The Answers are Within You

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

You have all of the answers to what you want inside of you. I can almost hear you saying, huh?¬¨‚Ć Does that sound helpful to you or confusing? Not to worry, it’s all about to become clear.

What I commonly hear from a potential client is that they are confused or frustrated about where they are in their life, and they would like me as their holistic life coach to provide answers. That’s so not the way it works! And for good reason. If I provided answers, they would be my answers, not yours. While they may be right for me there is no way of knowing if they are right for you.

There is true value in working with a life coach, but please know that I won’t be giving you answers, I’ll be asking you questions, lots and lots of questions. I’ll ask you what you think, how you feel, what you would like to do about what you think and feel. I’m going to encourage you to be honest with yourself and me as well in order to move forward.

As I’m a holistic life coach I’ll ask you to examine all aspects of your life. You are encouraged to share or not according to how you feel. As you think about your life as a whole you will become clearer about the manner in which all aspects affect each other and what it means to you.

You’ll learn how to not only hear questions, but to discover and appreciate the truth within yourself. After all, no one knows you better than you.

While I will make suggestions and offer guidance, as your life coach it’s my privilege to assist you to set your own goals, create your own vision and cheer you on to success.

This week I ask you to consider trusting yourself. You are unique and most fabulous, please acknowledge and appreciate those wonderful qualities which make you who you are.

Warmly,

Sandy

Please Be Patient, My Dog is Still Training Me

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

I’ve lived with animals my entire life. For some reason I keep forgetting that the training process is on-going. Hmmm, for the record, that means my training, not necessarily theirs.

I grew up always living with a dog. From time to time we also had other animals, birds or turtles and I will never forget my wonderful horse Barney, big blue eyes and sweet personality. For some reason during all of those years I was convinced that I was training these companions. Yeah, right.

Boxers have been my buddy of choice since I have become an adult. First there was the unforgettable and most dignified Rocky. Followed by the very undignified, joyful clown of the dog world, Rascal. Now I live with Indiana, or Indy who makes it clear to me on a daily basis that this training stuff is not even close to being over.

Anyone who has ever met Indy has generally commented on his sweet demeanor and very nice manners. It turns out that it was all a scam. I didn’t train this boy at all; he’s been training me for more than five years. And he’s doing a pretty good job of it; at least I think he is.

Indy recently suffered his second stroke. Actually, I’m not at all sure that ‘suffered’ is the right word to use as this boy doesn’t seem to be suffering at all. He now tilts rather dramatically to the left and stumbles quite regularly, especially on the vinyl floor, but he has adapted very well. And he’s training me¬¨‚Ć to adapt right along with him.

This smart boy waits for me when he reaches a step. If I don’t notice right away, he will sit there and either make little dolphin squeaks or Chewbacca noises, they seem to be used interchangeably so I can’t say why he chooses one over the other. Once he gets my attention, he starts butt wiggling and waits for me to grasp his collar to walk down the stairs. This way he is avoiding any more falls. One smart boxer boy!

Apparently, Indy is also feeling the chill in the air much more than he used to. He will curl up on the edge of¬¨‚Ć his large comforter and wait for me to cover him up, usually tucking his snout down into the blankets as well. For some reason Indy doesn’t seem to feel that my husband or son need as much training, or perhaps he has decided they are not capable of being trained as he doesn’t seem to do these things for them.

More proof that my training isn’t finished? Indy keeps reminding me that I owe him some one on one time, whenever I return home. The guys will tell me that he has been happily curled up into a ball for hours, but as soon as I come home he begins to act as though he is losing his mind. Doing the boxer kidney-bean, making all of his favorite sounds he calls me into the family room. This continues until I sit on the floor. He then promptly curls up with me, waits to be covered up and the snoring commences. I usually feel the Reiki begin to flow immediately. I’m convinced that Indy is very aware that I am able to offer him Reiki and he knows that Reiki offers him healing energy and support.

This could go on and on. The way Indy has trained me to offer him a treat when I want him to come in, rather than simply calling him. He sits in front of me and offers unconditional love with those big chocolate eyes to get his ears rubbed. It’s really an endless story.

Animals are so much more intelligent than many of us give them credit for. They watch, learn and adapt to situations quickly and adeptly. No time is wasted on remorse or recriminations, they simply move on. Learning how to make the best of the situation they are in and generally training the humans they live with along the way.

