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	<title>StopStressingNow.com &#187; Libby Gill</title>
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	<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com</link>
	<description>Reaching People Who Are Reaching Out</description>
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		<title>ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM STRESS CREEP?</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/06/are-you-suffering-from-stress-creep/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/06/are-you-suffering-from-stress-creep/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:01:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Libby Gill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[10 questions]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[You Unstuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and in Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=3015</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You know what it’s like when you’re down to the wire on a project and suddenly that jolt of adrenalin kicks in and gets you to the finish line?  That’s stress.  In small doses, stress can give you a welcome energy boost and the increased focus you need to get the job done.  But when you’re dealing with massive doses of stress – especially unrelenting stress with no recovery periods - it can take a physical, mental and emotional toll.

When your brain perceives danger – real or imagined - your natural survival instincts spring to your defense and you go into “fight or flight” mode. Your heart rate speeds up, your muscles tighten, your focus sharpens and your blood starts pumping faster.  Stress can protect you by increasing your reaction time so that you’re able to slam on the brakes and avoid hitting a car that suddenly pulls out in front of you.  Stress also keeps you sharp when you’re giving a presentation or studying for final exams.

The problem is that the amount of stress in your life can elevate without your even realizing it.  I call this stress creep. It’s not hard for our stress to creep up on us in our ultra-driven society where we seem to pride ourselves on being crazy, busy, slammed on a 24/7 basis.  And it’s literally 24/7 since our cyber-gadgets and social networking systems have added a right-now urgency and around-the-clock accessibility to our lives like never before.

So how do you know if your stress is under control or off the charts?  Get a quick snapshot by answering the questions below with the following scores:  4 always, 3 often, 2 sometimes, and 1 never.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Stress-Creep.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3018" title="Stress Creep" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Stress-Creep-300x200.jpg" alt="Stress Creep" width="344" height="229" /></a>By Guest Blogger:<strong> Libby Gill</strong></p>
<p>You know what it’s like when you’re down to the wire on a project and suddenly that jolt of adrenalin kicks in and gets you to the finish line?  That’s stress.  In small doses, stress can give you a welcome energy boost and the increased focus you need to get the job done.  But when you’re dealing with massive doses of stress – especially unrelenting stress with no recovery periods &#8211; it can take a physical, mental and emotional toll.</p>
<p>When your brain perceives danger – real or imagined &#8211; your natural survival instincts spring to your defense and you go into “fight or flight” mode. Your heart rate speeds up, your muscles tighten, your focus sharpens and your blood starts pumping faster.  Stress can protect you by increasing your reaction time so that you’re able to slam on the brakes and avoid hitting a car that suddenly pulls out in front of you.  Stress also keeps you sharp when you’re giving a presentation or studying for final exams.</p>
<p>The problem is that the amount of stress in your life can elevate without your even realizing it.  I call this <em>stress creep.</em> It’s not hard for our stress to creep up on us in our ultra-driven society where we seem to pride ourselves on being crazy, busy, slammed on a 24/7 basis.  And it’s literally 24/7 since our cyber-gadgets and social networking systems have added a right-now urgency and around-the-clock accessibility to our lives like never before.</p>
<p>So how do you know if your stress is under control or off the charts?  Get a quick snapshot by answering the questions below with the following scores:  4 always, 3 often, 2 sometimes, and 1 never.</p>
<p><strong><em>TEST YOUR STRESS CREEP</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Are you drowning in deadlines?</li>
<li>Has your stress increased over the past year?</li>
<li>Are you juggling multiple responsibilities?</li>
<li>Have you lost or gained more than 10 pounds in the past year?</li>
