Friday, November 25, 2005
Silence is gold
You may have heard that silence was gold. What it usually meant was to keep some of our thoughts to ourselves (I have my own thoughts on that one). My meaning today of silence is gold refers to how giving yourself some silent time is one of the highest forms of self-care. You may think that if you live alone, you don't need to practice silence. However, consciously being silent means you don't distract with the television or radio in the background or some work you brought from the office, or you don't occupy yourself with housecleaning or a hobby.
The busier you are, the more stressful your job, the more you owe it to yourself to experience silence. Start a couple of minutes at a time. You may want to startat work. Close your office door, close your eyes, breathe a little deeper than your usual shallow breathing and practice not thinking. My favorite way is to imagine a television with only static and to focus on the static, bringing myself back to it if/usually when, my mind drifts to something from the past or the future. Experience the perfect present.
Learn to practice at home also. Sit down. Breathe. You may want to do a couple of minutes when you first get home from work and before bedtime. Going for a walk? Slow down your pace. Instead of distracting yourself looking at people, houses, look at the sky, the trees, listen to the birds.
Your coach
Marguerite
Marguerite Tennier, M.A.
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
The busier you are, the more stressful your job, the more you owe it to yourself to experience silence. Start a couple of minutes at a time. You may want to startat work. Close your office door, close your eyes, breathe a little deeper than your usual shallow breathing and practice not thinking. My favorite way is to imagine a television with only static and to focus on the static, bringing myself back to it if/usually when, my mind drifts to something from the past or the future. Experience the perfect present.
Learn to practice at home also. Sit down. Breathe. You may want to do a couple of minutes when you first get home from work and before bedtime. Going for a walk? Slow down your pace. Instead of distracting yourself looking at people, houses, look at the sky, the trees, listen to the birds.
Your coach
Marguerite
Marguerite Tennier, M.A.
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Monday, November 21, 2005
Fear=greatness
"Our fear is directly proportional to our greatness." Laura Berman Fortgang. Living your Best Life, 2001
Wow! How much fear do you have? Isn't it exciting? Under all those fears is an incredible human being with tremendous potential, gifts and wonder.
No matter who I speak with (even when I have one of those monologues with myself), the one factor that is universal is the fear, the inner critic that keeps us from living our greatness. The problem is that fear is very astute and will give you all the evidence to convince you not to risk: a new job, a new love, developing a talent. Fear is not only directly proportional to our greatness, it is also proportional to our intellectual abilities. The more intelligent you are, the better your mind can come up with reasons not to risk.
One way to disarm fear is to welcome it as a sign that it hides a diamond and to vow to unearth it.
Want help to unearth your greatness? Email me for a free mining session.
marguerite@canadascoach.com
Marguerite Tennier,M.A.
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Wow! How much fear do you have? Isn't it exciting? Under all those fears is an incredible human being with tremendous potential, gifts and wonder.
No matter who I speak with (even when I have one of those monologues with myself), the one factor that is universal is the fear, the inner critic that keeps us from living our greatness. The problem is that fear is very astute and will give you all the evidence to convince you not to risk: a new job, a new love, developing a talent. Fear is not only directly proportional to our greatness, it is also proportional to our intellectual abilities. The more intelligent you are, the better your mind can come up with reasons not to risk.
One way to disarm fear is to welcome it as a sign that it hides a diamond and to vow to unearth it.
Want help to unearth your greatness? Email me for a free mining session.
marguerite@canadascoach.com
Marguerite Tennier,M.A.
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Friday, November 18, 2005
Screening the "to do" list
It would be nice to have the time to do everything, the important, the urgent and the fun stuff too. The reality is if you want want more success in your business, your career or your whole life, you will need to screen out some items from your neverending to-do list.
One way to make your job of choosing easier, is to first define your priorities in each area. For example, if you are in business for yourself and work from home, your priorities may be: to grow your business, to maintain a healthy life balance, to continue learning, to participate in your community through volunteering, to socialize to meet a life partner.
The goal is not to rigidly divide your time to do some of everything on a daily basis, but to generally organize your life so that you maintain a general balance that feels comfortable for you. Balance is not static. Some weeks, you may find yourself working longer hours because of a special project. At other times, self-care and socializing will be higher on the list and at other times, classes or volunteering will take precedence.
Through it all, make sure you make time for the basics on a daily basis. They are: enough sleep, at least 3 nutritious meals, some form of exercise, even if it is only a twenty minutes walk at lunch time and some "you" time to read, take a warm bath, talk with a friend, meditate or listen to your favorite music.
Once you establish what your priorities are, it will be easier to say yes or no and feel good about your choices.
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
One way to make your job of choosing easier, is to first define your priorities in each area. For example, if you are in business for yourself and work from home, your priorities may be: to grow your business, to maintain a healthy life balance, to continue learning, to participate in your community through volunteering, to socialize to meet a life partner.