I try to keep this in mind when I’m working with life coaching clients as well. Facts today are simply what they are, period. How do we cope with the moment and bring about the results we desire? If we learn from the animals I have lived with, we will achieve better results, if we focus on what we want to happen, and then try our best to communicate this to ourselves, those who are around us and have the ability to affect our lives and the universe in general.

How does this apply to people, cause you know it does right? We are constantly teaching others how to treat us. How do we respond when someone is kind, negligent, friendly, rude, helpful, etc? Our response teaches or trains others that certain behaviors are acceptable or not. We teach others to treat us with kindness or contempt depending upon our expectations and on our response to their treatment. I try to keep this in mind when I’m working with life coaching clients as well. If we learn from the animals I have lived with, we will achieve better results, if we focus on what we want to happen, and then try our best to communicate this to ourselves, those who are around us and have the ability to affect our lives and the universe in general.

No doubt Indy has much more to teach me. Just yesterday he convinced me to move his food to an area that is much easier for him to eat. It seems that the training will continue. I’m grateful that Indy is a patient trainer and of course he always rewards me with snuggles, very sweet.

This week I encourage you to focus on training. What you are teaching and what you are learning. Awareness will allow you to fine tune and embrace that which is important to you.

Warmly,

Sandy

Life Changes

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

We’re dating. By ‘we’ I mean my husband of 27 years and of course me. John decided a few months ago that he wanted to make some major changes. I had no idea what was in store for us.

John has always been incredibly conservative. Watching every penny, worrying about every event, predicting all possible outcomes and then sort of holding his breath to see if his predictions would come true. These qualities may sound dull as you read them, but the truth is that they’ve made him a terrific husband and devoted father. We’ve always known that John had all eventualities covered. The boys and I have always felt entirely secure regarding finances and knew that John was totally and completely devoted to us all.

Apparently John has now decided to do a 180! The man is changing right before my eyes, and it’s not only surprising it’s a ton of fun.

He came home one day and told me that we were signed up for ballroom dancing lessons. Okay…sounds like fun to me. Then he told me the date of the first class. It was actually last Friday when I was co-hosting a retreat. No worries, he went by himself. Anyone who knows my husband knows that this was totally and completely out of character. He’s always been quiet and reserved. Apparently, he’s getting over it. He went to the class on his own, danced by himself and asked the very pretty young woman who is one of the instructors to dance with him. John spent all of the days between that first class and last week doing the rumba around the house. I suspect he held off somewhat at the firehouse as I didn’t get any calls. But it’s been terrific watching him have so much fun.

He’s signed us up for cheese tasting classes, checking the movie listings and even planned a cruise for January. Why do I tell you all of this? Because I have to tell someone! Alright, that’s part of it, I am incredibly proud of the way he is embracing change. But most of all, it’s to point out that we can make any changes that we truly want, at any time in our lives.

First of all, we have to want to change. We don’t have to know exactly what we want our lives to look like, but an idea certainly helps. For instance, John didn’t know that he was going to become someone who wanted to go places as frequently as he now does. He’s always been a homebody. But, he did decide that it was time to embrace a more light-hearted approach to life. He made the decision that he would find ways to get out from time to time with his amazing wife (that’s me) and that he would enjoy what life offers, knowing and trusting that his hard work and diligence has laid a good foundation. He’s not become frivolous by any means, but he is having more fun than ever.

How can this happen?¬¨‚Ć First and foremost John knew he wanted his life to start looking a bit different. He was tired of worrying. Tired of pinching pennies. So, he worked with a holistic life coach and Reiki master (yoo hoo, me again) to develop some practical and easy methods. He started re-framing his comments and statements to be more positive. Instead of focusing on events in his life or in the news that were upsetting or negative, he acknowledged them, discussed them with his life coach or others, but then he worked on letting them go if there was no way for him to change them. That’s huge! His personality is such that it was important for him to talk about things that bother him, that’s fine. But now, he tries not to end on a negative note. Instead he tries to see a lesson or a potential positive outcome.

Another of the things John has done is to stop berating himself for mistakes made in the past. After all, what’s done is done. We can look at the past, we can learn from it, but we have absolutely no ability to change it. I’m proud of him for beginning to accept that the past is done and to forgive mistakes made by himself and others. Again, a big step.

Probably the biggest change in John is that he is focusing on the¬¨‚Ć amazing life he has led and intends to go on living. He frequently brings up the fun we had raising our three sons. He speaks with pride about their accomplishments, no matter how small. Reminiscing about camping trips and time spent being active in Boy Scouts. He’s excited when he talks about them visiting us or a vacation to see any of them. In short, this man has become hopeful and silly excited about his future. Hooray!

