Bridges Edition of 8/12/2004

Welcome to Bridges, a monthly newsletter published by Robin Fogel, Career and Business Coach. My goal is that this newsletter be filled with practical information that you can use in your work and in your life. If you enjoyed the newsletter please forward it to your colleagues, friends and family.

If you would like to know more about coaching, please email me at robin@coachrobinfogel.com and/or visit my website www.coachrobinfogel.com.
For many of us August is vacation month. When you take your vacation do you really get away or do you take work with you. Do you check your email? Do you check your voicemail? Unlike previous generations, we live in a 24/7 world where keeping in touch is a given for many and vacations or even a day of rest are foreign concepts. Yet, when we are constantly going or doing there no time dedicated to renewal. In Stephen Covey's book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", habit seven is 'sharpen the saw'. He wrote, "Habit 7 is personal. It's preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have-you." The benefits of sharpening the saw are practical. Time off is one way to reduce work stress. Ask yourself when you get your great ideas or inspirations. Do they come when you are at your desk feeling stressed or do they come in those unexpected, more relaxed moments? This month take a vacation, even if it's only a few days. Relax, spend time with family and friends and enjoy yourself.

Gift From the Sea
Each summer I reread Anne Morrow Lindbergh's book Gift From the Sea. Written in 1955, the book sold more that 5 million copies during its first 20 years and now touches new generations. She wrote the book while staying at a cottage in Sanibel, Florida, one of my favorite spots in the world. In the preface she said, "I began these pages in order to think out my own particular pattern of living, my own individual balance of life, work and human relationships... It is more basically: how to remain whole in the midst of the distractions of life" She wrote, "I must find a balance...between these two extremes; a swinging of the pendulum between solitude and communion, between retreat and return." Vacations are a wonderful way to reenergize.

The Power of Words
While waiting to have a mammogram I noticed that the technician had taped a short story to the wall. It was called "Encouragement is Powerful".

A group of frogs was traveling through the woods and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us when we were telling you to give up?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

Remember the power of your words- those you speak to others and those you speak to yourself.

I hope you enjoy the sunny summer days and take some time to read, to relax, to be with loved ones. Happy August.

COPYRIGHT: 2004, Robin Fogel & Assoc., LLC. All Rights Reserved. May be distributed and reprinted in its entirety with copyright, subscription instructions, and contact information intact. However, you may not copy it to a website.