December 23rd, 2009
Whether we celebrate Christmas or not, festive occasions like Christmas do tend to bring up lots of our STUFF (to use the technical term!). I know for me this is often the case.
In the past I used to run from these yucky feelings or worse still try to subdue and ignore them, but now I welcome them with open arms. I use this time of year as a time for great personal growth and actually have fun with it. The key to it all is knowing that all of what you are experiencing; emotions both bad and good are all a reflection of what’s going on inside of you and how you are perceiving the world.
So this year instead of subduing those yucky feelings why not welcome them and ask them what they are trying to tell you? Maybe it is time to finally let go of something you have been hanging on to for years, or perhaps it’s time to start loving yourself and stop always putting others needs before yours. Whatever the emotion and its message make sure to get excited as it is a gift which is going to help you grow and become a better person.
I wanted to share with you a great 8 step process which really helps me to dissolve those negative emotions as they surface. Why not try it out and see how it works for you? And make sure to have FUN in the process!!
1) First of all welcome the emotion and accept it.
2) Take 100% responsibility for how you are feeling. Stop blaming everyone and everything outside of you; remember you have a choice as to how you react to and feel about any situation.
3) Start to get excited as you are about to learn something which will really help you grow and become a better person.
4) Ask yourself what am I thinking about? Remember in order to feel a negative emotion you must be making pictures in your mind or thinking about things you don’t want, or how you don’t want things to be.
5) Now ask yourself what are the positive learning’s that I need to get from this that I have not yet learnt? Be gentle with yourself here and don’t analyze it too much. Sometimes when we ask our unconscious mind a question it takes a wee while for it to come back with the answer (have you ever forgotten someone’s name and about 3 hours later the answer just pops back into your head). If nothing comes up for you straight away don’t worry you can be guaranteed that within the next 24hours you will have an answer. The key here is to get the positive learning for yourself. Once you have learnt from a situation you can let go of it.
6) Thank the Universe for sending you this message which has helped you grow as a person.
7) Now comes the fun part. Remember earlier you were focusing on what you didn’t want well now’s your chance to focus on what you do want. Ask yourself what is it that you would like to create in your life? Have some fun with this, create nice pictures in your mind, make them vibrant and alive, adding lots of movement and great sounds to them. Now that you have some clarity as to what you would love to create make sure to write it down as a goal for yourself and put a date on it.
8)The eighth and final step you may find difficult but it is essential. You must detach from the outcome. Just let go and allow things to happen. You may be saying why on earth would I do that? Well attachment to an outcome can often cause suffering (I will explain more about this next month). For now just let go and allow the Universe to work its magic.
Have a wonderful month and wishing you a New Year that brings you an abundance of inner peace, love, joy and happiness.
Tags: Better Person, Feelings, How to let go of negative emtions, Letting Go, Letting go of negative emotions, Negative Emotion, Negative Emotions, Personal Growth, Reflection, Stuff
Posted in Change & Growth, Life Coaching, NLP | No Comments »
November 11th, 2009
“What every man needs, regardless of his job or the kind of work he is doing, is a vision of what his place is and may be. He needs an objective and a purpose. He needs a feeling and a belief that he has some worthwhile thing to do. What this is no one can tell him. It must be his own creation.” - Joseph M. Dodge
Why is it that we as individuals rarely create a vision statement for ourselves? Is it that we do not know what our vision is? Or perhaps the real truth is that we have never taken the time to figure out what it is? Either way I cannot over state the importance of having a personal vision statement.
So what is a vision statement?
A vision statement is a description of what you would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term future. It is intended to serves as a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action. A personal vision statement guides your life. It is the shining light in the darkness toward which you turn to find your way.
How do I figure out what my vision is?
Take some quiet time out this week and consider the following questions.
- What it is you most enjoy doing? Is it helping people, meeting people, traveling, working with animals, drawing, writing, painting? Write down a list of the top 10 things you enjoy doing and circle the ones that you love the most.
- What strengths and qualities have other people complemented you on?
- What do you see as your greatest talents and natural abilities? Pick the top three of these and write down two ways that you really enjoy expressing each one.
- If you never had to work another day in your life, how would you spend your time?
These are only some of the questions which will help you uncover your vision, stay tuned to my blog next week for more……..
