Ep #28: Dreamstorming: Getting the Most Out of Your Life and Business

Welcome to Empowered Wellness for Leaders, a podcast that teaches CEOs, entrepreneurs and sales leaders how to deal with the unique challenges of balancing a high-stress career, family, AND their own health. Here’s your host, Certified Executive Wellness Coach, Diana Murphy.

Oh, how are you? I am beginning to picture your faces when I record my podcast now. I want to give a shout out to my friends in Atlanta; some of them I spoke to yesterday and they said that they?ve been listening, Rachel, Kimberly, April, Mary Ellen, Chris, Paula, and Wendy. And you?re just a part of the many that have been listening in and I just want to thank you. You know who you are if I haven?t mentioned your name. Thanks so much for being a listener.

If you?ve just joined me in starting to listen to these podcasts, there?s quite a library created now, so just pick a title that resonates with you. And, of course, it?s always good to start at the beginning. My goal is that these impact your life in a really positive powerful way.

Alright, so today, I want to share a concept and a new word that my good friend and I created; dreamstorming. It?s the blend of the word dream and brainstorming.

When I was a baby-coach, I put on one-day workshops with my bestie coach friend Mary Ellen Garde. We were so excited about what we were learning in our respective coaching programs that we created workshops and retreats to share with our friends when we first got started.

Why dreamstorming? Why am I sharing this with you? Because this concept, which is now becoming more of a way of life for me, I?ve realized, has created beautiful results in my business, but also more creativity, and the best part, more ease and flow.

I?m not struggling through the activities that I really want to do. There?s no resistance and I?m creating a powerful method to achieve what I want, and I want that for you in any area of your life. This can be applied to anything.

We created a process of sorts, starting at the end; deciding what we wanted to create in the experience of the day, that retreat day, or what outcome or goal we had for the women attending. Then we would brainstorm on how to create that in a step by step process. It was actually a lot of fun.

First, the dream result that we wanted to create, then all the beautiful steps we wanted to create that result. Dreamstorming was born. We developed this system really early on, so when we set meetings to plan our next events, we would get so excited that we were setting our first dreamstorm meeting.

So guess what ? I?m going to teach you how to do more of this in your life. And I really do know that it was from this experience watching these workshop and retreats unfold before me; literally watching what we planned come to life, watching the outcome be exactly what we?d hoped for. And it showed me something really important. Listen, we can create anything our hearts desire if we believe in it and let our brain help us to plan it.

As I coach, this is what I do with my clients as we do our planning sessions before any coaching series, and sometimes in the middle of the longer ones. It?s a powerful yet simple process. And what is so great about it, instead of dreading the planning phases of doing new things in my business, instead of resisting it ? oh my god, I need to plan that retreat ? I can?t wait.

It just creates a beautiful energy towards doing new things in your life. So the analogy of creating an event, especially a coaching event, is really a good one, you know. Did it always result in what we wanted? Not 100%, we were dealing with humans; ourselves and all our attendees. But it was so close that it encouraged us to keep digging into this process every time we planned something.

And I do it now when I do programs and now I?m even realizing I can dig into this even more when I create these podcasts. So why does this work? I want to explain why. We set a really positive emotional energy around the planning itself. We did these planning days on what we call Fun Fridays. We?d take ourselves on a long hike or walk. We?d go to a great brunch place that had wifi so we could look things up. We?d hang out in our yoga pants at one of our houses and give ourselves a ton of space to figure out what we really wanted to do.

And yes, there were side conversations during these planning days, but seriously, that was the fun part of it. That?s where we actually got some of our great ideas. I can still remember where we?d stop each other and go, ?Let?s do that. Let?s surprise them with this.? And this all came out of creating this positive, positive environment and letting our brains just fill in the gaps of what we wanted to go from point-A to Point-B.

So as I?m sharing this with you, what is the result you want? What is a result you?re dreaming of? What are you dreaming for in your life or in your business? There are several simple steps and they?re outlined for you in the show notes, and that will be at dianamurphycoaching.com/28.

