More often than not we should remind ourselves that the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy today were paid by a very heavy price by others before us. Take a moment of silence today to honour, pray and show gratitude to those men, women and families who sacrifice a more comfortable life for one that is devoted to making sure peace prevails.

Recently, I had the opportunity to wear an outrageous one-of-a-kind design built just for me as a fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The experience was so much fun and although it was hard from a vanity point of view to look at this picture of me, I was also reminded that even though I may be worried about my size in the dress, the larger picture is that we brought a smile to 2000 people who attended, raised awareness and also raised a lot of money for the cause.

The designer of this dress is a young entrepreneur named Rebecca MacKenzie, Owner of Lux Industries. Like the dress, Rebecca’s designs are an extension of herself and are meant to highlight the personality of her models and of the event that she designs for. It got me thinking about how as leaders, often times, we don’t feel well equipped to make a difference or to make an impact. Well, that is what we see. In actual fact, I believe that the first step should be having the willingness to step out; to be on stage….to understand that I am going to do that best that I can, with what I have, right here, right now and do it without reservation.

Airing this Friday, April 8th at 12pm EST on Unleashed for Impact radio, I am interviewing Lou Heckler on the topic of ‘Leadership is a CHOICE’.

“Great leaders reach a high level of performance because they choose to lead and, as such, aren’t normal! Normal is following the pack. Normal is holding back. Normal is jogging in place. Great leaders move ahead by making choices that are right for their lives.”

Beyond the feeling that you will make a fool of yourself, or the notion that you are worried about what people will think, is there a greater purpose for you in stepping out? If you don’t have an answer for this that results in a resounding YES, then I encourage you to discover that. Clarity of purpose is the quickest way to innovative and creative results that can make a long lasting and sometimes “sensational” impact.

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

All I have to say is what a fabulous year I have just experienced. Filled with some ups and downs, it was challenging and exhilarating all at the same time. The year kicked off on the heels on the bestselling book I had the good fortune to be a part of. Overcomers Inc. went to #1 on Amazon in not just one, but there different categories and the stories shared have made a difference to many lives to which I am thankful.

My theme for 2010 was Dare to be Different and I sure did try to live that philosophy. I had a great year touring with the Entrepreneurship Expo and spoke at a number of Women in Business Symposiums. I must say that the energy and enthusiasm of women entrepreneurs never ceases to amaze me. I was fortunate to travel to numerous places this year, including 12 US States, 7 Canadian provinces, Varadero, Cuba and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

In August, we moved to a new office building and to larger space. We are thoroughly enjoying it and our new neighbours at McKenzie College School of Design.

The beginning of October found us in Florida, where I was featured on Lifetime Television’s The Balancing Act. This resulted in calls from Fox Television and The Learning Channel and most recently I signed a deal with Voice America to launch a new radio show on their business channel starting February 4th, called ‘Unleashed for Impact’. The show will feature inspiring stories of people who are living a life of meaning and building a business of worth. I can’t wait to interview some exciting entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. It streams to 96 countries and has a listenership of 1.5 million and to say that I am excited is an understatement.

This was a year of major growth in our company. My husband Dan and I have the good fortune to work together or should I say “play” as we have so much fun in what we do. This year, our company JumpStart720.com experienced exponential growth which has required some major investment and hard work to get organized and add some talented people to our team. I have to admit that trying to gain clarity in the midst of such rapid growth has been difficult and I know at times I have not lead as well as I would have liked to. The good news is that in surrounding yourself with people who are talented beyond your skillset has been such a blessing to Dan and I and we look forward to growing with our team in 2011.

Our family continues to thrive and a milestone of sorts was reached when my 16 year old got his license and my 9 year old finally crossed the threshold of his learning difficulties and is now excelling in school. We all need a light bulb moment at times and I am just thrilled for my youngest.

I had mine in the late fall when I was having to travel too much, in too short of a time frame and was really missing my children. ‘Tis the life of a professional speaker though as there are busy seasons and slower ones and I am thankful for the busy ones as that allows me to enjoy extended vacation time with my family during the slower times.

So, to close off 2010, here are the SEVEN LESSONS I have learned from this past year:

Number One – Face Fear Head On. There are so many times where I feel nervous or afraid that I am not going to do a good enough job or don’t feel skilled. Whatever it might be. I continue to learn to breathe and jump. To get right into the middle of that fear and face it head on.

