IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Feature Article - Lessons from a Yoga Lesson
Words to Inspire
Guest Column - A Balanced Life Makes You a Better Leader
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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.

The feature article is based on my musings from a Yoga class I took last week. You don't need to practice Yoga to apply the four teachings to living a good life. I hope you give them a try.

Well, the Fourth of July weekend is here for many of us. Whatever you do to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy have a safe and wonderful time. We will be joining in on the fun of an old fashioned neighborhood parade and celebration. It's truly the epitome of a Norman Rockwell painting. We do it every year and I never cease to be amazed at the participation and enthusiasm.

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.

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Lessons from a Yoga Lesson

Do you remember when you learned how to ski, skate or ride a bike? The first few times you probably spent as much time on the ground as you did upright. All the moves felt very awkward and weird and then you got the hang of it. Balancing your body became effortless.

I was reminded of those awkward feelings and moves last week when I took my first Yoga class. Wow, it was a long ninety minutes! I did admit to the instructor at the beginning of the class that I as a "virgin" yoga student. The instructor used my adjective to compare yoga and making love. She said making love often feels uncomfortable and awkward the first few times and then you start to enjoy it. Yoga is like that too. The room filled with laughter and anxieties lessened.

Based on my very limited experience of attending one class I think Yoga can teach us a lot about life and work. Here are my musings from that first class.

Accept where you are. It is okay to feel awkward and admit you don't know what you are doing. Yoga definitely teaches us we have limitations as we begin learning even the most elementary poses. Eventually, with practice, I hope to gain some command over the awkwardness.

Remember to breathe. It's a good thing the instructor kept reminding us to breathe. I learned that breathing is more than inhaling and exhaling. Focused breathing allows you to be mindful of what you are doing and to align your body with your mind. I didn't know I would ever put so much energy into how to breathe.

Go slow. Yoga is all about slowing down and being in the present. We can all use a little more of that warped speed timeframe as we face life that seems to travel at the speed of sound. Life doesn't have to be a marathon. My goal is to slow down so I can savor the moments and enjoy the process.

Learn to stretch. Becoming more flexible is both a physical and mental endeavor. Yoga poses combine the physical and mental to create a vital flow of energy. As the body opens and stretches so does the mind. Or is it the converse? As the mind opens and stretches so does the body. I'm sure the instructor will teach me how it's possible to do both.

Those of you who practice yoga and are more experienced could add many more ideas to the above list. I aspire to be more like you. Even if you aren't into Yoga you can take the four teachings and apply them to your life. They are good lessons for living a good life.
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WORDS TO INSPIRE

For fast acting relief, try slowing down.
Lily Tomlin

"Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners."
William Shakespeare

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are."
Chinese Proverb
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GUEST ARTICLE

A Balanced Life Makes You a Better Leader

"Let's confront directly the notion of who are the better leaders: the
eighty-hours-per-week executives who live for work and subordinate
everything to the company's perceived needs, or the leaders who work equally hard during fifty to sixty hours but balance their work with the needs of their families?

Balanced leaders develop healthier organizations.* By appropriately
delegating their work, balanced leaders are able to make more thoughtful
decisions and lead more effectively.* Their employees make higher levels of commitment to the organization.* In the end they achieve better results on the bottom line.

Today's emerging leaders know from experiences in their own families that balance is imperative for leading a fulfilling life.* They are committed to excelling in their work, but they know that there is much more to life. They certainly do not lack the passion to lead.* Quite the contrary: they will be better leaders because they are living balanced lives.

If we sell our souls to the company, at the end of the day we may find we have little to show for our efforts.* If we seek organizations that nourish our souls, enable us to grow into fully functioning human beings, and connect us with fellow wayfarers, we can live a full life (George, 2003, p. 46)."

Do you lead a balanced life?

Reference:* George, W. (2003).* Authentic leadership: rediscovering the
secrets to creating lasting value.* San Francisco:* Jossey-Bass.

Reprinted with permission from OSU Leadership Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, 614-292-3114, http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu