Small & Crappy - Reality Check

This is my amazing husband, John, who really at times is so wise and ALWAYS honest.  I have to say that truly we laugh like this a lot.  I have to admit that on this particular occasion it was encouraged by alcohol and a birthday celebration. 

I wanted to write a blog and this week it was about personal life coaching.  I was struggling because I have one hour and could have done this 2 days ago when I planned.  I thought about Rae Wardes' gorgeous statement that is well know in the Kaizen Muse Creativity Coaching community - 'make it small & crappy' it will be good enough.  Ok I will, I think. Then what about, so I approach John.  "What would be something you would like to read that would inspire you around personal stuff?".  (He really could be a coach himself and an OT for that matter - haha), he could not really think of anything.  Ok then, "What is something that you are struggling with just now?"  He still could not think of anything.

I was beginning to feel as if he was not trying hard enough (cheeky eh! For sure!)and with that thought it hit me.  He was outside in the middle of sweeping the path.  It is a lovely sunny day, I had interrupted him to ask these questions because I could not answer them myself.  He explained that all he could think of was the garden, he had noticed plants growing that were new, wanted to transplant something to see if it would work and discovered 3 pots that he wanted to use in some way, and I wanted to take him away from this.  He looked so content and relaxed.

He was so in the present and enjoying every moment of it and thank goodness that he allowed himself to be, stay there.  What a wonderful reminder of how to just be and you know sometimes, we just need to stop figuring it all out.  I have done a lot of that again just recently and really hearing that there so needs to be a 'time of just being of taking a break, taking stock of what is already working with the power of gratitude which will create new inspiration without even trying.'  This is from Lull Muse - KMCC, what fab advice. 

Get It
I was struggling with something and trying to get someone else to help me.  Absolutely nothing wrong in that what so ever, unless you are taking them to a place where they really don't want to go or need to go.  I was thinking that I really wanted to write an inspiring, useful blog where 'small & crappy' would have been just fine and ok to do.  Had I done this then I would not have approached John, on saying that I am so pleased that I did.  Great role model.

Got It
Now I know that what was really occurring for me is the need to want to write a blog in a hurry.  What I got out of this is so much in terms of learning. However it still was about writing a blog and it being good enough.

Great - options/choices

• remember small & crappy
• good enough is good enough
• make notes along the way of ideas
• take risks with blogs

Ta Da! - Credit report - acknowledgment

• I stopped myself in my tracks when I noticed where John was
• I recognised that it is up to me to create what I want and take responsibility of that instead of trying to take someone out of their place into mine
• I wrote this blog and enjoyed its integrity
• I love small & crappy - it is so freeing
• I am letting myself of the hook for being late with it
• I actually  like writing blogs, don't know why, don't need to know
• I learned from this in a loving, compassionate way, nice lessons

How will I celebrate

• Post this blog
• Read it again - haha
• Go out and enjoy lunch with friends
• Relax and have the rest of the day off

Body Talk - Body Trust

I have been looking for a silent retreat for sometime The other day I learned about a silent retreat that occurs for 10 days straight and involved meditations, no journalling, no books, constantly being with our own being.  Wow, that is something that appealed to me, um but 10 days.

I had these heavy feelings in my body.  I actually verbalised that it made me feel scared to be totally with myself for 10 whole days and no contact with anyone, husband, friends etc. 

For the rest of the day and the following morning, I had this constant heavy feeling in my body and head.  I kept thinking negative thoughts about myself, "I am not good at being with myself, if I am walking my talk then I need to do this."  My head was telling me I was a wimp, a phony.  I kept telling myself that I could face my fears, I knew that it would be good for me and yet some how my body continued to not feel good at all.

I spoke with my husband and finally a friend who asked, "What is your body feeling?"  Heavy I say.   "Where are you feeling this?"  In my tummy, chest and throat.  "Do you have any feelings of excitement?"  No, just heavy, dread.  She simply mirrored back, your body is letting you know loud and clear that this is not what she wants.  As soon as she said this I had an instant feeling of relief.  I could not believe that I was judging and comparing myself and trying to be led by my head instead of trusting my body, intuition. 

Get It - what is really happening, what is the issue
Finally after chatting, journalling and actually part of this was doing nothing/space. I realised that I am listening to my body.  I heard the messages straight away and even voiced them, however I did not trust my body/intuition.  My head got in the way. 

Got It - ok I now I have got it, what are my options

• Consider alternatives
• Have compassion for needs in making choices
• Buddhist Centre
• Google silent retreats for 1 - 3 days
• Create one at home - 1 - 3 hours
• I can start small - 1 hour, maybe 30 minutes

Great - choose an option and do it

• Have emailed 2 retreats
• Have phoned Buddhist centre
• Have emailed a friend to see if she would be interested in trying a silent retreat in my gorgeous room from 9 am - 12 noon
• I will do 3 times a week 15 - 30 minutes meditation, silence

Um - what might get in the way, overcoming road blocks

• have compassion and do it anyway
• know that I am learning, a beginner so 1 - 5 minutes is good enough
• for me I will put in a time in my calendar
• actually I have been learning an on line/conferencing call meditation course with the lovely Beverly Beiling and can use her strategies anytime
• remind myself why I value you this and what I hope for
• remind myself how I feel when I am in the silence and after

Get To List - I get to;

• after this do a 15 minute meditation that I learned with Beverly
• diary another 2 times, Wednesday and Friday
• I may treat myself in between - feel like it will be a play date with myself
• choose different locations - outdoors and indoors

Ta Da List - what I can acknowledge myself for

• writing this
• seeking support
• being honest with myself - eventually
• having compassion for myself

What am I grateful for

• my goodness so much, for today, right now, writing this and getting clarity
• making time to give myself 15 minutes
• having lovely home and garden to go explore
• having a husband and friend who are really honest with me
• hope that this helps someone else

Question
Are you going through something right now and confused between what your head is saying and your body/intuition is saying.  How would it be to ask yourself a couple of questions;

1. If I did not care what others thought of me what would I do?
2. If I did trust myself, what would I do?
3. Do I feel any excitement, butterflies or am I just feeling all heavy?

Then please reward yourself.  Maybe Get it, Got it, Great may help.   Good luck. 

GIGIG - Get it, Got it, Great ... MIndfulness - being Present

I love getting presents and have only just admitted this in the last 2 years at nearly being 50.  How crazy but it is what it is and wonderful!!  I have presents every single day of my life, in noticing, being present and gratitude.  it is not always nice and sweet but I am still grateful for what I have and who I am, compassionately a working progress.

Get It - What is going on
I am so passionate about well being and mindfulness and it is the topic of the day for sure.  What I am realising is that I want to be more specific because I want to facilitate a number of workshops for different aspects so reflecting on when, where and how does this impact on me and what does it mean. 

I realised that mindfulness for me initially had a connotation of being spiritual and meditating and it certainly is.  I am for sure going to develop meditation skills because they rock and make life much better, enjoyable and sustainable.  I am going to explore the different ways being present will affect me.  I attended a brilliant 2 day work shop - ACT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which I will not try to explain (cannot do it justice in a bee blog but is now part of my practice) but an aspect of it was about being present and accepting of feelings.   So this is a challenge for me.  So I guess I want to go there, well actually I don't but my body does. 

Got It - ok I have it now what are my options

• try a technique - there were various
• journal it

Really I know which one I want to do

Great - made a choice, action

Ok I really liked this one.  Have to put it in a list or mind map (favourite) to keep it simple for me.

• Allow my thoughts to be and let them pass on leaves in a river - that will work for me today.  Accept that I will continue to have thoughts so just let them go peacefully, and not judge if I don't manage that.
• Sit with my feeling and breathe (know this happens quite naturally)
• Try to breathe and notice the breath - 3 - 5 times, trying to enjoy it
• Try to connect to the feeling, and breathe into it, make room for it
• Don't try to change how I feel
• Don't try to make it ok
• Accept it is there
• what shape is it?
• is it moving?
• is it solid, soft, heavy, light?
• what colour is it?
• what temperature is it?
• where in the body is it?
• how is it feeling?
• Notice the breathing and just sit with it

Yeah right sounds easy, well actually the steps are simple and hard to do.  It is certainly worth trying. I have tried it before and this is not about making myself feel better, it is about allowing it.  It was just there, as a consequence I did feel better but it is not really about that.  It is about learning to tolerate the feeling, switch off the struggle switch then choose a behaviour, action that is kinder to yourself.

So I am going to do this now - truly.  Are you sitting with something that feels uncomfortable, even a little bit.  If so, how would it be to give it a go.  I would be interested to hear how you go on. I would imagine this stuff takes practice, endless patience and compassion. 

 

Excitement Overwhelm - Get it, Got it, Great ... GIGIG

Get it - what is the real issue
Have just attended an amazing conference, workshop and watched a You Tube video which all speak to me really loudly and resonates so much in personal  life and professional life.  I feel I have hit on something and I have of course not.  I have a lot of energy and making myself feel overwhelm and pressure to share this information with others and consolidate it and use it.  Phew. 

Fact is I am using a lot of it anyway in Occupational Therapy, Supervision and Coaching, which is a great confirmation.  So what is my issue.  What is that I feel pressured to do?

Got it - now I know, what are my choices
I have it.  I am so excited and have all these feelings in my tummy, I want them to stop and I am concerned that I will forget stuff.
Options

• be mindful of my feelings, use ACT to sit with them
• treadmill for 30 mins
• eat my through
• drink wine
• get lost in You Tube
• watch a TED video that is always worthwhile
• play games on the computer
• remunerate about it and do nothing
• bore my husband with it
• write a list/plan of where and how I want to share this stuff
• actually - I have written up notes
• wrote an article this morning
• informed a couple of people already

Need to give myself some compassion and enjoy 3 lovely slow breaths in and out - there done, feel better already.

Great ... I get to

• watch a lovely DVD 2.30 mins of lovely scenery and music
• make room for my feelings and breathe in to them
• make a plan on the new on line Ta Da lists
• then definitely have a glass of wine

Um - what might stop me

• distraction
• eating instead of being - haha
• not wanting to sit with good but uncomfortable feelings
• procrastinating

Great ... what can I do to over come the above

• just do my plan without thinking and judgement

Ta Da

• I am so pleased that I did this here
• Feel a bit vulnerable sharing my experience but hope it helps someone else
• Glad to see how I can sabotage myself sometimes  and ruin something that is really fantastic and exciting - wahoo
• Love the breathing - kind of handy

Celebrate

• Glass of wine
• Enjoying beautiful video and music
• Just being
• Will give myself a gold star - literally in my gratitude note book

What worked - Gratitude

• Writing this, not judging
• Putting things in black and white cannot believe what I have achieved already
• So grateful to have experienced the above and share it

So my challenge or enquiry to you.  Can you think of a time that some really cool happened and you were overwhelmed with how you were going to deal with it.  Try GIGIG and see if it could work for you.

Its ok to not feel ok - Get it, Got it, Great - GIGIG

Have not yet titled this, not sure what is to come, only that I feel, what I feel that I am having an off day.  I feel bad today about having an off day.  My life is amazing, I love it.  I have a great husband, relationships, l love what I do, my home etc so does this mean I am ungrateful because I am having an off day.  No I don't think so.  I can still be grateful for my life and feel like this - right!

Get it
Ok I get that I feel like I should not feel like this because of some old script somewhere, because of positive psychology, because, because I could blame so many things but I feel the way I do and that is ok.

Got it
So now I get it.  The Got it is what can I do about it now that I have identified it.  I could beat myself up, drink some more wine, eat some more almonds, not the same as cheese cake but I don't have any, write this email and accept what I am feeling.

Great
Guess what I am going to choose to get through - go get some cheese cake, only joking had 2 glasses of wine so will just finish this and my wine and it must be bed time. 

Ta Da!

• I wrote this, not knowing what was coming
• I did not drink and drive for cheese cake - I would not anyway!!!!!! Joke eh!!

What worked

• Wine - I know that is so transient but it is working
• Writing this

What am I grateful for

• My goodness writing this
• Having no more wine - work tomorrow, so responsibility
• My life is pretty cool
• I never give up

How will I celebrate

• No more wine
• No cheese cake
• Definitely no more almonds
• Sleep would be bliss - good night, don't let the bed bugs bite - how gross is that!!!

Nite, nite

Getting What You Want - Get It, Got It, Great ... - GIGIG

Wow, getting what you have longed for for so long should be an amazing feeling right!  So why am I feeling the way I am just now.  I am delighted that I am going to launch my workshop, coaching programme.  Cannot believe and just feel so lucky, so then how come I feel well like this.  Not sure what like this actually means or is but it feels unexpected, a little low, flat, the energy and excitement has certainly been there and will be there but I am trying to be with my feelings which I can eat or drink away but don't want to do that. 

It seems strange now that it has taken me so long to allow myself to do this.  I am a coach and could have done this a long time ago, cant you just hear those little critics but I am here now and I am doing it.  Sometimes I get sad thinking about what we do to ourselves over our lives, just because we don't feel too great about who we are inside and then we continually seek approval from others and you know the rest you will never please all of the people all of the time. 

