Category: Happiness Advantage

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Swinging and Humming

💫 Last week was full of insight for me. With the constant going, pushing and striving to do more, be more, create more and get booked more, I hit a wall.

I found myself way past exhaustion. I could barely hold my head up.

After a much need coaching session (yes, coaches need coaching too), I took time to identify what was challenging me, and then I made a plan to improve those things.

I realized that I had not taken any time to celebrate my accomplishments before moving to the next “thing” on my list. The constant pushing and striving caught up to me and left me feeling totally and completely spent.

In need of a rapid improvement plan, I left my house, hair undone, natural face with a t-shirt and shorts on, and I found a swing.

I swung until my heart was content, tension released, and contentment filled my spirit.

I know it sounds simple, but sometimes that is all you need to change the energy and momentum around you.

From this experience, I learned that just like I schedule those 4:45am treadmill sessions, I need to schedule celebration sessions too.

(Let me warn you ahead of time. The audio within this video is LOUD. In addition to humming, you will also hear the sound of traffic passing by. If you are in a quiet setting, proceed with caution!)

 

So what am I celebrating?

💫 Completing Professional and Executive Coaching Training Intensive through the CaPP Institute

💫 Completing Equity in Contracting Training through CPCC

💫 Acceptance into the Women’s Entrepreneurship Program at

eCornell University and completing my first course with a perfect score.

💫 Becoming a member of ForbesBLK

💫 Acceptance into the 2023-24 Milestone Circles Program at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

💫 Gaining two new coaching clients

After taking a moment to reflect, I realize that I have a lot to celebrate (I am sure that I left something off of my list).

Celebrations are important.

If you have a hard time celebrating your achievements, you are not alone, but just like I hit a brick wall last week from overwhelm and exhaustion, you can too.

Let’s hold one another accountable for showing up as our best self by taking important moments to celebrate.

I invite you to join the Origins of Peace Community by visiting http://www.originsofpeace.com.

You will receive a bi-monthly newsletter and priority notice of events and happenings within the community.

Make Peace A Priority,

Melissa

 

#managementconsulting #consulting #Coaching #businesscoach #lifecoach #executivecoach #leadershipcoach #livingyourbestlife #techsabbath #techfreesunday #coaching #creativity #enjoylife #getterstronger, #courage, #lifecoachingforwomen , #mindset, #personaldevelopmentcoaching, #personalgrowthanddevelopment #personalpower, #overcomingobstacles, #planningandscheduling, #positivethinking #positivepsychologycoaching, #reachinggoals, #stayingpositive, #excitedforthejourney, #strongertogether, #successfactors, #successcoaching, #takingabreak, #transformationalcoaching

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Did You Get Our Latest Timeout Newsletter?

Hey Friends!

Did you get the latest issue of The Timeout Newsletter? No? Let’s change that…

Subscribe today at: http://www.originsofpeace.com

 

#timeoutnewsletter #originsofpeace

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Peace!

Labor Day unofficially ushers in the arrival of Fall, and with the arrival of new things, the ending of things that are no longer beneficial is often a companion.  What better time is there to be intentional about how you use your effort and where you direct your energy.

If lately you’ve felt like you’re going nowhere fast, use this time to explore new opportunities.

I know you’ve heard the cliche’, when one door closes, another door opens. It is time to be more intentional about those doors. Are there things in your life that no longer serve a purpose for you? Is it time to release them and try something new?

 

 What new ideas or opportunities are you interested in exploring?             

Are you ready to move past anything that has been holding you back?

 

Start the process by, taking time today to self-reflect and focus on how you want your week to go.

  • What are your intentions for the week?

  • Do you have clear expectations for positive, forward motion.

Next, set aside time to write down your intentions in the 4 areas below.

        • Faith

        • Love

        • Mindfulness

        • Self-Care

  • Why are your intentions important?

  • What will you do to make them happen?

After you’ve created your plan for the week, add another week and then keep the momentum going by creating a fully thought-out plan.

 

If you would like Coaching and Consulting assistance to help you set your intentions, use the link below to get started.

https://calendly.com/melissa_rivers/coaching-services

I pray you have a wonderful Labor Day Holiday.

Make Peace A Priority,

Melissa

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With Gratitude

Happy Sunday! I hope this post finds you renewed and ready to embrace the week with vibrance and enthusiasm.

Today, the Origins of Peace Team wanted to take a moment to remind you of the incredible power that lies within you, in all of the roles that you fill on a daily basis. It is important to recognize that your best efforts are valued and appreciated.

As you go about your week, it is totally natural to encounter challenges and complications. Remember, to keep your perspective fresh by taking a step back to reevaluate your next steps. If you feel anxious or nervous, embrace vulnerability and growth as necessary parts of your journey.