I often speak to my clients, whether Reiki clients or coaching clients about re-framing their speech to see a positive viewpoint. It truly changes the way we feel and think. Affirmations are a powerful tool that we can use as well. Writing and talking to ourselves about the positive changes we are bringing about in our own lives. These things are sometimes overlooked or forgotten because they are so very simple. But they work. It’s pretty much that simple.

So, I’d like to applaud John for the life changes he’s made. I know it hasn’t been all that easy for him. He’s a 52 year old man who had a pretty firm pattern set in his life. But he’s making changes and from all the signs he’s enjoying them incredibly, just as he deserves.

Just one small positive change this week could improve your entire life. Go ahead, give it a try. I can’t wait to hear all about the positive life changes you are making.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go practice my fox-trot and rumba steps so that John doesn’t go off dancing into the sunset without me.

Warmly,

Sandy

Life Coaching Basics

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Life coaching is not about therapy, consulting, counseling, or advice. It is basically a process that addresses business successes, personal projects, transitions and general conditions among others especially in the client’s personal life and profession by putting efforts on the current situation, discovering the barriers, challenges and selecting the course of action in order to make life be how you would like it to be.

Life coaching involves the coach and the client and the relationship between the two of them, giving all the power to the client. It is believed that one knows the answers to every single question or problem he or she may be facing in his or her life, though the answers maybe hidden or concealed. As a life coach, my skills revolve around knowing the right questions to ask a client, being equipped with helpful tools and techniques that empower you to get to the answers that you already have within yourself.

One may ask, why work with a life coach? What each and every person dreams of is success, achievement, happiness and joy. Working with a life coach assists the clients to uncover their own blocks so that they are better able to manifest and allow the life they truly want to live.

As a holistic life coach, I assist an individuals in identifying and setting the goals that he or she really wants without basing them on others interests. My role as coach is to assist clients in clarifying their personal values in order to attain something better when it comes to setting the goals. Remember that when the goals are based on the things that the client value most, they become more naturally motivated.

As your life coach, I’m with you for every step. As a client you will learn to forgive your past mistakes and see them instead as valuable lessons. We are going to work together to focus on your very best self.

For this week, I wish you focus and balance in your life. Please feel free to send me an email or give me a call for your free life coaching consultation.

Warmly,
Sandy

Frustration

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

The theory is that as a holistic life coach and Reiki master, I won’t experience frustration. Yeah, right.

There is a situation with someone in my family that could easily drive me nuts. The particulars are not really all that important. Regarding most issues, I only add my thoughts if they are solicited. This is really a hard and fast rule regarding my children, especially since they are all grown and have every right to make their own decisions. When I keep my opinion to myself until it’s actually asked for, they give it more weight, take it more seriously and actually ask for it quite often.

So, why am I having such a hard time keeping my yap shut this time? This person is simply dragging his feet, refusing to act on a matter that could affect his finances for the rest of his life, and not in a good way. It’s not that he doesn’t have options, he does and they are readily available. He’s simply not taking any action.

If I were my own life coaching client how would I handle this as my coach? Well, I’d probably start by asking a few direct questions.

Q – What is it that you think you can resolve by constantly bringing up this
situation.
A – I would like to motivate him to take positive steps toward resolving this
situation.
Q – Do you have the ability to change the outcome of this situation?
A – No
Q – Is it your responsibility to handle this situation?
A – No
Q – Have you expressed your concern in a calm, rational manner to the person
involved?
A – Yes
Q – What is likely to be the affect on your relationship if you keep bringing this
up this subject?
A – He will stop asking for my advice regarding other situations.
Q – In general, is he responsible? Does he handle his finances and other ‘grown up’
responsibilities well?
A – Yes, he’s generally very responsible.

That last one just wrapped up the question and answer session done for me. The fact is that he is a generally responsible young man, and even if he weren’t, my forcing my opinion on him will not assist him to learn more responsibility.

The truth is that I am the one bringing on my own frustration. I have explored options with him, shown him the benefits and the drawbacks, now it’s up to him to make the decision that is right for him.

I truly have no way of knowing what is in his mind and heart. And it’s none of my business even if I did. It’s time to trust, back off and relax. Sometimes we need to allow others to make mistakes on their own. If he makes a mistake regarding this situation it will be something that he has to deal with, but it may well prevent him from making a much larger mistake in the future.

