This morning I looked into my closet and couldn’t figure out what to wear to work. (We have a pretty casual dress code in my office so I could have tossed on my flip-flops and a track suit but I’d worn that yesterday.) I confess, I like to have nice clothes and a decent closet.
You see, when I was young my mom always sewed my clothes while I coveted store-bought dresses. If it wasn’t hand-made, it was handed-down from my older sister. To add insult to injury, my twin brother got the store-bought clothes for obvious reasons – no son of an Italian father could wear his sister’s clothes (no matter how butch she was). I always envied him for that privilege. Wearing “vintage” clothing from my older sister drove the desire to create the abundant, but not ostentatious, closet I have today.
After all, I tell my legal nurse consulting students they need to dress professionally to make the right impression. So should I.
So standing there in front of my closet, why wasn’t I seeing one thing to wear? Easy! It’s because I was looking at it in the same way I’d looked at it every day leading up to this morning. I was looking at the same clothes from the same point of view.
Suddenly it hit me, instead of having nothing to wear, I was standing in front of a cornucopia of clothing (all neatly cleaned, pressed and hung). Instead of putting on one outfit, I simply needed to change the blouse, switch the skirt for pants, pull different earrings, shoes and purse and I had a whole new outfit! There were infinite possibilities with my imagination (and mis-matching plaids) as the only limitations.
Do you look at your legal nurse consulting business each day with new or the same eyes? Are you so used to looking at it one way that you can’t see the limitless possibilities and opportunities waiting for you?
I recently challenged my executive team to look at a situation in a new way. The results were surprising. Each came back with a new, surprising and different solution – much better than I had even hoped for. That’s because they applied new eyes to an old situation.
Are you still looking at the same old CLNC® business closet and not seeing anything new? Are you still looking in that closet and not seeing the opportunities?
Is there a CLNC®service you haven’t offered yet? One that’s in your scope of ability, but that might just require you to flex your agility (or get off the couch)? Have you contacted your attorney-clients to see if there’s something new you can do for them beyond what you offer today?
It’s time to throw open the door to your CLNC® closet and start looking at your business with new eyes. I can’t wait to hear what stunning new outfits you come up with.
I’ll be mixin’ and matchin’.
Success Is Inside!
P.S.Comment and share how you look at your legal nurse consulting business with new eyes.
3 thoughts on “What’s in Your CLNC® Closet Today?”
Gosh I am number four of five and you can bet I saw my days of hand me downs! I feel like you have been peeking in my closet! Just the other week, I went through everything and I sent it all to the Goodwill. Yup. Major overhaul. I don’t really “dress” like I used to. I stay at home most of the time and it’s wonderful. But even my “hang around” clothes were looking shabby. It doesn’t make me feel good or pretty, or energetic when my clothes don’t look tidy. I went and got my nails done and did a little “retail therapy.” Now, even my sitting at home clothes better suits me. (Those new jeans were expensive. So was the shirt. But they are just kicky and I love them…) To Tom, I guess it would be like finding a new search engine.
Funny you should compare it to my business. I hadn’t thought of it quite like my closet, but heck, I guess it is because most recently; the business went through an overhaul too!
Except at the time, I looked at the overhaul like it was a change in plans. You know that nursing continuum of care? Well, I sort of look at everything like a nursing care plan.
Although I kept the “framework” I actually revisited my business plan and adapted it to what was happening in the business. I made a few changes here and there. Brightened a few things up, moved a few things around and presto! Excitement again. It may sound like a lot, but it really wasn’t any more difficult than finding a blouse to go with that black skirt – everything “goes;” it’s just what makes me feel the best. I think in business, we have to keep adapting to the times and right now business has slowed slightly and it’s time to look at what is working and what is not working. Or what isn’t working like I planned. Slight changes that make things appear “cared for” or “updated.” Like those jeans. Every now and then, the business needs a good cleaning and dusting. Tossing things out, even if I did like or love them at one time. The idea is old and worn like my favorite sweat shirt. It just doesn’t make me feel like it used to.
