http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnallyFree Life Coaching NewsletterTue, 20 Oct 2009 05:02:56 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/nm5U/h/Life_Coaching_Shoulda.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach Shoulda...Coulda...Woulda Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. - Frank Outlaw The saying 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. That playground taunt, as I am sure we all know isn't true - words can heal or hurt you. But what about the words that we say to ourselves (whether internally or out loud)? How often do you actually listen to what you are saying? Does the following story ever sound familiar? I've got so much work to get through today but I've got to meet my friend for dinner this evening as she's going through such a tough time. I really shouldn't go as I've got a deadline tomorrow evening but there's just no way out of it. Also I must go to the gym this Thursday as I missed 3 classes last week as I couldn't find the energy to go. I know I'm really bad for not going. I have to go next week as I need to lose weight for this wedding I have to go to. I've also got to go meet my sister on Friday when all I really need to do is go to the dentist and sort out this wisdom tooth but there just isn't enough time in the days. Don't even mention the weekend, I've got to go to this stupid work party and sit with people I don't even want to chat to and then I need to clean the house, visit my parents and get something new to wear as we're heading for dinner on Sunday evening...... After reading that do you think the individual was inspired about how she was going to spend the rest of her week or was she pulling her hair out at the thought of it? Sometimes, using words like 'have to', should, must, need to create an inner conflict between the individual and what they are saying they 'should' do. These words remove the option of choice. If you have to do something, then there is no option. I understand that some things need to be done e.g. breathe, eat. However, we limit ourselves by using these expressions in relation to things that don't need to be done, don't have to be done and are not necessities - by feeling we have to do everything we are putting pressure on ourselves. In effect, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. When we do what we say we have to and feel crap about it (as we probably didn't want to do it). When we don't do what we say we have to and feel crap about it (as we didn't do it). Shoulds are only problematic when they lead to inner combat. So either way you feel crap about - not very beneficial for anyone who is working towards creating an inspiring life. You can change the way you put pressure on yourself though by changing the words you use. You can begin by exploring what kind of should you are dealing with. Are they the kind of should where you are left feeling crap or the kind where you get the benefit of connecting with your inspired goals but are free from obligations. By playing around with the language you can see what a difference words can create in relation to goals, to do lists, obligations etc... By learning to listen to your body and emotions you can also feel the difference each word makes as you say each different sentence. So let's play a few games J Exercise 1 Think of something that you 'should' do. I should e.g. I should clean out my car. Well every time I was getting into it, that's what I was thinking. My Mother even suggested I do it! Swap 'I should' for each of the following and see what rings true for you. I must e.g. I must clean my car. This was true to a point but as I could still get into the car and the dust was only minor (or a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being absolutely disgusting). Maybe if it was a 9, using the word 'must' might push me to do it. I need to e.g. I need to clean my car. This was true also to a point but nothing bad was going to happen if I didn't so there my poor wee car remained dusty and dirty. I could e.g. I could clean my car. Yes this was true. This then brought me back to the question 'Do I want to?' and yes I did as it was annoying the living daylights out of me and I do actually love the reward of cleaning - that sparkle of something clean! So you'll be glad to know that I did clean out my car and once I started I proceeded to clean out the house too! I felt like I dumped out a load of old energy - out with the old and in with the new! Exercise 2 Write down 'I should' at the top of a page. Now start finishing that sentence as many times as possible. Keep going for as long as it takes until you have completed all of you 'I should'. You can do this in relation to your goals, your priorities, your commitments, your obligations, your to-do list etc. E.g. I should de-clutter the house Now going through each sentence in your list replace 'I should' with the following: I would, but E.g. I would de-clutter my house, but I don't know where to start I could E.g. I could de-clutter my house I can E.g. I can de-clutter my house I want to E.g. I want to de-clutter my house I would love to E.g. I would love to de-clutter my house For each of the statements, do any of them feel truer? How could you live the 'must'? The 'could'? Etc... Now rewrite your list again, but only include those statements that you can truly start with the words 'I choose to'. E.g. I choose to de-clutter my house, starting with the upstairs rooms and then moving onto the downstairs. See how the words you use can change the effect a sentence, the way you feel about doing/having/achieving something. Use the above exercises with any goals you are aiming for but maybe feel stuck at the moment or you are beating yourself up for not achieving it yet. Remember feel free to drop me an email at roseleen@roseleenmcnally.com, I would be delighted to hear any insights, experiences or thoughts you have on my newsletter. Until next time be inspired and have fun! Roseleen LIFE COACHING REIKI Tel: 086 889 8433 Introduction Hi , I hope you are keeping well. I liked to thank all of you who took the time to complete my 'workshop questionnaire'. I hope to have details coming your way soon on workshops in the New Year! Be Inspired and Have Fun! Roseleen Contact Me Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:02:56 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/13sT6/h/Life_Coaching_What_s_Your.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach What is Your Evening Ritual? I'm writing about using an evening ritual to review you day and also to prepare you for the following day. An evening ritual can be simple and consist of one or two things that will add value to your life experience. You can start your ritual as early or late in the evening as you like. Your may be thinking 'Do I not have enough to do in the evenings' or 'After work, all I want to do is relax and not have to think'. The principle behind the evening ritual is that you can get feedback from the day's events. You allow yourself the time to take a few moments and review what went well and what did not. Why do this review in the evening time and not morning? Well the last 45 minutes of the day allows the information to be in your mind before you sleep. While you sleep your unconscious mind replays and processes this information up to 6 times more often than anything else you experienced during the day. EVENING RITUAL FOR YOUR SUCCESS/GOALS You could keep a notebook for your evening ritual which will allow you to keep track of your progress. This allows you to review your successes when you are in need of a boost of self-esteem or self-confidence. In the book you can include all or some of the following: Acknowledge your successes Acknowledge any successes that you have had during the day. It can be small or big, business or personal. From going to the gym, starting apainting class or following through on meeting a friend for lunch etc. Even better, if the successes relate to your goal as it will keep you focused on your journey! What did you do today that adds value to your goal? What 5 things did you do well today? What 5 things did you do better today than in the previous 24 hours? What happened today that you appreciate most? Who were the key people you met today? Why are these successes important to you? What are you grateful for today? Review your goals Setting goals is a great step but if you don't review them how do you know if you are near achieving them, if they need to be reviewed or if you have changed your goal since you set it? Losing momentum, getting distracted, being scattered, procrastinating or losing the fire that once keep you focused is natural. By reviewing your goals you will ensure that they are still important to you - you may find yourself adding to your goals as time passes or deleting those that are no longer important to you as you initially thought. By taking a few moments each day to review your goal you are asking yourself 'How important is it to me that I attain this goal? It will keep you working hard for what you want. If reviewing your goal keeps you focused then put aside the time to do it. What was your main challenge today? What was your peak accomplishment today? What fears did you let stop you today, if any? How can you work through that fear? What situations have you learned most from? What do you want to learn more about? What ideas, ideals and dreams merit more support? What is not working that you need to let go of or restructure or surrender to? Focus on your successful future Distractions happen in all forms and times during the day. Acknowledge and accept that things might not have gone to plan but what did you learn from it? Are you allowing people to take your time, energy etc? How can you keep yourself focused? What 5 things would you like to do better tomorrow? Where could you have been more effective today? Where could you have been more loving today? Where could you have been more conscious, mindful or present today? Where could you have been a better (insert whatever word you want) today? Make specific plans for what you want to achieve for the next day By making specific plans for the following day in relation to your goals, you are keeping your mind focused on what it is you are working towards. These plans are like mini goals to keep you on track! What 5 things would you like to do better tomorrow? What specific action steps can you take that will lead to further progress? If you could only do one thing to add value to your goal, what would that be? EVENING RITUAL FOR MAKING SLEEP AND LIFE EASIER Here's some other ways to relax into the evening, have a good rest and make the start of your next day easier! Do a quick tidy up. Put things away and tidy things up so when you get up everything is in order rather than chaos! Plan for the morning rush. What are the things that hold you back in the morning? Is it lack of