Mamma Mia! The Movie - Chiquitita (video)

Here's a great life coaching moment with a twist taken from my new favourite film.
What a high energy feel good film.

Disney (+thumbelina) - Love is like a Butterfly

We Love Dolly Parton. This is the song being sung by everyone in our house at the moment.

Prioritise

I can't do everything.
Something had to give.
It was my blog.
I have 5 weeks until all my work has to be completed for ICA so I can graduate in December.
So instead of being distracted my my blog, emails, facebook etc when I sit at my computer I WORK .
It is working and I am getting it done. This is making me feel lighter and lighter by the day.
So Mr Blog you are just going to have to wait and I will give you more attention soon.
Bye for now.......................;

La Rentrée

The start of the new school year is seen as a big deal here in France and I like that.

It is like New Years day, a new start, with less pressure and it is warmer outside .


The kids went off very excited this morning and the feeling has rubbed of on me.


I have loved the summer holidays and although I never want them to end I have been looking forward to getting stuck into my ICA work so I can graduate in December.

I have an appointment with my accountability buddie on Friday but I am not waiting til then to get going.

I am raring to go.

We can make a fresh start any time we like. Mine starts today. What about you?

Star Wars

Power Tool Responsibility v's Blame according to Star Wars

By my son Finlay (8 years old)

Episode 1

The Phantom Blame (instead of The Phantom menace)

Episode 2

Attack of Responsibility (instead of Attack of the Clones)

Episode 3

Revenge of Blame (instead of Revenge of the Sith)

Episode 4

A new Blame (instead of A New Hope)

Episode 5

The Blame strikes back (instead of The Empire strikes back)

Episode 6

Return of the responsibility (instead of Return of the Jedi)

I am freeing myself

Explain the key differences between coaching and mentoring

Both coaching and mentoring are a process to help a client reach their full potential.
The differences occur in the relationships between the coach and client, and mentor and client.
A mentor is usually a role model, someone older and more experienced especially in the domain the client wants to work on. They may offer advice and guidance and share their knowledge.
A coach is more on an even keel with their client. It is a one to one relationship where the client and the coach are equal. The coach works more on the basis that the client has the answers within and therefore their job is to use various tools, intuition and questions to help find the answers and put them in to action.

EFT

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

http://www.emofree.com/

I have had my first session of EFT this morning.

It seems so simple, and it is something we can do on ourselves or with friends.

So I have taken the step to read the download of the manual which I found on the above website.

I have just practised on my husband who found it a little amusing coming from me. I must admit I need to practise quite a bit more and maybe read the bit on sceptics!

My Friend and ICA collegue Claire Molinard is training also to use EFT within coaching, on the telephone. I will be very interested to see how this works. She is also hoping to do her research paper on the subject so I shall persuade her to share it with us.

Check out the website.
There are also some interesting video clips on http://youtube.com/

Christine Lewicki

Yesterday, I had the honour to spend 90 minutes with a very lovely person called Chistine Lewicki.
She is already a certified coach after training with the same school as me.
She lives mainly in Los Angeles but is French so spends a couple of months a year here and is setting up her coaching business between both countries.
I learnt so much during my time with her, which if I set the scene was in a harbour side coffee shop in the old port of La Rochelle on a beautiful summers day, without our children.
For me it was fantastic to meet another coach face to face and see a professional in action.
I had organised the meeting with her not really knowing why but knowing that if I did'nt go I would never know. I had no expectations.
I did however expect that Christine and I would be on an equal level but it soon became her the coach and me the client. I felt after a while uncomfortable with this wondering what she was getting from our meeting and said so. Christine reassured me that day but summed it up beautifully the next day when she sent me a message saying . I had a lovely time yesterday and thank you for being so honest and showing me your beauty - It was a gift.
How cool is that.
I got alot of practical advice too and Christine if you are reading this I have stopped saying I need, just as you requested.
I encourage everyone of you to try life coaching after my time with Christine I have proof it really can work.
http://christine.lewicki.org/

Overwhelmed

This is my word for today.
As a society we seem to be feeling overwhelmed a lot.
I was looking at that as quite negative but after googling the word and looking in the dictionary and reflecting for a while I see that to be overwhelmed is just a state of mind.
For example I am feeling overwhelmed by my summer full of visitors and the fact that I am also wanting to graduate with ICA this December - meaning all my work has to be in and done by October.
Having visitors is fantastic I love it. It is my family and friends, and coaching is my passion and chosen new career. It is what I have chosen to have in my life right now. So its a case of recognising this feeling of being overwhelmed and working out a balance and setting some structures. As long as I am moving forward with my ICA work - I am happy, and as long as I get to spend quality time with my loved ones- I am even happier.
So here I am taking advantage of the grandparents who can look after the kids and I am going to spend one hour doing ICA work and then the rest of the day guilt free enjoying my family.
Phew, got that off my chest - now I am off to action what I just wrote.

