Category Archives: BEST BOLD U

YOUR BOLD 2018 REFLECTION: CHAMPAGNE – AULD LANG SYNE – ANGST

Posted on by

Hello BOLD Friend,

Ready to shove 2018 right out the door?

Or hanging on to these last few days, wishing they could last, you know, forevvver?

One person’s Champagne celebration, is another’s Auld Lang Syne, is another’s Angst.

That last one. If your end-of-year Angst is due to a precious loss – or a radical disappointment this past year, I hope you feel this virtual hug…

… maybe just sign off here right now… go head outside into some fresh air… or grab your favorite pillow and blanket and gift yourself an immersion in blissful nothingness… or call a friend… or send an encouraging word to someone you know needs it today.

Love how compassion and kind action for another can boomerang right back for you.

Let me know in the comments below what came your way as a result of sending that encouraging word to someone you know needed it… so I/We can help celebrate the beautiful BOLD in YOU.

You already know what you need today.

To believe you deserve it can be the hard part.

And if your celebration is all sparkly glitter and bubbles? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll be right here virtual toasting you!

Ah, ringing in a new year… I had a few too many bad-blind-variety dates back in the day (Ha! Ugh!) and learned that my favorite way to welcome a new year is to “Immerse In Blissful Nothingness”. Not sure if my husband David enjoys that choice as much as I do, he’s become a good sport about it over all these years.

Funny how my business has evolved to reflect life. (It’s ALL life, right?)

Immersing in Blissful Nothingness is a DO 1 BOLD THING™ strategy that helps me take big BOLD action and baby bold steps toward my dreams and goals.

Sometimes what I need most is to first get QUIET… immersing myself in blissful nothingness… before I boldly hit DO.

Even for a moment.

Even when it’s easier not to.

I hope this inspires what you need to do, or not do, too.

BOLDPoster-BlissfulNothingness-AnnUlrich

(This Downloadable/Printable 8×10 poster: My “Thank You for Subscribing!” Gift for YOU)

Here’s toasting everything GOOD you’ve experienced or created or dreamed up or took action on in YOUR 2018…

My wish for you as you welcome 2019:

Stay Inspired. 

Stay BOLD. 

Keep Going!

(And I will, too!)

It feels great to be blogging again…

I’m excited to build this blog readership back up in 2019.

THANK YOU for your subscribing, for your comments below, and for hitting any SHARE BUTTON linked below to share this Blog on your Social Media – or with whoever you think might love a positive jolt of BOLD inspiration along their way, too. (Tag me so I can thank you!)

– ANN ULRICH, Wife Mom & Nonna | Motivational Keynote Speaker | Inspirational Movement Igniter – Join our community where I’ll be featuring weekly reposts of YOUR BOLD ACTION in 2019 on Instagram: @do1boldthing | Blogger, Writer, Author | From Founder to Co-Founder To Fired To Owner | Former Plus Runway Model & Founder of the 1st Fit Modeling Agency In America! | Chief BOLD Innovator, Owning It at DO 1 BOLD THING™ | @do1boldthing #do1boldthing

Do1BOLDThing.com

3 BOLD Ways To Bring Your Best With Zest In Everyday Work & Life!

Posted on by

photo-120Have you ever thought about how the energy you bring impacts everyday situations in your Work and Life?

When it comes to success and happiness, bringing your best – with Zest – can become THE key differentiator – the One BOLD Thing – that sets you apart!

Do you ever think of the value of the energy you bring as, you know, where’s the *expertise* in that?

I used to. Not any more!

A very cool thing happened for me while speaking to inspire The BOLD! Factor®: Branding Your Best *!* With Confidence leading a client’s group to discover, develop and deliver exactly what you bring that sets you apart – so you can create more success:

I discovered the one thing that has set me apart my entire career (and it can set YOU apart, too!)  yet I’m not sure I ever realized the massive value of this ONE attribute: 

Energy.

Authentic. Real. Positive. Zestful Energy! 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Here are a few ways I hold myself accountable for keeping my own brand of positive energy alive to set myself apart – and YES, these can work for you, and no doubt they already do!

3 BOLD WAYS TO BRING YOUR BEST WITH ZEST IN EVERYDAY WORK & LIFE!

1.  OWN IT. 

Success? It’s Up To You. Happiness? It’s Up To You. Bringing Your Best With Zest? It’s Up To YOU!

