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Are you ready to find out what
an amazing person you have
hidden inside the box?
Self-esteem - positive self-regard, comes from behaving in a way
that makes you like and respect who you are.
It is hard to believe that 2011 is over in just 2 days.
Where did it go?
As another year comes to a close, this is a good day to
reflect on the following questions:
 Goals -- Year in Review
- Of the goals you set this year, which ones did you
accomplish in 2011?
- What did it take for you to accomplish those
goals?
- What do you want to accomplish in 2012?
As I reflect on my own life this past year, my answers present
a telling story of a 1/58th slice of my life.
- What did I accomplish in 2011? – At the beginning of 2011, I had 3 overriding goals: get organized, get more connected to family/friends, and get fit. I was seriously committed to 2 of them, and as
a result, I successfully accomplished 2 of the 3.
- I got more organized. In January I hired a professional organizer to get me on track, and gratefully I maintained throughout
the year.
- I stayed more connected to friends and family, and social media was only one vehicle for staying connected. I invested in face-to-face and telephone time. I had more lunches with girlfriends, talked to more friends on the phone, made more of an effort to meet people for coffee, and sent more “Just Thinking of You” greeting cards.
- I was not as successful with my fitness goals, although I did get all of my medical screenings done, e.g., mammogram, eye doctor, annual exam, quarterly dental cleanings. I also did 2 half-marathons. But again, this area left room to be desired.
- What did it take to accomplish my successful
goals in 2011? It took:
- A real bona fide “intention” to makethem happen
- A willingness to do the footwork, even when I did not want to
- A willingness to stay on track
- Getting started early in the year, and not putting it off
- Daily written reminders
- A willingness to be imperfect, but to try anyway
- Support
- What are my goals for 2012?
- Maintain organization
- Maintain staying connected to family and friends
- Get fit
- Publish my 3rd book
- Devote time and energy to developing a new area
of practice (wills & trusts) and focus on educating and helping older married/divorced/widowed women
So what about you? As you look back on your 2011, what did you accomplish? What did it take to be successful? What are your goals for 2012? I’m interested in what you have to say. Join the conversation on my Esteemable Acts Website, my Esteemable Acts Facebook Fan Page, or in one of my LinkedIn discussion groups.
Until then, HAPPY New Year!
Posted in Courage, Creativity thinking, Dealing with disappointment, Inspirational Sayings, Living your dreams, Personal Accountability, Personal Development, personal goals, personal growth, Personal Responsibilty, Right choices, Self esteem
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YOU are the Barrier to YOUR Success
The only barrier between you and getting something you want is YOU.
 How to achieve your goals It is easy to let your race, your gender, your past, your education (or lack thereof), your station in life to stand between you and success. It happens all too often, and perhaps it’s happened to YOU. I’ve been there—allowing some condition in my life to stunt my growth or block my success, but no more. When I get caught up in a belief system that tells me, “I cannot do something I want to do”, I stop and think about all those folks who have come before me—with more than a few challenges to face—who did the impossible.
Seminole Tribe of Florida and hard Rock Cafe, Inc.
Recently I was doing some research online and stumbled across a new role model for success in overcoming the odds—the Seminole Indians. Did you know that the Seminole Tribe of Florida own Hard Rock Café International, Inc.? I don’t mean they go to the casino to gamble and have a meal, nor do I mean that they own just one little hotel. I mean they own the company!
So if a group of people who have been discriminated against from as back as I can remember can make something out of nothing, why can’t you?
You Can Do This!
As we approach the New Year, let’s think about your dreams for 2012. They don’t have to be BIG dreams, just significant to you.
I’m Francine Ward, coach and author of the Esteemable Acts books. Join my conversation
on my
Esteemable Acts Fan Page.
Last week I took my mother on a cruise to the Caribbean. It was in celebration of her 81st birthday and of her amazing life. Since her 70th birthday, I have tried to take her somewhere, just so we can spend time together. We’ve done cruises, Hawaii, and the spa. How lucky I am to still have a mother who is living and present.
 Me and my Mom As we start the Holiday season, I think about all that I have to be grateful for:
- My mother
- My relationship with my mother
- The fact that I truly love my mom
- That I am financially able to do things with, and for her
- A wonderful husband who lets me be ME
- Enough to eat
- A comfortable bed to sleep in
- The ability to live the life I love
- Friends that matter
- A clean and sober life
- My beautiful animals
- That I love and value animals
- My education
- That I am 58 and loving it
- And so much more…
What are you grateful for today? Think back over your life to where you were 20-, 10-, 5-, 1-year ago. How has your life changed? Is it better? Are you worse off? Even if it feels as if it has changed for the worst, are you able to manage it? Despite the struggle, do you have enough? Do you have hope?
On this day I thank God for my many gifts, and NOT the least of them is my mom. Join the conversation on my Esteemable Acts Fan Page and let me know what you are grateful for.
