IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Feature Article - Sharpen Your Saw
Words to Inspire
Guest Column - Don't Have The Time
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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.

In keeping with the spirit of summer the feature article offers ideas on simple activities you can do to renew your energy. Summer reminds us to take the time to sharpen our saw with a little fun and relaxation. If not now, when?

Please be sure to check this out. My friend and business colleague, Jeff Rubin, whose business, Put It In Writing, writes and designs newsletters for companies, associations and non-profits (http://www.put-it-in-writing.com), is promoting the second annual celebration of National Punctuation Day (http://www.NationalPunctuationDay.com) on August 22.

Jeff founded the holiday last year to call attention to the importance of proper punctuation in personal and business communications. Chase's Calendar of Events, an on-line directory and printed reference book of "official" holidays and events, accepted the holiday. For information please call Jeff toll free at (877) 588-1212 or visit the NPD website. It is a great website!

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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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.
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Sharpen Your Saw

Summer is the perfect time for playing and having fun. Longer days and warmer temperatures invite us to slow down a bit and break away from our usual routines. Are you taking advantage of what summer offers?

Most of us have heard the saying, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Studies have show that productivity actually goes down when we don't take time off for a little rest and relaxation. I believe summer is nature's way of reminding us to let go and lighten up.

Stephen Covey tells us in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People we need to take time to sharpen our saw. He means taking the time to renew our energies physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Without renewal we lose our perspective on what we are doing and why. Renewal is what sustains us over time.

Renewal takes different forms for different people. In honor of summer here are some simple and easy ideas for renewing your energy and zest for life.

For your physical energy:
Take a bike ride.
Dance barefoot in the living room.
Go for an easy swim.

For your mental energy:
Take an art class.
Read a novel under a shade tree.
Write a short poem.

For your emotional/social energy:
Do a good deed for someone.
Connect with a long lost friend.
Smile and say hello to everyone you see today.

For your spiritual energy:
Express your gratitude for each day.
Sit under the stars in the evening and wonder.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

As you can see these activities are simple things to match the lightness of our summer days. You probably have your own favorite ways for recharging your batteries. The goal is to do activities in each area to balance the renewal process. By renewing our energies we will continue to grow and evolve to become the best we can be. Be sure to take the time to sharpen your saw!
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WORDS TO INSPIRE

"The world belongs to those with the most energy."
Alexis de Toqueville

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
Sydney J. Harris

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
Leonardo da Vinci
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GUEST ARTICLE - Don't Have The Time by Don Wetmore

Did you ever notice how there is never enough time to do everything, or so it seems? But there is always enough time to do the important things. I am always amused how some busy people can never take time out for personal development or leisure events, convinced that if they were not there the place would fall apart. Do you know the kind of people I am talking about?

And so, they are always there, before everyone arrives and after
everyone leaves, never taking time to do the important things they want to do.

Yet, that same person, that very same person who could never take off
three days for a personal development seminar, gets a surprise phone
call at 2:00 p.m. one afternoon. A close relative has just passed away
unexpectedly. Three hours later, they are on a plane flying to attend to
the family, dropping everything at work.

When they return, a few days later, is there anything to come back to?
You bet. Sure, some things get fouled up, but they are corrected and
life goes on. "The graveyards are filled with indispensable people."