Robert Van Arlen

In just an hour I’ll be speaking to an organization of community service professionals at the Arizona Biltmore that are near and dear to my heart: the Maricopa Association of Governments Continuum of Care professionals. I’m particularly excited about this group of individuals because of all the difficult, important service work they do to end homelessness in Maricopa County. Being involved with them is how I pay it forward. Thanks, friends.

Just a few days ago, I was thinking about the simplest of things that make me feel good.  What came first to my mind were shiny shoes.  During our challenging economic times it’s important to do something for yourself that makes you feel good.  Your shiny shoes can be anything—taking a walk or a bath, even a good book. Just don’t forget there is only one of you, so do something positive for yourself every day.

I’m known as someone that likes to travel light (with no baggage), but for some reason I’ve managed to accumulate a lot of stuff. After 5 moves in 10 years you’d think I could let go. I’m truly ready now, and upon my 6th move I’m planning to unload as much as possible. I’ve started giving stuff away already and am in the middle of planning the world’s largest garage sale (it’ll probably only be the second largest, but only because my friend Roseann Higgins just had what I heard was the “mega sale.”) Why now? This economy is making me rethink what’s truly important, and to be lean and nimble now has a personal connotation.  I believe in order to be truly focused, you need to let go of your baggage. Just the thought of getting rid of stuff I don’t need anymore is making me feel lighter, secure and most of all, energized. It’s also allowing me to help others, since as they say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I hope someone can benefit!

Just a few days ago, I was having a bite to eat, and a friend of mind made a profound statement that I remembered hearing somewhere before. It is very timely, based on what’s happening in the world right now and the profound effect it is having on each of us individually. The quote was “It only takes one match to light a fire”. In this environment you have to focus on what is going on right now, be in the present. The past won’t help you, and the future holds no guarantees.

My coach explained it to me this way. She said, “It doesn’t matter if it takes 99 attempts to reach your goal. The only thing you need to focus on is your daily journey. Every day you get closer to lighting your own fire of success.” The bottom-line is to not give up and know that you are getting closer every minute.

Today you will want to visit www.robertvanarlen.com to check out my new website.  For the past few weeks I have been working closely with a strategic partner to create my new web presence.  I selected this organization because of their ability to combine creativity with technology.  The end result is the concept put into action by the AXXESS Unlimited team with the completion of my new site.  The development process was seamless and transparent, providing the ability for team members to communicate, critique and create simultaneously.   I highly recommend AXXESS Unlimited to any organization that may have the desire to take their web image and presence to the next level.  Please let them know you were referred by me.  Visit: www.axxessunlimited.com. Please let me know what you think of the site!

Pushing the envelope is the only way I can describe the time committed to completing the building of my new website.  It still amazes me how I get energized and excited about accomplishing a goal.  Last year I established 5 strategic initiatives that I wanted to achieve this year.  One of those initiatives was the creation of a new, dynamic website.  The clarity of my goal drove me to do whatever it took to gather content, learn new technology and work with a team of individuals that were also aligned to the vision.  The energy I needed to fulfill this goal appeared to be present throughout the process.  Sometimes a clear goal is all you need.

Some folks hate having their pictures taken, and others love it.  A few weeks ago I decided it was time to update photos for marketing purposes.  I contacted photographer Kelly Cappelli to lay out a plan.  Over the years I have had the opportunity to see some of Kelly’s work, and I knew someday we would work together.  Kelly invited me to her studio called Studio 5.  During our first meeting we determined my specific use of the photos and my wardrobe selection.  I felt so at ease and was confident we would end up with something special.  The two days of shooting were intense and tiresome.  The result was over the top.  Over the next few days some of Kelly’s work will be posted on my website www.robertvanarlen.com and on Facebook.  Please feel free to comment on the pictures if you like.

If I could pick only one resort in the world with which to have a strategic relationship it would be the Sanctuary Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  Fortunately, I did it! I am incredibly happy to announce that my resident programs will now be offered at the world-class Sanctuary Resort and Spa!  Corporate, community and guest programs will be available year round.  It will be an opportunity for organizational leaders and their teams to experience a content-rich retreat onsite to invigorate their business.

I’m happy to have met our future leaders at the National Collegiate Leadership Conference at the University of Arizona.  As keynote speaker for their conference last week, I was amazed at the openness and ambition of the students.  They were eager to learn the importance of leadership and how they have an opportunity to mold their communities.  There were 52 states and 15 countries represented, and they all understood that it was their mission in life to ignite anyone they come in contact with.  We are in good hands!

I have to share this because I believe we are hearing a lot about organizations that are not doing the right thing.  Over 15 years ago my grandfather passed away.  He worked for 30 years for the railroad.  My grandmother’s retirement was cut over 50%, leaving her with barely enough to live on.  Two months ago she received a letter from the railroad stating that they realized they had made an error and now wanted to correct the past.  The next week she received a check to right what was wrong.  She was not angry, nor did she say anything about the past.  Rather, she said to me that she was thrilled to receive the check and that what they did was right.A lot can be learned from this story as we navigate through the most challenging economy of our lives.  Look for what is good, accept what you cannot change and feel blessed for what you have.