by pam | Jun 1, 2015 | Conscious Living, Creative Living, Discovering Your Passion, High Achieving Women, Powerful practices, Proven strategies
Do you remember when you used to wake up excited about going to work?
Do you NOW usually drag yourself out of bed, rather than hitting the ground running?
Are you no longer “juiced” by what you do?
Do you feel SOoo tired at the end of the day?
If so, you are not alone. I’ve been there and so have many of my clients. When we drive ourselves for extended periods of time, we often lose our passion. That’s why I created the Rediscover Your Passion and Find the Career/Business of Your Dreams coaching program.
We all have unique gifts and talents to share with the world. Yet sometimes we lose touch with them or never have been given the opportunity or taken the time to reflect on what truly makes our soul sing. Here’s a short exercise to get started.
Draw a chart with 2 columns; in the one column Write down all the things that you are good at or things that come easily and naturally to you. It could be athletics, mathematics, writing … In the second column, write down things you enjoy doing. Could be “being in nature”; teaching others; using my body; playing piano … If you’re having a challenge with this, think back to what you enjoyed doing as a child.
Now look at both lists and circle the items that are similar, or are on both lists. Then review the circled items. Close your eyes, go inside and get in touch with the feeling each one evokes inside you. Does it excite you? OR Does it have little or no effect on you? Rate each item on a scale from 1 to 10 related to the level of passion you have around it – 1 being – “no interest at all” and 10 being – “red hot”. From this exercise, identify your top 3 to 5 passions. They may be: writing; contributing to a cause greater than myself; editing film.
Just because we’re good at something, doesn’t mean it is our passion or will fulfill us when we work in that area. I’m sure you know someone who was good at math, went on to study mathematics, taught it at school or university and over time was miserable and not at all happy teaching math everyday. So what we’re good at can provide clues to our passions but are not necessarily connected with them. Things we enjoy doing are normally better clues to what may be our passions. Passions are often a blend of what you love and what you’re good at. As well, passions may change throughout our lives.
To further explore your passions, here are some more questions to reflect and journal on.
- What would I like to do if I had all the time and money in the world?
- What are my hobbies?
- What is one thing I did as a child that I really enjoyed?
- When have I/do I get lost in what I’m doing (i.e. lose track of time)?
Did you discover anything new? I’d love to hear your comments and insights. Feel free to share the post with others.
by pam | May 19, 2015 | Beliefs & Values, Body-centered coaching, Conscious Living, Creative Living, Powerful practices, Proven strategies
When you have an important decision to make, how do you usually approach it? If you’re anything like me, I used to do the pros and cons list and make a logical left-brain decision. Some years ago, I began reflecting on my life and realized that the decisions I’ve made from my heart or my gut have always been the right ones for me, resulting in positive life experiences. When the decisions came solely from my head and my logical left-brain (using a pros and cons list), the results were not so good.
During the past 15 years or so I have become consciously aware of how important it is to listen to my body, how to do it and how to trust in the messages it sends me.
Did you know that our gut and our heart have nerve endings that send signals to our brains? So when we say that our gut or heart is telling us something, there is scientific evidence this is so
How can you access, listen to and trust in your body’s wisdom and the messages it sends you? Here’s a process I use and teach my clients.
Think about a decision you would like assistance in making. Get comfortable, close your eyes, take several deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then continue to breathe normally in and out through your nose. Feel your feet and imagine deep roots coming out of the bottom of them and reaching deep down into Mother Earth. Then imagine branches growing from your shoulders and head that reach up to the sky and tap into the beautiful Source Energy/God/Universal Energy (whatever you choose to call it). Feel that light coming in through the top of your head and bathing your entire body. Now that you are grounded and connected with earth and sky/heavens, ask the question that you would like clarity on. It could be, Should I apply for that new position? Should I start my own business? Continue to breathe deeply and notice if any answers come up for you.
Some people experience a sense of knowing, others receive an auditory message, still others see a vision of someone speaking to them, or an object that is a metaphor or a sign of what is in their best interest or for the highest good.
This takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and learn to trust the process and your body’s wisdom. You may find it easier to start with smaller decisions that don’t involve much change in your life: Should I call up my friend today? Often when you follow your heart or gut and call up a friend, they will say to you, “We must have ESP!” or, “I was just thinking of you and about to give you a call.” It’s like a muscle: the more you use your body’s wisdom, the easier it will become and in time you will make decisions that you trust are the right ones for you.
Some people find that initially no answer comes to them. If you find that to be the case, don’t beat yourself up. Rather, ask throughout the day for a sign that provides you with the answer. Let go and get on with your day and notice that at some time when you’re not thinking about it, the answer may come to you and you will know what action to take.