<li>Is achievement important to you?</li>
<li>Is it hard for you to relax, nap or enjoy down time?</li>
<li>Do your ever feel guilty that your prioritize work over family or friends?</li>
<li>Are you impatient or irritable?</li>
<li>Do you skip vacation time even when you desperately need it?</li>
</ol>
<p>10.  Do you loved ones ever beg you to slow down?</p>
<p><em>Now, add your scores and see how your stress levels stack up.</em></p>
<p><strong>10 – 20 </strong> TOO LAID BACK</p>
<p>While it’s good to be laid back in moderation, you’ve got so little stress in your life you’re probably not achieving much.  You may also lack excitement or stimulation.  Could it be that you’ve traded stress for stuck?</p>
<p><strong>21 – 30</strong> UNDER CONTROL</p>
<p>You’ve got a good handle on managing your stress, juggling your responsibilities and living a well-balanced life.  Continue to keep your stress under control while you start getting more aggressive about getting unstuck.  You can handle it!</p>
<p><strong>31 – 40</strong> OVER THE TOP</p>
<p>You are waaaaay too stressed.  Get it under control or you may be heading for some serious repercussions.  Start some de-stressing tactics immediately and consider scheduling a full physical.  How are you going to get unstuck when you’re recovering from a stroke or heart attack?</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong>If you landed in the “too laid back” category, maybe you’ve already written yourself off as an unmotivated, low-energy loser.  Or, perhaps, you’re at the “over the top” end of the spectrum, but think your headaches, nausea and sleeplessness are just part of being a high-achiever.  Wake up and smell the cortisol!  We’re fooling ourselves to think that feeling bad is causing our stress when, in fact, it’s the other way around.  It’s often our stress that’s making us feel bad.  Lots of us, apparently, because numerous studies have indicated that between 60-90% of doctor’s visits are stress-related.</p>
<p>Stress robs you of the energy, focus and enthusiasm you need to get unstuck and on track to success.  But stress doesn’t just keep you stuck, stress kills.  It can elevate your blood pressure, raise your risk of heart disease and stroke, and suppress your immune system.  It can also sap the joy that is truly your birthright.</p>
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
<p>Luckily, there are some inherent conditions that enhance people’s ability to handle stress.  See if you are fortunate enough to possess any of the following factors:</p>
<ul>
<li>A solid network of supportive friends and family</li>
<li>Openness to change and an ability to roll with the punches</li>
<li>An optimistic outlook about life</li>
<li>A sense of humor and cheerful attitude</li>
<li>A belief in a higher power or life purpose</li>
<li>Self-control and confidence in your ability to cope</li>
</ul>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong>If the characteristics above describe you, keep reinforcing your stress-busting lifestyle.  You’ll need it as you work to get unstuck, pushing forward into new areas of life change which, inevitably, will bring new stresses. If you don’t possess the traits listed above, it’s time to read You Unstuck and some great techniques for countering <em>stress creep</em> for good.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Click Here To Listen To An Amazing Interview With Libby Gill &lt;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212; Click!</strong></span></a></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  You can learn more at <a href="http://www.libbygill.com/">www.LibbyGill.com</a> and </em><a href="http://www.myaccountabilityclub.com/"><em>www.MyAccountabilityClub.co</em>m</a>.</p>
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		<title>SPRING CLEAN YOUR RELATIONSHIP CLOSET</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/04/spring-clean-your-relationship-closet/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/04/spring-clean-your-relationship-closet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:01:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guest Bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Libby Gill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[choosing relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[draining business associates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fat clothes]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[taking personal inventory]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Traveling Hopefully: How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=2504</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you’re into Spring cleaning, you may have already started clearing out the clothes lurking in the back of your closet, but have you considered cleaning out your relationship closet?


