Robyne Roveccio, CDPE GRI, ABR, e-Pro

On New Years Eve a friend of mine and I went to Tucson to stay at a hotel that had just opened. It was a very relaxing evening and after dinner we went to the hotel lobby to listen to a small band play elevator music.

Given the recent life changes I've experienced, trust me, this was a welcomed treat!

As my friend and I sat and talked and laughed til the wee hours, we met a group of folks from South Africa.

We were captivated by their first hand account of the events that lead up to the World Cup which is the premise for the movie Invictus.

What I loved about the story is how they told of the collective unconcious. The "energy" in the stadium from the thousands of people who shared a vision about the success of their rugby team.

I loved listening to the passion in their voices and how the event was one of the most inspiring moments in their lives - a day they will never forget.

I will remember that evening not only for the wonderful time I shared with my friend, but because I got to listen to that amazing story. I did go see the movie last week and it didn't pack the same punch as it did being told by someone who was there.

Lesson learned for me... Be a magnet for inspiration and create positive energy. Put out positive vibes, visualize a better world, a new Haiti. Our minds and souls are so connected, we just need to open the door and let like people see. Then, we will create our own collective unconcious, and change the world.

P.S. Good movie that supports this "What the Bleep do we know".

Have a beautiful day.

What are you doing right now?? Like me you are more than likely generating leads and making it a great business day. Maybe you are attending a real estate class and getting those "required" C.E. hours.

This week I spent a lot of time trying to keep a transaction from falling through the cracks. My motivation - personal and professional excellence. My vehicle - my toolbox.

In the last three years, in addition to doing the required 24 CE hours of real estate classes, I have done various personal growth classes. Learning how to grow as a woman and leader in my community has equipped me with tools that I use to help me become a successful business woman.

The tool I used for this particular transaction was staying solution focused. Instead of being "victim" and in "reaction" mode I started thinking outside the box as to how I could make this a win win. The outcome is still up in the air, however I know, and more importantly my client knows, that I have their best interest at heart and that I am working to help them achieve their goals.

So here's an invitation...In addition to doing a CE class, take a personal growth class or read a personal growth book. A good one to start with is Og Mandino's "Greatest Salesman in the World". It's about 100 pages and a wonderful, wonderful book.

Enjoy!

Yes, I have been silent. I have been very silent for the last couple of months. Recently, I had an opportunity to spend 24 hours in nature alone. It was probably one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had. I got to listen to no one but myself and the sounds of nature.

It's truly amazing what you hear when you listen. Our lives are filled with beeping blackberry's, text notifications, phones, cars, news, radio, talk talk talk talk talk........

I have come to find comfort in just listening to my own thoughts. My usual habit is to turn on the radio or the TV for background noise to drown out my own thinking. I like what my mind is saying - it's message is clear - not always what I want to hear - but clear.

I also find that I listen more intently to others. I stay present and focused on what they are saying, not thinking about the millions of things that I have to do. What I have found is that my connections with people have become stronger. I no longer feel the need to fill the silent space between their thoughts and mine. Given enough time (like a few milliseconds), they will say something.

So I invite you to practice the art of silence. Just listen. Listen to yourself as it knows you better than anyone. Listen to your family, your clients, your friends and notice what happens inside of you. You may feel the urge to want to say something, but refrain for a bit and keep listening.

Have a silent (and productive) day.

As usual, during this time of year we tend to be a little more grateful. And, economic times being what they are I see many more Facebook posts and newspaper articles about being happy with what we have, i.e., family friends etc.

However on this day, I want to tell you that you are "Greatful!" Huh??

Well, what I mean is, you are GREAT, so start acting like it. I was at the gym getting my morning cardio session in and there was a guy on the stairmill next to me complaining about his life, his job, yada yada yada. He said he wished he could make more time for working out. Well, this guy was in better shape than most people in the gym even though he had a few pounds to lose....and I told him that!

Do you know what his response was?? "Well, I think people just say that to make me feel better, they don't really mean it"So I said, "If what you just said was true, then you have just called me a liar, and I don't lie.". He quickly changed the subject.

Another case in point. I was helping a new agent come up with a Unique Value Proposition and asked him to write 5 great things about himself. OMG!!! It was like pulling teeth. He was embarassed to talk about how great he was. I said if you don't believe how great you are, how are your clients going to believe you?

And for all you skeptics who are thinking this is a form of arrogance and/or being egotistical, let it go! The only way you can be seen as arrogant and/or egotistical in my opinion, is when you do it at the expense of others.

If you still are met with resistance, so what. Let other people continue to accept their WOE-ness and you accept your GREAT-ness.

You see, we are all amazing people. We just need to accept it, and tell people about it. Are there things we need to work on and things we still need to learn? Absolutely! However, accept the great things about yourself, accentuate the positive, be FULL OF YOUR GREATNESS!

So, right now, send me 5 great things about yourself! Here are mine~

1. I'm funny

2. I'm smart

3. I give 100% to everything I do

4. I'm in good physical shape

5. I'm a good wife

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hello all you Realtors out in Whoville? Are you listening? No, are you really listening???

I just came back from a Women's Leadership Seminar and I had the opportunity to listen. I listened to feedback from others, and for an extended period of time I got to listen to myself. Wow! What powerful messages they were.

Then I came home and picked up where I left off in Susan Scott's, Fierce Conversations book. O.K. Do you think the universe was trying to tell me something about my communication skills???

As with everything I read and experience, I always bring it to my life and see how I am showing up in that area. So lately I have been paying attention to how I listen and how I engage with others in conversation. There's a great line from the movie Pulp Fiction where Uma Thurman says to John Travolta, "Do you wait to talk or do you just listen."

I found that I had so much to say that often times I would talk over someone to get my point across, or, I would be so excited about what I had to say that I took the wind from their sail.

And, how many times have we been on the phone with clients and we are checking our email or multitasking only to hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Come on, admit it, we've all done it. This really hit home for me when I was talking to someone yesterday and I could tell she was not engaged in the conversation. If she were my Realtor, that would be our last conversation. As a friend, I felt very "unheard"

These are not very pretty things to admit, but awareness is half the battle. So all you people in Whoville, here's my advice today....be present! I mean 100% present in the conversations with your clients. Listen to ALL they have to say, even if it's the story about their ailing grandma - just listen.

As professionals we know what we have to say and when we have to say it. Our clients want to be heard, let them speak!