Another suggestion is to ask a question just before you go to sleep and also ask that you receive the answer on awakening. It’s helpful to keep a pen and paper by your bed in case things come to you during the night or on awakening. *
I invite you to experiment with the process above. I’d love to hear your experiences and welcome your comments below. Feel free to share the process with others.
* Part of this post is an excerpt from my book Learning to Dance with Life: A Guide for High Achieving Women. Stay tuned for the launch date!
by pam | May 4, 2015 | Conscious Living, Entrepreneurship, High Achieving Women, Positive Attributes
You may be curious but not sure if you are a High Achieving Woman. If you feel this way, you are not alone. When I conducted interviews with women I consider to be high achieving, some of those selected said things like, I’m not a High Achieving Woman or, I don’t have any great accomplishments to my name or, I’m not in the corporate world or, It sounds arrogant to call myself a High Achieving Woman.
High Achieving Women are found everywhere: in their own businesses, in corporations, in academia, in government, in not-for-profits. You don’t have to be a CEO or a Nobel Prize winner to be a High Achieving Woman, although you may be.
According to Dr. Sherrie Bourg Carter in her book High Octane Women, “it’s not status or job title that makes High Achieving Women high achievers. It’s how their minds work…how [they] psychologically respond to challenges, which then propels [them] toward excellence in achievement.”
Attributes of High Achieving Women
High Achieving Women generally possess a number of attributes in common. Some are positive and some negative. The attributes include:
- Goal-oriented
- Passionate about work
- Organized
- Give more than they receive
- Want to make a difference
- Have trouble saying “no”
- Driven
- Intelligent
- Competitive
- Feel like there are never enough hours in the day
- Self-disciplined
- Achieve more than most in a given time frame
- Perfectionist tendencies; own worst critic
- Love learning
- Creative
- Focus on achievement; never enough
- Rarely take time to bask in the joy of accomplishment
- Courageous
- Spend more time doing than being
This list is not exhaustive and all High Achieving Women don’t possess all of the above attributes. Based on coaching such women and in-depth interviews and workshops with High Achieving Women, most women who are high achievers possess at least five of the above attributes. The majority of High Achieving Women tend to give much more than they receive and many are challenged to reach out for support. They also spend much more time doing than being.
(excerpt from “Learning to Dance with Life: A Guide for High Achieving Women” launching on August 26, 2015 – To download the first 3 chapters visit http://creativelivingcommunity.com/blog/the-book/)
How many on the list of attributes apply to you? Out of the entire list, which ones would you categorize as positive and why? Which ones do you view as negative, and why?
I’d love to hear your insights. Feel free to comment below and to share this post with others.
by pam | Apr 21, 2015 | Conscious Living, Gratitude
I recently returned from a consulting mission in Afghanistan. Whenever I return from a developing country I become aware of so many things I often take for granted. Reflecting on my recent business trip here are some things I am grateful for:
• Freedom; the freedom to walk in the streets and in nature. In Afghanistan, I travel in a bullet-proof vehicle with a personal body guard who is armed with a pistol and an AK47. I am unable to walk in the streets. On the rare occasion (e.g. on the outskirts of Kabul on prayer day), I may walk outside with my armed and flak-jacketed body guard by my side.
• Electricity, heat and light; on my recent mission the electricity was out for two days at the Ministry of Public Health where I was working. I interviewed a number of people in a cold portable with the doors wide open and got chilled to the bone.
• Internet connectivity; when the electricity has challenges, the ability to connect with the internet is compromised. I keep in touch via Skype with family and friends and when I have no internet I am affected by the lack of connection.
• Clean and fresh air; Kabul is in a bowl, surrounded by mountains that are deforested. There is a large amount of dust in the air, which gets into your lungs, plus a number of squatters have built their homes on the edge of the mountains and there are open sewers. You breathe in e-coli and who knows what else! I have had the misfortune of getting pneumonia twice while living and working in Afghanistan. Many people who work there get the “Kabul cough”.
• Clean water; In Afghanistan as in many developing countries, it is not safe to drink from the tap or to brush your teeth with tap water. It’s recommended to use bottled water.
• Ability to dress how I choose; In Afghanistan, even as a foreigner it is important to respect the culture, so I always wear a head scarf and am well covered (usually with a long jacket or shirt and pants). When it gets hot it is challenging to stay cool when you’re all wrapped up. I don’t know how those women in burkas do it! While shopping with a friend in Kabul a few years ago, she tried on a burka for about 2 minutes. When she took off the burka she exclaimed, “I could hardly breath and I don’t know how women see in these!”
What are you grateful for in your life? Feel free to comment and to share this with others.
P.S. There is a growing body of research on the health benefits of gratitude and the importance of being and feeling grateful for who we are, what we have and where we are in our lives.
by pam | Mar 3, 2015 | Beliefs & Values, Conscious Living
Are you feeling that you want to make a bigger impact in the world? Is this the year you want to PLAY BIG?
