Just Love More... THE Secret

That is my mantra for this season and 2015.


Just love more was a message I received while meditating and praying, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Do you ever have those moments of yikes?


As I reflected on the words, simple and profound, I realized that if I just loved more my work would be better, my relationships better and life so much more joyful.


In fact, I would be living life as a sermon.


For more please go to http://bitly/13VpDZw.


Enjoy the reason for the season. Love and goodwill towards all.


Peace on Earth.


Love and Hugs, Ellen

Best Way to Help Yourself

Help others :).


Happy Friday! Happy Holidays! To making life simpler in 2015!

Up Your Emotional Intelligence

We tend to make things difficult. Okay, maybe it is just me.


Emotional intelligence accounts for 69% of job performance.


Want to be seen as a team player and leader -- a must have asset to any group or organization?


For the next week focus on being an encourager and up lifter to all, including yourself. Smile more. Be a solution finder!


Notice if people respond to you differently. They will :).


Being a must have asset always begins with you! Every choice counts!

Judgment Free at last

Wow! What an epiphany this morning that I want to share.


There are no failures, just learnings. There are no wasted experiences. 2 beliefs I have.


Today it hit me there is no "bad"... everything is for growth to become the truth of who we are.


The truth of who we are -- ready ---


LOVE.


The more love for self, the more love we can have for others --- that is authentic awesome amazing leadership. To love ourselves and others to GREATNESS!

Festering

Festering? What words come to mind? What emotion does that word evoke? Not so happy ones in general, right?


I've been engaged to help in a situation that got out of control because festering was allowed thus creating ill feelings between co-workers.


As a leader, if you see a situation like that occurring, talk to the parties involved ASAP. If ignored, the ill will usually escalates.


To avoid festering in the first place, be courageous. Approach the person immediately and speak your truth without diminishing or blaming the other person. You'll be amazed that when done with grace at the on start, the situation in 99% of cases are resolved. People cannot read your mind. I learned the hard way. Hoping you don't have to :).


Have a happy day! Fester-less!

Peace is a Choice!

Hope this finds you having had a fabulous, joy-filled Thanksgiving.


As we enter the holiday season of love, let's remember that everything and everyone is our teacher to become our best selves. The employee who steps on your last nerve, the relative who makes us squirm are here to teach us that peace is possible regardless.


When we embrace the idea that everything is a coaching moment to greatness, we can smile and say thanks for helping me be greater.


I am peace is my mantra for this season of love. What will be yours?


The choice is ours!

The choice is ours!

Last night at UNT I had a heart-to-heart monologue with my students. I apologized stating I was about to begin a monologue since it was a change in my engaging and interactive behavior.


I admitted I was bummed. I had emails from 2 students stating they were missing their third class. I agonized all day wondering what to do since it meant they would fail the course. I did not want them to fail. I had done every thing I knew how to set up the students for success. I spoke to the Director. She said it was my choice.


As I spoke to the students, looking them in the eyes, I said it was their choice to go for excellence as several had or to show up as several had and be okay with mediocrity.The choice was theirs. Actions had consequences. And if life plays favorites perhaps it was because some people chose excellence while others chose getting by.


I ended with the choice is ours.


And then we had 2 inspirational presentations by the students and once again I was inspired with tears of joy.


My point, all we can do is our best and do all we can to inspire -- the rest lies with them.

Welcome Triggers

Really? Am I living in lala land?


Recently I was triggered by 2 events --- what I call land minds. My entire being went into shutdown mode to attempt feeling safe.


My aha I want to share is that how can I be the leader and example I want to be if I do not have completeness on the inside. I can't.


The triggers came to bring to my consciousness just what needed clearing out so I can shine more brightly and lead more courageously.


Triggers are just friends in disguise.

Spirited Leaders are Passionate!

Have you lost your passion?


Have you lost the spark that made you -- you?


The time is NOW. Harness your personal power -- do not give credence to the memories that might linger on. Release them You were always loved. You always mattered. You have a unique purpose.


Experts can be wrong.


Stop being you critic.


Love yourself. Be kind to yourself to greatness.


Soar higher -- learn more. Choose to read Spirited Leadership to be free!!


You are meant for GREATNESS~

Passion Ignites!

I get to teach at UNT -- Latinas and Leadership. As part of the class, I have asked powerful Latinas and role models to share their experiences.