coffee beans in the machine, lunches, choosing clothes, finding kids shoes, packing schoolbags or gym bags? Get these things sorted the night before so you do not rush or panic in the morning. Keep a notepad and pen beside your bed. If you are prone to remembering things that you have to do or worries come into your head when you hit the pillow then jot down those 'to-dos' and worries so they are there in the morning for you do deal with but don't interrupt your sleep. Clear your work/study-space especially if it is in your bedroom. Using your laptop in bed or even having your work desk near your bed means that you never really switch off. Tidy the stuff away and make the space harmonious so when you wake up you don't see a pile of papers waiting for you but a bunch of flower, lovely painting or special photograph. Do something relaxing 30 minutes before you go to bed. That means switching off from work, the news and scary films or novels. Watch something light and entertaining, chat with family, meditate, take a bath, listen to music or read a relaxing or inspirational book. Say goodnight. Share a goodnight wish or kiss with family members, housemate or friend. It will make you smile and smiling makes you feel good. Think of things you're grateful for. Write or list off 5 to 10 things that you are grateful for. This could be as simple as the bed you are lying on to your partner or spending time with your children. What are you grateful for? VISUALISATION EXERCISE This exercise is a nice one to do when you feel that your day didn't as planned or you reacted in a way that you wish you could change. Run a movie of your day's activities; Start at the beginning of the day, run a movie through your mind of activities, events, conversations and people you meet through the day; Freeze Frame the movie at rough spots; Was there anything that didn't do as planned? Was there anything not as smooth, effective or powerful? Stop the movie whenever you find places that you didn't like the response you got from others, or where you didn't like your own behaviour. What are the problem contexts for you? Identify resources to apply; What worked very well? What actions, ideas, feelings, responses and way of being worked well during the day? What other resources could you have used and applied from other contexts? How could you have made your day even better? Identify difficulties to address; What did not work as well as you would have wished? Create a new reality; Edit a new movie and play it again seeing yourself doing, feeling, being, action etc with all the resources you imagined. Do so until you generate a positive emotional response to the new creative movie. So go on, give the evening ritual a go! If you do, drop me an email at roseleen@roseleenmcnally.com, I would be delighted to hear what your ritual is, how you get on with it and what changes you experience? Until next time be inspired and have fun! Roseleen LIFE COACHING REIKI Tel: 086 889 8433 Introduction Hi , I hope you are keeping well. It looks like we are truly getting into the autumn as the dark evenings set in. I have to say as much as I love the bright and long summer evenings where I can spend more time outdoors, I do like the dark evenings as much. I love getting snuggled up on the couch reading, listening to music and pulling out the comfy winter jumpers. (Also it means that Lost will also be starting back pretty soon! I'm looking forward to seeing how they tie it all together). Anyway, I've been having a lovely September so far. I've completed the rewriting of my website which will be coming to a computer near you soon! I'm also in the process of finalising the website design - hopefully you will like it as much as I do! Enough about me and onto this month's newsletter.. Be Inspired and Have Fun! Roseleen Contact Me Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:06:15 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/1F0iI/h/Life_Coaching_What_s_Your.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach What is Your Morning Ritual? What is a Morning Ritual? It's been 6 months since I first heard about the morning ritual. It was something that intrigued me as I've read that a lot of successful people have morning rituals. The idea behind the morning ritual is to spend valuable time in the morning prepping your mind for maximum performance when you start work. It's about increasing the productivity of your day rather than focusing on mindless/unnecessary habits or activities that drain your energy or distract you from achieving your goals during the day. What is your current morning ritual? Does any of the below sounds familiar? 7.00am Alarm goes off ... Hit Snooze... Alarm goes off....Hit Snooze (this may be repeated a few times) 7.30am Drag yourself out of bed 7.31am Curse another day of work or the weather 7.40am Shower/Get Ready 7.45am Think of all that stuff you have to do or that is waiting for you on your desk 8.30am Grab breakfast, if any 9.00am Log onto computer, head to your emails and get lost in cyberspace 10.30am Start Work How does that sound as a way to start your day? Do you feel energised, anticipating a wonderful day, focused and with a spring in your step? A morning ritual isn't about setting unattainable activities to do each morning. It's about adopting a few new habits that can improve your state and productivity each day. Until I came across the morning ritual (although getting out of an the office environment also helped), I was very good at getting out of bed but it was down hill after that - chatting with office colleagues, constant emailing, surfing the net. If there was a distraction, I would find it! But as a business owner, I now accept responsibility for where my times goes so once I get up I like to get myself in the right frame of mind before I look at my To-Do list. At the minute my morning ritual includes: Walking in park Listen to affirmations (while I walk) Meditate/visualisation/Reiki Read Yummy breakfast I consider it a work in progress as I now want to incorporate getting up earlier as the ritual takes 2 hours at the minute. By doing this, I can get more out of my day and also tweak it for the winter months (If it's too cold I won't go walking so I'll think of something else to replace that with). How to Set Up Your Own Morning Ritual Here are a few suggestions for how you can set up your own morning ritual to increase your vitality and improve your state: Pick a Time to Wake Up You get to choose the time. It can be as early as you want or a little bit later depending on your schedule and what you want to do. Remember to choose a number of activities that you can adequately fit into this allotted time. It's better to do one or two things really well in an hour than do 3 or 4 things in a hurry in the same space of time. Think mindfulness (being in the moment/now) rather than quantity. Pick Your Activites What would you like to achieve from doing the morning ritual or getting up that little bit earlier? You are investing your time so choose something you enjoy and would like more time to do. Activities could include: Reading - inspirational stories, autobiographies or anything that feds the mind Exercise - jog, swim, yoga, weights etc Study - learn something new, practice a new ability, dig out an old talent, go back to doing something you love etc Projects - get some work done on your extra circular activities e.g. writing, drawing, website design, marketing, newsletters, essays, designs etc You want your activity (activities) to be something you like doing so you don't roll over in bed and hit that snooze button! For me, I love getting outside first thing in the morning as there is hardly anyone in the park and it's my alone time. Get it down on Paper By writing down your morning ritual i.e. what you will do and when, you are more likely to follow through and not slip into old habits. Make it Habitual Be consistent in your ritual i.e. in your wake up time and routine as you are creating a new habit. If you skip a day here and there, don't beat yourself up. If you are consistently not following through on it ask yourself some questions - Do you really want to do it or is it something you feel yous should? Is your ritual too time consuming? Does it fit in with your life? Do you want to change it? Work with it until you find what suits you - everyone is different, so everyone's rituals are different! Work on Something you Care about Make your routine about things you like and want to have more time for. Leave out the things that you feel you 'should' do rather than the things you want to do. Do something that you'll be satisfied to wake up earlier to do. Get Started Do it first thing in morning. Don't get side tracked by emails, reading the morning paper etc - we all know how easy it is to hope onto the computer and suddenly the hours have passed. Just get up and go! What to do after your Morning Ritual? Well that is entirely up to you. However, as your mind and body has been prepped for the day you could invest this energy wisely. Some suggestions could include: Set up a routine for the 1st hour of work. What is the most valuable thing you could spend your time doing in the morning that would impact on your business / career / life / family or friends? As mentioned in my July Newsletter, list all the things that you tolerate in your life, things that distract and interrupt you and your goals or plans. What are the top 3 tolerations / distractions / interruptions? How can you eliminate them? Take action to eliminate them. List things that create value in your business / career / family / life and friends? List the top 3 things that add value to your life. How can you increase the amount of time you spend doing these things? Take action to use one hour a day to do one of these things that can add value, fun and love to your day. Limit email checking to twice a day (scary thought for some people, I know!) Have a look at your 'To-Do' list. If you could only do one thing today what would be the thing that would bring most value? Do it. Then ask the same question from looking at the list. So go on, give the morning ritual a go! What have you got to lose? If you do, drop me an email at roseleen@roseleenmcnally.com, I would be delighted to hear what your ritual is, how you get on with it and what changes you experience? To Your Potential, Roseleen LIFE COACHING REIKI Tel: 086 889 8433 Introduction Hi , I hope this newsletter finds you well. I've been having a lovely month since my last newsletter. I enjoyed my lovely long weekend in Donegal, had more time to practice my yoga, been enjoying my time out in nature and met up with friends. I'm all for hard work but from past experience I've also learnt that focusing on my wellbeing is as essential as grafting away each day. If we don't look after our own wellbeing then 'bad days' are inevitable more frequent because we don't have the physical, mental or emotional strength to deal with them differently. However, if we look after ourselves we may have bad days or bad things may happen but they will not send us into the depths of despair as we are more grounded and focused on our wellbeing. Next month, I'll be writing about the Evening Ritual! We are creatures of habit so the rituals are about replacing old and un-useful patterns with habits that can increase our productivity and focus to achieve our goals! Until then, be happy and have fun! Roseleen Contact Me Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:27:22 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/1bsMU/h/Life_Coaching_What_Are.