Hasta La Gadget!

Harvard now offers a new course to incoming freshmen which is basically a life coaching 101 course. Since so many new students at the prestigious university have spent their high school years overwhelmed by activities and homework, barely sleeping to make the grade, the university wants them to identify their core values, learn how to make choices in their daily lives that align to their values, and start managing their time as college students in a way that will support them to live their adult lives with balance rather than overwhelm, which has become their norm from an early age.

I believe, as a coach for modern parents, that parents are their child’s life coach and that children need this type of values, time alignment and choice-making life coaching way before they head off to college. In fact, the way that parents reflect upon and answer the same big life questions about their core values, align their time and responsibility commitments to those values and their levels of stress are what really teach a child of any age the same kinds of lessons this class at Harvard hopes to impart.

Here are 5 ideas to help you be your child’s life coach, to support them in living a life of balance, alignment and meaning:

1.) Create a Family Mission Statement with your partner in which you detail the core values you hope to impart in raising your family. When making decisions related to discipline, activities, community building, schooling, hard choices and limit setting, use this Family Mission Statement as a guide to help support clarity and alignment.

2.) Slow down and take time for reflection. If you question the job you’re in, find yourself in a constant state of stress, reacting more often than responding, it’s time to step off the rat wheel and examine your own life thoroughly. Making the changes we need in our own lives to decrease stress, increase connection, and be in integrity with who we are and what we really want from life are the best ways we can support and serve our kids to become the types of adults who can do this as well.

3.) Engage in the activities and interests which you truly love, for the sake of doing them, and experiencing joy. When is the last time you played an instrument? Spoke the foreign language you love? Played a game with friends? Made a piece of art or a new invention for the fun of it? Took a cooking class? Learned something new that truly engages your curiosity and desire to experience being alive? If you’ve sacrificed these elements of your own life, it will be hard to model to your children that joy, curiosity and love of learning are essentials to a life well lived. Get out that class catalogue and sign up today for a learning experience that will help bring you totally alive.

4.) Spend time with people who are positive, living lives that align to your values, and prioritize the same values, interests and curiosities that you do. If you find yourself around people who you don’t truly resonate with, it’s time to do some social reflection and focusing. Get out your Family Mission Statement and spend time reflecting on the people, experiences, traditions and social activities which really resonate with who you are and the family you most want to raise.

5.) Have weekly Family Meetings where in addition to discussing appreciations, celebrations, scheduling, problem solving, you share about your Family Mission Statement and the activities, choices, friends, experiences that each of you are engaging in that reflect your family’s desired culture. You can plan activities and discuss questions together to help build your family culture to be one that is balanced, aligned, positive and inspiring: life coaching at its best!

Kiran Gaind is a life, leadership and parenting coach who owns The Connected Family (http://www.theconnectedfamily.net). Please drop her a line to comment on this article, ask questions, and share your ideas for bringing the art of life coaching into your daily parenting role. She can be reached at kiran@theconnectedfamily.net or by phone at (415) 377-6791 to say hello and to schedule a completely complimentary Create Connection Conversation.

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There is a new type of entrepreneur quickly rising in almost every city in America. They have a significant impact on the lives of many people. Do you know someone in education who is motivated, mission-driven, passionate, smart, and can create something new? If the answer is yes, you know an edupreneur. Edupreneurs are game-changing innovators who are bursting with education technology ideas and creativity. These talented and rising stars may be the missing link that your startup needs right now. Effective classroom teachers make some of the best startup leaders or colleagues because their traits run parallel to entrepreneurs. If an educator finds something to believe in, that passion can yield great results.

There are many reasons teachers are actively involved in the entrepreneur space. Schools are finally beginning to incorporate technology into their classrooms, resistance to technology is waning, and educators are advocates of 21st-century learning. Ed tech conferences are growing in the tens of thousands every year. Last month, over 18,000 teachers, presenters and startups collaborated at ISTE. Today, we live in a global education ecosystem that calls for the integration of educators and entrepreneurs.

