Work & Kung Fu

My job as a travel Consultant still feels very new at times even though I have been working in this field for more than a year. Just like Kung Fu there is a solid base of knowledge that first needs to be learned. Once that base has been established, a persons knowledge keeps growing through continued learning and experience. Travel trends and the industry are always changing so opportunity for learning will always be there.

The agency I am working with was chosen carefully and this week really reinforced my decision to be part of their team. The atmosphere is a lot like being on the I Ho Chuan team. We have a number of experienced agents/black belts and there are always some newbies and everyone else in between/Q belts. The training is on going and support is always available. It is also suggested that everyone completes a goal sheet for the upcoming year. I completed my and actually found it not as difficult as I had anticipated, which I attribute to being part of the I Ho Chuan team.

Something I noticed early on was the amazing relationships the other consultants were building with their clients. Customer service goes beyond what you would normally see. One of the consultants always gets up from her desk and walks her clients to the door when she is done. I have witnessed a number of consultants and clients hug each other. Some of the consultants even receive gifts from a few of their regular clients occasionally. These are people that care about the job they are doing, each other and their clients and it shows.

This week I had a client come back and book an Alaska cruise and land tour with me. She also brought another couple with her. It's always great to get repeat business and referrals as well, but even better was the hug I got from one of the ladies as I had come around to the front of my desk to thank them and say good bye. What a wonderful feeling!

Happy New Year everyone!

Michele Ward

Hurdles

Well..., I tackled a big hurdle today. I battled my anxiety and got out in front of everyone and performed my cane form. I'm hoping it will get easier as we continue to practice each week. If I can figure out how to remember to breathe so that I'm not so shaky and light headed that would be awesome!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Michele Ward

Support Sustainable Brands

This time of year can be quite challenging when it comes to purchasing meaningful gifts that also do not have a negative impact on our environment. Even though my family has cut back substantially on buying gifts at Christmas, I am more and more aware of the need to not only cut back, but to be more conscious of the overall impact my purchases may have on our environment.

 It is shocking to see the crowds of people buying, buying and buying more stuff, and that doesn't even take into account all of us that shop on-line as well. How much "stuff" do we need to accumulate and why?

My goal is to start making better and more conscious decisions when it come to purchasing products. In an effort to do so I have started to source out some sustainable businesses and brands to support. The following are a few suggestions:

https://earthhero.com/

https://www.thebouy.com/

https://beaut-e.ca/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-tools/top-tens/top-ten-eco-friendly-businesses-to-watch/article16607287/

Namaste, Michele Ward

One Foot Out The Door?

Choices, choices, choices!

We make numerous choices throughout the day. What happens though after the decision/choice has been made? Sometimes we have regrets later or something else gets in the way and our focus is no longer where it needs to be. We make excuses to our selves and others.

Committing to anything is a conscious choice that we make. How important is that commitment to yourself and others? And when is it ok to simply change your direction or mind? Are you pretty good with the "big" stuff, but not so great with the little things? I know I am. And yet sometimes it is the opposite where it's the little things that are easier to take care.

What drives and motivates you to follow through on your commitments? When you make a choice, are you all in? Or at some point do you have one foot out the door? The little voice inside my head likes to make what appears at the time to be very valid excuses and as a result one foot is on its way out the door. Little or big, I know that I need to commit to all the choices I make and do a self check regularly to see if both feet are in.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Creating Space

On Thursday night I attended my Christmas party for work. It is a great time to interact with co-workers and have a meal together in a festive atmosphere. This year we did something very different. As a surprise, the evening started out with all 35 of us participating in a drumming circle. Most of us have probably never drummed ever, but we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. What a fantastic activity to be able to take part in! There were a number of different exercises that we were taken through and my favorite was the conversation through drumming that we all participated in. When a group of people create a conversation with drums, each person must create space while drumming for the next person to join the conversation. Something I think we should carry over and be mindful of in our lives every day.

Conversation is not just about talking, it is also about creating space for others to join in!

Namaste

Michele Ward