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How to Make Better Decisions About Your Life - A Self-coaching Tool

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Think about this quote from Edwin Markham: “Choices are the hinges of destiny.” If at this time last year, today was once your destiny, what crucial choices did you make that have led you to here?  What different choices would you have made, or different decisions would you have taken, that could have given an improved outcome?  If where you are now is a direct reflection of the quality of your decision-making skills, where 1 is not quite and 10 is absolutely, how satisfied are you with your ability to make those crucial decisions that lead to your life moving in the best possible direction? Many factors influence the decision-making process, sometimes making it hard to determine the exact right thing to do. When deciding what action to take, do you focus on what others think or do you move forward with conviction through listening to your inner guide?  No-one is perfect and if I knew then what I know now, there are some things I myself would have done differe

A Practical Tool for Inspired Action

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If you haven't had a session with your coach lately ( you do have a coach – right? ) the chances are, you may be 'slacking off' from essential things that really need to happen to stride out of a comfort zone into a superbly crafted, desired life. You will have left your last session highly motivated, fired up and raring to go ! You may have ticked off one or two actions relating to your goal. That’s great and well done! Yet 'other stuff' might be getting in the way that makes your life-changing intentions seem like long forgotten dreams.  And if you haven’t got a coach , you may be slogging away with the best will in the world, yet struggling to make headway due to a lack of clarity , certainty or directed focus. Your mental filing tray may be stacked pile high with pressing things to do that makes your own personal actions towards your goal the last thing on your mind. Those detailed notes you so passionately wrote do

9 Simple Ways to Prioritize Your Well-being

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Simple things can motivate and inspire us to feel better. When we feel better, we do better and so have better life experiences. Here are 9 activities that are doable, yet simple, and will make a massive difference in your achievement of a balanced life. 1. Give gratitude: If you are reading this, you can breathe! You have use of your senses! You are able to comprehend! Think of what you have around you - the things you possess, a roof over your head, a bed to lie in, clothes to wear. By acknowledging and giving gratitude, this creates the energy for more good things to flow into your life. What do you give gratitude for? 2. Smile! Try this - SMILE. That's right: SMILE! Don't you feel better already?! Think of a wonderful experience, a happy moment, holidays, fun time spent with family or friends. Too often, we dwell on thoughts that are non-supportive to our positive well-being. Smiling stimulates the manufacture of serotonin in the brain. This 'h

Be an Observer of Your Thoughts

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    More often than not we talk to others in a loving and kind way because we are mindful not to hurt their feelings. Yet how much care do we take to monitor our own self-talk that comes in the form of thoughts? Some time ago I attended a conference where John Kehoe explained this using the concept of Mind Power . Amongst the statements he made that day are: ‘ thoughts are things ’ and ‘your thoughts know you, oh so well’ . John raised awareness of how the mind can hold onto thoughts as absolute truths, even though they may be unhelpful or unconstructive. There are times when I have caught myself entertaining non-supportive mind chatter. Disempowering thoughts that start as a whisper, gradually turn into nagging, disapproving judgements such as: “ I’m so stupid...!” “I can’t do this...!” “Life is hard...!” “I’ll never be any good at this....” “I’m an idiot...” Without disassociation that comes by consciously being an observer of the mind such conclusions remain unch

Setting Healthy Boundaries Through Healing

What routine ‘off-duty’ activity do you engage in to counterbalance your ‘busy’? I know you are so passionate about what you do in your work or business that it is so easy to end up burning the midnight oil. I know you want to get everything done before looming deadlines come to pass. I know the feeling because I’ve been there too. I was so focused on making my business a success that I dedicated 90% of my 365 to being constantly ‘on task’. I felt guilty about immersing myself in ‘do nothing moments’ and struggled with setting healthy boundaries because I wanted so much to be of service in my spiritual based business. Now, fully embracing the wisdom that being older and confident brings, I find that my time-focus has shifted. My current reality perfectly exemplifies the Pareto Principle , in that, when I take time to step back from the roller-coaster that being in business can create, my creativity and results are magnified when I get back in the saddle. Pr

Addressing Misconceptions of Black People in the Media

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≈   Whilst going about our daily business, we are constantly bombarded with advertisements that compete for our attention. The hidden messages that relentlessly invade our mindspace conjur up thoughts of: ‘ you’re not good enough ,’ ‘ you don’t have enough ’, or ‘ you must have this particular thing in your life to be a better person .’ During my first visit to Ghana in 2005, I remember travelling through the bustling, vibrant city of the capital, Accra. I was in awe of the massive billboards that towered over the highways. Although the messages I received from these advertisements were much the same as those I see here in the UK – there was one stark difference. The images projected on the immense displays depicted people who look like me. As a black woman born and grown in the UK, I would like to know that I am accurately and positively represented in the media. Despite the distance we have travelled, it is sad to know that the thousands of people who

Why Your Health is Sabotaging Your Success

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We live in a 24/7 world where the constant barrage of social, work or business activities greatly reduces quality time that could be better spent on rest and recuperation. It is not uncommon for someone to feel guilty for taking time out from the rat-race. ‘ Doing nothing ’ can seem like an awful waste of time, especially if you are used to leading a busy and active lifestyle. A common challenge that coaching clients bring to sessions they have booked with me, is being able to create a clear boundary between work and their personal life. What this means is that they lack the motivation to pursue their important life goals with enthusiasm or energy. A consequence of being ‘busy’ is that your best resource - which is ‘ you ’ - is not fully utilised in an effective or efficient way. Burnout can quickly ensue and lead to a physical and mental shutdown if time and effort is not given to put yourself first. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT If you are a