Anticancer_a new way of life

What a lovely man.

David Servan-Schreiber

This man keeps popping up in my life!

He has written a book called Anticancer: A new way of life.

Apparently there is an interesting study on how talking helped women with breast cancer, which I would like to more about. When I have received my copy I will be able to quote it better.

This article below explains alot about him and what he is teaching.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/you/article-1025497/The-anti-cancer-diet.html

Blogging works!

I have decided on my subject for my research paper.

'How and where a coach would be most effective in the complimentary medicine arena, specifically with cancer patients'

I am very passionate about this subject as it is personal to what I would like to do for others now and in the future.

I thought I would google a few keywords to see if I could get some good links for my research. So I put in a few key words - research+ paper+ cancer+coach and guess what? My blog came up as the first choice. I could'nt beleive it. So blogging works and could attract some people I could help and support.

Now thats good motivation, and as someone who is struggling to blog - its great to see its not for nothing.

I hope you are enjoying my blog too and getting something from it.

I can see some ways of improving it too so thats what I shall do.

I have just had a great coaching session ( thank you Claire ) so I could sit here and promise you all the world as everything seems more feasible.

BIG SMILE

Truth

I have also realised why I have been finding it hard to blog. It is because I am not being honest and opening myself up. I am not comfortable sharing things with people but I must if I want people to trust me and open up to me.
Last week I had an appointment at Institute Bergonie ( the hospital where I was treated for cancer ) Bordeaux. Months ago during follow up tests from my illness something showed up in my right breast in a mamography. I was called back for a scan but nothing showed up. After a lot of humming and harring the doctors decided to check me again in 6 months - which was last week and all is well.
There is something very familiar and comforting about going to this hospital and having these tests - it was a safe place when I had cancer and everyone was looking after me. But now I have to let the cancer go, it does not belong to me and it is not who I am.
Its funny because I would much rather talk about you, not me but I need to truthful more about who I really am and what I am feeling to attract people who have had cancer or have cancer so I can follow my heart and support them.
I wrote this post the same day as the below one saying I was finding it hard to blog, the day before going to the hospital and I had already filled in the all is well bit. Sorry it took me a week to post it.

The Secret To You!

Soothing Waterfalls

Meditation

I am being a rubbish blogger.
As I sit here I realise its because my mind is not still enough.
I am feeling overwhelmed with too many things going on and stuff going around and around in my head AND I am becomming significant about blogging ( see earlier post )
So I am a life coach and a client so I have the answers within me. Right?
Meditation could be one of them, so here is a little video clip to help me and you, clear our mind.

Yeah!

I have finished the floor.

I set the goal , I set up a structure, I took action, I did it and now I believe I must celebrate!!

So here is one photo to show the quality and the other to show that its a really big bedroom.

So what next?

The rest of the upstairs floor.

Watch this space for some more exciting photos.

One good thing is I do feel I am moving forward and taking a positive step towards renting our house out and going travelling.

Compare v Contrast

Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change

Dr Wayne W Dyer

COMPARE is to judge oneself against someone or something.

CONTRAST is to choose to see the difference

Comparing is negative and makes us not as good as someone or something.
Whereas when we use contrast we are not involved, it is without judgement.
One comes from a disempowering place and the other comes with acceptance.

So instead of, for example comparing yourself to your neighbour all the time, change your perspective. Smile at what you like about her, be happy for her, share what she has and even see if there is action you can take to enjoy what she is enjoying.

Comparison is said to kill gratitude. Use gratitude to take the shift away from comparison - to appreciate what is working in your life as oppose to what is not.

Who and what are you comparing to? Can you make the internal shift from comparing to contrasting?