Amazing that we don't give ourselves permission to listen to ourselves.  Have to say I have been developing these listening skills for some time now and they are much better then they were but sometimes I choose not to listen because then I may need to face up to the fact that I am an ok dude for just being who I am.  Not for any great deeds or anything just because it is supposed to be this way.  So what am I getting???

Get It
I guess I am getting that even though your dreams are being realised there is a balance of emotions, feelings, fears, excitement.  Perhaps with the gains there are some losses but how wonderful to be moving forward and be true to the self despite the critics in the head. 

Got It
I think my Got It is just honoring that I have a mixture of feelings from realising my dreams of Don't Make Dreams Weight, living life from the inside out and its ok to have them.  My choices are to listen to myself, have compassion, know that even though I may have some 'flatness' it does not mean that I am not totally grateful and so excited.  I could eat my through, drink my way through or I could just breathe, journal, cozy up in my wonderful warm bed and sleep on it. 

Great ...
That is what I am going to do, my Get To list has one item on it, just cozy up in my lovely warm bed and sleep and be grateful, ok 2 things. How lucky am I?

My Ta Da List

• wahoo writing this and not knowing what was to come
• honoring how I am feeling and attempting to suspend judgement
• not trying to think of anything else to add -  haha

What worked

• being honest and not trying to analyse it too much
• making time to be here

I am so grateful for the people I come across, friends, family, clients, life.  Thank you, thank you. 

Feeling Wrong Because It's Right - Get It, Got It, Great - GIGIG

We all make mistakes or do stuff that is wrong, incorrect, not right and will continue to do so because we are human.  Here's the thing I noticed this morning, well actually I have noticed on many occasions but I got my 'Get It' this morning.  I have overwhelming feelings that something felt wrong, like I did something wrong or just a feeling that was uncomfortable as if I should not be doing what ever it is.

Then I realised it was because I am doing much more for myself that is in my best interest for sure, one of which is launching a new programme that I have been working on for years - Don't Make Life Weight, Living Life from the inside out.  This is a really big deal for me and I have a date 23rd September 2011 to finally put it out there.  Even though this is brilliant for me, I have these feelings this morning that I am doing something wrong and in a sense I get it that perhaps to my old self I am. Aha, I now have my Get it!!

Get It

I get that I feel off balance a little because I am doing something I have dreamed of for years and it is scaring me, exciting me and putting myself out there.  My old self, old beliefs about myself, old coping mechanisms, self sabotage are screaming out at me, no you cannot do that.  You will get hurt, make a full of yourself, no one will turn up, who do you think you are that you think you can help others, the old script.  So to her, it would feel wrong. So this is the her who comes from a lower scary place, but the one that comes from a higher scary and exciting place absolutely knows that this is in her best interest.  So it kind of makes sense. Crazy eh!  But not so!!!

Got It

Ok, so now I Get It, what are my options.  I could learn to sit with my uncomfortable feelings, journal, talk about it, not do it (definitely don't think so - although maybe this has been part of why it has taken so long!!), feel the fear and excitement do it anyway.  All of these seem OK options but I am doing it - the workshop.  I need a small step, really something small.  I am feeling overwhelmed already and more so when I read.

I could just accept or try to accept that what ever I feel is led by my thoughts and habitual thoughts.  I think I just want a very small step and just acknowledge how I am feeling will do for me I think at this time.

Great ...

So what will I do.  My Get To List will be:

• Acknowledge that I have noticed this and have compassion for myself.
• Know that the more I do what matters to me and I love then I will continue to feel a mixture of uncomfortable feelings and excitement, which means I am right on track.
• Keep moving ahead with the workshop regardless of how I feel.
• Congratulate  myself on this insight - did not know what was coming until I wrote this.

My Ta Da List

• Writing this honestly as a journal.
• Still feeling uncomfortable.
• This is real, cannot wait to do the workshop.

What worked

• Writing this

What am I grateful for:

• Being able to journal.
• Stepping into who I am meant to be.
• Slowly getting that I will not always feel comfortable with the things that matter but knowing that this will always be a regular feature because I will continue doing and being who I am and this seems to be a feature of being human - Fright and flight response. 

I wonder if you are dealing something similiar.  How would deal with it?

