I’ve been thinking about where we look for satisfaction, and why so many seem to live day after day without actually finding it. This has led me to some thoughts I’d like to share with you.

All living beings require a certain level of support from their physical environment in order to keep living. Take away the essential elements of food, water, warmth and oxygen, and most cannot long survive. 

As advanced beings we of course have those same needs. 

However as humans we go further than simply basic physical needs. We have a need for a certain internal sustenance, sometimes called “psychological needs”, which animals do not seem to have.

According to Merriam-Webster, burnout is exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.
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It's not new. It's been around for years, but usually dismissed with a dose of shame that burnout occurs amongst the weak. Now that it has spread through all parts of our culture however, the topic is being recognized as a threat not only to the health and well-being of individuals but also to the continued success of business and other organizations.

In my early twenties I went to the south of France to visit my grandfather and his wife and I fell in love with everything about the region.

The weather was mild and sunny and pleasant. The landscape was out of a Van Gogh painting. The general vibe of the people was relaxed and peaceful.  (I know, why wouldn’t they be in that environment?)

I was privileged to be interviewed recently on an episode of Brave Healer Productions with Laura Di Franco for my writing contribution to the newly released book, “Wholehearted Wonder Women 50 Plus: Courage, Confidence, & Creativity at Any Age.”
 
During the podcast episode, Expert Authors Interview, I discussed the chapter that I wrote, “Lead From Within” (Chapter 13). I talked about how and why I shifted from always following other people’s advice and their ideas of success to leading myself with courage and confidence, and the powerful difference that has made in my personal and professional life.

I've come to a place where I bridge two sides of coaching. First, there is the strategy side which says if you do this, then you'll have this result. But there is way more to success than following a simple strategy.
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Ask yourself, why does a strategy often not work for so many people? It probably worked for the one who created it but it cannot apply to all. How many times have you seen someone try to apply a strategy that worked well for somebody else but not for them?

I recently received an email on the downfall of FOMO marketing. I was in complete agreement with everything it said when it comes to how you communicate about your work. Some of the examples she gave are:
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a) You're making a big mistake
b) You're not good enough as you are
c) You're not successful already
d) You're not even capable of recognizing the ONE thing that's holding you back

Today I’m excited to share with you about femininity.  
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When I think of it, to be honest I think of France. I think of French women. I think of the mindset that couture designers have when they dress a woman’s body. I think of the fact that the Cathedral of Chartres is considered to be the mother womb of spirituality in Europe. I think of French women not even conceiving of not being in their beauty and self-care.

In 1983 the British rock band Eurythmics released an album with the title track "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" which went to no. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 charts.
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A lot of people, including me, thought it was a cool song.  I still think so. If you know the song, you'll no doubt recall the hook "everybody's looking for something." If by chance you don't know the song, pull it up and listen. Although I must warn you, it might stay stuck in your head for a while.