Many of my clients struggle with the concept of identifying a list of personal values. As a coach it is important to understand what the individual client holds as their most important principles of living so that I can understand how to best support them in addressing any issues and challenges that arise for them [...]
Coaching and Personal Development
“Grief is the Price We Pay for Love”
HRH Prince William quoted his Grandmother when he said “Grief is the price we pay for love” during his recent visit to New Zealand and Australia to visit earthquake and flood affected regions, and at a time in our lives where the entire world seems to be confronted with challenge after immeasurable challenge it is [...]
Expectations or Preferences?
I am back on my bandwagon of ‘Managing Expectations’! This is such a common dilemma for most people that I interact with (including myself) that it is worthy of another mention. Many of us struggle with things that are beyond our control. We may believe that friends should behave in a particular way, people should [...]
Dealing with Shame
We all get embarrassed now and then. The simple choice to live life brings the risk of feeling ‘not so great’ at times when we do things we may regret or not do things we wish we had. Embarrassment is useful when it keeps us on track with our values. Shame is a much deeper [...]
Dealing with Guilt
Robert Blair once said “How blunt are all the arrows of thy quiver in comparison with those of guilt” and I haven’t found a quote that cuts right to the heart of this topic like this one does. The word itself is used often so let’s be clear on what it actually is. Guilt, quite [...]
Forgiveness
Mark Twain said “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it” such a beautiful quote that truly encapsulates the intent behind true forgiveness. Forgiveness is defined in the dictionary as the ‘letting go of resentment, indignation, or anger against another person for a perceived offense, difference, or mistake’. [...]
Challenges of Coping with Pregnancy Loss
Coping with pregnancy loss can be difficult for both the expectant mother and the people most affected by the tragic event – husband, grandparents and close friends, for example. Miscarriage, stillbirth and pregnancy loss are all terms used to describe the loss of a baby while still in the mother’s womb. In many instances it [...]
Short Term Goals – One thing at a time in 2011!
I am almost certain that I am not the only person in the world who bites off more than they can chew…. Well as certain as I can be. Les Brown quotes that ‘Goals help you channel energy in to action’ and I would wholeheartedly agree. Goals can give you focus and a purpose to [...]
Expectations Versus Standards
William Shakespeare once said that ‘Expectation is the root of all heartache’ and if I was to sum up the lessons of 2010 (and the last 4 decades of my life) it would be to not expect anything. It has taken me a while to understand this whole concept because one of the most fundamental [...]
Compassionate Detachment (what the?)
As a coach I regularly hear about troubling events and circumstances in the lives of my clients. Many people ask me how I keep my distance emotionally when I hear such stories of desperation. As a coach (and even as a friend) the only way to bring the best of myself to the situation is [...]
