I was listening to a song the other day. We all know that inspiration comes from countless sources. Music often inspires me, but this time I was touched by one line in particular. From a song called, Wagon Wheel, written by Bob Dylan with additional lyrics by Ketch Secor and performed by the Old Crow Medicine Show comes this verse:
Runnin' from the cold up in New England
I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time stringband
My baby plays the guitar
I pick a banjo now
The line that struck me was: I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time stringband
This is not your ordinary dream.
I would be willing to bet that quite often we have thoughts about what we would like to be, or do, or be known for. And then we push them aside for a more conventional path. What would you do if you didn't have to get paid? What dreams have you buried instead of owning up to?
Being a fiddler in an old-time stringband is neither lucrative, nor highly accepted (unless you are in a well-known band). This artist writes about someone who has followed their dream because deep down they felt that burning desire to do so. It is said with such a matter-of-fact tone.
Entertain your deepest, wildest, most outlandish dreams. Even if it's just for a moment. Talk about them, invite them back into your life. What do feel you were born to do?
Live in that certainty today,
Coach Katie
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Take A Step, Move a Mile
Thousands of writers have written about it, thousands of friends have advised with it, thousands of inspirational speakers have promoted it...
IT is the theory that if you do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to move towards a goal you have, you will be closer to it. Why?
BECAUSE YOU ARE NO LONGER STANDING STILL.
Makes sense right? Martha Beck, author of Leaving the Saints, and contributor for O! The Oprah Magazine writes, "Your frustration comes not from a difficult choice but from the way you think you have to choose." Her first piece of advise about being happy is to do something. She says if that doesn't work, go do something else.
It kind of makes you laugh doesn't it? It seems so simple. To be happy...do something. Huh. That's not so hard. Our fears, our doubts and our inability to remain focused can be amazingly painful to our momentum. Do something today. Take that first scary step forward. Find that little twinge of excitement that comes from movement. Use that twinge to eventually create a flood of happiness into your life because you are actively pursuing what you WANT.
Start your momentum today,
Coach Katie
IT is the theory that if you do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to move towards a goal you have, you will be closer to it. Why?
BECAUSE YOU ARE NO LONGER STANDING STILL.
Makes sense right? Martha Beck, author of Leaving the Saints, and contributor for O! The Oprah Magazine writes, "Your frustration comes not from a difficult choice but from the way you think you have to choose." Her first piece of advise about being happy is to do something. She says if that doesn't work, go do something else.
It kind of makes you laugh doesn't it? It seems so simple. To be happy...do something. Huh. That's not so hard. Our fears, our doubts and our inability to remain focused can be amazingly painful to our momentum. Do something today. Take that first scary step forward. Find that little twinge of excitement that comes from movement. Use that twinge to eventually create a flood of happiness into your life because you are actively pursuing what you WANT.
Start your momentum today,
Coach Katie
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sense-Sational Living
I think life can be quite pleasing to the appetite if we’re willing to experiment with the ingredients a little bit. Instead of following the traditional recipe – go to college, study hard, get married, start a family, maintain a career – Spice it up a bit! Add a pinch of thyme, a dash of old sage and a little hot “sass.”
I don’t know about you, but my senses demand to be used and appreciated. To me, living is not simply an act of getting up day after day and earning money to support my lifestyle. I like to nourish the little moments in between. Indulging in all of my senses makes me feel alive and aware. Allowing my attention to focus on what I am experiencing gives me a renewed sense of balance. Sometimes that involves a touchstone of some sort, sometimes a need to get away and yet other times it’s enough just to drum up a good memory.
Growing up I always wanted the toys that smelled good. My Mom always recalls how from the time I was 3 until I was 7, our house smelled like strawberry shortcake. Now, my house is filled with candles, though admittedly, none of them smell like strawberries. I crave candles with scents of eucalyptus, bergamot or sage. Something about those scents transport me into another place. One with history, wisdom and a story all it's own. Why is it that certain smells can propel you into the past? For me, it’s the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking. Instantly, I’m back in my mother’s kitchen, adding the flour and measuring out the brown sugar. Naturally, I make a point to bake cookies as much as possible.
When it comes to food, I’m a mixer. I mix my meat with the mashed potatoes and I spill gravy over onto my vegetables. I appreciate the combination of different tastes. Confusing my palate with different types of ethnic foods, or a new wine is actually quite a rush for me. Some flavors become habit, while others are a momentary treat. Personally, I savor the mornings when the coffee is measured out so perfectly I could drink 10 cups in spite of the uncontrollable foot shake that would result. Tasting food and drink, instead of rushing to finish is very important to me. Combining good food with good friends is the perfect recipe for a very satisfying meal.
With good friends always comes sincere touch. Have you ever encountered a stiff armed hugger? They hug you like suddenly their arms have turned to lead – cold and unable to bend. I like a good hug. So much can be said between two people without a word being exchanged. I cherish the hugs shared between good friends. Touch goes beyond physicality between two people though. Everyday we encounter millions of textures. How often do we notice? Nature cooks up the best texture in my opinion. Some of my favorites are grass between my toes, cool water racing over my skin and rough rock beneath my fingertips.
Nature also offers beautiful sounds. Listening to the bugs start their evening serenade as the day winds down and the evening begins is therapeutic for me. Sitting beside a river bed, I let my mind race with the sounds of the water flowing by. Also calming for me is hearing the wind blow over an open field on a spring day or howl through the trees during a gusty evening. Deafening thunderclaps from a passing storm remind me how safe I am in my home. Other sounds evoke emotions within me as well. Different types of music make my mood dance with rage, love or energy. To agree with Maya Angelou, the human voice is perhaps the most beautiful instrument of all. Laughter seasons my heart and sweet words drain stress from my day.
My mind often works in photographs and text. I am a creative soul, so I’ve always been visual. By the minute, my mind describes to me what my eyes soak in, almost like poetry. I have countless photographs stored away in my psyche. I can equally appreciate the gentle details of a tree trunk and a sweet moment observed between a loving couple. I relish the details. I notice the way a drop of rain hits a puddle rather than the amount of it falling from the sky. I see the look exchanged between two people instead of the event that is taking place in front of me. I favor my visual awareness more than any of my other four senses.
I consider myself rather adventurous in spirit, so I visit my senses quite often. I pause to understand how my surroundings feed each of my five senses. When I’m hiking, I slowly soak in the scenery that my eyes fall upon. As I climb up the side of a mountain, my sense of touch is the most acute as I search for my next hold. When I sit in my kayak during a moonlit paddle, I listen to the sound of the water gliding gently under my paddle.
Everyday our senses are overwhelmed with the experiences we put ourselves into. Each message we receive as a result evokes an emotion and each emotion determines an outcome. We’re hardly aware of it though. I prefer to slow things down, understand the ingredients of my surroundings and savor the delicious feast I can cook up in my everyday encounters.
Be aware today,
Coach Katie
I don’t know about you, but my senses demand to be used and appreciated. To me, living is not simply an act of getting up day after day and earning money to support my lifestyle. I like to nourish the little moments in between. Indulging in all of my senses makes me feel alive and aware. Allowing my attention to focus on what I am experiencing gives me a renewed sense of balance. Sometimes that involves a touchstone of some sort, sometimes a need to get away and yet other times it’s enough just to drum up a good memory.
Growing up I always wanted the toys that smelled good. My Mom always recalls how from the time I was 3 until I was 7, our house smelled like strawberry shortcake. Now, my house is filled with candles, though admittedly, none of them smell like strawberries. I crave candles with scents of eucalyptus, bergamot or sage. Something about those scents transport me into another place. One with history, wisdom and a story all it's own. Why is it that certain smells can propel you into the past? For me, it’s the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking. Instantly, I’m back in my mother’s kitchen, adding the flour and measuring out the brown sugar. Naturally, I make a point to bake cookies as much as possible.
When it comes to food, I’m a mixer. I mix my meat with the mashed potatoes and I spill gravy over onto my vegetables. I appreciate the combination of different tastes. Confusing my palate with different types of ethnic foods, or a new wine is actually quite a rush for me. Some flavors become habit, while others are a momentary treat. Personally, I savor the mornings when the coffee is measured out so perfectly I could drink 10 cups in spite of the uncontrollable foot shake that would result. Tasting food and drink, instead of rushing to finish is very important to me. Combining good food with good friends is the perfect recipe for a very satisfying meal.
With good friends always comes sincere touch. Have you ever encountered a stiff armed hugger? They hug you like suddenly their arms have turned to lead – cold and unable to bend. I like a good hug. So much can be said between two people without a word being exchanged. I cherish the hugs shared between good friends. Touch goes beyond physicality between two people though. Everyday we encounter millions of textures. How often do we notice? Nature cooks up the best texture in my opinion. Some of my favorites are grass between my toes, cool water racing over my skin and rough rock beneath my fingertips.
Nature also offers beautiful sounds. Listening to the bugs start their evening serenade as the day winds down and the evening begins is therapeutic for me. Sitting beside a river bed, I let my mind race with the sounds of the water flowing by. Also calming for me is hearing the wind blow over an open field on a spring day or howl through the trees during a gusty evening. Deafening thunderclaps from a passing storm remind me how safe I am in my home. Other sounds evoke emotions within me as well. Different types of music make my mood dance with rage, love or energy. To agree with Maya Angelou, the human voice is perhaps the most beautiful instrument of all. Laughter seasons my heart and sweet words drain stress from my day.
My mind often works in photographs and text. I am a creative soul, so I’ve always been visual. By the minute, my mind describes to me what my eyes soak in, almost like poetry. I have countless photographs stored away in my psyche. I can equally appreciate the gentle details of a tree trunk and a sweet moment observed between a loving couple. I relish the details. I notice the way a drop of rain hits a puddle rather than the amount of it falling from the sky. I see the look exchanged between two people instead of the event that is taking place in front of me. I favor my visual awareness more than any of my other four senses.
I consider myself rather adventurous in spirit, so I visit my senses quite often. I pause to understand how my surroundings feed each of my five senses. When I’m hiking, I slowly soak in the scenery that my eyes fall upon. As I climb up the side of a mountain, my sense of touch is the most acute as I search for my next hold. When I sit in my kayak during a moonlit paddle, I listen to the sound of the water gliding gently under my paddle.
Everyday our senses are overwhelmed with the experiences we put ourselves into. Each message we receive as a result evokes an emotion and each emotion determines an outcome. We’re hardly aware of it though. I prefer to slow things down, understand the ingredients of my surroundings and savor the delicious feast I can cook up in my everyday encounters.
Be aware today,
Coach Katie
Friday, September 15, 2006
Lost in search of a new job?
If you're reading this post it probably means you are either:
a. Unhappy with your job and yes, looking for a new one OR
b. Know someone who is unhappy with their job and looking for a new one OR
c. Just curious what I have to say in case something should happen and you might look for a new job
Either way, read on.
In this day of fast paced, "gotta make it," growing up too fast attitudes...we tend to find ourselves lost in choices. I talk a lot about choices, but this is particularly about career choices. You want the world, but you need two years experience. No one will hire you without it. SO...how does that work?? You were forced to choose a major in college and studied hard for four, five...maybe six years. Now you are miserable in a job you hate, but feel stuck because that is your only degree. You've been working for years and are simply burned out and needing a change. BUT where do you go? What's next on your path?
If any of this resonates with you, I understand. Let's explore it.
CAREER BOOST is my next group coaching series. For two months, or 6 sessions, we will explore what an ideal career means to you. Each week will be filled with new exercises and tools to help you clarify your vision of what's important and what's not to you in your career.
No matter where you are located, you can participate! I am holding these one hour sessions on a telephone bridge line, so you can call in from anywhere. Each Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (EST), we will meet for one hour. You'll walk away with more passion, awareness and focus in regards to the type of career that best suits you.
This series begins on October 12, 2006. Cost is $100.
For more information, contact Katie at: 704.552.2419 or katie@energizeyourmoment.com
www.energizeyourmoment.com
I'd love to see you there...
Enjoy the journey,
Coach Katie
a. Unhappy with your job and yes, looking for a new one OR
b. Know someone who is unhappy with their job and looking for a new one OR
c. Just curious what I have to say in case something should happen and you might look for a new job
Either way, read on.
In this day of fast paced, "gotta make it," growing up too fast attitudes...we tend to find ourselves lost in choices. I talk a lot about choices, but this is particularly about career choices. You want the world, but you need two years experience. No one will hire you without it. SO...how does that work?? You were forced to choose a major in college and studied hard for four, five...maybe six years. Now you are miserable in a job you hate, but feel stuck because that is your only degree. You've been working for years and are simply burned out and needing a change. BUT where do you go? What's next on your path?
If any of this resonates with you, I understand. Let's explore it.
CAREER BOOST is my next group coaching series. For two months, or 6 sessions, we will explore what an ideal career means to you. Each week will be filled with new exercises and tools to help you clarify your vision of what's important and what's not to you in your career.
No matter where you are located, you can participate! I am holding these one hour sessions on a telephone bridge line, so you can call in from anywhere. Each Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (EST), we will meet for one hour. You'll walk away with more passion, awareness and focus in regards to the type of career that best suits you.
This series begins on October 12, 2006. Cost is $100.
For more information, contact Katie at: 704.552.2419 or katie@energizeyourmoment.com
www.energizeyourmoment.com
I'd love to see you there...
Enjoy the journey,
Coach Katie
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Run Toward Your Dreams, Not Away
My biggest life lesson to date is that I am in control of my life. If things aren't going right, if I'm not happy with my friends, if I'm not content with my job...it's on me. My responsibility. My fault. Most importantly, those frustrating circumstances stem from MY CHOICES.
I choose to stay. I choose to go. I choose to keep certain people around. Why is there comfort in misery? If you're not careful, it can start to feel like home. My inspiration today is measured by my happiness. Small steps turn to big steps, and soon you are running at a full pace toward your dreams. It's trite, but practice makes perfect. Taking small steps to ask for what you need, going after what you want and really seeking the answers to your questions becomes habit. Settling for less is not an option.
If someone does something to bother you, tastefully confront them about it. No need to say 'yes' to everything and overextend yourself. Accept the invitations that you truly want. Surround yourself with friends that you want to be around, who challenge you and who inspire you. Make a living at a job that fulfills you. Chose to release yourself from the comfort of stability and take a chance.
Someone once told me that the hardest part of running is the first two miles. Beyond that your body is adjusted to the physical strain, your breathing has become regular and your energy is up. Creating energy in your lifestyle is very much the same. When you first begin to make a change, to question, it's exhilirating but exhausting. Your brain wants to convince itself that it's too tired, or too hard. Keep pushing forward and slowly it becomes easier.
At some point, you can even enjoy the brisk air that surrounds you and the constant movement of your body and mind. Your scenery is of your choosing and your pace is your own. How far you run and how fast is up to you.
Choose for yourself this week. Clear your mind and find your vision.
-Coach Katie
I choose to stay. I choose to go. I choose to keep certain people around. Why is there comfort in misery? If you're not careful, it can start to feel like home. My inspiration today is measured by my happiness. Small steps turn to big steps, and soon you are running at a full pace toward your dreams. It's trite, but practice makes perfect. Taking small steps to ask for what you need, going after what you want and really seeking the answers to your questions becomes habit. Settling for less is not an option.
If someone does something to bother you, tastefully confront them about it. No need to say 'yes' to everything and overextend yourself. Accept the invitations that you truly want. Surround yourself with friends that you want to be around, who challenge you and who inspire you. Make a living at a job that fulfills you. Chose to release yourself from the comfort of stability and take a chance.
Someone once told me that the hardest part of running is the first two miles. Beyond that your body is adjusted to the physical strain, your breathing has become regular and your energy is up. Creating energy in your lifestyle is very much the same. When you first begin to make a change, to question, it's exhilirating but exhausting. Your brain wants to convince itself that it's too tired, or too hard. Keep pushing forward and slowly it becomes easier.
At some point, you can even enjoy the brisk air that surrounds you and the constant movement of your body and mind. Your scenery is of your choosing and your pace is your own. How far you run and how fast is up to you.
Choose for yourself this week. Clear your mind and find your vision.
-Coach Katie
Monday, September 11, 2006
Dollars and Sense!
80% of lottery winners in the United States file bankruptcy within 5 years.
Soak that in for a moment. 80%! Jack Canfield cited this fact in his book, The Success Principles before he went on to introduce a theory that completely changed how I thought about money. I hope it has the same effect on you and your own self limiting beliefs.
According to Jack's theory, those lottery winners became accustomed to having a certain amount of money. Have you ever gotten a big bonus from work only to blow it on a lot of expensive clothes, a car, some new gadget? You, too, were accustomed to a certain level of prosperity. We settle into a financial comfort zone.
For some, having a few thousand dollars in the bank is enough of a cushion. If that number jumps significantly in any direction, they adjust their lifestyle to return to their comfort zone. Be it spending or saving, we try hard not to stray from what we have become accustomed to.
If you can step outside of your own perspective, you can see that someone who has $50,000 in the bank can be just as comfortable living as someone who has $50,000 in debt. Each of those people are comfortable with their status because they have learned to live that way. Each lives in a way to maintain that standard.
Someone who doesn't have money is most likely uncomfortable driving through a rich neighborhood, or going to a fancy restaurant since it is such a stretch for them to do so. Their brains send messages of "I don't deserve to be here, I don't feel welcome here, I don't fit in here." Someone who has money probably doesn't think twice because they are so used to experiencing such wealth.
Those who have money will pinch, save and cut back in order to maintain a wealthy status if they've taken some sort of blow monetarily. Building reserves back up to that comfortable level becomes a serious goal. So why aren't we all rich?
We limit ourselves with our beliefs. Our silent messages rule what we feel we "deserve." Instead of stretching our monetary boundaries to experience a richer side of life, we would prefer to keep things the way they are. So...we blow our savings and repeat the same old stories in our heads. We also surround ourselves with others who can reinforce this "normal" income in our lives.
Jack Canfield had a boss and mentor who asked him to set a goal higher than he thought he could achieve. He set a goal to make $100,000 the next year. It took him five years to take that goal seriously, but once he did, he made $92,000. He used action, motivation and positive affirmation to remind himself of his goal and to work toward achieving it. Every year since then, he's made over a million. How's that for pushing boundaries?
Where is your comfort zone? How willing are you to stretch? If you're like me, you've begun making excuses: "Jack Canfield already had a name for himself to be able to reach such a goal. I bet he didn't have debt to pay off first. I'm married. I have children. I have a steady job." Whatever your story, let it go for the time being. Play with this principle. See what happens.
Pick any number that seems like "too" much in your head. Write it down, put a future date next to it and get to work. Just see what happens, see what doors open up for you, follow the flow of inspiration that begins. Begin to get comfortable with that number and revisit it every day. More than once if you can.
Dream big and expect more of yourself. You've made it happen before and your inner power for success is even greater than you are aware of. Stretch what you know and ask for what you want, even if it seems rediculous. Live with intent.
Create your reality,
Coach Katie
Soak that in for a moment. 80%! Jack Canfield cited this fact in his book, The Success Principles before he went on to introduce a theory that completely changed how I thought about money. I hope it has the same effect on you and your own self limiting beliefs.
According to Jack's theory, those lottery winners became accustomed to having a certain amount of money. Have you ever gotten a big bonus from work only to blow it on a lot of expensive clothes, a car, some new gadget? You, too, were accustomed to a certain level of prosperity. We settle into a financial comfort zone.
For some, having a few thousand dollars in the bank is enough of a cushion. If that number jumps significantly in any direction, they adjust their lifestyle to return to their comfort zone. Be it spending or saving, we try hard not to stray from what we have become accustomed to.
If you can step outside of your own perspective, you can see that someone who has $50,000 in the bank can be just as comfortable living as someone who has $50,000 in debt. Each of those people are comfortable with their status because they have learned to live that way. Each lives in a way to maintain that standard.
Someone who doesn't have money is most likely uncomfortable driving through a rich neighborhood, or going to a fancy restaurant since it is such a stretch for them to do so. Their brains send messages of "I don't deserve to be here, I don't feel welcome here, I don't fit in here." Someone who has money probably doesn't think twice because they are so used to experiencing such wealth.
Those who have money will pinch, save and cut back in order to maintain a wealthy status if they've taken some sort of blow monetarily. Building reserves back up to that comfortable level becomes a serious goal. So why aren't we all rich?
We limit ourselves with our beliefs. Our silent messages rule what we feel we "deserve." Instead of stretching our monetary boundaries to experience a richer side of life, we would prefer to keep things the way they are. So...we blow our savings and repeat the same old stories in our heads. We also surround ourselves with others who can reinforce this "normal" income in our lives.
Jack Canfield had a boss and mentor who asked him to set a goal higher than he thought he could achieve. He set a goal to make $100,000 the next year. It took him five years to take that goal seriously, but once he did, he made $92,000. He used action, motivation and positive affirmation to remind himself of his goal and to work toward achieving it. Every year since then, he's made over a million. How's that for pushing boundaries?
Where is your comfort zone? How willing are you to stretch? If you're like me, you've begun making excuses: "Jack Canfield already had a name for himself to be able to reach such a goal. I bet he didn't have debt to pay off first. I'm married. I have children. I have a steady job." Whatever your story, let it go for the time being. Play with this principle. See what happens.
Pick any number that seems like "too" much in your head. Write it down, put a future date next to it and get to work. Just see what happens, see what doors open up for you, follow the flow of inspiration that begins. Begin to get comfortable with that number and revisit it every day. More than once if you can.
Dream big and expect more of yourself. You've made it happen before and your inner power for success is even greater than you are aware of. Stretch what you know and ask for what you want, even if it seems rediculous. Live with intent.
Create your reality,
Coach Katie
Friday, September 08, 2006
Learning to Live in Patience
I've finally taken control over a friend's computer in order to jump on the internet. My computer is currently ill and subsequently has been put in time out because I'm rather angry with it. Nothing can garble my brain waves more than computers, cars or pets being out of of commission for a while. It's been a week since I successfully used my computer for any length of time.
As a coach, I should know there is a lesson in this and that it's not worth getting worked up over. My brain, however, is trying to convince me otherwise. In any case, I'm learning to live with patience until I can again be a free internet loving woman. I am trying to have fun with this newly found time. I've caught up on old phone calls, a little bit of reading and even done some tidying around the office. I think it has been good for me. I move in stealth mode to catch a snapshot of my e-mail while there is a free computer around. All in all, I'd like to say I don't miss the internet one bit, but I really do.
Life can be challenging. A friend of mine once said that he thought challenges were the Universe's way of making sure we were on the right path. If we can't stand up to the challenge (or rather choose not to), then perhaps we really didn't want to go down that road afterall.
Think of any relationship you have been in. Some have worked out, some have not. For those of you that are married, or have had a friend for years, you know that it takes work. Through the challenges, your partnership becomes stronger. You choose to endure those hard times because you know deep in your heart that your two feet are planted firmly where they are meant to be.
While being without a computer for a week is hardly a serious challenge, I found wisdom in the brief reminder that this was just a small pebble in the road. Bigger boulders will find me in the future. Sometimes, when I'm really living authentically, the road ahead of me is straight and easy to navigate. I try to notice the little moments, find my lesson, right my path and move on to that straight road. I encourage you to try it.
Viewing our challenges as gifts of direction, motivation and support can do a world of good for the nerves. My family always used to ask me if I would remember whatever I worked up over in 10 years. Usually my answer was no. Is it worth our energy, stress, anxiety and anger if we are without our cars for two days? If someone cuts us off in traffic? If we fail to turn in a report on time? If we have a fight with our spouse? Not usually.
In the long haul, those aren't the moments we remember. They simply serve as reminders for us. I can't begin to describe to you, though I think you understand, how much I appreciate my car when I get it back after it's been in the shop. I'll feel the same way when my part comes in for my computer and I am happily lauching programs and surfing the internet. These moments teach me patience and appreciation.
Have a great weekend and give this a try: appreciate things before they are taken away. We all have so many gifts to share, friends to support us and peripheral "stuff" to help us along the way. Gratitude is a very becoming quality.
In gratitude and patience,
Coach Katie
As a coach, I should know there is a lesson in this and that it's not worth getting worked up over. My brain, however, is trying to convince me otherwise. In any case, I'm learning to live with patience until I can again be a free internet loving woman. I am trying to have fun with this newly found time. I've caught up on old phone calls, a little bit of reading and even done some tidying around the office. I think it has been good for me. I move in stealth mode to catch a snapshot of my e-mail while there is a free computer around. All in all, I'd like to say I don't miss the internet one bit, but I really do.
Life can be challenging. A friend of mine once said that he thought challenges were the Universe's way of making sure we were on the right path. If we can't stand up to the challenge (or rather choose not to), then perhaps we really didn't want to go down that road afterall.
Think of any relationship you have been in. Some have worked out, some have not. For those of you that are married, or have had a friend for years, you know that it takes work. Through the challenges, your partnership becomes stronger. You choose to endure those hard times because you know deep in your heart that your two feet are planted firmly where they are meant to be.
While being without a computer for a week is hardly a serious challenge, I found wisdom in the brief reminder that this was just a small pebble in the road. Bigger boulders will find me in the future. Sometimes, when I'm really living authentically, the road ahead of me is straight and easy to navigate. I try to notice the little moments, find my lesson, right my path and move on to that straight road. I encourage you to try it.
Viewing our challenges as gifts of direction, motivation and support can do a world of good for the nerves. My family always used to ask me if I would remember whatever I worked up over in 10 years. Usually my answer was no. Is it worth our energy, stress, anxiety and anger if we are without our cars for two days? If someone cuts us off in traffic? If we fail to turn in a report on time? If we have a fight with our spouse? Not usually.
In the long haul, those aren't the moments we remember. They simply serve as reminders for us. I can't begin to describe to you, though I think you understand, how much I appreciate my car when I get it back after it's been in the shop. I'll feel the same way when my part comes in for my computer and I am happily lauching programs and surfing the internet. These moments teach me patience and appreciation.
Have a great weekend and give this a try: appreciate things before they are taken away. We all have so many gifts to share, friends to support us and peripheral "stuff" to help us along the way. Gratitude is a very becoming quality.
In gratitude and patience,
Coach Katie
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Struggling with Letting Go
In lieu of my last post about the stories we tell ourselves, I'd like to write a little bit about letting go. Maybe you have worked your way into awareness regarding what is holding you back, maybe you are still pushing forward with discovery. Either way, I can assure you that once you define a story to work through, you will want instant gratification. Awareness doesn't mean success, unfortunately. If you're anything like me, and I believe that most of you are, it's difficult to keep going after you've slipped backwards a few times.
Here is what I propose based on many books that I've read and many wise souls I have had the privilege of talking to: Learn to let go. Set your intention. Be sure it is confident, detailed and positive. Then let go. Unattach yourself from the outcome and see how your intention chooses to manifest itself in your life. Setting strong intentions takes a lot of work and learning to let go of the outcome takes a lot of self control!
Instead of stating that you want to lose weight, use language that is specific: On September 30th at 5 o'clock, I will weigh 130 lbs. By stating this so matter-of-factly, you keep yourself accountable. Instead of stating you want a better job, say something like: I deserve a job that uses my skills and talents. On January 1st, I will have done my research, discovered a better position for myself and will be actively seeking employment in that field.
I was once encouraged by a friend of mine to set my inentions on paper with magazine clippings and then write at the bottom,"This, or something better, is manifesting itself for me right now. I trust the Universe's plan for me."
I love that quote because it reminds me that I might not get exactly what I asked for. You know what? That is okay. Everything has a way of fitting together the way it is supposed to. We have wonderful things working their way into our lives right now. We just aren't aware of them yet. Sometimes what we ask for isn't what we need.
Friends, this is a hard concept to accept. I still struggle with letting go of the intentions I really, really want. We are all still creating our reality and that will never change. It's our responsibility to accept what we've created, continue working to make it better and share the knowledge we know. Often, I find that when I loosen my grip a little bit, everything seems to fall into place. Have you ever experienced this?
Practice this and know that I practice it with you,
Coach Katie
Here is what I propose based on many books that I've read and many wise souls I have had the privilege of talking to: Learn to let go. Set your intention. Be sure it is confident, detailed and positive. Then let go. Unattach yourself from the outcome and see how your intention chooses to manifest itself in your life. Setting strong intentions takes a lot of work and learning to let go of the outcome takes a lot of self control!
Instead of stating that you want to lose weight, use language that is specific: On September 30th at 5 o'clock, I will weigh 130 lbs. By stating this so matter-of-factly, you keep yourself accountable. Instead of stating you want a better job, say something like: I deserve a job that uses my skills and talents. On January 1st, I will have done my research, discovered a better position for myself and will be actively seeking employment in that field.
I was once encouraged by a friend of mine to set my inentions on paper with magazine clippings and then write at the bottom,"This, or something better, is manifesting itself for me right now. I trust the Universe's plan for me."
I love that quote because it reminds me that I might not get exactly what I asked for. You know what? That is okay. Everything has a way of fitting together the way it is supposed to. We have wonderful things working their way into our lives right now. We just aren't aware of them yet. Sometimes what we ask for isn't what we need.
Friends, this is a hard concept to accept. I still struggle with letting go of the intentions I really, really want. We are all still creating our reality and that will never change. It's our responsibility to accept what we've created, continue working to make it better and share the knowledge we know. Often, I find that when I loosen my grip a little bit, everything seems to fall into place. Have you ever experienced this?
Practice this and know that I practice it with you,
Coach Katie
Monday, August 28, 2006
Positive Mantras
In my last post, I talked about creating a positive story, or mantra, to counter any negative stories you catch yourself in. Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. and Traci Harrell have created a website dedicated to positive mantras and attitude shifters that can be downloaded onto an ipod or purchased on CD. Enjoy!
Check them out at:
www.ipopin.com
Check them out at:
www.ipopin.com
Clearing out the Critical Clutter
Why can't I seem to keep friends? Why can't I keep a boyfriend? Why am I unhappy in my job? Why is my house such a wreck? Why do I keep getting sick? Why do I seem to be a magnet for bad tidings?
If these questions often circulate through your head, it's time to clear out the clutter. I don't necessarily mean physical clutter either. I am also referring to the critical thinking clutter we allow to take over our thoughts. It makes concentrating on anything hard and it hurts our self esteem. In coaching terms, we call these our stories. We each have certain stories we tell ourselves. Unfortunately, most of the time we don't even know we are being critical of ourselves because those thoughts have become such a part of our subconscious selves.
I'll share a story that I once tortured myself with. One day a friend of mine asked me to go climbing. I was thrilled to be asked as I always seemed to sit back and wait for someone else to do the asking. (Sound familiar?) Shortly after accepting the invitation, I became aware of a thought that went through my head. Almost immediately I said to myself that she was only asking me because she needed a climbing partner. I then noticed a pattern as I ran through a slew of other moments that people "only asked me to join them because..." I did adventurous activities, I had extra gear, they needed someone to go with...etc, etc.
It was a comfortable thought, which scared me. I knew that it was so natural because I had become so accustomed to believing and repeating it. I don't know when the thought started or how long I had been telling myself this story. It was subconscious until I caught myself. What a horrible lie I had been telling myself. I was subtracting my own self worth through a thought I didn't even know I was capable of! Of course these friends wanted me around.
I began practicing a change in attitude to clear out the critical clutter. Instead of thinking people only asked me to do things because they needed to, I began reminding myself that they wouldn't ask if they didn't want me there. Not to mention they didn't have to invite me in the first place! I began asking them to do things, too. This not only made me a better friend (it is a two way road!), but it also reinforced the fact that they wanted me around because they said yes when they could have said no. I then began a personal mantra to flip that story in my head every time I caught myself thinking it.
Not only did I learn something about myself, but I saw how I was hurting my own relationships through it. The time had come to stop blaming others and to stop making excuses. I noticed a pattern and the problems that manifested from it in my personal life. I took control, worked with my coach and came up with a solution to take responsibility. What a wonderful outcome I created! My friends have grown exponentially since then.
I encourage you today to listen to those little thoughts that race through your head. The ones that say you can't do it, you aren't worth it or that no one will care. Take control of your stories, flip them around and make sure you squash them before they do any more damage. Clear out the critical clutter to move forward and live an undeniably happy life because it starts with your actions. You ARE worth it, you CAN do it and I promise, we DO care. You're only as successful, personable and wise as you allow yourself to be. Why hold yourself back?
Love and encouragement,
Coach Katie
If these questions often circulate through your head, it's time to clear out the clutter. I don't necessarily mean physical clutter either. I am also referring to the critical thinking clutter we allow to take over our thoughts. It makes concentrating on anything hard and it hurts our self esteem. In coaching terms, we call these our stories. We each have certain stories we tell ourselves. Unfortunately, most of the time we don't even know we are being critical of ourselves because those thoughts have become such a part of our subconscious selves.
I'll share a story that I once tortured myself with. One day a friend of mine asked me to go climbing. I was thrilled to be asked as I always seemed to sit back and wait for someone else to do the asking. (Sound familiar?) Shortly after accepting the invitation, I became aware of a thought that went through my head. Almost immediately I said to myself that she was only asking me because she needed a climbing partner. I then noticed a pattern as I ran through a slew of other moments that people "only asked me to join them because..." I did adventurous activities, I had extra gear, they needed someone to go with...etc, etc.
