This week I just wanted to share a few things from over the MANY years that I contribute to my success in many areas of my life.  Not a permanent list but when I find things that work, ya just stick with it! So today I will share 10 things (plus a bonus) that make my life better!  

1 - I work out 

2 - I food prep  

3 - Plan my weeks

4 - Time management is key 

5 - Help when I can 

6 - Share my stories

7 - I LOVE Podcasts! Listen for my top 5 I am listening to right now!

8 - I schedule family time 

9 - i make sure i get alone time

10 - I call my family

Listen for my bonus one as well.

Remember this quote from Author Shannon Alder “Sometimes the one thing you need for growth is the one thing you are afraid to do.”  

So get that list started.  Put those things on it that you are afraid of and go for it.  You just might find out it the thing you needed for growth!!

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, share it!! Or get over to apple podcasts and leave a quick positive review. I am always blown away with the nice things people are saying about Choose Your Path!

Thank you so much for joining me today Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , or on instagram or on my facebook page. 

Yay we are at EPISODE 10!! Crazy!  I know its not 100 anything huge but to me it IS HUGE.  because it's been 10 episodes where I have intentionally sat down and shared my thoughts, information and life experiences 

my only hope is that even one person has benefitted from it.  If you have…..keep sharing, keep listening, keep subscribing and joining me every monday morning!

Ok let's get to it.

Are you weird?? - Yep that was the name of Andy Frisella's RealAF podcast and I loved every minute of it.  He talked about how everyone is weird and guess what, its a good thing.  We see everyone trying to be like everyone else whether its on Social Media, in life, or wherever!

Its better to be YOU.  Quirky, weird, special you!  There was definitely more to it but that was the point.  Be YOU because you are the only one like YOU out there and that's a good thing!

I wanted to share a quick story because everyone is “weird” in their own special way (especially me) and thats what makes you YOU and that's what makes you special to people and relatable.  

Listen in to hear my story!

Share this with someone if it hit you like Andy’s podcast hit me! As a matter of fact I will share his podcast link in the show notes.  Its that important.

So get out there and be weird! Embrace it! Live it! 

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, share it!! Or get over to apple podcasts and leave a quick positive review. I am always blown away with the nice things people are saying about Choose Your Path!

Thank you so much for joining me today Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , or on instagram or on my facebook page.  All the links are in the notes!

Take the 20 minutes to listen to the podcast that inspired this episode:

Andy Frisella - Real AF Podcast - Are You Weird? https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/realaf-podcast/69-are-you-weird 

Now just imagine if I would have sat down during high school and started laying out a plan or a dream of all the things i wanted in life and steps to get there?!  Instead of blindly walking into the direction of what I thought I wanted I would have created the steps to get there in potentially a more efficient manner! 

Without as many roadblocks or detours right?!  Maybe even take months or years off the time to get there!

So remember it's always important to have a life plan, but realize it's important to have one that might have more than one path!!  Kind of a just in case path right?!

So What the heck is a life plan? 

We will talk about it!

What makes it successful? Here are some of the steps we will talk about......

1. Look at your future
2. Plan your steps
3. Eliminate road blocks
4. Stay Balanced
5. Clarify your Priorities
6. Narrow down your options
7. Do the Work

I would love to start seeing some life plans.  Even if they are just lists, you have to start somewhere to get anywhere. So tag me in those lists on Instagram @ColetteTopfer_CFL 

I’ll give ya a cheer, comment or maybe a little tip for your big plan!!

So get out there and start creating those plans!!

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, share it!! Or get over to apple podcasts and leave a quick positive review. I am always blown away with the nice things people are saying about Choose Your Path!

Thank you so much for joining me today Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , or on instagram or on my facebook page.  All the links are in the notes!

Have a fantastic day and I will see ya next week! 

a little kindness even in the smallest ways makes a huge difference in your life or in somebody else's life.  

It doesn't take a huge act to make a huge impact. It can be a small things like a picture or saying hi or asking how someone is doing that can ultimately make a huge difference in their entire day.

So I wanted to come on this week and just talk about kindness…...keeping it simple….

You know all the crazy stuff that is going on around us and just being present and understanding that everyone is going through different things and they may not show it on the outside but on the inside everyone has their baggage……..and some days can be pretty rough and even those you least suspect like my own first grader is having those types of dilemmas because of all the things around us.

So rather than letting the situation dictate what is going to happen we have to take charge and decide what we want and how we are going to get there.  And being kind to yourself and those around you is probably your first step.

And let me tell you, when you are kind, your surroundings become a better place.  

So I thought I would share a quick 10 reasons why you should be kind…..