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach What Are You Tolerating in Your Life? A blown light bulb, a dirty car, a stuck window, pile of invoices for your accounts, a constantly negative friend, crossed boundaries, unmet needs, unfinished business, others and your own behaviour - these are just some examples of things we tolerate, take on, put up with and accept. The things we tolerate are the things that try our patience and drain our energy. They may be small subtle things that have been around for a while (like the out of date milk carton sitting in the back of the fridge) or have become 'normal' to our eyes. Yet, often we tolerate these things without realising it and when we see them we think 'that's just the way life is'. Yet, we have the power to change what we tolerate but only if we choose to change them. TOP 10 ENERGY DRAINERS So what are the top 10 things that are draining your energy? What do you put up with in your life? Do you want to eliminate them from your life forever? When doing this exercise think about all areas of your life - relationships/romance, home, work, health, money, community, family and friends and recreation. Start writing down the things you tolerate in your life, once you start writing you will find that writing the list becomes easier and may be insightful. Once you are complete, review the list. What items do you choose to eliminate? If you find that what you are tolerating seems like a large task then break it into small steps so you can take action bit by bit. By taking baby steps, you give yourself the permission to succeed and build confidence. If, for example, you choose to minimize your messy office, start by trying to clean up your desk, bookshelves or by organising your files rather than tackling the whole project in one afternoon and not knowing where to start. For some of the things you tolerate, you may find that there are limiting beliefs that have supported you in putting up with these things for so long. You may think to yourself: I don't have time..., I've always been .....; That's just how it is; It's always been this way. Try adding the words until now onto the end of your negative beliefs and see what happens. How does this change the way you view the situation? Does it give the power back to you to make a change if you choose to? We live with many things in our lives that we tolerate but we do not realise that we ARE tolerating these things. We believe that 'it's just the way things are'? So why do we hold onto these tolerations? What is the benefit of continuing to tolerate these things? What part of you does not want things to change? Do you find comfort in 'keep things the way they've always been' or just in case you need them? Review your list and develop a strategy for eliminating or minimizing each item on your list. How committed are you to following through on the strategy? How will you feel after the 'toleration' can be marked off your list? How will you feel if the 'toleration' remains on your list and draining your energy and patience? For example, in relation to the messy office you may choose to set aside a one hour every Friday afternoon to clean up your desk. You can add other weekly action items to your list which will enable you to organise your office just the way you want it. As you choose to minimize or eliminate what you tolerate, you will enjoy greater confidence, joy and empowerment. All those niggling things that you tolerate will begin to disappear. What am I Tolerating? What I have to Change to Eliminate these Forever Resources to Accomplish this Strategy E.g. Pile of paper work Be organised, File Weekly Basis on Fri, Prepare in Advance Filing System Pre Labelled Shred information not required On the other hand, there are also things in your life (presently or in past) that boost your energy levels, make your feel good and give you that 'WOW' factor. These energy boosters can be as simple as having family that light up your life, friends that make you laugh uncontrollably, running around the park with your children, smelling fresh flowers on your work desk, having a clean office or having quality alone time. What is it that makes you fill with joy and allows your worries to drift away? What activities or people make you feel fulfilled, happy and boost your energy levels? When doing this exercise think about all areas of your life - relationships/romance, home, work, health, money, family and friends and recreation. Think and reflect over the past week, month or year - what events or people made that moment great, memorable and enjoyable? It's the moments like you see in Barry's Tea ad 'Something Borrowed' where the night before the wedding, the man sends his soon to be wife the shirt that holds many memories for them. Once you can think of the activity, person or situation, I want you to identify what it is you value deeply in that moment. Is it quality time with a great friend, time alone, connecting with your children, being in nature or doing something for yourself? When you can identify what boosts your energy, you can start looking to create more of this in your life. Then write down the changes you'll have to make to create a daily booster for yourself e.g. arranging play date with you and your kids, having a family meal, phone dates with great friends, daily alone time etc. Let your imagine run with this and see what you can come up with! Imagine having an 'energy booster' button for every day! TOP 10 ENERGY BOOSTERS Who/What Boosts Your Energy What I have to Change to Have More of Them/This in My Life Every Day Resources to Accomplish this Strategy So stop tolerating and start creating! To Your Potential, Roseleen LIFE COACHING REIKI Introduction Hi , Well July seems to be the month of laughter and fun for me! It was a busy month with my sister's wedding which was a great day. It really reminded me how much I love getting up home to Donegal to visit my family. Although a very busy week it was a great opportunity to reconnect with the beautiful scenery in Donegal. We had much laughter, talking and dancing at the wedding! I also completed the Angel Energy Healing course with Mary K Hayden which was a beautiful relaxing and inspiring weekend. I met many lovely people who are from all walks of life and with whom I shared much laughter during the weekend. I hope you are enjoying the summer months and had a chance to take a break to yourself! As always, email me with anything that you would like to see in a newsletter! To Your Potential, Roseleen Contact Me Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:58:20 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/dnhB/h/Life_Coach_Your_Inner.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach Do You Have a Gremlin on Your Shoulder? I know you don't have Gizmo (from The Gremlins) hanging out with you but do you have your own inner gremlin talking to you? Have you seen the ads on TV for adult Literacy, where this very ugly monster teases the father who is being asked by his daughter to help her with her homework 'you, you help her, you can't do that'. So it's like a monster on your back that constantly reminds you what you can or can't do, how you failed or how you are going to fail etc. The Gremlin is your inner voice. It's a part of you that wants to protect you from danger and failure but in doing so it stifles your life, holds you back and doesn't like change because it likes to play it safe. What is your inner critic saying? Who does your inner critic sound like? Is it your own voice? If you don't know what it is saying, you could keep a notebook of what it says to you over the next few days. Don't analyze it, judge it or yourself, just notice it. You could be surprised by the things your inner critic is telling yourself. May of us become accustomed to this inner critic that we are not even aware of its chattering, but the message it says to us stills goes into our subconscious, and it is our subconscious that has the power to create our dreams. As we listen to the pesky Gremlin chattering away, we are giving it power to keep going and blocking our growth. I want to show you ways in which you can reclaim your power and diminish that Gremlin. With practice these tools will help you gain control over your thoughts so as they come in you can let any negative or criticising ones float past. Ways to Deal with Your Inner Gremlin Identify the voice I'd like you now to relax... take a deep breath... breathe out to the count of four... and start to hear that gremlin in your mind. Remember a time you last heard it... what did it sound like? What tone and tempo of voice did it use? (I bet it wasn't soothing.) Do you put a picture to the voice? What feelings do you get in your body? Is it your voice or someone else's? Where is the location of the voice? (left side, right side, middle, back etc) What is it saying? Now that you have identified these things, you can begin to change each and as you do notice how it begins to shift the feelings you have in relation to the voice: · Start with location: shift it by moving the voice outside your head then 5 inches away... then 7 inches away... then 10 inches away...until it get further and further away... · Once you have the voice some distance, move it from one side to the other, notice any shifts or changes in your body or how you feel · Change the voice! You can change it to a Mickey Mouse, Donald duck, Bart Simpson or Sylvester the Cat voice. Do you know anyone that when they speak you don't believe a word that comes out of their mouth - use their voice! · In each case change the tone and tempo, using the same words it was using. · Now that you have changed the location, the voice, the tone and tempo... take a short break, shake it off and now, try to listen to the voice again and notice how you now feel differently, or now that you have changed some things inside yourself, how the voice that used to effect you one way now, as much as you try in vain, how things have shifted! Talk to Your Inner Gremlin Ask 'what's the intention behind this feeling?', 'What does the inner critic want you to know or what is it protecting you from?' Talking with your inner critic can give you insight into what are the inner critic's deeper concerns. You can offer feedback