Want to build, maximize and sustain positive energy?

Hold yourself accountable for how you show up. Not just for the big stuff in life – and not just for the big meetings at work. Show Up in everyday work and life owning the energy you bring – taking responsibility for your impact – and you’ll never need to make another excuse when things don’t go your way.

Keeping it real: No one is on top of their game in every situation, every day. Relax. This is not about standing out in an obnoxious way. This is about bringing your best attitude, your own high expectation, and holding yourself accountable for what happens as a result. 

Not feeling your best? There are times rescheduling is smarter than dragging yourself thru it. And there will be times you’ll need to look in the mirror and remind yourself; Success? It’s Up To ME. And on that down day you pick an outfit that looks a whole lot better than you feel and get out there…

Show Up & Own It. And just like that you’re back on track, on top of your game!

2.  JETTISON WHAT YOU KNOW NO LONGER WORKS.

Ouch. I know. Jettisoning. It’s tough.

What exactly does it mean to jettison?

At The BOLD! Factor, I describe jettisoning as “eliminating what you already know no longer works”.

And yes, it’s tough.

And you know what’s tougher?

Living a life filled with commitments, situations, and/or people that no longer fit. UGH. I feel like I gained a few pounds of dead weight just thinking of carrying around all that non-essential baggage.

Keeping it real: There will always be work you must do, commitments you must keep, situations you must deal with, and people you must interact with. Get over it. That’s Life! Change what you can and the rest? That’s another discussion for another day.

It takes courage to jettison.

It take confidence to jettison with compassion.

You already know what works – it’s up to you to take action and let the rest go.

3.  BE A ROOKIE AGAIN.

Early in my career, I rose from Rookie to Executive in an industry where at first glance I didn’t seem to belong. It didn’t happen overnight – it took me 13 years to accomplish.

What kept my energy high and my success alive? Continually challenging myself in new situations. Yes, fear and all.

When it comes to Success & Happiness, experiencing a powerful jolt of Rookie-ism is good for us all!

Rookie has become one of my favorite words. And favorite roles.

Keeping it real: When it comes to sustaining positive energy, not everything we’re passionate about needs to become the work we do. In fact, I’m becoming more a *LOVE YOUR WORK* rather than *DO WORK YOU LOVE* because turning your passion into your work can render your passion, well, Poof! Evaporated! Has that ever happened to you? I digress… I get emails inviting me to pay big bucks for Rookie.com related domain names. No thank you, altho I do own a serious-hobby-level collection of domain names, TheBOLDFactor.com and AnnUlrich.com work for me ;)

Feeling accomplished?

The more accomplished we feel, the more we need to find or create a way to be a Rookie at something again – starting right where you’re at.

The Zest of being a Rookie again soon outweighs the angst of all that suddenly-unfamiliar territory.

When becoming a Rookie again is *their* choice for you (job loss, etc) and not your choice, what to do? Own it! See it as an opportunity to create success in a whole new way.

Let being a Rookie again help you be a better individual and a better leader – as you learn new, gain fresh perspective, build curiosity, embrace new situations and navigate unchartered territory in unfamiliar environments… with courage and confidence.

Being a Rookie again keeps us mindful, with empathy for others who face new, unexpected and challenging situations in everyday work and life.

Facing a Rookie challenge? Don’t get stressed out! Stress makes you old. What if being a Rookie again became YOUR secret weapon for feeling forever young! 

_____________________________________________________________________________

photo-84YOUR TURN: 

How will you / How did you bring your best energy today?

And when you did…

What happened as a result?!

DO ONE BOLD THING.™  Bring Your Best With Zest & Set Yourself Apart!

_____________________________________________________________________________

©1993-2015  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR®

Want more BOLD *!* inspiration like this?  Subscribe: AnnUlrich.com & Let’s Connect:  LinkedIn.com/in/AnnUlrich  Twitter.com/AnnUlrichBOLD  

PHOTO: GLASS SCULPTURE ARTIST CREDIT: Dale Chihuly. I loved taking pictures to capture scenes I come across in everyday life that in some way inspire me, and I love sharing them here with you. I came across this STUNNING floor to ceiling glass sculpture in the art museum when David and I took a weekend trip to Milwaukee. Oh my, this colorful ZEST-filled art surely inspires!

3 Last-Minute Confidence-Building Gifts For Kids: Positively Influence For A Lifetime!

Posted on by

photo-75MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPYHOLLYJOLLYHOLIDAYRUSHRUSH!