Stop keeping up with the Joneses and instead embrace the Joneses!

Clare

I feel great today.
Yesterday I worked on a wedding - a real celebration of 2 peoples love for each other.
I was Clare for a whole day and night. Not a mother or a wife.
It was hard in the morning to leave my secure world and hand over the control especially as my hubbie was in bed with a migraine and one of my children showed me a new bizarre rash just as I was driving them to be looked after by a friend. ( there is no school on a Wednesday in France )
The wedding was a couple who live in England who had fallen in love with this area and everyone they met here. They had a vision of their wedding here and made it happen.
I was very honoured to work with such a professional team and even more honoured to be able to call them my friends.
In the evening all us workers were invited to the party which was great fun and we danced til the wee hours in the morning to a fantastic, very funny group called Les Frère André http://www.info-groupe.com/lesfreresandre/
Its taught me that I can do things on my own and my children and husband can too and it has just energised me. It has reminded me to remember my own needs too, guilt free.

The Big Light

The big light has gone on.
When I first started blogging it was because it is a requirement needed to graduate as a certified coach for ICA. I saw it as a challenge and believe me it was. Now though, I am starting to see it as a pleasure and even as my something creative which I have been looking for for a while.
I am starting to get it.
I am learning a lot about myself through my blog but also through others blogs too.
I feel proud and would like to make this blog better and better for me and for others.
As I have already said I love feedback, and your comments are greatly appreciated, its a lovely way to connect with people and share something you would not normally share.
My next challenge is to make my blog more visual in a style that suits me and to post regularily.
What about? I ask myself often but its getting easier and it is definately helping me to reflect more.

Certitude

This post is inspired from Julie, mon amies blog (in French listed on the right)
She talked about certitude and how people being certain is not something she sees as good where as thats exactly what I was wishing for yesterday when I wrote 'choices'. So thank you Julie as I was able to reframe what I had been feeling and realise that its good that I am not certain over everything. Thats leaves me open and free to learn from others.
Merci Julie - ça m'a parlé tres fort et j'ai bein reflechis apres.

Choices

I am being faced with choices over and over again to do with illnesses and how to treat them and I am not ashamed to say I am finding it very hard. When I was diagnosed with cancer I was told how it was to be treated like this and I never questioned a thing and did what I was told and took what I was given. Nothing less, nothing more. Now 10 years later I am not sure it is so simple for everyone and I don't think it would as simple for me either. There are so many paths to take now and so many belief systems ( I am sure there probably always were but now with the internet etc we have access to so much more information) My son is ill at the moment with scarlet fever we think and after one set of antibiotics he has once again a bright red throat. So the questions begin. Antibiotics again? Homeopathic medicine, reflexology and so I could go on.
One certain is LOVE and after that I must make my choice and stand by it, believe I know what is best for my son. I certainly feel tested but we will get there and he will be better soon. I definately believe in positive thinking.

Action v's Delay

Action creates results


What is delaying you from taking action? Is it Fear?

How do we live the life we want to live?

I have even heard people say they are not sure what their goals are.

So one of the most important parts of coaching is to find the clients goal and then get them into action


What is it you want to achieve?

How are you going to get there?

Both good questions and both sometimes quite difficult to answer.

Here is a question we were asked in our course which you will see can make some of us feel uncomfortable but it can get results.

Lets pretend for just this exercise that you have been told you are going to die in one year's time.Write down how you would change your life right now. This was my answer.

Its very difficult to be flippant when you have 2 children and have not got a lot of money. I have also had cancer and lost my sister in law who was given this prognosis. So I have to really go away from that and also pretend money is no object. I know I would want to reassure family and friends around me and be as honest as possible. I would want to leave everyone feeling very able to live on happy. I would travel with my family, husband and kids to visit relatives and friends. I would make sure we had our own independence and space. In between being with them we would visit places just the 4 of us. I would want a year really thinking of us 4 but I would never stop helping people who care around me.

What actions have you been delaying that you could do now towards making your dream come true?
Improve my house so we could rent it out while travelling -therefore generating money.

What action steps can I take to make that happen.

Continue sanding down the floor in the kids room and treating it after. I had a goal of 1 floorboard per day but I am doing about 5 a day. 15 down 30 more to go. Thats only 6 more days. Watch this space for the photo.

