Metrics do it every time

I'm motivated by numbers, metrics, graphics -  anything that shows progress or movement.

When I went on the quest to get my weight / body stats under control, I first got a digital scale so I could measure up to 100 gm accuracy.  Then, when I hit a plateau and deluded myself into thinking that the weight gain was really muscle or water (yeah, right), I went out and got another, more accurate scale - the difference this time is that it measured body fat, water content, even bone mass.  Yeah.

The bad news was that I've gone from 13% body fat to 23% body fat in the past 4 years.  That obviously must be managed.  In fact, I went from 21% body fat to 23% literally overnight - about 2 weeks.  This was right after my halwa / donut fest with no exercise.  Yikes.

So - back to good old metrics. Track progress. Measure everything.  Watch the difference, measure the difference. Feel good.  Get motivated to keep up. Feel good some more. Yup.  Metrics work for me.

Berlusconi

Of all the topics in the world to have a domestic about, it had to be Berlusconi.

Am I really so detached from the world that I truly don't care, or is it that it is too much effort to try and make a difference?  This is second instance we've had a discussion about world affairs - about Somalia and now about the Italian PM.  Personally, I've always thought politics are for others, not for me.  Now leadership is another story.  I was very interested in the Obama campaign because of his inspirational way of doing things.

I guess in the end I must first gain control of my own self, house and immediate environment.  Then widen my circle of influence.  If it makes my hunky hubby better to vent about corrupt politicians before 6 am (even though the majority of his countrymen voted for said corrupt politician) then I shall be a wife, and let him vent ... this time without offering an alternative perspective.

Catch up today - failed miserably yesterday in getting through my list, and this morning for not going running.  I will make it up today.

The great thing yesterday was the major breakthrough my client had with a family relationship that had been blocking her for five years.  After I coached her, she was able to take action and turn that relationship around.  When she shared it with me yesterday, she was absolutely over the moon, her face shining, glowing with happiness that she "found" herself and her family member again.  Alhamdulillah.

Results lead to momentum

It's only three little things - all before 7:15 am, but boy have they fired me up beyond measure.

- spent time with DH ... it was only a lazy 30 minutes, but it felt like a weekend.  Fabulous
- Fajr prayer - nothing like a little faith and prayer to feel all is right with the world
- went walking with DH - we haven't done in forever, and infact we didn't today ... past the first 2 minutes, after which he started his run, and I started my much slower jog.

It was so hot, humid, hazy and generally horrible.  But firmly plugged into Tony Robbins, the 3.5 km didn't feel that bad, and I'm happy to report I actually jogged for most of it, instead of walking which was the original plan.

Got to even cuddle and commune with the kids before coming to work.  Granted, I was 30 minutes late, but hey, it makes up for all my early mornings in the office.  And that deliberate minute or two of having each child on my lap (they're getting so big mashallah ...), cuddling them, and just holding them while talking about nothing was so rewarding.

So here I am.  Ready to fire on all cylinders.  It's going to be a great day.

IGNITE!

Busy bee, happy bee

Had an incredibly busy weekend.  My friends from the US and their two adorable little girls from Ethiopia spent Friday with us.  It was quite an experience to watch the bonding develop, to watch a new mother cope with the demands of a child whose language she does not understand.

We went to look at the Aquarium and the Dancing Fountain at Dubai Mall. Still a gazillion of people around despite the wild rumours of mass exodus.  Even too busy.  I would normally never go into a mall on a weekend if I can help it, but when you have tourists in town, one must do those things.

Still excited and surprised about the MBC call on Thursday, and really looking forward to what they might have to share today or later this week.  Hope to hear from them sooner rather than later, though I'm not so sure why.  I guess it's simply curiousity.  I'm really excited about starting a new adventure, but concerned about leaving this nice cushy number.  I love bragging rights that come with working here, but in the end, I need the flex hours to spend more time with the kids, with DH and with myself.

A busy day ahead.  I was not so happy about the number on the scale this morning, but after all, it is the beginning of the week.  I resolve to do better, and be back in the low 49s by mid week, and hopefully break the barrier by weekend.  I must add at least one hour walking into the day ... somewhere ...  May be I will cycle.

I am happy.  Tired, but happy.  Alhamdulillah.

My dream life

Actually, today I feel like I'm there.  Alhamdulillah.