Bliss - Overwhelm - Get it, Got it, Great - GIGIG

During my journalling this morning I felt overwhelmed and a little stressed, thinking of all the things that I had on today and consequently started to work on my automatic thoughts and recruited small steps but it was not until I saw what I was busy with that I realised I would be in my bliss for the whole day if I allowed myself to be and was reminded just how much I could  have not allowed myself to be present. 

Get It

I get that I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed because I had a busy day.  It was not until I looked at the content of my day that I realised that I would be:

• Doing a Wii work out which I love
• Coaching which I love
• Supervising which I love
• Being supervised which I love
• African drumming which I love

I am absolutely serious I love all of these activities, so even with one I would be in my bliss and because I had a full day I just saw the busyness.  My supervision and drumming are by a wild ocean, beach and 1 hours drive away, so 2 hours return but the thing is, I get pleasantly blasted, refreshed and usually sing or listen to CD's there and back.  How easy it could have been for me today to have missed this.

Got it

Right so I get it and the got it is what can I do about it.  What are my options, well I could ignore my bliss and just stay overwhelmed.  I could accept in wonder what a great day I have ahead of me and that by being present I could really enjoy and be grateful for what I have, which is of course my option.

Great

Now doing it.  So I will once I have finished this look through my list and then hop on to my Wii and get on with it.

We play Djembe drums.  The picture above is of a 10 minute gig - love saying that in a rural town, community, just loved it.  I am in purple and white at the end on the right hand side.  Have to say the purple and white is no longer.  it is purple and purple after my dear hubby put the top in with the new purple trousers.  Now I am very purple at drumming gigs.  We are of course amateurs but great to beat on a drum.  Love it. 

Seriously, how lucky am I.

My Ta Da List

• I journalled and gained some wonderful gems
• I am in my bliss, now writing this
• I get to do what I love all day

What worked?

• Being open to doing my journal and really allowing myself to see how it could have been.
• Having compassion that I was not initially grateful

What am I grateful for?

• Giving myself permission to journal
• Being able to let my thoughts flow
• My life and how much I have what I love in it
• It is worth going to the uncomfortable places

What's In A Name 2 - Fitting In. Get it, Got it, Great ... GIGIG

I was looking for puzzle pieces to depict 'fitting in' and then looked at my own logo!!

I did not expect to be here so soon but realised as I did the mind maps what I love is my passion.  I also started to realise that I was just trying to fit in with my peers, my profession, what I value, wondering how can I develop a business from my passion, so many things were affecting me and I was losing my way.  I have no doubt that the above will have some impact on what I do, however I am trying to make the pieces fit, when they dont necessarily do so at this time and may never. 

My tag line is living life from the inside out and why let life be a puzzle, together we can make the pieces fit and that has always been about identifying the right pieces in the first place.  Our pieces, what matters to us from the inside not the outside and with every essence of me I believe, truly only then can we really be living the life we are meant to be living.

I also strongly believe that we have to do and be in the doing and learning to 'be' we learn about ourselves and experience what works for us and what we no longer need.  Interesting that it is so much easier to support some body else through this.

So - Get It

I Get that what is most important at this time is I remind myself of what matters, what my values are.  What inspired  me to want to be here.

Got It

Now I have more insight I have some options; I can do another MM of who I want to be in coaching.  How I want to spend my life from here on in, nearly being a 50 year old.  Explore my values again.  Act as if the whole world was my oyster, which it incidentally is.  MM as if it was a blank sheet. 

Great ..  My Get To List

Ok, I am going to do values exercise purely because it is fun and light hearted, ok then it will bring me back to me.  I will then look at a blank sheet and act as if I could not fail. 

My Ta Da List

• I allowed myself not to be perfect and edit that last post to include a Ta Da List.
• I am here pondering.
• I am open to learning.

What worked

Trusting and giving in a little to having to have the answers now.

Celebrate

Picnic by the beach, even though it is pretty cool. 

What's In A Name - Get It, Got It, Great - GIGIG

This is driving me crazy.  I am keen to be a life coach and at the same time coach in Occupational Therapy.  I have tried to amalgamate the two names which is really not describing what I do.  I knew this would be a challenge but honestly I did not realise just how hard it would be.  What I am beginning to realise is that there is so much in a name.  Your identity, what you stand for, who you stand for, your values, etc, especially if you are trying to explain what kind of work you do, and if you want to attract the right kind of person and what I  mean by this is that when I have a name and/or describe what I do a person will understand that and expect that when they contact me.  I still do not have the answer and right now feel paralyzed so I have decided to leave it right now and perhaps this is highlighting for me, not what I really want to be called but what is it that I really want to commit to and be known for that. 