Then the skirting boards, then the walls, then the ceiling, buy boxes for organising toys then pick another room. Yeah we are going around the world one day.

Short term v’s long term. Results are in the future so you may have to go through some difficult times in the present for the future to have the results.

So I guess what I am saying is DREAM A LITTLE- don't delay, take some action, believe and you can make your dreams come true. Me too.

My Coaching Niche??

I have been reflecting for a year now as to what niche to choose. At first I just thought I could just be a 'life coach' but apparently the way to go is to specialise. Now I agree and you would'nt believe the different types of coaches that exist. I shall list a few : Divorce coach, debt free coach, wellness coach, spiritual coach, business coach, dating coach, weight loss coach to name a few.
I have had various ideas, parent coach, expat coach, energy coach, retirement coach but the one idea I keep coming back to and the one I feel the most passion about, is helping people who have got or had cancer or another serious illness. I would also like to help the partners, family, parents and friends of people dealing with a loved one who is ill. I have had experience from both sides after having cancer myself and losing my sister in law to cancer and that is where my passion and understanding comes from. I have been making excuses an awful lot that I am not well enought qualified etc. I hope to get over those obstacles I am putting upon myself, by doing my 2000 word research paper required to graduate with ICA on where a life coach can help patients best, at what stage and how could I be most useful. I intend to do a questionnaire to MacMillan nurses and the equivalent to get some feedback. I do also want to look into doing a councelling course it is such a serious subject I want to be as good as possible. Then there's the question of what I call myself. Cancer coach just does'nt sound right so any ideas would be appreciated.

Celebration

I have been celebrating my Birthday.

I usually prefer celebrating other peoples birthdays but this year I loved MINE.

My husband organised a surprise party for the night before my Birthday for 50 of my friends (including children).

It was brilliant and look what they got me, by Susan Holland, a local artist who came too. I had admired it for a while so was chuffed to bits. Such a lovely memory to have of the night and all my friends.

I have been learning how important it is to celebrate not just big events like Birthdays but little events too. When we celebrate the little things it makes us realise how well we are doing and how good life is. We can celebrate in lots of different ways too.

what can you celebrate more and how can you do it??

I am off for a cup of tea to celebrate that I am keeping up blogging once week.

Living in the moment

Now is the only time that exists
There is no past and no present, only the moment we are in,
Live for the moment
The power of now - Eckhart Tolle
Focus on the here and now if you want to live life to the full

I am hearing it everywhere at the moment
I must admit I am finding it a bit difficult so I would like to put in in plain English as I understand it so far.

"Living in the moment is not exactly that, but more that we don't let our past experiences, or our plans for the future effect what we are doing at this moment in time.

I think my son had an in the moment experience yesterday. He and I just shared a real 'in joke' and were laughing with each other and then he said "I thought I was dead then until I thought about that we are going to a party this afternoon and everything went back to before"

So I am trying to keep this simple for now but it is something I would like to keep coming back to as they really are the buzz words around me at the moment.

So I invite you to be mindfully aware of one job a day. It could be folding the clothes, making a cup of coffee, brushing your teeth. Try to concentrate just on what you are doing and don't let your mind wander. If a thought comes just accept it and let it go. How does it feel?

I will practice also - I too would like to accept myself better without judgement, feel more engaged, relaxed and in control of my life.

My Coaching Model

Client You, the client are the most important person in the process
Listen I will listen to you deeply without judgement
Action We will discover your goals so you can take action
Results To get results
Enthuse and I will be there every step of the way to enthuse you

Self Care

Do we care for ourselves enough??

Imagine if you were not cared for. How could you then care for others?

If we care for ourselves it means we don't need to rely on others to care for us. It puts us in a position of strength.

I visualise filling myself up with all the attention I need and then the rest is surplus to requirement and I can give freely and happily to others.

How could you care for yourself more today, this week, next week, month, year?

Here are a few examples

Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
Go to bed early
Have a massage
Have some quiet time
Watch a film
Read a book
Ring a friend
Have a glass of wine

What other things could you do?

Change......