Number Two – Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate! Big successes, little success and those moments when you realize you have conquered your fear and it wasn’t that bad after all.

Number Three – Time and the Busy-ness of Life. I have learned to dislike the word busy. If I say it or if others refer to me as being busy. There were many times this year where couldn’t find the time to spend with people that I really enjoy. Time is such a precious commodity and so are relationships. My goal for 2011 is to choose how I spend my time wisely.

Number Four – R&R Matters. Rest and relaxation are key ingredients in my life and time alone with my family is a necessity. This year we had 5 weeks of travel and I find those are some of the best learning moments for my children as well as some of the most special moments in our family. In addition, my friend also says that Recruitment and Retention is a key ingredient to running a business and I agree. I put some people on the wrong seat on the bus this past year and it continues to teach me as an employer that even when you think you make the right decisions, in the end, as much as you like the person, you still have to make financial decisions for your company that makes sense.

Number Five – Remove Negativity. Period. Life is too short. I have found that if you are clear about your mission, what it is that you want to accomplish and the lives that you want to impact, you will not only stay on the right path, but you also know who shouldn’t be on the path with you.

Number Six – Find a Mentor. No matter how much you have learned or accomplished, there is so much more of life to experience. Mentorship is key for my personal and professional growth. I thoroughly recommend finding a good mentor or a coach to push you, challenge you and ignite your spirit to move forward.

Number Seven – Be. Be Happy. Be Calm. Be Creative. Be Loved. Be Challenged. Be Excited. Be Content. Be True. Be Clear. Be Confident. Be Ready and BE-LIEVE there is something exciting around the corner waiting for you.

Happy New Year!

Paula

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

This week I had the pleasure of attending a three day ‘Dream Festival’ built around the concept: if you can dream it, you can live it. The kick off to the event was a three hour line up of speakers including, Sir Richard Branson, Kevin O’Leary and Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes.

Although I took something away from all of the speakers, it was the humble and effervescent Clara Hughes who brightened my day and stirred my spirit. In sharing her twenty year journey of being an athelete, Clara passionately shared the importance of not the win, but the mission.

For her, the mission is to skate beautifully. This resonated with me completely as my mission has become my life’s work. My mission has always been to increase human potential by helping others become better than they are today….by helping people move beyond barriers and live the life they desire to live.

The shining spirit of Clara Hughes shone bright as we relived the Olympics through her storytelling. Brought close to tears, I was reminded of how proud I am to be a Canadian and that we should own this wonderful priviledge and take stock more often of this rich and diverse country that we live in. It dawned on me at the end of Clara’s speech that the only thing I wanted to do at that moment was to stand and sing our national anthem. So as I finish this blog I am singing O’ Canada and smiling from ear to ear as I realize that all Canadians should stand on the podium and be proud of our heritage. Thanks Clara!

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

Today was a really neat day for me. I was speaking at an Entrepreneurship Expo and shared an adventure that my husband and I took 14 years ago where we pretended to be people other than ourselves. Just telling the story of the “Adventures of Cal and Chanel” and how we took the Dominican by storm made me shake my head in amazement; first, because we had the audacity to be bold and live big as two fictitious people for a week and secondly, in realizing that this was truly a transformational experience for us.

Today, I was returned to a time where we dreamed about the future, where we set out crazy plans and a vision for what we could become. What was so neat about today, was that in sharing the journey of Cal and Chanel to an audience of strangers, I realized how far we have come and how we really are living a wonderful adventure together. We are still dreaming, still taking risks and still excited for what the future holds.

How lucky am I that I get to share this with my best friend. Cheers to my husband Dan! I continue to be thankful for our life together.

What resulted in saying yes, was a summer of dealing with emotions that I thought had dealt with years before. It was like I took one last layer off and was finally released from a piece of history that still had a piece of me. Whether it has been released or not, the realization dawned on me that my journey matters….all of it!

I should be proud of who I am, where I have come from and it is from those personal and one of a kind experiences that make up my life that makes me the person I am today.

There is something empowering in realizing this. I work with hundreds of people a year and the majority of the time we are focused forward, moving intentionally toward achieving powerful results while allowing ourselves to “let go” of the past.

I have sinced realized that while I let go of the emotional ties, I can still hold on to what the experience taught me so that I may move, grow and aspire beyond where I was.

“Meaning is derived from the moments in life that matter”