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Browse published articles attributed to Ulrike Berzau MM, MHS, PT, FACHE, www.UlrikeBerzau.com, with full-archive search.
During our Passion Test training, we learned about “Jack Canfield’s story” when Janet Bray Attwood, Founder of the Passion Test (http://ulrikeberzau.com/the-passion-test/), took him through the Passion Test.
You are not alone, most people are terrified of public speaking but there is something you can do about it. With practice, a mentor and a system everyone can become an incredible speaker. One of the best ways to start is joining Toastmasters (http://www.toastmasters.org/). This organization has impacted so many peoples’ lives. It’s a place to become a confident public speaker and strong leader in a supportive learn-by-doing environment that allows you to achieve your goals at your own pace.
Our views and habits have developed over time and we typically underestimate the power of our ingrained beliefs, the ones deeply rooted in our subconscious mind. They affect how we think, act and ultimately, affect our results. It’s not necessarily all negative. Actually our programming can be very powerful and enable our success; however, it can also limit our ideas of what is possible in life.
I was recently interviewed on Facebook Live by the Rider Fitness – Riding Without Backpain community <https://www.riderfitness.com/> where I shared about the power of “Imagery” to decrease pain and improve performance. The concept of imagery is so mighty and it is used so successfully by high performing athletes, successful leaders, inspirational speakers and people who want to improve their lives. Imagery is used more and more in the area of rehabilitation and prevention. Physical exercise coupled with imagery is extremely potent.
By creating an intention, we become clear about what we want to accomplish and at the end of the day, we know how to measure our progress. When we set an intention, we connect with the deeper meaning of our desires and we pause to make our actions meaningful. This allows us to progress towards our life purpose. An intention evokes feelings, raises our energy and opens us up to infinite possibilities.
Has it ever occurred to you that you may not be living up to your full potential because you are not giving your best to others including your work, clients, friends or family? Have you taken the time to schedule a lesson, pay for it and during the lesson you hoped time would pass instead of truly trying to follow what the instructor was teaching you?
Spring, like early mornings, reminds me of new beginnings and new opportunities. It’s a time where we can plant new seeds and hopes. There is a great vibrancy and excitement in the air and I see sparkles of hope all over. What if we are so busy that we cannot enjoy the new beginnings? What if we have no space to plant new seeds? Let’s do some spring cleaning, emotionally and physically, to create the space.
We are already two weeks into the new year and most peoples’ new year’s resolutions are history. It’s a common and interesting phenomena. Goals often don't last - sometimes we don't even get started on them or fall back into old habits creating the same old results. I know your year can be different and amazing...keep on reading! What's Missing? Why don’t our goals and well-meant plans last and bring results?
If you are ready to move beyond your comfort-zone and let go of the old, here are few mighty steps you can take: 1. Beyond Your Comfort-zone When we do something new or change locations and social surroundings, we get out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. We have no frame of reference for the new experience, which causes us excitement, and typically uneasiness and discomfort. As a matter of fact, we can experience physical disease when we decide that we want something different or embrace a new opportunity, but need to break our habitual behaviors and step out of our comfort.
We all face the moments where we lose inspiration and excitement for what we do. Usually we focus on employee engagement but it affects as much the entrepreneurs, and business owners as the leaders of a team, department or organization. According to a 2015 Gallup study, only 32% of the American Workforce is engaged and globally only 13%. This costs the economy billions. But on a smaller scale, just think of how much is costs YOU as the entrepreneur or leader who is not deeply inspired about what you are doing.
So, change...what is it? When we talk of change, we talk about starting something new, becoming and making something different, replacing someone or something; from little things such as putting on different clothes, driving a different car to bigger transformations such as changing daily habits, a new career or relocation. "Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box." ~ Deepak Chopra
Most people strive to have more and be more - we want more money, rewarding work, enhanced relationships, optimal health, fitness, wellbeing and so much more. Clearly, we are programmed to measure our effectiveness by what we see. When we see our results, for example our bank account, our profit, our weight or whatever we are working on - we measure our success, our accomplishments and even measure ourselves accordingly. If the results are not what we want them to be, we keep thinking about the negative results, the lack of progress and it fills our conscious mind.
We all go through times where we feel great and times we have lack of energy, perhaps feel ill or get sick. As a physical therapist and healthcare executive, I have longstanding interest in integrative (complementary) medicine and am fascinated about the connection between our mind and our body. Not only what happens in the mind and how it relates to what happens in our body, but also nature’s concepts of constriction and expansion as valuable notions to enhance our health and wellbeing. Let me share more of these ideas with you.