I’d bet a tie-dyed T-shirt and pair of espadrilles (or are those back in style?)  that you’re hanging onto more toxic friendships and draining business associates than you are fat jeans.

When I lost the twenty-five pounds I’d been lugging around for a decade, courtesy of juggling a stress-filled corporate career with a couple of kids, a “friend” pointedly suggested that I not give my old clothes away since I would probably put the weight back on.

If Richard Simmons had backed a semi-truck up to my bedroom door and offered to personally help me shovel out my closet with a forklift, I couldn’t have sprung into action any more quickly.

I promptly dumped all my fat clothes into five Hefty bags for donation to a homeless shelter and seriously considered dumping my “friendship” as well.  Instead, I told my friend she’d hurt my feelings and that I wanted her support.  Her response?  That she’d do whatever she could, including joining me on my beach-path jogs, to help me stay in shape.

I don’t advocate tossing people because they say things you don’t want to hear.  But I do advocate taking inventory of your relationships to see if you’re getting what you want from your connections or just hanging on because you don’t know how to let go.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/closet.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2505" title="Spring Clean Your Relationships  StopStressingNow.Com" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/closet.jpg" alt="Spring Clean Your Relationships  StopStressingNow.Com" width="325" height="331" /></a>By Guest Blogger -  <a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/category/guest-bloggers/libby-gill-guest-bloggers/" target="_blank">Libby Gill</a></strong></p>
<p>If you’re into <em>Spring cleaning</em>, you may have already started clearing out the clothes lurking in the back of your closet, but have you considered cleaning out your relationship closet?</p>
<p>I’d bet a tie-dyed T-shirt and pair of espadrilles (or are those back in style?)  that you’re hanging onto more <em>toxic friendships</em> and <em>draining business associates</em> than you are fat jeans.</p>
<p>When I lost the twenty-five pounds I’d been lugging around for a decade, courtesy of <em>juggling a stress-filled corporate career</em> with a couple of kids, a “friend” pointedly suggested that I not give my old clothes away since I would probably put the weight back on.</p>
<p>If Richard Simmons had backed a semi-truck up to my bedroom door and offered to personally help me shovel out my closet with a forklift, I couldn’t have sprung into action any more quickly.</p>
<p>I promptly dumped all my<em> fat clothes</em> into five Hefty bags for donation to a homeless shelter and seriously considered dumping my “<em>friendship</em>” as well.  Instead, I told my friend she’d hurt my feelings and that I wanted her support.  Her response?  That she’d do whatever she could, including joining me on my beach-path jogs, to help me stay in shape.</p>
<p>I don’t advocate tossing people because they say things you don’t want to hear.  But I do advocate <em>taking inventory</em> of your relationships to see if you’re getting what you want from your connections or just hanging on because you don’t know how to let go.</p>
<p>If a <em>valued relationship</em> veers off-track, see if it can be rehabilitated through honest disclosure and open discussion, like mine was.   But if you suspect that your affiliations with friends or colleagues may be terminally toxic, ask yourself these questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Do you do most of the giving in this relationship and      get very little in return?</strong></li>
<li><strong>Does this person deplete your energy and drain your      spirit? </strong></li>
<li><strong>Would you be relieved if he or she suddenly decided      to relocate to some remote region of the planet without phone reception or      Internet access?</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>If you answered “yes” to two or more questions, it may be time to gracefully extricate yourself from these troublesome types, or at least minimize the time and energy you spend on them.  It might sound harsh, but if your calendar is too booked up for quality time with close friends, important business connections – and most of all, family – you need to make some hard decisions about who really matters.</p>
<p>Once you’ve separated the keepers from the non-keepers, you still have to determine if you’re spreading yourself too thin.  If you’re time-starved – and who isn’t? –set some new limits for the relationships you want to keep.  Make yourself less available for lengthy phone calls, lunch dates or social events.  Tell everyone you’re in a time crunch and that, while they may see less of you for a bit, you hope to resurface soon.</p>
<p>For the non-keepers, be polite but firm in consistently letting them know that you are too focused on family, job or skydiving lessons to spend time with them in the foreseeable future.  You don’t need to tell them you don’t value the relationship, there’s no point in being<em> unnecessarily cruel</em>.  Most people will get the hint after a declined invitation or two but, if not, just keep sticking to your story.</p>
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
<p>It can be a little trickier distancing yourself from a business associate, especially if it’s someone you see at work every day.  If the <em>toxic colleague</em> is a superior or your boss, you might even want to think about finding a new job.  If it’s a problem peer, keep your interactions friendly, professional and brief.  No chit-chat in the coffee room, no lingering outside the cubicle.  Your reason?  Too much work, of course.</p>
<p>If the problem person is a family member, read my bestselling book about baggage, &#8220;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312323956?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=attackanxiety-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0312323956">Traveling Hopefully: How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life&#8221;</a><img style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=attackanxiety-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0312323956" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> Because that’s a big topic and requires some careful internal work, along with appropriate external action and I don’t want to treat it lightly.</p>
<p>Finally, don’t forget that you are fair game for your friends’ and colleagues’ closet-cleaning, so bring the best you can to all your relationships.</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author of You Unstuck and Traveling Hopefully.  You can learn more at <a href="http://www.libbygill.com/">www.LibbyGill.com</a> and </em><a href="http://www.myaccountabilityclub.com/"><em>www.MyAccountabilityClub.co</em>m</a>.</p>
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		<title>Challenging The Negative Response</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/04/challenging-the-immediate-negative-response/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/04/challenging-the-immediate-negative-response/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Blog]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=2284</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the occasional working vacation, I lecture about Hollywood and teach improvisation on cruise ships throughout Europe and the Caribbean.  I know, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it, right?

What I find endlessly fascinating when I introduce adults to improv is their vastly different reactions to trying something where they could potentially fall flat on their faces.  And not from one too many Pina Coladas, by the way, but from taking a risk that might not play out the way they expected.  Even when it’s all in fun, some people succumb to fear’s first line of defense, what I call the Immediate Negative Response, or INR, before even considering trying something new.

The INR is that knee-jerk resistance to change that most of us have experienced at one time or another, which causes us to freeze, retreat, or somehow disengage from the impending risk, even if the results might be delightful or, at least, painless.  Even before we’ve had a chance to consider why or why not to take on a project, start a fitness plan, dive into the dating pool - or join an improv class - our fear has already shut us down.  By reacting on pure emotion and giving into the INR, we rob ourselves of opportunities for growth, connection and sometimes just a little silliness.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Negitive.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2288" title="Negative Responce  Stopstressingnow.com" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Negitive-280x300.png" alt="Negative Responce  Stopstressingnow.com" width="280" height="300" /></a>Here’s another exciting blog post from our guest blogger extraordinaire <strong>Libby Gill</strong>. Libby and I had a fantastic conversation on my radio program recently. If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to the full interview here:</p>
<p><a href="../2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE LIVE INTERVIEW!</a></p>
<p>I learned so much from her and I know you will really enjoy her installment this month.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s <strong>Libby Gill</strong></p>
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><strong>CHALLENGING THE IMMEDIATE NEGATIVE RESPONSE</strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center">
<p>For the occasional working vacation, I lecture about Hollywood and teach improvisation on cruise ships throughout Europe and the Caribbean.  I know, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it, right?</p>
<p>What I find endlessly fascinating when I introduce adults to improv is their vastly different reactions to trying something where they could potentially fall flat on their faces.  And not from one too many Pina Coladas, by the way, but from taking a risk that might not play out the way they expected.  Even when it’s all in fun, some people succumb to fear’s first line of defense, what I call the <em>Immediate Negative Response</em>, or <em>INR</em>, before even considering trying something new.</p>
<p>The <em>INR</em> is that knee-jerk resistance to change that most of us have experienced at one time or another, which causes us to freeze, retreat, or somehow disengage from the impending risk, even if the results might be delightful or, at least, painless.  Even before we’ve had a chance to consider why or why not to take on a project, start a fitness plan, dive into the dating pool &#8211; or join an improv class &#8211; our fear has already shut us down.  By reacting on pure emotion and giving into the <em>INR, </em>we rob ourselves of opportunities for growth, connection and sometimes just a little silliness.</p>
<p>What’s behind your <em>INR</em>?  Is it a bad habit that you simply picked up?  A family trait where everything – and everyone &#8211; must be negatively judged before being considered on its own merits?  Maybe it’s the fear kicking in.  So what are you afraid of?  Could it be that you avoid criticism or feedback at all cost, even before you’ve given yourself the opportunity to explore the risk, just in case you’ll be shown up as not being the smartest person in the room?  What a shame if you don’t allow others to offer you an idea or experience that’s new to you.  Whether it’s small and silly or hugely significant, if you don’t kick the <em>INR</em> habit, you could be denying yourself the chance to have a blast in life.<em> </em></p>
<p>Case in point, we were cruising in Spain and I was leading an improv exercise I call “Approach the Bench,” where two participants sit side-by-side on a mock park bench. Unbeknownst to each other and the audience, each performer has selected a celebrity persona with a worldwide reputation. As the two sit side by side, they engage in conversation as their characters.  Imagine, for example, Mother Theresa and Michael Jordan chillin’ on our park bench and having a chat.</p>
<p>Half the fun is that the group consists of participants from Spain, Great Britain, Israel, Germany, Holland and China, to name a few.  Invariably, group members speak more English than I speak of their languages but it doesn’t really matter since someone is usually on hand to translate.  When they engage in spontaneous dialogue as their characters, the results are lively, to say the least.</p>
<p>On this cruise out of Barcelona, there was a lovely Italian lady of about sixty who joined my class.  Her husband had accompanied her and as she gamely jumped into the improv as Sherlock Holmes, he stood watching from the sidelines.  I could practically see the thought bubble over his sour face that read, “I am so out of here,” or whatever the Italian equivalent is.  His wife didn’t protest, she was obviously used to it.  What struck me was not the state of their marriage, I’m sure that was just fine, but how differently people approach risk.  She saw a fun challenge and he saw an opportunity to embarrass himself.  While she gamely threw herself into the fray, he bailed without so much as a second glance.  I wondered if the <em>INR</em> was his typical pattern or if, maybe, the sight of Hilary Clinton hitting on Harry Potter was just too much for him.</p>
<p>Try the following exercise to challenge your <em>INR</em> and say goodbye to excuses and negativity.  Determine some risks you’ll try to challenge any <em>INR</em> tendencies you may have.  Consider some of the following:</p>
<ol>
<li>Think of some positive risks that sound appealing or enriching.  Include different types of risks representing physical, social and intellectual events or activities.  For example, physical risks might be rock-climbing, surfing or skydiving.  Social risks include taking a dance class, throwing a party, or attending a singles event.  Intellectual risk-taking might entail enrolling in a foreign language or academic class, joining Toastmasters, or submitting an article to your local paper or alumni newsletter.</li>
<li>If fear is holding you back – and isn’t that what always holds us back? &#8211; ask yourself these challenge questions.  What’s the worst that could happen?  How likely is that worst-case scenario? How well could you handle it?  If you’re afraid someone will laugh at you on the dance floor, it may be somewhat likely, but will it really matter?  Probably not.  Say you’re considering skydiving, but you’re scared.  Death is definitely a fate worse than someone laughing at your foxtrot, but it’s not very likely.  The odds that you’ll die while skydiving are actually pretty slim – 27 people die each year out of 3.2 million dives.  Can you handle that?</li>
<li>Finally, add some accountability factors.  When, where and with whom will you commit to taking this risk?  Put it on your calendar!</li>
</ol>
<p>As for me, even though I won’t be prepping my parachute anytime soon, I promise to get over my gym fears and finally try that Pilates class I’ve been threatening to take for the past three years.  Maybe I’ll learn some accounting software, though I’m convinced it’s way too difficult for me.  What the heck, I’ll even throw in a French class.  Et voila.  Je suis prest!</p>
<p><a href="../2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE LIVE INTERVIEW!</a></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  You can learn more at <a href="http://www.libbygill.com/">www.LibbyGill.com</a> and </em><a href="http://www.myaccountabilityclub.com/"><em>www.MyAccountabilityClub.co</em>m</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Journey</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/03/the-journey/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/03/the-journey/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:01:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Blog]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[You Unstuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and in Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=2201</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yogi Berra said, “You gotta be careful if you don’t know where you’re going because you might not get there.”  Despite his famously lopsided logic, I’m sure you get the drift.  If you want to get somewhere, it helps if you know where somewhere is.

I’d like to take that one step further. If you want to get somewhere, knowing the starting point is just as critical (if not more) than knowing the end point.  With your somewhere in mind, let’s take a look at where you actually are right now so you can create the shortest possible path from here to there.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Journey.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2203" title="The Journey StopStressingNow.Com" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Journey-300x225.jpg" alt="The Journey StopStressingNow.Com" width="300" height="225" /></a>Here&#8217;s another exciting blog post from our guest blogger extraordinaire Libby Gill. Libby and I had a fantastic conversation on my radio program recently. If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to the full interview here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE LIVE INTERVIEW!</a></p>
<p>I learned so much from her and I know you will really enjoy her installment this month. She reminds us what we truly need to do to set ourselves up for success!</p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><strong>It’s Not the Journey <em>or</em></strong><strong> the Destination, It’s the Starting Point!</strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong>by Libby Gill</strong></p>
<p>Yogi Berra said, “You gotta be careful if you don’t know where you’re going because you might not get there.”  Despite his famously lopsided logic, I’m sure you get the drift.  If you want to get somewhere, it helps if you know where <em>somewhere</em> is.</p>
<p>I’d like to take that one step further. If you want to get somewhere, knowing the starting point is just as critical (if not more) than knowing the end point.  With your <em>somewhere</em> in mind, let’s take a look at where you actually are right now so you can create the shortest possible path from here to there.</p>
<p>Check out this self-assessment tool that I developed to help you identify how successful and satisfied you are in ten key areas of work and life.  Take a look at the grid below <em>(or go to www.MyAccountabilityClub.com and sign up for our newsletter and you’ll get a copy of this assessment) </em>with ten squares labeled to represent the major areas of your personal and professional life.  Think about each section and, as objectively and honestly as you can, rate your satisfaction level in each area on a 1-10 scale, 1 being least satisfied, 10 being most satisfied.</p>
<p>Don’t default to the fantasy version of life or what you think other people expect of you.  Instead, assess yourself by your own standards.  For example, if you’re single and happy about it, there’s no need to give yourself a low rating on Significant Other.  You’re not scoring yourself on whether or not you <em>have</em> a significant other, just if you’re satisfied with what you do have.  Or, if you’re perfectly content being a slob, don’t nail yourself on the home and physical space rating.  (But don’t ignore the impact it could have on your relationship score either.)</p>
<p><strong>Now, ask yourself the following questions and write your score on the 1-10 scale in the corresponding box.</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Career:</strong> How satisfied are you with where you are in your career today?  Do you feel that your work is significant and fulfilling?</li>
<li><strong>Finances: </strong> This isn’t just about how much money you have, though that is a factor.  Do you have access to information?  Are you comfortable with your income relative to your expenses?  Are you anxious about money?</li>
<li><strong>Health &amp; Self-care: </strong> Do you exercise, eat well, practice good sleep habits?  Do you have regular check-ups with dentists and doctors?</li>
<li><strong>Relationships with Family:</strong> Are your relationships with parents, siblings and extended family where you want them to be?  Have you healed, managed or dealt with any lingering issues?  Do you make the appropriate amount of time for family (whether that’s a lot or a little is up to you)?</li>
<li><strong>Relationship with Friends:</strong> Do you have friendships that feed and nurture you?  Do you have the quality and quantity of friends that is right for you?  Are your friendships mutually satisfying?  Do you put in the time to keep friendships strong?</li>
<li><strong>Significant Other: </strong> Are you satisfied with your relationships status as it stands today?  Is your marriage or partnership where you want it to be?  Or do you have lots of work to do?</li>
<li><strong>Purpose/Spirituality:</strong> Do you feeling you’re living with purpose?  Are you connected with your version of spirit, god, universe or faith?</li>
<li><strong>Personal Growth: </strong> Are you evolving as a person?  Are you growing, learning, risking and becoming a better person every day?</li>
<li><strong>Fun &amp; Recreation:</strong> Do you make time and energy for fun?  Are you pursing hobbies or passions that feed you? Do you laugh often?</li>
</ol>
<p><em>10. </em><strong>Home or Physical Space:</strong> Are your surroundings comforting or a source of stress?  Do you love where and how you live today (even if you have aspirations for bigger, better or different)?</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><strong><em>Success &amp; Satisfaction Self-Assessment</em></strong></p>
<table style="height: 182px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="451">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Career</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Finances</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Health &amp;</strong></p>
<p><strong>Self-Care</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Relationships</strong></p>
<p><strong>With Family</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="91" valign="top"><strong>Relationships</strong></p>
<p><strong>With Friends</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Significant </strong></p>
<p><strong>Other</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Purpose or</strong></p>
<p><strong>Spirituality</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Personal Growth</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="90" valign="top"><strong>Recreation &amp;</strong></p>
<p><strong>Fun</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td width="91" valign="top"><strong>Home, Office </strong></p>
<p><strong>Living Space</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>If you’re like most people, you probably have a mix of high scores in areas where things are working quite well and low scores where you need to do some homework. Take a moment to acknowledge and congratulate yourself for what’s working in your life.  Don’t ignore or skim over this important step.  After you give yourself a pat on the back for your great marriage or terrific friendships, determine how you’ll take each area of your life up one notch.  That is, if you gave your Fun &amp; Recreation a 2, how will you get it to 3?  If Health &amp; Self-Care is a 4, how do you get it to 5? It’s not about going from 0 to 10 overnight, it’s about incremental growth.</p>
<p>Finally, figure out what you can do today to move one key area up a level.  Okay, you’ve got your starting point, the rest is up to you!</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  You can learn more at <a href="http://www.libbygill.com/">www.LibbyGill.com</a> and </em><a href="http://www.myaccountabilityclub.com/"><em>www.MyAccountabilityClub.co</em>m</a>.</p>
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		<title>Libby Gill &#8211; &#8220;You Unstuck&#8221; Episode #16</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:40:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA["Steven Diamond Live!"]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=2097</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With a focus on inspiring excellence in times of uncertainty, Libby delivers keynote addresses and training programs for companies desiring to maximize a multi-generational workforce. Her trademarked “Clarify, Simplify &#038; Execute” process helps individuals and organizations increase employee engagement, create high-passion teams and lead the Gen Y workforce to success, critically important as millions of Baby Boomers are poised for retirement, potentially taking decades of experience and expertise with them.

Among her corporate achievements, Libby is most proud of having guided many young employees to career success. Her former staff members now hold senior management positions at CBS Entertainment, ESPN, Universal, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sony, Disney/ABC and many other organizations. Her coaching clients have also achieved great success in transitioning from one industry to another, climbing the corporate ladder and launching entrepreneurial ventures.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1715" title="Libby Gill  StopStressingNow.Com" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg" alt="Libby Gill  StopStressingNow.Com" width="200" height="307" /></a>Libby Gill </strong>-  An entertainment industry veteran, Libby Gill spent fifteen years heading public relations and corporation communications as senior vice president at Universal Studios; vice president at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting and was also the PR/branding brain behind the launch of the Dr. Phil Show. Libby is now an internationally respected executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  <strong>She has shared her success strategies on the Today Show, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, CNN, NPR, Oprah &amp; Friends Radio Network, Fox News, CBS Early Show, and in Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Self and many more.</strong></p>
<p>With a focus on inspiring excellence in times of uncertainty, Libby delivers keynote addresses and training programs for companies desiring to maximize a multi-generational workforce. Her trademarked “Clarify, Simplify &amp; Execute” process helps individuals and organizations increase employee engagement, create high-passion teams and lead the Gen Y workforce to success, critically important as millions of Baby Boomers are poised for retirement, potentially taking decades of experience and expertise with them.</p>
<p>Among her corporate achievements, Libby is most proud of having guided many young employees to career success. Her former staff members now hold senior management positions at CBS Entertainment, ESPN, Universal, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sony, Disney/ABC and many other organizations. Her coaching clients have also achieved great success in transitioning from one industry to another, climbing the corporate ladder and launching entrepreneurial ventures.</p>
<p>Libby was instrumental in creating the comprehensive media launch that catapulted Dr. Phil to the highest ratings in daytime television since the Oprah Winfrey Show debuted. After starting her career as a temporary office assistant, in just five years Libby worked her way up to VP of publicity, advertising and promotion at Sony before moving on to Turner Broadcasting and Universal. In one of several unusual career moves, Libby then moved into a creative position and became vice president of television programming and development for Universal’s Studios USA. Having decided she needed to completely re-balance her life, Libby left the corporate world and founded Libby Gill &amp; Company in November 2000. As she was reinventing her professional life, Libby’s personal life also underwent a major transition. She chronicled her journey of overcoming the self-perceived limitations left behind by a family legacy of alcoholism, divorce and mental illness in her bestselling book TRAVELING HOPEFULLY: How to Lose Your Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life (St.  Martin’s Press).</p>
<p>Libby’s new bestseller <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932361685?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=attackanxiety-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1932361685">You Unstuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and in Life</a> was released in September 2009.</p>
<p>Libby’s clients have included Microsoft, Pfizer, USAA, Lycos, Sprint, Capital One, Lockheed Martin, Deloitte &amp; Touche, Hewlett-Packard, Natural Products Association, The Boeing Company, Triad Hospitals, PricewaterhouseCoopers, International Association of Administrative Professionals, Cadbury Schweppes, PitneyBowes, State Farm, Parsons Brinckerhoff, National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association and more.</p>
<p><strong>For more information about Libby Gill, Please visit:<a href="http://www.libbygill.com/" target="_blank"> http://www.libbygill.com/</a></strong></p>
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		<title>ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL ROLE MODEL?</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/01/are-you-a-professional-role-model/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/01/are-you-a-professional-role-model/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:02:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[I drove past my neighborhood YMCA the other day and noticed a big banner hanging on their fence that read, “Professional Role Models Wanted.”  Intrigued, I called to inquire what sort of role models they needed.  “A receptionist, maintenance engineer and several camp counselors,” I was told by the very efficient-sounding woman who took my call.

