Making Course Corrections by Claiming Your Strengths!

By Bonnie Artman

It's the start of the New Year and I have made a course correction! It's refreshing to know we can start over at anytime when we take the time to figure out what is really important to us.

Most of us spend a great deal of time wondering how we're wired up. We may have a sense of what comes naturally to us but..... do we focus on those talents and strengths or on the areas where we fall short? How much do we leverage our strengths to reach our goals and dreams?

Recently I have been reading the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. The approach of the book is identifying and developing one's strengths instead of focusing on shortcomings that need to be improved upon. The premise is if one focuses on what they do best, they will be more successful, motivated, and ultimately happier. In addition I took the ennegram, one of many personality tests available to determine one's personality style. Though I have done these types of assessments in the past, I like to periodically see if things have changed. Overall my strengths have stayed the same, yet I did learn something new about myself.

The above assessment process gave me one of those life lessens that may seem trivial to you, yet it was an "aha" moment for me. 

I mentioned in my introduction to this newsletter that I have decided not to start a blog. It is hard to for me go back on my word, as I strive to do what I say I will do. I am all about taking risks and stretching outside my comfort zone, however, something just didn't feel right about the timing of starting a blog now. 

I realized I was taking a detour from the path of what is really important to me. The "signs of our times" were telling me in order to stay current with modern technology, I needed to have a blog. I wasn't taking into consideration the time and energy needed to keep a blog current. Instead of "keeping up with the times", I needed to protect my time by focusing on what I really want to do and combine that focus within my areas of strengths. 

Perhaps one day I will start a blog. Today I intend to focus on tasks that allow me to claim the strengths that best fit the path of my goals and dreams.

Here are some take-a ways from my life lesson:

• Respect your time and your strengths
• Stay true to what you know is best for you (even if it is different from what is "keeping up with the times"
• Consider what "course corrections" you may need to take in this New Year to claim your strengths and experience a more fulfilling life!