Noticing

January 2025

Hello Friends,

I no longer do New Year’s Resolutions. They feel like such a set up for defeat. And life just doesn’t need to feel that way. Instead, this year I asked myself, “What I want to feel more of?”  “Whose company do I want to be in?”  “What spaces I hope to occupy or create?” As with so much of my life, I want my goals to feel intentional. I want my actions to feel aligned with the core of my being. I want to make meaningful changes that will last.

The goal is to move the needle forward. Progress, not perfection. I am, oh so tired of being too hard on myself. Resolutions fail because they are binary. They are pass/fail, you did or did not. How demoralizing to set a resolution and not even make it a month. Who needs that? Focus on the progress. In a week, how many days did you remember to drink enough water?  Better than the week before? Excellent. And I only ever compete with myself.

I am often heard saying, “You cannot boil the ocean”. You have to choose what you are going to give your energy to. When you say yes to something you are saying no to something else. There are only 24 hours in a day. So you must choose. This year, my favorite Real Estate Conference, Genuine Hustle is in February on the East Coast. Yet this year my family has issues that I feel I want to be available for. So it is deeply and regrettably a “no” to the people who fill my cup, that I have looked forward to reuniting with. But I must be intentional with my “yes” and what matters most.

My dear friend John Blacksmith reviews the old year and mines for his “To Don’t List”. The stuff he is eradicating moving forward.

A good example is for the last few days I've been unsubscribing to emails in my inbox at an alarming rate. More important than emails, I'll be more mindful of where I allow myself to show up. I'm going to stop showing up where I'm not appreciated and wishing it were different. The truth is there are plenty of circles of people who do appreciate me and I do them, and THAT is where I need to be. And I am going to continue to create opportunities to connect people which I love to do. So habits, commitments, people or mindsets that no longer serve me will be erased from my intentional life.

A new set point, like January 1st, or Labor Day might feel like a refreshing point to restart but the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter when you start, as long as you do. Perhaps like me you are lured by all the beautiful new journals, calendars and daytimers that flood the internet and stores this time of year. Alluring, yes. Critical, no. Just start when YOU are ready. Maybe something far more intentional is taking up space right now. That’s ok. Please give yourself grace.

I was listening to an agent go on about how she sends House Anniversary cards to her past clients every year and beats herself up if they did not land in the client’s inbox on the exact date. I assure you, they don’t care. In fact, now some coaches have us believing we need to do an annual review for ALL our clients. Sounds reasonable if you have a small portfolio of past clients, but if you have been in the business for any length of time, that is delusional. It turns into a full time job. Instead, the best advice I have heard is from Tom Ferry, (I know!). He suggests sending out a postcard offering to do a property review if wanted. SO much easier and manageable and now you know who is considering a possible change of status. Intentionality. I promise you that doing twenty annual reviews that were asked for, beats 600 that take you away from something you really rather should be doing.

I feel the same way about holiday cards. As much as I gripe about the season, I do look forward to everyone’s cards to see photos of the family. But have you noticed the ones where the sender has taken the time to insert even one short personalized line hits differently? Take note of that. How much of your communication throughout the year is like a spray hose of info that is just shouting “look at me”!

When in fact, you have an obligation to know where your people are at in their life cycle in order to serve them best. Show me that your marketing plan takes THAT into consideration. Maya Angelou said it best; no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. I'm reading the latest book put out by Harvard Business Review called Personalized Customer Strategy In the Age of AI. While there are a lot of silly AI uses out there, I think the future of real estate will include marketing that can be more finely targeted to specific market segments. Why does my 65 year old homeowner need to get an ad targeted to First Time Buyers? They don’t and they shouldn’t. On the other hand, if they have kids who are about to become first time buyers and they are affluent enough to want to help, perhaps an article by an estate or tax planning professional is appropriate. It’s a thought provoking book and I do recommend it.

Diane's Non-New Year's Resolutions

Notice something wonderful to be grateful about each day. I set my daily intention by 9am, do my 5 x 8 (notice and encourage 5 people by 8am) and end my days with a grateful thought. The mindset and daily practice of gratitude is like a wonderful down comforter or a beautiful thought before you go to sleep. Notice the good that is around you. Happiness doesn’t live in the future. It needs to be grabbed right now. Don’t live a deferred happiness model. “I will be happy when…”.

Promise me you will find a reason to be happy TODAY. I have a dear friend, who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. She is grace personified. When I visited her, she was so grateful for so many things and so positive. I had to pull over on her winding hill on the way home because I was sobbing so hard at how unfair it was that f-ing (sorry) cancer had befallen yet another friend. Her emotional resilience and her beautiful strong family are teaching me so much. Notice the good right before you.

Start before you’re ready. Tara Mohr always says something close to, “Women tend to feel they need a PhD in something before they will stick their neck out. So many men just go for it and figure it out as they go along.” Guilty! No, I don’t have a PhD but you can bet if I'm talking in front of a group, I've studied the material I'm talking about ad infinitum. I originally wanted to quit real estate and go to grad school to get a degree in counseling. Someone far wiser than myself, said, “You don’t need that and the world cannot wait for all that.” Here is what I know. I have loved my coaching practice more than anything I have ever done in my life. I wish I'd started it ten years ago but also know I lacked the wisdom I have now. It makes sense to have a business coach that at least ran a profitable business—in my case, over 30 years. I get to practice my listening skills, choose my words wisely and allow my clients to discover that they have had the answers all along. I merely shine the flashlight a little brighter and maybe at a different angle for them to discover this.

Here are two of my most recent clients on what they have to say about working with me.

“Although my work with Diane has only recently begun, it has already made an impact on my real estate business. She pushes me with practical, actionable strategies that align with my unique style, and her deep experience in the industry has been invaluable in moving the needle forward. I’m excited to continue this journey with her and see what we accomplish together in 2025!”

~Danielle Martin

Windermere Real Estate Skagit Valley

“Coaching with Diane Terry was one of the best decisions I made for myself both personally and professionally in 2024. In a season of life where I was redefining my boundaries, or possibly discovering them for the first time; I am so grateful I had Diane in my corner. She gave me guidance, permission, and encouragement to design and implement the life that I want, vs what I thought I should be doing. She helped me look at the relationships in my life and showed how to kindly end those that are no longer serving me without burning any bridges. Diane’s knowledge, experience, and patience helps you do the work necessary to find your own inner strength to build a business based on your values and provide excellent customer service along the way. Whether you are new to the business, purposefully changing how you conduct business, or looking to learn how to better connect with your customers in a personal way; I highly recommend you let Diane be your guide.”

~Erin Wright, Esquire

Windermere NW Living Vancouver, WA

For 2025, my monthly posts will feature (with her permission, of course) the work of Anna Brones. A local, paper cutting artist, who runs workshops and has a website where she sells her beautiful work. She was the fourth local artist I supported in 2024. She has graciously allowed me to feature her papercut art each month from her 2025 calendar. I purchased 100 calendars that turn into postcards and the thought of 1200 of her postcards going out into the world in 2025 makes me very happy indeed.

If you wish to challenge yourself to level up in 2025, please consider private coaching with me. Invest in yourself! You are worth it. 

XOXO,

Diane


Coach Diane