"Change your thoughts and you change your world" Norman Vincent Peale

Ooops, I have'nt blogged for 2 weeks.
But instead of being hard on myself as I would have in the past, I am just going to say never mind and move on.
I am resisting making excuses which I really want to do but no I am not going there!
So instead I will tell you about all my wins and successes.
I excercised 4 times last week yes 4 proper workouts and I loved it and feel great. I did yoga once, plus my salutations every day and Davina McCalls workout DVD 3 times.
My parents in law are staying and we are having a lovely time. I am getting new bookshelves as we speak ( which were on my vision board ) and my mother in law is busy making a cake in the kitchen. How cool is that.
I have kept up my classes with ICA and have finished 12 session with my first client and got a glowing report.


Hmm- now I feel proud of myself .

The Rubbish Diet

This post is about acknowledgement.

There is one person at the moment who I would like to acknowledge and it is Karen Cannard the creator of the blog http://therubbishdiet.blogspot.com/
It is fanastic and I have not stopped thinking about her and it since I discovered it last week.

Go and read it and then I will tell you what I think.........



........Ok

In my course, acknowledgement comes up a lot, and every time I have a problem with the word. I have talked to a lot of other Europeans about this and most feel the same.

To say to someone "I acknowledge you for this that or another" just does'nt sound real coming from me. I believe in acknowledgeing and don't mind when people acknowledge me I just struggle to use the word myself and sound authentic.

So I have had to find other words to use like "I would like to compliment you on that" or "I would like to give you credit for what you just did" or just say thats excellent , well done.

Funny is'nt it. Maybe it is just a cultural difference?

Imagine if you were acknowledged 10 times a day. How would it make you feel?

So therefore I invite you to acknowledge 10 people a day.

That leads me to Karen. I saw her blog so I wrote to her and acknowledged what she was doing, that made her feel good and in return she wrote back and acknowledged my blog and now I feel good too.

Aswell as acknowledging I hope Karen's blog was inspiring to you, by acknowledging more and recycling more the world really could be a better place.

Extracts from my Gratitude Journal

I fill in my gratitde journal every night (nearly!)
I write 5 things I am grateful for that day.
I must admit some nights I struggle and have to have a rant before I can be grateful.
We all have so much to be grateful for from little things to enormous things.
The idea is to change your perspective and really appreciate the good in life.
It helps us focus more on the positive things, improving our mood and wellbeing.
I liked the story I read recently in Psychologies magazine by David Servan-Schreiber about a wise old Indian who explained to his Grandson that within each of us there are two wolves locked in combat. One wolf represents anger, jealousy, pride, fear and shame; the other stands for gentleness, kindness, gratitude, hope, happiness and love. Anxiously, the small boy asks him: 'And which wolf is stronger Grandpa?' The old Indian replies, 'The one you feed.'

Here are some examples of gratitude from my journal:

I am grateful for the cup of tea my husband bought up to me in bed this morning.
I am grateful I can walk my children to and from school.
I am grateful for our wood burning stove, it brings so much to our house apart from warmth.
I am grateful for my Dad, its his Birthday today.
I am grateful after a long day, to be in my bed with my book.
I am grateful for my husband, he often says lovely things but today it really sunk in when he said in passing ' I love living with you'
I am grateful my sister is happy living in New Zealand.
I am grateful for my laptop.
I am grateful for my children- don't get me started;

Even that was a lovely experience writing this post and I encourage you all to look around each day and find 5 things to be grateful for. It may be hard at first but once you make that shift in conciousness it becomes easier and a pleasure.

Game versus Significance

This is a way of changing the way we are in life.
Being less significant, serious, taking situations less significantly . Changing significance into something lighter by using game.
Being significant is giving power away and game is bringing it back to you.
By doing my ICA homework here on my blog I hope to show you a little more how this power tool can work.

Select someone in your life you admire for being successful, while still enjoying life and not taking things too seriously.
I have a friend who I really admire for being "successful" She is always so positive and deals with everything so well. She does not complicate things. I used to think of her and say "bum in the butter" as she always seemed to have luck behind her. But I have realised that actually things do happen in her day to day life that some people could really complain about but for her its always a funny story to tell.
Why do people take life seriously?
I think it can be a habit, a way of getting attention and generally a belief that it is serious ( and sometimes it can be )
Ultimately, what are we concerned about?
Failure, not having enough money, how people perceive us are a few examples.
Talk to people you know who don't take life too seriously (significantly).
Its always a good idea to be surrounded by this type of person, its much more fun.
Make a list of five things you are significant about in your life right now.
Toning up for the summer
Doing up our house
Getting up in the morning
Money- lack of!
Written work within my ICA course
How can you make these things more enjoyable without losing their importance?
Quite easily, even by realising I have made them significant seems ridiculous.
I can charge up my MP3 and go for a run.
I can go and cash in my copper jar.
Practice lightening this week: Lighten a significant situation you have then share it with three people.
List the areas where you already have game in your life, where you are light
and free.
I feel I have a lot of game in my life from taking the kids to school and activities to doing the weekly shop, I can find game in most situations.