1. It feels good
2. It’s contagious
3. It can change someone’s day for the better
4. It doesn’t cost a thing
5. You just might make some new friends
6. It can open your heart and mind to other people or other ideas
7. Your are stronger when are kinder even to a mean person
8. It can become a habit
9. Kindness speaks all the languages
10. People will always remember how you make them feel

BONUS - Kindness is SIMPLE.

So that’s it.  The only message I wanted to put out there today.  So get out there today and do me a favor.  Be kind to someone today.  That’s all I am asking.  Seriously…..Thats it!

So I hope you have an amazing day.  Be kind to one another and I will see you next time. 

Take Care.

Thank you so much for joining me today Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , on instagram or on my facebook page

So I am going to jump into about 5 things that go through my mind when this Yes or No question comes up.  Again this is not about being a scrooge or an unsocial person but again its to prevent yourself from continuing to put yourself LAST when it comes to your goals and your success!  

So let's dig in…….

1. Does it support your plan and goals
2. You don’t owe anyone anything
3. It doesn’t interest you
4. Take care of YOU
5. Your time is valuable

So say no and keep pushing forward with those things that support you and your goals for the future. Start putting yourself first and you will notice all the things around you start to improve!  Stress decreasing, calendar opening up for things you want to do, you are happier with your choices and you are finally recharged by putting yourself and your goals FIRST!  

So get out there and crush those goals and start moving forward again!

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, share it!! Or get over to apple podcasts and leave a quick positive review.

Thank you so much for joining me today Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , on instagram or on my facebook page 

Have a fantastic day and I will see ya next week! 

Hello Everyone!!

This week let's talk about first impressions and why it’s important for High school students or anyone for that matter….. 

So many times I've talked about first impressions with students, soldiers, junior officers and I have mentioned how important they are in life. As you’ve probably heard before……

You only get one chance to make a first impression........So with that, I decided to talk about 10 (YES 10) things you can do to make a good first impression.

1. Be on Time
2. Present Yourself Appropriately
3. Be Yourself
4. Smile
5. Confidence
6. Ask Questions
7. Be Positive
8. Be Polite and Listen
9.  Make Eye Contact
10. Send a Thank You

So yes, there are a lot of things to remember when it comes to making a first impression but even just a few of these, even just one can set you apart from all the other people in this world so just remember taking that little extra time to make that good first impression could set you up for success in the long run.

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, share it!! 

make sure you screenshot it and tag me on social media or head over to apple podcasts and leave a positive review! Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , instagram or on the facebook page 

Thanks again for joining me and Have a fantastic day and I will see ya next week! 

This week I am talking about Mentoring.  Why its important for High school students, why its important to be one, and a little added bonus info at the end

So what is Mentoring?

Let's talk definition - A mentor is an experienced friend or confidant who is there to provide guidance and support in any number of ways and situations, including academically. Many of the world’s most successful business and world leaders credit mentors as key contributors to their success. 

My definition of mentor and how I have been one - Walking along side that person, Not doing it for them, not telling them how to do it, but to share experiences and things that i have been through to help them understand different avenues or ways they can get through something or get to something. 

Today I will discuss 4 of many reasons why mentoring is so important.

1. Hold Students Accountable
2. Be Consistent
3. Build Confidence
4. Help with Career Exploration

Extra Resources from today's episode -

Gallop Strengths Assessments - https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253862/cliftonstrengths-for-schools.aspx

Challenging Coach by Dr John Blakey and Ian Day
https://challengingcoaching.co.uk/coaching-experts/

Maryland MENTOR
https://www.marylandmentor.net/  

I hope you enjoyed today's episode and if you love it, make sure you screenshot it and tag me on social media, or head over to apple podcasts and leave me a positive review! 

Even if you can only reach one student or young person, you’ve made a difference.  You never know, you can be that one light that student needed to make a difference.  And to me, that's worth it.

Thank you so much for joining me today for this episode! Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , instagram or on the facebook page

Have a fantastic day and I will see ya next week.  

Today we will talk about Silver Linings

A silver lining is a sign of hope or a positive aspect in an otherwise negative situation. The phrase is often seen as part of the proverb…...Every cloud has a silver lining, meaning that there's hope or something good to be found in every bad situation.

I find myself having  conversations with my students and silver linings come up more often than not.  

Finding the positives, the teaching points, the lessons learned and so many other things that make us look at things differently and grow stronger from each situation.

So today I am going to talk through 5 reasons (even though there are so many more) why I choose to look for silver linings. And yes there may or may not be a story that relates to each one of those silver linings!

1. One day we will all look back at this and have a fantastic story - every time you find yourself in a situation in life, you have a story and that story can change someone else’s life.