Yesterday my speaker was Lillian Romero, CEO of comadre,com. Her passion and purpose -- her confidence -- ignited the spirits of the students and me :). The word impossible is not in her vocabulary!


Are you igniting others and being a role model of the possibilities of excellence in action?
Or
Are you extinguishing the flame in others by having lost hope in your dreams and life goals?


The choice is ours!


Lillian fanned my flame -- my passion and purpose. My passion is igniting greatness, giving hope to the hopeless and weary, to be that smile and hug. To be the example of faith and better choices. I should be a statistic. As I wrote in my essay to Harvard -- "In closing, my personal and spiritual growth made me aware of the need to help others realize their self-worth and uniqueness. They are their own greatest asset. I look forward to accomplishing my life goal."


You matter! Get ignited!

Are you the TREAT or the trick?

Happy Halloween!


I hope this finds you eating candy without guilt.


It really is our choice whether people see us as a treat of life or a trick.


Quick reality checks for whether you are the treat --


Do people smile or grimace when you approach?


Do people listen to your ideas or shutdown?


When you speak at a meeting, do people seem engaged or texting?


do people return your emails and phone calls on a timely basis?


For thoughts on being the treat, go to my website www.ellencastro.com under energizers and read the October newsletter.


Trust me, treats are better :).

Attitude Uplifters

Happy Wednesday! Happy Everything!


The choice is ours. Here are a few points that might be just what you need -- seemed to help my audience today!


Life is for you!


You can always choose again.


Everything is temporary.


you are always moving forward even when you think you are moving backwards.


There are No wasted experiences -- NONE!


Remember, Life is FOR you!

Faith or Fear -- the Choice is Yours!

Choose faith! Give hope!


Many of my clients are experiencing  dramatic changes. Your role as a leader is to embrace the change -- it is going to happen regardless. Embrace -- find the good -- speak about the possibilities for innovation and building the capacity of the individuals.


Fear keeps you stuck. Faith keeps you moving!


Move to a bright future. There are NO wasted experiences -- ever.


Gain the learnings and SOAR to new heights of awareness and potential.


We are pure potential. It is our fears that keep us small.


I've played small long enough -- how about you?

Be You!!!!!!!!

Hello again -- finally.


Life has a way of getting weird. I am blessed to teach what I most have to learn. Trust is the key.


Trust the process of life.


Trust that you will be given what you need, not necessarily what want.


The last several months have been topsy-turvy. Be resilient regardless of external forces is the focus of my third edition of my first book. Holy cow! Don't write something until you are ready for the tests. There have been many.


The end result, what counts is being me. While achievements, position and status are wonderful -- they can be fleeting as I see in my life and the lives of my clients. Being me -- now that's eternal -- seeing love beyond the fear.


Not the lesson I wanted, the lesson needed. Be love. The other stuff can just hold you hostage if you do not keep it in the right perspective.


wishing you joy to joy!

The 5 Levels of Human Dsyfunction

Apologies about not being consistent lately. Have you ever had those times in life when you can barely get out of bed? Recently I was hit by a 2X4 from a family member that had me spinning into the darkness I have fought since childhood.The betrayal inspired me to develop the 5 Levels of Human Dysfunction. I was inspired by Maslow's hierarchy of needs.


Level 1: Issues. We all have them in our lives.


Level 2: Wounded. Some of us have experiences that really smart, but eventually heal.


Level 3: Damaged: Because of some event, usually childhood or something like a messy divorce, a person feels like damaged goods.


Level 4: Tortured. Bless their hearts. They are in a constant state of turmoil, self-doubt and self-condemnation usually due to childhood programming.


Level 5: Sociopaths. Bless our hearts. They have no conscience. Blow them a kiss and run.


I use to be tortured many moons ago. By faith and better choices, I moved to having issues, with an occasional wounded. Having to model what I speak and write helped the transition -- God has a sense of humor.


This recent event had me tortured once again. Family hurts/betrayals are probably the worse.


I decided as an motivational speaker and empowering coach, tortured not good. So by grace and better choices, just wounded now.


My point, we always have a choice. Your choices define you, not others.


For more information on the levels, please visit www.ellencastro.com, then click energizers, then newsletters.


Do you agree with the 5 levels? Any observations?