It was a comfortable thought, which scared me. I knew that it was so natural because I had become so accustomed to believing and repeating it. I don't know when the thought started or how long I had been telling myself this story. It was subconscious until I caught myself. What a horrible lie I had been telling myself. I was subtracting my own self worth through a thought I didn't even know I was capable of! Of course these friends wanted me around.
I began practicing a change in attitude to clear out the critical clutter. Instead of thinking people only asked me to do things because they needed to, I began reminding myself that they wouldn't ask if they didn't want me there. Not to mention they didn't have to invite me in the first place! I began asking them to do things, too. This not only made me a better friend (it is a two way road!), but it also reinforced the fact that they wanted me around because they said yes when they could have said no. I then began a personal mantra to flip that story in my head every time I caught myself thinking it.
Not only did I learn something about myself, but I saw how I was hurting my own relationships through it. The time had come to stop blaming others and to stop making excuses. I noticed a pattern and the problems that manifested from it in my personal life. I took control, worked with my coach and came up with a solution to take responsibility. What a wonderful outcome I created! My friends have grown exponentially since then.
I encourage you today to listen to those little thoughts that race through your head. The ones that say you can't do it, you aren't worth it or that no one will care. Take control of your stories, flip them around and make sure you squash them before they do any more damage. Clear out the critical clutter to move forward and live an undeniably happy life because it starts with your actions. You ARE worth it, you CAN do it and I promise, we DO care. You're only as successful, personable and wise as you allow yourself to be. Why hold yourself back?
Love and encouragement,
Coach Katie
Monday, August 07, 2006
Wisdom from Jack Canfield
"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
-Michelangelo
I am reading Jack Canfield's THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES and it is reinforcing everything I have ever known in life. At one point he references something General Wesley Clark told him. General Clark said, "It doesn't take any more energy to create a big dream than it does to create a little one."
This, of course, was in his section on creating a vision. Create your vision and make it big. You have unique talents and gifts. I do not know and will not know who will read this today...or tomorrow...or in ten years. Yet I am still confident that each of you reading this has a natural combination of gifts that no one else on this earth has. You have a voice and you have a purpose. Find what that is, embrace it, follow it and create your life around it. If you do that, nothing can stop you. Nothing is more powerful than a human being with a vision that has excitement, courage and anxiety pushing it forward.
Dream big today,
Coach Katie
-Michelangelo
I am reading Jack Canfield's THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES and it is reinforcing everything I have ever known in life. At one point he references something General Wesley Clark told him. General Clark said, "It doesn't take any more energy to create a big dream than it does to create a little one."
This, of course, was in his section on creating a vision. Create your vision and make it big. You have unique talents and gifts. I do not know and will not know who will read this today...or tomorrow...or in ten years. Yet I am still confident that each of you reading this has a natural combination of gifts that no one else on this earth has. You have a voice and you have a purpose. Find what that is, embrace it, follow it and create your life around it. If you do that, nothing can stop you. Nothing is more powerful than a human being with a vision that has excitement, courage and anxiety pushing it forward.
Dream big today,
Coach Katie
Friday, August 04, 2006
Think Deep, Listen Hard and Trust Your Intuition
Artist/Band: Nickel Creek
Lyrics for Song: Hanging By A Thread
Lyrics for Album: This Side
.....
There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you.
There's a kind of hunger that can eat you up.
There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight.
An' there's a lonely side of love.
.....
There's a certain kind of pain that can numb you.
There's a type of freedom that can tie you down.
Sometimes the unexplained can define you,
And sometimes, silence is the only sound.
......
Wow. This song cut right through me. I had heard it a million times before, but I had not truly LISTENED. That is so true, so often in life. Only when you are ready to listen will your lessons reveal themselves. I was ready to hear what this song had to say. I was prepared to ponder the deeper meaning within myself. I ask that you do the same with them today. Take each line and really think of a time when that was true for you. Sit with each mismatching thought and allow them to melt together forming painful and loving truths about your character. Let those truths sink into your bones and LISTEN to the lessons they have for you.
Think deep today and listen carefully,
Coach Katie
Lyrics for Song: Hanging By A Thread
Lyrics for Album: This Side
.....
There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you.
There's a kind of hunger that can eat you up.
There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight.
An' there's a lonely side of love.
.....
There's a certain kind of pain that can numb you.
There's a type of freedom that can tie you down.
Sometimes the unexplained can define you,
And sometimes, silence is the only sound.
......
Wow. This song cut right through me. I had heard it a million times before, but I had not truly LISTENED. That is so true, so often in life. Only when you are ready to listen will your lessons reveal themselves. I was ready to hear what this song had to say. I was prepared to ponder the deeper meaning within myself. I ask that you do the same with them today. Take each line and really think of a time when that was true for you. Sit with each mismatching thought and allow them to melt together forming painful and loving truths about your character. Let those truths sink into your bones and LISTEN to the lessons they have for you.
Think deep today and listen carefully,
Coach Katie
Monday, July 31, 2006
Changing Seasons
I know it's only the end of July. I haven't lost my mind by writing about the changing of the seasons, I promise! I went biking at the Virginia Creeper Trail this past weekend and on our shuttle up the mountain, the driver stopped by an oak tree that was already starting to change colors. We all commented on how early it was. It seemed odd for the leaves to be changing already. He said it does this every year. Maybe it knows something we don't.
We all change seasons at different times in our lives. Some people are considered 'old souls.' Some are late to bloom. Where do you fall? What would happen if you had changed seasons sooner or later? What season of your life are you eager to enter into?
I'm featuring this thought as a full length article in my next e-newsletter. Sign up for FREE at: www.energizeyourmoment.com
Coach Katie
We all change seasons at different times in our lives. Some people are considered 'old souls.' Some are late to bloom. Where do you fall? What would happen if you had changed seasons sooner or later? What season of your life are you eager to enter into?
I'm featuring this thought as a full length article in my next e-newsletter. Sign up for FREE at: www.energizeyourmoment.com
Coach Katie
Monday, July 24, 2006
Get A Move On
There's a lot of waiting in life. One of my favorite quotes is by Joseph Campbell: "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be experienced." So much of our waiting game makes up that mystery. Things don't happen the way we want, or even expect, them to. All we can do is put ourselves in line with our values and set the path in front of us. What we encounter along that path is our mystery.
My request from you today is to get a move on. What do you want most? What makes you unhappy? What do you wish would happen? Give yourself a little control to set your path in motion. Start taking steps toward dissolving those things in your life that cause you discomfort and start adding to the pile of fun, meaningful and cherished moments.
What story continues to run through your head? Are you unhappy with your job? Unhappy with where you are living? Unhappy with your relationships? Do you want to visit Key West? Do you want to take a month off? Do you want to talk to that cute guy at the coffee shop? Do you want to work in a completely different field?