You always give me something to think about Vickie!
I like your advice. My clothing will probably be a “plain suit,” black or gray most probably with a white blouse. High heels “not too high” because I am afraid to fall. Probably same brand from Nordstrom but by the price of Marshall “neat and clean.”
I gained a lot of weight but I do not feel hungry at all. The only problem is that I have to come back to workout to lose that weight because my closet is full of brand new clothes that I have not worn and all of them are very good material. Do you know any special diet? I love carbohydrates and sugars but they are bad for my health.
I know you can lose those unwanted pounds. To run a successful CLNC® business you must enjoy an optimal state of health. First, give yourself permission to take care of yourself. Find an exercise you enjoy. Move your body as often as you can. This can be fun – for instance, if you enjoy music, find a few moments each day to “turn it up” and dance your favorite steps.
Eat healthy low-fat, low-carb foods and avoid all high-fructose corn syrup. Be sure to read the labels – you’d be surprised at all the foods that have corn syrup in them. Avoid eating processed foods and eat whole foods. Stick to lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. Then it’s perfectly okay to have the occasional treat.
LegalNurse.com is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC®) is the largest and oldest association of legal nurse consultants.
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*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
Gosh I am number four of five and you can bet I saw my days of hand me downs! I feel like you have been peeking in my closet! Just the other week, I went through everything and I sent it all to the Goodwill. Yup. Major overhaul. I don’t really “dress” like I used to. I stay at home most of the time and it’s wonderful. But even my “hang around” clothes were looking shabby. It doesn’t make me feel good or pretty, or energetic when my clothes don’t look tidy. I went and got my nails done and did a little “retail therapy.” Now, even my sitting at home clothes better suits me. (Those new jeans were expensive. So was the shirt. But they are just kicky and I love them…) To Tom, I guess it would be like finding a new search engine.
Funny you should compare it to my business. I hadn’t thought of it quite like my closet, but heck, I guess it is because most recently; the business went through an overhaul too!
Except at the time, I looked at the overhaul like it was a change in plans. You know that nursing continuum of care? Well, I sort of look at everything like a nursing care plan.
Although I kept the “framework” I actually revisited my business plan and adapted it to what was happening in the business. I made a few changes here and there. Brightened a few things up, moved a few things around and presto! Excitement again. It may sound like a lot, but it really wasn’t any more difficult than finding a blouse to go with that black skirt – everything “goes;” it’s just what makes me feel the best. I think in business, we have to keep adapting to the times and right now business has slowed slightly and it’s time to look at what is working and what is not working. Or what isn’t working like I planned. Slight changes that make things appear “cared for” or “updated.” Like those jeans. Every now and then, the business needs a good cleaning and dusting. Tossing things out, even if I did like or love them at one time. The idea is old and worn like my favorite sweat shirt. It just doesn’t make me feel like it used to.
You always give me something to think about Vickie!
I like your advice. My clothing will probably be a “plain suit,” black or gray most probably with a white blouse. High heels “not too high” because I am afraid to fall. Probably same brand from Nordstrom but by the price of Marshall “neat and clean.”
I gained a lot of weight but I do not feel hungry at all. The only problem is that I have to come back to workout to lose that weight because my closet is full of brand new clothes that I have not worn and all of them are very good material. Do you know any special diet? I love carbohydrates and sugars but they are bad for my health.
Hi Yanet,
I know you can lose those unwanted pounds. To run a successful CLNC® business you must enjoy an optimal state of health. First, give yourself permission to take care of yourself. Find an exercise you enjoy. Move your body as often as you can. This can be fun – for instance, if you enjoy music, find a few moments each day to “turn it up” and dance your favorite steps.
Eat healthy low-fat, low-carb foods and avoid all high-fructose corn syrup. Be sure to read the labels – you’d be surprised at all the foods that have corn syrup in them. Avoid eating processed foods and eat whole foods. Stick to lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. Then it’s perfectly okay to have the occasional treat.
Success Is Yours!