True Balance

One of the definitions of overwhelm is being buried or drowned
beneath a huge mass.  Feel familiar?

My particular brand of stress is more like … suffocating skin
crawling madness. I used to be the mistress of overwhelm. The
discomfort was intense and yet there was a rush involved with
pulling off the impossible. It took years for me to become aware of
the damaging ripple effect caused by my needless Empire State Building
HIGH masochistic expectations.

The good news is you can learn to minimize this paralyzing feeling
by facing each stressful situation and taking action.

Most of the professional people I play with are confident, talented and
risk averse people who are really good at connecting the dots.
Their ability to coordinate ideas, people, places, projects and
attract synergistic energy is astounding. Their keen sense of
knowing combined with pure unbridled courage manifests a stream of
opportunities.

Often these fine characteristics and what seem like unlimited ideas,
options and self expectations can be distracting and create a sense of panic and
overwhelm.

Why?

Because people of this creative caliber can do ANYTHING.

Connecting the dots is a blessing if you are conscious enough to
apply this talent to your own “in the weeds” experience. Learning
to go with the flow when things get dicey is a tremendous gift.

You can practice moving through life with grace and slay your
anxiety by incorporating some the following ideas:

* Take deliberate action a by choosing and revisiting your
priorities every week. A list of targeted activities will help you
remain on task.

* Carry out regular self-care. This may mean taking time out to
get a haircut, massage or a soak in the bath tub. Take some alone
time to read a good book, take a walk and get out of your head.

* Visualize your ideal accomplishment, and then make a list of
tasks that can be addressed to bridge and traverse where you want
to be in the natural flow of things.

* Determine what projects you can delegate. Asking for help is
freeing. It is in our nature to want to help each other. Just ask!

* Eliminate any unnecessary tasks and activities. Do what you
absolutely must, and junk what isn’t an absolute necessity. Allow
yourself to say NO.

* Give yourself credit for all of the projects you DO complete.
(small items and incremental steps count)

* Talk to a trusted friend, life coach or mentor. Get clarity
by being with people who you admire, people who are good at
managing stress.

* Listen to Anxiety Slayer Podcasts or visit the Anxiety Slayer Blog.

The next time you are feeling overcome with a sense of impending
doom, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts and let the slaying
begin.

“All confidence is acquired, developed. No one is born with
confidence. Those people around you who radiate confidence, who
have conquered worry, who are at ease everywhere and all the time,
acquired their confidence, every bit of it.”
~ David J. Schwartz

I just finished a conversation with a woman who was intrigued by the idea of coaching and wanted to know the most compelling reasons why people hire professional coaches. This excellent question is worthy of a snappy answer for one and all.

Here is the quick and dirty:

People hire a Professional Coach based on 5 Reasons

• They have a plan, goal or dream

• They are unhappy with their current situation

• They are having difficulty accomplishing their goal, plan or dream

• They find a coach who understands their situation & what they are going through

• They feel that the coach can help them overcome their challenges and accomplish their goals.

If you want to know more about how these specific coaching needs are complemented by the benefits of coaching, check out this survey from the  International Coaching Federation or you can dig even deeper and look at a fairly new study about the coaching industry compiled by the American Management Association.

If you want to learn more about life coaching you are welcome to contact me directly Monday through Friday from the hours of 9:00am -5:00pm Eastern Time.

Master your craft. Being the best at what you do is the easiest way to become successful. - Thomas Leonard

A great article written by a lovely woman …  Enjoy!

Being while Doing

Sometimes you may feel like you’re a human doing rather than a human being. It is so easy to get caught up in the “to do” list and the “should do” list. The endless list of tasks can leave us feeling depleted, unfulfilled and stuck; we go through our days distracted and dissatisfied.

By nature we are doers. We are designed to have goals, dreams and aspirations. And these require action - some doing. Doing is not the opposite of being; you are a human being who does things. An essential question is:

Who am I BEING while I am doing?

It speaks to who you are being on the journey of life. Are you being kind and considerate to others while you accomplish your tasks? Are you being mindful of the impact your behavior has on others? Do you take the time to feel the enjoyment and pleasure of what you are creating?

Simply BEING who you are is one of the greatest assets that you bring to your relationships. As you embody your authentic human ‘beingness’ through self discovery and your acceptance of self, you can fully be of service. As you connect with your inner resources, strengths, values and wholeness, you become more congruent, supportive and powerfully creative.

###

Marlena Field, PCC, CPCC, founder and author of Body-Centered Coaching, offers a free e-newsletter titled BodyMind Wisdom: listen to your body, connect with your spirit. When you subscribe, you will receive her free audio titled “Conscious Choices for Change” www.BodyMindSpiritCoaching.com