We all are leaders and followers in our personal and professional lives. Most importantly, we must lead ourselves because leadership starts with us. Our attitude, actions, and ability to grow and learn set us apart from ineffective leaders. Exceptional leaders are led from within – they remain focused, calm, and confident. They have a clear vision and passion for what they do. When obstacles occur, they focus on how they can overcome it and find creative solutions.
I am so inspired by my clients' progress and success. It is most rewarding. In the past, as an executive leader in healthcare, I was as able to mentor my leadership team. Today I have the opportunity to coach emerging and experienced leaders in various industries. It's exciting to see how similar our challenges are across the industries. It all goes back to our ability to do what we are passionate about and create a success mindset. Today I would like to introduce you to a young entrepreneur who is transforming the world to live inspired and healthy lives.
All the time we have images on our mind, images that inspire us or images that increase worry and doubt. We actually think in pictures. Just pay attention to what’s on your mind all day - your thoughts and images. We know the body’s performance is an expression of what is going on in our mind, and our subconscious keeps us on an autopilot all day unless we interject and take charge of our life. As it has been illustrated may times with the “lemon example,” the subconscious doesn’t know the difference between what is “real” and what is imagined.
Reflecting back on the past year and looking ahead to 2019, I would like to share this quote with you: “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” ~ Ray Goforth
Our mental muscles give us the abilities to take charge of our life, change the course of habitual actions and achieve the results we desire! In the Thinking Into Results program I teach my clients, we cover the six powerful mental muscles everyone has and how to use them. They are as follows: Perceptionr What we perceive depends on our point of view and the current situation. If you are tall, others are short and if you are short, others are tall.
The way we sit, stand or walk affects our mind and therefore our results. Likewise, the way we feel affects our posture and movements. “There is an inner and an outer side to everything,” as Thomas Troward said. Your Posture and Your Mood? Think about a happy and successful moment, a moment you were at your best. How did you sit and stand? Remember your smile, the excitement in your eyes visible to everyone. Now you can recreate that inner feeling, being at your best, by the way you hold yourself, move and smile.
Have you paid attention to your body language and the message it sends out to others and to yourself? Have you wondered why at times people react very differently to you than you expect or the intent of what your message was? You might notice that you reacted negatively to a message that actually may have been neutral or even positive. We have all heard, it’s how we deliver the message.
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a nine day intensive, small group training with Janet Bray Attwood, the founder of The Passion Test. From our group, more than half of the participants were from Japan as The Passion Test has been experiencing fast growth in Japan. During our course I was introduced to a new movement in Japan called “Maro Up” and I learned a few Japanese words - the most important one “Arigato,” which means Thank You.
After working for many years in health care as a physical therapist and health care executive, I have witnessed peoples’ life-changing events, illnesses and recoveries. I have seen how powerful the human mind is and how much our mindset affects our mind, our body, our spirit, and, most importantly, our results.
In my last newsletter, I shared with you a few of Jack Canfield’s Success Principles <http://ulrikeberzau.com/success/ha ess-power-thoughts/> and today, I’d like to share one more: Practice Uncommon Appreciation. Jack Canfield shares, as you might have heard, before “employees are more motivated by appreciation, the feeling included in things, and an understanding attitude rather than good wages, job security and promotion opportunities.” What do you think?
Brendon Burchard reminds us in his new book High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, that with the right habits, anyone can dramatically improve results and become a high performer in almost any chosen field. He writes:
Are you a charismatic leader or person? Not only leaders, politicians and famous people but fathers, mothers, spouses, partners, friends and our children can be charismatic or have charismatic traits. We know this because we are attracted to it. So, what attracts us to charismatic leaders and people? Is it their energy? Is it their first impression and their ability to connect with us? Is it their communication style? Many of history’s most effective leaders are labelled charismatic and there is some controversy about whether people are born with charisma or if it is made.
When things don't go well, frustration with other people or with yourself often comes up and our mood goes downhill fast. Have you had those days? Well, you are not alone. While we cannot control other people and all situations, we can manage our own emotions and how to deal with things and situations that arise in our lives. In my experience, I have found that when we don't meet our own expectations it is very hard. Often times we are harder on ourselves than on others.
