Achieved Strategies

In honor of Kristin Mortensen, November 18^th, 1974-to February 27^th, 2010.

This blog is not meant to focus on “regret.”   I don’t believe in regret – it’s usually wasted energy.  But, I learned something about regret this last week.  The kind of regret that tugs at your consciousness, wanting to find its way out in the open…the kind of regret I often push back into my subconscious.  What I learned this week is that sometimes, you can use regret as a push to make change happen.

My friend Kristin Mortensen died on Saturday, 2/27/10.  Her heart gave out several days after giving birth to a second son.  I hadn’t seen her for months and months, because we were just too busy.  Too busy to connect.  Kristin and I always had a common thread of “life is too busy”.  I’d tell myself and her every year, “Next year I’ll take my birthday off with you.”  November 18^th: born on the same day, same year. Now, there won’t be a next year for me to say “I’ll take my birthday off with you.”  No more opportunity to say, next year will be less busy for me and I’ll change.  I will make you a higher priority.

I work with people every day whose choices to not change have led to disappointing results.  We all make excuses for why we can’t do something.  The real excuse, “we don’t want to change.”  Next time you see an excuse surfacing ask yourself:  “would a change in my behavior make a difference in seizing opportunity before it’s too late?”

My change:  I am taking November 18^th, 2010, off for my birthday, for Kristin’s birthday – it’s on the calendar.

What is a change you’ve been meaning to make for a long time?  Tell us about it below, and how you will make the change?