Holidays a Stress Free Zone
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WELCOME

Greetings and welcome to all of you. We are delighted to send you another issue of KEYS TO SUCCESS. Thank you for joining us and a special thanks for your continued support throught the year.

Tis the season to be jolly! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa we send our heartfelt wishes to each of you for a season abundantly filled with peace, love and joy.

Our commitment is to give you practical information and inspirational ideas to benefit your business and personal life. We are committed to "bringing out your best"! We welcome feedback so we can improve and offer real value to you.

Keys to Success is written and published by Carol Gegner. Are you ready to excel? Check out http://www.coachexecs.com. We are ready to help you.

Any questions about your subscription? Check the end of the newsletter for information to subscribe or unsubscribe.

If you like what you see, will you please help us grow by forwarding the ezine to your colleagues and friends? We truly appreciate your support.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< FEATURE ARTICLE - Igniting Your Spirit

The end of the year is quickly creeping up! That brings good
news and bad news. The bad news is that the years are passing by
faster and faster. The good news is it's the perfect time to reflect,
celebrate and be grateful. We have the opportunity to look back
at our accomplishments during the year, celebrate our
successes and acknowledge our gratitude.

Taking time to reflect, celebrate and give thanks helps renew
the spirit that resides inside us. Keeping that spirit alive is
essential for managing the more difficult times we encounter in our
business and in our life.

We are living in an uncertain world and we need to find ways to
keep our spirit alive. We don't want Pogo's words, "we have met
the enemy, and they are us" to become a reality! Here are a few ideas to help ignite your spirit.

First, reflect on your accomplishments and list them as assets on your personal balance sheet. Look at the different aspects of your life to draw a complete picture. What worked well in your business? What advances did you make in your career? How well did you manage your finances? How did you improve and enhance your physical, mental,
social, and spiritual well-being? Use this exercise to accentuate the positive!

Second, it's time to celebrate your success based on those reflections.Remember each small success leads to a greater success. Please don't dismiss any accomplishment as to small too count. It is very easy to ignore the small items and only look for those big-ticket items.

Success is about the hundreds of little steps you take daily that eventually lead you to your dreams. Create a list of all of your accomplishments and keep the list visible as a constant reminder of your success. Read it every day. It's a simple way to keep the flames of your spirit burning brightly.

Finally, acknowledging and expressing your gratitude is another way
to ignite your spirit. What and who do you appreciate and why?
At the end of the day what are you thankful for? Write it down
and add it to the assets in your personal balance sheet. Gratitude is often forgotten in the daily hustle and bustle of doing business and living our lives.

Reflecting, celebrating, and expressing gratitude helps us remember
that the best things in life aren't always things!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WORDS TO INSPIRE

"The ultimate goal should be doing your best and enjoying
it."
Peggy Fleming, Olympic champion

"The person determined to achieve maximum success
learns the principle that progress is made one step at a
time. Football games are won a play at a time. A
department store grows bigger one customer at a time.
Every big accomplishment is a series of little
accomplishments."

David Joseph Schwartz, Author

"It's always worthwhile to make others aware of their
worth."
Malcolm Forbes, Publisher
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
GUEST ARTICLE
Making the Holidays a Stress Free Zone by Cynthia Giroud

1. Decide what's really important.

Take time to think about your priorities. What would make the holidays perfect for you? What is realistic given your time, budget and other factors? Write down your priorities and stick to them as you go through the season.

2. Stop or change the things you don't like to do.

Make a list of the things that you feel create the greatest stress during the holidays. Too many obligations? Too many gifts? Hate sending cards? Look at the list and decide what you can eliminate, change or delegate to gain some relief. Accept what you can't change and move on. For example, if you dread writing cards but really don't want to give it up, pare down your list to those people you know you won't see over the holidays. You can also consider sending a group card to all the people in your department or company instead of each individual.

3. Establish a game plan.

Advance planning is the key to reducing stress. Based on your holiday priorities, make a master list of the key jobs and realistic completion dates. Then, review the list and try to pare it down as much as possible. Are there still things on the list that you can you cut out or scale back?

4. Delegate

You don't need to be a one-person holiday band. Share the excitement and get others involved in the preparations. Divide up your master list and give each person at least one job that is appropriate for their age and ability.

5. Make a budget and stick to it.

Money worries are one of the biggest holiday stress factors. Determine what you can comfortably spend. Pare down your gift list to an absolute minimum. If you decide to stop giving gifts to certain people, let them know in advance. They'll probably be relieved! Finally, gifts don't have to cost a lot to be meaningful. Presents from the heart and kitchen, like cookies and breads are usually a wonderful and welcome treat.

6. Make gift giving easy.

Decide in advance what you want to buy for each person so that you don't waste time wandering aimlessly in search of the "best" gift. Can you shop online and save yourself the hassle of traffic and standing in line? If you need to buy your gifts in person, plan a shopping route for maximum efficiency.

7. Just say "No."

Decide in advance what you truly want to do and with whom you want to spend time. What will bring the most joy to your holidays? Practice saying "No" to everything else.

8. Savor the moments.

The holidays are about more than just the "big day." Make the most out of each event along the way. Find special ways to enjoy activities such as decorating the house, making cookies, shopping and gift-wrapping.

9. Maintain a healthy routine.

It's tough to do but essential to maintain your energy. Make social events more about enjoying the people rather than overindulging in eating and drinking. It's also important to stick with your exercise program and be sure to get the sleep you need.

10. Reward yourself.

Find ways to treat yourself in small or big ways during the holidays with things or activities that bring you pleasure such as a long bath, relaxing in front of a crackling fire or snuggling up with a good book.