Inspirations | Blog by Heather Vickery | Success + Leadership Coaching

When things get hard, focus on gratitude.

Do I like to make busy months more complicated? November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and I’m participating once again! This challenge of writing 50,000 words over the course of the month pushes me to my limits. Friends, it’s hard and exhilarating and hard (did I already say that?). While I enjoy the writing process, and I’m clearly all for establishing better routines, producing that much content is no simple task. It requires clearly defined goals, firm boundaries, and a whole lot of positive mindset. But you know what? I deeply believe that I can do it! I live in a world of limitless possibilities and if I don’t know how to get somewhere – – well, I’m determined to figure it out. Now,

Heather Vickery, Success and Leadership Coach, keynote speaker, boundaries, holidays, communication, planning, Vickery and Co. Brave

Don't let the holidays boss you around!

Hello, October! I can’t believe I just said those words! October means the holidays are right around the corner and … wow … I’m not sure I’m ready for that! Ready or not, fall is here and time goes quickly whether we want it to or not. I don’t know about you, but when I think about the holidays, I experience mixed emotions. There are countless family obligations and an overabundance of social gatherings to plan. The kids have school events and parties, and I start to think about decorations, gifts, and big family dinners. If there’s any time of year that really flies by, these next few months are it. You may as well enjoy it! For many people, the holiday season

Fall Reset

In the blink of an eye, we’re closing in on the end of the year. It’s extremely hard to believe. We’re wrapping up our summer plans, and the kids are back in school. Before you know it, we’ll be thinking about fall activities. Then, BOOM, it’s the holidays. Time is seriously flying at record speed. While I hate to see summer break come to a close, I’m deeply excited about returning to routine and getting back to my to-do list. I have so many exciting projects on the horizon and, well, I love my job. Still, it takes a few weeks to fully regroup and pick up with the normal routine. Fall is the perfect time to reset! This is a great

Making the most of your time. Heather Vickery

Where does the time go?

There’s an age-old saying that “time flies.” We’re all adults; we know it’s the truth. Time really does fly by and with each passing year, it seems to go faster and faster. I’ve been doing a little research on this. Why is it that when we're small, summer feels like an eternity but as an adult, it feels like the blink of an eye? I found this great piece from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows (a dictionary of made-up words to describe thoughts and feelings that have no words). The word for “time flying by” is Zenosyne: The Sense That Time Keeps Going Faster. There is even a beautiful (and perhaps tear-inducing) video which explains why time goes faster as we get older.

Having a Balanced Summer

Balancing Summer Fun and Responsibilities My second born made her appearance on June 21st, 13 years ago. (Happy birthday, sweet girl.) Each year on her birthday we also get to celebrate the summer solstice and officially welcome summer! Luckily, it’s even starting to feel like summer here in Chicago despite the fact the kids have been out of school for nearly a month already. If you’re anything like me, once summer approaches panic starts to set in. Even while looking forward to pool parties, vacations, and more time with the kids, it’s often an overwhelming time of year. And I'll be honest, this year has been extra difficult. I’ve struggled to practice what I preach for this first month. The guilt of being

The Power of Intention

Powerful Intention We are on the precipice of summer and, for many, it’s an exciting time but it’s not usually a relaxed time. I know that sounds strange. When we think of summer we picture idyllic, warm, sunny days playing and resting. That sounds lovely. But if you’re an entrepreneur or industry leader, that might not be your reality. I get it. You have a lot of work on your plate. But wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy just a little of that peaceful summer? Let’s go on a little journey for a moment. Picture this – – you’re still your high achieving self with a roster full of clients. You’re serving your people with power and passion, and you

Heather Vickery celebrates the first birthday of The Brave Files Podcast. Real stories from people living courageously

Celebrating One Year of The Brave Files!

Today, April 12th marks the 1st birthday of our little baby podcast, The Brave Files! Happy Birthday to us!! The last year has been so full of lessons and love. I’ve learned that, despite my best efforts, some times technology just messes with me. I am unbelievably grateful to our audio producer, Andrew Olson, who does his best to make each episode sound amazing, even when I have screwed up the audio. (Thanks, by the way, for continuing to listen as we work through these growing pains.) I’ve also learned (once again) the power and importance of delegation! A very special thank you to my executive assistant, Kim Statler, for her constant love and dedication towards me and the work that I do. I

Learn about the power behind celebration and gratitude. Heather Vickery, Success and Leadership Coach

Celebration Creates Gratitude

If you’ve been following along, you know that I am a passionate believer in the power of gratitude. I even wrote a book and journal about it! Most of you also know that I believe celebration is a lost art, and when we choose celebration, we choose joy, recognition, and growth. So let me go back a little bit. A few years ago, I designed my 7-Steps to Achieving Work-Life Balance. Balance is often considered a “dirty” word. Most people think they've been sold a bill of goods when it comes to having balance. But here’s the truth – – “balance” is not the scales of justice. Balance does not mean all things in your life take up equal parts (at least

Success and Leadership coach, Heather Vickery shares the importance of removing tolerations from our life!

Tolerations might be ruining your life

Dictionary.com defines the term ‘tolerate’ as ”to endure without repugnance; put up with.” For me, when I stop to think about the things in my life that I simply “tolerate”, I find I’m allowing so much to get in my way. When I say this I don’t mean physically, although that giant pile of unfolded laundry does block the pathway from my living room to the kitchen. What I mean by this is, I allow things I can change or control to continue to exist and get in my way emotionally and mentally. The problem with tolerations is that, by allowing them, we begin to believe they are problems we’re stuck with. We think they’re keeping us down and are insurmountable. They

Heather Vickery is a success and leadership coach. She encourages you to make powerful connections to create dream clients!

Creating Dream Clients

Hey there, business owner! How are you? It’s February. We are nearly two months in to the new year, and you have kicked ass so far (or maybe not, but there’s still time). In any case – – You’re here, and you’re ready. Ready for what, you may be asking? Well, perhaps you are ready for loads of exciting new things. Being a business owner means being willing to learn, grow and explore in many different ways. But I’ll bet you are super ready for more clients! Do I have your attention now? Yep – – it’s time to talk about ways to create dream clients. Without clients, you don’t really have a business. If you are anything like me, sometimes