Visions of Success

Jan 12 21

Choosing Your Next Coach or Therapist

I read an article that lit me up and I wanted to share with all of you!

We ‘humans’ require active practicing to understand our full body Yes’s and No’s while navigating our awareness paths. Odds are what works for me won’t work for you AND tapping into our TRUEST core (Innerself) opens up space and yummy A-has!

When searching for your life’s purpose consider listening your body’s intelligence. What do you FEEL from your whole body knowing? not what you “think” you should do. I can honestly say that my job as a life coach is is not “talk therapy” you can go to your best friend for this.

Recently, we’ve all shared in a global pandemic, a threatened US democracy and personal losses (e.g. job, homes, social life). As she mentions in the article, as I quote

There are several routes that you can take toward self-improvement

At one time I was very vested on what degrees and certifications I hung on my wall, long before the International Coaching Federation became the buzz. What this article lacks on is the coaches Individual education and what her definition of “rigorous standards” are. This is your homework. I would say a good life coach will guide you by listening deeply and offering exquisite questions designed towards whole healing. Ultimately, I agree that a life coach is someone who can support you no matter what’s going on in your world.

We do not live in a world of “either / or” so if you find yourself between white and black with no gray, you may want to get curious and wonder what else? or hire a partner to support you in living and designing your best life!

If you genuinely care about the goal, you’ll focus on the system – James Clear

Feb 26 19

Seasonal Depression

Sometimes Chocolate isn’t enough…

Be Exactly who you are and Be Loved

The sky is encapsulating, gray dreary clouds, the silence after a storm and a bad cold can create a depressing story. During the winter months locating energy, emotions or even an interest to live can surface and often does.

Socializing seems daunting, hiding feelings of sadness, staying safe, choosing to hibernate drowning out feelings with food, television or sleep seems easier. How do we accept sad? Be with depressed? …. and Love I’m afraid. This dark place often brings dense head fog and thoughts of suicide

Some may suggest a trip to the gym increasing serotine levels, the “happy hormone”. Others may swear by light therapy or antidepressants. I’ve personally tried them all and found what sometimes appears to be the hardest is actually often the remedy.

In my latest spell of depression I witnessed myself falling to old patterns seeking exogenous emotional comfort avoiding being afraid, crying and being utterly sad. Wouldn’t somebody just hold me, love me or better yet know of an instant gratification type device, pill or formula?

Einstein said it best “Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expeting different results”

Resistance and Acceptance cannot coexist, so what holds us back from making a “new choice”? FEAR is paralyzing and New Choice is unfamiliar and requires immense amounts of courage. I compare it to a whole new operating system with multiple software updates.

Avoiding Danger is no safer in the long run that outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. – Helen Keller

COURAGE is the ability to do something that frightens one; strength in the face of pain or grief.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. We often fall victim choosing to be paralyzed in Fear, but what if we could take one small action step in choosing to face. In the Hendricks work Facing is a part of F.A.C.T (Facing, Accepting, Choosing and Taking Action). FACT is a gateway to building blocks of courage.

Depression is Real

Depression is strength. Depression is noticing the constant emptiness weighing down inside of you. Those that experience depression experience a state that affects their everyday lives. This is facing suffering with dignity or faith.

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore – Lord Chesterfield

I recommend and keep a journal getting what’s in our heads out. Below I’ve compiled a list of tools that I’ve found useful in bouts of Depression and I hope they will support you in your lives. There is no wrong or right, no external secret recipe, no pill to take it away. Follow your body intelligence with love and acceptance of what is happening and look inward kindly.

Savoring Bubble Baths with Epson salt, essential oils or CBD
Delicious Movies, Warm-Fuzzy Blanket Day
Flavorful Hot Tea Moments throughout the day
Support Group or Community
Beating myself up with a soft feather
Warmly Welcoming my emotions and all parts of me
Loving gently and kindly what is
Easeful Movement (exercise, fear melters, walking, etc.)
Conscious Breathing
Massage or massaging myself with fingertips or hands
Phoning a good friend or being with myself as I would with a good friend
Allowing myself to Feel Afraid

I invite you to post a resource or anything you’d be willing to share in the comments feed choosing enhancing our community while growing our Human Condition in LOVE.

Aug 31 16

Empower Yourself

Are you a Drill Sargent? Task Master? or maybe a Control Freak?
Are your old tired stories getting boring? maybe not giving you the same hit that they previously provided?

We tell ourselves all the time that we should “let it go.” We feel the cost of holding on so tightly. We know that it’s a good idea to let go of stories from the past that are dragging us down, but how do you do it? I’ll share six words with you… “Pay attention to your aliveness meter”

When you are in these characters, do you feel a drain of energy when you’re doing it? or does your aliveness meter get fed? Do you understand energy can cost your health, your presence, your happiness! Don’t give it away! Find out what feeds you cause this is the stuff I’m talking about!!! The juicy stuff!!! The times that life just seems too good, yes, I want to live there and not just part of the time, all of the time!

We cannot make people do things, we cannot get lost in a bunch of tasks nor are we able to try and control. The key word being “try”, as most things on the planet are outside of our control. In fact, about the only thing that is in your control is how you decide to respond to life. Everything else…whether people will like you, how people will feel when you tell them something, what other people think, whether someone keeps their agreements with you…ALL are outside of your control.

Devote yourself to your aliveness, stand up for it, listen for its voice. Notice when your aliveness is up and flowing and notice when it’s dropping. It is your true guide. Are you willing to let it go and choose your full on aliveness?

I wrote this article about a year ago today on Visions of Success Facebook; however today felt I myself needed a reminder. Awareness of what “your results are” is a big clue to what your committed to creating. Today, I will commit and appreciate in Visions of Success’ Facebook group “Life Changing Play”, I invite you to come join our creative “play”ground.