It was mid-August 2010. I had launched my on-line coaching business 18 months before and had a network of coaches in Canada and the US. We were coaching people through various life transitions. I felt restless. I enjoyed the clients I worked with and the business was doing okay, but I felt like I wanted to make a bigger difference in the world. Can you relate?
At that time, I was taking a Body-Centred Coaching Program with Marlena Field (http://www.bodymindspiritcoaching.com/). During the last class I volunteered to do the demo with the instructor. It was a decision-making process that involved using your body to make decisions. I was told to find a line on the floor and to stand in front of it. I found a carpet in my office and stood as instructed. Marlena asked me to think about something that I really wanted and to deeply feel it in my body. She then said “notice any fears or doubts that come up for you when you think about that desire. Imagine that the fears and doubts are rocks in a knapsack on your back and let them all fall to the ground; release them. Think about what you want and cross that line on the floor as you choose. You may walk across it, run across it or leap across it. As you cross the line say aloud what you want. “
I recall leaping across the line and yelling “I want to PLAY BIG!” At that moment, I had no idea what PLAYING BIG meant. Within two weeks I received an email asking if I was interested in one of three positions in a new program the Canadian International Development agency was funding to support the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan. One of the positions had my name written all over it; Technical Advisor, Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement. I recall thinking how about 5 years before I had so wanted to have the opportunity to work in Afghanistan and to help women in that country.
After some reflection, I realized that I wanted to put my name forward for the position. I shared this with my partner Alan who was totally supportive. He encouraged me to go for it. Within two weeks I was being interviewed for the position. In mid-October I was on the ground in Kabul on a 9 month contract to assist the Ministry of Public Health to develop their first strategic plan and to build the capacity of internal teams to do strategic and operational planning. For me this was truly PLAYING BIG!
Has something similar happened to you? Do you want to PLAY BIG but aren’t sure what that means? I encourage you to try the tool above and see what happens. I’d love to hear your experiences! Feel free to share and comment.
P.S. The line on the floor I leapt across was an Afghan prayer mat that had been gifted to me a number of years before!
by pam | Dec 17, 2014 | Beliefs & Values, Conscious Living
December is a great month to reflect on your achievements from the current year and to set intentions for the coming year. According to William Bridges[1] (based on 30 years of research), in order to move successfully from one life transition to another, it is important to let go of any negative emotions associated with it, to celebrate the positive aspects and lessons learned from it… and to get clear on your vision for a new relationship, career, business … . The end of a year may be considered the ending of a transition and the start of a new year, a new beginning.
A process that I’ve found to be extremely useful for myself and my clients, is to answer the following questions and journal about them at the end of a year and before starting a new one.
Reflections:
What are the achievements I am most proud of in 2014?
What am I most grateful for this year?
What lessons have I learned regarding relationships, work experience, my own blind spots … over the past year?
Intentions:
What are my intentions for 2015 (in five areas)?
i) Personal life – i.e. What my personal life looks and feels like. Note that it is important to write your intentions in the present tense as if you have already accomplished them. For example; “I am strongly connected to myself, my gifts, my fears, my strengths. I courageously uncover any and all fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that are holding me back from standing in my true power and fulfilling my larger vision and mission … .”
ii) Related to my Health – i.e. What my health looks and feels like. “I feel great! My body is toned, strong and flexible. I radiate health and vitality – physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. I do yoga and meditate regularly and live a life of balance.”
iii) Financial – i.e. What my financial life looks and feels like. “ I average $_______ thousand a month in terms of income generation through Creative Life Coaching. I feel financially free and serene. I pay off my credit cards every month and my line of credit is paid off. … “
iv) Spiritual – i.e. What my spiritual life looks and feels like. “I continue to meditate daily and deepen my ability to go within and connect with the Universal wisdom. I continue to strengthen and listen to my body’s wisdom. … “
v) Intellectual – i.e. What my intellectual life looks and feels like. “I am flexible, flowing and open to new ideas. I connect with my creativity easily and effortlessly. … I write and publish my first book on Creative Living this year, have a successful book launch and sell out my first printing very quickly… .”
I encourage you to experiment with the process above. Feel free to change the titles of the 5 areas suggested to ones that resonate for you. Reviewing your intentions quarterly and noting how you’re doing in relation to them, helps keep them top of mind and provides encouragement to move forward. Using your intentions as a “touch stone” at the end of each year to review your achievements is also helpful. Celebrating your accomplishments feels so good and is important to provide you with the energy and commitment to move forward and fulfill your intentions.
Best of luck reflecting on 2014 and setting bold intentions for 2015. To your health, happiness, fulfillment and inner peace! You CAN create an exceptional life. I welcome your comments below and appreciate you sharing this post through social media and with friends, family and co-workers.
[1] Bridges, William. Transitions – Making Sense of Life’s Changes. Cambridge: De Capo Press, 2004.