Get It

What I get right now, is that I dont get it and that is frustrating and I am surprised that I feel so stuck.

Got It

I Got that I Get that I dont know.  So where to from here?  Ok options are to explore.  I dont think exploring the name is what I need to do.  Mind map what it is that I really love about coaching.  What is it that I hope for from coaching. How do I see this integrating in Occupational Therapy as a coach supporting other Therapists, the Profession.  I know that I want to be amongst people who want change.  I am also very strongly interested in working with people with disordered eating but wonder if I have the capacity for that. 

Great ..

So now need to make a call and choose just one small step or several but I think one small step.  I choose to start with a mind map about what I love about coaching, actually and will do one about my passions.  What am I really passionate about. 

Why Make Dreams Weight - Still waiting to see if it is ok to use the name!!

I had this notion that I would be organised with this blog.  I named it and then committed to it weekly, although it is not a week yet and am realising just how much I have restricted myself.  I really want to be a good blogger but more than that I want to learn about me and how I have been using the tools that I have learned over the years and also to follow the journey.

At the moment I have been part of Reciprocoaching, which I think is a brilliant idea and I am grateful to be a part of it finally. Anyway, I am been coached and at the same time you coach someone else.  No charge apart from a modest annual feel.  You also learn about research, participate in supervision and mentoring which I have yet to do. 

I today as one of my actions actually booked a room to run my first introductory workshop.  Yeah.  I cannot believe after about oh 5 - 6 years I am finally allowing myself to launch this programme, which originally was called Get it, Got it, Great.  As a coach, I do believe in walking your talk and have found it fascinating just how much easier it is to believe in some else then yourself but of course in reality you can only really go as far as you have been and I want to do this for me but also because I want to broaden my experience and understanding to absolutely enjoy my life and share with others. 

I have coached 2 ladies in the last couple of days and honestly, even in supervision I have constantly been blown away with who people are and what they do to themselves and for themselves.  They are truly my teachers, inspiration and enthuse me and empower and energise me.  You never know who is walking by you.  How amazing and lucky are we to walk along so many people who are just regular folk!!!

So I am going to allow myself to be a beginner blogger and look forward to learning from you guys.  I will do a weekly GIGIG and blog when I feel the need.  Any suggestions please let me know. 

Childhood Gifts - GIGIG

My first real blog for Get it, Got it, Great - GIGIG
Get it
I was working through a self coaching work book by Janet Whitehead - her website is called Mud and Musings, inspiring and fun, worth checking it out.  It was about exploring your gifts as a child and explore where you are using them now and how could you use them. 

My goodness I was not prepared for what occurred.  As for most of us I do not have many childhood memories.  I was a little resistant to doing this to be honest, which actually indicated that I needed to do it even more.  Don't you just hate that!!  I was able to vaguely recall that sometime before I was 5 (and why 5 because I remember the street we lived in) we put on a street play and sold old toys to raise money to buy new ones.  I loved singing, musicals.  I was in a couple of plays and embarrassing as this is I use to narrate my brother and I doing the dishes. 

As an adult I wanted to train others or present.  On occasions I wanted to do drama, learn to sing, play the guitar and never followed any of this through.  I remember hearing messages about who did I think I was to stand up in front of others and do stuff, teach them etc.  I always wondered why I had this thing inside of me that I wanted to teach, to do groups, workshops, present etc.  It is very big headed you know!!!

Anyway in my coach practice I love working on a one to one basis but I am really drawn to work with groups also, do presentations, workshops, retreats etc and could not understand what this draw was but now I do. So ..

Got it
Now I get it so what.  How can I use this information well, I get that I finally understand that I have had this gift, knowledge before I even went school perhaps.  That it is part of who I am meant to be and that is so ok and must be exposed.  It would be a shame if I did not allow my gifts (don't know how much they are gifts yet) but I am naturally drawn in this direction, so I need to satisfy who I am.  How absolutely wonderful and scary at the same.  Jeez people are going to see the real me that is emerging but it feels so right.

Now a strategy, what do I 'Get To' do that will support my next step.  Well, I can acknowledge this and have to say I need to journal and sit with the part of me who is sad because I denied this my whole life (next year I am 50) and thought I was a bad person because I wanted to support, teach, educate others, do presentations and workshops, etc and yet is ecstatic that I am listening to my intuition.  

Next I can continue to develop my workshop programme for September and a workshop for November.  I also want to do a retreat.  Now Liz, these are way big steps albeit exciting.

