What you think you get!

I was sitting in my office, listening to a fabulous MP3 download by Jack Canfield (you know, the guy who wrote the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' books) and I thought there is loads of great tips and ideas in there, maybe others want to listen. So here's the link: http://www.canfieldtrainings.com/free/listen.php

I downloaded it with the idea that I would listen to it when I had more time, started to listen to check that it had downloaded properly and then got captivated by it. Hope you enjoy it. It doesn't take long to download but it takes about an hour to listen. You could always save it for a rainy day-oh that's today!
Have a fantastic week!

What is a great holiday?

On the Queen's birthday long weekend, my family joined another family for a fabulous camping holiday. We left Saturday morning (very early......up at 4 am, on the barge by 6.30). We went camping at North Stradbroke Island for four days, returning home lunch time Tuesday. Fantastic weather, great company and campfires.....what more could you ask for.

While I was there, I was thinking about how relaxing it was and how I have always found camping relaxing even when I was a Bank Manager. I was thinking about how I used to find that the best holidays (best=the ones where I relaxed the most) were camping holidays. I didn't know then what I know now of course. I used to tell people that when I went camping I would relax straight away, whereas if I went to a unit or resort, I would just start to relax and it would be time to go.

Now, I would say, that in a completely different environment such as camping, nothing is routine. You are totally present even when you are washing up! You are more aware of your surrounds as there is nothing 'routine' about them. Even still now, I am completely relaxed when camping as soon as I get in the car to go there. Of course, I have learned skills to bring living in the present into my everyday life and so can feel equally 'un-stressed' at home in hectic times or at a resort.

But it is fantastic to have a short break, get in touch with nature and RELAX!

My Most Challenging Hour

Look out! I've worked out how to change my font colour!
I realised this morning, my most challenging hours of switching off my mind is in the middle of the night. For some reason, I was woken very early this morning (3 am) and paid a visit to the bathroom (too much information, I know). I went back to bed with full intentions of returning to slumber (isn't that what's on your mind at 3 am). No, it wasn't to be so. My mind was 'out of control' I guess you could say. It was having a tantrum, perhaps. It was going to be heard and no matter what I tried I could not return to slumber. One of the things my mind was involuntarily thinking about was my newsletter. And the other thing my mind was thinking about was the Gratitude Retreat for which I am on the committee. So I asked myself, 'Can I take action on either of these two things?'. Unfortunately, the answer I came up with was 'Yes' and here I am at 6.30 am. Been up since 4 am! It has been a very productive two hours, however. Did you receive my newsletter? And now you are reading my blog (and in blue font at that). Have you yet heard about my coaching special for the month of June(see below)? I bet the girls on the committee can't wait to see what I have cooked up for the Gratitude Retreat! And I have a wonderfully calm morning ahead of me with plenty of time to share with my family and be TOTALLY PRESENT! So maybe getting up at 4 am has many rewards. I'll let you know at 7 pm tonight! (or maybe I'll have a Power Nap for 10 mins sometime this arvo!) Well, as always, I hope you have a fantastic day. I know I will!
JUNE SPECIAL: If you start your coaching journey in the month of June, your investment will be half of what it normally is. If your journey starts with four hours, you will save yourself $130. I expect places will fill fast, so act now! If you have any questions please contact me, I'm happy to answer.

Creative space

I went away on a fabulous retreat last weekend. It was a scrapbooking retreat run by the lovely Ke-Ane at Direct Scrapbooking Warehouse. There is nothing better than creating for taking you to that place where you can just enjoy the present. To be creative, your mind really needs to be at the task to hand. You are easily able to stop your mind thinking about your worries and stresses and just relax and think only of your creation. It was very refreshing and inspiring and I came home very invigorated even though I had had little sleep. Thanks Ke-Ane and for my friend Sandra who suggested I go.

Trying it out

Well this week, I found myself attending an interview for the first time in about 20 years. There were 18 positions for which there were over 200 applicants. I was really determined to put my latest skills to the test. In the past I would have been extremely nervous coming up to the interview. From about 3 days before, really. You know, fequent toileting (too much information I know), not eating too much because of a queasy stomach, all the rest that goes with that type of anxiousness. So I stayed in the present. The only time I put any time into thinking about the interview was in the morning when I was preparing for it. I chose my plan of action, reread my application and then got ready. There was a tendancy every now and then to pre-empt what was going to happen (if only I had a crystal ball) but who knows. I thought about the positive outcome I wanted and then re-focused on what was happening right at that moment (good thing I did especially driving there!). Even throughout the interview, I stayed with the moment. Remaining calm, I found it much easier to actually focus and think more clearly than if I had of allowed myself to be nervous. I even went as far to remember about using body language to help build rapport. I walked out feeling great, not only about how the interview went but also about how much better I felt staying in the present. Who knows if I'll be the right person for the position, all I know is I gave it my best shot. Enjoy your weekend. I will! I'm off to create at a scrapbooking retreat.

In the end!

A wise person said to me this week, "you know you never hear anyone on their death bed saying Gee I wish I had of worked more!" How true is that? What people are usually saying is I wish I had spent more time with my ............(family, loved ones, friends, animals etc) or I wish I had of spent more time .............(camping, fishing, playing golf, talking with the kids, with the grandkids etc). These days more and more people are realising that it's not about how much you work or how hard you work, it's about how smart you work and what you do with your time when you are not at work. I'm sure we all know someone who, even if they aren't at work, they are still worrying or stressing about work or feeling guilty because they aren't at work. Or someone who started their own business so they could enjoy the things they wanted to enjoy, only to end working 20 hours a day and worrying the other four! Choose your thoughts. Don't worry, Be happy!

Peace & Calm

I was thinking today in the car about my next blog and I thought maybe I should expand on the headline 'Living a relaxed, calm life without changing a thing!'

When I speak with prospective clients, they sometimes say they would need to change their whole world. When mapping out with a client, what it is they want from their life and what they want to achieve in our coaching journey, most clients say they want to live a peaceful, calm life or they want to enjoy their family/life more. 'That's all I want', they say. They talk about the stresses in their life which mostly they are unable to change(e.g. their mortgage, how busy their business/career is, their hectic family life, etc) or wish not to change as it has it's rewards. The stress doesn't come from the mortgage, the business etc, it comes from what our minds create around that. And this is what I mean when I say you can live a calm and relaxed life without changing a thing (except your thoughts).

If you think about that in relation to the Law of Attraction belief that what you think about and focus on is what you attract, worry and stress just mean that you will get more of whatever you are worrying about and stressing about in your life. Great! Just what you need! Wouldn't you like to 'unworry' (to steal a phrase) and unstress-or putting it positively be relaxed and calm?

New to this!

I have started a blog as I am hoping to give tips and ideas about staying happy and enjoying life even in these tough times, or should I say especially in these tough times. Most of our life is spent worrying about things that have happened that we no longer can take action to prevent or change or worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future of which at this time we can take no action. What's the point of all this worry? It zaps our energy, it stops us from being truly happy and it churns us up. Wouldn't your life be much more enjoyable if, when you were playing with the kids you could actually BE playing with the kids instead of worrying or feeling guilty?
My quality of life has certainly become much more enjoyable and I could actually say I am now LIVING my life since my own personal coaching journey has taken me down the path of worrying and stressing less and enjoying each moment more. So stay tuned, or posted or whatever it is here.
Oh, remember to save my blog address in your favourites or become a follower so you can get regular updates, tips, etc.