So, having worked through this, I feel the frustration melting away. I will trust him to make the right decision for his highest good. I have asked him if he minds my sending Reiki to him to help him to make the decision that will serve him the best and then let it go. He’s agreed and I feel as though I am doing what I can to assist him without interfering.

Truly, that’s the only option I have anyway.

My wish for you is that you are able to take positive action steps to change situations that are yours to change. And that you are able to relinquish those that were never yours to begin with.

Warmly,
Sandy

Relax and Rejuvenate

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Do you take the time to relax? Do you allow yourself the time to truly rejuvenate? Do you know how to really recharge your batteries? What works for you?

We live in a society that appreciates and values the 80 hour work week. We applaud those who are workaholics, talking about the amazing work ethic and dedication. But if you are working that 40+ hour work week, are you truly being your most effective?

When I work with clients as their holistic life coach or as their Reiki master my main goal is to help them find the best balance for their lives. It seems to be well and easily understood that ‘other people’ are more effective when they’ve had rest, some time to rejuvenate. Often these same people need to really think about it to realize that the same rules do govern their own lives. We think better, listen better and make calmer more rational decisions when we are not stressed.

What works for you? Do you know? I have several outlets. Walking with my dog Indy puts me in a good mood. I find working in the perennial gardens absolutely refreshes me, it allows me to feel creative, to see beauty and to appreciate the process of growth and change. Going to our home at the lake is amazing for me. Simply the act of approaching the house and unlocking the door begins the process of melting any stress that I feel.

Of course there are other ways for me to de-stress and rejuvenate. Meditation even for a few minutes helps me to remember that there is time enough for everything that is truly important. Giving or receiving Reiki is very powerful for me. I find that my body feels more at easy, my mind lets go of nagging worries and my spirit feels lighter.

It’s not all about getting for me. Giving Reiki, especially to animals offers me a wonderful lift. I feel a strong connection to my dog Indy and love to offer him Reiki. Likewise, time spent offering Reiki to my gardens helps me tremendously and I know that offering the Reiki to pets or the earth offers them amazing benefits.

My point is that when we take time to rejuvenate ourselves, either by relaxing or by simply allowing our mind, body and spirit to play a bit we find ourselves feeling more balanced. Work is more productive, time with family is more manageable and enjoyable. Balance, balance, balance.

While it’s true that I remind my life coaching clients as well as my Reiki clients of this simple fact regularly, I sometimes have to remind myself as well. It turns out that I’m pretty human, I get busy and need to be reminded that it’s not only okay to take care of myself, it’s to the benefit of myself, my family and my clients.

For today, I encourage you to find even ten minutes to do something that just makes you smile. I promise that it’s worth it.

Wishing you a fabulous few minutes just for you. As for me, it’s time to go and walk in my gardens and offer them some Reiki. They’ll benefit and so will I. Who could ask for more?

Warmly,
Sandy

Happy New Year 2009

Monday, December 29th, 2008

It’s here again, that time of year when we all make New Year’s resolutions. Actually I’m all for resolutions, goals, intentions. Let’s go for it! Only this time, I’d like to be serious about it. Too often in the past I’ve made resolutions that I knew I wouldn’t even really attempt to keep. You know the type, ‘I resolve to lose 20 pounds and get in the best shape of my life…by February 1st’. That sort of resolution isn’t really meant to work; it’s just something to say before toasting to the New Year.

As a life coach it’s very important to me that I set my goals, plan my resolutions with the intention of carrying through with them. Now that doesn’t mean to make them easy, no-brainer goals, not at all. I still believe in shooting for the stars, but I’d like to do it in a manner that I actually believe will be completely successful.

So, here’s how I plan to go about it.

1. I discover what my hopes and dreams are by doing new vision boards. I usually do one board, but this year I feel the need to do several. I will most likely do one for health and fitness, another for vacation and travel, a third for home and gardens, etc.

2. Feel and express my gratitude. I believe before I can expect to bring new wonderful things into my life, I need to be grateful for what is already making my life terrific. For instance, I’m not going to carry on and crab about a somewhat less than perfect physical body, instead I will focus everyday on how grateful I am that I have a body that functions well, gets me everywhere I would like to go, sees, hears and thinks very efficiently and generally has served me very well.

3. Spend a bit of time visualizing my goal and feeling what I will feel like when I have achieved my goal. I will picture myself at what I consider my physical optimum, possibly see myself running effortlessly, swimming strongly or biking up a hill. I will allow myself to feel the excitement of knowing that I can run, swim or bike as far as I want and feel strong, happy, pleased with the accomplishment.

