Stress happens when we are operating outside of our strengths. When it comes to creating a successful coaching business or ministry, it is important to be aware of our strengths and our personal resources so we can leverage them for success.

In addition to your coaching skills, the following are strengths or resources that can contribute to your success as a coaching business or ministry owner. Take a moment and consider what of the following are strengths you possess.

• Speaking
• Writing
• Traditional Networking
• Cultivating Relationships
• Social Media Savvy
• Teaching
• Selling
• Creativity
• Organizational Skills
• Business Skills
• Tech Skills

What of the above are the strengths you can leverage for success? Of the remaining, what is crucial to your business or ministry success? Of the remaining crucial activities, what are your options? You have options.

Yes, sometimes as you operate your coaching business or ministry, you must do things that are not in your wheelhouse. Hopefully that will be only up to 20% of your time. Last week, my friend Mary Verstraete of the Center for Coaching Excellence posted about personally functioning with convergence. The goal is “80 percent of who you are overlapping with 80 percent of what you do.” Click here to see her post Are You a Want-to-Be?

Otherwise, find creative solutions to deal with what you need to get done but you aren’t good at. Delegate. Hire someone. Barter. Let it go.

Are you trying to do something and you just need to let it go?

For example, if you’re not a speaker, you don’t have to make yourself into a speaker. Unless God has given you a specific directive to speak, consider the other ways to let people know about your coaching business or ministry.

What are you doing that you need to let go of?

You can’t do it all. You can’t be good at it all. Be aware of your strengths and intentionally leverage what you do best.

The song tells the story of a boy who is invited to visit baby Jesus but is concerned. He is poor and says, “I have no gift to bring…that’s fit for The King.” He decides to be who he is and do what he can. He shares his musical talent and plays his drum as a gift to the Christ child. To me, the song has always held the message that when we live out who God uniquely created us to be then we are giving back to Him. Even so, I was recently struck by a line in the song in a new and powerful way.

I was listening to a video online and in this particular arrangement of the song I heard the line “Then he smiled at me” as never before. The line was sung to highlight pure joy. Baby Jesus was filled with joy as the boy simply gave the gift of who he was and what he had. Not only did the boy experience the joy of sharing his passion for drumming, but his very passion brought joy to Jesus. And this wasn’t just an adequate or acceptable gift – it was a gift that brought joy to God himself!

When you give the gift of who God created you to be to the world around you, you bring joy to God. You are reflecting His own creation.

• What unique gifts and passions are you bringing to those around you?
• How do those gifts and passions bring joy to you, others and God?
• In the light of who he created you to be, what gifts are you bringing the King this Christmas?

May you receive the smile of Jesus as you give of yourself this Christmas and throughout the New Year.

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If you’ve been on Facebook at all this Christmas season, you’ve probably seen posted videos of the accapella group, Pentatonix. They are always impressive and if you’re looking for an especially remarkable musical experience I suggest Angels We Have Heard on High just released last Friday. But here is the gorgeous video of The Little Drummer Boy that sparked my story above.

Start with what’s “left over” from 2013.  There may be tasks or projects on a “to do” list that need to be completed before the ball drops on 2013.  Identify what you want to complete and decide to do, dump, delegate or discern before the year is out.  “Discern” refers to considering in prayer and choosing wisely based on direction from God.  As you discern, maybe there are items on your list that need to be intentionally carried into 2014.  If that is the wise choice, then bring those tasks and projects intentionally and confidently into the New Year.  Otherwise, deal with each by doing, dumping or delegating before the end of the year.

After dealing with your tasks and projects, resolve 2013 in light of forgiveness, gratefulness, grief and celebration.

Forgiveness.  Who do you need to forgive?  From whom do you need forgiveness?  What will that involve?  Is a direct conversation needed?  If so, how will you make that happen?  When will you make that happen?  Remember that you cannot control anyone else’s response;   you can only control your acts of or requests for forgiveness.  But you can choose to do your part to resolve issues of forgiveness, with the hope of freedom from unresolved pain for yourself or someone else as the New Year begins.

Gratefulness.  Who do you want to thank?  Surely 2013 has revealed some people that need your thanks.  Who has blessed you over the past 12 months?  If the task of identifying people to thank seems too big (because let’s face it there are many people to be grateful for in a year), look at the biggest challenges and highlights of the year and chose three to five people who were instrumental in helping you at those times.  How will you thank them?  You may want to be elaborate in your expression of gratitude and if so, go for it!  But a simple “thank you” can work well, too.  You can go simple, especially if the alternative is none at all.

Grief.  What must you grieve?  Avoiding the full experience of mourning a loss is not helpful to moving forward.  If your loss is tragic and requires the support of a counselor, then by all means make 2014 a year of healing and don’t let 2013 end without identifying and scheduling with a counselor who can help you.  But even the common losses, disappointments and setbacks can unnecessarily continue to drag on into 2014 if you let them.  Identify losses you need to grieve and consider what it would take to go through the grief and put it behind you.  You may need to allow yourself to feel your emotions.  When you’re ready, you may benefit by doing something that symbolizes your intent to finish your grief and move on.  For me, grieving always involves me being honest with God about my thoughts and feelings and then listening for His response and ultimate peaceful resolution.  What do you need to grieve and let go of?  And how will you do that?

Celebration.  What can you celebrate?  What from 2013 is worthy of celebration?  You achieved.  You grew.  You were blessed.  As the clock gets close to midnight on December 31 there will be great anticipation of celebrating the New Year and all that the future holds.  But don’t forget to identify what you can celebrate from this year past.  How will you celebrate?

I pray for a blessed resolution to this chapter of your life – one that fuels your steps into the new year with renewed strength and peace!

As a coach, I have a stong belief that we are created with purpose.  As a Christian, I believe God created each of us for specific purposes.  We are each uniquely created with unique passions and values – which if we embrace, we can then find ourselves doing what God created us to do.

A top chef cooking braised salmon at the local soup kitchen?  A unique set of passion and values leads to an uncommon and remarkable way of serving others.  Like I said, I love this story.