“So when you hire people to work at the Y, you expect them to be role models?” I inquired, the light finally dawning on me.

“If they’re not capable of being role models, why would we want to hire them?” she responded.  Why indeed?

Although the Y intentionally recruited its role models, I stumbled on my first one quite by accident when I hired my assistant Beth fifteen years ago.  I’d just been made vice president at Sony Pictures Television and needed a strong right hand, but I had no idea that this sweet, artistic young woman would soon become the embodiment of grace under pressure and my role model for courage.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1715" title="Gill Headshot" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg" alt="Gill Headshot" width="156" height="240" /></a>An entertainment industry veteran, Libby Gill spent fifteen years heading public relations and corporation communications as senior vice president at Universal Studios; vice president at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting and was also the PR/branding brain behind the launch of the Dr. Phil Show. Libby is now an internationally respected executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.</p>
<p><strong>She has shared her success strategies on the Today Show, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, CNN, NPR, Oprah &amp; Friends Radio Network, Fox News, CBS Early Show, and in Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Self and many more.</strong></p>
<p><strong><strong>We are so excited to bring Libby on as a regular guest blogger here at StopStressingNow.Com. Her unique perspective and unmatched qualifications have inspired millions. It&#8217;s with great pleasure I introduce to you a lady who is truly making a difference in the lives of so many&#8230;</strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Please welcome, Libby Gill. </strong></p>
<p>ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL ROLE MODEL?</p>
<p>I drove past my neighborhood YMCA the other day and noticed a big banner hanging on their fence that read, “Professional Role Models Wanted.”  Intrigued, I called to inquire what sort of role models they needed.  “A receptionist, maintenance engineer and several camp counselors,” I was told by the very efficient-sounding woman who took my call.</p>
<p>“So when you hire people to work at the Y, you expect them to be role models?” I inquired, the light finally dawning on me.</p>
<p>“If they’re not capable of being role models, why would we want to hire them?” she responded.  Why indeed?</p>
<p>Although the Y intentionally recruited its role models, I stumbled on my first one quite by accident when I hired my assistant Beth fifteen years ago.  I’d just been made vice president at Sony Pictures Television and needed a strong right hand, but I had no idea that this sweet, artistic young woman would soon become the embodiment of grace under pressure and my role model for courage.</p>
<p>A television industry cliché cited by TV types who need to laugh off a bit of their often self-inflicted pressure is that their work “is not the cure for cancer.”  But the day Beth came into my office and told me she’d just been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of the disease, it was no joke.  I found myself fervently wishing that our industry did, indeed, have the cure for cancer.</p>
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
<p>In the ensuing months, I watched this brave young woman show up at work every day she could manage to get out of bed.  She didn’t have to work, mind you, she wanted to work as much as she could for as long as she could.  It gave her hope, she said, and a reason to get dressed in the morning.  When she was undergoing chemotherapy, she’d drive directly from the hospital to the office while she was still feeling well enough to work the rest of the day, that is, before the drugs kicked in and made her too nauseated to leave her apartment.  Even when Beth, already ballerina thin, lost so much weight that she fainted in the shower from sheer weakness, she came to work the next day with makeup covering the nasty bruise down the side of her cheek.</p>
<p>Beth taught me that one of my most important tasks as a leader was to create a work environment where my staff felt not just challenged but protected.   And she taught me that when a leader sets a tone of genuine respect and caring, others follow.  My PR and communications staff, normally a group of chatty extroverts, kept absolutely mum about Beth’s illness and picked up the slack on her workload without a hint of resentment.  When she was eventually confined to bed, we took turns bringing her soup, books and studio video releases.  When her hair fell out, we took her wig shopping and gamely pretended that the straight wig she liked was practically identical to the natural curls she’d lost.</p>
<p>Up until then, I used to cringe when PR colleagues referred to “our corporate family” in company releases because it smacked of such hypocrisy.  But in our shared concern for Beth’s wellbeing, we became the best kind of corporate family and it was one of the proudest accomplishments of my career.   Beth was my role model for courage and she taught me to become a role model for compassionate leadership.</p>
<p>No matter if you’re a file clerk or a CEO, it’s your responsibility to be a professional role model, too.  Consider the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Act the way you would if your children, parent or      anyone whose respect you value, were watching.</li>
<li>Be a mentor to someone who could benefit from your      wisdom or experience, even if it’s just by giving a quick informational      interview to a college intern.</li>
<li>Don’t check your compassion at the office door.  Bring your soul to work with you      every single day for the rest of your career.</li>
</ul>
<p>Beth, I am thrilled to report, is a happy, healthy professional married to a terrific guy.  And she’s still my role model for courage.</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  You can learn more at <a href="www.LibbyGill.com" target="_blank">www.LibbyGill.com</a> and </em><a href="http://www.myaccountabilityclub.com/" target="_blank"><em>www.MyAccountabilityClub.co</em>m</a>.</p>