Great - what next

1. Small step - I Get To take a note of my ideas and put them on my board
2. I get to continue to work with my workshop for Sept
3. Calendar to start my November workshop in August/Sept
4. Be kind and compassionate to myself - what an insight

My Ta DA List

• Finally allowing myself to be heard
• Allowing my uncomfortable feelings
• Doing this blog

What worked - not thinking too much and just doing.

I am so grateful that I am in the space to face this.

Oh how will I celebrate.  Open a 200 ml bottle of sparkling Lindaur Fraise wine.  :-)

Now your turn - if you are up to it!
Get it - what did you love doing when you were a child?  List,  mind map, collage, doodle, write, paint, day dream etc.  Where are you doing it now?  If you are not doing stuff you enjoy now, can you choose one small thing?

Got it - now you know some things you like to do.  What is one thing that you can choose?  Just one thing?  List what you need to do to create the time, space, resources to do it.  Just a quick list.

Great - now what, just choose one item from the list.  You Get To Do - what ....?  Just one small step, even if it is for 5  mins, or day dreaming, just do it.

Ta Da List - write one thing on your Ta Da List, just one thing that you are glad that you did, more if you feel like it. 

What worked?

What is one thing that you are grateful for?

How will you celebrate?

New Beginnings - Get It, Got It, Great ....

Well it has been quite some time.  I cannot believe just how long to be honest.  But I am glad to be back.  I have been pondering, exploring who I am and what rocks my boat.  I took a month off, well kind of to explore my spirituality and creativity and have to say it was not what I had expected but extremely worthwhile, which over time I guess will be part of this blog.  For now though I just want to say hi and gently bring myself back to blogging.

My intention is to do a weekly blog.  I listened yesterday to a pod cast by Goddess Leonie, seriously you should check out her web site.  What an inspiring woman and generous.  Her web site is http://www.goddessguidebook.com/. Anyway she spoke about how she reached others and explained that mainly blogging was consistent, so here I am. 

Since about 2005, I have been writing a coaching package called Get it, Got it, Great....  It has evolved over the years and now will be called something else.  However, I really like what was behind this so am going to trial using it in this blog.  I will start with my GIGIG and then ask you to explore your GIGIG.  I would be interested in any feed back or ideas. 

So
Get it - really means, identifying what is really bothering you, what is your dream, really being specific, only needs to be a really small thing or can be larger. 

Got it - you now know what it is so you can develop a strategy to get what you want, it actually could be just a small step to just get you on your way, in fact the smaller the better because then you are more likely to do it and many more.  You may have a list of options and choose one, take a small step from that option.

Great - is the Get To, instead of To Do.  It is the action, you Get To - whatever it is. 

I will be encouraging a Ta Da List - which is acknowledging what is working for you, where are you getting it right, what did you do that you are glad you did.  It may be one or up to 3 things. 

I have a little note book and write in it daily - a Ta Da List but also, one thing that worked and one thing I am grateful for.  I promise you I award myself with a star sticker or a smiley face - try it, its fun and works. 

Self Acknowledgement - Part 2

This will be just a short blog because the second did not link into the web site, face book as it was meant to so this is just at attempt to see if this will work. 

Just a thought about why it would be worth acknowledging yourself.    The other day I realised that I was pushing away a person that I really liked, respected and had fun with just because she was not meeting my need of telling me that I was good enough.  

I had not appreciated my feelings of how much this affected me and I felt hurt and let down by the person, who poor thing was totally oblivious to this of course.  Because I did not want to hurt her and tell her how I was feeling because I felt foolish so I just started avoiding her, which is silly because I really enjoy her company.

So I went on to think about what was occurring for me and what had changed.  I came up with the insight as mentioned above and now I see that.  I genuinely have given myself compassion, am extremely grateful for the learning and can now practice acknowledging myself so that I dont push away people that I care about.  

This gives me great motivation to get my stuff together, with absolute compassion and know that I have so many teachers/mirrors out there, that if I dont get it this time I will the next. 

Ta  Da! List :

• I will credit myself for allowing myself to see this
• I will congratulate myself on not beating myself up
• I iwll acknowledge that I am absolutely good enough and getting better at doing this

I Get To :

• I will celebrate by contacting this person and arranging time together

 Ok this will do for me now.  I hope it is useful to someone else. 