Looking back at last year, I am reflecting on those things that have been helpful for me to achieve success, meet and exceed my goals. I came up with the following six key areas in my life and I would love to hear from you about the things that have been most helpful for your development, personally and professionally. 1. Clarity and Uniqueness
One of the thought-provoking questions Gay Hendricks asks in the beginning of his book is: “Am I willing to feel good and have my life go well all the time?” Gay says: “In my view, saying yes to that question is one of the most courageous actions a human being can take. In the face of so much evidence that life hurts and is fraught with adversity on all fronts, having a willingness to feel good and have life go well all the time is a genuinely radical act.”
Janet and Chris Attwood, internationally renowned Passion Test Founders, share: “Your passions are the pipelines to your soul. When you are connected to your passions, you feel happy, self-motivated, fulfilled, engaged, and worthwhile. And when you are disconnected from your true purpose, you become unhappy and ultimately depressed.”
I had the opportunity last week to see Jack Canfield live and attend his A Day to Greatness seminar. For sure, you all know Jack Canfield, the co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul. Have you read his book The Success Principles? The workshop covered a number of his success principles and I highly recommend his book. It is a great way to reflect, approach the end of the year and reenergize for the New Year. Jack began his session with a great selection of really funny cartoons that he shared with the audience. He said laughing raises the energy and facilitates learning.
Our unique skills and talents make us irresistible. Think about what you enjoy, are good at, what inspires you and what brings a smile to your face. Our passions are an indication of our skills and talents. Interestingly, when we admire and even envy someone, it’s just a sign that we have the same skills, often dormant, waiting to be expressed. For example, if you admire inspirational speakers, you too can be one once you apply yourself, create the intention and follow diligently through with your actions.
Qatar Airways, rated #1 in the world in 2015 and #2 in 2016, knows how to treat its customers, as do Emirates and Etihad, both UAE airlines, also at the top of the world’s best 100 Airlines. The Top 100 Airlines of 2016 1. Emirates 2. Qatar Airways 3. Singapore Airlines 4. Cathay Pacific 5. ANAs 6. Etihad Airways *Top Airlines of 2016 Data gathered from: www.worldairlineawards.com What makes the customer experience different and how do we know what our customers want?
Recently, I had the opportunity to provide consultative work in New York and this month it’s Boston and Cincinnati. On the flight back from New York to the west coast, I was thinking about my past ups and downs. We all have them and I want to inspire you to look at it in a different way. We all experience times when our business, career and income are not flourishing. We get discouraged and focus on what does not work. We ruminate on the past and what we could have done or said, or maybe not done or said, and we rarely think about what went really well in the past.
“Yes, has magic within it,” says Susie Moore in her Huffington Post article 9 Little Known Truths About the Power of Yes! <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susie-moore/success-and-motivation_b_5198200.html> How often do you say yes or wish you had said yes? What is holding you back from saying yes? We often regret that we did not realize an opportunity, experience something new or stretch beyond our comfort zone.
On my way to San Diego, after providing hospital consulting for a few days in the greater Chicago area, I re-read Tony Hsieh’s book, “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.” This book was a great preparation for The Passion Test conference I was headed to, and following the ASAP Engagement Consultant training, a process to transform businesses’ world, from solopreneur and small companies to large corporations.
“Could you really turn the desert into a lush green land? Fifty years ago, one man firmly believed it was possible. For Sheikh Zayed the only limit was your imagination. To turn his vision into reality, the Founding Father summoned prominent agricultural experts from around the world to the oasis at Buraimi. After seeing the barren land, most decided to return home. Except for a 25-year-old graduate in agricultural science from Karachi in Pakistan. Abdul Hafeez Khan Al Yousefi faced the daunting task of turning the desert green on his arrival in Abu Dhabi in 1962.
How often have you doubted yourself? And how did it affect your life, work or business? I can relate to this and until I learned to believe in myself and create a “success image” of myself, I was unable to neither use my full potential nor bring out the best in myself. It may seem strange but some people are born with an unshakeable belief in themselves while others struggle in this area so much. The good news is, you can reprogram your mind and develop that definite belief in yourself step-by-step.
Three years ago, after a rewarding and successful career as a healthcare executive leading rehabilitation services and hospitals, I shifted my focus to follow my entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, I had the opportunity to learn from the world’s best in the personal development area—mind, body, and spirit—and I wanted to apply the spectrum of my skills and experiences to benefit others.