Here are some reasons why you should consider working with a teacher turned entrepreneur:

They did not go into the field for money
Like entrepreneurs, effective teachers went into their chosen field to solve problems and make a difference in the world. Those who go into the classroom every day understand that teaching is not solely a career; it is a lifestyle that requires hours of work, flexibility and endless amounts of dedication. Educators are driven by a deep-rooted passion for helping others succeed as well as to bring forward positive change. As entrepreneurs, they know that money may or may not follow, but choose to pursue the endeavor for the greater good.

Multitasking is in their DNA
According to TeachThought, the average teacher makes over 1,500 educational decisions in one school day. They are fully engaged support systems for students, parents, and colleagues. Teachers manage everything in a classroom. These areas range from the physical environment to teaching students with different learning needs, levels, and language barriers. For many children, teachers are nurses, nurturers, cooks, and confidants. Compared to a corporate setting, this management could be equivalent to supporting 20-30 new-hires. Like entrepreneurs, teachers can juggle multiple priorities, and they fully understand and accept that this is part of their job.

They know how to communicate
Successful entrepreneurs can communicate with ease in different situations. Like entrepreneurs, effective teachers can explain complex ideas in ways everybody can comprehend. They understand their customers (students and parents) and know how to relate to them. You can listen to teachers speak at a third-grade level and then lead professional development workshops for 50 colleagues after school. Compelling teachers are master communicators who understand the importance of accurate communication.

If you are a new startup, especially in the ed tech field, consider looking out for edupreneurs. You may find one who breaks the mold for your company.

A bit about me:
I am an official education thought-leader on LinkedIn, with over 38,000 followers in my field.

I am the founder and senior editor of EdNews Daily. We interview and work with education startups, teachers, advocates, Shark Tank winners, entrepreneurs, innovators, nonprofits, and education game-changers. Some of our partners include Prepexert.com from Shark Tank, EdTechUpdate, Milewalk Academy, MyColLife, Edcast.com and our newest partner, BigMarker.

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The truth is, and this might surprise you, but no one can guarantee you anything unless you take full responsibility for your own growth and success. There isn’t a person on earth, that can hand you a blueprint to “the secrets to success” in any aspect of your life. They can guide or assist you, but in the end it’s you that has to want it bad enough to do the work.

There are 7 billion people on this planet and yet there are way too many people unwilling to release the old story, align with their core values, be brazen enough to chase their goals and an epic life experience, for anyone to make you such a promise.

They are not ready to step up, commit to improving their situation, invest in themselves emotionally and financially, and willing to try new ideas. And you know what? That sucks for them because their potential will be wasted.

If you are ready to make your dreams a reality, here is what you need to do:

Stop making excuses or playing the victim – I have two things to say about this. 1) There is nothing to gain by arguing in favor of your own limitations. 2) Every time you make an excuse a baby unicorn dies and there is less magic in the world. I don’t know about you, but I’m a little bit woo and a heaping helping of tough love.

As much as I want you the reader, a client or any human really, to be their best version, I also never want you to forget that there are parts of you that are pure magic. You need to find that magic, practice it and only then will you stop hurting baby unicorns and blaming yourself for “mistakes” and bad shit that seems to keep on happening to you.

Stop living by someone else’s rules to fit in – you can’t maximize your desires or results when you’re trying to fit in. Standing out from a crowd of the good girls following the rules will not happen if you fear your own amazingness. Do not be afraid to be different, weird, geeky, or an oddball. If you seek change, be that change or difference.

If you want to say that something pisses you off, yell it from the roof tops. I’ve dedicated a whole interview series to saying the things we’re not supposed to say. Frankly, I care more about speaking the truth than being polite. I provide a platform for the people who feel the same to speak uncensored.

I believe that censoring your soul-driven purpose and gifts will smother that fire within you. Knock that shit off. Right now. You were born to be great, do and have great things. Quit denying yourself the chance create a life that lights you up. Do it your way, on your own terms and above all else, be unapologetic for it.