or negotiate agreements in order to soften the inner critic more. Use a Mantra When the Gremlin is holding on strong and changing it's voice doesn't work then you can also use a mantra. Your mantra can be as strong as you want, as you need it to get that annoying voice to stop 'Shut the Heck Up' could work or 'You're not the boss of me. You keep saying the mantra over and over until the voice stops. By doing this you are letting him/her know that they are not in charge - You Are! Make it Disappear I got this idea from Richard Bandler's new book. Do you remember Bugs Bunny? Do you remember an episode where the artist's pencil comes into frame and erases Bugs's legs and when Bugs starts to complain he erases his mouth. All you need to do is imagine you have a large pencil with an eraser and rub out the mouth, face and body of your gremlin. Do you remember the vat of acid that used to be in Loony Toons cartoons? Imagine having a similar vat of acid and tell your gremlin that if he or she doesn't shut the heck up, you'll dissolve them in that vat. (Is your gremlin, saying anything to you now - You can't do that, Don't be so stupid or That's silly, it will never work etc. Change the Words Once you've your gremlin under control, you can start by introducing helpful words into your inner voice. Make your inner critic and ally instead! Instead of 'You can't do that, It will never work or Who do you think you are use I can give it my best shot, I'll give it a bash or ok. I hear you but I really think I can do this and I'm going to give it a try even if I don't do it very well, at least I will learn something or 'I love and accept myself exactly as I am. As you become aware of your thoughts and your inner chatter you can make the voice less insistent. You can acknowledge that part of you is scared but you can also comfort and support that part of you. Know that you are not your inner critic, it is a part of you but it is not who you are. RECESSION SESSIONS News - Richard Banlder For those of you who don't know Richard Bandler is co-founder of NLP. I was at a seminar he gave at the beginning of May. It was a great opportunity to see the man in action. He spoke mainly about his background but did a few demonstrations also on members from the audience. Most of his stories are in his new book Get the Life You Want. Check out Seminars.ie for more information on more seminars to be held this year -I've bookmarked Tony Buzan already! News - Cultivate Day I (as part of the Dublin Holistic Centre) was at the 3rd Cultivate Health and Yoga Day on Saturday 6th June 2009. Despite the torrential downpour for the day, there was a great turnout. We were giving mini treatments throughout the day so people could relax and unwind. There were numerous Yoga classes and even dance classes. The atmosphere was so relaxing that the day just flew by. News - Corporate Health and Wellness Day I recently took part in a Corporate Health and Wellness day with Fit for Life for an organisation in the City Centre. I was giving 1/2 hour sessions of reiki during the day. The participants enjoyed the reiki sessions and I think they went back to their desks a little less stressed! It's great to see that Companies are still looking after their staff as I think they need it now more than ever. News - New Website I'm currently revamping my life coaching website and hope to have it running within a month. I love my current one but with a competition I won I am able to get a new one - so I'm not saying No to the Universe! I'm saying Thank You! So I will let you know when it is up and running... Contact Us Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:59:39 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/psLt/h/www_RoseleenMcNally_Com_.htm Unsubscribe to this newsletter Roseleen Mc Nally - Life and Career Coach Affirmations - Power in Your Words In the current climate, the health of our mindset is being tested. In these times, people are worried about their business; career, finances, family, future and making ends meet. What starts as a worry about 'will I lose my job' turns into 'no job is safe', 'I'm not going to have any money', 'what am I going to do', 'there no jobs out there', 'I'm too old to start again', 'everyone will think I'm useless', ' there's no way out'... and on and on... This is your inner voice on a rollercoaster ride - it started off with one thought which has now snowed balled into hundreds or more of negative thoughts that you probably don't know that are flying around your head. I have noticed that more and more people are aware of these thoughts and on some level they know that all the negative statements are not true but they don't know how to get rid of them. You will not pick up a 'self help' book which does not recommend affirmations. It's not only 'self help' books that recommend them. I've been reading about successful businessmen/women who are at the top of their game and they all recommend affirmations as part of their daily lives. They believe that affirmations feeds their mind with what is possible and keeps them focused on what they want to achieve and what is positive. What are affirmations? Often, people repeat negative statements in their minds without even being aware of what they are saying. We all have experience of our 'inner voice' or 'gremlin' speaking to us in a negative tone. Do you keep thinking and telling yourself that you are fat, you are stupid, you can't do something or you are going to fail? Well these are all negative affirmations. Your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is real or not therefore by saying these statements to yourself your subconscious mind accepts it as true. We find negative statements easier to believe as they usually validate our own internal negative beliefs whether these beliefs are true or false. If you were to write down all that your 'inner voice' says to you throughout the day how much of what you say is positive and how much is negative? Would it be 25%, 50%, 75% or 95% negative? It is reported that 90% of what we think is negative, no wonder we find ourselves struggling to remain upbeat. Also, 90% of what we worry about never happens. That means our negative worries have less than 10% chance of being true. So what are you currently worrying about? Do you believe that the worry will ever really happen? We use positive affirmations to challenge those negative beliefs and stop the flow of negative thoughts and words that seek to validate them. Affirmations are more than just repeating words. It is a whole process of becoming aware of your thoughts and words in everyday life, choosing to think and project happy positive thoughts. By repeating these phrases every day we are reprogramming our mind to believe them and make them real. All of our inner dialogue, negative or positive, is a steady stream of affirmations. What do affirmations really do? When repeating a positive affirmation you are reprogramming your mind. This does not happen overnight and you may experience resistance. The bigger the gap between the positive affirmation and the inner belief then the more likely that one is going to experience resistance during the process e.g. the inner voice may try to get you to stop saying the affirmation 'look at you, you're so stupid saying this stuff, what kind of stupid person believes this will work' etc. This is where the subconscious will find it easier to stay with its perceived inner belief and avoid the challenge of examining the issue. Once you keep saying the affirmation with feeling and belief, then resistance will break. Once broken, this forces your subconscious to re-examine the core belief patterns you have been working on. The old belief patterns will be replaced with your own new inner beliefs. Changing one core belief can have a domino effect on other beliefs that relied on the original negative belief. Therefore your subconscious re-examines all your beliefs e.g. your subconscious sorts through your beliefs like going through a filing cabinet and pulling out the beliefs the no longer have the original foundation to support them. Because affirmations actually reprogram your thought patterns, they change the way you think and feel about things, and because you have replaced self limiting beliefs with your own new positive empowering beliefs, positive change comes easily and naturally. How can I use affirmations? Besides repeating the affirmation, there are many ways to use affirmations. I have set out a few additional ways below: Use a mirror - state the affirmation while looking into a mirror. Look yourself in the eyes when you are saying the affirmation, this will also indicate whether there is resistance to the affirmation. Write them down - this is a good way of remembering your affirmations. Write them down each morning, put them on note card or stick them up around the house so you can keep it to the forefront of your mind. You could also write it down 10-20 times as this helps imprint it on your mind. Record them - you can find CDs of affirmations. I record mine into my MP3 player so I can listen to them first thing in the morning, when I'm walking and just before I go to sleep as the mind processes a lot of information while you sleep. Vision board - include affirmations on your vision board. For each section or area in your life have an affirmation which relates it e.g. finding a career you love, travelling the world etc Sing them - I find affirmations easy to remember if they rhyme. You can sing or chant the affirmation are you are walking, exercising or just hanging about and no one needs to know! Put passion into it - say the affirmation with passion, the higher your emotional state as you say them, the more effective they are. Create your own affirmations Think of an area of your life you would like to improve. Think about how you might want your life to be. Be as specific as you can about this so your affirmation will be focused on these areas. Write down the important areas you would like to change. Take each item on the list and write out a few positive statements for each. They must be positive and in the present tense. Focus on what you do want, not what you don't want. Focus on the quality you wish to bring into your life. So rather than focusing on the habit or situation you wish to change, focus on what you would like to replace it with. Choose only positive words when describing what you really want. If you want to get healthier, do not use an affirmation like 'I am not fat' or 'I am not eating junk food' as these statements make you think of the mental images of what you do not want. Think about the quality you do want. Say instead 'I am reaching my target weight healthy' or 'I am enjoying eating nourishing food that gives me more energy'. Using the present tense and not the future tense allows your subconscious mind to start working on making the affirmation happen now rather than in the future. I