When I first began coaching and mentoring other professional women, I found a common problem that some women have difficulty identifying what they want or why they are discontent. It often takes a while to break through to the level they need in order to uncover the root of their discontent. These issues took many forms, but at the core:
- Some women have a hard time discovering what they truly want. They spend time on everyone else and little time on themselves. They know there is something more, but don’t quite know what “it” is.
- Some women know what they want, but are reluctant to ask for it. They often don’t feel worthy or deserving of asking for something truly important to them.
What sets those who get what they want apart from those who are still craving something different for themselves? The answers often involve both clarity and having a plan.
So what is the CRAVE© process? I developed the CRAVE© process to help my clients systematically move through discovery to action to validation. Let me describe how it works.
Each letter of CRAVE© stands for a step in the process. Each step is designed to bring you deeper into your exploration and help guide you to get what you truly crave.
C – is for CHOOSE – In this step, you create an exploration of what is possible for you and to list things that you would like to create or change for yourself. At the end of this step, you have an inventory of choices to begin your process.
R – is for REIMAGINE – In this step, you reimagine your life as if you have accomplished the change you desire. Your imagination allows you to see what it would be like to live in this new reality. It generates the excitement and motivation for you to move to the next step.
A is for ACTION – In this step, you formulate an action plan to go after your top choice – the one that really lights you up and the one you are craving the most. You break down your action plan into small, manageable steps to reduce the overwhelm.
V is for VALIDATE – In this step, you validate the changes you are undertaking to see if they are feeling right to you. Are they feeling the way you reimagined? If not, is it fear, or did you simply pick something that isn’t right for you? If it’s fear, we work on breaking through. If it’s not the right thing for you, we go back to the “choose” step.
E is for ENJOY – In this step, you learn to enjoy and celebrate your milestones along the way. If you manage to get through the process and have accomplished what you set out to do, then this becomes your final step. If you stop and start during the process, you use this step to motivate yourself and celebrate taking action and gaining insight.
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WHY DOES IT WORK SO WELL?
The CRAVE© process is a systematic set of steps designed to walk you through a model for change and allow you to take it at your own pace. Most successful changes are those that:
- We have a strong urge to undertake and
- We have a commitment to ourselves to make the change.
The CRAVE© process allows you to also rewire your brain to accept the change. The Reimagine step is a powerful one. It allows you to picture your future to make it feel real to you.
WHAT CAN THIS PROCESS DO FOR YOU?
I have used this process successfully to accomplish both of my degrees, my CPA designation, key jobs in my career, my second marriage, and most recently, my personal reinvention after a layoff from a Fortune 500 company. I know it works, both from my own experience and the experiences of my clients.
If there is still something nagging at you, I want you to know there is a process and guide that can help you. I will be covering CRAVE© case studies in my blog series to help illustrate the power of this process and the power of personal commitment to change.
I hope you will stay tuned for this weekly series. If you are interested in learning more about the CRAVE© process and my personal story, click the button below to download a free chapter of my book Your Next Chapter: Five Steps to Creating the Life of Your Dreams.
To your success,
Tina
Tina Meilleur is a Leadership and Business Mentor, author and speaker. She is also the founder of Design Your Success and the Academy for Business Success. Her mission is helping high achievers match their desires, skills and experiences with the success they wish to create for themselves. Her “Next Chapter” program and CRAVE™ process are systematic approaches that can be used for making simple “tweaks” or orchestrating a total reinvention. Tina is the author of Your Next Chapter: Five Steps to Creating the Life of Your Dreams. She wrote this book to help others understand how she made the shift from her high-level corporate position to owning and running her own business. Tina has a CPA designation in the State of Louisiana and received her MBA from Tulane University in their Executive MBA program. Tina is a highly sought-after mentor, coach, facilitator, and speaker. She can be reached at Tina@DesignYourSuccess.com.