Debra Kasowski

Great Idea Maybe I Should Check in with My Friends First or Not?

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Have you ever noticed that when you need a reminder or a kick in the pants, it shows up? Literally, I was reminded to keep focussed on my goal and to not be distracted by shiny objects or distractors. What I mean by distractors is unsolicited advice. Colleen Francis, President and Founder of Engage Selling Solutions spoke at our Canadian Association of Professional Speakers – Edmonton Chapter meeting recently and shared excellent advice for all. I couldn’t wait to write about what I learned.

Colleen Francis & Debra Kasowski

No matter what your goal or dream is, you need to continue to take steps toward it; even when you are unsure if everything will work out. How will you ever know if you never try? People will always have their own take on whatever it is your dream or goal may be. Remember it is their interpretation from their own experiences and not yours. Colleen stressed that advice should only be considered from “people you respect and who have been there.” People who have been there can share their successes, mistakes, and their take aways with you so you can learn from them.  As for the others she said, “Don’t listen, if you want to do it, DO IT!”

So you have a great idea…how many people do you have to check in with before you take steps toward it. Several people check in with family and friends only to be dismayed with their lack of understanding, support, or enthusiasm. Who it really should matter to, is you. Here are some of the steps that Colleen suggested when trying out new ideas:

  1. IMPLEMENTATION Create your plan of action and implement it to the best of your ability. 
  2. TEST Test your ideas and make adjustments where necessary.
  3. EVALUATE RESULTS Did your ideas work? Maybe you need to make more adjustments by adding something or taking something away or perhaps you have to try something completely different.
I am sure you have tons of ideas waiting to be implemented but you may be hesitating to act on them for the fear of failing or being rejected. How do you know you will fail? Maybe your success comes when you think you know you will fail and you are WRONG! You could just hit the jackpot!
Now that would be something to celebrate, go out and try your ideas. Keep focussed on your end game.

Who Are You Counting On?

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As you grab your things for the day and take one last look in the mirror, do you say to yourself – “I love my life” or do you say “I never signed up for this life; someone give me another one.” The person in the mirror is you. You are responsible for your actions and you are accountable for your results. Do you catch yourself complaining, blaming others, or making excuses for your current situation? You may not even realize that you do it. Make yourself aware of how often you do this by keeping track of all the times you do it so you can change it.

You have helped create the situation you are in today. You may not be able to control the weather or the stock market but you can control what actions you take to change your current situation. Have you ever tried to change someone else? Were you successful? Probably not. The reason is because you cannot change the action of others. You can only control and change your own actions. Own your power! When you complain, blame others, and make excuses for the results of your current situation, you are moving farther away from your desired results. You are giving away your power to do anything about the situation.

You release your power when you make statements like:
·          “It’s not my job.”
·         “I cannot do anything about it.”
·         “I don’t have time.”
·         “I didn’t know”
You have the power to make a change by being accountable.
Change your statements to “I can” or “I will.” Make time for what matters to you. Own your power and create the life you desire. The next time you look in the mirror say, “I can count on you! I love my life!”

Discovering Your Brand

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I recently attended my colleague’s launch party of her new directory of activities you could do with your family in Alberta. What a great success it was! As I was thumbing through the directory, I saw some pictures of Alberta’s landmarks even one from my hometown of Mundare, Alberta – The “Sausage Capital”.

That’s Right! The Stawnichy’s Meat Processing Plant is well known for its sausage and other Ukrainian foods. The sausage is the brand. Even though you may think this statue is kind of quirky – it gets people’s attention and they know about it. There are many other small towns that have made their mark on the road map – Glendon, Alberta has a perogy on a fork, Andrew, AB a Mallard Duck, and Vegreville has the world’s largest Easter Egg – The Psyanka. You can bet -you want to catch that Easter Bunny. Even the Queen came here!

Really when it comes down to it, it is about their brand. When someone mentions Mundare, people think of sausage. Your personal brand is important too. When people talk about you or your business, what do they think of or say. You want them to remember you. 


What do you want them to say or think about you or your business?
What do you want them to know and remember about you?
How do you make people feel? 
Are you the solution to a problem 
or an expert on a certain topic?
What makes you unique?

You want to be known and remembered for your personal brand. Do your marketing materials reflect your brand?

Everything you touch, turns to your brand!




Excuse Me Rango…Are You Ready to Take the Lead?

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Every exciting story has a hero or a heroine that conquers some sort of conflict which leads to an important self-discovery. This past weekend, my family and I went out for a family movie night with popcorn, pop, and friends. It is something we have not done in a long time and it was long overdue. We went to see the movie “Rango” featuring Johnny Depp as the lead character. In a traditional Johnny Depp style, he played a smooth swaggering gentleman or I should say lizard who questions his purpose in life. “Who am I?” is a question stated through the movie. He practices taking on several roles and personas until he finds the best one.

You can be so many things! The world truly is your stage. You have so many dreams, goals, and stories to share with the world. Yet deep down, sometimes there’s a part of you that may say, “What do I know?” or “Can I truly do that?” Absolutely you can. Whether you realize it or not, you are the heroine or the hero that people look up to in your story. Your purpose is a piece of the puzzle in so many other people lives as well as your own. Children, spouses, friends, and colleagues depend on you to carry out your role of being you. You may not always understand or believe in your significance to others but you need to know you are significant. You are a hero or heroine. If you try to walk out of your story, the story ends. Ultimately, the story becomes a tragedy because so many people are waiting for you to take the stage and live the life you were meant to live and play a part in their story.

One of the greatest lessons and reminders the movie “Rango” gave me was: You cannot walk out on your story and no one else can change the plot of your story. What would you like your story to be like? Write down your storyline. Ask yourself the following questions:

· What type of lifestyle would I like to live?
· Who are the other characters I would like to have in my life?
· What defining characteristics do I have that allow me to play the lead?
· What is my purpose?
· How can I discover it?
· How can I share it?
· What is the message that I wish to remembered for?

As the actor or actress, “act as if you already are” in the role and soon enough you will realize that you are. Walk the walk. Talk the talk. Don’t walk away from the door of opportunity for that is where your story begins. Are you ready to take the lead on stage? The people are waiting.