BONUS: Notice drama this week: Where are you being dramatic in your life?

Life is a game.

PARIS

I went to see this film last night and it is just beautiful.
I would like to recommend this to any of you French speakers out there.
I don't know if it is translated into English or subtitled or even if that would work for this film.
I will not say too much as I hate to know anything about a film before I see it but it really shows you how precious life is and how we must live for today. There is a part at the end which made a point about how ridiculous we can sound when we complain about about our bad day next to someone who may be living their last.
Now is the only reality there is.
I would like to learn more about giving myself this space to focus on the present, to take a step back and get back in the moment and away from the past and the future all the time.
So that leads me to meditation, it is something I have never got to grips with in the past but I don't think I was ready before.
When I watched the film last night I was 100% there I did not think about anything else for 2 hours and 10 minutes. That was lovely and rare for me!

Truth and Standards

Two things have come up this week for me, following on from last weeks post. I have taken classes in both the above subject and everything fits nicely!
First of all my truth- I only went running twice last week. At first I did'nt want to tell the truth after I had said accountability works but then I realised why. I had not set up a structure along side. In the past when I have been running I always had a structure(although I did'nt realise at the time) I either went with a friend or I had my Mp3 with programs downloaded from the radio. This time I have neither and therefore I am struggling with my motivation.
Now what?
Time to buy a Mp3 and see if anyone wants to go running with me.
I will buy the Mp3 today or tomorrow.
I would like to give myself some flexibility too that I could replace the run with a power walk or a bike ride or an aerobic workout with a DVD.
I have seen how important structure are in our life and I will add to this tomorrow and talk more about them.
I am off to do my salutations.

Accountability

I have been hesitating about telling you about this for a few days.
I have commited to running 3 times a week, to build up in 3 months to do 5kms.
There I've said it - now I am accountable to you all.
I think accountability is an amazingly powerful tool and amazes me that something so simple works.
In the dictionary the word acountable is defined as responsible; required to account for one's conduct.
We can often be accountable to other people too, our partners, children, friends, boss, and by being accountable for what you say you will do for them, you are teaching them to be accountable to you.
I go to yoga every Friday and each week we talk about doing yoga more often and how it would help. Last week we talked about how doing our salutations to the sun each day would really benefit us. So I suggested in true life coach style, that we looked each other in the eye and commited to doing them every day until our next class. I know Ariane and I have done it and we will see about the others on Friday.
I give my clients a challenge/homework/powerful request each week and each week they do it- sometimes above and beyond.
Essentially in these situations, we are being accountable to ourselves, as the coach, the yoga teacher etc can't punnish you!
What could you be accountable to in your life? Pick one thing, go for it then celebrate.
Its pouring down outside, I WILL go for a run tomorrow.

First draft of my bio

Clare is studying with ICA (www.icoachacademy.com) to become a certified coach . She is a mother of two and has travelled the world gaining experiences . Her philosophy is simple and direct and her style comes from the humour of the British and the flair of the French (she has lived in France for many years with her Husband and children) Uncomplicated ,non judgemental ,confidential she can help you get a clear view of what you want to achieve. Clare is committed to coaching and has a passion for helping people realise their potential . There is no gimmick , just common sense and a structured approach . Clare has beaten Cancer , raised children ,moved to a foreign country and assimilated the culture and language, and opened her mind and heart to the beauty and wonder that this universe has to offer .Clare loves what she does she has found her “raison d’être*” Let her help you plan your future and find YOUR true potential.

Gaelic Football weekend!