4. Let it go. Release the thought with the knowledge and full expectation that this new me is becoming reality right at this very moment. One of my favorite authors, Doreen Virtue, put it something like this; when you are in a restaurant you select your sandwich, put in your order and wait for it to arrive. You know that your sandwich is coming because you have asked for it, you don’t doubt it, and you don’t keep asking the waiter for your sandwich. You simply wait expectantly knowing that it’s going to be perfect when it arrives.

5. When the dream is realized – and I believe it will be, I simply offer my thanks again.

I truly believe that everything we experience is something that we have asked for, intentionally or not. So, I try to think in positive terms. If I want to be debt-free, I don’t focus on debt, I focus on having enough prosperity and abundance to cover my wants and my needs. Focusing on the negative, the debt portion will only bring about more debt, focusing on the abundance and prosperity will bring about plenty.

So, that’s it. The life coach in me realizes that it’s extremely important to have a goal or an intention. Taking action is putting those goals and intentions down on paper, looking at them and spending a few minutes every day visualizing and enjoying the feelings of success. Again, the life coach in me is not done, I will assess and reassess, tweaking and changing as life goes on and changes.

2009 is going to be full of changes, and change can be very exciting. I hope you are going to reach for the stars, because the stars are all there waiting for you to reach out and grab them, I can see you now, swinging on your own personal star.

I hope you enjoy the remainder of 2008, and plan a fabulous 2009!

With warmth and excitement,
Sandy

Goals, Plans and Dreams

Saturday, December 6th, 2008

Do you have goals? What do you hope to accomplish? Where do you intend to go? What are your dreams?

I encourage you to take some serious time to think about these questions. After all, how can you possible work out a strategy for achieving goals if you don’t know what they are? I encourage you to shoot for the moon, truly. Sit down with a piece of paper and pen, or at your computer, whatever works for you. Jot down every desire, everything you dream of doing, everything you hope and intend to be, everywhere you plan to go, all that you intend to bring into your life. Brainstorm. Write it all down. You might be very surprised at some of the things you discover about yourself.

A few months ago I decided to make a vision board. I really thought this would be a very simple process. I’m a grown woman after all; I have a pretty darned good idea what I want, where I want to go, etc. And so I sat down thinking I’d have this done in very short order. Not so much. It took me half of forever. I used magazines, newspapers, etc.

The idea was to cut out pictures, words and phrases that appealed to me. This helped me to focus and define my goals and dreams. Then, using a glue stick, apply these pictures, words and phrases to my posterboard, creating my vision board.

The first evening it took hours. For some reason almost none of the pictures spoke to me at all, however words felt as though they were practically jumping off of the pages at me. I found many words describing feelings, thoughts and ideas that truly spoke to me. I cut them out and glued them to vision board. It took me hours. The next day, I felt a need to go back to my vision board. I pulled out the magazines again, but now the pictures seemed to speak to me, not the words at all. I found myself pulled again and again to pictures of water of all sorts, gardens of many types, etc. I let instinct guide me and I truly enjoyed putting my vision board together.

What does a vision board have to do with goals? Well, my vision board was about the places I intend to go, the gardens I intend to have, etc. My intentions are my goals. It’s been proven again and again that we are much more likely to reach our goals if we write them down and place them somewhere that we can see them daily. A vision board can be a list of goals, pictures, or whatever speaks to you. I encourage you to make one soon, or 15 if that’s better for you!

A few days ago I was chatting with a client about vision boards and realized that I need to work on a new one. Except that now I don’t want one board. I want or perhaps more correctly, I need to make several. One is about travel, the trips that I intend to take. Another is about the home that I intend to live in; a third is about personal health and fitness. I think you get the idea.

I would encourage you to set some goals, really allow yourself to think as big as your heart will allow. Imagine yourself accomplishing these goals, think about how you will feel when you achieve them and enjoy the feeling. Get excited! Then write them down, draw them, take photos, cut out pictures, whatever speaks to you. Put them on one or more vision boards and keep this board somewhere that you are able to focus on it for at least 5 minutes a day. Keep it somewhere that you are able to see it frequently. Read the words aloud and allow yourself to feel the excitement that you know you will feel as you drive that amazing car (if a new car is one of your goals), smell the fragrances, feel the elation, hear the sounds, really immerse yourself totally in the success that you intend to experience.