Blaming - Self Acknowledgement

I am learning about writing blogs and so will be changing formats.  I am beginning to understand that some people like to read lots of narratives and others don’t.  So here goes, this time I am going to use more bullet points and see what happens.  I really want the blogs to be informative, useful, and authentic.   The basis of my coaching is Kaizen Muse Creativity Coaching ®.  I will be using terminology/tools that are based on this approach and whatever I think will work.

Blaming – Self Acknowledgment

Interesting Stuff!

·        If you feel frustrated and annoyed at someone, just check out that you are not feeling this way because they have not behaved in a way that you wanted.

·        Some times we seek acknowledgement from others to validate what we have done or how well we are doing.  If we don’t receive this then we can feel frustrated or annoyed at a person without realizing why.  It is not their fault, they have done nothing wrong.

·        If you are doing this, firstly please have compassion for yourself and know that you are doing the best that you can but now you have raised awareness.  This is a starting point.

·        Often the people we seek acknowledgement from we presume that ‘they have everything together or on to it’ and therefore, not human and don’t have human needs, just like the rest of us.


Ta Da! Successes

Congratulations that you are still reading this.

How about you think about one thing that you have acknowledged yourself for?  If this is hard to do consider a small small thing, it may be that you got out of bed today, made a yummy meal, turned up for work on time, played with the kids, did something creative for you, even if it was colouring in. 

o   If you can, how did that feel?

o   Where in the body can you feel that feeling?  If that is hard to do, just imagine where you might feel it in your body?

o   Notice the difference.


You get To (if you feel like it)

• notice who you have recently been angry with and just briefly explore if that was because you wanted them to validate you and say that you did a good job or that you are a neat person.
• congratulate
• make up a phrase or affirmation that is light, fun and supportive the next time you seek acknowledgement – sometimes I tell myself I am good enough Lizzie, good enough.  This is like an ‘anchor’ KMCC ® to bring you back to you.  It takes time and will not happen over night.
• celebrate in a way that is a real celebration, something that you would not normally do for yourself or something that you know is special for you.  It does not have to be huge, it could be a bar of chocolate, new crayons, paints, a coffee, time out.

Muse of the month

From Jill Badonsky’s book, 9 Modern Day Muses and a Body Guard.    As time goes on I will be introducing more of the Muses through here, my web site and face book including Jill’s web site.   KMCC ® is a registered trademark of a model of Creativity-Coaching designed by Jill Badonsky, M.Ed., with added elements from Dr. Robert Maurer and his book One Small Step Can Change Your Life the Kaizen-Way.


On your behalf I have chosen (randomly) Marge Muse – haha.  She so encapsulates both Jill and Robert’s teachings.  She is the Muse of okay, now-lets-get-started!


The Muses are aspects of ourselves that can support and help us.

• Marge is very much into using small, small steps, no matter how small and just get started that’s it.   This can reduce overwhelm, procrastination.
• Small steps, really mean small, small steps, 30 seconds, 5 minutes, day dreaming about whatever it is you want to do, maybe preparing a place or time for it and just starting.
   
• So I guess she would be suggesting that you don’t get hung up about blaming others, just start to notice how much you can acknowledge yourself, even if it is once a week.
• You may choose to acknowledge something so simple, eg making a cup of coffee, tea, a sandwich, being creative, anything.  This can introduce you into the feeling and that is all you need to do for now.
• A good way of getting started to do anything is just to ask a small question and see what happens.  If the answer does not appear straight away then don’t try to force it.  I promise you it will appear some times without you even realizing.  If you don’t know where to start a simple question maybe, what’s a fun place/way to start ….?

So this month if you are struggling with anything, overwhelm, procrastination, self sabotage, just think of Marge Muse – okay dokey, lets just get started, one small step, even 5 mins a day.  


Creativity

The creative process is as a spiritual one therefore connecting with who we REALLY are, our intuition, our child like aspects that are often are shut out as life happens.

Often creativity is not valued or prioritised.   We frequently don’t appreciate just how valuable and essential it is to our existence and the sense of being alive.  We may be creative in terms of painting, writing, etc or cooking, gardening, having fun, playing, at work, in the home.

I am looking forward to developing my blogs and with each one I hope that I can some how encourage some fun way of accessing yourself whilst acknowledging the amazing human being you and I are.  We are both ‘human’ and ‘ being’ and so meant to connect to ourselves.  Our higher, intuitive, fun selves.  The more we look after ourselves physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, I promise the ripple affects are incredible.

It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.  – Confucius

To interesting times ahead

Liz Gow