Have a wonderful week and enjoy working on your vision!
Tags: Belief That, Joseph M Dodge, Light In The Darkness, Natural Abilities, Objective, Personal Statement, Personal Vision Statement, Quiet Time, Shining Light, Talents, Time Out, What Is A Vision Statement
Posted in Career Coaching, Change & Growth, Life Coaching | No Comments »
October 11th, 2009
As some of you may already know I am currently studying to become a teacher of meditation, a journey which has opened me up to a new and exciting world.
This week I wanted to share with you one of my learning’s on this wonderful journey. A journey which for me has only just begun.
One thing I have come to understand is that so many of us are spending too much time trying to seek happiness from all that is outside of us. Looking to material things and others in our life to give us that feeling of fulfillment. But that feeling of happiness and fulfillment only truly comes from within, not from external sources. When you can tap into and truly appreciate the treasures that lie within you a whole new world will open up for you, and this whole new world is YOU. YOU are a world full of treasures waiting to be discovered so that you can shine.
As Marianne Williams said:
“We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Begin today to appreciate the treasures that are within you. Perhaps you have forgotten where you buried them; perhaps you have forgotten what they are? Rest assured when you begin to uncover them, when you begin to be who you are truly meant to be, you will shine and when you shine you will allow the world outside of you to begin to shine too.
Tags: External Sources, Fear, Fulfillment, Glory Of God, Happiness, Hidden Treasure, Meditation, Presence, Whole New World, Wonderful Journey
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September 27th, 2009
When did you last give yourself some space to explore?
We all need space free from demands, deadlines, expectations and judgments so we can explore who we are and what life is all about. When did you last take some time out to take stock of your life? When did you last take time out to begin dreaming of the future you want to create?
Free time, with absolutely no agenda, is so rich with potential. How can we grow if we have no space and freedom to dream?
“Reach high for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream proceeds the goal”
As children we have amazing dreams and aspirations. We don’t have the fears or limitations of adults but as we get older we cannot help but be suppressed by them.
So how can you reignite that child like imagination and creativity? How can you start thinking outside the box that is currently limiting you?
I have included four fun tips which I have personally used to open up my imagination and creativity.
1) Vision Boarding.
Flick through some old books and magazines and cut out all the pictures and words which inspire you. Glue them onto a large board and place it where you will see it every day.
2) Change your environment.
Go to a place you have never been before e.g. an art gallery, a market, a museum. Spend time with people who are already living their dreams, they will inspire you.
3) Spend time in nature.
Nature offers us the greatest source of inspiration and creativity whether that be beautiful scenery or wildlife.
4) Start a creative journal.
Begin writing down all your thoughts and ideas in a journal. Always keep it close to hand as you never know what will spark your imagination.
Enjoy reigniting your creativity and always remember that limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.
Tags: Amazing Dreams, Aspirations, Creative Journal, Creativity, Fears, Free Time, Goals And Dreams, Imagination, Imaginations, Inspiration, Judgments, Possibilities, Soul Dream, Thinking Outside The Box, Thoughts And Ideas, unlock your creativity, unlock your imagination
Posted in Career Coaching, Change & Growth, Life Coaching | No Comments »
September 4th, 2009
How often have you given up? How often have you quit just before you’ve struck gold? In life there are many keys to success but one you simply cannot do without is consistency.
Think about it, if your goal is to get fit, to be slim and trim you have to take consistent and steady action to get you there. If your goal is to have a successful business you need to consistently put the work, effort and time in to make it happen.There are NO exceptions!
All too often we start out taking lots of action towards our goal. We go in with all guns blazing; we are so motivated that we throw ourselves into it with total abandon. A short while later we get disappointed because we are not seeing results. Worse still we put so much effort in that we end up exhausted with the outcome that we simply give up.
Two, three or even four months may pass; you know you still haven’t made any progress so you say to yourself “Right that’s it, I don’t care what happens I am going to do it this time!” So again with all guns blazing and perhaps equipped with a hand grenade or two you launch yet again head long into the attack, only to find yourself right back where you started. Does any of this sound familiar?
I suggest to you one of the true keys to Success is Consistent and Steady Action. Consistently completing small action steps each day towards your goal, no more, no less.