Preston Royal Barnes and Noble, Dallas, TX invites you to:

A lively conversation with

ELLEN CASTRO

Saturday, March 29, 2014

2:00

 

BE ENERGIZED to go from--

• weary to WONDERFUL!
• fearful to BOLD!
• feeling powerless to POWERFUL!
• surviving to THRIVING!
• stressed to BLESSED!
• struggle to STRENGTH!
   
   
  Stay after the talk for a Q&A and book signing!
   

Re- Thinking Conflict

Conflict -- what does that word signify for you? Do you dread it and shutdown or do you embrace it?


I've observed across 17 industries that unmet expectations create conflict as does different business realities.


How many of us really express our expectations? More often than not we expect people to read our minds. Big mistake. So next time you have conflict, ask yourself, "Did I explicitly express my expectations? Did they?"


With those 2 questions, you can perhaps look at the conflict as simply mis-communications and clear the air.

What's Your Motto?

Wherever you are, I hope you are smiling.


Some mottos bring smiles, others not so happy.


One of my mottos is "We are out choices." At times it brings a huge smile to my face and other times I go, "yikes." "There are no failures, only learnings" helps me maintian hope and faith, to keep risking.


I was inspired today by my nephew, Allen Castro, who is running the race for County Clerk in San Antonio. No matter what is happening during the campaign, he affirms, "It's all good." And because of that he is resilient in the face of politics.


Does your motto encourage resiliency or discouragement?


The choice is yours. Every choice counts!

Currency and Cannibalism

I have observed across 17 industries and 11 countries that when the almighty dollar, pound, crona or whatever the currency is the only driving force, the workplace becomes very competitive and even cannibalistic. The energy that could be used for innovation to compete in the marketplace is used inside the organization for competition at all costs.


There is only One Almighty, Your worth is established -- priceless! Do what is right, living with integrity and a spirit of excellence has greater worth in the grand scheme of things than your bank account.


Trust me, I love money, too. Is it worth your reputation, your integrity and spirit?


The choice is yours.


What I know for sure for me, living a life of excellence and service helps me sleep at night.

Ignite Your Passion!

The best leaders are passionate -- their mere presence gives others a hope and a future -- inspires confidence.


Have you lost your passion? It's pretty easy in today's world of distractions and demands. I know I did.


Get it back! Live the dream in your heart -- that is your purpose. It does not matter what others think, if it matters to you -- it matters!


I believe it is time for you to SOAR!

You Don't Need the Title to Be a Leader!

Happy Tuesday! Titles are nice for sure. However it is your actions that make you a leader. With every action, you are communicating your brand.


If you are clueless as to your brand, start noticing the reactions of others as you approach. You are always getting feedback.

We are our choices.

I've missed posting my blogs. However, I did not have the energy. While on my safe haven trip to Cancun in early January, an unfortunate incident triggered deeply seated memories which I wish would have stayed hidden.


It was a bunch to the gut that set me reeling into the past and the darkness. The darkness is much more familiar than the light. It has taken me years with faith and better choices to break through the curses and strongholds of childhood. By grace, I am still here. I should be a statistic.


I now have another piece of the puzzle for my behaviors and actions of the past. While it has been hard going through it, I knew I had to versus just shutting down.


Your DNA, past or environment do not define you -- YOUR choices do. You are far more powerful than you know. Keep the faith! I am here for you! I am only a blog away!


Big hug and check out my February newsletter on choices by going to www.ellencastro.com and clicking energizers than newsletter. my twitter account fuels your divine spark which cannot be extinguished IgnitingSpirit.

Yes-- 2014 Will Be Your Best Year Ever!

I declare the rest of your life will be the best of your life. Live consciously. We are our choices.

If you make the wrong choice, God is big. You can choose again. You are not the mistake, you just made a mistake.

What/who do you need to say bye  to fly in 2014? Start there with energy leaks!

Apologies for not being consistent on blogs recently -- sick with crud. Now in Cancun -- so will take two weeks off posting. I will keep up with twitter... ignitingspirit.

I have broken many childhood curses and resulting addictions -- you can to with my guide. go to www.daretobegreater.com.

I promise with faith and better choices you can have an amazing life.

Huge hugs and blessings overflowing in this moment and all your moments.

here for you! I've made all the "mistakes."

By the way-- YOU ARE LOVED!