Before you head out for last-minute holiday gifts for the kids on your list…

Consider these confidence-building gifts that could positively influence kids of any age… for a lifetime. 

OK, so they may not be asking Santa for these – and no, you won’t find these on any Hot Gifts list. And they likely won’t be featured by brands positioning for your holiday dollars or purchasing power – at least not for these reasons.

I created The BOLD! Factor® to inspire success with self-leadership, ownership & confidence – self-empowerment for emerging leaders and motivated professionals.

For adults. Not for kids. So…

Why Suggest Confidence-Building Gifts For Kids? 

We all know where self-confidence can begin and flourish… yes, right there… early on… in quiet moments when kids still have a chance to dream their own dreams… before adults try to decide their future for them.

Whether you’re in that favorite category of retail marketers everywhere: professional aunts or uncles buying for nieces and nephews… or a wise grandparent or holiday-crazed Mom or Dad tired of tracking down top-selling toys as they become burnt out and the toys become sold out.

Here’s my favorite solution or two – ok, three – which kids on your list just might eventually love…

photo-833 LAST-MINUTE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GIFTS TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE KIDS… FOR A LIFETIME!

…along with few DO ONE BOLD THING action steps to eliminate the guess-work… and hopefully positively impact YOU. 

! 1.  THEIR OWN FULL-LENGTH MIRROR

The greatest gift we give ourselves, when it comes to happiness and success, leading and living the life we want? CONFIDENCE.

Confidence is Believing In Yourself(!) even in that moment – especially in that moment – when it’s easier not to.

Give A Gift To Build Self-Confidence. Their Own Full-Length Mirror.

With ever-decreasing privacy, and ever-increasing parading of kids through social media as magical mini-me’s living up to our mega vision of what success and happiness could look like in their amazing life… (oh, the pressure!)

Take a step back, and let the real gift in this gift be whatever reflects in THEIR view.

The simple gift of a Full-Length Mirror gives kids the gift of quietly discovering, play-acting, pretending, creating, wondering,  dreaming, dancing, making faces, smiling, crying…

… learning to love themselves just as they are… as they start learning to feel comfortable in their own skin now… building their own confidence for whatever comes later.

In mirrored self-reflection, simple smiles transform as bigger questions:

How will I ask her to prom? Will I get married on a tropical island? What kind of business will I own someday? What do I really want to do when I grow up?

DO ONE BOLD THING:  Buy a full-length mirror. Simple or decorative. Hang it on the back of their bedroom door. So they can close out the world, eliminate distractions (yes, even closing out you ;) as they immerse in their own little dreamland…

Where they can learn to create their own happiness, believe in their own greatness, build their own self-confidence, love who they see reflecting back…

And they just might have a greater chance to become adults who are comfortable in their own skin, staying true to who they are, while also seeing the greatness in others.

(I could say more on this but you get it, and I didn’t intend this to become a lesson in self-leadership… only in positive-influence gift giving ;).

Quiet time for you. Dream time for them. 

!! 2.  THEIR OWN VOICE RECORDER

As adults we know the importance of trusting our own voice, developing our own point of view, and the confidence it takes to speak up for ourselves in both everyday and challenging situations in our work and life:

Give A Gift To Build Voice Confidence. Their Own Voice Recorder.

So often we learn this on the go, in action, in front of others, which is when fear and impostor syndrome threaten to set in, to overwhelm, stifling our best efforts as we struggle in self-doubt, self-sabotage… often silencing our own voice, in some cases, before we’ve even had a chance to develop our own point of view.

What if kids had an opportunity to build their confident voice naturally, individually, getting use to that not-at-first-familiar tone, adjusting for whatever emphasis they want, becoming their own ME in their own special way, thru play?

DO ONE BOLD THING:  Gift a Voice Recorder. One they can operate on their own. I’m not writing to promote any brands – only sharing from experience: when our kids were growing up the Fischer Price recorder was exactly the gift that inspired this idea – way back then – some of the best strategies are exactly that: timeless!

Get ready to smile as you start hearing singing and crazy-fun voices and new characters coming to life in your own home… inspiring new personaes, new possibilities… 

*Welcome Ladies & Gentlemen!* or *Introducing The Star Of The Show!* or *And The Winner Is…* or *Everyone find their seats, quiet please, shhhh, it’s time for class…*

A much safer way to build confidence… trying out new voices as kids… rather than getting to our stage of life when it can feel like too big a risk to test a new voice, or voice a new idea, or share our own fresh perspective…

And so we don’t… because it’s too risky… and because it’s just easier not to.