Posted in Esteemable Acts, Family, family values, Friendship, God, How to build self esteem, How to show love, improve self esteem, Life, Love one another, Personal Development, personal growth
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Angels Are Everywhere [excerpt from my book, "52 Weeks of Esteemable Acts: A Guide to Right Living"]
I never believed in angels. Now I do. I think of angels as people who do nice things for us without expecting much in return. They give for the love of giving. They seek out opportunities to help, even when it seems inconvenient. They don’t always look like we expect them to look or smell like we think they should. Their beliefs aren’t always aligned with ours. But when we need them, they are there.
 Self esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts
One of the first times I really understood this concept was when I drove to New York from Las Vegas in 1982. There I was, thrust into a big world I had never known except in geography schoolbooks. I was terrified but willing to make the drive. This cross-country trip was to become a metaphor for the bigger journey in my life.
Angels were everywhere. I met them in gas stations and rest stops, on the highway, in hotels, at restaurants, and at every meeting place I stopped along the way. From Flagstaff, Arizona to Albuquerque, New Mexico; from Joplin, Missouri to Chicago, Illinois and then on to New York. Their support was unfailing. Because of them, I got from one city to another. Because of them, I completed my journey. My job was simply to show up; they did the rest.
When was the last time you recognized an angel? Perhaps they let your car pass into the next lane without giving you a dirty look. Perhaps they offered to assist you when you were overloaded with bags. Perhaps they gave you their seat on the subway or the bus. Maybe they gave you a gift they knew you’d like. Perhaps they loaned you some money, bought clothes or toys for your kids when you couldn’t, or just lent a helping hand in whatever way they could. Or maybe it was a friend who just stopped in the middle of a busy workday to take your call or meet with you for coffee or lunch. An angel can be someone you know or someone you meet in passing. Angels enhance your life, if even for a moment.
You’re invited to recognize and acknowledge the angels in your life, people who have contributed to your life in big and small ways.
You are reading from my book,
52 Weeks of Esteemable Acts: A Guide to Right Living!
Join the conversation on my Facebook Fan Page or visit my Esteemable Acts website.
Posted in Courage, family values, Friendship, good health tips, Gratitude, Health and wellness, Healthy Choices, How to build self esteem, How to show love, improve self esteem, Inspirational Quotes and Sayings, Life, Love one another, low self esteem, Self esteem, self esteem issues, Self esteem tips, Self love
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Last week I had lunch with Myra Goldstein—my 3rd grade teacher. It wasn’t the first time we had been together since I left 3rdgrade, and if God willing, it won’t be the last.
 Me and my 3rd grade teacher (Myra Goldstein) Ms. Goldstein (although she insists that I call her Myra) was at my graduation from Hunter College, graduation
from Georgetown Law Center, my wedding, and my first major book signing in New York in 2003. I have known her for 50 years—and we’re still connected. And, I never miss the opportunity to tell her how much she matters.
Third grade was a time when I felt awkward, alone, and different. Ms. Goldstein made me feel like I mattered.
She made a difference. She had me play Dorothy, when my 3rd grade class performed the Wizard of Oz. While I did not grow up to be an actress, she inspired me to tap into my creative energies in many other ways. For that I’ll always be grateful.
Some people talk about the importance of relationships, but when they’re asked, “When was the last time you spoke with …” many people are forced to remember how long ago it was. I value relationships, and I like to think that my actions demonstrate my respect for my friends and mentors. Whether it’s by telephone, email, a greeting card, or face-to-face, I make an effort to stay connected. And lack of time is not an excuse. If I can make time for things that are not so important, I can pick up the phone and say hello. With all the buzz surrounding social media, why not connect with someone who REALLY matters.
Self esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts, and it’s an Esteemable Act to appreciate those who have made a difference in our lives.
Who will you connect with this week? Make the commitment today to tell someone how much they matter.
Feel free to share with me on my Esteemable Acts Fan Page.
Posted in appreciation, Esteemable Acts, family values, Friendship, Gratitude, Healthy Choices, How to show love, Mentors, Right choices, role models, Self esteem
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What does behavior have to do with self esteem?
Everything. Self esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts–one baby step at a time!
Many people say, “Behavior does not define the person”. But I ask, if not your actions, then what defines who you are? If a person cannot be judged by how they behave—how they show up in the world—then how else should we judge them?
 Accountability leads to Behavior Change, which leads to Self-esteem One of my mentors left a powerful legacy when he said, “we judge ourselves by our intentions, but the world judges us by our actions”. Then recently I found this wonderful piece that says it all for me:
Your Destiny
Watch your thoughts; they become your words.
Watch your words; they become your actions.
Watch your actions; they become your character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Self-esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts, and it’s an Esteemable Act to be conscious of your actions.
Until next time, I’m Coach, Author, Speaker Francine Ward helping you to change the way you see yourself. Feel free to browse my Esteemable Acts website and/or join the conversation on my Esteemable Acts Facebook Fan Page.
Self esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts, and it’s an Esteemable Act to have the courage to live your dreams.
A few weeks ago I gave you a free Esteemable Acts GOALS Worksheet and invited you to list up to 25 things that you’d like to do before you die. On that sheet, you were asked to reduce that 25 to 12, and then reduce that 12 to your top 3 dreams. You were also asked to list the obstacles (real or imagined) that you believe stand between you and having those 3 dreams.
