I heard myself thinking, “Really, who am I to think that I could be a national expert, traveling all over the country?” I don’t have enough education to be an expert….There are others that are more credible than I am…I really don’t have what it takes to do this.” I believed every thought that came and went. It was only years later (while I was in coach training) that I learned this is a normal and natural occurrence. At the time I just thought there was something wrong with me. This realization caused me to change careers and start coaching. I saw that there was a world full of people that were experiencing what I had and I saw that I could now make a difference in people’s lives in a very profound way. Anytime we begin to look at or do something new and different, this self-limiting chatter happens, that at times, stops us in our tracks. ( More about this in a future blog.) It’s now my privilege to provide my clients with simple practical tools they can use to shift away from the chatter to what really matters, their ideas, dreams and goals. My Dad, who is now in his eighties, has been an entrepreneur all his life despite not having a high school diploma and the responsibility of caring for a wife and seven children.

I watched him fail at starting his own business time and time again. We were dirt poor when I was little. We lived in old rented farm houses that didn’t have indoor plumbing or central heat. But Dad kept us fed and we were loved, which is all a child needs in order to thrive. He eventually succeeded in owning his own business and made his”million” by the time he was in his 50’s. I always wondered how he did it….now I know. He was more interested in his dreams, his intentions, his goals and less interested in the chatter. He inspired us kids to do the same. 6 of us, out of the 7, have owned our own businesses. It wasn’t anything he said that caused us to go on the same journey. It was because he demonstrated that it could be done. Thank you Dad!

Most everyone has a desire to be physically fit and healthy. We know that certain actions are needed to acquire good wellness. Because of this, we create wellness goals or what we think are wellness goals such as working out, eating better, or losing weight. Consider this…working out is not a wellness goal, it is a wellness action. So is eating better. Losing weight is not a wellness goal, it is a byproduct of working out and/or eating better. Are you intrigued by this? Would you really like to know what a wellness goal is? Attend “Wellness Goals Worth Playing For” and identify meaningful wellness goals that reflect what is important to you, goals that bring you good health, joy and energy when completed! Come learn how to create the goals that mean the most to you!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012     11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

SCC - Continuing Education Center   301 S. 68th St. Place, Room 404, Lincoln, NE

Cost: $30 (includes lunch)

Register for LLBX 1196-CEWA        402- 437-2700

http://www.mycoachingdimensions.com/

Every year at this time people start looking at making resolutions. You would think the New Year would bring a sense of possibility, but when we look at a New Year’s resolution, we often feel weighted down and constricted. A voice in the head says…you’re not going to do this. Some of the resolutions my clients have shared over the years have sounded like this. ”I always say I’m going to lose weight and get organized. It’s always the same. I start and then I just fizzle out. Always the same, it’s all so predictable and monotonous.”

This sense of heaviness when people talk about New Year’s resolutions is not the spontaneous, joy-filled experience we all want in our lives.  We want more clarity, focus and ease in our lives, a cheeriness and a sense of inspiration about our lives.

Certain words open up a sense of possibility and promise and other words shut it down.  “ Resolution” is defined as, “A firm decision to do something, a sense of determination of mind or purpose.” The problem with the word resolution is that we often have the reaction of responsibility, obligation…the opposite of being spontaneous.  We often experience our heart and body getting heavy when we think about goals and New Year’s Resolutions.  That in some way we have to prod ourselves into action.

Would it be all right with you if you no longer put so much baggage on yourself?  Would it be OK with you if life got easier?  Might there be a different way to experience the upcoming year?

Here are a few questions for your consideration.  The nature of a question is that it shifts your perception.

Would it be all right with me to shift the focus of my attention to areas that really interest me?   (For example, resolutions are usually about things we are not going to do, like not eat so much.  If I resolve to lose weight, how many of us wake up and say Yippee, I get to count calories today!)

Am I curious about being more physically fit and healthy? What would I be doing that would be more fun than what I am doing right now? Would it be swimming with the dolphins or hiking the Grand Canyon or surfing in Hawaii. What goals might really be worth playing for?

What am I willing to become interested in and what am I willing to pursue and get curious about in my life?

Am I willing to become curious about leading a more organized life? (Becoming curious about getting more organized is far more interesting than to resolve in becoming more organized. )

Are there possibilities and adventures I am willing to have this year?

What would give me enhanced breathing room and a sense of gratitude this year?

What am I willing to enjoy or savor this year?

What am I willing to appreciate this year?

These questions shift us to a more panoramic view of our life.  We get excited and have more ideas as we answer them. Whichever questions call to you, keep them in front of you for the next 30 days.  Notice the difference between answering the questions and creating resolutions.  Just say No to Resolutions and Yes to the Possibilities!