Use the following tips as training tools.

Present this situation to your group and brainstorm solutions together, or submit your own situation question to be answered in an upcoming newsletter.

-------------------------------------
SITUATION QUESTION:
-------------------------------------

When life throws you curves, upsets and set backs, how do you keep the faith that this too will pass and eventually get better?

---------------------
SOLUTIONS:
---------------------

Regardless of what is happening in your life today (good or bad), you can find others coping with much greater challenges than yours. Everyone has been touched by the economic downturn with layoffs and budget cuts. The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan along with other local and world situations are after shocks affecting everyone.

All of these challenges have put people in a dark place, but it is important to remember that they are only temporary. It is important to keep the faith through the challenges.

It has been said that faith is taking a step forward when you can’t see the ground beneath your feet. You take the step anyway because you have hope that things will get better, and they eventually do.

One of my seminar participants gave this saying about challenges to me years ago. I have closed many seminars and training sessions with it since because my audiences are always working to meet some kind of challenge.

Challenges

It is not smooth sailing that reveals GREAT UNDERSTANDING, but inner conflict, turmoil, disagreements, and uphill battles that lead to greater AWARENESS and GROWTH. Remember, the SEVEREST OF CHALLENGES can only direct you along the path you were meant to follow.
- Anonymous

It is so true. These unexpected events often change the course of your life. Look back at what caused you to change in the past. What helped you cope then? Did you tap into your spiritual side, attend church more often or talk to others you trusted about how to find solutions to your problems?

Psychologists tell us that people say to them that they “just don’t have any other choice.” They feel stuck and hopeless! Your job as a leader or manager of people isn’t to solve their problems, but to help them see alternatives.

Once they realize that there are alternatives and solutions to their challenges, they begin to move forward out of their darkness. They find hope which opens the door to using their intuition for problem solving.

To use your intuition, start by relieving your stress. Most find exercise, meditation and a change of scenery works wonders. Plan relaxing time in your day even if for only five minutes (5 Minutes Quiet Time technique). *

Intuitive Problem Solving

With three possible alternative solutions to your challenges in mind, sit quietly and observe how you feel in your most relaxed state. Push all thoughts out of your head except those about how relaxed you feel.

Then think of the first alternative. Walk it out in your mind and feel it is written in stone! There’s no turning back! Observe how your body feels. Did it stay relaxed or did you become uneasy or tense?

Let go of those thoughts and go back to the relaxed state. Move around or shake your arms and shoulders if needed. Repeat the process using the second alternative. Watch the way your body responds. Is it tense, uneasy or relaxed this time?

Let those thoughts go and relax again. Then visualize the third alternative and walk it out as if it has happened. How did your body respond the third time?

One of the alternatives will usually make you feel relaxed where the others didn’t. If the alternative is realistically doable and you feel at peace with it, your intuition is telling you to seriously consider that direction.

This is a process I have used a number of times over the years, and many of my students, clients and friends have also found success in it.

Keep the faith and look for alternatives. They will guide you to opportunities that will help you deal with your challenges now and in the future.


*(The 5 Minutes Quiet Time technique was given in the February 2011 e-letter. Click on Archives at the bottom of my web pages)
http://www.JJLauderbaugh.com)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JJ's FAVORITE QUOTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tele-COACHING & Tele-MENTORING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE in an area? Service? Sales?

* Motivation and growth of your people?
* Dealing with irate internal or external customers?
* Leading and Coaching your staff?

TRY our one-on-one Tele-Mentoring (phone coaching service) that is available to business owners, executives, managers, supervisors and staff members.

Call for your FREE CONSULTATION now! 408 445-1590

EVALUATION OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Have you had an Evaluation of Your Environment lately so you could receive suggestions on improving it? (It's like the doctor's check up, you often don't know you need it, until after you've had it.)

http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html

****************************************
ABOUT JJ:
****************************************

JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC
408 445-1590, 1716 Husted Ave., San Jose, CA 95124.

JJ works with companies that want to give exceptional customer service to increase sales, and with Directors and Call Center/Help Desk Managers who want to improve human performance.

She's an international speaker, trainer, facilitator and certified management consultant (CMC) on customer service management, specializing in performance improvement, call centers, up/cross selling and outbound calling.

For training resources, free articles, tips and streaming video, go to our web site at:

http://www.JJLauderbaugh.com

----------------------------------------------------------
Copyright and Reprints:
----------------------------------------------------------

Reprint permission is granted when the following credit appears:

© JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC, JJ Lauderbaugh & Associates, 2010. Reprinted with permission from JJ's Tips, a monthly internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription, email jj@jjlauderbaugh.com.
_______________________________

REFERRALS Requested: Please pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues who would also benefit from it. If you want to unsubscribe, reply Unsubscribe on the subject line. Our database is "never-sold or shared".

You can make a difference! Send your questions and comments as they are always welcome.

Thanks,

JJ