!!! 3.  SHOES THEY WANT TO MOVE IN

As adults we know the best way to get unstuck when we’re struggling – Get Moving! DO Something! Take Action!

Sure, at times introspection calls for stopping, getting quiet, thinking, reflecting… and then at some point you’ll need to get moving again… !

Give A Gift To Build Confidence In Action! Shoes They Want To Move In.

I do believe in giving in to brand-passion when it’s justified (and hopefully when it’s on sale!) If the shoes they really want are the ones that will inspire them to get outside and get moving, playing, trying out new sports at least long enough to experience being part of an action-focused team…

Investing in favorite shoes they can play in and want to move in can be money well spent!

Teach kids early on the importance of choosing outfits they want to move in… starting with shoes they can move fast in!

DO ONE BOLD THING:  Buy whatever favorite shoes they want to move in – shoes they LOVE – shoes they’ll want to walk in, run in, play hard in.

Oh and let them get dirty!

Great minds and active bodies are not built by stepping around mud puddles, staying off wet grass, or walking inside the cracks on finally-dry sidewalks.

Do gifts of Full-Length Mirrors, Voice Recorders and Shoes They Want To Move In actually play a role in helping to build and reinforce kids’ Self-Confidence? Passion? Success? Happiness? 

Discover the positive impact for yourself… 

I’d love to hear what happens when you do!

_________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

DO ONE BOLD THING™: The Non-Negotiable First Step To Owning Your CONFIDENCE.

Posted on by

photo-22

On a quick dash thru Neiman Marcus in downtown Minneapolis a few years ago, I stopped just long enough to snap this picture.

What caught my eye was not the cashmere sweater collection it promoted.

Instead, it flashed me back to exciting memories of my former career as professional plus-size runway model, garment fit model and agency owner – when I amassed a smile-inducing collection of mannequins and fashion fit forms.

I smiled, snapped this photo, and then it struck me:

What stopped me in my tracks was how this display portrayed SO many aspects of the business of life we each lead as professional women…

The rich, colorful tapestry we each weave in creating what becomes our life story – as we lead and live our work and life – in our own special way. Every stage. Every day.

The layers that complicate us – confine us – comfort us – challenge us – complete us?

Our many shades beyond grey.

In that complexity, I want to help bring clarity to the often-exciting, often-overwhelming realities of achieving Success. And Happiness. As you define each for yourself.

The key to Success? (and Happiness?)

Owning It… With CONFIDENCE.

Where to begin? Start here:

photo-84DO ONE BOLD THING™: THE NON-NEGOTIABLE FIRST STEP TO OWNING YOUR SUCCESS… WITH CONFIDENCE:

1.  SELECT YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS!

That’s it! THE often-overlooked first non-negotiable step: Achieving the Success & Happiness you crave begins with Selecting Yourself!

The tough thing about Success? It’s up to you.

The GREAT thing about Success? It’s Up To YOU!

SUCCESS? IT’S UP TO YOU.

Know What You Want. Laser-focus it. Name it. Courageously commit by making it non-negotiable. Grab a quick break and get in front of a mirror and self-talk-it if you need to.

Realize goals worth reaching – the goals you value – are rarely achieved in one-fell-swoop of BOLD Success. Success happens in a series of baby BOLD steps along the way – some forward, and yes, some back. Sometimes more back then forward.

Success is a choice you make. As is Happiness.

What matters is that YOU believe in YOU.

CONFIDENCE IS Believing In Yourself(!) even in that moment – especially in that moment – when it’s easier not to.

(Or why would anyone else believe in you, if you don’t believe in fabulous you? When YOU believe in you, others believe in you, too!)

Thinking this advice applies only for young professionals, early in our careers? Think again.

At every age and every stage of your work and life, to GET what you want you need to KNOW what you want.

Achieving what you want begins when you commit, when you OWN IT with CONFIDENCE … by Selecting Yourself For Success!

DO ONE BOLD THING:

Select Yourself For Success! 

OWN IT… WITH CONFIDENCE.

Achieve The Success (& Happiness) You Crave.