As Paul McGee once said “You don’t get a chicken by smashing the egg”. Like all the good things in life you have to nurture it, give it time and when it is ready it will hatch.
If you would like to hire Suzanne as your Personal Coach, or for a workshop or corporate event in your area click here or call +353-(0)86-8266051.
Tags: Action Steps, Consistency, Egg, Good Things In Life, Inconsistency, Key to Success, Keys To Success, Successful Business, Taking Action, Work Effort
Posted in Career Coaching, Change & Growth, Corporate Coaching, Life Coaching | No Comments »
August 25th, 2009
One of my daily mantras is that there is nothing like Success to breed Success!
There is nothing like achieving a goal to really make you feel good and make you want to do more.
Often I have found that when we set big hairy goals we get so over whelmed that we don’t know where to start. The key is to start small. Start by setting some realistic goals which form part of your larger goal, ones you know you can achieve. The goal can be as simple as putting 15 minutes aside tomorrow to do something that makes you happy or to get out of bed when the alarm goes off (i.e. not hitting the snooze button!!). Set yourself smaller targets this week, you will feel good when you hit them and I can guarantee that you will want to do more.
Each of these small action steps completed each day will take you closer to where you want to be. All too often we decide not to take action as we feel it will take us too long to achieve our big hairy goal. What a pity…in two years time you could be looking back saying to yourself “if only I had kept taking action I would have achieved my goal by now”.
This quote from Bill Gates sums it up
“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next year and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction”
Will Rogers said it even better
“You may be on the right track but you will get run over if you just sit there!”
Tags: Bill Gates, Breed Success, Goal Setting, Hitting your Targets, Mantras, Realistic Goals, Success Breeds Success, Taking Action, Targets, Will Rogers
Posted in Career Coaching, Change & Growth, Corporate Coaching, Life Coaching | 1 Comment »
August 17th, 2009
When setting goals to get us to where we want to be in life it is so important that we always honor our core values in all we do.
WHAT ARE CORE VALUES? Firstly values are the things in life which are most important to you but core values go even deeper still. These are the qualities and characteristics that you hold dear to you. The characteristics and qualities you wish to embody in everything you do e.g. honesty, compassion, integrity, courage, loving, sincerity,caring.
Every day we read about people and companies who lose sight of their core values and get themselves into a lot of trouble. I know personally when I have gone against my core values I have really struggled with my life. However when I honor my core values in all I do I feel really good inside, I know I am being true to myself and life just flows. Does this sound familiar to you?
HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT MY CORE VALUES ARE? Grab a pen and paper right now. Write down 6 of the personal traits and characteristics that are important to you e.g. sincerity, honesty,loving, compassion.
Next I want you to think of at least 2 people you admire (living or past). They could be someone close to you or someone whom you never met but what they stand for really resonates with you e.g. Gandhi,Nelson Mandela, Richard Brandson. Ask yourself what values; what characteristics and qualities does this person represent to me. Now write down 6 qualities and characteristics of these people you admire.
Finally lets look at both lists - your values and the values of the people you admire and I want you to pick the top 3 from both lists.
You now have a list of your 6 core values. These embody the very essence of how you are being in life. Remember to honor your Core Values in everything you do, when you do your life will flow!
Tags: Core Values, Courage, Gandhi, Honesty, Integrity, Loving Compassion, Nelson Mandela, Setting Goals, Sincerity
Posted in Change & Growth, Corporate Coaching, Life Coaching | No Comments »
August 7th, 2009
When I recently looked up the word “WORRY” in the dictionary one of the definitions was “to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts”. Sounds like something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy doesn’t it? Why on earth would we want to put ourselves through this?
When it comes to past experiences perhaps at some level we feel bad about what we have done and this is a way of punishing ourselves. The truth however is that we always do the best we can with the resources we have at the time. You need to ask yourself “Am I happy with the results I am seeing in my life right now?” If you are not then acknowledge it and start to look at what you can begin to do differently.
It’s so important to remember when you are feeling low that making mistakes is all part of life as without falling over from time to time we would never grow as human beings. The key is to always learn from our past experiences. Once we learn we have never failed.