like to add 'this or something else that is my divine right is currently manifesting under grace and in perfect ways' at the end of some of my affirmations. By adding this sentence I am allowing the Universe to provide for me in whatever way is for my own highest good. Exercise Find somewhere to sit and relax. Close your eyes and pay close attention to your body and how you feel. Begin by breathing in and out at a rhythm that suits you. Bring all your awareness to the top of your head then slowly move your awareness down through your body. Be aware of how your body feels, is there any emotions in certain parts of the body, is their tightness etc. Now bring the attention back to the top of your head. Now repeat to yourself 10 times 'I am a weak and unworthy person' and really get into the feeling of the words. Once you have finished repeating this, bring your awareness through your body again, noticing any differences in emotions, tension or stress in your body. Once you are finished bring the attention back to the top of your head. Now repeat you yourself 10 times 'I am a strong and worthy person' and really get into the feeling of the words. Once you have finished repeating this, bring your awareness through your body again, noticing any changes in your emotions, changes in the tension or stress in your body. 1. You can also do the above exercise with a partner as you can visually see the effect of the negative and positive affirmations on the body. Get your partner to stand up, make a fist and extend either arm out to the side. You stand facing them and get them to resist as much as possible as you attempt to push their arm down with your outstretched arm. What do you notice? Your partner's arm should remain strong. 2. Get your partner to stand up and say the negative affirmation 10 times putting feeling into it. Get them to make a fist and extend either arm out to the side. Once again, get them to resist as much as possible as you attempt to push their arm down with your outstretched arm. What do you notice? Your partner's arm should easily fall once you push it. 3. Now, get your partner to stand up and say the positive affirmation 10 times putting feeling into it. Get them to make a fist and extend either arm out to the side. Once again, get them to resist as much as possible as you attempt to push their arm down with your outstretched arm. What do you notice? Your partner's arm should remain strong. What does this show you? Strong words equals strong arm or strong words makes us physically strong! Therefore you can see that it does not matter whether you believe the words or not by repeating the words the mind and body believes them to be true. Introducing affirmations into your life can be rewarding and allow you to grow but it takes commitment and practice. You don't expect to be a star golf player after one lesson, so you can't expect your entire world to change after a few days of saying affirmations. Also, like maintaining a healthy body you must exercise the brain with positive thoughts regularly so you can feel the benefits always. So make a few of your own affirmations and start taking control of our 'inner voice' today! SPECIAL OFFERS RECESSION SESSIONS YOGAFLOW DIRECTIONS New Location! I am delighted to announce that I am also available for Reiki, Life Coaching and NLP sessions in Yogaflow, 126 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6w as well as the Dublin Holistic Centre, 16 Wicklow Street Dublin 2. Are you busy on June 6th? As a therapist at the Dublin Holistic Centre, I will be attending the 3rd Cultivate Health and Yoga Day on Saturday 6th June 2009 from 10am to 6pm. There will be a number of workshops at the event and therapists will be providing sessions. I will forward more information when I receive the details. Hope to see you there! Are You Sick of Only Hearing Bad News Are we are nation of doomers and gloomers? Do you wonder if there is anything good happening out in the world at all? Well I've found a few links that tell you the good news each day. Have a read of these or bookmark them for the days when all those about you are spreading gloom and doom. I find that they make the 'silver lining' easier to see on dull days! Econ-optimist - New jobs being brought into Ireland on a daily basis Brightwater - Good news on job front Contact Us Roseleen Mc Nally Copyright © 2008 Your Company. All Rights Reserved.Thu, 07 May 2009 16:58:04 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/h4xp/h/April_2009_Life_Coaching.htm Newsletter April 2009 WWW.ROSELEENMCNALLY.COM 086 889 8433 Top Tips to Cope with Redundancy I am sure that you know someone, if not yourself who has been affected by redundancy - friends, family or colleagues. For many, redundancy is a life changing event and it spells the death of a lifestyle (at least in the short-term) that the individual and family has become accustomed. We spend on average 40 hours a week working so our career is an integral part of our lives. For many their job is directly linked to their status, they define their lives by their career. This newsletter will give you tips on how you, your partner, family member or friend can overcome any difficulties facing them during this time of change - it will allow them to see this an opportunity for change, personal growth and exploration.... W hen you meet someone how often, is the first question you ask 'What do you do for a living? For about 10% of the population this is a question which there are dreading having to answer but it does not have to be that way. There is very little stigma attached to being made redundant now, as it is happening to many people as a result of a downturn in certain industries and sectors. Losing a job, results in further losses such as Financial security; Self esteem; Sense of providing for family/partner; Friends as we become more separated from our colleagues; Social network; Routine and structure; and Status and function. Redundancy is both devastating and liberating. On one hand, it is very tough knowing that you have lost your job but on the other hand you may think that losing your job does not seem like such a bad idea after all. There are a minority of people who may be relieved that they have lost their job as it allows them the opportunity to escape an existence to which they could see no way out - they see it as freedom. Some people may use it as a positive experience to change direction or pursue something that they've put off. I know someone who was let go from their job, they cried for two days over the shock of it but then they confided that they felt guilty because a part of them was relieved that they didn't have to go back into their job. However, nothing changes the fact that being made redundant from your job is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. Redundancy affects people in different ways. It is said that redundancy is up there with death and moving house as being a very stressful experience. When we are stressed everything looks worse than it is. Even the small and ordinary challenges can seem unbearable. It is said that an individual will go through the 5 emotional stages: Denial - They do not believe it is happening to them. When a person has been told they are being made redundant, they usually go into a state of shock so they may not take in all the information being told. The person may not tell their partner, family or friends. By not acknowledging it they believe it is not happening. Bargaining - They try to convince their employers to take them back. Anger - Their emotions will swing up and down. They may take anger out on family members or begin to 'bad mouth' their previous employers. Despair - They now begin to worry about providing for their family, finances, finding another job. The person may feel like 'it is them against the world'. Acceptance - They begin to accept the situation. The person may begin to take control of the situation and be proactive. BEING MADE REDUNDANT - STEPS TO BEAT THE STRESS If you or anyone you know has been made redundant there are many things that they can do to help themselves during this time. Having been let go myself from a job in the past, I understand the roller-coaster of emotions that an individual goes through, the effect of being redundant has on the mental and physical body. Here are my top tips on how to cope with redundancy: 1. Do Not Take It Personally Many people will take redundancy as a personal attack. Redundancy is not about you not doing well in your job, it is about your company or industry sector not doing well. It may feel personal but it is not. Your job has been made redundant, not You. 2. Count your blessings Make a list of all the things you have to be grateful for in your life under the headings - family and friends, health, relationships, finances, career, personal growth. By doing this you will see that your career is one element of your life - you have so many positive things in your life to be grateful for. 3. Take Control A fundamental basis of life coaching and NLP is that you cannot change the world around you but you can change your reactions to it. So while being made redundant is stressful, consider at least one positive from the event e.g. Do you get to spend more time with your kids and partner? Do you get to rest your mind and body as your existing job was so stressful, do you have time to do some form of exercise now, Do you have time to actually consider what you want to do? Do you have time to reconnect to the things you loved to do - write, paint, cook etc? Focusing on the negative can take its toll on your mental, emotional and physical body. Instead of thinking that it's all over and there is nothing you can do about it. Try thinking 'How can I attack the problem in manageable pieces'. Do not predict the worst that could happen ask yourself 'what is the best thing that could come from this?' you might surprise yourself with the answer! 4. Take Care of the Essentials First By sorting out the essentials first you can then focus on yourself and what action you need to take. The essentials mainly being food, housing, clothing, finances e.g. bills, mortgage, redundancy pay, direct debits, school fees, car finance etc. By sorting out your finances sooner rather than later you can plan what to do with any savings or redundancy money you may have and it will allow you to take control of your finances. 