_____________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR® Award-Winning Leader, Trusted Advisor & Women’s Empowerment Conference Speaker, Encouraging & Inspiring Women To Lead With CONFIDENCE.  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I snapped this shot at Neiman Marcus, downtown Minneapolis (before NM left Mpls) as an inspiring reminder of the fit form collection I owned in my former career as professional plus-size model and agency owner – and how it applies in so many ways to the business of life for professional women… whose success & happiness I passionately champion at THE BOLD! FACTOR®.

In My BOLD Opinion: The Unintended Consequences of Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce & Girl Scouts “Ban Bossy” Campaign: More Bullying?

Posted on by

photo-28In response to these powerful Leading Ladies, including Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce, Girl Scouts, and more… on their latest *Lean In* bandwagon inspiring Women and Girls to ban the word Bossy and claim they are not being bossy… they are *leading*…

STOP. EXIT THIS TRAIN.

(Per my comment posted on Mashable today, sharing my BOLD opinion as Counterpoint. As always, interested in your thoughts, please comment below, as you wish!)

Before YOU consider whether you want to be part of *Ban Bossy*… please consider the potential impact of Unintended Consequences of this Campaign: 

How many YOUNG GIRLS will misunderstand this complex leadership message… if they’re being told to see themselves not as bossy, rather as: I am a Leader! This is what it means to be a Leader!

How many MID-LEVEL WOMEN will start seeing Kindness as Weakness?

AND how many BOOMER WOMEN (my age, and yes, I’m shouting us out here!) will use this campaign as yet another force, another excuse, for blaming MEN for somehow holding back their own Confidence, Success & Happiness?

How soon before THIS Unintended Consequence becomes reality:  Bullying At ALL Ages INCREASING(!) as otherwise-wonderful Girls & Women start trying their best to practice what they’re now being advised by these influential women role models… believing, for example, *this is not being bossy – this is what being a Leader is all about – Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce and Girl Scouts KNOW!*

YIKES. Respected leaders? For sure. Mis-directed message? You decide.

How will YOU respond to this newest wave of supposed Women’s Leadership?

Men, interested in your thoughts, too – as you know I believe any change requires us ALL being in this game of business and life together!

I’m going to keep encouraging, inspiring and championing as I have been since 1993:  BOLD Confidence & Success & Happiness… thru Self-Leadership & Ownership.

Instead, try this:

DO ONE BOLD THING.™

CLAIM YOUR CONFIDENCE WITH CALM & CLASS. 

It’s YOUR Success, YOUR Happiness, YOUR Life… And It’s Up To YOU.

OWN IT With Calm, Classy, Courageous, Contagious, Calibrated(!) CONFIDENCE.

BRING YOUR BEST. BOLD. YOU!

Your Turn! Are you onboard their campaign? If so… If not… Which & Why?

_________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I like to take my own photos for my website and blog – professional or not it’s a passion of mine. I took this photo in a hotel last year, and wondered when will be the first time I use it to signify to readers: EXIT THIS GAME NOW. This is the Topic & Today is the day!

Calibrate Your BOLD: Magnetic Charisma & Quiet Confidence

Posted on by

photo-84

“SUCCESS begins with CONFIDENCE. Your Calm, Classy, Courageous, Contagious, Calibrated(!) CONFIDENCE Is Key To Achieving The Success & Happiness You Crave.”

– Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR® and BEST BOLD U! Keynotes. Live Events! Trusted Advisor To Motivated Men & Women.

________________________________________________________________________

Whether you bring your best with the external energy of Magnetic Charisma… or with the inner strength of Quiet Confidence…

Calibrating Your Confidence is critical in achieving the Success you crave.

Calibrating Your Confidence maximizes your personal and professional effectiveness.

Calibrating Your Confidence anchors your resolve when impostor syndrome strikes.

UNcalibrated Confidence gives your BOLDness a bad rap, and deservedly so.

UNcalibrated Confidence can leave you picking up the pieces of your solid reputation potentially unraveling in nanoseconds.

UNcalibrated Confidence risks unintended consequences, sabotaging your Success.

_________________________________________________________________________

WHAT DOES *Calibrating Confidence* MEAN IN REAL BUSINESS? REAL LIFE?