Again, it is first setting the environment, choosing the tools, what are the common or anticipated obstacles? How will I respond to those? And what is the emotional energy that will be most helpful at this event? And then focus on the result every day.

And again, we use this energy from the planning session and the way that we are dreamstorming to set our, kind of, energy and motivation in picking up the phone and inviting people and creating really great emails to let the people that we?re inviting ? let them know what we were up to.

Okay, so I?m going to use a couple of examples that I hope relate to your life. They?re pretty classic. One is the example of losing 30 pounds, and then setting a new sales goal. And it could be any goal, but I?m going to be specific enough that it will actually help you relate it to your life.

Alright, so the example would be losing 30 pounds. First, set the environment. Your dream is losing 30 pounds, so I want you to be there. Just, like, be in that space that you?ve already lost 30 pounds. You?re at the end, remember. You?ve lost 30 pounds.

So if you want to start at the beginning, how would you set your environment? You would bring healthy food in the house, you would start researching healthy restaurants and you would make dining amazing and you might just start walking a couple of times a week. Set the environment, put your walking shoes by the door.

Alright, so that?s setting the environment. The next is, choose your tools. Lean on a few tools. Like, I?m the wellness coach, so I?ve got several for you. So start with a small focus of slowing down while you?re eating and just eat more green. Now, you can lean into my food episodes; 10 and 12 are perfect and there?s also one, Loose That Five Pounds that?s perfect for choosing your tools. And again, choose just a couple.

So choose the tools of getting there. What are your obstacles? Weekends were mine. So my tool for really handling the weekend obstacle is really planning starting on Thursday. How much fun do I have planned in the weekend ? and I backtrack, so that?s how I help that obstacle.

I take more initiative in choosing restaurants. And I also know, when I get more rest, it?s so much easier to follow my hunger scale or follow my appetite. And even another one I want to mention to you, if you?re creating your environment or more green, you might even use a shopping service for that obstacle, for that week, that you?re so tired.

So what are the obstacles and how will you respond? What is the emotional energy ? and this is so important ? that I know will be helpful? Decide what you?d have to feel to create emotions that work for you. Create motivation by listing how proud you are that you?re doing this. Note every single day what you?re doing well. That?s how you create the emotional energy that I know that being motivated when I?m losing weight is really, really helpful.

Now, the last one is really important too. Focus on your goal every day. Just write down 30 pounds in every place you see; in your car, on your mirror, and let your brain go to work. It will work in the background. I don?t want you to do anything else but write that goal down.

Alright, so the next example is a sales goal, but this could be any goal in your career. So in the sales goal example, you have actually been given a new goal, but you are all over it. So I want you to write that down and now create your environment. Calendarize, have appointments set, make more phone calls, more conversations, fill that calendar with targeted events like great networking. Clean your desk. Create a target list. Have these things around you all the time.

Create a space, either in your car if you?re in a mobile and you have a territory, if you are someone that works from your office, make that space really awesome and motivating and put that goal in front of you, and every mantra you know, put them around you. That?s how you create a good environment.

Now, choose your tools. Brush on your sales and closing strategies, whatever you?ve been learning, take one powerful tip from that. then, get even more educated about your product and your competitors. That?s how you choose your tools.

What are the obstacles? The yeses aren?t coming yet. You?re working really hard. So one way that you could handle that obstacle is take a break and get feedback from trusted peers and mentors. Make tweaks in your presentation. Tell them in a very detailed way what you?re saying and doing and get some wise advice. And then always remember this tip, focusing on your client will always move you towards success if you?re in a sales capacity.

Alright, so the next one is emotional energy, and I?ve kind of been getting at it here with creating a great environment, but take great care of yourself. This is so, so important. Start your morning really strong. You might want to look at the podcast A Morning Routine. I mean, you could do the Tony Robbins thing of getting up and clapping and really getting your energy up, and then keep taking action until you get results. Do not give up on yourself too early and take that responsibility of keeping up your positive energy.

If you are, like, getting on the phone and feeling kind of desperate, stop. Do not pick up the phone in that energy. Take responsibility. Remember how valuable the service is that you have and get back to it. Meditate in the morning and be your own best cheerleader. And when that?s not working, lean into your friends and those people around you. They really see the real you and they know that you can do it.