The goal is not to rigidly divide your time to do some of everything on a daily basis, but to generally organize your life so that you maintain a general balance that feels comfortable for you. Balance is not static. Some weeks, you may find yourself working longer hours because of a special project. At other times, self-care and socializing will be higher on the list and at other times, classes or volunteering will take precedence.
Through it all, make sure you make time for the basics on a daily basis. They are: enough sleep, at least 3 nutritious meals, some form of exercise, even if it is only a twenty minutes walk at lunch time and some "you" time to read, take a warm bath, talk with a friend, meditate or listen to your favorite music.
Once you establish what your priorities are, it will be easier to say yes or no and feel good about your choices.
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Monday, November 14, 2005
Loving yourself and Power
"...But the greatest love of self is keeping an eye on where we distribute our power." Laura Berman Fortgang, Living your Best Life, 2001.
The Holiday Season is coming fast and with it, the demands of society to conform and be manipulated into the belief that the best way to show our love is by giving stuff and the more we love, the more expensive the stuff. Gift giving is one place where it's easy to give your power away and try to keep up with the Jones or somehow prove something.
If you want to claim your power in this area this Holiday Season, the first thing to do is a budget. What can you truly afford to spend? Even if you are very rich, does your teenager need another expensive something, or would spending time with him or her be priceless and help you two get closer? Same applies to your life partner.
This might also be the time to clarify what your values are and start living according to them. If you do so, I can promise you will reconnect with a new found inner peace at the end of the day.
Your coach
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
The Holiday Season is coming fast and with it, the demands of society to conform and be manipulated into the belief that the best way to show our love is by giving stuff and the more we love, the more expensive the stuff. Gift giving is one place where it's easy to give your power away and try to keep up with the Jones or somehow prove something.
If you want to claim your power in this area this Holiday Season, the first thing to do is a budget. What can you truly afford to spend? Even if you are very rich, does your teenager need another expensive something, or would spending time with him or her be priceless and help you two get closer? Same applies to your life partner.
This might also be the time to clarify what your values are and start living according to them. If you do so, I can promise you will reconnect with a new found inner peace at the end of the day.
Your coach
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Friday, November 11, 2005
November 11, 2005
Those of you who receive my newsletter know that I have faced a major cancer scare this Fall. Fortunately, it was a scare and another wake-up call: this is not a dress rehearsal. I have made a commitment to myself to live more fearlessly than before. Not parachute jumping, but saying yes to more, especially when my first reaction is "Oh, no! I can't do that" which still happens, I must admit. My first week of increased fearless living saw me accept to deliver a speech for Dr. S. Jordan's award at Ottawa University, accept to be an expert on a call-in radio show (unfortunately cancelled at the last minute) and model lingerie on live television in Ottawa, today.
I challenge you, yes you, who are reading this to join me in increasing your fearlessness for the next two months. I would love if you then can send me a note and tell me how this changed your life.
On another note, I was walking near the Veterans' parade today in downtown Ottawa and I was moved to tears thinking about what these men and women went through during the last World War and how I take my freedom and peace for granted.
On a last note, Happy Birthday to those who celebrate a birthday today.
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
I challenge you, yes you, who are reading this to join me in increasing your fearlessness for the next two months. I would love if you then can send me a note and tell me how this changed your life.
On another note, I was walking near the Veterans' parade today in downtown Ottawa and I was moved to tears thinking about what these men and women went through during the last World War and how I take my freedom and peace for granted.
On a last note, Happy Birthday to those who celebrate a birthday today.
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
http://www.probonocoachingcanada.com
Monday, November 07, 2005
Where are you rushing to?
Are you wearing your running shoes all the time? Figuratively speaking that is. It seems there is not a day that I don't meet at least one person who is out of breath because of his or her lifestyle, yet can't see any other way. Just like the shoe salesperson who automatically looks at people's shoes where ever she goes, as a coach, I hear professionals describing their busy schedule and how they "can't" find time for some things that truly matter to them. They don't find time for exercice, for their hobby, their best friend. They feel trapped, yet they alone hold the key.
Do you recognize yourself here? Until you are ready to stop and answer honestly the question: what drives me to live like a hamster on it's wheel, nothing will change.
Do you feel appreciated only at work? Does work allow you to live "from the neck up", without the need for emotions and feelings? Do you try to prove your worth through "doing"?
If your response to this post is a list of good reasons and evidence why change is impossible in your case, then this may be the proof that you need to take off your running shoes and try on some slippers for a couple of hours.
Your coach
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
Do you recognize yourself here? Until you are ready to stop and answer honestly the question: what drives me to live like a hamster on it's wheel, nothing will change.
Do you feel appreciated only at work? Does work allow you to live "from the neck up", without the need for emotions and feelings? Do you try to prove your worth through "doing"?
If your response to this post is a list of good reasons and evidence why change is impossible in your case, then this may be the proof that you need to take off your running shoes and try on some slippers for a couple of hours.
Your coach
Marguerite Tennier
http://www.canadascoach.com