I am sure you already know that the worst experiences in life are guaranteed to bring about the most positive change and growth within ourselves. As M Scott Peck says
“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
So let’s look at some great ways to stop us worrying whether it is related to the past or the future.
Every new day is a new beginning; write it on a piece of paper and stick it on your bathroom mirror where you will see it every morning. Each new day is a blank canvas. You and only you have the choice to paint it how you want it. Will you choose to paint a masterpiece or just any old painting?
Live in day tight compartments; meaning that we must really start to realize that the past is gone, the future has not yet arrived and there is only now! Focus on today only and know the best way to get ready for tomorrow is to concentrate on today. Write down at least two action steps you can do today to improve your life and do them. Remember today lived well makes every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Start to count your blessings and not your misfortunes; nearly everyone I meet could give me a list of all the bad things that are happening in their life right now but you can be guaranteed that it would take them a while to come up with a list of at least 10 good things. Write down at least 10 good things that are happening in your life right now. When you begin to focus on what’s good you will begin to feel good.
Finally I wanted to end this blog with a quote for you to ponder upon
“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today”.
Tags: Blank Canvas, Different Ways, Disturbing Thoughts, Experiences, M Scott Peck, Masterpiece, Ruts, Truth, Worry
Posted in Change & Growth, Life Coaching | No Comments »
July 29th, 2009
When we worry about the challenges that are appearing in our lives right now it can often be counter productive. Worry can cause us to feel such crippling emotions as fear, panic and anxiety. These emotions keep us stuck where we are, not allowing us to move forward.
I am not suggesting you ignore the challenges you are facing in your life right now just simply proposing that you start to look at them in a different way. In essence we need to be concerned about our problems and not worried. There is a big difference between concern and worry. Concern means realizing what your problems are and calmly taking steps to over come them. Worry means going around in frustrating, energy depleting and time wasting circles. Which way would you prefer to be?
Always remember it is not the situations that you have met in your life that have thrown you; it is what you think of these situations.
Montaigne the great French philosopher came up with this wonderful quote, which really sums it up “A man is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinion of what happens.” And our opinion of what happens is entirely up to us.
Stay tuned for next weeks article where I will give you some more useful tips on how to banish worry from your life!
Suzanne is a Life Coach, Corporate Coach and NLP Master Practitioner. If you would like to book Suzanne as your Personal Coach, or for a Workshop, Seminar or Corporate event in your area, click here now.
Tags: Challenges, Emotions, Fear, Montaigne, Negative Emotions, overcoming fear, overcoming worry, Panic And Anxiety, Panic Anxiety, Taking Steps
Posted in Change & Growth, Life Coaching | 1 Comment »
July 15th, 2009
A wonderful quote from Neville Goddard sums up how important visualization and your imagination is in the change process.
“To attempt to change circumstances before you change your imaginal activity is to struggle against the very nature of things. There can be no outer change until there is first imaginal change”
In essence you need to be able to visualize the outcome you want to create in your life before you can create it.
So how can you use your imagination to create the change you want in your life?
There are 7 easy steps!
- Get your outcome in mind. Know exactly what it is you want and by what date.
- Imagine the end step, or evidence procedure so when you have it you know you have achieved your goal e.g. if your outcome is to earn €20,000 by the 30th of September your end step might be logging into you online bank account on the 30th of September and seeing a balance of €20,000.
- Now in your imagination step inside the goal looking through your own eyes, hearing the sounds around you and feeling the feelings of being right there inside the goal. As you are inside the goal adjust the qualities of the picture, sounds and the feelings in order to make the goal the most real and compelling for you.
- Imagine stepping out of the picture but leave your body in the picture, as if you are looking at a Polaroid snapshot of you attaining the goal.
- Float all the way out into the future with that snapshot picture of you, until you are above the date you said your goal would happen. Drop your picture down onto that date.
- Turn and come back towards now and as you do notice how your future is shifting for you to attain this goal.
- The final and most important step is to start taking ACTION. Every day do one thing that brings you nearer your Goal.
Enjoy the visualization process; it can be lots of fun!
Warm regards
Suzanne
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve themselves or the world” Anne Frank
Tags: change, Goddard, Imagination, Neville Goddard, Power Of Visualization
Posted in Change & Growth, Life Coaching, NLP | 1 Comment »