I am in the dream job.  Playing with technology all day, and hanging out with a whole bunch of geeks.  Yay.
I am in the dream marriage.  My hunky gorgeous best friend is my husband.  Yay.
I have the dream family.  Two wonderful kids, who are loving, kind, fun and high achievers.  Yay.
I have the dream home.  Full of light, green and perfect.  Except it's in Italy. Yay - ish.
I have another dream home.  In a great compound and location, comfortable, big, and homey. Yay - ish

So.  Not bad.  Actually, pretty good.

Time for some more dreams!!!

Global metaphors

I shared my gym time this morning with my good buddy Tony Robbins as he spoke about Global Metaphors and how much they affect outlook and decision making.

Eg., Life is a War, vs Life is a Gift: very different perspectives on the same facts of life.  I will incorporate this concept into my coaching - both for myself and for my clients and add it to the Balance tools.

DS still with fever best part of yesterday, and I spent the evening sitting next to him sponging him down, scratching, reading to him, even slept next to him briefly when we put him to bed.  He's gone back to school today just because it is party day, and hopefully there won't be a call that his temperature is back up.  Inshallah khayr.

Had a little domestic with DH this morning about having clients past 6:30 pm at home.  I'm really not happy about him comparing this to inviting his work / business associates for lunch or dinner to our home.  So after today, I will not coach at home anymore, and meet my clients in coffee shops after work, or during my lunch break, so it doesn't cut into out home time.

I am really angry about it though.  Can't have coffee with so and so.  Can't go and join dance class X.  Can't have anybody over at home after 6.  Can't meet girlfriends on the weekend.  I'm not sure how to deal with this.   I really am not happy about my time all being dictated by someone else.  Granted, said somebody else is my wonderful husband, and I'm sure his reasons are totally justified from his perspective.  But for me, they are simply more ways of stopping me from things that honestly make me happy.  At the same time, not doing them is not exactly being rewarded in equal measure.  Not doing them means I get peace on the home front - at least temporarily until something else comes up.  LIke my jeans. And how they must come from Levis because that's the only place with "decent" jeans.  How am I to feel loved and cherished when all I'm hearing is "don't" ?

I'm really trying hard to see the good reasons behind these demands, but they are not so clear.  All I'm seeing is frustration and lashing out.  I must try to sit down and speak with him about this.  Need to clear this up - it's totally sapping my energy.

Down to earth

Going to basics was good, and I managed to bulldoze through leftovers from previous to-do AND ta-da lists and complete about 90%.  So a fairly good productive day.

DS got sick last night, and must be mother's instinct to make me get up and just touch him - he was burning up -  39.4 temperature at 2:30 am.  Poor sweetheart.  Nothing like a child's illness to bring us down to earth, to what truly matters.

Woke him up to give him medicine, sponged him down, and lay down next to him till the fever came down at about 4:30 am.  As I was watching him sleep, I could see parts of me and parts of DH in his face.  Sometimes the enormity of the blessings I've been bestowed with hits me with renewed force and I'm humbled in my gratitude.  Alhamdulillah.

Meanwhile, the next morning, here we are back into the "groove":.  Same routine, same drive, same parking space, start of another day.  Is it a choice, or a habit? What will I make a priority today?  The important thing is that whatever it is that I choose to make a priority, that the choice be conscious, and driven by me, and not circumstances alone.

Choose.

Get back on the horse

Not sure if I have, in fact, fallen off.  Just feeling a distinct sense of not getting / going anywhere.  Not getting anywhere is not so bad.  Not going anywhere is disastrous.  So today I need to back on track to going somewhere.

Do I need to get myself a coach, or coach myself?

My days have slid from purposeful to speculation and what-if pointless journeys.  Going back to basics is key.  So.  Let me start going through my to-do and ta-da!! lists and get them done today.

Focus. Engage. Ignite.Yes!!!

Living and breathing values can be hard work

Rewarding, but hard work.  It means conscious choices every minute of the day.

- Mindless web surfing or writing that difficult email that says no?
- Desperate Housewives or visit sick grandpa to honour my care-for-family value?
- Chat and gossip with girlfriend or sit with offspring "to be there in body and spirit" during homework?