Stop focusing on insignificant and meaningless shit – people, events, relationships, anything that does not feed your mind or advance your goals needs to be let go or given a lot less attention.

Change or at the very least vary who you hanging out with. Just because you went to grade school with someone and they live nearby doesn’t mean that they are good for your life. Ask yourself who the people that lift you up are in your current circle. Actually write it down. Create a two column list on a piece of paper. Separate it into people who add to your life and people who do not.

No, you don’t have to dump your friends. You simply need to hang around the “adders” more than the “subtractors”. Be radically honest here. It’s a shitty thing to list the flaws of your “friends”, but a necessary evil if you want a better life experience.

It is never ever selfish to want more for yourself. Please believe that. If people in your life don’t support that belief, well, they’ve just made their own argument as to why they ought to go on the subtractors list, and probably need to be cut loose.

Feed your mind something positive every day. Read a book that makes you better. Have a positive conversation with someone you respect. Write gratitudes in a journal. Start each day with an intention or goal. Praise yourself at the end of each day for what you were great at (no matter how big or small). Connect with a mentor that is where you want to be, whether that person be a thought leader or someone you are paying for guidance.

Know. Your. Self. – self awareness, mindset and the kindness you extend to yourself is 90% of the battle. Where you live emotionally effects everything in your life. Your mindset and beliefs towards yourself, others and the world at large rank right up there. This means that if these things are not in check, your actions are less than they could be. If your self-worth is in the crapper, you’re not very likely to act upon your inspirations or bust through your upper limits.

Make “friends” with the bitch in your head – You know the voice – it’s you but it’s not you….and sometimes you agree with it. She (a.k.a the bitch in your head) thrives on providing toxic advice and sabotaging thoughts to your consciousness.

That inner critic rears her ugly head to protect you when fear or anxiety comes up around things she considers a risk. Big or small she likes reinforcing doubt and lies and negativity, all the while smugly staring you down like a damn reject.

Bottom line – she’s a liar. Biggest liar you will ever meet. She counts on shaming you and showing you every possibility of “why not”. She tells you that you’re stuck or stupid or not worthy.

When we understand our inner critic for what it really and truly is, a relentless, misguided protector: we become mindful of how we relate to her. We can turn that critic on her head and bend her to our will, instead of letting her run the show.

Now, go slay your day (and life)!

Thanks for reading! I’m Lisa Schmidt, a Re-Start Coach for Women, word nerd, mom and creator of Uncomfortable Conversations. Let’s connect. Drop a comment below, find me on Facebook or grab this awesomeness: Understanding Your Inner Critic, my free download that will help you to unsubscribe from all of the shoulds, dont’s, cant’s and told you so’s you tell yourself.

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Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander University in Germany conducted a study that sent out 1,700 emails that simulated a phishing scam, and made an unfortunate discovery: around half of the participants, even ones that claimed to be aware of such security risks, clicked on the links.

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So we know that Sony will be hosting a press conference at IFA tomorrow. Given that Sony creates a multitude of products ranging from TVs, to speakers, to headphones, to cameras, to smartphones, it’s hard to say what will be announced. However if these leaked renders are anything to go on, we can expect a couple of mobile announcements from the company.

The folks at Xperia Blog have managed to get their hands on what appears to “press photos” belonging to that of the Sony Xperia XZ and the Xperia X Compact. Just in case you’re hearing about these photos for the first time, the rumors say that both these phones will apparently pack the same hardware, with the Xperia X Compact being the smaller of the two.

This means that both phones will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, 23MP rear-facing cameras, 13MP front-facing cameras, USB-C ports, and will most likely come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The differences would be in its display where the Xperia XZ will have a 5.2-inch display, while the Xperia X Compact will have a 4.6-inch display.

So far there’s really nothing about the phones that stands out in particular, but we suppose in terms of design, at least Sony’s being pretty consistent. Either way check back with us tomorrow for the details.

Alleged Sony Xperia XZ, Xperia X Compact Photos Leaked , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.