When you bring your BOLD with Magnetic Charisma: You have an opportunity to Calibrate the external energy of your Confidence anytime you choose(!) by mindfully observing what’s happening around you… how you’re responding or reacting… and adjusting accordingly. Start here:

Get your antennae up, get dialed in, and get interested in the people and situations surrounding you. With courage, awareness, authenticity and practice, you can maximize your influence and positive impact – earning trust, respect, and top-of-mind positioning – as you build new Success! All that and more, simply by shifting the focus and intensity of your powerful external energy… with the peripheral view, vulnerability, and other-focused compassion of EMPATHY.

When you bring your BOLD with Quiet Confidence: You have an opportunity to Calibrate the inner strength of your Confidence anytime you choose(!) by mindfully observing what’s happening around you… how you’re responding or reacting… and adjusting accordingly. Start here:

Get your antennae up, get dialed in, and get interested in the people and situations surrounding you. With courage, awareness, authenticity and practice, you can maximize your influence and positive impact – earning trust, respect, and top-of-mind positioning – as you build new Success! All that and more, simply by shifting the focus and intensity of your powerful inner strength… with the peripheral view, vulnerability and other-focused involvement in CONNECTING.

_________________________________________________________________________

…. Calibrate Your MAGNETIC BOLD with Courage!

And you’ll stop the self-sabotage of opportunities lost due to Annoying, Avoiding or Repelling… when your goal is to Attract.

… Calibrate Your QUIET BOLD with Courage!

And you’ll stop the self-sabotage of opportunities lost due to Imploding, Derailing, or Flatlining Into Invisible… when you want to be Seen & Heard. 

_________________________________________________________________________

READY TO GET YOUR BOLD ON?

DO ONE BOLD THING.™

CALIBRATE YOUR BOLD WITH CONFIDENCE.

CALM. CLASSY. COURAGEOUS. CONTAGIOUS. CALIBRATED(!) CONFIDENCE. 

SUCCESS? IT’S UP TO YOU.

OWN IT… WITH CONFIDENCE!

________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I created (author!) DO ONE BOLD THING.™ & SHIFT YOUR OLD TO BOLD!™ 2-in-1 Inspired Action! Success Cards, having a blast igniting thought-provoking Confidence- & Success-building conversations with inspired people using these cards, available at my BEST BOLD U!™ Live Events & THE BOLD! FACTOR® Keynotes.

We Need You To Come ALIVE! Right Where You’re At

Posted on by

photo-84

WE NEED YOU TO COME ALIVE! Right Where You’re At

Figure out what makes you Come ALIVE!
Do more of that. Be more of that.

Come ALIVE right where you’re at!
Now… not maybe, not later.
Here… not when you get, you know, there.

When you do, you inspire us to Come ALIVE too!

Your Success?
Your Happiness?
In Your Career, Your Business, Your Life?
It’s ALL Up To YOU!

Are you surrounding yourself with people who are as ALIVE! as you want to be?

DO ONE BOLD THING:  Promise yourself you won’t Sleepwalk thru another moment of this fleeting hour… another hour of this great day… or another day of your precious life.

Go BOLDly. Confidently. Success? Happiness? It’s Up To YOU! Own It.

_____________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  Title card in my 2-in-1 Inspired Action! Success Card Set: DO ONE BOLD THING.™ and SHIFT YOUR OLD TO BOLD!™ I lead thought-provoking table discussions with these cards, which feature favorites from my trademark strategies shared in BOLD… as round table topics in my interactive Keynotes, and in-depth strategy conversations.

Favorite Gifts For Building Kids’ Confidence For A Lifetime!

Posted on by

photo-75In BEST BOLD U™ I inspire self-leadership, ownership & confidence in motivated Men & Women who create their own success. Not in kids. And yet think about where our confidence begins… yes, it can begin right there… in quiet moments of kids at play.

Whether you’re in that favorite-of-the-moment buyer category of retail marketers everywhere: professional aunts or uncles buying for nieces and nephews… or a wise grandparent uninspired by today’s toys… or a holiday-crazed Mom or Dad tired of tracking down top-selling toys only to discover they’re sold out…

Here’s an inspired solution:

3 FAVORITE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GIFTS TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE KIDS… FOR A LIFETIME!

…along with few BOLD Nuggets to eliminate the guess-work & make life easier for YOU: 

! 1.  THEIR OWN FULL-LENGTH MIRROR

The greatest gift we give ourselves, when it comes to happiness and success, leading and living the life we want? Self-Confidence. 

With ever-decreasing privacy, and ever-increasing parading of kids through social media as magical mini-me’s living up to our mega vision of what success and happiness could look like in their amazing life… (oh, the pressure!) Take a step back, and let the real gift in this gift be whatever reflects in THEIR view.