Creating a routine with peace and purpose requires intentional nurturing, not just strategies and tactics. You have to align your authentic self, your values, and your belief in self to unleash your Origins of Peace! This happens with time and commitment.

This week remember, “you cannot find peace in a place that you do not trust.” Trust yourself to make right decisions for your now and your future. If you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath and know that you are capable of achieving greatness beyond your imagination.

Place your faith on top of that simple truth.

***Due to scheduling conflicts, our weekly newsletter was not delivered this morning as planned. The good news is that we are consistently working. The lesson learned is that we have a growth opportunity to manage our calendar and time requirements better.

To help remedy this challenge, beginning in September, our newsletter will be delivered twice monthly with content focused on personal and professional development.

Thank you to all who participated in our survey requesting your feedback on what our newsletter content should focus on.

If you have not submitted a survey but would like to, please do so my clicking the link below. It takes less than 60 seconds to complete.

https://forms.office.com/r/52Pw05tBjZ

Make Peace A Priority,

Melissa

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Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle August Session

Join me on Sunday, August 27th for the next Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle. We are talking about PEACE Goals and the 7 Building Blocks you need in order to make them sustainable.

I quoted the time incorrectly in the video, so please make note of the correct time: 4pm-5:30pm.
 
Here’s the link to join:
 
Here’s the link to the Peace Capability Assessment:
 
Make Peace a Priority,
Melissa Rivers
 
All Rights Reserved @2023
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Creatively Corporate

According to the June 2015 Forbes article entitled, Can A Creative Person Survive Corporate Life, a creative person can survive in a corporate environment by taking the following five actions:

  1. Decide what you want
  2. Make a plan to get what you decided you want.
  3. Look at the ways your current situation can help you get what you want.
  4. Practice self-awareness.
  5. Speak your truth

I believe in today’s corporate climate, an intentional practice of number four, self-awareness is one that must be done on a consistent, and continuous basis.

As a creative in corporate, I fully realize that my adherence to timelines is sometimes variable. I begin with the greatest of intentions to complete a task on time but find myself off kilter when urgent requests arise or when something happens to redirect my focus. When this occurs, I am fully aware that it takes me a while to find my way back to the original focal point.

So what am I doing to correct this?

In total transparency, this is a current situation that I struggle with. I have recently started using new tools to help with time management and productivity, but it all boils down to the type of projects that drive your creativity and knowing when you’ve done enough creating to move forward to next steps.

If you are a creative struggling in your current work environment, ask yourself, “what do I want?”

Is it time to move forward to something new or will you take the necessary steps to make improvements in your current work environment? As a creative, it is totally up to you.

As you move through this week, be gentle with yourself and know that your creativity is not an impediment to your success, it is a gift. Value it, but make sure your protect it.

Make Peace a Priority,

Melissa

 

 

 

You were created to live each day with purpose.

 

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Authenticity Matters

In a world full of AI, Gridlines and Algorithms, showing up as your authentic self still matters.

“When You Show Up Authentically, You Create the Space for Others to Do the Same. Walk in Your Truth” -unknown

During a recent presentation, the meeting organizer stopped me in mid-sentence and said, this is amazing. The colors are so vivid, and your presentation tells a great story. I acknowledged the comment and thanked the organizer for noticing. Her words meant a lot to me because I strive to show up differently in every aspect of my life, business included.

Professionally, the brand of Origins of Peace, LLC is bright colors, vivid photos and transparent stories. I love creating a unique experience of peace through my content, with the hope that it will free you to show up and engage with us in the same manner.

If no one has told you lately, your authenticity matters.

I personally believe that if we hold space for one another, by allowing each other to show up as our unique self, without judgement; corporately we could all breathe a little better.

I challenge you this week to help your neighbor breathe a little easier by being authentic and holding space for them to be authentic too. Here a few things that you can do to accomplish this challenge:

  1. Be intentional with your words
  2. Demonstrate accountability for your actions
  3. Show interest in learning from others
  4. Express your emotions clearly
  5. Look for ways to have fun in the process

It is totally ok to be you. As a matter of fact, God created you because there was a void without you. Never allow the opinions or actions of others to stop you from being authentically you. There are so many obstacles that are put in front of each of us on a daily basis. Don’t get tired or weary in your daily doing. It’s all about the bob and weave method to make it through.

If you’ve been feeling anxious or uneasy about your interactions with others, remember that social anxiety is something that everyone experiences on some level.

Origins of Peace provides coaching services to help you create an action plan to navigate your feelings. Click here to get started.

Make Peace A Priority,

Melissa

 

 

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Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle!

Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle happening Sunday, July 30th at 4:00pm

I am dedicating 90 minutes to focus solely on my business.
I am creating social media content, emailing perspective clients and completing some administrative tasks that are long overdue.
You are invited to join me in this dedicated space where we can share ideas or just hold space for one another as we work!
An inspiring playlist has been made, timed work intervals are set and ready to go.
The only missing element is you.
We will use The Pomodoro Technique to manage our time in 25-minute intervals.
If you have a project that you are working on, I am creating the perfect, peaceful setting to help you get things done and checked off of your list.
Gain access to this peaceful space by clicking the link below!
Let’s prepare to be successful, together!

 

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Disrupt Your Resistance to Change!

Affirmation: I am open to change……I easily adapt to change……I create change……I am a Change Leader

Many people are resistant to changing their traditional ways of doing things. Traditions that have become the go to method of operation, no matter how inefficient or unproductive are sometimes hard to let go of.

This is an emotional response, not a logical one. In some cases, people, more specifically women, fear change due to shaking things up and disrupting the normal operation of how things are done at home and in the workplace.

Many fear they will lose things that are important to them, such as a relationship or work status if they ask for change.

Truth be told, the longer you fulfill a need or role either personally or professionally, the harder it is to change or require something new for yourself.

If you are considered the errand runner, dinner maker or grocery store extraordinaire in your family, letting go of these time-consuming responsibilities, or asking for help could be a huge ask.

If you are the coffee runner, note taker and calendar manager at work, these too might be tasks that you cannot easily allow someone else to fulfill or assist with.

Although it might feel hard to ask or even want change from your everyday norm, it is possible.

Today’s post is meant to inspire you to take action this week to shake things up, disrupt the norm and take risks to try something new. I am sharing 3 steps that you can take to help you disrupt your resistance to change.

In the corporate world, the practice of Lean Six Sigma involves finding more efficient ways to conduct business. It involves identifying and eliminating areas of waste in order to perform work more efficiently. In our daily lives, work life balance and mindfulness techniques can be used to create intentionality and to manage everyday life responsibilities.

In both areas, those who are the front-line workers and task performers often resist change because of comfortability. 

I challenge you both personally and professionally to utilize Movement to disrupt your resistance to change.

Movement is a common but less thought about method for creating momentum to activate change. As professional women with work and family responsibilities it is easy to create a routine of taking care of everyone else’s needs before tending to your own. Additionally, women of color are more prone to fulfill nurturing and supportive roles in our communities, churches and even at work. Use movement to shift the norm!

Your body is the first gift you are given in this life. The gift of your lungs allowed you to take your first breath. The gift of your mouth allowed your first cries to be heard. The gift of your muscles allowed you to make your first movements. Though you may have gained and lost many things along your journey, your body has stayed with you. It is time to allow your body the full range of expression that it desires and the gratitude that it deserves (Find Your Peace, A Workbook for A More Mindful Life by Kiki Ely)

Professionally, get out and socialize. Attend networking events or invite a colleague to lunch. Personally, ask a neighbor to accompany you on a walk through the neighborhood. These are just two examples of how to implement small acts of movement in your life. Small activities of movement can activate your willingness to change.

1.Start by reflecting on areas in your life that need to be disrupted. Where should you begin?

2. Build on the awareness that you’ve created by embracing your desire for change. What will change look like for you? 

3. Take one step toward your desire. What activity can you complete in the next 14 days to get started?

Do you need to disrupt your resistance to change? Are you willing to make a move toward your desires?

If you would like support as you navigate change in your life, contact me directly at melissa_rivers@orginsofpeace.com.

I offer personal and professional coaching, and I would love to help set you up for success.

Share with me your thoughts about the information that has been shared in this post. Comment below and let me know if this information is helpful to you. 

Make Peace A Priority,
Melissa
Origins of Peace, LLC
704-388-5276
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Is It Time To Uplevel Your Life

“Simply be the qualities you seek in others.”
Is there someone that you admire personally or professionally? Is there a colleague or friend that has certain qualities that you desire to exhibit more of in your life?
If this holds true for you, what actions can you take to move from your current reality to the desired reality that you want. Is it as simple as taking the appropriate steps to mimic what you see in others, or do you need to create a more structured plan to make to make it happen.
Personally, I am working on intentionally strengthening the qualities of curiosity, spontaneity, and adventure in my life. Years of overbooking my schedule and failing to prioritize, caused these attributes to become basically nonexistent.
For me curiosity involves traveling to places that I’ve never been, seeking out alternative ways to work and experience financial freedom. Spontaneity and adventure resemble taking the trip prior to feeling burned out and overwhelmed.
On Friday, August 4th at 11:30am, I am hosting a Lunch and Learn Planning Session with step-by-step guidance on how you can move from your current reality to the life you desire. Join me to get the 5-step blueprint, which can be applied to all areas of your life where change is desired.
Let me help you find your #originsofpeace. Email melissa_rivers@originsofpeace.com to receive the meeting details.
Make Peace Your Priority,
Melissa