5. Check your entitlements Go online or contact your local Citizens Information Bureau to determine what entitlements you are allowed. Claim any payments you are entitled to which can help fund you during your work search/break. There are many websites which can help you see what you are entitled to but the best way is to meet someone from these organizations face-to-face. 6. Prepare a budget Do a budget for the next 6 months which will focus you on how to manage your money. Write out your spending for the past two months. You can use your bank statements and credit cards - list all recurring payments, once off expenditure, any unexpected expenditure and when it is due e.g. car insurance, school fees, savings, credit card debts, loan repayments, house bills etc. This will allow you to see what your outgoings are, what are the essentials, is there anything that can be removed/decreased? Remember to budget for something for you and your family to look forward to. Whether it is a holiday, a weekend break or day out include some fun into your budget. Decide whether you will clear all or part of your debts with your savings/redundancy money. Contact your bank in relation to changing the term or repayments on your mortgage, car and loan repayments. Contact the financial institutions so you can gather whatever information you need to make an informed decision on your debts. 7. Keep in a Routine Make sure your day has structure so you do not fall into the habit of sleeping late every morning and watching TV late into the night. The structure of a routine keeps you alert and reinforces a feeling of self worth. By keeping to a routine, you are also preparing yourself for getting back into employment. There are people who will get up at their usual time, put on their suit and do their days work (job hunting, exercise, networking etc) so they keep up the routine of being at work. They are 'acting as if' - the mind does not know the difference between what is real and what is not. By staying in bed all day hiding under the duvet - what are you getting done? How would you feel? 8. Take Stock and Do Your Goals Write down your goals, get organised and take action. The act of putting your goals and objectives on papers helps you maintain focus and activates your mind towards achieving them. Focusing on what you don't have will only create more of the same. Focus your energy in the right direction. 9. Use the Opportunity - Re-evaluate Career You could look at being made redundant as an opportunity for change and personal growth. Write down the skills you have (you might even ask friends or family for their input as you may be hard on yourself during this period) and consider the kind of job you want. Perhaps you would like to try something else? What others industries use your unique skills and strengths? How could you find the opportunities available to you? What would have to happen for you to change career or find a new job? You may have been so busy in your previous job that you did not fully explore other avenues. Redundancy can offer you the chance to take a step back and re-evaluate your life, your finances, your ambitions, your dreams and your future. Although it may be tough financially at first it can provide the stepping stone for starting the next stage of your life. There are many possibilities available to those who are made redundant: New job, same field; New job, different field; Consultancy work; Temping/Part time work; Opportunity to gain new training skills; Start your own business; Voluntary work; Return to education; and Travel. Hire the services of a career coach if you want to clarify what you want to do and plan a strategy to get there. You may also consider using the time to update your CV and interview skills. 10. Look after yourself For many looking after themselves physically and mentally is the last on the list when they are working hard, long hours and managing a family. Use the time you have now to do things that you have put on the long finger. Exercise, even walking, can help bring down stress levels and will make you feel better. Also exercise it a great opportunity to allow yourself to leave all your thoughts at the door and concentrate on you for that specific time. Give yourself something to look forward to. Write down 5 fun and recreation activities that you tried to do (or stopped doing) while you were working or did not 'have the time'. Consider doing at least one of these activities now when you have the time. Take the time to do the things you enjoy. Spending your time worrying will only wear you down and leave you less likely to cope. There are plenty of places which are offering discounts for those who are unemployed so use this opportunity to do something that you like and will enjoy. Check out the internet for those organizations offering discounts or go for long walks in Glendalough, Dun Laoghaire or someplace where you feel relaxed. 11. Get support Instead of thinking you have to handle this alone, reach out and ask for support. Try thinking 'I need some support to get through this who can I go to?' When we are stressed we usually withdraw into ourselves so know that having support will help you get through this. Use family, friends or other organisations to get the support you need. Talking openly and honestly about how you feel can be like opening a door. Talking puts you back in control and reveals the choices available to you. Many people feel they have to be strong and handle it all by themselves so they do not burden family or friends. But by holding in your emotions they will continue to build up until they are unbearable or you become irritable and short tempered. Either way, talking to someone will help you realise that you are not on your own and help to reduce tension. 12. You will survive Remember you are not alone. We hear the statistics everyday so if you find the news depressing, stop listening to it. There have been recessions before and we have survived. There will probably be recessions in the future but we always survive. Look at the word 'recession', a recess means a short break and period to adjust before moving forward. You are in a recess, things will start to move again but you may need to make some adjustments prior to this. ************************************************************************* Special Offers Life Coaching and NLP Offer 1 2 sessions for the price of 1 - valid until 31 May 2009 You can use the 2 sessions for yourself or You can give one as a gift to a friend. You can use the 2 for 1 for Life Coaching, Career Coaching, Redundancy Coaching or NLP. So whether you want to see if Life Coaching is for you or want to address a specific issue then contact me. Reiki Offer 1 2 sessions for the price of 1 - valid until 30 April 2009 You can use the 2 sessions for yourself or You can give one as a gift to a friend. If you know someone who is suffering the emotional rollercoaster of being made redundant or dealing with the stress of having a family member redundant, then reiki can help them release the stress of the events, clear the mind of the thoughts running through it and give them time out to relax. ************************************************************************* Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them! Not a subscriber yet? Like what you've read? Sign up to get future issues delivered straight to you: http://www.roseleenmcnally.com Until next time! Roseleen Mc Nally Dublin Holistic Centre, 16 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 Unsubscribe to this newsletter Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:11:05 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/.dAV/h/March_2009_Life_Coaching.htm Newsletter March 2009 WWW.ROSELEENMCNALLY.COM 086 889 8433 Simple Pleasures in Life As human beings we all want to have fun and joy in our lives. However, as adults we may unconsciously consider childish activites as being juvenile. When was the last time you did something that you truly enjoyed? Everytime I visit a relative in Donegal I look out at their garden and remember rolling down it doing 'head over heels' in the summer. I can hear the laughter as we got dizzer and dizzer from all the rolling and as we tried to be first to the bottom of the field. Granted, I haven't gone rolling down that hill in a long time but I truly enjoy heading off on a walk a few times a week - a walk where I just leave the house and see where I end up, a walk with no time limit. Just some time for me to go wandering and taking in the sight around me. So, now lets see how you can have more joy in the simple pleasures of life... M indfulness is a word that I keep seeing everywhere I look - on the internet, in magazines, books and from people I talk to. I am not going to write about 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle as it is currently sitting on my book shelf to be read (it may form part of a later Newsletter). However, I am going to write about how we can become more present in our own daily lives. I believe that we put the things that give us the greatest joy on the long finger so I would like you to use this newsletter to bring a little bit of fun and happiness back into your day. So let's look at how much time you spend doing things that you truly enjoy. I mean TRULY enjoy and not feel you 'should' enjoy! The following headings are just a guide and you can add more if you want. Under each of the headings write down two/three activities that you enjoy. Make them as specific as you can. For example, under clothes you might put down enjoying the feeling of wearing your big warm coat on a walk around the park or even wearing your partner's jumper whilst snuggled up beside the fire. Under relaxing you might put down have a bath with all the works (bubble bath, candles and music) or you might just write sitting with a cup of tea in your favour tea/cake shop. Make it as specific and personal to you. If you find it hard to think of something, you may be thinking too much. The activity does not have to be 'earth shattering' or life changing, just something that you get great joy from e.g. playing with your children in the back yard. We often find happiness in the simple pleasures of life like that first cup of tea/coffee in the morning, meeting your partner for lunch or running around the park with your kids. Think of the small moments of pleasure that are unrecognised. It is the small things in life that we take for granted and we let pass by without a moment of recognition or truly being in the moment. The categories are: Relationships (friends and partners); Family, parents and children; Recreation (sports, hobbies and entertainment); The arts - music, concerts, TV, film and theatre; Business success and career; Community/Home environment; Relaxing (whatever means relaxation to you); Food, eating in, eating out and cooking; Giving and receiving gifts; Clothes (and for girls - shoes!); and Religious/spiritual activity. Now, write beside each item the last time you did an activity that you enjoyed. Did you do it once, a few times or several times in the last month? So how often do you do the things that you truly enjoy? Is there room for improvement? Is there any particular area in your life that you have 'paused'? If so, ask yourself why? Are you happy with this area being paused? What can you do to increase the areas which you are not doing as much as you want? Now look over the list and pick the ones that