Today I ask you to take those 3 dreams to the next level. This week I’m giving out another free Esteemable Acts Worksheet. In this Worksheet you are asked to list all the action steps required to get you from where you are today, to where you want to be. (Psst, the secret to getting from where you are, to where you want to be is a willingness to walk through your fear.)
Okay, this week’s exercise asks you to do the following:
- Identify 10 necessary steps to get from where you are to where you say you want to be
- Prioritize your actions, what comes first, second, third
- What one action step can you take within the next 24-hours
- What next action step can you take within the next 7-days
- What action steps can you take within the next 14 days
Until next time, I’m Author, Speaker, Coach Francine Ward helping you live a more Esteemable life! Feel free to visit my Esteemable Acts
website and join my conversation on my Esteemable Acts Facebook Fan Page.
Posted in Courage, Dealing with failure, Esteemable Acts, Fear, Goals, How to build self esteem, improve self esteem, Inspirational Quotes and Sayings, Inspirational Sayings, Living your dreams, low self esteem
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Things are not always as they appear.
On the surface, KODAK looked like it was always having a Kodak Moment—their former CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), Jeff Hayzlett, was continually promoting the company in the news, on Twitter, on Facebook, and the KODAK name seemed to pop up in all the
right promotional venues, such as Celebrity Apprentice.
Yet, with all that great PR, KODAK has not had a profitable year since 2007, according to Bloomberg News. Plus, it is in talks with potential buyers (e.g., Google) for its extensive patent portfolio. And rumors have it that a bankruptcy is imminent (http://tinyurl.com/3fjuapy). No indeed, things are not always as they seem.
Are you living the life you say you’re living, or are you “acting as if” just a little too much? Do your insides match your outsides, or do you show up as a fraud—someone who is not authentic?
What gets in the way of YOU being real?
- Fear of what people will say
- Fear of making a mistake
- Fear of not being perfect
- Fear of being judged
- Fear of losing something that is important to you
- Fear of not getting something that is important to you
- Fear of …
What one thing, in your life, can you do today (or start doing) that will move you closer to living a truly authentic life?
Self esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts, and it’s an Esteemable Act to walk like you talk. No one is perfect—regardless of how hard we try, but having the courage to be as real in your deeds, as you are in your words is an Esteemable act.
Until next time, I am Author, Speaker, Coach Francine Ward. Feel free to visit my Esteemable Acts website and my Esteemable Acts Facebook Fan Page.
Self comes from DOING Esteemable Acts–one action at a time!
Recently I received an interesting question from one of my new Twitter followers @PRBranding, and I thought my answer would be a great blog post. So here goes…
“Do you think that America is experiencing a low self-esteem epidemic that, if so, it is rubbing off on our children?”
 Building Self esteem My answer is ABSOLUTELY! And it’s not a new phenomenon. It may seem like low self-esteem is a recent occurrence, but in truth, it has been building momentum for many years. The building of self-esteem is a process. Likewise, the tearing down of one’s self-esteem also happens over time. You don’t just wake up one day and hate yourself—you have to be carefully taught.
Esteemable Acts® suggest that over time, inappropriate, unhealthy, unwholesome, bad behavior chinks away at how we see ourselves. We then pass on what we know to our children. They learn by watching us.
Jerry Springer used to be television’s bad boy. He brought out the worst in people and encouraged them to behave badly. In fact, the nastier and noiser they were, the more he rewarded them. And not surprisingly, there were more than enough people wanting to be seen at their most vile.
Today you might say that Jerry Springer is the father of reality TV. What he did in the 90’s has become mainstream—sadly, and everyone is desperately trying to get in on the act. Shop girls, celebrities, musicians, models, mechanics, porn stars, gangsters, alcoholics, junkies, pimps, and “pimping moms” have all become willing to be seen at their worst (or sell out their kids)—just for 15 minutes of fame.
So do I think low self-esteem has reached pandemic proportions—you betcha! And almost no one thinks they play a part in what’s happening.
Self-esteem comes from DOING Esteemable Acts and it starts with us. Join the conversation on my Esteemable Acts Facebook Fan Page.
Self Esteem Comes From DOING Esteemable Acts.
Self esteem comes from doing Esteemable Acts. It’s an Esteemable Act to set appropriate boundaries and abide by them, and to practice restraint. Just because you see something or someone you want, does not mean you must sleep with them right away.
 Self Esteem Comes From Making Good Choices. Self Esteem and Television.
One of my summer television programs, “Against the Wall” is about a young woman who sleeps with men she claims not to like, and then sleeps with anyone else when the mood hits her. Then, she consistently says she does not want “complicated” in her life, yet she invites complicated situations.
What an example for young girls. To have, yet another public role model who demonstrates no self control, no self esteem, and engages in indiscriminate sex.
We Teach People How to Treat Us.
When we don’t respect ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us?
What are your thoughts?
Join my conversation on my Facebook Fan Page.
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