The simple gift of a Full-Length Mirror gives kids the gift of quietly discovering, play-acting, pretending, creating, wondering,  dreaming, dancing, making faces, smiling, crying, learning to love themselves just as they are… getting comfortable in their own skin now… to build their own confidence for whatever comes later… and eventually these little dreams turn to bigger questions: how will I ask her to prom, what will my wedding dress look like… 

BOLD Nugget:  Hang the full length mirror on the back of their bedroom door. So they can close out the world, eliminate distractions (yes, even you ;) and get into their own little dreamland, where they can learn to create their own happiness, believe in their own greatness, build their own self-confidence, love who they see reflecting back… and they just might have a greater chance to become adults who are comfortable in their own skin. (I could say much more, but you get it, and I didn’t intend this to become a lesson in self-leadership… only in gift giving ;).

Quiet time for you. Dream time for them. 

!! 2.  THEIR OWN VOICE RECORDER

As adults we know the importance of trusting our own voice, developing our own point of view, the confidence to speak up in our work and life: Voice Confidence.

And yet so often we’re learning this in action, in front of others, which is when fear and impostor syndrome threaten to stifle our best efforts as we struggle in self-doubt, self-sabotage, silencing our own voice, in some cases, before we’ve even had a chance to develop our own voice.

What if kids built their confident voice naturally, individually, getting use to that not-at-first-familiar tone, adjusting for whatever emphasis they want, becoming their own ME in their own special way, thru play?

BOLD Nugget:  The Voice Recorder needs to be one they can operate on their own. So no, the one on your smartphone isn’t what this is about. While I’m not writing to promote any brands, when our kids were growing up the Fischer Price recorder was exactly the gift that inspired this idea – way back then – some of the best strategies are exactly that: timeless!

Get ready to smile as you start hearing singing and crazy-fun voices and new characters coming to life in your own home… *Welcome Ladies & Gentlemen!* or *Everyone in their seats, quiet please, shhhh, it’s time for class…*

!!! 3.  FAVORITE SHOES THEY CAN MOVE IN

As adults we know the best way to get unstuck when we’re struggling is to Do Something: Get Moving! And when a more introspective response is called for – those times you need to stop, get quiet and reflect – well, at some point you do need to get moving again:  Confidence In Action!

I believe in giving in to brand-passion when it’s justified (and hopefully on sale!) If the athletic shoes they really want, they ones that will inspire them to get outside and get moving, playing, trying out new sports at least long enough to experience being part of an action-focused team… investing in their favorite athletic shoes can be money well spent.

Teach kids early on the importance of wearing clothes they can move in… starting with shoes they can move fast in.

BOLD Nugget:  This might be the time to pull out the stops… buying whatever Favorite Shoes They Can Move In – shoes they LOVE – that they’ll move in, run in, play hard in. Oh and let them get dirty. Great minds and active bodies are not built by staying out of muddy puddles, off wet grass, or walking on dry sidewalks.

Ah, memories! Without embarrassing our two now-grown kids… they’ve each followed their own life dreams and work in careers they love: one a sales pro & business owner, one a passionate teacher. Did mirrors, voice recorders, and athletic shoes they loved play a role in any of that? I have no doubt that in some way, they absolutely did!

_________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

 

Barbra Streisand’s BOLDest Of All

Posted on by

photo-8I was looking forward to a great night’s sleep after fun holiday travels for Thanksgiving and before our big family wedding tonite…

And yet there I was, glued to the TV until 3am last night, captivated by Barbra Steisand’s stunning video concert, Back In Brooklyn.

A big fan of A Star Is Born, I later tried to replicate her tricky-nimble vocals of Queen Bee in our Summer rock band while getting that out of my system…

And I still love singing her passionate Lullaby For Myself, which drives my husband David nuts every time I do (if you know the lyrics, you’ll get why in our 34 years of marriage, well, he’s just never been a fan of that one ;)

I don’t watch much TV and especially not in the middle of the night… so what was it about this concert that pulled me in?

Her range is noticeably huskier now, which in a way makes her performance richer – still gigantic, enormous, powerful, soul-soaring, sky’s-the-limit-shattering range as ever…

And yet that’s not where her power lies…

The essence of Barbra Streisand comes alive in her quietest moments, where she takes all that big talent, her massive voice, her powerful wow, and laser-focuses it…

Drawing her own stark contrast… shifting on a dime to quiet… in an up close and personal kinda way… delicate, breathtakingly so, as tho singing and speaking only. to. you.

