Brenda Videnoff

After 10 weeks solid of non stop work, we descended into the pit of sin city.  Knowing that i really needed some down time, we had agreed to meet family for a 3 day birthday excursion.  A day of travelling and then we were there.  First major decision to make, how to get to the hotel.  Taxi  and shuttle lineup, a 30 minute wait time.  Arrrrrgh.   $100 later and we are seated in a stretch limo arriving at our hotel.  The reality was it took less than 15 minutes to get there. 

 OK, so now we were officially in Vegas, registered into our hotel room and ready for …. sleep.  It was only 2pm. This would be a swinging time!  We managed to get out to see a live show - Chicago the musical icons were opening their 14 day Vegas run that nite.  I think that there may have been 3 or 4 of the original members.  The more cocktails we had the better they sounded!

So, here we were in a city that never sleeps and we were exhausted.  We ended our visit early so that we could get down to our home in San Diego.  Woke up to the sweet sounds of smooth jazz on the radio,  the birds singing outside and the beautiful California sky.  A dip in the hot pool, some sun time and I am feeling like I am starting to get my personal rhythm back.  It is amazing to me how much “stress”  we put ourselves through on a daily basis. 

Listen to the sounds around you.  Is it traffic, loud music from the car behind you, phones ringing or texting, babies crying?  You get the idea.  What is it that would soothe your soul?  Is it a certain type of music?  A hot bath?  Silence?

Give it to yourself.  Go on.  You really truly deserve it.  Let your mind slow down a little.   Breathe deeply.  Smell some flowers.  Listen to the voice inside YOUR head, not the one that is coming at you from all angles. 

I think that it will take about four more days to truly get back to myself.  To sleep as long as my body needs, to walk, to laugh, to eat healthy foods.   Then I will be starting to feel recharged, energized and back to balance.  That’s where the creativity can emerge.  I wonder what that will bring? 

Posted on October 5th, 2008 by brenda
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Creativity…where does it come from?  How come some people are “so creative” while others think that they just don’t have it.

The truth is that we are all creative geniuses.  The trick is how to learn to develop your creativity and what that looks like for you.  Some people are naturally artistic, or have a musical talent.  Other peoples’ creative sides may not be so obvious.  Have you ever witnessed a home that was so run down, no care and attention having been paid to it for years, only to have a new owner come in and completely renovate it to become a jewel?  How could so many people have looked at the same home only to have that one particular person see beyond what was there?

Are you able to see “beyond” the obvious?  Great leaders have great vision.  They can see where they are today and move towards where they know that they can be.  They think outside of the box, outside of the ordinary.  They are willing to take the risks and chances to move toward the end result because they “see” what can be. 

 This ability to have vision creates the energy required to move towards what you seek.  The creative drive to get you there.  Take the next step, and then the next.  Do it with gusto!  Look further down the road than you would normally.  Take a different route to work tomorrow, notice how things become fresh and new again.  Listen to a different radio station, take dancing lessons!  Anything that will force your mind to awaken, to see things from a different perspective and notice how your thoughts are shifting to a more creative view.  

How do things look from this new viewpoint?  I am certain that you will be to see your future in a new light with different options available to you.  So go forth and create your dreams alive!  You can do it! 

Posted on July 30th, 2008 by brenda
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No I am not advertising for a brewery.  I am Canadian and proud of it - most of the time.  After having the pleasure of spending time south of the border, I have to admit that we are totally beat on the aspect of “service”.  Whether you are being served by a gal at a local department store, a service station attendant or the guy working the local hamburger joint, the service is - amazing.  When was the last time you were standing in a line up at a Canadian bank where there were 4 people ahead of you and someone came running over to assist those in line so that the customers could be served more efficiently?  That isn’t what is going on in my town.  I stood in line for over 20 minutes yesterday at a “business services” line at my local bank!  How frustrating.  We have a long way to go to improve our attitude on how to truly be “in service” here in our northern exposure.  We are in an exciting economic time in Alberta.  The situation has created a great opportunity for businesses such as ours to grow at an exceptionally fast pace.  It has also created an “attitude” from the employees that if we don’t cower to their demands that they will just go across the street.  And they do!  It will turn around.  There will be a swinging of the pendulum when the job situation isn’t what it is today, when the staff will be grateful for the opportunity to have a job, to be able to put a roof over their family and food on the table.  So let’s start today, let’s remember what it means to be in the “service industry.” To be proud of being Canadian and doing our best not just when we feel like it, but everyday and in every way.

Posted on April 1st, 2008 by brenda
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When asked recently about the secrets to success, I had to stop and consider what would be the clearest response to this age old question.  Some people just have a natural ability to win whether it be in their professional or personal lives.  How do they always succeed?  What is the “formula”?  My thoughts on this are simple.  The people who have success in their lives have one thing in common.  It is their FOCUS on an end result.  Nothing will deter them from reaching their goal.  Some people simply do not even have an end result in mind so that means that it really does not matter how they go about their days.  Same routine, same result.  That can work FOR you or AGAINST you.  What is it that your heart desires?  Do you get inspired by achieving something so that you can reap a reward?  Is your inspiration that spanky new car with all the bells and whistles?  Is it a big Bonus cheque at the end of it all?  Perhaps it is the simple satisfaction of having done a job well.  Whatever you find is your inspiration, focus on the end result and don’t let anyone or anything stand in the way of you achieving it!  The second part of the success story lies in the things that you do each and every day to consistently move you towards achieving your end result.  If you are working on taking a well deserved vacation and you know that it will cost you $5000 before you can afford to go, it may seem insurmountable.  However, what if you were to put away $500 a month, each and every month.  You would be on the beach, basking in the sun in only 10 months.  Break that down even further and you would have saved $16 a day.  A couple less specialty coffees and a quick lunch that you prepared for yourself instead of heading out to your local restaurant and it is a done deal.  Everyday, you are in choice around moving toward your end result or moving away from it.  Don’t let yourself get sidetracked.  The Focus and the Consistency will get you there in less time than you thought!  Now, how about a Margarita…..

Posted on March 3rd, 2008 by brenda
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Oh, the dream of owning your own business.  The final frontier on the road to freedom, or is it?  As we move through our careers, we often think of the possibilities of owning our own business.  “Yea, things will be different when I take over!”  Well, things are definitely different when you are the one calling the shots.  Oh, did I mention that you are probably the one who is there to open up in the morning and close the door at the end of the night?  Or you are the one that is running to pick up the supplies, get to the store in time to cover the part time person so that they can have a break, then off to the printer to pick up the new brochure and then meet with the local newspaper to place your ad in the hopes that you will get some new interest and prospective customers in your door.  And then there is the Payroll, Accounting, well, you get the picture.   There is a very significant difference between creating your own “self employment” through running your own business and becoming a Franchisee in an already developed, successful enterprise.  There is a learning curve as in any new undertaking but you will be supported by a Corporate Head Office that has the experience, understanding and momentum to assist you in your new venture.  It is important to look to your dreams and visions and if you are feeling a  pull to owning your own business and you truly believe that you have the courage, energy and intention to move into this arena - Hurray!  You are among a select group of  folks that believes that they can accomplish their hearts desire.  What you believe, you CAN achieve.   For more information on Franchises, check out the Canadian Franchise Association.

Posted on February 7th, 2008 by brenda
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