So those are great ideas on emotional energy, and then just focus on that goal every day. And remember, put just the number in front of you, whatever that is. And even during the week, you might break it up into how many calls, things like that, if that works for you, but even keeping that big number in front of you all over the place, let your brain go to work.

So I realized, as I was preparing this episode, that I?m actually doing this in my business and I highly recommend that you do this for your life and your business as well. And the first time I did it, it was almost by accident, and now I?m committed to doing this every 90 days. What is it? What is my big it?

I plan almost like a dreamstorming business retreat. For my business, I do 90-day business plan retreats. I plan two nights and two full days at a local hotel and create a 90-day plan. Seriously, I live a mile away from where I like to stay, but I love fluffy pillows, city views, room service, so I love investing in my business in this way and checking into a hotel.

You should see me with my trusty poster board, sticky notes, by Bose music box, my essential oils mister ? again, environment, that?s important to me ? workout clothes, great out-to-eat outfits. I set up a beautiful environment to focus on my business.

I start with that emotional energy as well. I start with a massage. I wind down and I just let my mind turn from doing to thinking and even celebrating.

That first night, I look at the numbers. What have I done in the past 90 days, or even six months? How different does this look a year ago? What am I really proud of? Don?t worry, I?ll send an outline in the show notes to show you what I step-wise do during these retreats. And I am creating these VIP days for my clients, so if you?re interested ? shameless plug ? please let me know.

Then, again, I?m transitioning into where I really look back at the numbers in the last year, but I do it in a space of what am I really proud of and what do I want more of. It?s all positive desire and really, again, dreaming about what?s next. I am usually surprised in this exercise. Every time I?ve been surprised at how many clients I?ve served in the last quarter or how much revenue I?m creating or how many workshops I actually did.

And this year versus last year, I doubled my revenue, but I didn?t work as many hours. I learned what worked for me in my business, workshops and just getting on the phone, and I didn?t even realize this. So I?m learning to be a little more efficient, right, so I celebrate that.

So then, during the evening, I might doodle. I like to do coloring books. I vision board ? this all sounds so coachy. And if this is how you?re wired, take what works for you. But I watch a movie, I take a break. I think if there were sport events that night, I would actually just even go to a sporting event; just take my mind off of everything or go have a celebratory dinner.

Alright, so day two, I work out, I get a great breakfast. Sometimes I walk to it and I get to work. What do I want to create in the next 90 days? What am I going to provide? What is a new way I want to be doing my business? As a coach, I loved how I learned from my favorite clients? new ways that I want to work with that next set of people and decide what I want to offer.

So I?m sharing my example with you because I know this happens so organically for me. What would happen if you dreamstormed every 90 days and planned your next 90 and just got at it and really created what you want in your life?

You know, you can do this around anything. During this two days, I take breaks when it starts feeling like work and I shift gears. I?ve gone and laid by the pool if it?s good weather. I go take a walk. I go get a Starbucks. I go sit in the bar and take a tablet with me. That?s how I created my first 90 days of podcast titles. I?m sitting in the bar and oh my god, they all just started coming to me and I just started writing them down.

My plan was to go have a nice cocktail and look what happened. By dedicating this environment and space and these tools, it was awesome. I just highly, highly recommend it.

Alright, so don?t forget to start dreaming about your life and your business. You could do this around anything. This could be the way that you start building more relationships or dating. This could be the way that you do something absolutely new. Like if there?s something you want to learn, like learning a new instrument, you could dreamstorm about, like, what it would be like to play the guitar at parties, and just backtrack. Use this in any part of your life.

You know, as I wrote this episode, it?s really when I realized how powerful this is for me and how almost every time I sat down to do something new, how excited I get about bringing it to you. So don?t ignore that. Don?t ignore what you?re dreaming about in your life. I think too often, we set aside our dreams because we don?t know how to get there.

My friends, start dreamstorming. Alright, that?s all I?ve got for you today. I hope you enjoyed the episode and have an amazing powerful dreamy week.

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