The fact is that we are much more likely to achieve that which we are able to visualize, feel and experience in our hearts. So give it a shot.

Wishing you a fabulous time as you discover all of your goals, plans and dreams.

With warmth,
Sandy

This Life Coach Needs People!

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

I’m a pretty social person, my husband…not so much. Now he’s a great guy and he enjoys being with family and

My five favorite guys, good reasons for me to keep in contact.

friends, but frankly he gets pretty much all of his social needs met by spending time with our grown kids, the occasional outing with friends and spending those 24 hour shifts with ‘the guys’ at the firehouse.

As for me, I need people! I need to work, see, talk to, play with and generally interact with many more people. Much of my daily life is handled on the telephone, and while I appreciate and enjoy this very much, I also have an absolute need to spend time being in the actual physical proximity of other people.

So, I do a couple of things. I attend business networking groups, I’ve joined a book club (I love to read!), I take my dog for lots of walks or to the dog park where I am sure to meet people with similar interests. I go to Curves, a gym for women, it’s chatty and friendly, and I get to fit in the dreaded work-out while I’m having a great time getting to know the other women. Having lunch or seeing a movie with a dear friend is always fun. It’s not unusual at all for me to call a friend or one of my boys to invite them to just come over and hang out; we might have a meal together or simply enjoy a glass of wine outside by the fire.

Years ago, this was a bit more difficult for me. My husband works as a firefighter and that often meant that he was gone. Most of the time I appreciate and enjoy my alone time, but sometimes I need that social contact. For me that meant getting involved in…oh, so many things. When my boys were younger, I not only took them to Scouts, I got very involved. It was a great way to get to know the other boys and their families that my boys were interacting with. And it was fun being a leader for so many years. The same with school, I participated in many activities. As my sons got older my social activities revolved around them less and less. Yahoo! It was time for me to be a grown up again. It’s been terrific finding my own interests and participating in things that I truly enjoy.

Now, keep in mind I mentioned earlier that my husband would rather spend most of his time with me. That’s fine! When he’s around I spend a great deal of time with him, he compromises by doing a few social activities with me and I compromise by doing most of my socializing during his work days. Of course I do spend some time doing my own thing when he’s home, but with each of us doing just a bit of bending it works very well.

So, the life coach in me wants to turn this into a lesson. You didn’t think I was just rambling on did you? Early on I discovered that I had much more need for social outlets than my sweet husband. We talked about it and decided that the most positive and satisfying way to work this out was just the solution I have already described. That was the action part, in case you missed it. There’s no way that my husband can fulfill all of my social needs and for me to drag him everywhere would make both of us miserable. So, our solution is a positive for both of us.

Wishing you the fabulous joys of as much or as little social activity as is right for you.

Warmly,
Sandy

Enthusiastic, Positive Action

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

I was pleased to run into a woman I know recently. She was so excited and looked so happy I had to ask her what was going on in her life. The life coach in me was excited to see her enthusiasm and excitement, I had to know more.

It turns out that this woman feels very strongly about which candidate she thinks should be elected president in the upcoming election. This year she decided that instead of simply going out to vote, she would do all that she could to see that her candidate would become the next president. She has volunteered to work the phone banks, is going door to door and talking to people and handing out literature. She is attending speeches and rallies. She is even opening up her home to fellow campaign workers and voters.

Wow!!! I was amazed, especially when she told me that as recently as a year ago, she would never have been able to do any of these things, and she would have felt overwhelmed and far too shy. What happened? She found something that she feels passionately about and discovered that baby steps could soon lead her down a wonderful path.

Talking to this woman was incredible. We have completely opposite views about whom
would make a better president, but that was okay. She never once criticized my candidate; instead she focused on the positive attributes of hers. Although I am firm in my beliefs and know who I will vote for, I found myself eagerly listening to what she had to say. Her enthusiasm was contagious and her positive attitude made me see her candidate in a far more positive light.

I would like to congratulate this amazing woman on taking action. One of the things coaching clients always need to understand is that it doesn’t matter how eager you are to reach your goal, if you do not take some type of action, big or small, you will not reach that goal. However, when you go to bed tonight, as you think about the day and what has happened, you will no doubt feel wonderful when you realize that you have taken steps towards achieving your goal. And when you have spread positive energy to others with your smile and enthusiasm, you will help others to feel wonderful as well.

I wish you a day filled with actions that will lead closer to your goal, no matter what that goal may be. Doesn’t it feel fabulous to be on the road to success?

Warmly,
Sandy