you are not doing as much as you like. How can you make room in your life for these? How can you fit it into your week? What would it be like to have more of these enjoyable moments in your life? Make a commitment to yourself to do at more of these activities in the next week. Set yourself a target - you could plan to do two items that you have not done in a long time. Once you start introducing or increasing these activites into your life you will find that they will become habit as you will be getting so much joy from them. You can revisit this list and think of new thinkgs you would like to do that can increase the joy and fun in your life. Special Offers Life Coaching and NLP Offer 1 2 sessions for the price of 1 - valid until 31 May 2009 You can use the 2 sessions for yourself or You can give one as a gift to a friend. You can use the 2 for 1 for Life Coaching, Career Coaching, Redundancy Coaching or NLP. So whether you want to see if Life Coaching is for you or want to address a specific issue then contact me. ************************************************************************* Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them! Not a subscriber yet? Like what you've read? Sign up to get future issues delivered straight to you: http://www.roseleenmcnally.com Until next time! Roseleen Mc Nally Dublin Holistic Centre, 16 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 Unsubscribe to this newsletter Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:35:40 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/1BXX7/h/February_Life_Coaching.htm Newsletter February 2008 - Life Coaching and NLP Roseleen Mc Nally Tel: 086 889 8433 IN THIS ISSUE Finding a Career that Suits You Other News Address Dublin Holistic Centre 16 Wicklow Street Dublin 2 INFORMATION SPECIAL OFFER Have 3 Life Coaching Sessions by 31 March 2008 and receive your next session 1/2 price CONTACT ME Click Here Reiki For information on reiki click here Dublin Holistic Centre For information on the centre where I work, click here CAREER - STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR? Hi We spend most of our time at work so wouldn't it be nice to spend all that time doing something that you enjoy? The current economic downturn and rising unemployment is leading many people to reassess where they are at in their careers. It is no longer the late 20 and 30 somethings that are looking to research other careers as they feel stunted or feel that there has to be more to work than just doing their job. Circumstances are forcing people to think 'what are the areas that will grow during or after the recession?' 'What college course could I do that will ensure employment?' 'What other area can I apply my skills to now?' I also see many people use this as a chance to start again with a clean slate. They want a career that will make them happy and fit in with their lifestyle. Through my own experience of changing career, I can understand that there is the fear of the unknown. But fear is what holds us back. When I got fearfully or procrastinated I always asked myself 'Would I be happy to be sitting here in 10 or 20 years time doing the same job'? I enjoyed my job, met loads of great people and was moving up the career ladder but I knew I was missing something. I committed myself to finding that 'something' and that was the start of my journey. I've set out below some exercises/tips on how you can ge the best out of your career. If you are interest in changing career by doing these exercises you may find out what possibilities are out there for you. On the other hand if you are happy in your current career, these exercises will help you on focusing on what you want to get from the future in your life and career. As always I hope you enjoy the newsletter! Be remarkable! Rosie What is the difference between a job and a career? We often believe that a job and a career are the same thing. However to me, there is one main difference between them - a job is often a means to an end whereas a career is something that you are building during your lifetime. A career can full you financially, mentally and emotionally. People with careers are usually passionate about what they are doing. They make work more like play despite the fact that they may be working harder and longer than in a previous job. However, sometimes a job can lead you to a career - but is it a career you are passionate about? The most important quality to have when you are looking to change career is patience. There is no one size fits all solution as each individual is looking for a career that is right for them. When looking to change career you do not have to leave your current employment tomorrow. It is about finding a balance that is right for you. There are many possibilities on how you can start introducing something you love to do into your life such as introducing it on a part time basis, studying it in evenings, doing it at weekends or simply doing it for pleasure in your spare time. Make a commitment to yourself to decide within a few months or years to find a career or decide if you are willing to leave your current employment. By making small changes now you are taking action and making a commitment to yourself about your future. It is these small steps like research, getting a mentor, evening classes etc that will give you the confidence to take additional steps to doing something you love. If you don't take the first steps then how will you know what is out there for you or what the world has to offer you? Below are some tips on how to start your journey of having a career you love. Take your time going through these questions - you may surprise yourself with what you come up with! Assess Where You Are at in This Moment Evaluate where you are at currently in your career. If you are currently dissatisfied in your job then there are many options and not all of them lead to leaving your job. It may help to do up a list of pros and cons and decide whether you are able to deal with the cons if they are outweighed by the pros. You may be dissatisfied for many reasons -feel lost, feel like you are not working to your full potential, feel stunted in your growth, clash of personalities or hours that no longer suit your family life etc. These are things which you can address once you make the choice to make changes. These changes could improve your working environment thereby removing the element of dissatisfaction. Questions to ask yourself: Am I working too much or too little? What do I love about my job? What do I hate about my job? What talents do I use and don't use in my job? What talents would I like to use more in my job? Is there room for promotion/transfer in my current company? What is the possibilty of this happening? Will this happen soon enough for me? What am I passionate about? Are these elements in my current job? Assess Your Past Make a list of your previous places of employment. What was it about the job that you liked? What made doing the job or elements of the job satisfying? Are these any of the things that you would like to bring forward into your current/future job? You Ideal Life Take a few moments and let your mind wander. I want you to write down what you ideal life would be like. There are no constraints or limitations in this exercise. Write it as if someone has given you a clean slate to have the life you dream off. It is important to be honest with yourself in this exercise and don't write down things that you think you should want. Cover all areas of your life - romance/significant other, family and friends, career, finances, personal growth, health etc. The more specific and detailed you are the better. If you don't know what kind of life you want to lead, then how will you know if your current lifestyle and choices are going to lead you there. Your Ideal Job Description Write up your ideal job brief. If you don't have a specific career in mind write about the things that this career would bring to your life or what you would expect from this career e.g. are you travelling, do you work from home, is it in a city, are you self-employed or an employee, do you work with a team or alone etc. Write down what you perceive to be the day-to-day activities, nature of work, functions performed, location and abilities you would use. This is important as it will provide you with a strong focus. You can also start placing career roles next to it, or while you search for alternative careers you can hold them all up against your list to see if they match or not. Remember that the brief is not set in stone, as you do more research and speak to people you may find that you add and delete from this list. What does Job Satisfaction mean to You? Everyone has a different definition of job satisfaction. What does it mean to you? If you don't know then how will you know whether you have it and if a new role would give it to you or not. It might be helpful to list your job satisfaction criteria and select the top 5 which are an absolute 'must-have' in your career. Here are some examples below of job satisfaction criteria, which can help you with yours: I feel what I do is worthwhile or makes a difference I am given respect for your achievements My views are listened to I'm working with people I like There's a good balance between work and the rest of my life I am proud of what you do My work reflects my talents and personality Match your Values with Your Career By identifying what your values are then you can see if they are included in your current job. Your values are things like family, money, independence, friends, honesty, love, happiness, health, holidays, sleep, etc. Values are things that are important to you and that you need in your life to be happy. They are not something you want or would like to have. Values are personal to each individual, they are your beliefs and your ethics combined. Living against your values is stressful and unfulfilling therefore it i s important to clearly understand your true values. To be happy is to live in accordance with ones values. Decide what your top 10 values are and match them to your career to ensure that your career supports and doesn't hinder them. If you choose to change career, you now know what your values are so can match them to your chosen career. Find a Mentor Find out people who love their jobs or are working in an area you would love. Ask them why they love it and how they went about finding the job they do? You may find ways that you could do this career or what other possibilities are open to you. You could ask to shadow them for a few days to see what the job really entails. You have nothing to lose by asking. Get Confident Once you have found the right career move for you, if you are having problems taking that final step then ask yourself some of the following questions: If I don't take this leap what will be the consequences? Is life too short not to take some risks? What's