Get your momentum going in full force! Set your goal, set your action steps to align yourself with that goal and go after it. Start walking down that path and see what mysterious coincidences help you along the way. You never what is just around the corner-but you have to be open to seeing it! I talk a lot about awareness and this is key for today's blog. Being aware helps you to notice the little signs that point you toward your goal. It's like driving down a highway. How often do you notice the signs pointing to different destinations unless you are looking for them? Not often.
Follow your heart. Listen to your intuition. Look for the signs. Begin your journey, even if it's scary.
Wake Up and Get a Move On Today!!
Coach Katie
My request from you today is to get a move on. What do you want most? What makes you unhappy? What do you wish would happen? Give yourself a little control to set your path in motion. Start taking steps toward dissolving those things in your life that cause you discomfort and start adding to the pile of fun, meaningful and cherished moments.
What story continues to run through your head? Are you unhappy with your job? Unhappy with where you are living? Unhappy with your relationships? Do you want to visit Key West? Do you want to take a month off? Do you want to talk to that cute guy at the coffee shop? Do you want to work in a completely different field?
Get your momentum going in full force! Set your goal, set your action steps to align yourself with that goal and go after it. Start walking down that path and see what mysterious coincidences help you along the way. You never what is just around the corner-but you have to be open to seeing it! I talk a lot about awareness and this is key for today's blog. Being aware helps you to notice the little signs that point you toward your goal. It's like driving down a highway. How often do you notice the signs pointing to different destinations unless you are looking for them? Not often.
Follow your heart. Listen to your intuition. Look for the signs. Begin your journey, even if it's scary.
Wake Up and Get a Move On Today!!
Coach Katie
Friday, July 14, 2006
All Worked Up
STRESS! It's summertime and everyone wants to be outside playing, not inside working. I've been hearing a lot of my clients, friends and family talk about how stressed they are. Everything is piling up right about the time we want some freedom. Is it more work or is it the hunger to get out of the office, away from the kids and out into the sunshine?
I think we each want to experience new things in the summer, too. We say yes more, we sign up for more, we ask more of ourselves and we take more chances. All of these cause stress because our time is then limited. Use your judgement before you say yes to everything regarding the amount of stress it will cause you in the long run.
I've talked about abundance before and I think it's important to bring it up again here. Having an abundance of time and energy in the summer is the best gift you can give yourself. Try to plan your PTO days so you have a few extra during the summer months, work hard to wrap up your projects in a timely manner instead of sitting on them. Stop daydreaming and get to work! Take some time in the middle of the day to step outside and take a quick walk around the building or make a phone call. The sun will warm you right up and give you a bit more energy to make it through the rest of the day.
When you are able to go outside and do what you love to do, don't take it for granted. Relish the moment. Take an active role in the perfection of those few precious hours that you are carefree. Drink them up, remember them. So often the time passes us by before we know it and we don't feel like we really took account of how special it was.
When you are super stressed, find something to represent how centered you can be. Use it to bring yourself back to the fact that your stress level in temporary and if you remain calm, everything will find a way of completing itself. This can be a small stretch in the middle of the day, a mantra or a touch stone.
Enjoy the summer days and make some time to kick back, relax and enjoy!
Coach Katie
I think we each want to experience new things in the summer, too. We say yes more, we sign up for more, we ask more of ourselves and we take more chances. All of these cause stress because our time is then limited. Use your judgement before you say yes to everything regarding the amount of stress it will cause you in the long run.
I've talked about abundance before and I think it's important to bring it up again here. Having an abundance of time and energy in the summer is the best gift you can give yourself. Try to plan your PTO days so you have a few extra during the summer months, work hard to wrap up your projects in a timely manner instead of sitting on them. Stop daydreaming and get to work! Take some time in the middle of the day to step outside and take a quick walk around the building or make a phone call. The sun will warm you right up and give you a bit more energy to make it through the rest of the day.
When you are able to go outside and do what you love to do, don't take it for granted. Relish the moment. Take an active role in the perfection of those few precious hours that you are carefree. Drink them up, remember them. So often the time passes us by before we know it and we don't feel like we really took account of how special it was.
When you are super stressed, find something to represent how centered you can be. Use it to bring yourself back to the fact that your stress level in temporary and if you remain calm, everything will find a way of completing itself. This can be a small stretch in the middle of the day, a mantra or a touch stone.
Enjoy the summer days and make some time to kick back, relax and enjoy!
Coach Katie
Friday, July 07, 2006
Tiny Miracles
From a small book I own called Simple Wisdom comes this quote:
"Miracles surround us at every turn if we but sharpen our perceptions of them." -Willa Cather, writer
Use your perception today. Really see those miracles all around. Understand the miracle of a child reaching up for their parents' hand, the vegetable that a seed produces or the wisdom that made the internet possible. Wrap your mind around the gift you've been given to hear your friends laugh, to taste the food that you eat and to smell the summer air. Relish the moment that allows you to feel comfortable in your own skin.
I challenge you to find the small ones that often go unnoticed. What are your miracles today?
Have a great weekend,
Coach Katie
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
An Inconvenient Truth
Last night I was moved.
I want to share with you today the powerful impact a movie had on me. I hope you will consider seeing it for yourself. I hope you will consider making at least one change in the way you live to help this problem. An Inconvenient Truth is a movie bringing awareness to the growing issue of global warming on our society and the world. Al Gore does a superb job bringing this movie in front of those who need to see it – US. We are the problem and we are the solution.
Our inconvenient truth is that we are ruining this planet. It is a truth that we are all aware of. With every piece of trash we throw away, every tank of gas we fill up with, every hot day we turn our air conditioners on. We are aware of our creature comforts. We CHOOSE to ignore them, abuse them and convince ourselves that we are too small to do anything.
We are small. We are each one person. We each contribute to the effects of emissions and carbon dioxide used each year. TOGETHER we make a difference in the dissolving health of this planet. TOGETHER we can make a difference to begin changing our habits. TOGETHER we can make this planet healthy again.
I will leave the frightening statistics for Al Gore to share with you. I will tell you this – we cannot ignore this issue. It will affect us in our lifetime. It will affect our families and our children. This is not something we can ignore and eventually die wondering what impact we had. We will find discomfort in the coming years because of the state of our planet. How much discomfort are we willing to endure now to avoid the massive changes we are destined to see if we do nothing?
Please see this movie. Please help spread the word. Please start with you.
On a smaller scale, to tune this in to coaching, think about your own inconvenient truths. What are you avoiding now because it will hurt to face it? Is it a toxic relationship? A suffocating job? Fear? Loneliness? Wasteful nature? What is your inconvenient truth? Be honest. Plant the seed now in your soul – a brutally honest seed that you are harming yourself in the long run by not acting now. It hurts to remove the issue, but are the lasting effects negative in the long run? Are they negative in the short term if they continue?