Last week we held the Passion Test for Business <https://ulrikeberzau.com/the-passion-test-for-business/>, Level II, Consultant & Trainer certification course in Delray Beach, Florida with participants from New Zealand, Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium and USA. Our Business Consultants learned how to develop passion-based business strategies and help entrepreneurs and companies develop their Unique Contribution – what sets a business apart from others. At the conference center, I experienced indoor and outdoor labyrinths and I found it to be a wonderful experience.
Let’s find out what holds us back from exploring and experiencing the many new things we could do to grow and bring more joy and fulfillment into our life. Today in our known environment, we are comfortable and continue with our same routine. With no or just little effort we can stay in our comfort zone and continue to do the same, continue the status quo. Our habitual activities bring us the same results. ‘Rubbish in = rubbish out’ says it all. We wonder why we do not get different results.
I am grateful for the Hallmark hype and everyone’s marketing for Thanksgiving. It’s a perfect opportunity to focus on giving thanks and gratitude but let’s not wait for this once a year celebration. If you celebrate the American Thanksgiving or already celebrated the Canadian Thanksgiving in October or a similar holiday in your country during the year, give yourself the gift of gratitude all year long. We can reflect on everything we are grateful anytime. We can count our blessings and share our gratitude with others and appreciate ourselves.
The only constant in life is change I was told many years ago. Change in both your personal and professional life is inevitable and can be energizing or frightening. Many times, change happens “to you” versus you actively seeking out the change. This can be very stressful and overwhelming. On the other hand, there is beauty and power in being open to new ideas, new things, new situations and opportunities that allow you to experience yourself fully, tap into skills you have not used or stretch beyond your comfort zone in various areas.
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Or are you frustrated because you have too many things going on and you don’t know where to start? Many of my clients share with me they feel overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed because they have so much to do to keep their business going or keep up with their work. They often resent the fact that they became an independent entrepreneur/business owner or have a new job or got promoted because it’s more than what they think they can handle. Yes, life and work are busy and YES there is a solution.
We all have unique skills and talents. Think about what you enjoy, are good at, what inspires you and what brings a smile to your face. Our passions are an indication of our skills and talents. Interestingly, when we admire and even envy someone, it’s just a sign that we have the same skills, often dormant, waiting to be expressed. For example, if you admire inspirational speakers, you too can be one once you apply yourself, create the intention and follow diligently through with your actions.
How would you score the following questions on a scale 1-10? (1 – never at all ……… 10 – always the best it can be!) Find out: 1. I am excited about my life and inspired by my work and leisure activities. 2. Others comment on how happy I am and what a joy it is to be around me. 3. I know my top passions, those things that matter most to me personally and professionally. 4. I make decisions based on my passions. 5. I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I enjoy. What would it take for you to increase your score up to a 10, or at least an 8 or 9?r
I recently came across this well writte LinkedIn post, “Must read article on how our lives will change dramatically in 20 years” <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/must-read-article-how-our-lives-change-dramatically-20-delahunty> that is extremely fascinating. It is actually based on a Facebook post by Udo Gollub <https://www.facebook.com/udo.gollub/posts/10207978845381135?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_detail_base%3BiBy7ePZbSAGupRud4ZVF5Q%3D%3D> who went April 2016 to the SingularityU Germany Summit in Berlin.
I find it fascinating that people we perceive as rational are totally using their intuition. What is your experience with intuition? I’d love to hear about it and how it has affected your life? Everybody knows Albert Einstein, the German-bo physicist who developed the theory of relativity. As the most influential physicist of the 20th century, we would expect that he is very rational and fact-driven. Yet, he is known for using his intuition and we attribute to him a large number of quotes about intuition and imagination. For example: - “The only really valuable thing is intuition.”r
Our attitude is going to determine where we go in life; it is the foundation of failure or success and also significantly affects our health and well-being. You have most likely heard expressions such as “we can always look for the positive or the negative in any situation,” and “we can take control over a situation or let the environment control us.” This is easily said. But how can we affect our attitude, how can we take charge of our life? Let’s find out what attitude truly is.
The year ended and some of us reflected back on 2016. How did it go? Did you enjoy your work, make progress and achieve some of your goals?
Recently, I had the opportunity to be one of the 17 experts from around the world presenting at the Global Online H.E.A.L. Summit (http://www.healsummit2016.com/). It takes vision and passion to organize such an impactful global event and I had the pleasure to get to know the organizers, Verna Bowen and Tom Teague. I met Verna when I joined her H.E.A.L. Facebook group and we connected right away. I loved her energy and vision. Verna did an amazing job featuring me as a new member and I was so touched by her write-up that I offered to take her though The Passion Test.