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		<title>Libby Gill Confirmed!</title>
		<link>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/01/libby-gill-confirmed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/01/libby-gill-confirmed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:03:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steven Diamond</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stopstressingnow.com/?p=1717</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Appearing – 02/07/10 –  on Steven Diamond Live!  Radio Broadcast
Libby Gill -  An entertainment industry veteran, Libby Gill spent fifteen years heading public relations and corporation communications as senior vice president at Universal Studios; vice president at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting and was also the PR/branding brain behind the launch of the Dr. Phil Show. Libby is now an internationally respected executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  She has shared her success strategies on the Today Show, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, CNN, NPR, Oprah &#038; Friends Radio Network, Fox News, CBS Early Show, and in Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Self and many more.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1715" title="Gill Headshot" src="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/Gill-Headshot.jpg" alt="Gill Headshot" width="207" height="318" /></a><a href="http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank">Listen To Libby&#8217;s Amazing Interview. Click Here!</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><br />
Libby Gill -</strong> An entertainment industry veteran, Libby Gill spent fifteen years heading public relations and corporation communications as senior vice president at Universal Studios; vice president at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting and was also the PR/branding brain behind the launch of the <strong>Dr. Phil Show</strong>. Libby is now an internationally respected executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  She has shared her success strategies on the <strong>Today Show, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, CNN, NPR, Oprah &amp; Friends Radio Network, Fox News, CBS Early Show, and in Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Self</strong> and many more.</p>
<p>With a focus on inspiring excellence in times of uncertainty, Libby delivers keynote addresses and training programs for companies desiring to maximize a multi-generational workforce. Her trademarked “Clarify, Simplify &amp; Execute” process helps individuals and organizations increase employee engagement, create high-passion teams and lead the Gen Y workforce to success, critically important as millions of Baby Boomers are poised for retirement, potentially taking decades of experience and expertise with them.</p>
<p>Among her corporate achievements, Libby is most proud of having guided many young employees to career success. Her former staff members now hold senior management positions at CBS Entertainment, ESPN, Universal, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sony, Disney/ABC and many other organizations. Her coaching clients have also achieved great success in transitioning from one industry to another, climbing the corporate ladder and launching entrepreneurial ventures.</p>
<p>Libby was instrumental in creating the comprehensive media launch that catapulted Dr. Phil to the highest ratings in daytime television since the Oprah Winfrey Show debuted. After starting her career as a temporary office assistant, in just five years Libby worked her way up to VP of publicity, advertising and promotion at Sony before moving on to Turner Broadcasting and Universal. In one of several unusual career moves, Libby then moved into a creative position and became vice president of television programming and development for Universal’s Studios USA. Having decided she needed to completely re-balance her life, Libby left the corporate world and founded Libby Gill &amp; Company in November 2000. As she was reinventing her professional life, Libby’s personal life also underwent a major transition. She chronicled her journey of overcoming the self-perceived limitations left behind by a family legacy of alcoholism, divorce and mental illness in her bestselling book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312323956?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=attackanxiety-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0312323956">Traveling Hopefully: How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life</a><img style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=attackanxiety-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0312323956" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" />.</p>
<p><strong>Libby’s new bestseller</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932361685?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=attackanxiety-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1932361685">You Unstuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and in Life</a><img style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=attackanxiety-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1932361685" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> was released in September 2009.</p>
<p>Libby’s clients have included Microsoft, Pfizer, USAA, Lycos, Sprint, Capital One, Lockheed Martin, Deloitte &amp; Touche, Hewlett-Packard, Natural Products Association, The Boeing Company, Triad Hospitals, PricewaterhouseCoopers, International Association of Administrative Professionals, Cadbury Schweppes, PitneyBowes, State Farm, Parsons Brinckerhoff, National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association and more.</p>
<p><strong><a href="../2010/02/libby-gill-you-unstuck-episode-16/" target="_blank">Listen  To Libby&#8217;s Amazing Interview. Click Here!</a></strong></p>
<p>For more information about Libby Gill, Please visit: <a href="http://www.libbygill.com/" target="_blank">http://www.libbygill.com/</a></p>
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