In her quietest moments, her voice, her impact… can be her richest of all.

Just as your Quiet Confidence can indeed be… your BOLDest of all.

________________________________________________________________________

® 1993-2013  Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   BEST BOLD U™   AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  This purple bowl of red spoons are a favorite in our kitchen – they hang out next to a favorite soup cookbook authored by my friend, Paulette Mitchell. I am grateful every Thanksgiving (every day!) to have been so smart all these years to stay out of the kitchen, and instead sing the praises of my when-he-has-time hobby chef husband David ;)

5 Ways You Can DO ONE BOLD THING™ To Select Yourself For Success With Confidence!

Posted on by

photo-2When you wake up tomorrow, Monday September 23rd, you’ll have 99 days until the new year begins.

99 DAYS… EACH DAY AN AMAZING GIFT!

We do not get today back. We don’t get a single one of these next 99 days back.

Be Your Own BOLD CAFFEINE! Promise yourself you won’t sleepwalk through a single day, a single hour, or a single moment!

By the way, naps and inspired downtime are not sleepwalking. You know when you need to step back to get ahead. Super SMART. And just because you’re Super Busy does not mean you’re not sleepwalking… in fact, I’m pretty sure it’s when we over-commit that we are MOST at risk of self-induced sleepwalking… right through our work, right through life.

99 DAYS… JUST THINK WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH OR CHANGE OR BEGIN…  BY STARTING. RIGHT. NOW!

It will only happen if you get focused, get committed, get going and keep going. I’m on this exciting ride too… and I’m here to champion you… so let me know in the comments below how I can help.

What’s inspiring me to inspire you?  Many things. Here’s the big one:

On our home calendar today, it wasn’t the *first day of Autumn* that caught my eye, it was this: 265/100. I’ve never noticed this countdown before. Today it not only caught my attention, this number urged me to stop and re-commit NOW- not waiting till, you know, *happy new year* – instead, taking action right now.

And since I’ve been at this awhile, I’m pretty good at taking my own BOLD action. How do I keep it fresh for myself? Keep walking my talk? By challenging myself that my own BOLD action needs to be the one I’m – for whatever reason – AFRAID to take. THAT’S the one I must do next… even when… especially when… it’s easier not to.

To keep reinforcing what I know I need to do, I create ways to reinforce YOU. Selfish? No, Smart. ;)

There isn’t a single story, trip-up or triumph, or lesson or BOLD Nugget of advice in all of BOLD that I haven’t personally and/or professionally faced or dealt with… or in some way experienced, too.

Where to begin? Start here:

DO ONE BOLD THING.

How?

SELECT YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS.

And then?

Here’s the 5-Way FORWARD-FOCUSED WHAT IF (by the way, Forward-Focused is the ONLY What If worth asking!) Question to ask yourself – to take a quick inventory as your own reality check – when you’re not sure where to start taking your next BOLD action to create your next Success:

It’s not about CAN You.  (YOU CAN!)

It’s about WILL You.  (WILL YOU?)

WHAT IF YOU WILL…

1.  CHANGE one thing you know is not working.

2.  CREATE one new way to share your gifts & talents. 

3.  COMMIT to making your next success happen.

4.  CALIBRATE your busyness based on your priorities.

5.  CHAMPION yourself first.

Your very first step is your BOLDest of all… whether your focus is work or life:

DO ONE BOLD THING.

SELECT YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS!

OWN IT WITH CONFIDENCE.

IT’S UP TO YOU!

I’m committing to my next One BOLD Thing.

Will You? BRAVO! If you share yours in the comments below we can help champion you!

_______________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR®  BEST BOLD U!™   AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  While out on a quiet walk last Fall, I came across this beautiful scene… sort of nature’s bouquet hidden deep in the woods near our lake cabin. And now, with 99 days remaining in 2013, I’m reflecting on the amazing(!) adventures since launching my own business in 1993. As I step into high gear this Fall, taking my own BOLD-BOLDer-BOLDest action presenting powerful new BOLD Keynotes along with creating the next iteration of THE BOLD! FACTOR®… and launching BEST BOLD U!™ I’m blessed, thrilled and inspired to champion the BEST BOLD in YOU.