When there's too much to do where do you start ? Do you do as many of the little things you have on your list to clear the decks for the bigger challenges ? Or do you get on with the big challenge and then fit the little tasks in when you can?
I don't think there's one answer to this, some people prefer to start small and some don't. If I'm feeling really motivated then I'll probably get on with the most difficult challenge first especially if I think I have enough time to finsh it or a clearly defined part of it in the time available. If I'm a bit tired or not motivated I'll aim to do one small task and then another one and so on, feeling that success breeds success. Adding in treats helps and of course that's where this blog started, we've come back to treats. Many things can be a treat and not all treats are chocolate cake.
Perhaps the blog should be renamed the not all treats are chocolate cake. (And if that doesn't mean anything to you please go back to blog post one)
So what do you do, start big and tidy up alter or start small and get a run at the bigger challenge ?
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Sunday, 16 August 2009
its your life
A basic starting point for coaching is that our lives are our own. We may have a strong spiritual connection, people whose needs are important to us and difficulties as regards health or finance for example but from start to finish ...... its your life.
And because we are the navigators of our own journey there is always something we can do to improve our own life. Always.
In magazines we sometimes read about people making huge changes to their lives, selling up and moving to another country, giving up work without another job to go to, breaking out of a cycle of drug use and so on and sometimes those amazing stories can be demotivating.
How can I make such huge dramatic changes ? That's a question I've heard many times. The answer is .... you don't have to. Make a small change and feel the satisfaction that will bring. Make another small change and feel the satisfaction that will bring ...... and when you are really in touch with your own power, really living your own life why then many things will appear more possible.
And because we are the navigators of our own journey there is always something we can do to improve our own life. Always.
In magazines we sometimes read about people making huge changes to their lives, selling up and moving to another country, giving up work without another job to go to, breaking out of a cycle of drug use and so on and sometimes those amazing stories can be demotivating.
How can I make such huge dramatic changes ? That's a question I've heard many times. The answer is .... you don't have to. Make a small change and feel the satisfaction that will bring. Make another small change and feel the satisfaction that will bring ...... and when you are really in touch with your own power, really living your own life why then many things will appear more possible.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
energy vampires again
Is another aspect of everyday life which encourages energy vampires text messages with no real purpose.
A recent client was feeling rather lonely although she said she had numerous friends. I asked her to describe her life as it might be when she had reorganised things so as not to be lonely. This describing the perfect life is a basic technique in coaching. It can be very hard to imagine how you would like your life to be but the more detailed the picture or plan the easier it is to orgainse the journey.
So in my client's lovely world she would make and receive numerous telephone calls so as to chat to her friends often. When she had lived like this previously she had felt energised and part of things even when she was sitting at home relaxing. So what changed ?
In recent months she has made very few phone calls and received fewer too because people send more and more texts. She doesn't find texts energising and in fact often felt drained by texts with no real message.
Texts are great for fixing times or explaining a delay but are they the same as a chat ..... not for this client. She realised that she preferred chatting and missed the short calls she used to make and receive.
Her session ended with the agreed action of making more phone calls and asking two or three friends to call not phone.
and I wait to hear if she feels less lonely after a month of phone calls
A recent client was feeling rather lonely although she said she had numerous friends. I asked her to describe her life as it might be when she had reorganised things so as not to be lonely. This describing the perfect life is a basic technique in coaching. It can be very hard to imagine how you would like your life to be but the more detailed the picture or plan the easier it is to orgainse the journey.
So in my client's lovely world she would make and receive numerous telephone calls so as to chat to her friends often. When she had lived like this previously she had felt energised and part of things even when she was sitting at home relaxing. So what changed ?
In recent months she has made very few phone calls and received fewer too because people send more and more texts. She doesn't find texts energising and in fact often felt drained by texts with no real message.
Texts are great for fixing times or explaining a delay but are they the same as a chat ..... not for this client. She realised that she preferred chatting and missed the short calls she used to make and receive.
Her session ended with the agreed action of making more phone calls and asking two or three friends to call not phone.
and I wait to hear if she feels less lonely after a month of phone calls
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Is it work/life balance or life/work balance ?
Personally I think its life/work balance. However much we enjoy our work and I do usually enjoy mine, it is only part of life. If we always put our work first I think we might be missing out.
I have coached many people as they approach retirement. Some look forward to it realistically, knowing it will bring some joy and some sadness as they change their position in the world. Some feel it will be joy and only joy and some face the prospect of life without work with trepidation because they have put their work first for many years.
One useful idea is to rehearse retirement several times during holiday periods. Staying at home and experimenting with a retired person's lifestyle.Tthis can bring to mind questions about how to structure time; days, weeks, a year for example in ways which bring more joy into your life.
I haven't been coachingfor the last week, I've been rehearsing for a distant retirement. It took me a few days to stop checking my diary or over planning my time and then it was great. One result is that I've returned to work with a more relaxed attitude and have a question about retirement to consider for the future.
It has to be life/work balance really, don't you think ?
I have coached many people as they approach retirement. Some look forward to it realistically, knowing it will bring some joy and some sadness as they change their position in the world. Some feel it will be joy and only joy and some face the prospect of life without work with trepidation because they have put their work first for many years.
One useful idea is to rehearse retirement several times during holiday periods. Staying at home and experimenting with a retired person's lifestyle.Tthis can bring to mind questions about how to structure time; days, weeks, a year for example in ways which bring more joy into your life.
I haven't been coachingfor the last week, I've been rehearsing for a distant retirement. It took me a few days to stop checking my diary or over planning my time and then it was great. One result is that I've returned to work with a more relaxed attitude and have a question about retirement to consider for the future.
It has to be life/work balance really, don't you think ?
Saturday, 1 August 2009
break out
and sometimes amid all this life planning and goal setting you just have to stop for a minute.
Sir Bobby Robson died yesterday having lived with five different cancers. He is spoken of as a kind, honest man, who followed his passion until his death. His passion took him out of his comfort zone from the age of 17 and I think he makes a great role model.
When asked about his secret he said he just took opportunities when they came along and always remembered that people are what makes up our worlds.
So today's blog is a thank you you Sir Bobby. Let us all take oportunities when they come up and remember the people in our worlds with love.
Sir Bobby Robson died yesterday having lived with five different cancers. He is spoken of as a kind, honest man, who followed his passion until his death. His passion took him out of his comfort zone from the age of 17 and I think he makes a great role model.
When asked about his secret he said he just took opportunities when they came along and always remembered that people are what makes up our worlds.
So today's blog is a thank you you Sir Bobby. Let us all take oportunities when they come up and remember the people in our worlds with love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)