2.  Experience Life - be legendary, create your movie script and make it a blockbuster and do things that make YOU proud

3. Always moving forward competing with yourself (getting better every day)

4.  Realize how grateful you are

5. YOU HAVE THE POWER - to change your situation

So just remember this…..every day.  Silver linings can actually help you move forward in life. Keep thinking ahead, stop looking back. Don't jump on the negative train or spend your time playing over the “what ifs” in your mind.

We all have a journey.  Enjoy yours.  Find those silver linings and live YOUR (no one else's) LIFE!

So thank you so much for joining me today for this episode! Join me over in the Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group , instagram or on the facebook page and share YOUR silver linings

Thanks for joining me on another episode of Choose Your Path Podcast!  I have thought about today’s topic a lot!  First though, just a hint……...Hey parents, this one's for you! 

So as I really started getting into teaching I quickly realized that there were a lot of things that were not happening especially at home.  I would constantly ask the kids what their plans were when they when they left high school and a lot of them were like:

I don’t really know where to start 

I'll figure it out once I'm out of high school 

I am not sure what I would be good at

I'm going to ask you three questions three……………..three basic questions that's it and I just want you to think about them and how they relate to your own kids and their own thoughts on what they want to do after high school. Not YOU, not Society, No one else other than your student.

I hope you have been thinking about it because its never too early to start planning!!

1.  What are 3 things that your kids absolutely love? Hobbies, interests, etc
2.  What are 3 things your kids are great at? Natural gifts!?
3.  What are their paths After High School and/or have you talked about it?

Bonus Tip - Start working with them now!! Prepare your teen to be self-sufficient away from home. This includes making major decisions regarding dating, drugs, alcohol, and sex, as well as mastering day-to-day living skills (cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills, and managing a budget).

there are also programs out there designed to help you. I want to talk about one today.

I want to share one of these programs with you because my own son as well as myself have gone through this program. Work It was developed by Lori Theriault and its a program that allows students of all ages to experience the best personal and career inspiration that is packed into a single session.

Work It! trains up to 10,000 students each year. She inspires students to dream, create and capture their career path allowing them to do what they love today versus waiting until tomorrow.

I loved the program so much I knew I wanted to be a part of it and we’ve teamed up! You leave that session with a giant piece of paper with your map (developed in your own handwriting) of the steps in the direction you need to head.   I’m here to tell you after my son and  I did it, we lit up the excitement was there, and we were ready to do the work.

So what if they dont start doing the work?  That's when we continue the process with them as an accountability coach and continue to make sure they are progressing and moving in the right direction.

Honestly I could go on about this forever because I am such a believer in the process!  That could be your graduate OR YOU! going through the same process and I know it works as I am speaking on this very podcast, and that was part of my plan!

If you are interested in that 2 hour deep dive Workit Career Planning Session Click Here to sign up with Lori today! Who knows we might end up working together after it! 

Also  come join me on  instagram and on facebook , OH and in my new Choose Your Path Podcast facebook group! 

See ya next time!

Today we are going to talk a little about habits.  The good the bad the ugly and why it's important to build them. (obviously the good ones)

Here are some of my habits just to name a few 

1. working out - Move my body every day. Some days harder than others but I still move and over the years that working out and movement has changed and in a future podcast we will chat about it.
2. eating fairly healthy - I would say 80/20 
3. drinking water - Sounds simple right but seriously it's taken me FOREVER to really get it in every single day
4. Walking - getting at least those 10,000 steps in daily and and just really being aware and then choosing to walk more when i can.
5. setting up a weekly plan - Such an important thing especially when things start getting really hectic to sit down each Monday and put everything for that week on your calendar. I will have another podcast to explain how I do that and how it helps me with time management, not missing ANYTHING and just really feeling like I have more time in my day!
6. Spending and Saving habits!! So important and the earlier you form this habit the more success you will have!
7. Personal development - Oh My Gosh! Every single day! Just making sure my brain is soaking it all in in various forms (podcast, youtube, audiobooks, anything that I can learn from, improve my life, or get any kind of value out of, I am absolutely IN!!

Here are 5 reasons we dig into today about why it's important to form good ones

1. Habits are who you are 
2. They help you reach your goals
3. They can set a proper foundation
4. They can replace motivation
5. They are results driven

Bonus - Just for you!

1. Self discipline

Thanks so much for joining me today and don’t forget to join me on facebook or instagram  for more great info. Hey Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out and if you have a minute it would mean the world to me if you left a review or shared with a friend.  Let me know what topics you would like to hear and who knows I may read and give a couple shout outs on the episodes to my favorites like I did today!  Have a fantastic week, go crush your goals and I will see you next time!