I think of it as Salik gates: you could eventually find your way to where you are going.  Meandering via the side streets will get you there much later, and you may get seriously sidetracked.  Going through the Salik gate will cost you, but you will get there quicker and much more difficult to get sidetracked on Shaikh Zayed Road!!

Commitment is pretty cool

Ok, hasn't being going for long - just 2 days in fact, but hey, that's two full days in which I had so many excuses and actual reasons for getting side tracked - and I didn't it. I chose commitment, I chose me over circumstances.

I was about to write that it wasn't a big deal - it was only getting Luca to a birthday party with major logistics issues, it was only getting up and going to the gym when every nerve in my body was screaming to stay in bed ... It wasn't only. It was re-affirming and honouring what is important to me vs what is important to my collective saboteurs.

So here we are on day 2. Didn't make the gym, but did my lower body circuit of body weight exercises 3 times in the kids room. Served a double purpose: got them out of bed out of curiosity, and I got my workout. I can always top it up later if I'm so inclined. Bottom line: I honoured my health value today.

I also set up my co-coaches blog, and sent them the invites to be co-authors Bottom line: I honoured my connection value today.

Me, Inc

Verbalizing it felt good. Resonated, in coaching lingo. Cool thing is I can still keep corporate AND Me, Inc. Just build the .im website, have my platform and share share and share ... On the way to my fab future self.

Tomorrow: early home mani and pedi, and something soft and creative. Who says I need padded shoulders to plan and be productive?

More ideas

This Me Inc thing is really moving.    Couldn't sleep last night because of all the ideas.  I followed all the thought gurus and jotted them down so I could go to sleep :)

Had a good visit with Mum last night, even though it meant 90 minutes sitting in traffic - and that was one way!  Good to see the almost completed construction of the warehouses.  They've done well.  Hubby and I had a chance to have a good chat too while stuck in traffic, so result!

Back at the ranch, today is the first day in a really long time that time is actually passing quickly because I've been so busy.  Yay.

Twitter, Facebook, even blogger.com have been blocked.  Oh well.  At least can still post via email, and stay in touch via my phone or various iGoogle gadgets ...

Website envy

I've got it  big.  I want a fab website. 

Since I've been preaching for as long as I can remember that content is king, I guess I need to get busy and figure out the content of Me, Inc.

I just went through one of my fellow coach trainees's site, and .... well, I think I want a fab one.  Nuff said.

So many ideas ...

Energy is back, and am excited about the way forward.  Still thinking hard about Me, Inc, though some saboteurs are whispering in my ear about economic crisis, and it perhaps not being the right time to give up a lucrative little number, even if it is painful.  Hmmmm.

Got a response on the collaboration tooling side, so that's moving forward. 

Got a format for the coaching program thing, so that can also get going

Wrote to Eli to find out whereabouts before offering the service, so let's see

And now, I will go through the biz cards I collected last night and start farming out ...

If I could just get rid of this nagging headache, I'd be in fab shape :)

I wonder

I wonder if I can match my current take home as COO in the new venture, and augment that with various coaching activities ...

After spending another 40 minutes chasing taxi stuff - first calling for it, then calling to remind them, then directing the poor devil to the right school (I won't even get into his speech ... challenges), then calling nanny on the other line to coordinate .... The PA outside my door is obviously finding the whole drama very entertaining.

And all of this - just because of the total inflexibility of the lunch hour. How insane to be 46, in a senior management position, yet be reduced to an incoherent babbling lunatic because I can't get the picture of my kids standing in 45 degree heat waiting to get into a smelly taxi. To think that the whole thing would take me 30 minutes for the entire rountrip .... it makes me mad and brings that dreaded lump to my throat.

So.

I must get out. I must find a good reason to be away from my babies. Sitting around here "making" work is just not it. So who will pay me to work??

Head buzzing ...

I woke up with a thought. Well, more like a feeling really.

There I was at breakfast, in the midst of having multiple conversations as usual ("go brush your teeth!", "can you pass me the business page please?", "did you pack your PE kit" etc) with my lovely family.

It just occurred to me that instead of racing to drop off the kids at school, then racing to work - my car and body hurtling in one direction, while my heart would be doing its absolute best to race in the opposite direction - I could be racing to drop off the kids at school, then racing to go run my business. Me, Inc.

Me, Inc. I think I really like it.