The weekend I have just spent with my family signifies a big change in our life.
I believe it was a result of life coaching.
You know, when you talk about doing things but you never do them. You have tons of ideas and yet tons of excuses. Well coaching put a stop to this. It has really put us in the action and the belief that we can make things happen and very importantly that we deserve it.
That was why this weekend went so well.
For a start Ryan had a dream to play Gaelic football.
He researched it and never shut up about it! I decided to take supportive role not a 'that does'nt interest me' role and I bought us a night in a hotel for his Birthday, near where the match was.
So there we go, we are commited and everyones excited as its now a weekend away in a hotel.
We left the Saturday morning on our 4 and a half hour drive very positive.
Everything went perfectly.
It was a beautiful sunny day, journey took 4 hours, the hotel was easy to find and our room was ready even tho we were early, they accepted dogs, the stadium was easy to find, Ryan was very welcome, he played 3 matches, scored 3 goals, now plays for Vannes, kids loved it too and were so unselfish as afterall this was all about Ryan not them, the pub where the matches were played later was 2 mins walk from the hotel, the pub let us eat our Paninis there.
I am going to continue the next day with all my examples because it just kept coming. We got up and went and had breakfast down the port, found the best bakers in the world then walked around Vannes until we were lost. We then hear a band playing so headed to it, it led us to the bottom of our street where there was an old car parade and majorettes.
We left in great time and arrived home in time for tea.
To me the lesson I learnt was that we expected it to be good , we felt we deserved the requests we asked people and therefore the result we got.

95-5

This is something I came across today by Paul Clark - one of the facilitators with ICA.

In a nutshell, this is how it works: While 95% is much greater than 5%, when I created the 95-5 Strategy®, both sides were shown as equals. And indeed they are equally valid, reasonable, accurate and equal in any other parameter you select!The key benefit when using my reframe tool is to consistently realize that we do have choices in EACH and EVERY thought or action. Neither side is better than the other - just different. There is no good vs bad, no right vs wrong. This takes a while to grasp - then things suddenly start making sense - and decision-making becomes crystal clear - with relevant, working options.When you operate 'in the 95 side', expect results related to the 95 side (frustration, anger, confusion etc...) And note that even when you don't specifically choose a side, you will default to the 95 side.Similarly when you operate 'in the 5 side', expect results related to the 5 side (enthusiasm, joy, fun, enlightenment etc...) And note that even when you do choose this side, you can only stay here for seconds at a time. So be sure to select it frequently!

I think this is great and can work side by side with the law of attraction.

The Law of Attraction

I am attracted to the Law of Attraction
I came across this site the other day where you can watch the film 'The Secret' for free for a limited time.
http://www.universallawstoday.com/
I know everyone can watch it have a different opinion but all I ask is that you are open to it, and see it positively.
I think its a lovely idea and it gives us hope so why not try it.
You can see it in a million different ways and use it in a million different ways - make it work for you. Translate it into your own language.
I showed it to my husband who I was' nt sure how he would react. He could go one of two ways. But YES he accepted it in HIS own way.
I would like to work on it more and I am looking for a life coach to help me practise what I would like to preach.
Enjoy and go with it.
Try it, whats the worst that could happen?

Creating Confidence Part 1

This was a great class taken by Bill who I always enjoy. He is certainly good for anyones confidence. So how can we boost our confidence?
What is confidence?
Confidence is being sure of yourself, believing you can do something, openess and not being afraid of making mistakes.
If we lack confidence, we lack action.
We started of by looking at where we lacked confidence. Where do you lack confidence?
Then we shifted our focus to where we have confidence. Where in your life have you faith, trust and belief in yourself?
Make some I AM statements.
I am a good listener.
Iam interested in people.
I am caring.
I am to be trusted.
I am diplomatic.
TO BE CONTINUED

So this is also about building my confidence as a coach ( a confident help can help a client much better) and working towards completing my BIO. I have 2 weeks so watch this space.

Its a New Year......

.....and a new start and a new boost of energy and its begins now .
I am ready to publish my blog to the world and commit to blogging at least once a week.
I had another blog before but I kept it private. I needed that to give me confidence, but there comes a time when you have got to stop making excuses and go for it.
I feel quite exposed but I have confidence in you all and hope you enjoy this blog and we can learn and experience this journey of coaching together.
Life Coaching has and is really changing my life. It is amazingly rich and I never stop being surprised. I will be sharing this with you, week in and week out as it is happening.
I have a class with ICA now called CREATING CONFIDENCE.
How can you create some confidence in your life today?

My spanking new blog