What is your first step to move past this? Sometimes it is like ripping off a bandaid. Sometimes it is a slow removal. Do what works best for you, but don't stop until the problem is solved. Enlist friends and family. Put up notes to remind yourself. Journal. LIVE your life without the band aids. You don't need the crutch. You are strong enough, I promise. It starts with you. Make the choice, change the habits, create the flow of easy habits to continue moving forward.
My personal encouragement in the mountains. My desire to be in the mountains, to keep them pure, to keep them a healthy escape will spur me foward to make changes in my life to help this global warming problem. I will help spread the word. I will change my habits (http://www.climatecrisis.net/ see the Take Action link to see what you can do as well). I will continue to tell people about this movie. I will do my part. My hope is that people take this problem seriously and do believe that they can start the momentum for this problem to begin healing. Help it along won't you?
In action and with passion,
Coach Katie
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Falling in Love with Yourself
Good morning,
I am attracting a lot of people lately with some self confidence issues. We all know what that means...I must be struggling somewhere in this department as well. Confidence comes in many packages. Everyone waivers at one point or another. Similarly, everyone is super confident at different times in their lives.
One area I am excited to share some information on is self confidence on the outside. Did you know that you can trick your psyche into thinking things? Sure! We all tell ourselves little lies and little truths. It's too bad we often don't even know we are doing it. Try to tune your awareness into what you tell yourself when you start to doubt and when you feel uplifted. Where does that little voice come from? If you can trick yourself into believing you are confident, that story will start to seep in through your skin, down to your bones and into your soul. Once you believe it, you will start to radiate that positive, confident energy and draw like minded people to you.
So...let's begin! Lately this has not been a hard task for me - falling in love with myself on the outside. For example, I enjoy kayaking and last night I went on a moonlight kayak with a few friends. As I was paddling, I looked down at the water and caught a glimpse of my arm where it bends at the elbow. That soft, subtle, womanly bend as it hollows out on the inside. It was sunset and the water was calm. As I paddled, I looked down and thought, "I am completely in love with the inside of my elbow right now." Is that crazy? Such a small part of me, yet I found such beauty in it. It was a personal thought, a truth I embedded into my heart. I share it as an example of falling in love with myself. It's not ego-based, it's not self-centered. It fed me and gave me outer confidence.
Everyday, find something new to fall in with on your body or in your actions. Consciously, but privately, tell yourself what that something is and why you love it. Go into detail. Look yourself in the eye in the mirror. Eventually, this spreads to the inside because the more you notice that you appreciate about yourself, the deeper you go. Before long, you'll be having inner dialogue about loving the way you are able to stand in line at the grocery store in patience. You will be loving things like your patience! How often do we admire things like that in other people? We just don't give ourselves enough credit. Have fun with it and tell yourself all of the positive ways you admire yourself on a daily basis. This slowly transforms your inner truths and your negative beliefs about yourself. Don't be surprised if it alters things like your posture and your ability to carry conversation.
Confidence is an interesting topic. It's an inward dialogue, but an outer show. Love yourself. From the inside out and the outside in. Find the root of the lies you tell yourself and find a way to flip the story. You are unique. You have gifts to offer the world that other people will benefit from. Share them, don't keep them locked up. Find something directly related to you to fall in love with today.
In beauty and confidence,
Coach Katie
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Magnetic Attraction. Letting Your Light Shine.
Have you ever had one of those weeks where everyone seems to want to be around you? It could be a stranger in the grocery store, out of touch friends, people who used to be acquaintances, and on and on. Suddenly, your magnetic force is on high and you are pulling everyone into your world.
I’d like to share a personal story of mine on this topic. Not too long ago, my own coach and I worked on forming a mantra when I was feeling less than attractive. This mantra was meant to be something I would say to myself in order to be present in the moment. After a lot of missing the mark, my wording boiled down to: MY LIGHT SHINES NOW. I wanted to be this bright, shiny, glowing light that people wanted to be around. I started putting myself out there, having informal parties and really putting effort into my relationships. My reward has been an inundation of love, support and laughter.
I am having so much fun playing with this concept of creating reality. Wishing for something isn't going to do it. It's just not enough. You have to step into the spotlight for anyone to be able to see you. This requires action. It's not about being the center of attention, or stealing the limelight. It's about really allowing people to see you and, of course, I mean the real you.
Marianne Williamson once wrote, "Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do." What does this mean? Children don’t know how to be anything else. They are who they are. They ask the silly questions, they say the innocent things, they cry when they feel like it and they laugh when they feel like it. If we could all be so real, the world would be a much more understanding place.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. If you are minimizing yourself, you are not being yourself. How can you expect anyone around you to really “get” you? Being a magnetic force is about being authentic, but not being selfish. If your intentions are purely to gain attention, it’s not enough. That fades. Being authentic attracts people who balance you.
By doing so, you are putting yourself in the light. In fact, you create the light. NOW people will see and appreciate you. Learn to love the mystery of human interaction, listen to the words people say to you and listen to your own words. Radiate your own authentic light and there is no stopping you.
Ending Marianne Williamson’s quote is this: “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.” Go inspire others today to uncover their hidden light. It starts with you.
Until next time,
Coach Katie
I’d like to share a personal story of mine on this topic. Not too long ago, my own coach and I worked on forming a mantra when I was feeling less than attractive. This mantra was meant to be something I would say to myself in order to be present in the moment. After a lot of missing the mark, my wording boiled down to: MY LIGHT SHINES NOW. I wanted to be this bright, shiny, glowing light that people wanted to be around. I started putting myself out there, having informal parties and really putting effort into my relationships. My reward has been an inundation of love, support and laughter.
I am having so much fun playing with this concept of creating reality. Wishing for something isn't going to do it. It's just not enough. You have to step into the spotlight for anyone to be able to see you. This requires action. It's not about being the center of attention, or stealing the limelight. It's about really allowing people to see you and, of course, I mean the real you.
Marianne Williamson once wrote, "Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do." What does this mean? Children don’t know how to be anything else. They are who they are. They ask the silly questions, they say the innocent things, they cry when they feel like it and they laugh when they feel like it. If we could all be so real, the world would be a much more understanding place.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. If you are minimizing yourself, you are not being yourself. How can you expect anyone around you to really “get” you? Being a magnetic force is about being authentic, but not being selfish. If your intentions are purely to gain attention, it’s not enough. That fades. Being authentic attracts people who balance you.
By doing so, you are putting yourself in the light. In fact, you create the light. NOW people will see and appreciate you. Learn to love the mystery of human interaction, listen to the words people say to you and listen to your own words. Radiate your own authentic light and there is no stopping you.
Ending Marianne Williamson’s quote is this: “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.” Go inspire others today to uncover their hidden light. It starts with you.
Until next time,
Coach Katie
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