:: The No Queen :: by Mary Byers

January 2008

A Note From Mary

Happy New Year! I love January because it offers a fresh start. With memories of the holiday behind us, we can look ahead to the promise of a new year.

And this year does, in fact, hold promise. What’s ahead for you? More of the same? Or is there a hope or dream or goal you’d like to pursue?

When I was 25, I was in a seminar when the facilitator asked, “What’s the one thing you would do if you knew you would not fail?” She asked to write our answers down without censoring them. I wrote, “Write a book.”

It took me over a decade to find the time and figure out how to make that dream come true. But I can tell you, it was worth the wait.

What’s on your heart? What are your hopes for this year? The very best thing about life in this country is that we truly do have the power to write our own story and influence the ending. So what’s holding you back? It’s worth taking the time to honestly answer that question and then to figure out what you can do about it.

What’s the one thing you would do if you knew you would not fail? Don’t censor your answer. Write it down. And make it happen.

All the best,

Mary Byers

Prioritize!

Another great thing about a new year is that it’s a perfect time to reevaluate your priorities. As the mom of two, I can tell you that as your children age, your priorities change. When my kids were preschool age, my goal was simply to get through the day! Now my goal is to be a good listener and to be available when they are ready to talk. I’m also committed to creating pockets of family time so that we’re building closeness for the teen years ahead.

Personally, I find January is an excellent time let go of projects I hoped to get done last year and didn’t. In fact, I just sent an e-mail this morning resigning from a task I really shouldn’t have said yes to to begin with. (Yes, even The No Queen occasionally lets the word “Yes” slip out of her mouth when she shouldn’t!) I’ve also set aside a morning this week to answer this question for me and my family:

What’s the one thing that will make the biggest
difference if I were to do it over the next year?

I plan to answer this question for both my personal and professional life. You might consider doing so as well. It’s a powerful question—and your answer(s) may surprise you. I’d love to hear what you come up with. After you’ve done this exercise, would you e-mail me at mbyers@marybyers.com and let me know what you’ll be working on this year? I may share some of what I hear in an upcoming newsletter. (I promise only to use your first name if I include your response.) Wouldn’t it be fun to know what each other is working on in 2008?

Narrowing the Focus

I’m taking my own advice this year. Since I talk a lot about simplifying and streamlining life, I’ve decided to more actively look for ways to practice these concepts in my business. One way I’m doing that is to combine my three websites into one. I’ve started that process and am working with a great team to make that happen. I’ll likely have a new site to show you by March at the latest. I’m also combining two e-zines into one and will be introducing a new design this spring. Thanks for your patience as I work through these changes.

Food for Thought

“I already have plans” is a simple way to say no to requests for your time and talents. Those plans might be to spend some time alone or not to commit to anything else. Both are valid and should not make you feel guilty.

Do You Have a Friend or Family Member Who Needs to Learn to Say No?

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