really the worst that can happen if I leave? Can I deal with this or will I allow this to happen? What's the best that can happen if I leave? How would my life be different? If I knew that in 12 months time that conditions at work were going to be exactly how they are now how would I feel? Would I feel happy, sad, depressed or regret that I didn't do something earlier? OTHER NEWS GIFT VOUCHERS Gift vouchers are available for reiki or Life Coaching. So whatever the reason you can treat yourself or a love one to a relaxing reiki treatment or empowering life coaching session. You can contact me for vouchers on 086 889 8433. Give someone you love, the time to treat themselves! | Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:49:57 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/roseleenmcnally/17PVd/h/February_Life_Coaching.htm Newsletter February 2008 - Life Coaching and NLP Roseleen Mc Nally Tel: 086 889 8433 IN THIS ISSUE Finding a Career that Suits You Other News Address Dublin Holistic Centre 16 Wicklow Street Dublin 2 INFORMATION SPECIAL OFFER Have 3 Life Coaching Sessions by 31 March 2008 and receive your next session 1/2 price CONTACT ME Click Here Reiki For information on reiki click here Dublin Holistic Centre For information on the centre where I work, click here CAREER - STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR? Hi We spend most of our time at work so wouldn't it be nice to spend all that time doing something that you enjoy? The current economic downturn and rising unemployment is leading many people to reassess where they are at in their careers. It is no longer the late 20 and 30 somethings that are looking to research other careers as they feel stunted or feel that there has to be more to work than just doing their job. Circumstances are forcing people to think 'what are the areas that will grow during or after the recession?' 'What college course could I do that will ensure employment?' 'What other area can I apply my skills to now?' I also see many people use this as a chance to start again with a clean slate. They want a career that will make them happy and fit in with their lifestyle. Through my own experience of changing career, I can understand that there is the fear of the unknown. But fear is what holds us back. When I got fearfully or procrastinated I always asked myself 'Would I be happy to be sitting here in 10 or 20 years time doing the same job'? I enjoyed my job, met loads of great people and was moving up the career ladder but I knew I was missing something. I committed myself to finding that 'something' and that was the start of my journey. I've set out below some exercises/tips on how you can ge the best out of your career. If you are interest in changing career by doing these exercises you may find out what possibilities are out there for you. On the other hand if you are happy in your current career, these exercises will help you on focusing on what you want to get from the future in your life and career. As always I hope you enjoy the newsletter! Be remarkable! Rosie What is the difference between a job and a career? We often believe that a job and a career are the same thing. However to me, there is one main difference between them - a job is often a means to an end whereas a career is something that you are building during your lifetime. A career can full you financially, mentally and emotionally. People with careers are usually passionate about what they are doing. They make work more like play despite the fact that they may be working harder and longer than in a previous job. However, sometimes a job can lead you to a career - but is it a career you are passionate about? The most important quality to have when you are looking to change career is patience. There is no one size fits all solution as each individual is looking for a career that is right for them. When looking to change career you do not have to leave your current employment tomorrow. It is about finding a balance that is right for you. There are many possibilities on how you can start introducing something you love to do into your life such as introducing it on a part time basis, studying it in evenings, doing it at weekends or simply doing it for pleasure in your spare time. Make a commitment to yourself to decide within a few months or years to find a career or decide if you are willing to leave your current employment. By making small changes now you are taking action and making a commitment to yourself about your future. It is these small steps like research, getting a mentor, evening classes etc that will give you the confidence to take additional steps to doing something you love. If you don't take the first steps then how will you know what is out there for you or what the world has to offer you? Below are some tips on how to start your journey of having a career you love. Take your time going through these questions - you may surprise yourself with what you come up with! Assess Where You Are at in This Moment Evaluate where you are at currently in your career. If you are currently dissatisfied in your job then there are many options and not all of them lead to leaving your job. It may help to do up a list of pros and cons and decide whether you are able to deal with the cons if they are outweighed by the pros. You may be dissatisfied for many reasons -feel lost, feel like you are not working to your full potential, feel stunted in your growth, clash of personalities or hours that no longer suit your family life etc. These are things which you can address once you make the choice to make changes. These changes could improve your working environment thereby removing the element of dissatisfaction. Questions to ask yourself: Am I working too much or too little? What do I love about my job? What do I hate about my job? What talents do I use and don't use in my job? What talents would I like to use more in my job? Is there room for promotion/transfer in my current company? What is the possibilty of this happening? Will this happen soon enough for me? What am I passionate about? Are these elements in my current job? Assess Your Past Make a list of your previous places of employment. What was it about the job that you liked? What made doing the job or elements of the job satisfying? Are these any of the things that you would like to bring forward into your current/future job? You Ideal Life Take a few moments and let your mind wander. I want you to write down what you ideal life would be like. There are no constraints or limitations in this exercise. Write it as if someone has given you a clean slate to have the life you dream off. It is important to be honest with yourself in this exercise and don't write down things that you think you should want. Cover all areas of your life - romance/significant other, family and friends, career, finances, personal growth, health etc. The more specific and detailed you are the better. If you don't know what kind of life you want to lead, then how will you know if your current lifestyle and choices are going to lead you there. Your Ideal Job Description Write up your ideal job brief. If you don't have a specific career in mind write about the things that this career would bring to your life or what you would expect from this career e.g. are you travelling, do you work from home, is it in a city, are you self-employed or an employee, do you work with a team or alone etc. Write down what you perceive to be the day-to-day activities, nature of work, functions performed, location and abilities you would use. This is important as it will provide you with a strong focus. You can also start placing career roles next to it, or while you search for alternative careers you can hold them all up against your list to see if they match or not. Remember that the brief is not set in stone, as you do more research and speak to people you may find that you add and delete from this list. What does Job Satisfaction mean to You? Everyone has a different definition of job satisfaction. What does it mean to you? If you don't know then how will you know whether you have it and if a new role would give it to you or not. It might be helpful to list your job satisfaction criteria and select the top 5 which are an absolute 'must-have' in your career. Here are some examples below of job satisfaction criteria, which can help you with yours: I feel what I do is worthwhile or makes a difference I am given respect for your achievements My views are listened to I'm working with people I like There's a good balance between work and the rest of my life I am proud of what you do My work reflects my talents and personality Match your Values with Your Career By identifying what your values are then you can see if they are included in your current job. Your values are things like family, money, independence, friends, honesty, love, happiness, health, holidays, sleep, etc. Values are things that are important to you and that you need in your life to be happy. They are not something you want or would like to have. Values are personal to each individual, they are your beliefs and your ethics combined. Living against your values is stressful and unfulfilling therefore it i s important to clearly understand your true values. To be happy is to live in accordance with ones values. Decide what your top 10 values are and match them to your career to ensure that your career supports and doesn't hinder them. If you choose to change career, you now know what your values are so can match them to your chosen career. Find a Mentor Find out people who love their jobs or are working in an area you would love. Ask them why they love it and how they went about finding the job they do? You may find ways that you could do this career or what other possibilities are open to you. You could ask to shadow them for a few days to see what the job really entails. You have nothing to lose by asking. Get Confident Once you have found the right career move for you, if you are having problems taking that final step then ask yourself some of the following questions: If I don't take this leap what will be the consequences? Is life too short not to take some risks? What's really the worst that can happen if I leave? Can I deal with this or will I allow this to happen? What's the best that can happen if I leave? How would my life be different? If I knew that in 12 months time that conditions at work were going to be exactly how they are now how would I feel? Would I feel happy, sad, depressed or regret that I didn't do something earlier? OTHER NEWS GIFT VOUCHERS Gift vouchers are available for reiki or Life Coaching. So whatever the reason you can treat yourself or a love one to a relaxing reiki treatment or empowering life coaching session. You can contact me for vouchers on 086 889 8433. Give someone you love, the time to treat themselves! | Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:30:28 -0500